Vestavia voice vol 1 iss 6 october 2013 by Starnes Media

VestaviaVoice.com

October 2013

•1

Volume 1 | Issue 6 | October 2013

More than winning

Bringing it home Vestavia Hills working to stop losing retail dollars to other communities

Vestavia Hills High School head football coach Buddy Anderson eclipsed a major milestone last month, but his purpose on the field goes far beyond wins and losses.

Sports page 26

Pink and active

Defeating breast cancer may have left Peggy Honeycutt weak, but this Vestavia Hills mother had no intention of staying down. Read about her amazing story inside this issue.

Community page 16

INSIDE City ..................... 6 Business ............ 8 Food ................... 11 Community ....... 14

School House .. 22 Sports ............... 24 Faith .................. 27 Calendar ........... 31

Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #656

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Vestavia resident Sara Robicheaux buys local whenever she can, but she finds that many of the specialty ingredients required in her recipes take her outside city limits to purchase. This pattern, known as “retail leakage,” is exhibited by residents in several areas of Vestavia Hills. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hagler.

By REBECCA WALDEN In July, City Manager Jeff Downes began laying groundwork to bring an out-ofmarket restaurant to Vestavia Hills. What he discovered both delighted and frustrated him. “This restaurant wants to be in the Birmingham metro area, and they told me that Vestavia Hills is the epicenter of where they see their greatest opportunity,” he said. “But we have struggled trying to find a location to meet their needs. The sweet spot for a lot of places is 5,000 to 7,500 square feet. That’s where we fall short.” This and other information, gathered in his first 30 days on the job, has helped Downes dispel one long-held stereotype about the City

of Vestavia Hills – that retail businesses would rather locate outside city limits. “High-quality retailers do want to come here,” he said. “But right now, we have an inventory problem.” Limited space for businesses to locate is a key contributor to “retail leakage,” a term used when residents can’t get the goods and services they need in their communities and are forced to spend money elsewhere. Leakage represents a loss in potential tax revenue, and working to correct that means the city needs more bricks and mortar. “My family and I go out of our way to shop in Vestavia when we can, but that is not always possible,” said mother of three Sara Robicheaux, also dean of business programs

for Birmingham-Southern College. “Specialty stores are a huge source of our retail leakage. You don’t have to look farther than Homewood or Hoover, where you have wholesale and discount retail markets, to see part of what is contributing to the problem.” While she acknowledged the presence of Vestavia’s well-supported Walmart Neighborhood Market, Robicheaux, an avid cook and baker, added that she frequently makes trips outside city limits to purchase specialty ingredients not found in typical grocery stores. “We are missing out on a huge opportunity not having a gourmet grocery,” she said.

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2 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

“They Laughed and Said, ‘Dude, You’re Fat.’ “But Then I Looked in The Mirror…”

“Iron Tribe got me off the couch -- and into shape!” –Jason The mirror was right. My friends were, too. I was fat. What a humiliating difference a few years can make …

Jason Before Iron Tribe

You see, 15 years ago, I was in great shape. Even played sports in college. But after an injury, I stopped exercising. I got lazy, and my body went downhill. Then, I married a marathon runner. She was in great shape, and I had to catch up -- fast. That’s when I found Iron Tribe Fitness. I started with their 101 Intro Program, which was a huge help for me. I was so out of shape, I couldn’t even do a pull-up. But the 101 helped me get my confidence back. I saw changes in my body, too -- in only 30 days. After graduating from 101, I was nervous to start the regular classes. But my coaches were there for me. They helped me learn the moves and get better. Then, one day … BOOM. I had a great

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VestaviaVoice.com

October 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ 3

4 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

About Us Photo of the Month

Please Support our Sponsors Activ Care Living, Mount Royal Towers (6) Bariatrics of Alabama (10) Birmingham Internal Medicine (24) Neighbors gathered recently for Coventry’s Annual Fall Block Party. Balloon hats from Bubbles the Clown were a huge hit.

Birmingham Physical Therapy (16) Birmingham School of Music (15) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (13) Bromberg & Company, Inc. (21) Brookwood Medical Center (22) Byrom Building Corp (28) Cafe Iz (14) Cahaba Dermatology and Skin Care Center (14) Children’s of Alabama (9)

Editor’s Note By Rebecca Walden grandmother, E, and then cheer My favorite pumpkin space latte is back (thank wildly for her while I race through the throngs to capture you, Starbucks), the Crock-Pot has made that perfect shot of our family matriarch. its season-long return Throughout the month, at to our kitchen counter, and those curious little least sandwiched between the too-good-to-DVR football cinnamon broom sticks are once again on display games and our son’s Sunday soccer matches, we’ll hit as at Publix. Yep, it’s many local festivals as possible October all right. With its gourds and (you’ve got plenty to choose Walden mums and Indian corn from; turn to page 14 for and raffia, this month is a blissful time details of those in our area). This cooler of transition. Weekends are replete with air seems to bring out my inner extrovert, fall festivals, higher stakes football and and the camaraderie that awaits, both almost endless possibilities to carve out with neighbors and new friends to be family time creatively spent. made, is something I don’t want to miss. It all culminates in Halloween, of One of our favorite Saturdays of the year happens Oct. 13, when we will course. The night we rush home from once again watch, from our Radio Flyer work, outfit everyone in their gear and wagon vantage point, the progression traipse up to as many front doors as we of pink warriors as they make their way can, hoping to collect more candy and from the Survivor’s Breakfast in Linn chocolate than Play-Doh and crayons. After we get home, and sort our stash Park to the starting line of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Our kids Ella (Snickers for Mom, Kit Kat for Dad, and Connor will search eagerly among non-descript orange and black wrapped the sea of faces to find their precious things in the trash), we’ll take out one of

our favorite household chotchkies – this hideous, battery-powered Frankenstein toy – and wrap up the night with a final encore of a tune that’s echoed around the house for weeks (Ray Parker Jr. fans know what I’m talking about here). Here’s a hint – when your 2-year-old asks you to replace “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” with “Ghostbusters” at bedtime, you’ve probably been listening to it too much. These are the moments of parenthood no one prepares you for – that one day, a tuckered out redhead will be laughing hysterically while you and your husband flint about the room singrapping, “I ain’t afraid of no ghost!” From the flavors to the flowers to the festivals and Halloween fanfare, there is so much to savor this month. Find your autumn delight. Cheers, Rebecca

D1 Sports (24) Eighteenth Street Orientals (27) Fi-Plan Parnters (8) Hair By Maryam (16) Hand Arendall (21) Hearlab (25) Hendrick Hoover Auto Mall (13, 19) Indian Springs School (26) Iron Tribe (2) Issis & Sons (17) Junior League of Birmingham (12) Kim Mangham-Barelare SouthStar Properties (15) LAH Real Estate (29) Lili Pad/Gi Gi’s (27) Mattress Warehouse (3) Medical Properties Trust (20) Merle Norman - Vestavia (19) Mitchell’s Place (18)

Publisher : Executive Editor : Creative Director : Editor : Managing Editor : Advertising Manager : Sales and Distribution : Copy Editor: Contributing Writers :

Interns : Published by :

Contact Information: Hoover Sun #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 dan@hooversun.com Dan Starnes Jeff Thompson Keith McCoy Rebecca Walden Madoline Markham Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Louisa Jeffries Chandler Jones Intisar Seraaj-Sabree Katie Turpen Tom Ward Pat Patrick Syndey Cromwell Lauren Moriarty Vestavia Voice LLC

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

For advertising contact: dan@vestaviavoice.com Legals: Vestavia Voice is published monthly. Reproduction or use of

editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. The Vestavia Voice is designed to inform the Vestavia community of area school, family and community events. Information in the Vestavia Voice is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of the Vestavia Voice. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 3131780 or by email.

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Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese (15) Outdoor Living Areas (11) Pappas’ Grill (19) Remax Southern Homes - Becky Hicks (26) Renaissance Consignment and Marketplace (31) Royal Automotive (32) Serra Independence (5) The Cuckoo’s Nest (28) The Ridge Eat & Drink (23) Tutoring Club Cahaba Heights (18) UAB Medicine (7) Urban Style Salon (16) Vision Gymnastics (23)

October 2013 • 5

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6 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

City Mayor’s Minute

By Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza This month, we expect to close on the former Food World and Joe’s Ranch House space so that we can move forward with our plans for the new City Hall. We also are working closely with Williams Blackstock Architects on design details for the new space. Our existing space was built in the early 1950s, with three or four additions since that time, so we’ve basically had to “make do” for decades. By contrast, this new space will reflect careful forethought and design, with an eye toward crossdepartmental collaboration and functionality. Specifically, we’re looking at building a concept designed to host community-wide events just outside City Hall. This might include a bit of green space as well. We’d love to have the new City Hall be a gathering place for annual celebrations and activities like the I Love America Series and the City’s Tree Lighting festivities. As for the interior, we’re looking to make everything more user friendly. From building permits to business licenses, we want the new facility to accommodate citizens efficiently. In other news, the City passed our 2013-14 budget during the second week of September. It is a very

conservative budget, even with allowances to take care of some items we hadn’t in the past. This includes the replacement of more police and fire vehicles (over and above what was reported in the September issue of the Vestavia Voice). We also provided funding to our Parks & Rec to help them purchase additional needed equipment and for upkeep in maintaining our ball fields. City employees received a 2 percent cost of living increase. We also gave merit increases of 5 percent. Additionally, the City was able to cover the 5 percent increase in health insurance for city staff. We are currently working on finalizing plans for the City’s 2013 Holidays in the Hills, an effort we are planning with the Chamber. Additional details of these festivities will appear in the November and December issues of the Voice. Your mayor,

Patriot Day Ceremony focuses on importance of remembering By JEFF THOMPSON Twelve years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, reminders stand across the country. These symbols proudly exist for a purpose, Mountain Brook Fire Chief Robert Ezekiel said. “They serve to preserve remembrance.” Sept. 11, Vestavia Hills and Homewood joined with the City of Mountain Brook in dedicating a beam from the World Trade Center as a memorial. Erected outside the Mountain Brook City Complex, the steel stands in the shape of the Twin Towers to solidify the memory of that tragedy and the thousands who lost their lives as a result. “Today to me is very personal and personal to those in fire service throughout the country,” Ezekiel said in dedicating the beam. Allan Rice, executive director of the Alabama Fire College (AFC), served as keynote speaker for the event. Rice’s message to the hundreds of residents, administrators and emergency service personnel in attendance was that it’s the duty of each American to not let these reminders become relics and to remember their purpose. He said the memorial at the AFC also includes steel salvaged from the Trade Center as well as 343 crosses representing the firefighters who gave their lives in service. “These are not gimmicks,” Rice said. “They’re guideposts of remembrance, reminders of freedom. These symbols are significant because they symbolize national strength.”

The program featured the laying of wreaths around the memorial and a bell was rung in remembrance. Abrielle Mullins, a rising country singer and daughter of Mountain Brook EMS Division Director Chris Mullins, sang the national anthem, and Staff Sgt. Jacqueline Barnwell sang “America the Beautiful” and “Amazing Grace.” “This is a day to remember,” Vestavia Hills Mayor Butch Zaragoza said. “We will never forget this day.”

National Night Out scheduled for Oct. 1 Butch Zaragoza

Vestavia Hills Police and Fire Departments’ National Night Out are planning Operation Blue Shield, a program that will help bring awareness to safe driving in

Vestavia Hills. A free event on Oct. 1 will kick off the yearlong program with live music, a hot air balloon, children’s activities, free food, live music, lo-

cal vendors and more. The event will run from 6-8:30 p.m. at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, 2061 Kentucky Ave.

October 2013 • 7

VestaviaVoice.com

Baughman’s departure paves way for new economic development vision in city By REBECCA WALDEN and JEFF THOMPSON Jeff Downes’ priority is economic development. It was when he worked for the City of Montgomery, and that focus is quickly becoming evident in Vestavia Hills. But Downes brought more than just a perspective when he signed on as city manager – he brought a plan. And the first step involved changing the way Vestavia Hills is presented to the world. It also meant changing who presents it. “As a result of the restructuring of the City’s economic development program, it was decided that Mr. [Fred] Baughman’s probationary employment would end on Sept. 20, 2013,” Downes said in an email Sept. 6. “[Baughman] is currently working through a transition period until Sept. 20.” The City of Vestavia Hills hired Baughman as economic development director on Oct. 1, 2012 to serve for a one-year probationary period. Downes said that since Baughman was not a contract employee, there is no severance pay applicable to his employment. Councilman George Pierce said Baughman was hired in response to a request by former City Manager Randy Robertson. Robertson, Pierce said, had economic development experience but felt applying his time there detracted from his ability to manage City operations. So, he requested the Council hire a person to oversee that department. Downes has a different take. He wants to focus his time on development, and that decision aligns with the Council’s priorities. “One of our main discussion points when we were considering hiring Jeff [Downes] was that we were going to have to give him some latitude to develop his own programs,” Pierce said. “This is part of the plan to make that happen, and the Council endorsed it.” The Council’s vision, identified more than a decade ago, is to become less dependent on ad valorem tax, or property tax, and more reliant on revenue from sales tax. Downes was brought in due to his track record in that area. His success in developing the Montgomery Riverwalk – among many other positive projects he was a part of during his 27 years in Montgomery administration – was one of the selling points for the Council in choosing Downes over other candidates. “He was a champion for bringing development to Montgomery and being a visionary,” said Melanie Golson, outreach coordinator with the City of Montgomery Department of Development. “He was always able to bring the right people to the table to do exactly what needed to be done.” Downes’ plan for Vestavia Hills development is to take the money currently used to fund a single, full-time employee – in this case

Mahesh Changlani, MD • Alan S. Gertler, MD • Jody Gilchrist, Nurse Practitioner

Baughman – and repurpose it to be used by a team for broad, strategic growth. Baughman’s departure is, from this perspective, based on potential. Vestavia Hills can recruit more businesses and take better care of the ones within its limits by using a group rather than a single individual. “I have no criticism of [Baughman] or any of his work,” Downes said. “He did a fine job in a limited period of time in creating materials, factors and efforts to push this city forward. But for us to be able to broadly succeed, we needed to broaden the team.” Downes said the team he intends to build would include consultants who are experts in developing retail and industry and engineering and planning consultants who can react to the needs of developers. He also said the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce would play a large role. He added that incentive programs initiated by Baughman would remain in place but would be a small portion of recruiting efforts. “We can’t do a cookie-cutter approach to economic development,” Downes said. “We have to show to any potential business that wants to come here that we are open for business and will not be constrained. If there is a win-win, we will talk about it.” Baughman’s departure should pave the way for Downes to begin operating in Vestavia Hills in a similar fashion to how he did in Montgomery. And if the past is any indication, residents could be in for a smooth, productive ride. “Everything he did was very planned and well documented, and everybody he worked with knew the playbook,” Golson said. “You’ve got a gem, and we do miss him. Over the long term, you’ll see he’s going to change Vestavia Hills for the better.”

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Council approves more than $100,000 in upgrades at Library in the Forest Last month, the Vestavia Hills City Council approved the use of grant money to fund more than $100,000 in upgrades at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest. In 2009, the Library was allocated a $300,000 grant from the Public School and College Authority but it wasn’t notified until last year. At its regular meeting in September, the Council approved the use of $121,000 of that money for capital projects at the Library and the purchase of technology equipment.

The Library’s purchase request included approximately $93,000 for technology upgrades and $28,000 for construction projects. Under its technology request, the Library included more than $21,000 for security system enhancements, more than $20,000 to upgrade its printing equipment and approximately $6,000 for 12 Apple iPads. Construction upgrades focus on the installation of a handicap-accessible sidewalk for the facility.

Call 800-822-8816 to schedule an appointment. Learn more at uabmedicine.org/heartacton

8 â&#x20AC;˘ October 2013

Vestavia Voice

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

VestaviaVoice.com

Now Open Heidi Elnora Atelier, a bridal showroom, is now open at 4128 Crosshaven Lane in Cahaba Heights. Elnora is a Project Runway alum and designs gowns that can be found in 23 stores nationwide. This is her first showroom in Alabama. heidielnoraatelier.com.

New farm-to-table restaurant FoodBar is located at 3162 Cahaba Heights Road in The Heights Village. It specializes in dishes with seasonally inspired ingredients. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 5-10 p.m 876-8100. foodbarbham.com.

Coming Soon The Shops at Cahaba Heights, 3029 Pump House Road, will soon feature six new retail spaces. shopsatcahabaheights.com

Relocations The UPS Store in Cahaba Heights moved to 3179 Green Valley Road. It offers printing, mailbox, packing and shipping services. 969-3099. theupsstorelocal.com/2432/.

News and Accomplishments sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt, 1919 Kentucky Ave, Suite 121 participated in a “No Kid Hungry Day” in September and make donations to help connect kids struggling with hunger around the country with up to 300,000 meals. The location also held a food drive for the community. All cans collected were donated to a local Birmingham food bank. sweetfrogyogurt.com.

Healthcare company Patient Engagement Advisors, 3171 Green Valley Road, Suite 501, was ranked the fastest growing private company in Alabama on Inc. Magazine’s 500|5000 Fastest Growing Companies list. patientengagementadvisors.com.

ITAC Solutions, 700 Montgomery Highway, Suite 148, was ranked the #22 fastest growing private company in Alabama on Inc. Magazine’s 500|5000 Fastest Growing Companies list. itacsolutions.com. 326-0004.

Business news

to share? Now Open Coming Soon

Relocation Expansion Anniversary

If you are in a brick and mortar business in Vestavia Hills and want to share your event with the community, let us know.

Email dan@vestaviavoice.com

October 2013 • 9

10 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

Business Spotlight d eR idg

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By CHANDLER JONES Ever seen the 1960s Barbra Streisand film Funny Girl? Know the catchy tune around the first act, “Second Hand Rose”? It describes a young girl’s struggle with second-hand clothes, her second-hand boyfriend and her house on Second Street. While they do sell second-hand clothes, Birmingham’s two Second Hand Rose stores are far from the struggle represented in this classic song. The high-end boutiques sell name-brand designers without the high-fashion prices. The original store on Valleydale Road is the oldest consignment shop in Birmingham, and last year they opened a second location in Cahaba Heights. Everything in Second Hand Rose meets certain standards. All styles are in-season and of new quality, and nothing can be older than two years. Store employees are always researching the latest trends and prices. Consigners bring in clothes, employees price them down 80-90 percent off retail listings, and the sale is split 50/50. At the store’s helm is Gina Saab. “I love the people and seeing the merchandise that comes in,” she said. Saab has always been in fashion. She worked in a high-end boutique

Cahaba Heights Rd

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Second Hand Rose

Pump House Rd

Gina Saab owns Valleydale Second Hand Rose, a consignment shop that boasts high-fashion clothes without the high-fashion prices.

in Mountain Brook Village “for forever,” she said. In her time there, she had always referred customers to Second Hand Rose. When her brother, a business salesman, alerted her the

store was for sale, she considered her next step set in stone. “I wouldn’t have bought just any consignment shop,” Saab said. “It had been in business for a long,

established time. The quality of the merchandise and the quality of the customer were unbeatable. Our shoppers are great. They’re like family. We know them. We know

4200 Oakview Lane 970-7997 Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. shrose.com

their children. We know what’s going on with their lives, good and bad.” Every inch of the space in the Second Hand Rose stores is utilized. Wedding dresses hang across the back. Shoes line the walls, and every few feet you cross a new rack of designer brands. The space worked fairly well for Saab over the last seven years, but in the last year the Valleydale store began bursting at the seams. “I’m all about God and His time being right,” Saab said. “It was just a matter of everything falling into place.” Saab called on her best friend, Kay Teschner, to help open a new store. Saab believed if she could trust her children’s lives with Teschner, she could most certainly trust a second location with her. Teschner and Saab met through their sons 17 years ago. The two boys, now 21, met in the second grade. As they grew, so did Saab and Teschner’s friendship. Today they speak daily, alternating between talk about business and family. The Cahaba Heights location now sees more than 1,000 customers a week, one-third of the longerestablished Valleydale location. With new clothes and shoppers coming daily, Saab said it’s like “Christmas every day.”

October 2013 • 11

VestaviaVoice.com

Team Rival Southern Slaw Dogs Barbecue sideliners elevate traditional honky tonk fan fare

For Alabama dogs

For Auburn dogs

RECIPE

White Barbecue Sauce Slaw

Bacon-Blue Cheese Slaw

Makes 5 side dish or 12 hot dog topper servings

3/4 cup mayonnaise 3 Tbsp. white vinegar 1 small garlic clove, pressed 1 1/2 tsp. sugar 3/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1 (16-oz.) package coleslaw mix 1 celery rib, sliced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. Dijon 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 (16-oz.) package coleslaw mix 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced 1 celery rib, sliced, optional 4 bacon slices, cooked & cut into thirds 3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles Freshly ground pepper

By REBECCA GORDON Brush with your favorite barbecue sauce and grill hot dogs according to package instructions. Then complete your dog with topping fanfare to cheer on your team.

Whisk together first six ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in coleslaw mix and celery. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. More Topping Ideas Chopped pickles Crispy onion rings Chili Mustard Barbecue sauce

Gordon

inc.

Catch Rebecca Gordon on Tide & Tigers Today this football season on Fox 6 each Saturday morning at 10 a.m. She’ll share tailgating tips for hosting the best game day soirees whether you’re at home or away. For fresh tailgating fan fare ideas and recipes, visit her at buttermilklipstick.com, or find her on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter @ButtermilkLips or @TidefanFare.

Whisk together first four ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk in oil in a slow steady stream until combined. Stir in coleslaw mix, onion and celery, if desired. Add bacon and blue cheese just before serving. Season with pepper to taste. More Topping Ideas Toasted pecans • Diced apple • Mustard • Barbecue sauce

• Patios & Walls • Outdoor Kitchens • Outdoor Fireplaces & Fire pits • Arbors and Pergolas

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12 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

Restaurant Showcase

Kool Korner Sandwiches By KATIE TURPEN In the early 1970s, Ildefonso Ramirez fled Cuba. Along with his wife, Lucia, and son, Bill, Ramirez came to the United States both in search of a better life outside communism and to save his son from being drafted into the military. Although it was difficult to leave the rest of his family behind, he knew he was making the right decision. The family first spent three years in Spain before moving to Miami and then Atlanta. Ramirez had been a chemist in Cuba, but his arrival in America revealed his passion was preparing traditional food from his home country. He opened a grocery store in Atlanta that was eventually converted into a sandwich shop. When a fire destroyed that location, Ramirez opened a new location near Georgia Tech University. His son Bill recalled the reaction – and the realization that his father had found his true calling. “There were no seats inside the shop,” Bill Ramirez said. “But people lined up out the door for those sandwiches.” Ildefonso had been happily serving Atlanta residents “The Best Hot Pressed Sandwich in the Southeast” for 35 years when his son gave him the idea of moving to Birmingham to be closer to his family and finally retire.

The Classic Cuban Sandwich containing Cuban style roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and dill pickles.

“The owner was selling it. He was going to have to find another locale, another place to put the restaurant,” Bill Ramirez said. “That’s when I said, ‘Come over here and live with me and retire.’ He heard the ‘come live with me,’ but he didn’t hear the ‘retire’ part.”

Tucked away in the far corner of the Publix Shopping Center off Highway 31 in Vestavia Hills, Kool Korner Sandwiches looks unassuming at first glance. But swing open the doors under those neon red letters and one finds a rare Cuban treasure where each dish has a story. It’s that kind

of heart-and-soul family business that believes its community deserves the best. That means nothing frozen, nothing from a bag and nothing from a can, Ramirez said. “My father doesn’t like to waste anything,” Bill Ramirez said. “Everything is fresh and natural here.”

When the Vestavia restaurant opened in 2009, carloads of Georgia Tech students arrived to bite into the Cuban sandwich that symbolized the best food of their college years. Georgia Power flew their corporate jet into town just to pick up their old lunch special. It did not take long for

Oct. 23 Nov. 3 THROUGH

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The Gingerbread Lady • Top Stitchin’ • Zaru Salon • Alanna Rose Photography Monograms Plus • A Little Something Gift Boutique • Please Reply Little Lavender • Cummings Jewelry Design

October 2013 • 13

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Read past Restaurant Showcases at VestaviaVoice.com

Kentucky Ave

Canyon Rd

Ildefonso Ramirez and his son Bill Ramirez inside their family owned restaurant, Kool Korner Sandwiches, that opened in 2009 in Vestavia Hills.

Vestavians to realize they had stolen an Atlanta gem. “We were immediately picked up,” Bill Ramirez said. “It was a very warm reception.” The secret behind this phenomenon can be explained in two words: Ildefonso Ramirez. At 90 years old, Ramirez has been in the food business for nearly half his life and prides himself on making it fresh and making it right – right there in the store. “All our sauces, everything is made right back there,” Ildefonso Ramirez said pointing to the kitchen with a smile. The signature entrée is the Classic

Cuban Sandwich with Cuban-style roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and dill pickles. If you tell Ramirez’ wife at the register you want “everything,” they will add lettuce, tomato and jalapeño peppers for an added kick. Ildefonso himself roasts each piece of meat in this multi-layer dream of a sandwich. “He works over 70 hours a week,” Bill Ramirez said. “He’s the one that cooks the pork. He’s the one that makes the eye of round. He makes the soup. He doesn’t ask for help.” For those looking for a traditional Cuban meal, after 1 p.m. on Saturdays, the family serves white

rice, black beans, yucca, maduros and the customer’s choice of meat. Yucca is a root vegetable and maduros are sweet fried plantains, both Cuban staples. Ramirez said this meal keeps his father busy throughout the day. “Halfway through the afternoon we’re sold out of rice and he’ll have to make some more,” Bill Ramirez said with a laugh. The Galician soup is an enticing blend of white beans, smoked ham, chorizo, potatoes and collard greens. Ramirez’s wife’s grandmother is from Galicia, a region of Spain right above Portugal, and she used to make the soup for Ramirez’s son who always called it the “green soup.”

Georgia

Recommendations

Publix Shopping Center 790 Montgomery Highway 822-4406 koolkornersandwiches.com Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Classic Cuban Sandwich Pork roasted Cuban style, ham, Swiss cheese, mayo, mustard and dill pickles on Cuban-style bread.

Hot Galician Soup Cuban-style Galician stew made with white beans, smoked ham, chorizo, potatoes and collard greens.

Stuffed Eye Round Beef eye of round stuffed with Spanish sausage (chorizo) and roasted Cuban-style with Swiss cheese, mayo, mustard and pickles on Cuban-style bread.

Saturday Special Saturdays after 1 p.m., try the Cuban favorite of rice, black beans, yucca (a root vegetable) and maduros (fried plantains). The Special is served with the customer’s choice of meat.

“The recipe is familiar since we’re a small family,” Bill Ramirez said. “My father changed it for the restaurant, put his touch on it and it took off. Now it sells year round.” Since moving the business to Vestavia Hills four and a half years ago, the family has been able to experiment with new menu items such as guava and cream cheese pastries and authentic Cuban tamales. “We do the same things from the old store, but we’ve expanded a little bit,” Bill Ramirez said. “Like soup, tamales, pastries, empanadas. We didn’t have those before.” Framed pictures covering the walls of the restaurant include snapshots

of the Georgia Tech students who travel to visit Ildefonso. Whether it’s the Saturday night special or the sandwich that won Atlanta’s best for many years in a row, regulars are swinging in and out of the doors for a taste of Cuba. It takes more than one visit to try everything, and at a place like Kool Korner, you don’t want to pass over any item on the menu. When asked if he’s going to retire soon, Ildefonso just smiles and shakes his head. “He has no plans on it,” his son said. That’s a good thing, because his Vestavia community is not likely to let him.

14 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

Community Scouts reach silver Four students at Pizitz Middle School and members of Girl Scout Troop 30136 recently earned the Girl Scout Silver Award. Giana Driskel and McKinley Owens organized a project helping homeless cats and dogs at Grace Animal Foundation. Employees at the shelter taught the girls how to care for the animals, and the girls held a supply drive to benefit the organization. The project taught the girls team-building and public speaking skills. Caroline Penfield and Reed Smith enacted a Reading Buddies project at Vestavia Hills Library. The girls organized a book drive for a local school read to students at the library who needed help learning to read. The girls gave their younger reading buddies one-on-one reading time, allowing them to read at their own pace, something time doesn’t often allow in school. Caroline and Reed helped the children sound out words and taught them to use visual clues in their books so they could become better readers on their own.

McKinley Owens and Giana Driskel

The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette (grades 6-8) can earn. This award symbolizes a Girl Scout Cadette’s accomplishments in Girl Scouting and community activities as she matures and works to better her life and the lives of others.

Charity card offers 20 percent off purchases from Vestavia retailers The Junior League of Birmingham, local retailers and restaurants are partnering to bring back the Shop Save & Share charity shopping event. Cardholders can receive a 20 percent discount at more than 500 retailers and restaurants throughout the Birmingham area. Participating Vestavia Hills merchants include: Annabelle’s, The Clothes Tree by Deborah, Collage Designer Consignment, Fun Stuff, Healthy Connections, Iz Café, Jewels by Rose, Mia Moda Boutique, Monograms Plus, Newk’s Express Café, Party Time, Prescription 2 Fitness, Serendipity Sweets, Snap Fitness 24/7, Steed’s Jewelers and Western Supermarket/ Wine Market. The $40 purchase of a Shop Save & Share card is a donation to the Junior League of Birmingham that offers card holders savings from Oct. 23-Nov.3.

Funds raised support the JLB’s community projects that address some of Birmingham’s most critical issues, including literacy, domestic violence prevention, health education, and life skills for families in transition. Susan Shiland, sales professional at The Lili Pad, a children’s boutique in Cahaba Heights, not only shops with the card but is also one of Shop Save & Share’s strongest community advocates. Last year The Lili Pad received the League’s award for the individual selling the most cards. “This event is truly making a difference,” Shiland said. Visit jlbonline.com or shopsaveshare. net to purchase your Shop Save & Share card and to review a complete listing of participating merchants and sponsors. -Submitted by Junior League of Birmingham

Community churches to host fall festivals and trunk-or-treat events Vestavia Hills area churches are celebrating autumn with festivals and activities for the young and young at heart. Mark your calendars and bring your family to some of these events:

will feature trunk-or-treating, carnival games, inflatables, food, and more. . 4:30-6:30 p.m. Visit mountaintopchurch. com for more.

hosting a Community Wide Fall Festival in its parking lot from 5:30-8 p.m. The event will feature food, rides and carnival games. For more call 969-1236.

ff A Trunk-or-Treat is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. at Cahaba Wednesday, Oct. 30 Saturday, Oct. 26 Heights United Methodist Church, 3139 Cahaba Heights ff The Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills will host its first ff Area residents can step back in time to a traditional county Road. Hot dogs and gumbo from Men’s Club will be served, fair at Shades Mountain Baptist Church’s Carnival 2013 annual Harvest Artisan Fair Saturday, Oct. 26 from 9 a.m.and inflatables, cotton candy, crafts, games and more will be from 5-8 p.m. Rain or shine, this free event will be a night 2 p.m. Artisans of various talents will display and sell their available for children. Call 967-0470 for more. of fun, games, costumes, music, food, and excitement. wares during the fair, and different vendors from throughout Kids of all ages are encouraged to come in costume to play Thursday, Oct. 31 Birmingham will be there as well. Proceeds and donations on inflatables and collect candy from various activities. ff Crossroads Community Church of the Nazarene is will be given to the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit Birmingham area food trucks including Off the Hook and of Children’s Hospital. For more information, contact the holding a Community Harvest Party from 7-8:30 p.m. The Moe’s Southwest Grill will be at the event. The church is LCVH church office at 823-1883. free event will feature fun for the entire family, games, candy located at 2017 Columbiana Road. For more visit shades.org/ and snacks. The church is located at 1998 Shades Crest Road. carnival. Sunday, Oct. 27 Call 822-4520 to learn more. ff Mountaintop Community Church’s Punk Your Trunk event ff Liberty Park Baptist Church, 12001 Liberty Parkway, is

October 2013 • 15

VestaviaVoice.com

A better Byrd Park Brasfield & Gorrie organized a family workday to clean up Byrd Park in Vestavia Hills in August. During the morning hours, Brasfield & Gorrie employees and their families pruned trees, picked up litter, removed storm debris, and mulched and weeded landscaped areas. Volunteers also better developed landscaped areas and cleaned up overgrown areas within the park. The family workday was created after Walter Jones, senior estimator at Brasfield & Gorrie, and his wife, Jennifer, discussed how they could use their resources for the City of Vestavia and to revive Byrd Park. With the

support of Brasfield & Gorrie, they were able to organize a group of volunteers and make a positive impact on the park. “Giving back to the community has always been important to me and my family,” Jones said. “Organizing this cleanup effort at Byrd Park was one of the best ways to do that, and I appreciate everyone in the community and at Brasfield & Gorrie who came out and helped with this effort.” Brasfield & Gorrie employees and their families pose on the day of the cleanup at Byrd Park.

Seniors gather for special reception

Virginia Wood and her husband with Bobbie Jean Tucker at the Senior Citizen Day reception.

The City of Vestavia Hills hosted a reception on National Senior Citizen Day at the Senior Citizen Lodge. Various vendors provided food for the event, and those

who attended enjoyed a time of fellowship. This year, Mayor Butch Zaragoza issued a proclamation for the city to celebrate the day each year going forward.

Stoll receives research award Matthew Stoll, MD, PhD, MSCS, a Vestavia Hills resident, pediatric rheumatologist at Children’s of Alabama and an assistant professor of pediatric rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), recently received a Rheumatology Research Foundation Investigator Award. He will be recognized at the 2013 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Meeting in San Diego in October. The award provides support for basic science and clinical investigators engaged in research relevant to rheumatic diseases during

the period they are developing projects that will compete for NIH funding. Stoll’s research seeks to identify intestinal bacteria present in excessive quantities in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) and to identify abnormal immunity to intestinal bacteria. “The successful completion of this project will result in identification of bacterial triggers in patients with SpA which will allow us to eliminate the trigger via specifically-targeted antibiotic therapy or the introduction of more beneficial bacteria that could outcompete the harmful ones,” Stoll said. For more visit rheumatology.org/ foundation.

Matthew Stoll

16 • October 2013

Peggy’s pink purpose

Peggy Honeycutt, Catherine Honeycutt, Heather Honeycutt Hurt and Kristin Barton Honeycutt during the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in Washington, D.C. Photos courtesy of Peggy Honeycutt.

By REBECCA WALDEN Before the breast cancer battle cry “fight like a girl” became trendy, Peggy Honeycutt lived out the lifestyle. It led her to an early stage 1 detection of breast cancer in October 2009, and, six intense chemo rounds later, it also led her to sign up for the 60-mile Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk in Washington, D.C. in October 2010. “I had just snuck in under the deadline of when I would be eligible to walk,” said Honeycutt, adding that event regulations require cancer survivors to be chemo-free at least six months prior to the event. Although Honeycutt, a lifelong Vestavia Hills

resident, led an active lifestyle, she demurred when her daughter, Catherine, first presented her the idea. “I thought, ‘They must be kidding. They really expect people to walk a full 60 miles?’” she said. “But the more I thought about it, I totally agreed with my daughter. I still remember the day Betty Ford came out with her diagnosis. She was the first person I knew who had spoken out about having breast cancer. Prior to that, it was not discussed. I knew I could do this three-day.” While Peggy focused on her recovery, Honeycutt’s daughters, Heather and Catherine, along with their sister-in-law, Kristin Barton Honeycutt, set the wheels in motion for the 3-Day, which carries a price tag of $2,300 per

Vestavia Voice

Rick and Peggy Honeycutt

person. Their efforts resulted in a combined $10,000 for their group, nearly $3,000 over and above their required goal. “We pulled off the biggest garage sale I have ever seen,” said Honeycutt, describing the girls’ efforts to amass as many donations as they could, which then resulted in $2,100 in proceeds for the three-day fund. As she regained her strength, Honeycutt and her daughters trained for hours at Wald Park. A mere six weeks later, on a cool Friday morning, they began the real deal, on a route that took them from the heart of the city into Maryland to end up on the National Mall that Sunday, complete with pink camping tents and Harry Potter — all audiobooks of the series —

loaded onto their iPods. “They had this huge rally at the end, where the survivors walk in, surrounding the podium, where we each lift one shoe in the air,” said Honeycutt, describing one of the event’s most poignant memories. “We completed the race, and we are survivors. It was such a powerful thing.” In a pay-it-forward act of service, Honeycutt opted to serve as a 3-Day supporter this past year in Atlanta, serving food to 1,800 people. This year, on Oct. 12, you will find her at Linn Park, participating in North Alabama’s own Race for the Cure, as an advocate, a survivor, a mother, and a daughter, but above all, as a fighter.

October 2013 • 17

VestaviaVoice.com

Zombies on stage

VHHS Theatre Department set to deliver unique performance of Night of the Living Dead

By KATIE TURPEN Under the cloak of night, zombies with sunken faces wearing funeral attire trudge through tall grass. They enter a rural farmhouse. Seven young adults quiver inside. What happens next, one just has to wait and see. This fall, the Vestavia Hills High School Theatre Department will deliver a classic horror performance with captivating modern flair. Theatre Director Alan Gardner will direct the multimedia production of Night of the Living Dead, showing on Oct. 10, 11 and 12 at Vestavia Hills High School. Gardner said audiences can expect ticket sellers, concession workers and stage crew to be dressed in bloody zombie attire for the performance, which will be a mixture of film and live action. “No one ever thinks to do something like this, and that’s what makes it so special,” Gardner said. Night of the Living Dead, a 1968 black-and-white American horror film directed by George A. Romero, follows seven characters trapped in a Pennsylvania farmhouse that is taken over by zombies. Gardner said the idea came to him when he was reading a magazine article about a production filmed in an abandoned swimming pool. He started researching unique performances and, after watching Night of the Living Dead, decided it was the perfect production for his students. “I thought, ‘We can do this,’” Gardner said. “The more you can

VHHS theater students act out a scene of the multimedia Night of the Living Dead production this summer.

make a story accessible to a modern audience, the more meaningful it is to them.” Gardner believes his students’ performance will keep audiences on the edge of their seats from start to finish. All the scenes that take place inside the farmhouse will be performed live on stage. However, every time a character exits the house, the stage will fade to black, and a movie screen will play prerecorded zombie scenes. “We found this quiet, beautiful, big farm in Chelsea,” Gardner said. “We spent two days filming out there. I told my students, ‘Dress like you are going to your own funeral.’” Although the farm was a good fit for some of the exterior shots, it lacked a suitable farmhouse.

Gardner stumbled upon a house in Homewood for sale surrounded by woods and built in the 1800s. After realizing he had a personal connection to the seller, he was able to film outside the house as well as take pictures of the interior. “The actual production opens with seven minutes of film,” Gardner said. “I’m also really going to play around with music and sound effects.” In addition to the innovative horror film production, Gardner will be taking five students to a district competition in early November at Thompson High School, where the group will perform a one-act ghost story titled Early Frost. Gardner said he has been looking into creative stage illusions to stand out from the competition,

and the students have been rehearsing all summer. “We have to make a ghost child who is age 11 float a foot and a half above an attic trunk,” Gardner said. “It’s difficult because you only have 45 minutes. But I’ve had some fun researching different illusions and levitations.” Gardner said he has enjoyed spending the summer filming scenes and editing footage and letting his students be creative in their theatrical roles. He believes the district competition will be a good experience for the students but that they will benefit the most from the two-hour main stage production in October. “It’s interesting, fun and different.” Gardner said. “I think the audience is really going to be excited.”

18 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

The Seasoned Performers celebrate 29 seasons of laughter

By REBECCA WALDEN From their former home, a small space atop the Dollar General in Vestavia, to its current residents in the creative enclave of Hoover’s Artists on the Bluff, The Seasoned Performers, the second longest-running senior performing group in the country, continue to share their magic with audiences all over the mountain and beyond. A dynamic senior ensemble of members ranging from ages 55 to 95, the group performs between 55 and 60 shows per year across 16 counties throughout Alabama. UAB geriatrician Dr. Andrew Duxbury’s work, Night Call Nurses, was among the troupe’s most recent performances, and a favorite of retired Birmingham City School teacher Phyllis Landers. “The last few years of my career, I taught at my church, Liberty Park Baptist, where the I first saw the Performers,” Landers said. This led to a conversation with then-director Nelle Richardson and an eventual invitation to join The Seasoned Performers sister group, The Seasoned Readers. Six months later, Landers joined the Performers. Since then, she has been shocked at the warm responses of the audience, including one memorable performance when an audience member came on stage after the show and presented her with a rose. “That was totally unexpected and just does not happen,” she said. “Another time, we performed for a church and discovered afterward that they had taken up a collection of $125 — we’d never before received a tip.” For cast member Elise Bodenheimer — the youngest Performer at the tender age of 59 — the

The Seasoned Performers members Elise Bodenheimer, Arlene Hall, Marva Douglas, Pauline Nielson, Dorvy Jean and Phyllis Landers rehearse for their latest work, “Make ‘Em Laugh,” scheduled for Oct. 17.

group has been a long-overdue creative outlet following a long, arduous career as a revenue officer for the Internal Revenue Service. “I have met so many nice people doing this,” she said. “I used to get the statement, ‘It’s been nice, but I hope I never see you again.’ Now they say, ‘Come on back!’” The group operates on a slim budget, according to director Elise Mayor, who cites the Jefferson County Office of Senior Citizen Services and the Alabama State Council of the

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Arts among its funding sources. “The actors have intangible compensation,” she said, and for many, the opportunity to entertain is indeed its own reward. After majoring in public relations and drama at Oklahoma State University, Performer Arlene Hall settled down, got married, and put her vocational dreams on hold for the next 18 years. “Most of my theater then was at home, usually of the Little Miss Muffett and Big Bad Wolf variety,” she said.

It wasn’t until her nest was empty that Hall decided to revisit her professional passion. Even all those years later, Hall still has an impact on children. “At this one particular performance, we went to an assisted living facility where a young girl, clearly not well, was in the audience,” said Hall. “Throughout the entire show, there was a huge smile on her face. Still, she never said a word. At the end, when we went to pack up our stuff, she got up to follow me. I wasn’t sure what to make of it, until the nurse told me that was the first time she’d left her chair in two weeks.” For 19-year Performer veteran Dorvy Jean, the group is an ideal outlet to just let loose. “You have to be completely open to making a total idiot of yourself,” she said. “But on a more serious note, we reach people who have never seen any type of theater before.” Longtime thespian and fellow Performer Marva Douglas gravitated to the group for the same reason. Douglas is an alumna of the Birmingham Festival Theatre, Summerfest, Town and Gown, Terrific New Theatre, Vulcan Park and the Theatre Downtown. Douglas also opened up her own company, the Aldridge Repertory Theatre, still in operation today. “When The Seasoned Performers approached me, it was the right time in my life and I was very happy to join,” she said. This chapter was a welcome change for Douglas, who, as a professional actor, was used to traveling up and down the East Coast for decent paying jobs. “Now I am stationary, retired, and wiling to perform whenever. I will always be thankful that I started and kept up a 30-year acting career after ending a professional career of 30 years.” For a complete list of upcoming shows featuring The Seasoned Performers, visit seasonedperformers.org.

October 2013 • 19

VestaviaVoice.com

Get to Know Greg Hulsey Vestavia Hills resident Greg Hulsey, director of practice analysis and improvement for Children’s of Alabama, is on a journey to complete one 5K each month to raise funds for a December 2013 mission trip with Forgotten Children Ministries. Learn more about his story below. Tell us about yourself. My wife Tara and I moved to Birmingham 19 years ago right after we married for me to start graduate school at UAB. After having children, we knew that we wanted them to be in the Vestavia school system, so we moved to Vestavia six and half years ago. Tara is the second grade paraeducator at West Elementary, and we have two daughters. Ainsley, 9, is a fourth grader at Central, and Haley, 7, is a second grader at West. I am a member of the Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club and am a 2009 graduate of Leadership Vestavia Hills. How did you first learn about Forgotten Children Ministries (FCM)? How did you ultimately plug into the organization? My church, Dawson Memorial Baptist, has many individuals who are actively involved with FCM. We were impressed with the mission of FCM to take in children who were living unattended on the streets of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and to provide them with food, clothing, shelter, education and, most importantly, love. We first began to support the mission financially, and then after hearing more and more stories of people going on mission

This month, Greg Hulsey will complete his 10th consecutive 5K as he works to raise funds for a mission trip to Honduras through Forgotten Children Ministries. Photo courtesy of Greg Hulsey.

trips there, I decided to go on my first trip to Honduras last December. Why did you gravitate to funding the mission through races? Through a wellness class at my church in 2012, I ran my first ever 5K. I ended up doing two more 5K runs that year and knew that it was something that I wanted to continue doing. After getting back from my mission trip in December, I knew that I wanted to go back on another trip, and I began planning on how to do so. As I prayed about it, God laid on my heart to raise money for another trip by committing to running one race a month and to ask people to sponsor me financially for each mile I run. This has been a great motivator for me as running is something that does not come easy for me. I certainly do not have the look or the physical build of what you think of as a runner, so I have to work hard

to train and be able to compete. But as I have gained endurance, I think I’ve surprised some people along the way by performing better than they probably assumed that I could. To date I have completed nine 5K runs, most recently the Monkey C Monkey Run for Camp Smile A Mile. I have decided to run my first ever 10K, the Vulcan Run, this November, and I started a formal training program in September to help prepare for this run. Your strategy is unusual. How do people respond to what you are doing and why you are doing it? The response has been very positive. I’ve had several people tell me that they are proud of me not only for what I’m doing with the goal of a mission trip but also for how I’m attempting to do it by running this many races. More than one person has told me that they’re not sure they

could do what I’m attempting. Of course, my answer is that if I can do this, anyone can. The needs you see on these mission trips are great. How do you feel you are really making an impact on such pervasive problems? Each trip is a little different, depending on who is leading it. On my trip last December one of the main objectives was to take the boys and girls living in the FCM shelters Christmas shopping with money from the ministry and from their individual sponsors. I think I actually spent more time in malls during those five days than I had here in Birmingham for the past five years. But we also did ministry for other people. At nights we would pack one pound bags of dry rice and beans, as well as Christmas bags of candy and toys. One day we went to a state-run orphanage, where we played, sang

and danced with the kids there. We handed out the Christmas bags to the kids and bags of rice and beans to the staff. Our last full day we went to a garbage dump outside of town, where many people live as they spend the day rummaging through the garbage in search of food and any materials they can find for daily living. Here we again gave out gifts to the children and rice and beans to the adults. At each event, a minister (speaking through an interpreter) preached a very simple but effective message on eternal salvation through Christ. Did I make a difference? I don’t know. I just did simple things – handed out beans and rice and toys, gave people hugs and told them they were loved. I just did my part and let God take care of the rest. One special part of the trip for me was on one of the nights we took the ministry kids shopping in one of the malls. I got paired up with a little girl named Nataly to help her shop. After our time shopping, she was so proud, and I think I impressed all of the ladies on our trip with my fashion sense. I sent pictures of Nataly back to my wife and daughters, and we all agreed that we wanted to help sponsor her. So we now send a financial contribution each month to help cover her living expenditures in the shelter, and then also send her gifts, notes and photos of us on occasion. This sponsorship, and our relationship with Nataly, has helped make the ministry seem more “real” to our family.

20 • October 2013

Vestavia Voice

A journey of leadership Leadership Vestavia Hills equips citizens for the good of the City By INTISAR SERAAJ-SABREE September marked the start of a leadership journey for a select few in the Vestavia Hills community. Leadership Vestavia Hills (LVH), a nonprofit organization that works to improve leadership quality in the community, welcomed its 2014 class to leadership school on Sept. 3. LVH has gathered a carefully selected group every year since 1996 to educate and empower by fostering awareness of the community’s social and economic qualities. With the leadership training LVH provides, graduates are expected leave with the knowledge, skills and inspiration to advance the growth of Vestavia Hills. Classes are held monthly and cover such

topics as government, economics, leadership, quality of life, education and team building. On Saturdays from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., various government officials, alumni and others speak with the group. In addition, LVH class participants work on projects and charity events throughout the term that are dedicated to improving the city and community, thereby jump-starting their future in leadership. “Before I joined the board, I didn’t really know how hard LVH worked to improve the community,” said Brent Irby, 2013-2014 president of the board of directors for LVH and a partner at McCallum, Hoaglund, Cook & Irby, LLP. “It’s truly rewarding.” Past projects include the LVH website, development of the Vestavia Hills Community

Front row, from left: Kristin Tunnell, Rhonda Smith, Jennifer Philpot, Sheila Phillips, Cecilia Crenshaw, Shera Grant, Shanta Owens and Tracy Davis. Back row: Clifton Kew, David Martin, Chip McCallum, Keith Johns, Scott Register, Dan Pahos, Reynolds Anderson, Jason Nabors, Tyler Bradford and Lee Baker. Not pictured: Charlie Shah. Photo by Katie Turpen.

Roundtable and development of initial plans for a community fine arts performance center. Graduates have gone on to serve the community in positions that include state representative, city council representative, superintendent, school principal, judge and attorney. “[LVH] is a great networking opportunity, and I’ve plugged in to the community through its leadership [school],” said 2002 graduate Donna Knotts Byrd, a current member of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. New class members of LVH are nominated every fall. The class only accepts a maximum

of 22 participants from among many nominee applications. In 1996, founders Dennis and Karen Anderson started the organization with only 18 participants. Since then, the organization has expanded to include a Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills (YLVH) organization based at Vestavia Hills High School. YLVH was founded in 2008 and currently has approximately 530 trained student members. To nominate someone or learn more about LVH or YLVH, contact Angie McEwen at 4589487 or amcewen@johnstonbarton.com, or visit leadershipvestaviahills.com.

Meet some of the members of Leadership Vestavia Hills’ 2014 Class. Keep an eye out for them as they work in your community throughout the coming months. Daniel Pahos Age: 48 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 15 Position/title and company: Franchise Owner, Home Instead Senior Care I joined Leadership Vestavia because: I wanted to be more involved in helping to shape Vestavia’s future for generations to come. As mayor, my first order of business would be: To reinstate a new and current version of V3, as it was so instrumental in helping to communicate resident needs and desires to local government, helping to eliminate the disconnect between local government and its residents. Best thing about my city: Our high quality education system, parent involvement, beautiful scenery and quality of life.

Scott Register Age: 42 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 42 Position/title and company: Host of “Reg’s Coffee House” and “The Morning Blend with Reg” on Birmingham Mountain Radio 107.3FM and Head of A&R for ThinkIndie Distribution. I joined Leadership because: It’s a great opportunity to take part in my city and learn more about its history and how it operates. Plus, it’s my civic duty. As mayor, my first order of business would be: To continue and enhance the retail and entertainment options in the city. Best thing about my city: The strong sense of community. Love calling it home.

VestaviaVoice.com David D. Martin Age: 42 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 8 Position/title and company: President, NationView, LLC I joined Leadership: To be more active in my community and become a better leader. As mayor, my first order of business would be: to reach out to the citizens living in recently annexed areas of our city to foster a stronger sense of community and encourage involvement. Best thing about my city: Friendly people. Keith Johns Age: 51 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 15 Position/title and company: Director of Energy & Sustainability, CBRE I joined Leadership because: The program offers a chance to contribute to this community and others in a more informed way, and with better skills. As mayor, my first order of business would be: To integrate sustainability thinking into existing operations and long-range planning. Best thing about my city: The positive direction it is heading.

October 2013 • 21 Rhonda Smith Age: 41 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 11 Position/title and company: Account Executive for Starnes Publishing (Vestavia Voice, Village Living, 280 Living, Hoover Sun and The Homewood Star) I joined Leadership because: a dear friend was in last year’s class and enjoyed it and spoke of it with such enthusiasm that it made me excited to learn more about this wonderful city where I am raising my family. Best thing about my city: The people. Tracy R. Davis Age: 41 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 12 Position/title and company: Member of Hand Arendall, LLC, Attorney I joined Leadership because: I joined Leadership Vestavia Hills in order to acquire the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to foster the leader and entrepreneur inside myself. Best thing about my city: The City recognizes the importance of education and has afforded a premium education to its resident children.

Shanta Craig Owens Age: 35 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 2 Position/title and company: District Judge, Tenth Judicial Circuit of Alabama I joined Leadership because: I enjoy meeting people, and I am particularly interested in leadership institutions where I can meet people working to make a positive difference. As mayor, my first order of business would be: To address the growing population at the high school. Best thing about my city: Family-oriented communities.

Lee Baker Age: 30 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 1 Position/title and company: Senior Financial Analyst, Asset Management & Underwriting at Medical Properties Trust I joined Leadership because: of my interest in finding ways to be involved in and better our community. Best thing about my city: Access to one of the best school systems in the state (and the nation).

Cecilia A. Crenshaw Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 9 Position/title and company: Financial Analyst III, Regions Bank I joined Leadership because: I wanted to be equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to make a difference in the quality of life and continued development of Vestavia Hills. As mayor, my first order of business would be: To recruit new business to Vestavia Hills as well as help to sustain the existing businesses in the city. Best thing about my city: Its residents.

Reynolds Anderson Age: 30 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 2 Position/title and company: Manager-Customer Service Support with Alagasco I joined Leadership because: I wanted to learn more about opportunities to engage the city and meet other like minded people within my community. As mayor, my first order of business would be: To convert all municipal vehicles to natural gas. It’s produced here in the U.S., it’s cheaper and it’s a clean energy. Best thing about my city: Its people, the schools and the community feel.

Shera Grant Age: 35 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 2 Position/title: Deputy Public Defender, Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office I joined Leadership because: I want to become involved in my community and meet others who share that same commitment. As mayor, my first order of business would be: To aid the school system’s ability to handle the city’s growing population. Best thing about my city: Southern hospitality for all.

Charles A. “Chip” McCallum III Age: 54 Years lived in Vestavia Hills: 40 Position/title and company: Managing Partner, McCallum Hoaglund Cook & Irby, LLP I joined Leadership because: It’s a great opportunity to become aware of the social and economic issues impacting the City and to build relationships. As mayor, my first order of business would be: Explore utilizing cooperative purchasing opportunities through the U.S. Community Program. Best thing about my city: The enthusiasm of its residents.

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Vestavia Voice

School House LPMS students participate in QR Code Hunt

State superintendent speaks at Parent Awareness meeting

Seventh grade students at Liberty Park Middle School participate in an activity that teaches technology and research.

Last month, Alabama’s State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice provided Vestavia Hills parents an opportunity to learn more about education from the state’s perspective during the Vestavia Hills High PTO Parent Awareness meeting. From left are State Rep. Paul DeMarco, Vestavia Hills PTO President Patti Moultrie, Parent Awareness Chairman Leigh Ann Bridges, Parent Awareness Co-Chairman Tracey Lemak and Alabama State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tommy Bice. Photo courtesy of Leigh Ann Bridges.

In the seventh grade language arts classes at Liberty Park Middle School, students recently had the opportunity to bring in their personal devices or check out an iPad to participate in a QR Code Hunt. The teachers used this as a way to build background knowledge for their upcoming novel, Alabama Moon. Students used an application known as I-Nigma to scan QR codes set up around the room by teachers. Students were divided into groups, and each student was assigned to a QR code. Once they had researched and found all of their information, they came back to their group to teach group members about their particular topic. Students then worked together to create a giant brochure that encompassed all of the QR Code information. The activity allowed students to use technology, research specific topics and work with group members to gain knowledge and create an informational item. – Submitted by Linda Rummell, LPMS

Get to Know Jane-Marie Marlin

Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Vestavia Hills City Schools Tell us a little bit about yourself. I attended The University of Alabama on a full debate/forensic scholarship from 1985 to 1989. In 1989 I started my teaching career at Guntersville High School, where I taught advanced ninth, tenth and 11th grade English and started a debate program. In 1993, I began teaching at Mountain Brook High School, where I coached the debate team, sponsored the student literary magazine and taught tenth grade English. In 2004, I was hired as a Staff Development Specialist for Mountain Brook Schools. My husband and I have been married 17 years. We have one daughter and live in Homewood. I have been very involved as a parent volunteer

for the Homewood Schools Foundation and most recently served as a two-term president. How has this professional background helped prepare you for your new role? I bring 24 years of professional experience to the role, with 15 years in the classroom and the last nine years working as a staff development specialist. How do you personally define success in curriculum and instruction across our large school district? Success in instruction is tied to high-quality professional learning for the faculty and staff at our schools. At Vestavia Hills City Schools, we

really focus on hiring, growing and developing teachers who are committed learners themselves. Success in curriculum is linked to the rigorous College and Career Readiness Standards our state adopted. We are fully implementing the English/language arts standards this fall.

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VestaviaVoice.com

Strong start for Vestavia Hills Rebelettes

The Vestavia Hills High School Rebelettes recently attended the National Dance Association (NDA) dance camp in Lake Guntersville. While at camp, the Rebelettes learned dances from jazz to hip hop choreographed by NDA instructors. In each dance session, the Rebelettes were evaluated individually for ribbons representing their mastery of the material taught. The varsity Rebelettes performed their home routine to “Feel this Moment” which received a superior ribbon. Top Gun individual award recipients include Rachel Snow (Hip Hop), Curran Umphry (Kicks), Hannah Claire Hamric (Turns), and Allison Howell (Jumps). The junior varsity and varsity captains performed a select dance for the Team Leader Circle of Winners and participated in leadership classes each morning. Based on their participation and performance, the junior varsity captains, Ashlyn

Lovell and Katie Corona, received the gold plaque and varsity captains, Emily Lytle, Jane Thornton, and Anna Watts, received the silver plaque. Several Rebelettes were nominated to audition for NDA’s All-American dance team and those nominated were: Katie Corona, Haley Dellaccio, Hannah Echols, Mary Frances Garner, Cailyn Levant, Ashyln Lovell, Emily Lytle, Chandler Moss, Mary Kate Smith, Rachael Snow, Jane Thornton and Curran Umphrey. Those selected to be a member of NDA’s All-American Dance Team were: Hannah Echols, Cailyn Levant, Ashlyn Lovell, Rachael Snow, Jane Thornton and Curran Umphrey. The Team Dance received a Superior Gold, and the Varsity Rebelette’s Home Routine received the Innovative Choreography Award and a Superior Rating which qualifies for a bid to compete at the national competition in March 2014.

Rebelette Camp 2013 Awards: Team Dance Superior Gold VHHS Varsity Home Routine Superior Rating Home Routine Innovative Choreography Bid to Nationals Top Gun Kicks Curran Umphrey Top Gun Turns Hannah Claire Hamric Top Gun Leaps and Jumps Allison Howell Top Gun Hip Hop Rachael Snow All American Nominees: Emily Lytle Mary Kate Smith Haley Dellaccio Katie Corona *Curran Umphrey Mary Frances Garner

Chandler Moss *Ashlyn Lovell *Hannah Echols *Jane Thornton *Cailyn Levant *Rachael Snow *All American Team

VHEC teachers use summer to develop new instruction skills using latest technology Vestavia Hills Elementary Central teachers have been on fire with enthusiasm this year after attending hours of summer professional development. Professional development is a hot topic at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. The majority of the school’s more than 50 teachers spent many hours of their summer attending enriching, professional development trainings. Some of the workshops VHEC teachers attended were: • Using I-Pads for Classroom Management • Edmodo in the Classroom • Using Google Drive • Wonders Reading Training • Small Group Instruction to Enhance Learning • Comprehension Toolkit and B.Y.O.D (Bring Your Own Device) training Through B.Y.O.D training, every teacher at VHEC is now implementing the use of full-time technology in each classroom with a focus on small group instruction. Students will use devices in a variety of ways, including collaboration in small groups, individual activities and for research purposes. Classroom teachers and specialist teachers attended these sessions with collegiality and a shared common mission, focusing on age learners. The outstanding summer professional development opportunities have opened the door to broader school improvement efforts that positively affect teaching and learning throughout the school. – Submitted by Kellie N. Wigley, assistant principal, Vestavia Hills Elementary Central.

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Sports Vestavia athletes raise awareness about ovarian cancer To raise awareness about ovarian cancer during Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, the Vestavia Hills Youth Football League (VHYF) wore teal socks and its cheerleaders wore teal bows during home games in September.

With support from the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation, each game was kicked off with a public service announcement that taught the signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Submitted by Michelle J. Belcher

Members of the 105-pound VHYF League. From left are Grey Hill, Sims Nichols, Michael Belcher, William Haynes, Thomas Watson, William Douglass, Will Carroll, Nick Stacey, Caiden Howle and Hal Holland.

Michael Belcher, who plays in the 105-pound VHYF League, Christiana Belcher, youth cheerleader for 90-pound team, and Chace Belcher, who plays in the 70-pound VHYF League wear teal during Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Photos by Michelle Belcher.

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VestaviaVoice.com

Hoover, Shades Valley to test Rebels on path to playoffs

Remaining Schedule Sept. 27: at Hoover Oct. 4: Woodlawn Oct. 10: at Carver (Birmingham) Oct. 18: Shades Valley Oct. 25: at Mountain Brook Nov. 1: Florence Members of the Vestavia Hills High football team take the field against the Homewood Patriots in August. Photo by Jeff Thompson.

By TOM WARD Halfway through September, the Vestavia Hills High Rebels had proven their eyes were on a state title in 2013. The Rebels unveiled a devastating ground game in their 2013 season opener, literally running away with a convincing 34-14 win over rival Homewood Patriots. The following week, Vestavia Hills once again used a balanced attack and suffocating defense to dominate its opponent. On Sept.

6, the Rebels scored a thoroughly convincing 24-3 win over Hewitt-Trussville. Then, with Head Coach Buddy Anderson’s 300th career win on the table, VHHS completely dominated all phases of their game Sept. 12 with a 30-8 win over the Huffman Vikings. Anderson’s 300th win places him just nine victories away from tying the Alabama high school record for wins, currently held by former Fayette coach Walden Tucker. The Rebels paid tribute to their coach with an offensive explosion similar to their

performances against Homewood and Trussville. A 27-yard touchdown toss from Landon Crowder to Patrick Haywood started the scoring in the first quarter. Before the period ended, Crowder found Haywood again, this time for a 53-yard scoring pass and a 14-0 lead. Vestavia scored 16 more points but didn’t need them, thanks to a suffocating defense that only allowed a score in the game’s closing moments. Following its game against the Gardendale

Rockets on Sept. 20, VHHS takes on the Hoover Buccaneers on Sept. 27 for what looks to be one of the toughest matchups of the year for both teams. As of Sept. 15, the Bucs were ranked No. 1 in the state and the Rebels were No. 3 according to The Greater Birmingham Boys Football Rankings on maxpreps.com. Even if VHHS gets past Hoover though, the Rebels aren’t out of the woods. Close on their heels are the Shades Valley Mounties, ranked No. 7 in the state. The two teams are set to face each other Oct. 18.

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Buddy Ball Making winners out of VHHS’ young men in more ways than one By PAT PATRICK Special to Vestavia Voice Since its inception 32 years ago, Buddy Ball has delivered one thing with consistency at Vestavia Hills High School – victory. VHHS Head Football Coach Buddy Anderson’s run-first offense has experienced little change in more than three decades. It’s led his Rebels to an overall record of 271-111 since he took over the program in 1980. But Anderson’s wins don’t just appear on the scoreboard. While he has led teams to two state championships (1980 and 1998) and appeared in the state playoffs 25 of his 32 years, he has also worked tirelessly to lead players to be champions out of their uniforms. That, he said, is the main goal of Buddy Ball. The system may revolve around the ground game, but it’s all about being grounded as a person. Anderson uses football to help young men better understand themselves, and often uncover qualities they didn’t know existed – qualities like sacrifice, dedication, charity, camaraderie, humility, teamwork and pride. All of these have been found on the football field, in practice and in games at VHHS since Anderson took the helm. But the mentality goes back farther than 1980. Thirty-eight years ago, Anderson interviewed for an assistant coaching position at VHHS after finishing his undergraduate degree at Samford University. Interviewing Anderson for the job, Coach Thompson “Mutt” Reynolds asked, “Why do you want

Buddy Anderson Alabama’s winningest coach with one program Overall record at VHHS: 274-111 1974: Hired as assistant coach 1980: Named head football coach 1980: First state championship 1982: Named athletic director 1998: Second state championship 2002: VHHS football ﬁeld renamed Buddy Anderson Field 2003: Elected to Alabama High School Athletic Hall of Fame 2013: Achieved 300 career wins

to become a football coach?” “Because I feel the Lord is calling me,” Anderson replied. Reynolds didn’t ask Anderson another question. He felt like he was hiring a winner and told him so that day. For Anderson, Christian principals are a possible building block within his system, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is a large part of his life. The national organization holds its annual meeting at Black Mountain, N.C., every June, and Anderson and his wife Linda have attended 40 of the last 41 conferences. “The only one we missed was when a family member was near death and we felt we needed to stay home,” Anderson said. In Vestavia Hills, the Wednesday night

meetings of the VHHS chapter of FCA are held at Anderson’s home. While none are mandatory for players, anywhere from 12-40 members of the team attend the student-led meetings. Anderson said just thinking about it puts a grin on his face and a warm feeling in his heart. Anderson said he wants to provide a foundation for personal excellence in players, as teaching the “Game of Life” is just as important as the game of football. It’s this awareness and respect he and his

coaches have for the players, their sacrifices and their gifts – both athletic and spiritual – that define Buddy Ball. Many 16-year-old players might think that every high school they compete against has a coaching staff, a Coach Anderson, and a program like Vestavia Hills. It’s only when they’ve graduated and had a chance to observe other programs that they realize what they were blessed to learn as a Rebel.

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Faith Gary Furr celebrates 20 years

Gary Furr

Members of Vestavia Hills Baptist Church honored the 20th anniversary of their pastor, Dr. Gary A. Furr, with a special recognition in August during a worship service and reception. Dr. Fisher Humphreys, professor of divinity emeritus at Samford University and longtime friend of the Furr family, spoke during the services. Those attending the event included his wife Vickie and the Furrs’ daughters, Heather Jassy, Erin Yeager and Katie Furr. “Even though we are known for longtenured pastors here at Vestavia Hills Baptist, Gary was the first to celebrate 20 years as our

pastor,” said Dr. Dennis Anderson, the church’s minister of education and administration. Under Furr’s leadership, the church welcomed more than 948 new members and saw an 11 percent increase in resident member families, a 188 percent increase in budgeted missions giving, and a 130 percent increase in budgeted receipts. He oversaw more than 300 members mobilized to go to 25 countries for short-term, hands-on, volunteer mission efforts; a master plan for facilities and property development; a $6.5 million construction new facilities; and the initiation of strategic missional

New MDO director at Saint Mark By WALTER BRYANT A new director is at the helm of the Mother’s Day Out program at Saint Mark United Methodist Church on Columbiana Road in Vestavia Hills. Bettye Walton, its founding director, retired in May after 37 years of heading the ministry for children ages six months through two years. Fredda Townsend, who has worked in childcare for 21 years and most recently was the director of the Mother’s Day Out program at Riverchase United Methodist Church, was hired in June. Walton, a member of the church,

said the Mother’s Day Out program, known as K.I.D.S. (Kids in Developmental Stages), was launched in 1986 to provide care for the ages not served by the existing Kindergarten for children who have had their third birthday on or before Sept. 1 through age 5. “We were young mothers wanting to serve our church and community,” she said. At the end of last school year in May, there were 72 children enrolled. A bench on the school’s playground has been planned in Walton’s honor. In the church’s weekly news letter, Rev. Steve West, the senior minister

at Saint Mark, praised her dedication and impact on the lives of children and parents. “She has touched countless lives, both children and parents alike, who were seeking a safe, enriching and loving environment where kids can grow,” he wrote. “We are given the privilege of guiding them through the most important formative years of their lives.” After a long career in childcare, Townsend sees Mother’s Day Out as meeting a very important need in a youngster’s development. “They need a safe, nurturing environment to bond with other caregivers,” she said.

partnerships in Birmingham and globally. Prior to his move to Birmingham, Dr. Furr served as pastor at churches in Georgia and Texas. A native of North Carolina, he holds a B.A. in religion from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and Ph.D. in religion from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he graduated in 1986. A graduate of The Academy for Spiritual Formation with the Upper Room Ministries, he currently serves on the Coordinating Council of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Annual pumpkin sale to take place all month Saint Mark United Methodist Church’s annual Pumpkins for Missions fundraiser is set to begin Thursday, Oct. 3. Proceeds from the sale will help fund the church’s mission trip to Rio Bravo, Mexico, during spring break of 2014. There the mission team builds small houses for poor families and conducts a mission Bible school. Approximately 30

children, youth and adults are expected to participate in the trip. Pumpkins will be available weekdays from 4-7 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from noon-4p.m. through Oct. 30. Special arrangements can be made for groups such as kindergartens by calling the church at 822-5980. Saint Mark is located at 2901 Columbiana Road.

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City administrators are also keeping a close eye on the U.S. 31 property where the nowvacant Pizza Hut and Ruby Tuesday’s serve as visual reminders of the area’s retail struggles. The Alabama Power-owned property is now represented by Graham & Company, and renewed interest in those sites could come with the pending relocation of City Hall directly across the highway. Adding interest to the area is a potential buyer for the former Vestavia Hills Library. Working to fill these sites and reduce leakage, Downes has enlisted the committee assistance of the City, the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, including members Scott Perry and Martha Cook, as well as private developers such as Raymond Gottleib and Robin Morgan, to help him realize this vision. He is vetting ideas from the fundamental (signage upgrades, pedestrian improvements and the adoption of shared parking to allow for new development) to the abstract, including a direct-mail supported, eventreinforced 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 Pum p House Rd 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.” Downes said the committee plans to undergo a major retail recruiting and development effort via an outside consulting firm, tapping into the Chamber of Commerce and its 1,000-plus members to further reinforce the City’s message and holding funds in reserve as needed to react to specific economic development opportunities. “For example, if we find an opportunity for a developer to come here, but there are transportation constraints, hydrology issues, or whatever the case may be, if we have the resources to resolve that uncertainty, that’s a public/private partnership that is a win-win for both developers and city government,” he said.

This fall, four new businesses are slated to open in Vestavia Hills.

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“Mountain Brook has Whole Foods, Homewood and Hoover have a Fresh Market. I would love to see Vestavia add a Trader Joe’s.” Former Economic Development Director Fred Baughman ordered a study earlier this year for the major development areas that comprise Vestavia Hills – U.S. 31 North, U.S. 31 South, Rocky Ridge, Cahaba River Road (Patchwork Farms), Cahaba Heights and Liberty Park. Examination of each area’s population and projected retail spending versus actual area spending confirmed leakage. “So we know what opportunities we should identify, but this is not a race to acquire retail tenants,” said Baughman, whose probationary employment ended Sept. 20. “We don’t want to recruit companies here at the expense of the major existing sales-tax producers in our city. The competition would only split existing sales tax instead of yielding new, and it would be a disservice to our existing businesses.” The City is currently seeing interest in multiple areas. This fall, four new businesses – FoodBar, Issis & Sons, T. Wayne’s BBQ and The Egg & I – will open in the city. While Downes will be watching first-quarter retail spending at these businesses, he is also aggressively focusing on another critical area poised for growth, Patchwork Farms. “Patchwork Farms is one of the City’s greatest assets, but for us to maximize that value, our development efforts must be well planned,” he said. “And, it has to be proactively marketed. You don’t put a for-sale sign out and say, ‘All comers, come on.’ Right now, we are re-evaluating all the unsold properties all around this area to see if we can come up with a common community vision of what will be successful and appropriate there.” The City anticipates the opening of nearby Grandview Medical Center, and the 200,000 square feet of additional office development expected, to spur additional interest in the area. Downes believes these factors should help Patchwork Farms increase in value, and as a landowner in the area, the City will benefit.

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WHO: FoodBar WHAT: Fresh, seasonal ingredients in an upscale-casual atmosphere. WHERE: 3154 Cahaba Heights Road (former Suburban Grill location) WHEN: Now open. General hours of operation: Tuesday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m.

WHO: Issis & Sons Furniture Gallery WHAT: Carpet, Oriental rugs, ﬂooring and more. WHERE: 1493 Montgomery Highway S. WHEN: November 2013

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Room to grow Retail leakage in Vestavia Hills indicates opportunities for businesses to fill the gaps The City of Vestavia Hills is losing tax revenue to other communities, and administration wants to quell that loss. Good news â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this typically indicates a gap in the market that businesses find attractive. When looking at the numbers below, retail leakage is determined when an area has more

demand than supply. This gap in demand requires residents to leave the areas around their homes to fulfill their needs for goods and services. Leakage, when viewed this way, is a strong tool in recruiting businesses. According to the 2015 Retail MarketPlace Forecast, which was prepared by Lacy Beasley

for the City of Vestavia Hills earlier this year, in 2015 the city could lose substantial sales tax revenue to other communities in the area from residents in the areas of Canyon Road, Columbiana Road, Rocky Ridge Road and Liberty Park. The data is taken from a 1-mile radius from the specified area.

Montgomery Highway North (U.S. 31 & Canyon Road)

2015 Population: 5,904 2015 Households: 2,686 2015 Per Capita Income: $38,359

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Demand Supply Leakage $82,301,596 $79,779,736 $2,521,860

Montgomery Highway South (U.S. 31 & Massey Road)

2015 Population: 7,602 2015 Households: 3,565 2015 Per Capita Income: $34,370

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Demand Supply Surplus $96,796,114 $176,489,736 $79,693,622

Cahaba Heights (Crosshaven Drive & Green Valley Road)

2015 Population: 7,664 2015 Households: 3,929 2015 Per Capita Income: $42,243

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Demand Supply Surplus $121,618,614 $175,443,189 $53,824,576

Liberty Park (Liberty Parkway & Founders Drive)

2015 Population: 2,760 2015 Households: 976 2015 Per Capita Income: $54,882 2015 Population: 5,529 2015 Households: 2,066 2015 Per Capita Income: $52,016

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Demand Supply Leakage $49,520,815 $17,474,320 $32,046,495

Cahaba River Road & Acton Road

2015 Population: 3,535 2015 Households: 1,559 2015 Per Capita Income: $44,556

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Demand Supply Surplus $60,992,767 $65,561,671 $4,568,904

Columbiana Road & Old Columbiana Road

2015 Population: 7,366 2015 Households: 3,500 2015 Per Capita Income: $31,511

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Demand Supply Leakage $85,275,488 $73,920,573 $11,354,915

Rocky Ridge & Acton Road West

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Demand Supply Leakage $66,889,321 $100,150,903 $33,261,581

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Vestavia Voice

Community Calendar Oct. 1: CERT Training Course: EMS Part 2. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Vestavia Civic Center. Speakers include Lt. Busby and K. Goolsby. Oct. 1: Powderpuff Football Game. VHHS Football Field. 7 p.m. Oct. 1: Boosterthon Collection Day (McDowell classes). Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. 9 a.m.

Citizens Association. Vestavian Room and Dogwood Room. Call Ruby Denson, 822-8788. Oct. 4: Gear Up Rally. VH Elementary Cahaba Heights. 1 pm. Oct. 6: Salsa Dancing. Vestavia Lodge. 2-3:30 p.m. Email parkadmin@ vestaviahillsparks.com

Oct. 2-4: Camp McDowell Group 1. Vestavia Hills Elementary Central.

Oct. 7: Tablescapes Preview Party. Vestavia Hills United Methodist Fellowship Hall. Free.

Oct. 2: Bridge. Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association. Senior Center. Call Ruby Denson, 822-8788.

Oct. 7: Ballroom Dance. Vestavia Lodge. 7-9 pm. Call Zella Listerman at 822-5909.

Oct. 2: Men’s Ministry Gathering. Vestavia Hills United Methodist. 6:45 7:30 a.m. Speaker: Joe Dean Jr.

Oct. 8: DQ Spirit Night for Liberty Park Middle School. 5-8 p.m.

Oct. 3-30: Pumpkin Patch Sale. Saint Mark United Methodist Church, 2901 Columbiana Road. Monday-Friday 4-7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday noon-7 p.m. Call 822-5980. Oct. 3: Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club. The Shops of Oak Park on Rocky Ridge Road. 6:45 a.m-8 a.m. Speaker: Judge Janice Law from Houston, Texas. She will speak on the dynamics of the U.S. Supreme Court. Visit vestaviasunriserotary.com.

Oct. 8: CERT Training: Fire Safety. Vestavia Civic Center. Speaker: Capt. Graham. Oct. 8: Vestavia Lions Club Monthly Meeting. Vestavia Hills Board of Education. 6:30 p.m. Email Phil Min at philmin04@gmail.com Oct. 8: City Council Meeting. Council Chambers. City Hall. 5 pm. Oct. 8: Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Vestavia Country Club. 11:30 a.m. Visit vestaviahills.org.

Oct. 4: VHHS football vs. Woodlawn. Homecoming. VHHS Football Field. 7-9 p.m.

Oct 8: Get a Ride to the Doctor. Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association. Call 978-0166.

Oct. 4: Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association First Friday Dance. Vestavia Lodge. 7-9 p.m.

Oct 8: Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association Monthly Luncheon. Dogwood Room. For more, call 9780166.

Oct. 4: Parent Brown Bag Lunch. Liberty Park Middle School. Speaker: Dr. Dale Wisely. Topic: Coping with Parent/ Teen Conflict. Oct. 4: First Friday Reception. Artists Incorporated. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Featured Artists: Marissa Apolinsky, Anne Reiser, Amy Peterson, Virginia Martin, Cynthia Cox and Paula Reynolds. Free. Visit artistsincorporated.com. Oct. 4: Bridge. Vestavia Hills Senior

Oct. 8: Tablescapes Luncheon. Vestavia Hills United Methodist Fellowship Hall. Ticketed event. 11:30 a.m. Oct. 10: Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club. The Shops of Oak Park on Rocky Ridge Road. 6:45 a.m-8 a.m. Speaker: Vestavia Hills City Manager Jeff Downes. Visit vestaviasunriserotary.com. Oct. 10-12: Night of the Living Dead. Vestavia Hills High School Theatre

Department. Auditorium. 7 p.m.

Listerman, 822-5909.

Oct. 13: Salsa Dancing. Vestavia Lodge. 2-3:30 p.m. Email parkadmin@ vestaviahillsparks.com

Oct. 22: CERT Training: CERT Organization and Terrorism. 6:308:30 p.m. Vestavia City Center. Speaker: R. Farrell.

Oct. 13: VHHS Rebelettes host NDA Unleashed Master Dance Classes. 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.Featuring master instructor Jonathan Lewis. Open to all dancers in grades 6-12. $25. Visit vhhsdance.com. Oct. 13: Annual Service for the Blessing of the Animals. 3 p.m. Southminster Presbyterian Church, 1124 Montgomery Highway. Under the covered driveway on the upper level parking lot. Contact Pastor Joe Slane at 822-1124 or southmin@bellsouth.net Oct. 14: Vestavia Senior Citizen Association Ballroom Dance. VestaviaLodge. 7-9 p.m. Call Zella Listerman at 822-5909. Oct. 15: CERT Training. Fire Safety (continued). Vestavia Civic Center. 6:308:30 p.m. Speakers include Capt. Graham and A. Millican. Email Nicole Zabriskie at nic.zabriskie@gmail.com Oct. 16: 4H Camp. Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park Fifth Graders. Oct. 18: VHHS Varsity Football vs. Shades Valley. 7 p.m. VHHS. Oct. 20: Salsa Dancing. Vestavia Lodge. 2-3:30 pm. For more, email parkadmin@ vestaviahillsparks.com Oct. 21: Beautifcation Board Meeting. Vestavia Lodge. 9:30am-Noon. For more, email parkadmin@vestaviahillsparks.com Oct. 21: Promise Week. Liberty Park Elementary. Oct. 17: Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club. The Shops of Oak Park on Rocky Ridge Road. 6:45 a.m-8 a.m. Work project or social event. Details TBD. Visit vestaviasunriserotary.com. Oct. 21: Vestavia Senior Citizen Association Ballroom Dance. Vestavia Lodge. 7-9 pm. For more, contact Zella

Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Children

Sept. 7 and runts through Nov. 16.

Mondays: Manic Monday. 3-4:30 p.m. Program Room. Do your homework on comfy pillows, eat a snack, watch some T.V., play a game. Most weeks, homework help will be availableGrades 1-6. Begins Sept. 9.

Oct. 17: Preschool Costume Ball. Library in the Forest.

Tuesdays: Together With Twos. 9:30 a.m.,10:30 a.m. Story time for children 24 months and under and a caregiver. Each program lasts 30 minutes. Begins Sept. 3.

Adults Oct 3: OLLI Elder Law with Jack Carney. 1-3:30 pm.

Wednesdays: Story Friends.10:30 a.m. Story time for preschoolers 5 years and under and a caregiver. This program lasts 45 minutes. Begins Sept. 4.

Oct. 8: Chef E Cooking Demonstration. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join Chef “E” as she presents a program on healthy foods that are beyond delicious. The program includes a cooking demonstration, recipe giveaway, and a tasting of the signature recipe. Please call 978-4678 to register.

Wednesdays: Skit-torytime. 3:30 p.m. A storybased program for kindergarten and up with an after-school snack and short cartoon round out the end of the 45-minute program. No toddlers please. Begins Sept. 4.

Oct. 10: Java Knit. 2-3 p.m. Love to knit or crochet? Want to learn how? Drop in and enjoy company of other crafters the 2nd Thursday of each month. Bring your own needles and yarn and we supply the java, tea and snacks!

First & Second Thursdays: Fun and Fit in the Forest. 9:30 a.m. Thirty-minute fitness program for caregivers and their babies and preschoolers. Begins Sept. 5.

Oct. 10: Home Brewing 101. Taught by the experts from Hop City Craft Beer & Wine, this is the beer class for everyone, from beer enthusiasts to budding home brewers. You’ll leave prepared to brew your own. Must be 21 or older to attend, ID required.

First & Second Thursdays: L.I.F.T. (Library in the Forest Time). 9:30 a.m.-noon. Children’s Program Room. Social playtime for preschool age children and caregivers our special play equipment. Fourth Saturdays: Lego Wars. 11 a.m.-noon. Create Lego masterpieces and win prizes. Second grade and up. Saturdays: The Story Trail. 11 a.m.-noon. Library Trail. Four story stations will be set up, and a different forest creature will be featured in the story each week. All children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Begins

Community events

Oct. 16: Adult Book Group. Discussing Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. 2-3 p.m. Oct. 17: OLLI Make ‘Em Laugh with The Seasoned Performers. 1:30-3:30 p.m. This program proves that everything old is new again. You’ll split your sides, bust a gut, and roll in the aisles with this tried and true salute to Vaudeville. Oct: 24: Friends of the Library in the Forest Monthly Meeting. Community Room. 10 a.m. Oct. 31: OLLI Social. 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Oct. 22: City Council Meeting. Council Chambers. City Hall. 5 pm. Oct. 22: Metro Cross Country Championships (Vestavia Schools participating). Veterans Park. 4 pm. Oct. 24: Fall Carnival. Vestavia Hills Elementary East. 5-8 p.m. Call 402-5200. Oct. 24: Fall Carnival. Vestavia Hills Elementary West. 4-7 p.m. Oct. 24: Ballet Women’s Committee Fall Extravaganza. Vestavia Country Club. Lunch 11:30 a.m.. Fashion Show, 12:15 p.m. Featuring Stella Blu, Betsy Prince and Carriage House Weddings. $25. Call Amy Miller at 823-5368 or Frances Knox at 936-8062. Oct. 24: Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club. The Shops of Oak Park on Rocky Ridge Road. 6:45 a.m-8 a.m. Tentative Speaker: Will Estess. Visit vestaviasunriserotary.com. Oct. 25: Bridge. Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association. Vestavian Room and Dogwood Room. For more, call Ruby Denson, 822-8788. Oct. 25: VHHS Varsity Football @ Mountain Brook. 7 p.m. Oct. 26: Harvest Artisan Fair. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills. Proceeds benefit Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Children’s of Alabama. Call 823-1883.Oct. 27: Punk Your Trunk. Mountaintop Community Church. Email Kelli Gray, kelly.gray@mountaintopchurch. com. Oct. 27: Punk Your Trunk. 4:30-6:30 p.m. Mountaintop Community Church. Trunk-or-treating, carnival games, inflatables, food, much and more. Visit mountaintopchurch.com. Oct. 27: Salsa Dancing. Vestavia

Lodge. 2-3:30 pm. Email parkadmin@ vestaviahillsparks.com Oct. 28: Bridge. Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association. Senior Center. Call Ruby Denson at 822-8788. Oct. 28: Ballroom Dance. Senior Citizen Lodge. 7-9 pm. Call Zella Listerman at 822-5909. Oct. 29: CERT Training: Search and Rescue. Vestavia Civic Center. 6:308:30 p.m. Speaker: Batt. Chief Gilchrist. Oct. 29: VHHS Choral Concert. 7 p.m. Oct. 30: Trunk-or-Treat. 5-7 p.m. Cahaba Heights United Methodist Church, 3139 Cahaba Heighhts Road. Hot dogs, gumbo from Men’s Club, inflatables, cotton candy, crafts, games and more. Call 967-0470. Oct. 30: Shades Mountain Baptist Church Carnival. 5-8 p.m. 2017 Columbiana Road. Games, costumes, music, food trucks, inflatables and more. Visit shades.org/carnival. Oct. 30: Community Wide Fall Festival. 5:30-8 p.m. Liberty Park Baptist Church, 2017 Columbiana Road. Food, rides and carnival games. Call 969-1236. Oct 30: Bridge. Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association. Senior Center. Call Ruby Denson at 822-8788. Oct. 31: Kindergarten Costume Parade. Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park. 1 p.m. Oct. 31: Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club. The Shops of Oak Park on Rocky Ridge Road. 6:45 a.m-8 a.m. Speaker: Dave Lambert, Southern Company Nuclear Project Manager. This is Part 2 of Mr. Lambert’s discussion about nuclear power generation and nuclear plant development. Visit vestaviasunriserotary.com. Oct. 31: Community Harvest Party. Crossroads Community Church of the Nazarene, 1998 Shades Crest Road. 7-8:30 p.m. Fun for the entire family, games, candy and snacks. Free. Call 822-4520.

Greater Birmingham area events Oct. 1-5: Oak Mountain State Fall Fair. 5 p.m.4 a.m. Tuesday-Friday, 1 p.m.-midnigth Saturday. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre. (Purchase tickets at the gate or at Walgreens. Call 985-4900 or visit oakmountainstatefair.com. Oct. 1-6: Rosenwald Revisited by Ann Smithwick. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Birmingham Museum of Art. Free. Ann Smithwick is a professional documentary photographer based in Memphis. She discovered her home was a former “Rosenwald School,” which established a foundation for African-American education in the U.S. Call 254-2565 or visit artsbma.org. Oct. 3-6: Antiques at the Gardens. 1-5 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Sunday. Free for members, $10 for non-members. The show will include antique dealers from across the nation, presenting antiques, furniture, porcelain, fine art, silver, garden accessories and jewelry. Visit bbgardens.org. Oct. 5: Fiesta Hispanic Cultural Festival. Linn Park. Noon-8 p.m. The festival will display the culture, music and food of more than 20 Latin American countries. Visit fiestabirmingham.com. Oct. 6: Hot Strings Music & Arts Festival. Colonial Brookwood Village. Artists, kids activities and live music. Three on a String, Mandolin Orange, Act of Congress and Matthew Mayfield will perform. Benefits local rescue mission and recovery center The Foundry. $15. Visit HotStrings.org. Oct. 6: New York Polyphony. 3-4:15 p.m. Cathedral Church of the Advent, 2017 Sixth Ave. North. Free. This ensemble is regarded as one of the finest singing groups in the world,

ranging from medieval melodies to cutting-edge contemporary compositions. Call 226-3505 or visit adventbirmingham.org. Oct. 10: Light the Night. 5:30 p.m. The Summit. Free. Join the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by celebrating and commemorating the lives touched by blood cancers by walking for a cure for cancer. There will be food, entertainment, illuminated balloons and goodies. Call 989-0098 or visit lightthenight.org/al. Oct. 13: Break ‘n Bread Food & Wine Festival. 1-5 p.m. Railroad Park, 1600 First Ave South. $35 for adults ages 21 and older, $12 for youth ages 12 to 20 and free for children under age 12. Visit breaknbread.zeekeeinteractive.com. Oct. 17: Beer, BBQ and Bingo Party. 6:30 p.m. Avondale Brewery. Barbecue dinner from Golden Rule, Avondale microbrews, bingo prizes, live music. Hosted by the Junior Board of the Robert E. Reed Foundation, which supports patient care and GI cancer research at UAB. $25 per person or $45 per couple. Purchase tickets at reedgifoundation.com/ events or at the door. Oct. 19-20: Fall Plant Sale. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. For more, call 414-3950, email rwalters@ bbgardens.org or visit bbgardens.org. October 22: Borealis Wind Quintet with Leon Bates. 7:30 p.m. Samford University Brock Recital Hall. Presented by the Birmingham Chamber Music Society. $25, $10 for students with ID. Call 7262853 or visit www.samford.edu/arts/. Oct. 26: Zombie Chase. 10 a.m. Red Mountain Park. 5K run presented by Birmingham Young Professionals Kiwanis will benefit Better Basics organization. $40 before Oct. 12, $50 after Oct. 12. Visit facebook.com/TheZombieChase.

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