Village Living V o l u m e 8 | Is s u e 2 | M a y 2 0 1 7
n e ig h b o r lyn e w s &
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‘W e ’r e a ll b e tte r fo r h a v in g m e t h e r ’ Community remembers Mary Anne Glazner, owner of Smith’s Variety By S Y D NEY CR OM W
ELL
She entered rooms with a song and left conversations with an “I love you.” Those who met Mary Anne Glaz ner, even just once, could see she was “one of these people that they really don’t make anymore,” said Mountain Brook
Heart Filled with Joy
Chamber of Commerce Ex ecutive D irector Suz an D oidge. “ he definitely knew how to light up a room,” D oidge said. “I don’t know anybody more beloved than Mary Anne Glaz ner.” Mary Anne Glaz ner, who bought Smith’s V ariety with her husband, Lytton, in 1976, died April 7 at 76 years old. It was two days before her birthday and only a week before Easter, her favorite holiday. She was the undisputed queen of Easter baskets and ribbons for every season and every community cause. “No one could do the baskets like she
could,” said her son, Jim Glaz ner. Mary Anne Glaz ner’s bows adorned storefronts and houses throughout Mountain Brook for Sid O rtis’s and Sam H odnett’s battles with cancer, the recent bomb threats at the Levite Jewish Community Center and other causes. But the everyday stories of people who came into Smith’s V ariety interested her just as much. Longtime employee K at Sudduth recalled a woman who had a fender
See GLAZNER | page A26
ary nne a ner prior to mith’s ariety re ocatin to rest ine in a ner died pri Staff photo.
With police force now fully staffed, number of arrests rises
reshman indsay a is doesn’t et o n syndrome stop her rom ein an enth siastic mana er or the partans so t a team
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MBPD ON PATROL o ntain roo po ice o cers ohn od ens e t and yan tter orth dri e thro h nei h orhoods in o ntain roo d rin an e enin shi t Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
By LEXI COON In the past year, statistics for arrests by the Mountain Brook olice epartment have fluctuated only slightly, but in the past five years, numbers have changed more dramatically. Since his time as police chief, Ted Cook has helped grow the department from officers to a fully staffed force of officers. ook said this ensures all patrols and beats are covered at all times, which has affected arrest numbers and increased the safety of the community. “A few years ago, we were pretty short-handed, and we had to leave a beat open from time to time,” he said. “We’re getting to the point, again over this past year, we’re being able to put the ext ra folks out and about.” By including more patrols, officers are more visible to criminals and are able to make more arrests, Cook said.
See POLICE | page A27
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Village Living
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May 2017 • A3
A4 • May 2017
Village Living
About Us Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray We recently lost someone who was a part of the very essence of our community: Mary Ann Glaz ner was such a huge part of so many lives in Mountain Brook. As the owner of Smith’s V ariety, many came in contact with Mary Ann as they came in to shop for gifts, ribbon to match an Easter dress, bows for our mailbox es to support causes and individuals, a sweet treat or any of the other items that stock the shelves. But encountering Mary Ann was much more than a shopping transaction. Mary Ann was a dear friend to most who shopped there. I, for one, have known Mary Ann since my preschool days. Not only did I see her on frequent trips to Smith’s with my mother, but she also played
the piano and taught us all songs about Jesus at V acation Bible School. She was never without a smile, a kind word or a solution to the problem that brought you into her store. I’ll never forget when she introduced me to a fabric glue so strong that I no longer had to worry about sewing a hem back in ( something I was terrible at) . R ead other remembrances in this issue that others in the community have of her and the lasting impact she has made. Y ou’ll also want to read about Lindsay D avis, a special member of the MBH S softball team. Lindsay has D own syndrome, and the team has found a special way to make Lindsay a part of the team. We also have all the details on great
local events. I am especially ex cited about Jaz z in the Park coming to Mountain Brook this year. These concerts are free to the public across the Greater Birmingham area and bring outstanding musicians to local parks, but this is the first time for Mountain Brook. o grab a blanket, bring a picnic and enjoy the show. Lastly, May also brings Mother’s D ay and high school graduation. If you need some great ideas you are in luck — we have a gift guide in this issue to help get you started with your shopping, and you don’t have to go far because you can find these items here at one of our local businesses.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Thousands of area residents, including this curious baby, visited Brookwood Village between April 5 -9 to purchase p ants rom the irmin ham otanica arden’s ann a prin ant a e Photo by Lexi Coon.
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graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Village Living is designed to inform the Mountain Brook community of area school, family and community events. Information in Village Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Village Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.
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A6 • May 2017
Village Living
City Eagle Scout, Leadership Mountain Brook projects discussed By LEXI COON Most people in Mountain Brook use the village sidewalks at some point, and after presenting his Eagle Scout project to City Council on April 10, Ben Belden is aiming to help pedestrians track their mileage. Together with the Public Works D epartment and Sloss Furnaces, Belden will be creating medallion-like markers with the city’s mill logo to indicate each mile along the sidewalks between the villages. The markers will be made at Sloss Furnaces as a way for Belden to earn the metal working badge and will use a slogan such as “Y et another mile,” in lieu of mile numbers, since pedestrians may be starting from different locations. The markers would be placed as follows: at Crestline Clocktower; near the intersection of R idge D rive and Salisbury R oad; near the Civitas sculpture in English V illage; in the Mountain Brook V illage circle near H arrison’s; and at the light at Montevallo R oad and Fairway D rive. Councilwoman V irginia Smith suggested Belden work with the Public Works D epartment to ensure the markers are flush with the sidewalk’s surface, to which Belden agreed. The presentations for the night continued with Jason Morado from ETC Institute, the company that recently completed the resident satisfaction surveys. After looking at the results, Morado said: “O nce again, these are some of the very best ratings in the entire country.” More than 950 residents completed the survey, which is an increase of about 100 from the last survey three years ago, and Mountain Brook rated above the regional and national average in all areas that the survey compared. While there was still some dissatisfaction regarding the traffic flow and congestion
The City Council met April 10 to hear from members of Leadership Mountain Brook, above, the ETC Institute and the Scouts of The Exceptional Foundation. Photo by Lexi Coon.
management, it was clear that Mountain Brook residents were overall happy with the quality of their city on all other fronts, Morado said. “ t’s because we’ve got terrific department heads who are doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” Smith said. The final presentations were from students of Leadership Mountain Brook. As part of the program, they are to create a city improvement project, and two were presented on April 10: a community mural and an event to kick-off a celebration of Mountain Brook’s 75th anniversary. Presented by Jennings Briley, Isabella D egaris and V irginia Winn, the aim of the mural
is to bring uniqueness to the community and to help local shops profit. After meeting with V illage D esign R eview, team members helped develop an art committee and are now working to create possible designs to present to said committee. O nce a design is established, they will work towards creating a budget, choosing an artist and coordinating with city department heads to have the mural painted. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm behind this idea,” said councilwoman Alice Womack. Fellow Leadership Mountain Brook members K endall Alby, Will Bundy, Matthew
Bullock and Mary Louise H owland then presented their plan for kicking off 75th anniversary celebrations for the city in May. Currently, they are working on the “opening day” for the month-long celebration, which is scheduled for May 7 from 3 -5 p.m. in Crestline. The event will include family-friendly activities such as a kids z one with a bounce house, birthday cake, Mayfield’s ice cream and Maggie the Cow, who will be returning from her adventure at the K entucky D erby, and live local music acts. The team has also proposed a dunk tank, although city officials could not reach an agreement on who should be dunked. A rain date is scheduled for the birthday event on May 21 from 1: 3 0-3 : 3 0 p.m. Additional events are being planned by the Chamber of Commerce and the Emmet O ' Neal Library, to take place throughout the month of May. Also during the council meeting, members: ► ollowed the ledge of Allegiance as led by the Scouts of The Exc eptional Foundation. ► Approved an addition to the board appointment policy, limiting appointees to serving on one committee, commission or board at a time with an ex ception granted to city council members and for ad hoc and subcommittees. ► iscussed a right-of-way encroachment at 600 Euclid Ave. and determined more information needed to be gathered. ► Established a “ o arking one during school hours along the west side of Wilderness R oad between Fair O aks D rive and K ennesaw D rive. ► Approved the minutes of the meeting on March 27. ► Recogni ed red Murray for his work while on the city’s Planning Commission. ► tated a motion expressing support of H ouse Bill 28 3 , which deals with transportation network companies.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A7
R evisions to school system’s strategic plan reviewed Members of the district’s robotics teams are recognized for their efforts during the Board of Education meeting April 10. Team 31337P, composed of Adrienne Belser, Mary Long, Lara o a a s and Eric Acosta, also earned the Excellence Award, which a i es them for the World Championships. Photo by Lexi Coon.
By LEXI COON D uring the Board of Education meeting April 10, Superintendent D icky Barlow presented to board members, present faculty and community members revisions to the school system’s 14 goals in their strategic plan, which was last updated in the late ’90s. “They are great goals,” Barlow said. “Ex cept that because we’ve been focusing on those things for the last 20 years … we’ve gotten to the point where most of these we’re doing in our sleep,” Barlow said After creating a D iscovery Team of various representatives within the district, the original list of 14 goals was revised to four, which will be focused on during the next five years. The first goal focuses on amplifying student voices to create deeper engagement and learning through meaningful and purposeful work. Students will also be motivated to advocate for themselves, which is part of encouraging student engagement both in and out of the classroom. “Y ou can’t walk through one of our schools without someone mentioning the word engagement,” Barlow said. The hope is to inspire more student empowerment throughout the district. “There are pockets of this already happening in our school district … but we don’t want pockets, we want this part of our culture.” The second goal aims to create a comprehensive and cohesive system to increase student, staff and community commitment. With this goal, officials want to create a working unit of faculty, administration and students through what Barlow called “an open and inclusive district system,” as opposed to many departments or district members working independently of one another. H aving an open and inclusive system translates into the strategic plan’s third goal, which is to develop a district wide communication plan for both universal and specific audiences. “We communicate all the time in our school district,” he said. “But what we recogniz e is that we need to be smart about it.” With this plan,
officials will be able to communicate with all members of the district as needed, such as in the event of school closings, or to key audiences, such as by grade. The final goal is to ensure all members of the district and those who are associated with the district are treated with respect. Barlow said this would be encouraged by maintaining classrooms as safe spaces, both physically and psychologically, and ensuring that students and staff respect and honor diversity. While the original list of 14 goals is slated to be updated, Barlow said these four goals are not replacing those goals, but rather revising them. The decision to accept the revised strategic plan was tabled until the following Board of Education meeting to allow for community feedback and input. Also during the meeting, board members:
► Approved the minutes from the March 13 m eeting. ► eard updates regarding the school system’s financial statements. ► Acknowledged the accomplishments of the district’s robotics teams, many of which made finals and placed at the E tate Championships. Team 3 13 3 7P, composed of Adrienne Belser, Mary Long, Lara ofia Maus and Eric Acosta, also earned the Ex cellence Award, which qualifies them for the orld Championships. ► Acknowledged the success of the MB Concert Band, which earned superior ratings for a performance of a sight-read piece during the Alabama Bandmasters Association Music erformance Assessment for the eighth straight year. ► Acknowledged the success of the Mountain Brook Schools D ebate Team, which
qualified seven students to the ational hampionships. The ational hampionships will be held at Mountain Brook chools, along with other Birmingham area schools, the week of une - . ► Approved personnel recommendations. ► Approved the disposal of surplus materials. ► Announced that the tudent howcase will be p.m. on April in restline illage MB will present the musical “ ippin from April 27-29 at 7 p.m. and April 30 at 2 p.m. in the ine Arts enter Mountain Brook chools Retirement Tea will be May at : p.m. at the MB cafeteria. The next board meeting will take place May at : p.m. in the rofessional Learning enter. igh school graduation will be May at 6 p.m. at Samford University.
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May 2017 • A9
Now Open D na a W ol t e r has opened an office at 2713 C ahaba R oad for her business, ana olter nteriors. Office hours are by appointment only. d an aw ol t e r i n t e r i or s .c om
Hirings and Promotions
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News and Accomplishments T no ya Jon e s S al on S p a , with two locations at ahaba illage la a, uite , and airway rive, was named a alon Today salon in philanthropy. The award is given to salons that look for ways to give back to their communities. Tonya ones alon pa contributes to many causes in this community, such as the ahaba River ociety, unior League of Birmingham and amp mileA-Mile. 870427, t on yaj on e s s al on .c om
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F i r s t Com m e r c i al Ban k , with locations at hurch t. and hades reek arkway, will be rebranded as ynovus Bank by the end of . ynovus, irst ommercial’s parent company, is rebranding all their banks under one name. 8747691, s yn ovu s .c om
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R e al t yS ou t h ’s restline office, Euclid Ave., has hired M at t M u r r e l l as a Realtor. e al t ys ou t h .c om
R e al t yS ou t h ’s Mountain Brook illage office, ahaba Road, has hired Je n i f e r H ad r ab a, A n d r i a M c Cor m i c k and S c to t P e r r y as Realtors. 870420,5 r e al t ys ou t h .c om
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Anniversaries T h e F i t n e s s Ce n t e r , 9 Montclair Road, uite , celebrated its rd anniversary in April. 870-1121, thefitnesscenter.org
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Closings H ra p e r s S al on , etticoat Lane, has closed after years in business. Owner Martine ebbag has sold the space to Tricia olbrook, who will open a new salon in the space to be called peed pa.
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Business news
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Relocation Expansion Anniversary
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A10 • May 2017
Village Living
H u s b a n d /w ife te a m c r e a te a p p to c o n n e c t p a r e n t s t o b a b ys it t e r s Wyndy expansion plans include allowing seasonal work for local college students home for summer By LEXI COON Finding a baby sitter can be difficult. That’s why Mountain Brook husband and wife team Tommy and inger Mayfield created yndy. amed for the character endy in “ eter an, yndy is an app designed to connect families in need of a sitter with qualified local college students who are looking for parttime work. “ yndy is a mobile app that we built with the aim of transforming how parents and college baby sitters meet and interact, Tommy Mayfield said. “ e’ve been parents for six years, and pretty consistent over those six years was the pain of finding, booking and paying a baby sitter, inger Mayfield said. And those three elements are what yndy targets: finding, booking and paying. The app is free to download for both parents and sitters, once accepted. There are no subscription fees, but the app charges parents a service fee based on the hourly rate they set for the job for their sitters, or “ yndys. itters use an in-app timer to track the length of the job, and parents can securely pay their sitter through the app after viewing the amount they owe. hen parents are in need of a
“
We’ve been parents for six years, and pretty consistent over those six years was the pain of finding, booking and paying a baby sitter.
”
GINGER MAYFIELD
sitter, they can create a job and post it directly to a job board for an available sitter to express interest, or they can send a request to their customi ed list of “My yndys, or sitters saved based on reviews, connections, qualifications or past experiences. A notification will go out to the first baby sitter on their list, and if the job is not accepted within the designated time frame, the notification continues to other individuals on their list until the job is accepted. arents also are able to review their baby sitters, which their friends or connections on yndy can see. “That’s a great way to broaden their the yndys’ network, because that communication is what happens in real life, Tommy Mayfield said.
o ntain roo residents in er and ommy ay e d created the app yndy hich is desi ned to connect ami ies ith a ai a e co e e a ed a y sitters in their area Photo by Lexi Coon.
All sitters are required to go through an application process where they list their experiences, preferences, A, major and verify their “.edu email address. Then they submit a -second video to introduce themselves and answer a couple questions, and if accepted, must pass a background check. The app is available only in the Birmingham area, and it employs students from amford, AB and Birmingham outhern. As of the third week in April, yndy had fully-accepted sitters. “ don’t even worry about finding a baby sitter anymore, said inger Mayfield after using her own app a
few times. Because the app specifically targets families and college students, it connects a sitter’s flexible schedules with the busy schedules of parents to find a suitable match. “Our hope with yndy is it gives students who need a viable part-time job a way to have one, that’s also fairly flexible enough to deal with their schedule, Tommy Mayfield said. yndy also is offering sitters one digital raffle ticket for every hour worked on yndy, which is entered for a scholarship drawing at the end of the semester. The first scholarship will be , , and the raffle will hopefully continue.
The Mayfields said they plan on expanding the app to include college students who will be home in the Birmingham area for the summer. Those sitters can sign up before summer, but they will not be added into the system until summertime. “ t’s finding baby sitters been a very difficult problem for a lot of parents, Tommy Mayfield said. “There are all these great college students who are just as eager to connect with these families. or more information or to sign up as a baby sitter, email support wyndy.com with a college email address or go to wyndy.com.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A11
Jason Morado with the ETC Institute presents the resident satisfaction survey results to the City Council on April 10. “Mountain Brook is far above the benchmarking averages,” Morado said. Photos by Lexi Coon.
Survey results indicate high resident satisfaction overall Named priorities include investment in traffic flow, congestion management By LEXI COON In 2014, the city of Mountain Brook worked with the ETC Institute to distribute a resident satisfaction survey. A similar survey was again conducted in January 2017 and gathered more than 150 additional responses than the previous survey, city manager Sam Gaston said. “We were thrilled,” Gaston said. The number of responses, 962, was more than a 50 percent return rate and represented responses distributed throughout the city. The goal of the survey was to assess satisfaction, measure trends, determine the city’s priorities and compare the responses to other cities, said senior project manager Jason Morado with the ETC Institute. In a presentation to the City Council on April 10, Morado said the results were similar to the survey conducted in 2014. “Mountain Brook is far above the benchmarking averages,” he said. From the survey, Morado said there were four major findings: Residents have a positive perception of the city; satisfaction ratings are similar to 2014 and remain among the highest in the nation; satisfaction with city services is significantly higher in Mountain Brook than in other communities, and there are priorities for investment in traffic flow and congestion management as well as maintenance of city stress and facilities. “This was the No. 1 issue three years ago, and we did apply for what we call an APPLE grant,” Gaston said. The APPLE grant, which helps with traffic improvement projects, allowed Mountain Brook to make some minor improvements to different intersections, Gaston said. Since traffic and congestion is still a problem, he said they are looking to apply for another APPLE grant later this summer to make traffic flow and traffic congestion less of a problem. But, he said there’s always going to be traffic, due in part that there can be much through-traffic. “There’s always going to be traffic in Mountain Brook just because of the nature of us being … surrounded by other cities,” Gaston said. An additional area where satisfaction had dropped was with brush and bulky removal services, Morado said. Gaston said he has noticed an increase of complaints, and they are going to speak with waste management to look for ways to improve that service. Even with the few decreases in satisfaction the survey found, Mountain Brook residents
The goal of the survey was to assess satisfaction, measure trends, determine the city’s priorities and compare the responses to other cities, said senior project manager Jason Morado with the ETC Institute.
still ranked their quality of life in their community first in the nation for many aspects of the city, including: ► Appearance and image of the city. ► Overall quality of services provided by the city. ► Overall value received for city tax dollars and fees. ► Local fire and police protection services. ► Animal control services. ► Enforcement of maintenance of business property. ► Maintenance of city buildings. ► Maintenance of traffic signals. Of the results, 99 percent of responses also rated Mountain Brook as a good or excellent place to live, and 97 percent rated it a good or excellent place to raise children. Residents also were pleased with the quality of library services, noting the biggest room for investment was in online materials. After reviewing the results, Morado said the satisfactions with city services is much higher in Mountain Brook than in other communities across the U.S. and rated Mountain Brook above the U.S. average in all 56 areas it was compared. “We were very, very pleased and at the same time very humbled,” Gaston said. “It validates that we have outstanding employees here that go the extra mile to provide quality services to our residents.” To view full results of the survey, go to mtnbrook.org.
A12 • May 2017
Village Living
Events Mountain Brook celebrates 75th anniversary all month long Members of Leadership Mountain Brook presented the City Council with plans for the city’s th anniversary celebrations, planned for this month. Photo by Lexi Coon.
By LEXI COON This May, Mountain Brook turns 75. To mark this occasion, the city, Mountain Brook Schools, the Emmet O ’Neal Library and the Chamber of Commerce are coming together for a month-long celebration. “It’s a great birthday party with a great agenda,” said Chamber of Commerce D irector Suz an D oidge. “It’s to bring the community together,” added Project Manager Molly Wallace. The birthday celebrations start May 7 with a kick-off event in front of City H all from 3 to 5 p.m., which was planned with the help of Leadership Mountain Brook students K endall Alby, Will Bundy, Matthew Bullock and Mary Louise H owland. The event will have Mayfield ice cream and Mayfield’s Maggie the ow, local music, cake, a kid’s z one, a bounce house and a dunk tank. While the dunk tank participants are yet to be determined, D oidge said they are hoping to include city and school officials. “There’s plenty to do, whether you’re at the dunking tank or kids z one or listening to good music,” she said. The Emmet O ’Neal Library and the Chamber are also introducing “The Great Mountain Brook Scavenger H unt,” which encourages residents to identify images of landmarks throughout the community, said adult services librarian K atie Moellering. The scavenger hunt is available at both the Chamber and EO L, and participants must turn in their results to EO L by May 24. Winners will be given V illage Gold gift cards to use at local businesses. “ t’s not meant to be super difficult, but rather a fun way to step outside and discover the city,” Moellering said. The winner of the Mountain Brook School’s
“Why I Love Mountain Brook” essay contest, MBJH ninth-grader Tess Patton, will later cut the anniversary ribbon at the birthday celebration and shadow Mayor Stewart Welch the following day, May 8 . That evening, she will take the mayor’s seat at City Council and read a proclamation. Celebrations carry over to the quarterly Chamber Luncheon May 17 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which will feature Christopher Tanner as the speaker. Tanner is a quadruplet raised in Mountain Brook, D oidge said, and he has since graduated from West Point and
served under Gen. D avid Petraeus. O n May 21, EO L will host its Summer R eading K ickoff at 3 p.m. and that evening from 6 to 9 p.m. the Chamber will present Jaz z in the Park at Crestline Field. D oidge said families are encouraged to bring blankets and snacks for a picnic with great music, and local vendors will sell boxe d dinners as well. The anniversary celebrations will come to a close May , the official date Mountain Brook was incorporated. Cake and lemonade will be served all day at EO L, and library staff will collect the final scavenger hunt copies. inners will be announced at 5 p.m.
“It’s going to be so fun. This is all to bring the community together,” Wallace said. With a variety of activities throughout the month, D oidge said they hope to reach almost everyone, if not all residents, in Mountain Brook during the celebration. “We just really wanted to make sure everybody has an opportunity to participate in some way,” she said. A rain date for the kick-off celebration is scheduled for May 21 from 1-3 p.m. in the same location. For more information about the different events, go to welcometomountain brook.com.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A13
Lucy and Ruby, who have hosted Lucy and y’s Brainy Day in the past, stand ith r re ory Friedman, pediatric neurooncologist at UAB, and Beena Thannickal, communications director for the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Photo courtesy of Lisa Harris.
Lu c y a n d R u b y’ s Br a i n y D a y r e t u r n s a s Br a i n F r e e z e e v e n t By LEXI COON Lucy and Ruby arris first started their annual Brainy D ay as a lemonade stand to support brain cancer research after their father, Scott H arris, was diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer. Although Scott H arris died in November 2013 , Lucy and R uby H arris continued the event for their father and grandfather, who also died of brain cancer, as Lucy and R uby’s Brainy D ay. To date, Lucy and R uby’s Brainy D ay has raised $ 55,000, said the girls’ mother, Lisa H arris. This year, instead of a “full-scale Brainy D ay community event,” Lisa H arris said they are creating a Brain Freez e event with fundraising options at local ice cream, froz en yogurt and shaved ice shops throughout the month of May. “A percent of sales from these events will be donated to brain tumor research at the UAB
Comprehensive Cancer Center,” Lisa H arris said. Shops are participating include: ► M ay 2: D oodles, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. ► M ay 4 : D airy Q ueen in Cahaba H eights, - p.m. ► M a y 9 : Mountain Brook Creamery, 5-10: 30 p.m . ► M a y 1 1 : The Whole Scoop in H oover, 5-9 p.m. ► M a y 1 3 : Bahama Buck’s in Cahaba eights, - p.m. ► M ay 1 6: Y ogurt Mountain in Mountain Brook, - p.m. ► M ay 18: Scoops in H omewood, noon to 9 p.m. ► M a y 2 0 : 3 2 D egrees in Crestline, 2-4 p.m. ► M a y 2 3 : Edgewood Creamery, 5-10: 3 0 p.m. ► M ay 25: Big Spoon Creamery in Avondale, 5-9 p.m. For more information, go to lucyandruby.com or Lucy & R uby’s Brainy D ay on Facebook.
The 12th annual Zoo Run will take runners through a part of the Birmingham Zoo they o dn’t norma y see Staff photo.
Runners to get view of zoo during May 20 event By LEXI COON R unners will be getting a glimpse of the other side of the Birmingham Z oo when they race in the 12th annual Z oo R un on May 20. The run, a 5K race that saw more than 600 runners in 2016, begins in the z oo’s parking lot at : a.m. and finishes in the Trails of Africa. K iki Nolen-Schmidt, marketing coordinator for the Birmingham Z oo, said racers will be running through parts of the z oo they wouldn’t normally see, such as the z oo’s Eco Garden. An awards ceremony with light refreshments will follow the race in the Trails of Africa. R egistrants will receive a T-shirt, z oo admission and the option of discounted z oo admission for the family on race day.
R aces also will be available for children of all ages: the Turtle Trot R ace, up to 2 years; the Chicken Cha Cha, ages 3- 4; the Skunk Skurry, ages 5-6; and the Coati Canter, ages 7-12. All kid’s races are less than 1 mile long, and the first race is at a.m. In addition to offering a family-friendly event and fun day at the z oo, the race also works closely with the conservation efforts of the z oo, Nolen-Schmidt said. “This event is important because each year, it benefits a conservation effort of the Birmingham Z oo. This year, all proceeds from the race are benefiting the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California,” she said. To learn more about the race or to sign up, go to birminghamz oo.com/ events.
A14 • May 2017
Village Living A member of David ones’ jazz band performs at Jazz in the Park in Homewood. Photo by Ron Burkett.
This spring, instead of dinosaurs, pirates will be invading the Birmingham Zoo. Photo courtesy of Kiki Nolen-Schmidt.
Pirates coming to the Birmingham Zoo By LEXI COON The Birmingham Z oo will welcome a new attraction this spring, but they aren’t animals — they’re pirates. The animatronic pirates, which are moving from the Columbus Z oo, will be placed along the railroad tracks thanks to the help of their sponsors, Shipt and D C Pest Control, and help promote water conservation, said K erry Graves, vice president of sales and marketing for the Birmingham Z oo. “The pirates are going to come in, and we’re going to use them to give the message of what people can do to stop negligent use of water,” he said. With programmable messages, Graves said the pirates can provide a narrative to guests on how to save water while they’re on the train, which coincides with the z oo’s
water conservation mission. And, he said, the pirates are made to be kid-friendly. “Pirates can be scary, but we’ve set this up in such a way that there’s a little comedic factor with some of them,” he said. “And we’ve toned it down with some of their looks.” Because of their prox imity to the train, Graves said the pirates will help draw more attention to the ride as well as the z oo’s efforts to promote proper water usage. “It’s basically an enhancement to the train ride,” he said. “At least we can accomplish two tasks with one pirate ship.” With a tentative reveal date of May 5, the oo officials said they hope to add more pirate-themed activities, such as movie nights or pirates-and-parrots programs, to accompany their new attraction. To learn more, go to birminghamz oo.com.
Annual Jaz z in the Park expands to restline illage By ER ICA T ECH O Nonprofit Magic City Smooth Jaz z is expa nding its annual Jaz z in the Park events this summer. Jaz z in the Park is an event that aims to build community through jaz z by ex posing and engaging audiences, and it brings jaz z musicians to parks throughout the Greater Birmingham area. While the event has been in omewood in the past, this is the first year it will be in Mountain Brook. Magic City Smooth Jaz z partnered with the city of Mountain Brook and the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce to plan the event on May 21. John R obinson will perform what he is calling the John R obinson Jaz z erama, said
Magic City Smooth Jaz z founder and ex ecutive director Bernard Lockhart. “I trust his work,” Lockhart said. “H e’s an incredible musician that’s been performing with Jaz z in the Park for years.” The event is in the field in restline illage — across the street from Emmet O ’Neal Library — from 6 to 9 p.m., and it is free and open to the public. isitors are encouraged to bring a picnic and blanket to enjoy the music from the grass. While the event is free, visitors will see artists “people would typically pay to see,” Lockhart said. This event will be part of Mountain Brook’s 75th birthday celebration. For more information, go to Magic City Smooth Jaz z on Facebook.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A15
St. Jude Field of Dreams fundraiser returns May 13 to Grand Bohemian By ER ICA T ECH O
From left: Slade Anderson, Cole Tanner and Sophia Schefano will be recognized at this year’s t de ie d o reams e ent Photo courtesy of Molly Fielding.
No family wants to end up at St. Jude Children’s R esearch H ospital, but once they get there, they say they would not want to be anywhere else for their child’s treatment. That’s the ex perience Mountain Brook resident Emily Anderson and her husband had when their son, Slade Anderson, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a form of blood cancer. “I could talk for hours about how wonderful St. Jude is,” Emily Anderson said. “I say this time and time again — it’s one of those places you kind of hope you never have to go, but once you’re there, you couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.” For the past three years, the Anderson family has worked to give back to St. Jude through St. Jude Field of D reams, an annual fundraising event started by former V estavia H ills resident Michael Schefano and his daughter, Sophia Schefano. When Sophia Schefano, who will turn 12 this month, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer, as an infant, her doctors encouraged Michael Schefano to take her to St. Jude. R etinoblastoma is a rare cancer in children, Michael Schefano said, and St. Jude had treated cases before. “A lot of the childhood cancers are like that,” he said. “They’re rare, and you want to go where someone has treated these types of cancer before.” Sophia Schefano has been treatment-free for seven years, although she’ll “always be a cancer patient,” Michael Schefano said. The idea to start a charity for St. Jude came up four years ago when they were talking to a social worker with a hospital, when they wanted to find a way to give back. “We believed strongly enough in it [ St. Jude] that we started this charity to give back and help,” Michael Schefano said. “It costs around
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We believed strongly enough in it [St. Jude] that we started this charity to give back and help.
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MICHAEL SCHEFANO
$2 m illion a day to operate that hospital.” n its first two years, the ield of reams raised more than $240,000 f or St. Jude. “We’re very honored, and we’re very blessed to be in Birmingham,” Michael Schefano said. “It’s such a giving city.” Slade Anderson and Sophia Schefano will be honored at this year’s May 13 event, along with three other former St. Jude patients — Evie Frith, Thompson Wagner and Cole Tanner. The event is at the Grand Bohemian H otel and includes dinner, entertainment provided by AudioSketch and live and silent auctions. “It’s such a wonderful event, and it’s so much fun,” Emily Anderson said. “But at the end of the day, it’s about finding a cure to end childhood cancer, and that’s what we’re all there for. It’s not about the kids who are done with treatment and are all doing well — it’s about all those kids who are about to get diagnoses.” All of the proceeds go to St. Jude’s programs, including its research and support for families. “H opefully they can cure childhood cancer,” Michael Schefano said. “They share their research with hospitals around the world … They’re cutting-edge; they’re right on top of it. If you’re wanting to donate to any type of cancer research, it really seems to start right here with these kids.”
A16 • May 2017
Village Living
The summer reading carnival includes several activities, in addition to opportunities to sign up for the summer reading program. Photo courtesy of Emmet O’Neal Library.
Carnival to kick off summer reading The Emmet O ’Neal Library and the Junior Women’s Committee of 100 will host their annual Summer R eading K ickoff Carnival outside the library on Sunday, May 21. The afternoon’s events begin at 3 p.m. with the Thomas H ughes Brinkley Memorial Fun R un. Children and their grown-ups are invited to walk, run, bike, scoot, skate and stroll the 1-mile course that starts in front of the library and runs through the adjacent neighborhood. The carnival starts at 3 : 3 0 p.m. Among its attractions, there will be a train ride, face painting, game booths, a rock-climbing wall, a bouncy house and concessions. Wristbands, which allow kids to participate in all carnival activities, will be available at the Emmet O ’Neal Library starting in May. Patrons can also buy wristbands and individual activity tickets at the carnival. D uring the event, librarians will be on hand to help children sign up for the summer reading program. This year’s theme is “Build A Better World,” and patrons can participate both online and in person. O lder elementary
students can also register for X treme R eads, an additional reading challenge with ex tra priz es. The summer reading programming will begin Tuesday, May 30. The events of the Summer R eading K ickoff are organiz ed and run by the members of the JWC of 100, a group of women from the community who are dedicated to supporting and enhancing the Emmet O ’Neal Library Children’s D epartment by donating their time and efforts. Special appreciation goes to Carnival Chairs Margot Black and Stefanie D avis, JWC President Grace K ipp, and V ice President K itty Brown. The library is also grateful to the other members of the JWC who have spent over 400 hours volunteering in the Children’s D epartment throughout the school year. Without the enthusiastic support of the JWC of 100, the Emmet O ’Neal Library Children’s D epartment would not be able to offer the community the level of ex traordinary services and resources it currently provides. – Subm i t t e d by R ac he l O w e ns , E O L C hi l dr e n’ s D e par t m e nt .
he th ann a i reen s in the ’ am Photo courtesy of Karon Grubbs.
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Big Green Eggs in the ’Ham event celebrating 5th year By LEXI COON O n May 6, Easter Seals of Birmingham will host its fifth Big reen Eggs in the ’ am at the Birmingham Z oo as its annual fundraiser. Easter eals of Birmingham is a nonprofit organiz ation that provides services to people with disabilities, regardless of whether they are able to pay. “While we accept most insurance and Medicaid, we never turn anyone away if they are unable to pay for services,” said K aron Grubbs with Easter Seals. “This event helps cover the cost of those services.” Since the event’s inception, the EGGfest has raised more than $67,000, and each year brings out about 1,000 visitors. D uring the event, also called EGGfest, chefs and cooking teams from around the area must prepare a meal on a Big Green Egg, a grill described as “the ultimate cooking
expe rience.” Grubbs said there are three categories: pork, chicken and “everything else.” “Cooks are only limited by their imagination,” she said. Grubbs added that throughout the event, guests can ex pect a day for good fun and great food, as well as family-friendly activities, all with “the assurance that they are helping those with special needs.” “We will have games, bounce houses, face paint and lots of yummy food,” she said. “Not to mention this year we will be at the z oo.” The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $ 20 per individual, $ 3 5 per couple and $ 55 for a family four-pack. To receive free admission to the z oo, tickets must be purchased before May 5. To purchase tickets, go to eastersealsbham.org. To create a cooking team, email K aron Grubbs at kgrubbs@ eastersealsbham.org.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A17
Community High school seniors presented at Candlelight Ball The 2017 Candlelight Ball was Jan. 21 at O ld Car H eaven. Those presented were senior high school girls from Mountain Brook. Adelaide V andevelde served as Candlelight Ball Chairman. Elisabeth Branch, Lynn Creighton and K ristin R itter served as her co-chairmen. A lighted and glimmering backdrop was the dramatic setting for the lead out of 155 seniors and their escorts. The talented committee chairs worked alongside the O ld Car H eaven staff to create the perfect atmosphere for the ball. Z ach Skipper served as emcee. Following the presentation, members and guests mingled for pictures and enjoyed a buffet dinner by H appy Catering. Susan D avies, Tricia Pugh and Leigh Whatley designed the menu, and to the delight of the crowd, set up a dessert candy bar for the guests. Soon the dance floor filled, and the presentees, escorts and their guests danced the night away to the music of the Entice Band from Nashville. The Candlelight Committee was made up of K athleen D oss, secretary, and Jill Clark, treasurer. The entertaining band was secured by Leighanne H ass and Cal Sirkin, and Lee D awkins and Cary Walheim were in charge of the boutonnieres for the escorts. Chaperones were organiz ed by Lisa Cross and Gina Winn, and Jennifer Childs and Jane H uston Crommelin chaired the decorations committee. K elli R ucker arranged seating for the presentation, and Liz Briggs was in charge of communicating with and supervising the escorts. Stephanie Byrne and Sumner Starling oversaw the addressing and mailing of invitations, and Pam Billingsly was in charge of photography. K athy Skinner headed up publicity for the event, and the flawless presentation was chaired by K atrina Logan and Argie McD onald. Tricia Pugh served as security chairman, and Carol del a Torre, Carrie Law and Meg Sullivan
From left: Lynn Creighton, Janie Creighton, Adelaide Vandevelde, Delia Vandevelde, Elisabeth Branch, Janie Branch, Kristin Ritter, Ellie Ritter, Louise Doss and Kathleen Doss. Photo courtesy of Kathy Skinner.
organiz ed transportation for the evening. Missy Jones and Gina Winn designed keepsake shirts for the Candlelight Members and their escorts to serve as a memento of the exc iting evening. Members debuted in Candlelight Ball 2015 and were presented alphabetically at the time. For presentation this year, the members were introduced in reverse order. Those presented at the Candlelight Ball 2017: Mary Eleanor Wolter, V irginia Thomas Winn, H annah Elaine Wilder, Ann McQ ueen Whatley, Gabrielle Nicole Weissman, Marion H anlin Webb, Nicole Broach Waudby, Sutton Camille Ward, Ellen Marie Waller, Carolyn D ickinson Walheim, Mary Adelaide V andevelde, Anna Craig Tucker, Barbara Grace Tortorici, Caroline Eliz abeth Till, Laura Lee Thompson, Sarah Madison Thomas, Eve Lawler Taylor, Emma Bolling H all Taylor, Eleanor Martelia Swagler, Celia Bright Sullivan, Stella Smith Styslinger, Jane Perry Starling, Julia Nicole Springer, K athryn Andrea Sours, Mary Fletcher Snow, Lily Caroline Smith, K atherine H ollon Skinner, Alex andra Leigh Sirkin and Mary Patton Sims. Also presented were Caroline Carlisle Sims, Anne Lewis Simmons, Lealis Grace Schilleci, H elen K atherine Schanbacher, R achel
V ictoria R ysedorph, Lillian H erndon R ucker, Grace Evelyn R obinson, Anne H elen R itter, H annah Eliz abeth R eeder, Caroline Brown R aine, Alice Jordan Pulliam, Lindsay Eliz abeth Pugh, Susan Alex andra Preston, Eliz abeth Catherine Polk, Mary Walker Poe, Anne Marie Perri, Savannah Grace Page, Anne K endall O utland, Anne Francis Norris, Eleanor Jane Noden, D ailey Anderson Nichols, Sally Jane Neal, V ictoria Eliz abeth Morris, Anna Grace Morgan, Caroline Jane Monson, Mary R obbins Miller, Sarah Scott McPherson, Maggie Eliz abeth McPherson, Eliz abeth R enneker McMillan and Elaine Wright McD onald. Senior girls also presented: Marlowe Michael McCraney, Sarah Campbell McAtee, H annah R uth Lyman, Sarah Arrington Lucas, Julie H addon Lowe, Grace Anne Logan, Memory Anne Littleton, V irginia H amilton Limbaugh, Leigh Eliz abeth Lewis, R ose Eliz abeth Levine, Nancy K athyrne Letz er, V irginia Merritt Leak, Nina Eliz abeth Law, Lee Lorraine K night, Mary Margaret K irkland, Charlotte R oberts K inney, Mary Jordan K ilgore, Sarah Taite K elly, Caroline Eliz abeth K eller, Mary Marcella Jones, K aitlin Lane Jones, Margaret Jean H olloway, Brooke Campbell H olloway, H adley Eliz abeth
H itson, K athryn Taylor H inkle, Ann Chapman H aynes, Lucille Graves H arris, Eliz abeth Barclay H ancock, Noelle Pratt H aas and Glenn Charlotte H aas. Also participating were Ansley Caldwell Gross, Eliz abeth Inez Grigsby, Grace Caroline Gray, Eliz abeth Berit Grantham, Ellen Louise Gorman, K aitlin May Goodman, Eliz abeth R ose Gillespy, Alden Jackson Gibbs, Emmaline Susanna Geurs, Frances Eliz abeth Gaut, Madison Chaney Gaston, Emma Francis Garcia, Peggy Clare Friday, K atherine Eliz abeth Foy, V irginia Foster Farrar, Charlotte McCammon Farrar, Grace Sinclair Evans, H annah Marie Elliott, Marion Shook D ukes, Elise Louise D oss, Emily Ann D onahue, Mary Margaret del a Torre, Carlee Amanda D awkins, Patricia Ann D avis, H unter Caroline D avies, Caroline Beck Cross, Gunter Moren Crommelin, Jane Anne Creighton, Caroline Eliz abeth Crafton and Lauren Frances Cotten. Members also included Eliz abeth Elouise otton, arah Margaret orley, arah Brasfield Cooper, Lucile Fitz patrick Collins, Parker Tuliare Cobbs, Caroline H eacock Clutton, Margaret Anne Clark, Sarah Eliz abeth Chitty, K atherine Eliz abeth Childs, Caroline Adele Center, Sarah Coleman Causey, Madeline Anne Campbell, Mary Margaret Bromberg Byrne, K ate McCarroll Bumgarner, Frances Murray Brown, Emma Camille Brown, Jennings Lee Briley, Caroline D avis Briggs, Anna K atherine Brian, Jane Elisabeth Branch, Mary Johnson Bradford, Anne Coleman Bradford, Isabel Browning Boyd, Emily Lynne Bolvig, Camille Eliz abeth Bloomston, Mary Frances Bloodworth, Caroline Peyton Billingsley, Emily Page Berryhill, Marley McK ay Barnett, Emily Catherine Barber, Ansley O x ford Balogh, R ebecca Carter Alex ander, Laine Bridges Alby, K endall Bernard Alby and Alyssa K ay Adcock. –Subm i t t e dby K at hy Sk i ne r .
A18 • May 2017
Village Living
Celebrations
Freshman Tess Patton wins city’s essay contest
M c Cr na e yT ayl ro
By LEXI COON As a part of its 75th anniversary celebration, the city of Mountain Brook opened a writing contest with the theme “Why I Love Mountain Brook.” Tess Patton, a ninth-grader at Mountain Brook Junior H igh, was announced as the winner. As an advanced English student, Patton said English is one of her favorite subjects, and she enjoys writing, especially fiction, realistic fiction or in a personal essay style. For this competition, she chose to write about some of her favorite memories and influences from the community. Patton started her essay recalling when she and her family moved to Mountain Brook in 2007 and she entered Crestline Elementary. She called that time “some of the best years in [ her] life” and credits Crestline to helping her grow into the person she is today. Patton continued to discuss how the Mountain Brook community led her to give more time toward community service and mentioned how valuable the sense of safety is throughout the villages. In closing, she said she is grateful for the community-wide support Mountain Brook shares for its residents and grateful to live in Mountain Brook. “I just kind of looked back on my ex periences from my time that I lived
As the prize for winning the “Why I Love Mountain Brook” essay contest, Tess will be Mayor for the Day on May 8 which is part of the 75th birthday celebration. Photo by Lexi Coon.
in Mountain Brook,” Patton said. hile she said at first the prompt wasn’t something that normally comes to mind, once she started writing, everything flowed naturally. “I kind of got in the groove and made it my own,” Patton said. As the priz e for winning the essay contest, Tess will cut the anniversary ribbon on Ma 7 and be Mayor for the D ay on May 8 as part of the 75th birthday celebrations. D uring her day, she will shadow Mayor Stewart Welch, sit in his seat at City Council that evening and read a proclamation. “I don’t really know what [ being the leader of a city] entails, so that’ll be really interesting to learn,” Patton said.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael R obert McCraney of Birmingham announce the engagement of their daughter, R ose Caldwell McCraney, to George Malcolm Taylor IV , son of Mr. and Mrs. George Malcolm Taylor III of Birmingham. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lee Berry Jr. of St. Simons Island, Georgia, and the late Mr. and Mrs. R obert Anton McCraney of Birmingham. Miss McCraney is a graduate of Mountain Brook H igh School and the University of Alabama, where she was a member of Alpha Gamma D elta. She is completing her master’s degree in education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and teaches science at Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School. Miss McCraney was a member of the Birmingham D ebutante Club and was presented at the H eritage Ball, the Beaux Arts K rewe Ball and the Ball of R oses. The prospective groom is the grandson of Mrs. H arry Claypool H owell Jr. and the late Mr. H owell of D othan, Alabama, and the late Mr. and Mrs. George Malcolm Taylor Jr. of Prattville, Alabama. H e is a graduate of Mountain Brook H igh
School and graduated summa cum laude from The University of the South, where he was a member of Phi Beta K appa and served as president of the O rder of the Gownsmen and as president of Phi Gamma D elta fraternity. After graduation from UAB School of Medicine in May, he will begin a surgical internship at Tulane. The wedding is planned for May 27, 2017, at Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham.
Have an engagement, wedding or anniversary announcement? Email sydney@starnespublishing.com to have it included in an upcoming issue.
WELCOME home
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A19
Alabama native Lindsy Gardner joins Emmet O’Neal as new director Lindsy Gardner, an Alabama native from Linden, is heading the mmet ’ ea Library as its new director. Photo by Lexi Coon.
By LEXI COON
Lindsy Gardner, the new director of the Emmet O ’Neal Library, has always had a love for books. “At Christmas, my mother insisted on looking at old pictures, and I found this picture of me when I was 3 ,” she said. “I had fallen asleep with a book on top of my face. H er love soon grew into a passion, and one that followed her to the University of Alabama where she earned a bachelor’s in English and to the University of Maryland where she graduated with a master’s in library science. Gardner then started her career as a children’s librarian in 1998 at the Birmingham Public Library, not far from her hometown of Linden. “It was the best possible introduction to public library work. Children’s librarians can do everything with nothing,” she said. “Y ou have to learn how to do all of the typical library work … but on top of that, you also have this very high-energy performance element.” A few years later, she became the director of the D emopolis Public Library. In 2007, Gardner accepted a position as the director of the Lancaster Community Library in V irginia, where she headed a capital campaign to renovate the facilities and tripled the siz e of the library. Now, 10 years later, she has returned to Alabama as the director of the Emmet O ’Neal Library. “It was such an amaz ing job opportunity, and from my days working in Birmingham, I was aware of the ex cellent reputation of Emmet O ’Neal,” she said. “It was an honor to be chosen, and even better that I was able to come home.” Although Gardner spends much of her time
surrounded by books, be it in print or audio, she has found time to expl ore more of the area. “Mountain Brook has some gorgeous nature trails,” she said, adding that she likes to take her rescue dog, Butch, on walks with her. Like many Alabama natives, she is also a big Alabama fan, and is looking forward to attending some games as well as spending time with her family and friends who are still in the area. Gardner said even though she isn’t athletic, she has still found an adventurous activity: skydiving.
“I’m not athletic at all, but I like to do craz y things, she said. The first place she jumped was in Gulf Shores, where she landed on the beach. “I’ve jumped four times tandem, and the last one was to celebrate the close of the capital campaign in V irginia.” While she said she is still “getting a feel” for the library and it’s programs and services, Gardner said she plans to use the ex perience she gained from previous positions to create an overall strategy for the library and ex pand upon with what she calls “the community hearth.”
“It [ the library] is a gathering place where everyone feels safe and welcome, and where all points of view are valued,” she said. “They [ the patrons] come to just be. So in that sense, it’s much more than just a building with books.” Gardner said she is really looking forward to getting to know the entirety of the Mountain Brook community and spending time with the staff and patrons of Emmet O ’Neal. “I’m just really honored to be here,” she said. “ told the staff at our first meeting that honestly feel like the luckiest person in the world.”
A20 • May 2017
Village Living
Sports
Model of versatility MBHS senior Brian Schmidt can do almost anything in track and field By S A M
CH A ND LER
Brian Schmidt possesses the diverse skillset needed to excel in track and field. H e’s fast, he’s springy, and he’s willing to try new things. “Y ou have to decide which events you want to put him in,” said Mountain Brook H igh chool head track and field coach Michael McGovern, “because he’s going to do well in all of them. chmidt’s versatility has enabled him to find success in nearly every event he’s attempted. H e broke the MBH S long jump record at last May’s state outdoor track meet and the school pentathlon record at an indoor meet this past anuary. Both are striking achievements for a former basketball player who only recently shifted his attention from the hardwood to the oval. Schmidt, a senior, divided his time between basketball and outdoor track his freshman through junior years. This winter, he dropped basketball for indoor track. is achievements last spring convinced him to make the decision. “I knew that if I kept doing well, I could have some colleges look at me, chmidt said. “That’s really what was the inspiration for me to fully dedicate my time this year to track. Schmidt capped a pivotal junior season with a pair of top-five finishes at the lass A state meet last May. e placed third in the high
jump, clearing the bar at 6 feet, 4 inches, and fifth in the long jump. is hori ontal leap of 23 feet etched his name in the Spartan record books. “I didn’t really ever think I could have done that well,” Schmidt said, “but it’s awesome that it happened that way. Schmidt’s impressive marks improved significantly upon his personal bests at the beginning of the season. Over the course of the spring, he increased his long jump by two and a half feet and his high jump by six inches. H e said the turning point of his breakthrough outdoor campaign came during one of the season’s first competitions. At the even Team Meet hosted by H ewitt-Trussville, his jumps grew progressively farther and higher. “So many good things happened there,” chmidt said. “ was like, can be really good at this if practice.’ D espite a prolonged battle with knee tendinitis this season, he managed top-six finishes in the high jump and long jump at February’s state indoor meet. But chmidt does more than jump. e also contributes to multiple Mountain Brook relay teams, including the 4x 100-meter, 4x 200-meter and x -meter quartets. “H e covers a lot of bases for us,” McGovern said. chmidt flashed his versatility in anuary. e recorded a school-record point total in his first stab at the indoor pentathlon, which includes
Mountain Brook High School senior Brian Schmidt is a jack of all trades for the Spartan trac and e d teams e e ce s in the on mp hi h mp and sprints ome co e es are recr itin him as a potentia decath ete Photo by Sam Chandler.
events from each track and field discipline sprints, hurdles, throws, jumps and distance. Schmidt has taken visits to a number of college campuses. As of mid-April, he had culled his list of possible destinations down to olorado State University, the University of Montana and estern tate olorado niversity. chmidt spends extended time in olorado each year. e said he wants to attend a school
A n n a G r a c e M o r g a n g o e s fr o m By: S A M
in the region so that he can further develop his athletic ability both on and off the track. Schmidt is an avid mountain biker, rock climber and hiker. H e is being recruited as both a jumper and decathlete. “The coaches are just looking for a Swiss Army knife kind of kid, chmidt said. “ think that would be me in most cases.
S p a r t a n t o Co m m o d o r e
CH A ND LER
Mountain Brook igh chool senior Anna race Morgan was raised a partan. n the fall, she’ll become a ommodore. Morgan signed her letter of intent to run cross-country and track and field at anderbilt niversity on April during a ceremony held in the MB library. She is the third Morgan sibling to commit to an AA ivision institution for distance running. er sister, Madeline Morgan, competed at D uke University, and her brother, Jack Morgan, competed at urman niversity. Both graduated from Mountain Brook Madeline Morgan in 9 and ack Morgan in . “A year ago if you had asked me, probably wouldn’t have thought I was going to be D 1,” Anna race Morgan said. “ t’s cra y now that am signing as the third Morgan athlete. he’s earned it. Anna race Morgan won the lass A state cross-country championship last November in a meet-record time of minutes, . seconds. t was the first individual state title of her six -year varsity career, and it marked her first-ever sub- : performance. She posted races of similar magnitude at the state indoor track and field meet in ebruary. Morgan won the , -meter run in : 9.9 and the , -meter run in : .9 . he had never previously broken : in the , or : in the , . She can credit persistence as a key to her breakthroughs. “I think the biggest thing that people take away from her is her dedication and her hard work,” said Mountain Brook head cross-country and track and field coach Michael Mc overn. “ he’s always willing to do a little bit extra. olleges took notice. After the cross-country season, Morgan said she whittled her list of potential schools down to two. anderbilt and orthwestern niversity made the cut.
Above left: Mountain Brook High School senior Anna Grace Morgan won the 2016 Class 7A state cross-country title in a meet-record time o e ri ht or an an ed y her ather ohn or an and mother esiree or an si ned a etter o intent to r n cross co ntry and trac and e d at ander i t ni ersity d rin a ceremony he d in the i rary pri . Photos by Sam Chandler.
isits to each campus helped her finali e the decision. “Within a week and a half or two weeks of going to anderbilt, just knew that was the place for me, Morgan said. “There’s ama ing team chemistry there, and everyone I met was so incredible. Morgan will join a ommodore women’s distance program that earned a top 25 national ranking in cross-country last fall. anderbilt missed qualifying for the AA championships by one spot at the regional meet. Morgan is accustomed to team success. n her time at Mountain Brook, she helped propel the partans to five straight state cross-country championships from to .
“I’m not sure I can put it all into words,” Mc overn said after the ceremony. “ mean, literally watching her grow up and be an All- tate athlete for six years, it’s really ama ing. Morgan’s academic credentials are equally as impressive. A standout student, she scored a on the A T college entrance exam and was a ational Merit emi- inalist. Morgan is the second Spartan distance athlete this year to sign with a outheastern onference program. riffin Riley inked with Ole Miss in ovember. “ ’m so excited, Morgan said. “ think it’s going to be really hard, but I also think that it’s going to be a really good experience for me.
“
A year ago if you had asked me, I probably wouldn’t have thought I was going to be D1. It’s crazy now that I am signing D1 as the third Morgan athlete. ANNA GRACE MORGAN
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A21
A22 • May 2017
Village Living
Watford, Elmore get postseason recognition By K Y LE P A R M LEY The Mountain Brook H igh School boys basketball team won the Class 7A state championship in 2017 with so much more than two players, but two of them were honored on the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s all-state team. Trendon Watford, a star sophomore who was at or near the top of almost every statistical category for the partans, was named a first-team allstate honoree. Sean Elmore, a sharpshooter and lockdown defender, was named to third team. “We’re elated to have both Trendon and Sean on the all-state team,” said Mountain Brook coach Bucky McMillan. By way of being a first-teamer, atford was eligible and was named one of the three finalists for Class 7A player of the year, an award he won over Auburn’s Garrison Brooks and Spain Park’s Jamal Johnson, both seniors heading to play D ivision I college basketball next season. “It feels good,” Watford said. “It’s a personal goal I wanted to achieve. There has been a lot of hard work put into it, and ( Brooks and Johnson) are two great players. It could’ve gone to any of us.” atford finished second to Mae emison’s John Petty for the Mr. Basketball award, giving Petty the honor in back-to-back seasons. Petty, an Alabama signee, is the third person in the 32- year history of the award to win it twice. Watford averaged 23 points per game, as Mountain Brook won its third state championship in school history. H e nearly averaged
o e e t rendon at ord eat o t arrison to ohn etty in the r nnin or r as et a to the 7A state title. Photos by Sarah Finnegan.
a double-double, hauling in 9.9 rebounds per contest, to go along with three assists and 2.3 blocks per game. Elmore was a consistent contributor all season long, but he left an undeniable impression on voters with his performance in the state championship game, as Mountain Brook knocked off Auburn 63- 43. Elmore knocked down a trifecta of 3 -pointers in the final : 9 of the third quarter, propelling Mountain Brook into a runaway fourth quarter in the win.
roo s and ama ohnson or the ass p ayer o the year a ard and nished second o e ri ht ean more’s i per ormance in the state tit e ame i ted o ntain roo
Prior to the game, McMillan and his father had an ex change about Elmore that proved prophetic. “It’s funny because my dad, who has watched every single game we’ve ever played in my time here, text ed me this morning, ‘ I’ve got a feeling Sean Elmore’s about to go off,’” McMillan said. Elmore shot an impressive 42 percent ( 8 0-192) from 3 -point range on the season, as he averaged 12.6 points per game, second on the team. H e proved his worth on the defensive end as well, as he logged nearly two steals per contest.
McMillan also threw out senior Ben McCool’s name as someone deserving of allstate recognition as well. McCool averaged 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and was a key cog to the team’s success in his final year, giving the Spartans an option that could beat teams inside or out with his versatility. “All those guys mentioned, just like all the other players on our team, were on a mission since D ay 1 to be champions,” McMillan said. “That is why it’s not surprising that a team full of champions won a championship.”
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A23
A24 • May 2017
Village Living
mother’s day gift guide
For the
BUSY MOM Cotton Bloom Spa Collection $49 This collection includes a moisturizing milk bath, soothing shower gel and nourishing body lotion. Exclusively at Alabama Goods.
For the
GREEN THUMB Assorted Flowers and Pots $10 - $250 (Photographed is $68) Browse a huge selection of fresh flowers and beautiful pots to make the perfect arrangement for any mother. Leaf & Petal 2817 Cahaba Road 871-3832
For the
Alabama Goods 2933 18th St. S. 803-3900
RELAXER Pink Himalayan Salt Lamp $32 This Himalayan salt lamp purifies the air and counteracts positive ions in the room. Spiro Salt Room 2816 Culver Road 445-0448
For the
PERFUME LOVER For the
STYLE ICON Bussola Women’s Formentera Wedges $100 Formentera Flatform Sandals combine the height and elegance of a high-heel shoe with the comfort and wearability of a sandal. This design is superbly finished with crossed straps across the instep and studding on the footbed.
Tocca Perfume Trio $45 Three favorite scents in miniature: Stella, Florence and Cleopatra.
For the
JEWELRY LOVER Signature Collection Stackable Diamond Bangles $1,500 each or $4,200 for set of three 14-karat white, rose or yellow gold. Pick one to wear, or wear multiple pieces at once.
Lucky Duck 2828 Culver Road 238-5056
Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers 2408 Canterbury Road 982-4888
Alabama Outdoors 3054 Independence Drive 870-1919
For the
BEACH BUM Straw Hat $24 UPF 50+. Many colors to choose from. Marguerite’s Conceits 2406 Canterbury Road 879-2730
For the
For the
VINTAGE MOM
HOME IMPROVER
Wooden Boat Tray $60 This tray will make a beautiful addition to any kitchen.
Kathleen Necklace with Molly Slide Pendant $239 This 18-inch necklace features the Molly slide pendant, which slides open to reveal your customized message engraved inside. Engrave the front with a monogram if you wish.
The Cook Store 2841 Cahaba Road 879-5277
Ex Voto Vintage 2402 Canterbury Road 538-7301
For the
Accent Knobs $89.95 - $113.95 So many options for Mom to get her home that special look. Variety of brands available.
COOK
Brandino Brass 2824 Central Ave. 978-8900
For the
NATURAL BEAUTY Handcrafted Painted Leather Earrings Leather leaf earrings from Inspirations by Janie Mayer. B Kids 2405 Montevallo Road 783-5777
For the
FIT MOM Gift Certificate Various prices Gift certificates provide three or more one-on-one personal training sessions. The Fitness Center 3900 Montclair Road 870-1121
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A25
For the
For the
Assorted Antique Sterling Silver Cuff and Bangle Bracelets $135+ Many styles and sizes to choose from.
Multistone Necklace $108 The perfect blue necklace to finish casual or dressy outfits.
ACCESSORIZER
ACCESSORIZER
For the
Henhouse Antiques 1900 Cahaba Road 918-0505
Town and Country 74 Church St. 871-7909
MOM WHO SHINES Bling Brush $20 Bling Brush by Baublerella keeps your jewelry clean at home or traveling. It’s natural and safe for all your bling. Christine’s on Canterbury 2404 Canterbury Road 871-8297
For the
MOM ON VACATION
For the
MOM WHO HAS EVERYTHING
Striped Brim Straw Hat $58 With detachable bow, made by fsallselection.
OYOBox $135-300 Multiple sizes and chic colors to store and organize eyewear.
Village Poodle 2410 Canterbury Road 423-5443
Schaeffer Eye Center 979-2020 SchaefferEyeCenter.com
For the
COZY MOM Nest Fragrances Candle $64 Limited edition scent in White Camellia. Table Matters 2402 Montevallo Road 879-0125
For the
For the
VINTAGE COLLECTOR Vintage Golden Tiger’s Eye Ring $1,850 Vintage ring enclosed by a diamond Greek key motif of 1.35 carats. An impressive “Chevalier” piece and, as legend says, for spiritual well-being. JB & Co. 1 Office Park Circle, Suite 201 874-9919
GLAM MOM For the
MOM ON THE GO Jaunt Petite Tote $239 A fashionable, durable and architectural tote made in the USA of merino wool and vegetable tanned leather.
DITA Axial Sunglasses in Rose Gold $525 The Axial sunglass is a sophisticated woman’s aviator that represents the optimal blending of form and function that is perfect for Mom. JJ Eyes 2814 18th St. S. 703-8596
Lamb’s Ears, Ltd. 70 Church St. 802-5700
For the For the
ONE WHO NEEDS A BREAK Little Barn Apothecary $10 - $50 Little Barn products are crafted from organic and wild harvested ingredients, completely natural and simple. A’mano 281 Rele Street 871-9093
CLASSIC MOM Carson & Co. 100 Percent Silk Charmeuse Scarves $325+ Designer Susan Carson draws on everything from vintage botanical prints to old book jackets for her silk scarves. Bromberg’s 2800 Cahaba Road 871-3276
A26 • May 2017
Village Living
GLAZNER
CONTINUED from page A1 bender in front of the store. As she stood crying on the sidewalk, Mary Anne Glaz ner left the store to cry and pray with her. “If she knew you were hurting or upset, she would step in. And she always knew what to say,” Sudduth said. “She gave people peace.” H er ability to remember children’s names and the little details of customers’ lives was a gift, Sudduth said. After decades of teaching music and piano lessons, Mary Anne Glaz ner had a habit of breaking into song to say good morning, entertain a child or just because. D oidge recalled bringing a news cameraman into mith’s ariety to film a segment on small businesses. “When I introduce him to her, she breaks out into song; she starts singing this grand Broadway show tune, and she wrapped his name into it,” D oidge said. “I think he really thought we had planned this, but we didn’t.” Jim Glaz ner said his mother woke up every morning at 4 to eat a bowl of Cheerios, read the Bible and begin her list of prayer requests for other people. H e recalls the way she would end every conversation with “I love you,” even on the announcement system at the store, and how ex cited she was to see Mary Poppins at D isney World with her grandchildren because she loved to sing “Supercalifragilisticex pialidocious” with kids at the store. Mary Anne Glaz ner’s husband, Lytton, died in 2003 and her daughter, Cynthia, lived only a few days after birth. Jim Glaz ner said one of his first thoughts after learning of his mother’s death was that she would be reunited with Cynthia again. H e said he felt fortunate that before his mother died, he had recalled a wreck they were in when he was young. Mary Anne Glaz ner threw her arm across her son, who was not buckled in, and while she broke her own back, he had nothing more than bits of glass on him. Jim Glaz ner remembered that crash on a recent trip with his mother and had the chance to thank her for likely saving his life.
o e ac and hite o s han on the ront doors o ary nne a ner died pri Photo by Sarah Finnegan. e t n mith’s ariety courtesy of Kat Sudduth.
“
a ner’s a orite p ace
as the ri
on co nter Photo
Whenever I was in her presence, she treated me as if I was her No. 1 customer, her closest friend or even a dearest family member.
‘THE FEEL OF SMITH’S’
Smith’s V ariety was central to Mary Anne Glaz ner’s life, and so Jim Glaz ner said many of his favorite memories revolve around her in the store, especially at the ribbon counter. “She loved it because it was all crafts, and she was working with one child after another on hair bows or school projects,” he said. Smith’s V ariety opened in 1950, but the Glaz ners bought it in 1976, when it was in Mountain Brook V illage. Jim Glaz ner recalled working in the stockroom as a 16-year-old and eventually joining his parents in the store full time in 198 0. At the time, the store’s biggest sales day in its history was $1,500. In the ’90s, he recalls his parents celebrating their first million-dollar year. H is parents’ approach to the store was to stock it with items they liked, along with something Jim Glaz ner called the “spool of thread theory”: Customers might come in for one small item, but would rarely leave without buying a few others that caught their eye. And there was no such thing as too much customer service. Not only would the staff at Smith’s V ariety wrap, assemble or deliver products to their customers, but Jim Glaz ner recalled his father leaving home on Christmas
ary nne
mith’s ariety a ter store o ner
D ay to put together a pinball game a family had purchased. “It was a different retail philosophy,” he said. When they relocated the store to Crestline V illage in 2015, Jim Glaz ner said his mother’s biggest concern was that the candy counter, which had seen thousands of children press their noses up against the glass with dollars in hand, remain exa ctly the same. “My mom was so afraid that we were going to lose the feel of Smith’s. So we had the whole candy counter area duplicated exa ctly,” Jim Glaz ner said. “We’re never changing that candy counter.” Since then, customers have commented that even the smell of the store has remained ex actly the same.
O utside Smith’s V ariety, Mary Anne Glaz ner was an active member of Mountain Brook Baptist Church, the co-vice president of retail for Mountain Brook and Crestline villages and one of the most involved business owners D oidge said she has ever met. Amber Benson met Mary Anne Glaz ner through Leadership Mountain Brook and called her the program’s “biggest community champion.” “Whenever I was in her presence, she treated me as if I was her No. 1 customer, her closest friend or even a dearest family member,” Benson said. Mary Anne Glaz ner allowed Leadership Mountain Brook classes to sell their T-shirts and book, “Buttons Ex plores the Brook,” at Smith’s V ariety and gladly promoted them to customers, Benson said. When she met the students to talk about the book and give them advice, she did so in her signature style. “While visiting with us, she took the time to praise the students for their outstanding work and to motivate them as they entered the sales portion of the project. She broke out into a song and dance all about Buttons the cat and how he ex plored the city. H er enthusiasm was just what the students needed to motivate them into the
”
AMBER BENSON
next phase of their project,” Benson said. Benson said she would like to create an annual award for Leadership Mountain Brook to give out to the business that best supports the program just as Mary Anne Glaz ner did.
‘HOLE IN THE COMMUNITY’
When Mountain Brook’s own “bow lady” passed away, the city honored her in the most fitting way possible. Businesses and customers bought black-and-white bows from Smith’s V ariety to hang on their doors in her honor. Jim Glaz ner said the proceeds from the bows will go to Camp Smile-A-Mile and Children’s H arbor. The hanging of these bows, along with Mountain Brook lowering its flag to half-staff in her memory, was “huge to me,” he said. “I just miss my mom, and I can feel how many people miss her, also,” Jim Glaz ner said. Mary Anne Glaz ner’s death left a “gaping hole in this community,” D oidge said. But those who loved her never have to wonder how she felt about them. “She never left you without saying, ‘ I love you.’ … Y ou always knew where you stood with her,” Sudduth said. “We’re all better for having met her.”
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • A27
BY THE NUMBERS: MOUNTAIN BROOK CRIME STATISTICS
POLICE
CONTINUED from page A1
DRUG ARRESTS
uring the past five years, the number of drug-related arrests has increased about percent, from made in to in . “That stems from getting back to full staff, ook said. “There’ve been more arrests simply because we’ve maintained the number of personnel on the streets. olice make drug arrests for a variety of controlled substances: prescription pills, narcotics, synthetic drugs and drug paraphernalia, to name a few. But one of the most common is still marijuana. “ t’s probably the easiest one to obtain a probable cause on without actual sight because of the smell, ook said. “There’s a distinctive smell of marijuana, whether or not it’s just been packaged or smoked. Arrests are not as easy with other drugs, so ook said officers are keeping active in the communities by making traffic stops and talking with suspects further to try to establish a probable cause that a crime has been committed or that property is connected with a crime. ometimes, a probable cause can lead to arrests made for prescription drugs, which ook called one of the city’s bigger problems. hile oftentimes the drug in question was not initially obtained illegally some may be left over from a procedure or prescribed for ongoing treatment prescription drugs can be used improperly if they fall into the wrong hands. “A lot of these youth will get in there and get these pills and not know what they do, ook said. ome younger residents might not know the effect of the drugs if abused, but they take them anyway, he said. To promote drug safety, the MB is heavily involved in All n Mountain Brook and has added a drug drop-box in its lobby to safely dispose of drugs, thanks to the help of the estavia olice epartment as a part of the EA ational Take-Back nitiative. hile many drug arrests stem from sight and physical evidence, a quickly growing crime
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
6
7
4
8
5
7
6
Burglary (residence)
70
81
49
83
34
30
36
Burglary (business)
14
4
10
8
4
3
6
309
340
212
212
139
180
184
Auto theft
11
8
7
11
8
8
10
Assaults
8
10
7
8
10
8
8
26
22
25
51
n/a
n/a
n/a
40
31
42
71
51
89
81
4
1
2
4
n/a
n/a
n/a
Drugs (narcotics, drug paraphernalia, marijuana possession)
35
26
45
49
83
99
83
Family violence
30
35
27
27
28
30
26
959
1,061
983
1,031
938
960
1,016
90
74
197
197
63
51
74
1
4
2
2
1
0
1
Robbery
Theft
Theft by forgery/ embezzle/bad checks Identity theft Receiving stolen property
Accidents - with injury - with fatality
Calls for service
28,860
25,641
23,155
28,461
31,054
2015
2016
30,392 28,460
SOURCE: MOUNTAIN BROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT is one that can go unseen.
IDENTITY THEFT
ook calls identity theft one of the fastest-growing crimes, and since , arrests have jumped from in to in . “ t’s a lot easier to do now than it used to be. ith just a little bit of technology and equipment, they criminals can download your identification to a cloned card in no time, he said. ook said victims typically notice when looking at monthly statements and seeing abnormal charges, which affect every age group and can range from menial to outlandish.
“ n some cases, it’s thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars, he said. The criminals get their data by “scanning cards debit or credit and selling the data to a person who speciali es in stolen identities. ometimes, the identity that’s stolen may be from a child who wouldn’t know of the crime until he or she applies for a loan years down the road. “ f the bill is addressed somewhere else, it might not ever track back to the victim until they do something such as long-term credit, ook said. To prevent identity theft, ook suggested
people monitor their credit lines and monthly statements for unexpected charges, and if they do notice something, to notify their bank and card companies as soon as possible. “There’s an untold number of people sitting at a computer around the world, searching for a way to steal info from someone else, he said.
BURGLARIES AND THEFT
As some criminals sit behind a computer, others walk along the streets testing doors. The overall numbers for burglaries and thefts have decreased, ook said, but the past two to three years have brought a sharp increase in car break-ins many from unlocked vehicles. ook said that in , percent of the car owners who reported something stolen were from unlocked vehicles, and that number is going to be fairly consistent across . According to the weekly community updates sent by MB , there were eight guns reported stolen in . That doesn’t mean criminals are above smashing a window to steal items, he said, some of which may be credit cards that lead to arrests in identity theft cases. n , one car window was smashed, and a gun was taken. olice believe the thefts are coming from groups that drive to different areas, walk through communities at night testing door handles and going through cars for expensive items often left in plain sight. “ hen those guys are moving down the street, if they see headlights coming down the street, they just pull off into the shadows , he said. “That’s one of the reasons it’s very difficult for our night patrol officers to see them. ith an increasingly mobile society, ook said it is becoming harder to catch criminals on all fronts. “ ou can’t go round up the usual suspects now, because the usual suspects might be coming in from Birmingham, from untsville. ome folks are coming up from Mobile to break into our cars, because they always have the good stuff,’ he said. “ f you think about it, these guys know that certain parts of the community leave their doors unlocked That would do a tremendous amount for us if we could just get people to lock doors.
Voted
BEST OF MOUNTAIN BROOK Village Living Best Mexican Food
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B A heart filled with joy School House B4 Faith B13
Gift Guide B14
MAY 2017
Calendar B18
Lindsay Davis doesn’t let Down syndrome stop her from being an enthusiastic manager By LEXI COON
I
t’s the bottom of the seventh inning with Mountain Brook up to bat. It’s been a long game and the girls are tired, but not so much so that you can’t hear them cheering. They only have a few more chances left to score and the pressure may be on, but win or lose, these softball Spartans know they have someone on their team who will always have their back: Lindsay D avis. A freshman at Mountain Brook H igh School, D avis has D own syndrome, but that doesn’t stop her from being a wonderfully enthusiastic force as the manager for the softball team. “Everything in her world is wonderful and awesome and great,” coach K arly Miller said. “H er being around us has really brought up the team morale.” As the manager, D avis attends practices, where Miller said she “feeds the tee” and practices with the players. “I cheer on my teammates, they’re my friends. It’s the best,” D avis said. When it’s game time, she sets up the helmets
See DAVIS | page B17
Lindsay Davis celebrates a home run at the end of the Mountain Brook-Oak Mountain softball game March 16. After the conclusion of e ery home ame the team ta es to the e d ith their mana er indsay or a r n aro nd the ases Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
B2 • May 2017
Village Living
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • B3
B4 • May 2017
Village Living
School House
TO boldly GO ra atin c ass reflects on i
sc oo e erience
By LEXI COON
Graduation is right around the corner. Check out what these senior students in the community have to say about high school and what they’re planning on doing after graduation:
DUNCAN MORRIS
► S c h ol : MBH S ► F a v o r i t e m e m o r y: Making it to the 2017 football playoffs As a Spartan, D uncan Morris was elected co-president of the K ey Club and senior class vice president of SGA and was on the football and track team. H e said his time at MBH S has taught him to manage his time better and how to set personal goals, which translates into his advice to “never underestimate yourself.” H is favorite classes include AP calculus, taught by Wanda Burns; and AP physics, taught by Sue D avis. While Morris said he is going to miss the friendships he has made, he is confident his ex periences at MBH S are going to help him succeed while attending the U.S. Naval Academy.
BROOKE HOLLOWAY
► S c h ol : MBH S ► G o i n g t o m i s s m o s t : Strong and encouraging best friends
Photos by Lexi Coon.
Brooke H olloway has been involved in many activities while attending MBH S, including serving as the MBH S Publicity Chair, president of the D iamond D olls Baseball Cheer and a representative for the Jefferson County Y outh Advisory Council. She relates her hard-working and dedicated personality to the values of the community’s school system that are implemented starting at the elementary schools. While her favorite class was American studies, taught by K aty R ay and H olly Martin, her favorite memory is taking part in the annual homecoming parade. H olloway will continue her studies at Tex as Christian University and advises her younger classmates to take in every day.
VillageLivingOnline.com
KENDRICK MCFADDEN
May 2017 • B5
HANNAH REEDER
JOSH TEEL
► S c h ol : Altamont chool ► F a v o r i t e m e m o r y: A . . history with Andrew elson Art history with ameron aede
► S c h ol : MB ► G oi n g t o m i s s m os t : MB particularly choir members
student body,
► S c h ol : Altamont chool ► Be s t a d v i c e : Take every opportunity you’re given
hile attending Altamont, Mountain Brook resident endrick Mc adden said she has become a harder worker thanks to smaller classes and the attentiveness of her teachers. As a night, she was elected secretary of the panish lub, a member of the onors Reading eminar and participated in Model . . for three years, and her favorite memory was her senior year Roundtable eek with her classmates. To her younger classmates, Mc adden suggests “to actually try, every day to make exams and classes less intimidating. Although she will miss the freedom she has had as a senior at Altamont, she will be attending college and eventually continuing on to law school.
annah Reeder has been involved in many extracurricular activities during her time as a partan, including choir, theater, panish and ational onors ociety, nternational Thespians onors ociety and Mu Alpha Theta. he is also president of the female MB a cappella group, na oce. er favorite classes were A European history with lenn Lamar and advanced algebra with trigonometry with Rodney ornegay, but finds her best advice from Burns: “ find it is always better to push the mind and not doubt your ability. Reeder will be pursuing a double major in business marketing and entrepreneurship at amford in the fall.
uring his time at Altamont, osh Teel has been a part of the eyser Miree Leadership rogram, a panelist of the Altamont hapter’s A’s eritage anel and the corresponding secretary for the class of . Being a night has “shaped his view of the world by introducing him to a diverse group of peers, and prepared him for the academic and social pressures of college. is favorite classes were micro and macroeconomics, taught by eith Randall, because they presented a “unique challenge. Although Teel will be attending ashington niversity in t. Louis’ Olin Business chool in the fall, he will miss roject eek the most, when he and classmates would attend school trips together.
B6 • May 2017
CHASE ROBINETT
Village Living
GRACE REEDER
► S c h ol : MB ► F a v o r i t e c l a s s e s : istory, with Lamar math, with red Major and Burns
► S c h ol : MB ► Be s t a d v i c e : involved
As a senior at MB , hase Robinett said he has developed the character to work hard and appreciate the opportunities given to him by the high school. e has played for the tennis team, was previously the class vice president his sophomore and junior years, and was elected as the A vice president this year. hile in A this year, he helped plan homecoming, which is his favorite memory. Robinett said he is going to miss the high school community, but advises younger partans to focus on the things they are passionate about. e has yet to decide on a university, but will be studying history, economics or politics.
uring her time as a partan, race Reeder served as president of the Thespians lub and the nternational Thespians ociety and was a member of hamber hoir, panish lub and Relay for Life, among other programs. As a self-described “history nerd, she has thoroughly enjoyed the history classes taught by Martin and Lamar. hile she is going to miss her friends and classmates upon graduation as well as the community of the school, she is “truly ecstatic to attend amford niversity with a focus on music and worship. “MB has prepared me for college in being a part of things am most passionate about, she said.
ursue your interests and be
STAV PAPPAS
► S c h ol : MB ► G oi n g t o m i s s m os t : is coaches, playing football and his mom’s cooking tav appas can trace his connection to MB to when his dad and uncle campaigned for the partan mascot and became one of the first classes at the high school. “ rowing up in a reek-American family with partan lineage has made my experiences at MB even more special, he said. is favorite classes have been . . history with hane Martin, A physics with avis and A calculus with Burns, and he has been involved in many activities including A, unior ivitan lub, wrestling and football. One of his favorite memories was hosting the senior football dinner at his home before the start of school. n the fall, appas will be attending one of the . . military academies to major in engineering and tells younger partans to never be complacent.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • B7
finds s ccess in
tate ham ionshi s Members of MBS Robotics Team A present their STEM project — a bike that is powered by recycled batteries and solar panels. Photo by Erica Techo.
By ER ICA T ECH O Mountain Brook Schools’ R obotics team has seen its numbers grow from six to more than 100 students since it started three years ago. “We’re really growing, and I’m proud of that for y’all,” said Mountain Brook Junior H igh robotics and computer science instructor James Salvant. e said teams, five schools and two homeschool programs competed in Mountain Brook robotics this year. Salvant is the sponsor of Mountain Brook Schools’ V EX IQ Competition R obotics Club, an afterschool club that participates in events throughout the year. H e started the club as a way to give all students a place to fit in Mountain Brook schools. “R obotics has provided that for many of our students,” Salvant said. This year, MBS R obotics had six teams in the elementary division and six in the middle school division during the E tate hampionships, and three teams in the middle school division competed at this year’s orld hampionships April - . “Y ’all did awesome,” Salvant told this year’s robotics students. “Whenever Mountain Brook showed up to a competition, y’all had people shaking in their boots.” In the elementary division of state, three MB teams made it to the finals, and three scored in the top . n the middle school division, Team A won the Robot kills hampion Award; Team 3 13 3 7A won the STEM Challenge Award; Team 3 13 3 7D received a high skills score, and Team 3137P earned the exc ellence award. With each level of competition, the MBS teams have worked to build upon or improve their robots and projects. The team participating in the STEM Challenge presented how they planned to “bring it up a notch for worlds” during a R obotics Party at MBJH in April, just a few weeks before the world championships. In their original project, Team 3 13 3 7A —
The Nutria R ats — took apart old laptop batteries to find good battery cells. They then repurposed those batteries to create a rechargeable battery pack that powers an electric bike they constructed. The students then worked with local business Eagle Solar and Light to get a solar panel, which can help keep the battery pack charged or help charge the battery during the daytime. “The reason why we did the batteries and made our own battery pack is because we wanted to remedy the problem of battery recycling,” said team member Fletcher Nunnelley. “A lot of times, people will recycle batteries for you, from laptops, but a lot of times they
will send them to other countries where a lot of people in poverty will take them apart and strip the battery of lead.” That process is “harmful to the people and the environment,” Nunnelley continued, so they chose to recycle the batteries in a new way. The addition of solar panels helped take their STEM project “to the next level,” which is needed in worlds. “ e would be able to compete with that [ bike] , but in order to win we would have to go to the next level,” said team member V irginia K ate Brandt. hile Mountain Brook robotics is in five schools, there are only designated sponsors at Mountain Brook Elementary ( Jennifer Jinnette
and Shannon Millhouse) , Brookwood Forest Elementary ( Sharon Mumm) and MBJH . “Now, I’m trying to get it in every single school,” Salvant said. n the - school year, MB Robotics will have an established club in each Mountain Brook City School “to provide students with an opportunity to start robotics in elementary school and continue that ex perience through high school,” Salvant said. Salvant will also teach a R obotics class next year, in addition to sponsoring the after school club. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor of Mountain Brook R obotics can contact Salvant at salvantj@ mtnbrook.k12.al.us.
B8 • May 2017
Village Living
Br o o k w o o d F o r e s t El e m e n t a r y’ s R a n g e r P T Oh o s t s a n n u a l a u c t io n The R anger PTO at Brookwood Forest Elementary held its annual auction this year at B& A Warehouse on Feb. 3. The doors opened at 6: 30 p.m., and parents and guests were greeted by the PTO board members, Principal Nathan Pitner and V ice Principal Christy Christian. They stationed themselves at a table where they demonstrated Google Ex pedition Goggles which they are hoping to raise enough money for and let the parents test them out. Guests enjoyed bidding on auction items while eating delicious appetiz ers donated by Crestline Catering and dessert donated
by Ashley Mac’s. The band Teenage D addy kept the energy level up before and after the live auction. When guests left the event, they were given adorable lemon cypress trees donated by Leaf and etal, and it fit in perfectly with the new theme “A Night for the Forest.” The R anger PTO would also like to thank Alabev, Alabama Crown and R edmont D istillery for their generous donations towards the event. It was a fantastic night raising money for the school! Stefanie D avis was the chair of the Night in the Forest. ‒ Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.
BWF parents and administration enjoy the Ranger PTO auction. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.
Cherokee Bend, MBE teachers collaborate for young readers K indergarten through third-grade teachers from Cherokee Bend Elementary and Mountain Brook Elementary came together for a three-day workshop at the Mountain Brook Board of Education building in mid-February to help strengthen phonics and word study instruction. Janet Jones and Marcia R amsey, two instructors certified through the Academy of O rton-Gillingham Practitioners, guided teachers through visual, auditory, tactile drills and instructional strategies that support students in learning the foundations of the English language that are essential for reading, writing, and spelling. Teachers also learned how to plan
Junior high’s Spartanettes win dance championship Cherokee Bend Elementary and Mountain Brook Elementary teachers recently attended a three-day Orton-Gillingham Workshop at Mountain Brook Board of Education. Photo courtesy of Christina Smith.
differentiated instruction that supports the needs of a variety of learning styles and academic needs. This workshop was proudly financially supported by both the Chief and Lancer PTO ’s. – Submitted by Christina Smith.
Congratulations to the MBJH Spartanettes for their win in high kick at the Alabama D ance Team Championship. The team competed in the UD A sponsored event at Spain Park H igh School on Saturday, Jan. 28 . They competed in two categories and came away with a first place trophy in high kick and a second place trophy in pom. The Spartanettes are eighth- and ninth-grade students at the junior high school. They perform at football games, basketball games, pep rallies, and march in both the H alloween
parade and H oliday parade. D ancers include: Sibley Cotton, Bella H offman, Emma Williams, Lil Balogh, Stewart Anne Murdock, Bebe H olloway, Claire Tucker, Ella D orman, Eliz abeth H anaway, Lowery Thompson, Fagan Leitner, Grace K ohler, Caitlyn Burrus, Maddie R oss, Ella Grace Bowers, Louisa Patrick, Mary Grace Lorino, Anna Catherine Sorrels, K ennedy Stewart, Ella Frances Mandell, Marechal Sledge and H elen Carson. The sponsors are Lisa Lewis and D ebbie Stump. ‒ Submitted by Debbie Stump.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • B9
Visitors from Hands and Paw came to visit Brookwood Forest during Circle of Friends week. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.
BWF hosts Circle of Friends Brookwood Forest Elementary celebrated Circle of Friends week March 6-10. The aim of CO F week is to promote inclusion, tolerance and acceptance of others living with challenges. It is also a time to show our sincere gratitude to those that serve our children living with challenges. BWF guidance counselor Ashley Eldridge set up Simulation Stations in her classroom that helped demonstrate the difficulties those with challenges face in everyday life. This helps facilitate understanding for our children of how they might provide assistance to those living with differences and help them become
successful in life. H ands and Paw came to BWF and did a presentation for the pre-K through second grade students. The upper grades listened to Mary White, who is a 10th grader at H oover H igh School who is living with hydrocephalus. She talked to the fifth and sixth graders. he has made two videos to help people communicate with special needs individuals and one about why you should hire a person with disabilities. BWF students enjoyed this special week and will hopefully carry this message throughout the year and through the rest of their lives. –Subm i t t e dby K at hl e e nW odr y.
6th-graders perform ‘ Cinderella ... If the Shoe Fits! ’ musical Brookwood Forest hosted parents, staff and students Friday, March 10, for the six thgrade play, which is an annual tradition. The six th-graders performed the play “Cinderella... If the Shoe Fits! ” a fantastic fairy tale musical. The play was under the direction of D ebbie R akes, music teacher at BWF. Many people helped make this production possible: parents, Mrs. Wingo for the back drops and D r. Scott R ussell for building the coach. Each sixt h-grader had a role in the play and played a vital part in bringing this performance to life. –Subm i t t e dby K at hl e e nW odr y.
Sixth-graders at Brookwood Forest perform “Cinderella ... If the Shoe Fits.” Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.
MBE students enjoy Jump Rope for Heart performances. From left: Andrew Hanson, ate o ers e ch e er e on ie ds ende sohn osh a on and ichard Crommelin. Photo courtesy of Shaun Flynn.
MBE students raise more than $15K for American Heart Association MBE students participated in the annual Jump R ope for H eart in February and raised a record-breaking $ 15,295 for the American H eart Association. Physical education coach Matt Cain said: “I am very proud of Mountain Brook Elementary students and thankful to students, faculty and parents. O ur students worked very hard learning single rope, long rope and partner rope jumping skills. They worked daily on a 3- 5 minute endurance jump and participated in
speed jumping contests.” Students were also challenged with learning about how the heart, lungs and vascular system work together, as well as heart disease and cholesterol facts. To conclude the project, the elementary students put together a team jump rope routine to the music of their choice, from all skills learned, and performed in front of students, faculty and parents. –Subm i t t e dby ShaunF l y n.
B10 • May 2017
Village Living
enefit or the en s r s generos t Benefit for the Bend, previously herokee Bend’s Winter Auction, was a huge success, raising more than , to benefit herokee Bend Elementary school initiatives and programs. The event was held at O ld Car H eaven on Feb. 25, and catered by one of CBS’ own families, The H appy Catering Co. Benefit guests bid on many generously MBE students, from left, Maxwell Brown, Caroline Perkins and Cate Drennan attend the book signing by author Susan arothers at the ann a riters’ esti a Photo courtesy of Margaret Hudson.
donated local items during the silent auction, artwork created by each grade level and an action packed live auction emceed by the JO X R oundtable. This year, our most coveted live auction item, “Principal for the D ay,” garnered a live auction showdown where we ended up having three winners totaling $ 7,400! Thank you to all donors and volunteers who were committed to making the evening
or n t t es
a success. roceeds from the Benefit for the Bend will continue to assist Cherokee Bend in developing creative problem solvers and new ways of thinking using innovative educational initiatives in the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts or mathematics. CBS is ready to SPAR K your Imagination! –Subm i t t e dby C hr i s t i naSm i t h.
JV SO CCER TEAM WINS SY LACAUGA CH ALLENGE
Mountain Brook students enjoy Writers’ Festival Several Mountain Brook schools shared their annual Writers’ Festival on Feb. 28 through March 2, sponsored by the PTO . The students at Brookwood Forest, Cherokee Bend and Mountain Brook elementary schools enjoyed hearing from a variety of talented authors and illustrators. Authors from our local area included Lou Anders, Lori Nichols and Susan Carothers. opular fiction writer Margaret eterson H addix and author/ illustrator H enry Cole traveled here to share their writing ex periences and wonderful books. All of these authors and illustrators thrilled and engaged the students with stories and ex amples from their writing, illustrating and publishing expe riences. A book signing was held each day at the individual schools where the students could meet the authors one-on-one and have their book signed. Everyone enjoyed this great event. – S u b m itte d b y M a rg a re t H u d s o n , M B E l i br ar i an.
he o ntain roo i h choo oys nior arsity soccer team on the th ann a he oys ed the ee end in points hey on o er en amin sse he sea pena ty ic s Photo courtesy of Jan Blattman.
y aca a e ity
occer ha en e on arch and on a ainst et mp a in
Resident Alexander Bills receives faculty honors at Georgia Tech Mountain Brook resident Alex ander Bills was recogniz ed this past fall for his academic achievement at the Georgia Institute
of Technology. Bills earned the distinction of Faculty H onors for Fall 2016, a designation that is
awarded to undergraduate students with a 4.0 average or higher for the semester. – Subm i t t e dby P at B i l l s .
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • B11
Even though Shari Dorsett plans to leave Mountain Brook Elementary at the end of the year her in ence i remain thro h some o the r instr ments in her c assroom Photo by Erica Techo.
MBE music teacher retiring, considers Disney position By ER ICA T ECH O On a scale of one to five, Mountain Brook Elementary chool music specialist hari orsett gave MBE a “ during her exit interview. “ he MBE rincipal Ashley Mc ombs started laughing, orsett said. “ he said, ’ve never heard anybody do that.’ That love of MBE, as well as years of fond memories, are what makes the decision to leave so hard, orsett said. “ t’s just a community that really values education and music education, orsett said. “They’re just a great support system. ’ve been very, very blessed. orsett has taught music for about years, with three years of experience before she came to MBE. Before that, she attended amford niversity and the niversity of Montevallo, receiving her B. . in elementary education. Music education was something orsett knew she wanted to do for a long time. “ wanted to bring music to life for other people because it had done so many things for me personally, she said. “ think music is such a universal language, and it’s one students can foster and grow in as individuals. Music classes and productions are an opportunity for students to be successful, even if they struggle in their academic classes, orsett said. They also help students gain confidence, which is one of orsett’s favorite parts of the job. “My favorite parts of being at Mountain Brook Elementary are, of course, seeing the children come to life on stage through the productions, seeing students gain confidence whether it’s confidence playing an instrument, confidence singing or through being a part in a play on stage, orsett said. “That’s my favorite part, the children. After the school year comes to a close, orsett will face a decision on her next step. isney has offered her a position working in youth programming, and a few opportunities have come up closer to home. “ ’m still deciding, but for right now, ’m presently taking a youth program
position with isney, orsett said. “ ince then, some opportunities have come about here, and ’m just kind of playing around with the idea of staying in Mountain Brook, being retired and having fun or going on to isney and being in charge of their youth programs. orsett previously worked on a isney cruise, where she performed as Elsa from “ ro en and worked with children while their parents took part in another class or left the ship at a destination. “ od just blessed me and allowed me to do something to share a passion had and actually get to do something fun, orsett said. “ t was a wonderful experience, and when they offered me the position , thought, hy not ’ Even after orsett leaves MBE, her influence on the school will remain. uring her time as a teacher, she received a master’s degree in music education, with a speciali ation in Orff chulwerk and brought that method of music education to MBE. “ wanted it to be a strong Orff musical program, where students would learn to play metallophones and glockenspiels and xylophones, orsett said of the school’s music program. “Because they didn’t have those things when came here. he also worked on the schools’ many productions, including its annual “A alute to eterans production, which orsett said is one of her favorite productions. “The productions have been very exciting, and it’s a lot of camaraderie, of parents helping, children helping, other people helping, so loved all of that the excitement that builds, of a community coming together, she said. ince receiving an offer from isney, orsett also has been approached about possibly opening her own music program in Mountain Brook. The decision is a difficult one, orsett said, but either way she’ll end up with a good community. “This whole community is a magical place, just like isney, she said. “ o it’s hard this is home for me so it’s hard to make a choice.
B12 • May 2017
Village Living
Amy Anderson chosen in Top for Alabama Teacher of the ear By LEXI COON Sometimes, it can take years, or even decades, to find your passion in life. Or sometimes, if you’re like restline Elementary’s Amy Anderson, you’ve known since high school. “ discovered a love of teaching as a high school student while volunteering at acation Bible chool, leading backyard Bible clubs on mission trips and leading children’s summer activities at the local art museum, she said. hile managing a large group of children and making learning fun may seem like a hefty challenge, Anderson said it intrigued her. “ wanted to make a positive different in the lives of others, and teaching young children was a passion that continued to grow, she said. After high school, Anderson continued on to Troy niversity, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in and a master’s degree in instructional technology in . Anderson knew math was her first love, but said as she has developed as a teacher, she’s reali ed it is more fun to learn math in more enjoyable and relevant contexts. o, as a restline fourth-grade science teacher, Anderson became a TEAM science, technology, engineering, arts and math certified teacher. “ wanted to learn more about how
“
My goal is for students to wake up eager to come to school and want to stay later at the end of every day. AMY ANDERSON
could incorporate not only the fine arts, but language and social arts as well, she said. ith her certification, she said she hopes to use her new knowledge and skills to help her students make more “real world connections while also beginning to explore careers that use multiple skills across various subject areas. ow in her third year at restline Elementary, Anderson was named the district’s Elementary Teacher of the ear, and on April , the state epartment of Education announced she had made it to the top of the - Alabama Teacher of the ear program, beating out more than other applicants. “ he’s ama ing, she really is, said restline literacy coach andy Ritchey. Ritchey, who has been at restline since , was nominated as
Amy Anderson, a fourth-grade science teacher at Crestline Elementary, was chosen in the top 16 for the Alabama Teacher of the Year. Photo by Lexi Coon.
Alabama’s alternate Elementary Teacher of the ear last year. Ritchey described Anderson as a “lead learner, and as a teacher who is never complacent. “ he is always investigating what’s next for our students, she said. “And it’s spilling over into the building to the teachers and students . Anderson also works outside of her classroom, collaborating with other teachers. “Even as a literacy coach, she has come to me and said, andy, what can we do to bridge literacy and science ’ Ritchey said. “ couldn’t ask for more, you know, that’s the way
it’s supposed to be. Anderson said an important factor in her teaching is making sure it’s an enjoyable experience. “ believe if am not having fun teaching, then the students will not enjoy learning, she said. “My goal is for students to wake up eager to come to school and want to stay later at the end of every day. hile Ritchey said Anderson does a lot for Crestline Elementary, Anderson credits her teaching and drive to the faculty she works with. “ would not be the teacher am today if it wasn’t for the constant support and encouragement from the
entire restline community, she said. And although she Anderson said she is excited to have made it to the top , she wants to continue to learn about how to make things even better while highlighting the great things that are already happening in the Mountain Brook system. “ want to do my absolute best to represent this community serve, she said. The epartment of Education was to announce the - Alabama Teacher of the ear final four the week of April , and the Alabama Teacher of the ear will be announced May .
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • B13
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
15 things I’d want my son to know As a mom of four girls, I often write about daughters. And on numerous occasions, I’ve had moms with sons ask for insights related to boys. Obviously, don’t have firsthand experience, but I do have friends who do a great job cultivating boys into men. Besides taking mental notes from them, ’ve developed a hypothetical list of my own, things I’d want to instill in a son based on personal experiences and what ’m learning about today’s teen culture through my work with adolescent girls. The following are 15 things I’d want a son to know. This list is by no means complete, just a few qualities consider important and that hope my daughters look for in the boys they allow in their lives. ► No. 1: Y our talents are a gift from God that you could lose tomorrow. Be grateful for every day that you have them and remember the point of using your gifts is to point people to God, not to show off. ► No. 2: “Boys will be boys” is a laz y and overly used excuse. lease don’t buy into it. Set a bar high for yourself, and be the kind of leader this world needs: a person of integrity, character and self-control. ► No . 3 : ou are responsible for a girl’s reputation the entire time you’re with her. art of becoming a man means growing a protective mindset toward girls and acting as their protector, not a predator. This is countercultural thinking. Many boys won’t understand it, and you’ll have friends who tease you for not being a player, but it’s the right approach.
roving you’re a trustworthy and respectable guy ultimately makes you the one who girls trust and deeply respect. hen a slumber party of girls starts a conversation about how immature and rude all the boys at school are, you’ll be the one singled out as always being nice to girls. ► No . 4 : Y ou aren’t invincible. Y ou will die one day. D oing reckless things, like diving off cliffs and blindly following the pack in the name of adventure, drastically increases your risk of dying young. ► No . 5 : A strong work ethic begins with knowing that no job is beneath you. Y ou aren’t entitled to anything, and if you want to move up in your career, do even menial jobs well and with a good attitude, because eventually someone will notice and grant you a bigger opportunity. hether you’re mowing grass or running a business, stay humble and appreciate even the most boring work, because somebody has to do it. ► No. 6: evelop a healthy ambition. Let your motivation for success be driven by the likelihood that one day, you’ll have a wife and children to provide for. our willingness and commitment to protect and take care of others is a cornerstone of your manhood. So instead of seeing your future job as a fund for a lavish lifestyle, view it as a means to support your future family and community. Think selflessly instead of selfishly, because that creates a meaningful life. ► No . 7 : tay on guard against pride. t’s the downfall of many men and boys.
► No . 8 : trength, confidence and courage are rooted in kindness, compassion and love. eep a thick skin and a tender heart. Embracing virtues doesn’t diminish your masculinity; rather, it enhances it. ► No . 9 : ractice respect and respect boundaries. hen a girl says “no, it means “no. hen a parent says “stop, it means “stop. hen a teacher says “enough, it means “enough. ou’re responsible for your actions and reactions, and for treating every human being with dignity, from the custodian of your school to the coach you deeply admire. ► No. 10 : Learn how to fight, but only use that skill when necessary — like when someone is being attacked, mistreated or threatened. ► No . 1 1 : The woman you marry will be the mother of your children. Choose wisely, because what can make a girl fun to date — like being the life of the party often doesn’t translate well into marriage and motherhood. ► No. 12: Be a gentleman, take the initiative, and always carry cash. hen you see a mom carrying groceries into her home, help her out. hen you’re with a girl a friend or a date open doors and let her go first. Always pay for your date and don’t mooch money from friends. Be a giver, not a taker. ► No . 1 3 : All it takes is one convincing leader to make a bad idea sound good. Even among friends, it’s imperative that you learn to step back, evaluate a situation and think for yourself. repare for those moments where you must stand alone or stand up for what’s right.
If you aren’t sure about something, don’t do it. ► No . 1 4 : Shake hands, give hugs, smile and look people in the eye. Be honest about who you are and passionate about the dreams in your heart so you can have real relationships and reach your od-given potential. ► No. 15: od created you specifically to serve your generation. H e’s grooming you to be an ama ing leader and influencer. Listen to his voice in your life and pray for spiritual direction. Be the guy who steps up to the plate to do hard things and uses his power to empower those around him. O ur world needs more men who create a sense of security. O ur world needs more boys like y ou . Above all, I’d want my son to know how deeply and unconditionally loved he is by his creator and his family. I’d then remind him to take the love he’s been given and pass it on to others. This would include, of course, loving on his mom, and making sure he remembered to call and check in on her once his life of independence begins. K a r i K u b is z y n K a m p a k is is a M o u n ta in B ro o k m o m o f fo u r g ir ls , c o lu m n is t a n d b lo g g e r or he u n ton ost. er t o boo s or teen and t een irls i ed Whose ppro al re ou i in or and ltimate ruths irls Should Kno are a ailable on ma on and e ery here boo s are sold. oin her a eboo ommunity at Kari Kampa is Writer isit her blo at ari ampa is. om or onta t her at ari ari ampa is. om.
B14 • May 2017
Village Living
gift guide For the
GLITTERING GRAD
5 Circle Diamond Pendant in 14-karat White or Yellow Gold $525 Perfect to wear alone or stacked with other diamond pendants. Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers 2408 Canterbury Road 982-4888
For the
EMOJI USER Terez Emoji Tote and Small Bag $54 Function and personality in the perfect bag. B Kids 2405 Montevallo Road 783-5777
For the
GRAD WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE SALT Optics Pratt $479 Classic style defines handcrafted titanium sunglasses fitted with polarized lenses for color-true clarity.
For the
MAKEUP LOVER Stephanie Johnson Trapezoid Cosmetic Case in Havana Green $32 Your glam grad can carry all of their cosmetics in this gorgeous pop of color.
Schaeffer Eye Center 979-2020 SchaefferEyeCenter.com
For the
GRAD WHO SHINES Bling Brush $20 Bling Brush by Baublerella keeps your jewelry clean at home or traveling. It’s natural and safe for all your bling. Christine’s on Canterbury 2404 Canterbury Road 871-8297
Lucky Duck 2828 Culver Road 238-5056
For the
MBHS GRAD MBHS Class of 2017 Towel $18 This cute towel will commemorate a big achievement. The Cook Store 2841 Cahaba Road 879-5277
For the
For the
PERSON ON THE GO Canvas Tote $17.95 Your grad can represent their hometown with this stylish bag wherever life takes them. Alabama Goods 2933 18th St. S. 803-3900
For the
VINTAGE CHICK
MUSIC LOVER Boom Bowl $16.95 You’ll be amazed at the incredible difference this sound amplifier makes. The Blue Willow 3930 Crosshaven Drive 968-0909
For the
GRAD HITTING THE ROAD Pomegranate Luggage $45-$150 Designer travel bags — ticking and green garment, clutch, dopp kit, cosmetic and weekender bags. A’mano 281 Rele St. 871-9093
For the
COLLEGE KID
Zoe Necklace with Turquoise Stones $189 This 18-inch necklace features handwrapped, genuine turquoise stones and the Zoe pendant. Custom engraving is available.
Designer Keyboard Covers $19.99 Flapjack keyboard covers are waterproof and fit Macs like a glove. Designs come in Rainbow, Sunrise, Black Dawn and Chalkboard.
Ex Voto Vintage 2402 Canterbury Road 538-7301
Swoop 2721 Cahaba Road 803-0886
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • B15
For the
RELAXER White Himalayan Salt Lamp $32 This Himalayan salt lamp purifies the air and counteracts positive ions in the room. Plug into the USB port on laptop. Spiro Salt Room 2816 Culver Road 445-0448
For the
OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST Yeti Hopper Two Series $299.99 or $349.99 The Hopper Series is still 100 percent leakproof and ready to tackle the wild, now with a wider opening and easier access.
For the
JEWELRY LOVER Engraved 1-inch Pewter Cuff $25 Commemorate the occasion with this classic cuff. Bromberg’s 2800 Cahaba Road 871-3276
Alabama Outdoors 3054 Independence Drive 870-1919
For the
GLAM GRAD Krewe Conti Sunglasses in Bone $525 Conti parades its wild French Quarter soul with its weightless construction, featuring a metal filigreed structure and function flex bridge with mirror lenses. JJ Eyes 2814 18th St. S. 703-8596
For the
TRAVELER Travel Bag $495 Beautiful pebbled leather with suede liner, this travel bag will be an heirloom piece that only gets better with time. Lamb’s Ears, Ltd. 70 Church St. 802-5700
For the
DORM DWELLER Monogrammed Cotton Robe $48 (including monogram) One size. Available in eight colors. Marguerite’s Conceits 2406 Canterbury Road 879-2730
B16 • May 2017
Village Living
Ellie Lipp, as a member and president of the Circle of Friends club at MBHS, helped build their 2016 Homecoming oat or the annual parade. Photo courtesy of Ellie Lipp.
Photo by Lexi Coon.
MBHS student earns Prudential Spirit of Community Award By LEXI COON For Ellie Lipp, volunteering is all about following her passion. She just happens to have a lot of passions. Lipp, now a junior at Mountain Brook H igh chool, first started volunteering when she was years old as an instructor for beginner classes at her dance school. he later became involved with different clubs at school and reali ed she wanted to work with special education students. “ hen got to my high school saw that there was kind of a separation between the special education students and the entire student body, she said. To help foster friendships, Lipp decided to work through the MB club, ircle of riends. ircle of riends is a club dedicated to helping special education students develop relationships through buddy programs, monthly breakfast or lunch socials, playing games and
going bowling, Lipp said. Lipp soon started the ircle of riends elebration eek and was elected president of the club as a sophomore a title she still holds today. “ t’s really been a great experience, she said. “ ’ve gained some of the best friends that ’ll probably ever have. Lipp also actively works with the ircle of riends program roject Outreach, which brings in students to the special education classrooms to spend time together, as well as the club’s annual fundraiser, hooting to hange. But through of all this, she is growing, too. “By becoming involved in this program also see the flaws in how our community and how society communicates between these two groups, Lipp said. “This entire experience has really helped me develop my communication skills, and ’ve learned each person communicates different from the other. he said learning more about differences in
communication has helped her lead classes at her dance studio where she still volunteers and competes as an rish dancer, as well as in social justice situations during her volunteering with the A social justice programs. “ t volunteering is not always rewarding a lot of times, it’s frustrating and tedious, she said. “But it’s an ama ing experience, and ultimately you develop the best relationships. Recently, Lipp was acknowledged for the hard work she has done in her community by earning the rudential pirit of ommunity Award for the state of Alabama. As a state honoree, Lipp received , with an engraved silver medallion as well as a paid trip to ashington, . ., with a parent to join the other high school and middle school students who were chosen to represent their states in May. “To be recogni ed, think it’s given me a ton of confidence in what ’m doing, Lipp said. “ ometimes, it can feel like you’re advocating
for something else no one really cares about. To even have been considered was a great accomplishment, and to have the opportunity to represent my school, community, and state is very exciting. f she is chosen as one of the five high school national honorees, Lipp will receive , ,a gold medallion and an additional , to put toward the organi ation of her choice. hile volunteering may be an extracurricular activity for now, Lipp said she hopes to continue with her passions, possibly even through the orld ealth Organi ation. “ love medicine, and love biology, but also really love special education and government really, she said. Lipp said she’d eventually like to make laws to help people who can’t really communicate for themselves. “That’s my ultimate goal, is to be able to do this for the rest of my life, she said.
VillageLivingOnline.com
May 2017 • B17 Left: Lindsay Davis poses with the Mountain Brook High School softball team. Lindsay assists the team as a bat girl during home games and takes to the e d ith the team for a run around the bases at the end. Below: Davis celebrates a home run. Photos by Sarah Finnegan.
DAVIS
CONTINUED from page B1 and bats outside of the dugout so the umpires can check them, collects the bats after the hitters are done with them, and makes sure the girls can hear her cheering them on. “Lindsay brings a high spirit to the team,” Miller said. “That’s her No. 1 thing.” The players love her spirit too, and know her upbeat personality is a huge positive influence on the team. “ er confidence is ama ing, said senior third baseman H ollon Skinner. “And I think it reminds us too that we should be confident in ourselves and just play the game we know and the game we love to play.” “She just lifts us all up,” said senior shortstop Elaine McD onald. avis first managed for the junior high softball team last year, and upon starting high school, she continued her passion while expa nding her managing repertoire to include the volleyball and girl’s basketball team. “What interests me in softball is being with my teammates,” she said. “It’s the best thing. I like working with them because it brings joy to my heart.” It’s safe to say she brings joy to her teammates’ hearts too. Miller said that while many of the girls are under a lot of stress and pressure academically and athletically to perform well at all times, D avis helps keep their spirits up. “They get down on themselves, and she’ll be right there to pick them back up,” Miller said. “They reali e, ou know what t’s not worth it to be upset, it’s not worth it to feel the pressure or feel stressed.” D uring every game, D avis is cheering from the sidelines or the dugouts, doling out hugs and compliments and saying great job to her teammates and friends. “I love getting back from the dugout and being there, and just watching them, and then Lindsay will just slip right in and go, love you, al ’ said junior pitcher and first baseman Lauren Gilbert. McD onald said D avis reminds them to have fun, regardless of the score, and that, “it’s never
a dull moment with Lindsay.” O ne of the best moments comes at the end of each game, when, after hearing her name on the loud-speaker, D avis dances up to home plate for her chance to bat. Amidst the overwhelming sounds of cheering, a teammate pitches to her, and after hitting the ball, she runs to first base. “I blast off like a rocket ship,” she said. H er teammates try their best to catch her, throwing the ball but missing almost every time, and they never seem to be able to tag her out. Touching home as her teammates and opposing team members are cheering for her feels ama ing, avis said. “It was the best thing,” she said. As of the beginning of March, she had hit 15 home runs this season.
What started as a post-game event at a junior-high game last year has now evolved into a ritual after every game. All the girls know when it’s D avis’s turn to bat — and whether the other teams know what’s coming or not, Miller said they always stick around and cheer her on, too. “She’s so ex cited to be up there, and I think sometimes you get lost in going through the motions … seeing Lindsay kinda reminds us of the joy we got from playing the game, which is why we all started playing,” Gilbert said. “No matter if we won or if we lost, everybody always comes back together in this one moment where we get to celebrate Lindsay and it kinda brings us back together as a team,” Skinner said.
B18 • May 2017
Village Living
Calendar Mountain Brook Events May 1: Narrative Poetry. 10:30 a.m. LJCC. Focusing on poetic fables. Visit olli. ua.edu.
May 7: 75th Birthday Kick-Off Celebration. 3-5 p.m. Front lawn of City Hall. Visit welcometomountainbrook.com.
cheon. 11:30 a.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. $25. Visit welcometomountianbrook. com.
May 2: Coffee & Contacts - Growing Your Business with Social Media. 8:30 a.m. City Hall. $10. Visit welcometomountainbrook.com.
May 10: Decorators ShowHouse Fashion Show Luncheon. Seating at 11 a.m. and noon. $15 per person. Call Char Bonsack for reservations, 914-9084.
May 20: 12th annual Zoo Run. Birmingham Zoo. 7:30-10:30 a.m. Zoo run $30, Kids Races, $15. Visit runsignup.com.
May 6: Big Green Eggs in the ‘Ham. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Birmingham Zoo.
May 13: Magic City Wine Fest. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Birmingham Zoo. Wine and beer specific to certain regions. $45. Visit Eventbrite.com.
May 6: Classic Day in English Village. Classic cars on display, live music and more. Visit welcometomountainbrook.com.
May 17: Chamber quarterly lun-
May 21: Jazz in the Park Celebration. 6 p.m. Crestline Field. Visit welcometomountainbrook.com. May 24: Flicks Among the Flowers. 8 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. $5 donation suggested. Visit bbgardens.org.
Emmet O’Neal Library Events May 27-29: Library closed in observance of Memorial Day. No programming until after Memorial Day. Summer programming begins Tuesday, May 30.
Young Adults (seventh-12th grades)
Children
May 5: Teen Appreciation Night. 6:30-10 p.m.
May 21: Summer Reading Kickoff Carnival. 3 p.m. Thomas Hughes Brinkley Memorial fun-run. May 30: Toddler Tales Story Time. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. May 31: Doug Berky. 10:30 a.m. All ages program. May 31: LOL: Go! 3:30 p.m.
May 2: TAB. 5 p.m. Monthly meeting of the teen advisory board.
May 6: Game On! 1-4 p.m. May 18-23: Exam Study Breaks. Adults Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. Programs begin at 12:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch; beverages and dessert provided.
May 8: Great Books book group. 6:30 p.m. Contact Eric at ecottingham@ bham.lib.al.us for details. May 9: The Bookies book group. 10 a.m. Discussing “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman.
Area Events May 1: BAO Bingo. 7 p.m. Birmingham AIDS Outreach. $15-$25. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org. May 1: BSC Symphonic Band Presents: Vacations Around the World. 7 p.m. Hill Amphitheater. Free. Visit bsc.edu. May 2: Spend the Night with Alice Cooper. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $49.50-$74.50. Visit ticketmaster. com. May 4: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5-9 p.m. 113 22nd St. N. Meet local artists and performers and buy their work. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com. May 4: Boston - Hyperspace Tour. 6 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. $42.75-$128.25. Visit ticketmaster.com. May 4-14: Oak Mountain Spring State Fair. 5:30 p.m. weeknights, noon weekends. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre. $8 admission, $5 parking. Visit oakmountainstatefair.com. May 5-6: Alabama Symphony Orchestra EBSCO Masterworks Series. 7:30 p.m. $25-$74. Visit alabamasymphony.org. May 5: Live at the Lyric: Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives. 8 p.m. Lyric Theatre. $29$50. Visit lyricbham.com.
May 11: UAB Neuroscience Café: Alzheimer’s research update. 6:30 p.m.
May 5-7: GEICO 500 Weekend. Talladega Superspeedway. ARCA Racing Series 5 p.m. Friday; NASCAR Xfinity Series noon Saturday; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 1 p.m. Sunday. Visit talladegasuperspeedway.com.
May 24: Foreign Film Series. Contact Amanda at amandaw@bham.lib.al.us or 4451119 for details.
May 6: Big Green Eggs in the ’Ham. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Birmingham Zoo. Fundraiser for Easter Seals. $20 per person, $35 per couple, $55 for family four pack.
May 30: Genre Reading Group. 6:30 p.m. Discussing documentary films.
May 6: 39th annual Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition (semifinals). 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mary
VillageLivingOnline.com Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. 20 singers from around the nation compete or a c ance to singe in t e finals. Students $10, Adults $25. Visit operabirmingham. org. May 6: Mudbugs & Music. 2-9 p.m. Cahaba re ing ompany. enefiting t e rt ritis ounda tion. $15 adults, children 12 and younger, $5. Visit arthritis.org/mudbugsmusic. May 6: Southeastern Outings Canoe and Kayak Trip on the Elk River. Elkmont. Depart 9 a.m. from Hayden/Corner Park and Ride. Make reservations at seoutings@bellsouth.net. May 6, 13, 20 and 27: The Market at Pepper Place. 7 a.m. to noon. Visit pepperplacemarket.com. May 7: 26th annual Arty Party. 3 p.m. B&A are ouse. enefiting irming am AIDS Outreach. Live art auction, hors d’oeuvres and wine. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org. May 7: Southeastern Outings Sunday Stroll along the Yellow Leaf Creek. Depart 1:30 p.m. from DVGWT trail head on Shelby ounty 4 . or in ormation call Dan rederic 4 . Visit seoutings.org.
May 2017 • B19 May 13: Party in the Park. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. odes ar . nity o irming am undraiser. ree. May 13: Second Saturday at Sloss Walk and Talk.10:30 a.m. Garden at Sloss Quarters. Presented by Birmingham Historical Society. Visit bhistorical.org. May 17: Julianne and Derek Hough Move Beyond- Live on Tour. 7:30 p.m. BJCC oncert all. $5 .5 $ .5 . Visit mo eli eontour.com. May 17-21: Regions Tradition - PGA Champions Golf Tournament. Begins at a.m. each day. Greystone Country Club. Visit regionstradition.com. May 19: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Coffee Concerts. 11 a.m. Alys Stephens Center. $ $ and $ 4. Visit alabamasymp ony.org. May 19-20: Alabama Symphony Orchestra EBSCO Masterworks Series. p.m. $25-$74. Visit alabamasymphony.org. May 19-21: Barber Historics. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Barber Motorsports Park, Leeds. On-track action, cars on display and more. $10-$49. Visit barberracingevents.com.
May 8: Southeastern Outings Bicycle Ride. Horse Creek Trail, Dora. Depart 9 a.m. from Kmart Green Springs or 9:30 a.m. in lobby o Sumiton almart. or in ormation call Dan rederic 4 . Visit seoutings.org.
May 20: 8th annual Bob Sykes BBQ and Blues Festival. oon to p.m. DeBardeleben Park in historic downtown Bessemer. General admission $15, children 12 and younger free. Visit bobsykesblues.com.
May 9: Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds - The Final Performances. 7:30 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. $43 and $73. Visit brianwilson.com/tour.
May 20: Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra Spring Concert. 2 p.m. Alys Step ens enter. ree. Visit alabamasymp ony.org.
May 9: Southeastern Outings Weekday Cahaba Lily Walk. Hargrove Shoals along the Cahaba River in Bibb County. Depart 9 a.m. from cDonald s by i erc ase alleria. or in ormation call Dan rederic 4 . Visit seoutings.org. May 10: Decades Rewind. 7:30 p.m. eatre. eaturing its rom t e ’ s to ’ s. $ .5 and $4 .5 . Visit decadesre ind.com. May 11: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Classical Masters Series. 7:30 p.m. Lyric Theatre. $30-$50. Visit alabamasymphony.org. May 11: The Outcry Tour 2017. 7 p.m. egacy rena at t e . eaturing esus ulture Lauren Daigle, Elevation Worship and Levi Lusko. $33.95/$29.95 group rate. Visit outcrytour.com. May 11-13 MOMIX. 7:30 p.m. Alys Stephens enter. er ormance by dancer illusionists. $ $45. Visit alysstephenscenter.org. May 12: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Red Diamond SuperPops! Series. p.m. Alabama Theatre. Salute to Hollywood Blockbusters. $ $4 and $5 . Visit alabamasymp ony.org. May 12-28: Dreamgirls. Red Mountain Theatre Company. p.m. ursday riday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. $19 and up. Visit redmountaintheatre.org. May 12-13: Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oak Mountain State Park. $5 park admission fee. Visit wakeboardingmag.com
May 20: UAB Piano Day. 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. lys Step ens enter. or pre college students and piano teachers. Visit uab.edu. May 20: Do Dah Day. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Caldwell Park. Pet parade, arts and crafts, kid’s activities and music. Visit dodahday.org. May 20: 23rd annual Creek Bank Festival. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Leeds Memorial Park. Visit leedsareachamber.com. May 20: Southeastern Outings Canoe and Kayak Trip on the Tallapoosa River. elfin. Depart 9 a.m. from Leeds U.S. gravel parking lot. Make reservations at seoutings@ bellsouth.net. May 20-21: Tannehill Trade Days. a.m. to 4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. $3-$5. Visit tannehill.org. May 21: 2017 VIVA Health Starlight Gala featuring Itzhak Perlman. p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $150. Visit alysstephens.org. May 25: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Classical Masters Series. Lyric Theatre. 7:30 p.m. $30-$50. Visit alabamasymphony.org. May 27: Southeastern Outings Dayhike at Smith Mountain Fire Tower. Lake Martin. Depart 10 a.m. from Publix at Lee Branch. or in ormation call . May 31: 22nd annual Rickwood Classic. 12:30 p.m. Birmingham Barons vs. Chattanooga Lookouts. Regions ield. $ . Visit barons.com.
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