Village Living Volume 6 | Issue 12 | March 2016
He’s Unstoppable
neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook
ARCTIC
odyssey Multiple diagnoses don’t get in the way of one of the state’s top golfers, Mountain Brook senior Jonathan Eyster.
See page B16
Saving Lives
Former Mountain Brook resident to race in Iditarod By SYDNEY CROMWELL The Iditarod is known as the last great race on Earth, and for good reason. Mushers and their dog teams must traverse 1,000 miles of Alaskan wilderness by sled, battling extreme cold, sleep deprivation and challenging terrain to be the first across the
finish line in Nome, Alaska. This year, when the sled teams leave Anchorage on March 5, former Mountain Brook resident Ryne Olson will be among them. Olson is now the owner of Ryno Kennel
See IDITAROD | page A30
The team from Ryno Kennel, led by Alaskan huskies Neptune and Ham, prepares to start the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest in February 2015.
Fearless Fire Drills teaches children with sensory sensitivity how to respond in emergency situations.
See page B10
INSIDE Sponsors .......... A4 City .................... A6 Business ...........A8 Community .....A10 Camp Guide ...A22
School House .. B4 Opinion ............. B11 Sports .............. B13 Medical Guide ... B18 Calendar ......... B22
A team of sled dogs pulls Ryne Olson through the snow of Alaska. Olson said that mushing gives her the chance to see beautiful landscapes across the state. Photos courtesy of Ryne Olson.
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More apps, more problems for kids? Schools take proactive approach regarding students, social media By ANA GOOD There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach to talking to children and teens about social media and the use of cellphones, said Mountain Brook’s Director of Student Services Dale Wisely, Ph.D. Rather, parents and guardians should approach the topics using multifaceted, age-appropriate strategies.
That model, explained Wisely, is how the city’s individual schools implement rules regarding cellphones and their use on school grounds. “Our practices differ among the elementary, junior high and high school students,” said Wisely. “For elementary students, our expectations are that they will not be using cells at school. It would not be a violation for an elementary school to have a cellphone in a backpack, for example, but we don’t
YOU’RE THINKING SPRING CLEAN.
allow their use during the school day.” Rules loosen up just slightly by the time students reach the junior high level. “At our junior high, students are allowed to bring cellphones, but they must stay out of sight during the school day,” Wisely said. “Many students have phones in their lockers.”
See SCHOOLS | page A29 Proudly keeping homes cleaner and healthier since 1987
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Village Living
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March 2016 • A3
A4 • March 2016
Village Living
About Us Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray When you think about what you dreamed of doing as a kid, most of us dreamed big. Dreams such as climbing Mt. Everest or sailing around the world or traveling to Antarctica may have been on your list. Former Mountain Brook resident Ryne Olson is actually living one such dream. Olson is preparing to race in Alaska’s famed Iditarod. Read all about her preparation for the grueling race and her life in Alaska in this month’s issue. Speaking of athletic feats, during the month of February, high schools had national signing days across the country. Find out where our own athletes are going to be competing in college. Hopefully your alma
mater was lucky enough to recruit one of these great athletes. Another group of students at the high school, Leadership Mountain Brook, has recently published a book. “Buttons Explores the Brook” is the title. Your purchase supports this group and their efforts, and you’ll probably learn something you didn’t know about our great community. Navigating the world of social media and cellphones and the place they occupy in our lives seems to be an ongoing concern of parents and teachers across the county. It seems like we are all having to set boundaries and make decisions about usage while recognizing that technology is
an important part of our lives now. Learn about proposed new policies to help both students and parents in Mountain Brook schools be able to use devices in the safest, most responsible way possible. Even though its just now spring, many of you are already planning summer fun. If you’re trying to decide what camp options are out there, you will want to visit our Summer Camp Guide. This guide highlights many of the great opportunities kids can have to try new things and explore in and around Mountain Brook. There are a lot of great ones, so good luck picking!
BEHIND THE LENS By Frank Couch Ashlee Fulmer and Tena McQueen step across concrete pillars that are used like stepping stones across Shades Creek along the Jemison Trail in Mountain Brook. Fuller is holding her dog, Harvey, who also enjoyed a warm and sunny February day for a walk along the tree-lined trail. Technical Data: NIKON D810, Lens (mm): 70, ISO: 100, Aperture: 4, Shutter: 1/500. Got a question or have an idea for another Behind the Lens? Email me at fcouch@ starnespublishing.com.
Correction
In our February 2016 story “Regaining Control,” Village Living incorrectly stated that Whitney Owenby is the owner of Grand Jete
Fitness, located on Cahaba Road. Owenby is the manager and teaches classes there. We regret the error.
Village Living Publisher: Editor: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Video Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Sports Reporter: Associate Editor: Copy Editor:
Dan Starnes Jennifer Gray Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Frank Couch Cherie Olivier Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Kyle Parmley Lucy Ridolphi Louisa Jeffries
Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett
Contributing Kari Kampakis Writers: Rick Watson Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Steve Irvine
Rachel Burchfield Chris Megginson Jesse Chambers Grace Thornton
For advertising contact: dan@starnespublishing.com Contact Information: Village Living PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnespublishing.com
Please submit all articles, information and photos to: sydney@starnespublishing.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253
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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March 2016 • A5
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A6 • March 2016
Village Living
City
Audit: Finances among best in state By ANA GOOD At its. Feb. 8 meeting, the Mountain Brook City Council heard an audit report presentation from Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC, as of and for the year that ended Sept. 30. According to the report: ▶ Assets of the city exceeded its liabilities by $87.1 million. Of this amount, reads a report summary, $1.23 million is restricted, allocated for the Emergency Communication District ($411,000) and for road improvements from the State Shared Gasoline Tax special revenue funds ($820,000). The remaining $10.75 million is available for use by the city to fund future municipal services and to meet its obligations to employees and creditors. ▶ As of Sept. 30, 2015, the city reported $34.4 million in fund balances, an increase of $4 million from 2014. Of the $34.4 million fund balances, $14.1 million (41 percent) is reported in the General Fund, $15.1 million (44 percent) in the Capital Projects Fund, $4 million (12 percent) in the Debt Service Fund, and $1.2 million (3 percent) in the Other Governmental Funds. ▶ In 2015, the city also paid off its balance on bonds from 2007. At that time, the city had issued $5 million in bonds, said the city’s finance director Steven Boone, and was paying 3.75 to 4 percent interest on the bonds. Financially speaking, Mountain Brook is “among those in the best shape across the state,” according to the audit. The City Council also: ▶ Approved a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Stone & Sons Electrical Contractors with respect to the installation of generators for backup power for traffic lights on U. S. Highway 280. ▶ Approved a resolution authorizing the installation of two streetlights on Westchester Circle (at 3601 and 3625).
The Mountain Brook City Council on Feb. 8 was informed that the city's assets exceeded its liabilities by $87.1 million. Staff photo.
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • A7
CRIME REPORT By ERICA TECHO Mountain Brook police have charged two individuals in a Feb. 3 hit and run/robbery. Police officers from Irondale were pursuing a vehicle which reportedly crashed into a car on Shiloh Drive near Groover Drive, resulting in injuries to the occupant of the other vehicle. The suspects fled on foot, and police report a victim in the 4100 block of Sharpsburg Drive was robbed of his vehicle shortly after. The stolen vehicle was recovered, and Tarius Keon Richardson and Paul Hinkle have been charged. Richardson was charged with third degree robbery and second degree burglary, and his bond was set at $150,000. Police report Hinkle was driving the car involved in the Shiloh Drive and was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injuries. His bond was set at $12,000. Police reported four other hit and runs in early February. Two occurred on U.S. 280 at Office Park Circle. On Jan. 29 around 4:15 p.m., an older white male in a white Cadillac sedan reportedly merged from the center lane into the left lane and struck the victim’s vehicle near the
intersection. The Cadillac did not stop at the scene. The other incident was reported Feb. 1 around 2:45 p.m. An older white pickup struck a black BMW in the rear and knocked the BMW into a white Mini Cooper, according to police. The white pickup then fled the scene. Hit and runs were also reported after an unknown vehicle hit a mailbox and speed limit sign in the 100 block of Greenbriar Lane and when a tan Toyota Avalon changed lanes and hit another car on Euclid Avenue at Church Street. Police also reported five property thefts, including three at businesses. On Feb. 6, two businesses reported meat being stolen. On Feb. 10, a woman was arrested after reportedly shoplifting nearly $1,000 worth of merchandise from a store in the 600 block of Brookwood Village. One victim reported they paid a repairman in advance who has since not returned to complete the work. The payment occurred between Dec. 9 and Dec. 16, and the incident was classified as a property theft. A fifth theft was reported after an individual reported his vehicle’s license plate was stolen.
The Everbridge emergency notification system is a way for Jefferson County residents to receive important weather and emergency alerts. Courtesy of Everbridge.
Emergency notification system available for Jefferson Co. residents Mountain Brook residents can prepare for potential severe weather by signing up for Everbridge, a free notification system provided to local municipalities by Jefferson County. Everbridge alerts users to emergencies and potential hazards through different methods, including text messaging, phone calls and emails, depending on the user’s preference. Weather notifi cations, which make up the majority of alerts, result from offi cial National Weather Service watches and warnings and are based on a user’s specific location. Users can sign up to receive a variety of weather notifications ranging from severe thunderstorm warnings to fog advisories, and all users receive tornado warning notifications. The program also allows users to enter critical medical information, such as hearing impairment or the need for supplemental
oxygen or insulin, and can alert local authorities of residents that may need urgent assistance in the event of a wide spread power outage or infrastructure failure. “It’s a huge step forward in this county,” Jefferson County EMA Director Jim Coker said. “This is why we do it: to give you as much time as we possibly can to make a critical decision.” Users can add multiple locations to their account, and Coker encouraged adding the locations residents work, have children in school or spend a lot of time. The program also allows users to select hours they would prefer not to be notified. To enroll in the Everbridge system, go to http://member.everbridge.net/ index/453003085611901#/signup or visit the jeffcoema.org and select the “Everbridge Citizen Alert Notification” tab.
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VillageLivingOnline.com
News and Accomplishments Frances Knox, a Realtor with RealtySouth’s Mountain Brook-Cahaba office, 2807 Cahaba Road, was awarded the Bronze Premier Club Award by the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. This award is given to agents who have sent multiple real estate referrals to other companies in the organization, and the referrals resulted in a closed sale. This organization has over 500 firms with 3,500 offices and 120,000 sales associates in nearly 50 countries worldwide. 936-8062, francesknoxsold.com
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Anniversaries Little Lavender, 200 Country Club Park, celebrated its third anniversary in February. 803-3958, littlelavender.com
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A’mano Gifts, 2707 Culver Road, is celebrating its 19th anniversary in
March 2016 • A9 March. The longtime Mountain Brook Village business is currently closed as it prepares to reopen in Lane Parke this summer. 871-9093, amanogifts.com Trocadero Salon, 2839 Cahaba Road, celebrated its 42nd anniversary in business in February. 870-7650, trocaderosalon.com
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Tonya Jones SalonSpa celebrated the second anniversary of its English Village location, 2410 Fairway Drive, in February. 870-4247, tonyajonessalon.com
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TherapySouth, 205 Country Club Park, celebrated its 7th anniversary in business on February 2. 871-0777, therapysouth.net
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Bromberg’s, 2800 Cahaba Road, is celebrating its 180th anniversary this year. The iconic store is one of the country’s oldest family-owned businesses. 871-3276, brombergs.com
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Business news
to share? Now Open Coming Soon
Relocation Expansion
Anniversary If you are a brick and mortar business in Mountain Brook and want to share your event with the community, let us know.
Email dan@starnespublishing.com
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A10 • March 2016
Village Living
Community
Nancy Goedecke will receive the Mildred Bell Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Girls Scouts of North-Central Alabama. Photo courtesy of Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama.
By ERICA TECHO Mountain Brook City Council member Alice Womack and resident Nancy Goedecke will be recognized at the annual Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon. The luncheon, hosted by the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama, is March 11 at the Harbert Center in downtown Birmingham. Award winners are nominated based on their civic, academic or professional involvement and contributions to the community. Womack, client advisor for Oakworth Capital Bank, was selected for the Financial Literacy category of the Women of Distinction awards. Goedecke will receive the Mildred Bell Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award. Winners of the Women of the Distinction award provide a good example for Girl Scouts, said Hannah Wallace, director of communications and marketing for
Girl Scouts to honor Mountain Brook resident, council member
Girls Scouts of North-Central Alabama. These girls are growing up in an online world, Wallace said, and it can be difficult to plug them in with real-world mentors. “Our girls need role models,” Wallace said. “They need real inspiration, role models who lead by example in their specific community.” Womack also serves as president of the Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation, advisory member for Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, sustainer for the Junior League of Birmingham and board of trustees member for Canterbury United Methodist church. Even with her participation on several boards, Womack said she enjoys being actively involved in the community. “I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone,” she said. “Some of my favorite community involvement is not serving on boards, but being an active volunteer in small ways — ‘boots on the ground’ so to speak. Serving at Firehouse Shelter, as
a host family at Family Promise, clean-up efforts in Avondale, etc. My most valuable lesson was experiencing how this type of service fills you in unexpected ways.” Through the Lifetime Achievement Award, Goedecke will be recognized for her past volunteer work with Girl Scouts. Goedecke said she encourages people to get involved and stay involved in their communities. “No matter your background, no matter your experience, no matter your skills and capabilities, you can make a difference,” she said. “So get involved, don’t wait. Do it now. I promise you’ll receive so much more than you give.” After women are nominated, the Women of Distinction Nomination Committee sorts through nominations and selects winners. Local Girl Scouts will have the opportunity to interview the Women of Distinction award winners as part of a short video. The girls get to write questions for
Alice Womack will receive the Women of Distinction Financial Literacy Award from the Girls Scouts of North-Central Alabama. Photo courtesy of Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama.
the winners, and the video will be shown at the award ceremony. “They’ll really be able to see what makes these women tick, how hard they had to work to get there,” Wallace said. Some women also remain involved with Girl Scouts by volunteering, participating in fundraisers and speaking with troops in the area. At the luncheon, each woman will give a short speech regarding her award. Tickets are $60 for general admission and $45 for Girl Scout members. Proceeds from the luncheon support Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “I think the greater importance is that you’re supporting Girl Scouts, and not just a national brand of Girl Scouts, but the [groups] right outside your door,” Wallace said. For more information about reservations or sponsorships, contact Tonya Mines at 800-734-4541, ext. 1030 or tmines@girlscoutsnca.org.
Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon • WHERE: Harbert Center, downtown Birmingham • WHEN: Friday, March 11, at 11:30 a.m. • COST: $60 general admission; $45 for Girl Scout members
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • A11
More than 700 runners participated in last year’s Village 2 Village event. Photo courtesy of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce.
Festivities planned for Village 2 Village 10K By EMILY FEATHERSTON Mountain Brook’s premier running event, the Village 2 Village 10K, will return this year on Saturday, March 5. The race, which begins on Lane Park Road by the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and finishes on Canterbury Road in Mountain Brook Village, winds through several iconic Mountain Brook neighborhoods. The 10K will begin at 8 a.m., with race-day registration starting at 6 a.m. in the Western Supermarket parking lot. Advance registration can be completed online, with packet pickup taking place at the Cahaba Village Mountain High Outfitters from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Advance registration for adults is $35 per
runner, and $20 for students 18 years old and younger. Registration day-of will be $40. T-shirts are guaranteed for the first 500 registrants, but the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce recommends registering early, as there were more than 700 participants in the 2015 event. Awards will be presented to the top overall runner in the male and female divisions, as well as first through third awards in the five-year age brackets. After the race, participants and residents are invited to an after-party on Canterbury Road. The party will feature music, food and prizes, and is open to the public. For more information and the link to online registration, visit welcometomountainbrook. com.
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Gorham of Troop 28 earns Scouts’ highest honor
Crawford Lee Voigt becomes Eagle Scout
Harrison Gorham, from Boy Scout Troop 28 at Independent Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor in the Boy Scouts of America. Harrison’s Eagle Scout Leadership project was “Camp Winnataska Wayside Cross Trail,” a project to improve the trail and incline to the Camp Winnataska Wayside Chapel. Camp Winnataska is an interdenominational Christian camp located near Brompton, Alabama. The project involved terracing the eroding incline trail using power poles as risers, new grading, erosion control, and grass seeding. Harrison was elected to the Order of the Arrow, participated in the Sea Base High Adventure Sailing expedition in the Bahamas and the Philmont Scout Ranch expedition in northern New Mexico. This summer he and his troop will attend Camp Parson’s Scout Camp in Seattle, Washington. He earned a total of 32 merit badges. Harrison is a Mountain Brook High School sophomore where he is a member of the cross country team and a pole vaulter on the track and field team. He is a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Homewood. Harrison is the son of Gary and Laura Gorham. Harrison’s Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony was held on Jan. 24 at Independent Presbyterian Church. - Submitted by Gary Gorham.
Crawford Lee Voigt, a member of Boy Scout Troop 28 at Independent Presbyterian Church, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on Nov. 12. For his Eagle Scout Project, Voigt designed and built a new horse pen at The Red Barn, a faith-based charity in Leeds that provides equine assisted activities to individuals of all abilities and circumstances, especially children. The pen was designed so that guests at The Red Barn may closely interact with horses. As a member of Troop 28, Voigt earned 26 merit badges and served as Assistant Sr. Patrol Leader and Historian. He went to Sea Base High Adventure Camp in The Bahamas and was his crew’s leader at Philmont High Adventure Scout Ranch in New Mexico. During his six years of involvement in the troop, he hiked more than 200 miles and spent more than 70 nights camping. He was also inducted into Order of the Arrow, scouting’s national honor society. Voigt, a Mountain Brook High School senior, is involved in athletics and extracurricular activities. He is a middle-distance runner on the varsity track team and is a member of the cross-country team, the Croquet Club, the National Honor Society and also participates in charitable activities such as Relay for Life. He will continue his education at Auburn University, with a current interest in the field of engineering. Voigt is the son of Sandra and Bill Voigt of Mountain Brook and the grandson of Jane Mullins and Evelyn Voigt, both of Mountain Brook. ‒ Submitted by Bill Voigt.
A12 • March 2016
Village Living
A placard, left, shows renderings of the new playground equipment sought by the Mountain Brook Elementary Lancer PTO. Above: People discuss the effort to raise funds for the new playground. Photos by Cherie Olivier.
MBE PTO raising money for new playground By ANA GOOD The Mountain Brook Elementary Lancer PTO is working to raise $350,000 to equip the school with an upgraded, safer and ADA-compliant playground. A six-week fundraiser, which began Tuesday, Feb. 9, will end March 20 with a schoolwide fun run celebration. The group, said Playground Chair Eleanor Estes, hopes to transform the playground this summer. “It’s a big goal,” said Estes, “but we are excited about the prospects.” The idea for a new playground, she said, came about when the PTO realized how much it would cost to equip the current playground with a poured-in-place rubber surface. “It didn’t make sense, in our opinion, to spend $120,000 for the new surface,” she said, “when we knew it would be used around a 20-year-old playground structure.” Although the new surface — now popular at many playgrounds for its safety and accessibility features — would be ADA-compliant, the structure itself would not be.
“Approximately 8-10 percent of the Mountain Brook Elementary student community is special needs,” PTO President Emily Lassiter said. “If we were going to take on something of this magnitude, we wanted to make sure we built more than just a new playground. We want to ensure everyone will be included in the final product.” As part of the PTO’s “Full STEAM Ahead” fundraising campaign, the new playground will include ADA-compliant playground equipment appropriate for ages 3-12, wheelchair-accessible surfacing, play pieces designed for children on the autism spectrum, wheelchair ramps, two foursquare courts, an updated basketball court and additional benches. As part of efforts to keep up with science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) trends, the new playground would also feature a refurbished outdoor amphitheater that can be used as an outdoor classroom and a revitalized nature trail that would also promote outdoor learning. New fencing, graded landscaping and a commemorative brick pathway would round out the space. MBE’s PTO worked with Kompan, the world’s
Watch video from the fundraiser kickoff:
280living.com/topics/video
villagelivingonline.com/videos/mountainbrook-elementary-reveals-plans-for-newand-improved/
top playground equipment supplier according to its website, to design the new equipment. “[Kompan focuses] on strong design, high play value, safety, and long-lasting quality,” wrote Lassiter in a letter addressed to MBE parents. “Every new MBE playground piece will be ADA accessible and multifunctional. They are designed to promote problem solving, team building, science, engineering, and most of all … fun!” In addition to adding the new surfacing for $120,000 the new equipment will cost approximately $150,000. Site work preparation and landscaping will cost an additional $75,000, bringing the project total to approximately $350,000. The PTO is hoping to collect most of the
money through donations from current MBE families, alumni and the surrounding community, businesses and area leaders. “After all,” Lassiter said, “the playground is often used by families all around Mountain Brook on the weekends and especially in the summertime.” The PTO will also apply for grants designed to help schools achieve a more ADA-compliant play area. A wide range of donor levels is available, said Estes, beginning at $1 and climbing up toward a Grand Marshal designation of $50,000 or more. “We want every family to have the opportunity to contribute,” she said. “Every bit will make a difference.” Donors will be commemorated on playground plaques at different play structures, she said. The PTO will also be selling commemorative bricks to be used in the walkway and will cost either $200 for a 4-by-8-inch brick or $400 for an 8-by-8-inch brick. All donations are tax deductible. To donate online or for more information about the MBE Playground Campaign, visit lancerpto.com.
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • A13
iving L y h lt a e H r o f s Prescription ng a ghtenment duri
Above: A group of royal pages poses for a picture. Below: The 2016 Beaux Arts Krewe Ball king and queen were assisted in carrying their large trains by a group of pages made up of local children. Photos courtesy of Katherine DuBuys and the Beaux Arts Krewe.
dose of enli e Real rg la e n o e k Ta Y WORLDS RX. n D O B f o t u b e d d o visit to the worl w you details of today’s comm o h my. human bodies s gs of your anato a in rk o w r e n in e diseases and th powered to take steps toward em Be inspired and healthier life.
Krewe celebrates Mardi Gras ball By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Beaux Arts Krewe returned to Boutwell Auditorium on Feb. 5 to celebrate the Mardi Gras season and support the Birmingham Museum of Art. Dr. Thomas Gilbert Amason, Jr. served as the 2016 Krewe Ball King and was accompanied by 2016 Krewe Queen Carolyn Davis McCalley. This year’s ball included an Aladdin theme, and presented four Ladies in Waiting and 25 princesses to the community.
Andrew Sink earns Eagle Scout rank Andrew Lee Sink, Jr. a member of Troop 63 at Canterbury United Methodist Church, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Andrew was recognized during ceremonies on Sunday, Jan. 24, at Canterbury United Methodist Church. Sink has served in many leadership roles in Troop 63, including chaplain, historian and patrol leader. Sink’s Eagle project was the construction of a prayer labyrinth on the Canterbury United Methodist Church campus. After raising the money for the construction cost to build the labyrinth, the project was completed with the help of other troop members and friends over the course of four months.
N0W — MAY 1 Sink is a sophomore at Mountain Brook High School, where he is a member of the baseball team, Key Club, sophomore class SGA secretary and active in his youth group at Canterbury United Methodist Church. Sink is the son of Andrew Lee Sink and Laura Dean Sink and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Sink of Birmingham and Dr. and Mrs. A. E. Dean, Jr. of Shreveport, Louisiana. - Submitted by Laura Sink.
PRESENTED BY
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A14 • March 2016
Village Living
A month of giving
Franchisee aims to raise $100K for cancer research at Children’s of Alabama
By SYDNEY CROMWELL Most people are fortunate never to know the difficulties of being a child in an extended hospital stay. But Patrick Decker knows the feeling well – before he was even in school, a blood disorder kept him in a hospital for a year. Decker is now the owner of several Jersey Mike’s franchise locations in Hoover, Mountain Brook, Trussville, Opelika and a Vestavia store that opened in February. Each March, Jersey Mike’s franchisees across the country choose a local charity to support for the annual Month of Giving. Decker has participated for several years, giving to charities such as the Exceptional Foundation, the Lakeshore Foundation, Make-A-Wish and the Bell Center. This year, however, Decker felt it was time to choose a larger cause that’s close to his heart: pediatric cancer research at Children’s of Alabama. “I’ve had my eyes on Children’s [of Alabama] for a long time,” Decker said. His stores also donated in December to Children’s Sugarplum Shop for families in the hospital on Christmas. “This is the first year we had enough stores that we felt like we could make an impact,” said Katie Crago, Jersey Mike’s special events coordinator. Representatives at Children’s were just as excited to make the new partnership. Emily Hornak, the director of cause marketing at Children’s, had tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with Decker prior to the Sugarplum Shop. Then she received an email from him asking to partner for the project. “I couldn’t have been more excited,” Hornak said.
Patrick Decker discusses charity choice:
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Patrick Decker, Katie Crago, Emily Hornak and Adam Kelley pose inside one of the Jersey Mike’s locations that will be raising money this month for Children’s of Alabama. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
“I think she was doing cartwheels in the office,” agreed Children’s Manager of Communications Adam Kelley. Decker’s Jersey Mike’s locations had the qualities that Children’s was looking for in a fundraising partner: a desire to give back to the community and strong local ties along with a large economic footprint in Birmingham. “Children’s of Alabama has many opportunities to make an impact,” Hornak said. “We find that when we partner with a company like Jersey Mike’s, that we get so much more ability to connect with the community not just through fundraising, but through the awareness.”
Decker’s goal is to raise $100,000 throughout March for pediatric cancer research across his five stores. For those looking to participate, there will be several ways to give back. Diners at Jersey Mike’s can give donations up to $3 at the register and receive a $1 off coupon in exchange, and 25 percent of proceeds from March catering orders will also be donated. Crago said Jersey Mike’s will be selling T-shirts with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Children’s, and an online auction, including trips and entertainment packages. This will be capped off by the Day of Giving on Wednesday, March 30, when 100
percent of sales will go to Children’s. “We want the people who care about Children’s to invest in our business partners, and this is an opportunity for them to go support someone who is supporting us,” Hornak said. Decker is taking a “no stone unturned” approach to getting the word out about the Month of Giving. Along with talking to regular and college newspapers and radio stations, Decker said he will also be mailing about 400,000 coupons out to area homes. The coupons will include special offers for those who bring them in and donate. Hornak said the donations will go to research at Children’s and “soft
services” for children being treated for cancer: social workers, child life specialists, art and music therapy and other “programs that we as a hospital provide because it is important to the care of the patient and to the whole family.” “We’re really looking forward to working and making a statement to the community that Jersey Mike’s and Children’s are working together to make as much funds and awareness as we can,” Hornak said. $100,000 is a big goal, but Decker is confident that his team will reach it. That’s due in part to the employees who are “very excited” to be supporting Children’s, and partly due to the customers at Jersey Mike’s. “Jersey Mike’s is built off of regulars,” Decker said. “Seventy-five percent of our customers are people who eat here every other day. We know their names, our employees know what sandwich they want before they get out of the car. It’s just that type of family kind of push that we know they’re going to want to get involved. “We know they want to do something like this, and that’s why they’ll come and eat at Jersey Mike’s to raise money,” he continued. For more about the Month of Giving and how to get involved, visit onesubatatime.org.
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March 2016 • A15
Twelve life-sized animatronic dinosaurs will be on display at the zoo until July 31. Photos courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo.
Dinosaurs return to Birmingham Zoo this spring break By ANA GOOD Don’t write off dinosaurs as extinct just yet. This spring break, the prehistoric creatures are returning to the Birmingham Zoo as part of its new exhibit, Dino Discovery – They’re Back! The limited-time exhibit will open to members only for a preview March 17 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., March 18 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and March 19 from 9 a.m.–noon. It will then open to the public at noon on March 19. The exhibit will be located in the Alabama
Wilds area of the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo. This exhibit will give guests the opportunity to hear dinosaurs roar, see them move and take in a prehistoric experience like none before. A total of 12 life-sized, North American-native animatronic dinosaurs will tower above zoo guests at heights of nearly 20 feet. The creatures will weigh in at nearly 7 tons and measure 85 feet in length, taking guests on an expedition spanning back more than 160 million years ago. Guests can search for fossils in the Dino Dig,
explore the exhibit with a dinosaur expert and get their picture with a giant Pachyrhinosaurus. The exhibit will provide various educational offerings for guests to learn more about these extinct species and how they relate to the zoo’s conservation efforts. To help add more excitement to the experience, guests are encouraged to download the Dinosaur Co AR app for an interactive digital experience. When warmer months roll around, the zoo’s Summer ZooFari Camps will include a specialty
camp focused on dinosaurs. Campers will discover fossils, learn about dinosaurs and how they lived, what they ate and meet some of their modern-day relatives up close. Dino Discovery – They’re Back! will be open to guests for a cost of $3 (plus tax) for zoo members and $5 (plus tax) for nonmembers in addition to regular zoo admission. The dinosaurs will stick around until July 31 before they go extinct again. For more information, visit birminghamzoo. com.
A16 • March 2016
Village Living
KITCHEN CLASSROOM
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TURNED
Cooking classes at the Grand Bohemian will be accessible for all skill levels and include both demonstrations and hands-on opportunities. Photos by Frank Couch.
Chef brings love for cooking to new classes at Grand Bohemian hotel By ANA GOOD Birmingham chef Clif Holt has spent time inside a kitchen for as long as he can remember. He was only 5 years old when he stepped into a kitchen for the first time to cook with his grandmother. Since then, Holt said, it’s where he has wanted to be. His love for the kitchen eventually led him to the heart of Forest Park, where he most recently owned and operated Little Savannah Restaurant and Bar. These days, Holt is still in the kitchen, but in a more teacher-centered role. While his wife, Maureen, runs things at Little Savannah, Holt spends his days teaching others to master their kitchen skills at the Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook cooking school. “I’ve moved from the quarterback position at Little Savannah to the head-cheerleader role,” Holt said about the transition. “I’m fully supportive of Maureen and her vision for the restaurant
while I focus on things over here.” Holt, who also taught classes at Little Savannah, said the transition to the Grand Bohemian was a natural one. “The classes will be simple,” Holt said during a media tour of the cooking space in October, “approachable for all skill levels.” An elevator ride just outside the hotel’s ballroom takes guests to an area called “The Habitat,” featuring a rooftop restaurant and bar with indoor/outdoor components, such as fire pits and a rooftop terrace. The cooking school, its own space, is beside the main dining room and across from the restaurant kitchen. Holt said he hopes to attract kitchen experts and novices alike, all in the name of food. “I’ll teach all types of basic techniques, like how to boil water,” Holt said with a laugh, “and throw in some knife skills.” Smaller classes will have more hands-on experience, Holt said, while larger ones will be mostly demonstration-based.
Holt, who grew up in Cullman, said he always knew he wanted to be a chef. After opening Little Savannah, he said he began teaching classes there because he was drawn to the interactions he had with his customers. “I like the human aspect of teaching,” said Holt. “I like the challenge of bringing people into the cooking world and having fun along the way.” Mostly self-taught, Holt received a degree from the Jefferson State Community College for Culinary Arts and Business Administration. But even before he entered the culinary scene, Holt lived in San Diego, where he joined the United States Navy and maintained Secret Security clearance. Eventually, Holt’s military skills proved fruitful in the kitchen back at home. After holding titles such as project manager and senior designer at various companies in the Alabama area, Holt found his way back into the kitchen. He went on to accept a position
at Highlands Bar and Grill and Chez Fon Fon, where he moved his way up to chef de tournant after starting as a pastry chef. Holt then worked at Samford University as chef de cuisine with Sodexo Campus Services before most recently working as proprietor and executive chef at Little Savannah, the full-service fine dining establishment he developed from scratch. In the kitchen, Holt said he is “definitely not” a recipe-follower. He does cook at home, though his favorite meal is one someone else prepares for him. He is a “big fan” of ethnic food, particularly North African cuisine. Holt said the transition has added “a little something” to both he and his wife, as they both continue to develop their skills, and is excited about his new role. “When the opportunity presented itself,” said Holt, “I had to take it.” For more information on how to sign up for a cooking school class, visit grandbohemianmountainbrook.com.
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Clif Holt is the teacher at the new Grand Bohemian cooking school. He and his wife own Little Savannah, and Holt has also worked at Highlands Bar and Grill, Chez Fon Fon and Samford University.
March 2016 • A17
A18 • March 2016
Village Living
Leadership Mountain Brook publishes book highlighting city workings By ANA GOOD Those wanting to learn more about the city need to look no further than Leadership Mountain Brook’s latest project. Through their hand-illustrated, personally written book, “Buttons Explores the Brook,” readers follow a curious cat as it learns all about what makes the city run. Along the way, Buttons meets the Chamber Cats, Claire and Claudia; Joe the City Manager; Betty the City Planner; and Emmet the Owl, just to name a few. “We all went around and toured each of the city’s departments to get information,” said Leadership Mountain Brook student Anne Raines Doidge. “They all gave us an inside look at how everything works. What I really like about the book is that it calls attention to aspects of the city not everyone pays attention to, to areas we often take for granted. The book shows the kind of work that goes into making Mountain Brook, Mountain Brook.” Though written as a children’s book, Leadership students agree it’s the perfect read for all ages. “I think even our grandparents will be able to learn something from this book,” said Mary Margaret Grammas. “I know that I now have a greater appreciation for all the city department heads, including fire, police, public works, all of the pieces that come together to maintain the city. It is geared toward children, but it will give everyone a greater appreciation of our city.” Sarah Beth Daniel, who was in charge of illustrating the book’s many characters, said this is the first time she’s taken on a task like this. “I love art,” she said, “but I’ve never illustrated a book before. I didn’t realize until about
halfway through how much work it would be.” Still, the young artist said she is proud of how each of her hand-drawn characters turned out. As a class, the students talked about different ways to represent each of the department heads, said Daniel, and from there, she would spend anywhere from two to three hours per night during the first semester sketching those ideas out. Daniel’s drawings were then superimposed over pictures the group took around the various parts of the city that had been outlined in the planning stages of the book. The students split into various groups, said Sarah Tate Kelly, each responsible for writing about and taking pictures for one specific city department. There was also an editing group, she said, which made sure the different parts flowed together seamlessly and contained no grammatical errors. The class used Morris Publishing, a self-publishing company, to help turn their manuscript into 100 hardback books. Grammas said the plan is to order more books in the near future. The books are currently available for sale at the Chamber office, 101 Hoyt Lane in Crestline Village, Smith’s Variety and Snoozy’s in Crestline Village and Swoop in Mountain Brook Village. Each book is $25, and all proceeds will fund future Leadership Mountain Brook city improvement projects. “We hope that kids and adults get a lot of fun out of the book and also learn about the community,” said Daniel. “I hope they learn how much work goes into making Mountain Brook great so we can all appreciate how blessed we are to call it home.” For questions about “Buttons Explores the Brook,” contact the Chamber at 871-3779.
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Leadership Mountain Brook Class of 2016 participants, seen above in “Buttons Explores the Brook,” wrote the children’s book, seen left, to explain the city’s operations. Photos by Ana Good.
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March 2016 • A19
MBHS grad ready for second season on Golden Globe-nominated show
By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Acting wasn’t Tommy Dewey’s plan. The 1997 MBHS graduate went to Princeton and planned to run track and field. A broken foot led him to join an improv group and begin acting. Almost 20 years later, Dewey lives in Los Angeles and is one of the main actors in a Golden Globe-nominated comedy. Dewey has had roles in TV shows including “Guiding Light,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Criminal Minds,” “Mad Men,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “The Mindy Project,” where he played one of the main character’s love interests. He’s also been in a few movies — including “Seventeen Again,” “The Escort,” “Step Up Revolution” and “I’m Reed Fish” — and wrote a show called “Sons of Tucson” that had one season on Fox. “Once you get that bug, it’s hard to stop,” Dewey said. “I knew how exhilarating it could be.” All this for a man who describes acting as something he “fell backwards” into. Dewey now plays Alex, whose divorced sister recently moved in with him, in the Hulu series “Casual.” “The second I got my hands on the script, I knew I wanted to give it a go,” Dewey said. “It’s been really cool. We love doing it. I love Michaela Watkins, who plays my sister.” Dewey said he enjoys working on the show, which just got the green light for a second season, because it has both humor and emotional depth. “Casual” was one of six nominees for the 2016 Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, though the show lost to “Mozart in the Jungle.” Dewey has also enjoyed the new experience of working with streaming services. “A lot of us actors have become interested in what they [Hulu and other streaming services] are doing because there’s a lot of creative freedom in those places,” Dewey said.
Tommy Dewey stars as Alex in the Hulu original show “Casual.” Photo courtesy of Hulu.
Despite his busy schedule, Dewey said he returns home to Mountain Brook about three weeks per year. He visits high school friends as well as his family, and he has a 12-year streak of seeing at least one Alabama game per year with his father. “This is crazy out here. It really helps kind of
reset your system,” Dewey said. Going forward, Dewey said he is excited for the second season of “Casual” and is hoping to find more opportunities in writing and producing. He said he loves the variety of working in television and film, even if it has its highs and lows.
“I get bored easily, so one thing I have taken to in this business is there’s never a dull moment,” he said. His secret to sticking with his acting aspirations? “I’m just too stubborn. I just keep pulling myself up off the pavement and plodding on.”
A20 • March 2016
Village Living
Days of unknowns: Greenhalgh family takes it one day at a time following son’s kidney disease diagnosis
By ANA GOOD Walker Van Zile Greenhalgh has a smile that lights up a room. At just over a year old, his crystal blue eyes twinkle with curiosity as he explores the world around him. His bright red hair, still baby-thin, seems to match his personality. On a dreary, rain-soaked afternoon in January, Walker giggled and cooed as he crawled from room to room. Walker’s cheerful and playful demeanor make it hard to believe that in his short life, his little body has already endured so much. It was only just a year ago that Walker’s parents, Kitty and Adam, were in grief counseling, preparing for what they believed to be the inevitable: doctors hadn’t expected Walker to make it full-term. If he did, they told his parents, he’d live a few hours, maybe a few days at most. While in his mother’s womb, Walker had been diagnosed with failing kidneys. Few believed he’d make it to his first birthday. This April, Walker will continue to
defy expectations when he serves as the Patient Chair for the Birmingham Kidney Walk, helping to bring awareness to kidney disease and raising money to find a cure.
FROM JOY TO TEARS
When Kitty and Adam found out their oldest son, Wade, would soon have a sibling, the family celebrated with a cake-reveal. Wade, now 5 years old, cut the cake to reveal he would have a baby brother. Everything seemed to be progressing as usual, Kitty said, during the first few months of her pregnancy. At around 20 weeks, doctors informed her that Walker had bilateral dilated kidneys and diagnosed her placenta previa, which can cause severe bleeding before or during delivery. Because it is something that usually self-resolves and is often found in ultrasounds, doctors told Kitty they’d continue to monitor Walker’s kidney development and see her in a few
The Greenhalgh family: Adam, Walker, Wade and Kitty. Photo by Ana Good.
weeks for another checkup. At 29 weeks, however, the ultrasound revealed Walker’s kidneys had taken a turn for the worse. There was no amniotic fluid protecting Walker anymore, which meant his life was at risk. He was at risk for cord compression, as well as severe pulmonary hypoplasia, which would mean the incomplete development of his lungs. “Things didn’t look good,” said Adam, as he sat inside his Mountain Brook home recalling a much darker time. “They told us that if Walker did make it through the pregnancy, he wouldn’t live much longer than 72 hours.” The best case scenario, doctors told them, would mean a lifelong
dependence on medicine and a necessary transplant down the line. Problems with kidneys are often soft markers for Down syndrome and other abnormalities, said Kitty, which meant the difficulties Walker might face were endless. “It was heartbreaking,” said Adam, “fearing the unknown.” Doctors immediately started Kitty on steroid shots to help give Walker’s lungs a “boost” in anticipation of a premature delivery. They also recommended the family prepare for the possibility that Walker might not survive. “We prayed a lot in his room,” said Kitty. “We needed a miracle. Our church really stepped up and we also started attending grief counseling sessions. We needed to prepare for what
life would be like if we lost a child.” Area communities also rallied around the family. Adam owns Greenhalgh Insurance agency in Cahaba Heights and Kitty’s family owns Savage’s Bakery in Homewood. In the depths of the family’s fear and sadness came a lot of confusion. Due to HIPAA laws, hospitals couldn’t share details about other patients with the Greenhalghs, making theirs a lonely journey. “We didn’t know anyone at the time who had gone through anything like this,” said Kitty. “There were plenty of awareness groups for other diseases, but nothing for babies struggling with such bad renal failure.” Part of the reason, said Lacey
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March 2016 • A21
Walker with his older brother, Wade. Photo courtesy of Kitty Greenhalgh.
Updegraff, Central Alabama Regional Director of the Alabama Kidney Foundation, is that severe renal failure is not that common among babies. “All situations are different,” she said, “but Walker’s story is definitely far from the norm.”
SURPASSING EXPECTATIONS
Kitty and Walker made it 35-weeks, and on Oct. 23, 2014, Walker made quite an entrance into the world. “He came out screaming and peeing,” said Kitty with a laugh. “It was awesome.” After birth, he was immediately taken to the NICU. Though his kidneys were working, they were working too hard. For two agonizing days, the family waited to see if Walker would survive. Walker remained in the NICU for 10 days before being transported to Children’s of Alabama for renal failure, as well as to undergo a procedure to provide him with a gastronomy tube to ensure he received necessary nutrients and medicine directly into his stomach. On Nov. 11, the Greenhalghs returned home with the latest addition to the family. “We were able to bring our baby home,” said Kitty. For a few weeks, everything seemed to be fine, until the Sunday after Thanksgiving when Walker was readmitted for vomiting and dehydration. Attempts to rehydrate Walker only made things worse: he was in complete renal failure and unable to expel fluid from his body. In a matter of hours, his tiny 4-pound frame had swollen to over 7 pounds. His sodium and potassium levels were so off he was at risk for seizures. “Once again,” said Kitty, “we weren’t sure if he would make it through the night.” Doctors transferred Walker to the PICU at Children’s, where they anticipated having to start him on dialysis overnight. When his numbers leveled out, doctors instead inserted a nephrostomy tube and operated on Walker to re-route his ureter on the left kidney. Surpassing everyone’s expectations, Walker has been able to stay off dialysis and his kidney
function has dramatically improved. Still, the damage to Walker’s kidneys is irreversible. He has been diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease caused by obstructive nephropathy. “Now we pray he doesn’t get sick,” said Adam. “He’s still at risk for renal failure.” Together, and with the help of their family and friends, the Greenhalghs continue to care for Walker and enjoy him everyday. Five different medications three times a day and supplemented formula via the g-tube help keep Walker growing and playing. “CKD does not go away,” said Updegraff. “There is no cure and patients tend to have a gradual decline in kidney function.” Eventually, doctors expect Walker will outgrow his kidney function and need a kidney transplant. “Our prayer is that he will go farther down the road than they are expecting him to,” said Kitty. Through all the unknowns, the Greenhalghs said they have grown stronger as a family, as a couple, as parents and in their faith. “One of Walker’s doctors once told me, ‘your days of unknowns have just begun,’” said Kitty. “But what I came to realize over time, is that our days of unknowns have always been and always will be. We were forced to live that way, but we should always live that way, in total dependence on God.” Kitty said she hopes that sharing their story will help spread awareness and inspire communication among others with a similar diagnosis. “It always helps to be able to call someone up who has gone through the same thing,” said Kitty. The 2016 Birmingham Kidney Walk will be held April 30 at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium, Samford University. The Greenhalghs’ group, “Walker’s Warriors,” is led by their family verse, 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” To Donations from the event will benefit the 3,500 kidney patients across Central Alabama. To register, or donate to the Greenhalgh’s cause, visit birminghamkidneywalk.org/walkerswarriors. For more information, visit alkidney.org.
A22 • March 2016
Village Living
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G U I D E special advertising section
As days turn warmer, it’s time to start thinking about summertime at last, and no summer is complete without a camp experience. Peruse our guide to learn more about which programs best fit your child’s personality, interest, age and availability. No matter which you choose, it’s time to jump in for fun and adventure this summer!
Bimingham Children’s Theatre
The Birmingham Children’s Theatre offers a variety of classes for children to enjoy, including the YAT Summer Academy 1 (pre-K through second grade), YAT Summer Academy 2 (third grade through 12th grade) and YAT Aladdin Jr. Academy (first through 12th grade). Children will learn skills in acting, musical theater voice, musical theater dance, scene study, audition techniques, stage combat, improv, playwriting and rehearsal techniques. Birmingham Children’s Theatre Academy is designed for all skill levels, and the curriculum is tailored to encourage and bring out the best in students, as they develop their skills in the areas of voice training, stage combat, audition techniques, playwriting and dance. Advanced students will have the opportunity to push themselves and hone their talents working with some of the best theater teachers in the region. And beginners will be given instruction designed to start a foundation in theater arts. The Aladdin Jr. program is a rehearsal-centered academy designed for the students who are
Birmingham Children’s Theatre • WHERE: 2130 Richard Arrington Blvd. N. • CALL: 458-8181 • WEB: bct123.org
ready to perform. They will mix theater classes with rehearsal blocks and at the end of the academy, students will perform in a fully mounted production of Aladdin Jr. on our MainStage. Must audition to attend. Artistic Director Roy Hudson (2009 Alabama Teacher of the Year) has developed and taught in camps in the U.S. and overseas for almost 40 years. Students from his camps are working in theater all over the world including Broadway and Hollywood. Many BCT teachers are certified teachers with years of experience as theater artists.
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G U I D E
March 2016 • A23
special advertising section
Find your place at RMTC
For kids who feel like all the world’s a stage, Red Mountain Theatre Company’s education workshops and camps provide the opportunity to hone singing, dancing and acting skills. With six different offerings, these programs are not just for the experienced actors. The Basic and Blast Bootcamps are non-auditioned. Basic Bootcamp is geared toward children ages 4-6 for the development of their creative skills. Each week, students will use music, crafts, dance and drama to explore a different theme such as Under
the Sea, Superheroes or Fairytales. The other non-audition type camps are Blast Bootcamp and Spring Break Blast, which teaches kids and teens ages 7-18 all the basic skills of musical theater through music, dance and acting. Students can audition for the Recruit, Intermediate and Advanced Bootcamps on March 12 and 13. Recruits, ages 7-18, will learn specialized skills like improvisational comedy, jazz dance and choral singing. This camp focuses on enhancing the performance skills of all young
artists. Intermediate Bootcamp is for students ages 9-15 who are ready to take their theater training to the next level. Students will gain skills in intermediate dance steps and song interpretation. Advanced Bootcamp is for students ages 13-18 who will focus on learning complex production numbers straight from the Broadway stage. Students train for three weeks to become triple-threat performers, becoming experts in singing, dancing and acting. This elite camp is
RMTC Education Programs • WHEN: March 28-April 1 and June 6-24 • CALL: 324-2424 • WEB: redmountaintheatre.org/education
for those who want to be the best of the best.
A24 • March 2016
summer camp
Village Living
G U I D E special advertising section
The Altamont School
Linda Dobbins Dance Summer at Altamont is open to interested first through 12th graders from all schools with an eclectic array of exciting choices for campers, from sports and music to theater and astronomy, among many others. Camp takes place from June 6-July 15. Courses and camps offered at Altamont during the summer bring exciting options for acceleration, enrichment and credit. Summer programs are a great way for prospective families to learn about Altamont and current students to get ahead for the upcoming year. Credit Courses: High school credit courses include Altamont-required half-credit courses Speech, Laboratory Technology and Health, plus full-credit courses in Honors Geometry and 9th Grade Honors Ancient and Medieval Civilizations. Elective Classes: Offerings for middle and elementary students include photography, astronomy, cooking, theater, languages and so much more. We
The Altamont School • WHERE: 4801 Altamont Road South • CALL: 879-2006 • WEB: altamontschool.org/summer also have enrichment classes in math and English, as well as an intensive writing workshop. Sports and Music Camps: Hugely popular basketball and soccer day camps are open to players of all skill levels, from rising 1st through rising 12th grade. New music offerings this year include band camp, jazz camp and string camp. Whether it’s enrichment, enlightenment, entertainment, merriment, advancement or just a way to burn off some of that pent-up energy, Altamont has what your child needs this summer: something constructive to do.
If your little camper loves the world of music and dance, they will love Linda Dobbins Dance Hip Hop Boot Camp. This innovative camp offers children the chance to learn about the fun and upbeat world of hip hop. Linda Dobbins Dance was named “Best Dance Trainer” by Birmingham Magazine and has offered dance camp for the past 20 years, where they have taught children all over the state the fun of hip hop dance. Activities will include hip hop dance, break dancing and crafts. Children will love learning dance moves that include popping and locking, break dancing and hip hop combos. In addition, they will play games and have snacks daily. On Friday everyone will enjoy the family and friends show off at 11:30 a.m. Hip Hop Boot Camp runs June 13-17, from 9 a.m.-noon for children ages five years old to 11 years old. The camps are divided by age,
Linda Dobbins Dance • WHERE: 12 Offi e Park Circle, Suite 115 • CALL: 305-0281 • WEB: lddance.com
and boys are taught in a group setting of “boys only.” All campers will need to bring two snacks for break times. There are snacks and drinks available for sale at the studio, as well. Also, camps will include a craft and movie time. No dance attire is needed. Campers can wear shorts and tees or tanks. Dance shoes or sneakers must be worn at all times. Camps are on a first-come, first-serve basis and do sell out, so please register in advance.
LINDA DOBBINS DANCE SUMMER
HIP HOP CAMP
JOIN THE FUN Linda Dobbins Dance Hip Hop Camp DATE:
June 13-17 (girls ages 5-7 and 8-11; boys are in their own class)
WHERE: 12 Office Park Circle, Suite 115 Mountain Brook, AL 35223 TIME:
9-noon
Cost: $185.00 with a $55.00 deposit due at the time of registration. Go to www.lddance.com and click on online forms page to register and pay deposit. Deposit will go against balance due.
LINDA DOBBINS DANCE 12 Office Park Circle, Suite 115 Mountain Brook, AL 35223
LDDANCE.COM
205-305-0281 LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.
VillageLiving.com
summer camp
March 2016 • A25
G U I D E special advertising section
SAMFORD UNIVERSITY SUMMER PROGRAMS 2016
Samford University summer camps Samford University offers a summer of thought-provoking, empowering and fun summer camps for all ages and areas of interests. Whether your student is interested in the arts, sciences, athletics, theater or math, they will find the perfect camp to stimulate their minds and prepare them for a stellar future. Athletic Summer Training camps June 10-12 host a clinic for high school students interested in athletic training, sports medicine and physical therapy. The three-day residential, hands-on educational opportunity on the Samford campus requires a $200 resident fee, and registration includes meals, housing, fun evening activities on and off campus, CPR/AED certification, a T-shirt and materials. The $170 commuter fee and registration includes lunch, CPR/AED certification, a T-shirt and materials. Students should register online by May 1. Piano students will love the Piano and Chamber Music Institute, June 5-11 for grades 7-12, where students will further their performance abilities while increasing their general knowledge of music. For grades 1-12, there is Adventures in Music Camp, which runs from June 13-17 and July 11-15. This camp offers piano and voice students the opportunity to enhance their solo and ensemble performance, music history and theory knowledge. For theater enthusiasts, there is Imagine! Drama Camps June 13-17 and 20-24. There is a one-week camp for grades K-5 and two week camp for grades 6-12. Each camp gives students the chance to plan, create and participate in a theater production. Animate! June 20-24 or June 27-July 1 for grades 8-12 is an academy for worship, theology and the arts. For the book lover there is the Great Ideas Summer Institute June 19-24 for high school juniors and seniors to engage in lively discussions about the Great Books. Alabama Governor’s School for rising
Samford University • WHERE: 800 Lakeshore Drive • CALL: 726-2011 • WEB: samford.edu/programs/ summer-programs
12th-grade students is a 13-day residential program on the Samford campus that provides academic, creative and leadership experiences for gifted high school seniors who are nominated by their high schools. For students interested in learning more about the areas of justice and medicine, there are J.D. Calling and M.D. Calling. J.D. Calling, June 27-30, grades 11-12, features expert panels, a mock trial, analysis of legal cases and advice about law school application. M.D. Calling, June 27-30, grades 11-12, features pre-medicine advising, expert panels, networking and field trips. There is also Bulldog Pharmacy Camp, June 26-July 1, for high school juniors and seniors and college freshmen with an interest in a career in pharmacy. For those who want to focus on scholastics, there is the Summer Debate Institute from June 26-July 9 for grades 9-12, where a national caliber staff emphasizes 21st century debate skills. The Minority Youth Science Academy from June 26-29 for grades 9-12 offers college preparation and mentoring for outstanding minority students with an interest in science. The Quantitative Finance Summer Institute, June 19-24 for high school juniors and seniors, teaches the mathematical and analytical methods of modern finance. And the Micah Summer Institute, June 26-July 1, based on the verse Micah 6:8, teaches the concepts of justice, mercy and humility.
Piano and Chamber Music Institute • June 5–11 Further your performance abilities while increasing your general knowledge of music Writing Camp • June 6–10 or July 25–29 Become a better writer and submit your work in contests and publications Athletic Training Summer Clinic • June 10–12 Learn about careers in athletic training, sports medicine and physical therapy; participate in hands-on demonstrations Alabama Governor’s School June 12–24 Provides academic, creative and leadership experiences for gifted high school seniors; students are nominated by their high schools Imagine! Drama Camps June 13–17 and June 20–24 Plan, create and participate in a theatre production Adventures in Music Camp June 13–17 (piano) or July 11–15 (piano or voice) Enhance your solo and ensemble performance, music history and theory knowledge Great Ideas Summer Institute June 19–24 Engage in lively discussions about the Great Books with faculty and students Quantitative Finance Summer Institute June 19–24 Study business methods used in modern finance with faculty and professionals
Animate • June 20–24 or June 27–July 1 Train for worship leadership; register as an individual or a team from your school or congregation Bulldog Pharmacy Camp June 26–July 1 Learn about careers in pharmacy, participate in hands-on demonstrations and tour health care facilities Micah 6:8 Summer Institute June 26–July 1 Explore concepts of justice, mercy and humility with Samford faculty and students Minority Youth Science Academy June 26–29 College preparation and mentoring for minority students interested in science Summer Debate Institute June 26–July 9 Learn 21st-century debate skills to compete at the highest levels J.D. Calling June 27–30 Features expert panels, a mock trial, analysis of legal cases and advice about law school application M.D. Calling June 27–30 Features premedicine advising, expert panels, networking and field trips The Martian Frontier June 27–30 Explore cutting-edge science and the challenges of a human mission to Mars
Art Studio for Teens June 20–24 Use various art media for creative projects with experienced artists
Learn more and view registration deadlines at samford.edu/go/summer
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A26 • March 2016
Village Living
G U I D E special advertising section
Cahaba Park Church
Cahaba Park Church’s Studio C is the perfect summer camp for the art enthusiast. Studio C is for children who turn four years old on or before September 1, 2016, through rising fourth graders. Children will enjoy classes in the visual arts, musical arts and culinary arts. “This is a hands-on event for boys and girls in which they will learn about the arts from a biblical perspective. God has blessed each of us with gifts and abilities to serve Him and others. Discovering and developing those in a fun environment is what Studio C is all about,” said Adam Wright, Chief Musician at Cahaba Park Church. With a unique leadership team and many creative activities, there is something for every child that attends. The camp will conclude on July 22 with VIBRANT, Cahaba Park’s second annual music and arts festival. This event is free and open to the community. Studio C takes place July 18-22, 9 a.m.-12
Cahaba Park Church at the Carraway-Davie House • WHERE: 4465 Old Overton Road • CALL: 870-1886 • WEB: cahabapark.org/sign-up
p.m., and cost is $75. Children will participate in three unique sessions each day: visual arts (mixed media), musical arts (guitar, percussion, vocal) and culinary arts (food prep and presentation). Camp facilitators include Ken Stuart, assistant pastor for children’s and family ministries, and Adam Wright, chief musician. Space is limited and early registration is recommended.
Highlands Summer Camp Whether your child is into the outdoors, arts, academics or just plain fun, Highlands Summer Camp offers something for everyone! Camp starts June 6 and goes through Aug. 5 with morning, afternoon and some full day camps along with early morning and afternoon extended day care. Children entering kindergarten through eighth grade (one camp is open to 4K and 5K only) will enjoy the many activities at Highlands Summer Camp. “We have athletic camps like track and field and soccer. We have a variety of arts offered each week including Make It, Take It, Superhero Draw and even Welding. We also have unique and fun camps like Fishing, Games or Legos. Who said learning can’t be fun? Try one of our science or math camps, or even venture into the world of Dr. Seuss. And awaken the force with Jedi Training camp,” said Gabe McCool, summer camp director. “Highlands summer camp has been around for over 10 years. We’ve grown from offering a few camps each summer to over 80 this year,” said McCool. “We are unique because we provide a little something for everyone. Where else could you enroll in a Welding camp, American Girl camp and Camp Halfblood, all in the same place?” Your campers will love the outdoors, nature
AT
Highlands Summer Camp • WHERE: 4901 Old Leeds Road • CALL: 956-9731 • WEB: highlandsschool.org
walks, trips to the pools, egg drops, games and much, much more.
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summer camp
G U I D E
March 2016 • A27
special advertising section
Get inspired at Birmingham Museum of Art summer camp Give your child a fun summer of endless inspiration! The Birmingham Museum of Art offers a one-of-a-kind camp where children experience amazing art firsthand. The Museum Studio Summer Art Camp is the only summer experience in the region that gives your child immediate access to our collection of original artworks from around the world. This year, the BMA’s Museum Studio School offers youth entering grades 1–9 the opportunity to learn about the role of art and design in problem-solving. Inspired by art that spans every continent and 4,000 years, campers will brainstorm, create, and test their own artistic solutions to some of the challenges of their worlds. The Summer Art Camp at the Birmingham Museum of Art is the only summer experience in the region that gives your camper immediate access to nationally known experts in the art world and our collection of original artworks from around the world and throughout human civilization. Founded in 1963 with the goal of giving the region a working model of social change, the Education Department at the BMA offered some of the state’s first integrated studio and art history classes for area K-12 and college students. With over 600 tours and programs serving more than 50,000 youth annually, our founding objectives have now become time-tested methods of building empathy, critical thinking skills and creativity. Campers will experience a summer of funfilled, hands-on activities and will create a variety of media, including drawing, painting and sculpting. At the end of the week, for the last 90
minutes of camp, there is a wonderful presentation for parents, guardians and museum staff. Camp will take place from June 13-July 29, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with an extended day studio option from 3:30-5 p.m. General tuition is $200. Early registration is March 1. Those who register by this date will receive a 20 percent discount. The extended day studio includes an additional flat fee of $50. Camps scheduled this summer include grades 1-2, June 13-17; grades 3-5, June 20-24 and June 27-July1; grades 6-7, July 11-15, July 19-22; and grades 8-9, July 25-29. The Birmingham Museum of Art, one of the
finest regional museums in the United States, houses a diverse collection of more than 26,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and decorative arts dating from ancient to modern times. The collection presents a rich panorama of cultures, featuring the museum’s extensive holdings of Asian, European, American, African, Pre-Columbian and Native American art. The mission of the Birmingham Museum of Art is to provide an unparalleled cultural and educational experience to a diverse community by collecting, presenting, interpreting and preserving works of art of the highest quality.
Birmingham Museum of Art • WHERE: 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. • CALL: 297-8073 • WEB: artsbma.org/museum-studio/
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A28 • March 2016
G U I D E
Village Living
special advertising section
YMCA Summer Day Camp focuses on youth development Youth development is the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical processes that all youth uniquely experience from birth to career. A successful developmental process fulfills children and teens’ innate need to be loved, spiritually grounded, educated, competent and healthy. Trading stories and sharing a favorite book or song with a new friend. Being greeted with smiles and high-fives from staff and teammates after scoring the winning point. Always fitting in, just for being you. This is what Summer Day Camp at the YMCA of Greater Birmingham is all about — ensuring kids get more out of their summer break: more friendships, more achievement, and more belonging. The Y is a place where kids feel safe, welcomed and can express their individuality in an environment that provides positive relationships, encourages parent engagement, and helps children realize their passions and talents. It’s also loads of fun! To learn more or to register, go online to ymcabham.org/best-summer. Other YMCA Summer Opportunities YMCA Camp Cosby The YMCA of Greater Birmingham’s sleepaway camp, Camp Cosby, offers a one-week, co-ed, safe and structured experience for children ages 6 to 16 on the shores of Logan Martin Lake. YMCA Camp Cosby gives children a chance to play hard, make new friends, and have the adventure of a lifetime in a safe, fun and structured environment. Your camper will develop new skills, gain confidence, make friends and have an amazing experience. campcosby.org
Day Camp at Hargis is really camp! Located on 200+ wooded acres complete with swimming pool, hiking trails, fields for games, rock face for climbing, and our own private lake, it is the perfect backdrop for the traditional camp activities that we offer. Activities include: ►Hiking ►Fishing ►Canoeing ►Lake swimming ►Archery ►Rock climbing ymcabham.org/hargisretreat
YMCA Hargis Retreat Unlike other day camp programs, Summer
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works with struggling students in grades 3-5 who need extra help. Summer Adventures In Learning is designed to help prevent learning loss, offer chances to explore new interests and skills and close the achievement gap for children from lower income communities. ymcabham.org/sail THINGAMAJIG® Invention Convention Friday, July 22 THINGAMAJIG® is a daylong event that combines STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), active fitness and play, creative eco-art, and team challenges into one child-focused festival. Learn more online at ymcabham. org/thingamajig.
YMCA Day Camp • WHERE: 2401 20th Place South • CALL: 870-0144 • WEB: ymcabham.org/mountainbrook
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Photo illustration by Frank Couch.
SCHOOLS
CONTINUED from page A1 By the time students reach high school, the expectation that most students will have cellphones seems to drive the policy. “High school students are allowed to use phones at school unless otherwise noted by classroom procedures,” said Mountain Brook High School Principal Amanda Hood in an email. Still, it’s not a free for all. “The vast majority of faculty have classroom procedures against using cell phones during instructional time,” said Hood. The prevalence of cellphone and mobile app usage among growing children is a big reason Mountain Brook has held several cellphone and app-related presentations for students and parents alike, Wisely said. “There is still a lot we don’t know,” he said. What is known, he said, might have some parents thinking twice about giving in to the cellphone purchase. “There is a good bit of research that the more people are on social media, the more likely they are to actually feel lonely and isolated,” Wisely said, “perhaps even depressed. In addition, I think social media has actually contributed to more anxiety and insecurity about our social lives.” Wisely explained that the phenomenon “FOMO,” the Fear of Missing Out, is actually a very real thing. “That fear can actually be quite intense among youth and is often what drives their desperation to keep up with social media accounts,” he said.
ONLINE DANGERS
In the realm of social media, said Wisely, “stranger danger” isn’t the biggest threat when it comes to inappropriate online behavior. “It’s actually something of a myth that the main danger online is pedophiles and deliberate predators,” he said. “Much more likely are scenarios in which teenagers interact secretly online with people who they know in their ‘real’ lives.” The rise in “anonymous” apps, said Wisely, means children can act out under the cloak of invisibility. When it comes to social networking, he believes “anonymous equals bad” and apps like After School, Ask-fm and Burnbook should be completely off limits to children. This list, said Wisely, was influenced by SafeSmartSocial.com founder, speaker and author Josh Ochs’ “Parent App Guide.” In January, All In Mountain Brook invited Ochs to speak with students and parents on what he has learned as a social media advisor for top brands. The apps are specifically designed to promote anonymous talk in various communities. Burnbook and Ask-fm, said Wisely, are both popular among Mountain Brook’s youth. Both, he said, are breeding grounds for online bullying, rumor spreading and harassment. In his talk to parents, Ochs went down three separate lists — green, gray and red — of various apps based on how “safe” they are for students. They are all available on Ochs’ website. Like Wisely, Ochs agrees that anonymity is never good. Anything “anonymous” will end up in the red zone, Ochs explained to parents, meaning they should not be used by tweens or teens under any circumstances. Mountain Brook schools, like all schools, has had to deal with social media-related incidents, several involving those very same apps. “It’s a new reality,” Wisely said. “Probably every high school has had incidents in which inappropriate photos or videos of students are transmitted and then spread among students. In addition, there are often incidents of students engaging in the kind of abusive behavior I mentioned earlier: spreading rumors, saying unkind things about peers and so on.” Also of concern, he said, are apps that allow for “secret” messaging — communication that
March 2016 • A29 is not tied to phone bills and is not easily found. That type of communication, explained Wisely, can lead to inappropriate relationships among teens and alarmingly, between teens and adults. “We probably need to spend less time telling youth not to give out any information about themselves online,” said Wisely, “which is increasingly unrealistic, and more time talking to youth about seduction, grooming and about the importance of not having ‘secret’ relationships with adults.” Wisely believes that when it comes to curtailing said behavior, parents play a vital role. “We cannot give our kids these sophisticated devices and then relinquish responsibility for what they do with them,” Wisely wrote in a “Bad Apps” post on the All In Mountain Brook blog. “Ultimately, no one can be more effective for supervising, monitoring, and guiding teenagers in this than their parents.” Wisely also recognizes that telling a child not to touch a hot stove might make it all the more alluring, which is part of the reason he invited Ochs to speak as part of All In Mountain Brook.
‘LIGHT, BRIGHT, POLITE’
In his talk to students, Ochs said he stressed being “light, bright and polite,” using social media to help them excel in their academic and professional endeavors. Rather than bog the students down with the deep, dark dangers of social media, Ochs gave positive examples on how to make the medium work for the individual. As children grow into teens, Ochs believes they should be able to carefully reveal more about themselves on social media. Colleges and recruiters, he said, take note. “I don’t tell students what to do,” said Ochs, “I try to provide them with examples of how to do various positive and beneficial things via social media. If you explain the bigger picture to them, get them pumped up about something exciting like going to college, students are more prone to listen to my message.” Still, Ochs said, there are benefits to informing kids about the dangers of social media, about having police officers and lawyers explain to them what can get them arrested or sued. “One of my goals is that eventually, these kids will learn to self-police themselves,” said Ochs. Honest communication between parents and kids is crucial, as Ochs believes parents should be held responsible if their child is behaving inappropriately online. Parents should keep up with the various apps available, talk to their kids about them and monitor their activity on them. “I absolutely believe that every parent who is paying for a student’s phone should have complete access to their phone,” said Ochs. “They are being good parents if they know the passcodes and randomly audit their student’s phones.” To keep up with the ever-changing world of apps, Ochs recommends visiting his “Parent App Guide” for a list of the newest, most popular apps along with explanations of each. Parents can also sign up to receive updates as new apps become available. Ochs also encourages regular monitoring of students’ online footprint with tools such as Footprint Friday, available at his website, and with simple search steps. “I always tell parents to start with Google,” he said. “It will tell you exactly what your student is putting out there, what everyone can see.” His strongest suggestion, however, is probably the least techy. “Dialogue is the best app,” said Ochs. “It works regardless of your network connection and is always accessible.” One way to begin the dialogue, he said, is for parents to ask their children how to use an app. “Even if you know how to use it, play dumb,” he said. “It’s a way to get them talking about how they use an app.” From there, Ochs recommends parents “friend” their kids on the social media platforms they use. “But don’t comment on your student’s posts,” he warns. “You want to be a fly on the wall, observing. Use what you see on there to start a dialogue around the dinner table, not online.” If a student does slip up, Ochs recommends confronting the issue head-on, once again, with open dialogue. “Have them answer your questions,” he said. “Merely by questioning them, ‘do you think it’s good to talk to strangers like that?’ or ‘are you proud of the bad words you used online?’ will allow the students to sort it out and conclude that they shouldn’t do something, not because you told them not to, but because they know it is wrong.” For more on Ochs, visit safesmartsocial.com.
A30 • March 2016 IDITAROD
CONTINUED from page A1 in Two Rivers, Alaska, but she moved to Mountain Brook, her mother Katy’s hometown, when she was three years old. Olson attended Mountain Brook Elementary for several years and even when her family moved to Colorado, they would return each
Village Living summer to visit their network of family and friends. The path to the Iditarod began with a sledding trip as a middle school birthday present. Many years later, when Olson was trying to find her path in college, she remembered that trip. It led to a winter job at a Michigan sled dog kennel and some races in the continental U.S. Olson was hooked.
“It was a pretty incredible sport and if I wanted to be serious about it I needed to move to Alaska,” Olson said. So she did. Olson moved to Two Rivers to work for Aliy Zirkle, who placed second in the Iditarod multiple times, and Allen Moore at SP Kennel. There she learned the basics of mushing and communicating with the dogs while on the trail. In the feeling of a sled
whipping around a snowy turn, Olson discovered a throwback to her summers in Alabama, being pulled in an inner tube behind a boat on the lake. “Holding onto that inner tube in my elementary school days, it’s the same muscles I swear,” Olson said. In 2012, Olson had her first Iditarod experience, running SP Kennel’s puppy team to get experience in sledding races of that
Olson said sledding has given her the chance to see lonely, beautiful landscapes as she has traveled thousands of miles across Alaska. Photos courtesy of Ryne Olson.
VillageLivingOnline.com distance. Along the way, Olson got to see the famed Northern lights in shades of red, green and purple, as well as miles of windswept, arctic coastline near Nome. “[It was] just incredible because you could see forever,” she said. “Sometimes it would be hard to see where the sea ended and land began.” To travel through snow, ice and temperatures that can reach 40 or 50 degrees below zero and reach the finish line safely, Olson and other mushers require intense training and close communications with the team of 12 to 16 dogs pulling the sled. “The dogs don’t really make a mistake, you make a mistake in how you were training them,” Olson said. “You always want to set up your dogs for success.” This includes understanding their moods and when a slight change in gait means a dog is worn out. Olson compared it to being the teacher in a classroom of kids, each one with its own personality. “You have to pick up on those things because they’re stubborn. They want to pull no matter what,” she said. It also means knowing how each dog will interact with the ones around them, which dogs’ excitement can cheer up a tiring team and which ones are intelligent and confident enough to find the path when storms or wind obscure their handlers’ view. Sometimes, mushing requires Olson to just trust her team and make sure, no matter what, that she doesn’t let go of the sled. “If you let go, they’ll go on without you,” Olson said. “It’s actually really scary if you lose your team.” However, sledding has also given Olson the chance to see lonely, beautiful landscapes as she has traveled thousands of miles across Alaska, including above the Arctic Circle, with her team of Alaskan huskies. Olson decided to start her own kennel three years ago so she could raise her team from puppies, both to bond with them and ensure the quality of the dogs and their training. “I have a competitive nature, so I wanted to run the best dogs and try to win races,” Olson said. Ryno Kennel now has about 30 dogs, many
March 2016 • A31 Ryne Olson and her sled dog Drake at Ryno Kennel in Alaska. A former Mountain Brook resident, Olson trains a sledding team and is preparing to compete in the Iditarod. “You’d think time would go slow or get bored, but I honestly don’t know what I think about ... You really just live in the moment,” she said.
now old enough to begin serious racing. Olson competed in the Yukon Quest, another 1,000mile race, in February 2015 and placed second in the Copper Basin 300 in January, among other races. “It’s amazing. I’m just amazed by everything about her. The way she’s grown in the sport, the time she’s taking, the maturity she’s shown,” Olson’s mother, Katy, said. Mushing is an expensive sport, both in caring for the dogs and entering the races. It cost Olson $3,000 just to enter the 2016 Iditarod. She offsets the cost with kennel sponsors and her part-time job as an accountant with an understanding boss, but she admits
from the outside it “really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.” “You have nothing nice that you own and everything goes to dogs,” she said. Olson is not trying to be competitive in this year’s Iditarod, especially since some of her dogs have never run a 1,000-mile race before, but the run requires a lot of preparation. Olson must plan out her entire schedule and when she expects to reach each of the 23 checkpoints along the way. She also had to plan out the supplies she needed and place them in drop bags, which were flown out to the checkpoints by bush plane a month before the beginning of the race. This
Ryne Olson talks about her upcoming race:
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includes enough food for a team of dogs burning 9,000-12,000 calories a day. If anything unexpected comes up, Olson said she has to hope she has the supplies she needs, or another musher at the checkpoint does. “Each stop is like a small village in the wilderness, so they’re not going to have a Wal-Mart,” Olson said. Katy, who was in Alaska for her daughter’s 2012 Iditarod race and 2015 Yukon Quest, said she’s just beginning to understand the strategy of sledding and it can be nerve-wracking to watch Olson disappear into the snow for days and rely on the GPS tracker, especially “if the tracker stops [and] you don’t know what’s going on.” “The animals are first in their lives. They do everything to make sure their dogs are healthy and happy,” Katy said. “It’s not like any other sport that I have ever seen. So it was really fun to be a part.” Back in Mountain Brook, Olson’s family and godmother will be cheering her on and checking the website every day, or sometimes in the middle of the night, to make sure she’s made it to the next checkpoint. “Everybody’s so supportive down there and I know it’s so foreign to them,” Katy said. “I appreciate the love and support they’ve given Ryne.” After she leaves Anchorage at the start of the Iditarod, Olson said there will be a special sort of calm that she feels every time she’s sledding. Olson said she particularly feels it at night, when “your world is reduced to the tunnel of the headlamp.” “You’d think time would go slow or get bored, but I honestly don’t know what I think about ... You really just live in the moment,” she said. “Because the dogs are living in the moment, you kind of pick up on that.” To learn more about Olson and her team, visit rynokennel.com. To follow the 2016 Iditarod beginning March 5, visit iditarod.com.
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B Ezekiel: It’s time to leave Faith B11
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MARCH 2016
Lauded fire chief to retire after 22 years with department By ERICA TECHO
W Mountain Brook Fire Chief Robert “Zeke” Ezekiel said he takes pride in the fact that he established the city’s ambulance service. Photo by Frank Couch.
hen Mountain Brook Fire Chief Robert “Zeke” Ezekiel took the step to become a firefighter, it was not based on a childhood dream or family legacy. “I would love to tell you a story like that,” Ezekiel said. “It was almost accidental.” Growing up, Ezekiel did not know any boys around his age, so he would spend time with his older brother and his friends. “Three of his friends saw me one day and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to take the firefighter test. Do you want to go?’ And I said, ‘Sure,’” Ezekiel said. “And literally that’s what happened.” After 42 years and three months, with 22 years at the Mountain Brook Fire Department, Ezekiel is retiring from fire service. While stepping away is always hard, Ezekiel said he believes he is leaving the Mountain Brook Fire Department in a good state. “It’s time,” he said. “When you look at my job, I’m supposed to look at where we’re at now and look down the road at where we need to be and
See EZEKIEL | page B3
B2 • March 2016
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March 2016 • B3 Watch Robert Ezekiel talk about his career:
EZEKIEL
CONTINUED from page B1 fill in that gap — put plans together, influence people to take the journey, that kind of thing. When I look back, what I saw we needed to be years ago, we are. It’s like a mission accomplished kind of feeling, so it’s time to leave.”
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paramedics from the fire department to the tactical team with the police department, rather than send unprotected medics into dangerous situations. Community paramedics, who would check on the welfare of community members, have also been discussed. “We’re in the fire suppression business, but we’re also very deep in fire prevention,” Ezekiel said. “So if we’re in the emergency treatment and transport, we probably need to be in the prevention business of that as well.”
MOMENTUM OF EXCELLENCE
During his time with Mountain Brook, the department has started an ambulance service, completed a fire-training tower, built a new municipal center and grown its staff. “He has taken the fire department and made it into a professional, can-do, proactive and high-performance organization,” City Manager Sam Gaston said. The way Mountain Brook operates as a city is one reason improvements at the fire department have been so successful and how they have maintained momentum, Ezekiel said. “This city, it starts with the mayor and council. They’re not paid a dime,” Ezekiel said. “They truly serve in the public’s interest and work really hard. So first of all, how can you not work hard for people like that? They’ve set the example already.” The standard is for everyone to do their best, Ezekiel said, and those expectations are viable because of provided support. As he has worked with the growing department, Ezekiel has aimed to maintain those citywide standards through hiring and training. While it is important to look forward to an organization’s future, Ezekiel said, it is equally important to make sure individuals being hired possess the qualities and characteristics to build the organization. MBFD looks for individuals with a servant’s heart and dedication to customer service. It’s impossible to list and set policies for all of the different situations a firefighter might encounter, Ezekiel said, so the goal is to hire individuals who embody the department and city’s values. “If you hire someone who sees themselves as someone who solely squirts water on a fire or
STEPPING AWAY
Fire Chief Robert “Zeke” Ezekiel calls his 22-year career in Mountain Brook a “joy” and “a real pleasure” while reflecting on his journey with the department. Photo by Frank Couch.
starts IVs and that’s it and then all of a sudden Ms. Smith needs her dog fed because you’re transporting her to the hospital … this person gets heartburned on that,” Ezekiel said. “Then there’s conflict. But if you’ve done a good job of hiring, then everyone at the scene says, ‘Ms. Smith, where’s the dog food?’” In order to build the city’s department and continue its upward trajectory, Ezekiel encourages firefighters to be partners rather than employees and pushes them toward improving themselves. “Zeke’s always looking at getting these people ready for their next promotion, for that next advancement,” Gaston said.
LOOKING BACK, FORWARD
Throughout his 22 years with Mountain Brook, Ezekiel said one of the things he takes pride in establishing is the city’s ambulance service, which started in 1996. A snowstorm came in soon after the transport service was in place, and kids
playing on sleds led to eight ambulance trips, two of which had critical patients. One patient went straight through the emergency room to the operating room, and, Ezekiel said, if they had needed to call an outside ambulance company, the outcome might have been different. “I just remember thinking how immediate the feedback was on this one,” he said. “We had already made a difference with that service we had just started.” Providing emergency transport not only saves time, Ezekiel said, but it also gives another facet toward the department’s goal of customer service. “Hardly a week goes by when we don’t receive a letter or email from one of our residents thanking the city for our fire department,” Gaston said. In the future, Ezekiel said he expects the fire department to continue evolving with fire service. They have discussed adding tactical
Giving up something you’ve worked to build is never easy, Ezekiel said, but he prefers to reflect on the journey. “It’s been a joy. Everything has been a joy, really a pleasure,” Ezekiel said. “Everything is an opportunity if you just learn and grasp everything you can. So it’s been a nice experience, a nice journey.” Retirement does not mean he plans to slow down, however. He looks forward to exploring his opportunities, including teaching a few courses on public safety administration and management. Ezekiel said he also looks forward to more opportunities to fish and bass fish competitively as well as to work on his golf game with his son. “To me, there’s three things he’s very passionate about,” Gaston said. “One is the fire service and all the things that go with it. Two, he’s very passionate about technology. Three, he’s very passionate about fishing.” At this point, Ezekiel said he feels he has reached the peak of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: self-actualization. “I told Sam [Gaston], I like to call that a full heart,” he said. “And I’m certainly leaving with a full heart.”
B4 • March 2016
Village Living
School House Brookwood Forest kicks off popular Genius Hour Genius Hour class officially started for the second semester at BWF. This semester, every student will receive nine weeks of counseling from Ms. Ashley Eldridge and nine weeks of Genius Hour from Ms. Katy Caughran in the counseling time slot. This class is a customized opportunity for all students to explore their own interests and even create projects
or applications of what they've learned. It is an opportunity to become a genius about a topic important to the student. The height of learning that is effective, challenging, and engaging is only truly reached when students take ownership of their learning and the impact it makes on the world around them. ‒ Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.
Mrs. Kirkpatrick’s first-grade class poses with teacher Katy Caughran. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.
BWF 6th-graders compete at JUNA A group of sixth-graders at BWF represented the school at the Junior United Nations Assembly held at Birmingham-Southern College. There were two different teams: one representing Somalia and another representing Thailand. The students spent a semester researching a problem that faces each country, proposing a solution, and developing a resolution to address the problem that was presented
before the Junior United Nations on Jan. 28-29. In presenting the bill, the students dressed in traditional attire and spoke in the native tongue of each country. It serves as a way the students cannot only learn more about the larger world, but to see the impact they can make in solving real-world problems. ‒ Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.
One Brookwood Forest Junior United Nations team represented Somalia and another represented Thailand at the annual assembly at Birmingham-Southern College. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.
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VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • B5
Mountain Brook Arbor Day poster contest winners (left to right) Lucy Kerr, Palin Wilkinson, Hayden Hawkins, Kendall Crabtree, Mia Dunlap and Sarah Inskeep stand with tree commission members Ruth Mears and Kenneth Key. Not pictured: Lucy Clapp. Photo by Erica Techo.
Back row, from left: Pavel Shirley, Ben Harris, Chloe Kinderman. Front row, from left: Fletcher Nunnelley, William Wood, Griffen Darden. Photo courtesy of Collins Clegg.
MBJH debate team takes home 1st place The Mountain Brook Debate Team had an incredible month. First, William Wood (eighth grade) and Marielle Cornes (seventh grade) came in first place in Georgia at the Atlanta Urban Debate League tournament. Chloe Kinderman (eighth grade) competed in the high school junior varsity division for the policy debate at the annual Stanford
Debate Invitational in Palo Alto, California, where she and her high school partner, Russell Weas (10th grade), advanced to the semifinals. While in California, the team took a private tour at Google, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge, and for fun, visited the historic Winchester Mystery Mansion in San Jose. ‒ Submitted by Collins Clegg.
Mountain Brook students receive Arbor Day awards By ERICA TECHO Several Mountain Brook students received awards for their Arbor Day artwork. Around 150 students across Mountain Brook’s four elementary schools participated in this year’s Alabama Arbor Day poster contest, creating artwork around the theme “Trees are terrific inside and out.” The contest is hosted by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Winners and runners-up were recognized at Mountain Brook City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 4. They received Village Gold gift cards, and the winners’ posters will move on to the statewide competition. Mountain Brook Tree Commission member Ruth Mears thanked the students for their hard work in the poster competition, which helps kick-off Arbor Day events.
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“I thought this work was just so good,” she said. Kenneth Key, also a member of the Mountain Brook Tree Commission, said the students’ participation will help Mountain Brook qualify to be a Tree City. It has been named a Tree City for the past 22 years. The fifth graders who were recognized included Cherokee Bend Elementary students Lucy Kerr and Palin Wilkinson, Mountain Brook Elementary students Hayden Hawkins and Kendall Crabtree, Crestline Elementary students Mia Dunlap and Lucy Clapp and Brookwood Forest student Sarah Inskeep. To celebrate Arbor Day, the tree commission will give away seedlings at Emmett O’Neal Library, Whole Foods, the Piggly Wiggly at River Run and Western Market. They expect to give out around 2,000 seedlings.
B6 • March 2016
Village Living
Cherokee Bend students represent Uganda at JUNA
The Dorians ranked 12th nationally in a recent Dance Team Championship. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Farrar.
Cherokee Bend Junior United Nations team members include Ellen Anderson, Wilder Hines, Claire Lauterbach, Kate Lauterbach, Evan Shiflet, Amelia Tynes and Matthew Zitella. Photo courtesy of Catherine Gasque.
Cherokee Bend students participated in the Junior United Nations Assembly (JUNA) of Alabama, a student-run model United Nations Assembly for Alabama students in grades six through eight. The CBS JUNA Team participated in a two-day event at Birmingham-Southern which included a parade of nations, an opening assembly, committee meetings, and General Assembly meetings in which resolutions were presented, discussed and voted upon. The CBS delegation represented Uganda. Team members included Ellen Anderson, Wilder Hines, Claire Lauterbach, Kate Lauterbach, Evan Shiflet,
Amelia Tynes and Matthew Zitella. Students researched their nation during their school club time with sponsor Kim Hutchens, identified a problem, and wrote a resolution that proposed a solution to the issue. The team presented first in committee where the resolution passed and then in General Assembly, where it passed a final time. The CBS JUNA team was recognized as one of the top four teams out of 48 delegations for their display board (honorable mention) and for Best Country (honorable mention). Students also won a top honor of Best Resolution. ‒ Submitted by Catherine Gasque.
MBHS Dorians earn national ranking On Jan. 31, the 2015-16 Mountain Brook High School Dorians became the first nationally ranked team in Dorian history. The Dorians traveled to Orlando to compete in the 2016 National Dance Team Championship, which took place Jan. 29-31 at the Walt Disney World Resort. The National Dance Team Championship is the only national-level dance team championship that is endorsed by the National Federation of State High School Associations. The Dorians are one of the hundreds of high school dance teams throughout the country that earned a bid to compete in the preliminary round
of competition at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Dorians were the only high kick team from Alabama to advance to the final round of competition. This team is only the second team in Dorian history to earn a place in finals. After competing against the most elite high kick teams in the nation, the Dorians earned the right to call themselves one of the best, placing 12th overall. The Dorians are coached by Lindsay Hull and sponsored by Mountain Brook High School Spanish teacher Heather Fitch. Team captains are Kate Dorsten and Emily Howell. ‒ Submitted by Elizabeth Farrar.
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • B7
Bickley Bowron, Lauren Grubbs and Carlyn Randleman participated in the bike safety program at MBE. Photo courtesy of Shaun Flynn.
MBE students take part in bike safety program Children’s of Alabama and Safe Routes to School sponsored a bike rodeo at Mountain Brook Elementary to promote bike safety among students. Safe Routes to School is a movement to create fun and safe opportunities for children to bike to school. Students from each grade rode their bike through several stations and courses learning about hand signals and roadway safety
along the way. MBE parent and Children’s of Alabama representative Julie Farmer helped coordinate the event. “We want the kids to have fun while learning important bike skills,” she said. “Many kids did not know it is a law in Alabama to wear a helmet if they are less than 16.” – Submitted by Shaun Flynn.
The Book Fair coincides with the kindergartners’ Thanksgiving presentations each year. Back row, from left: Charlie Peagler, James Axon, Lou Gidiere, Holden Woodworth; front row: Ann Margaret Bynum and Ruth Branum. Photo courtesy of Shaun Flynn.
Mountain Brook students share passion for reading at book fair Mountain Brook Elementary School held its annual celebration of books and reading in November at the Scholastic Book Fair. Students filled the auditorium to purchase books, posters, educational toys and unique school supplies.
Each year, teachers create wish lists and families enjoy purchasing books for their child’s classroom. The money raised is allocated to the school’s library services and to purchase special items for the library. – Submitted by Shaun Flynn.
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B8 • March 2016
Village Living
The lunchroom staff joined in celebrating “Circle of Friends” week by baking special goodies. Photo courtesy of Mary Jane Dillard.
MBHS celebrates ‘Circle of Friends’ Students and faculty at Mountain Brook High School celebrated “Circle of Friends” week Feb. 22-26. “Circle of Friends” is a service club that is open to all students with a desire to support and engage with other students experiencing difficult circumstances. This student-led club is designed to reach out and help other students feel comfortable attending social events sponsored by the school and engaging in social
outings in the community. Events were planned each day to show appreciation for the faculty and aides working with these students. In addition, encouraging quotes and “I’ll be there for you” bracelets were passed out to students. Their commitment is another reason Mountain Brook is well known around the state for special education. ‒ Submitted by Mary Jane Dillard.
Principal Betsy Bell lends a hand to Cherokee Bend sixth-graders in packing food at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama. Photo courtesy of Catherine Gasque.
Chiefs 6th-graders give back through volunteering In mid-December, the sixth-graders at Cherokee Bend spent several mornings volunteering at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama. Through programs such as Mobile Pantry, the Food Bank is able to take a hands on approach in ensuring that families have access to food resources that they otherwise may not have. Volunteers, such as these students,
pack boxes with a variety of food items that are taken out with each Mobile Pantry, including canned vegetables and fruits, fresh meats, fresh produce and household items. These involved students learned some of the inner workings of our local food bank while giving back with their time during the holiday season of giving. ‒ Submitted by Catherine Gasque.
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March 2016 • B9
New school chant for Crestline Elementary The Crestline Cougar Student Council recently sponsored a contest for selecting a school chant. Champ the Cougar is the school mascot, but Student Council sponsor, Bonnie Lorino, thought Crestline needed something else to pair with Champ to promote school spirit. The Student Council representatives served as the selection committee to choose the best chant out of the 16 submissions, which were sent in by classes, individual students and groups of students. Three fourth-grade girls, Ann Coleman, Annie Lacey and Mary Ganser Lacey, created the newly selected official Crestline school chant, which goes: C to the R to the E - S - T, To the L to the I - N - E, We are Crestline, Hear us shout, This is what we’re all about!
CES secondgrader Emily Krawczyk displays her artwork, titled “My Lollipop World,” which was recently chosen for a special exhibition in Washington, D.C. Photos courtesy of Trish Hand.
2 Crestline students receive national accolades for artwork Fourth-graders Mary Ganser Lacey, Ann Coleman and Annie Lacey wrote the chant that was selected as the official school chant for CES. Photo courtesy of Trish Hand.
To the L to the I - N - E, We are Crestline, Hear us shout, This is what we’re all about!
Kindness, courage, And much more, This is what we all stand for!
Friendships, learning And much more, We are Cougars, Hear us roar! (Right “paw” up and roar)
C to the R to the E - S - T,
– Submitted by Trish Hand.
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Two Crestline Elementary students, second-grader Emily Krawczyk and firstgrader Bebe Kate Allen, recently received special recognition for their artistic accomplishments. Emily’s artwork, titled “My Lollipop World,” was chosen by the VSA and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to represent Alabama in an exhibition at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Bebe Kate’s Eric Carle-inspired seahorse was asked to be donated to the Headquarters of the National Association of Elementary School Principals in Alexandria, Virginia. CES art instructor Lauren Fowler was also honored recently. Her proposal to present a hands-on art lesson at the National Art Education Association’s annual conference was among the top 39th percentile of those submitted. The workshop is based on her 2014 Fund for Teachers Fellowship travels to Spain and France and will give her the opportunity to share her knowledge and techniques with fellow art instructors from around the United States. – Submitted by Trish Hand.
CES first-grader Bebe Kate Allen holds her Eric Carle-inspired seahorse, which was recently asked to be donated to the headquarters of the National Association of Elementary School Principals in Alexandria, Virginia.
B10 • March 2016
Village Living
LEARNING TO SAVE LIVES Fearless Fire Drills teaches children with sensory sensitivity how to respond in emergency situations By GRACE THORNTON The stories are grim. Stories like that of a 14-year-old autistic boy in Philadelphia who died two years ago in a house fire. His sister was in the middle of guiding him out of the house when he ran back upstairs in fear. There wasn’t enough time to save him. Another young boy in Missouri met a similar fate in 2007 when he locked himself in a bathroom in an attempt to find a safe place in the middle of a blaze. The list of stories like theirs is gravely long, said Libby Pittman, a speech pathologist at Crestline Elementary School in Mountain Brook. She said manageable emergencies are a real danger for children with sensory sensitivity, who don’t know how to cope with alarms. And oftentimes schools aren’t doing much to help, she said. When it comes time for fire drills, many schools protect the sensory sensitive from the drill itself instead of teaching them to protect themselves correctly from the danger. “I spoke at a speech pathology conference [a while back] and asked them to fill out a quick little survey,” Pittman said. “It just asked them if they forewarned their children about the alarm, if they take them out of the building before the drill or if they make them go through it.” Seventy percent of the teachers who took the survey said they either removed the children from the drill or forewarned them about it, Pittman said. “It seems prevalent that well-meaning teachers just want to save the rest of the day for the children, but then when the children are faced with a real fire, they run to a place of perceived safety and lock the doors.” It’s a real problem, she said, “but no one really knows about it.”
Crestline Elementary teachers Amy Dern and Libby Pittman watch student Riley White work through the computer-based Fearless Fire Drills program. Photo by Frank Couch.
That’s why Pittman is trying to educate parents, children and the public through Fearless Fire Drills, a company she started to show schools and parents how to teach children with sensory sensitivity to respond in an emergency situation. It all started in response to a first-grader at Crestline Elementary who wouldn’t come in the building the first week of school because he feared a fire drill. “We were determined to help him,” Pittman said. “We got a fire alarm and taught him how
to cope with the drill and do it with his peers.” But in the course of teaching him, she learned that children like him were being routinely removed from the classroom before the drills so that it wouldn’t ruin their day. Then she started doing some broader research, first with the teachers at the conference, then with children. “It was tragic how often this was happening,” she said. So the Fearless Fire Drills curriculum software was birthed to address the problem, narrated by
Fearless the Fire Dog. “He explains to the children that they are going to learn some fire safety skills, and they play some games and watch a modeling video showing real children during a drill,” Pittman said. “It shows the children what to do and also what not to do, like running and hiding and getting away from the group.” The program follows up with reinforcement games and quizzes, she said. The program has seen a lot of success already, even though it only officially launched in late January. “The children that had a really difficult time with the drills, after they completed the training, they could do anything,” Pittman said. Sandy Naramore, director of Mitchell’s Place, a center for children with autism, said she saw exactly that happen. The children at her center were part of Fearless Fire Drills’ pilot program. She told the story of one child who’d had a particularly challenging time with fire alarms in the past but saw a major turnaround. “The mother was cooking dinner and she burned something and the smoke detector went off,” Naramore said. “Our child who had previously been very disturbed by the alarm system calmly stood up, pushed his chair in, went to the back door of the house, turned around and told the rest of the family, ‘Line up, it’s a fire drill.’” Naramore said she highly recommends the program. It’s not rocket science, Pittman said, but it “helps children feel empowered,” and they retain the skills they learn. “We’re excited to see this spread and see how other children can learn to do this,” she said. For more information, visit fearlessfiredrills. com.
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • B11
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Forgiveness does the body, soul good “God doesn’t always give you the people you would have chosen to be in your life. He gives you the people you need — to help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person God meant you to be.” FRANCINE RIVERS, AUTHOR OF “REDEEMING LOVE” When I was younger, I tended to let messages about forgiveness go in one ear and out the other. Quite honestly, it didn’t make sense for me to forgive people who had wronged me or done something to justify my distaste for them. And while I never intentionally hurt anyone, I didn’t mind seeing my least favorite people struggle. When others talked about them, I secretly delighted. And if they went through a rough patch ... well, that was karma kicking in. That was them getting what they deserved, a lesson on why they should be nicer to people. But the problem with holding grudges, wishing ill-will or forgiving someone only when it comes easily is that this mindset takes a toll over time. It hardens our heart and creates
layers of bitterness and resentment that build up like plaque. The more plaque we add, the harder it is to clear out. It’s easier to understand this as we age and feel the emotional damage that resentment can create in our bodies. Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. It hurts us more than the person we refuse to forgive. It makes our heart hard and bitter instead of soft and loving. And this is why forgiveness is as much for us as it is the offender. It is why we’re called to forgive people even when we don’t feel like it or when it seems unnecessary. As my priest, Father Bob Sullivan, once said in a sermon, “We’re told to practice forgiveness on a small level every day, so that when something big happens, we know what to do.”
To me, the operative word here is practice. Forgiveness is an art, and like any art, it takes time to learn. It requires patience, hard work and prayers. Only with God’s help can we acquire the strength to genuinely forgive others and the wisdom to discern how. Let’s be clear: Forgiveness doesn’t always mean you should let an offender back into your life, your house or your trusted circle of friends. It doesn’t require you to be a doormat or fall back into a toxic routine. To me, forgiveness is about two things: letting go and learning. It’s about accepting the past, moving on, and learning to turn any pain you’ve experienced into purpose for the future. After all, it’s our seasons of suffering that best prepare us for the seasons to come. It’s our seasons of suffering that best shape our testimony, the story we’ll one day share with others to encourage them and offer them hope through their struggles. I can’t tell anyone how to apply forgiveness to their life, but I can share a few thoughts that help me. I’ve learned, in my ripe old age of 43, that I can forgive someone who doesn’t ask to be forgiven. I can practice forgiveness daily by not getting angry at the young man who steals
my parking place, the cashier who is rude or the person who makes a cutting remark. Instead of jumping into defense mode, I can let it go. I can forgive the offender and ask God how I might be able to show them love instead. Every individual who crosses our path has something to teach us. And through forgiveness, we open up our heart to lessons that build character, compassion and faith. It’s not the events in our lives that define us, but who we become as a result. And if we allow the past to change us for the better, we can’t regret it. We can see even bad experiences for what they are - seasons of life that prepare us for the next season, where hope is plentiful and God’s faithfulness in helping us overcome challenges becomes more evident than ever. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist, and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” is now available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.
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B12 • March 2016
Village Living
BACK ON THE WAGON Already slipping on New Year’s resolutions? Trainers offer advice on sustainable fitn ss plans
By EMILY FEATHERSTON Vic Nigri has noticed that new clients are coming to his gym later in the new year, rather than rushing through the doors in the first days of January. Vic, owner of The Fitness Center on Montclair Avenue, said he attributes the trend to the classic New Year’s Resolution story: individuals, excited about getting in shape, try to work out on their own only to realize they can’t stick with it. “I think one of the biggest things,” Vic said, “is the reason they fall off the wagon is because they wind up putting too much pressure on themselves.” Vic said many people try to do too much too fast—and end up getting discouraged at not attaining their “perfect” goal. “It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress and improvement,” he said. Vic and his wife, Beth, have been operating The Fitness Center for 22 years, making the location a fitness landmark in the Mountain Brook area. Beth said she attributes their success to the success customers find by turning to a personal trainer rather than trying to exercise alone. “It keeps you focused,” she said. “You’ve got to stay focused on what you’re doing if you want to get results.” Vic agreed, adding that the accountability a personal trainer provides can give individuals a push to succeed that would not exist if they simply tried to go to exercise when they felt like it. “That’s where the personal training comes in. It gets you over the hump. It gets you the progress that you need,” he said. Across town on Overton Road, a group of three trainers is also hoping to encourage those
Vic and Beth Nigri have owned and operated The Fitness Center on Montclair Avenue for 22 years. Photo by Emily Featherston. Trainers’ tips on sustainable workout routines:
280living.com/topics/video
villagelivingonline.com/videos/resolutiontips-from-mountain-brook-gym-owners/
who have had slip-ups on their resolution plans to give it another try. “If you did start a New Year’s resolution, and here we are coming up into March and maybe you didn’t accomplish the goals you had initially set out to do, the first thing I would say is don’t be discouraged,” Meta Fitness Studio co-owner Matt Crane said. Meta Fitness Studio, which opened in late February, brings together the combined 30
years of training experience of owners Crane, Scott Cannon and Mike Smith. The trio, who worked together for four years at another fitness location, hope to bring personalized, one-on-one training to the area and create a place where people can see real results in an environment that is accepting and non-judgmental. “A lot of times, what I see, is people go in really hard at it. They set these really lofty goals for themselves that are just really unrealistic, and when they don’t reach those they get really frustrated and discouraged,” Crane said. The best way to individuals to combat that, he said, is for them to be conscious of how their body feels, not necessarily what the number on the scale says. “Everybody’s needs are different,” he said.
TIPS AND ADVICE For those claiming they have no time for a fitn ss plan, both Crane and Vic Nigri had thoughts on finding the time o exercise. “Treat it as you would any other appointment that you need to go to that’s necessary,” Crane said, “because it’s your health. You only get one body.” For Nigri, it’s a simple tradeoff: the time is going to be spent either in the gym or in the doctor’s offi e. “I say, ‘Well, if you don’t have time for your sessions, do you have time to get sick?’” and he added that if you try, it’s usually easy to find a time that will fi . For those looking to start a new, sustainable fitn ss program, both Crane and Nigri again had advice on things to be mindful of and to avoid. “Anything promising big-time results in a short amount of time, I would be wary of that,” Crane said. He added that it is important to look for programs that take the individual’s specific needs i to account. Nigri agreed that fads and programs with grand promises are often fraudulent, and can even be dangerous. Instead, he suggested taking the “slow and steady” approach and looking for a lifestyle change. “By working out on a regular basis, by eating healthy, you can do it, but you can do it in a safe manner,” Nigri said.
BE PREPARED FOR WINTER STORMS Ken Fine – Lineman, Power Delivery
Before the Storm
After the Storm
1. Minimize travel. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supply kit in your vehicle.
1. Go to a designated public shelter if your home loses power or heat during periods of extreme cold but avoid driving when those conditions include sleet, freezing rain or drizzle, snow or dense fog.
2. Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank full. A full tank will keep the fuel line from freezing.
3. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year. 4. Bring pets/companion animals inside during winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
2. Before tackling strenuous tasks in cold temperatures, consider your physical condition, the weather factors and the nature of the task.
3. Protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia by wearing warm, loose-fitting, lightweight clothing in several layers. Stay indoors, if possible.
5. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside and kept clear.
CAUTION: Carbon Monoxide Kills • Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or partially enclosed area. Locate unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors. • The primary hazards to avoid when using alternate sources for electricity, heating or cooking are carbon monoxide poisoning, electric shock and fire. • Install carbon monoxide alarms in central locations on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas to provide early warning of accumulating carbon monoxide.
In an emergency, call:
For more safety tips, visit AlabamaPower.com/stormsafety
1-800-888-APCO (2726)
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As an Alabama Power customer, we want you to know we are prepared for the winter season. When a major storm hits, you can be assured our linemen will be on the job to quickly and safely restore your service. Meanwhile, there are things you can do to be better prepared for severe winter weather and its aftermath.
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • B13
Sports NATIONAL SIGNING DAY 2016
FORD ALEXANDER ▶ SPORT: Football ▶ POSITION: Defensive end ▶ COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY:
GOING TO THE
NEXT LEVEL
T
Jacksonville State University
▶ LOCATION: Jacksonville, Alabama
▶ MASCOT: Gamecocks
LANEY SMITH ▶ SPORT: Soccer ▶ POSITION: Defender ▶ COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY:
By KYLE PARMLEY
hree Mountain Brook athletes are ready to move on to the next level. Athletic Director Benny Eaves said, “It’s truly an accomplishment, one, to have the athletic ability to play at the next level, and two, to be able to maintain the academic excellence it takes to be a student-athlete here at Mountain Brook and move on to the next level.” Two soccer players signed athletic scholarships, while a football player accepted an academic scholarship and will begin his college football career as a preferred walk-on. Here’s a brief profile of each student-athlete:
Washington and Lee University ▶ LOCATION: Lexington, Virginia ▶ MASCOT: Generals
NICOLE STRAHL ▶ SPORT: Soccer ▶ POSITION: Defender ▶ COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: Troy University
▶ LOCATION: Troy, Alabama ▶ MASCOT: Trojans
Photos by Erica Techo.
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B14 • March 2016
Village Living
Records fall at indoor state track meet
Records pile up for Spartan basketball
By SAM CHANDLER
By KYLE PARMLEY and WILLIAM GALLOWAY
Entering the indoor track and field season, Mountain Brook head coach Michael McGovern believed his Spartan squads were capable of earning a pair of top-five finishes at the state meet. As it turned out, he was right. At the AHSAA State Indoor Track and Field Championships, held Feb. 5-6, at the Birmingham CrossPlex, the Mountain Brook girls and boys fulfilled McGovern’s prediction. Led by Frances Patrick, the Spartan girls tallied 64 points, earning a third-place finish. “I’m so proud of the girls because I think they gave it all they had,” McGovern said. “It’s one of those things that sometimes you give all you had, and you don’t end up in first or second, but it’s OK.” The reigning state cross-country champion, Patrick clinched two more individual titles while breaking a pair of Class 7A state meet records, posting times of 11 minutes, 6.51 seconds in the 3,200 meters and 5:07.88 in the 1,600 meters. “Unbelievable. Coming off cross-country, she just kept the streak going and really showed that she is one of the top runners around,” McGovern said. Behind the indefatigable effort of Drew Williams, the Spartan boys totaled 52 points, clinching a fourth-place finish. Williams, a University of Alabama signee, placed second in the high jump (6-2) and 800 (1:55.61) before setting two state meet records with victories in the 1,600 (4:17.06) and 4x800 relay (7:57.93). “He had a great meet. The two events that he came in second in he lost to people who broke the state records, so I think he did the best that he could possibly do this weekend,” McGovern said.
The ACE Warriors cheerleading team is heading to the Worlds competition. Photo courtesy of TJ Cunningham.
Local cheerleaders head to world championships By SYDNEY CROMWELL The ACE Cheer Company of Birmingham, a group of elite middle and high school cheerleaders across the state of Alabama, have earned their ticket to the US All Star Federation’s Cheerleading Worlds competition in April. The ACE Warriors are a team of 30, including Mountain Brook High School students Britt Ware and Catherine Haas. They won their bid to the world competition by winning the Spirit Brands Red Fox Championship in January and ranking Grand Champions among all Worlds-eligible cheerleading teams in the Southeast. The Warriors have competed in the Worlds every year since 2004. TJ Cunningham, who works with the
Warriors, said the USASF Worlds are exclusively open to Senior Level 5 cheerleaders, the highest ranking for high school athletes. Reaching that level requires mastery of difficult stunts, tumbling, pyramids and overall athleticism. “It is truly an amazing competition to watch and an honor for the athletes competing,” Cunningham said. The Warriors competed in the Cheersport Nationals and National Cheerleaders Association Nationals in February, and will show their talents again at the Universal Cheerleaders Association Nationals on March 12-13. Then they head to Orlando to compete against more than 10,000 cheerleaders and dancers at the USASF Worlds on April 23-25 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Disney World.
Records and milestones continue to be a regular occurrence for the Mountain Brook High School basketball program. At the conclusion of the regular season, the boys team sat on a 33-game home winning streak. On Feb. 5, Sara Carr broke a program record for the girls team with 40 points in a single game. Jack Kline will graduate this season and move on to play basketball at UAH. He will leave Mountain Brook with over 700 rebounds and as the winningest player in program history (breaking Patrick Keim’s mark of 111 wins). “It means a lot,” Kline said. “Coming into this season, I knew that all of those achievements would be possible to attain and I kind of set them as personal goals for the season.” Freshman standout Trendon Watford played on the varsity team at Shades Valley as an 8th grader before transferring to Mountain Brook, and has already accumulated over 1,000 points in his young career. “It feels great. I’ve put in a lot of work to get to this point and have to thank my teammates for finding me and the coaching staff for getting me the ball in the right spots,” Watford said. The man responsible for leading the Spartans to such heights is Bucky McMillan, the head coach in his eighth season atop the program. He reached 200 wins in a buzzer-beating win over Ramsay on Jan. 29. “It means that we have been consistently very good year-in and year-out,” McMillan said. “That’s what I am the most proud of…is that every year if you’ve come to a Mountain Brook game, you have observed a team on the floor that should make everyone associated with our school and everyone in our community proud.”
APSA-1007_2.pdf 1 8/18/15 VillageLivingOnline.com
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March 2016 • B15
A PUBLIC NOTICE FROM ALABAMA POWER
TREE CREWS WORKING IN MOUNTAIN BROOK THROUGH EARLY 2016 Alabama Power crews are working in several Mountain Brook neighborhoods, removing trees and other vegetation that threaten the safety and reliability of our electrical system. As part of this process, Alabama Power goes to great lengths to talk with individual property owners. Company representatives are going door to door, leaving notices at locations where work is needed. If you have any questions before crews come by your home, please call Alabama Power at 205-257-2155 and ask for someone in the Vegetation Management Group to contact you. Or you can email us at apcvm@southernco.com. Work in Mountain Brook and nearby areas is expected to continue through early 2016. Also, you can go online to alpwr.co/vm for more information about these safety and reliability measures, as well as resources for property owners who would like recommendations about planting the right tree in the right place.
Thank you for your understanding. We appreciate your business. Vegetation Management Group 205-257-2155 | apcvm@southernco.com
Š 2015 Alabama Power Company.
B16 • March 2016
Village Living
UNSTOPPABLE on the course N
By KYLE PARMLEY
Johnathan Eyster walks between holes during a Mountain Brook golf team practice round in February. Photo by Frank Couch.
ot much can stop Jonathan Eyster. Not Type 1 diabetes. Not celiac disease. Not alopecia. These things do not define Eyster. Alopecia affects his hair, and celiac disease prevents him from eating anything with gluten. Those two things do not present issues on the golf course, but diabetes requires constant management. “When my blood sugar gets low or high, it might affect my round or a mood swing might affect me,” Eyster said. “I just have to be on it when I’m on the golf course, and I’ll always monitor my sugar as the round goes on.” He was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 2, so dealing with it is second nature to him now. But that hasn’t stopped people from taking notice of how well he handles himself. “He has to be very prudent in watching his blood sugar level and paying attention to that type of thing,” Mountain Brook athletic director and golf coach Benny Eaves said. “He has to have a very adult-like attitude. He can’t take that for granted.” Enough about his health, though, as Eyster has established himself as one of the top high school golfers in the state, and returns this season as the leading scorer from last year’s Class 7A state champion Mountain Brook golf team. “Last year it was really special, winning as a team, because we’d come up short the year before,” Eyster said. “Spain Park has been on top for the past few years. It was nice to finally get it done.” In 2015 alone, Eyster was named to the All-Tournament team at the Fairhope Invitational, Bradley Johnson Memorial, West
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VillageLivingOnline.com Alabama Classic and the state tournament. After falling short in 2014, Eyster and Co. made sure to follow through and win the title, as 2015 was the final season at the helm for Eaves. Mountain Brook won the four-team state championship by 19 strokes, and Eyster tied for second in individual scores, firing a 140 (-2) over the two-day event. “We wanted to send Coach Eaves out on top last year after coming up short the year before,” Eyster said. Eaves will give way to Alex Lockett this year, as his athletic director duties at Mountain Brook High School take precedent. “The amount of time it would take for me to do a good job as athletic director, which is my job, would take me away from the time I would need to spend with the high school golf team and be there on a consistent basis,” Eaves said. “If I could’ve figured out a way to do it, I would’ve done it.” Eaves has been the golf coach at Mountain Brook since 2008, and has coached various sports for much longer. He has an interesting take on the importance of team chemistry. “Team chemistry is so much more important in high school golf than in any other sport,” he said. “You would say, ‘They’re playing separately, they’re not even on the same hole, how could that possibly [be the case]?’” Eaves contends that last year’s championship team possessed that ability to bond together and to genuinely root for each other out on the golf course. “It was really special, the feeling and chemistry that team had last year. There’s probably been three teams I’ve coached in my lifetime that you knew was a special group, and that was one of them,” he said. The Spartans will lose two of their top five from last year, as Michael Brown and Wilson Simmons must be replaced. Two new players will need to step into that gap alongside of the returning threesome of Eyster, Harlan Winn and Ben Fuller. Eyster comes from a lineage of successful golfers. “I’ve probably been playing golf since I was 5,” Eyster said. “My dad played at Alabama, so I was taught at a young age. I have a brother
“
March 2016 • B17
Last year it was really special, winning as a team, because we’d come up short the year before. Spain Park has been on top for the past few years. It was nice to finally get it done.
”
JONATHAN EYSTER
who plays at UAB, so I’m always trying to beat him out.” His personal-best round was a 65 on the West Course at the Country Club of Birmingham, in a casual, just-for-fun round with his friends. That score is no anomaly, as he is used to shooting in the 60s. Eyster gets rounds into the 60s with a premier short game, as he is excellent chipping and putting. Players can hit the ball well and score poorly because of an inability to “put the ball in the hole,” one of Eyster’s noted strengths. “His short game is extremely good,” Eaves said. “Probably what makes him special is his ability to stay levelheaded on the golf course. He doesn’t get emotionally high or low.” When pressed to find an aspect of his game that needs improvement, Eaves struggled to find words. “There’s nothing in particular that you could say Jonathan needs to do to have a better senior season, because to say that would be to say there’s something he’s not proficient at,” he said. Eyster does hold a scholarship offer to play golf in college, but his plans to major in engineering will be the ultimate factor in his school choice. Even if he has to walk on at whichever university he attends, chances are he’ll be good enough to make the team.
Jonathan Eyster is exceptional with the putter, according to his former coach. Photo by Hank Spencer.
B IR M INGH A M
BoTanICal GarDens
SPring Plant Sale M ore T han 100,000
Public Plant Sale
Friday, April 15 | 9 - 7 p.m. Saturday, April 16 | 9 - 5 p.m. Sunday, April 17 | 11 - 3 p.m.
planTs plan
Brookwood Village Located in the Macy’s parking lot 780 Brookwood Village Birmingham, AL 35209
205.414.3950 bbg ardens.org
S ta f f ed by h u n d r ed s o f vo lu nteer s r eady to ans wer you r plant and g ar dening q u es tions
B18 • March 2016
Village Living
MEDICAL SERVICES
directory special advertising section
Addiction Recovery at UAB, B18
Alabama Allergy and Asthma Center, B19
Birmingham Speech and Hearing, B19
Children’s of Alabama, B20
Genestyle Medical, B20
Neurogenix Nerve Center, B21
Addiction Recovery offering hope, guidance and support
For the person struggling with alcohol and substance dependence, the first steps toward recovery can be apprehensive and uncertain. The Addiction Recovery Program at UAB offers hope, guidance and support in those early steps toward a new life. Their staff is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers who guide and support patients as they learn new tools and behaviors to assist them in their recovery process. UAB’s Addiction Recovery Program focuses on treating the whole person with various types of therapies that include, group and individualized therapy, individualized treatment planning, recovery
education, recreational therapy, family therapy, family workshops, linkage to sober living and discharge planning. In addition to these core services, UAB takes a unique approach to healing the whole person through activities that engage the mind, spirit and body. Activities such as rock climbing, drum circle, music and art help the patient reconnect to themselves and renew their spirits. Highly skilled specialists, comprehensive treatment and unparalleled medical resources replace a patient’s feelings of helplessness and uncertainty with hope and a firm foundation. As one of the region’s premier medical facilities, UAB has access to more than 1,000 expert physicians in 35 medical fields, including psychology and psychiatry. In addition, professional counselors work with patients on areas of concern such as pain management, sexual abuse, grief and trauma to deal with the problems underlying the substance dependency. Treatment is tailored to each patient’s needs. Upon arriving at the Addiction Recovery Program at UAB, the patient receives a comprehensive assessment by a team of specialists to determine the level of care needed and establish a plan for their recovery success. UAB offers both in-patient and outpatient care. Some patients may receive a combination of in and outpatient care. Patients also receive support for up to two years through the Aftercare Program. In addition to these programs, there is also an array of specialty services for individualized needs. The Equine program offers experiential therapy through work with horses that allows patients to reconnect to their feelings. Equine Therapy can be a major step toward reconnecting patients with themselves and their families. “Because horses are highly sensitive to congruency and feelings, it helps patients identify their own feelings,” said Terri Williams-Glass, Clinical Director. There are also programs that are specific to grief and trauma for patients dealing with the after effects of trauma that may have been experienced either in childhood or adulthood, as well as the pain of grief and loss. Since families are directly affected by the issues of alcohol and substance addiction, the Family Resource Program addresses these issues by assessing family needs and providing education about addiction and recovery. Relationship Group assists patients in dealing with relationship issues and teaches tools to build healthy relationships, set boundaries and communicate more effectively. In dealing with the whole person, the patient receives education and therapy to educate them about disease triggers, as well as to learn about diet and exercise to create a healthy lifestyle. As a result, patients replace old behaviors with new knowledge, support and sense of self to create a successful recovery, as they embark on a new life.
FAST FACTS Addiction recovery young adults • adults healthcare professionals 1713 6th Avenue South 975-7350 uabmedicine.org/addiction
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • B19
Focused on community well-being
FAST FACTS Diagnosis and treatment of allergies, asthma, food allergy, sinus, immune diseases Homewood, Hoover, Chelsea, Alabaster, Cullman, and Trussville (opening June 2016) 205-871-9661 Visit alabamaallergy.com for an appointment
Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center has been committed to provide the greater Birmingham area and their patients with the best treatment through their values of care, advocacy, service, integrity and accountability. While its primary office has remained in Homewood throughout the past 50 years, the practice has grown to include six locations. Other locations include Hoover, Chelsea, Alabaster, Cullman, and Trussville (opening June 2016). “Allergies, asthma and immune diseases can have a drastic effect on an individual’s quality of life. Our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, and highly trained staff work together to help diagnose and treat patients who suffer from pediatric and adult allergies, skin disorders, sinus issues, asthma and immunological issues, as well as food and drug allergies,” said Helen Combs, Practice Development Manager. Six Board-Certified pediatric and adult allergists, who include Dr. Weily Soong, Dr. Maxcie Sikora, Dr. John Anderson, Dr. Meghan Lemke, Dr. Sunena Argo, and Dr. Amy CaJacob, provide patients with innovative care. These physicians are board-certified, uniquely trained and are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies (including environmental, food, insect and drug allergies), asthma and frequent cough, rhinitis (hay fever), sinus infections, eye allergies, Hereditary Angioedema and other immunological conditions. The specialists diagnose patient’s conditions by collecting a complete medical history of each patient, performing a physical examination on the patient and assessing the patient’s environmental and other allergen exposure history. They may also perform tests, such as allergen skin tests and lung function tests. It is highly significant if the patient’s allergy symptoms occur in association with exposure. Allergy diagnostic tests such as skin tests or blood tests provide similar confirmation of what your health history tells your allergist. The focus is on achieving
a diagnosis and providing effective care and patient education to restore an optimal quality of life for our patients. “We believe all patients should be treated with, respect, kindness and courtesy. Our practice has been committed to providing the greater Birmingham area and our patients with the highest quality of care through our values of advocacy, service, integrity, and accountability. We believe in spending the extra time to educate our patients, as well as serve our community through education, preventative medicine, and outreach programs,” said Combs. The core values of Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center are reflected in the company’s social responsibility commitments across a number of areas. “As the largest allergy and asthma practice in Alabama, we are dedicated to contributing to the well-being of the communities in which we live, work and play. Our social responsibility efforts include corporate giving, local community relations, volunteerism, diversity and inclusion, ethics and compliance, wellness and sustainability initiatives. We partner locally to support, enhance, and continually improve upon these efforts, in addition to the progress we are making to positively impact the health and wellness of the individuals within our communities,” said Combs.
35 years of better hearing Since its founding in 1980, Birmingham Speech and Hearing has provided our community with exemplary hearing healthcare services, community education and speech-language diagnostics and therapy. Birmingham Speech and Hearing’s qualified professional staff is licensed by the Alabama Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and nationally certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology. Birmingham Speech and Hearing was founded in 1980 and has just celebrated 35 years of business. The faithful staff is committed to recognizing the individual value of each patient. Their service oriented mission is demonstrated by local hearing health education, encouraging a culture of discovery in its staff, strengthening relationships with other healthcare practitioners in the area, and making investments in the community. Birmingham Speech and Hearing offers comprehensive audiology services including hearing evaluations, consultations, hearing aid sales, fittings and repairs, batteries, adjustments, custom earpieces for hunters and musicians and swimming. They provide assistive listening devices such as alerting systems, amplifiers for television and telephone as well as affordable FM systems. Audiology services for hearing impaired children are provided in all local area school systems. Lip reading classes and auditory processing evaluations are also available. Speech and language services including diagnostic evaluations and therapy to address articulation, receptive and expressive language, stuttering and voice disorders are provided. Screenings for speech, language, vision/hearing are available at local private school and child development centers. Difficulty with hearing loss can be a debilitating problem for both children and adults. Good hearing is essential for young and old alike. Compromised hearing can negatively affect the development of social skills, cognition, balance and safety. Some of the more common causes of hearing
loss include exposure to noise in the work environment or recreation, infectious disease, physical trauma, ototoxic drugs or chemicals, birth defects and developmental syndromes. The aging process is a significant factor, along with genetic susceptibility. Birmingham Speech and Hearing provides diagnostic testing followed by a recommendation of technology to assist the patient’s hearing needs. “Anyone can come in for a complete audiolological evaluation if they are experiencing hearing problems. Once an evaluation is completed, we discuss potential technology to meet the needs determined by each personal lifestyle as well as budget. Our standard practice procedure is to offer a 30-day no-obligation, risk free trial period. Hearing technology should meet individual needs in a variety of lifestyle settings, be comfortable and affordable. Our goal is to help each person experience life to the fullest with the best equipment for them,” said Cynthia Serota, M.S., CCC-SLP, Director of Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates. Products from all major manufacturers are offered, including Oticon, Lyric, ReSound, Phonak and Widex. Special financing options are available for those who qualify. As with hearing problems, speech and language problems can affect people of any age. When babies and young children do not acquire age-appropriate communication skills, they may be at risk for further problems. While some children “outgrow” speech and language difficulties, others may need professional help to reach their potential. Speech-language pathologists have the knowledge to evaluate and treat people of all ages who have communication delays and disorders affecting speech sounds, swallowing, voice, fluency (stuttering is disrupted fluency), receptive language (understanding what people say), and expressive language. “We are deeply proud to serve the men, women, and children of our community, including military personnel,” said Serota. “We look forward to continuing our mission of service to this community in the future!”
Hear • Speak • Listen • Learn • Live
FAST FACTS Speech and hearing health services 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 4 Office Park Circle, Suite 301 871-3878 birminghamspeechand hearing.com
B20 • March 2016
Village Living
l
U.S. News & World Report
This icon is not the official U.S. News & World Report best hospitals emblem.
2015-16
BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS
CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA IS . . . l The third largest pediatric hospital in the United States l Licensed for 332 beds & 48 NICU bassinets l The first LEED-certified hospital building in Alabama l One of the Top 20 employers in Alabama with more than 4,700 employees across the state l The pediatric teaching hospital for the School of Medicine at UAB l Home to the Pediatric & Congenital Heart Center of Alabama, where more than 450 cardiac surgeries are performed annually l Site of the only pediatric kidney dialysis program in the state — one of the largest in the country
Russell Campus
1600 7th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children Lowder Building McWane Building Children’s on Third Outpatient Center Children’s Park Place
Children’s South
205.638.9100
1601 5th Avenue South 1600 7th Avenue South 1600 7th Avenue South 1208 3rd Avenue South 1600 5th Avenue South
l Home to one of the largest burn units in the Southeast l One of the largest pediatric rheumatology programs in the nation and the only one in Alabama
1940 Elmer J. Bissell Road, Birmingham, AL 35243 205.638.4800
Outpatient surgery services, Pediatric Imaging Center, laboratory services, specialty care clincis and After Hours care
l Provides care for more than 90 percent of Alabama children with cancer and blood disorders
Pediatric Practice Solutions Primary Care Locations Alabaster (Greenvale Pediatrics) Bessemer (Pediatrics West) Birmingham (Midtown Pediatrics) Brook Highland (Greenvale Pediatrics) Clay/Chalkville (Pediatrics East-Deerfoot) Homewood (Mayfair Medical Group) Hoover (Greenvale Pediatrics)
McAdory (Pediatrics West) Montgomery (Physicians to Children/Central Alabama Children’s Specialists) Mountain Brook (Over the Mountain Pediatrics) Pell City (Pell City Pediatrics) Trussville (Pediatrics East) Vestavia (Vestavia Pediatrics)
www.ChildrensAL.org
Empowering lives to better health Welcome to Genestyle Medical! We are living in an era of a new health care revolution, and a paradigm shift is required to overcome the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and its associated rising cost in health care. Precision based personalized medicine provides the tools and incentives to help individuals empower themselves and take responsibility for their health and wellness. With the recent advances in science and technology, we offer you the opportunity to take control of your own health. We invite you to take advantage of this unique and innovative model of health care. Through virtual consultations, genomic testing, individualized nutrition and access to wearable device data, we guide you and support you in your journey to better health and longevity. We are a virtual wellness and holistic clinic dedicated to provide services via a HIPPA compliant telemedicine software that empower people to better track, manage and improve their own health. Genestyle was founded by Dr. Rodney Soto, MD, Board Certified in Neurology and Holistic Medicine. Dr. Soto was born in Ecuador and moved to the United States in 1989 after completion of his Medical School. In the U.S., Dr. Soto trained in internal medicine at the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, and then performed three years of residency training in neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Soto then completed two additional years of fellowship training in vascular and critical care neurology at the Comprehensive Stroke Center at UAB. He is
board certified in Neurology, and specializes in the treatment and prevention of cerebrovascular disorders. Dr. Soto has undergone extensive training in the field of holistic and integrative medicine and is currently board certified by the American Board of Holistic and Integrative Medicine. Dr. Soto is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the International Society of Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics. Genestyle Medical offers you the right approach, support and tools to change your lifestyle, sustain habits, monitor your progress and effectively achieve long-lasting success. Taking advantage of an evidence based scientific approach will help you utilize lifestyle changing interventions to optimize your health and wellness. This new approach to health and wellness is called Personalized Medicine. Our lifestyle and environment give signals and messages to our genes and have the power to change our genetic expression. This is empowering! We can change the messages that our genes receive from the environment and control their expression for better health. This is the new health care revolution in which the patient is empowered, and individuals take responsibility for their own wellness. There is no single better approach to our health care crisis. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, stroke, cancer, dementia are all preventable. Whether you want to lose weight, reduce your blood pressure or avoid heart disease or cancer, we offer you an individualized path to achieve your goals.
FAST FACTS Virtual wellness and holistic health genestylemedical.com info@genestylemedical.com
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2016 • B21
Breakthrough medical neuropathy treatment
FAST FACTS Peripheral Neuropathy and chronic nerve conditions Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. 1849 Data Drive, Suite 1 549-4899 NeurogenxNerveCenterAlabama.com
The Neurogenx NerveCenter of Hoover specializes in restorative treatment for peripheral neuropathy and chronic nerve conditions. They are accredited specialists in the cutting-edge Neurogenx Electronic Signal Treatment (EST) Technology. Until now, nerve conditions have been very difficult to treat effectively. Neurogenx is not pain management, but rather a breakthrough treatment that is effective in more than four out of five patients. Neurogenx EST technology is FDA-cleared and provides a clinically-proven, non-invasive, non-surgical treatment for neuropathy and chronic nerve conditions that affect both the upper and lower extremities. Dr. Jeremy Allen, Medical Director at Neurogenx in Hoover, is a pain management specialist who is passionate about helping people overcome pain issues so that they can live their lives to the fullest. The NerveCenter’s friendly and compassionate staff and accessible Hoover office make it easy for patients to find the supportive care and treatment they need. The Neurogenx Treatment safely uses cutting-edge, patented, high frequency electronic waves to gently reach deep down through muscle and tissue to relieve neuropathy symptoms and severe neuromuscular pain. Neuropathy most often causes tingling, pain, burning and numbness in the hands and feet. The symptoms are a result of nerve damage due to diabetes, chronic nerve issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome and fibromyalgia. “The Neurogenx Electronic Signal Technology treatment changes all that,” said Paul Todd, Executive Director for the Neurogenx Center in Hoover. The non-invasive treatments create change on the cellular level, creating an environment that helps regenerate and restore nerve endings. As a result, patients find relief from pain, and
numbness and are able to regain the balance they may have lost, so they can have a better quality of life. “Anyone suffering from issues of nerve pain and numbness can come in for a free evaluation to determine if they are a good candidate for the treatment,” said Julie Barks, Patient Advocate at Neurogenx NerveCenter. The Neurogenx treatment can provide a successful solution for patients with complex neuropathic issues that aren’t responding to traditional protocols or for patients who no longer wish to rely on pain medications. Trained Neurogenx specialists begin with a medical history and comprehensive physical exam to fully understand the details of the patient’s condition. From this evaluation, a treatment plan is established for the patient. The initial evaluation takes less than an hour. Treatment sessions normally take 45 minutes to an hour. Opened in July of 2015, the Hoover NerveCenter was the country’s first stand-alone Neurogenx facility. Due to growing awareness of the treatment’s success, there are now six Neurogenx NerveCenters nationwide: including locations in Ohio, Tennessee and Florida. Ten more NerveCenters are expected to open in the next six months. Neurogenx is unlike any other treatment currently available. “This exclusive medical device uses a very broad range of electrical frequencies with sophisticated waveforms that are similar to the ones generated by the human body,” said James Martellini, Neurogenx Program Director. “This compatibility is what creates the overwhelmingly positive medical results. Retesting with nerve conduction studies and nerve fiber density testing, usually starting six months post-discharge, objectivity validates these results.”
B22 • March 2016
Village Living
Calendar Mountain Brook Events March 5: Village 2 Village 10K and 8-mile trail run. Entry fees $20-$40. Register online at active.com. Visit welcometomountainbrook. com. March 12: Herbal Remedies for Gardeners. 10 a.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612
Lane Park Road. $15 members, $20 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org. March 12: Growing Native Trees from Seed. 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. $40 members, $45 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org.
Emmet O’Neal Library Children There will be no children’s programs during spring break week (March 28–April 1). Mondays: Toddler Tales Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Together Time Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Library Out Loud. 3:30 p.m.
LJCC Events March 2: Lunch & Learn with the Rabbi. 11:30 a.m. Rabbi Yammer. Bring lunch and learn about multiple topics, including prayer, the current Torah portion, a spiritual perspective on secular issues, and more. Free. March 11: OLLI Class My Railroad Odyssey… A Life on the Railroad. 10:30noon. Instructed by Jack Norris, life and career counselor. Free. Visit olli.ua.edu. March 13: St. Patrick’s Tennis Mixer. 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Co-ed mixer for all abilities. Bring food and drinks for a tennis picnic! Round Robin format. Dress in green. Fee: $22/$20 Member Value Price. March 22: Purim Party and Lunch. 12 p.m. Cantor Michael Horowitz leads our fun holiday program while we enjoy a delicious kosher meal and hamantaschen. $8.50. RSVP by March 18 to Mindy
Cohen mcohen@bhamjcc.org or 510-9024.
Tuesdays: Evenings at EOL. 6 p.m. Wednesdays: Mother Goose Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays: Movers & Makers. 1:30 p.m.
March 23: Purim-Palooza. 4:30-7:30 p.m. Free carnival open to everyone. Dinner available for purchase. Infl tables, games and prizes. Wear your best costume and celebrate.
Thursdays: Patty Cake Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.
March 28–April 1: Spring Break Camp. A day full day of fun activities such as sports, crafts, games, swimming and more. For kids grades K–6. Cost: $245 member/$315 non-member for the 8 days of camp. Cost per day: $35 member/$45 non-member.
Saturdays: Family Story Time with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m.
March 28–April 1: Spring Break Tennis Camp. Ages 6 and up: Beginner–Advanced Beginner/Intermediate. Fee: $185 MVP (full day 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.) $115 MVP (half day 9 a.m.–12). $235 non-member (9 a.m.– :30 p.m.), $145 non-member (9 a.m.–12 p.m.).
Thursdays: SNaP. 3:30 p.m.
Teens (Grades 7-12) March 1: TAB/Book Club. Monthly meeting of our Teen Advisory Board. 5 p.m.-6 p.m. March 1: READ Club (MBHS book club). 6 p.m.-7 p.m. March 4: Harry Potter & The Pris-
oner of Student Debt. 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Watch the third HP film and continue the Hogwarts Challenge game. March 5: Game On! SMASH! Games & glory. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. March 24: Teen Trivia Challenge. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Adults Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. 12:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch. Beverages and dessert provided. March 3 & 13: Holocaust Film Series. 2 p.m. Films and discussions. March 8: The Bookies book group. 10 a.m. Discussing “The Marriage of Opposites” by Alice Hoffman. March 17: $mart Directions @ Your Library presents Understanding Bonds & Annuities. 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m., light dinner served). Call 205445-1118 for registration and details. Special Events March 8: Family Night: Birmingham Children’s Theatre: Jack and the Beanstalk. 5:30 p.m. March 17: Bookmania: Roller Girl 4 p.m. March 23: Etc: Chopped! Family Edition. 4 p.m.
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March 2016 • B23
Area Events March 1-5: Alabama Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championships. Legacy Arena at the BJCC. 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North. 9 a.m. daily Monday-Saturday. $10. Visit ahsaa.com. March 2-3: A Gracious Dialogue on Evolution. Samford University Howard College of Arts and Sciences, 800 Lakeshore Drive. Wednesday at 6 p.m. Thursday at 7 p.m. Free. Visit samford.edu. March 3: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. 113 22nd St. North, Birmingham. Featuring artists, performers and food. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com. March 3: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Classical EDGE Series. 7:30 p.m. Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Avenue South. $16. Visit alabamasymphony.org. March 3: Vulcan Eejits. 6:30 p.m. Hoover Public Library, 200 Municipal Drive. Celtic trio performance. Visit hooverlibrary.org. March 4: 37th Annual Reynolds-Finley Historical Lecture. 4 p.m. UAB Volker Hall, 1670 University Blvd. “Medical Residency in the United States: Past, Present and Future.” Visit uab. edu/historical. March 4-6: Cottontails Arts, Crafts and Gift Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $6 adults, $2 children 6-12. Visit christmasvillagefestival.com. March 5: Alabama Parkinson’s Fighter Walk. 9 a.m. Samford University Track and Soccer Stadium, 600 University Park Place, Homewood. 1-mile walk to raise money for Parkinson’s research
and silent auction. $30. Register at runsignup.com. March 5: Chili Cook-Off for The Exceptional Foundation. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Brookwood Village, Homewood. $10 advance, $15 at gate. Visit exceptionalfoundation.org. March 5: The Black Jacket Symphony presents: Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon.” 8 p.m. Iron City Birmingham, 513, 22nd Street South. $25. Visit ironcitybham.com. March 5-6: RMTC Conservatory Showcase. Red Mountain Theatre Company, 301 19th Street North. Performances by RMTC Conservatory students ages 6-18. Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets starting at $10. Visit redmountaintheatre.org. March 6: Gray Ghost Gala. Weimaraner Rescue of the South’s 14th annual fundraiser. 3 p.m.6 p.m. Gabrella Manor. Live music, hors d’ouevres, wine, beer, and many wonderfully exciting items available in our silent auction. $30 in advance, $35 at the door. For more info: contactus@weimrescue.com. March 7: BAO Bingo. 6 p.m. Birmingham AIDS Outreach, 205 32nd Street South. 7 p.m. $15 for 5 games. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org. March 8: Voces8. 7:30 p.m. Brock Recital Hall, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. Performance by the British octet. $25, $10 students. Visit tickets.samford.edu. March 8-12: CUSA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. Legacy Arena at the BJCC, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Tickets available from the UAB Athletics Ticket Office t 975-8221.
March 9: ROI Professional Network Meeting. 7:30 a.m. Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, 1975 Merryvale Road. Free and open to professionals. March 9: UAB Writer’s Series Presents Tim Parrish. 6 p.m. Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall, 950 13th Street South. Free. Visit uab.edu. March 10: Birmingham Revealed: Jazz in Birmingham. 5:30 p.m. Vulcan Park & Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive. Visit visitvulcan.com. March 11: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Classical Masters Series. 7:30 p.m. $35. Visit alabamasymphony.org. March 11-12: Million Dollar Quartet. 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. BJCC Concert Hall. Tony Award-winning Broadway Musical. $35-$85. Visit theatreleague.com/Birmingham. March 11-13. Faizon Love. Comedy Club at Stardome, 1818 Data Drive, Hoover. $24.50. 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday, 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit stardome.com. March 11-20: Honk! Jr. Virginia Samford Theatre. Musical adaptation of The Ugly Duckling. 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. $15-$20. Visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org. March 12: BCBS of Alabama’s 2nd Annual Leprechaun Leap 5K and Fun Run. 8 a.m. Town Hall at the Preserve, 601 Preserve Way, Hoover. Benefiting Easter Seals of the Birmingham Area. $30 registration. Visit runsignup.com. March 12: 2016 Taste of Teal Gala. Cahaba Grand Conference Center, 3660 Grandview Parkway. Benefiting the Laura Crandall Brown Fou dation. $75-$100. Visit thinkoflaura.org
March 17: Fall Out Boy. 7 p.m. Legacy Arena at the BJCC, 2100 Richard Arrington Blvd. North. $40-$55. Visit ticketmaster.com. March 17: Marc Broussard. 7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. $45.50. Visit alysstephens.org. March 17-18 Alan Doyle. The Library Theatre, 200 Municipal Drive, Hoover. $25. 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Visit hooverlibrary.org. March 17-April 2: “All in the Timing.” Theatre Downtown, 2410 5th Ave. South. Six plays in one evening. $12-$18. 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Visit theatredowntown.org. March 19: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Red Diamond Super Pops! Series featuring Doc Severinsen. 8 p.m. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. $14-$85. Visit alabamasymphony.org. March 19: Spring Walking Tour #1. 9 a.m. Vulcan Park, 1701 Valley View Drive. Free. Visitvulcan.com. March 19: 28th Annual Guild Gala. The Club. Hosted by The Service Guild of Birmingham. Music will be provided by The Tip Tops and the event will be emceed by the JOX Roundtable. Visit theserviceguild.org. March 22: Monthly meeting of WordPress Users. 7 p.m. Pale Eddie’s Pour House, 2308 2nd Ave. From beginners to programmers. Bring your questions and we’ll help you get them answered in our One-on-One Genius Bar. Visit meetup. com/Birmingham-WordPress-Meetup/. March 31: Relay for Life. UAB.
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Thursday, March 3 5:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. (Kid-Free/Stroller-Free Night, Please!)
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Friday, March 4 9:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. (1:00 - 2:00, Most Items 1/2 off !)
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