Village Living December 2016 by Starnes Media

Village Living neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook

Volume 7 | Issue 9 | December 2016

The window ‘wow factor’ By LEXI COON Mountain Brook is known for its holiday splendor — big trees, bright lights and candlelit windows are common sights throughout the villages. But it isn’t just the homes that go all out for the celebrations; local shops join in on the fun, too. From extensive planning to closing for a few days, these shop owners put their heart, soul and inventory into their festive storefront windows.

LAMB’S EARS

Kirby Whitehead of A’mano helps set up the holiday display, which features painted white ladders. The ladders are reminiscent of when some families were unable to purchase trees, and instead decorated ladders for Christmas. Photo by Lexi Coon.

Every year, just before Thanksgiving, Lamb’s Ears covers their windows and closes their doors to customers. “We put brown paper not the windows, and at that

point, all of Crestline thinks we’re closing,” said co-owner Elizabeth Roberts. But they aren’t closing — they’re transforming. A few years back, Roberts and her sister and business partner, Julie Howell, decided they were going to elaborately decorate their store and windows reminiscent of Loveman’s, a former store located in downtown Birmingham that they frequented when they were younger. “You dressed up, went to dinner and went down there. And that’s what you did,” said Howell. The decorating is mostly up to Howell, and after doing some research, the pair found the perfected animated Santa owned by a couple in Washington. The

See WINDOWS | page A30

SHOOTING STARS FOR THE

Watford establishing himself as one of the top players in country By KYLE PARMLEY

en years ago, not many people thought it was possible to win a basketball state championship at Mountain Brook High School. Yet, the Spartans won it all in 2013 and 2014. They were in the conversation each of the last two seasons and will be again this year. Five years ago, no one would have thought it possible that one of the top basketball prospects in the entire nation would come through Mountain Brook High School. Photo by Todd Lester.

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See WATFORD | page A29

INSIDE

Sponsors .............. A4 City ........................ A6

Business ..............A10 Events .................. A13

School House .... A23 Community .......... B4

Sports .................. B16 Opinion ............... B27

Faith .................... B28 Calendar ............. B30 facebook.com/villageliving

Going the Distance

Safe Celebrations

Mountain Brook resident Shannon Diddell bikes hundreds of miles with Pedal for Patriots.

Check out these hot tips for keeping your home safe during the holiday season.

See page B1

See page B14

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About Us Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray The December issue of Village Living is always one of the most fun to put together. It’s the time of year when the villages and neighborhoods are at their loveliest, traditions are observed, new ones created, and the community contributes to many different efforts meant to brighten the holidays for everyone. If you are looking forward to the many holiday events in the villages, you will ﬁnd the details and a preview of many of them inside. One of my favorites is the Bromberg’s Christmas tree, which is the centerpiece of Mountain Brook Village’s display. With busier than normal trafﬁc in the village during the holidays, its beauty and the lit trees and buildings make waiting at the main intersection for the light to change a time to pause and take in the beauty instead of an inconvenience. Another feature this month is a story on some of the elaborate window displays that merchants create. Learn all about the planning and resources it takes to create these visual displays that brighten the holidays, then pick a day or night to stroll the villages, shop and enjoy the work of these talented merchants. Since the holidays are also a time to remember others, we

have a great guide put together so that you can see how your family can help. Many churches and other agencies in Mountain Brook will be collecting various goods and donations to beneﬁt others. Other events this month include the Mountain Brook Art Association art show at Brookwood Village and several events surrounding the celebration of Hanukkah. Mountain Brook High School is celebrating 50 years of Spartans. Read all about the focus of the celebration and activities planned. While we all have traditions during this time of year where we celebrate our faith, family and friends, I have to say that one of my favorites here in Mountain Brook is the Mountain Brook Baptist Living Nativity. I attended every Christmas as a child with my parents and now attend with my own family. For me, it is a way to slow down, remember, reﬂect, and give thanks for the greatest gift of all, the birth of the Christ child. Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah!

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Birmingham residents browse through a selection of plants Oct. 22 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

Village Living Publisher: Editor: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Digital Media: Director of Photography: Sports Editor: Page Designers: Community Editor: Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Copy Editor:

Dan Starnes Jennifer Gray Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Heather VacLav Sarah Finnegan Kyle Parmley Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Erica Techo Jon Anderson Jesse Chambers Lexi Coon Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Louisa Jeffries

Contributing Writers: Leah Ingram Eagle Alyx Chandler Sarah Tuttle Kari Kampakis

Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion

Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Jon Harrison Gail King Eric Clements

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Published by: Village Living LLC 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, 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) 313-1780 or by email.

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City State recognizes Oden, councilman for work with city By LEXI COON Mayor Terry Oden and Councilman Jack Carl attended their ﬁnal City Council meeting Oct. 24. Over the years, Oden and Carl have declared many proclamations and approved many resolutions, and for that, their city thanked them. “Tonight, I wanted to make sure I was here, and that’s for a very special reason,” said state Rep. David Faulkner. “Judge, I do want to thank you for your service. We do appreciate what you have done, not only serving our county, but also serving our city,” he said of Carl. Faulkner also brought a resolution passed by the Alabama Legislature that recognized Oden for his outstanding 20 years of service to Mountain Brook. “You don’t get to read this one,” Faulkner said. The proclamation described the efforts Oden has made with the city and the work he has done within the community. “He leaves a legacy of monumental changes for the city,” Faulkner read, noting that Oden is “a splendid example of public service.” “We all knew that you had the best interest in your heart for this city,” said Faulkner. In addition to recognizing Carl and Oden for their commitment to Mountain Brook, the City Council also heard updates from Richard Caudle of Skipper Consulting regarding the Crestline Trafﬁc Study previously addressed during City Council on Sept. 16. About one month ago, the council approved nearly all resolutions but refrained from changing the intersection of Vine Street and Dexter Avenue from a two-way to a four-way stop pending a discussion with Mountain Brook City Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow and

Former Mayor Terry Oden shakes hands with Mayor Stewart Welch during the Oct. 24 City Council meeting. Photo by Lexi Coon.

Crestline Elementary Principal Laurie King. Skipper Consulting met with Barlow and King, who expressed their concern of increased trafﬁc through the school parking lot caused by additional stop signs. The council voted to keep the intersection as a two-way stop, which Caudle noted does not have an effect on safety. The council also

voted unanimously to approve an ordinance that designates Vine Street as a one-way street between the hours of 7:30 to 8 a.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. Otherwise, the city has proceeded with the suggestions provided by Skipper Consulting, except for installing ﬂashing beacons at the Church Street pedestrian crossings. This action

is awaiting a decision to recycle old beacons or purchase new ones. Also at the Oct. 24 meeting, council members: ► Approved the resolution authorizing the installation of two streetlights on existing poles at 4004 Royal Oak Court and 4028 Royal Oak Court. Although some community members were opposed to the idea, the council agreed to look into adjusting the lighting ﬁxtures to shield excess light from certain houses. ► Approved the resolution authorizing the execution of an Agreement for Services between the city and the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham with respect to an 80 percent APPLE-funded Mountain Brook sidewalks study. ► Approved the resolution declaring certain personal property surplus and authorizing its sale at public internet auction. ► Approved the motion authorizing the execution of an audit engagement letter for the city’s annual ﬁnancial and compliance audit as of and for the year ended Sept. 30, 2016. ► Approved the resolution granting an underground utility easement to Alabama Power Company with respect to the city’s landfill property and proposed storage building. ► Approved the resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement for the city’s participation in a law enforcement (white collar crime) task force overseen by the U.S. Secret Service and Jefferson County District Attorney. ► Approved an ordinance amending Section 54-1(b) and (g) of the Mountain Brook Municipal Code, “Declaration of emergency by the mayor.”

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December 2016 • A7

City Council thanks Mayor Terry Oden, discusses new restroom facilities By LEXI COON At the City Council meeting on Nov. 14, former Mayor Terry Oden was again in attendance, but this time as a member of the community. Mayor Stewart Welch honored Oden by reading him a resolution, mayor to mayor, thanking him for his “outstanding and unparalleled service” to the city of Mountain Brook that has spanned the past 20 years. To Mayor Oden’s surprise, however, the recognition did not stop there. Immediately following the resolution, city manager Sam Gaston made an additional announcement. “We are building a new police and fire training building out there at the public works area,” Gaston said, “and it will be named the Mayor Terry Oden Police and Fire Training Facility.” The announcement was met with great applause. “This is a great honor,” said Oden. “It’s a silver dollar.” Before, during pre-council, the City Council had discussed and approved updated plans for the new restroom facility that will be located along the Mountain Brook Elementary field. The plans now include a janitor’s closet for storage purposes and will remain in its original location. “Since this one is so much nicer, it can be seen from the road and face the road,” said Shanda Williams, Parks and Recreation superintendent. “And we can use the sidewalk of the park as ADA accessibility.” While the new facilities are expected to cost around $160,000 depending on the bids placed, the city is only funding $100,000. The remaining costs will come from donations and fundraising. Also on Nov. 14, the council: ► Discussed a plan to share costs up to $6,000 with the city of Homewood for an APPLE grant study of the bridge on Hollywood Boulevard over U.S. 280. Council members are hoping that this will help solve vehicular and pedestrian traffic issues by jump-starting and funding part of the study. ► Approved a resolution authorizing the installation of a 150-watt LED streetlight on an existing pole between 4040 and 4044 Royal Oak Court. ► Approved a resolution authorizing the execution of a professional service agreement with Sain Associates regarding the city’s Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan. ► Approved a resolution recommending the State of Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board the issuance of a restaurant

At the Nov. 14 council meeting, Mayor Stewart Welch and City Manager Sam Gaston honored former Mayor Terry Oden with the announcement of the Mayor Terry Oden Police and Fire Training Facility. Photo by Lexi Coon.

retail liquor license to CharBar No. 7 at 900 Jemison Lane. ► Approved a resolution awarding the bid for the construction of the ﬁre and police training facility to Safford Construction, and authorizing a contract for the same. ► Approved a resolution accepting the professional service agreement with Sain Associates with respect to a feasibility study and related services for the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Cahaba Road/Culver Road/U.S. Highway 280/

Lane Park Road and authorize the execution of an agreement for same. ► Ratiﬁed the execution of the city’s Workers’ Compensation Preferred Pay Plan agreement addendum. ► Approved a plan to hire an architect to assist the city in evaluating water damage done to the windows of the Emmet O’Neal Library and to assist in the bids speciﬁcations needed to replace them.

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Board of Education reviews PRIDE survey, ALL IN conference By LEXI COON Each year, Mountain Brook students, along with students across the country, are encouraged to take the PRIDE survey, which is an anonymous survey given to high school students to learn more about habits of teenagers. During a Board of Education meeting on Nov. 14, Dr. Dale Wisely reviewed the results with board members. Given in September of this year, the ﬁrst portion of the survey looked at alcohol use within grades 9 through 12. While the freshmen were the class with the lowest percentage involved in drinking, there was an upward trend to the senior class. Alcohol use, meaning more than one drink, was present in nearly 50 percent of seniors within the past year, and of those students 47 percent of them took part in binge drinking either seldom, sometimes or often. “It doesn’t happen on our watch very much,” said Wisely. “Drinking is going on at friends’ houses and at the all mysterious ‘other’ locations.” Comparatively, juniors who drink sit at about 6 percent above the national average for their grade and seniors are nearly 15 percent above the national average for their age range. He also noted that teen drinking seems to be more of a weekend activity and that there has been an increase of females drinking in high school. Over the years, however, Mountain Brook has seen a 20 percent reduction in its drinking rates. “That data really allows us to say, ‘Not everybody drinks in school, so you don’t have to,’” said Superintendent Dr. Dicky Barlow. “That’s encouraging.” A second part of the survey looked at drug abuse within high school students, particularly marijuana. “Now this actually surprises some people,” said Wisely, pointing out that 1.3 percent of freshmen, 3.7 percent of sophomores, 9.8 percent of juniors and 14.5 percent of seniors have used marijuana within the past month. These numbers fall at least 6 percent below the national average. Abuse of

At the Nov. 14 Board of Education meeting, volleyball head coach Haven O’Quinn introduces her team, who won the state championship. Photo by Lexi Coon.

prescription drugs also sits below the national average, although it is within 3 percent. The board also reviewed the recent success of the ALL IN Mountain Brook conference that took place at the beginning of the month. Also during the Board of Education meeting on Nov. 14, the board: ► Recognized the Mountain Brook High School volleyball team for their 7A State Championship.

► Heard feedback about the Mountain Brook Elementary Leader in Me Conference. ► Approved ﬁnancial statements for both September and October of this year, which stated that as of the end of October there was a $12.2 million fund balance. ► Tabled a discussion of the calendar for the school years of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 for 30 days, pending community feedback. ► Approved personnel recommendations.

► Approved the renewal and continuation of the 5.7 and 18.5 Mill School tax in the Mountain Brook School District, contingent on an election on March 7. ► Announced that the Miss Olympian pageant will take place on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at the high school and that the MBHS Band Holiday Concert is on Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. The next Board of Education meeting will take place on Dec. 12 at Crestline Elementary.

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Quality and casual dining coming to Lane Parke By LEXI COON Lane Parke shopping center has welcomed many tenants, both familiar and unfamiliar, to Mountain Brook Village. Some businesses are homegrown and native to the area, but others, like restaurant CharBar No. 7, are a new addition. CharBar No. 7, or CB7, was founded in 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the brainchild of Tyler Hager and Gregg Bibik. “It was a spinoff of another concept that was doing well at the time,” Hager said. The focus of their new restaurant was simple and reflected in their goals: cook great burgers and steaks, and make enough money to open a second location. Clearly they reached their goals, because it didn’t take long for Hager and Bibik to open three other locations throughout North Carolina, and now, they’re coming to Mountain Brook. With an opening set for sometime after the new year, Hager said the restaurant and its team are ready to serve Lane Parke seven days a week for both lunch and dinner. “The Lane Parke development was beautifully constructed,” he said. “We loved the immediate area [of Mountain Brook]. We felt our concept would fill a need in that area.” Their approach includes the time-tested aspects of food service made up of quality dishes, service and atmosphere, which are all concepts their guests over the years have come to expect. “It’s family friendly,” Hager said. “[It’s a] great place to eat good fresh food and perhaps stay for the atmosphere or sporting games.” Described as “where quality meets casual,” CB7 encourages everyone to dine with them whether dressed for business or relaxation. After all, they’re all about the food, he said. “We have had many menu changes since we have been open. They are constantly changing

CharBar No. 7 is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and its Lane Parke location will be the first in Alabama. Photo by Lexi Coon.

based on sales and new ideas we come across,” Hager said. “The burgers and steaks are at the core of the menu.” With an in-house 1,700-degree broiler, steaks, signature burgers and fish are all cooked to perfection and to seal in flavors, Hager said. Although CB7 said “the soul of the menu is beef,” Hager also noted their French dip is a

best-seller. The restaurant didn’t forget about the more finicky and health-conscious diners, either. “We have a great kids menu,” Hager said. “We have healthy options that not only taste good, but are very important standards when deciding where to eat.” Visitors also will be able to take their pick

from a changing list of weekly specials, he said. “We hope to create a place where the Mountain Brook community can come and enjoy a good meal and a nice social experience,” Hager said. The new CharBar No. 7 will be at 900 Jemison Lane in Lane Parke.

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December 2016 • A11

M&S Interiors has relocated to the new Lane Parke development, 230 Rele St. 582-9393, interiorsbymands.com

Marguerite’s Conceits, 2406 Canterbury Road, was named an “Alabama Retailer of the Year” by the Alabama Retail Association and UAB Collat School of Business. The boutique was named the Silver Award Winner in the “Annual Sales Less Than $1 Million” category. 879-2730

Jacqueline DeMarco, Ph.D., a registered psychologist offering individual and couples therapy to adults, is relocating her ofﬁce from 500 Ofﬁce Park Drive, Suite 216, to Homewood, 2917 Central Ave., Suite 305. 718-5433

Naseem Ajlouny of Piggly Wiggly, 41 Church St., was named “Retailer of the Year” by the Alabama Grocers Association. Ajlouny has spent his entire career in the grocery business, starting in high school when he bagged groceries. 802-9078, pigglywiggly.com

Relocations and Renovations 1

Sew Sheri Designs, 2832 Culver Road, is moving to a new location in Homewood at 1722 28th Ave. S., Suite G. The store, owned by Sheri Corey, specializes in custom fabrics, interior designs, window fashions and more. The new location will include both a showroom and an open workspace, allowing their seamstresses to complete most jobs in-house. 879-8278, sewsheri.com

News and Accomplishments Once Upon a Time, 201 Country Club Park, was named an “Alabama Retailer of the Year” by the Alabama Retail Association and UAB Collat School of Business. The baby boutique was named the Gold Award Winner in the “Annual Sales Less Than $1 Million” category. 870-7772, onceuponatimebaby.com

Hirings and Promotions Ray & Poynor Properties, 2629 Cahaba Road, has hired Rebecca Crowther, Lynn Creighton, Susan Bennett and Margaret Camp as Realtors. They have also hired Elizabeth Dunn as director of business development. 879-3036, raypoynor.com

The Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, 101 Hoyt Lane, has hired Molly Wallace as project manager. A graduate of Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, Wallace brings with her experience in nonproﬁt work. 871-3779, welcometomountainbrook.com

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WHAT’S COOKING

Village Living

Continental Bakery, Chez Lulu owner shares classic holiday meringue recipe By SYDNEY CROMWELL The Christmas season brings visions of evergreen trees, twinkling lights and dinner tables spread with delicious food. We spoke with Carole Grifﬁn, the owner of Continental Bakery and Chez Lulu at 1911 Cahaba Road, who shared a recipe for one of her bakery’s classic holiday treats: these light, delicious meringues.

Q: What do you like about running a bakery? A: “I am passionate about clean food, community and being creative. This makes running the bakery a perfect job for me. On a good day, I get to do fun things like make a seasonal jam with local fruit, pair that ﬂavor with something interesting for a new macaron or pastry or spend time talking with my head baker to perfect or develop a

bread … On top of that, I adore my customers and my employees. I think there’s an art to building community, and we’ve put a lot of energy into that at the bakery and cafe.” Q: What makes these meringues a good Christmas treat? A: “They’re tasty; they have a good shelf life; they’re local and handmade from scratch, low-fat, gluten free and, of course, they’re gorgeous.”

Nutella and pistachio-cherry meringues make a beautiful and long-lasting holiday treat, if you can resist eating them. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

RECIPE:

► 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar ► 5 ounces egg whites (at room temperature) ► 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar ► 3/4 tablespoon pure vanilla extract ► 1/8 cup ﬁnely chopped dried cherries blended with 1/8 cup ﬁnely chopped pistachios ► 1/4 cup Nutella

STEPS:

1. Preheat convection oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 400 degrees for a conventional oven. 2. Spread sugar on a clean baking sheet. 3. Heat for 8-10 minutes until sugar just begins to melt around the edges. 4. Remove baking sheet from convection oven and lower heat to 175 degrees (225 degrees for conventional oven). 5. About 5 minutes before sugar is

ready, put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Make sure the bowl is completely free of any debris, or else whites will not emulsify. 6. Beat egg whites on high until they begin to froth. 7. Leaving mixer on high, slowly add the warm sugar to the frothy whites. 8. Once all sugar is added, add vanilla extract and continue mixing on high until batter forms stiff, glossy peaks. (Be patient, as this can take as long as 10 minutes.) 9. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. 10. Divide meringue batter evenly into two separate bowls. 11. Over one bowl of meringue batter, sprinkle ﬁnely chopped cherries and pistachios, and gently turn three or four times to blend. Leave the second bowl of meringue batter as is.

For the pistachio-cherry meringues, you’ll need: ► Large star decorating tip ► Large pastry bag ► Two small food-safe paintbrushes ► Green food coloring paste ► Red food coloring paste 1. Place the large star tip into the large pastry bag. 2. Holding the tip firmly in your fingers, invert the pastry bag over your hand, until it is turned completely inside out. 3. Paint alternating stripes of red and green on the inverted pastry bag. 4. Turn bag back right side out and fill with meringue batter, dropping the batter carefully into the center of the bag so as not to smear the painted sides of the bag any more than necessary. 5. Twist the top of the bag closed and pipe batter onto prepared baking sheet in small mounds. 6. The first “cookies” will be more intensely colored than the later ones, which can be pretty. But to avoid this, work in smaller batches and repaint the interior of the bag before each new batch.

For the Nutella meringues, you’ll need: ► 1 large star decorating tip ► 1 large pastry bag ► 1 medium sized food-safe paintbrush 1. As with the pistachio-cherry meringues, put the tip in the pastry bag, grip it in your fingers, and invert the pastry bag over your hand. 2. Paint the inside of the bag with stripes of Nutella, being sure to extend the stripes all the way to the wide end of the bag. (Whatever Nutella is left after generously painting the inside of the bag can be very gently warmed to drizzle over meringues before baking.) 3. Again, turn the bag right side out and fill carefully with the plain meringue batter. 4. Pipe Nutella meringue onto baking sheet in small mounds. Baking the meringues: 1. Place the two trays of piped meringues into preheated 175 degree convection oven (or 225 degree conventional oven). 2. Bake for 2 hours until meringues are firm on the outside and cooked through, but still chewy inside.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • A13

Events Chabad of Alabama hosting dinner, Menorah lighting By LEXI COON This Hanukkah, the Chabad of Alabama will be putting on two of their annual events: the Great Wall of Chinakah Chinese dinner on Dec. 25, and the Grand Menorah Lighting on Dec. 26. “On Dec. 25, there is really not much open, except for Chinese restaurants. So it’s become a tradition of sorts that Jews eat Chinese food on Dec. 25,” said Mushka Posner of the Chabad of Alabama about the Great Wall of Chinakah Dinner. This year, much like the past 15 years or so, the dinner will feature Chinese kosher meals for attendees. Kosher meals follow the strict Jewish law that dictates how certain foods are prepared and which foods are permitted for consumption. According to chabad.org, “Since even a small trace of non-kosher substance can render a food not kosher, all processed foods and eating establishments require certiﬁcation by a reliable rabbi or a kashrut supervision agency.” Because Hanukkah also falls on Dec. 25, members of the Chabad of Alabama will also be lighting the menorah during the event, said Posner, and all are invited for the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Past meals available have been Mongolian beef, sweet and sour chicken, wonton soup, fried rice and pot stickers. The following night on Dec. 26 at 5 p.m., the Chabad of Alabama will also be hosting the Grand Menorah Lighting with the Levite Jewish Community Center by the Saks Plaza at The Summit. “Public menorah lightings are done throughout the world to publicize the miracle of Hanukkah and the message of freedom, and the power of good over evil and light over darkness,” Posner said. By working with the LJCC, both groups were able to create an event to recognize Hanukkah in Birmingham. “We live in a culture that is overwhelming at this time of year,” said Rabbi Yossi Friedman. “When we can do something that brings the whole community together, and in a place where all feel welcome, this brings us together in a very meaningful way.” This year’s ceremony starts at 5:00 p.m. and will have a winter wonderland theme planned with attractions for all ages, including snow for the children, balloons and a dreidel mascot, but the main event will feature the lighting of the 12-foot menorah. Guests will be able to sing along to traditional Hanukkah songs,

The ﬁrst Grand Menorah Lighting was held at The Summit in 2015. This year’s ceremony starts at 5 p.m. Dec. 26. Photo by Frank Couch.

say the traditional blessings and snack on latkes, doughnuts and hot chocolate throughout the evening. All members of the community are encouraged to come out and celebrate the Grand Menorah Lighting, regardless of religious afﬁliations. “The Grand Menorah Lighting brings together everyone from all different synagogues and afﬁliations, and even

non-Jews who would like to learn more about the holiday,” said Posner. “It’s a beautiful event of unity and inclusion.” To make reservations for the Great Wall of Chinakah dinner, go to chabadofalabama.com. Tickets are $10 for children and $20 for adults through Dec. 20 and increase by $10 starting Dec. 21.

A14 • December 2016

Village Living

The Birmingham Boys Choir performed in a collaborative concert at Vestavia Hills United Methodist earlier this year. Their annual Christmas concert will be Dec. 11-12 at Canterbury United Methodist. Photo by Emily Featherston.

Boys choir adds 2nd concert to accommodate crowds for 39th annual Christmas concert By EMILY FEATHERSTON For the 39th installment of the Birmingham Boys Choir’s annual Christmas performance, the group decided to reckon with the space issues the concert has seen over the last few years. “Over the years, our audiences have grown,” director Ken Berg said. Last year, the concert was standing room only, and in an effort to make sure as many guests can comfortably see and engage in the annual concert, he said they decided to add the second performance. The ﬁrst performance will be Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2:30 p.m., and the second on Monday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Both shows will still be free, but tickets will be required to ensure that everyone has a seat in the sanctuary. The concert will feature the classic Christmas hymns and tunes audiences love, Berg said, something he said he thinks some people feel they don’t get enough of elsewhere during the holidays. “These carols that they love, it’s an opportunity to actually do them,” he said. In addition to the traditional carols and spirituals, the concert will also be introducing the work of a

new composer, who just so happens to be a Birmingham Boys Choir alumnus. Skip Stradtman, who went on to graduate from Florida State University after being in the boys choir, is a music teacher in Florida. Berg said Stradtman has been doing a lot of writing, and that the choir is excited to introduce his pieces for the ﬁrst time. The event will once again take place at Canterbury United Methodist Church in Mountain Brook, where the performance has been for many years. He said the choir itself is also expanding, hosting satellite rehearsals around the Birmingham area to include as many young singers as possible. Most recently, they started a satellite rehearsal in Trussville, and the Christmas concert will be their ﬁrst public performance. “We go where the boys are,” he said, adding he thinks it’s valuable to have the boys meet and get to know other children from different geographic, religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. “It’s really a beautiful thing to watch,” he said. For more information on the choir or to reserve a free ticket to the concert, visit birminghamboyschoir.com.

Zoolight Safari includes over 1 million lights at the zoo, and the event will be family-friendly. Photo courtesy of Birmingham Zoo.

Music-synced light extravaganza Zoolight Safari kicks off Dec. 9 By LEXI COON The Birmingham Zoo will be transformed into a winter wonderland again this December for its annual Zoolight Safari. With the sponsorship of Wells Fargo, the zoo will be open on weekend nights through the month starting Dec. 9, so guests can enjoy a few extra hours in the holiday-themed park. “There [will be] over one million lights throughout the zoo that are synchronized to holiday music,” said Kiki Nolen-Schmidt, marketing coordinator for the zoo. Families also can ride the train and the carousel or slip down the slide. All will be decorated for the holidays. Although the ice rink will not be returning, the event will feature a decorated 30-foot tree. Families also will be able start their day with good food and a visit from Santa during the zoo’s annual Breakfast with Santa on the morning of Dec. 17. They can meet him for photos every night until Dec. 23. “[Visitors] can expect a family-friendly event that is fun for guests of all ages,” Nolen-Schmidt said. Zoolight Safari will be open Dec. 9-11, Dec. 16-23 and Dec. 26-31. For more details, check for updates at birminghamzoo.com.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • A15

Mountain Brook Village to host annual Holiday Parade Dec. 4

The 30-foot Christmas tree supplied by Bromberg’s jewelry store is the cornerstone of holiday decor in Mountain Brook Village. Photo courtesy of Bromberg’s.

Bromberg’s to continue community tree tradition By EMILY FEATHERSTON Bromberg’s jewelry store in Mountain Brook Village is getting the town the same Christmas gift it gave last year: a 30-foot Christmas tree. The tree, which typically arrives the day before Thanksgiving, takes two to three days to light, but has been a Mountain Brook tradition for about a decade. Third-generation owner Ricky Bromberg said putting up the tree seems like such a natural part of the holidays that he can’t quite remember exactly how long it’s been, but that it’s one of his favorite traditions. The trees come from a tree farm in North Carolina, and while he said you can’t get a twin of a tree, Bromberg said they always try

to get the best. “I anticipate it will be as beautiful as it has ever been,” he said. The tree stays lit from right after Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve, and in addition to anchoring the village’s decor, residents are often seen taking photos in front of the tree. Last year, Bromberg’s decided to turn the photo-taking tradition into a competition, inviting the community to share their tree photos on social media with the hashtag #brombergsjewelry. On Christmas Eve, the company awarded a $500 gift certiﬁcate to one of the photographers. Bromberg said they plan on doing the campaign again this year, and encouraged photo takers to share their tree shots with the same hashtag, #brombergsjewelry.

The Mountain Brook Village Holiday Parade. Staff photo.

By JESSE CHAMBERS Historic Mountain Brook Village will once again be a festive place when it hosts the community’s annual Holiday Parade on Sunday, Dec. 4, beginning at 3 p.m. The parade will begin at Ofﬁce Park and make its way down Cahaba Road, Culver Road and Petticoat Lane, according to Suzan Doidge of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce. A big crowd — the event typically draws about 2,400 people, Doidge told Village Living — is expected to line the streets for the procession. There will be a variety of live entertainment, booked by Mason Music, at the center stage in the Village, including bands and vocalists. Also appearing will be such high school musical performers as ABOG (A Bunch of Guys) from Mountain Brook High School,

according to Doidge. The parade will feature a Birmingham Barons float, as well as appearances by Frosty the Snowman, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Maggie the Mayfield Cow. One highly anticipated element in the parade will be some elaborate floats from Mountain Brook resident Steve Shea. Shea provided “some incredible floats” for the city’s last two Halloween parades and will be participating in the Holiday Parade for the first time, according to Doidge. “He is a force to be reckoned with,” she said. “He took the Halloween parade to another level.” Mayor Stewart Welch and Santa Claus will ride on trucks provided by the Mountain Brook Fire Department. Santa will also be available to pose for photos at the stage after the end of the parade.

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A16 • December 2016

Village Living

Living Nativity tradition continues at Mountain Brook Baptist Church By LEXI COON For more than 50 years, Mountain Brook Baptist Church has provided the community with a living Nativity at Christmas. This year, the tradition will continue. Designed to be a live presentation of the story of the Nativity, the church has used the same narration every year — a narration recorded 53 years ago by their pastor at that time, Dr. Dotson Nelson. The living Nativity features the story of Jesus’ birth as told by local actors and live animals. “People of all ages have played roles in the living Nativity,” said coordinator Mary Splawn. “On the 50th

anniversary year, we had a child who was 3 and a man who was 93 as angels.” The church ﬁnds its animals, which provide supporting roles, at the T&N Acres Petting Zoo in Cleveland, Alabama. Kids are able to pet the animals after the show. While they have not had a camel at the show recently, the petting zoo has younger camels in-waiting, and the church has hopes for the future. The living Nativity will be on display at the church in the lower parking lot from Dec. 21 to Dec. 23. There will be three showings each night at 6:45, 7:30 and 8:15. Cookies and hot chocolate will be available for guests.

The living Nativity is a Mountain Brook tradition spanning more than 50 years. Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Baptist Church.

Mountain Brook Art Association gets new location for annual holiday show By SYDNEY CROMWELL

Artist Barclay Gresham gives a painting demonstration at the 2015 Mountain Brook Art Association Holiday Show. Photo courtesy of Janet Sanders.

The Mountain Brook Art Association is bringing its Holiday Show back to Brookwood Village this month, but the association is hoping its new location will draw more art lovers inside. Show Chairman Janet Sanders said the Holiday Show will be in the former Banana Republic storefront, across the street from restaurants such as Brio and Cocina Superior, from Dec. 2 to Dec. 17. Sanders said she would like to see more foot trafﬁc from people heading to and from those busy restaurants. There will be about 70 artists participating in what Sanders described as a “ﬁne art gallery setting.” In addition to art in a variety of mediums, the Holiday Show will also feature books written and illustrated by MBAA members and hand painted Christmas ornaments and cards. All participating artists must be MBAA members.

Members exhibiting in the show will include Mountain Brook artists Barclay Gresham, Lynn Briggs, Sara Crook, Sam Chiarella, Janet Sanders, Mike Battle, Wellon Bridgers and Charlotte Kelley. Homewood artists Michael Davis, Cathy Phares, Charlotte Wilson, Cecily Hill Lowe and Andrew Tyson also will have their work on display. Different artists also will do demonstrations of their work in the store’s window to entertain shoppers and answer questions, which Sanders said is usually popular. Ten percent of proceeds from the Holiday Show sale beneﬁt Hand in Paw, which provides animal-assisted therapeutic services. This is the third year the MBAA has worked with Hand in Paw, and Sanders said their therapy dogs will make several appearances at the show. The holiday show will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Dec. 2-17.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • A17

Solo performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ returning to Central Alabama Theater By LEXI COON One man, a three-piece suit and 36 characters, all in two hours. It sounds like the start of a joke, but it isn’t, and theater fans can see for themselves this December when Mark Cabus, who recently appeared in the movie “Selma,” returns to the Central Alabama Theater and Steeple Arts Academy to perform his one-man showing of “A Christmas Carol.” Cabus began his acting career at age 12 after overhearing his music teacher telling a fellow choir member that he should audition for the opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” “I got a little jealous about that, and I went home and announced to my parents that I was auditioning for an opera,” he said. He got the part and never looked back. Years later, after moving to Nashville, Cabus wanted to create a theater company. A friend suggested he create a one-man “Christmas Carol,” and after seeing a lackluster oneman version of the show, he said he decided to give it a try. “I thought, ‘Yeah, maybe I should try to ﬁx it, or do it how I think it should be done,’” he said. To create this play, Cabus wrote and edited an adaptation from Charles Dickens’ original novella, which now contains 36 characters. “I learned a long time ago not only as a writer but as an actor to get out of the way of the characters,” he said, saying that once the characters had an identity, he didn’t get confused.

Mark Cabus performs as one of the many characters from his oneman show of “A Christmas Carol” at the Central Alabama Theater. Photos courtesy of the Central Alabama Theater.

The resulting play took about six months to edit and six weeks to commit to memory for his two hours on stage. His rendition plays more to the ghost-story side of Dickens’ book, which Cabus said many performances gloss over. “In taking this approach, and working from the original text, there’s far more of an empathetic experience for the audience,” Cabus said. His rendition of “A Christmas Carol” has taken the theater world

by storm, and Birmingham is no exception. After meeting Cabus through a mutual friend, Carl Peoples, founder of CAT, asked him to perform an excerpt during a board meeting. “When he finished, several of the board members were in tears they were so moved,” Peoples said. “When he walked out the door, they asked, ‘How quickly can we book him and this show?’” Cabus performed his ﬁrst show in

Birmingham in 2015 to the delight of many. “[After his performance,] I had theater professors from the area coming up to me and saying, ‘Where did you ﬁnd him? He’s amazing,’” Peoples said. Cabus will take to the stage of the Steeple Arts Academy for three showings: Dec. 21, 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. “Like all theater, it’s ﬁnite. It’s disposable. It’s there one night and gone

the next.” Cabus said. While the show is family appropriate, it is suggested for ages 12 and older, and guests are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the CAT food drive to beneﬁt the Birmingham AIDS Outreach Food Bank. Ticket holders who bring two items will be entered to win two tickets to future CAT Cabaret showings. To purchase tickets, go to centralalabamatheater.eventbrite.com.

A18 • December 2016

Village Living

Open houses scheduled across Mountain Brook neighborhoods By LEXI COON

The holiday festivities will kick off with the English Village open house. Photo by Lexi Coon.

To highlight all the city has to offer, the city of Mountain Brook will once again be holding several open houses in December. The open houses, which feature the different neighborhoods in Mountain Brook, bring together the community and open the doors of local shops for people for the holidays, said Jennifer

Neil from the Chamber of Commerce, mentioning it’s a great way to get Christmas shopping done locally. English Village will kick off the start of the holiday season with its open house Nov. 30, followed by the annual Holiday Parade in Mountain Brook Village on Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. The parade will bring an entourage of local community members and, of course, the big guy himself, Santa.

The Mountain Brook community will be able to carry over its holiday spirits to Cahaba Village on Dec. 6 to participate in the neighborhood’s open house, which will be followed by the Crestline open house Dec. 8. The community’s festivities will close with the Mountain Brook Village open house Dec. 15. For more information or updates on the events, go to welcometomountainbrook.com.

67th annual Holiday House Tour offers peek at community’s ﬁnest architecture, décor IPC Holiday House Tour Locations ► Independent Presbyterian Church: 3100 Highland Ave. Birmingham, AL 35205 ► Carter Home: 3731 Montrose Road Mountain Brook, AL 35213 ► Hillegas Home: 4445 Clairmont Ave. Birmingham, AL 35222 ► Spotswood Home: 2749 Abingdon Road Mountain Brook, AL 35243 ► Vogtle Home: 2647 Abingdon Road Mountain Brook, AL 35243

James F. Carter, a well-known architect, will feature his home as part of the Holiday House Tour. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Cope.

By EMILY FEATHERSTON Independent Presbyterian Church is once again giving people a chance to get into the holiday spirit by touring some of the community’s ﬁnest architecture and decor. The annual Holiday House Tour is in its 67th year, and this year will feature four homes as well as the church itself. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 11, from 1-5 p.m. With just one ticket, visitors can tour all four homes, checking out each one’s individual style, design and holiday decorating. IPC, founded in 1915, will be decorated by church members and feature a Christmas tree in the Great Hall for the days of the tour. The homes featured belong to the Hillegases, Spotswoods, Laura and Jesse Vogtle, along with the home of James F. Carter, the renowned architect. Tickets for the tour cost $30 each, and sales beneﬁt Children’s Fresh Air Farm, The Open Door ministry and STAIR Reading Program. IPC’s Children’s Fresh Air Farm provides a

six-week summer program for underserved children in Birmingham, combining outdoor activity with classroom instruction to prevent “brain drain” over the summer months. The Open Door, also operated by IPC, provides adults in Kingston and north Avondale with free GED, literacy and English language classes. STAIR, founded in 2000, works to improve

reading skills in second-graders at Hayes K-8. Tickets are available for purchase online as well as in the church ofﬁce during regular business hours. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the event at the church or at one of the homes. For more information, visit ipc-usa.org/ holiday-home, or contact Honora Gathings at 933-1830 or hgathings@ipc-usa.org.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • A19

Mountain Brook volunteers seek to ﬁll Christmas stockings for cancer patients

A child meets Santa at last year’s Junior Women’s Committee Book Buddy Donation Party. Photo courtesy of Bronwynne Chapman.

By JESSE CHAMBERS Local volunteers — aided by the Mountain Brook fire and police departments — are seeking to brighten the holiday season for adult patients at the Bruno Cancer Center by filling 200 Christmas stockings. Community members can help by donating needed items such as lip balm, hand sanitizer, Kleenex packs, puzzle books, socks or knit caps, notepads and pens, peppermints, Goldfish crackers and ginger lozenges. They can drop off their donations at a drive-up tent at the Mountain Brook Police Department at 101 Tibbett St. in Crestline Village Dec. 1, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to organizer Stephanie Maxwell. The stockings are a nice gesture toward an often-overlooked group of people, according to Maxwell, who is also executive director of the Mountain Brook City Schools Volunteers at a stocking drop off in 2015. Photo Foundation. courtesy of Stephanie Maxwell. “Adult patients don’t always get the attention that pediatric patients get at Christmastime,” she said. “It’s a neat stockings in 2015, according to Maxwell. They should have 20 or 30 people helping little surprise for them.” Recipients are really touched, Maxwell said. this year, thanks to Police Chief Ted Cook. “He was instrumental in helping us get “They are often there by themselves or with one person, and they are certainly not expect- the partnership with (the police) and the fire ing to have someone walk in with a stocking,” department,” Maxwell said. Police volunteers will help stuff the stockshe said. The effort began locally by Maxwell and ings, and some of them will help deliver the her friend Kristin Rentz in 2014. They were stockings to the cancer center Dec. 15. “Everyone has been touched by cancer,” inspired by a similar initiative by Team Music Is Love, country singer Martina McBride’s ser- Cook said. “We all recognize that need.” For more information, call Maxwell at 414vice organization. With just a few other volunteers, they 0042 or look for the “Team Music Is Love donated 50 stockings the first year and 100 Stocking Project 2016” page on Facebook.

JWC of 100 hosting Book Buddy Party By LEXI COON In honor of the holidays, the Junior Women’s Committee of 100 will be hosting a meet and greet with Santa through a Book Buddy Donation Party. The JWC was founded in 1970 as a way to provide support for the children’s department at the Emmet O’Neal Library. Since its creation, the JWC has donated over $500,000 to the department, and hopes to continue their work through their Book Buddy program. In the program, a donor gives $100 to the Emmet O’Neal Library to purchase a “book buddy,” or a book purchased in honor of someone they love. A bookplate placed on the inside cover of the book dedicates it to the speciﬁed honoree, who is then notiﬁed through a letter. Donors who purchase a book buddy are invited to the Santa meet and greet at the

Emmet O’Neal Library on Dec. 6 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. “JWC of 100 wanted to help raise money for the children’s department [of the library] while offering fun activities, cookies and a chance to meet Santa,” said Bronwynne Chapman, former president of the JWC. “The party is a way for the JWC of 100 to say thank you for the donations.” The party will have games, crafts, hot chocolate, cookies and, of course, photo opportunities with the big guy himself. Proceeds from the event are given to the EOL children’s department to help purchase more books, computers, games and more. “This is a great opportunity to support the local children’s department and get your pictures made with Santa,” said Chapman. To doante, download the form at eolib.org/childrens-jwc100.php or visit the children’s department at the library.

A20 • December 2016

holiday gift guide

Village Living

For the

JEWELRY LOVER The Mazza Company Venetian Murano Glass Cameo and Sapphire Earrings $1975 Give someone special these classically elegant and striking earrings. Bromberg’s 2800 Cahaba Road 871-3276

For the

TRAVELER 21” Leather Carry-on Duffel in Tan $199.99 (regularly $335) Also available in 18” and 25” sizes. Free personalization and gift wrapping options.

For the

HOMESTYLE CHEF Pequea Valley Forge Alabama-shaped Bacon/Panini Press $45 Each piece is hand-forged, as unique as a fingerprint.

Rosenberger’s Birmingham Trunk 2712 19th St. S. 870-0971

For the

Alabama Goods 2933 18th St. S. 803-3900

FASHIONISTA Krewe “Breton” Polarized Aviator $295 Give a loved one these stylish sunglasses that can be used all year. JJ Eyes 2814 18th St. S. 703-8596

For the

STYLE GURU

True Grit Frosty Tipped Pullover $145 Throw on an extra cozy layer when cooler weather hits with True Grit pullovers at Alabama Outdoors.

Robin Haley Jewelry Sapphire Pendant Necklace $320 Robin Haley is a celebrated Nashville artisan with a style and spirit rooted in California. Give someone near and dear this unique pendant.

Alabama Outdoors 3054 Independence Drive 870-1919

Lamb’s Ears 70 Church Street 802-5700

COLD NATURED

For the

HOME DECORATOR Lifetime Candle by White River Designs $88.95 This candle will continue to look pretty year after year. The candles are filled with smokeless and odorless paraffin lamp oil and have fiberglass wicks that never need to be replaced. They make a beautiful, practical and sustainable gift. The Blue Willow 3930 Crosshaven Drive 968-0909

For the

VINTAGE CHICK Vintage Collar necklace in Matte Gold $89 Gift a classic look with this necklace that will never go out of style. Ex Voto Vintage 2402 Canterbury Road 538-7301

For the

COOK World’s Best Plastic Wrap & Dispenser by ChicWrap $12 Various designs to choose from. Parchment paper dispenser and refills also available. The Cook Store 2841 Cahaba Road 879-5277

For the

PAMPERED PERSON

PROFESSIONAL RELAXER

Fresh Milk Dusting Powder $9 Made with cornstarch. Talc free. After the bath, a light dusting of this body powder leaves skin fresh and delicately fragranced with a fresh scent.

Tequila Shot Glasses $12 each Each shot glass is made with 100 percent pink Himalayan salt. Pop into Alabama’s first salt aerosol therapy spa to pick up some for those in your life who like to relax.

Marguerite’s Conceits 2406 Canterbury Road 879-2730

Spiro Salt Room and Massage Therapy 2816 Culver Road 445-0448

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • A21

For the

CANDLE LOVER

For the

Hand-poured Soy Candles with Wooden Wicks

PICNIC-GOER Sovaro Cooler Starting at $495 A luxury cooler made in the USA with a natural cork insulation. Comes in white or black and three sizes to choose from.

$25 The holiday line from High Cotton Candle Company. The perfect gift for the perfect season.

Lucky Duck Gifts & More 2828 Culver Road 238-5056

High Cotton Candle Company highcottoncandleco.com

For the

LOVE OF YOUR LIFE For the

NATURAL BEAUTY Laurel Bassett brass cuff $148 Handmade with natural copper deposit. Town & County Clothes 74 Church Street 871-7909

14-karat Yellow Gold Textured Disk Earrings $750 Featuring round brilliant diamonds. Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers 2408 Canterbury Road 982-4888

For the

Stuffed Food and Animals by Squishable $20-42 Fun, plush and fuzzy toys for your little one to cuddle with.

Diamond Chokers/Bracelets $200-350 Give the girl who is always on-trend a versatile piece that can be worn as a necklace or bracelet.

LITTLE ONE

TRENDY WOMAN

B. Prince 271 Rele St. 871-1965

Swoop 2721 Cahaba Road 803-0886

For the

GIRL ON THE GO Linda Richards Key Fob $62 Real fur in your choice of colors. Village Poodle 2410 Canterbury Road 423-5443

For the

BAG LADY Remi & Reid Clutch with Removable trap $55 A beautiful and versatile piece available in berry, tan and navy. A’mano Gifts 281 Rele St. 871-9093

For the

FRAGRANCE OBSESSED For the

ANTIQUE LOVER Antique Carved Bread Board from England Starting at $185 Perfect for serving over the holidays. Great selection of various styles and sizes. Henhouse Antiques 1900 Cahaba Road 918-0505

Lampe Berger Essential Square Starter Kit $40 This kit comes with two fragrances. Bearden Designs 600 Olde English Lane, Suite 112 907-1835

holiday gift guide

A22 • December 2016

Village Living

For the

POWER NAPPER Malouf Shredded Gel Dough™ Pillow Sizes and prices vary Shredded Gel Dough™ clusters create a cooler, softer memory foam pillow that is breathable and moldable.

For the For the

ORGANIZER

Bedzzz Express bedzzzexpress.com

For the

PERSON ON THE GO S’well Bottle $49 Keeps beverages cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 hours. Many colors and styles to choose from. Table Matters 2402 Montevallo Road 879-0125

Karen Adams Designs 2017 Desk Calendar with Easel $62 Includes 12 6” square calendar months. Each month features a unique design. Christine’s on Canterbury 2404 Canterbury Road 871-8297

ART LOVER Susan Gordon Pottery Abstract Bowls $32-68 Assorted sizes are available. The bowls are food safe. Chickadee 3138 Cahaba Heights Road 969-3138

For the

BUSY HOMEOWNER For the

INTERIOR DECORATOR Quilt Stool $300 Handcrafted, one of a kind. Paige Albright Orientals 2814 Petticoat Lane 877-3232

The Maids Gift Certificate Any amount Give friends or family the gift of a clean home, worry-free. The Maids 871-9338 maids.com

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • A23

School House MBHS band prepares for Pearl Harbor anniversary By ERICA TECHO The trip of a lifetime starts Dec. 4 at 1:30 a.m. for Mountain Brook High School band members. That is when 92 students, staff, chaperones and parents leave for Hawaii and the Pearl Harbor 75th Commemoration. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you think about anniversaries such as this, the 75th is huge, but then you also take into account this is nearing the end of a lot of these veterans’ time and their ability to travel,” said MBHS band director Jason Smith. Students and faculty are preparing for a trip that is cultural, educational and musical, Smith said, with all of those aspects being equally important to the trip. They will get to see landmarks such as Diamond Head and visit the Dole plantation to learn about the industrialization of Hawaiian culture, but the trip also has inspired students to learn more

Tara Davis, Clementine Clingan, Elle Warren and Frances Scott are prepared to begin the Mystery Skype. Photo courtesy of Mary Evans.

about Pearl Harbor. “We’ve also found through all of this the educational value,” Smith said. “The kids have less of a connection with things that are related to Pearl Harbor or World War II because of the War on Terror and their direct interaction with those types of events. The kids are excited. They’re wanting this information. They want to learn about the events leading up to this and the causes.” The fact that MBHS will be able to perform at such a monumental event is the result of the “right place, right time, right community, right trip, right kids — you name it,” Smith said. He came to the school two years ago hoping to bring positive attention to the band, and this is the exact way to do it. The performance will be similar to a giant USO show, Smith said, including a group of 2,000 performers from the U.S. and Japan. In addition to the “mass band” MBHS will be a part of, there will be other performers with

ﬂags and other additions to the show. Since receiving the news they would be a part of the performance, Smith said their main focus has been preparations. Gathering instrument dimensions to prepare for shipping those items and fundraising to offset the overall cost of $250,000 has held excitement at bay, Smith said, but as it grows closer the anticipation grows as well. “We haven’t really had a chance to embrace it to its fullest,” Smith said. “I think as we get closer, the excitement begins to build.” He said the Mountain Brook community has been supportive of the trip and helped assist in fundraising over the last several months. “Everybody has embraced us and celebrated and asked how they could help,” Smith said. “We’ve had lots of donations and support.” MBHS will perform Dec. 7, and the event will be streamed live online. Check villagelivingonline.com for the link.

The MBHS Marching Band is performing at the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

Crestline class uses geography in Mystery Skype session Crestline Elementary third-grade teacher Tara Davis recently conducted a Mystery Skype activity with her class. Skype is a computer program that allows conversations with others around the world via webcam. In a Mystery Skype session, a call is received by another class, but neither class knows the location of the other. Using geography questions, students use maps and construct yes or no questions to ask the other class in order to determine their location ﬁrst. Davis found a third-grade teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Twitter who was willing to participate in the ﬁrst Mystery Skype. In this connected

learning experience, Davis’s students were assigned partners and roles ahead of time, such as greeters, question-choosers, question-askers, note takers and more. The students in the class collaborated silently during this session using a live Google doc on their Chromebooks. Critical thinking skills were applied as they all typed possible questions to ask the other class in response to the answers already given. The Mystery Skype was highly anticipated, engaging and fun for the entire class. Davis’s students are counting down the days until their next opportunity. – Submitted by Mary Evans.

A24 • December 2016

Village Living

MBJH teacher develops nationally recognized method

CBS’s gift wrap top fundraisers, from left: Christopher Brown, third grade; Luke Christopher, fifth grade; Reid Ramsbacher, fifth grade; Camp Forbus, fifth grade; and Chip Cowin, fifth grade. Photo courtesy of Christina Smith.

Cherokee Bend students raise funds for water fountain In a recent fundraising effort, approximately 90 percent of Cherokee Bend Elementary School students joined in to sell Charleston gift wrap to parents, families and friends, with a total of 3,807 items sold online. The sale was such a success that CBS will be able to purchase a new water fountain and outdoor tubular bottle ﬁlling station for the school’s recreational ﬁelds. The top fundraisers include Christopher Brown, Luke Christopher, Reid Ramsbacher, Camp Forbus and Chip Cowin. With the sale concluded for timely delivery for holiday items, anyone hoping to use the CBS code can do so through the rest of the year, and those purchases will support CBS. Go to charlestonwrapstore.com and enter code Z-10434. – Submitted by Christina Smith.

Pamela Pugh, a ninth-grade English teacher at Mountain Brook Junior High, wanted to help her students strengthen their ability to use the spoken word and become more engaged in the learning process. After researching and evaluating various teaching methods, Pugh developed the Socratic circle, a student-led discussion that focuses on polite debate supported by a thorough understanding of the topic being discussed. Students are provided a topic for discussion and each student is required to prepare textual support and openended questions. The students then participate in student-led discussion by asking and answering questions. The students take ownership of the class with limited involvement from Pugh. Pugh has discovered that by allowing students to lead the discussion, they are more prepared and invested in the process. The Alabama Department of Education observed the Socratic circle in action and took notice of the inventive and creative teaching method. This ultimately resulted in Pugh’s recognition at the national level

by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), a national organization that develops and delivers innovative programs, products and services that empower educators to support the success of each learner. The Socratic circle teaching method is included in the ASCD’s “Questioning for Classroom Discussion: Purposeful Speaking, Engaged Listening and Deep Thinking,” by Jackie Acree Walsh and Beth Dankert Sattes. The book evaluates how questioning and discussion are important components of classroom instruction in order to move students from passive participants to active meaning-makers. As a follow-up to the book, the ASCD will release a DVD in spring 2017 that will include one of Pugh’s ninth-grade English classes executing the Socratic circle. Pugh has taught ninth-grade English at MBJH since 2014. Prior to joining MBJH, Pugh taught English at Oak Mountain High School. – Submitted by Monica Sargent.

Families grabbed picnic spots to enjoy snacks and a movie. Photo courtesy of Christina Smith.

Cherokee Bend families, friends celebrate fall with 2016 Harvest Party Cherokee Bend Elementary School families and friends celebrated at the 2016 Harvest Party on Oct. 16 with an evening ﬁlled with carnival fun and gorgeous fall weather. Children enjoyed jump houses and obstacle courses, as well as traditional fall fun such as bobbing for

apples, pumpkin ring toss, face painting, corn hole and a cake walk. As dusk set in, families grabbed picnic spots on blankets and folding chairs to enjoy pizza, popcorn and candy at their ﬁrst outdoor movie showing of “Hotel Transylvania 2.” – Submitted by Christina Smith.

Voted

BEST OF MOUNTAIN BROOK Village Living Best Mexican Food

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December 2016 • A25

Q&A with MBJH teacher Adam Johnson, one of the Top 100 Flipped Learning teachers in the world Adam Johnson, a Mountain Brook Junior High math teacher, was recently named as one of the Top 100 Flipped Learning Global Initiative Educators and one of 50 Worldwide Flipped Global Ambassadors. According to this initiative, Johnson is one of the educators who “has set the standard high and is a master of flipping.” Q: What is the flipped classroom, and how long have you used it? A: The flipped classroom is an opportunity for students to view their lessons at home by watching a video, made by me with my voice explaining the concepts and presenting examples. Videos are both visual and auditory and can be rewatched, so this helps students who learn in different ways. The students then come the next day prepared to work problems in class. They are able to ask questions and get help with any challenges they have. The benefit of the flipped class is that it creates dedicated class time where students are able to engage with their teacher and peers in order to solve their work. I have been using the flipped classroom method for approximately 5 years. Q: How did you learn about the flipped classroom? A: My brother, who isn’t even an educator, made me aware of Kahn Academy. Exploring this led me to discover the pioneers of this flipped class method and to connect with them, specifically, Jon Bergmann. He challenged me to start making my own videos, which research has shown to be highly effective. He also helped me secure technology software that allows me to make the videos. Q: Tell us how you implemented this in your class: A: I spent one year gathering activities and games that made math engaging. Next, I spent another year developing and videoing my flipped lessons. In the third year, I put these two things together and was able to fully implement flipping my class.

Students at this year’s Brookwood Forest Ranger Run. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.

BWF celebrates strong character with Ranger Run MBJH teacher Adam Johnson works with a student during a Flipped Classroom lesson. Photo courtesy of Hayley Young.

Q: Do people do this with other subjects? A: Yes. Flipped learning works well with math and science because they are both taskdriven subjects that require practice, but it can work with any subject. There is a school system in Michigan that has used flipped learning with their entire K-12 system and has seen tremendous results. Q: Does it work for everyone? A: Flipped learning works for most, but sometimes I have a student who doesn’t prefer this type of learning. I am willing to work with this student, and the flipped class allows me the time in class to help all students no matter how they learn best ― through flipped learning or traditional methods. Q: Tell us about being named to these positions. A: The Flipped Global Initiative is a newly

formed organization that was created to support the successful adoption and implementation of the flipped learning model around the world. I am honored to be named to both Top 100 Flipped Learning Global Initiative Educators and one of 50 Worldwide Flipped Global Ambassadors. I am also now certified in flipped teaching. Q: What do you like about MBJH? A: I am grateful to be working in this school system. Community is felt everywhere you go here. I have great colleagues who bring their A game on a regular basis. I enjoy working with students who are driven, passionate and are all about doing what is expected of them. I also receive great support from these students’ families. All of these things combined make this a wonderful place to work. – Submitted by Hayley Young.

Brookwood Forest Elementary held its annual Ranger Run on Friday, Sept. 30. Students were cheered on by staff, parents and family. Each grade had a designated time to run through a marked obstacle course on the Ranger Fields before cooling off in the auditorium decorated as a glow room. The celebration kicked off Friday, Sept. 23. The students and staff were led through the halls by the Mountain Brook High School band and through Ranger Alley on the way to a Ranger Rally in the gym. The students spent the week leading up to the run focusing on speciﬁc character traits each day in order to be “Ranger Ready.” Those traits include: Be True to Yourself, Show Empathy, Use Self Control and Be Trustworthy. Each day, the students dressed up to represent the theme of that day. The run was the culmination of a week spent celebrating what it means to be a Ranger. The kids had an amazing time. – Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.

A26 • December 2016

Village Living

State Rep. David Faulkner visits Crestline Elementary School Meg Krawczyk, Morgan Cook, Rep. David Faulkner, Laurie King and Lee Alice Estes pose after discussing education at Crestline Elementary School. Photo courtesy of Mary Evans.

State Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, recently visited Crestline Elementary School to bring a donation and speak to the PTO Board. Faulkner represents Mountain Brook, Homewood and Hoover in the Alabama House of Representatives. Faulkner’s dedication to education in his district is evident. He was appointed to the Alabama Children’s Cabinet in 2016 to look

at all of the issues facing the children of Alabama and make recommendations to the executive and legislative branches. His favorite part of his job is when fourth-graders from his district visit the Capitol in Montgomery. Faulkner takes the children to the House Chambers and allows them to vote to extend summer. He said this bill always passes. – Submitted by Mary Evans.

BWF 5th-graders spend 4 days at Camp McDowell Fifth-grade students at Brookwood Forest Elementary made their annual trek to Camp McDowell during the week of Oct. 24 for a four-day trip. They were accompanied by ﬁfthgrade teachers, faculty members and several parents. Students learned about local ecology and environmental sciences. After each meal, students weighed their uneaten food to determine the amount of food waste and were encouraged to decrease the amount each day.

Students also learned about compass skills, outdoor survival skills and geological identiﬁcation skills. The night hike, walking on the suspended bridge and canoeing were highlights of the trip. Encounters with wild life and lessons regarding endangered species were part of the curriculum. The ﬁfth-grade teachers at BWF are Jennifer Williams, Carla Dudley, Tiffany Marron and Jolie Welner. – Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.

Mountain Brook Elementary sixth-grade writers Jack Earnhardt and Angelena Manova hold copies of the new school paper, The Parchment. Photo courtesy of Katie Morrow.

Elementary students create school newspaper Mountain Brook Elementary is proud to announce the publishing of its new school newspaper, The Parchment. The monthly paper is produced by 10 sixthgrade students who are part of the newest branch of the student leadership group, the Lancer League. After submitting applications, the student writers were hand-selected by their faculty adviser, Elisabeth Rohlfs-Hill. “As the language arts teacher, I feel strongly about having a school newspaper to give students an opportunity to write for a wide audience about topics they ﬁnd interesting,” Rohlfs-Hill said. “The sixth-grade staff writers generate all the copy for the paper. They work together as a team, brainstorming the articles for each edition, conducting interviews and writing, meeting publication deadlines and distributing hard copies of the

paper by hand to their peers and teachers. It affords a tremendous exercise in leadership and an introduction to the basics of journalism.” The first issue of The Parchment was distributed in September and in the words of sixth-grade staff writer Angelena Manova, “My friends had been asking and asking about when the first copy was going to come out. We were all so excited.” Some of the featured columns include new teacher spotlights, short fiction pieces, book reviews, sports updates, school events and original cartoons. In addition to staff articles, The Parchment holds a monthly writing contest that is open to the entire school, and the winning entries are printed. – Submitted by Katie Morrow.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • A27

MBHS sticks to core principles in first 50 years By ERICA TECHO Mountain Brook High School is celebrating 50 years of Spartans during the school year. The school, founded in 1966, has grown in student population, building size and number of activities, but some qualities have remained consistent over the last half century. “I think it’s interesting that the foundation of who Mountain Brook High School is has not changed over the last 50 years,” said MBHS Principal Amanda Hood. “We went back and in our reflections of the last 50 years … (and) were able to put our hands on the original statement of philosophy for Mountain Brook High School.” That statement held the same principles practiced today, Hood said, including supporting student voice and ownership, providing an academically focused education and having available extracurricular options. “As I read through this, it almost moved me to tears because it is where we are, and the original faculty that really began the trajectory for this school set us on a course that was visionary and really understood what it takes to prepare students to be successful, not just in college but in life,” Hood said. Don Lytle, one of the original faculty members and now a substitute teacher, started his teaching career at MBHS in 1966. In 50 years, Lytle said he has seen changes in technology and building structure, but the core areas of focus remain the same — as do the core desires of students. “They really want the same thing that they wanted 50 years ago,” Lytle said. “They want teachers to be interested in them, teachers to be competent in their field. They want us to answer them fairly, treat them fairly. They want to feel that we care about them, which we definitely do.” During his teaching career, Lytle has taught the grandchildren of some of his former students as well as some of his coworkers. As those classes of students have come through the school, Lytle said he is proud to see the principles original faculty members focused on remain strong. “The continuity of the content in that [statement], I think, speaks to that we got it right, and we continue to hire people who understand what it is that Mountain Brook High School is all about,” Lytle said. School officials said they hope to honor those founding faculty members and MBHS’s history during their 50th anniversary celebration, Hood said. As they have researched the school’s beginning, she said a continuous thread of community-school partnerships can be seen.

MBHS celebrated its 50th anniversary during homecoming week, but there are more celebrations set to take place. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

“We also know this is a unique community that values our schools and values education, and many of our parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles are rooted here in this place,” Hood said. “Our paths have each crossed because of Mountain Brook High School.” Celebration programs have included honoring the ﬁrst homecoming queen during the 50th homecoming game, opening a “vault” of memorabilia in the mall of the school and celebrating the 51st Miss Olympian. They also plan to honor former faculty at a luncheon in February.

“It’s a privilege to be able to connect with all the people who came before us,” Hood said. As the school reﬂects on its history, Lytle said they are taking an important step toward a strong future. “I appreciate Mrs. Hood and the rest of the people that have been involved in this wanting to honor 50 years of history at Mountain Brook, because I think we have something special here,” he said, “and I think it’s really important for us to remember that we have something special because then we can continue it.”

A28 • December 2016

Village Living

Fall Boo Bash brings spooky fun to MBE Families of Mountain Brook Elementary came together for an afternoon of spooky fun on Sunday, Oct. 23. Adults and kids of all ages soaked up the beautiful weather, bid at the silent auction and enjoyed carnival activities. Some of the most popular kid attractions included the pie toss, dunking booth and face painting stations. Kids repeatedly toured the “McCombs Manor” haunted house that was run by sixth-graders.

The MBHS a cappella chorus and MBHS color guard performed, as well as a DJ. Many happy children won a new pet goldﬁsh at the ping-pong toss. Parents enjoyed bidding on fantastic themed baskets and on-campus activities like “Principal for a Day.” The fun-ﬁlled afternoon concluded with a costume contest and announcement of the auction winners. – Submitted by Katie Morrow.

MBE second-grader Cate Axon has fun at the Boo Bash with Principal McCombs and Vice Principal Aaron. Photo by Kimberly Powell

CES students visit Alabama State House Crestline Elementary School fourth-graders had the chance to visit the Alabama State House in Montgomery during the month of October. The fourth-graders were led by CES teacher Sally Baker, and during their trip the students met Rep. David Faulkner. Faulkner is the state representative for Mountain Brook and surrounding areas and said he enjoyed the students’ visit.

“They were a great group and answered all my questions, and no surprise, passed my bill to extend summer,” Faulkner said. When fourth-graders come visit Montgomery, Faulkner allows them to vote on a house bill regarding the length of summer, and the students are able to sit on the house ﬂoor while casting their votes. – Submitted by David Faulkner.

Crestline Elementary School fourth-graders outside of the State House in Montgomery. Photo courtesy of David Faulkner.

VillageLivingOnline.com WATFORD

CONTINUED from page A1 Yet, the Spartans have sophomore Trendon Watford, currently the No. 3 player in ESPN’s Class of 2019 rankings. Today, Mountain Brook’s basketball program under head coach Bucky McMillan is one of the premier entities in Alabama high school athletics, one that catches the eye of some of the top college coaches in the country. “Nobody ever probably fathomed Mountain Brook could have that much success, and now you have the top (Division 1) coaches here recruiting Mountain Brook players,” McMillan said. Trendon Watford is the one most coaches have their eye on, for good reason. He’s already 6-foot-8 and is still growing, but possesses adept ball skills and the ability to shoot the ball from the outside, making him dangerous from all areas of the court. “Trendon is extremely skilled for his size,” said Garrett Tucker, a HoopSeen writer and talent evaluator. “Most kids his age can’t shoot or handle it like he can. That’s what is so impressive about him. He has a well-rounded overall game and a skill set that complements his basketball IQ so well.” His ability caught the attention of University of Kentucky coach John Calipari, who showed up at Mountain Brook in late September along with Auburn coach Bruce Pearl to not see Watford practice, but to simply play pickup basketball. “That was big time,” Trendon Watford said. “That was my ﬁrst time for coach Cal to actually see me play. (Pearl) had already offered me a couple months before he came here.” Calipari knew of Trendon Watford from recruiting his older brother, Christian Watford, several years ago while Calipari was the coach at

December 2016 • A29 Trendon Watford already has been to a Nike Elite 100 camp, a Chris Paul camp and went to Colorado Springs in October to participate in a USA Basketball junior camp. Photo by Todd Lester.

Memphis and Christian Watford a student-athlete at Shades Valley High School. Christian Watford ultimately chose to attend Indiana University and created one of the program’s most iconic moments in the past decade with his game-winning shot against Calipari’s Kentucky team in 2011. Christian Watford was also one of the top recruits in the country — No. 26 in the ESPNU Top 100 — coming out of high school, and Trendon Watford has learned a great deal from his brother’s experiences. “My brother tells me everything about it,” Trendon Watford said. That experience also extends to the Watford family as a whole, who are not taken aback by the attention Trendon Watford has begun to receive. “My family just keeps me down,” Trendon Watford said. “I stay humble throughout the process. Stay humble and be thankful for it.” Those are not comments from a

guy merely attempting to say the right things at the right time. McMillan sees Trendon Watford epitomize that attitude day-in and day-out. “He’s really grounded with that,” McMillan said. “He went through that with his brother. More than anybody else I know, he doesn’t let that affect him.” Last season was Trendon Watford’s first at Mountain Brook, as he starred on the varsity squad as a ninth-grader after transferring in from Shades Valley. The season ended prematurely for the Spartans, as they fell to Gadsden City in the Class 7A Northeast Regional semifinals on a last-second shot. Trendon Watford wasted no time hanging his head. “Trendon started the next day (with his offseason training),” McMillan said. “He knew he had to be able to play more minutes.” Trendon Watford got stronger and has paired his finesse style of play

with the ability to power through contact and ﬁnish at the rim, along with improving his conditioning. McMillan emphasizes forming the right habits as individuals and as a team in the preseason. Those formed habits manifest themselves as a team progresses through the season. “If you look at mistakes made in the game, I don’t think it was a result of making just that mistake in the game, it was habits not formed on Day 1,” he said. At times last year, Trendon Watford’s demeanor on the court would too closely resemble his cool nature off the ﬂoor. That has certainly not been the case this year, as he has stepped into a greater leadership role. “He has more of a demand on his teammates,” McMillan said. “He’s grinding more now. He understands his personality is going to be the team’s personality.” That is not to say that his on-court and everyday personalities clash.

Trendon Watford is the embodiment of the “be yourself” mantra, according to his coach. “Trendon is always himself,” McMillan said. “That’s a good thing for anybody to learn. Be yourself. So many people try to project an image of something they’re not. The happiest people are the ones that are themselves.” That attitude is one of the quickest ways to gain the respect of teammates, something that McMillan said Trendon Watford has accomplished quickly. “They really respond to him because they know Trendon’s not a look-cool, egotistical guy, but he loves his teammates,” McMillan said. Trendon Watford’s college days are still a few years away. In the meantime, he is hoping to grow a couple more inches and would likely play multiple positions as a player with the ability to stretch the ﬂoor. “He’s bigger than most wings, but on the other hand, he’s a lot quicker and can get by post players easily. It’s a ‘pick your poison’ deal,” Tucker said. Trendon Watford also has formed a bond with DeMarcus Cousins, who spent time with Christian Watford in their prep days, notably at ClayChalkville High School in 2007. “Just dominate. Don’t take plays off,” Trendon Watford said of Cousins’ message to him. Trendon Watford already has been to a Nike Elite 100 camp, a Chris Paul camp and went to Colorado Springs in October to participate in a USA Basketball junior camp. That list is the tip of the iceberg of things he will have done by the time his high school career comes to a conclusion. He said hopes to establish a legacy as one of Mountain Brook’s ﬁnest. “(I want to be remembered as) one of the best to ever do it,” Trendon Watford said.

A30 • December 2016

Village Living

WINDOWS

CONTINUED from page A1 husband previously worked on special effects for Sylvester Stalone movies and worked on computerizing figures, much like the Santa that Howell and Roberts purchased. Now, that Santa plays the fiddle and his elves dance to his music in one of the store windows every Christmas, and they are accompanied by another display of snow-covered birch trees with red cardinals sitting on their branches. “It’s just a comforting display,” said Howell, elaborating that many look for the birds during the holidays for spiritual reasons. The first year that the sisters created their display, they tried to complete everything while Lamb’s Ears was open, which took nearly three weeks. But now that they close their store for three days, everything is done the weekend that the shop is closed, totaling to over 30 hours of work. “It’s fun, but it has a purpose,” said Howell. “You know, Elizabeth and I run a business. We don’t do this as a hobby.” While most of the development of the display took place their first year, both agreed that they think about what they want far in advance. Because the window serves as entertainment and gives a glimpse into their merchandise, that planning starts the January before. “The windows are always a challenge, but something we always work hard to make beautiful,” said Howell. And they’re something that the community seems to enjoy. Some mornings, Howell and Roberts have come in to find nose prints and hand prints of young Mountain Brook residents dotting their windows. “They’re so excited about it, it’s really cute,” said Roberts. Even though the window displays might take a lot of work, the customer feedback and community reactions make it all worth it. “If we didn’t love it, we wouldn’t do it because it is a lot of work,” said Howell.

A’MANO

Lynn Ritchie’s store, A’mano, breathes creativity. It’s a store that’s constantly changing,

Mountain Brook residents enjoy the window display at Lamb’s Ears. Photos by Lexi Coon.

but always staying true to its description: considered objects for an artful life. After moving to their new location in Lane Parke, the store has evolved once again, and with it, their holiday window display. “Our store has become more of a gallery than it has in the past,” said Ritchie. Shoppers are greeted with specialty gifts, artwork, handmade jewelry and a unique selection of books. She started decorating her storefront years ago to bring people into her store and to match the energy of the holidays. “I think [the displays are] just very festive,” she said, mentioning that she wanted

her displays to add to the existing beauty of Mountain Brook. But with a new store location, Ritchie is faced with new challenges: a lack of a raised display. Because the window display is level with the shop, Ritchie wants to incorporate her holiday display with the store itself. “It’s made it a little more challenging just because we don’t have actual window boxes that we ﬁll,” she said. “So the actual window displays will be a part of the store.” Ritchie and her team begin planning for their holiday display a few months in advance, but the new location has required

a little more thinking. “We always try to incorporate some of our merchandise in the window, but this time, it may just be a really wonderful scene to be enjoyed from the inside or outside,” she said. This year, to cope with the difﬁculty of a missing a designated space for a window display, Ritchie and A’mano’s Director of Marketing, Kirby Whitehead, added more abstract elements that can be seen both inside and outside the store. While many families nowadays purchase real or fake trees to decorate for the holidays, historically there was a time when some couldn’t

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December 2016 • A31 Left: Emma Harms from Lamb’s Ears adjusts the fake snow that lines one of their two window displays. Below: Lynn Ritchie, the owner of A’mano, works on the store’s window display.

afford the luxury of a tree, Ritchie said. Instead, the families used ladders and decorated them as if they were trees. In a display reminiscent of those times, Ritchie and Whitehead worked together to incorporate a little bit of history by using three different sized ladders in their window to represent trees. During the few nights that she and her team worked on the display before the holidays, they hoped to put “contemporary twist” on their display to be a reﬂection of A’mano and its evolution.

“And that’s more of a challenge now that I’ve said it,” Ritchie said. Visitors can see the connection through the white-painted ladders and the oversized, glassblown festive ornament hanging from the main ladder. The extra time put into planning and work doesn’t mean it was any more of a chore for her, though. “It’s the best part of the job. I should have been a window dresser,” she said. “I hope each year we become more creative and hopefully somebody is downloading our displays on Pinterest.”

Village Living

SECTION

B DECEMBER 2016

Community B4 Sports B16 Opinion B27 Calendar B30

GOING THE

DISTANCE

Mountain Brook local cycles 586 miles with Pedal for Patriots By LEXI COON

o matter how you look at it, 586 miles is a long distance to cover. Flying is doable, and even driving sounds ﬁne, by when you think about biking it, the task seems almost too daunting to complete. Unless, of course, you’re a part of the Pedal for Patriots team. Created by Atlanta resident Christian Fitzgerald in 2012, Pedal for Patriots is a team of cyclists that raises money to support the Navy SEALs Foundation by biking from Atlanta to the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida. But the catch is that none of the riders is — or was — a Navy SEAL. “There really is no connection for any of this,” said Mountain Brook resident and Pedal for Patriots participant Shannon Diddell. He and Fitzgerald met through their wives after they connected at Ole Miss when he still lived in Atlanta. Fitzgerald, who founded the famed backyard-chef’s grill The Orion Cooker, created the ride in support of one of his customers, who is a SEAL. Due to the cooker’s “cult following” and social media reach, support for the ride quickly grew, and Diddell joined in to support his friend. “Once [people] learn what the Navy SEAL Foundation does for the SEALs and their families, it is a pretty easy sell

Mountain Brook resident Shannon Diddell bikes hundreds of miles with the Pedal for Patriots group each year. Photo by Lexi Coon.

really to get them to join the ride,” Fitzgerald said. SEALs are some of the ﬁrst members of our military sent to the front line, and although they are the elite, they are not invincible. They also spend an average of 270 days a year away from their families, which can put huge ﬁnancial and emotional strains on the families involved. “The divorce rate is pretty high in that category, too, and that’s another thing to make sure that those families are

supported,” Diddell said. Through Pedal for Patriots, team members hope to help SEAL families ﬁnancially and morally by reaching their goal to give $50,000 to the foundation this year in addition to the collective $150,000 the team already has given from past

See DISTANCE | page B29

B2 â&#x20AC;˘ December 2016

Village Living

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December 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B3

B4 • December 2016

Village Living

Community Mountain Brook grad creates sculpture to honor fallen US Marine By JON ANDERSON A 23-year-old alumnus of Mountain Brook High School was the sculptor for a bronze bust of a fallen U.S. soldier unveiled recently at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover. Bryce Martinez, who graduated in 2012 and now lives in Irondale while he ﬁnishes his senior year as an art student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, received a presidential summer research scholarship that paid for him to create the bust. The piece, which weighs nearly 100 pounds, is a likeness of Thomas Rivers, a Marine from Hoover who died in Afghanistan in April 2010 at the age of 22. Martinez said he spent several months working on the bust this summer and fall and said it was his largest undertaking yet. “It was a great learning experience for professional practices and working with this medium,” he said. He met several times with Rivers’ mother, Charon Rivers, to make sure the bust resembled her son as closely as possible. “That was the most important part of the project: getting the likeness correct,” Martinez said. “It was a real demanding project, but it was very much worth it.” Rivers’ parents said Martinez put a lot of work into the bust and did a wonderful job with it. It was one of two busts unveiled Nov. 7 at Aldridge Gardens along with a new Veterans Memorial Arbor that stretches across the dam at the gardens. The other was of Ryan Winslow, a 19-year-old Marine from Hoover who was killed in Iraq in April 2006. George and Marynell Winslow, the parents of Ryan Winslow, said their son’s bust was provided not long after his death through a “Bronzes of the Brave” project led by Sam Patterson of Memphis. However, they’ve never really had a

Bryce Martinez, a 23-year-old who graduated from Mountain Brook High School in 2012 and now is a senior art student at the UAB (at left), stands with a bronze bust he made of Thomas Rivers, a U.S. Marine from Hoover who was killed in Afghanistan in April 2010 at the age of 22. Here, Martinez is joined by Rivers’ parents, Tom and Charon Rivers, and sister, Rachel Walters. Photo by Jon Anderson.

good place to display it, George Winslow said. “It’s been in Ryan’s room, sitting on a table for nine years,” he said. A third bronze bust is being created to honor Andrew Hand, another Hoover resident who

was killed in Afghanistan in July 2010. It is being created by a retired Marine colonel in Tuscaloosa, Lee Busby, and should be cast in December, Davis said. Rivers’ father, Tom Rivers, said projects such

as the bronze busts and the Veterans Memorial Arbor give hope for the future of the United States. More than 200 people were at the Nov. 7 ceremony at Aldridge.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • B5

Chamber welcomes new project manager The Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce welcomes Molly Wallace as its new project manager. A native of Montgomery, Wallace attended Furman University and comes to the chamber with a background in various nonprofits. Many locals may recognize Wallace from her previous role as assistant director at Camp Skyline in Mentone, in which she recruited new camp families and hired summer staff members. “I have given many a camp presentation in this neck of the woods, and I have welcomed many Mountain Brook families to the camp office on opening day,” Wallace said. A longtime community event enthusiast, Wallace is thrilled to combine her administrative and interpersonal skills with her love for all things local. As project manager, Wallace will partner with Executive Director Suzan Doidge to present community events like the Annual Holiday Parade and Village To Village 10K as well as networking and educational events to promote business development. Additionally, she Molly Wallace is originally from Montgomery, and she joined the chamber as its new Project Manager will assist in marketing efforts on in October. Photo by Erica Techo. behalf of the city of Mountain Brook and chamber members. lait from Continental Bakery, a flower arrange- the Tot Lot or Emmet O’ Neal, waving at the “On any given work day, you may find Suzan ment from Oak Street Garden Shop, or a piece fire trucks, grabbing a casual dinner with family and I in a Village Merchant Meeting in the of chocolate cake from Olexa’s.” or friends, and going to bed extremely early,” morning, followed by a midday sponsorship Wallace is married to Carter Wallace, a pedi- Wallace said. pitch for an upcoming event, and then closing atric resident at UAB, and they are parents to If you have any questions for Molly or want our day out with a ribbon cutting or networking Anna Wells, age 16 months. to say hello, please contact her at molly@welopportunity,” said Wallace. “Don’t blink an eye “On any given non-work day, you may find cometomountainbrook.com. if you’re trying to catch us. If you do catch up me with my sweet family grabbing a cup of – Submitted by Mountain Brook Chamber with me, however, please bring along a cafe au coffee, walking the Jemison trail, playing at of Commerce.

Mountain Brook Athletics Team Store launches online The Mountain Brook Athletics Team Store is ofﬁcially up and running online. The store sells athletic apparel from popular brands such as Nike and Under Armor as well as other companies, and the apparel features the Mountain Brook Athletics logo. The logo was designed by Anna Littleton, a former participant in Mountain Brook Athletics recreation leagues and current track team member at Mountain Brook High School. Sales from the online store will beneﬁt Mountain Brook Athletics, with a small portion of each sale going toward new equipment and facility upgrades as needed. Mountain Brook Athletics aims to provide children with positive, safe and enjoyable youth sports experiences, according to its website. The store can be accessed from the “Quick Links” section on the Mountain Brook Athletics website. For more information go to mbathletics. org. – Submitted by Mountain Brook Athletics.

B6 • December 2016

Village Living

Britton Johnson earns Eagle Scout Britton Johnson. Photo courtesy of Troop 63.

Front, from left to right: Lindsay Grant, Elizabeth Stewart, Tina Mills, Stephanie Terry, Ashley Roe. Back, from left to right: Tammy Woodham, Samantha Peters, Marie Bateh, Lisa Shelby, Ashley Raggio, Michele Morris, Jaimie Livingston, Amy Sanford, Greg Howe. Photo courtesy of Tamarh Strauss.

Terry’s team excels at USTA national championships Joseph Britton Johnson, Jr. earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Vulcan District Eagle Board on July 14, 2016. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 63 at Canterbury United Methodist Church, formerly under the leadership of Russ Carothers. A Court of Honor ceremony was held on August 14 to recognize Johnson’s achievements. For his Eagle Scout Project, Johnson built a series of benches at Crestline Elementary, his alma mater, to create an outdoor learning area. He named the area The Jerome Lewis Outdoor Classroom, in memory of Crestline’s beloved janitor and 2016 National Janitor of the Year, Mr. Jerome Lewis, who passed away from cancer while Johnson was completing his project.

Johnson earned 23 merit badges and had 24 camping nights. Within the troop, he held the positions of Patrol Leader, Senior Assistant Patrol Leader, and Den Chief. Johnson is a junior at Mountain Brook High School, where he plays varsity basketball and is a member of the Interact Club. He is involved In BigTime Ministries and is an active member of his church youth group at Canterbury United Methodist Church. Johnson is the son of Amanda and Jay Johnson of Mountain Brook. He is the grandson of Dr. and Mrs. Ellison Conrad of Abingdon, Virginia, and Mr. and Mrs. Dick Mason of Jackson, Mississippi. – Submitted by Troop 63.

Stephanie Terry of Mountain Brook recently helped her United States Tennis Association team to second place at the USTA League Adult 18 & over 3.5 national championships. The women’s team placed second in the tournament held at the Mobile Tennis Center, with the team falling to a team from Seattle, 3-2, in the championship match. To reach the championship, the ladies defeated a team from San Francisco, 4-1. Other team members include Ashley Raggio, Samantha Peters, Marie Bateh, Tina Mills, Amy Sanford, Lindsay Grant, Jaimie Livingston, Kristin Golden, Elizabeth Stewart, Dina Owobu, Stephanie Terry, Edith Pearson, Tammy Woodham, Sophia Watkins, Lisa Shelby and Ashley Roe. The team plays at the Birmingham Tennis Center. – Submitted by Tamarah Strauss.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • B7

Coronets hold fall dance

Shirley and Roy Evans at the Coronets’ fall dance. Photos courtesy of Carolyn Edge.

The Coronets Dance Club recently held its fall dance. The theme for the black tie event held in the ballroom at Vestavia Country Club was “Under The Moonlight.” Coronets Dance Club Dance Chairman Carol Powell planned the event, and her husband, Phillip Powell, was also in attendance. Carol Powell was assisted by Edna Alderman and Jackie Webb, and their husbands, Ken Alderman and Rex Webb, were also in attendance. A large group enjoyed cocktails, dinner and dancing to the music of “Just Friends” orchestra. President Nancy Becker was escorted by Dr. Don Englebert and introduced new members Glenda Jones with Ron; Cheree Carlton with Eric; Phyllis Davis with Thomas; Patricia Clay with Norman. Other members attending were Redonda and

Lowell Broom; Carolyn and Jim Delk; Patti and Wynn Echols; Cindy and Tom Edmonds; Shirley and Roy Evans; Nelle and Clyde Freeman; Clarice and Dr. Sydney Gibbs; Virginia and John Golightly; Linda and Mike Gooldrup; Cheryl and Bob Hardwick; Marsha and Don Hire; Dianne and Richard Horn; Sheila and Bill Horne; Margaret and Dr. Bill Howell; Rusty and Don Kirkpatrick; Nell Larson and Russell Kilgore; Joanne and Art McConnell; Betty and Malcolm Miller; Cile and Gus Miller; Shirley and Howard Palmes; Dena and Wallace Parker; Faye Richards; Evelyn and Bill Ringler; Sally and Dr. Bob Stanley; Cynthia and Steve Tilghman; Phyllis and Roye Tinsley; Karen and Tommy Tucker; Shelley and Steve Watkins; Joy and Steve Wilkes. – Submitted by Carolyn Edge.

Coronets Dance Club president Nancy Becker and Edna Alterman at the Coronets’ fall dance.

Haskins Williams achieves Eagle Scout rank Haskins Williams Jones, Jr., of Mountain Brook, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in a Court of Honor on October 23, 2016. As a member of Troop 63 at Canterbury United Methodist Church, Jones earned 21 merit badges, served in leadership positions, and participated in service projects. For his Eagle Scout leadership project, Jones built a fence and gate around a playground at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in the Titusville neighborhood of Birmingham, providing a safe, enclosed area for the children of the church and community. The project took 185 hours to complete and used a total of 27 workers. Jones raised more funds than were needed for his project and was able to make a sizeable donation of the excess to St. Mark’s. Jones is a junior at Mountain Brook High School, where he plays on the varsity tennis team and participates in school clubs. He is a member of St. Mary’s-on-the-Highlands Episcopal Church. He is the son of Ann and Haskins Jones and is the grandson of Mrs. Carlisle Jones and the late Mr. Jones, and Mr. and Mrs. Newell Witherspoon.

Williams

B8 • December 2016

Village Living

‘Tis the season for donations By ALYX CHANDLER

Tree. Operation Christmas Child is an international relief program run by the Samaritan’s Purse organization. Monetary contributions and gift donations are accepted during business hours. Call the church at 967-5037 with any questions.

This holiday season, churches and groups in the Mountain Brook area are mixing it up to celebrate the season with both new and traditional ways of giving back to the community. The churches all have different focuses, spanning from traditional local efforts to statewide nonproﬁts to international partnerships beneﬁtting children and families in need. If anyone in the Mountain Brook or Birmingham communities is looking for a local outlet to contribute holiday gifts, needed household items or monetary donations, check the list of churches below to see what which churches are accepting this year.

MOUNTAIN BROOK COMMUNITY CHURCH

The church is participating in Operation Christmas Child and collecting items for shoeboxes through Nov. 21. Interested donors with any questions can call the church at 802-7070.

SHADES VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN

BROOKWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH

This year Brookwood Baptist Church is packing up Christmas presents and needed items to send to the military and staff of an Afghanistan hospital for Christmas. It sent items on Nov. 15, and anyone in the community is encouraged to mail or drop off a monetary donation during business hours. The church is also participating in Backpack Buddies, a program that helps provide food for children that need it on the weekends. Call the church at 967-0441 with any questions.

CRESTLINE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN

This year Crestline Cumberland Presbyterian is participating in a backpack program called Loaves and Fishes through Feeding America. The program focuses on making sure children

Several Mountain Brook churches are collecting donations for those in need. Mountain Brook Community Church and Mountain Brook Presbyterian are collecting donations for Operation Christmas Child, an international relief program. Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse.

have enough food to be fed on the weekends. Donations can be made by dropping a check off to the church. Call the church at 879-6001 with any questions.

be easiest if people can just make a monetary donation. Donations can be mailed or delivered during business hours. Call the church at 871-0331.

MOUNTAIN BROOK BAPTIST CHURCH

MOUNTAIN BROOK PRESBYTERIAN

The church will have an angel tree and is also donating shoe boxes to Perry County. The boxes will be ﬁlled with gifts, but it will

Mountain Brook Presbyterian participates in Operation Christmas Child, where church members pack shoeboxes with gifts for children for Christmas, as well as a church-wide Angel

Every year special donations are taken up for buying bicycles for the Greater Birmingham Ministries. Contributions will be taken until Nov. 20, when the bikes will be purchased, assembled and delivered. The community is encouraged to mail donations or drop them off as a check with the memo reading “Bikes.” Call the number 871-7309, extension 3 with any questions.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CATHOLIC CHURCH

Each year, the church participates in The Sharing Tree, which is essentially an angel tree program where people are encouraged to take an ornament, which will have a child’s age or gift suggestion, and then buy the gift and return it wrapped to under the tree by Dec. 17. The Sharing Tree can be found in the church foyer. Any questions can be directed to the church ofﬁce at 871-1153.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • B9

Mountain Brook Tree Commission to help recycle Christmas trees

Anyone who wants to recycle their Christmas tree this year can drop it off at the picnic area by the Birmingham Zoo parking lot. The trees will be used to make mulch for around the zoo. Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO Instead of letting their Christmas trees waste away on the curb, Mountain Brook residents can put them to better use. As in years past, the Mountain Brook Tree Commission has organized a tree recycling program, where bare Christmas trees can be dropped off at the Birmingham Zoo. Those trees will then be made into mulch to use around the zoo as well in farms and populate area lakes and help attract ﬁsh. Noelle Thrasher, a member of the Leadership Mountain Brook Tree Commission Committee, said she encourages people to drop off their trees “because it has good use and it’s

[otherwise] just sitting at your house.” While the Christmas tree recycling program typically has a lot of participants, the Mountain Brook Tree Commission hopes to get more people to drop off their trees this year. Trees can be dropped off between Dec. 27 and Jan. 9 during normal business hours. The drop-off spot will be in the zoo’s picnic area near the parking lot. It is important that trees are bare — no decorations, lights, garland or stands — to make the recycling process easier. For more information on the project, visit mtnbrook.org and click “Tree Commission” in the left hand panel.

A red fox seems to smile after receiving its enrichment gift at the Birmingham Zoo. Photo courtesy of Birmingham Zoo.

Zoo animals in for special treats By LEXI COON Animals might not personally celebrate the holidays, but they know when they’re getting something special. The Birmingham Zoo will be giving some of the animals in its exhibits Christmas presents this December in honor of the holidays. The presents, which contain special enrichments, are typically given throughout October and November as well, but are themed and wrapped in December. “As part of the animals’ diets, they receive enrichments each day,” said Kiki NolenSchmidt, marketing coordinator for the zoo. “The animals receive [them] as part of their diets to keep them mentally and physically ﬁt.” The special enrichments often include

pumpkins or gourds during this time of year, but can vary depending on the animal and their diet. “For example, the lions may receive meat or a bone,” Nolen-Schmidt said. Some animals may even get presents that are scent-based. Because getting a wrapped present in their enclosure is unusual, the animals tend to have mixed reactions that can make for an entertaining day for visitors and zoo keepers alike. “Guests enjoy watching the animals open their presents,” Nolen-Schmidt said. “Each animal has a different reaction to their enrichment, so it is always exciting for guests to watch.” For more information on the animals’ gifts, go to birminghamzoo.com or follow them on social media.

B10 • December 2016

Village Living

Christmas

WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU

By JON ANDERSON

ith the holiday season upon us, Village Living recently took the opportunity to ask elementary students to share one of their favorite Christmas memories or traditions:

“I like to get presents. (This year), I would like to get an iPad if my mom would let me have it.”

RICHMOND BROWN, FIRST-GRADER AT MOUNTAIN BROOK ELEMENTARY

“I like to sing songs at Christmas — Christmas, Christmas, Time for Cheer (ofﬁcially called ‘The Chipmunk Song: Christmas Don’t Be Late’), ‘Deck the Halls”’ and ‘Jingle Bells.’ I usually sing it a lot on Christmas. I also like to see the Elves on Shelves.”

SYDNEY STRONG, FIRST-GRADER AT BROOKWOOD FOREST ELEMENTARY

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • B11 “We read ‘The Night Before Christmas’ on Christmas Eve. I like to wake up in the morning and wait on my bed until my parents wake up to open presents. One time I was sick, and I looked out on Christmas Eve. I peeked and there was nothing there, and then I brushed my teeth and I looked again and I saw a ton of stuff. There was a big ol’ Lego ship for my little brother.”

LUKE BARRINGER, FIFTH-GRADER AT CRESTLINE ELEMENTARY “My dad — he usually cooks up a big meal on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Last year, we had pasta and steak. And we really like to test out our new toys, and we bring our cousins over, and aunts and uncles.”

TURNER EZELL, FOURTH-GRADER AT MOUNTAIN BROOK ELEMENTARY

“Decorating my house. I buy a tree and put decorations on it and put lights on it.”

KIEU-MI NGUYEN, SECOND-GRADER AT CHEROKEE BEND ELEMENTARY

“Open presents and put ornaments on the Christmas tree. We have this ornament — we went to the Christmas tree farm when I was 3 years old, and it shows that my mom and me and my dad and me were there.”

FRANCESCA DEMARCO, SECOND-GRADER AT CHEROKEE BEND ELEMENTARY

“Get presents. (This year) I want a go-kart that goes 50 mph, that you can actually drive on the highway and that has a roof. (I also like to) have people over and see what they get for Christmas.”

ANDREW CRANE, FIRST-GRADER AT BROOKWOOD FOREST ELEMENTARY

“Usually on Christmas morning, we all go to my mom and dad’s room, and my dad checks to see that Santa has come and then we go and open presents. Then we go to my grandparents’ house, and all the cousins will come and all the grandkids will make a gingerbread house. I think we get to eat the people. One year, we sneaked in and ate a little icing off the gingerbread house.”

KATHRYN BAKER, SECOND-GRADER AT CRESTLINE ELEMENTARY

B12 • December 2016

Village Living

Runners raced through the Birmingham Botanical Gardens during this year’s Dirt Dash. Photos by Erica Techo.

RUNNERS TAKE TO M THE TRAILS AT 2016

By ERICA TECHO

DIRT DASH

ost weekends, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens are ﬁlled with families taking photos, walking around to enjoy the scenery. On Saturday, Oct. 29, however, it was ﬁlled with runners. During the fourth annual Dirt Dash, about 175 runners took to the trails weaving through the gardens, and even more people showed up to participate in the

Suzie Lowndes, Clarissa Smith and Abbie Rigg at this year’s Dirt Dash.

(Clockwise from top) David, Kristie, Clark and Grace Stewart.

Al and Arthur Jones run in the Dirt Dash.

1-mile family walk. Special events coordinator Heather Oliver said the Dirt Dash is an annual fundraiser put on by the Birmingham Botanical Gardens junior board, and money raised helps fund programs and opportunities that are a part of the gardens’ educational mission. Samford University student Brandon Regan, 21, completed the race ﬁrst, at 21 minutes and 10 seconds. Awards were given to the top runners in each age bracket.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B13

B14 • December 2016

Village Living

‘Being careful’: Fire up the holiday spirit without igniting your decorations By LEXI COON Garrison Keillor of NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion” was on to something when he rewrote the Christmas classic “O Christmas Tree” to include “…and if you were to fall on us, we would become unconscious.” It may have been comedy at the time, but as it turns out, holiday decoration safety is something that all homeowners should be aware of, and that many neglect. In a study done from 2009-13 by the National Fire Protection Association, Christmas decorations, excluding the actual trees, were the first objects to ignite in an average of 860 home structure fires per year. Those decoration-fed fires also left an average of more than $13 million in property damages each year. “Basically, two out of every five home decoration fires are started by candles,” said Mountain Brook Fire Marshal Leland Rhudy. That means that one of the most popular holiday decorations, whether they sit in a window, on a table, or atop a mantel, pose a huge risk to homes and families. But the other alternative — lights — aren’t foolproof either. “A lot of people will put indoor lights outside, so know the difference,” Rhudy said. “Outdoor lighting is going to be made more to withstand weather. Indoor lighting, the material won’t be as durable.” To avoid any unfortunate situations, Rhudy said to carefully read the packaging, setup instructions and warranty information of any decorative lighting. “Make sure you have the correct power

Holiday Hazards Mountain Brook Fire Marshal Leland Rhudy said it’s important to stay alert when there are a heightened number of potential hazards. Things to stay mindful of: ► Check smoke alarms ahead of setting up decorations ► Service your chimney or ﬁreplace ► Carefully read packaging and instructions for decorative lighting ► Do not leave lit candles unattended ► Keep your live Christmas trees well-watered ► Do not overstress electrical outlets

requirements,” he said. “Another thing is be careful and know the limitation of how many strands you can put together.” Double-check anything placed near a fire, Rhudy said. “Anything over a mantel, we like that to be secure, because if someone were to bump into that, and it were to fall, obviously it could be a fire hazard,” he said. According to Rhudy’s recommendations, anything that is in the same room as an active fireplace, such as Christmas trees, should be placed at least 3 feet from fireplaces to avoid accidents.

Anything that is in the same room as an active ﬁreplace, such as Christmas trees, should be placed at least 3 feet from ﬁreplaces to avoid accidents. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

Trees do not cause as many incidents as their decorative counterparts, but in the same NFPA study, they contributed to an average of more than 200 house ﬁres and more than $17 million in property damage each year. To avoid any accidents, children and pets shouldn’t be left in a room alone with any tree. “I know it’s hard to do, I realize that, but we like to keep people at least 3 feet from the trees for safety reasons,” Rhudy said. Live trees need to be watered daily to prevent them from drying out and should be anchored properly for stability. Finally, because holiday parties are common, Rhudy said everyone should have a plan of

action in case of emergency. “Everyone’s having parties and that’s one of our biggest concerns,” he said. “I’m real big on homeowners wanting to let people know that if something were to happen, this is what we’ll do.” All in all, Rhudy wants people to enjoy the holidays but to not forget about being safe. Always double-check lighting electrical requirements and turn off lights and blow out candles when leaving a room. “Christmas here is jaw-dropping, which is why I hate to say, ‘Turn them off,’” he said. “But the biggest thing is just people being careful.”

VillageLivingOnline.com

Letters from Santa

December 2016 • B15

to ﬁll mailboxes again

By LEXI COON Mountain Brook always makes its holidays special, and Christmas is no exception. Years after putting out special letter drops for Santa, the tradition continues, and residents will see the festive mailboxes around town, waiting to be filled with children’s letters. The boxes sprang up in the early 2000s, but it wasn’t until a few years later that Santa began responding to the letters, to the surprise of many parents. “I thought maybe it’d be nice to have them realize that the elves do pass these letters on to Santa,” said John Feagin, who answers the letters as Mountain Brook’s stand-in Santa. “There were probably two letters the first year I did it.” Using just a postcard, if there was a return address on the letters, Feagin wrote back with help from his computer to write individualized responses more quickly. “I think [the letters] generate a little excitement,” he said. “It might make them believe there really is a Santa Claus, or at least there’s a workshop.” Feagin said he didn’t want to get specific when writing back, but kept the spirit alive by telling the children, “We’ll try to make your dreams come true,” even if that means hand-delivering the letters. He usually stops by the mailboxes every other day, but one year as the holiday got closer, he wasn’t checking them as regularly. “Three days before Christmas, I found three letters from my grandchildren,” he said, and he realized he needed to get Santa’s answers back to them quickly. So, he typed up the letters, drove to their house and put them in their mailbox for his grandchildren to find. “My daughter called me later and said, ‘Man,

Children will drop their letters to Santa in mailboxes around Mountain Brook, and now they may even get a response. Staff photo.

we put those letters in that mailbox a week ago, Santa must be running late,” he said. Feagin’s role as a stand-in for Santa has grown in popularity over the past years, and after a little publicity about his role as Santa, the number of letters to him exploded. “After last year’s article, I’ll bet you I had about 50 or 60 letters,” he said. “I may have to get a secretary

[to help] if this all goes through again.” The mailboxes will be put up the Monday before Thanksgiving and will be kept up through the holidays, but Feagin said this year he’s going to stop checking for new letters on Dec. 21 to allow for enough time for children to get his response — as long as there is a return address. “Mountain Brook is a unique community,”

said Feagin. “I’ve lived here 48 years, and I just think it makes Mountain Brook a little more special.” Residents can look for the mailboxes at: ► Gilchrist, Mountain Brook Village ► Swoop, Mountain Brook Village ► Smith’s Variety, Crestline Village ► City Hall, Crestline Village

B16 • December 2016

Village Living

Sports Middle-schooler earns Thuston-Carey award By SARAH TUTTLE Molly Russell is not your average eighth-grade girl at Mountain Brook Junior High School. The 13-year-old deﬁes obstacles daily as she struggles with Type 1 diabetes and the drawbacks that sometimes come from it. However, diabetes has never stopped her from pursuing her goals in church, school and athletics. She continually pushes herself as a member of the junior high cross-country team. Through all of her efforts, Molly was awarded in November the MBJH Thuston-Carey award for her courage and perseverance. To get this award, a student must overcome an obstacle and become an achiever. Molly started running for the cross-country team in seventh grade as she looked for a new outlet. Her ambitions for other sports and activities she was involved in had gone away. She’s always had to take precautions with sports and activities in relation to her diabetes. Running made the most sense because she was told it would help her diabetes and stabilize her blood sugar. “Once I started cross-country, everyone said I caught ‘the running bug,’ and I just wanted to do all things running,” Molly said. “I wouldn’t call myself a great racer, but I am motivated to get better, and

that’s what pushes me.” Randy Stephens, head coach of the Mountain Brook Junior High School cross-country team, has been coaching in the Mountain Brook school system for 27 years. Stephens said one of the reasons he has stayed in coaching was because of kids like Molly who always make his day no matter what mood he is in. He said the coaching staff was hesitant on letting Molly run at ﬁrst but wanted her to try if they could monitor her. “We are so big on kids overcoming obstacles, and we knew if anything happened to Molly we had to go ﬁnd her,” Stephens said. “It never bothers her … She will always say she feels special.” Molly said running has been challenging with her diabetes. She tries to not think about letting diabetes hold her back. “I think when you are positive, it is easier to take on a tough situation like not being able to run because of diabetes,” she said. “I think like I may not be able to run today, but tomorrow I can come back and run twice as hard. Focusing on the good part is what matters, so you can become better by focusing on that right mindset.” Molly’s positive attitude has affected the entire junior high cross-country team. Her best friend, Annie Baird, notices it as much as

Molly Russell, left, participates in Mountain Brook Junior High cross-country practice Oct. 24. Russell was awarded in November the Thuston-Carey award for her courage and perseverance. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

anyone. “There is no one quite like Molly. She is always willing to go out there and try anything,” Annie said. “I always forget she has diabetes because she is always positive, and I have never heard her once complain.” Molly said the friends she has made through the cross-country team like Annie have helped encourage her through obstacles and have uplifted her to stay with running. Running can be done alone, but Molly said the team and friends make it worth it. “Being on the cross-country team makes it what it is,” she said. “I think it is amazing how we always push

each other. We have time trials twice a season, and it is so cool to push ourselves together and to have a group that encourages each other and we go to meets with.” Receiving encouragement through the difﬁculties and obstacles of her diabetes is something Molly says she can’t go without. “I can deﬁnitely say if my community was not there to support me I would not be running right now,” Molly said. “They push me and motivate me to do my best. My mom and dad help me push my limits, and my coaches hold me accountable.” Through coaching her, Stephens

said he sees Molly’s 100-percent effort every day. “I think the cross-country team is a haven for a lot of kids like it is for Molly,” he said. “I have never had a kid that hasn't had some version of success somewhere with cross country.” Molly rallies everyone to join or support cross-country because of the outlet and hope it has given her. The Mountain Brook Junior High cross-country team runs through the Mountain Brook community every afternoon during the season. For more information on the MBJH cross-country team, go to mtnbrook. k12.al.us/Page/5453.

VillageLivingOnline.com

Three-peat By KYLE PARMLEY They say the third time’s the charm. That cliché rang true for the Mountain Brook High School volleyball team in 2016, with one twist. That saying is generally used for situations in which someone failed the first two attempts at something. But the Spartans had been there before — twice — and conquered — twice. Mountain Brook kept its standalone name in the AHSAA record books, defeating Hoover, 3-1 (25-11, 23-25, 25-12, 25-19), in the Class 7A AHSAA State Volleyball Championship Oct. 27 at Bill Harris Arena. In the three years since the formation of the state’s highest classification, the Spartans are the only team to take home a volleyball blue map. “It’s just icing on the cake,” said senior Caroline Davies, who capped her career with 10 kills and eight block assists in the state final. The Spartans (43-8) looked like a team that knew exactly what it came for, and breezed through the opening set. Hoover took its second crack at solving Mountain Brook in the last three years — also advancing to the final in 2014 — and scrapped to take the second set. From there, the snowball rolled downhill for Mountain Brook, giving head coach Haven O’Quinn the ability to celebrate for a third consecutive year. “There have been two before, and this was hands down the best one because it was the hardest season. It was not easy,” she said. After graduating Sara Carr and Sara Chandler Mitchell from last season’s squad, libero Lacey Jeffcoat believed in what she saw from the team’s three rising seniors, Davies, Emmy

Kilgore and Ellie Ritter. “They have so much experience, too, and they definitely led our team each and every day. They wanted it so bad,” Jeffcoat said. She also led the team with 25 digs against Hoover. Jeffcoat, Davies and Kilgore were named to the all-tournament team, with Kilgore claiming MVP honors. But a name could’ve been drawn from a hat to find a worthy candidate. “That’s what it’s all about,” O’Quinn said. “It is truly a unit.” Kilgore did plenty to earn her honor, though, and registered 15 kills and 13 digs in her final match in a Spartan uniform. “It’s the best feeling in the world because we’ve been working so hard for this,” she said. “We came into practice every single day and worked hard. Our biggest motto was, ‘finish with no regrets.’ Lay it out there and give it our best.” Davies also mentioned the team’s cohesion as a determining factor in its success, as the Spartans’ roster consisted of a mix of young and old: three seniors and five freshmen, notably. “What makes it so great is that we have such great chemistry,” she said. “We wanted it for each other so much.” Ritter capped her career with nine kills. KayKay Benck registered 10 digs. Libby Grace Gann, who O’Quinn almost mentioned being worthy of an all-tournament selection, finished with an impressive 40 assists and 10 digs. To reach the state final, the Spartans began the state tournament with impressive wins over Murphy and McGill-Toolen. “This 2016 team is special, and I will never forget this,” O’Quinn said.

December 2016 • B17

Top: Mountain Brook’s three seniors capped their career with three straight state titles. Bottom: Mountain Brook is the only school to take home a Class 7A volleyball state championship, having done so each of the last three years. Photos by Sarah Finnegan.

B18 • December 2016

Village Living

Morgan captures state title, Spartans second

By SAM CHANDLER

Above: Mountain Brook’s Anna Grace Morgan clocked a personal best to win the Class 7A individual state title at the AHSAA State Cross Country Championships Nov. 12. Right: Anna Grace Morgan and sister, Madeline Morgan, embrace after the race. Madeline Morgan was a star runner at MBHS and graduated in 2009. Photos by Sam Chandler.

It took six attempts, but Anna Grace Morgan can finally call herself an individual state champion. The Mountain Brook High School senior stormed to a first-place finish in the Class 7A girls race at the Nov. 12 AHSAA State Cross Country Championships. Her meet-leading, personal-best 5K time of 17 minutes, 46.01 seconds bested the talented field by more than 30 ticks. “It’s incredible. I’m so happy about it,” Morgan said after the race. “It’s a great way to go out of Mountain Brook cross-country.” Morgan had donned a Spartan uniform at the state meet since 2011. At the time, she was a Mountain Brook Junior High seventh-grader who got called up to compete

with the varsity squad. Now an established veteran, Morgan relied upon seasons of experience to help propel her to the gold medal. A vote of conﬁdence from head coach Michael McGovern didn’t hurt either. “‘If you run your race and just run smart, I think some good things are going to happen,’” McGovern recalled telling Morgan the night before the meet. On a pristine morning at Oakville Indian Mounds Park, Morgan raced smart, and McGovern’s prediction came true. The senior initially held back as she watched McGill-Toolen’s Grace Jensen open an early lead after ﬂying off the starting line. Composed and collected, Morgan led the chase pack through the 1-mile mark around 5:30.

VillageLivingOnline.com “I knew she was going to do that,” Morgan said, “so I was just trying to keep calm the whole time. I wasn’t really worried about it.” As Jensen faded, Morgan accelerated, and the two pulled even near the 1.75-mile mark. That’s where Morgan made her definitive move. “After I passed her, I just sprinted,” she said. “I was like, ‘I don’t care if I have nothing left for the finish. I’ve got to go now.’” Morgan ran the first half of the race with her head, and the final half with her heart. Gliding fluidly over the gravel and grass course, she didn’t relent until crossing the finish line in a 28-second personal best. Jensen finished runner-up in 18:18.06. “Unbelievable,” McGovern said. “As the season was progressing, I thought she had a chance at it.” After catching her breath, Morgan shuffled out of the finishing chute and into the embrace of her sister, former Spartan star Madeline Morgan. A 2009 Mountain Brook graduate, Madeline Morgan went down as one of the most decorated distance athletes in program history. But an individual state cross-country title had always eluded her. Three times she finished third. On Nov. 12, however, that glass ceiling came shattering down. Records fell, too. Anna Grace Morgan’s 17:46 5K mark signified her first time dipping under the elite 18-minute barrier. It also lowered the 7A state meet record set by former teammate Frances Patrick in 2015. “I just wanted to race kind of conservatively and save it for the end,” Anna Grace Morgan said. Paced by their front-runner, the Spartan girls tallied 61 points to claim a second-place finish. Huntsville took first with 51 points after placing four runners in the top 12. The strong showing snapped Mountain Brook’s streak of 13 consecutive titles, which began in 2003. “We came up against a Huntsville team that ran really well today,” McGovern said after the meet. “I mean, that’s kind of the way sports

December 2016 • B19

The Mountain Brook boys cross-country team placed second at the AHSAA State Cross Country Championships Nov. 12

work sometimes. You can’t take anything away from them. They ran a great race, and we didn’t run our best today.” Mountain Brook’s five scoring runners all finished in the top 20, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their opponent’s front-running contingent. Huntsville’s top four placed ahead of Mountain Brook’s second runner, sophomore Anna Balzli, who finished 14th in 19:05.37. “When you run into that situation, it’s hard to stop,” McGovern said. Balzli and freshman teammate Lily Hulsey (15th, 19:10.26) joined Morgan as All-State

honorees thanks to their top 15 finishes. Freshmen Tessa Allen (19th, 19:19.77) and Cameron Hudson (20th, 19:21.24) capped the team’s scorers. The Mountain Brook boys also secured a runner-up finish at the state meet. They finished second to Auburn, which won its fourth-straight state title, 59-69. The Tigers swept positions three through five in the 7A boys race. “Auburn had a great day. They’re a seniorladen team, and to put three in the top five like they did, that’s really hard to come back from,” McGovern said. “Our guys ran great,

they really did. Auburn just ran better today.” Sophomore Hunter Harwell and junior Charlie Slaughter paced the team with a pair of All-State ﬁnishes. Harwell placed seventh in 16:00.95, and Slaughter placed ninth in 16:03.60. Junior Gram Denning (16th, 16:17.83), senior Grifﬁn Riley (17th, 16:18.44) and sophomore Joseph Pitard (26th, 16:30.08) capped the team’s scoring. “We were a band of brothers, so we’re all just proud of ourselves for what we accomplished this season,” Harwell said.

B20 • December 2016

Village Living

Spartans looking to young leaders to navigate challenging area By KYLE PARMLEY

Mountain Brook faces a tough challenge to advance past Class 7A, Area 6, but the Spartans have the pieces to do so. Photo by Ted Melton.

Bucky McMillan is going to tell you like it is. He really likes this year’s Mountain Brook High School boys basketball team. “I’m a straight shooter,” said the Spartan head coach a week before the season began. “Some years, I say there’s a lot of question marks with things not necessarily talent-related … This year, I can say I enjoy coaching this team as much as any team I’ve ever coached up to this point in the season.” He used the term “ballers” to describe his team, which seems like a pretty apt moniker for basketball players. But McMillan emphasized a difference. “We’ve got a bunch of guys who really love basketball. You say, ‘that’s obvious,’ but it’s really not. People take it for granted that if you’re on a basketball team, that you really love the game of basketball,” McMillan said. “We’ve got everybody all in, and it’s a fun team to coach because of that.” Any conversation about the Spartans must begin with Trendon Watford, a dynamic forward and already one of the top class of 2019 prospects in the country. At 6-foot-8, Watford has the ability to stretch a defense with his ball handling and shooting ability, but he is also a dominant force at the rim. On top of his playmaking ability, the sophomore is taking it upon himself to be a leader. “Last year, Jack Kline was my mentor. I just learned the stuff he did,” Watford said. One weapon expected to emerge alongside Watford is Ben McCool, a 6-foot-3 senior. “It takes a lot of pressure off,” McCool said of playing with Watford. “He’s a really good player. It really frees me up a lot for open shots when he’s out there.”

Alex Washington returns as a role player from last year’s team, and he is expected to step up and man the offense from the point guard position. Along with McCool and Watford, Washington is one of the Spartans’ three captains. “They’ve done a great job of leading the younger guys,” McMillan said. “They had a great example set by the seniors last year like Jack Kline, Joe Donald, Drew Smith, etc.” Britton Johnson and Paul Stramaglia are two guys McMillan singled out as new faces who could contribute in big ways. Sean Elmore also returns a bevy of experience. Mountain Brook is in a unique position in the realigned Class 7A, Area 6. The area consists of four teams that have legitimate aspirations at a deep postseason run entering the season. The Spartans won the state championship in 2013 and 2014. Spain Park and Huffman each reached the Final Four in 2016. Oak Mountain was a buzzer-beating shot in the regional ﬁnal from joining them there. McMillan is not intimidated by that at all. “That’s great, because the No. 1 thing all coaches should really care about is how good basketball can be,” he said. “When you have good teams playing these other good teams, rivalry situations, that’s great for basketball.” Mountain Brook is expected to be among the two teams to advance out of that area, but the games are played for a reason. The Spartans were eliminated prematurely last season, as Gadsden City knocked them off in the Northeast Regional Semiﬁnals. “This team thoroughly understands the habits for the end of year are being formed now, and they practice that way,” McMillan said. “That’s what I’m so excited about. I don’t say this much: I like this team. I like them a lot.”

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • B21

Lady Spartans excited about transition to up-tempo style By KYLE PARMLEY Mountain Brook High School girls basketball coach Mark Cornelius is excited about the prospect of changing things up. “We’re going to be a little different kind of team this year than what we’ve been. We have a lot more depth overall. We have 13 girls on the varsity right now, and to be honest with you, all 13 can play and contribute,” he said. That depth coupled with the fact the Lady Spartans’ roster is guard-heavy will allow Mountain Brook to push the pace more this season. “That’s going to really help us, as far as being able to shoot from the perimeter especially. We have eight girls that can really shoot the ball,” Cornelius said. Sara Carr drew much of the attention from opposing defenses over the last several years, but with her eligibility now expired, the Lady Spartans are evolving into more of a four-out, one-in offensive style, one that allows Mountain Brook’s guards to space the ﬂoor with the threat of the three-point shot and ability to penetrate. “It will allow us to spread the ﬂoor so much more,” Cornelius said. “Even our post players, at least a couple of them in particular, are able to step out and hit some shots. It’ll give us a lot more opportunities to either drive lanes or at least penetrate and kick.” Along with that up-tempo offensive style, the Lady Spartans want to make the game a full-court one by employing a full-court press

on defense from time to time. While coaching boys basketball, Cornelius was reluctant to press, but he said he feels there is a big advantage to being able to do so in the girls game. He now has the depth to detonate that press more often. “Our press is going to be one of our main focuses,” said senior Kate Bumgarner. “We like to play for a long time, be able to go really hard and really fast.” Carr and Kathryn Wason have graduated, but their impact will still be felt on the court this fall, as the lessons and traits passed along to younger players will rise to the surface. “We’ve both been on varsity for three years, and we’ve always gone with the ﬂow, done what the older girls told us to do,” Carlee Dawkins said of her and Bumgarner. “Now that it’s our turn to kind of shine and show our leadership skills that we’ve developed, I think it’s going to be a really good year for us to be the role models for the younger girls.” “We have some really good leadership as a group,” Cornelius said. “As a team as a whole, they get along really well, and I think everybody’s kind of moving in the same direction.” Mountain Brook has had trouble getting past the regional semiﬁnals the last few years, and the Lady Spartans are aiming to break through that wall this time around. “One of the things that we talked about last year was doing some things in the offseason to try to get us to move forward a little bit more. We call it putting in the work,” Cornelius said.

Carlee Dawkins is one of three seniors for Mountain Brook and is looking to take on more of a leadership role. Photo by Ted Melton.

B22 • December 2016

Village Living

Members of the Spartan Senior Travel Squad went on a ﬁshing trip when they went to Gulf Shores for MBHS’s opening game this football season. Photos courtesy of Tommy Payne.

A traveling band of

Spartans

By ERICA TECHO

in or lose, Mountain Brook’s football and basketball teams have a group of fans they can count on being in the stands. Dressed in matching polo shirts or vests, the 12 members of the Spartan Senior Travel Squad do their best to attend every home game — and most of the away games. “It really started in football, and then we got more and more interested in basketball, although we would go occasionally [in the past],” said squad member Tommy Payne. “Now we go if there’s a tournament somewhere.” Some of the men, whose ages range from the mid-70s to late 80s, have

VillageLivingOnline.com grandchildren active in Mountain Brook athletics. Others choose to attend for the love of the game. “You’ll all laugh at this, but the guidelines for getting in are, of course, you’ve got to be 70 years old; you’ve got to walk with a limp, and you’ve got to remember your name on the second try,” said member Bob Moorer, whose interest in Spartan athletics kicked off when he was president of the Spartans booster club in 1989. “We all probably, most of us are at it or played in high school, and we just like the sports,” said member Harry Littleton, who also played football in college. “It’s a good gathering place, a good, fun thing to do.” The Spartan Senior Travel Squad became official about seven years ago, but members had been attending the games as a group since 1989, said Bob Moorer. It also has developed over the years from a group sitting together at home games to planned trips for out-of-town tournaments. Kendall Wright, a member who allows the Spartan Senior Travel Squad to gather at his house for tailgating, food and drinks before each home game, has helped keep the group together, Moorer said. Members of the group come from diverse backgrounds, including members who are surgeons, radiologists, contractors or commanders in the Navy, and from a range of college allegiances — which is why they stick to high school games, Payne joked. “My feeling is we all like the game,” Moorer said, looking at why the group continues to attend. “Most of us played the game, and it’s just nothing like Friday night lights.” “It’s just a good excuse for us to get up and keep going,” Payne added. “At our age if you slow down too much, you’ve got problems. You’ve got to keep moving.” It’s hard to single out the best part of the group, or a favorite memory, Littleton said, as each game or trip includes fun memories. “A couple of hours before the game, we start laughing. We don’t stop until we’re in the car on the way home,” Payne said. Moorer jokes that the stories everyone tells are a way to relive their youth — with “most” of the stories being true — but the group is also making new memories with each season. One “infamous” trip to New Orleans stands out, Moorer said, and those escapades have been noted by the group’s secretary. “That was our first big trip — to New Orleans together,” Payne said. “It had nothing to do with football except us wearing these things [matching shirts]. Everyone thought we were down there recruiting for Michigan State.” The travel squad also kicked off the 2016 season with a five-day trip to Gulf Shores, where the group’s age was recognized as they got up to leave the stadium, Moorer said. “Some guy behind us shouted, ‘Let those old men go first,’”

December 2016 • B23

Moorer said with a laugh. “And they did. The fans know us when we come.” Games that stick out to the group are Mountain Brook’s 19-13 defeat of Ramsay and when the Spartans beat Spain Park 23-21 this season. “I think the best ones are the ones we don’t think we’re going to win, and we win,” said member Vann Goodman. “Don’t get the wrong impression,” Littleton said. “We’d still be there if they all lost.” While the Spartans’ football season came to a close in the first round of playoffs, the Spartan Senior Travel Squad is planning for basketball season. While coaches are planning strategies, however, the travel squad is hoping for an out-oftown tournament and the chance to hit the road themselves. “One of the nice things about the group is we don’t do anything but go to games and party, or whatever you’d call it,” Littleton said. “We’re not into raising money. We’re not into giving speeches. We’re not into being role models. We’re just doing what we do.”

“

My feeling is we all like the game. Most of us played the game, and it’s nothing like Friday night lights.

”

BOB MOORER

B24 â&#x20AC;˘ December 2016

Village Living

Marion Webb gives her hens an afternoon snack of fresh produce. Webb, of Mountain Brook, keeps chickens in her backyard and has built what she calls Cluckingham Palace as a roost for her laying hens. Photo by Frank Couch.

IN PICTURES:

Best of 2016 Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

Photo by Frank Couch.

Photo by Sarah Finnegan. Clockwise from above: 2016 Patriot Day. Caitlin Campbell works on pricing items in the store. The Purpose Place Thrift Market recently opened in Irondale providing jobs for people with special needs. Children in the Neighborhood Academy raise their lacrosse sticks after a practice. Austin proudly displays his work with water colors at Studio by the Tracks, which is in Irondale and has been an outlet for special needs adults since the mid 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B25

B26 • December 2016

Village Living

A new face on the news

MBHS grad becomes WVUA’s newest news anchor By ERICA TECHO Kids usually grow up idolizing firefighters or professional athletes; few idolize the man on the 10 p.m. news. Jack Royer, however, dreamed of being a news anchor. “I don’t know when the start date was,” Royer said, trying to remember when he first decided to become a news anchor. “I think as soon as I was old enough to know what a camera was.” Royer grew up going to the newsroom with his dad, Mike Royer, who has been in television broadcasting for more than 40 years. When he was 10, Royer remembers going to work with his dad after dinner and staying for the 10 o’clock news. “Which back then was like 4 a.m. for a 10-year-old,” he said. While his dad never pressured him to pursue the same career path, Royer found himself drawn to the news. He worked for the school news at Mountain Brook High School, produced football coverage with his family for several years and started working at WVUA 23 at 19 years old. Even though he graduated from MBHS three years ago, Royer said he continues to feel the support from his community. “I’m 45 minutes from home. I get home a lot and come home a lot, and the reason is I love the Mountain Brook community and miss it dearly,” he said. “I’m thankful for all the opportunity I had in Mountain Brook. … I owe so much to Mountain Brook.” Now a junior at the University of Alabama, Royer was announced as the new co-anchor

Jack Royer grew up watching his dad anchor the nightly news, and now he will follow in his footsteps in Tuscaloosa. Photo courtesy of Jack Royer.

for the 10 p.m. news in October. He will co-anchor with Tamika Alexander, another Alabama native, and will be one of the youngest permanent anchors for a weeknight newscast in the history of Birmingham television, according to a release. Royer turned 21 in November.

“As far as we can tell, that’s the youngest permanent anchor,” Royer said. WVUA is owned by the University of Alabama and therefore relies on students to get most of the work done. While Royer used to report between three and ﬁve days a week, in

his new position he will move toward anchoring five times a week and focusing on more feature stories. Having the freedom to select and report on his own stories is one of the most exciting parts of the new promotion, Royer said. When he would shadow his dad in the newsroom, Royer said he idolized the idea of putting on a tie, being on camera and reading from the teleprompter. “As I’ve worked in this business and gone out to cover stories, what I value has changed,” he said. “The value to me is going to meet all the people I’m going to meet.” Anchoring the news is an incredible opportunity, Royer said, but he is more excited to see what the station can do for West Alabama and its viewers. “When you work as a journalist for long enough, you start to really realize what’s important,” he said. During his time at WVUA, Royer said one of the most powerful stories he has worked on was a five-year anniversary piece on the 2011 tornadoes. When the tornadoes hit that April, Royer visited towns with his dad. “I met these city leaders, met people in the community who were devastated by the storm,” he said. This April, Royer went back to some of those places, but this time, he was the reporter. “Here I am, five years later, standing in the new high school that’s been built, standing in the middle of a rebuilt downtown,” Royer said. “It was surreal in a way to do similar stories in Tuscaloosa, five years after I’m a kid and [went around] with my dad.”

VillageLivingOnline.com

December 2016 • B27

Opinion

A problem with underage drinking Eleven members of the All In Mountain Brook Board. Photo by Erica Techo.

By THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ALL IN MOUNTAIN BROOK Mountain Brook has a problem with underage drinking. Every community in the U.S. struggles with this serious concern, but student surveys show that we have a problem that is even more serious than most communities. In September, students in ninth through 12th grade at Mountain Brook Junior High and Mountain Brook High School participated in the Pride Survey, an anonymous survey about alcohol and drug use, and the results are concerning. As has been true for years, a greater percentage of Mountain Brook teens report they engage in underage drinking, compared to state and national survey averages. Fourteen percent of ninth-graders, 28 percent of 10th-graders, 42 percent of 11th-graders and 60 percent of seniors reported they had consumed alcohol in the year prior to the survey. Even more disturbing, 50 percent of seniors and 34 percent of juniors said they had drunk alcohol during the month prior to the survey. These percentages exceed national averages by signiﬁcant margins. These numbers tell us Mountain Brook has more teenagers who report they drink, and more who report that they are regular drinkers. Underage drinking contributes at powerful levels to the most common causes of death among teenagers: motor vehicle accidents, recreational accidents, accidental overdoses (acute alcohol poisoning), suicide and homicide. Drinking is a major factor in sexual assault and other crime. It is a major source of disabling injuries. Much research demonstrates a correlation between early introduction of alcohol use and the likelihood that an individual will later become an alcoholic. Compelling

evidence confirms that underage drinking puts our youth at grave risk. In light of the data, what can parents and adults in our community do to help stem the tide of underage drinking that puts our children at risk? It is time for each of us to take stock. First, parents and other adults sometimes refer to “responsible drinking” by teenagers. This is an oxymoron. The use of alcohol by a person under 21 is a violation of criminal law in all 50 states. The legal consequences of arrests related to underage drinking constitute a substantial risk to the young drinker. In addition, the idea that teenagers drink “responsibly” is contrary to the data. Studies tell us that when a teenager admits to drinking any more than just “tasting” alcohol, they also report they engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as consuming at least five drinks within a few hours and, of course, a single incident of binge drinking can potentially be deadly. According to our survey results, 46 percent of seniors and

33 percent of juniors at Mountain Brook said they engaged in binge drinking at least once in the last year. Second, parents and other adults often regard underage drinking as inevitable and accept teenagers’ claim that “everyone drinks” as truth. Some parents fear that teenagers who choose not to drink will not have a social life. In spite of the clear data that more Mountain Brook teenagers say they drink than the national averages, our anonymous survey also reveals that a substantial number of our teens are not drinking. Forty percent of seniors, 58 percent of juniors, and 72 percent of sophomores said they had not consumed any alcohol in the past year. This is good news for our teens who choose not to drink. They are not alone. Third, for many adults in Mountain Brook, alcohol is routine at almost all social and recreational events. This is often the social environment in which our children live, grow and learn.

What messages do we unknowingly send about alcohol use to our children with our words and actions? It is vital for each of us as adults to objectively consider our attitudes, how we speak to our children about alcohol and how our patterns of alcohol use may send unhealthy messages to our children. Do we talk to our kids about drinking? Are we clear with them about our expectations regarding underage drinking? Do we make our rules and restrictions clear? Is our lack of a clear position taken as tacit approval of a choice to drink? Do we send the message that alcohol is necessary to having a good time? Is alcohol always a part of our social events and recreational activities? Do our children see us using alcohol to cope with stress? Are there healthier coping methods we could model for our children? Do we believe that by condoning underage drinking in a “safe environment” we will discourage drinking elsewhere, even though research demonstrates that “supervised drinking” leads to more underage drinking? Yes, we have a problem with underage drinking in our city, but we are not helpless. Research also reveals that, in spite of the growing importance of peer inﬂuences as children become teens, parental inﬂuences remain powerful. Our teenagers want and deserve to know what we expect from them. They care what we think, even if they don’t always act like it. We must not underestimate the power our voices and actions have in supporting our children’s choice to avoid the pitfalls of underage drinking and risky behaviors. As a community, we can all agree that the ultimate goal is to help our children stay safe and healthy on the road to adulthood.

B28 • December 2016

Village Living

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

The gift of Christmas grace It was a simple task, really, and one that many families had successfully carried out before us. Our church asked our family to take care of baby Jesus in the week leading up to Christmas. On the last Sunday of Advent, we set up the Nativity. We then brought Jesus to our home for safekeeping, swaddled in a purple blanket. It was thirty minutes before the start of Christmas Eve Mass, as I was rushing to get ready and sweep everyone out the door, when the accident occurred. One of my daughters was carrying Jesus around in the swaddle when suddenly he slipped out of the purple cloth. The wooden ﬁgure broke in two places, around the ankle and the wrist. I couldn’t believe what had happened, but then again, I could. I’d worried all along that this might happen, but even my worst scenario didn’t play out like this, right before the service. As my family drove to church, I was upset and tense. I wondered why we couldn't be normal and handle this sacred assignment. Naturally the church was packed, and as we walked into the vestibule, the two priests leading the service waved me over. They quickly shared instructions of how our

family would walk in the procession behind the Gospel carrier, head to the Nativity, and give baby Jesus to the priest so he could lay Jesus in the manger. I nodded … and with a knot in my stomach and a deep breath, I admitted what had happened thirty minutes earlier. There was a brief silence as the priests absorbed the event and I apologized profusely, promising to replace baby Jesus or ﬁx him. I told them how this wooden ﬁgure was currently super-glued back together and would require careful handling. Much to my relief, both priests responded kindly to my embarrassing confession. They told me it was OK, that these things happen. And then, to my surprise, one of them asked which daughter accidentally dropped Jesus. He wanted to have a quick word with her. I’ll never forget the look on my daughter’s face as she saw Father Bob walking toward her in his formal Christmas robes. She looked so frightened that my heart went out to her, and as she dropped her head in shame, refusing to make eye contact, I knew this encounter would have a lifelong impact. Thankfully, Father Bob was not there to lecture my daughter. Instead he offered her comfort, using his position of authority to

reassure her tender heart. "Sweetheart," he said, crouching to her level, "it's okay. Remember how I told you last week that we've lost donkey ears and other pieces over the years? We have a man who can ﬁx these things. It's happened before. Please don't worry about it." I could literally see the heavy blanket of shame lift off my daughter’s shoulders as Father Bob showed her love when she least expected it. It was amazing to witness the relief on her face as she cautiously and slowly lifted her head, looked him in his eyes, and smiled. Then and there, she experienced the gift of grace. She gained a real-world understanding of how her heavenly Father loves her. I couldn’t help but note the timing of this grace too, and how ﬁtting that it came on the eve of Jesus’ birthday. Brokenness and grace go hand in hand. And while it’s easy to assume that God expects absolute perfection from us (and nothing less), the truth is that God loves us even when we mess up. He sent His son down from heaven to save us, not condemn us. In Mark 2:17 Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but

sinners.” What this means is that there’s hope for everyone. The mistakes we believe will shut doors with God can actually open doors if we honestly go before Him, admit what we did, and ask for forgiveness. My daughter’s mishap with baby Jesus ultimately led to grace. It allowed her to witness the merciful side of God that I hope will enrich and deepen her faith. This Christmas season, I hope you’ll remember how that grace is available to you as well. Even when your head is hanging, even when you’re burdened by a sense of shame, God is ready to show you love. Through the birth of Jesus, He delivered grace into our world, a grace that can transform your life and your future when your heart is open to receive it. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Hufﬁngton Post. She has written two books for teen and tween girls, “Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?” and “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” that are available online and everywhere books are sold. You can join Kari’s Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.

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December 2016 • B29

DISTANCE

CONTINUED from page B1 rides, all through word of mouth. “It just seems right [to ride] because of what they do for us,” Diddell said. “It’s the least we could do.” This year’s team had a total of seven riders, the largest since its creation, and participants from all backgrounds within the Southeast. “There’s not really one location or one area that we come from,” said Diddell, mentioning that other riders have fulltime jobs that include a doctor, a salesman and a Texas State Trooper. “In reality, we’re just a bunch of dads and husbands, and we’re rank amateurs at best at riding bikes.” Training generally starts mid-summer, or if you’re one of the lucky ones, only one or two months before the ride. “We all train roughly three to four times per week, anywhere from 20 to 30 miles a day,” Diddell said. While there are 100-mile rides that cyclists can participate in, it’s difficult to train that way because a ride of that length can take upward of eight hours, he said. “We all lose about 20 to 30 pounds during training,” Diddell said. The culmination of their training was seen in their ride from Atlanta to Fort Pierce, completed this year from Nov. 3 to Nov. 6. “The whole group is super patriotic, and I think they see this as a way to give back to the most elite fighting force in the U.S. military,” Fitzgerald said. Diddell, Fitzgerald and their teammates averaged 100 miles a day and began in one of the hilliest sections of the ride. They traveled through cities, towns and backcountry with the help of police escorts and were closely followed by an RV to help protect the riders and spread the word about Pedal for Patriots. “At first, people think we’re just riding a bike,” Diddell said, mentioning the RV advertises the ride with a big sign. After hearing about their cause, some passersby have given them cash during the ride, and some have even joined in for a portion of the ride themselves. “I think it really raises awareness,” he said. Team members paid their way to Atlanta and down the route, staying at motels along the way and eating a lot of frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to make up for the 3,000 calories they burned each day.

“

The Pedal for Patriots team biked over 500 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, to Fort Pierce, Florida, to raise money to support the families of Marines. Photo courtesy of Shannon Diddell.

“We do have sponsorships, but that money really goes back into the fund,” Diddell said. While they’ve been lucky with the weather in the past and have averaged only one ﬂat each year, the riders and their families acknowledge the constant dangers that accompany road cycling. “We’ve all heard the stories of biking, ‘Oh, this person got hit; that person got hit,’” Diddell said. “But the cause is right, and it’s something that we enjoy, even though we’re exhausted.” To support the Pedal for Patriots, like its Facebook page and go there for updates or donate at pedalforpatriots.com.

at Independent Presbyterian Church 3100 Highland Avenue S, Birmingham AL

Sundays

November 27 • December 4 December 11 • December 18 Hear the music and the scriptures from George Frideric Handel’s masterpiece. The IPC Choir under the direction of Dr. Jeff R. McLelland will perform Part 1 of Messiah across four Sundays beginning November 27 in both the 8:45 and 11 am worship services. Senior Pastor Dr. William J. Carl III will deliver sermons each Sunday related to the biblical texts which the choir will be singing.

Everyone is welcome. www.ipc-usa.org/messiah

The whole group is super patriotic, and I think they see this as a way to give back to the most elite ﬁghting force in the U.S. military.

”

CHRISTIAN FITZGERALD

B30 • December 2016

Village Living

Calendar Mountain Brook Events Dec. 1: Mountain Brook Village Open House. Visit welcometomountainbrook.com.

mayor and Santa. Visit welcometomountainbrook. com.

Dec. 2-17: Mountain Brook Art Association Holiday Show. Brookwood Village. Visit welcometomountainbrook.com.

Dec. 5 & 12: Total Focus Workshop. Grand Bohemian Hotel. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Two-day workshop presented by Meredith Hoffmann about procrastination tendencies, unclear vision and self-limiting thoughts. Call 205-203-9435 for information.

Dec. 4: Holiday Parade. 3 p.m. Holiday ﬂoats, marching band, music, elves and photos with the

Dec. 6: Thyme to Read Book Club. 6 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Discussing “Monet’s Palate Cookbook” by Aileen Bordman. Visit bbgardens.org.

cometomountainbrook.com.

Dec. 6: Cahaba Village Open House. Visit welcometomountainbrook.com.

Dec. 27-29: Frozen: Winter Preschool Camp. Cahaba Heights Studio. 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Explore music concepts in a creative environment. $75. Visit masonmusicstudios.com.

Dec. 8: Crestline Village Open House. Visit wel-

LJCC Events Dec. 1: Stand-up Comedy with Jewish Comedian, Amanda Marks. 6:30 pm at Cahaba Brewery. Cost: $15/$10. YBIB tickets available at bhamjcc.org. Dec. 2: OLLI of Greater Birmingham Presents: A Memorable European Trip Through History. 10:30 a.m. With Anne and Jack Norris recalling their 10-day trip to Europe. Free. Dec. 4: Children’s Chanukah Scavenger Hunt with Shira Series author Galia Sebbag. 10-11:30 am. Free. Parents and children ages 3-6 are invited to participate on a Chanukah hunt and prizes with Shira. Dec. 4: Book and author program “Inheriting Edith” by Zoe Fishman. 2 p.m. Author talk and book signing. Dec. 4-9: Oy Toys, And Thou Shalt Read & Bow Wow Mews Holiday Sale. Jewish toys, holiday items, birthday gifts, and books for all ages available in our lobby. Dec. 6: Film “400 Miles to Freedom” moderated by Sally Friedman, executive director, Birmingham Jewish Foundation. 5:30 p.m. Suggested donation $5. Dec. 11: Book and Author “The Unmasked Tenor: The

Dec. 11: IPC Holiday House Tour. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $30. Visit ipc-usa.org for information.

Emmet O’Neal Library

Life and Times of a Singing Wrestler” by Sam Tenebaum. 10 a.m. Free. Author talk and book signing.

There will be no children’s programs the week of Dec. 20-25.

Dec. 12: STEAM Powered. 4 p.m. Grades 4-6. Egg Drop Challenge.

Dec. 11: Film “Dough” 2:30 p.m. Sample ﬂavored Challahs. 3 p.m. Featured ﬁlm. Suggested donation $5.

Mondays: Toddler Tales. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. 24-36 months.

Dec. 11: “Pot Luck Doubles Round Robin” 2-5 p.m. Tennis and treats. Fee: $20/$25 non-member.

Tuesdays: Together Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Kindergarten-2nd grade.

Dec. 13: Library out Loud. 3:30-4:15 p.m. “Naughty or Nice.” Kindergarten-2nd grade.

Dec. 13: Chanukah Lunch with Cantor Roskin. Noon. Kosher lunch and entertainment with Cantor Jessica Roskin. $8.50.

Wednesdays: Mother Goose Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. 12-24 months.

Dec. 19-23 & 26-30: Camp 365 School’s Out Winter Break Camp. 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. $45/day MVP $35/day. Package: $405 MVP $315. Early drop off at 7 a.m.; late pick up until 6 p.m. $5/each. Art activities, sports, and swimming. Dec. 25: 3rd Annual Pancake Breakfast. 8:30-10:30 a.m. Everywhere else is closed on December 25 but not the J. Menu will include kosher pancakes, eggs, veggie sausage, fruit and breakfast cereal. $7 adults / $4 children in advance; $10 adults / $6 children at the door.

Dec. 13: Family Night. 5:30 p.m. “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Dinner, a movie and Mrs. Claus. All ages.

Wednesdays: Movers & Makers. 1:30 p.m. 3-5 years.

Dec. 14: Splendiferous Holiday Hairdo Hullabaloo. 3-5 p.m. Ages 3 and up. No appointment needed.

Thursdays: Patty Cake Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. 0-12 months.

Dec. 15: Crestline Elementary Art Reception. 6 p.m. All ages.

Thursdays: SNaP. 3:30 p.m. Grades 3-6.

Young Adults (7th-12th grades)

Saturdays: Family Story Time with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m. Dec. 6: PJ Story Time. 6 p.m. All ages.

Dec. 3: Game On! 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. Dec. 5: Teen Advisory Board/READ Club. 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Monthly meeting of the teen advisory board.

VillageLivingOnline.com Dec. 17: Yule Ball. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Hogwarts experience. Dec. 20: Hayao Miyazaki Film Fest. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 22: Teen Holiday Movie and Crafts. 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

December 2016 • B31 Adults Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. Programs begin at 12:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch; beverages and dessert provided. Dec. 27: Genre Reading Group. 6:30 p.m. Salon discussion.

Area Events Dec. 1-3: Market Noel. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. BJCC Exhibition Halls. Junior League of Birmingham fundraiser. Visit marketnoel.com. Dec. 2: Merry Everything! 4 The Holidays. 7:30 p.m. Lyric Theatre. $25-$35. Visit lyricbham.com. Dec. 2-3 & 9-10: Birmingham Children’s Theatre Presents: A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Fridays, 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. $35 adult, $15 child. Visit bct123.org. Dec. 2-4 & 7-11: Holiday Spectacular 2016. RMTC Cabaret Theatre. Performances by the RMTC Conservatory Students along with local artists. Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m. $19 and up. Visit redmountaintheatre.org. Dec. 2-4, 8-11 & 15-18: A Christmas Story: The Musical. Virginia Samford Theatre. Thursdays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. $15-$35. Visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org. Dec. 3: Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker. 3 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. $31.50-$178.50. Visit nutcracker.com. Dec. 3: Sara Evans. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $30-$80. Visit ticketmaster.com. Dec. 3 & 10: Birmingham Children’s Theatre presents: Twas the Night Before Christmas. 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. $20 adult, $15 child. Visit bct123.org.

Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 16: A Christmas Story. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 16: Tommy Emmanuel: Classics & Christmas Tour. 8 p.m. Lyric Theatre. $47.50. Visit lyricbham. com. Dec. 16: Handel’s Messiah & Vivaldi’s Gloria. 7:30 p.m. Presented by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Alys Stephens Center. $18-$80. Visit alabamasymphony.org. Dec. 16-18: Broadway Christmas Wonderland. BJCC Concert Hall. Sounds of holiday classics. $30$60. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. Visit theatreleague.com/Birmingham. Dec. 17: Dickens Vest Pocket Christmas Carol. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $8-$13. Visit alysstephens.org. Dec. 17: Voices of the South presents: Christmas at the Lyric. 7 p.m. Lyric Theatre. $15-$35. Visit lyricbham.com. Dec. 17: It’s A Wonderful Life. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com.

Dec. 4: UAB Gospel Choir featuring Alicia Olatuja. 6 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $18. Visit alysstephens.org.

Dec. 18: Southeastern Outings Moderate Dayhike Along Buck Creek in Helena. 2 p.m. Total hiking distance is less than four miles. Depart 2 p.m. from the parking lot for the Helena City Park on Highway 261. Call 205-823-5165.

Dec. 5: BAO Bingo. 7 p.m. Birmingham AIDS Outreach. $15 for 5 games. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org.

Dec. 18: White Christmas. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre. com.

Dec. 5: UAB Music’s Christmas at the Alys. 7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $8, $5 students. Visit uab. edu.

Dec. 18: Home Alone. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com.

Dec. 8: Live at the Lyric: The Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Show. 7 p.m. $27.50-$39.50. Visit lyricbham.com. Dec. 9: White Christmas. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 10-11: Birmingham Ballet: The Nutcracker. BJCC Concert Hall. $30-$48. Saturday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m. Visit birminghamballet. com. Dec. 10: Polar Express. 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $12. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 10: Christmas Vacation. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 10-11: Polar Express PJ Party. McWane Science Center. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m. $14 adults, $12 kids, members receive $2 off. Visit mcwane.org. Dec. 11: Miracle on 34th Street. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 11: Elf. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 12: It’s A Wonderful Life. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 13: Home Alone. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 14: Christmas Vacation. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 15: Elf. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday

Dec. 19: It’s A Wonderful Life. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 19: Christmas Vacation. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 20: White Christmas. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre. com. Dec. 20: Meet Me in St. Louis: 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 21: A Christmas Story. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 21: Elf. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 22: Cartoon Matinee Triple Feature. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 22: Christmas Vacation. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Holiday Film Series. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 23: A Christmas Carol. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Presented by Nebraska Theatre Caravan. $44. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 28: An Evening with Gillian Welch. 8 p.m. Lyric Theatre. $35 advance, $40 day of show. Visit lyricbham.com. Dec. 28-29: St. Paul & The Broken Bones. 8 p.m. $25-$35. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve at the Alabama. 6 p.m. Ring in the new year with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. $18-$75. Visit alabamasymphony.org.