Village Living October 2010

Village Living

| October 2010 |

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook

Carter & Tutwiler interviews -pg 6

Volume 1 | Issue 7 | October 2010

Sports-pg 10

Municipal complex design approved

By Jennifer Gray

Designs for a new Mountain Brook municipal complex have moved from the planning stage to the shovel.

The City Council approved a design to build a new complex in Crestline at their Sept. 13 meeting. Work has begun on the project that is expected to be completed in early 2012.

The new buildings designed by architect Bill Williams of Williams Blackstock Architects will include a new City Hall, municipal offices, a new police station, new fire station, and an underground parking deck.

The design has been met with enthusiasm by both city officials and citizens. “It is a much needed project and should be the last major municipal building construction for years to come,” said City Manager Sam Gaston.

Mayor Terry Oden, who served on the Building Committee for the city with City Council President Virginia Smith and Councilman Bob Moody, is pleased with the plan.

“The current building is structurally unsound,” Oden said of City Hall. ”It is too small. Parts of it were built in the 1940’s.

October Features

Front view of new City Hall and municipal complex design

We have been planning for it for five years and saving. The money is specifically set aside for the construction.”

The new City Hall will also give Oden somewhere to put his desk. “There is now no Mayor’s Office,” he said. “I’m the only mayor in the country who doesn’t have an office. Now I will.”

The new design will be a much nicer version of the current municipal complex and much greener, Williams said. The new building will be “similar but different,” he said. “It won’t shock residents when they

see it. None of the streets are changing.

But with the removal of visible utilities and all of the parking spaces along Oak Street and other sides of the building, the look will become a lot greener.”

Architects used the Tudor style and other attractive elements such as limestone brick and wood that will match the Crestline clock tower. “The style and look of the new buildings will complement the architecture of other village buildings,” Williams said. “Hopefully, future village development will complement these new

buildings as well.”

City planners and Council members purchased a lot adjacent to the current complex. This property, which is the current location of Galloway law firm, allows the scale of the project to be smaller while increasing the square footage of the offices.

“We were incredibly fortunate to work with people who saw the wisdom of purchasing property,” Williams said.

“That gave us the ability to create separate buildings and entrances for the parking deck, police, fire and city hall. Without that land, it would have been a different project entirely.”

Williams said all utility lines, cell phone towers, gas lines, and water lines are being moved. “You really don’t realize how much clutter there is around the current City Hall,” he said. “By using the newly acquired property as a location for our utility yard, our police department secure entry, tactical parking, cell tower relocation and other service related items it freed up the rest of the property to be used in its entirety as public space with unlimited access points to the facilities.”

See CITY HALL, PAGE 12

A bird for all seasons

• Letter to the Editor

2

• Junior League

2

Dear Mr. Rooster,

• Daniel George

4

• Fall Soups and Bread

4

• Individuality

5

• Iron Bowl Party

7

• Elbert Jemison Jr.

8

• Halloween Parade

9

Each day after work as I travel to St. Martin’s In The Pines to feed my mother who is 103 and 1/2 years old I pass you and I smile. Sometimes I laugh to myself as I see your “outfit of the month.” I can’t tell you how many time I’ve been so depressed and when I pass your house, I’m instantly uplifted. Thank you for small favors and the joy you bring!!

12

• Kari Kampakis

13

• Emmet O’Neal

13

• Art Show

14

• School House

16

• Calendar of Ev ents

18

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

• Irondale Furnace Trail

An Admirer

Sharon Graham and Montevallo Road’s favorite rooster

By Lauren Nix Sharon Graham has become something she never expected: The Rooster Lady.

She earned the title because of the elaborate costumes and decorations she

dresses the stone rooster statue in her front yard at 3749 Montevallo Road for every holiday and occasion.

“I just put the rooster out there, and I

didn’t think a thing about it,” she said. “I just decorated it.”

Now she says she must always have some outfit on the rooster because people have come to expect it, and even drive her way to see it.

“If it’s naked even for a morning or a day then people will say ‘I made a special point to drive by the rooster and it wasn’t dressed up,’” Graham said. “Or ‘I almost got in a wreck today looking at the rooster.’”

The rooster always has an appropriate outfit for whatever time of year it is. Right

See ROOSTER, PAGE 5

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| October 2010 | Welcome Friends

Village Living Photo of the Month

Editor’s Note There’s so much going on in our city! October 5 is the runoff between Temple Tutwiler and Amy Carter for the City Council Place 1.

Inside, we have an in depth question and answer with the candidates. Get to know them better, and then cast your vote on October 5.

Another exciting change is the work that will begin at City Hall. Check out our article on the new municipal complex, the design, and new features in our cover story.

These new buildings will truly be a gem in our city when they are finished.

We have another article in our “Village Treasure” series. This month, we talked to Elbert Jemison, who celebrates his 90th birthday in October! Read all about this man’s fascinating life.

At a reader’s suggestion, we have some delicious fall soups to help you warm up as the nights get cooler this fall. These yummy creations are from Mountain Brook’s Christiana Roussel, and they won’t disappoint.

If you are looking for some fun outings this month, consider checking out the Irondale Furnace Trail. This trail is well kept secret in our city, and we have a great story all about its history.

The annual Mystics of Mountain Brook’s Halloween parade through Crestline is another fun event. And don’t forget all the fall sports. Spend an afternoon or evening watching our Spartans or our little league teams play.

Don’t forget, if you need extra copies of Village Living, they may be picked up at City Hall or the Board of Education building.

Thanks for reading!

Letters to the editor Thank you for this much needed publication Broncos’ Charles Cobb manages the tackle on Packers’ Hamp Sisson, but not before he crosses the goal line to score. photo: Alison Gault

Staff & Friends Contributing Writers Erica Breen | Christiana Roussel | Kari Kampakis | Rick Watson Laura Canterbury | Will Hightower | Holley Wesley

School House Contributers Alison Gault -Cherokee Bend Lauren Fowler - Crestline Bama Hager -Brookwood Forest Sherrie Futch- Mountain Brook High School Hilary Ross - Mountain Brook Elem. & Mountain Brook Jr High

Contributing Photographers Image Arts | Alison Gault | Kari Kampakis

Published by

Publisher

Village Living LLC

Dan Starnes

Sales and Distribution

Editor Jennifer Gray

Creative Director Keith McCoy

Dan Starnes Angela Morris Catherine Cooper Loveman

Journalism Intern Lauren Nix

Contact Information: Village Living #4 Office Park Circle, Suite 314-A Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 dan@VillageLivingOnline.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: Jennifer@VillageLivingOnline.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 Legals: Village Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Village Living is designed to inform the Mountain Brook community of area school, faith, family and community events. Information in Village Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Village Living. 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) 370-0732 or by email.

I just wanted to tell you how much I love reading Village Living. I have gained so much insight into what’s happening around town, the exciting cultural events that come to our city, and the fabulous articles on the outstanding people and

vendors that help make up our community.

While reading Village Living, I highlight articles and rip out coming events to fill mine and my families’ calendar with fun things to do in our city.

Beth McMillan

I look forward to every issue Congratulations on your excellent, informative, and progressive publication.

I look forward to every issue and as our village grows, so does your news. Thank

you.

As I see progress around our villages, I am proud to live here.

LaVenia Neal

Everyone reads it I have loved all of the issues that I have received.

I realized another great benefit of your elementary school coverage…my soon to be fourth grader (who was pictured) is now reading the paper! She loves looking for articles of interest, finding people she

knows and reading aloud (whether anyone is interested in listening or not) all of the village happenings. Many thanks for your great content and coverage!

Hal inney F

Shop, Save, and Share coming soon

By Lauren Nix The Junior League is kicking off this year’s Shop, Save and Share fundraiser, which allows people to give back to the community while enjoying discounts from over 500 retailers and restaurants in the Birmingham area.

By purchasing a card for $40, recipients receive a 20 percent discount on items in the selected businesses from Oct. 27 through Nov. 7. Thanks to the sponsorship of the shops at Grand River, all $40 will be given directly back to the community and used to support the Junior League’s 30 community projects.

“It puts the ‘fun’ back in fundraising because who knew that shopping could be considered volunteering,” Elisabeth Lyman, co-chair of the Junior League, said.

Some of the stores have exclusions on the 20 percent discount, but many of the businesses have their entire store on sale. A directory broken down into shopping areas will be given with the card and lists all of the stores participating and the exclusions they have, if any.

“I laugh and say that they entire city is on sale for that time period because with over 500 shops we hit every part of the city,” Lyman said.

Programs sponsored by the Junior League that proceeds from card sales will benefit include: Meals on Wheels, Can You Dig It, Preschool Partners, Learning to Be a

Kid and Rock a Bye Babies.

This is the League’s fifth year to hold the Shop, Save and Share fundraiser, which has grown from 88 participating businesses in the first year to over 500 currently.

The Junior League is the largest volunteer organization of women in the state with approximately 2700 members.

It is an organization that develops the potential of women, promotes volunteerism and improves the community.

“When you give money to the Junior League, you not only give to that project, but we give volunteer hours as well,” Lyman said. “Last year we gave 40,000 volunteer hours to projects in the community.”

All projects are ones that directly impact the Birmingham area.

“This fundraiser is a win-win situation,” Lyman said. “It’s a win for the shop because hopefully this will drive traffic, it’s a win for the customer because they get to purchase items that aren’t normally on sale at that time of year and it’s a win for the Junior League because we get the money from the sale of the card.”

You can buy the cards online right now and view the businesses participating at www.shopsaveshare.net or you can go to the gift shop in the Junior League building to purchase them. Starting Oct. 15, the cards will be available in about 150 of the shops.

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

Village Living

| October 2010 |

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| October 2010 |

Village Flavor

| Restaurant Daniel George Restaurant Showcase 2837 Culver Road & Market

By Jennifer Gray

CRESTLINE

www.danielgeorgerestaurant.com

SEAFOOD COMPANY

Thursdays

Now Serving Sunday Brunch!

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Saturdays

$1.50 Domestic $2.00 Premium Beer

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mudtown eat & drink 205.967.3300

3144 Green Valley Road

Cahaba Heights

www.mudtownalabama.com

FREE Appetizer

Buy One Entrée

GET ONE

Saturday Only, Expires 10-31-10

If you haven’t been to Daniel George lately, then you have been missing out on one of the finest restaurants in the villages.

I had the pleasure of eating lunch there recently along with my friend and lover of all things food, Christiana Roussel. We truly enjoyed everything about the experience.

To begin with, the staff at Daniel George makes a point of making everyone feel welcome.

They are friendly and very helpful. They offer great advice and are extremely knowledgeable about the menu.

They have menu meetings everyday and are happy to make recommendations of food and wine to suit your every craving.

The restaurant, which is owned by Chefs Daniel Briggs Chefs Daniel Briggs & George McMillan of Daniel George and George McMillan, both of Mountain gras slaw accompanying the dish. It was Brook, boasts a pleasant and light a great balance of textures with the tangy atmosphere for lunch. Lovely paintings slaw, creamy remoulade accompanying the and fresh flowers add to the ambience of shrimp. the rooms.

For our entrees, as hard as it was to According to Pastry Chef Brent decide, Christiana had the Pappardelle Seamon, the restaurant really focuses on Bolognese, which was a wonderful making amazing dishes from what local combination of ground veal, beef, pancetta, farmers, such as Al’s Hollow Farm offer , tomatoes, basil and parmesan served incorporating the best of what is in season. with the homemade pappardelle pastaI can assure you that this approach is ribbon like lasagna noodles. She loved the working well for them. Every bite we had combination of flavors from the meats and was out of this world! To begin with, we the rich, rustic sauce. It was a great choice! decided to try the Roasted Pepper Soup I had the Chicken Picatta. At dinner, and the Cornmeal Crusted Shrimp. The a staple of their menu is the Veal Picatta. soup was delicious with fresh avocado and I have heard great things about that dish, green onion floating in a dollop of crème so I decided to try the chicken version. It freshe. The flavor was wonderful! did not disappoint. It was lightly battered, When you go, you must not pass up with the chicken tender and flavorful. the Cornmeal Shrimp. We both could have Capers and a delicious meuniere sauce ordered another it was so delicious. The added some tanginess to the dish that made shrimp is very lightly battered and served on top of a cayenne remoulade with mardi SEE DANIEL GEORGE, PAGE 6

Cooler Temperatures, Warmer Meals

By Christiana Roussel Fall is coming. I swear it is. You may have been dripping sweat at the last Alabama game but I promise, cooler temperatures are just around the corner.

And with cooler temperatures, come requests for warmer foods: foods that comfort, meals that warm you up from the inside out, dishes that underscore the feeling of the season. And no other food does that quite like soup.

Certainly it is easy enough to pop open a can of something and nuke it for a minute or two. But, it is so much better to be able to enjoy something YOU made from scratch.

So spend an afternoon making one of the following soups and you will be rewarded.

Better yet, double the recipe and surprise a neighbor with a container of your favorite.

Who knows? You might just start a new trend!

ROSEMARY CORN BISQUE Serves 10 Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 large yellow onion, chopped (a scant 2 cups) 1/2 cup diced carrot 1/2 cup diced celery 8 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste) 6 cups chicken stock 1 cup half-and-half (or whole milk) 1 red bell pepper, chopped Directions: 1) Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Add onions, carrot and celery and

2)

3)

4)

sauté 3 minutes.

Add 6 cups corn, rosemary and cayenne and sauté 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender and liquid is slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. Let the mixture cool slightly before proceeding to the next step.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot and add the half-and-half and remaining 2 cups of corn. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add bell pepper and sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir bell pepper into soup or add to the top of each serving as a pretty garnish.

Note: This soup is terrific as a first course for Thanksgiving dinner. You can easily make this a few weeks in advance and freeze it – one less thing to do on turkey day!

This soup also looks so pretty when served in a hollowed-out bread bowl. A rustic rosemary sourdough or French boule would work really well for this.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 2-pound butternut squash, lengthwise, seeded 2 cups chicken stock, warmed freshly grated nutmeg, to taste 1 cup milk (preferably 1%)

halved

SEE WARMER MEALS, PAGE 19

Village Spotlight

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

Individuality Gallery | 2913 Cahaba Road 535.0060 Individuality, Mountain Brook Village’s newest art gallery, opened in September and features one-of-a-kind pieces by artist Rose de Cav and her sister Irene Burns.

The showroom is comprised of approximately 25 paintings, with the majority being acrylic pieces by de Cav. Oil pieces by Burns are incorporated into the mix as well.

“They’re all one-of-a-kind, there are no duplications,” de Cav said. de Cav’s art work can best be described as colorful, abstract, modern works of art with unique textural aspects. She describes herself as an impressionist painter and tries to give all of her paintings movement.

“When painting, my objective is to develop images that are both interesting and decorative,” says de Cav on her web page. “I carefully select color and consider how the painting will look in various lighting.”

Burns lives in Tuscaloosa, and her oil paintings include landscapes and a beautiful painting of a frog in the rainforest. de Cav, originally from New York, and Burns lived in Costa Rica for 6 months and were inspired to create colorful and bright paintings. One of the paintings that Burns created caught the eye of the President of Costa Rica and is now hanging in her office. “[Irene] is extremely talented,” de Cav said.

| October 2010 |

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By Lauren Nix

Business Spotlight The artist says all of the paintings are priced reasonably, and she took the hard economic times into consideration when deciding what to charge.

Designers who come in and purchase paintings for their clients receive 10 percent off.

Along with paintings, de Cav also creates jewelry which she sells in the gallery. The necklaces and earrings she creates are made with gold-filled wire and decorative beads.

“I put beads around the neck so they are comfortable, and they are made with gold-filled wire so they won’t tarnish,” she said.

Previously an IBM representative, de Cav says her marketing background drives her to stay up to date on current design trends and decorative preferences.

“Since I did marketing and sales, I look at what is going on in the decorating world and the industry to see what I should be doing,” she said.

Most of the paintings currently displayed in the gallery are bright and colorful pieces, but de Cav says she is beginning to create light and soft pieces.

To see the artwork available at Individuality visit www.rosedecav. com or visit the gallery located at 2913 Cahaba Road near Village Dermatology in Mountain Brook Village.

Call for Special Christmas Pricing

Rose deCav with Mayor Oden at the ribbon cutting for Individuality Gallery.

ROOSTER cover story

now, he is dressed in football attire and will soon have on an orange wig and pumpkin hat for Halloween.

“Well [the costumes] range from all the holidays of course -- Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Dayall the holidays,” Graham said.

“The most bizarre [costume] I have is for New Year’s Eve. I have a lamp shade with tassels all over it and it’s decorated and I put that on the rooster,” she said.

“The joke was ‘He got so drunk he put the lamp shade on his head,’ so for New Year’s I put the lamp shade on his head. But I do have to explain that one to a lot of young people.”

Graham says the rooster even gets letters and gifts from people.

“I get letters to the rooster from children, and I’ve gotten two gifts to the rooster. One, when I decorated it for my first grandchild, someone left a baby gift by the rooster, and then another time a lady gave a little metal rooster to the rooster with a note saying ‘I go to work every day and it just makes me happy to see the rooster.’

And that’s what all the letters say,” Graham said.

The rooster has become a neighborhood staple and something that can bring a smile

to anyone passing by. Graham says she just started decorating it for fun because she decorates everything.

“If I see something I’m going to decorate it, it can’t just sit there plain,” she said.

The rooster was stolen one Labor Day weekend a year after they moved into the Montevallo Road house.

“My husband came home and said the rooster’s gone,” Graham said. “I just happened to be down at the beach on Labor Day where I bought the rooster so I could replace it.”

The rooster hasn’t been bothered since then, and is consistently dressed in an appropriate outfit for whatever occasion.

Graham says she has several Christmas outfits for the rooster and she decorates him with baby things whenever a child is born into their family.

“People are always walking by,” she said. “If I’m out getting the mail people always stop and tell me they love the rooster. I’m known as the rooster lady now.

I never thought I’d be the rooster lady.”

If you’re driving or walking down Montevallo Road, be sure to look out for the dressed up rooster that has a special place in the Mountain Brook area.

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| October 2010 |

Village Living

Meet the candidates Voters will determine who will hold City Council Place 1 on Oct. 5. The runoff election is between Amy Carter and Temple Tutwiler. The winner will serve a four-year term. Village Living spoke with each of the candidates to learn more about them and their viewpoints on crucial issues in the community.

What would you do first if elected?

CARTER: One of my main goals is I want to make sure that everyone feels included. There are certain neighborhoods and areas of Mountain Brook that feel like step-children. They don’t feel like they’re necessarily heard as well as other areas.

And I’d like to implement some sort of program where everybody knows what’s going on and everybody feels like they are connected.

TUTWILER: Serve.

I have no preconceptions of what I’ll really be dealing with. I’ll deal with the things that come along. Mountain Brook is in good financial circumstances now, but it’s not luxurious.

We really do have to watch our finances, as does the school system and every component of the city, especially in these hard economic times. I’m really interested in making sure that we maintain our financial soundness. I’m very conservative about investing other people’s money.

What would you like to see improved in Mountain Brook?

CARTER: Communication.

Communication through all areas of Mountain Brook. We are so fortunate here.

We have excellent school systems, excellent fire and police. And more than anything just the feeling that everybody is included in the City Council decisions.

It’s Personal

You’d do anything for your family.

Schedule your mammogram today.

TUTWILER: I’d love to see our retail base strengthened. There’s a lot of unoccupied space and I’d love those to be filled with thriving enterprises. I’d like to do anything we can to encourage it because that tax base is important to our community. But it’s got to be done correctly. We definitely need to maintain our great school system because it really reflects on the community and keeps the community the attractive place that it is.

How do you feel about the Lane Parke development?

CARTER: I think it’s too big. I think it’s too dense. I feel like there’s too much commercial space. I was disappointed that it was approved as it was. I am all for developing that area but I think it needs to be a responsible development and I think it needs to be a smaller scale commercial development.

A screening mammogram is important for early detection of breast cancer. It can, in some cases, detect a lump in the breast before you or your physician can feel it. That’s why the American Cancer Society recommends a screening mammogram each year for all women age 40 and older or those considered to be at risk. So do it for yourself. Do it for your family. But please, do it now.

TUTWILER: I think that it’s been very carefully studied by the community. As a citizen, I went and looked at the proposal well before I even considered standing for office, and I looked at their models. I went and got their design books and their architectural renderings and their plans and looked at them in great detail. I’m

Please call 592-1489 (option 1) to schedule your mammogram today.

For more information, visit www.trinitymedicalonline.com.

DANIEL GEORGE

Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician and follow-ups are the responsibility of the patient.

Directions and map can be found at trinitymedicalonline.com

51309_TRIN_Mammo_5x15c.indd 1

9/20/10 12:04 PM

From pg 6

it irresistible. It was served over some delicious brocollini and roasted fingerling potatoes.

Entrees at lunch run from $12 dollars for sandwiches and salads, with heavier dishes like ours at $13.

Make sure you save room for dessert!

It is not to be missed. Chef Seamon makes some special creations. We had the flourless chocolate torte. If you love chocolate, this dessert is for you. It was a wonderful, dense, rich creation with a dollop of cream and fresh raspberries.

Other desserts that he recommends are the banana bread pudding or the bittersweet marquee- which is a mouse type of cake-

very sensitive to the community; if it’s not broke don’t fix it. I had these visions of high-rises and all this stuff. Well, it’s not that way. I think it compliments what is there in Mountain Brook Vllage. I do not think it overwhelms it. If I thought it was a destructive force I’d be opposing it.

I’m not afraid of change if it’s done appropriately, and I think it’s been done appropriately.

What about your professional or civic experiences make you a good candidate?

CARTER: Well first of all I do have a law degree and I do practice law. Really I’ve been very involved civically with the Junior League. I was with the Junior League for ten years. I served on Community Research. I served on Project Review, in fact I chaired Project Review. I sat on the executive board for awhile until I had to step down for health reasons. The Junior League has given me great experience working in not just Mountain Brook but also the greater Birmingham area. As far as in Mountain Brook, I have three children in three different schools. One at the elementary school, one at the junior high, and one at the high school, and so I’ve been involved with all three of those schools.

I’m just starting to get involved at the high school, my oldest has just started there.

I’m the chair of the Troop Committee, which basically means you’re the CEO of the organization, so I run those committee meetings. I sit on the church council at Canterbury and I sit on the foundation at Canterbury which is a finance committee dealing with Canterbury’s trust. I have a wide variety of areas that I’ve been involved in. Each of my boys plays a different sport so I’ve been involved in the many different sporting aspects, as far as parks and recreation goes.

TUTWILER: I have been involved with a lot of organizations for no other reasons than I like to help when I can. And if I get into a situation where I can’t add anything to the mixture I’ll get out. Over the years I’ve had great opportunities to be involved with lots of different organizations. In Mountain Brook, in particular, I’ve been the Chairman of the Park and Recreation Board. When I was involved with it we redeveloped Overton Park. We redid all of the athletic fields. I served on bank boards, the Botanical Gardens, and initiated the redevelopment of Linn Park. I am a past president of UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, and have served on the board of Operation New Birmingham, the Jefferson County Personnel Board, and Fresh Water Land Trust. Currently, I serve as Chairman of the Facilities Planning Committee for Children’s Hospital and as finance chairman for a commission for Red Mountain Parkway, I work well with people, and I have good judgment and I think that’s what ultimately you want in a politician- someone with good judgment and a sound mind.

For additional responses to the questions posed to the candidates, please visit our web site at www. villagelivingonline.com.

served with balsamic ice cream. The best seller at dinner is the warm chocolate lava cake.

Speaking of dinner, Daniel George offers a variety of amazing dishes.

Although the menu changes daily in order to incorporate what is in season, the filet of beef is always on the menu, and you can count on an offering of poultry, seafood, and fowl prepared in unique and delicious ways to tempt you.

One thing you can count on, is a lovely atmosphere and an amazing meal close to home.

Daniel George is open for lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. until 2 pm. They serve dinner Monday through Saturday.

Open H “Finish the fight” Iron Bowl party Robert E. Reed, chairman and CEO of Realty South, believed that “no one person can do things by themselves” and throughout his distinguished career in real estate, he pulled people together to work as a team. He especially wanted his life’s work to make a difference – he wanted to do positive things for deserving groups and individuals.

Mr. Reed was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2000. Following the diagnosis, the Reed family turned to several renown hospitals across the country in an effort to find the best GI cancer treatment.

They consulted with MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and flew to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

What they found, however, was the best care was right here at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Before leaving Sloan-Kettering the doctor suggested they contact Dr. Martin Heslin at UAB, a former medical fellow who he considered to be his best student. The Reed family did just that.

Dr. Heslin was able to operate on Robert and, as a result, extended his life two more years. During that time three more grandchildren were born, so Robert knew all seven - Sanders, Andrew, Hutton, Edward, Brinson, Mallie and Robert.

After a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, Robert Reed passed away in 2002, but his wife Carolyn Reed, and sons Randy and Scott Reed, have continued his legacy of pulling people together and working to make a positive difference by establishing the Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation.

The non-profit organization is dedicated, in Mr. Reed’s memory, to supporting GI cancer scientific research and making treatment easier for patients with all types of gastrointestinal cancers.

Contributions to the Reed Foundation directly support research programs led

by Martin J. Heslin, M.D., Professor and Chief, Section of Surgical Oncology at the University of Alabama (UAB), and Director of the Multidisciplinary Gastrointestinal Oncology Clinic, a single-site, same-day diagnostic and treatment facility at the Kirklin Clinic.

Financial support for GI cancer research is critical at this time. In 2009 the National Cancer Institute (NIH) designated 3.124 billion dollars toward cancer research, however only 17% of those dollars went toward GI cancer research - including anal, colorectal, esophageal, gallbladder, liver/ bile duct, stomach and pancreatic. This is not acceptable to the Reed Foundation, and that fact alone is what drives their volunteers to raise the maximum in research dollars.

Before Mr. Reed passed away he asked both of his sons to continue on and help “Finish the Fight.” This request has become the logo for the Reed Foundation and helped establish the title of their annual “Finish the Fight” Iron Bowl Party.

The Foundation is in the midst of its 6th successful year of fundraising in their quest to fight GI cancer. Over 125 volunteers are involved annually in helping raise money for GI cancer research and patient care at UAB, through the efforts of Dr. Heslin and his team of research physicians.

The 2010 “Finish the Fight” Iron Bowl Party will be held at B&A Warehouse on Thursday evening, Nov.18. All Alabama fans will have the opportunity to watch the Alabama/Georgia State game in the Bottle Room, while they enjoy great “tail-gate” food and beverages. Everyone attending the party will be treated to a delicious cocktail buffet and complimentary wine and beer.

Many one-of-a-kind auction items will be up for bid from 7:00-10:00 p.m., with the signature item, “The Iron Bowl Package” (tickets to the Iron Bowl game, tailgate party food and limo service to and from the game) to go to the highest bidder at 10:00 p.m. Montgomery’s own, “Fountain City Players Band” will bring down the house with their rockin’ sounds!!

The 2010 Iron Bowl Party is being sponsored by B. L. Harbert International and Realty South, and the foundation is honored to have Sandy and Don Logan as Event Chairmen this year. The Logan’s have been dedicated supporters of the Reed Foundation’s mission since its’ inception.

The Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation will continue to help “Finish the Fight” to win the battle against all gastrointestinal cancers. They will do this in Robert Reed’s memory for the life he loved, the people he loved, and for all the cancer families that have followed him who need and deserve answers.

To make reservations for the Iron Bowl Party please go to www.reedgifoundation. com/events, or contact Kathi Ash, Director of Fundraising at kathiash07@bellsouth. net. Tickets are $75 per person.

50 Vine Street • Crestline, 35213 870-4773 or please_reply@bellsouth.net

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Cooper Chesebro

7

War Eagle!

Roll Tide!

Pictured on a family ski trip are Mrs Reed and her grandchildren: Bottom row Andrew and Sanders Reed , Middle row - Edward Reed, Carolyn Reed, Mallie Reed, Top row Robert, Brinson and Hutton Reed

Chesebro awarded rank of Eagle Scout

Cooper Chesebro achieved the rank of Eagle Scout on September 9, 2010, at his Eagle Board of Review. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 28 at Independent Presbyterian Church.

Cooper earned 22 merit badges along with several special awards including the prestigious Arrow of Light and the God and Country Award.

Cooper’s Eagle Scout project was to refurbish the Outdoor Classroom at Mountain Brook Elementary School.

He also built new benches, a new podium, and planted several native plants to enhance the Nature Trail that leads to the classroom. This project took more than 155 volunteer work hours.

Cooper is a Senior at Mountain Brook High School. Cooper’s parents are, Mark and Kaci Chesebro of Mountain Brook.

| October 2010 |

Village Living

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

8

| October 2010 |

Village Living

Village Treasure: Elbert Jemison, Jr.

By Rick Watson Elbert S. Jemison, Jr. of Mountain Brook turns 90 later this month. He stands ruler straight, and his mind is sharper than most folks half his age.

When Elbert and Jess Ann Jemison moved to Mountain Brook just after they were married in 1949, they bought a house on Euclid Avenue for $11,000. The mortgage payment was $61 a month and land taxes were a whopping $51 a year. “I sure wish I had those taxes now,” Jemison said.

It’s no coincidence that the Jemison’s second house in Mountain Brook was close enough to the Mountain Brook Club Golf Course to hit a ball on the 11th green with a crisp iron shot.

Golf has been part of Mr. Jemison’s life since Herbert Hoover was in the White House in 1928.

But when telling the story of Elbert Jemison’s life, there is more to tell than just golf.

He is a family man, a successful businessman, an author, and a World War II combat veteran.

The photos in his albums and the pictures on the walls of his living room are enough to make local historians shake their heads with wonder.

He was born in October of 1920 at St. Vincent’s Hospital and grew up with his family on the Southside of Birmingham.

His father Elbert Sr. was a real estate man and he (along with his uncle Robert Jemison Jr.), helped develop several areas around Birmingham including Redmont Park and Mountain Brook. His mother, Dean Dillard Jemison, and his younger sister Jeanie Jemison Matthews rounded out the family.

His mom played some golf, but his daddy was all business and didn’t have much time for golf. Young Elbert was about eight, when he picked up one of

Granddaddy Dillard’s hickory-shaft clubs and accidentally drove a hickory nut zinging through a window pane of their home. He got a “talking to,” but that was the worst of it. He has been hooked on golf ever since.

He graduated from Ramsay High School in Birmingham in 1937, and enrolled in Sewanee Military Academy. His studies at Sewanee didn’t leave a great deal of time for golf at first, but he later joined both the football and golf teams and excelled in both sports.

In his second year at Sewanee, Jemison served as cadet lieutenant colonel battalion commander, which was the leader of the corps of cadets at SMA. He graduated from Sewanee with honors with a military rank of second lieutenant. He chose the University of Virginia to continue his education because

the school had an excellent golf program.

His college career was placed on hold after only two years when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Jemison realized with all his military training, and his status as a second lieutenant in the reserves, his days as a student, golfer, and civilian were numbered. A few weeks later, he received a telegram instructing him to report to active duty.

“It might sound strange today, but I wanted to fight in the war,” he said. “Even if I’d known I had only a small chance of survival, I would have still wanted to go because I felt it was my duty to serve our country.”

His active Army training started at Camp Wheeler in Macon, Georgia. After six months at Wheeler, he was promoted to first lieutenant.

He later transferred to Southern California for desert training because General George S. Patton Jr. realized that the allies would be fighting against the Germans in North Africa.

Army brass began to notice Jemison’s training, experience, and performance, so they offered him a position on the staff of General Edmund Sebree.

Before shipping out on the Queen Elizabeth for Europe, Jemison went shopping for an 8-iron that would fit in his bedroll. He didn’t think that he would have much time to play much golf, but it gave him comfort taking a little piece of home with him to war.

When Jemison’s unit arrived in Europe, he sat in on planning and briefing sessions for D-Day. He was the youngest officer in the meetings and spent days in the company of General George S. Patton, and other highlevel brass.

One day General Sebree told Patton about the 8-iron that Jemison had brought with him. Patton was amused and quipped, “By God if he can kill Germans with it, do it!” Soon afterwards he received a promotion to the rank of captain.

Another encounter with Patton almost got Jemison instant promotion. It was late one night near a small town in France occupied by the Germans. Jemison was on a mission to restock medical supplies to one of the outlying units. He came upon a traffic jam in the middle of nowhere and when Jemison got out of the jeep to see what was causing the commotion, he heard General Patton’s voice. The general was upset that a lieutenant colonel was not moving his unit across a small stream quickly enough.

Jemison reintroduced himself to Patton, who immediately asked him if he could move the stalled unit across the stream.

See JEMISON, PAGE 15

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Village Living

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Halloween parade a growing tradition

left to right are: Carson Horn, Trent Wright, Win Horn & Tucker Dukes.

By Jennifer Gray

Growing up in Mobile, Halloween was always a big deal in the home of siblings Casey Wright Horn and Trent Wright. Their mother, Diane Wright, had a Halloween birthday.

There were always lots of festivities and fun to celebrate her October 31 birthday.

The two have taken their love of Halloween and another tradition from their childhood, Mardi Gras, and started a tradition of their own. Casey moved to Mountain Brook after she became engaged to her husband, Allwin Horn.

Trent followed after graduating from Ole Miss.

With both of them here, it seemed natural for them to combine the fun of both events into a family friendly parade.

“We started seven years ago with our Halloween parade,” Casey said. “We both missed Mardi Gras badly and thought this was a great way to bring a little Mardi Gras to Mountain Brook.”

The idea originated with one car driving down Dexter Avenue, throwing beads with their kids on Halloween. Each year, it seemed to grow with the number of

families who wanted to share in the fun.

Now the group is called the Mystics of Mountain Brook, and they have to get a parade permit because of the size of the parade. “The police came to us and said that we had too many participants to do this on our own. We now get a permit from the city for the parade each year,” Trent said.

A small committee helps with organizing the parade and Pam Maldia, a friend of Casey and Trent, has especially been helpful over the years. The parade is always held on Halloween day at 4 p.m. rain or shine. It lasts around 45 minutes, giving families plenty of time to get to their neighborhood events. This year’s parade will also include Mayor Terry Oden with his fire truck.

The route has changed over the years too. Now the parade comes down Dan Watkins Drive, in front of the library, Tot Lot, and down Church Street. After taking a right on Euclid Avenue, and a right on Vine Street, the parade ends on Vine Street near Crestline Elementary.

At last year’s Mystics parade, there were 25 floats, cars, walkers, the Birmingham Belles, and Mountain Brook’s junior high and high school cheerleaders.

Birmingham’s roller derby team, the “Tragic City Rollers”, participate as well and skates through the parade. Last year, La Paz gave gift certificates to the float winners, and will do so again this year.

People on the floats and in the parade throw Mystics of Mountain Brook t-shirts, Halloween beads, stuffed animals, and footballs. “Last year we threw 1200 t shirts and ran out half way through the parade,” said Trent.

Mountain Brook police estimated that 2000 people came to watch last year’s parade.

The cost of the parade is $5000, which includes the permit, police, t-shirts and beads. Each float that is registered in the parade pays a fee and is given a certain number of t-shirts and throws for the parade. And of course, costumes are required for everyone in the parade.

“The permit only allows for a certain number of floats and participants, so we

| October 2010 |

do have to close registration once we are full,” Casey said. The additional cost of the parade is covered by local business contributions.

“We couldn’t do this without the support of local businesses,” said Casey.

“Businesses have been very supportive.

They know this is a fun family event, and that the money made goes back to the city.”

There are 15 or 20 businesses that faithfully support the Mystics every year.

The money raised after expenses are covered has gone to various needs in the city. Parade participants help determine where to direct the money each year.

One year, the Mystics donated a new leather recliner and television to the fire department. Most years, the money is given for beautification projects around the city such as flowers for the planters around the villages.

“Last year, we presented a check for $1000 to Mayor Oden,” said Casey Both Casey and Trent agree that what they have enjoyed the most is seeing the growth of the event and the community participation.

Don’t miss the fun. Come out to this year’s parade on Sunday, October 31 at 4 p.m. in Crestline Village.

Lelie Wright, Trent Wright, Mayor Oden, Casey Horn and Pam Maldia.

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| October 2010 |

Sports

Village Sports

Spartans Rolling Through Schedule

By Will Hightower Sept. 24-The Mountain Brook High School football team has rolled through their schedule to a 4-1 start, looking like a team to beat in the always tough Area 6.

Besides the lone three-point loss to rival Vestavia, the Spartans have dominated their opponents with offensive firepower, racking up 35 plus points in all their wins.

The somewhat surprising start has the team thinking towards better things – possibly a postseason bid that was lacking last year.

“We just take one game at a time. One of our goals is to reach the playoffs, but the season is only about halfway over,” said junior running back Mark Rector, who scored four touchdowns against Homewood.

Rector has been just one piece of the offensive puzzle that head coach Chris Yeager has assembled so brilliantly this season. Fellow running back John Beck has scored multiple times, utilizing the wildcat formation effectively.

Quarterback Edward Aldag and receiver John McCrary have connected on a number of deep passes this year, forming a passing attack that complements the run, keeping the defense honest. McCrary had 171 yards receiving to go along with two touchdowns in the Vestavia game, just an example of his dominance over area cornerbacks. McCrary is on his way to being an all-metro wide receiver with the numbers he has put up.

Adding to the high scoring has been exceptional special teams play, kick returner Walker Cox leading the way with two returns for touchdowns and another that was called back for a penalty. Several punts have been blocked with two resulting in touchdowns, one of which was by Cox’s brother, Crawford.

The unit that has been overshadowed by the offense’s firepower is a stellar defense that has held several great running backs to low yardage all season. Homewood’s Ameer Abdullah and Vestavia’s Georgie Salem have been contained by an opportunistic Spartan defense, not to mention a 13-sack performance against

Walker Cox and Edward Aldag celebrate.

Pelham resulting in over negative 100 rushing yards by Pelham quarterback Gray Cato. A shutout against Grissom was the latest gem the defense contributed.

Mountain Brook will try to make their way through a treacherous Area 6 schedule that includes Hoover and a homecoming date with Spain Park well enough to bring playoff football back to Mountain Brook.

John McCrary makes another grab.

MBHS Varsity Football Schedule

Date 8/27 9/3 9/10 9/16 9/24 10/1 10/8 10/15 10/22 10/29

Opponent Shades Valley @ Vestavia @ Pelham Homewood Grissom Spain Park @ Oak Mountain Thompson @ Hoover @ Buckhorn

Result (w) 37-11 (L) 13-17 (w) 35-7 (w) 49-21 (w) 35-0 NA NA NA NA NA

The Dorians dazzle the crowd.

Tailgating: a fast-growing phenomenon

By Will Hightower Just a few years ago, tailgating was the way to have fun before college football games, confined to places like Tuscaloosa and Auburn. Now, friends getting together before the game to eat and throw the football around is in full force on the pavement of the Mountain Brook High School parking lot before Friday night football games.

While Friday night football has always been a community staple, going to the games used to be just that – going to the games. But these days, if you’re a real fan, simply showing up for the game with a hat and a shaker isn’t going to cut it. If you want to really live the Mountain Brook football experience, go before kick off to enjoy pre-game festivities.

“Tailgating has certainly grown in popularity at high school events over the past few years,” said principal Vic Wilson.

Several tailgate groups have formed in Mountain Brook, ranging from church groups to school clubs to family gatherings. In the hours leading up to the game the school’s campus is a beehive of activity, between tents being set up, food being grilled or brought in, kids throwing footballs, and parents chatting in lawn

chairs.

The largest tailgate is probably a group of 25 families that has been eating and socializing before games for almost a decade now. Paul Graham traced the roots of the group back to his wife, Evelyn, and a few of her friends wanting to socialize before games.

“After a year or so we got a neighbor or two to join us, and the group grew to five or six and to seven or eight, and it just took off from there each year by word of mouth,” said Graham.

The group that has evolved from those friends nearly a decade ago currently consists of friends of friends of that early group, who don’t even have a band member, football player, cheerleader, or Dorian among them.

“It has mostly just been a group who enjoys the games and social atmosphere of the parking lot before kickoff,” said Graham. “When I call in each year to buy 25 spots, they probably think we’re crazy when I explain that no, we’re not with the Dorians or the cheerleaders or the juniors or the seniors.”

Probably the most important

component of a good tailgate is the food.

A must for any tailgate, everyone has a favorite dish. Wilson commented that his favorite is - well - anything: “Food just tastes better when you eat it at a tailgating party.”

Graham’s huge group has an organized system of going about feeding the masses.

A message is sent out mid-week, with responses pouring in throughout the day.

Each week, Graham says, they have to feed an astounding number of 60-70 people. The basic needs are pizza, chicken fingers, chips and hot dogs. But after that, there is a taste for creativity.

“The best dish we ever had was jambalaya made by Kelly Young’s husband Mark. We’ve also probably had every variety of dip in the Junior League cookbook over the years. Not to mention how helpful it is to have Buddy and Beth Underwood in the group as our Dreamland connection, making that game the most well attended every year,” said Graham.

He added that John Pelham and Suzanne Hughes always come up with something unique each year on their week to cook.

Bragging on his group, Graham

commented that the spread they put out each Friday night would give The Grove at Ole Miss a “run for its money.” While the large group’s frenzied efforts are not indicative of every get-together, the same spirit thrives each Friday night for everyone involved in the tailgates.

“It adds to the festive nature of the event and makes it more meaningful,” said Wilson. “Because our parents and students have been involved at tailgating for college events for years, it seems natural that the same enjoyable time could be available at a high school event.”

Football head coach Chris Yeager, referring to tailgating at Auburn or Alabama, agreed with Wilson: “I think they try to create the same kind of environment [as college] for the high school games. It’s also an opportunity for social interaction in the community.”

With the season already at its halfway point, this season’s pre-game festivities are fully underway. Drop by the high school a few minutes before kickoff for a taste of great food and good times. The last home game is Friday, October 15.

Sports

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

| October 2010 |

11

Young players gear up for football

By Alison Gault Mountain Brook Athletics “kicked off” their fall sports leagues with the start of tackle football at Crestline fields on Saturday, September 11. Boys in 3rd through 6th grades looked the part of their NFL namesakes as they donned colorful jerseys, full pads, helmets, and mouth guards.

The heat index may have been 100+ on the field (or so it seemed), but that didn’t stop parents, grandparents, and siblings from enjoying the fantastic ball that was

being played by these remarkable young athletes!

Girls from the same grades also took part in the excitement as they cheered on the teams from the sidelines. They all wore green and gold Spartans uniforms, but some wore their team colors in the form of hair ribbons and bows. Play will continue through the month of October, culminating in a tournament and championship “Super Bowl” for each grade on Halloween.

More fall sports to be featured next month!

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Third Grade Steelers Cheerleaders

Mountain Brook AN EVENING WITH NDY Junior High Football A AN NDY DY ANDREWS ANDREWS

By Hilary Ross

“...A MODERN-DAY WILL ROGERS ”

Mountain Brook Junior High 7 and 8 grade football teams were formed in July 2010 and have been practicing since August 1, 2010. Football is open to all eligible players who wish to participate, follow the team rules, and give one hundred percent effort in practices.

Teams played in our area include the following middle schools: Helena, Bumpus, Thompson, Hewitt-Trussville, Liberty Park, Clay, Berry, Homewood and Pizitz.

The head coach for the 7th and 8th grade teams is Greg Morrow. He is assisted by these coaches: Paul Hnizdil, Kelby O’Neill, Philip Holley, Matt Cain, Zach Skipper, Tyler Davis, Derek Jones, Chaz Tillman and Lewis Caldwell for both squads. Kristi Harris is the team trainer.

The 8th grade roster includes these players: Bill Perry, Keller Briley, Mac Hereford, Drew Odum, Hunter Holcomb, Brother Fitzpatrick, Landon Weaver, th

th

John Merritt Briley, Messina Cole, Mac Harris, Hunter Lucas, Parks Shoulders, Jacob Carroll, Will Hartley, Jordan Rich, Gray Robertson, Andrew Autrey, Ridley Culp, Hill Kirkland, Tom Bundy, Jack McPherson, John Eagan, Bailey Shelfer, George Eagan, Andy Ortis, Carter Dukes, Joshua Weisberg, Tucker Ellis, Joseph Dillard, Parker Crane, Gaines Hartley, John Sisson, Adam Elrefai, Harold Wells, Warren Lightfoot, Hunter Stanley, Will Edwards, Alexander Gonzalez, Philip Thompson, Paul Roth, Jack Fruin, Daniel McCool, Reese Thompson, Will Holloway, Cameron Escue, Matt Adams, Reid Pyburn, Sergei Kampakis, Sam Morris, Jack Carvalo, Griffen Cope, John Damrich, Jack Sikora, Anderson Smith, Quint Jones, Parker Henley, Will Freeman, Ben Ryesdorph and George Chamoun.

See Jr High Football, PAGE 14

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| October 2010 |

Village Living

Irondale Furnace trail rich in history

By Lauren Nix

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Attention to all running enthusiasts and nature lovers of Mountain Brook: There’s a trail you may be missing.

The Irondale Furnace Trail is at the site where the Irondale Furnace once operated on Stone River Road in Cherokee Bend.

It is one of the more “hidden” trails in Mountain Brook.

The man originally behind the Irondale Furnace was Wallace S. McElwain. He started his career training in a gun factory in New York and then moved to work in a foundry in Ohio.

He then moved to Holly Springs, Mississippi, where he operated Jones, McElwain and Company Iron Foundry. He was well known throughout the Southeast for his exquisite cast iron designs, many of which can still be seen around New Orleans today.

McElwain received the first order for the production of rifles and cannons from the Confederacy after the war began. After the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, Union forces began approaching Holly Springs and he moved his operations to Jefferson County.

The work on the new foundry, called the Cahaba Iron Works, began in the spring of 1863. Extending some 41 feet in height, the furnace differed slightly from other furnaces of that era in that it was constructed of heavy masonry at the base and of brick, banded with iron ties, on the mantle.

The blast furnace was built to supply pig iron to the arsenal in Selma. The facility was built over 2,146 acres and included a tramway, quarry, ore mine, blacksmith’s shops, foundry, employee housing and stables and a commissary. The Irondale Furnace, as it became known, was attacked by federal cavalry under Maj. Gen. James H.

CITY HALL cover story

He continued by saying that it also allowed the design team to split the building into two pieces with the municipal offices and fire department in one building and the police department in the other. The existing street layout was allowed to run around the new layout making the traffic circulation in the new project identical to the existing layout.

Police Station The Police station will have an entrance that faces Tibbett Street. There will also be an area designated for the department to store all of their equipment out of sight.

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Wilson and his “Wilson’s Raiders” on March 29, 1865 en route to Selma. The commissary was spared. The old commissary can still be seen on Montevallo Road between Euclid Avenue and Greenbriar Lane with an historical marker listing the site as the oldest house in Shades Valley.

Irondale Furnace was the first iron furnace in Alabama to go back into operation after the Civil War when it was rebuilt in 1866. It operated until 1873.

While the furnace is no longer here today, the Irondale Furnace Trail leads to where the furnace once stood. An historical marker explaining the history and importance of the Irondale Furnace sits at the beginning of the trail and, as you continue down the trail, plaques with details of the furnace are placed on either side.

Benches are available in the open grassy areas and provide a relaxing, peaceful sitting area. Dog stations are now available on site so visitors can bring their family pets.

The trail is approximately 1.34 miles long from the beginning at Stone River Road to the ending point on Old Leeds Road.

To reach the trail, drive down Old Leeds Road to its intersection with old Leeds Lane (across the road from the Mountain Brook Club golf course). Drive to Stone River Road and turn left. There are parking spaces available on the right side of the road.

So when the weather turns cooler, grab your family and pets and head down to the Irondale Furnace Trail. It’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors, while learning more about history in Mountain Brook.

Fire Station Features include four bays for fire trucks and rescue vehicles with an all glass front. “The newly designed fire station solves all of our problems,” Fire Chief Robert Ezekiel said. “We are in an old building and we do not have enough space.

In the new building, we will be able to have all of our emergency equipment indoors, and have a conference room, and a training room that we have not had in the past.”

Parking deck An underground parking deck will provide 65 parking spaces for city

employees as well as those with business to conduct at City Hall.

The parking deck entrance will be located on Oak Street and the deck will be under Tibbett Street. There will be three separate elevators that will take visitors directly into the lobby of either the Police Station, Fire Station, or City offices.

City Hall The new building will feature an enlarged City Council Chamber, and offices for city personnel such as the Mayor, City Manager, and City Clerk. A mall will have windows for each permit issuing department. Individuals will be able to walk up to the appropriate window and conduct their business.

Utility lines are currently being moved. In addition, temporary space is being prepared for the police, fire, and city government personnel. Plans include relocating the police department and fire department to Building 8 in Office Park. City Hall municipal offices will move to office space on Montclair Road.

These temporary moves are expected in November.

The general contractor for the project is Taylor & Miree Construction, Inc..

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LifeAct ually

By Kari Kampakis

| October 2010 |

ESTATE

Where on Earth is Heaven?

I try to see the good in this world, but sometimes that’s just not possible.

For example, what benefit is served when a child passes away? Or when a freak accident disfigures someone for life? How about a diagnosis that turns a family’s world upside down? I know God has a plan, and I understand that faith means accepting life’s mysteries. Still, I can’t help but question the Man upstairs whenever a sad story crosses my radar—and I realize it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.

Several years ago, I picked up the book When Bad Things Happen to Good People after a close friend of mine experienced a heartbreaking miscarriage. After years of fertility treatments—plus one removed ovary—she’d relinquished the dream of carrying a child. And then one day she got pregnant—only to lose the baby weeks later. As her elation spiraled into heartache, I wondered about the senselessness of this event.

Why would God pour salt on an old wound? What was the point?

Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote When Bad Things Happen to Good People based on his experience as a spiritual leader and a personal journey through grief. Due to a fatal disease, he lost his son Aaron at age fourteen. After counseling countless people on why a loving God would allow pain and suffering in His universe, Kushner finally understood what it felt like to be the one asking, “Why me?”

I found his book insightful, and of all the points that resonated with me, one image stood out. Comparing the world to a tapestry, Kushner said that all we see is the backside: a random, disjointed clump of threads that form no pattern or design.

Turn the tapestry around, however, and we glimpse God’s view. From this angle, we understand how arbitrary events can connect to create a larger, more beautiful picture.

Although I realize this simple analogy may not comfort anyone knee-deep in suffering, it’s a powerful reminder of how inexplicably linked we are to one another.

It also illustrates how good things can emerge from tragedy, spinning new threads that allow sufferers to heal their wounds

by helping others they never would’ve met otherwise.

This raises my next point: How do these people do it, how do they claw their way out of a dark abyss and pour energy into a new purpose? Consider John Walsh, who created America’s Most Wanted in response to his son Adam’s abduction and murder. Or Nancy Brinker, who started the Susan G. Komen Foundation after her sister died of breast cancer. Or Siran Stacy, who lost his wife and four of his five kids in a tragic car wreck but now shares his faith as an inspirational speaker. And then there’s Michael J. Fox, whose celebrity status has helped raise $196 million for Parkinson’s research.

When I look at these survivors, I see role models in how to handle a tragedy.

Although I hope and pray I’m never, ever in their shoes, I feel a slight peace of mind watching them cope. Like many people, I often fear that I’m “due” for misfortune.

After all, with four kids and many loved ones, isn’t it fathomable that some terrible circumstance could be lurking around the corner? This fear consumes me when I let it, and the only way I can quell my anxiety is by remembering God’s presence.

Through Him, I can take any trial and somehow produce a by-product that leaves this world better off.

No scales of justice exist in God’s distribution of hardships.

Though miracles occur every day, He won’t always intervene when we’re on our knees. I wish I could curry favor by being good, insure my family against disaster, but that’s not how it works. As we all know, no one’s immune from enrollment in the school of hard knocks.

This world is a messy, unpredictable, oftentimes ugly place. At the same time, I believe there’s an upside to the tapestry that makes sense and beauty of life’s loose ends. God’s needle is always at work, and as bewildering as His handiwork seems, my faith requires me to trust that somehow, in some way, he’s creating a masterpiece my eyes have yet to see.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls with a background in PR, writing, and photography. Contact her at kampakis@charter.net.

October preview at Emmet O’Neal

By Holley Wesley

Book Groups On our book group front, the Thyme to Read/EOL group meets at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Library and will be discussing Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard on October 5th at 6:30pm and Tulipomania: The Story of the World’s Most Coveted Flower and the Extraordinary Passions It Aroused by Mike Dash on November 2nd at 6:30pm.

The Bookies will be discussing Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristoff on October 12th at 10am.

The Great Books Discussion Group will meet on October 11th at 6:30pm, and the Genre Reading Group will be discussing fiction by Alabama authors on October 26th at 6:30pm. All of our groups welcome new members so drop by one of our meetings this month!

Knit & Knibble for all you knitters!

You won’t want to miss Knit & Knibble on Saturday, October 2nd from 2pm-3:30pm!

Bring your own knitting supplies and we’ll provide the “knibbles”, as well as an expert to answer all your knitting questions!

Spooky selection for film series On Tuesday, October 19th at 6:30pm our evening film series will explore Mary Shelley’s most famous story, Frankenstein,

and how her life came to almost mirror that of the frightening monster tale.

Dine at Dyron’s and donate You can give back to the community on Thursday October 21st by dining at Dyron’s Lowcountry located at 121 Oak Street in Crestline Village. Dyron’s donates 10% of the proceeds to the Library – that’s all day, lunch and dinner! If you visit during the dinner hour, Adult Services librarian Katie Moellering will be there with a carefully crafted menu of great books to share with diners!

Annual Nightmare on Oak Street double feature Boo! Did I scare you? No? Maybe the annual Nightmare on Oak Street (NOOS) Horror Movie Double Feature will! This year, NOOS is out of sight! On Saturday October 30th from 5pm-9pm, we’ll watch two classic 1970’s horror gems, eat Bongiorno’s pizza, and enjoy a groovy night of fright. Ages 18 and up only, strictly enforced! For more information, contact Holley at 205/445-1117 or hwesley@bham. lib.al.us.

Visit us online, any time, day or night, at our website and our blog, www.eolib.org and www.eolib.blogspot.com.

Look for us on Facebook, too! For more information about programming at EOL, call us at 205-445-1121!

THE DIAMOND DEALER

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| October 2010 |

Village Living

Jr High Football from pg 11 The 8th grade had wins over Helena, Thompson, Hewitt-Trussville and a loss to Bumpus.

The 7th grade roster includes these players: Jackson DeWine, Spence Fulmer, Davis Luttrell, Graham LeJeune, Hugh Rowe Thomas, David Kirkpatrick, Philip Dulin, Dillon Sullivan, Frank Crockard, John Lloyd Reed, Peter Gerontakis, Knox Taylor, Harlan Winn, Drew Reed, Matthew Davidson, Owen Conzelman, Murphy Barze, Camden Barnes, Malcolm Luttrell, Wilson Tyndal, Taylor Carson, Payne Frost, Patrick Trammell, Drew Smith, John Luttrell, Harrison Pyburn, Matthue Thrasher, Thomas Byrne, Daniel Kehl, Crawford Tindle, John Scott Holcombe, Andrew Reed, Matt McDonald, Carlton Randleman, Harris Miller, Hunter Vaughan, Jackson Kidd, John Corry, Huston West, Parker Bethea, Drew White, Fuller Neil, Charlie Fell, Mac Campbell, Thornton Hydinger, McKinnon Cox, Edmund Perry, Will Royer, Christopher Jones, Rix Curtis, Austin Rieger, John Matheson, Benjamin Parker, Ford Alexander, Isaiah Chamoun,

Jake Stein, David Favrot, Bennett Moore, Omer Tunagur, Drew Brown, Porter Williamson, Lawton Sparks, James Pugh, Patrick Doud, Carter Byrd, Joe Donald, Michael Matsos, James Franklin, James Anderson, Max Hollis, Jeffrey Jones, William Garcia, Ben Tucker, Andrew Creveling, Wells Thomas, Reeves Barkley and Jack Kline.

The 7th grade has had wins over Helena, Bumpus, Hewitt-Trussville and a loss to Thompson.

Come watch the boys in action at their remaining home games, played at Mountain Brook High School Spartan Stadium.

The remaining home games in October are as follows: Thursday, October 7, 2010 against Berry Middle School, 7th grade at 5:00 p.m. and 8th grade at 6:45 p.m.

Thursday, October 14, 2010 against Homewood Middle School, 7th grade at 5:00 p.m. and 8th grade at 6:45 p.m.

Thursday, October 21, 2010 against Pizitz Middle School, 7th grade at 5:00 p.m. and 8th grade at 6:45 p.m.

Third Annual Mountain Brook Art Association Holiday Show

7th and 8th grade team photos courtesy of Belmont Studios. Go Spartans!

Adelaide Booth, Charlotte McDavid, Lynn Briggs, Pam Till, Bob Moody and Jan Grant

Charlie Fell

The Mountain Brook Art Association invites everyone to the MBAA Holiday Show and Sale, Thursday, November 4, 2010 4-8 PM. The event will be held at Park Lane, 2117 Cahaba Road, in English Village.

Kathy G is catering the event.

Artists on show will be Allison Adams, Mary Catherine Anthony, Melina Ashby, Cary Baker, Jene Black, Adelaide Booth, Lynn Briggs, Joyce Byrd, Pat Carroll, Shelly Cato, Amy Crews, Sara Crook, Laura Cunningham, Joan Curtis, Michael Davis, Ann Elliott, Gene Engle, Craig Galloway, Jan Grant, Irva Hayward, Martee Hewitt, Gayle Hurley, Mary Elizabeth Ingram, Tora Johnson, Charlotte Kelley, Ron Lewis,

Hazel Marler, Charlotte McDavid, Glenn McWaters, Bob Moody, Elizabeth Nettles, Diane Newsome, Libby Pantasis, Amy Peterson, Teresa Peterson, Tricia Robinson, Janet Sanders, Katherine Sechrist, John Shadrick, She She, Pam Till, Bethany Tomkins, Betty Warnock, Sue Taylor White, Katy Whitson, Lynne Whittington and Etta Yeary..

There will be oil, acrylic, watercolor, pen and ink, pastel, and graphite art work for sale.

A percentage of sales will beneďŹ t the Kid One Transport. For more information go to www.mbartassociation.org

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JEMISON, from pg 8

Jemison knew Patton had very little patience for “can’t doers” so he

said, “Yes sir!”

Patton then turned to the unit commander and said, “If you can’t move these troops across this stream, I have a captain right here who will relieve you of your command!” The colonel moved the unit across the river.

Jemison smiles as he recalls the incident. “I wasn’t sure how I would get them across, but I would have done it, and probably gotten a promotion too.”

Later in the war when General Sebree transferred to another unit, he asked Jemison to go with him. This move gave Capt. Jemison a big opportunity as the commander of the 28th Mechanized Calvary Reconnaissance Troop, which had 280 soldiers and 85 vehicles.

Like most war veterans, he lost close friends and he saw things he will never forget, but he still considers it an honor to have served.

He came home with an infantryman badge, battle badges, and two Bronze Stars for his wartime service.

After the war, Jemison wanted to go back to college, but Virginia was too far from home so he elected to continue his education in commerce at The University of Alabama. A huge factor in this decision was that Alabama planned to resume their golf program which had been discontinued during the war.

It was there he met Jess Ann Yarbrough from Huntsville who was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority at the University.

They were married in November of 1949, and moved to Mountain Brook. The city was only seven years old at the time.

While at Alabama, he met a former professional baseball player, Sam Byrd, who had become a successful professional golfer too. Byrd and Jemison hit it off and when the pro became his golf coach, Jemison’s career began to soar.

Not only did Mr. Jemison win back to back Amateur Golf Championships in 195758, and Senior Amateur Championships

in 1976-77, but he was also a nationally known golf administrator – a resume that landed him in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.

It was playing golf and his role as an administrator with the United States Golf Association that put him in the company of some of the greatest sports and political figures of the last century.

A picture of Jemison, Arnold Palmer and President Gerald Ford taken in the Oval office in 1975, hangs on Jemison’s living room wall.

Jemison was treasurer of the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) at the time, and the organization, needed to raise money.

He created an associate’s program which allowed people to join the USGA and be welcomed into the game of golf.

Along with membership they got a bag tag, a subscription to the magazine, a cap, and a rule book.

Fred Bush, the brother of George Bush Sr. was on the committee with Jemison at the time and helped get the initiative approved.

The program needed a high visibility launch to be successful, so Jemison decided to start at the top. He wrote President Ford and asked if he would consider being the first associate member.

The president agreed and invited Jemison along with his friend Arnold Palmer to the White House for the ceremony.

The program made a profit the first year, and it grew into a money maker for the association through the years.

It was then that President Ford asked Jemison to play in a golf tournament in Vail, Colo., benefiting children. Jemison agreed and played the tourney for nine years straight.

At one of the events in Vail, Jemison asked Ford to help with some fundraising for the Republican Party in Birmingham.

Ford challenged him to get legendary Alabama football coach Paul Bear Bryant and Arnold Palmer to join them to play as a foursome. Jemison called Bear and Arnold and set it up.

| October 2010 |

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Mr. Jemison is rightfully proud of his photo with President Gerald Ford, Bear Bryant and Arnold Palmer.

They scheduled a charity golf event at Pinetree Golf Club in Birmingham which was a success. The rare photograph of the foursome hangs on Jemison’s wall.

Jemison’s involvement with golf spans decades. He has been the president of both Mountain Brook and Birmingham Country Clubs, President of the Birmingham Golf Association, President of the Southern Golf Association, and as mentioned above he was on the executive committee of the US Golf Association.

Jemison is not a boastful man, but you can hear the pride in his voice when he talks about his family, his experience leading combat troops in WWII, and his accomplishments in the world of golf.

When asked what, if anything, he could change in his life he was thoughtful for sometime before saying that he sometimes wishes he’d remained active in the Army Reserves. He also said that his decision to remain an amateur golfer instead of going pro was a tough one.

In the end, his family won out because he realized that even though he loved both the military and golf, he loved his family more. Either path would have taken too much time away from his wife, his daughter, Ann Sevier, and sons Elbert III, and Richard Rand Jemison.

Another do-over was - he would never have smoked.

The onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) later in life was caused by years of smoking. He says the habit robbed him of his breath and his ability to play golf.

When asked what advice on how to live a long life, Jemison says, “Never smoke, find a hobby, exercise and do things to keep you mentally sharp.”

How does he want to be remembered?

“I’d like to be remembered as a reasonably good daddy, and grandfather, a successful army officer who served in combat, success in golf, both as a player and administrator who helped promote the game,” he said. “I’d like to be remembered as a guy who never wanted to harm anyone, unless they tried to harm me in combat.

“I don’t want people to grieve for me. I want them to remember me as a celebration, a family man who was successful.”

Indeed Elbert Jemison Jr. has lived a remarkable life and has had the opportunity to do the things he loved.

You can read more about the life of Elbert Jemison Jr. in PLAYBACK: From Hickory Nuts to Hall of Fame.

He also authored a book about his uncle Robert Jemison Jr. entitled A Man With Vision.

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| October 2010 | School House

BWF Ranger Council make a difference One important way Brookwood Forest students serve their school is through membership in The Ranger Council. Each spring applications are accepted from fourth, fifth and sixth grade students.

To apply, students submit a short essay outlining reasons why they want to serve on the council and what skills, talents, traits they have and are willing to share to help their fellow students and their school. All students who demonstrate good behavior and complete applications have an opportunity during their upper elementary years to serve on Ranger Council.

Members perform many routine jobs in the school such as putting up and taking down the flags, making morning announcements, operating the supply store, and collecting recyclable items throughout the school. Representatives from the council are an integral part of Red Ribbon Week, a week highlighting AntiDrug Awareness.

In keeping with the school’s ongoing

Ranger Council member Whit King assists the Hobbs carpool at dismissal.

efforts to help others, The Ranger Council identifies and sponsors service projects, which provide students and teachers the opportunity to support other schools, organizations or individuals. Ranger Council members are most visible daily helping students at arrival and dismissal.

The purpose of Ranger Council is to empower students to help others and to provide opportunities to develop character, leadership and citizenship. Ranger Council faculty sponsor is Mrs. Shara Kernan.

BWF holds open house meetings Brookwood Forest Elementary held Grade Level Open House meetings during the week of August 23. During a designated hour, each grade level met at BWF to meet teachers, view classrooms and attend an orientation focused on academics and activities.

Teachers presented information specific to the grade and discussed Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies curricula. Field trips and school parties were also discussed. Parents were given the opportunity to ask questions about instruction or activities and teachers were available for individual questions at the conclusion of each meeting.

Brookwood Forest Elementary has a student body of almost 500 students in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade.

WE ARE UNIQUE! Students from Crestline Elementary in Mrs. Farrar’s Kindergarten class and Miss Stamper’s Third Grade class worked together on an “All About Me” unit. Each child is writing an individual book in their classroom, but in this “Buddy Session” the children were able to work together to study their unique fingerprints.

Each group explored their fingerprints with magnifying glasses, took sample prints using pencil lead and clear tape,

Ms. Farrar’s kindergarten class with their buddies from Miss Stamper’s third grade class.

and graphed the results into three basic categories. The third graders are paired with the kindergarten students and their classes meet each week to read together and work on special projects.

This collaboration between grade levels is aiding students in developing relationship skills as well as enhancing their academic experiences.

The results are in…We are EACH unique!

Anne Carlton, Millie Bailey, and Rachael Wei take sample fingerprints.

left to right: Fourth Grade Teacher Mary Jackson discusses information about fourth grade with parents Sarah Pflaum and Emily Nelson at Brookwood Forest Elementary Open House.

Highlands Middle Schoolers Experience Leadership Highlands School’s 7th and 8th Graders recently took an overnight trip to the 4H Center in Shelby County to experience team building, personal goal setting, and leadership skills. The days were filled with activities and recreation that gave each participant opportunities to work with their peers towards both personal and group goals and objectives.

Some of these activities included rope courses with problem solving, a climbing wall for personal challenge, canoeing, and a trust swing. The swing allowed students the chance to experience a 30 foot freefall as they depended on the team to pull them up to such a height.

Overnight activities included swimming, campfire, smore-cooking, and star-gazing. The students were assisted

by Head of School, Ms. Kathryn Barr, and Middle School Science Teacher, Mr. Randy McDonald.

L to R, Front, Maggie McClintock, Gabi Oser, and Kyle Luce; Seated, Zach Atkins, Luke Parish, and Johnny Baxley; Back Row, Elizabeth Holland, Lianna Zhou, Sarah Rosenthal, Thomas Barr, Wesley Madden, Quinn McCormick, Hugh Perkins, and Michael O’Malley

Take Us Out to the Ball Game! Mountain Brook Elementary To kick off the school year, several Crestline faculty members and their families met to enjoy an evening at a Birmingham Barron’s game. The planned event provided many special opportunities to the Crestline group. LeAnne Haynes’s (previously a kindergarten teacher, now teaching second grade) Dad, Larry Nichols, was given the honor of throwing out the first pitch of the game! He then ceremoniously signed the ball and gave it to Michael Lorino, (the husband of Bonnie, one of our counselors), sharing his moment with this piece of memorabilia.

The families met under a bright colored tent, where they dined on traditional fare: hot dogs, hamburgers and various other typical tailgating food. The night was a huge success: families got to know one another in a relaxed setting, while their children were entertained with both the game and the fun outdoor park adjacent to the field.

Launches Leaders!

Seen pictured here are: Jake Brown, Alex Canterbury, Hughes Hancock, Jack Higgins, Bryant McMahon, Brooks Statham, Paul Stramaglia, Sam Sullivan and Henry Tynes.

Matt Haynes (husband of teacher LeAnne Haynes), Susan Norville and her husband Warren Norville, LeAnne Haynes and her father, Larry Nichols.

“Leader Launch” was the theme of the Boosterthon fundraiser held recently at Mountain Brook Elementary. Through the fundraiser, students were encouraged to be active learners and community helpers while behaviors such as bullying and teasing were discouraged.

All students participated in this program that emphasizes fitness, education, and character while at the same time earning money for the school by receiving pledges for the laps completed by students during the Fun Run. The children had the opportunity to run laps for their school and were capped at 35 laps.

MBE students first attended a pep rally to motivate them to obtain pledges to run, gallop, march and skip on two speedways which were set up on the school’s field and

decorated with cones, bright banners, and American flags.

Upbeat music played from speakers while the students proudly entered the field through an inflatable tunnel to run with their grade. Students, parents and faculty were seen smiling, cheering and laughing as the Boosterthon Fun Run culminated in a victory lap by students and their parents.

Each class received a variety of prizes and all students in the class were awarded prizes, not just individual students.

Teachers also were awarded prizes receiving such items as digital cameras, playground fitness packages, digital video cameras, pizza parties, and cookie cakes.

By all indications, the Boosterthon was an overwhelming success for Mountain Brook Elementary.

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6th grade Leadership Team helps out

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| October 2010 |

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6th grade Ambassadors, front row, L to R: Clarke Hines, Celie Harris, Caroline Briggs, Frances Gaut, C. Farrar, Caroline Cross, Paige Berryhill, and Spencer Hinson. Back row, L to R: Hammy Hewlett, Tanner Echols, James Hoyt, Max Curington, Andrew Bargeron, and Swaim Davis.

Cherokee Bend’s “Meet and Greet” and New Family Orientation went smoothly this year, in part due to the assistance of a group of 6th graders from the 6th Grade Leadership Team.

These 6th graders served as Ambassadors for the back-to-school events, and made sure that everyone knew where they were supposed to be

and how to get there. The Ambassadors for this term are Andrew Bargeron, Paige Berryhill, Caroline Briggs, Caroline Cross, Max Curington, Swaim Davis, Tanner Echols, C. Farrar, Frances Gaut, Celie Harris, Hamilton Hewlett, Clarke Hines, Spencer Hinson, and James Hoyt.

Assistant Principal Nathan Pitner serves as the Leadership Team Coordinator.

CBS welcomes new families to the school Cherokee Bend held a new family orientation for new students to the neighborhood during the first week of school. The new students and their parents were welcomed to the school by PTO volunteers, Principal Pictured above are the following Cherokee Bend new students Betsy Bell, and Counselor and their buddies: front row, L to R, Zachary Costopoulos, Joseph Moellinger, James Gregory, Grady Breland, Andrew Hawkins, Shannon Colquitt.

Nelson C., Ellen Anderson, Jessica Kelly, James Barron, Hudsan New students in grades Brown, J Barrere, and A Barrere. Back row, L to R, are Archie 1- 6 were introduced to Breland, Vann Walthall, Elly Curtis, Hannah Cox, Riley Smith, their “buddies,” classmates Hays Edmunds, Rebecca Michel, Lindsay Pugh, Catherine that showed them around Walthall, John Henley, Gabe Wilmoth, and Colten Niemann the halls of Cherokee Bend.

While the students went on a scavenger CBS family on September 2, 2010, when hunt to familiarize themselves with the they attended a dinner hosted by Marla school, the parents had refreshments and Fuller. The new family activities were met with staff and PTO members. New coordinated by Stacy Howell, Edith Lyon, families were further welcomed into the and Susan Yarbro.

Mountain Brook Elementary Spotlights Third Grade Mountain Brook Elementary has four classes of 3rd grade students taught by teachers Joe Ashby, Judy Dyess, Connie Liddle and Allyson Mouron.

Judy Dyess, who has been with Mountain Brook Elementary for sixteen years, is the veteran teacher of the 3rd grade and was interviewed for this article.

Judy Dyess, prior to teaching at MBE, was a teacher in San Antonio and Houston, Texas for a collective eighteen years. Mrs. Dyess has taught 3rd grade, 1st grade, and elementary Spanish at a private school for eight of her thirty-four years as a teacher.

In her opinion, third graders are the most enthusiastic and motivated group of elementary students.

Third graders at MBE learn many new skills such as cursive writing, multiplication and division, and reading multiple genres of books. Book projects are done throughout the year to reinforce reading comprehension. Team teaching is used in Social Studies and Science and Mrs. Dyess is the lead Science teacher.

In the first semester of science, students learn about plants and have many handson experiences such as planting seeds, growing plants which flower and then produce more seeds. Students keep a journal to track plant growth and care.

Bees and pollination are also discussed in connection with the plant unit.

After the winter holiday, students begin a chemistry unit of science and perform

Here is Mrs. Dyess with her class on the first day of school: Jessica Brouillette, Sara Catherine Cooper, Rumsey Fry, Emily Grace Lemak, Katherine McDonald, Mae Neil, Caroline Parker, Louisa Patrick, Mabry Smyer and Virginia Webb, Jake Brown, Alex Canterbury, Hughes Hancock, Jack Higgins, Bryant McMahon, Zack Shelton, Brooks Statham, Paul Stramaglia, Sam Sullivan and Henry Tynes.

a variety of tests using unknown, but safe chemicals, such as water, vinegar, red cabbage juice and iodine in the experiments. The students really respond to the interactive teaching approach. They love being a scientist on a mission!

On a personal note, Mrs. Dyess is married and has a son who is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School. Her hobbies include gardening and collecting vintage pottery and antiques through estate sales.

One of her finds is an early 1900’s wooden school desk that she proudly displays in her classroom

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Mountain Brook Junior High Sells Magazines!

Mountain Brook Junior High recently held its annual, traditional fundraiser of magazine sales through QSP, Inc., a Time, Inc. company. Friends and family could renew existing subscriptions or order new magazines from categories such as cooking, entertaining, health and fitness, beauty and fashion, sports and inspirational, among others at a huge discount.

There were three ways to participate in the sale: internet, catalog, and the charity option. Ordering online by using the internet was a fast and easy way to order new or renew existing subscriptions.

Donors visited the web site and by clicking on “Magazine Sales” under the quick links, the donor could view the MBJH-QSP online catalog and place an order from the convenience of a home computer.

Each student also received a catalog they could show potential donors and included hundreds of options for renewal or new subscriptions.

The charity option allowed donors to support the fundraiser while donating reading material to the Mountain Brook School System libraries and other schools throughout Alabama. This option was 100 percent tax deductible.

Three turn in days were held throughout September for students. The top sellers in each grade won the right to spin the money wheel each week for every two orders placed.

There were weekly money prize drawings and each Friday, the top selling homeroom, based on sales percentage to enrollment, adopted Bill, the environmentally friendly, Spartan supporting, cash carrying, giant, polar bear mascot! Smaller, plush “Bill” polar bears, which were coded for super quota cash or prizes, were awarded to students who sold at least ten orders through the internet or

Marc Straus celebrates with friends Thomas Wilson, Walker Pitman and Harrison Ritchie as he wins the $50 prize drawing. catalog by the end of the sale.

Students who sold six internet orders by the first two turn-in dates were awarded special Magic Banks! These mysterious artifacts contained cash or were coded for amazing themed prizes. Lollipop pulls and Scratch and win cards, plus final prizes to the top three sellers and top homeroom added to the excitement of the fundraiser.

It is not too late to support Mountain Brook Junior High! The internet option is available throughout the school year.

State budget cuts have totally eliminated classroom supply money for teachers.

The proceeds from the magazine sale fundraiser have been earmarked to help replace these funds.

You can help by visiting the web site of the school at www.mtnbrook.k12.all.us/ mbjh and then click on “Magazine Sales” under the quick link options. Then you can see the MBJH-QSP online catalog and place any renewal or new order from the convenience of your home computer. The MBJH account number with QSP.com is 425000589.

18

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Music & Arts

Village Living Calendar

Family Fun

10/1

8 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center presents Pat Metheny, www.

AlysStephens.org or call 205-975-2787 for ticket info

10/1 2:30- 3:30 p.m. Mountain Brook High School homecoming parade in Crestline

10/1 thru 11/21- A Masterpiece in Our Midst: Robert S. Duncanson’s A Dream

10/2 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Pumkin Patch Express- Heart of Dixie Railroad for more

of Italy. Exhibition that provides an in-depth examination of this painting, as well as a discussion of Duncanson’s life, work and discourse with other artists of his day. Birmingham Museum of Art, www.artsbma.org

10/3 4 p.m., Choral Evensong, The Cathedral Choir sings the beautiful service of

lessons, anthems, and prayers, Cathedral Church of the Advent, Free, www. adventbirmingham.org

10/3 2 - 4 p.m., An Afternoon of Music and Dance from India, Features performances

by local artists including Natyanada Dance School and Company, Notinee, and others, Birmingham Museum of Art, Free, www.artsbma.org

10/8 8 p.m., Broadway Rocks!, Four top-notch Broadway vocalists join the ASO

Village information, visit http://www.hodrrm.org

10/2 Mountain Brook’s cross country teams run through Crestline-arriving at approximately 3p.m. Come support our runners

10/9 Art and Music Festival at Ross Bridge, Juried art and music festival featuring some of the most unique and talented artists and fine craftsmen and Birmingham’s hottest bands, Ross Bridge Welcome Center, Free, www.

ArtsAndMusicOnTheGreen.com

10/9 7:30 p.m., FOOTMAD Contra Dance, traditional New England folk dancing

performing selections of rock and pop songs from the Broadway stage, BJCC Concert Hall, www.alabamasymphony.org or call 205-251-7727 for ticket info

to live music with a caller, Downtown YWCA, $6 Members and College Students, $8 Non members per dance, ages 13-18 $4, ages 0-12 Free, www. footmadbirmingham.org

10/9 2 p.m - 9p.m., Crestwood Crawl, Poker Run sponsored by supporters of

10/31 4 p.m.- The Mystics of Mountain Brook annual Halloween Parade- Crestline

Birmingham AIDS Outreach, There will be seven homes within walking distance that will serve as poker stops. At each poker stop participants will draw one poker card and later go to the After Party where they will turn in their best poker hand, Crestwood Neighborhood, Tickets $25, www. birminghamaidsoutreach.org

10/9 7:30 p.m.United States Marine Band- The President’s band performs at Samford University- for more information visit www4.samford.edu/arts/

Village

10/9 11 a.m., 2010 Kick’n Chick’n Wing Fest, Come eat the best chicken wings in town, hang out with good friends, and watch some football, Downtown Homewood, $10 in advance, $15 at the door, Kids 10 & Under are free, www. bhamwingfest.com

10/23 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Family Day - Bart’s Spooktacular Party, Come dressed

10/12- 12 p.m., Art Break: Portraits and Personalities, Jeannine O’Grody, Chief

Curator and Curator of European Art, shares insight on four eighteenthcentury Italian portrait reliefs: Michelangelo, Galileo, Ficino, and Machiavelli, Birmingham Museum of Art, Free, www.artsbma.org

as your favorite objet d’art to scare away the goblins, go on a trick-or-treat scavenger hunt and rack up on goodies, listen to some spooky stories that’ll make your teeth chatter, or craft a pumpkin, Birmingham Museum of Art, www.artsbma.org

10/15 8:00p.m. Alabama Symphony Masterworks presents Mozart’s “Great”

10/24 3 p.m., Mad Science presents Star Trek Live!, thrilling, interactive adventure

10/16 1 - 3 p.m., Dance: Kinetic Canvas, A dance instillation performed by

based on the most popular science fiction franchise of all time with special effects, unmatched audience interaction and space-age science, Alys Stephens Center, Tickets are $37 for adults and $17 for kids, call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org

Mass- Alys Stephens Center www.alabamasymphony.org

Sanspointe Dance Company, Birmingham Museum of Art, Free, www. artsbma.org

10/19 12 p.m., Art Break: The Art of Entertaining, Birmingham Museum of Art

Special Events Manager Brynne MacCann and A Social Affair Senior Events Planner Kay Till give tips and samples that are sure to make your next party a success. Birmingham Museum of Art, Free, www.artsbma.org

Charitable & Church Events

10/22 8 p.m., Rosanne Cash, Alys Stephens Center, Tickets are $60, $50, $40, $20

10/3 3:00 p.m. Blessing of the animals. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church- bring your pet

10/26 12 p.m., Art Break: The artist and Mr. Muir: American Art and the birth of the

10/10 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. An evening with New York Times best selling author

student tickets, call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org

modern conservation moment. Curator of American Art, Graham Boettcher, PhD and Kelly Smith, Associate Director of Communications, explore and early “green” theme in the Museum’s American gallery. Birmingham Museum of Art, Free, www.artsbma.org

10/28 6 p.m., Lecture: Annual Chenoweth Lecture, A community museum’s

in a cage or on a leash to celebrate their life and with a blessing. & Birmingham native Andy Andrews- Canterbury United Methodist Church.

Free event.

10/10 3-5 p.m. Service Guild Partners in Training kickoff benefiting the Bell Center held at the Bell Center. For more information visit www.theserviceguild.org.

role in providing arts education, Birmingham Museum of Art, Free, www. artsbma.org

10/27- 5:30- 6:00 p.m. Trunk or Treat at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church- dinner for all

10/29 8 p.m., Rickey Smiley, A Night of down-home Southern humor, Alys

10/28 3rd Annual Bone Bash benefitting the Arthritis Foundation- Park Lane in

Stephens Center, Tickets are $62, $52, $39, $20 for students, call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org

Food & Wine 10/7 – 10/9 all day event- St. George Middle Eastern Food Festival- http://www. saintgeorgeonline.org.

10/9 - 5:30 p.m., Ruffner Mtn Wine and Cheese Hike, hike to Hawk’s View Overlook and enjoy sunset, good company and light refreshments, Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, $15 ($10 members), go to www.ruffnermountain.org

10/10 1:00 p.m.- 4:00p.m.Taste of the Summit- sample cuisine from various restaurants at the Summit in front of Old Navy.

ages followed by trunk or treat in the parking lot & games for children & youth.

English Village- food by Kathy G, music by the Undergrounders. For tickets and information visit arthser.ejoinme.org/2010bonebash.

Theatre 10/6- 10/10 Theatre UAB Presents Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, The Sirote Theatre in the Alys Stephens Center, For times and ticket info visit http://theatre.hum.uab.edu

10/7- 10/17 Red Mountain Theatre Company presents The Drowsy Chaperone, Virginia Samford Theatre, For times and ticket info visit www. redmountaintheatre.org

10/21 All day event- Third Thursdays at Dyron’s benefitting the Emmet O’Neal

10/14- 10/31 Theatre Downtown Presents “Night of the Living Dead”, A

10/15 Sugar Coma Birmingham- food tour and sampling of Birmingham’s sweet

terrifying new stage adaptation of the George Romero horror classic, Theatre Downtown @ Fifth Avenue Antiques, for times and tickets go to www. theatredowntown.org

Library – 10% of all proceeds go to the library

treats. Morning and afternoon tours offered. For tickets and more information visit http://sugarcomabham.eventbrite.com

Gardening/Nature 10/9 Oak Street Garden Shop 20th anniversary celebration- all day 10/16 10 a.m., Miners Hike, come learn the important role that iron played in

10/23 10 a.m, The Frog Prince presented by Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Complex, Tickets are $10 adults and $8 for kids, go to www.bct123.org

10/29-31 Red Mountain Theatre Company presents 13 Alabama Ghost and Jeffrey, RMTC Cabaret Theatre, Tickets $20, For times and tickets go to www. redmountaintheatre.org

Birmingham’s history, including the forging of Birmingham’s very own Iron Man - Vulcan, 1214 81st Street South, Tickets $7 ($5 members), go to www. ruffnermountain.org

10/30 5:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. Emmet O’Neal Library Nightmare on Oak Street- two

10/23 7 a.m. - 10 a.m., Bird Watching, enjoy an early morning stroll to look for and

10/30 7:00 p.m. Phanton of the Opera Silent Film- The Alabama Theartre : www.

identify birds, Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, Reservations required $7 ($5 members), go to www.ruffnermountain.org

10/28 6 p.m., Adult Lecture Series: Bats, come learn about the world of bats,

Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, Reservations required $7 ($5 members), go to www.ruffnermountain.org

Do you know of events in our community? We would love to include them. Please email Jennifer@villagelivingonline.com by the 15th of each month for the publication in the next month’s issue.

horror movies for adults ages 18 and up. www.eolib.blogspot.com alabamatheatreorgan.com

Save the date

11/4 3rd annual Holiday Art show and benefit- 4 p.m.- 8 p.m. The Mountain

Brook Art Association members 4PM—8 p.m. Light hors d’oeuvres by Kathy G. at the Park Lane across from Joe Muggs in English Village 2117 Cahaba Rd., Mtn. Brook, AL 35223

Village Living

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

WARMER MEALS from pg 4

garnish: sour cream, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 400°F. 2) Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and lightly coat with vegetable spray.

3) Place squash cut side down in the pan and roast until tender, about 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

4) Use a large spoon to scrape the squash into the bowl of a food processor; discard peel. Add 1 cup chicken stock and puree until smooth. Transfer puree to a large heavy stockpot. Add remaining stock, nutmeg and milk. Stir soup over medium heat until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish each serving with a tablespoon of sour cream and a few pepitas.

Note: This is another soup that freezes well. Be sure to label your containers with not just the name of the soup but reheating and garnishing directions as well.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP WITH WHITE BEANS AND KALE Serves 6 Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 Italian sausages, casings removed 1 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 1 large bunch of kale, de-ribbed and chopped (may substitute escarole) ½ cup dry white wine 2 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained 4 cups chicken stock 1 2” piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind (see note)

| October 2010 |

up with the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes per batch. (Alternatively, you may slice the sausages to keep the pieces larger for real sausage lovers.)

Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a paper-towel lined plate; leave drippings in the pot.

2) Reduce heat to medium; add onion to pot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine.

3) Add kale and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add wine, stir to combine and cook 2 minutes more.

4) Add beans, stock, sausage and cheese rind. Simmer for 20 minutes to develop flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

19

Co m Ini plim tia e l E nta xa ry m

Note: Generations of Italians have known about the fabulous taste found in the rinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano wheels of cheese. Adding a large piece during the simmering process imparts a depth of flavor that is incomparable. Just remember to remove the rind when serving the soup.

These rinds are readily available in the Specialty department of Whole Foods Market and are very reasonably priced.

Want to skip this step? No problem. Just add a generous tablespoon of freshly grated cheese to everyone’s bowl when serving.

Dark leafy greens are so good for you.

However, they can be a little bitter and tough if not cooked adequately. Before chopping the kale (or escarole), remove the center part of each leaf (the rib). This step will ensure that your greens are nice and tender and cook uniformly.

This soup makes for great leftovers. Extend the life of your meal by adding a handful of cooked pasta and a can of diced tomatoes to the soup.

Christiana Roussel is a Crestline mom of two and a lover of all things food-related. She has worked in a Fort Worth cooking school and completed a brief stint in the Southern Living Test Kitchen, testing Directions: Cook-Off recipes. She is a member of Southern 1) Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium- Foodways Alliance and Slow Food. Follow her blog high heat. Working in batches, sauté at ChristianasKitchen.blogspot.com or on Facebook or Bahakel Village Living Ad:Layout 1 9/17/10 10:01 AM Page 1 sausage until cooked through, breaking Twitter.

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| October 2010 |