Village Living neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook
Volume 7 | Issue 1 | April 2016
the latest
(hen) trend
Time to Give Back
Beloved Crestline Elementary staff member Jerome Lewis was named as a finalist in national Janitor of the Year contest, and your vote can push him to the top.
See page A24
Teaching Kindness Former Mountain Brook educator Amy Rainer incorporates kindness into etiquette lessons.
See page B1
Spring Home Guide
By ERICA TECHO
A
round four years ago, Marion Webb did not understand the point of raising chickens. All it took to change her mind was renting two chickens and an A-frame coop from a friend. “I had them for about 24 hours, and after about 24 hours I had about 10 hens and a new coop,” Webb said. “I fell in love with them immediately.” The next day Webb purchased an old children’s playhouse and converted it to a chicken coop where she could keep more than two hens. She soon outgrew that system, however, and she turned a larger coop into Cluckingham Palace.
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830
See HENS | page A30
Marion Webb of Mountain Brook keeps chickens, like the one at right, in her backyard and has built what she calls Cluckingham Palace as a roost for her laying hens. Photos by Frank Couch and Erica Techo.
Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses in our Spring Home Guide to jump-start any project.
See page B14
INSIDE Sponsors............... A4 City......................... A6 Business................ A8 Community........... A11
School House....... B4 Sports................... B10 Faith..................... B29 Calendar.............. B30
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Dark battle, bright future By SYDNEY CROMWELL Crazy. That’s how Sophie Barnes felt during her freshman and sophomore years at Mountain Brook
High School, and that’s how she felt other people saw her. Crazy for feeling depressed despite having a good home, good grades, sports and a social life. Crazy for turning that depression on herself through
hundreds of cuts on her body. Sophie believed she was alone as she dealt with her depression, but she was just one of an
See BARNES | page A28
Sophie Barnes took up journaling while learning to cope with depression. Photo courtesy of Sophie Barnes.
A2 • April 2016
Village Living
VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A3
“We gladly recommend Don Bonner to help friends & family buy & sell real estate.” When Renee and Steve Blair decided to downsize from their family home in Meadowbrook, they turned to ARC Agent Don Bonner for guidance. “He sold our home in five hours,” says Renee. “That has to be some sort of record. We didn’t think we could find a new home nearby in the short time we had to work with, but Don found us the right house just down the hill. It was not somewhere we thought about looking, but the right house was available. Timing is everything.” Trusting a realtor to navigate the buying and selling process is important, too. “We referred our daughter to Don and she bought her first home with him,” says Steve. Helping families buy and sell real estate is something Don is passionate about. “I’ve been in this business more than a decade now, and it never gets old. Marketing, assisting shoppers looking at homes or helping someone showcase a property to the best advantage, it’s all fun for me.” Learn more about Don’s business philosophy and see his listings online at arcrealtyco.com.
A Relationship Company 4274 Cahaba Heights Court, Suite 200 Birmingham, AL 35243 • 205.969.8910 www.arcrealtyco.com
Don Bonner • (205) 213-0928 • dbonner@arcrealtyco.com
A4 • April 2016
Village Living
About Us Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray In today’s world of hustle and bustle, emails instead of handwritten thank you’s and texting while out to dinner instead of talking to those at your table, some might say that manners are a lost art. Amy Ranier doesn’t think that has to be. Amy, a former Crestline Elementary teacher, has been teaching her manners class to young girls for 15 years. Amy shares with them lessons on the art of conversation, table manners and above all being kind and compassionate. Find out more about her class and her love of these children in this issue. And how all of this fits in with who God created them to be, she’s making sure that the next generation knows that being kind and polite in today’s world still matters. Mountain Brook is certainly known for their basketball. Mountain Brook resident Colton Houston is making basketball his professional passion. Houston has recently been named the University of Alabama’s director of basketball operations. Read all about the road that brought him to this new position, his take on his boss, coach Avery Johnson, and his front row seat to Alabama basketball. With beautiful spring weather to get outside and enjoy,
you will want to see what opportunities you will have this month. Taste of Mountain Brook returns May 1. This is a great event and a way to sample some delicious food from area restaurants and chefs. The annual Mountain Brook Art Show is this month. This event is a way to enjoy good art and catch up with friends at the Crestline field. The Decorator’s Show House is also this month. The lovely McTyiere home on Old Leeds Road is this year’s venue. Benefiting the Alabama Symphony, the show house is always a great way to get inspired and spruce up your own home with some of the great design ideas on display at the home. Little Leader Day returns this year. This program, sponsored by Leadership Mountain Brook students, gives kids an opporutnity to learn more about the community and build leadership skills while working with community leaders. A scavenger hunt and service project are part of the day.
BEHIND THE LENS By Frank Couch Billy Ledbetter, director of maintenance at the Birmingham Zoo, stares down a life-size T. rex after it was unloaded from a truck at the zoo. Dino Discovery is back for a second run at the Birmingham Zoo and will feature 12 life-size animatronic dinosaurs. The popular exhibit features dinosaurs that can take up to a year to create. Layered paint, moving eyes, textured skin and lifelike movements all add to the overall experience. Having Ledbetter staring down the plastic-wrapped T. rex shows just how big the creature really is. Data: Nikon D810, Lens (mm) 60, ISO: 400, Aperture f/18, Shutter: 1/200. Got a question or have an idea for another Behind the Lens? Email me at fcouch@ starnespublishing.com.
Village Living Publisher: 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 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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VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A5
A6 • April 2016
Village Living
City City Council thanks retired fire chief, selects replacement By ANA GOOD
Watch an interview with Chief Robert Ezekiel
Retired Mountain Brook fire chief Robert Ezekiel. Photo by Frank Couch.
280living.com/topics/video
villagelivingonline.com/videos
The Mountain Brook City Council said goodbye to fire Chief Robert Ezekiel and welcomed its new chief, Christopher Mullins. Mayor Terry Oden presented Ezekiel with a resolution acknowledging his more than 20 years of service to the city. “Zeke,” as he is known around the city, began his service on Dec. 4, 1993. “It’s truly been my honor and privilege to be your fire chief,” said Ezekiel. “Thank you for all the opportunities. It’s been such a fabulous time.” As part of the resolution, the city thanked Ezekiel for his work in expanding the Fire Department’s mission to include the provision of ambulance services in 1996, for coordinating the design and construction of the fire training facility, for his work on the design of Fire Station 1 and for leading the department to its current Class 2 fire rating. Zeke officially retired March 1. Mullins, who became chief March 1, most recently served as the city’s deputy fire chief, a position he assumed in 2015. Mullins began his career with Mountain Brook in 1996 as a firefighter/ paramedic, after having served for years in both Birmingham and Graysville. “You’ve got some big shoes to fill,” said Oden in introducing Mullins, “but we know you can do it.” According to his resume, submitted as part of the council’s agenda, Mullins is a graduate of Jacksonville State University, where he obtained his master’s degree. He also holds degrees from Athens State University, Shelton State and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “I have been a loyal and dedicated employee of this city for the last 20 years,” wrote Mullins in his resume objective. Mullins’ wife and children were in attendance at the City Council meeting and watched as Oden presented him with the fire chief pin. The City Council also: • Presented Judge Pete Johnson with a resolution expressing gratitude for his service to the city as municipal court judge. • Proclaimed the week of March 7-13 as Arbor Week. The next meetings of the Mountain Brook City Council are scheduled for March 28 and April 14 in the council chamber at 56 Church St.
VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A7
City Council approves paving list, new street light and house demolition
Police report narcoticsrelated arrests By ERICA TECHO
By ANA GOOD The Mountain Brook City Council approved the 2016 road paving list at its March 14 regular meeting. The list is comprised of more than 30 streets, drives, lanes and roads set to be paved this year. Public Works Director Ronnie Vaughn said the list includes some of the areas the city receives the most complaints about. Vaughn said the scope of work will exhaust all the funds allocated for paving in this year’s budget. “There’s never enough to get everything done,” said Vaughn, “but we will get as much done as we can.” Crews will ideally do the bulk of the work during spring break, when the city is typically emptier, and before the opening of the Crestline Piggly Wiggly. The roads set to be paved this year include: ►Memory Court - All ►Mountain Avenue - All ►Elm Street - North of Euclid Avenue ►Main Street - North of Euclid ►Cherry Street - North of Euclid ►Peachtree Road - All ►Peachtree Circle - All ►Ross Drive - All ►Forest Avenue - All ►Fairmont Drive - All ►Lorena Lane - All ►Braddock Avenue - All ►Heritage Circle - All ►Azalea Road - All ►Montgomery Drive - All in city ►Bentley Drive - All ►Camelia Drive - All ►Sims Avenue - Between Camelia and Beech ►Nash Circle - All ►Beech Street - All in city ►Beech Court - All ►Beech Circle - All in city ►Beech Lane - All in city ►Fox Hall - All ►Green Briar Circle - All ►Haygood Street - All in city ►Sims Avenue - Hagood to Montevallo
►Eastis Road - All ►Green Briar Lane - Euclid to Montevallo ►Norman Drive - All ►Winthrop Avenue - All ►Alden Lane - All ►Clarendon Road - All ►Montevallo Road - From Montcrest to Green Briar ►Old Leeds Road - From Forest Glen to 4100 Old Leeds (Cherokee Rd.) The council also: ►Approved the planting of a Nuttall oak in the sidewalk area of English Village by Continental Bakery. The council’s approval is contingent upon no opposition from businesses in the area. ►Approved Walter Schoel to review Furnace Branch flooding concerns. Once the study is complete, the city plans to have a meeting with residents of the area to discuss the findings. ►Approved Ethernet and Internet facilities upgrades at Fire Station Number 2. ►Approved a resolution authorizing the sale — for consumption off-premises only — of beer and wine at the Crestline Piggly Wiggly. ►Authorized the installation of a street light at 2817 Shook Hill Road across the entrance to the Lockerbie subdivision. ►Authorized an agreement with Jefferson County with respect to future storm debris removal. ►Authorized the execution of the Jefferson County hazard mitigation plan. ►Authorized a contract to demolish the house located at 2324 Cahaba Road. Despite attempts to resolve the matter, the city could not come to an agreement with the property owners. A recent court ruling authorizes the city to demolish the house and later put a lien on the property if it becomes necessary in order to recuperate funds. ►Approved a resolution expressing the council’s opposition to HB375 and companion SB335, which prohibit a governing body of a municipality from entering into a contract with a private auditing or collecting firm. The resolution states that “such legislation will most likely adversely affect all Alabama cities’ ability to effectively and efficiently administer its tax, license, and permit ordinances and regulations.”
Mountain Brook Police Department reported two narcotics-related incidents in this week’s community update. On March 4, officers went to the 50 block of Church Street in response to a call and reportedly found two individuals in possession of multiple narcotics. On March 9, two individuals were arrested after officers found narcotics and paraphernalia while impounding a vehicle, according to the report. Police arrested another individual on March 6 and found they were in possession of marijuana, according to the report. The subject was stopped for a traffic violation on U.S. 280 at Cherokee Road and had an outstanding felony warrant. The marijuana was found after the subject was arrested, according to police. There were also four instances of property theft and four instances of identity theft reported in the community update. Two instances of identity theft were reported after debit cards were used in states other than Alabama. One victim reported someone made an unauthorized purchase in Elkton, Maryland, using their debit card. Another victim reported their debit card was fraudulently used in Pennsylvania between March 5 and March 6. Another instance of identity theft was reported after a victim from the 3300 block of S. Brookwood Road reported someone filed income taxes using his identity. An executor of an estate reported that between Dec. 6 and March 7, someone opened credit card accounts in the name of the individual who had died. Police also reported two instances of forgery, where forged checks were cashed. The reports were from a business in the 10 block of Office Park Circle and the 100 block of Euclid Avenue. A woman reported she was robbed on March 4 on Cahaba Road at 21st Ave. S. Two black males in a black sports car reportedly pulled alongside her and demanded she give them all her money or be shot. The suspects then fled down 21st Ave. S., according to police. One instance of obstructing justice was reported on March 9. An offender reportedly gave a false name to a police officer “in order to avoid arrest on an outstanding assault warrant.” Police also included a report from a head-on collision on U.S. 280. The wreck occurred March 8 near Rocky Ridge Road. A car driven by a reportedly intoxicated person crossed the median and struck another vehicle, driven by a woman who was 33 weeks pregnant. The crash injured the driver, and the unborn child died. Police obtained warrants on the driver of the first vehicle for manslaughter and first degree assault. The driver was identified as Irwin Francisco-Bartolo, 21, of Fultondale.
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A8 • April 2016
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AMY MAZIARZ R E D H I L L S R E A LT Y
205-515-1903 • amym@redhillsrealtyllc.com
Overton Rd
VillageLivingOnline.com
Now Open PentaRisk Insurance Specialists, a firm specializing in construction, real estate and employee benefits as well as student housing insurance, has opened its first Alabama office at 500 Office Park Drive, Suite 420. The firm has other offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and San Jose, California. Selina Simpson and Judson Stewart have been hired to work in the local office. (404) 809-2530, pentarisk.com
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Village Pet Care, PC, is now open in Mountain Brook Village at 2921 Cahaba Road. Veterinarians on staff are Drs. Craig Martin, Cindy Williams, Barbara Monaghan, Libby Todd and Jason Vargas. 582-2468, villagepetcarepc.com
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Relocations and Renovations 3
April 2016 • A9 their new location at 3928 Montclair Road. 888-841-EYES, alabamavisioncenter-lasik-cataract.com
News and Accomplishments ServisFirst Bank, 850 Shades Creek Parkway, Suite 200, was recently ranked as the second-best community bank in the U.S. in the 2015 Raymond James Community Bankers Cup. The bank is the only local bank included in the top 20 of the list. 949-0302, servisfirstbank.com
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Anniversaries The Fitness Center, 3900 Montclair Road, Suite 210, is celebrating its 22nd anniversary this month. 870-1121, thefitnesscenter.org
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Alabama Vision Center has relocated from 790 Montclair Road, Suite 100, to
Business news to share? 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
Newly Expanded
Lunch specials $5.99-$7.99 Tuesday-Friday 10 am - 3:30 pm Full dinner menu available all day Live Lobster, Crabs, Bullfrogs, Tilapia, and Eels Large Selection of Fresh Oriental Veggies
Market & Red Pearl Restaurant 243 W Valley Ave, Homewood • 205.945.9558 • superorientalmkt.com
A10 • April 2016
Village Living
Ex Voto Vintage to host Tastemaker’s Trunk fundraiser By ANA GOOD Nine years after losing her youngest daughter, Madeline, to an inoperable brain tumor, owner and designer of Ex Voto Vintage Jewelry Elizabeth Adams continues to help raise money for a cure. Adams partnered with James Farmer of James Farmer Designs and Paige Albright of Paige Albright Interiors to curate a treasure trunk full of their favorite things for this year’s Tastemaker’s Trunk fundraiser. “This is a very special fundraising opportunity for us,” Adams said. Throughout the month of April, the trio will collect $10 donations for The Cure Starts Now Foundation, a pediatric brain cancer research charity. Each $10 donation will equal a chance to win the entire Tastemaker’s Trunk. Items in the trunk will range from clothing and beauty products to wine and home goods. Last year, said Adams, the trunk’s value was approximately $3,000. Each $10 donation contributed means another chance at the trunk. Tastemaker’s Trunk raised approximately $5,000 in donations for the charity last year. “The winner was a woman out of Florida,” said Adams. “You don’t have to be here in the Birmingham area to enter.” All donations are also tax-deductible. Ex Voto Vintage Jewelry has been donating proceeds from each sale to The Cure Starts Now
Items in the trunk will range from clothing and beauty products to wine and home goods. Photo courtesy of Ex Voto Vintage.
Foundation since the company began in 2009. The Cure, which began in 2008, has since raised $2.5 million for pediatric brain cancer research and has helped change the landscape of cancer research by facilitating the collaboration of researchers from around the world. To donate, visit exvotovintage.com.
Elizabeth Adams, owner and designer of Ex Voto Vintage Jewelry. Photo courtesy of Art Meripol.
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VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A11
Community Professor to share depression study findings at Aware event By ANA GOOD Birmingham is today at the forefront of depression and suicide research thanks to a UAB study led by Dr. Richard Shelton, director of the Mood Disorders Research Program. Shelton, working in conjunction with neurobiology professor Yogesh Dwivedi, hopes to develop a blood test to measure a patient’s risk for depression and suicide. On Tuesday, April 26, Shelton, who joined the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at UAB in 2012, will share what he’s learned in the field as well as more details of his study during an Aware community event scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Crestline Elementary School field. “This is all very neat and exciting,” said Shelton. “Our research is on the cutting edge of where we are in the field. Right now, we are the only ones in the world conducting a study like this.” Rather than treat a patient after being diagnosed with depression or as suicidal, said Shelton, the blood test would be used as part of preventative measures to assess risks and treat patients preemptively. The study has two components, said Shelton. Using a total of 240 participants, the study will work to detect biomarkers in the bloodstream that would signal risk levels for suicide and depression. The study will also test a hallucinogenic drug, ketamine, in the treatment of depression. Preemptive care is a major trend in the medical field, said Shelton. Much like doctors are
Aware community event • WHERE: Crestline Elementary School field • WHEN: 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 26
working to keep people from developing Alzheimer’s, Shelton’s study would help doctors develop depression and or suicidal preventative treatment plans for their at-risk patients. “Our ideal scenario is that eventually, this blood test will be set up seamlessly in the background of a routine visit to the doctor’s office,” said Shelton. “Screening for depression and suicide risks would be part of a standard blood test.” If a doctor interprets elevated risk levels, said Shelton, patients and parents would have the choice of whether to enter into preventative treatment. “The test would be probabilistic,” said Shelton, “all based on the likelihood of something happening.” Shelton likened the test to those used to screen for cancer risks in patients. “If we can tell mom or dad that they can intervene now to help save their child’s life,” said Shelton, “we don’t anticipate many people turning that down. Instead of talking about how to treat a potentially fatal disease, we can talk about how to prevent it.” The ketamine component of the study, said Shelton, will help doctors bring severely
depressed or suicidal patients out of the danger zone more quickly. Unlike most of the anti-depressants currently prescribed, which can take extended periods to work, ketamine can improve a patient’s mood within minutes, said Shelton. “At low doses it takes about 80 percent of people from depressed to nearly cured within 24 hours,” he said. “It’s quite remarkable to watch. Traditional depression treatments can take weeks or months to work. Ketamine can work in about a day.” The research team is working to bring the product to the market, said Shelton. In treating suicidal patients, said Shelton, ketamine can help drop suicide scores within an hour. The treatment, he said, can be given to people who come into a hospital with suicidal thoughts. The study will continue for another four years, said Shelton. Interested participants can call 9342484 or email psychresearch@uab.edu. Having information, Shelton believes, is better than not having it, which is why he will share what he knows with Aware. Shelton said he will talk about the importance of intervening in the case someone may be suicidal. “The biggest problem with suicide is that usually, the first time you hear about the problem is after the person has already gone through with it,” said Shelton. “A person’s first suicide attempt is usually the most successful. You don’t have a second chance to intervene.” Most people who commit suicide, three out of four said Shelton, are not currently in treatment. The broad majority had never been in treatment
Dr. Richard Shelton joined the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in February 2012 as the Charles Byron Ireland Professor, Vice Chair for Research and head of a newly formed Mood Disorders Research Center. Courtesy of Dr. Richard Shelton.
or had discontinued treatment. Shelton said he will also share his concerns about the importance of ensuring depressed patients receive highly competent care. Only about half of all depressed people are currently in treatment, he said. It is crucial that those in treatment go back to their doctor or seek a second opinion if they are not getting better. “When in doubt, do,” said Shelton. “Don’t wait. Every day that is lost, the person is still at risk.”
A12 • April 2016
Village Living
Charles Clark earns Eagle Scout
Charles Harrison Clark
Charles Harrison Clark, a member of Boy Scout Troop 63 at Canterbury United Methodist Church, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in a Court of Honor ceremony Jan. 24. For his Eagle project, Clark designed and constructed a covered pavilion with a picnic table, along with two extra benches, for the day school playground at East Lake United Methodist Church. After raising funds to cover the cost of construction, Clark completed the project with the assistance of many scouts from Troop 63, plus much help from family and friends. Funds remaining at the end of the project were donated
to the church to assist them with other upcoming playground projects. As a member of Troop 63, Clark earned 24 merit badges, served as Eagle patrol leader, and troop webmaster. He was inducted into Order of the Arrow, the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America. The Mountain Brook High School sophomore participates on the Varsity Cross Country/Track team, is a member of the Interact Club, and serves as the SGA Vice President of the sophomore class. He is also involved in BigTime ministries and is an active member of his church youth group at
the Cathedral Church of the Advent. Having attained the rank of Eagle, Clark is honored to be joining other family members who have reached this prestigious rank: his grandfather Gary Underwood, his uncle Eric Underwood, and his cousin Evan Underwood. Clark is the son of Jill and David Clark of Mountain Brook. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Clark, Jr. of Mountain Brook, Mr. and Mrs. Gary R. Underwood of Hoover, and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Bailey, Jr. of Tuscaloosa. – Submitted by Jill Clark.
Little Leader Day returns to Mountain Brook for 2nd year By CAMERON TIPTON
The tot lot service project was part of Little Leader Day’s first year in 2015. Photo courtesy of Amber Benson.
On Sunday, May 1, Mountain Brook High School students in Leadership Mountain Brook are hosting the second annual Little Leader Day. The city of Mountain Brook and the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce are also sponsors of the event. New to Little Leader Day this year will be junior leaders, sixth-grade volunteers who will be assisting in the event. First- through third-grade students will be able to learn about their community and build leadership skills with the help of city leaders. Participating students will receive a T-shirt, complete a city service project and go on a scavenger hunt inspired by “Buttons Explores the Brook,” a book written earlier this year by students in Leadership Mountain Brook. “We are excited to take the skills we have learned this year and put them into practice, with hopes of spreading leadership among elementary student,” Anne Raines Doidge, a Leadership Mountain Brook student, said. “We are going to use the ‘Buttons’ book to excite the kids about leadership. The book was well received among the community, so we are looking forward to utilizing it throughout our event.” Little Leader Day will take place from 12:30-2 p.m. at Mountain Brook City Hall. The event will run simultaneously to Taste of Mountain Brook, which begins at 11:30 a.m. on Hoyt Street. Registration is $25 per student and can be filled out online at welcometomountainbrook.com.
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Brookwood Village Located in the Macy’s parking lot 780 Brookwood Village Birmingham, AL 35209
205.414.3950 bbg ardens.org
Sta ff ed by hundreds of vol u nteer s r ea d y to a ns wer you r p l a n t a n d g a r d en i n g q u es ti o n s
VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A13
Events
Spring plant sale returning to Brookwood Village By SYDNEY CROMWELL From beautiful blooms to herbs and native plants, Brookwood Village will be host to a garden of over 100,000 plants this month as part of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale. The sale is an annual fundraiser for the Gardens, which hosts about 350,000 visitors each year. It will be held on April 15-17, with a preview event on April 14. More than 7,000 people attended the sale last year, according to a release provided by Blake Ells, the Gardens’ public relations coordinator. The plant sale includes trees, shrubs, herbs, native plants, roses, tropical plants, bonsai, bedding plants, orchids and other annual, perennial and climbing plants. There are plant varieties for everything from a potted plant on the back porch to a full garden. Ells said volunteers in the Botanical Gardens’ greenhouses and lath houses grow many of the plants on display at the Spring Plant Sale, while others are purchased from outside vendors to resell. The 2015 sale required a total of 5,800 hours of volunteer work from around 300 volunteers, according to Volunteer Coordinator Taylor Steele. The Spring Plant Sale is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Gardens, as well as a chance to promote public knowledge about plants and gardening. Experts will be present at the sale to provide planting advice. Sponsors for this year’s plant sale include Brookwood Village, Winn-Dixie, Leaf & Petal at The Gardens, Birmingham Home & Garden
Birmingham Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale Brookwood Village 414-3950 bbgardens.org/springplantsale Thursday, April 14 Preview Party: 5-6:30 p.m. $45 in advance, $50 at the door Members-Only Sale: 6:308:30 p.m.
Guests browse through thousands of plants at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ annual spring plant sale. Staff photo.
magazine, Buffalo Rock, Brio, Fox6, ValPak of Central Alabama, Royal Cup and birmingham365.org. Admission to the sale is free and open to the public. On Friday, April 15, the sale is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Two events will kick off the official sale. The first is a preview party on Thursday, April 14, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 in advance
and $50 at the door, and allow guests the chance to shop early and taste wine and food from Brio. Members of the Gardens are invited to their own sale that same evening, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The members-only sale offers refreshments and early shopping. For more information about the Spring Plant Sale, to purchase tickets to the Preview Party or to purchase a membership, call 414-3950 or visit bbgardens.org/springplantsale.
Friday, April 15 Public Sale: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Free Saturday, April 16 Public Sale: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free Sunday, April 17 Public Sale: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free
A14 • April 2016
Village Living
A sketch of this year’s Decorator’s Showhouse, the McTyeire Home located on Old Leeds Road. Photo courtesy of the Symphony Volunteer Council.
Decorator’s ShowHouse celebrates 40 years By ERICA TECHO For its 40th anniversary, the Symphony Volunteer Council’s Decorator’s ShowHouse is coming full circle. The featured home belonged to the McTyeire family, including Katherine McTyeire, who participated in the first Decorator’s ShowHouse. “We’re real excited about this house,” said Nan Teninbaum, spokesperson for the showhouse. “It is quite a house.” The showhouse serves as the Alabama Symphony Orchestra’s largest fundraiser of the year, Teninbaum said. Decorators started work on the home in February, renovating the kitchen and master bathroom and repainting other rooms. There are 14 decorators working on the 7,500-square-foot home. “We have such a fabulous, special house for this occasion, and it just has such unbelievable, gorgeous details,” she said. Teninbaum said she encourages people to visit the home because they can help the Alabama Symphony Orchestra while seeing work from top-notch designers and possibly get ideas for their own homes.
Decorator’s ShowHouse • WHEN: April 7-24 • WHERE: 4218 Old Leeds Road • HOURS: Tuesday-Friday (10 a.m.-3 p.m.); Saturday (10 a.m.-5 p.m.); Sunday (2-5 p.m.) • COST: $15 (before April 9); $20 at the door • INFO: Parking at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church
The home will be open from April 9 through April 24, with a sneak preview on April 7. Tickets will be available at stores throughout Mountain Brook and can be purchased for $15 before April 9. After April 9, tickets will cost $20. There is no parking available at the house, but visitors can park at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church on Brookwood Road and take a shuttle to the home. The McTyeire Home is located at 4218 Old Leeds Road.
Participants gather after the 2015 Step Forward event. Photo courtesy of Margaret Cox.
Mountain Brook ‘steps forward’ to cure disease By JESSE CHAMBERS Mountain Brook will be the site of the annual LIDS Step Forward to Cure Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) Alabama fundraiser on Saturday, April 23, 2016, with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the walk beginning at 9:30 a.m. The event will take place at 50 Oak St., in the field directly across from Emmet O’Neal Library. Step Forward is a national event, organized in more than 30 U.S. communities. Individuals and families affected by TSC will join together at the event to increase awareness of the condition and share their stories of hope.
This year’s walk promotes superheroes across the country. Individuals, families, friends and supporters are all encouraged to dress like their favorite heroes, be they cartoon characters or even doctors, teachers, siblings and parents. TSC is a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to form in vital organs and is the leading genetic cause of both autism and epilepsy. The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance, founded in 1974, seeks to find a cure for TSC. To learn more, go to tsalliance.org. For more information about the event in Mountain Brook or to register, go to stepforwardtocuretsc.org.
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2nd annual Taste of Mountain Brook set for May 1
Mountain Brook restaurants offer samples of their food during the inaugural 2015 Taste of Mountain Brook. Photo by Madoline Markham.
By RACHEL BURCHFIELD In its second year, Taste of Mountain Brook returns on Sunday, May 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tents of food will line Hoyt Lane between the fire station, City Hall building and Oak Street Garden Shop, said Leigh Ann Sisson, president of the All In Mountain Brook board, which Taste of Mountain Brook benefits. “This is a great family event designed to be a fun and festive true community gathering where families can fellowship and enjoy the delicious foods made available by our local, talented chefs and restaurateurs,” she said. All restaurants and caterers that fall within the Mountain Brook city limits are welcome to participate, Sisson said. Last year the event drew in 17 restaurants, and Sisson said this year they are hoping for 25 to 30 restaurants to be represented. “We had everything from pasta to pizza to taco bars to quesadillas to delicious cakes and sweets to mini-club sandwiches to salads to — yum!” she said. In addition to good eats, entertainment will be plentiful — a number of groups from Mountain Brook High School will perform at the event, including the cheerleaders, Dorians, jazz band, Una Voce and the high school’s chamber choir. “This event was developed as a way to raise funding to support the activities within the schools and within the community that are sponsored by All In Mountain Brook,” Sisson said. All In Mountain Brook was formed just last year, and its mission and vision — which began by focusing specifically on drug and alcohol education — has grown to address additional topics that affect the young people of Mountain Brook as they maneuver through their adolescence, Sisson said. Topics addressed include drugs and alcohol, mental health issues, technology and personal safety. “We wanted to be able to support programming in the schools as well as for parents and the community that would inform and equip our folks to address these issues,” Sisson said. “That takes money. [Taste of Mountain Brook] encourages family time, community togetherness, spotlights our local restaurants and raises money that goes right back into mentoring one of our great resources — our young people.” Tickets are $10 for All In Mountain Brook members and $20 for nonmembers. Despite the food vendors being limited to Mountain Brook, anyone can attend the event, Mountain Brook resident or not. Sisson said pre-purchase of tickets is preferable, as there is a limited number of tickets — and tickets can be acquired at allinmountainbrook.org. All In Mountain Brook can also be found on Facebook and Twitter. “Those are regularly updated with articles and research on topics of interest to parents and students,” Sisson said. Taste of Mountain Brook directly supports the work of All In Mountain Brook, which has become an organization that seeks to have the youth of Mountain Brook reach their greatest potential. “All In Mountain Brook has become a true community partnership focused on equipping our parents and young people,” Sisson said. “It is a partnership between the city, the schools, the worship communities and the businesses within Mountain Brook. This is reflected in the makeup of our board, our event venues and the collaboration between all these groups as programs are planned and implemented. I am constantly overwhelmed at the knowledge, talent and creativity of our board as they seek new ways to engage and challenge our Mountain Brook youth to make the choices that will allow them to reach their greatest potential.” For more information about Taste of Mountain Brook or to inquire about becoming an All In Mountain Brook sponsor at the $500 or $1,000 level, email Sisson at leighann.sisson@gmail.com.
April 2016 • A15
A16 • April 2016
Village Living
Seniors celebrate with Moonlight Ball Senior girls from Mountain Brook were presented at the 2016 Moonlight Ball on January 23 at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center. The girls and their escorts enjoyed a dinner and mixer prior to the presentation. Decorations included a “La Carnival” theme, and couples dined on delicious food while mingling with their friends in a party atmosphere. Following the presentation, honorees and their guests danced to the music of the band 24/7. The chairman of this year’s ball was Cathy Thomas. Co-chairs were Paige Ritchey and Kristi Walters. Those presented at this year’s ball were: Abigail Elizbeth Adams, Eleanor Claire Baddley, Sara Margaret Baker, Theresa Anne Baren, Sophie Grace Barnes, Madeline Elizabeth Barron, Margaret Virginia Beasley, Meghan Lile Beck, Gabrielle Aerin Berman, Sarah Elizabeth Berryman, Adele Woodward Bird, Sarabeth Blakely, Molly Rose Bloomston, Mary Virginia Bolton, Elizabeth Copeland Boston, Lindsey Ann Brakefield, Eden Graham Johnston Brittain, Frances Elaine Brock, Morgan Elizabeth Brown, Virginia Warren Cain, Helen Bovingdon Camp, Kayla Grace Carr, Sara Jennings Carr, Mary Olivia Francine Chew, Caroline Bailey Coats, Anne Stanton Compton, Frances Henley Conner, Carlton Ramona Cooper, Anna Jackson Cooper, Carolyn Cason Crommelin, Lillian Victoria Dale, Helen Catherine Darby, Margaret Hannon Davidson, Elizabeth Hadley DeAtkine, Madeline Lysbeth DeBuys, Kathryn Avery Dodson, Katherine Hufham Dodson, Anne Raines Doidge, Anna Margaret Doody, Kathryn Elizabeth Dorsten, Julia Jane Duggan, Ellen Coleman Edwards, Ann Marie Eich, Camden Lanier Ferreira, Catherine Dianne Fruin, Jacqueline Sophia Giovanelli, Carly Elise Glidewell, Adalyn Claire Glover, Clair Conzelman Godwin, Sarah
Creagh Goings, Emma Lowry Goolsby, Anne Cadman Graham, Mary Margaret Grammas, Piper Michelle Gray, Catherine Morris Greene, Kaylyn Böehm Greene, Margaret Barnett Gunn, McKinley Clare Hamilton, Katherine Elizabeth Hamn, Kristine Madison Harvey, Emilie Andrea Harwell, Margaret Lorraine Hayslip, Tara Brooke Henderson, Georgeann Elizabeth Hester, Margaret Anne Hightower, Emily Rebecca Howell, Mary Myers Huddleston, Anne Caroline Hughes, Carson O’Neil Hull, Anna Magee Ingram, Sarah Frances Jackson, Eleanor Pryor Jernigan, Evans Fowler Johnson, Emily Catherine Frances Johnson, Olivia Marigo Karagas, Adelaide Essick Kimberly, Margaret Mayes Koopman, Cary Elizabeth Krumdieck, Jennifer Ashley Lauriello, Anne Kesti Flemming Leonelli, Kathryn Grace Liscomb, Grace Wyman Lockett, Lucy Allen Long, Allyson Lynn Lott, Anne Traywick Lovelady, Sarah Caroline Lowe, Olivia Isabel Mannon, Caroline Louise Marks, Meme Owen Marshall, Harris Watkins McCullough, Susan Elizabeth McElroy, Emily Elisabeth McLean, Caroline Lucile McMillan, Charlotte Rainier McRae, Laine Francis Meisler, Ann Kathryn Miller, Sara Chandler Mitchell, Bradford Elizabeth Moore, Katherine Grace Moore, Caroline Page Moore, Frances Elizabeth Morris, Caroline Wakefield Morris, Lauren Christine Mussell, Elizabeth Marie Nabors, Sophia Danielle Nadler, Sarah Winston Nathan, Georgia Wakefield Nelson, Courtney Ann Niemann, Ashley Anne Niketas, Claire Sims Norris, Frances Alice Patrick, Margaret Hanna Pewitt, Katharine Harris Pippen, Cleary Gray Plosser, Julia Bell Pope, Kelsey Emille Potter, Virginia Elizabeth Poynor, Ellen Wynn Regan, Mary Claire Ritchey, Emily Grace Rollins, Olivia Nichole Rusert, Caroline Elizabeth Saia, Logan
Pictured from left: On back row are Julia Bell Pope, Alli Walters and Mary Tate Thomas. On front row are Mary Claire Ritchey and Maggie Baker. Photo courtesy of Zapfoto.
Elizabeth Sanderson, Margaret Kennedy Schwefler, Payton Alyssa Selman, Mathilde Trueheart Sharman, Caroline Hall Shea, Laurence Hailey Smith, Laney Fowlkes Smith, Lindsay Katherine Spivey, Katherine Dixon Spurlock, Elizabeth Gray Statham, Nicole Elizabeth Strahl, Meredith Coleman Stringfellow, Mary Tate Thomas, Cameron Reese Thomas, Nancy Austin Trammell, Gabrielle Elizabeth Turnbough, Elizabeth Corinne Turner, Charlotte Clayton Turner, Madeline Dalel Turner, Alli Kate Walters, Grace Landon Wann, Laura Elizabeth Wason, Kathryn Louise Wason, Sara Katherine Wiginton, and Clara Alexander Williams. - Submitted by Sally Baker.
MBHS Relay for Life By JESSE CHAMBERS Mountain Brook High School (MBHS) will be the site of the Relay for Life of Mountain Brook, an annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS), on Fri., April 8, beginning at 4 p.m. At ACS Relays, the members of teams take turns running or walking laps to raise money for cancer research and support programs. There are also other activities, including a free dinner for survivors, the Survivors’ Lap and the Luminaria Ceremony, in which candles are lit to remember past cancer patients and support current patients The school’s students have set a fundraising goal this year of $200,000, according to MBHS senior Carlton Cooper, the director of the Relay for Life. The event is ranked as the No.1 youth event per capita in the nation, Cooper says. The survivor dinner will take place at 4 p.m. in the school cafeteria, and the survivors will kick off the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. with the Survivors’ Lap, according to Cooper. The Relay will feature a special balloon release, along with a board of names to honor those who have battled cancer, according to Cooper, who said this will take place around the time of the Luminaria Ceremony, which will be held at 9 p.m. The balloons will take the place of the sky lanterns used in previous events. The balloons cost $50. To purchase one, contact Cooper at 2016crc1@student.mtnbrook.k12.al.us. Mountain Brook High School is located at 3650 Bethune Drive. To sign up for the Relay, go to relayforlife.com/ mountainbrookal.
VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A17
A NEW CHAPTER
MBFD’s Chris Mullins took over as chief on March 1 By ERICA TECHO Chris Mullins knew he wanted to be a firefighter before he entered elementary school. His neighbors had a vintage fire truck, and they would sit him atop it from a young age. “I guess that’s when I was bitten by the bug,” said Mullins, who officially began serving as Mountain Brook Fire Chief on March 1. “I remember back then thinking, ‘I love this.’” Mullins first came to Mountain Brook Fire Department in 1996 as a firefighter and paramedic. At that time, Mullins said former Chief Robert “Zeke” Ezekiel was in the early stages of emphasizing department pride, community service and professionalism. “All of those, they were at the time words on the wall,” Mullins said. “I would see them and knew, that’s the department I wanted to be in.” Although he knew he wanted to be part of the culture of change at the department, Mullins said becoming chief was not part of his plan. He continuously worked to improve himself through education and training, he said, moving up to lieutenant in 2002, captain in 2006, fire battalion chief in 2008 and deputy fire chief in 2015. “I was always happy and content in the position I had,” Mullins said. Even though he was content, Mullins took advantage of the opportunities he had to put his fingerprints on the organization. One of his proudest accomplishments, he said, is the role he played in bringing a piece of steel from the World Trade Center to Mountain Brook. Mullins worked with Birmingham-based metalworker Shea Scully on the design for the steel, which sits outside of the Mountain Brook Municipal Center. “That’s just a visual that we have when we look out there,” Mullins said. “Because firefighting is a
brotherhood. It’s just special.” He also internalized Ezekiel’s message of community involvement, he said, and worked to encourage people to get out of the fire station and out into Mountain Brook. “I remember telling some folks, I said, ‘If I ever get promoted we’re getting out of the station,’” Mullins said. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2002 and made good on his promise — he started encouraging other firefighters to leave the station for lunch. That interaction is important for a fire department, Mullins said, because it allows residents to see the members of their department outside of difficult situations such as fire or medical emergencies. “It’s kind of a familiarity thing,” he said. Ezekiel’s words on the wall and work to improve the department has paid off, Mullins said, and now Mountain Brook has a high standard for its firefighters and service. The groundwork Ezekiel laid and built up also benefited Mullins as he came in as chief, he said. Many times when someone leaves a company, business or department, they leave sort of a mess for the next person to clean up, Mullins said. That is not the case with MBFD. “They have to right the ship,” he said. “There’s no righting the ship to do here. …Mine is more of a maintenance and continued improvement.” As chief, Mullins plans to continue the emphasis on training and education, he said, while working to utilize new resources provided by technology. Overall, he said he believes the city selected him as the next chief because they were not looking for change, Mullins said. After Ezekiel closed his chapter with the department, the city hoped to open a new one of sustained development. “It’ll be kind of like Zeke but with a 20-yearyounger perspective,” Mullins said.
Fire Chief Chris Mullins took over on March 1, after the retirement of Chief Robert “Zeke” Ezekiel. Photo by Frank Couch.
A18 • April 2016
Village Living
Putting food on the table Heart to Table project feeds hundreds with help from hundreds By SYDNEY CROMWELL Through his kitchen at Silvertron Cafe, Crestline resident Marco Morosini has been helping homeless shelters provide food for a few years. When he asked for help covering the costs, the community around his Forest Park neighborhood immediately stepped up. In 2015, a Leadership Birmingham project inspired Morosini to see if the rest of the Birmingham community was willing to commit in a similar way. That led to the creation of Heart to Table. Heart to Table just completed its first winter in operation. Through partnerships with the United Way, area donors and 10 local restaurants, Heart to Table provided hundreds of meals for Birmingham’s homeless population every time Boutwell Auditorium opened its warming station. Three Mountain Brook restaurants — La Paz, Basil Gourmet Pizza and Chez Lulu — were all part of Heart to Table this year. Morosini’s own bank, the Crestline branch of First Commercial Bank, also donated money toward the project. “It’s a great program. Nobody leaves hungry,” said Basil owner Cole Harvey. “Really for any restaurant I think it would be an easy and worthy cause… everyone should be doing more.” Ellen Prince, the manager at La Paz, agreed
that Heart to Table made the process simple for her restaurant to share their good fortune and reach “a whole different level of helping our fellow person.” “It really to me was a no-brainer,” Prince said. On Morosini’s side of the equation, he had to find local restaurants both capable and willing to cook for at least 200 people on less than a day’s notice. He said some restaurants were concerned that their kitchens were too small to cook on that scale. While Morosini said a small kitchen shouldn’t limit restaurants’ ability to participate, he understands that he’s asking something challenging of them. “When you have a machine that works 100 miles per hour, I need to be able to stop the machine and cook for 200 people in a short period of time,” Morosini said. He also had to find donors to raise about $5,000, so that participating restaurants could be reimbursed for food costs of participation. Morosini said that he was able to raise the money in a matter of weeks. Even better, so far no restaurants have asked to be repaid for their work. “I’m trying to bring in a sense of community,” Morosini said. A different participating restaurant cooked meals each time the Boutwell station was open this winter. In total, Morosini said they served
Heart to Table volunteers serve meals at Boutwell Auditorium. Photo courtesy of Marco Morosini.
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VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A19
Heart to Table Participating Restaurants ► Silvertron Cafe ► Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato ► Basil Gourmet Pizza & Wine Bar ► Ted’s Restaurant ► La Paz Restaurant & Catering ► Chez Lulu ► Rojo Birmingham ► The Abbey ► Cantina Tortilla Grill
Silvertron Cafe owner and Crestline resident Marco Morosini started Heart to Table this winter to feed homeless men and women in Birmingham on the coldest nights of the year. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
more than 1,500 meals in their first season. The restaurants are asked to cook meals that are nutritious, filling and easy to eat. Morosini said he wants Heart to Table to make food “as well as you and I would like to eat.” Working with this program has made him realize how fortunate he is to do something as simple as walk in a restaurant and order, knowing he’s able to pay. “This may be the only meal that these people can eat,” Morosini said. “They are people. We don’t need to cut them off from society.” Prince said that 24-hour notice was plenty
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of time for La Paz to cook when they provided meals in late January. As the staff prepared burritos and tacos for their regular customers that day, they also cooked chicken, rice and vegetables for Heart to Table on the side. Prince said the meals were served at Boutwell in about an hour, and both of the La Paz employees who delivered them thanked her for the experience. “It opens your eyes to what’s going on in our city,” Prince said. “[And] it makes you feel good.” In exchange for their generosity, Morosini works
to publicize participating restaurants to customers who want to support Heart to Table’s work. “I think it’s great that locally owned restaurants get exposure to a market they didn’t know they had before,” Morosini said. However, Prince said La Paz isn’t participating to bring in new diners. “It’s about feeding hungry people,” Prince said. Right now, Heart to Table is only at work during the winter. Morosini said the program came about so quickly that he wants to make
sure it’s sustainable before growing. With enough donors and restaurants, he said he’d like to grow the program, either to offer food more frequently throughout the year or to serve food in more places. “I would love to see more restaurants involved,” Prince said. She and Harvey said they would like to continue with Heart to Table next winter, and perhaps even further into the future. “We’ll do it as long as the program is in place,” Harvey said.
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A20 • April 2016
Village Living
As overall crime is down, identity theft cases see sharp rise By ANA GOOD Mountain Brook’s reputation as one of the wealthiest cities in the state travels far and wide, Police Chief Ted Cook said during a recent discussion on crime in the area. On more than one occasion, Mountain Brook officers have arrested criminals from as far away as Decatur and Mobile lured into the city by the promise of wealth. “What we hear from those we arrest is that ‘Mountain Brook has the good stuff,” said Cook about why some have traveled more than 200 miles to commit a crime. Rather than use that information to alarm residents, Cook said he hopes it will remind the community to always be mindful of their surroundings. “Criminals these days are much more mobile,” he said. “Residents shouldn’t hesitate to contact police if something seems off.” Still, he said, overall crime in the area is down across the city, as compared to five years ago. According to statistics provided by the Police Department, residential burglaries — which involve entering a building, though not necessarily by breaking in, with the intention of committing a crime — have been cut in half, down from 70 in 2010 to 30 in 2015. Burglaries at a business are down from 14 to 3. Vehicle breakins, though in not as dramatic a fashion, are also down. Police reported 110 vehicle break-ins in 2010 and 70 in 2015. “A lot of these are crimes of opportunity,” said Cook, who once again stressed the importance of locking doors on cars and homes. In 2015, Cook said at least 85 percent of auto burglary reports involved an unlocked vehicle. Even if nothing is left in plain sight, the risk criminals calculate is relatively low when it
Photo by Keith McCoy.
VillageLivingOnline.com comes to opening the door to an unlocked car and looking around, he said. “They’ll ride around in groups and pull car handle doors,” he said. Because criminals are always on the lookout for easy targets, Cook said it is just important to leave valuables out of sight, even in a locked car. If a criminal sees something valuable through a car window, they’re much more likely to take the risk of making noise and break the window. Cook said he attributes the overall drop in crime to the steps the department has taken to re-allot man power as well as to better inform and train personnel. The department, he said, has also made it a point to keep the public abreast of developing situations or crime patterns in and around the area. In years past, for example, when car break-in rashes hit neighboring cities like Vestavia and Homewood, the department worked with the community to increase awareness and eventually catch those responsible. “These types of crimes are not community-specific,” he said, “communities everywhere deal with these issues.” There has been a hike in drug-related incidents — up from 35 in 2010 to 99 in 2015 — which Cook attributes not to an increase in drug use in the area, but to an increase in the amount of arrests made by officers. Cook said the department has taken measures to better prepare its officers to spot and catch illegal drug use during traffic stops among other calls. The drug-related arrests, he said, range from possession of drug paraphernalia to both street and prescription drugs. Identity theft is also seeing a significant rise, according to the statistics. From 2010 through 2015 the number of identity thefts has been on a steady incline, up from 40 to 89 reported cases. That trend, said Cook, is reflected nationwide. Since identity theft can happen in so many different ways and often takes time to catch, Cook recommends being familiar with banking accounts and checking credit reports as often as possible. In Mountain
April 2016 • A21 Brook, Cook said he has seen identity theft cases involving email and telephone scams, cloned credit and debit cards, fraudulent IRS returns and reproduced checks. Just because an individual lives in Mountain Brook, he said, does not mean that is where the identity theft initially took place. “It can happen to you anywhere,” said Cook. According to weekly crime reports provided by Mountain Brook police, residents have already reported at least five cases involving either identity theft or money scams this year. In recent months, police have located and arrested several individuals wanted in connection with local identity theft cases, though new ones have occurred. Police also held an identity theft course on how to prevent and deal with identity theft earlier this year. Cook said the department will likely hold more courses in the future. In March, two city residents reported their debit cards were used without their permission outside of the state — one in Maryland and the other in Pennsylvania. Another victim fell said he discovered his identity had been stolen after someone filed income taxes using his identity. A fourth report involved an executor of an estate who reported that between Dec. 6 and March 7, someone opened credit card accounts in the name of an individual who had died. Two instances of forgery were also reported involving checks at a business in the 10 block of Office Park Circle and one in the 100 block of Euclid Avenue. If identity theft is suspected, Cook said it is imperative to contact the police department, alert banks and cancel credit cards. “Sometimes, unfortunately, there’s little we can do on our end in terms of identity theft,” said Cook, “which is why it’s so important to monitor accounts and catch it as early as possible.” Cook also recommends visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s website at identitytheft.gov, which covers how to report identity theft and develop a recovery plan.
CRIME IN MOUNTAIN BROOK: BY THE NUMBERS ROBBERY
BURGLARY (RESIDENCE)
BURGLARY (BUSINESS)
►2010: 6 ►2011: 7 ►2012: 4 ►2013: 8 ►2014: 5 ►2015: 7
►2010: 70 ►2011: 81 ►2012: 49 ►2013: 83 ►2014: 34 ►2015: 30
►2010: 14 ►2011: 4 ►2012: 10 ►2013: 8 ►2014: 4 ►2015: 3
THEFT
UBEV
►2010: 309 ►2011: 340 ►2012: 212 ►2013: 212 ►2014: 139 ►2015: 180
►2010: 110 ►2011: 106 ►2012: 89 ►2013: 81 ►2014: 74 ►2015: 70
IDENTITY THEFT
DRUGS
►2010: 40 ►2011: 31 ►2012: 42 ►2013: 71 ►2014: 51 ►2015: 89
►2010: 35 ►2011: 26 ►2012: 45 ►2013: 49 ►2014: 83 ►2015: 99
AUTO THEFT ►2010: 11 ►2011: 8 ►2012: 7 ►2013: 11 ►2014: 8 ►2015: 8
CALLS ►2010: 28,860 ►2011: 25,641 ►2012: 23,155 ►2013: 28,461 ►2014: 31,054 ►2015: 30,392 SOURCE: MOUNTAIN BROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT
A22 • April 2016
Village Living
DE-CLUTTER AND REARRANGE: Organizer shares spring cleaning tips
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By ANA GOOD Now that spring has sprung, it might finally be time to muster up the motivation and tackle that closet packed full of the “I’ll wear this when I lose 20 pounds” clothes. Though it might be easier to grab the dog leash and enjoy the great weather instead, up-and-coming professional organizer Georgina Elkin said jumping into the clutter will help more than just your closet. “Organizing and de-cluttering can be a cathartic experience,” said Elkin, who lives in the Greystone area of U.S. Highway 280. “In my experience, people always have a reason for not doing it. You need to commit to doing it in order to get it done.” Those reasons, she said, can vary from emotional attachments to being overwhelmed by the magnitude of a project. “If your stuff can’t breathe,” said Elkin, “how can you?” Elkin said she’s always been of fan of organization and tidiness. Growing up as the daughter of a contractor, one who was always in the middle of one project or another, made Elkin want to keep her personal spaces, at least, as tidy as she could. Her love for organization only grew as she got older, she said, and when she learned that that people would pay for organization advice, Elkin began taking classes with the National Association of Professional Organizers. Elkin said she aims to become an official NAPO Certified Professional Organizer®, one who has completed 1,500 hours of paid client work during a three-year period, this year. Elkin has organized everything from her own kitchen pantry to the closets, bedrooms and toy rooms of friends and customers.
I like to say that if you don’t take your clothes out to have a good time anymore, you should give them up so they can go have fun with someone else.
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GEORGINA ELKIN
For those who are simply overwhelmed with where to start, Elkin recommends starting small. “Start with a drawer,” she said. “You’d be surprised just how organized you can make a small space.” Elkin recommends using separating bins, small boxes and even designating a drawer to house specific things — like only candles — to help in the organizing process. Crucial to the process, whether big or small, she said, is to not only to reorganize a space, but to also remove items that simply do not belong anymore. When it comes to clothes, for example, Elkin said its best to keep two sizes up from your current size and two sizes down—nothing more.
“You need to be a realistic when it comes to your closet,” she said with a laugh. “When a woman or a man reaches a certain age, it’s probably best to stay away from old college clothes.” Sometimes it helps, she said, to think about what good that clothes might do for someone else. “I like to say that if you don’t take your clothes out to have a good time anymore, you should give them up so they can go have fun with someone else,” said Elkin. Donating clothes to shelters, collection sites and even churches can help accomplish that. There are also online boutique shops that will take designer clothes — sometimes for a profit
— she said. When it comes to toys, Elkin recommends a similar mentality. “Talk to your kids about why it’s time to give away some toys rather than just take them away,” she said. “Explain to them that rather than sit in a corner, old toys can help make other kids happy.” In her own home, Elkin said she makes purging toys a regular occurrence. Her son, a second-grader at Highlands School in Mountain Brook and a Cub Scout there, knows to expect it. “Before Christmas, he knows it will be time to sit down with me and go through the toys he no longer plays with,” said Elkin. “I also take him with me when I donate the toys so that he will understand what will happen to what maybe once was his favorite toy.” Elkin is also a believer of the “in one toy, out one toy,” practice, where her son must choose a
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toy to donate each time he receives a new one. In the kitchen, Elkin said it’s all about maximizing efficiency. “Put things where they make sense,” she said. “You want your pots, pans and spoons to stir, near the stove. You want things you use on a daily basis, like cups and plates, within arm’s reach.” Seldom-used items, like large standing mixers or ice cream machines, said Elkin, should be stored high-up. “Don’t be afraid to go ‘up’ in tight spaces,” she said. “When there isn’t room around you or on floor-level, you can always install shelves to maximize the space available. Just be sure to keep a stepstool handy.” Creating an enviable pantry doesn’t have to cost a fortune, said Elkin. Well-established professional organizers charge approximately $100 an hour, and beginners, like her, will charge around $50 an hour, she said. For those do-it-yourselfers confident enough to do it on their own, Elkin recommends a high-low mix.
April 2016 • A23
“There are so many resources out there,” said Elkin. “I’ll go to Big Lots to pick up things like bins and boxes and splurge a little more on sturdy storage shelves and water-proof bins for priceless possessions like photographs.” Elkin said that in a bedroom for example, a good splurge would be on something like a bed, mixed in with online consignment finds — like a headboard — that can be repurposed to your style. “A good starting point,” she said, “is to start with what you have and add from there. I’m a big fan of the clearance rack at just about any store. Pottery Barn, for example, always has a clearance rack at the back of the store.” Organization is important, she said, in a 900-square-foot apartment the same way it is in a large, multilevel house. “Just because you have the space,” she said, “doesn’t mean you need to keep it.” For more tips and information from Elkin, visit noworganizethis.com. To contact Elkin, email her at gelkin@noworganizethis.com.
Georgina Elkin loves to keep her house organized, from the laundry room (top left) to her “junk drawer” (top right) and storage area for her son’s toys in the basement playroom (above). Photos by Ana Good.
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A24 • April 2016
Village Living
GIVING BACK Crestline’s Jerome Lewis named finalist in national Janitor of the Year contest By ANA GOOD
F Crestline’s head custodian Jerome Lewis. Courtesy of Principal Laurie King.
or the last two years, the students, faculty and parents have watched as one of their own has not only battled his cancer diagnosis, but faced it head-on. Jerome Lewis, the head custodian at Crestline, has never let his diagnosis keep him from the work or the people he loves. Despite the cancer treatments, which have slimmed his body, Lewis has continued to work at the school at his own insistence. Through April 15, the entire community is asked to rally behind him once more and vote to select Lewis as the nationwide Janitor of the Year. The contest, sponsored by Cintas Corporation, aims to recognize the best-of-the-best in school janitors. On March 15, Lewis learned that he had been selected as one of 10 national finalists competing for a $5,000 cash prize along with $5,000 in Cintas and Rubbermaid products and services for his school. Crestline Principal Laurie King helped coordinate Lewis’s top-ten placement via the school’s morning
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VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A25
Jerome is beloved by this community in ways I can’t even describe. He is without question one of the finest people I have ever known. No one leaves an encounter with this man unchanged.
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DALE WISELY announcements on Wednesday, March 16. “He makes an impact so quickly on a person,” said King ahead of the official announcement. “It only takes a moment, and you know you have met a very special person.” King said that despite his own struggles, Lewis remembers and asks about the troubles of Crestline’s students and parents. Since 1984, when she first began working at Crestline, King said she has never seen quite the same level of love and support from students and parents that is given to Lewis. “Even after they move onto the junior high school, students will still come back to visit Jerome — as will their parents,” she said. “There’s just no other Jerome,” said King. Dale Wisely, director of student services for Mountain Brook Schools, said Lewis made it to the final round of voting based on the number of people who nominated him. “That’s impressive,” said Wisely, “given that it’s one school in a small town. Jerome is beloved by this community in ways I can’t even describe. He is without question one of the finest people I have ever known. No one leaves an encounter with this man unchanged.” In an address to her school two years ago when she announced that Lewis was ill, King said Lewis had “worked his magic and touched more lives with our students, our staff, and our parents than one could ever believe.” King said Lewis’s smile was infectious, one that became a staple around the school in his nearly decade-long career there. “He is one of those rare individuals that makes every person he speaks or listens to feel like they are the most important person in his life,” said King in her address. “His work ethic and drive are unparalleled. He gets more done in a day than any two people. Along the way he brings joy to everyone he meets along the way.” It was the fall, two years ago, that Lewis
disclosed he had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Lewis would have to have surgery and the only hospital that could perform the procedure was MD Anderson in Houston. As soon as word spread among the school, parents set up a fund for him. In a matter of days, students were having bake sales, car washes and lemonade stands while parents and staff members made donations. “We had people that had never met him wanting to help,” said King. The community raised enough money to allow both Lewis’s wife and son to travel with him to Houston for treatment. “These kids, this community, this staff, the school board, people I’ve never met…they all rallied around my hurt with cheerful giving. It was all out of love,” Lewis said according to a school booklet distributed to parents. While in Houston, the Crestline community kept Lewis in their thoughts and prayers, sending countless letters filled with love. “Tears would stain our cheeks because of what these babies wrote. It was their hearts — no parents telling them what to write. It was their heartfelt concern for my family and me.” The Janitor of the Year Contest is open to janitors of educational facilities of all levels — elementary through college. In its third year, according to a news release about the contest, the award shines a spotlight on those who work behind the scenes and often go unnoticed. “When we started this contest, we were looking for a way to honor those who work so hard year-round to make schools a safe, healthy, clean place for our children to learn,” said John Engel, senior marketing manager at Cintas according to the release. “But what we learned was that there is so much more to a janitor’s relationship with their students and staff than we ever knew. These janitors truly are a beloved part of their school.”
JANITOR OF THE YEAR To cast your vote for Crestline’s Jerome Lewis, or to read more about the other nine finalists, visit cintas.com/JOTY. Voting will close Friday, April 15.
Let us help spread the news! Email sydney@starnespublishing.com to submit your announcement.
A26 • April 2016
Village Living
SPARKS BRING BIG SMILES TO MAGIC CITY By ANA GOOD
L
ife for local dance instructor Lindsey Hull took on a different focus two years ago, when, during a trip to Orlando, Florida, Hull watched as a team of special needs dancers took the stage and stole the show. “I was really inspired by them,” said Hull. “I know how important dancing has been in my life, and to see the joy it brought that team made me want to share it all over again.” Hull has been a dancer for as long as she can remember. She put on her own dancing shoes when she was only 2 years old. Since then, she’s never taken them off. “Dancing gave me so much self-confidence,” said Hull. “It gave me an outlet to perform onstage, to tackle my fears and as a consequence, excel in other areas of my life.” Hull is currently coach of the Mountain Brook High School Dorians and is a graduate of Auburn University, where she earned a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. She has worked with Universal Dance Association since 2000, has coached the UAB Golden Girls, and choreographs for some area middle and high school dance teams. She is also a veteran judge for the National Dance Team Championship and served for seven years as the Alabama State Dance Invitational coordinator. “Dancing has brought me so many opportunities,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without it.” If dancing did that for her, said Hull, she knew it could do the same for others regardless of their technical abilities.
Brantley Kate Moellinger performs with the Magic City Sparks, a group of special needs dancers of all ages. Photos by Cherie Olivier.
VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A27
When she returned to Birmingham, Hull contacted the Exceptional Foundation and began laying the foundation for what would eventually become the Magic City Sparks, a group of special needs dancers of all ages. Since 1994, Homewood’s Exceptional Foundation has served about 125 people, ages 5-80, with autism, spina bifida, Down syndrome and other developmental conditions, providing them opportunities to play sports and engage in other activities. Hull said she knew it was the perfect fit for the dance team. For the first year, in 2014, Hull had 10 dancers, ranging in age from 13 to 23 years old. The team practiced once a week from October through January, learning everything from dance techniques to dance routines. One of the most special aspects of the team, said Hull, was the community involvement. That first year, Hull had reached out to Vestavia Hills High School in search of volunteers to help with the weekly practices. More than 40 girls signed up as volunteers. “I had more volunteers than I knew what to do with,” said Hull with a laugh. “It was amazing to see that kind of reaction.” Today, the team works with volunteers from other surrounding communities, including Mountain Brook and Homewood. Most of the volunteers are dancers themselves, said Hull, but not all. “The volunteers are known as the ‘Sparklers,’” said Hull. “They help the ‘Sparks’ along in case they are having a bad day.” Because the dancers have a wide range of needs, Hull said the volunteers’ patience and dedication is key. Together, the Sparks and their Sparklers have performed at an assortment of events, including Vestavia Hills High School basketball games and a UAB basketball games. One of the team’s proudest moments, said Hull, was when they competed in the UDA Alabama Dance Championship in January were the team earned the “most crowd appeal” award. “That was a big deal,” said Hull. “That’s a great award for our team.” The Sparks, she said, aren’t required to participate in the public dance routines, but most of them do. “Some of them are shy,” she said, “but there are a couple who love it. They’d be on a stage every day if they could.” This year’s team had 16 dancers, said Hull, nine boys and 7 girls. The dancers range in age from 6 to 23 years old. Though the official dance season ended in January, the team performed a few more times before practices start back up again in October. The Magic City Sparks performed at halftime of the AHSAA Boys Basketball 7A Championship March 5 at the BJCC. The team also performed at the Exceptional Foundation’s 12th annual Chili Cook-Off scheduled the same day. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to teach these dancers and so proud of the high school students for all they do,” said Hull. “We do it because we love it and we can’t wait to continue spreading the love.” For more information on the Exceptional Foundation, visit exceptionalfoundation.org.
Above: From left to right, Dominique Portera, Colton Murdoch, Sam Sullivan and Andy Huffstutler Left: Stephanie Bajalia.
Watch clips of the Magic City Sparks
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A28 • April 2016
Village Living BARNES
CONTINUED from page A1 estimated 2.8 million adolescents who have experienced a major depressive episode, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. “I was not crazy. I was just a sad little girl who needed some help and needed someone to talk to,” Sophie said. Now a senior, Sophie barely resembles the person she was two years ago. She’s doing well in school again, rebuilding friendships and planning to go to Mississippi State University. She’s interested in studying meteorology or perhaps becoming an elementary math teacher. “I had one teacher who just kind of changed me because I hated math and I was really bad at it. I want to be that teacher for kids,” Sophie said. But she and her mother, Sylvia, agree that it was a hard road to get back to a good place. Sophie was already having a difficult time coping with the pressure of school and life when a bad relationship started her on a downward spiral. She remembers focusing on the negative emotions, and she stopped eating, let her grades slip and began crying at school. Intensive therapy programs didn’t work, and eventually, Sophie turned to substance abuse and self-harm. “This is just how she’s dealt with the
world. She didn’t have coping skills,” Sylvia said. The reactions of people around her, Sophie said, made it even more difficult. Some couldn’t understand why a girl with a good life could be depressed and accused her of faking it for attention. Others weren’t prepared to handle a classmate going through such anger, sadness and self-hatred. It was a time when Sophie needed friends more than ever, but she said her depression burned a lot of bridges at school. To Sylvia, it felt as if some Mountain Brook parents were afraid her daughter’s depression would rub off on their own kids. “We have parents that won’t allow Sophie to be friends with their children,” Sylvia said. “As a family, we have felt very ostracized.”
LEARNING TO SURVIVE
Sophie said as things got worse, she wouldn’t ask for help or mention it to her parents until her depression became too severe to handle. Finally, the Barnes became convinced their daughter needed a more specialized — and unusual — treatment to prevent a more tragic outcome of her illness. They pulled Sophie out of school as a sophomore and sent her to a wilderness program in the mountains of Georgia. For the next few months, Sophie said, her only concern was survival. She hated it at first. The teens in the program would hike miles every day, eating prepackaged rations and drinking water from the streams. They built their own fires each night and slept under a tarp, which Sophie recalled blew away one night and left them all in the rain. Once, she had to spend three days entirely on her own. That was when Sophie began to journal, and she found that writing was a more productive outlet for her feelings than self-harm, alcohol or narcotics. “It just makes it easier to learn how to deal with your emotions because you don’t have to deal with anything else,” Sophie said. By the time her parents came to visit overnight, Sophie was the one taking care of them in the woods. When she left the program, Sophie
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Color codes for marking underground utility lines White
Proposed excavation
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VillageLivingOnline.com was able to carry a 100-pound pack each day through the mountains. Inside was a journal filled with her thoughts and an accountability letter that all students in the program were required to complete. Sophie’s was 60 pages long. “We showed up and she didn’t look the same, she didn’t act the same,” Sylvia said. “In wilderness is how she is now. She’s very self-sufficient, she has two jobs baby-sitting, that’s how she was when she was at wilderness.” It took a lot of showers to wash off three months’ worth of living in the woods, and despite being one of the best cooks at the wilderness program, Sophie laughs when she recalls her family’s disgust at her attempt to cook them trail food. When she returned to MBHS for her junior year, however, Sophie found that those 12 weeks had paid off. “School was really easy all of a sudden. I was like, ‘Well I’m not in five-degree weather trying to write with a pen that keeps freezing … this is nothing. This is a piece of cake,’” Sophie said. It wasn’t an instant transformation. She still had difficulty readjusting to life in Mountain Brook and school stresses. Underneath those highs and lows, however, Sophie had a new ability to cope with what life threw her way. And she was a lot happier. “My lowest of lows that I’ll have now would be like my highest of highs that I had before,” Sophie said. Instead of focusing on her depression and letting it spiral out of control, Sophie could recognize it and choose a healthier response: seeing friends, journaling, taking a shower or even getting out of the house for a short walk or drive. Her parents could see it, too: Sophie now had grounding in her life. “Even when she slipped, I felt like she would eventually come back,” Sylvia said.
‘COURAGE TO CHANGE’
In October 2015, Sophie’s father heard about Beauty Revived, a national campaign to recognize women for inner beauty and strength. He submitted Sophie, since Beauty Revived also offers the chance to compete for scholarships, and the campaign chose her as their Birmingham-area contestant.
Sophie Barnes was chosen as the Birmingham-area contestant for the Beauty Revived campaign, which holds a scholarship contest for high school girls who display inner beauty and strength. She participated in a photo shoot as part of the campaign. Photos courtesy of Sophie Barnes.
Over the next few days, Sophie wrote an essay about her experiences with depression and was set up with local photographer Alanna Rose for a photo shoot in November. “Sophie was chosen for her strength and courage to change,” said Michelle Gifford from Beauty Revived. “Her closing statement
April 2016 • A29
No matter how crazy you feel, how bad it gets … you have to keep going.
to her submission was ‘I am not perfect, but I am accountable. And I am beautiful.’ Beauty Revived is all about celebrating the beautiful inner strength of these seniors. Sophie is a great example of this, and it was an honor to recognize her for who she has become.” It happened so fast, Sylvia was afraid there
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SOPHIE BARNES
had to be a catch. But there wasn’t. “I just feel like our struggle with Sophie has been so difficult that nobody was going to give us a break,” Sylvia said. “Something good came out of it. Who knew?” her daughter responded. Beauty Revived gave Sophie the chance to share her story, potentially with other young women struggling with depression. “There aren’t many people you can look up to who’ve been through it,” Sophie said. “A lot of the time, being from Mountain Brook, people are like, ‘What do you have to be sad about?’ and it just kind of made me feel bad. So I want girls, no matter where they’re from, to know it gets better. It’s OK to feel bad, it’s just not OK to engage in those harmful behaviors.” From her own experience, Sophie said, she wants to tell others with depression that the illness is not their identity, and they don’t need to hide or feel guilty about it. Isolating themselves will only make it harder to fix. “No matter how crazy you feel, how bad it gets … you have to keep going. You can’t get caught up in your negative thoughts,” Sophie said. In February, Sophie found out she was not one of the Beauty Revived scholarship winners. The money wasn’t nearly as important, however, as the chance to share with others how she overcame a life-altering challenge. “A lot of times in the moment you think, ‘I’m not going to get through this, it’s not going to get any better, my life is awful, I want to die,’ and all that stuff. So for me it’s basically that I want to reach out to those girls and let them know it gets better,” Sophie said. “I’m here as proof it gets better.”
A30 • April 2016
Village Living
Above: Webb’s hens have an afternoon snack of fresh produce. Photos by Frank Couch. Left: Ron Fritze stands with his nephew Christopher outside of their chicken coop Cap’s Coop. Photo by Erica Techo.
HENS
CONTINUED from page A1 “Once I had Cluckingham Palace, I decided the chickens needed to live like I live, so I put artwork on the walls and they have swings in there,” Webb said. “They have like a condo in there.” Webb is one of many Mountain Brook residents participating in the urban hen trend, where city residents keep hens in non-agricultural areas. “Urban chicken farming is a contemporary phenomenon,” said Dana Hazen, director of planning, building and sustainability for Mountain Brook. “People from decades ago would laugh at that because it’s not contemporary at
all, but it’s enjoying a resurgence in cities.” The city of Mountain Brook has no ordinances to prohibit or regulate urban hens, Hazen said, and she believes the city can hold off writing an ordinance until chickens become a nuisance or create a problem. “Until someone negatively impacts their neighbor and we hear about it, we don’t write,” Hazen said. “We just don’t want to be so heavyhanded that we sit here and write ordinances all day long about every potential possibility.” By not having an ordinance, Hazen said the city is allowing people to participate in a sustainable practice. With urban hens, residents who are conscious about where their eggs come from are able to raise their own hens and get eggs from their backyard.
Hazen has also researched urban hens to determine how they could potentially affect neighbors. If they ever wrote an ordinance, Hazen said it might specifically prohibit roosters or limit the number of hens depending on lot size. For now, however, she just recommends people give their neighbors a heads up. “I tell people to talk to their neighbors so the neighbors won’t be surprised,” Hazen said. “Hopefully their neighbors will never know the hens are there and that’s kind of the goal because it’s obviously not affecting them if they don’t know they’re there. Unless you bring them eggs.”
CAP’S COOP
Cheryl and Ron Fritze chose to get chickens
for their nephew, Christopher Paul Alexander. Christopher is a fifth-grader at Cherokee Bend Elementary and has special needs. The chickens are good therapy for him, Cheryl said, and he has his own egg “business,” Cap’s Coop. After Christopher mentioned getting chickens, his aunt took him to see a coop at Sam’s. “That was the end of it once I did that,” Cheryl said. They considered purchasing a coop, but Ron decided to build his own when his wife was out of town. He looked up plans online to figure out the best fit for their yard. “It started out as a weekend project and it took two weeks,” he said. The Fritzes have had chickens for a year as of Easter and are considering expanding on their
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VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • A31
coop and getting more chickens as the weather warms up. As part of Cap’s Coop, Christopher takes egg “orders” from his friends and teachers, and his uncle said having more chickens would allow Christopher to have more eggs for his business. Over the last year, Cheryl said she has learned a lot about chickens and the phrases they inspire. Watching her chickens interact gives more meaning to “pecking order” or “hen-pecked,” she said. The chickens all have their own place in the coop and will push each other out of the way when roosting, her husband said. “They all definitely have a little bit of a personality,” he said. Overall, he said, they enjoy just getting to watch their chickens. He and his wife will sit on the porch with a cup of coffee and watch as the chickens roam the yard. The chickens normally do not draw attention, Cheryl said, except for when they wander into the front yard and confuse people walking in the area. “They’re pretty quiet,” she said. “Except they really make a lot of noise when they’re laying an egg, which I would too.”
THE CHICK-INN
Betsy Spivey first felt the pull toward urban hens after seeing a documentary on how egg-laying hens are treated in large-scale businesses. “I started thinking about getting backyard chickens just so I didn’t feel guilty buying eggs from chickens that were abused,” Spivey said. “And then our garden club had a meeting on chicken keeping, and after that I couldn’t stand it anymore. I went and got three chicks and raised them.” Raising chickens has been a huge learning curve, she said, and she continues to learn about chicken diseases, predators and diet. Her favorite part, she said, is seeing the egg-laying process from beginning to end. “I think it’s a real learning experience for me because you just go to the store and buy a carton of eggs,” she said. “You don’t really realize what a hen goes through to have an egg. I was so excited when I got my first egg. I put it on Facebook.” Spivey grew up in Mountain Brook and said she is glad the city allows residents to have chickens if they want. She said she has tried other sustainable practices but to no avail. “I’ve also tried my hand at backyard gardening, but I haven’t been as successful with that. Mainly because you eat it,” she said, directing her attention to one of her hens, Gatsby.
CLUCKINGHAM PALACE
Webb has learned a lot since she got her first two chickens, Ellen and Louise. Back then, she had to paint Ellen’s toenails bright pink to tell them apart, and she also did not know to clip their wings. “I get a phone call. It’s my neighbor,” Webb said. “… She goes, ‘Do you have chickens?’ I just went, ‘Why do you ask?’ and she said, ‘Because I have got a dang hen running around in my garage and someone’s painted its toenails pink.’ I said, ‘That’d be Ellen. That’s my hen.’”
In addition to clipping their wings, Webb has learned to take care of chickens, and her friends will approach her with hen-related questions. As a former elementary school teacher, Webb said the educational aspect of raising chickens is one of her favorites. Webb will take her hens to speaking engagements at garden clubs or elementary schools, and she oftentimes has people come over to see Cluckingham Palace. “A lot of times people will come over here, and when they walk in the coop and see the coop, it is ridiculous, so that is when I get the reactions,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, these chickens are princesses.” She has decorated the coop’s walls with artwork from Studio by the Tracks and chicken-related quotes. Chicken keeping is not for everyone, she said, and her idea of taking care of hens is different than other people’s ideas for hens. Learning about chickens has been years of trial and error, Webb said, and she’s not sure if she will every know everything about them. “Every time I think I’m proficient with chicken raising, the chickens show me up,” she said.
Above: Betsy Spivey holds one of her three chickens. Spivey started keeping hens after seeing a documentary on the living conditions of egg-laying hens. Photo by Erica Techo.
Watch Webb in action at Cluckingham Palace:
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APRIL 2016
Former Crestline Elementary teacher shares lessons on table manners and kindness By ANA GOOD Amy Rainer still talks about the young boy who knocked on the door of her Crestline home more than 15 years ago. His name was Allen Corey and he was there to welcome Rainer to the neighborhood. Rainer had recently moved from Atlanta, Georgia, and was about to begin her first year teaching at Crestline Elementary. Rainer said she was nervous about her first day. Though she had already taught for several years in Atlanta, the first-day butterflies were already fluttering. Corey helped ease her fears. “I can still see him today,” she said. “He had blond hair and tan skin. He was wearing a red golf shirt tucked into his khaki pants.” It was Corey’s confidence more than anything, said Rainer, that stood out to her. “He locked eyes with me, extended out his hand to me and said ‘I’m Allen Corey and I’m excited to be in your second-grade class.”’ It’s that same confidence and poise Rainer hoped to inspire in the hundreds of children she worked with in her 20-year career as a teacher and her 15-year career as an etiquette teacher. Rainer said she knew early on she could intertwine her love for teaching with her etiquette knowledge. “I come from a long line of teachers,” said Rainer. “I had always wanted to be a teacher.”
The attraction began years ago, she said, when she would stand on top of tables and gather all the neighborhood children around her for a lesson. It was while she was a kindergarten teacher in Atlanta that Rainer said she was first inspired to teach her students a thing or two about table manners. As they all sat around the lunchroom table eating family-style, Rainer joked that in order to be able to enjoy lunches for the rest of the year, she had to try and insert some order. She began with little lessons around the table. “I knew the things I was teaching the kids were things their parents had already talked to them about,” said Rainer, “but sometimes it helps to hear it from someone else.” When Thanksgiving rolled around, Rainer held “Turkey Tea Parties” during lunchtime with six students at a time. Her teaching assistant would take the rest of the kids to the lunchroom, while Rainer hosted the smaller group. When she moved on to second grade, Rainer would arrange group dinner outings with her students, where she would focus on proper dinner techniques in public. “There’s also a certain sticking power to these lessons when the students are taught among their peers,” she said. After moving to Birmingham 17 years ago to be closer to the Auburn friends she met while attending the university, Rainer said she began teaching etiquette classes to her third-grade female students
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Amy Rainer teaches etiquette classes in her Crestline home to boys and girls in grades 3-12. Photo by Anna Cate Peeples.
at Crestline Elementary after one of the moms asked if she had any experience with character education or etiquette classes. Once again recognizing a need among her students, Rainer quickly developed a curriculum. Each year, parents knew that when their girls
entered the third grade, they too would be privy to Rainer’s etiquette lessons. “Every year, the boys’ moms would ask me to develop a class for their sons,” she said.
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Village Living
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CONTINUED from page B1 Now that she is retired from teaching, Rainer said she finally had the proper amount of time to devote to having both a boy’s and girl’s etiquette class. Rainer now works out of the home she shares with her husband and three teenagers, teaching a variety of etiquette classes to boys and girls in grades 3-12. Her etiquette class company, Cultivate 312, is structured around Colossians 3:12: “…dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered and content with second place. Be quick to forgive an offense. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. Never be without it.” Raines said while it is important to teach children how to act in social situations, she believes nothing can replace being kind, compassionate and gentle. “If we know all the rules of etiquette but don’t practice kindness,” said Raines, “what does that make us?” Along with teaching her students about how to properly set a table, when a gentleman should stand in the presence of a lady and how to properly set down a fork, Rainer shares lessons on personal appearance, self-confidence, first impressions, healthy eating habits, communication skills and, of course, cellphone manners. “Technology has given us many wonderful things,” said Rainer, “especially inside a classroom. But it has also caused new areas of concern.” Even among grownups, Rainer said she has noticed a marked difference in how people will interact with each other in public settings because of technology. “It’s much easier for moms and dads to pull out their cellphones at soccer practice than go over and start a conversation with another parent,” said Rainer. It’s an effect she sees trickle all the way down to the children. “Children are not in the same place with their conversation competency today than when I first started teaching,” she said. “Screens can distract us all from having to have real conversations with each other, give each other eye contact and make each other feel important in a conversation.” For that reason, Rainer makes it a practice to encourage the older girls who attend her etiquette
“
April 2016 • B3
If we know all the rules of etiquette but don’t practice kindness, what does that make us?
”
AMY RAINER
classes to place their cellphones face down in the middle of her kitchen island when they walk in the door. “It’s a little strange for them the first time,” she said with a laugh, “but becomes standard practice after a little while.” One of the most rewarding things, said Rainer, is when she sees her former students practicing what she has taught them, not only about how to properly set a table, but about how to speak clearly and confidently to adults, how to care about each other and be proud of themselves. “I loved watching the children practice the techniques among themselves,” she said, “when they thought no one was looking. I’m blessed to see it each day I am in the community.” Still, Rainer said she’d like to make one thing perfectly clear. “These lessons work on the teacher too,” she said. “I have not mastered all of this, either. We are all works in progress.” Registration for a series of mini-classes Rainer will teach in August — just in time for the new school year on first impressions and conversation skills — is currently open online. A special “Self-Confidence and Body Image” session for rising seventh-grade girls will also be offered the evening before Spartan Day. This session includes a mini boot camp led by Every Girl Fitness trainers. “I’d like to give these kids all types of tools for their toolbox,” she said, “to help prepare them for whatever may come their way.” For more information, visit cultivate312.com or mannersinmountainbrook.com.
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Amy Rainer with students in her etiquette classes. Photos by Anna Cate Peeples.
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B4 • April 2016
Village Living
School House
Circle of Friends Week at BWF CBS Principal Betsy Bell (far left) and Assistant Principal Jennifer Galloway (far right) pose on either side of 2016 Winter Race Dinner & Auction cochairs Caroline Woods and Anne Cowin.
CBS Winter Race 2016 Circle of Friends week activities at Brookwood Forest.
Open your minds, open your hearts, open your circle! Brookwood Forest Elementary School celebrated Circle of Friends week February 1–5, 2016. The circle of friends pledge is to practice understanding, patience, tolerance and inclusion of other students who may have visible or invisible challenges. Every day at Brookwood Forest we want students to show empathy and care for everyone, but during Circle of Friends week we were especially intentional in living this pledge. Students spent counseling classes with Ashley Eldridge working through lessons and simulations of various challenges and watched a daily
clip of different examples of people overcoming physical limitations. The upper grades spent an afternoon with representatives from the Lakeshore Foundation, and the lower grades spent the morning with representatives from Hand in Paw. Special book selections were highlighted in the library, and there was a luncheon for the special education staff. Posters decorated the halls of the school, and banners were hung at both carpools in celebration of the week. The first word staff, students and parents use when describing Brookwood Forest is family, and the backbone of family is being inclusive. – Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.
The Winter Race Dinner & Auction was Cherokee Bend School’s biggest fundraiser of the year. This year’s fundraising theme was TLC: “Technology & Learning For Our Children.” Proceeds from this successful event will help the Chief PTO meet these needs of the school, such as Classroom Companion devices, iPads or Chromebooks, as well as devices to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, such as Sphero robotic balls, which help children learn coding. The event kickoff was an online auction called eBend where bids could be placed on items such as Art Teacher for the Day or reserved seats at the Mother’s Day Program in the Spring, to name a few. The Dinner & Auction was held on Saturday, Feb. 6, at Old Car Heaven. Surrounded by fabulous antique cars, patrons of the event bid on fabulous silent auction items, while listening to live music by David Seale and enjoying a dinner buffet by The Happy Catering Company. A live auction hosted by The Roundtable showcased trips to New York, London and Costa Rica, as well as parties donated at both Otey’s, and Good People Brewery. The night was successful in earning funds for the school while good times were had by all who attended. – Submitted by Catherine Gasque.
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April 2016 • B5
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Members of the team, front row from left: Liz Vandevelde, Courtney Clark, Charlotte Gillum, Lindsay Davis, Hannon Tatarek and Ann Vandevelde. Back row from left: Lauren Snipes, Cate Jones, Ellie Dayhuff, Lillian Troiano, Kate Amberson, Katherine Kimberlin, Cameron Hudson and Coach John Phillips. Photo courtesy of Collins Clegg.
MBJH girls capture back-to-back titles The Mountain Brook eighth-grade girls basketball team repeated as back-to-back Metro South champions by capturing another title win. Their two-year Metro record stands at 38-0. They finished their season undefeated in the Metro League and were the North Division champions.
Mountain Brook outlasted Berry Middle School 45-40 in the final round to win the championship. Ann Vandevelde and Courtney Clark were selected for the All-Tournament team, and Liz Vandevelde was selected as Most Valuable Player for the tournament. – Submitted by Collins Clegg.
Members of the Mountain Brook Junior High seventh-grade girls basketball team, front row from left: Kate Jeffcoat, Evelyn King, Ella Horsley, Leah Mancuso and Sanders Oliver. Back row from left: Coach Jane Mosakowski, Celie Field, Hannah Kelley, Olivia Richie, Raines Manley, Helen Dorough, Elle Worthen and Lilly Gilbert. Photo courtesy of Collins Clegg.
7th-grade girls win Metro championship The 2015-16 Mountain Brook Junior High seventh-grade girls basketball team had a remarkable season, finishing the year undefeated and winning the Metro South Tournament championship with an overall record of 19-0. They started the tournament with an aggressive style of play, winning their first-round game against Bumpus 45-12. The Lady Spartans advanced to the semifinal game against Oak Mountain and won 35-9, sending them to the Metro South Championship game. Mountain Brook played Liberty Park in the finals in front of an electrifying crowd. Both teams played with a high level of intensity from tipoff to the end. However, it was the aggressive defense and the balanced scoring attack from multiple players that led the Spartans to the 55-20 victory. It was a hard-fought game by both teams and one of the best overall
games for the Spartans all season. Each of these young ladies worked extremely hard throughout the season and finished strong together. Each player made significant contributions to the success of the team. Not only did this group grow and improve on the basketball court, but they also continued to develop and mature in their personal character. This was a enthusiastic group that also used its talents and energy to assist others in the community and the surrounding areas throughout the course of the season. It was truly a fun and exciting journey that the team should be proud of as they reflect on the many memories made as seventh-grade Lady Spartans. Celie Field, Lilly Gilbert and Evelyn King made the All-Tournament team, while King was named the Most Valuable Player. – Submitted by Collins Clegg.
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B6 • April 2016
Village Living
MBE 4th-graders organize coat drive for Woodlawn school Fourth-graders at Mountain Brook Elementary School had the recent privilege of organizing a coat drive for their friends at Hayes K-8 School in Woodlawn. The students and teachers did a great job promoting the project, which resulted in the collection of a large number of winter coats, scarves, gloves and hats. Over the past couple of years, several children from the community have spent time with students at Hayes through a ministry that was started by a group of Mountain Brook friends. The goal is to support the teachers and mentor
George Pelekis, Vaughn Frost, Rob Gillespie and Jack Johnson took part in the Authors’ Gallery Walk at Brookwood Forest Elementary. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.
the children of Hayes. It has proven to be a loyal and purposeful partnership for both sides. The needs there tend to be great at times, but this group of Mountain Brook children and their parents are working hard to express their love and solidarity for their new friends. For more information on how you and your family can be a part of supporting the staff and children of Hayes K-8, contact Lynn Moorer at Lynnhmoorer@gmail.com. – Submitted by Lynn Moorer/Shaun Flynn.
MBE fourth-graders make the trip to Hayes K-8 School to present donated winter clothing to their friends. Photo by Shaun Flynn.
BWF students host Authors’ Gallery Walk Fifth-graders at Brookwood Forest Elementary School hosted parents, teachers and administrators Feb. 16 for a Authors’ Gallery Walk. The Authors’ Gallery Walk celebrated the publishing of the nonfiction books that talented student authors had crafted. During the celebration, the authors had a chance to display their nonfiction books and receive compliments from other participants, parents, teachers and administrators. – Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.
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April 2016 • B7
CES students earn JUNA awards
Steinmetz visits during Dental Health Month Dental hygienist “RuthieToothie” and Dr. Steinmetz smile with CBS kindergarteners Quint Freeman, Claudia Nagi, Pierce Samford and Patrick Nagi. Photo courtesy of Catherine Gasque.
Students at Cherokee Bend enjoyed an informative visit from Dr. Stephanie Steinmetz during Dental Health Month in February. Joined by a dental hygienist known as "Ruthie-Toothie," Dr. Steinmetz spoke of the importance of proper dental hygiene through correctly brushing and flossing. Steinmetz and her staff from her pediatric practice in Vestavia Hills reiterated the importance of good dental habits for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. – Submitted by Catherine Gasque.
Edward Barze wins National Geographic Geography Bee
The sixth-grade PAGE students at Crestline Elementary School did an outstanding job in the Junior United Nations Assembly of Alabama with three teams representing Germany, Croatia and Vietnam. Vietnam’s resolution was written to address the health care issues in that country, while Germany’s and Croatia’s resolutions addressed the migrant crisis. All three teams passed initial committees, and Vietnam passed General Assembly. Woody Fipps, from the Croatia team, won Honorable Mention for Best Boy Delegate. The teams representing Croatia and Vietnam won top awards for Best Displays. The amount of hard work and innovation it took in writing the resolutions, designing their own costumes, and pulling it all together paid off. We are so proud
of all of you: Germany – Dive Rowe (Lead Defender), Patch Lyman (Co-Defender and National Security), Caroline Hellums (Master Strategist), Elise Andrews (Creative Director), Ann Winston Morano (Native Speaker). Vietnam – Caroline Bates (Lead Defender), Ben Tierney (Co-Defender and Native Speaker), Isabel Smith (Master Strategist), Henderson Bare (National Security), Kate Ryan (National Security), Ann Derby Welden (Creative Director). Croatia – Alden Johnson (Lead Defender,) Esme Huh (Co-Defender), Tompkins Richardson (Master Strategist), Woody Fipps (National Security), Nelle Bashinsky (Creative Director), Lillie Wright (Native Speaker). Congratulations!
Congratulations to the 2016 MBE Geography Bee runner-up, Brasley Zanaty, and winner, Edward Barze. Photo courtesy of Drennan Cooper.
Fifth-grade teacher Bill Andrews hosted the annual National Geographic Geography Bee at Mountain Brook Elementary. Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students went through many elimination rounds to get to the top 12 overall. The schoolwide bee was competitive, with Edward Barze defeating Brasley Zanaty in the final round. Students, staff and other viewers were given the unique opportunity to watch the bee from their classrooms, home or any place with Internet connectivity thanks to the password-protected LIVE broadcast feed on the MBE website. Edward is now waiting to hear if he qualifies for the state level bee on April 1 at Samford University. The winner of that bee goes to Washington, D.C., to compete for a $50,000 scholarship. – Submitted by Shaun Flynn.
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B8 • April 2016
Village Living
MBJH students’ talents in arts shine during competition Lauren Lunceford, right, and her second-grade class pose with the Sozo Children’s Choir. Photo courtesy of Catherine Gasque.
Cherokee Bend hosts Sozo Children’s Choir Cherokee Bend Elementary School had the privilege of hosting the Sozo Children’s Choir from Uganda on Feb. 16. The choir is made up of 18 orphaned children being raised by the nonprofit Sozo Children organization. The choir performed traditional dancing and songs, brought traditional African instruments to play and taught the students about life in Uganda. For more information about the Sozo Children’s Choir, visit sozochildren.org. – Submitted by Catherine Gasque.
Amazing talent was on display as Mountain Brook Junior High students competed for awards in three major divisions of Art Forms 2016: visual arts, literary arts and performing arts. A showcase was held at Mountain Brook High School on Feb. 26, when students were recognized and performed for family and friends.
VISUAL ARTS WINNERS
► Overall winner: Seventh-grader Caroline Kracke, for her black and white photograph composition. ► Seventh grade: Mary Douglas Evans, first, for her seaside photograph; Ellen Landy, second, for a project she designed and sewed; and Fletcher Nunnelly, third, for his unique sculpture using 3D printing. ► Eighth grade: Libba Manley, first, for her black and white print showing an interesting perspective of railroad tracks; Leila Radney, second and third, for her colored pencil sketch and for her celestial scene painting. ► Ninth grade: Robert Goolsby, first (tie), for two of his pieces, a painting of Notre Dame Cathedral and a charcoal figure sketch; Massey Jordan, second, for her drawing of a mystical winged man; and Liam Aberle and Madison Fagan tied for third for his detailed pencil sketch and her collage of character sketches.
LITERARY ARTS WINNERS
Crestline Expressions Art Contest winners Photo submitted by Fluff Roberts.
enjoy life outside.
► Overall winner: Hadley Bryant for “The Doll with the Frizzy Brown Hair,” a historic fiction short story set during World War II, featuring a German ex-resistance member and a young Jewish girl. ► First place: Lilly LeJeune for
MBJH students rehearse to prepare for Art Forms Showcase. Photo by Hilary Ross.
“Christine’s Letter,” a girl in Napoleon’s era is given instructions to travel across several countries to find her true mother. ► Second place: Belle Drummond for “Long Live Cali,” a short story describing the adventures of a California teenager when she encounters unexpected situations. ► Third place: Lena Pelham for “Strings,” a fantasy/science fiction short story about a girl getting along with the ghost of a strange being.
PERFORMING ARTS WINNERS
► Overall winner: Tess Levine, ninth grade, vocal, “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again.” ► Seventh grade: Lindsay Whatley, first, piano, “Titanium Toccata;” Kendall Whatley, second, piano, “Tango a la
Mango;” and Kyra Berger, vocal, “Close Your Eyes.” ► Eighth grade: Isabel Elkus and Emma Sanders, tied for first for vocal, “Rise Up” and dance, “Unsteady;” Lourdes Rodriguez, second, electric guitar, “The Loner;” and Carly Cole, third, piano and vocal, “Stay with Me.” ► Ninth grade: Savannah Smith, first, vocal, “Great is Thy Faithfulness;” Denson Camp, second, harmonica and piano, Billy Joel medley; and Ainsley Platt, third, vocal, “I’m Not that Girl.” ► Band category: Kate and the Howlers (Kate Howell, Willy Hurley, Will McCowan, Kamp McMinn and Paul McMinn) first; and Riverbend (Stanton Langley, Price Pewitt and Max Simon) second. – Submitted by Hilary Ross.
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April 2016 • B9
Highlands School wraps up yearlong study of South Africa with museum-style celebration By ANA GOOD Highlands School transformed its campus on March 10 as part of its second Country of Study Celebration. Students, parents and guests experienced the life and culture of South Africa as they strolled through classrooms, hallways and entire buildings decorated wall to wall with artwork, models and digital projects created by students from 4-year-old kindergarten to eighth grade. “This is truly a community-wide event,” said Elise Blackerby, chair of the Faculty Country of Study Committee. “The students worked tirelessly from the very start of the year and their parents have been here for the past week working to get everything show-ready. We couldn’t have accomplished all of this without all hands on deck.” The celebration capped off a year-long exploration that began when two Highlands’ faculty members, Charlotte Leffel and Gabe McCool, traveled to South Africa for a two-week immersion into the country during the summer of 2015. During their trip, Leffel and McCool were responsible for studying various aspects of the country — everything from culture, animals, schools and history — and developing ways to bring back what they learned and integrating it into the Highlands curriculum. “We were both honored to be chosen as this year’s Country of Study faculty travelers to South Africa,” wrote Leffel and McCool in a letter to the Highlands community. “We were overwhelmed by this beautiful, complex country.” While there, Leffel and McCool visited Johannesburg, where they toured the city, the Lesedi Cultural Village and the Apartheid Museum. They also visited the Sabi Sands Game Reserve on safari, where they encountered South Africa’s Big Five: elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos
and buffalos. Leffel and McCool also visited the coastline and mountains, heard local music, ate local food and toured area schools. On display during the celebration was everything from South African lemonade, made with lemons, water, sugar and raisins by the 4K students, to four-sided dioramas featuring the landforms of Cape Town and native-inspired, South African instruments hand-made by the second-grade students. Kindergarteners displayed their soccer balls made of plastic bags and elastic bands, while first-graders showed off their elephant herd 3D clay models. The older students got in on the fun as well. The seventh-grade students created a life-size cave featuring archeological finds students could crawl into, and the sixth-graders hosted a folktale South African-styled story time around an inside “fire pit.” “The entire school is transformed not just for an evening,” said Judy McDonald, director of enrollment and marketing, “but for an entire school year. The students are immersed in another culture with the hope that they will make connections with that culture in their own lives.” Guests also had the opportunity to leave a permanent mark at Highlands, creating a Madiba rock that will be added to a permanent display on campus. The rocks were inspired by those left around the home of Nelson Mandela — known as Madiba — around his home when he was ill. The Umdabu South African Dancers, based in Birmingham, helped round out the night with a live performance featuring traditional tribal dance and drumming inside the gymnasium. Highlands first launched its Country of Study Program in June 2014, inspired by then Interim Head of School Mike Collins, with Japan as the inaugural country of study. The program is funded by a three-year commitment from the Highlands School Parents’ Auxiliary. The funds
Highlands School welcomed parents and students at its campus March 10 as part of its second Country of Study Celebration. Photos by Ana Good.
enable two faculty members to travel to a different country each summer for the three years. The teachers selected varied each year, and had
to apply in order to be selected. “The trip is at the same time a lot of fun for the chosen faculty members and a huge responsibility,” said Anne Rand, PA liaison for the Faculty Country of Study Committee. “The travelers are crucial in determining what the curriculum will consist of for an entire school year.” This summer, Sandra Parker and Rebecca Waylander will travel to Italy to research and develop curriculums for the 2016-2017 school year. Upon their return, the faculty travelers, along with a Country of Study Committee, will work to integrate aspects of Italy’s culture and innovations across all facets of the curriculum. For more information, visit highlandsschool. org.
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B10 • April 2016
Village Living
Sports
GIVEN RUNS TO NEW HEIGHTS By KYLE PARMLEY The marathon portion of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials featured a local runner in the lead pack for the majority of the race. Wilkerson Given, a 2009 Mountain Brook High School graduate, competed in a field of 108 of the best marathon runners in the United States at the trials in Los Angeles on Feb. 13. “It was a good race,” Given said. “My goal going in was to make the Olympic team and get in the top three, but it was good just to be with that top pack and put myself out there.” Given was right in the mix of it, running with the lead pack for the first 20 miles of the race. In a hyper-competitive event, only the top three finishers qualify for the Olympic squad. Around mile 20, Given endured cramping issues that forced him to stop and get stretched out. After that setback, it was too late to make any headway, but he still finished in the top half of the field with a 26-mile time of 2:27:50. “I didn’t end up finishing as high as I wanted to, but I don’t regret it. I went out with the leaders and gave it my best shot,” he said. One limiting factor was the weather conditions. A 60-degree day is perfect for most outdoor activities, but for long-distance running, it spells trouble. The temperature in Los Angeles soared to 75 degrees that day, prompting a warning of red flag conditions. “There were a lot of people suffering,” Given said. “Almost a third of the field dropped out of the race, including a lot of the top guys.” In order to qualify for the Olympic trials, Given had to run the 2015 Houston half-marathon in 65 minutes or less. At the urging of his college track coach, he took part in the race, and
Above: Wilkerson Given ran with the lead pack in the Olympic trials for the first 20 miles. Photo by Tim Meigs. Right: Given ran collegiately at Furman University after graduating from Mountain Brook High. Photo courtesy of Furman University Athletics.
ran a time of 63 minutes, 33 seconds. Given received a scholarship from Furman University to run cross-country and track upon graduating from Mountain Brook. He ran all four years for the Paladins and accumulated a set of accolades that includes first team All Southern Conference Cross Country, All Southeast Region Cross Country, All Southern Conference Indoor Track (Mile), All Southern Conference Outdoor Track (Steeplechase), and All East Region Outdoor Track (Steeplechase). He also set a then-school record for the 3,000
meters in his senior season. Given joined a professional running group, Furman Elite Olympic Development Group, after receiving his degree from Furman. He worked with this group during his marathon build-up, which started the moment after he qualified last year in Houston. “Marathon build-up is a good chunk of time,” he said. “The most intense build-up was about three or four months out. I really started increasing my mileage.” One of the top ways Given increased his endurance was by beginning to run at higher altitude levels with the running group. “That’s a big training boost. You produce
more red blood cells so you gain a fitness benefit from that,” he said. Given takes a great deal of pride in the chance to compete for his country, but he will now step back from running and look for a job in performance nutrition. Most companies in the field are located in large metropolitan areas in California or in the Northeast. But don’t count out his legs just yet. They make take him somewhere else in the future. “I’ll always run. I’ll probably have to take a step back from intensity since I won’t be doing it full time. But there is definitely not a closed door on a running career,” he said.
VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • B11
Davidson returning to role in athletics By KYLE PARMLEY Joe Davidson is moving back into collegiate athletics, an area where he has a wealth of experience. Effective April 1, he takes over as the assistant athletics director for facilities, operation and equipment at Samford University. He will add a notch to an already extensive resume, as he has worked with some of the top names in college sports over the years. Current Samford Athletics Director Martin Newton presented the idea to Davidson about the position as an opportunity to move back into sports, as Davidson worked as the university’s facility and safety coordinator since 2012. The goal is to work with the athletic facilities at Samford and maintain and improve what Davidson believes to be “some of the best in the country.” As one chapter begins, another one ends for Davidson, as this spring’s semester will be his last teaching at UAB, where he will wrap up a 35-year run of teaching a golf class at the school. The concept of the course is and always has been simple: to introduce average students to the game of golf. He fills each of the 25 slots in the class each semester with ease, and has had all types of students, from doctors, to Rhodes scholars, to football players in the course. “I love the game,” he said. He played on the first golf teams at UAB, in a
newly formed athletic department, and transitioned into the head golf coach in 1981 upon graduation, a position he held through 1988. Legendary coach Gene Bartow created the men’s basketball program in 1978, and Davidson worked closely with the program for many years. One of his fondest memories of a man he considers a mentor came in 1982, when UAB upset Virginia to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. “From opening up the first box of basketballs to almost seeing them go to the Final Four, that was incredible,” he said. Kevin Tubbs, the current athletic director at Homewood High School, worked with Davidson as a student at UAB in the late 1980s. “Joe has been a valued mentor and advisor during my coaching and administrative career,” Tubbs said. He added, “Joe will definitely add to an already talented and first-class athletic department.” He rose up the athletic department at UAB before taking the role as director of athletics at Jacksonville State University in 1998. During a two-year span there, he hired football coach Jack Crowe and men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon — now the head coach at the University of Maryland. Davidson can always be spotted at Mountain Brook High School athletic events, keeping close tabs on the school his children attended in his spare time. Now his day job is back in the sports world as well.
Joe Davidson is switching roles at Samford University, this time moving back into the athletic department. Photo courtesy of Joe Davidson.
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B12 • April 2016
Village Living
BASKETBALL IN HIS BLOOD Colton Houston taking lessons learned in Mountain Brook courtside to Tuscaloosa By ANA GOOD Basketball has always been part of Colton Houston’s life. Houston, a Mountain Brook High School graduate, has heard stories of his grandfather’s time on the court and seen pictures of his father’s college team days. “Basketball runs in our family,” Houston said. “The Houstons have always played basketball.” Today, Houston, the middle child in a family of three siblings, continues the tradition as part of the University of Alabama’s basketball staff. This year, he served as the director of basketball operations for the first time, though he has been with the team for a total of six seasons. Speaking from his office in Tuscaloosa, Houston said the excitement surrounding Alabama basketball these days is palpable. Under the leadership of coach Avery Johnson, Houston has watched as Coleman Coliseum has steadily filled to capacity. “This first year with coach Johnson has been an unbelievable experience,” Houston said. “Working with him is a pleasure, and though we don’t know what the future holds, the amount of excitement surrounding the program is enough to keep you on your toes.” Working with Johnson, Houston said, has
further helped him appreciate every aspect of the game. “I’ll say two things about coach, though you can say a lot about him because he’s very successful and charismatic,” Houston said. “One, the person the public sees on TV, hears on the radio or sees at a public event, is the same guy all the time. He has an infectious energy about him. He’s incredibly positive and truly connects with people. It’s like he never has a bad day — he approaches every day with a good attitude.” On the court, Houston said, is when he believes Johnson shines. The coach’s time in the NBA, he said, brings a myriad of benefits to the Crimson Tide. “I don’t think he gets enough credit, from a basketball perspective, for having truly one of the great basketball minds among great coaches,” Houston said. “He is really sharp at the Xs and Os and always helps put the players in a position to be successful. He’s always got an answer on the court.” The difference in the student and public’s interest isn’t just noticeable in the sellout games, Houston said. It is also “very noticeable” in the midweek games that haven’t always attracted as many fans. Adding to the changed environment, he said, was Johnson’s decision to move
Colton Houston, director of operations for the men’s basketball team at the University of Alabama, poses on court with his wife, Megan, and daughter, Caroline. Photo courtesy of Colton Houston.
the students into better seats near the floor. “They add so much to the atmosphere,” Houston said. “When Coach Johnson was hired, moving the students was one of the very first conversations we had.”
ON THE SIDELINE
Houston attends each of the Tide’s games and has responsibilities on the sideline just like every other staff member. On the sideline, Houston helps keep track of the team’s analytics, a task he says is a personal hobby. “The analytics aspect of the game is of
particular interest to me,” Houston said. “We use those stats and numbers to help us understand what’s happening on the court and hopefully give us a legup in trying to win a game.” As part of his responsibilities as director of basketball operations, Houston also serves as the director of the Avery Johnson Basketball Camp and is responsible for coordinating team travel. In addition, Houston plays a large part in scheduling, on-campus recruiting and has a hand in nearly every aspect of the men’s basketball program. Before joining the staff at Alabama under
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April 2016 • B13
I don’t know if I would have achieved everything I did had I not been surrounded by such driven students and great teachers all the way through, from elementary through high school. ... Mountain Brook will always be home.
his education and career paths up to this point. One thing he did know for sure, however, was that he missed being part of the game: His love for basketball never wavered. “I missed coaching,” he said, “so I started looking for ways to get back into it.” Houston said he was at the right place at the right time when, five years ago, Alabama was looking to hire young guys as graduate assistants. Because he already had a graduate degree, Houston helped out as a volunteer. From there, Houston became an intern before eventually being hired full-time. He has spent time as the operations coordinator (2013-15), athletics intern (2011-13) and office assistant (2010-11). “I was fortunate enough that when coach Johnson came on board, he wanted to keep me,” Houston said.
SUPPORT AT HOME
Houston and his family reside in Tuscaloosa. Houston said he sees the growth in excitment surrounding the basketball program as a positive change for the university. Photo courtesy of Colton Houston.
then-coach Anthony Grant, Houston graduated from Harvard in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in government. He went on to serve as a teacher and assistant boys basketball coach at Christ School in Arden, North Carolina, where he helped guide the team to a Class 3A state title in 2005. He later
went on to receive a master’s degree in divinity from the Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in 2010. “Unlike my older sister, who knew what she wanted to do since she was 7 years old, I wasn’t always quite sure,” Houston said about
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COLTON HOUSTON
Houston said he attributes much of his success to his upbringing. His education in Mountain Brook City Schools, he said, was incredibly helpful in preparing him for life outside of school, from an academic, athletic and social standpoint. In school, Houston played basketball, football and baseball. “I owe a ton to the Mountain Brook school system,” Houston said. “I don’t know if I would have achieved everything I did had I not been surrounded by such driven students and great teachers all the way through, from elementary through high school.” The opportunity for that education, Houston said, is attributable to his parents, who he said
specifically moved from Dothan to Mountain Brook when he was 4 years old because of the school system. “My family has now lived in Mountain Brook for more than 30 years,” he said. “I’ve got my family and lifelong friends still there.” Houston said he, his wife, Megan, and their baby girl, Caroline, still frequent Mountain Brook. Houston’s sister, Dr. Jenny Oakes Sobera, owns Village Dermatology, and his brother, Hunter, who played basketball in college, also lives in the area. “Mountain Brook will always be home,” Houston said. “I spent my first 18 years of life there. Nothing is going to compare to the feeling of home.” Still, Houston said he and his wife have grown incredibly fond of Tuscaloosa, and it, too, holds a special place in their hearts. “Our first year here, we had only been in Tuscaloosa for eight months when the April 27, 2011, tornado hit,” Houston said. “We were only about three blocks from the main damage.” It was that tragedy, he said, that helped bring the community together and inspired the Houstons to plant their own roots in the city. “We helped in the cleanup and recovery efforts,” Houston said. “We’ve become invested in this community. We own a home here now, and this will likely be where our daughter, Caroline, will spend her childhood.” Like the excitement surrounding the basketball program, Houston sees Tuscaloosa’s recent growth as positive change. “There’s so much happening here,” he said, “so much to be thankful for and excited about.”
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BEST OF MOUNTAIN BROOK Village Living Best Mexican Food
Spring
B14 • April 2016
Village Living
Home Guide special advertising section
INDEX
Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jump start any project in our guide.
Gardner Landscaping.........................B15 Advanced Turf Care............................B15 Skelton’s Heating and Air..................B16 Plumb One............................................B16 DSLD Land Management...................B17 Alalawn Landscaping........................ B18 Anna Lu Hemphill...............................B19
EZ Roof............................................... B20 Cottage Supply Company..................B21 Sunrise Lawn Service...................... B22 Phoenix Builders Group....................B23 Nix Design Build.................................B24 Brandino Brass.................................. B25 Christopher Glenn............................. B25
Griffith Art Gallery............................B26 One Man and a Toolbox.....................B26 Classic Gardens..................................B27 Relax the Back...................................B27 Architectural Hardware................... B28 PlumCore............................................ B28
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Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section ADVANCED TURF CARE
GARDNER LANDSCAPING
Landscaping with attention to detail and customer needs Grant Gardner grew up with a love of landscaping that naturally led him to the work he is passionate about. “I am a very visual person and have an ability to look at a piece of property and visualize what it will take to make a landscape that the customer will be proud of,” said Gardner. He has worked in the landscaping business for 16 years, developing the skills that led him to open Gardner Landscaping in 2007. Gardner’s goal is to ensure customer satisfaction. Each job is done to the owner’s specifications. “We at Gardner Landscaping want to be known as the best landscaping company in Alabama. We believe we have the attention to detail that will make our customers happy,” he said. Gardner Landscaping offers full service landscaping, installation and design, irrigation, outdoor living areas, landscape lighting,
April 2016 • B15
patios and walkways, decks, gazebos, lawn maintenance, flowers, shrubs, trees, lawn aeration, landscape cleanup, drainage systems and fertilization and weed control. There is also a garden center, Gardner Nurseries, fully stocked with a wide variety of plants, flowers, trees and shrubs. Gardener Landscaping is a one-stop shop for all of your lawn care and landscaping needs. “We are able to provide the detail to what we do that makes our customers happy. We are able to complete projects within a short period of time and are responsive to our customers’ needs,” Gardner said. Gardner Landscaping works with all types of budgets and strives to provide customers with landscaping they will take pride in and that will increase property value. For more information, please call 8233168 or visit gardnerlandscapingllc.com.
Focusing on customers to create beautiful lawns Advanced Turf Care, locally owned and operated since 2010, is committed to providing the highest quality lawn care for customers. “We have the expertise to develop a lawn care plan that will make our customers’ lawns flourish,” said Grant Gardner, owner of Advanced Turf Care. “We have lawn technicians who have a personal interest and pride in making sure that the customer has the best looking lawn possible. We are responsive to our customers’ requests and work extremely hard to meet their needs.” Advanced Turf Care offers fertilization, weed control, tree and shrub applications, ornamental bed weed control, lime application, fire ant control and lawn aeration. “We give our customers individualized and personal attention. We are not one of those
companies that works on volume and a cookie cutter business plan,” Gardner said. Advanced Turf Care’s customers’ needs are their top priority, and customer satisfaction is the result. “Our customers tell us that once they give us time to correct their lawns, they have the best looking lawn they have ever had,” he said. The community is very important to Advanced Turf Care. Their employees work with customers to ensure they have the lawn they desire and keep it in excellent condition. Advanced Turf Care makes it easy to have a beautiful lawn, so that you can spend your time with family and friends and have the beautiful home you value. For more information, call 770-900-6248 or visit advancedturfcare.com.
B16 • April 2016
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
SKELTON’S HEATING AND AIR
Your comfort is their concern Your comfort is their concern at Skelton Heating and Air. Recently named the No. 1 Trane Comfort Specialist in the state of Alabama, they are committed to providing exceptional heating and cooling services to homeowners and commercial establishments. Brian Skelton founded the locally owned and operated company in 2002. Since that time, Skelton has worked diligently at creating long lasting relationships with customers, which has resulted in successfully serving the Birmingham Metro community and employing nearly 20 people. “Skelton’s Heating and Air Conditioning has been serving residential and commercial customers for many years,” Skelton said. “All of the equipment we use and recommend is certified to be of exceptional quality. “Additionally, we constantly strive to reduce our costs in order to offer reasonable prices to our customers. In an emergency,
Skelton’s is available to ensure that you stay comfortable. And since a major portion of our business comes from referrals, our continued success is a reflection of our commitment to our customers.” Skelton’s prides itself on courteous and prompt service. They offer a full range of air conditioning and heating products and services while providing outstanding on time service and repairs. Qualified technicians and installers provide knowledgeable equipment advice. Services include equipment replacement, preventative maintenance, complete system installation, duct work and service repair. Skelton’s is running a special spring promotion from March 15 through May 30 in which customers can buy a qualifying Trane system and choose either no interest until January 2021 or a trade allowance up to $1,000. Special terms apply. For more information, call 378-1305 or visit their website, skeltonsair.com.
Village Living
PLUMB ONE
Dedication to detail and commitment to community Plumb One, family owned and operated since 1997, takes pride in giving customers the highest quality service available to meet all of their plumbing needs. They offer residential and commercial service repairs on water lines, sewers, backed up sewers, sink, tub and drain repairs, faucet repairs and replacements and have emergency service available 24/7. Plumb One was founded by Barry Isbell of Trussville who had a dream, a borrowed van, and $1,000. Today, Plumb One consists of a warehouse, office and fleet of trucks, as well as various heavy equipment. Through commitment to customers and community, Plumb One continues to thrive. Whatever your plumbing needs, Plumb One can provide customers with the best service and quality work available.
Residential services include new construction or remodeling, bathroom and kitchen plumbing, laying gas lines or plumbing, appliance connections and running pipe throughout the house. They include a oneyear warranty on new construction from the date of completion. Plumb One is committed to providing the surrounding communities with honest, reliable and affordable solutions to all of their plumbing needs. “What sets us apart from other companies is our dedication to detail. We strive to repair your problem the first time, but if we can’t, we will continue to provide quality service until the job is done to your satisfaction,” said Robin Isbell, vice president and owner of Plumb One. For an estimate or more information, call 640-2848 or visit plumbone.com.
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April 2016 • B17
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
DSLD LAND MANAGEMENT
Design your dream landscape DSLD Land Management is a full-service design/build landscape contractor firm. We are a family owned and operated company that strives to meet and exceed the expectations of our clients. During our initial consultation, all on-site factors are considered from function to form, with special emphasis given to economy and value added work. DSLD Land Management, Inc. opened its doors in 1983. Today, DSLD has built an excellent reputation in landscape construction as a prominent design/build company that services central Alabama. Over the past 30 years DSLD has been recognized and featured multiple times in publications such as Southern Living Magazine and Builder’s Architect Magazine. DSLD welcomes projects of any scope and size, and stands ready to serve our clients with a full staff of licensed and degreed designers, a full-time administrative assistant and one of the most experienced field service teams in the business.
DAVID H. SHARP
Pursing his life-long interest in horticulture and business, coupled with a background in drainage and soil erosion, David Sharp was inspired to create the ideal landscape construction company specializing in residential design and installation. This inspiration is now DSLD Land Management, a full service design/ build landscape contractor firm founded in 1983. David studied geotechnical engineering at the Ohio State University. While a student at OSU David was offered and accepted a scholarship to Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where he graduated with a degree in business administration.
integrated into everyday office work,” she said. “When you are working toward a common goal, it gives purpose and life to the task at hand. Also, having been in business for over 30 years and having established themselves as leaders in the Design, Build Landscape community, it’s inspiring to see what has already been accomplished and leaves me motivated to find ways to leave my footprint and invest in such an inspiring company.”
Soon after graduating David became interested in applying his background in geotechnical engineering and business administration to a new course of study in ornamental horticulture. In addition to learning from the environment around him, David has developed a more thorough understanding of various cultural landscape design applications from his travels throughout Europe and Asia visiting gardens and landscapes in over 20 countries. David firmly believes in the value of family. Not only does he enjoy his family, but also works to improve the lives of families with at risk children. David sits on several national board of directors where he volunteers on behalf of foster and adopted children across the country.
J. COLE SHARP
Growing up alongside his father, Cole Sharp learned the family business from the ground up. Cole attended Jefferson State Community
College where he studied computer information systems technology and mathematics. In addition to his major courses, he took horticulture courses to enhance his knowledge of the family business. Today Cole is fully engaged in the day-to-day operations of DSLD; from sales to installation as well as providing technical support.
AMY SHARP
Amy Sharp joined the team in January as office manager. She loves being a part of the family-owned business and lending her organizational skills to keeping the business running smoothly. “I love the team mentality that David has
MEGAN A. MCNAIR
Megan McNair is a landscape designer. She is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in landscape horticulture with an emphasis in landscape design. While obtaining her degree from Auburn University, Megan was able to develop a strong foundation in landscape design. She has advanced training and specializes in software such as Dynascape and ProLandscape. Megan looks forward to continuing her career with DSLD Land Management and creating spaces that reflect the lifestyle, purpose and attitude of our projects as well as injecting it with her personal flair. For more information, visit DSLD Land Management at 1178 Dunnavant Valley Road, call 437-1012 or visit dsldlandmgmt.com.
B18 • April 2016
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
Village Living
ALALAWN LANDSCAPING
Landscaping is just the beginning of a beautiful lawn Landscaping is just the beginning at Alalawn. They are committed to providing customers with quality service in all of their lawn and landscaping needs, whether its lawn maintenance, help with irrigation systems, stone and rock work, landscape renovation, water and drainage problems, landscape lighting or garden solutions. Alalawn began, when company founder, Ed Schmith, who was then working for a spray company, realized that many clients who had lawn concerns didn’t know who or where to go to find solutions to their problems. “They often needed trees cut down and their sod actually redone as they had too much shade and mostly weeds. If the spray service was successful on weed control the client was worse off. Because of this problem I started Alalawn in Sept 1987 with a Honda Civic hatch back car and a lawn mower and a Landscape Design degree with no bank loan,” said Schmith. Twenty-nine years later, Alalawn has grown into an award winning company that has been listed as one of Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 20 landscape contractors since 1995 and featured in Birmingham Home and Garden. Their success can be attributed to a desire and commitment to serve the customer and attend to all of their lawn maintenance and construction needs. They strive “to have the company be a one stop shop for all landscape construction needs. This means being able to do the service the client wants, but also to be able to refer the customer to someone they can
trust for anything we may not do in-house,” said Schmith. Just as he took a leap of faith in 1987, Schmith still is motivated to keep the company growing and evolving. He credits the company’s success to the ability to “get out there and try something new and never be satisfied. It takes lots of prayer, as fear is a great obstacle. Just try one more time to get it correct,” he said. Schmith is on site for all projects, bringing his 31 years of field experience to customers. Alalawn services clients with irrigation installation and repair, design foundation site plans and small site plans, tree and shrub installation, flower installation, rock work for walls and patios, drainage work, sod or turf installation, low voltage lighting and care of the new landscape. Alalawn can also assist customers who are planning to put their home on the market to create a lawn that will insure the best market value for their home. “We love to get a client ready to sell their home,” said Schmith. “ We know what makes new buyers excited. We remove old overgrown plantings with boring straight lines and add new colorful plantings with a lot of curvature so that they front of the house gets a lot of attention.” Alalawn’s skills, commitment and quality service can tackle any challenge your lawn care needs present and create beautiful lawn for years to come. For more information, call 807-1232 or visit alalawn.com.
BEFORE
AFTER
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Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
April 2016 • B19
ANNA LU HEMPHILL - REALTYSOUTH
Putting the magic in ‘Magic City’ Anna Lu Hemphill of RealtySouth puts the magic in the Magic City. She can show newcomers to the city everything it has to offer and give locals a fresh perspective on what is available in the town they thought they knew. It’s Hemphill’s love of Birmingham and the real estate business that brings it all to life. She has been serving the Birmingham area in the real estate business since 1994. Being a native, she knows all areas of Birmingham well, whether it’s Hoover, Homewood, Vestavia or Trussville. She serves all areas and clients from all stages of life from downsizing baby boomers to young families looking for their dream home. Her thriving business has grown through the years as the result of referrals that come from a mutual respect between realtor and client. “I love serving people, helping people whether they are trying to find more space or downsize. It’s a ministry of serving customers,” Hemphill said. “I appreciate them and as a result they trust you.” She is passionate about real estate, as well as serving others. “I do whatever it takes to achieve the goal of the buyer and seller. If you do a good job, it makes a difference in someone’s life,” she said. She guides clients through the entire real estate process. “For a buyer, the first step is to give them a true picture of what they can afford so they will be more prepared and know their affordability. For the seller, I help them understand the market and
how to make their home competitive,” she said. “There is so much more to buying and selling a home than many people realize. I help them with contracts, finalizing them and getting them to the closing table. Many people don’t realize the details involved and the various people they will be working with. I understand it and can help them get a better deal. I can help buyers pay the right price for their home, not just the price they are offered. “It’s like putting a puzzle together,” she said. “It is very detailed with appraisals and contracts. I try to be very candid and up front with my clients. It’s important to gain their trust.” Her goal is to make the entire process as easy as possible. “Buying or selling a home can be stressful. My goal is to make it the least stressful possible experience,” she said. As Birmingham has grown and evolved, she has assisted many who have relocated in the city to work in its growing industries including education, banking and the medical community. She introduces them to a city, many were unaware existed, one that is a metropolitan city, but with hometown friendliness. “I am honored when asked to represent someone who is relocating to the city. I am sensitive to their needs. The good part is being able to educate people about the area,” she said. After all, creating magic in the Magic City is her specialty. For more information, please call 540-6135 or visit annalu.com.
B20 • April 2016
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
Village Living
EZ ROOF
What to know about roofing We asked roofing specialist Gerry Rotter of EZ Roofing what homeowners should be aware of regarding roofs. Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about replacing his/her roof? A: Talk to a professional. Find someone who is fully licensed and insured, with experience and a good reputation. Always use a company that is rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Remember, if you have any warranty issues that arise, you want a company that will be around, that you can find years down the road. Look up the address of the business using Google Earth. Choose a company with a brick-and-mortar business, not one operating out of a basement. Find reviews and ask for references. The biggest thing — ask questions. Your roofing contractor should be knowledgeable about products and solutions for your individual project. Also, ask about warranties. What extended warranties can you provide? What is your labor warranty? Q: What are some signs that you need a new roof? A: One sign is if you notice your shingles are curled, cracked or missing, or you find shingles on the ground. Age is also a big factor. If your roof is at least 20 years old, you may need a new roof. Are your neighbors getting new roofs? Homes built around the same time period and in the same location will experience the same types of weather conditions and natural wear. Did your neighborhood experience a hailstorm or high winds? You may have damage that is covered under your homeowner’s insurance. When in doubt, call a professional roofer to give you a free consultation. A roofing professional can
tell you how much life is left in your roof, if there is storm damage worthy of a filing a claim, and what action is recommended. Be careful, though. There are groups that I refer to as “storm chasers” that just go after insurance claims and encourage you to file a claim, whether there is one or not! This can increase your rates. Make sure you are talking to someone who has your best interest in mind. Q: Why should a homeowner choose EZ Roof as his/her roofing contractor? A: EZ Roof is locally owned and operated and has been in business for over 10 years. We are fully licensed and insured and have worker’s compensation and general liability. EZ Roof has an office and showroom located at the corner of Valleydale Road and Caldwell Mill Road. You can visit us in person and view real samples of the products we use. You can always put a face to the name. EZ Roof has a full-time staff, which means we do not subcontract out our roofing jobs. You will always be getting someone reliable, professional and experienced on your job. We also make payment easy. We do not collect anything up front, but rather upon completion and satisfaction of the job. Financing is also offered to help with the upfront expense of a new roof. We pride ourselves on our reputation and treating our customers like we would our own family members. I encourage you to look us up and read our reviews. EZ Roof is top rated on professional roofing sites, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has an A rating with Angie’s List. For more information on EZ Roof, call 968-1034 or visit ez-roofer.com.
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Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
April 2016 • B21
COTTAGE SUPPLY COMPANY
Helping you design the perfect home Cottage Supply Company in Homewood can take care of all of your home design needs. The Homewood store, headed up by Will Casey, is a design center where customers are able to bring all aspects of their project together. “I am able to help the client create a concept for countertops, tile, paint and flooring and basically be a one stop shop,” said Casey. “ My background in tile and countertop fabrication brought me to Cottage. I have always had a love for project design & management. Working for the company allows me to bring all of the material aspects together to create the right look for each client.” The company started out over 12 years ago as a Plain Jane paint store in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, when owner, Sonny Blaising, purchased a local Benjamin Moore paint store called Cabiness Paint & Decorating. In 2008, the Hoover store opened under the name Hoover Paint and Decorating, and in 2010, they purchased an existing paint and flooring store in Pelham. In 2015, they renamed all their stores to Cottage Supply Company in order to streamline their company and represent everything they have to offer. In early 2016, they opened the design center in Homewood located inside Needco Cabinets. Each location of Cottage Supply Company is a place of inspiration and transformation for all of your home décor needs. They have specialists that can help with all décor selections for your home and have the ability to custom-match paint. Cottage Supply Company also offers free estimates on all flooring, and their installers work directly for them to install carpet, hardwood, vinyl and tile. “We stock and fabricate all natural stone countertop surfaces including marble, limestone, granite and quartz through our sister company, Synergy Stone. We also sell tile, stone and flooring products and carry our own private
label paint called Cottage Color Boutique,” said Casey. “I want my customers to feel safe knowing that I am here to help them through the overwhelming process of building or renovating a home. I strive to create a look they will love for years to come,” said Casey. Just as the name suggests, Cottage Supply Company can transform your dwelling place
into the cozy retreat of your dreams. Their store is filled with inspiration from beautiful shades of paint to flooring solutions, including carpet, tile and stone, luxury vinyl tile, pre-finished wood, or sand-and-finish wood – there’s something for everyone. “As a company, we hope to help customers create a cozy, cottage-like home that is comfortable, functional and affordable. We strive to
provide our customers with excellent service and knowledgeable people to help them create the space they are dreaming of,” said Lani George, Business Manager. The Homewood location offers a great space in an ideal location filled with wonderful products for each aspect of your project. For more information, visit cottagesupplycompany.com. Call Will at 458-0002.
B22 • April 2016
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
Village Living
SUNRISE LAWN SERVICE
Creating beautiful lawns and lasting relationships Sunrise Lawn Service has served the Birmingham area since 2009. “Our mission is to provide Birmingham residents with a high-quality fertilization and weed control service. We strive to build relationships with our customers to help them achieve a beautiful landscape,” said Kelley Zwiebel, who teamed up with Joey Hamaker in 2012. “We have always had a mutual respect for each other’s abilities. That spring, we met and decided to join forces. We discussed our business plans to develop the company, and we have been putting it into action ever since.” The company specializes in lawn fertilization. “We want to do one thing and do it well. We provide landscape fertilization services for residential and commercial accounts,” he said. Having the beautiful lawn of your dreams requires more than regular watering and weekly mowing. Sunrise Lawn Service can design a plan that addresses each and every aspect of your lawn’s health and growth needs. Their program is a constantly evolving system of products that have been developed over the past 15 years. Their experienced technicians are trained to provide quality care to use the right materials at the right time to get the results you expect. Zwiebel advises homeowners to prepare their lawns now for summer. “The absolute most important thing to do is apply pre-emergents to prevent crabgrass and many of the summer weeds. Pre-emergents create a barrier within the lawn to prevent the germination of weed seeds,” he said. Their team is very experienced in treating the various grass types prevalent in the area, including Bermuda, zoysia, centipede and St. Augustine. Their licensed and experienced technicians are trained to provide quality care, using the right
materials at the right time each season. All of the Sunrise Lawn Service team is passionate about what they do and committed to quality service. “We feel what sets us apart from the others is our people,” he said. “Our guys have a passion for what they do. We take great pride in creating beautiful lawns. At the end of the day what matters most is that the person treating your lawn cares and is going to take the time to do it right.” A great team is one of the keys to their success. “Just like in football and baseball, you must have the best person that you can find in each position throughout the organization,” he said. “In addition, we promote a family environment that makes people want to come to work. Everyone feels that they have a voice in the operations on the business.” Sunrise Lawn Service is currently offering 50 percent off of the first lawn application (up to 10,000 square feet), a savings of up to $35. For more information, call 849-9229 or visit birminghamweedcontrol.com.
✓ Crabgrass Pre-emergent ✓ Fertilization & Weed Control ✓ Insect & Disease Control ✓ Results Guaranteed!
VillageLivingOnline.com
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
April 2016 • B23
PHOENIX BUILDERS GROUP
Benefit from duo’s experience After working for 18 years in the construction business, Stephen Boehme and Ryan Harry combined their talents to found Phoenix Builders Group in the spring of 2015. “We do everything from the smallest job to the largest job — from replacing a door to building a million dollar mansion and everything in between,” they said Their hard-won experience is the reason why customers turn to Phoenix Builders Group for jobs both small and large. Their expertise can save the customer both time and money. “We do things right the first time. We want our customers to be satisfied with the job that we do for them and the budget.” Circumstances conspired to create the opportunity for them to combine their talents to create Phoenix Builders. Boehme and Harry have known each other for 12 years working in the construction business in Birmingham. Together they have worked with the most respected companies in the city. Their on-the-job training is invaluable and their list of contacts is vast, so they can reach out to the best subcontractors, as well as architects, in the business when needed. “We know the area well,” the guys said. Phoenix Builders Group serves all areas of Birmingham, including Trussville, and they have even done some projects on Lake Martin. One of the most popular requests for spring is for outdoor living areas. Spring is also prime time for renovations. They have experience renovating older homes and preserving historic homes. They also do new home construction and remodeling, as well. It’s this experience that allows them to accurately assess the requirements of a job. “We give the customers one price that is realistic,” the guys said. Their wide base of quality trade partners that complement their experience, as well, allows them to specialize in everything from new
construction, remodels, additions, kitchens, baths, decks and porches to door and window swaps and have now created a roofing division, Phoenix Roofing. They attribute their success to their many years of experience that allows them to approach any job with a sense of confidence.
“We’ve done it all,” Harry said. “We know what we are doing, so we can give people good estimates with no surprises. We know what they need and we know what to look for when we approach a job and can assess it realistically. When we visit a property there are two experienced set of eyes looking at it,” he said.
They are committed to providing customers with quality work and honest communication. “We treat everyone the way we want to be treated.” For more information, please visit phoenixgroups.net or call Stephen Boehme 205-9660543 or Ryan Harry at 205-234-4553.
B24 • April 2016
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
Village Living
NIX DESIGN BUILD
Changing industry in Birmingham Nix Design Build is full-service remodeling company specializing in design-build project delivery that is changing the construction industry in Birmingham through strict adherence to the core principles of craftsmanship, integrity and value. Jeremy Nix has been part of the construction and remodeling industry for many years, having managed multiple, diverse residential home and multimillion dollar commercial and government projects. The quality of his work has brought him recognition as an industry leader by Professional Remodeler magazine and an inclusion on their “40 under 40 Class of 2014” list. Jeremy also received first place in the 2008 ABC Excellence in Construction Awards for the $5 to $10 million category. As an employee of RSU Contractors of Nashville, he opened that company’s Birmingham office at 920 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, in early 2014. Under his guidance, the local branch flourished and, in June of this year, Nix purchased the Birmingham division, renaming it Nix Design Build (NDB). “The name may be new, but our location is the same and our highly dedicated and professional team remains intact,” he said. “Making this a ‘hometown’ company allows us to not only better serve our area but to be more community focused and more active locally.” For those unfamiliar with design-build, it is a method of building in which the design and construction of a new space are contracted and controlled from one source. Traditional construction methods often require the client to serve as the designer or, worse yet, as a referee/mediator between the general contractor and the designer or architect. But NDB serves as a single point of accountability, creating a more organized and controlled project. This process helps prevent unnecessary delays in schedule and added construction costs due to unforeseen design discrepancies typical of traditional construction.
“The NDB team can take you from zero to your design and then finished project with everything tailored to your budget,” Nix said. “NDB’s ability to provide our clients with excellent customer service and superior craftsmanship reflects the construction experts on our staff, the top design professionals we partner with, and our overall implementation of the design-build process.” The advantages of the design-build process include:
► Maintaining realistic project completion dates and reduction in the amount of time from the inception of your project to its completion. Teamwork reduces rework and redesign. ► Phased construction: Allowing construction to begin before the full design is complete saves time. ► The creation of a non-adversarial relationship between owner, design members and the construction team. Team members are
encouraged to work together to solve issues between design and construction to save time and money. ► Contractor-directed change orders are minimized, if not completely eliminated. Ongoing estimating during the design phase results in more accurate and guaranteed construction costs. For more information, call 352-4100 or visit nixdesignbuild.com.
Nix Design Build
VillageLivingOnline.com
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
BRANDINO BRASS
April 2016 • B25
CHRISTOPHER GLENN
Just the right touch for your home Brandino Brass specializes in door and cabinetry hardware, kitchen and bath accessories, lighting, fireballs, and more to meet the needs of any construction or remodeling project. The family owned business was founded in 1948 by Tony Brandino, and “to date we still run Brandino Brass as a family business for our employees and customers,” said Tony’s son and current owner, Buster Brandino. “I wake up every morning a very lucky man to come to a wonderful place to watch everyone grow and prosper. My employees and customers are the best on the planet,” said Eric Brandino, Buster’s son and co-owner. Together they continue the Brandino Brass tradition of service for customers. The team at Brandino Brass makes sure every element is taken care of for customers. Renee Genereux and Megan Brasher both have a degree in Interior Design with years of experience in the building process. “We’re here to help take out all the doubt and complications for the client to find the right items for their home within their style and budget” said Renee Genereux. Megan Brasher adds that “Design is in the details and hardware is a detail that can be overlooked. Each client presents a new idea and we’re just one of the details to ensure the end result is what
How to select antiques for the home and garden they envisioned.” Jessie Isom adds over 17 years of experience in the hardware industry and over the years has forged long lasting relations with contractors, architects, and decorators. “It’s always satisfying to help our customers pull together all the aspects of their project to give them a finished product that they can enjoy for years to come,” said Jessie. Donny Stults, warehouse manager, enjoys the company’s fun and casual atmosphere, especially massage Fridays. For more information, call 978-8900. Visit the showroom in Homewood at 2824 Central Ave, Suite 100, or brandinobrass.com.
When you visit Christopher Glenn, you’ll find collectible items from another era. With beautifully aged antiques and a large selection of decorative items, Christopher Glenn has everything you need to create the perfect atmosphere. To help you navigate the many options available, Chris Carter of Christopher Glenn has answered some questions. How can you tell the quality of an antique? Look at the overall proportions of the piece. Do the lines flow well? Are the legs and drawers as they should be? Check for the integrity and the construction methods, used such as the thickness of the wood or veneer. Has it been repaired or refinished? Are the pulls original? Is there discoloration/ oxidation where it should be? Many older pieces will have some cracks where there has been shrinkage
through the years. What are your most popular garden items? We sell a lot of cast stone, terra-cotta, glazed pottery and cast iron. Large containers have always been a big seller. How can you use antiques to create the perfect atmosphere in a room? I try to keep a large selection of chests because this is a good start for designing a room from scratch. One of the most important aspects is the accessories. We offer a large selection of one-of-a-kind paintings, mirrors and vintage Murano glass and lamps. My mantra has always been “stick with the classics.” You can tweak any look with fabric, paint and wallpaper, but you should purchase the best quality pieces. Things of quality have no fear of time. To learn more about Christopher Glenn, visit christopherglenninc.com or call 870-1236.
B26 • April 2016
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
GRIFFITH ART GALLERY
Village Living
ONE MAN & A TOOLBOX
Committed to quality home improvement for your home
Perfect art, framing for home Rick and Dave Griffith are passionate about art. The twin brothers and their parents turned that passion into a business in 1987 with the opening of Griffith Art Gallery, which specializes in oil paintings and readymade frames. “We represent about 100 different artists, ranging from emerging and up-and-coming, to world famous modern masters,” Dave said. “We have more than 2,500 original paintings in the gallery and specialize in providing the most beautiful hand painted art to our community at very reasonable prices. We believe that everyone can enjoy owning wonderful art that fits their budget.” The brothers continually add to their stable of artists to provide an inventory of one-ofa-kind creations. “In addition to the huge selection of original art, we also offer ready-made frames of our own design, with up to 10,000 unique styles under one roof. Representing multiple
lines of custom framing, our every day price is always lower than any coupon pricing,” Dave said. “Using all acid-free materials, we are a full-service, custom-framing gallery. Rick or I will personally assist you in selecting the perfect framing choice for any situation. Most framing can be completed in less than a week, usually the next day or possibly while you wait.” Griffith Art Gallery is the perfect place to find that special addition to your collection. “We strive to provide for our customers a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere in which they can peruse thousands of original and unique paintings and frames with the opportunity to take anything they might like home to look at without any obligation,” Rick said. “We want our customers to be so happy with anything they purchase that they wonder how they did without it.” For information, call 985-7969 or visit their website, griffithartgallery.com.
One Man & a Tool Box has been helping people with a variety of home improvement projects and repairs since 1997. “The company was started to fill a void in the market to provide professional contracting services for jobs too small for a general contractor to do,” said owner Jay Moss. “In many cases, small handyman type projects are done by unskilled, unlicensed, uninsured people working out of their trucks going from job to job — many times not completing jobs as they go, or not standing behind jobs after they are complete.” One Man & a Tool Box is insured and bonded to further protect customers. “We offer carpentry, painting, minor plumbing, electrical, pressure washing, roof and gutter repair, appliance installation, drywall repair, door and window repair and more,” he said. Spring is the perfect time to take care of home maintenance issues. One Man & a Tool Box’s affordable hourly rates can fit any budget. “We are a 19-year-old company,” Moss said. “We have invested in technology and
skill enhancement of our technicians to ensure jobs are done timely and professionally.” Their technicians are skilled and professional. They pride themselves on getting the job done well and on time. “We have multiple technicians, so if you think a job is too large for one man and a toolbox, you can have two men and more if the job requires it,” he said. They service not only Birmingham, but Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and Gadsden as well. For information, please call 823-2111 or visit onemanandatoolbox.com.
VillageLivingOnline.com CLASSIC GARDENS
RELAX THE BACK
Making your garden grow Mike Pender was born with a passion for gardening. In 1973, at the age of 20, Mike actually started getting paid for his passion when he went to work for the Southeast’s largest landscape company. Then in 1980, he and his wife, Ann, stared their own company, Classic Gardens. Classic Gardens offers a large array of landscape services from irrigation and night lighting to sod installation, fixing drainage issues, shrub and tree installation and building hardscapes such as sidewalks, patios, retaining walls and outdoor kitchens. Mike and Ann, along with a talented staff, assist customers across four counties with their gardening problems. Classic Gardens is widely known for their expert lawn care service, being able to diagnose problems that no one else can. Classic Gardens applies products to your lawn on a
April 2016 • B27
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
timely basis to keep weeds out and grass green. They also make sure fungus and insects stay under control. What highlights Classic Gardens is not only do they offer you the above services, but also they have a beautiful garden center that you can visit and see a huge variety of shrubs, trees and gorgeous flowers. Classic Gardens has been the top selling Garden Center in the entire nation 20 years in a row of Fertilome Lawn Care Products. The reason is that Classic doesn’t just try to sell you a product, they know the product line inside and out and tell you what to use, when to use it and how to properly use the product. When you come into Classic Gardens, don’t forget to ask about their secret Tomato Program and they will show you how to grow 300 pounds of tomatoes in a pot you can sit on your back deck! For information visit classicgardens.com.
Feel, work and live better About 80 percent of Americans suffer from back pain, and eight out of 10 will experience it at some point in their lifetime. Whether back pain is caused by sciatica, scoliosis, a herniated disc or just simple stress, there are things people can do to find relief. Realizing the need for a solution, Bob and Tracy Duncan recently opened a Relax The Back store in the Cahaba Village Plaza. The retailer sells ergonomic products to prevent and relieve back and neck pain. Consultants develop custom solutions for clients in six areas of spinal health: sleep, recliners, massage, fitness, travel and office products. Clients can choose from 300 products including Tempur-Pedic mattresses and pillows, massage chairs and more. “We’ve already had lots of people stop in to explore our products, and it’s been fun to
introduce them to all the great items we have to make them more comfortable throughout their day,” Tracy said. “We are excited to finally be open,” Bob added. “When Tracy and I decided to go into business for ourselves, we wanted to make sure that it was with a company we believed in, and Relax The Back is just that. It allows us to help people who suffer from neck and back discomfort, as well as people who are looking for ways to live a better, more comfortable life. Our products are for everyone and every budget.” “Birmingham is a great place for a store like ours. It has a long tradition of health care innovation and excellence, which mirrors our company’s philosophy.” For more information, call 979-3222 or visit their website, relaxtheback.com/stores/ birmingham.
AROUND THE CLOCK SOLUTIONS FOR BACK PAIN
5:00 AM
6:30 AM
8:00 AM
2:00 PM
6:00 PM
9:00 PM
A 24-HOUR APPROACH Experience increased comfort, decreased pain and a host of benefits by combining stretching and the neutral posture concept (above right) with a 24-hour approach.
NO INTEREST FINANCING AVAILABLE*
Mountain Brook (Hwy 280 by Whole Foods) 2800 Cahaba Village Plaza 205.979.3222 Mon - Sat: 10 am - 6 pm *Subject to credit approval. See store for details.
B28 • April 2016
Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section
ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE
Village Living
PLUMCORE
Unique solution prevents hassle of plumbing repairs Jeff Seabolt has been the ‘Hardware Man’ since 1987 Having committed his whole working life to the hardware industry, Jeff Seabolt has been that guy since 1987. You may remember him from his old business in Cahaba Heights — Authentic Brass, which closed in 2009. In 2010, Jeff opened back up at Architectural Hardware inside of Architectural Heritage with his good friend, Roy Morton. Together under one roof, they have a large selection of hardware, lighting fixtures, custom, limestone mantels
from the south of France, outdoor fountains, chimney pots, stacks of old doors, statuary, garden pieces, gates, iron pieces, some of the finest European architectural antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries and more. They’re on the corner of Second Avenue South and 28th Street inside the Architectural Hardware building. For more information, call 322-3538 or visit architecturalheritage.com and ahardwareman.com.
PLUMCORE is a leader in all things plumbing related in the Birmingham area. The PLUMCORE team is composed of highly trained individuals who utilize their expertise to partner with owners and businesses in addressing any of their plumbing needs. Although they are known for servicing businesses in the healthcare, government, retail, hospitality, and industrial divisions most are not aware of their pipe lining capabilities. PLUMCORE offers a unique solution to all residential, commercial, and industrial pipe issues through an application called trenchless pipe lining. It is basically creating a pipe inside of an existing host pipe to restore failing drains
and sewer lines without being invasive to an existing property. Most applications can be restored and completed within an 8-hour timeline, which speaks volumes to the hassles of traditional repair techniques. This is a great alternative that is noninvasive, cost effective and environmentally friendly. For more information, call 631-4343 or visit PLUMCORE.COM.
VillageLivingOnline.com
April 2016 • B29
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Raise the child you have, not the child you want I have a friend who found out her daughter had cancer after a visit with her 2-year-old’s pediatrician. Her daughter’s blood work was off, and this led to more testing and a diagnosis. Her daughter is doing great now, and last year we celebrated her five-year remission. But one thing that’s always stuck with me was a realization my friend had shortly after learning about the cancer. She told me that when her daughter was a toddler, her spirit and spunky personality could drive her up the wall sometimes. She wanted her to be calm and easy. But after the diagnosis, she realized God made her tough for a reason. He gave her a special armor on purpose, because He knew she’d need it to handle the grueling and aggressive treatments she’d face to fight cancer at a young age. I often think of this story as I raise my kids and watch other kids grow up. Like most parents, I came into parenting with pre-conceived notions. I projected into the future and fantasized about who my kids would become and how blindingly perfect they’d be. In some ways, I envisioned them as my second chance. I secretly hoped they’d be like me, only smarter and more talented, so I could be their mentor and put my life experiences to good use. But guess what? Not one child is my mini-me, and that’s a good thing. My girls are all authentic and wired their own way, and while I certainly relate to parts of their personalities and see myself in them all the time, I also recognize
enough differences to understand how their life is not my do-over. Forcing my dreams and ideas on them would never work, because their destiny has nothing to do with mine. I once heard advice on the radio to “raise the child you have, not the child you want.” The words hit me hard because at the time, I was trying to mold my children to match the idealized visions in my head. I made the mistake many parents make by failing to consider their natural and God-ordained bent. Obviously, we parents are responsible for helping our children become responsible citizens. We’re called to correct poor behavior, maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses and model moral excellence. But if we want our children discover their best life possible — a life filled with purpose and passion — we also have to respect their inherent design. This means training them in a direction that allows them to be true to themselves and who God made them to be. God made no mistakes in creating our kids. He did it with great attention and intention. None of us know yet how God is planning to use our kids, or what He may be equipping them for in the future. A trait that seems like a flaw can be a lifesaver in certain situations. A trial that seems like a burden can seem like as a blessing when all is said and done. A strong-willed girl who isn’t afraid of challenges and arguments, for instance, may be
exactly what her peers need when an injustice arises, and they need a brave leader to take charge. A sensitive boy who barely speaks a word may become a prolific artist who eloquently expresses those deep human emotions that help people connect and feel less alone. A girl who doesn’t make the basketball team five years in a row may become a rock star entrepreneur who later credits her failures in helping her develop the fortitude and perseverance she’d need to go the distance. And a boy who stutters and struggles with speech may develop an unbelievable work ethic that makes him try harder than everyone, never give up on himself, and ultimately reach a position of influence where he can help kids who face his former struggles. The point is, there is no “one right way” a child should be. God created each child to carry out a special mission. Only time will tell what their mission is. And if you think about it, good parenting is largely about preparing our kids for their mission. It’s about forgetting our fantasies, becoming a student of our children, and seeing God as the authority of their life, choosing to work with His plan rather than against it. It takes every personality under the sun to make the world go ’round. We need kids who are gentle, passionate, quiet, spunky, fearless, driven, outspoken, observant, funny, practical, reserved and bold. We need social butterflies,
bookworms, worker bees, wallflowers, steel magnolias and firecrackers. We need survivors, old souls, free spirits, athletes, tough cookies, geniuses and late bloomers. And despite any differences we notice among kids, there’s one term that applies across the board: world changer. Every child is meant to be a world changer. And every child deserves the right to change the world by being who they are, not who others want them to be. It’s a pivotal moment when we parents learn to respect and celebrate our kids’ personalities without wishing for them to change. Whether this moment comes immediately or after an epiphany like my friend had, it’s good to remember how we all have the tendency to try and convert and control certain qualities in our kids that aren’t meant to be converted or controlled. Giving our children the permission to be themselves makes them happier and us happier, too. It leaves room for God to work in our children’s lives and pleasantly surprise us as we see His plan unfold and understand how His design for them fits perfectly with that plan. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mtn. 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.
B30 • April 2016
Village Living
Calendar Mountain Brook Events Through July 31: Dino Discovery: They’re Back! Birmingham Zoo. The Zoo’s newest exhibit features 12 life-sized, North America-native animatronic dinosaurs. Visit birminghamzoo.com. April 2 & 9: Up Close and Personal: Macrophotography. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. Course focusing on capturing, processing and displaying extreme close-up images. $100 members, $120 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org. April 3: Riparian Flora and Fauna. 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. $70 members, $80 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org. April 5: Thyme to Read Book Club. 6 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. Discussing “The Beekeepers Ball.” Free. Visit bbgardens.org. April 6, 13, 20 and 27: Yoga with Lindsey. 8 a.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. $5, members, $7 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org.
April 9: Spring Identification of Native Woody Plants. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. Examine and learn to identify plants in spring. $40 members, $45 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org.
April 16: Farm Day. Birmingham Zoo. Watch horseshoe making demonstrations, create rural-themed arts and crafts, examine several antique tractors and farm equipment, watch a goat show and more. Visit birminghamzoo.com.
April 9: Family Yoga in the Gardens. 9 a.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. $15 drop-in (child + 1 adult), $5 additional family members. Visit bbgardens.org.
April 20: Greater Birmingham OLLI Presents: Panel Discussion on Media in the Birmingham Area. 2 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Auditorium. Visit training.ua.edu/olli.
April 9: Early Bird Violet Club. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. Annual sale of violets and their cousins.
April 21: Earth Month Art Party + Silent Auction. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Tonya Jones Salonspa, 2410 Fairway Drive. Benefiting Cahaba River Society. $20 donation. Visit tonyajonessalon.com.
April 15-17. Spring Plant Sale. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. Over 100,000 plants available for purchase. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m-3 p.m. Sunday. Visit bbgardens.org. April 16: Mountain Brook Art Association’s 35th Annual Spring Show: Art in the Village. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Crestline Field, 32 Vine Street. Featuring over 85 local artists. Free admission. Visit mountainbrookartassociation.com.
April 23: Earth Day at the Gardens. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. Free. Visit bbgardens.org. April 23: The Birmingham Area Daylily Society Daylily Sale. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. April 23: Party for the Planet (Earth Day). Birmingham Zoo. Special activities, animal
demonstrations, wildlife shows and local business booths all focused on promoting the care and conservation of our planet. Visit birminghamzoo.com. April 24: E-Cycle Event. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 3736 Montrose Road. Recycle “tech items” such as phones, monitors and tape recorders. Call 871-3583. April 24: American Girl– Girls Just Like Me: Japanese Garden Ballet with Isabelle. 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. $20 members, $25 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org. April 28: American Girl– Girls Just Like Me: Japanese Garden Ballet with Isabelle. 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road. $20 members, $25 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org. April 29: Tails in the Trails. Birmingham Zoo. Live music, appetizers, drinks and animal encounters at the Birmingham Zoo Junior Board’s 6th annual event. For ages 21 and up. Visit birminghamzoo.com.
Emmet O’Neal Library Events Call 879-0459 or visit.eolib.org. 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.
Tuesdays: Evenings at EOL. 6 p.m.
& 10:30 a.m.
Wednesdays: Mother Goose Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.
Thursdays: SNaP. 3:30 p.m.
Wednesdays: Movers & Makers. 1:30 p.m.
Saturdays: Family Story Time with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m.
Thursdays: Patty Cake Story Time. 9:30
April 12: Family Night. 5:30 p.m. Lew-E’s
VillageLivingOnline.com Circus. April 20: Etc: Bubble Blowing Blowout. 3:30 p.m. April 21: Bookmania: I Survived. 6 p.m. Teens (Grades 7-12) April 2: Game On! 1-4 p.m. Pizza and prizes. April 5: TAB. 5-6 p.m. Monthly meeting of our Teen Advisory Board. April 5: READ Club. 6 p.m.-7 p.m. Book club of MBHS students. April 7: Teen Trivia Challenge. 6:30-8 p.m. April 8: Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Student Debt. 5:30-9:30 p.m. Watch the 4th HP film and continue the Hogwarts Challenge game. Adults Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. 12:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch. Beverages and dessert provided.
April 2016 • B31 April 3: Holocaust Film Series. 2 p.m. Final film in the series. April 11: Great Books discussion group. 6:30 p.m. “Krakatau” by Jim Shepard. April 12: The Bookies book group. 10 a.m. Salon Discussion: Scandinavian author. April 14: $mart Directions @ Your Library. 6:30 p.m. Ethical Investing. Doors open at 6 p.m. Light dinner served. April 15: Open Mic Poetry Night and Memorial for Birmingham poet Andrew Glaze. 6 p.m. Beer and light refreshments served. April 19: Documentaries After Dark. 6:30 p.m. Film on space and humanity. April 26: Genre Reading Group. 6:30 p.m. Discussing books about disasters. April 28: Table Talks. 6:30 p.m. Part of the $mart Directions financial series aimed at adults in their 20’s and 30’s. Invest in Your Dreams. Light dinner provided. Contact Amanda to register at 4451119 or amandaw@bham.lib.al.us.
LJCC Events April 10, 14, 17 & 17: Theatre LJCC Presents Disney Jr.’s Alice in Wonderland. Travel down the rabbit hole and join Alice, one of literature’s most beloved heroines, in her madcap adventures. Featuring updated songs from Disney’s thrilling animated motion picture, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland JR. is a fast-paced take on the classic tale. April 4-28: Group Swim Lessons. Session 4A: April 4-27 (Monday and Wednesday); beginner 1:30-2 p.m; intermediate 2-2:30 p.m.; advanced 3:30-4 p.m. Session 4B: April 5-28 (Tuesday and Thursday); beginner 1:30-2 p.m. or 4-4:30 p.m.; intermediate 2-2:30 p.m. or 4:30-5 p.m.; advanced 3:30-4 p.m. Costs $125, $100 member value price. Contact paige@bhamjcc.org. Group swim classes are available for children ages 3 and up. Our classes are designed to help young swimmers be safe in and around the water, learn and improve on strokes and enjoy swimming. Lessons are held 2 times a week for 4 weeks. April 4-May 2: OLLI World Religions Course. 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. olli.ua.edu. Contact Mindy Cohen at mcohen@bhamjcc.org or 510-9024. Learn about religions around the world featuring Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism for 5 consecutive Mondays. April 6, 13, 20 & 27: USTA Jr. Team Tennis at the LJCC. 5:30–6:30 p.m. Fee: $24 (4 weeks) Register at AlabamaJTT.com. Contact Dale Clark at dclark@bhamjcc.org for more information. Four week program with no experience necessary. Professional instruction and play. Limited to 24 participants.
April 15: ASO Coffee Concert Trip features Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. $18.00 and $5 bus fee. Members only. RSVP by April 11 to Mindy Cohen at mcohen@bhamjcc.org or 510-9024. We depart the main lobby at 9:30 am and travel to Alys Stephens Center by Buzz a Bus and return by 12:30 pm. April 17, 18, 21, 25 & 26: Lifeguard Training. $225/MVP $200 (Includes book, pocket mask and training supplies) Contact Miriam Sokol at mimisokol01@hotmail.com or 602-8098. Learn all skills needed to become a lifeguard. Participants must be at least 15 years of age by the first class and complete the prerequisite portion at the first class. Upon successful completion of the class, participants will be certified in Lifeguarding, First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer and AED. April 18: Ladies Member-Guest Doubles Round Robin. 9:30 a.m.-noon. $44/ $40 Member Value Price team. LJCC Tennis Ladies invite their tennis buddies to come and play in a fixed partner doubles round robin. We will have prizes for the winners, refreshments and snacks. April 19: Passover Program and Lunch. Noon. $8.50. RSVP by April 15 to Mindy Cohen at mcohen@bhamjcc.org or 510-9024. Join us for a lively Passover program complete with seder plates and a delicious kosher meal.
Area Events April 7: Birmingham Art Crawl. Downtown Birmingham. 5 p.m. Meet local artists and performers and buy art work. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl. com. April 8-9: 18th Annual Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church, 836 8th Street South. Free. Visit stelias.org. April 9: Alabama Asian Cultures & Food Festival. 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Zamora Shrine Temple, 3521 Ratliff Road. Fashion show, silent auction, music, kid’s activities and more. $5-$8. Visit alabamaasiancultures.org. April 9: Cajun Cook-Off. Railroad Park, 1600 1st Ave. South. Cooking competition, live music, kid’s activities, silent auction and more. $20 adults, $5 children 3-10. Proceeds benefit Girls Inc. programs.
Visit bhamcajumcookoff.com. April 9: CahabaQue BBQ Cook Off. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Cahaba Brewing Company, 2616 3rd Ave. South. Supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. $5-$20. Visit cahababrewingcompany.instagift.com. April 12-16: Birmingham Barons vs. Tennessee Smokies. Regions Field. 7:05 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 6:30 p.m. Saturday. $7-$14. Visit barons.com. April 16: Cornhole Classic. Good People Brewing Company, 114 14th Street South. 12 p.m. Benefiting The Bell Center. $40/2 person team with early registration and $50 day of event. Visit thebellcenter.org.
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