Village Living June 2023

MOUNTAIN BROOK’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE VILLAGELIVINGONLINE.COM | STARNESMEDIA.COM

SERVING MOUNTAIN BROOK, THE 280 CORRIDOR, HOMEWOOD, HOOVER, TRUSSVILLE AND VESTAVIA HILLS

ON DUTY WITH DAD

Fathers, children work together at Mountain Brook businesses

By JAMES PHILLIPS

Quality time with dad isn’t an issue for several families in the Mountain Brook area, thanks to fathers and children working together in the family business.

SMITH’S VARIETY

Smith’s Variety has been serving Mountain Brook for more than 70 years. The store is known for its wide range of items and has been owned by Brad and Amy Simpson since February 2020. Their 18-year-old daughter, Lolly, has been involved with the business since its purchase.

See DAD | page A22

Craft O’Neal, center, and his staff volunteer at the Central Alabama Community Food Bank in August 2022 as part of his company’s involvement with United Way of Central Alabama.

Photo courtesy of O’Neal Industries.

United Way of Central Alabama celebrates 100 years of service

By GRACE THORNTON

For as long as Craft O’Neal has been a part of his family’s company — 39 years — he’s been involved with United Way of Central Alabama. But the family ties with UWCA go back much further than that.

“Our company has had a close tie with United Way since the beginning,” said O’Neal, chairman and CEO of O’Neal Industries.

His grandfather started the company in 1921, and two years later, UWCA got its start. As

the population of Birmingham was growing with new businesses like the O’Neal family’s, the social needs of the community were also growing.

Drew Langloh, UWCA president and CEO, said that’s when a group of local business people got together around the table to see what they could do to help.

“When you read the minutes from back then, you begin to understand that the organization

See UNITED WAY | page A20

Brad Simpson, owner of Smith’s Variety, and his 18-year-old daughter Lolly, a senior at Vestavia Hills High School, stand at the front of the store in Crestline Village. Photo by Erin Nelson.

CONGRATULATIONS

to the

class of 2023

Mountain Brook High School

we love our graduates and are excited for what the future holds for you

About Us

Publisher’s Note By Dan Starnes

The chariot's wheels bounced along the bumpy, dirt and gravel road my dad was pulling me down.

“Go faster,” I said.

“It’s too bumpy,” I said, not realizing that my first request was contributing to my complaint.

This chariot may have been more of a rickshaw — it’s hard to remember for sure — but we called it a chariot. He built it for me sometime in my early childhood, before we moved from this house in the country to the house in town when I was six.

When we lived in “the country,” as we called it, there was room to do things like this.

Now, when I think back on this memory and all of the things my dad built or made for me and the things he did with me, it is with a deep appreciation for the positive experiences he worked to create.

Although he’s been gone for a few years, those memories continue, and

they will live on as long as I do.

The subtitle of one of the books I recently read, “The Family Board Meeting,” reads: “You Have 18 Summers to Create Lasting Connection with Your Children.”

Wow. It really is fleeting when you look at it that way.

This short book by Jim Sheils is about planning a day for one-on-one connection with your child. The activity or activities of the day are chosen by the child, and the day is placed on

the calendar in advance.

I haven’t followed the method laid out in the book yet, but I plan to have a board meeting day this summer. Plus, our small family plans to create several experiences that give us time together to connect.

With the long days and the break from the school routine, we’ll have that luxury.

So, as summer arrives and those of us with children try to find time to create those experiences, let’s appreciate them in the moment.

They won’t always go exactly as we plan. Like the country chariot ride, they will sometimes be bumpy. I know that they’ll certainly go fast, especially in hindsight.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Abenoja Orthodontics (B11)

Advanced Turf Care (A8)

Alabama Power (B5)

Always Best Care: ABC Senior Services (B7)

Amy Smith Gardner, State Farm (B12)

Art House Creative (A5)

Bedzzz Express (B1, B16)

Bromberg’s (B11)

Budget Blinds (B7)

Canterbury Gardens (A12)

Children’s of Alabama (B14)

Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (A7)

Cook Museum of Natural Science (B9)

Divine Residential & Commercial Roofing (A10)

Elle (B14)

ENT Associates of Alabama (A14)

First US Bank (A19)

Floss Family Dentistry Crestline (A16)

Gardner Landscaping (A6)

Gaynell Hendricks - Tax Assessor (B12)

Guin Service (A1)

Gunn Dermatology (A21)

Harbin Discount Pharmacy (B13)

HomeRN (B1)

Ingram Homes, LLC (A9)

Iron Tribe Fitness (A9)

Issis & Sons (B2)

Katie Crommelin, Ray & Poynor (B8)

Linscomb & Williams (A17)

Luckie’s Pinestraw (A1)

Magnetic Hope (A11)

Mountain Brook High School (A2)

Mr. Handyman of Birmingham (B10)

One Man & A Toolbox (A10)

Parrot Structural Services LLC (A15)

Pet Vet Express (A19)

Piggly Wiggly (B2)

Publix (A23)

Renew Dermatology (B3)

Ritch’s Pharmacy (A8)

Southern Home Structural Repair Specialists (A16)

SouthState Bank (B4)

TherapySouth Corporate (A24)

Publisher: Community Editors: Sports Editor: Design Editor: Photo Editor: Page Designer: Production Assistant:

Contributing Writers: Graphic Designer: Client Success Specialist: Business Development Exec: Business Development Rep: Operations Specialist:

Leah Ingram

Eagle

Jon Anderson

Neal Embry

Kyle Parmley

Melanie Viering

Erin Nelson

Ted Perry

Simeon Delante

Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Sean Dietrich

Sarah Gilliland

Candice N. Hale

Kari Kampakis

James Phillips

Grace Thornton

Emily VanderMey

Warren Caldwell

Don Harris

Madison Gaines

Sarah Villar

Thomas Andrew Art (A10)

TrustMark Bank (A3)

Vapor Ministries/Thrift Store (A13)

Virginia Samford Theatre (A20)

Vivian Mora State Farm Agency (B8)

Vulcan Termite & Pest Control (A12)

Window World of Central Alabama (A14)

Find Us

Pick

issue of Village Living at the following

► Brookhill Condominiums

► Church Street Coffee & Books

► Mountain Brook City Hall

► Continental Bakery

► O’Neal Public Library

► Gilchrist

► Levite Jewish Community Center

► Mountain Brook Creamery

► Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce

► Otey’s Tavern

► RealtySouth

► RealtySouth - Crestline

► Taco Mama - Crestline

► Treadwell Barbershop

► Whole Foods Market

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SCAN FOR A COMPLIMENTARY HOME VALUATION

City finances healthy according to latest audit

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

Lloyd Shelton wasn’t offended when one of his fellow Mountain Brook City Council members spoke of the audit report that came during the April 25 meeting.

“They like joking with me about that because I'm a CPA by trade,” Shelton said. “They understand the numbers pretty well. I get more in the weeds than they care to get.”

CPAs Jason Harp and Catherine Cannon presented the audit, telling the panel that the city’s finances are healthy. Harp said the general rule of thumb is to have 90 days of reserves in the general fund balance.

“The city's got about six months. That's pretty healthy,” he said. “If my calculations are correct and you shut everything down and just ran everything out of your general fund, it's about $104,000 a day. Doing that without bringing any more funds in, you'd make it about six months before you depleted that general fund, fund balance.”

Shelton said the two things that the finance committee and the council as a whole have focused on are the pension liability and the post-retirement op-in.

“We're doing that and that's favorable,” he said. “Those are the kind of highlights I always like to get their opinion on. Are we doing better than just average?”

During a public hearing, the council received a report from its traffic engineer about the rumble strips on Overton Road near the intersection with North Woodridge. Residents of that area again complained about the noise that comes from the strips, which were installed 17 months ago to warn drivers of a perilous curve.

The council opted to remove three of the five rumble strips and order an electric flashing sign

that is activated by oncoming traffic. It will take 30 weeks for that sign to arrive; in the interim, a tailor-made warning sign will be installed.

Leadership Mountain Brook made its reports of student-generated projects for the city. Those projects were:

► Creating a website with volunteer opportunities in the city

► Installing pickleball courts at Overton Park

► Starting a summer movie series

► Establishing a “School’s Out” scavenger hunt for children

► The council hired Employee Assistance Services to provide assistance to city employees. The panel delayed responding to a police department request to hire a company to help update the department’s policies to get more information.

► The council also approved a change order for the junior high drainage project.

► A pair of special council meetings were announced.

A public hearing will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 1 concerning rezoning the former ShadesValley Presbyterian Church property from Residence B district to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) district.

Lloyd Shelton listens to the audit report at the Mountain Brook City Council meeting on April 25. Photo by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Council again hears from dog lovers about access to city fields

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

Boss was back at Mountain Brook City Hall on May 8. The English cream golden retriever was quiet during the pre-council meeting as his owner and others lobbied for dogs to be allowed to roam the city’s athletic fields again.

Teresa Callahan and her pet were previously at a pre-council meeting in August 2022 as some residents complained about dogs being on the fields. Ultimately, the council banned dogs from those green spaces.

“I believe the reason that we were banned is because a few people are irresponsible and don't pick up their poop,” Callahan said. “We all want to come up with some type of compromise to get back on those fields. The community is part of those school fields, the green spaces around these schools.”

When Jim Parrish and his wife Mary Jane moved to the Crestline community, they were partly enticed by the sight of dogs frolicking on the Crestline athletic field.

“There were all these dogs and people and they were acting like they were having fun,” he recalled. “I thought, ‘That looks like a great community to be involved in,’ so we decided to make the move.”

Parrish said he and his wife were out of town last fall when the discussion began about dogs on city fields, which yielded the ban.

“I went from loving Crestline to not loving it so much when I saw that,” he said.

Council members recounted reasons that had been weighed in establishing the ban. Some people weren’t collecting the poop of their pets and some children were frightened of dogs.

Council President Virginia Smith acknowledged that while the people attending the meeting are cleaning up, there are some “bad apples out there” who are not.

“We were hearing from the schools having to send children home [or trying to] reach parents

to bring new clothes,” she said of students who were soiled by the dog waste.

Frank Taylor of Mountain Brook Athletics said the youth sports organization tried to cooperate and share the space as much as possible.

“We just want to provide a safe outlet for our kids to play,” he said, citing instances of dogs defecating on the field. “[There was] more than one occasion where kids are sliding through poop … and that's pretty traumatic for a child.”

Dicky Barlow, the superintendent of

Mountain Brook Schools, said he’s a dog owner who enjoys walking his dog and letting him off his leash. He cited accounts from teachers who have dealt with dogs on the school playground.

“They've also had dogs that have been released that have jumped on kids,” he said.

“I think one of our teachers even got bitten.”

Parrish suggested Mountain Brook consider a system used at a beach location in Florida. Dog owners pay $100 per year for a permit and their dog must wear a corresponding tag.

“You have to be off the beach by 8:30 in

”

the morning and you can bring them back at 4:30 in the afternoon,” he said, adding that dog owners must clean up after their pet.

Smith, the council president, said a solution wasn’t forthcoming at that meeting. She suggested a committee be formed that included dog advocates to attempt to find a happy medium.

Also during the council meeting:

► SERVPRO of Birmingham was hired to fix the damage from a burst water pipeline in the first-floor ceiling of O’Neal Library.

► The council agreed to a property swap with the Mountain Brook Board of Education. The Tot Lot will be deeded to the city and Crestline Field to the school system.

► The city agreed to support Birmingham’s pursuit of a TAP grant to install sidewalks from Vulcan Park to English Village. The Red Mountain Cut Foundation and the Jefferson County Commission also support the effort.

► Mayor Stewart H. Welch III read a proclamation denoting the week as National Police Officer Appreciation Week.

I’M LEAVING A INVESTING IN THE FUTURE, ONE LEGACY AT A TIME

Guin Robinson wants to make an investment in the future of Birmingham that also pays tribute to the influence of earlier generations. That's why he has specified in his will that a legacy gift be made to the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

"My family has always had a deep-rooted belief in giving back to the community, and I want to honor their values," says Guin. "As an only child with no children of my own, leaving a gift to the Community Foundation ensures that my family's legacy will be honored for years to come."

Guin trusts the Foundation to manage his gift and honor his family's legacy based on our history, transformational work, and proactive approach to community challenges and crises.

Visit cfbham.org/legacy and learn how you can join Guin in creating your legacy.

Valerie Williams, left, and Mary Jane Parrish, right, at the Mountain Brook pre-council meeting May 8. Photo by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

We all want to come up with some type of compromise to get back on those fields. The community is part of those school fields, the green spaces around these schools.

TERESA CALLAHAN

Mayor’s Minute

By Stewart Welch III

You are likely aware by now that the city of Mountain Brook became the first Alabama city to be named Bee City USA. This certification requires the city to do certain things that promote ‘saving the bees,’ whose populations are in decline across America. What we have recently done is install a ‘Bee Hotel’ at Mountain Brook City Hall.

On my many weekly trips to City Hall, I often see kids playing on the outdoor chess board. Well, now they can check out the bee hotel too. To help attract bees, public works planted a pollinator garden, with native plants and flowers that support pollinators. The bee hotel even has an observation door you can open to watch a bee in her nesting cavity.

This bee hotel was designed and built by Gary Williams from our Public Works Department. If you stand back and give it a good look, you may notice it resembles the design of our city hall. Gary is quite the craftsman and just happens to be the husband of Shanda Williams, who heads our Parks and Recreation Department. Dana Hazen, director of planning, building and sustainability, is the brainchild

behind this movement. We owe them all our sincere thank you for bringing this project to life.

As a reminder, these bees are solitary bees, not aggressive social/ swarming bees because they do not have to protect a hive.

We are not sure when our local bee residents will show up as occupants of our hotel, but I hope you will join me in keeping a lookout.

This is a fun project the city has embraced that does good for our environment and fits nicely along with our Tree City and Green Zone initiatives.

I was driving through Crestline Village recently and noticed two of our public works guys blowing leaves. What was startling was the lack of noise. They were using electric blowers and the quiet was so nice. I stopped to visit and take a quick video to share on Facebook. They did comment that the electric blowers are not quite as powerful as the gas blowers, but I encouraged them to stick with it. The positive impact on our environment, both in reduced noise and zero emissions, is worth it. If you see them (you likely will not hear them), please let them know you appreciate their efforts.

Business Happenings

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Dr. Bruce Irwin, who founded American Family Care as a single urgent care clinic at 1680 Montgomery Highway in Hoover in 1982, died April 14 at the age of 73 after a sudden illness. Irwin expanded his single Hoover clinic to dozens of other locations statewide and in 2013 launched its franchise model when the company acquired and rebranded a national urgent care franchise called Doctor's Express. Today, the American Family Care health care network encompasses more than 300 locations across 30 states, including a location at 3000 Cahaba Village Plaza in Mountain Brook. 205-263-7836, afcurgentcare.com

ANNIVERSARIES

Bossi Leisure in English Village recently celebrated its second anniversary. The store offers activewear, leisurewear and accessories for women and girls. The owner is Mountain Brook resident Allyson Mouron. 205-201-6735, bossileisure.com

Publix GreenWise Market, which specializes in natural, organic and locally-sourced products, is celebrating its fourth anniver-

sary in Lane Parke.

205-802-9189, greenwisemarket.com

The home decor and interior design company Home with Hechart recently celebrated the second anniversary of its flagship store in Mountain Brook. Alex Hechart is the lead designer and owner and began the company in 2020 with her mother, Donna Woodfin. homewithhechart.com

The Fitness Center, which opened in 1994, is celebrating 29 years of service in Mountain Brook. The owners are Vic and Beth Nigri. 205-870-1171, thefitnesscenter.org

The longstanding Mountain Brook pizza restaurant Davenport's Pizza Palace is celebrating its 59th anniversary. 205-879-8603, davenportspizza.com

RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS

Rolls Bakery has relocated to 621 Montgomery (next to Donatos Pizza) They offer homemade cinnamon rolls, breakfast and coffee. Saturdays they offer a full-service brunch menu. 205-490-1111, rollsbakery.com

Stewart Welch III

Business news to share? If you have news to share with the community about a brick-and-mortar business in Mountain Brook, let us know at starnesmedia.com/ business-happenings

A’mano celebrates 25 years of offering one-of-a-kind gifts

By GRACE THORNTON

Lynn Ritchie’s background is in finance, but she could tell early on in her career that her heart was somewhere else.

“I got an MBA at Vanderbilt and started working in banking, but I was a docent at the art museum on the weekends,” she said. “I truly loved that and loved going to galleries.”

She dreamed of opening her own store, and her husband, Alan — a “serial entrepreneur,” Ritchie said — encouraged her to stop talking about it and do it.

So she did, and now she’s celebrating the decision she made 25 years ago to open A’mano, a gallery and shop featuring curated items that are handmade, one-of-a-kind or exhibit great design.

“I never dreamed I would be around for 25 years, but the community has been so encouraging and welcoming, and we’ve tried to provide what they like,” Ritchie said. “It’s been a fun adventure; I love to travel and find things.”

She said at the beginning, A’mano — which means “by hand” — carried a lot of handmade items from Mexico.

“I used to travel to Guadalajara and come back with a container, and we would go through it with a Spanish dictionary figuring out what was what,” she said.

Not long after that, she added furniture handmade by a group in Texas. That was in the first year, when the gallery was in Crestline Village.

But when she moved to Mountain Brook Village, she “brought in more gifts and jewelry and became a little more sophisticated.”

There have been more changes since then, Ritchie said. Though the passion behind A’mano hasn’t changed, its look has evolved over the years. When Ritchie moved the shop to Lane Parke six years ago — the first store to open there — A’mano got another makeover and went through a rebrand.

Ritchie adopted a new motto that fit the store’s shopping experience — “Considered objects for an artful life.”

“When we were building at Lane Parke, I knew I wanted to do more. It’s been fun and worked really well,” Ritchie said. “Now we do a great job with coffee table books, nice glassware and that kind of thing, and our wedding registry has really taken off. We try to bring in things that are special, that aren’t in other stores.”

For all of her inventory, “it’s always a process — I’m always looking,” she said. “I want everything that goes out the door to be something we’re proud of.”

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A’mano’s online sales have really taken off in recent years too, Ritchie said.

“Part of our success is the team we have. We have the most wonderful group of people who work here, who love A’mano and are so dedicated,” she said. “We try to bend over backward to get the customer what they want, and we have some loyal customers we love who have become friends.”

Ritchie said when she looks back to A’mano’s beginnings in 1998, she feels like the past 25 years have gone really fast. But she’s packed

a lot into the journey. She’s raised four children her oldest is also 25 — and had a battle with breast cancer along the way.

“When we started A’mano, I had a baby store and a baby boy, but we made it work,” she said. “We’ve learned how to overcome a crisis.”

Overall, it’s been “a long term dream to have this store and what we sell here,” Ritchie said. “We’re really proud of that.”

A’mano is located in Lane Parke at 281 Rele St.

For more information, visit amanogifts.com.

Lynn Ritchie, owner of A’Mano, arranges items on a table in her shop in Lane Parke’s phase 1 development in Mountain Brook Village in April 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Onward Reserve now open at Lane Parke

By JAMES PHILLIPS

Onward Reserve’s motto is “Live Authentically,” urging its customers to live authentic lives while enjoying its brand of clothing.

The clothing company, founded in 2012, has stores in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and now Alabama. The first Alabama location opened at Mountain Brook’s Lane Parke in March.

The Lane Parke location features performance and tailored sportswear, the five-pocket pant and sport coat suit, casual T-shirts and gifts, as well as University of Alabama and Auburn University branded collegiate apparel. Onward Reserve also happens to be the official approved partner of the Alabama Crimson Tide Radio Network.

T.J. Callaway, founder and chairman executive officer of Onward Reserve, said the location in Mountain Brook simply made sense for the company’s first store in Alabama.

“We always stay at the Grand Bohemian when we are in town and all of our friends live pretty close to Lane Parke,” Callaway said in a press release. “This location makes all the sense in the world. Whether you're out for drinks with friends or a round of golf on the golf course, our brand is tailored to fit the day-to-day needs of all men.”

The origin of the Onward Reserve brand came from an authentic memory, Callaway said on the company’s website.

“While on a hunting trip to Onward, Mississippi, I was told the story of Theodore Roosevelt hunting on the same property,” Callaway said.

In 1902, Roosevelt was invited to Onward, Mississippi, for a bear hunt. After days without success, the hunting party, without the president knowing, hired a trapper to capture and deliver a bear for Roosevelt to kill.

Roosevelt, a proud hunter and naturalist, heard how the bear had come to be in his sights and demanded it be set free. The story made

national news that day and it was not long before a toy maker in New York was granted permission to manufacture a plush bear toy named after President Roosevelt.

The “Teddy Bear” was born, and with it the most famous and impactful hunting story in history, Callaway said, adding that this story made an impact on him when he heard it over a hundred years later. Teddy Roosevelt waas onto

something that day, and he refused to accept anything less than an authentic experience, Callaway said.

“The Onward Reserve brand was conceived during that same hunting trip with friends in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, so I felt it only fitting that our brand share a name with the famous tale,” he added. “Onward Reserve is my vision for an authentic brand. A brand

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that is laid back but unwavering in quality. In harmony with the original vision for Onward Reserve, I design each season’s collection and carefully select our collection of other brands with the Onward Reserve lifestyle in mind.”

The Lane Parke location of Onward Reserve is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit onwardreserve.com.

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Spravato is a prescription nasal spray of Esketamine that is given in conjunction with an oral antidepressant for adults with major depressive disorder who have not responded to two or more antidepressants. For more information and possible side effects, visit spravato.com

Susan Roberts, left, a sales associate with Onward Reserve in Charlotte, North Carolina, helps Taylor Powell as he looks at a new sports coat at Onward Reserve, a new men’s clothing store in Lane Parke, on May 12. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Making strides in top style at Travel Studio

By CANDICE N. HALE

Traveling no longer has to be a luxury, and with a co-working space for independent travel advisors, The Travel Studio, located in Mountain Brook’s English Village, is a new spot for those seeking luxury travel.

Following the pandemic, Anne Liles Travel and Ragan Stone Travel merged together to form an office space as independent travel advisors, to talk and collaborate with others about traveling and resources for clients, and to display gems from abroad in a travel-centric retail store.

Liles and Stone are more than just business partners because they are good friends, too. Both women are affiliates of Departure Lounge, the Austin, Texas, based post agency founded by Keith Waldon. The Travel Studio offers remote memberships for other advisors to gain community and collaboration.

Both agencies want their clients to have a great and unforgettable experience as they travel across the world. They also want to be able to bring back their own goods from their travels to display in The Travel Studio. Both Liles and Stone are world travelers, too.

“I try not to send my client to a place I haven’t been. I have vetted the location and the hotel being in the luxury travel market,” Liles said. “I want to touch and feel it. I must be comfortable knowing that I’ve been there, too.

Stone said, “It is amazing to see the creativity and talent of others around the world and it is exciting to bring those products to Birmingham.”

Liles attributes her love of traveling to her grandparents because they recognized its importance. She remembers scuba diving in the Red Sea in Egypt at the age of 10.

“I felt like there were so many important things to see and experience in the world,” Liles said.

Stone added, “I realized that travel makes us much closer to other people and allows us to see the world from a different perspective. It

also helps you get out of your comfort zone and eliminate fears of the unknown.”

Liles said that nothing is the same when she visits a destination a second time and it can be eye-opening around every nook and cranny,

especially as she searches for travel products for the studio.

Liles and Stone agreed that Europe and the Caribbean are highly traveled vacation spots during the summer for their clients, but they

were also the respective choices to travel for the advisors as well.

“My favorite love is Italy. It takes your breath away,” Liles said.

If traveling abroad is not on one’s ticket today, then The Travel Studio still has a selection of hand-selected travel goods and resort wear for domestic travel in the U.S. The best sellers at the store include the Paravel Luggage line, Lorna Murray hats, Bembien Margot totes and ostrich neck pillows.

As traveling has increased post-pandemic, both Liles and Stone offer advice to clients and future patrons of The Travel Studio in the upcoming summer and fall travel seasons.

“Pack your patience. It is a traveling world in full force out there. Spend extra money on VIP in the airports because it has been very crowded,” Liles said.

“Remember that traveling is not a perfect process,” Stone said. “There will be something that inevitably goes wrong, but that’s part of getting out and seeing the world. But, in the end, it is worth it.”

Liles and Stone invite other travel advisors and destination management companies — like those from Italy, Greece or Africa — to come to The Travel Studio and give presentations, collaborate and learn from them about the luxury travel business.

“It’s been quite helpful in Jefferson County,” Liles said.

“We have been so impressed and humbled by the support of our local community,” Stone said. “We really set out to do something different and appreciate each time we see a new guest walk into the store. Anne and I always say that we’re still learning how to run the business the best way possible, and I think we always will be, but we’ve had a ton of fun so far and look forward to what’s to come.”

The Travel Studio is located at 2012 Cahaba Road and is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit thetravel-studio.com for more information.

2505 Lane Park Road • Mountain Brook, Alabama

Ragan Stone and Anne Liles, founders of The Travel Studio, stand at the front of the store in English Village on May 10. The Travel Studio is a small travel and lifestyle retail store with a co-working space for travel advisors.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

O’Neal Library closed after flooding

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook is closed indefinitely due to a pipe burst in the building’s fire suppression system on May 5.

“It was a big pipe and a lot of water,” said library director Lindsy Gardner. “But the collection is fine. Mainly, the damage is around the flooring. The library is shut down for water mitigation and damage repair.”

Gardner said the main thing they are asking patrons is not to return books because of the humidity level in the building. There is no penalty for people holding onto their books for a while longer.

“It’s just a good idea not to have any more books in the building than we have already,” Gardner said. “If [patrons] have books that belong to other libraries, they’re certainly encouraged to return those. But if they’ll hold onto O’Neal Library items for now, that is the biggest help that we can get.”

The O’Neal director noted that library patrons throughout Jefferson County are generally able to return materials to any branch, noting that her branch often receives books that belong to Homewood, Vestavia Hills or Birmingham public libraries.

“We have a van system that picks up all the books and delivers them to the correct building,” she said. “We really just don’t want any books returned to our library right now. And it would be [best] if they didn't try to return our books to other libraries. Then somebody’s got to hold onto them until we can accept them.”

Damage was mostly limited to the first floor, where the children’s area and new books and other new arrivals are displayed. Water damage was also in the basement, which is a nonpublic

area that includes a staff workroom, the staff lounge and an area where the Friends of O’Neal Library hold their book sale every year.

A lot of the library’s electrical and mechanical material is in the basement. “We’re still evaluating,” Gardner said, “but I’m optimistic that there's no major damage to the electrical and mechanical.”

Gardner said the immediate priority is to let the professionals remove the carpet, sheetrock, and cabinetry that are damaged and/or retaining water and continue to monitor the humidity in the building.“Once we know the full scope of the damage, we will develop a plan to restore the building, which will include getting the fire suppression system in operation again,” she said. Gardner was thankful for the efforts of Mountain Brook’s public safety crew in dealing with the flooding.

“I’m so grateful to all the city departments who helped, particularly the fire department,” she said. “They were the first on the scene and they just responded by the book and really helped to mitigate the damage. Also, the police department has helped, [and] the building inspector, just everybody has pitched in and I'm really grateful.”

Gardner recommended patrons visit oneallibrary.org to check out digital collections of books, movies, music and other media offered through services like Libby, Hoopla and Kanopy.

The Summer Reading Carnival has been rescheduled for Sunday, Aug. 13. Gardner said information will be released about alternate plans for Summer Reading Programs, book groups, and other fun happenings.

Patrons can download the O’Neal Library app, check the online calendar or follow their Facebook page to stay updated on the progress.

O’Neal Library is asking patrons not to return their books while the library deals with flooding damage caused by a burst pipe. Photo by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

old or damaged American flags.

Troop 320 Life Scout collects flags for Eagle Scout project

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE

Mountain Brook High School student

Carson Rouleau held a weeklong collection drive in April for people to drop off old or damaged American flags.

A member of Troop 320, Rouleau is a Life Scout who also participates on the MBHS cross-country team.

Scouts were stationed at the box at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church on April 15 and 16 to greet people, educate them on proper flag etiquette, assist with folding flags and answer questions.

Rouleau encouraged community members to bring in any flags that were no longer in good condition, and the flags were properly retired during a ceremony on April 24.

“The drive went really well,” Rouleau said. “Over 60 flags were dropped off during the week, and I can positively say that it made an impact on the community. I also led a ceremony that was also very successful and honorable to the flags we collected.”

Rouleau said the box will be a permanent addition at the church and his troop will be actively collecting flags in the box and retiring the flags in the same way for years to come.

Carson Rouleau stands next to a box used to collect

Photo courtesy of Carson Rouleau.

New MBHS band director announced

Mountain Brook High School

recently announced James Rogers as its new director of bands.

Rogers takes over for Jason Smith, who retired on May 1 after a 27-year career in music education.

“We are so thankful to Jason and his commitment to our students over the past seven years and wish him nothing but the best in his much-deserved retirement,” Mountain Brook Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow said. “We are equally as excited to have James assume leadership of our high school's band program and know he will continue to grow the organization and inspire our talented young students.”

Rogers just completed his 11th year of leading young musicians and has directed the Mountain Brook Junior High band program since 2017, and he brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for music education.

He is dedicated to continuing the proud tradition of excellence that the Mountain Brook High School band has established.

“This band, its members and the community mean so incredibly much to me and my family,” Rogers said. “It has been a dream to get to work with my two best friends these past six years, and I am so excited to take the foundation that we have built to new heights.”

Incoming Mountain Brook High School

Principal Carrie Busby expressed her enthusiasm for Rogers’s new role.

“Under James’s associate direction, the

New assistant principal named for MBHS

Eric Hollis was named as an assistant principal at Mountain Brook High School last month.

Hollis, who has 12 years of experience in education, will join Carrie Busby (incoming principal) and Lars Porter (assistant principal) on the school’s administrative team this summer.

campus. He has a great rapport with many of our faculty members and we can’t wait for him to be here.”

MBS bands have flourished,” Busby said.

“Our program size has grown every year, competition scores have increased, and students have developed under his associate leadership. As a Mountain Brook High School band alumni and graduate, James Rogers is proud to fulfill his dream of serving as MBHS band director. We are excited about the future of our band program.”

– Submitted by William Galloway, Mountain Brook Schools.

“I am excited to be at Mountain Brook High School and cultivate relationships with all those in the school community,” Hollis said.“Mountain Brook is one of the best school systems in this part of the country and I’m eager to work alongside Carrie and Lars and learn from them in helping to lead the school.”

Busby said Hollis possesses natural leadership qualities and will be a great fit in the Mountain Brook school system.

“Eric has a strong background in facilities management, code of conduct implementation, school safety, and he is highly respected by students and colleagues,” Busby said. “His proven experience will be a tremendous asset on our

Originally from Sulligent, Alabama, Hollis graduated from Samford University in 2005, where he played baseball and earned his bachelor’s degree in biology/general sciences.

After a six-year career with the Chicago White Sox organization as a player and coach, Hollis went into education, where he spent nine years as a teacher and coach at Hoover before earning his master’s of education degree in educational leadership and administration from UAB. He has served as an assistant principal for three years two at Gardendale High School and one at Vestavia Hills High School.

Eric and his wife, Natalie, have four children: Addie Jo and a set of triplets, Ellie, Dalton and Gracie Kate.

– Submitted by William Galloway, Mountain Brook Schools.

Helical Piers

New MBHS Director of Bands James Rogers. Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.

Eric Hollis has been named an assistant principal at Mountain Brook High School. Photo courtesy of Whit McGhee, Vestavia Hills City Schools.

Busby ready to take on principal role at MBHS

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE

Carrie Busby said that when she found out she would be the successor to Philip Holley’s role as principal at Mountain Brook High School after his retirement, she felt a peace about the opportunity, one she had never felt before.

Busby brings 22 years of experience in secondary education to her new position. She spent the last decade as an assistant principal at Hoover High School, where she had worked her entire career and taught 12th grade English prior to her administrative role. In 2017, she was named the state’s Assistant Principal of the Year.

She arrived at MBHS in 2018, the same year as Holley.

“Phillip and the admin team had an opening and thought I would be a good fit, and he called me and asked if I would be interested in talking about this assistant principal position, and I did,” Busby said. “We discovered together we were the right fit as a team.”

Since she was Holley’s first hire, the two have worked closely together for the past five years. Busby said that their strengths and weaknesses complemented one another.

“Something that impacts how I lead has been watching the care [Holley] has for the community he was raised in, attended school in and then worked in professionally,” she said. “I’ve gotten to see firsthand, to see that, and I feel the weight of that on my shoulders.”

Mountain Brook Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow said that during the search process, they were looking for someone who understands the culture of Mountain Brook Schools and the high standards for its students to be successful in their future endeavors.

“Carrie fits both of these qualities extremely well and will help move Mountain Brook High School forward in the coming years,” Barlow said.

Busby said she didn’t pursue an administrative role earlier in her career because balancing work and family was important to her. She took eight years off during her teaching career to stay home with her two children, who are now grown.

“Now I have time to be able to commit to a principalship, because it’s very demanding,” Busby said. “I don’t have children at home anymore, so I can devote the time I feel like I need to a principalship.”

Busby said she will also work to assist the faculty and staff in a work-life balance.

“If you help them do both, they benefit at home and their students benefit at school, if you allow them that balance,” she said. “That was modeled for me.”

Busby said she plans to work hard because there is so much legacy and expectation at MBHS, where so many families have attended the school through generations.

She describes herself as very personable and relational and said she cares about spending time understanding a situation, so she is able to best support a student or teacher.

“I want to help where I’m needed, I want to give support where it's needed, and I intend to be very present and available,” Busby said. Instead of spending much of her time in meetings and working on master scheduling, Busby said she is excited to get out of her office and be able to meet with all the staff in their roles and find out the strengths and weaknesses of the various departments and ways that she can support them.

“The rapport I’ve built here over the last five years with staff I feel will empower me to move into this next season, not with confidence but with an understanding of what the expectations are at MBHS and the willingness to forge ahead,” she said.

Busby has continued to add to her ongoing notebook of ideas that the staff can conquer as a team and things she sees that are needed in

Carrie Busby, the new principal at Mountain Brook High School, in the new fine arts wing April 18. Busby will take over for Philip Holley in June after Holley’s retirement. Photos by Erin Nelson.

work on

the school that she wants to pursue.

“It could be something lofty, or something small,” she said. “Something that boosts morale or even academic vision committees.”

She said that teachers at Mountain Brook High are the best in the business and she looks forward to being able to support them. The students also have high expectations, and Busby said she is excited to be able to walk alongside them.

“Helping them navigate what will be next for

them after high school, whether it’s college or learning a trade, helping them find that way is meaningful to me,” she said.

Busby holds a master’s of educational administration degree from University of Montevallo and a bachelor’s of science in education from the University of Alabama. She and her husband, Scott, have been married for 27 years.

In her free time, Busby enjoys spending time at the lake and being on the water.

Busby will officially take over as principal

July 1 and said she and Holley are working to make it a smooth transition.

“I’m very excited about working hard with our faculty and staff as we move into this next school year,” she said. “It is important to me that the belief and commitment to excellence is ensured from students to staff as well as parents and the Mountain Brook community at large. I welcome the challenge of leading this distinctive school which I have grown to love over the past five years.”

Carrie Busby, the new principal at Mountain Brook High School, speaks with seniors Miller Knott, Ellie Fooshee and KG Halsey about the new bell system at the high school, while Knott, Fooshee and Halsey

their Chromebooks in the library April 18.

“

” I want to help where I’m needed, I want to give support where it’s needed, and I intend to be very present and available.

CARRIE BUSBY

SNAPSHOTS PHOTOS BY ERIN NELSON

Above: Students use chalk to color in the words “Mountain Brook Schools.”

Below: Reeba Khan, a fifth grader at Mountain Brook Elementary, shows Virginia McCoin, a first grader at Crestline Elementary, different chords on a ukulele

Left: Lucy Spann, left, looks on as her daughter Margaret, 8, a second grader at Crestline Elementary, reads through her Pocahontas timeline during the annual Showcase of Schools.

Right: Creed Allen, a senior at Mountain Brook High School, holds a Hot Wheels track in place as Carson Edinger, 5, explores physics using a toy car

Left: Dewey White, 8, a second grader at Mountain Brook Elementary, tests out the backwards brain bicycle with help from Wells Finch, left, a junior, and Virginia Scott, a sophomore. Center: Charlotte Nader, 9, left, and Liza Trotter, 10, center, fourth graders at Crestline Elementary, work to identify the types of fossils found in a box of sand with assistance from Grace Kiser, 9, a third grader at Mountain Brook Elementary. Right: Lilani Turner, 9, a fourth grader at Brookwood Forest Elementary, demonstrates CPR.

Above: Anne Collier Cotney, 8, a second grader at Crestline Elementary, demonstrates the STEM robotics project her class developed during the annual Showcase of Schools behind Mountain Brook City Hall on April 24.

CONTINUED from page A1

was seen as a device or a mechanism,” he said. “Oftentimes, they would come together if there was a big issue brewing in the community that needed attention.”

Calling themselves Birmingham Community Chest at that time, they organized to help fight issues like tuberculosis, a disease that was heavily burdening local medical facilities.

“What I find interesting is that even though the issues today are very different, the dynamic is very similar for the organization,” Langloh said, noting that United Way has gone through several name changes over the years, including United Appeal in 1956 and UWCA in 1992.

“Today, we still roll up our sleeves and sit at a common table together and talk about issues facing us today and how we are going to go about solving them. Even though we’re very different than we were in 1923, the reason for our existence is the same.”

More than 200 programs, services and initiatives in six central Alabama counties are currently provided with help from UWCA. The organization pools resources from donors to fund the work of these agencies.

O’Neal said UWCA “provides so much for immediate and long-term needs.”

“We want everyone in the community to have the resources they need to thrive, not just survive,” he said.

That’s why in conjunction with their 100th anniversary celebration this year, UWCA has a goal of making sure its work is endowed for the next 100 years.

Langloh said they are “firm believers that when we come together as a whole, the possibilities are endless.”

“Our 100-year impact on the Central Alabama community proves this, and we look forward to continuing to pave the way for real, tangible change for the next 100 years,” he said.

Those future plans start with a celebration of where they’ve been and where they’re headed. On June 24, UWCA supporters, partners and neighbors are invited to CityWalk in

Birmingham from 3 to 8 p.m. to enjoy live music, food, performers, games, a partner agency fair and more.

In the coming months, UWCA will also unveil six community park projects, one in each county served by the organization. Each project will either renovate an existing park or choose a property and build a new park, including outdoor classroom space and inclusive play areas.

Part of the project will be to provide funds to maintain the park in the future as well as provide the volunteers needed along the way.

O’Neal, who is serving as chair of the centennial celebration committee, said UWCA “builds a great community and advances the common good by bringing people together to help others,” and projects like this are part of that legacy.

Over the past hundred years, UWCA has met a variety of changing needs. It organized relief during the Great Depression. It led the way in race relations with the addition of its first Black board member, Dr. A.G. Gaston, in 1966 and with the establishment of a boys’ club in

his name.

UWCA also leveraged nearly $21 million to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Alabama in 2006.

All of this and much more has been done with the vital support of the community, Langloh said. In 1923, Birmingham Community Chest met a fundraising goal of half a million dollars to help its 31 agencies. Now with more than 200 agencies, UWCA is hoping to raise its endowment to $100 million to ensure that kind of assistance keeps going.

Craft O’Neal, right, shakes hands with a teacher at Hayes K-8 School at the school’s field day in 2018.

Photos courtesy of O’Neal Industries.

O’Neal Industries is one of the companies in Birmingham that have donated time and money to United Way of Central Alabama over its 100-year history, including a volunteer day at the Central Alabama Community Food Bank in August 2022.

“The whole reason for United Way is to serve the community,” said Langloh, who has worked with UWCA for 24 years, 15 of those as CEO. “To me, it all starts with this fundamental belief that this organization is owned by the community, not owned by anyone in particular. Because of that, we’ve been successful in that each generation that comes along has picked it up and stewarded it through their time and then handed it off.”

O’Neal is part of that story.

“In the early years of our company, my grandfather initiated a payroll deduction

process as part of onboarding new employees,” he said. “There was the expectation at hiring that all new employees would sign up to provide ongoing support for United Way, and I believe most everyone did. While support is no longer expected, we are thankful most company team members continue to support United Way through our annual employee campaigns and or through volunteerism.”

As part of O’Neal Industries’ own centennial celebration two years ago, the company brought hundreds of team members from across the U.S. and around the world to Birmingham

for two days.

“The most rewarding part of our time together was partnering with United Way on an afternoon of giving back,” O’Neal said. “The group dispersed to work on projects at United way agencies across the community, and everyone loved it.”

He said by partnering with UWCA, “you’re part of something bigger than yourself, fulfilling your own life and the lives of others. We have certainly found that to be the case with our involvement at O’Neal.”

Langloh said UWCA has worked over the

years to “keep fighting for the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community,” and he is “pretty confident and hopeful that the work we’re doing now will help perpetuate that model into the future.”

“The issues will be different, but what I’m really hopeful for as we’re launching this endowment campaign is to make sure it’s still there to bring the community together to work on their problems, whatever they might be,” he said.

For more information about the centennial celebration, visit uwca.org/100years.

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“I was so excited to start working there because I would get to do it with my family and be able to make some extra money,” said Lolly, a senior at Vestavia Hills High School. “Getting to work there with my family made it even better because I got to spend time with them while also doing something that I enjoyed.”

Brad Simpson said his daughter quickly exceeded his expectations with her work at the store.

“Lolly has always been a very creative individual and has never hesitated to help us at the store,” he said. “I knew she would work with us part-time at the store, especially during busy periods, but I did not anticipate how quickly she would become such an integral part of our business.”

One of his biggest rewards of his time at Smith’s has been seeing his daughter grow into a businesswoman, Brad said.

“Her responsibilities have increased year by year and include buying, merchandising and training new employees,” he said. “She rightfully pushes back when I try to micromanage her. At only 18, she is helping me learn to be a better leader and get the most out of our team members.”

Lolly will be attending Samford University this fall to study architecture, but she will still help out at Smith’s as her time permits. She said working with her father has been a great experience.

“It makes me feel relaxed knowing that he is there if I need anything, and it’s fun getting to see how the business works and see everything he contributes to it,” she said. “Working with my family, and especially my dad, has helped me have a better appreciation for how hard my parents work, and I appreciate the things I have so much more because of it.”

While another generation owning the store would be fine with him, Brad said he urges his children, Lolly and Owen, to take their own path.

“We never want our children to feel pressured to join our business if it’s not the path the Lord intended for them. While we would be happy for Smith’s to continue in our family after Amy and I retire and are confident it would be in great hands, our ultimate satisfaction is for Lolly and Owen to find and pursue their passion and purpose,” he said.

Lolly said she could see another generation

for the family and the store.

“I hope there will be another generation to join the legacy,” she said. “I am studying to become an architect one day, but I love the idea of owning the store also. It’s something that is so special to my parents, and I want to carry on its legacy with my family and my children one day to honor them.”

SNOOZY’S KIDS

Snoozy’s Kids in Mountain Brook will celebrate 35 years of business in August. Owner George Jones said he’s happy it’s turned into a family business, joined by his daughter Lillian.

“Lillian loves to travel. She had lived in several really cool places before she decided to come back to Birmingham. I am thrilled beyond belief that she is here because I thought when she became an adult she would choose the excitement of a much larger city,” he said.

Lillian said it had always been a dream of hers to work alongside her dad at the specialty toy shop.

“After about five years of various jobs around the world after college, it was time,” she said. “I grew up at the store, worked on and off my whole life. I love the people we work with, the customers that have become friends and the community that continues to support us.”

George said the communication improves when you know a co-worker so well.

“Communication with a family member

goes beyond mere words. A certain facial expression or enunciation of a word or sentence can get a point across very effectively,” he said.

Lillian said the two have personalities that balance each other.

“Without dad’s personality, truly loving heart and sacrifices he has made, the store wouldn’t be what it is today,” she said. “I have learned an incredible amount about life, community and relationships. Constantly finding new ways to evolve the store through new products and ideas is always tremendously fun.”

Both plan on being a part of Snoozy’s and the Mountain Brook community for years to come.

“We have an unbelievably supportive community. Shopping local is key. As long as that exists, we are joyfully here for it,” Lillian said.

MCGOWIN-KING MORTGAGE

Jim King and Travis McGowin have known each other since they went to Shades Valley High School together. The two formed McGowin-King Mortgage in 1998. Their sons, Jimbo King and Warner McGowin, have since joined the business.

Both fathers said neither of them felt like there was “the remotest possibility” their sons would join the business, but they also said the experience has been rewarding.

“The tech support has been great,” Jim said. “Joking aside, it has been a great experience re-connecting with them in a professional way

after they had ‘left the nest’ and had families and previous careers.”

“Teaching them the business has been rewarding, but it has been especially enjoyable watching them grow their expertise to the next level and take the reins of the business,” Travis said.

Jimbo joined the business in 2006 after being at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. Warner worked in publishing for years, including at Southern Living, before coming on board with the mortgage firm in 2010.

Both sons have enjoyed working with their fathers.

“We can both say that it has been incredibly meaningful,” Jimbo said. “They are both topnotch people with the highest level of ethics and commitment that we're committed to honoring. Getting to know and work and share our professional lives has been something we both cherish.”

Jimbo and Warner said they would love the opportunity to work with their own children some day, but that is not an expectation.

“Never say ‘never,’ but I don't foresee either of my sons pivoting from their present careers into the mortgage world,” Jimbo said. “I would welcome it, though, based on my experience with my dad and for their tech support.”

“My kids are all just finishing high school, so we'll see what college brings,” Warren said. “I would relish the chance to work with them, but more than anything I want them to do what they really want.”

Lillian Falkenburg stands beside her father, George Jones, at Snoozy’s Kids in Crestline Village. Photo by Erin Nelson. Below: From left: Travis McGowin and son Warner McGowin with Jim King and his son James A. King III. Photo courtesy of McGowin-King Mortgage.

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Competitive nature continues to drive Gann family

By JAMES PHILLIPS

The Gann family has built a legacy when it comes to sports in the Birmingham metro area.

Gerald Gann’s coaching career spanned more than 40 years. He coached baseball, basketball and football teams at various stops, including Berry, Homewood, Hoover and John Carroll Catholic high schools.

Doug and Lee Gann, Gerald’s two sons, have followed in their father’s footsteps to successful coaching careers of their own. Doug served as baseball coach at Homewood for 15 years before becoming the school’s athletic director. Lee has been the baseball coach at Mountain Brook for more than 20 years.

Both brothers said coaching was a natural decision as a career choice.

“I knew early on that I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps, despite my mother wanting me to do something else,” Doug said. “One of the many things that I admired about my father was the way he treated people and how he cared for his players, even to this day. The respect of the game and preparing for competition was something that was instilled in me from an early age. I'm sure there are children who wouldn't want to play for their fathers, but I thoroughly loved my experience.”

Lee said sports have always been a part of their lives.

“All we had ever done was play

sports,” he said. “We were always on a field or in a gym. Those were our playgrounds. Even before we played ball, we were at our dad’s games. That is what we did for fun.”

While both brothers were coaching, they had plenty of chances to coach against each other, making for a unique experience.

“Our dad always taught that it wasn’t about who you were playing or coaching against. It was about the next game. Whether I was coaching against my brother or someone else, I wanted to win. We are both competitive and wanted the same thing,” Lee said.

Doug said he never wanted to

lose to his brother, especially in their younger days.

“With me being the older brother, I never wanted to lose to my little brother when we were growing up. I definitely didn't want to lose playing against each other in college,” he said. “When we coached against each other, though, I didn't think of it as me

versus him; it was the next game and it wasn't about us.”

The sibling rivalry has changed in recent years with their own sons added into the mix. Lee said his son Curt, a 2020 graduate of Mountain Brook, has already said he wants to continue the family tradition of coaching and has helped with the Spartans baseball program. Doug’s son Tripp will graduate this year from Homewood High School, but he does not plan on going into coaching.

“I'm very thankful I was able to work where my children went to school. Since Tripp is the last one, I'm a little sad but also excited for him and his future. I feel like he had a great experience in the classroom and the playing fields,” Doug said.

Even being a third-generation Gann to walk the halls of Homewood High did not pressure Tripp, he said.

“I didn't feel any added pressure,” Tripp said. “I knew that my grandfather coached there as well as my dad, but I didn't want that to take away from me being myself. I thoroughly enjoyed my high school experience.”

Lee said coaching against his nephew, with Mountain Brook and Homewood being in the same area the last two seasons, had been interesting.

“Of course I wanted Tripp to do well, but I wanted our team to win,” Lee said. “He batted .500 against us, so he did play well and was a tough out every time, but we did go 4-0 against them.”

Coaches and brothers Doug Gann, left, and Lee Gann, right, meet at home plate with a pair of officials to exchange lineups and review field rules before the start of a Homewood-Mountain Brook baseball game in February 2017. The brothers’ father also coached multiple sports for Berry High School as well as Homewood High School. Staff photo.

Urban named new Mountain Brook AD

By KYLE PARMLEY

Andy Urban’s focus for much of the last decade has been on creating an environment for success within the walls of Hoover High School and its athletic department.

So, when he learned of Mountain Brook Schools athletics director Benny Eaves’s impending retirement, he did not give the situation much thought beyond the fact of his friend and colleague stepping away from the profession.

“I love Hoover and love my job,” Urban said. “I wasn’t looking and wasn’t in the mood to listen. But the wheels started spinning and God started opening doors. And here we are.”

Those open doors led to Urban being named the new Mountain Brook Schools AD, effective June 1. He will conclude a nine-year tenure as Hoover’s AD in May.

Initially, Urban did not feel the timing was right. His daughter, Anna Kate, is in fourth grade, and moving her to a new school did not seem to be an ideal option.

But there were positive conversations with Mountain Brook Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow, followed by the naming of Carrie Busby as the new Mountain Brook High School principal. Urban and Busby worked together for many years at Hoover.

“A lot of the timing things fell into place to where it felt like a good opportunity to make a career change and go to a different situation,” Urban said.

Urban will take over a high school athletic department that has been no stranger to success in recent years. During Eaves’s eight years as Mountain Brook AD, the Spartans won a combined 35 state championships.

That number won’t faze Urban, though, who has overseen 39 state titles in his nine years

leading Hoover’s athletics department.

“The biggest thing at Hoover that has changed is the standard for every sport involved,” he said. “When I took over, there was an expectation for the big three [football, basketball, baseball], but now, every sport is running at the highest level. The expectations from everyone are to compete at the highest level for every sport.”

Urban does not believe he can simply take every bit of his blueprint from Hoover and install it at Mountain Brook, because the culture

and style at both places are unique.

“Hoover has a unique way, Spain Park has one, Mountain Brook has theirs. [Mountain Brook’s] is a success-based model and I don’t know all the ins and outs of it yet, but that’s the biggest thing I see from any school,” he said.

Urban played baseball at Wallace State Community College and the University of South Alabama before embarking on a coaching career that took him to several high school stops.

He was at a career crossroads when Hoover athletic director Myra Miles and

Principal Don Hulin paved his road into athletic administration.

“They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself,” Urban said. “This school allowed me to grow into what I am today and I’m proud of what we’ve done as a school. … I’m very thankful for it and very proud of it.”

His first task upon taking the Mountain Brook job? Figuring out where all the light switches are.

“Things are different everywhere you go,” he said.

Andy Urban, the new athletic director at Mountain Brook High School, stands by the trophy case at Spartan Arena. Urban begins his role with MBHS on June 1.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

OUR TREE CREWS ARE WORKING TO KEEP THE DEPENDABILITY YOU EXPECT.

At Alabama Power, we work hard to provide the dependable service our customers expect and deserve. We give 100% to achieve 99.98% dependability. That means regularly inspecting and trimming trees as a way of preventing potential outages.

About 45% of outages experienced by Alabama Power customers are due to trees and plant life.

Overgrown branches can brush against power lines and cause outages. They also make power lines more accessible to wildlife.

We use technology and data analytics to help identify areas in need of tree trimming to protect the electrical system.

Keeping you aware of upcoming work is a priority to us. Scan the QR code to see the neighborhoods tree crews will be working in.

If you have any questions, please call Alabama Power at 205-257-2155 and request to speak with a member of our utility tree care team.

To learn more about how we safely maintain our system or for recommendations on planting the right trees in the right place, visit AlabamaPower.com/trees.

Spartans girls pull off school year sweep, win state outdoor track PERFECTION

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Mountain Brook High School girls successfully pulled off the trifecta.

Setting such a lofty goal can sometimes be a recipe for disappointment, but the Spartans won the Class 6A state outdoor track and field meet, held May 4-6 in Gulf Shores, to sweep all three state titles for the school year.

The Mountain Brook girls won cross-country in the fall, followed by the indoor track and field title in the winter. They took care of business once again to cap off the outdoor season, posting 94 points to win the team title. Northridge finished second with 76 points. St. Paul’s, Homewood and Saraland finished third through fifth, separated by 3.5 points.

It is the fourth time in program history Mountain Brook has pulled off the school year sweep,

and the first since 2007.

“Winning the triple crown is hard, especially in the larger divisions,” Mountain Brook coach Michael McGovern said.

Reagan Riley and Lucy Benton led the way for the Spartans in the running events. Riley won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, while finishing third in the 800. Benton was second in the 800 and 1,600, and fourth in the 400. Both also contributed to the 4x400-meter relay team that finished second.

The Spartans were boosted by the ability to have a third point-scorer in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, as Mary Katherine Malone was fourth in the 800, Virginia Averyt was seventh in the 1,600 and Gracie Walker finished eighth in the 3,200.

Annie Kerr reached the podium in pole vault, finishing third. Ellie Fooshee was fourth in the

javelin throw, while Ella Meadows finished sixth. Jane Earnhardt was seventh in the discus throw. The 4x800-meter relay team won the race in 9:38.

The boys team finished sixth, scoring 33 points. Homewood won the boys title, edging out St. Paul’s for the trophy. Northridge was third.

Davis Lee got onto the podium in the 400, finishing third with a time of 49.93 seconds after passing a couple runners on the home stretch. The boys team also finished second in the 4x400. Max Kuehner was a key for the team as well, as he finished sixth in long jump and sixth in 300-meter hurdles. The 4x800 team also got on the medal stand, posting a third-place finish.

Clayton Collins was a fifth-place finisher in 1,600, Gri Cashio scored an eighth-place finish in the javelin throw and Caleb Mumm was

eighth in pole vault.

Spence Morano, KJ Leedy, Creed Allen, Jack Chapman, George Pelekis, Denton Russell, Sims McElroy, Max Baltz, Julia Grooms, Lucy Pankey, Sophie Grace Rhodes, Mary Jim Doyle, Livy Holt and Ruth Ann Kearley were among the other athletes competing for Mountain Brook in the event.

McGovern said 12 of the 15 competitors for the boys team this year were seniors, so there will be plenty of new faces competing for the team next year. On the girls side, there was more of a balance.

The girls team came up short at state indoor last season but has won four in a row dating back to state outdoor last year.

“They came up short in indoor last year and they were really determined this year,” McGovern said.

Above: Mountain Brook’s Reagan Riley takes the lead in the girls 3,300-meter run during the AHSAA Class 6A Section 2 track and field sectionals at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on April 29. Right: Lucy Benton hugs Raegan Riley after a race. Photos by Richard Force.

Above: Ellie Fooshee competes in the javelin. Right: Annie Kerr lines up her approach during the pole vault

Spartans dominate state tennis tournament

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Mountain Brook High School tennis team was nearly perfect at the Class 6A state tournament, held April 24-25 at the Mobile Tennis Center.

The Spartans swept the boys and girls state titles, marking the program’s first sweep of those blue map trophies since 2017. It was the girls team’s sixth consecutive state title, with the boys winning their first one in six years.

Mountain Brook won 17 of a possible 18 flights across boys and girls competitions in singles and doubles.

“It was so rewarding to watch them, because they’ve put in a lot of work,” Mountain Brook coach Susan Farlow said.

The depth of the Mountain Brook team was on full display at the state tournament, as the boys won five of the singles flights and all three doubles flights. The girls team won

nine out of nine between singles and doubles. Homewood finished as the boys runner-up and Decatur was the girls runner-up, but the Spartans were over 30 points clear in both.

“They were just determined,” Farlow said.

Connor Jenkins won the state title at No. 2 singles, beating St. Paul’s Thomas Brutkiewics 6-4, 6-4 in the final. Thomas Austin defeated Trinity Presbyterian’s James Treadwell 6-2, 4-6, 10-4 in the No. 3 singles final.

At No. 4 singles, Guy Mitchell beat Hartselle’s Ben Carnes 6-2, 6-2. Max Gayden took home the No. 5 singles title, beating Homewood’s Sam Housman 6-1, 6-0. The No. 6 singles title went to George Dumas, who beat Spanish Fort’s Jacob Thom 6-2, 2-6, 10-7.

Luke Schwefler finished as the runner-up to a strong Goodwin Holley of Spanish Fort in No. 1 singles. But Schwefler got his state title in No. 1 doubles, as he paired with Gayden to

beat Trinity’s Samuel and James Treadwell.

Logan Woodall and Jenkins won in No. 2 doubles, beating a Spanish Fort duo 6-4, 6-0 in the final. Austin and Mitchell took the No. 3 crown by beating another Trinity pair 6-1, 6-1.

The girls winner’s report featured nothing but Mountain Brook champions. At No. 1 singles, Pippa Roy took down Decatur’s Abby Glover 6-1, 6-0. Annie Lacey picked up a win over Lillie Kidder of McGill-Toolen by the same score in the No. 2 singles final. At No. 3 singles, Ann Royal Goodson defeated St. Paul’s Emme Clement 6-7 (2), 6-1, 10-6 in a tight match. Mary Neale Polk won at No. 4 singles, with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Decatur’s Viki Blakely. At No. 5 singles, Mae Mae Lacey defeated Northridge’s Alexandra Salekin 6-1, 6-0. Senior Moira Dowling won 6-3, 6-1 over Mary Wade of Northridge. Roy and Annie Lacey combined to take the

No. 1 doubles title over Decatur’s Glover and Anna Harbin, 6-1, 6-3. Mae Mae Lacey and Ann Coleman won at No. 2 doubles, scoring 6-1, 6-1 over a Decatur pair. Polk and Mary Jackson Darnall won at No. 3 doubles with a 6-1, 6-3 win over a duo from St. Paul’s.

Farlow said she has “never seen a more fierce competitor” than Roy and had nothing but high marks for the whole lineup. She also commended Dowling and Darnall for their contributions. Dowling excelled in the lineup this year and has been a captain alongside Coleman. Darnall and Goodson won state titles playing as sophomores as well.

Farlow also gave high praise to Woodson Canterbury and Trey Stiles, senior captains for the team.

As is typically the case, the Spartans have a positive outlook for the 2024 spring season as well, so the run of state titles is likely not finished any time soon.

Left: The Mountain Brook girls tennis team claimed their sixth consecutive Class 6A title at the state tournament in Mobile on April 25. Right: The Mountain Brook boys tennis team claimed the Class 6A title. Photos courtesy of Susan Farlow.

get awayFOR A DAY

Cook Museum of Natural Science offers exciting, hands-on experience

At the Cook Museum of Natural Science in downtown Decatur, visitors of all ages learn about the wonders of nature — and not by looking passively at dry, dull, traditional displays.

Instead, they enjoy an exciting, hands-on, immersive experience featuring state-of-the-art interactive exhibits.

Attendees touch a meteorite. They climb to the top of Big Tree. They’re mesmerized by moon jellies. They build a volcano and watch it erupt.

“Hands-on, immersive experiences engage people through more than listening, reading or watching,” said Joy Harris, the Cook Museum’s marketing coordinator. “When people not only see and hear, but also interact with something, they’re more likely to retain and recall the experience.”

The Cook Museum has drawn nearly 300,000 total visitors since it opened in 2019 and is a perfect Getaway for a Day. Less than 90 minutes from Birmingham, the facility is open seven days a week all summer and offers families the chance to make amazing memories together.

In addition, the museum is driven by a powerful mission.

“North America, and Alabama specifically, have amazing biodiversity that Cook Museum wants to showcase so people will be excited and educated about the natural world around them,” she said.

By providing amazing

experiences, the Cook Museum hopes to “spark an interest for visitors to explore topics further on their own,” Harris said.

In addition to exhibits, the museum provides extensive educational programming.

A great spot for field trips and

group visits, the museum hosted nearly 15,000 students on field trips in 2022.

The museum offers 5-day summer camps for children ages 5-12 on such topics as robotics and zoology. This summer’s theme is “Biomes Bonanza.”

The Aquarist for a Day camps — held year-round — allow kids in grades 4 through 8 to explore careers at the Cook Museum through live animal feedings, behind-the-scenes tours, science classes and dissections of shark and squid. Homeschool classes for grades

K-12 feature a new topic each month. All classes are hands-on, and many seventh- through 12th-grade classes include a dissection of a crab, grasshopper, sea star or sea urchin.

The Cook Museum offers event spaces for meetings, banquets and other events of all sizes, as well as birthday party packages.

Visitors can enjoy the Nature’s Table cafe in the museum lobby for healthy, delicious food with fresh ingredients, such as sandwiches, salads, wraps and protein bowls. Nature's Table also offers catering and boxed meals for events and parties.

Museum memberships offer such benefits as unlimited free general admission for a year, 10% discounts at Nature’s Table and the Museum Store, discounts on birthday party packages and camp registrations and early registration for classes and camps.

Through Labor Day, the Cook Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m.

Admission is $20 for adults ages 15 and over, $15 for children ages 3-14 and $17 for seniors ages 65 and up and military personnel with IDs. Infants ages 2 and younger are admitted free. Group packages are available.

For more information, including upcoming classes, camps and events, call 256-351-4505 or go to cookmuseum.org.

Vacation Bible School roundup

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE

Churches around the area will be hosting vacation bible school events this month and next month. The events provide children with a fun and engaging way to learn about their faith and to develop a deeper understanding of the Bible.

Here are several VBS events taking place in the Mountain Brook area:

MOUNTAIN BROOK COMMUNITY CHURCH

► Where: 3001 U.S. 280 East

► Date: June 12-15

► Time: 9 a.m. to noon

► Theme: Stellar! Shine Jesus’ Light

► Ages: Pre-K through 4th grade

► Register: mbcc.us/vbs/

MOUNTAIN BROOK BAPTIST CHURCH

► Where: 3631 Montevallo Road South

► Date: July 10-14

► Time: 9 a.m. to noon

► Theme: TBD

► Ages: Completed 3K through 5th grade

► Register: mbbc.org/events/vacation-bible-school-2023

CANTERBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

► Where: 350 Overbrook Road

► Date: June 12-16

► Time: 9 a.m. to noon

► Theme: Hero Hotline

► Ages: Rising 4K through 5th grade

► Register: canterburyumc.org/kidsummer

► ST. PETER’S ANGLICAN CHURCH

► Where: 3207 Montevallo Road

► Date: July 10-13

► Time: 9 a.m. to noon

► Theme: B.A.S.I.C. Elements Science

► Ages: Completed 4K through 5th grade

► Register: stpetersbhm.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1703767

Zoo Brews to feature

By SARAH GILLILAND

The annual Zoo Brews event at Birmingham Zoo will be held this month and will feature more than 20 breweries, wineries and cideries.

On Saturday, June 10, from 6 to 10 p.m, the 2023 Zoo Brews festivities will be open to ages 21 and older and will require a separate ticket purchase for attendance.

In addition to the brews, six food vendors will also be onsite, including Adored Sweets, Cousins Maine Lobster, Eugene’s Hot Chicken, Wasabi Juan’s, Corazon and Tamale Queen, said Kallie Ricker, events manager for the Birmingham Zoo.

As of press time, Ricker was unable to provide a complete list of the breweries, wineries and cideries that would be in attendance. However, the zoo’s website promises an “experience [of] breweries from all over Alabama and the Southeast.”

The zoo’s Wild Burger restaurant will be open serving food as well as full-sized beer and wine for an additional charge.

To comply with ABC regulations, the event will operate with a “penny-a-pour” system. Alcoholic drink samples from each vendor will be valued at one penny. If guests do not have pennies with them, the zoo will have a “penny redemption” booth at each vendor location to allow guests to trade in larger coins for pennies. All pennies collected will be donated to the zoo’s Emergency Animal Fund.

General admission is $45 per person, and a designated driver ticket is $15 per person. All guests must present a valid ID for admittance, and no one under the age of 21 will be admitted. Tickets will be sold on site, but guests are advised to purchase tickets in advance.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit birminghamzoo.com/event/ zoo-brews-2023.

Various places of worship in Mountain Brook are holding Vacation Bible Schools this summer. Staff photo.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is offering summer camps and different classes for children and adults. Photo courtesy of Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Botanical Gardens sets slate of summer events

By SARAH GILLILAND

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens will be hosting an abundance of classes and activities for visitors to get outside and enjoy the summer.

“Parents should sign their children up for a summer camp at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens because we offer enrichment and learning activities in the beautiful, natural setting of the Gardens, where kids will be able to spend plenty of time outdoors,” said Cassia Kesler, director of communications and marketing for the Gardens. New this year is a Super STEAM Gardeners

summer camp. Kesler said she is excited to offer this camp to meet the growing demand for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) educational programs.

“It will afford young students the opportunity to expand their problem-solving abilities and reasoning skills, while giving them hands-on experiences that are both creative and fun,” she said.

The Gardens will also be offering an iPhone photography class for adults on June 14 and 22. Guests can learn how to use the phone camera, lighting and composition to create the perfect

8000 Liberty Parkway Vestavia Hills 205.969.1969

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smile Where will your take you?

picture.

Kesler believes that the smaller scale of the Gardens’ summer camps is what sets them apart from other area summer camps.

“Students will learn gardening skills, culinary skills, STEAM skills, art or yoga depending on the summer camp in which they are enrolled,” she said.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens also offers free storytime and craft programs every Friday at 10 a.m. This offering benefits younger children and their caregivers who might not be ready for a camp experience just yet.

Class and camp prices vary for members and non-members, depending on the type and length of class or camp. Yoga classes for adults range from $12 for members to $15 for non-members. More hands-on classes, such as a Rose Care Workshop, are $25 for members, $30 for non-members.

Kesler said parents appreciate the camps’ educational focus, while kids just know they’re having fun.

For more information on prices, classes and camps this summer, visit bbgardens.org/ programs.

Opinion

Colorado Springs — I’m standing on Pikes Peak, 14,000 feet above sea level. I’m looking at the world from a mountaintop.

In 1994, we scattered Daddy’s ashes here. He came packed in a cardboard box. I was a child.

The day we turned him loose, I prayed for something grand to happen. Maybe a gust of wind, a big cloud, or even snow. I’d heard it can snow on Pikes Peak during the summer.

That’s what I wanted. I wanted nature to deliver something. But there were no gusts. No clouds. No snow. Only hot sun. Anyway, my father’s death happened suddenly. I was 12. And this view takes me to that age again. The scenery up here is breathtaking. I can see clear to Kansas, and the sun is shining so hard it burns me.

The altitude is getting to me. There are tiny sparks in my vision. The EMT at the visitor’s center told me this means I am in oxygen debt.

Twenty-four years. It’s been so long since he’s been gone that I often forget his face. I have to open a photo album to remember.

I have a favorite photograph. A faded Polaroid. He’s wearing his denim, his boots, and his work jacket. He’s all iron worker.

Sean of the South

By Sean Dietrich

My Father’s Grave

I loved him.

He used to play make-believe with me when I was little. Daddy would wear a cowboy hat and play Old West Saloon. I was Wyatt Earp; he was Billy the Kid.

We’d have gunfights at high noon. Our living room became the showdown at O.K. Corral. I would take him down with a cap gun. I was the best shot in the West. He would grab his gut, then fall on the floor.

Dietrich

Then, I would jump on his chest. He would kiss me on the forehead. He’d say, “That’s my little cowboy.”

How could a man disappear like dust?

I remember where we emptied his ashes. I am standing on the exact spot. I’ve been waiting years to stand here.

I expect to cry, or feel like someone is jumping on my chest, but I don’t. Instead, I smile. I remove my hat and hold it to my chest.

And I thank my father. I’m not sure what I’m thanking him for, but I am thanking him.

I don’t know. Maybe I’m thanking him

for 12 years of love — which is more than some kids get. Maybe, for all the make-believe games in the living room, for forehead kisses.

Maybe I’m thanking him for who I am today. I wouldn’t be who I am if not for his early departure.

And all of a sudden, I miss him. I wish he could swoop down from heaven momentarily and talk to me. I wish I could be a boy, and we could play make-believe.

But he can’t. That’s not the way it works. People are here, then they aren’t. It’s that simple. I’m used to this by now.

I stand on a rock near the edge. “I miss you,” I tell him.

My voice disappears. But at least I’ve said it. And my time here is done. I’m getting tired. I’m ready to crawl down the mountain and get away from this altitude.

I turn to walk away. A cloud begins to form.

I stop to watch.

It spins into shape out of pure nothingness.

A large, swelling fog.

Nearby, tourists start hollering things like, “Hey! Come look at this cloud!” Folks with cameras aim them at the phenomenon. Everyone gathers.

A pillar of white grows in front of us. In only seconds, mist swallows the whole world. Nobody can see anything but the cloud.

Then.

Snow.

It starts falling hard. Then, gusts of wind. I watch until the show is over and the world turns sunny again.

Experts say sudden weather changes are common this time of year on top of the mountain. And I’m sure they are. Maybe that’s all it was — warm and cold fronts colliding. But then, maybe it was something else. Maybe it was a wink. Or a smile. Or a wave.

Or a kiss on the forehead.

Maybe.

Sean Dietrich is a columnist and novelist known for his commentary on life in the American South. He has authored nine books and is the creator of the “Sean of the South” blog and podcast.

Life Actually By Kari Kampakis 12 ways to ‘mother yourself’ as you raise kids

A woman who once planned a speaking event for me said she wanted to “mother me” during my visit with a restful retreat in her guesthouse. I almost dropped the phone and hopped on a plane because the thought of being mothered sounded heavenly. Like most moms, I focus on my kids, and it felt wonderful to have the tables turned.

Because the truth is, the older I get — and the more responsibilities I bear — the more mothering and self-care I need. This is true for you too. Life requires more of you now than five years ago, and if all you do is give, you’ll get depleted. Your wheels will fall off. You’ll feel tired, numb, and testy.

For this reason, I believe in learning to mother yourself. Making sure you don’t fall through the cracks or get in the habit of self-neglect. How? By tending to and protecting your health. Doing things that build strength and stamina. Cultivating a life you enjoy. Making sure you feel equipped to handle the challenges of parenting and life.

Here are some ways to “mother” yourself and stay well for your family.

► Keep your wellness appointments. It’s tempting to cancel these, especially when you

feel fine, but prevention and early detection can add years to your life.

► See a doctor when needed. I once had a cold that lasted a month. I tried to push through it, yet it only got worse. When my husband finally made me see a doctor, I learned I had walking pneumonia. I was so mad at myself for letting a small problem become a big one

► Exercise. I discovered exercise in college as a stress reliever, and I still need it for mental health. It benefits my brain even more than my body. Of all the activities I’ve tried, I believe everyone can benefit from walking and Pilates. Try them with a friend for thirty minutes, then gradually add more time.

► Stop beating yourself up. The scripts you play in your head matter. What you tell yourself matters too. When you mentally abuse yourself, you parent with insecurity, fear, and despair. Every mistake feels like a final defeat. But as Lysa TerKeurst says, “Bad moments don’t make bad moms.” God’s grace is bigger than any defeat, and through Him you can parent with confidence and hope.

► Treat bad days as good data. When you have bad days, bad feelings, or bad experiences, ask yourself, What can I learn from this? What

might God be trying to teach me? My bad days teach me about humility, compassion, and deeper dependence on Him.

► Don’t dwell on regrets. You can’t change yesterday, but you can change today. You can be like Saint Paul, who had a change of heart on the road to Damascus once God opened his eyes to the evil he was doing. Paul went from persecuting Christians to spreading the gospel worldwide. He carried out his new mission like a completely forgiven man. God wants us to live that way too — as completely forgiven women on a mission for Him.

► Create your team. It's easy to find advice on raising small children. Any mom can share stories on potty training or helping toddlers sleep. But your kids grow up, you can’t share their issues publicly. You must confide in fewer people and choose advisers you can trust. It’s okay to have a small circle of consultants. Choose friends and professionals you admire and trust who give good advice.

► Share your struggles. Problems are isolating. They make you feel alone, ashamed, and tempted to withdraw. The enemy wants this. He wants you to suffer alone so you’ll believe his lies. Don’t fall for his tricks; instead of turning

inward, turn outward. Bring your struggles to light. Admit them to people who can speak truth and pray.

► Spend time with friends. The beauty of friends is they only want your company. They renew you through laughter and deep conversation. On a good day, friends are a blessing, and on a bad day, they're a lifeline. Carving out time with friends who encourage you will give you refreshment and a second wind.

► Get enough sleep and don’t overcommit, setting boundaries and limits when necessary.

Again, life requires more of you today than it did five years ago. Five years from now, the demands will be greater. By mothering yourself, you set the stage for a positive future. You improve your odds of being around to enjoy your family for decades to come.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, author, speaker, and blogger. Kari’s newest book, More Than a Mom, and other bestselling books are available everywhere books are sold. Join Kari on Facebook and Instagram, visit her blog at karikampakis. com, or find her on the Girl Mom Podcast

Metro Roundup

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Neighbors Ice Cream reopens in West Homewood

By LOYD MCINTOSH

Neighbors Ice Cream is back.

The short-lived but beloved ice cream parlor on Oak Grove Road has been given a second chance under the new ownership of Homewood residents David and Anne Walker. The new entrepreneurs bought the business earlier this spring, and, in just a few short weeks after reopening, Neighbors is already creating a buzz around West Homewood and beyond.

“On April 2, I turned the ‘Open’ light on just to see what happens,” said David Walker, “and word-of-mouth has been non-stop ever since.”

Neighbors Ice Cream originally opened in 2021 as a cooperative under the ownership of 17 residents, all chipping in funds to get the business off the ground and operational. The business turned into a too-many-cooks-in-thekitchen situation before Neighbors closed in January 2023, the Walkers said.

In the 18 months the business was open, the Walkers said Neighbors had already established itself as a keystone in a community that has been experiencing a renaissance over the last 10-15 years. The Walkers, who have lived in West Homewood for close to a decade, said the closing of Neighbors earlier this year felt like a punch to the gut, especially in the wake of Ash Neighborhood Bar & Grill closing in

mid-2022.

It was out of a sense of responsibility to the community that the Walkers decided to take the plunge, practically on a whim, and buy the business.

“We looked at each other and I said ‘Is it ridiculous that we should try to buy it?’” David said. “We deliberated for all of February and at the beginning of March, we bought it.”

After opening quietly in early April, the Walkers held a grand opening for Neighbors on April 15 and have been delighted with the community's early response.

“There was an outpouring of sadness when the first iteration of Neighbors closed and there was equal jubilation when we opened back up,” David said.

Struggling to align your people

Neighbors Ice Cream is the maiden voyage for the new entrepreneurs. The Walkers already had busy lives before buying the business. The couple have three small children — Noah, Lily and Emilia — and challenging careers. Anne is an occupational therapist at Behavioral One in Vestavia Hills, while David, a former high school history teacher, has helped run Walker Express Delivery since 2014, a business his father launched in 2001.

Luckily for the Walkers, and the West Homewood community, Neighbors Ice Cream was a turnkey operation with very little maintenance needed to reopen. David said they added the proper equipment to offer milkshakes, added some new artwork to the walls, installed a self-serve candy wall, and rehired April Page,

a friendly face who ran the counter for the original owners.

With most of the pieces in place from the outset, the Walkers realized they were faced with a great opportunity to be part of the synergy happening in West Homewood, even if the decision seems a little rash in retrospect.

“A friend asked me recently, ‘Did you ever think you would own an ice cream shop?’ and I said, ‘Not even in January,’” Anne said. “If it wasn’t turnkey and if we didn’t have the desire to keep it in the neighborhood, I doubt we would have been able to do this.”

West Homewood is currently experiencing a tremendous amount of change as new businesses eye the community for growth. In June, Cantina Tortilla Grill is set to reopen in the space once occupied by the Homewood Diner and Florida Grille and others, while popular downtown Birmingham restaurants El Barrio and Paramount will anchor a new development on Oxmoor Road where the soon-to-be demolished Econo Lodge stands now.

David said West Homewood is poised to see an “explosion of walkable food options” over the next 18 months. The Walkers said that these welcome changes, as well as Neighbors’ proximity to West Homewood Park and HallKent Elementary, put their little ice cream shop in a perfect spot to be an integral part of the community for years to come.

“It’s been really fun to be involved in the community,” Anne said. “I think that’s what led us to this decision, to keep it in the community and be a place where everybody gathers. It’s right by the park and the after-school rush is the busiest part of the day, so being a part of the community in this way has been fun.”

Neighbors Ice Cream is located at 715 Oak Grove Road and is open varying hours during the week and weekend. Learn more at neighborshwd.com.

THERE’S A SOLUTION FOR THAT

Members of a high-performing team go above and beyond because their role, team, manager and culture engages and inspires them.

In order to have a high performing team, not only must you have the right people in the right roles, but you must also know how to manage them in the way in which they will respond.

We unleash the power of behavioral analytics to allow you to achieve both of these objectives. Then, we transfer the knowledge to you and allow you to build a winning-culture with ongoing support.

Phallon Cunningham, 8, dances as she eats ice cream at Neighbors Ice Cream in Homewood while David Walker, center, looks on and Cunningham’s father, Dexter, pays for their order May 6. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Emmy Squared Pizza to open at Summit

By SARAH GILLILAND

A new food offering will soon be available at The Summit.

Emmy Squared Pizza, an “elevated, casual food concept” from the Pizza Loves Emily family of restaurants, is opening its first location in Alabama this spring.

According to its website, Emmy Squared Pizza is an “award-winning neighborhood pizza and burger restaurant.”

Its Birmingham location will offer classic menu items, including Le Matt Burger, Detroit-style pizzas, salads, appetizers and alcoholic beverages.

Founded in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in 2016, the restaurant quickly gained a cult following and critical acclaim. The restaurant was founded by Emily Hyland and executive chef Matthew Hyland, with partners Howard Greenstone and Ken Levitan.

Over the last six years, the brand has expanded to 21 locations across the U.S., earning accolades such as winning Nashville’s Battle of the Burger and being named “The Best New Burgers in NYC” by New Yorkbased website Gothamist.

“We are thrilled to open Emmy Squared’s first location in Alabama this spring,” said Marketing Manager Keysha Cosme. “We’ve spent time in Birmingham and always enjoyed the warm friendliness and community in this vibrant city. Birmingham is home to a delicious and thriving food scene, and we are excited to introduce Emmy Squared and our delicious offerings. In the past few months, we have also seen an increased demand for Emmy Squared in various cities throughout the U.S.,

VESTAVIA HILLS Childrens

Birmingham being one of them.”

Cosme said Emmy Squared is a “neighborhood restaurant serving delicious, elevated food in a casual, welcoming environment.”

Each of the Emmy Squared locations’ designs is inspired by the local community in which it resides, while offering a consistent dining experience, she said.

“We strive to provide guests with amazing food, using high-quality artisanal and locally sourced ingredients paired with warm and personal service,” she said.

Cosme said those ingredients, the artisanal

and unique toppings and the signature Detroitstyle pizza marked by its square shape, crispy bottom, fluffy dough, cheesy "frico" crust and signature sauce stripes set Emmy Squared apart.

Cosme said the company is committed to contributing to the community through job opportunities, supporting local charities and offering a fun and friendly environment to enjoy great food and drinks with friends and family.

In addition to the restaurant space, Emmy Squared Pizza will offer event space and

“party packs” that include a choice of appetizers, salads, pizza and/or sandwiches. These packs can serve 8-10 people or 18-20 people and the menu offerings will vary by location. The restaurant offers catering, reserved seating for large parties and a kids’ makeyour-own pizza party. Event space and offerings will also vary by location.

Emmy Squared Pizza will be located in the section of The Summit near Trader Joe’s and Barnes & Noble at 214 Summit Boulevard. For more information, visit emmysquared pizza.com.

In the little moments and major milestones of childhood, we are here for our patients and their families – helping, healing, teaching and discovering.

A variety of Detroit-style pizzas on the menu at Emmy Squared Pizza, an “elevated, casual food concept” from the Pizza Loves Emily family of restaurants. Emmy Squared Pizza is opening its first location in Alabama at The Summit this spring. Photo courtesy of Emmy Squared Pizza.

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