Village Living January 2016 by Starnes Media

Village Living neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook

Volume 6 | Issue 10 | January 2016

BUILDING A LEGACY

HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR MOUNTAIN BROOK’S MILLER GORRIE By ANA GOOD

f you ask Miller Gorrie to tell you about his life, you’ll quickly realize you need to be a bit more specific. “I can give you a book on it,” he said as he stood up from the round table in his Birmingham office to retrieve not one, but two books that have been written about him. “Oh,” he said with books in hand and a smile on his face, “you probably won’t have time to read all that. What do you want to know?” Gorrie, founder and current chairman of the multibillion dollar Brasfield & Gorrie construction firm, opened up about his beginnings in construction on the heels of his firm’s 50th anniversary and right as the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce gears up to present him with the Jemison Visionary Award this month. Looking back, Gorrie said, his interest in building began out on a family farm in Trussville when he was just 14 years old. “My dad decided he wanted to build a cabin,” said Gorrie, staring out his office’s floor-to-ceiling windows and across the Birmingham skyline. And so, for nearly two years, Gorrie and his father would drive the 11 miles to Black Jack Farms and build late into the day. Though neither he nor his father had any real

See GORRIE | page A20

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When he was 28 years old, Miller Gorrie decided to start his own construction ﬁrm. Brasﬁeld & Gorrie has since become one of the biggest national names in the business. Photo by Frank Couch.

Amazing Grace

YEAR IN PREVIEW

A mother is inspired to raise money for research after her daughter got cancer.

See page B4

Face of Spartan Spirit

Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830

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Mountain Brook junior employs professional mentality when donning school mascot.

See page B8

Lane Parke’s Phase I tenants to receive spaces in April By ANA GOOD Lane Parke’s ﬁrst group of retail and restaurant tenants is scheduled to receive its new spaces in April. Though the buildings will be little more than bare bones, it will be a big step toward opening the spaces to the public, said Todd Becker of Retail Specialists. Construction on the site’s Phase I began following a Sept. 10 groundbreaking ceremony. Becker, a restaurant specialist, said construction is currently on track for the spring delivery. From there, the tenants will work on customizing the inside of the spaces. Depending on the workload, he said, the ﬁrst tenants could open their doors by summer 2016.

Among those scheduled to ﬁll the 66,640 square-foot space are newcomers — some to the state — CharBar No. 7, Kinnucan’s Specialty Outﬁtters, The Local Taco, Revelator Coffee and YEAH! Burger. Already-existing Mountain Brook retailers — A’Mano, M&S Interiors and Western Supermarket — are also scheduled to receive their new spaces and begin the move. Becker said that although Retail Specialists is not quite ready to release the names of other tenants, the public can expect another food and beverage establishment as well as two “unique fashion tenants,” one for men, one for women. Once Phase I is complete, Western will

See LANE PARKE | page A21

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About Us Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray January is a great month. It feels like my chance to do over all the things I wish I had done differently over the past few months, and especially in December! It’s a great chance to reassess priorities, goals and dreams. Maybe you are thinking about how you want to share your time and talents with others more. Read about one resident who has taken his love of lacrosse to Birmingham City School kids. His academy not only teaches these children this new sport, but also focuses on academic learning loss over the summer.

If you are like most Americans, then maybe fitness related goals are on your mind. If so, you will want to read our New Year’s ﬁtness tips from local experts. They will get you motivated and inspired. Grab a friend and hit the trails in Mountain Brook. We also have a preview of the year. What are the upcoming projects that the city is taking on, where do major projects like the Piggly Wiggly and Lane Parke stand, what events should you already mark on your calendar? You will ﬁnd all the details here.

We also proﬁle some residents and highlight their contributions. Will Sobera is a Mountain Brook High School student and the man you see in the Spartan mascot costume, and longtime Mountain Brook resident Miller Gorrie is being honored with the prestigious Jemison Award for his contributions to our city and a long history of giving and leading in Birmingham. Happy New Year!

BEHIND THE LENS By Frank Couch

Macro photography sounds easy enough right? The term refers to making a close-up photograph resulting in an image that depicts the subject larger than life. Digital cameras often have a macro setting, giving the least experienced photographer a shot at making an interesting picture. Whether you use a DSLR or compact camera good, lighting and a narrow depth of ﬁeld will be your best friend when shooting macro.

To make a really captivating image you have to slow down and closely examine what you are going to photograph. Be ready to discover some of the intricate details not so easily seen at ﬁrst glance or from a distance. For this month’s Behind the Lens I decided to look at signs and markers in the cities we cover. Many are carved into stone or made of metal and rest at landmarks we often drive by in our daily commute. This coming year I hope we all make the time to stop and closely examine some of the great places we have in our backyard. Much like macro photography, you might just be surprised at what you can see when you take a closer look. A historic marker in front of Mountain Brook City Hall in Crestline Village. Camera data: NIKON D810, Lens (mm): 60,ISO: 500, Aperture: 7.1, Shutter: 1/250.

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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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City

MBHS students finish onstruction of Habitat for Humanity home By SYDNEY CROMWELL It’s a Mountain Brook High School tradition dating back to 2002. Each year, students spend about two months fundraising and constructing a home with Habitat for Humanity. The most recent house was completed on Dec. 6. Members of the MBHS Interact Club, which was responsible for directing the fundraising and construction, were at the dedication ceremony to hand the keys over to new homeowner Gloria Rogers. The house in Trussville was completed in partnership with Mountain Brook Baptist Church, but students took the lead, said Interact Club sponsor Katrina McGuire. The MBHS Key Club also helped with the project. “They are so great,” McGuire said of the students’ efforts. This is the fifth house they have constructed in her time as club sponsor. Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Coordinator Eric Mason said each Saturday work shift brought around 25 volunteers. “They were full every day we had,” Mason said. The dedication on Dec. 6 included the giving of a Bible frame and picture collage from the construction to the

Members of the MBHS Interact Club stand with the Rogers family, who moved into the Habitat for Humanity house they built. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

family. Habitat’s Birmingham chapter CEO and President, Charles Moore,

led the ceremony and said the Rogers family gave 300 hours of “sweat

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receive the home. They will make mortgage payments to help Habitat for Humanity build more homes. “I know you’ll make this house a beautiful home for your family,” Rogers said. MBHS students also stocked the Rogers’ pantry and some volunteers built a bookcase, which 2nd and Charles and the Literacy Council stocked with books. During the ceremony, Rogers said that even if the students had trouble occasionally in learning to construct a house, they never hesitated to help. “These guys have been amazing. They’ve been consistent, they haven’t complained,” Rogers said. “I really appreciate you guys.” When MBHS started this yearly project in 2002, they were the first student group in the area to attempt to completely fund and construct a house. Many of the early students stayed involved with Habitat for Humanity. Richard Adams, who represented Mountain Brook Baptist at the dedication, is the father of one of the students who built the first house in 2002, in Fairfield. “You’re carrying on a long tradition with Mountain Brook High School,” Moore said.

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January 2016 • A7

City Council: Uber, other ride-sharing companies welcome under ordinance By ANA GOOD The Mountain Brook City Council on Monday, Nov. 23 voted to amend its transit and passenger transportation ordinances in order to allow for ride-sharing companies, like Uber, to operate within city limits. As part of the new ordinance, transportation network companies, or TNCs, will be required to pay a flat fee of $500 per year to operate within Mountain Brook. Drivers who work on behalf of the TNC will not be required to pay the yearly fee, nor will they be required to pay a license tax/fee or obtain a commercial permit. Companies who pay the yearly fee and who meet a specific set of requirements will

be permitted to operate. Those requirements, as outlined in the new ordinance, include: ► Conducting yearly background checks on TNC drivers with minimum requirements ► Specific driver qualifications that exclude the use of TNC drivers who have been convicted within the past seven years of a DUI, of any sexual offenses and other crimes, who are a match in the National Sex Offender Public Website, have accumulated more than three moving violations or a major driving violation, among other restrictions ► All TNC vehicles must be covered by insurance that meets the minimum outlined criteria of automobile liability insurance of at least $1 million per incident involving a TNC driver.

MBPD community update on crime By ERICA TECHO Mountain Brook police are alerting residents of a potential scam. In late November and early December, police said phone calls and emails asking you to send money “due to an alleged violation of the law or to keep you from being arrested” are likely scams. Police also reported multiple thefts in the community. Between Nov. 24 and Nov. 30, two trailers in the 300 block of Overbrook Road were broken into and construction and lawn equipment was stolen. Between Nov. 27 and Nov. 29, a license plate was stolen off a car in the 3500 block of Westbury Road. Jewelry and cash were taken from a residence in the 3300 block of E. Briarcliff Road between Nov. 12 and Nov. 26. Police reported a theft of property in the 2800 block of Cahaba Road from Dec. 5, in which someone left without paying for service. A victim of identity theft reported someone opened three credit accounts in their name between Nov. 7 and Nov. 30. Another identity

theft victim reported someone took out a loan in their name on Nov. 27. Two cars were reported stolen and later recovered. One car was parked in the 4000 block of Royal Oak Court and taken between Nov. 24 and Nov. 25. It was recovered on Nov. 26 on 27th Street in Ensley and had no apparent damage. Another car was reported stolen on Dec. 7. The unlocked car was in the 3600 block of Bethune Drive and had the keys inside. The car was later recovered after a lengthy police chase in Shelby County. Mountain Brook police reported two burglaries. On Dec. 3, someone forced entry into a residence in the 2700 block of Cherokee Road and stole a safe and guitars. On Dec. 7, someone forced entry into a residence in the 4200 block of Old Leeds Road. Jewelry, electronics and the family’s dog were stolen. The dog was a 4-pound miniature Yorkie and was taken while it was in its crate. Police also reported an instance of receiving stolen property from Dec. 10. Around 12:32 a.m., police officers arrested someone who was driving a vehicle stolen out of Fairhope the previous day.

All In Mountain Brook to hold social media safety seminar By ANA GOOD All In Mountain Brook will hold a social media safety seminar Jan. 14 featuring SafeSmartSocial.com founder, author and national speaker Josh Ochs. During the day, according to an All In news release, Ochs will hold an assembly at Mountain Brook Junior High and Mountain Brook High School, where he will discuss how tweens and teens can use social media in positive ways that may help attract colleges and employers. That

evening, at 6:30 p.m., Ochs will share the presentation with parents at Mountain Brook Baptist Church. Topics set to be discussed that evening include: ►► Which apps are unsafe (and others you should encourage your kids to use) ►► Which apps are a waste of time for your teens and tweens ►► How to analyze your teenager’s Google results to see what colleges will see

►► How someone can bury bad Google results from other users with a similar name ►► Examples of good and bad posts that colleges may find ►► Examples of seniors who are using social media correctly ►► How colleges and employers can use Google search ►► 7 networks your kids need to be on to “shine online” Ochs, who is also the author of “Light, Bright and Polite for Teens,” speaks to more

than 30,000 kids each year about the positives and negatives of social media, according to the release. On his website, SafeSmartSocial.com, Ochs offers a range of short videos describing various social apps, including whether they are appropriate for children, their hidden dangers and how to address their usage with your kids. The Jan. 14 event will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, 3631 Montevallo Road South. To register for the free event, visit allinmountainbrook.org. Email wiselyd@mtnbrook.k12.al.us with questions.

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Senator: ‘It all boils down to money’ By ANA GOOD Alabama still has a tough road ahead when it comes to balancing its budget, several state leaders agreed during a Nov. 19 legislative forum. However, they said, there are currently no plans to ever again shift funds away from the education budget and into the General Fund. Sen. Slade Blackwell, Sen. Jabo Waggoner, Rep. David Faulkner and Rep. Jack Williams agreed that while it was an uncomfortable solution to the General Fund deﬁcit in 2015, it was a necessary one. During the 11th annual legislative forum hosted by the Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills’ PTO Councils, all four state leaders voiced their opinions and projections on the state’s education issues. Each took turns answering pre-selected questions on everything from homeschooled athletes participating in sports to charter schools and the possibility of changing teacher retirement funding. Superintendents Dicky Barlow of Mountain Brook, Sheila Phillips of Vestavia Hills, as well as Superintendent Bill Cleveland of Homewood were also in attendance and chimed in to the discussion from time to time. Each participant stressed that as the time approaches to enter into the next legislative session, they’ll welcome input from their constituents. Here’s a summary of the topics covered:

GENERAL, EDUCATION FUNDS

Part of what caused the General Fund deﬁcit, Waggoner said, was the lack of revenue going toward it. Though it was “uncomfortable” and “very painful” to take the $80 million from the education fund and use it to plug the deﬁcit in the general fund, Waggoner said that because he and others were not going to allow taxes to be raised, it was something that had to be done. Faulkner said that what is “killing our general

what may come. “You are talking about their futures,” said Cleveland. When asked about teacher raises, Waggoner said there is more conversation on the topic than ever before. “I’ll venture to say that there will be a pay raise this coming year which would make it effective in October of 2017,” Waggoner said. Williams said while he does see a pay raise coming, he doesn’t anticipate it to be a big raise in one year, but rather modest raises over a two -to three-year period. Blackwell said it “all boils down to money. “If revenues are up,” said Blackwell, “there’s a good chance there will be raises and all indications are that revenues are up.” Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills’ PTO Councils hosted a legislative forum to discuss education issues with state leaders Sen. Slade Blackwell, Sen. Jabo Waggoner, Rep. David Faulkner and Rep. Jack Williams on Thursday, Nov. 19. Photo by Ana Good.

fund is Medicaid and the corrections department.” There are no growth taxes there he said, yet the costs are skyrocketing. Williams said the budget could have been passed without taking the money from education, but it would have caused a domino effect in other areas. Medicaid would have been damaged, he said, which helps countless children, as would have funding for troopers and jails. In the end, said Blackwell, only about $30 million was actually taken from the education budget because of the backﬁlls that took place. The backﬁlls, said Blackwell, in conjunction with the changes made to the Rolling Reserve Act—which will lower the percentage of money that must be put away from 20 percent to 7.5 percent—will help the education fund. Asked if taking money from the educational fund will happen again, Waggoner said he doesn’t ever see it happening again, though he expects passing the budget to once again be a problem next year.

New Year New Smile!

Williams said the polling numbers he has seen indicate that such a thing would never happen. Blackwell said he is opposed to the idea. “The problem with merging them,” said Blackwell, “is that with Medicaid and prison costs going up, you’d be naïve to think that funding those things from the same account wouldn’t take away from education.” Faulkner explained that putting the two budgets together wouldn’t create more money. “Having a separate education fund,” said Faulkner, “protects those funds.”

PENSIONS, RETIREMENT, RAISES

Blackwell said there is a task force looking into the workings of pensions and retirement. “Before we pay a single teacher or buy any books” Williams said, “we pay $1 billion a year to prop up the retirement system.” Homewood Superintendent Bill Cleveland added that his employees are concerned about

HOMESCHOOLED ATHLETES

Blackwell said that with “100 percent certainty” he is opposed to the idea of homeschooled students participating in school sports. “It’s a huge disadvantage to kids in school,” said Blackwell, “when homeschooled kids have the ability to train as much as they want. Then the kids who have to go to school are forced to compete against elite athletes.” Asked about all the rules in place for homeschooled athletes, Blackwell said he doesn’t see a credible way to police those rules. “It’s not a level playing ﬁeld,” said Blackwell.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Because Alabama was so late in the game to allow charter schools,” said Faulkner, the state had the opportunity to study what worked and what didn’t work. Faulkner said he does not see charter schools popping up in areas like Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills or Hoover. “Will it affect us?” said Faulkner referring to his constituents. “No. There are people in Alabama who do not have access to great schools. Charter schools are about helping those in the state where public schools were failing them. They needed another option.”

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UAB professor conducting park study By ERICA TECHO If you spot someone sitting at a park with a clipboard this year, there’s no reason to panic. Most likely they’re part of UAB occupational therapy professor and Mountain Brook resident Gavin Jenkins’ park study. Over the course of a year, beginning in January, Jenkins and a team of 15 occupational therapy graduate students will observe activity in Mountain Brook parks. They will be at Overton Park, Jemison Park and Cahaba River Walk to research park usage. The study, Jenkins said, could have many applications for the Mountain Brook community. “For someone like the city of Mountain Brook, to me that data might allow them to make decisions in terms of future planning,” Jenkins said. If the study shows certain portions of the park get more use, for example, Jenkins said the city could consider that when adding more parks or renovating existing ones. “Our goal is to understand how people use those three parks, what goes on in those three parks across a period of time,” Jenkins said. Jenkins decided to study Mountain Brook parks for several reasons, including the variety of parks offered in the community as well as the safety of the area. He settled on the three parks based on their range of offerings. Overton Park is a “containerized” park, Jenkins said, because it is a fenced-in area with manmade structures. Jemison Park, however, has a more natural landscape and more open areas. Then Cahaba River Walk, the city’s newest park, offers a boat launch and swimming area for warmer months in addition to a walking trail and pavilion. Graduate students will be at the parks asking park-goers to wear GPS belts and accelerometers during the study. They’ll aim for a random sampling of park users, coming at different times of the day and different times of the week. “What that allows us to do is it will allow us

Cahaba River Walk is one of the locations that a UAB professor will be studying to analyze people’s park use. Photo by Frank Couch.

to see where they go in the parks, and then it will allow us to see how much energy they expel,” Jenkins said. “Are they active in parks, or are they passive?” Jenkins said he has a few expectations — such as seeing more walkers, runners and joggers at Jemison Park and more families using

the playground at Overton Park — but past research has also told him not to rely too much on expectations. While there are predictable activities at certain parts of the day, Jenkins said there are also chunks of time that aren’t usually researched. “That to me is an exciting thing about a park,

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that a park has this sort of multidimensional use, and what does the community want of it,” Jenkins said. After the first month of the study, they will use GPS data to focus energy on more concentrated areas. This goal is to observe how people use park areas, rather than what individuals are doing, Jenkins said. “What I’m looking to see is, OK those people were engaged in some sort of social interaction, in discussions,” Jenkins said. “Those people were engaged in a kind of leisure activity because they were having a picnic … I’m not really interested in you as an individual, but do I see a lot of people in this area having picnics.” No one can be forced to participate in the study, Jenkins said, and if someone says that don’t want to wear the GPS belt, that is OK. However, he said he hopes the lack of personal information taken will lead people to be more willing to participate. While park users will be asked basic demographic information — age, gender and how often they use parks — there will be no identifying personal information or follow-up. “That’s part of the philosophy that I’m not interested in what you do,” Jenkins said. “Once I get 10 people doing roughly what you’re doing, now I’m interested.” Jenkins said he hopes that at the end of a year, the study will benefit Mountain Brook as well as other communities. There is not much research on how parks are used, and he said this study could provide information about future developments. “The whole goal of doing this research is to try and understand the importance of these areas to the community,” Jenkins said, “and ultimately how can you make them really serve a community so that when you, when people look at the city budget … people can look at parks and say, ‘Absolutely it’s worth every penny we’re spending on it.’”

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Now Open Laura Luckie Finch, LPC, has opened an office for counseling at 4 Office Park Circle, Suite 203. A native of Birmingham, Finch has opened this office after relocating from Chattanooga, where she owned and operated a practice for more than 10 years. She is available for weekday appointments, offering counseling in depression, anxiety, relationship issues, life transitions, grief and loss, addiction, trauma, spirituality, women’s issues, boundaries and acceptance. 490-1175, llfcounseling.com

Lovely Nails is now open in Mountain Brook Village at 2709 Culver Road. 879-7204

Relax the Back is now open at 2800 Cahaba Village Plaza. The store specializes in back pain relief, neck pain relief and ergonomic support needs. They carry a wide range of memory foam mattresses, Tempur-Pedic mattresses, supportive neck pillows, zero gravity chairs and rehabilitative tools. 979-3222, relaxtheback.com/stores/birmingham

Relocations and Renovations 4

Heights Dermatology & Aesthetics (formerly Montclair Dermatology)

January 2016 • A11 has relocated to its new facility at 4325 Dolly Ridge Road in Vestavia Hills. 591-2169, heightsdermatology.org Smith’s Variety has relocated from Mountain Brook Village to 45 Church Street in Crestline. 871-0841

News and Accomplishments Dram Whiskey Bar, 2721 Cahaba Road, was named as a top Southern spot for bourbon by chef Jeremy Ashby in the November issue of The Local Palate, a regional food culture magazine. 870-9669, dramwhiskeybar.com

Hirings and Promotions RealtySouth’s Crestline ofﬁce, 105 Euclid Ave., has hired Matthew Lepore as a Realtor. 879-6330, realtysouth.com

Anniversaries Birmingham Speech & Hearing Associates, 4 Ofﬁce Park Circle, Suite 301, is celebrating its 36th anniversary this month. 871-3878, birminghamspeechandhearing.com

Miller Gorrie, Larry Faulkner to be recognized at annual chamber luncheon By ANA GOOD The Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce will host its annual luncheon Jan. 14 at the Grand Bohemian Hotel. State Rep. David Faulkner will emcee the event, set to begin at 11 a.m. The event will run until approximately 1 p.m., said Chamber of Commerce Director Suzan Doidge, and is expected to once again be a sold-out event. The Chamber will award its sixth Jemison Visionary Award to Miller Gorrie, founder of Brasﬁeld and Gorrie. Past Jemison award winners include Bob and Rebecca Moody (2011), Mr. George Ladd (2012), Mr. Rele Evans (2013), Mrs. Katherine McTyeire (2014), and

Mr. Wilmer Poyner (2015). The award is named after Mountain Brook’s planning visionary, Robert Jemison. Emmet O’Neal Library will recognize Larry Faulkner, Rep. Faulkner’s father, with the Tynes Award for his work with the Mountain Brook Library Foundation. Incoming Chamber President Dan Bundy will be introduced at the event. Hatton Smith, President of Royal Cup Coffee, will be the event’s featured speaker. Tickets to the luncheon can be purchased online at www.welcometomountainbrook.com for $100 each. Entire tables can also be purchased for $1,000 each.

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A12 • January 2016

Village Living

Community Poinsettia Debutantes prepare for annual ball Poinsettia Debutantes and their fathers are preparing for the 48th annual Poinsettia Debutante Ball. The debutantes will be presented at the ball on Dec. 29, and the 10 Poinsettia Debutantes began waltz lessons at a party on Nov. 22. Tammy Towns, owner of Jackie O’Neal Dance Studio in Vestavia Hills, guided the debs and their fathers.

Guests received monogrammed commemorative plates and a ball gown cookie. Debutantes from Mountain Brook include Kathryn Lundberg, escorted by her father Mark Lundberg, and Catherine Masingill, escorted by her father Jimmy Masingill. The party was hosted by Donna Bagwell, Joanna Burleson, Stacy Hall, Debra Pounds and Mary Margaret Yeilding.

Ford Williams becomes Eagle Scout Ford Williams recently earned his Eagle Scout rank and was honored at a Court of Honor ceremony in October. Williams, a junior at Mountain Brook High School, is a member of Troop 53 at St. Peter’s Anglican Church. Williams is a member of the Order of the Arrow and earned 21 merit badges as a scout. For his Eagle Scout project, Williams replaced a privacy fence for two adults with autism spectrum disorder. The adults live in a house managed by Glenwood on the Southside of Birmingham. Williams took down the fence and constructed a new one to help provide safety and privacy for the residents. Williams plays on the varsity football team at MBHS and is a member of Key Club and Junior Civitan Club. He is also an acolyte at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Turner B. Williams.

Poinsettia Debutantes and their fathers. Photo courtesy of Debra Pounds.

Ben Collier earns Eagle Scout James Benton Collier III, a member of Boy Scout Troop 28, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. His Eagle project took place at the Westover campus of the King’s Home and turned an underused area into a recreational area complete with five stained picnic tables, mulch and 10 shade trees. The area will be used for relaxing and eating outdoors as well as for individual and group meetings. In addition to raising funds for the project, Collier was able to contribute $600 towards the King’s Home of Alabama general fund. During his path to Eagle, Collier earned 27 merit badges and was awarded the Order of the

Arrow and God and Country designations. He has served in several leadership roles for Troop 28, logged 41 nights camping and over 100 hours of service work. Collier is a sophomore at Mountain Brook High School where he is a member of the junior varsity basketball team. He is an active member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. He is the son of Allison and Jimmy Collier, brother to Claire and Adelia, and the grandson of Mrs. Pam Collier and the late Dr. Jim Collier and Mr. Richard Dorman and Dr. Maggi O’Brien and Ms. Millie McNeil and Mr. Stephen Martin.

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • A13

Mountain Brook group ‘Crossroads’ releases CD

Crossroads is a musical group made up of four Mountain Brook High School graduates. Photo courtesy of Denise Dow.

After years of singing together, Crossroads has released their first CD. John Canada, Skipper Stradtman, David Mandt and Benjamin Dow first started singing in the Birmingham Boys Choir and continued to sing with “A Bunch of Guys,” Mountain Brook High School’s a capella group. The group has continued singing

together throughout college at area events. Crossroads’ CD, “Then Sings my Soul,” is a compilation of the group’s songs. All of the songs are original arrangements by Stradtman. The CD is $10 and is available by emailing denisedow@gmail.com. - Submitted by Denise Dow

Casual kickoff to the holidays honors Birmingham Debutante Club

Members of the Birmingham Debutante Club and party hosts pose at Billy’s in English Village. Photo courtesy of Susan Alison.

The 2015 Birmingham Debutante Club ladies were honored at a party held in the debs’ honor the night before Thanksgiving. The party was hosted by young gentlemen their age. In contrast to the black-tie Friday night ball, this party was casual. The party was held at Billy’s in English Village, with dinner and drinks, plus live music supplied by Hugh Rowe Thomas. The party kicks off the holidays and was a fun reunion for all the college seniors participating. Planning the party were Susan Alison and Francie Deaton. Party hosts were: ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►►

Edward Aldag Parker Alison Steven Benton Wade Bramlett Sam Bridell John Harris Britton Michael Burke Walker Byrd Robert Byrne Tim Callahan Tyler Cox Andrew Davis Logan Davis Russell Day Ogden Deaton Coates Doss Cole Dunn Rucker Durkee Robert Eckert Reeves Favrot Andrew Fix Reid Fravert Robert Fritze Alan Gambril Matthew Gambril Zach Gillen Connor Herfurth

►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►► ►►

Summers Hester Will Hightower Stanford Hornsby David Hutchins Hilyer Isbell Wilson Jamison Jonathan Jetmundsen Nelson Jetmundsen Taylor Jetmundsen Will Kenan Ross Kennedy Brooks Kimberly Andrew Leeds Jim Lewis Pat Lewis Garner Lyon Walker McCain Malcom McRae Richard Meelheim Rob Miles Jack Miller Anthony Morris Charlie Morrow Parker Morrow Pearce Mulkin Douglas Nabors Jake Perry Will Perry Walker Philips Mark Rector Bradley Rowe Robert Schuler Jack Sewell Will Sharp Hatton Smith John Sydnor Crosby Taylor Peyton Thetford Daniel Tortorici Harris Waggoner Sam Williams

Village Living

A14 â&#x20AC;˘ January 2016

Mountain Brook celebrates Christmas

Cheerleaders from Mountain Brook High School took part in the parade. Photos by Patty Bradley. Left: Families came out on Dec. 6 to enjoy the Christmas Parade.

Children watch the parade go by on Dec. 6 in Mountain Brook.

The Birmingham Barons joined the parade.

Children enjoy the parade on Dec. 6.

Residents of Mountain Brook lined the streets for the annual Christmas Parade on Dec. 6.

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • A15

PreSchool Partners director of development ‘retires,’ Molly Silverstein to fill ole By ANA GOOD Less than a year after moving into its new permanent home, and fresh off the heels of celebrating its 20th anniversary, PreSchool Partners has a new leader close to its helm. Mountain Brook resident Molly Silverstein will this month formally begin her new role as the organization’s director of development. A 2010 summa cum laude graduate of the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s in communication studies, Silverstein will fill the shoes of PreSchool Partners’ first and only director of development, Allene Neighbors. In a December interview with Village Living, Neighbors announced her “early retirement,” as she describes it, to be with her children. “I can’t have that time back,” said Neighbors in explaining her want to see her children, currently 4 and 2 years old, grow up. Neighbors, who had been with PreSchool Partners for more than four years, said the decision to leave began to weigh on her heart heavily in August 2015. It was then, said Neighbors, that after more than 20 years of equipping families of at-risk preschool children with the necessary skills to achieve school readiness in rented and borrowed space, PreSchool Partners moved into its permanent home on Montevallo Road. Once the move was complete, said Neighbors, a transition out of the job seemed natural; it seemed like the perfect opportunity for fresh starts. “I didn’t want to leave anything hanging,” she said, “so I began looking for my replacement and planned to train them before I left.” Shortly after the search began, Silverstein’s resume came across her desk, said Neighbors. Instantly, Neighbors said she was attracted to, among other things, Silverstein’s “deep understanding” of the organization. As a lifelong resident of Mountain Brook and as a member of St. Luke’s where PreSchool Partners would eventually grow out of, Silverstein and her

Molly Silverstein (left) and Allene Neighbors (right) play with students on the playground of the newly finished PreSchool Partners building. Neighbors announced her retirement as the organization’s director of development in December 2015. Silverstein will fill that role beginning this month. Photo by Ana Good.

family had long been involved in supporting the organization. “I’m looking forward to really getting to know the kids and teachers,” said Silverstein. Most recently, Silverstein worked as the manager of operations of ArtPlay and Institute for Arts & Medicine at the UAB Alys Stephens Center. Right after graduating from UA, Silverstein joined Teach for America where she taught 11th grade U.S. history at a charter alternative high school in Texas for two years. After

growing through the ranks at Teach for America, where she managed the Southeast regional office, Silverstein moved back to Birmingham and began working for the Alys Stephens Center as a programming assistant in 2014. By 2015, Silverstein said she longed for the right opportunity to move back into an education-focused environment. “I love to be in the classroom,” she said. At PreSchool Partners, which Neighbors described as a “relatively small” organization

staff-wise, Silverstein will be expected to wear a lot of hats. She, like Neighbors before her, will work with the Advisory, Executive and Junior boards to build and strengthen donor relations through fundraisers and media relations. Silverstein will have to be creative, said Neighbors, build relationships in the community, remain extremely organized and master the art of multitasking. Silverstein said that thanks to the brand-new building, as well as the foundation Neighbors has set, it won’t be too difficult to convince others of the important role PreSchool partners plays in the community. “Allene has set the bar really high,” said Silverstein. “I’ll be taking what she’s done and basically just streamlining a couple of things. Together, we’ve found few things that need to be changed and others that really only need to be enhanced.” Since her training began, Silverstein said she learned from Neighbors each day and was thankful for the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of her new role. Among her own plans for the organization, Silverstein is looking forward to developing a new fundraiser scheduled to begin in October. Though the plans remain mostly under wraps for now, Silverstein and Neighbors agreed that it will be one the entire community will look forward to. As far as her own outlook for the new year, Neighbors said she’s sure she will at times miss the structure of a work environment. “I’ve never stayed home with my kids,” said Neighbors. “I’ve always been a working mom and haven’t given my kids, my husband, my undivided attention. Being a full-time mom could be my greatest calling. We’ll just have to see.” If there’s one thing Neighbors is certain of, its Silverstein’s potential. “PreSchool Partners is in good hands with Molly,” said Neighbors.

A16 • January 2016

Village Living

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

In the thick of parenting It recently occurred to me that my husband and I have reached an interesting midpoint in parenting. We’ve been parents for 13 years. We have 13 years until our youngest child leaves for college. We’re halfway to an empty nest. We’re in the thick of parenting. Our busyness today is different from our busyness when the kids were little. While we’ve certainly hit a sweet spot (with our daughters ages 13, 10, 9 and 5, we can enjoy them without being physically exhausted and sleep-deprived), we’ve also entered a new stage with moving parts than I expected. These days, parenting is a game of mental gymnastics. We have 4 kids with 4 distinct personalities and 4 sets of needs. They go in 4 different directions and make 4,000 requests a day for our time, energy, and money. We love them to pieces, but we’ve gotten good at saying, “No.” We have to, because they function better with parameters. They’re more respectful and pleasant when we aren’t too lax and inadvertently letting them boss us around. I wonder sometimes what stage of parenting I’ll miss most when our nest is empty. I’ve seen grandparents get teary-eyed and choked up as they say, “I’d give anything to have one day, just one day, where my kids are all back home.” When I look back twenty years from now, what stage will I miss most? At what moment in time would I freeze my kids and life as we know it? Part of me thinks this stage could the

frontrunner. Despite the demands, the endless carpools, the emotional sagas, and the short-circuiting in my brain, I really like where we are. I like how personalities are kicking in and passions are taking root. I like how the eight-year gap between my oldest and youngest reveals the fleetingness of each season, and I’m reminded to enjoy my kids exactly where they are, because their lives and their tastes evolve quickly. While my baby just started kindergarten, my oldest just started middle school. While my baby likes to curl her hair, my oldest likes to straighten her hair. While my baby is learning to read, my oldest is learning algebra. While my baby just lost her first tooth, my oldest just lost her last tooth. While my baby loves Disney and bouncy houses, my oldest loves The Hunger Games and trampolines. Our kids are past dirty diapers and tantrums on the grocery floor, yet years away from driving and college. They’re self-sufficient, yet they still need and want us. And while I don’t like the idea of anyone leaving home, I do like watching my girls grow up. I love seeing who they’re becoming and noticing God’s work in them as they test their wings, overcome challenges, use their gifts, learn from mistakes, and try to make the world better. Still, some days are hard. Some days I feel overwhelmed, unequipped, and unable to appreciate the joys and miracles in front of me. While parenting small kids, I found plenty of great

books and blogs to help guide me, but I struggle to find resources that speak to me in raising teenagers. The answers get less cut and dry as kids grow up because small children = small problems and big children = big problems. My favorite advice comes from parents ahead of me whom I respect and admire. I piece together their stories and wisdom to prepare my heart and mind for what’s to come. I’m learning to be a better listener and to empathize with what my children face. I’m practicing the poker face I’m told I need to have when the kids share unsettling stories, and I want them to keep talking. I’m understanding the importance of asking good questions, knowing their friends, and taking advantage of car rides as uninterrupted time to talk. I’m also learning to embrace humility. What gets clear in the thick of parenting is how even the “good kids” make mistakes sometimes. Every child is just one poor choice away from making their parents look like failures. And if my instinctive reaction to my children’s mistakes is, “What will people think?”, then I’ve got a problem. I’m parenting with pride instead of humility, worrying more about appearances than the longterm well-being of my kids. All this to say, parenting gets more complex with time. There are more balls to juggle and more action-packed days that make the years fly by. With this action, however, comes an excitement and a sense that really important and life-changing things are happening. This is

where the rubber hits the road. This where you hang on for dear life as you help your child navigate foreign terrain and pray those seeds you’ve been planting since birth will ultimately produce good fruit. Parents ahead of me often say, “These are the years you’re going to miss. This is what it’s all about,” and I believe them. While I won’t miss the laundry piles that stack up to Mount Rushmore, or the constant clutter of dishes in the sink, I can imagine looking back with laughter and wistful smiles as Harry and I remember, above all the headaches and low points, how much fun we had giving our daughters a childhood that shaped us as much as them. In the thick of parenting is a special place to be. There’s a lot to reflect upon, yet little time to reflect. And if we treat these days are a GIFT, a temporary season full of opportunities to engage with our children and point them in a meaningful direction, we can soak them up instead of wish them away, knowing that even on the hard days, we still have it really good, because our family is together, and the memories being made are the kind that last a lifetime. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mtn. Brook mom of four girls, columnist, and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, 10 ULTIMATE TRUTHS GIRLS SHOULD KNOW, is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer”, visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • A17

Kindergarten enrollment to open online Parents can begin accessing online enrollment on Monday, Jan. 25. Staff photo.

By EMILY FEATHERSTON Mountain Brook Schools will open online kindergarten enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year at the end of the month. Parents of children who will begin kindergarten in the fall and are zoned for a city elementary school can begin accessing the online enrollment on Monday, Jan. 25. Children must be ﬁve years old by Sept. 1 to be eligible to attend kindergarten. Students must be enrolled online before attending an onsite event, which will complete the enrollment process. The onsite events will be from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the following dates: ► Mountain Brook Elementary: Wednesday, Feb. 3 ► Brookwood Forest Elementary:

Wednesday, Feb. 10 Cherokee Bend Elementary: Wednesday, Feb. 17 ► Crestline Elementary: Wednesday, Feb. 24 In order to complete the enrollment process, parents should bring one of the required proof-of-residency documents, such as a current executed lease, a warranty deed or a settlement statement. Other documents, such as a blue Alabama immunization form and proof of the child’s age, are not required for enrollment, but are required for attendance, and parents are encouraged to bring those documents to the onsite events as well. To complete the online enrollment process, visit mtnbrook.k12.al.us, or contact the Mountain Brook Schools ofﬁce at 871-4608 for more information. ►

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A18 • January 2016

Village Living

A FIT new year

By GRACE THORNTON

It’s the beginning of a new year, and most people generally want to get ﬁt and healthy. Fitness experts from around Mountain Brook have offered their advice to make 2016 your healthiest year yet.

Marlon Chambers provides one-on-one training in Mountain Brook. Photo courtesy of Marlon Chambers.

Chambers Total Body 600 Olde English Lane #104

Iron Tribe of Mountain Brook 15 Dexter Ave. Dustin Graham said he hears from people all the time who want to get healthy. “Most people know the basics of it,” said Graham, manager of Iron Tribe of Mountain Brook. “They know they need to eat better, they know they need to get exercising. Anyone can go online and ﬁnd plans for those things, but if they are by themselves, the chances of doing it alone and sticking with it are very low.” What so often bridges the gap, he said, is doing it with other people. What are some reasons it’s so important to have other people doing it with you? At Iron Tribe, you start out with a lot of people who are in the same boat.

So there’s a community dynamic there. You help each other. You compete with each other. You push each other harder as you see each other progress toward goals. What else about Iron Tribe helps you stick with it? At typical gyms where you pay for a membership, go in and do your thing and leave, a very high percentage of the people who have that membership don’t use it regularly. And when they do go, they don’t know what to do. We are more like personal training. We have guided programs, warm-ups and a guided process of learning all our movements well. Everything is directed, and they get to meet a lot of people who are very much like them and start to develop community.

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Marlon Chambers, a personal trainer who owns Chambers Total Body Personal Training and Weight Loss Studio in English Village, says “team dynamic” is so important to sticking with ﬁtness goals. Getting a personal trainer might seem like a big or intimidating step for someone who isn’t in a regular workout routine. So what makes it something worth considering? The team effort is so important. That way, you’re not in it alone. We offer one-on-one personal training, but we also do couple and small-group training. In every one of those scenarios, you’ve got someone else with you. You can sit down, write those goals out and have others hold you accountable to those goals. Progress comes with consistency and accountability, and through progress you meet that overall goal that you want to achieve. Many people have goals, but a lot of them never sit down and set up the steps for achieving those goals.

What’s one example of a tip you give your clients? Keep your meals frequent. Don’t go too long without getting balanced nutrition. A lot of people think they are OK or better off by not eating, and that’s the exact opposite of how you want to go about losing weight. The longer we go without eating, the more your body holds on to fat or stores fat. These are the kinds of small goals that need to be put in place to see your major New Year’s goals materialize with accountability. So what exactly does that accountability look like at your studio? I make phone calls and send emails and text messages to encourage people and make sure they are sticking with their exercise and nutrition regiment, even on days when they don’t have a workout schedule. In my opinion, it deﬁnitely helps to have more than just themselves vested in their health. I think it’s very effective.

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • A19

Mountain Brook Yoga 2416 Canterbury Road

Women use a ballet barre at Grand Jete for a variety of exercises. Photo courtesy of Grand Jete Fitness. Mountain Brook Yoga offers classes from beginner to advanced levels. Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Yoga.

Brooke Smith also talks about the community aspect of exercise when she discusses her experience at Mountain Brook Yoga. “Our students become part of our yoga family,” she said. “We offer a lot of personalized attention.” So what does that personalized attention look like? We offer private sessions if someone’s a little nervous about doing yoga for the ﬁrst time, if it feels like it’s too much of a step out of their comfort zone. But even in our regular classes, a lot of our teachers modify their classes so that they are great for everyone, including people who have never done yoga before. And another beautiful thing is that we are still such a young studio that the classes are small right now. It’s a great time to step in and try it and get comfortable with the teachers. Everyone is personable and knowledgeable. And you have a class called Fat Girl Yoga? Tell me about that. Fat Girl Yoga is a

class on Thursday nights. Nancy, our instructor who leads it, wanted to eliminate the stereotype associated with that word. It’s designed for women with fuller ﬁgures — or larger men — to learn how to move in a way that’s comfortable and safe for them and love their bodies. But it really is for everybody. Why do you like yoga in general? It changes so many people’s lives. You’ll get strength. You’ll get balance, not just on your mat but in your life. Yoga can help with depression and anxiety and aid in digestion. It’s a help for your total mind, body and spirit. It’s made me more patient with my children and more patient with my husband. What would you say to encourage people who aren’t sure about it? Come in the door for the ﬁrst time and talk to us, look at the schedule and ask questions. If you’ve got a fast-paced life and need to chill out, it may be for you.

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Grand Jete Barre Fitness 2008 Cahaba Road Whitney Owenby said for people who might be a little curious about what barre ﬁtness might be like, “You’ll never come to Grand Jete Barre and not feel welcome.” What’s so welcoming about Grand Jete Barre? We make a point to learn your name and follow up with you, and we get together outside of class. There are little coffee groups who go up to Continental Bakery for coffee after class. What makes us unique is that we are a community of women who get together and get to know each other. That’s what keeps me there — it’s more than just a workout. But the workout itself is fantastic, you said? What’s it like? Yes, it’s fantastic! It’s something your body can handle year after

year, and you don’t grow tired of it because we change the routine so frequently. There are also so many fitness levels participating that it’s not intimidating. It’s modeled after the barre method in classical ballet. You do everything from ballet moves to squat jumps and planks. We incorporate yoga, plyometrics, Pilates and cardio, and in every class there are ways to make it more doable and ways to make it more challenging. Clients range from sixth graders to women in their 70s. We have some high schoolers, but we have older women too. And the first class is free? The first class is free, and we offer a four-class discounted package in January, so January’s the perfect time to come give it a try.

“

A20 • January 2016 GORRIE

CONTINUED from page A20 construction experience, the two figured it out on their own. “It was real, hard work,” Gorrie said. “We didn’t have any concrete or heavy equipment, no electricity. We used a pick, shovel and hammer to build.” Despite the hard work, Gorrie said he never tired of the building process from that moment on. “I couldn’t wait to do it again,” he said. In school, Gorrie began to study what he knew would further his interest in construction — math and science. Following the advice of his father, an electrical engineer at IBM, Gorrie also began investing, buying IBM stock. After graduating from high school, Gorrie attended Auburn University on scholarship and received a civil engineering degree. From there, he spent three years with the Civil Engineer Corps in the Navy. Upon his return to civilian life, Gorrie went on to work for companies such as Daniel Construction, Rust Engineering and J.F. Holley. As he gained more knowledge in the field, working at three companies in four years, Gorrie became dissatisfied with working for others and increasingly confident that he could branch out on his own. When a holiday bonus he had been promised turned out to be less than he expected — a mere $50 — 28-yearold Gorrie made up his mind. “If I had any doubts about getting out on my own,” he said, “that erased them.” Gorrie used the IBM stock he had invested in years earlier to get started. What had started as roughly $7,000 had grown to $100,000. By then familiar with the business, Gorrie said he knew in order to be successful right away, he needed to associate himself with a name that was already well known in the construction business. “I couldn’t afford a lot of false starts then,” Gorrie said, “and I knew that if I could get connected with a firm rather than start from scratch, I had a better chance.”

Village Living

It took a lot of hard work and a lot of little breaks. We started from nothing and every day, little by little, we started to become something.

Miller Gorrie is a Mountain Brook resident being honored with the Chamber of Commerce’s Jemison Award this month. Photo by Frank Couch.

Gorrie used $45,000 from the IBM stock and purchased the construction assets and name of the Thos. C. Brasfield company in 1964. “It was a grind,” Gorrie said about the company’s first year. “The company had 20 jobs that first year alone.” Gorrie said it wasn’t any one big break that helped the company grow from one of its first repair projects, valued at $475, to a company with $2.3 billion in annual revenues. Along with the company’s fellow founders, Jim

Anthony, John Darnall, Imogene Powell and James Harbison, Gorrie watched the company prosper. “It took a lot of hard work and a lot of little breaks,” he said. “We started from nothing and every day, little by little, we started to become something.” Staring out his window, Gorrie can point to several Birmingham buildings his company built from the ground up. There’s the Regions Harbert Tower that peeks above

”

MILLER GORRIE

the downtown skyline, the McWane Science Center, the newly opened Grandview Medical Center and the Kirklin Clinic, among others. In Mountain Brook, Brasfield & Gorrie left its footprint in its renovation work at Mountain Brook High School and Fine Arts Center, the Mountain Brook Municipal Complex and Mountain Brook Community Church. Across the country, Brasfield & Gorrie has built some of the nation’s most recognizable buildings, including the Georgia Dome and Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta; the “Batman Building,” AT&T corporate headquarters and the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville; as well as the video board that was recently installed at Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. Today, with Gorrie’s son Jim serving as the company’s CEO, Brasfield & Gorrie remains one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms with approximately 2,600 employees in 19 states. Asked what he’d like 2016 to bring, Gorrie smiled. “More of the same,” he said. “My son Jim is thoroughly accepting of my philosophy that you must surround yourself with excellent people, excellent workers, and reward them as the company succeeds.” Now in his 80s, Gorrie says he has no plans to retire soon. “I want to be around the company until people start looking at me funny,” he said. “I know that if I become inactive I will be sorry.”

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • A21

2016

YEAR IN PREVIEW

LOOKING FORWARD Know what to expect in Mountain Brook this year, from Lane Parke and Piggly Wiggly openings to news from the zoo and upcoming elections.

LANE PARKE

CONTINUED from page A1

Several of the ﬁrst Lane Parke retail tenants have been announced and will occupy their spaces in spring. Rendering courtesy of Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood.

move to its new space and the existing Mountain Brook Shopping Center will be torn down up to the existing Rite Aid, Becker said. The pharmacy owners said they will remain in the space until its lease ends in 2019, though Becker said those plans could change now that Walgreens has bought out Rite Aid. Phase 2, which will be more women’s fashion and boutique-heavy, should be underway sometime in 2020 following the demolition of Rite Aid. Along with the restaurant and retail portions, the $140 million mixed-use project is also comprised of apartments and the Grand Bohemian Hotel, which opened in October. “Once complete, Lane Parke will provide exciting new-to-market tenants not just for Mountain Brook, but the entire Birmingham area,” said Becker. Birmingham-based Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood serve as architects for the Lane Parke development. IBERIABANK provides ﬁnancing for the project. For the latest on Lane Parke, visit LaneParke. info.

Council places two, four and office of mayor up for election By ANA GOOD The terms of three city leaders are set to expire this year, should they not be reelected in the August 23 Municipal Election. Elections will be held for council places two and four, currently held by Jack Carl and Virginia Smith, this summer. The office of the Mayor is also up for election. Mayor Terry Oden will give notice of the election on July 5, opening up the qualifying period for interested candidates. Qualifying forms will be made available through the City Clerk. Those wishing to apply as candidates will have until July 19 to turn in a statement of candidacy and qualifying fee to the City Clerk no later than 5 p.m. Voters must register by Aug. 10 and regular absentee ballots must be applied for by Aug. 18. A runoff election, should it be required, will be held Oct. 4. Elected officials will take office Nov. 7. In Mountain Brook, municipal elections are held on the fourth Tuesday of August in all even years. All members of the city’s governing body are elected at-large, serve 4-year terms, and receive no compensation. The terms of office of the mayor and members of the city council are all staggered, with elections held every two years. Visit the City Election Calendar page for more information about the August election.

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A22 • January 2016

YEAR IN PREVIEW

A look at roundabouts planned near Mountain Brook Village

Village Living

Crestline Piggly Wiggly slated for spring opening, owner shares what to expect

Naseem Ajlouny, Basim Ajlouny and Andy Virciglio inside of the new Piggly Wiggly. Photo by Frank Couch.

By ANA GOOD

By ANA GOOD It won’t happen overnight, but plans are currently underway to bring roundabout improvements to the intersections of Cahaba Road, U.S. Highway 280, Culver Road and Lane Parke Road. In November 2015, the Mountain Brook City Council signed off on the various agreements needed for the roundabout’s construction, all of which involve the city property of Mountain Brook, Birmingham and the Alabama Department of Transportation because of its oversight of Highway 280. The construction of the two roundabouts, said City Manager Sam Gaston—a large roundabout at Cahaba Road, 280 and Lane Parke Road and a mini roundabout on Cahaba Road—will take about three to four years to complete. “We have to go through a selection process for the ﬁrm to design the roundabouts,” said Gaston, “then it will be reviewed and approved by ALDOT. ALDOT will bid the project and then construction will begin.” The intersection, according to the resolutions

passed by the council, is considered “an important connector” for visitors of the Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Mountain Brook Village. The changes, according to the agenda, would “facilitate the flow of traffic in that area.” Per the agreement, the estimated cost puts the total project at just under $3.5 million for the right of way acquisition, preliminary engineering, utilities and construction costs. The cost will be split among Federal CMAQ Funding, as well as the cities of Birmingham and Mountain Brook. The majority of the project will be financed federally, for a total of approximately $2.79 million. Mountain Brook and Birmingham will split the remaining cost equally, paying about $349,100 each. Plans to fund the project began in February 2015, when Mountain Brook requested the federal funds. The request followed an April 2013 study by Sain and Associates that found adding both a large roundabout and mini roundabout would “create the highest traffic efficiency and pedestrian and bike safety at the intersections in the village.”

Though he is not quite ready to announce an exact date, Crestline Piggly Wiggly owner Andy Virciglio said construction of the new space is still on pace for a spring 2016 opening. “We are very happy that the construction process has advanced as it has,” said Virciglio. With contractors Brasﬁeld and Gorrie at its helm, Virciglio said all the pieces are coming together. “This will be an exciting time for our team and the community because we are anxiously awaiting our reopening in Crestline Village,” he said. The new, 28,250-square-foot urban-style store is located on Vine Street and is neighbors with the Crestline Elementary ﬁeld and the Mountain Brook Board of Education building. The newly opened Smith’s Variety is also just across the alley. Along with the store’s local staple items, Virciglio said customers will be happy to know they will see some familiar faces when the store opens. Much of the team who worked at the old Crestline store is currently at the Piggly Wiggly River Run or the Homewood store, he said, and some will make the move back to the Crestline store. “We value that customer-employee relationship,” said Virciglio, “and that is one of the things that helps to set the Piggly Wiggly experience

apart from other grocers.” Along with the familiar comforts, Virciglio said the store will be able to offer a variety of upgrades thanks in part to it being built from the ground up. “Being able to build a new building allows the store to be better planned and more spacious,” he said, including expanded produce, deli, meat, seafood, wine and beer departments. Still, he said, the store will keep many of the qualities that made it such a neighborhood favorite for decades. “We want to maintain the charm of a Piggly Wiggly, neighborhood-focused store with locally grown foods, full service meat and seafood with butcher on site,” said Virciglio. “We have listened to the community and have tried our best to match up what is desired and what we can deliver best.” There is currently no set grand opening celebration, said Virciglio, but plans are in the works. Virciglio said he believes his employees are more than anything ready to see their friends again. “That is how our Piggly Wiggly staff views customers,” he said, “they know them as friends. There was such strong support of our store from customers, the city leadership, our suppliers, and everywhere, that without a doubt our team looks forward to getting back to Crestline.”

VillageLivingOnline.com

YEAR IN PREVIEW

January 2016 • A23

A look at Birmingham Zoo’s planned $18 million renovation

Visitors may notice heavy machinery when visiting the zoo as renovations continue. Photos by Ana Good. Rendering courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo.

By ANA GOOD Renovation work aimed to transform the Birmingham Zoo’s entrance and create new habitats for endangered Asian species is currently running on schedule, said Marketing Coordinator Kiki Nolen-Schmidt during a recent tour of the areas under construction. Though Birmingham Zoo visitors are likely accustomed to the sight of the heavy machinery and construction workers busily bringing to life a planned $18 million renovation project, they still curiously peek through the fences surrounding the former fish and turtle ponds and the 59-yearold entrance facility.

Real-time cameras installed near the construction site, and visible online, show crews working to remove the old gift shop and what remains of the entrance. Part of the new entrance will include an area dedicated exclusively to education, Nolen-Schmidt said. A classroom-like setting will allow students to be introduced to the zoo with various hands-on activities. The second floor of the entrance will house the zoo’s office staff. The entrance will also house a ticket counter and brand new gift shop. Just ahead of what was the entrance, the large ponds are no more. Crews relocated all the animals in the ponds to off-site facilities before giant pumps came in to drain the water,

Nolen-Schmidt said. The now barely-visible holes are being filled with dirt, creating the foundation for what will eventually become a hard-surface orientation plaza lined with water features. Its design will allow for high-traffic activities such as an Earth Day celebration. A meadow will expand out from the plaza, according to the designs, and serve as an event lawn to hold after-hour celebrations such as movie showings, weddings, dinners and concerts. The lawn space is scheduled for completion sometime in 2016, Nolen-Schmidt said. A paved promenade will be built surrounding the meadow and will serve as the access point to the various areas at the heart of the zoo. A

second-story elevated walkway just off the promenade will lead visitors over the train tracks and into an enclosed area which will house the planned Asian Passage exhibit, designed to replace the outdated predator building. Plans for the new Asian Passage exhibit call for the construction of new habitats to house endangered Asian species such as the Malayan tiger, red panda, Komodo dragon and Sumatran orangutan. Construction of the new exhibit, said Nolen-Schmidt, likely won’t be complete until sometime in 2017 or 2018. Online, the Birmingham Zoo continues to raise funds to be used in the construction. Visit birminghamzoo.com for more information on how to donate.

Village Living

SECTION B School House B10 Sports B13 Calendar B14

LEARNING THROUGH LACROSSE By SYDNEY CROMWELL Education doesn’t have to happen while sitting at a desk. For Tom Lewis, he sees learning happen every time a child picks up a lacrosse stick. Lewis is the founder of Neighborhood Academy, a year-round program for fifth- and sixth-graders in different areas of Birmingham. At the Academy, students divide their time between extra tutoring in the classroom and learning the fundamentals of lacrosse on the field. “Lacrosse is the hook. Education is what’s happening. Even on the lacrosse field, I’m educating,” Lewis said.

See LACROSSE | page B2 Children in the Neighborhood Academy raise their lacrosse sticks after a practice. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

B2 • January 2016

Village Living Tom Lewis, a Mountain Brook resident and longtime lacrosse player, teaches ﬁfth- and sixth-graders how to handle a lacrosse stick. The Neighborhood Academy is 80 percent academics, 20 percent lacrosse. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

LACROSSE

CONTINUED from page B1 A Mountain Brook resident, Lewis has played lacrosse since his high school and college days. He was a lacrosse coach at the University of Alabama and also coached Mountain Brook High School’s boys team until 2011. He now coaches a girls lacrosse team in Mountain Brook, where his twin third grade daughters play, and is principal of InFocus LLC. Since he came to Birmingham, Lewis said he has been committed to sharing the sport. He helped coach a youth league team in the 1990s, and in the past eight years has helped to create a Birmingham high school boys team, an under-13 team in western Birmingham and an under-15 team at Phillips Academy on 7th Avenue North. “It’s hard for a lot of kids, once they touch a lacrosse stick, not to fall in love with the sport. It’s a great sport,” Lewis said. Coaching led Lewis to tutoring members of those high school teams, especially as juniors prepared to take the ACT. There he found a great need for more math and reading education. Lewis remembered one student who entered his senior year of high school at a second grade reading level, and a year’s worth of hard work got him to a sixth grade level by graduation. To influence students’ academics and character, Lewis realized that high school was too late in the game. “If I want to have an impact on these kids’ lives and introduce lacrosse to them, I’ve got to start early. I’ve got to get them when they’re in fifth grade, sixth grade,” Lewis said. “There’s a real opportunity to speak and be heard with fifth and sixth graders that I don’t think you have if you go too young or too old.” With the help of Leonard Gavin, a chaplain at Baptist Princeton Hospital and coach of the Birmingham under-13 team, Lewis came up with the idea for Neighborhood Academy. They started the program at the Ensley Recreation Center, and Lewis said the program received its nonprofit status in October 2014. The Neighborhood Academy is 80 percent academics, 20 percent lacrosse. Students come two days a week during the school year or three

days a week during the summer. Lewis and his volunteer teachers focus on math, geography and public speaking skills, then take the students out on the field to learn the basics of lacrosse. In the summer, Lewis said the Academy will also bring in people to speak about cooking, small engine repair, ethics and different career fields. The program is free for the kids who participate, and Lewis said an important aspect is that the program is taught in recreational centers where kids are already hanging out in their free time. Neighborhood Academy has expanded to include a Fountain Heights location and a program at the YMCA near Phillips Academy. In teaching at the Academy, Lewis has uncovered many educational needs. He recalls students who were unable to do basic addition or who thought Australia was a state on a U.S. map. When the Academy first started, Lewis had plans to expand the concept to other cities around the South, but he changed his mind after a few

months of teaching. “After about two months, I stepped back and said to myself – and this holds true today – ‘I’ve got a lifetime’s worth of work in the city of Birmingham, my home.’ So I’m going to stay focused here until I’m not needed, which will probably be a lifetime,” he said. However, he’s also seen a lot of potential. In one of his most recent classes, three of the 11 students left at the end of the semester able to identify all 50 U.S. states, and the rest of the class had improved signiﬁcantly. He has also worked with SAIL (Summer Adventures in Learning), a Birmingham program that tries to prevent learning loss during the summer. “I’m very proud that in my ﬁrst summer where I was tested, my kids, on average, gained over three months in math and over one month in reading even though we don’t focus on reading. So instead of my kids typically losing two months in math, they gained over three months

in math. That is a net five-month impact. That’s a half [of] a school year,” Lewis said. Whether they come to the Academy by choice or at the encouragement of a parent or recreation center director, Lewis said these students consistently want to better themselves. “I think at the heart of it, they all want to be successful, they all want better. And the ones that come in my classroom are willing to put the time in. That’s telling for a fifth grader,” Lewis said. “It takes a village. It takes the school and the teachers there. It takes me, the Neighborhood Academy there, and it takes the parents.” Besides academic success, Lewis said program graduates and former players in the other Birmingham lacrosse teams have a chance to “pay it forward” by teaching at Neighborhood Academy in high school and college. Lewis gets to watch members of those early teams grow up, sometimes with a lacrosse stick still in hand. “I’m only with them fifth and sixth grade, but I see them again a lot of times on a lacrosse field and realize they’re in a better place now,” Lewis said. “I know for a fact, we’re changing that life.” The boys’ varsity Birmingham team holds a signing day each year for its seniors, who attend schools all around the city. Every year, Lewis said a few players put on their college hat and accept scholarships to play college lacrosse. “Lacrosse is an avenue for these kids to go to college and get a pretty good opportunity to earn scholarship money to go do that,” Lewis said. Lewis is currently working with administrators at Huffman High School to create varsity boys and girls lacrosse teams. If successful, Huffman will be the first in Birmingham City Schools to field a team with all players attending the same school. “My vision is that in five years, every Birmingham City high school — and there’s seven of them — fields a boys varsity lacrosse team and a girls varsity lacrosse team,” Lewis said. Lewis also plans to keep expanding the Neighborhood Academy to reach more kids around Birmingham. He’s taught over 200 so far and has no plans to stop. “We’re putting lacrosse sticks in their hands, but we’re also putting our arms around them,” Lewis said.

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January 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B3

B4 • January 2016

Village Living

Mimi Bittick was inspired by her daughter’s experience with a Wilms tumor to raise money to fight pediatric cancer. Here she is pictured with her daughters Grace and Margot. Photo by Virginia Jones.

Amazing Grace Mother inspired to raise funds for research after daughter’s cancer experience

By MADOLINE MARKHAM Mimi Bittick knew she needed to do something as her daughter battled cancer. But when the cancer relapsed, she knew she had to do something big. Just over a year ago, though, she had no idea what the months to come would hold. Three-year-old Grace had started feeling badly in September 2014. She was lethargic and pale, but doctors couldn’t figure out a diagnosis. “My gut feeling kept telling me something was really wrong,” Mimi said. Then on the morning of Oct. 20, Grace woke Mimi up with stomach pain. By that afternoon, they were in a room at Children’s of Alabama surrounded by a team of oncologists. Grace had an 18-cm Wilms tumor the size of an oblong grapefruit on her kidney “I knew my life would never be the same,” Mimi said looking back. “It was the most outof-body experience I have ever had.” Following the diagnosis, seven weeks of chemo shrunk Grace’s tumor to less than half its original size so that it could be removed in December. Rounds of radiation followed, but just when the Bitticks thought Grace was clear

of treatment, chapter two of their story began. On April 20, six months after her original diagnosis, doctors found a spot on Grace’s liver in a CT scan, and she had surgery the next day to remove the Wilms relapse. “They were telling us we had to run the marathon again, harder and faster,” Mimi said. On a more positive note, the Bitticks learned that Wilms is the only kind of solid pediatric tumor that has a therapy to cure it. Still, Grace underwent another six months of intense chemo, undergoing seven infusions over three days and three nights at a time. At home she took nightly shots to stabilize her white blood cells. The Bitticks’ journey quickly became bigger than their family, too. During days at Children’s, Mimi found a new “family” of cancer patients and their families. “You see people whose battles are not being won,” Mimi said. “It’s so epically tragic.” Now that Grace has received final chemo treatments in September, Mimi is turning her Amazing Grace efforts toward a new goal — raising $1 million to fund research at Children’s in honor of Grace. The campaign will span five years — the amount of time following Grace’s last chemo treatment before she can be declared

Mimi Bittick holds her daughter Grace during one of her chemo treatments at Children’s of Alabama. Photo courtesy of Mimi Bittick.

cancer-free. Grace will be 9 years old then. With a background in event planning and fundraising, Mimi is assembling a team of friends and plans to create an annual fundraiser event as well as make asks in the community for commitments over the next five years. Although there are many worthwhile causes at the hospital, Mimi said she is focusing her Amazing Grace campaign on funding the research of Dr. Stuart Cramer’s pediatric lab. Currently, Cramer has implanted tumors — two of them Grace’s — in 55 mice with plans to develop pediatric cancer treatments through them. “He is doing this in our backyard at UAB,” Mimi said, noting the importance of supporting local pediatric cancer research and in doing so

retaining the best doctors at Children’s. “With Grace’s cancer, it took on a mind of its own,” Mimi said. “It popped back up, and everyone was scratching their heads. We were lucky we had a go-to treatment, but other families don’t have this.” “This is research we may depend on if Grace’s cancer ever comes back,” Mimi said. “Cancer does not discriminate. I never even thought about Children’s being there, but when you need it, boy are you glad it’s there… This could happen to anyone in an instant.” Donations can be made to Children’s of Alabama and marked for the Amazing Grace Fund. To follow the Bitticks’ journey, visit the Team Amazing Grace Facebook page.

APSA-1007_2.pdf 1 8/18/15 VillageLivingOnline.com

11:28 AM

January 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B5

A PUBLIC NOTICE FROM ALABAMA POWER

TREE CREWS WORKING IN MOUNTAIN BROOK THROUGH EARLY 2016 Alabama Power crews are working in several Mountain Brook neighborhoods, removing trees and other vegetation that threaten the safety and reliability of our electrical system. As part of this process, Alabama Power goes to great lengths to talk with individual property owners. Company representatives are going door to door, leaving notices at locations where work is needed. If you have any questions before crews come by your home, please call Alabama Power at 205-257-2155 and ask for someone in the Vegetation Management Group to contact you. Or you can email us at apcvm@southernco.com. Work in Mountain Brook and nearby areas is expected to continue through early 2016. Also, you can go online to alpwr.co/vm for more information about these safety and reliability measures, as well as resources for property owners who would like recommendations about planting the right tree in the right place.

Thank you for your understanding. We appreciate your business. Vegetation Management Group 205-257-2155 | apcvm@southernco.com

ÂŠ 2015 Alabama Power Company.

B6 • January 2016

Village Living

House of hope St. Anne’s Home transforming lives of women who break addiction cycle By SYDNEY CROMWELL Gena Richardson has watched women walk in the doors of St. Anne’s Home and walk out with changed — in some instances, saved — lives. Even once they leave the rehabilitation center, Richardson said many former patients continue to think of St. Anne’s Home as their home, too. “I believe in people,” Richardson said. “[I like] knowing that I can go somewhere every day and make a difference.” St. Anne’s Home is the oldest residential addiction treatment center for women in the South, having hosted women from around the region for 51 years. Currently located in a Tudor home in the Highlands, St. Anne’s Home is the next step for women who have been through detox and are medically stable. Executive Director Gena Richardson stands in front of St. Anne’s Home, a residential treatment center for addiction in Birmingham. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

VillageLivingOnline.com The staff at St. Anne’s Home work with up to 16 women at a time, using therapy, classes, spirituality, meditation, recovery meetings and other services to help clients break away from alcohol and drug use. Richardson said each woman has a personalized recovery plan that focuses on the person as a whole. “Each client here gets more individual [care,]” said Richardson, the center’s executive director. They also beneﬁt from what Richardson described as a “gung-ho group of staff members” who care about the women in their center. That personal touch seems to work, as

January 2016 • B7 Richardson said her favorite part of the job is getting to know her clients and watching their transformation in just a few months. “You can give someone hope,” said Richardson, who has been a licensed counselor for 13 years. “I have a true heart for people who are suffering from addiction.” She said clients frequently have told her that St. Anne’s Home saved their lives. “Everyone agrees there’s something special to it,” Richardson

said. While women come from all parts of Alabama and neighboring states, Richardson said the majority is still from Birmingham and surrounding counties. These women represent all backgrounds and life experiences — addiction isn’t limited in who it affects. More recently, Richardson said she has seen many women coming to St. Anne’s Home to recover from heroin use. According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Ofﬁce, there were over 120 heroin deaths in the county in 2014, compared to only 58 in 2013. “We are seeing more and

more women come through here struggling with heroin,” said Richardson, who said she believes heroin is the biggest substance problem for the Birmingham area. Despite 51 years of treatment, Richardson said not many people know the facility exists. She wants to raise the proﬁle of St. Anne’s Home in the community. The ﬁrst step toward this is the Healing Happens Together fundraising dinner on Jan. 28 at a private residence in Mountain Brook. Tickets to the dinner are $100 each. The proceeds from the event support scholarships for women who want to come to St. Anne’s Home. Richardson said Bradford Health and Cafe Iz are sponsoring the event, and local artist Beth Conklin donated her time to create the invitations. For those who don’t attend the dinner but want to support St. Anne’s Home, Richardson said volunteers can donate their time or skills at the facility. Donations can also be made in cash or through AmazonSmile. For more information about the work of St. Anne’s Home, visit stanneshome.org.

Healing Happens Together Dinner • Beneﬁting St. Anne’s Home • Jan. 28, 6-9 p.m. at a private residence in Mountain Brook

• Tickets: $100 • 933-2402 ext. 225 • stanneshome.org

St. Anne’s Home is the oldest residential addiction treatment center for women in the South. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

B8 • January 2016

Village Living

WILL SOBERA: EMBODIMENT OF SPARTAN SPIRIT By JORDON SEMIEN They’re one of the most common sights on Friday nights, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. They come in many shapes, sizes, colors, genders, nationalities and even breeds, but they all answer to one name: mascot. Mascots such as Big Al, Aubie, and Blaze can draw just as much attention on a Saturday afternoon in the state as the Tide, Tigers and Blazers do in a game. When it comes to high school football in the Birmingham metro area, there are many mascots to choose from, but there’s only one Mountain Brook Spartan: Will Sobera. A junior at Mountain Brook, Will describes himself as a “bordering on normal” guy; he’s not as outlandish as his costumed persona, although they do share some similarities. “One thing is just my attitude toward sports,” Will said. “I’m super enthusiastic about the teams.” Will dons his Spartan apparel for not just football games but any event where school spirit runs high. Reactions were rather mixed when he told his friends and family about his new activity, Will said. While many friends wondered “how it happened,” his father wasn’t surprised. “My dad was like, ‘That’s perfect for you.’ He and I have always talked about how I want to go to Auburn and how cool it would be to be Aubie.” The road to becoming the school mascot was an abrupt journey, Will recalled, beginning with

“

My fi st seven or eight games, the mentality that I took was do what you see professional mascots do.

”

WILL SOBERA

summons to the office of Mountain Brook High School Principal Amanda Hood. “I thought I was in trouble for something, but she said, ‘What would you think about being the mascot?’” Will believes the offer was “the perfect thing for me,” and he feels he was born with an inherited sense of school spirit – and that sense fuels his performances on the sidelines. Sustaining the energy and enthusiasm throughout the entirety of a game or event took time to fully develop, Will said. “My first seven or eight games, the mentality that I took was do what you see professional mascots do.” It was soon after that when he found his groove in the costume, realizing the best option was to be himself. “And myself is, like anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m kind of a rowdy person.” Will’s favorite moment on the sidelines came

Will Sobera is a junior at Mountain Brook High School and dons the Spartan mascot uniform for football games and other events where his high energy and school spirit are needed. Photo by Barry Stephenson.

during the boys basketball team’s trip to the Class 7A state tournament last spring. He was on the sideline for Mountain Brook’s semifinal game against Theodore, as Terrell Guy’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer lifted the Spartans in double overtime. “I just remember falling to my knees … and the student section behind me going crazy. That

was so much fun.” Of course, wearing the suit isn’t always a joy, and Will said he fields the same question almost every day. “It’s really hot in there. I get that question all the time,” Will said. “I kept track from the first time someone asked me that. It’s somewhere between 145 and 150 [times].”

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • B9

An open house for Open Hands Chris Reebals is opening a Mountain Brook home for tours; proceeds to benefit pediatric cancer organization By ERICA TECHO Chris Reebals of Christopher Architects is using a recently renovated showhouse to give back. Reebals, president of Christopher Architects, kicked off the renovation of a Mountain Brook home in 2014, and after a year of work, he is opening the home to the community. Tickets to tour the house will be $10, and 100 percent of the money raised will go to Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts (OHOH). OHOH was founded in 2014 by Hoover resident Kayla Perry, who was diagnosed with pediatric cancer at 18 years old. Reebals said he wanted to donate the money to OHOH because his first cousin’s daughter has leukemia. She was diagnosed at 2 years old, and she is now 3 years old. “I have a connection with someone who has pediatric cancer, so it’s near and dear to my heart,” Reebals said. “…I’ve got two young children, and when I look at friends and family members who have sick children, it just breaks my heart.” Reebals said pediatric cancer research is also an important cause to the Over the Mountain community. By partnering with OHOH, Reebals said he hopes Christopher Architects can both help the cause financially and help spread the organization’s message about pediatric cancer research. “Pediatric cancer doesn’t get very much funding for whatever reason, so that resonates with me,” Reebals said. “When they told me [that], I said why? And they said it’s probably because there’s not much of a strong voice.” Reebals said Perry’s voice has helped spread the word about pediatric cancer and its lack of

A sketch of the plans for Christopher Architects’ showhouse on Ridgeview Drive West. Photo by Chris Luker.

The showhouse on Ridgeview Drive West during construction. Photo by Chris Luker.

funding. Because she was diagnosed at a later age, she has been able to speak up and make a change. “I had kind of followed her story and how she was uplifting with her story,” Reebals said. He said Christopher Architects has “taken that trumpet and blown it as well,” and they hope to continue to spread the word through this open house. The showhouse will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and there will be a different activity or event each day. Some days will have pop-up shops from local vendors, other times there will be catered lunch events and there

are also plans for a kids day and educational seminars. Reebals said when he came across the house on Ridgeview Drive West, its proximity to other projects made it a good fit and a good opportunity. “Our firm does a lot of work in the Over the Mountain area, and in Mountain Brook specifically, so that seemed like a pretty logical place to do the project,” Reebals said. This house also allowed them to work without limitations, Reebals said. Because there was no client, and the house will be used as a showhouse, they could step away from conventional

designs. “We definitely wanted to just kind of push the envelope a little bit or be creative, and sometimes you’re a little more nervous when you have a client on the other end,” Reebals said. Stretching the envelope also gave Christopher Architects the chance to show off its craftsmen. Reebals said even with the best designers in the world, an architecture and interiors company is nothing without the people who help make designs into reality. “We are very, very much wanting to be able to show off the talents and the skills of our craftsmen who are able to create our looks,” Reebals said. The showhouse, located at 3620 Ridgeview Drive West, will open in mid-January, and it will be open from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. For more information, visit christopherai.com/showhouse.

Village Living

B10 • January 2016

School House Mountain Brook bands to perform at Pearl Harbor anniversary

The Mountain Brook High School band has officially accepted the invitation to participate in the 75th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Mass Band on December 7, 2016, in Hawaii. Band members have been awarded the honor of representing the Mountain Brook community on the pier of the USS Battleship Missouri, with other outstanding musicians from around the United States of America and Japan. The concert will be part of a worldwide live webcast called the “Gift of Music.” MBHS band members will be part of paying tribute, and never forgetting the tragedies of WWII. Together with students from America and Japan, the mission will be to show the world how nations that once conflicted can share their cultural practices and present the world a “Gift of Music.” World-renowned composer and conductor Robert W. Smith surprised the band with the news at the 2015 Veterans Day concert. MBHS band members will leave on Dec.

4 and return on Dec. 9. The trip will include many cultural and historical aspects of Oahu including trips to Diamond Head volcano, a Polynesian Village, the Dole Plantation and a tour of Eastern Oahu. Students will participate in activities in Honolulu and the Pearl Harbor Historic Site. Jason Smith, director of bands at Mountain Brook High School, said, “Our students will perform on the deck of the Missouri, overlooking the Arizona Memorial. What an amazing opportunity to be a part of the historic celebration to honor the veterans of one of the most influential events in American and Japanese history.” Very soon, the band will begin raising funds to alleviate the total cost of student participation. Visit the MBHS band website or Facebook page to help reach the fundraising goals, or contact Jason Smith via email at smithj@mtnbrook. k12.al.us. - Submitted by Chris Goldschmidt.

The Mountain Brook High School band will perform in Hawaii during a 2016 remembrance ceremony at Pearl Harbor. Photo courtesy of Chris Goldschmidt.

Seminar available for parents of teen drivers By EMILY FEATHERSTON Parents of teen drivers will have the opportunity this month to learn ways to best introduce their new drivers to the road. Dale Wisely, who is the director of student services and community education for Mountain Brook Schools, will present his “Parenting the Teen Driver” seminar at the Mountain Brook Board of Education office on Wednesday, Jan. 13.

The free seminar, which will take place from 9–10:30 a.m., will cover how parents should talk about driving with their teen, as well as steps they can take to keep teens safe on the road. Wisely has been doing workshops for parents on teen driving for 15 years, and gives this particular seminar a few times throughout the year in Mountain Brook and the surrounding area. He said the workshops cover major data about teen drivers, and the high risk they face of being

in an accident. “Unfortunately it’s probably either the No. 1 or No. 2 cause of death among teenagers,” Wisely said, adding that the only other cause of death that ever tops automobile accidents is substance abuse. Wisely said he offers parents several tools to help with keeping their teens safe, including a contract that both parent and teen sign that outlines specific driving rules and agreements.

“Part of my argument is that driving a car is actually a very complicated task,” he said. “A lot of parents kind of short hange their kids in that regard,” adding that many parents feel they are too busy to give their teen enough practice behind the wheel. Information about what the workshop will cover, as well as more tips from Wisely, can be found at parentingteendrivers.com. To register for the Jan. 13 seminar, email studentservices@mtnbrook.k12.al.us or call 877-8349.

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January 2016 • B11

Cherokee Bend holds Art Night Out

Eleanor Carns poses with her daughter, Charlotte, at CBS Art Night Out.

Art teacher Carol Francis and PTO President Amy Littleton coordinated Cherokee Bend’s first Art Night Out on Dec. 9. This family night was enjoyed by 30 students. Each child brought an adult to help them paint a snowy village, a

bundle of ornaments, or even a subject of their choice. The children enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate while creating their work of art. - Submitted by Catherine Gasque

Veterans honored at Cherokee Bend

(L to R): Fourth-grader Annie Gregory stands proudly with her mother, Navy Lt. Commander Theresa M. Gregory, her father, Navy Lt. Mark Gregory, and her uncle, Capt. Sam Cusimano, who served in the Air Force as a pilot.

The auditorium at Cherokee Bend School was a sea of red, white, and blue for the annual fourth-grade Veterans Day program. The pledge of allegiance and “Star-Spangled Banner” were the kickoff for the program, followed by presentations of family members who have fought for our freedoms. Each was honored

for their service. More than 40 veterans were in attendance from all branches of the military, some proudly donning their uniforms. As in years past, the program helped to instill a sense of pride in being an American. - Submitted by Catherine Gasque

LANEPARKE.INFO

Village Living

B12 • January 2016

BWF PE program receives grant

Crestline students yaise money for humane society

Brookwood Forest Elementary receives a check from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.

New and exciting things have been happening at Brookwood Forest under the direction of Jay Gilliland, also known as Coach G, and Sally White. The Brookwood Forest physical education department received a Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthy Schools grant for $6,340. This money is designated for the purchase of health and fitness equipment. BWF received half of the grant this fall and will receive the other half in January. With the fall money, BWF purchased testing equipment to facilitate the state fitness tests, steps, and weights. A typical week in P.E.: Monday is cardio day. Students perform the equivalent of 1 mile, and parents can use this mile in their child’s tally for the Mercedes Kids Marathon. Tuesday and Wednesday are skills day. Thursday is fitness/station day, and

Friday is Fun Friday. This fall, physical education classes welcomed several guests promoting karate, lacrosse, and a Ranger Ready program. BWF physical education classes also use the HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living) Alabama curriculum. Students in grades 4-6 can also participate in two types of additional workouts before school. On Monday and Wednesday mornings, students can count steps with pedometers in the Walking Rangers Club. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students participate in the Super Ranger workout, including cardio and weights. After school on Mondays and Wednesdays girls from third, fourth and fifth have the opportunity to participate in the Girls On the Run program. And the BWF Running Club meets after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays to train for a 5K. - Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.

Crestline PAGE students at their fall festival booth benefiting the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.

The fifth-grade PAGE students from Crestline Elementary planned and carried out an event to raise money and awareness for helping animals. After much research and discussion of their Future Problem Solvers curriculum, the students decided to take their learning to the next level by creating two newscasts and two video projects and

planning a booth at Crestline’s fall festival to raise money for the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. It was a huge success. They raised $172 and learned many skills through this research project. - Submitted by Heather Phillips, PAGE teacher at Crestline Elementary School

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • B13

Sports

Mountain Brook track preview By SAM CHANDLER Winter has officially arrived in Alabama, and for track and field athletes across the state that means one thing: It’s time to head indoors. For sprinters and field event specialists, a long offseason spanning nearly seven months has finally reached its conclusion. Meanwhile, the time has come for distance runners to trade the hilly and uneven terrain of cross-country for the smooth springiness of a synthetic track. As coaches, athletes and parents prepare for long weekends at the state-of-the-art athletic palace better known as the Birmingham Crossplex, here’s a quick look at some of Mountain Brook’s top athletes. Athletes to watch: Girls Frances Patrick, senior: Reigning 7A statecross country champ won the 3,200 meters at last spring’s outdoor state meet. She’ll be a significant point contributor in everything from the 800 meters up. Eleanor Swagler, junior: Springy high jumper placed fifth at the indoor state meet the past two years. Sophie Jane Knott, freshman: Youngster scored in the pole vault at the 2015 indoor and outdoor state meets. A talented 400 meter runner as well, she’ll be a key cog in the Spartans’ relays. Boys Drew Williams, senior: Less than a month after finishing seventh at the 7A state cross-country meet, the remarkably versatile athlete opened up his indoor season with a pair of wins in the

high jump (6’4”) and 1,600 meters (4:21.22) at the Magic City Invitational on Dec. 5. Both were indoor personal records, and the blistering 1,600meter time went down as the fourth fastest in Alabama indoor history. Griffin Riley, junior: After opening his indoor season with a second-place finish in the 800 meters at Magic City, the mid-distance specialist looks primed for a big season and will also contribute in the relays. Charlie Slaughter, sophomore: Rising star earned his first All-State selection at November’s state cross-country meet after tallying a ninth-place finish and breaking through the elite 16:00 barrier. Top newcomers: Holli Chapman, freshman: Finished seventh in the long jump at the outdoor state meet last spring. She’ll look to move even farther up the leaderboard this season while also contributing in the relays. Gram Denning, freshman: An All-State performer in cross-country, he’ll be focusing on the 400 and 800 meters this season and should make an immediate impact. Coach’s take: Head Coach Michael McGovern “Our team goals are always to perform our best at the end of the season at the state championship. This early in the season, it is hard to gauge the competition, but I think a top-five finish is within reach for both teams.” Key dates: Jan. 9 – Ice Breaker Invitational, Jan. 29-30 – Last Chance Invitational, Feb. 5-6 – AHSAA State Indoor Track and Field Championships

Sophomore Charlie Slaughter will join the Spartan track and field team as it heads to indoor competition this month. Photo by Sam Chandler.

B14 • January 2016

Village Living

Calendar Emmet O’Neal Library Events Call 445-1121 or visit eolib.org.

Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. Doors open at noon and programs begin at 12:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch; beverages and dessert provided. Jan. 7: $mart Directions @ Your Library presents: Understanding Global Financial Systems. 6:30 p.m. Jan. 11: Great Books discussion group, “Fat People” by Alison Lurie. 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12: The Bookies book group. 10 a.m.

I Love ‘90s Music Trivia. 7 p.m.. Email Amanda at amandaw@bham.lib.al.us to register your team of two to four people. AGES 21+ ONLY.

p.m.-8 p.m.

Wednesdays: Movers & Makers. 1:30 p.m.

Children

Jan. 26: Genre Reading Group. Choose a classic, 6:30 p.m.

(Children’s programs resume Jan. 4)

Thursdays: Patty Cake Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Teens (Grades 7-12) Jan. 5: TAB/Book Club. The monthly meeting of our Teen Advisory Board and book club. 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Jan. 19: Documentaries After Dark. Film about Philippe Petit. 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 9: Game On! Board games, card games, video games, pizza and prizes. 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Jan. 22: Standing Room Only Presents:

Jan. 21: Teen Trivia: Holiday Edition! 6:30

Mondays: Toddler Tales Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Together Time Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Library Out Loud. 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays: Evenings at EOL. 6 p.m. Wednesdays: Mother Goose Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Thursdays: SNaP. 3:30 p.m. Saturdays: Family Story Time with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m. Special Events Jan. 12: Family Night: Once Upon a Clock by Madcap Puppets. 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21: Bookmania: Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova. 6 p.m.

LJCC Events Jan. 4-28: Group Swim Lessions. Session 1A Jan. 4-27. Session 2B Jan. 5-28. Lessons twice a week for four weeks for children ages 3 and older. $125 ($100 member value price). Contact Paige Tatarek at paige@bhamjcc.org.

p.m. Improvement for young players. Contact Spencer Lynch at spencer@bhamjcc.org. Jan. 7: Bridge — Open play. 7-9 p.m. Free to members, $5 for guests.

Jan. 18: School’s Out Camp. $35 for members and $45 for non-members. Full day of activities including sports, crafts, games, swimming and more. For grades K through 6. Contact tweldon@ bhamjcc.org.

Jan. 4: Winter Break Camp. $35 for members and $45 for non-members. Full day of activities including sports, crafts, games, swimming and more. For grades K through 6. Contact tweldon@bhamjcc. org.

Jan. 10: Live Up! Day at the J. Events happening throughout the day. Free. Contact Monika Singletary at 510-9027 or monika@bhamjcc.org.

Jan. 18-March 4: “Gotta Get Up to Get Down.” Small group training program. Healthy meal plan provided. $195 MVP, $225 regular.

Jan. 12 and 26: Job Search Tips with John Norris. 1 p.m. Free. The program takes an individual through the employment process to accepting a job. Open to adults.

Jan. 24-Feb. 18: Judaism Decoded with Rabbi Yossi Friedman from Chabad of Alabama. 6:30-8 p.m. Six-session course on the origins and evolution of Jewish tradition. Contact

Jan. 7, 14 and 21: Coerver and LJCC Soccer Center of Excellence. 5:30-6:30

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Mindy Cohen at mcohen@bhamjcc.org. Jan. 25: Cohn ECLC Tu B’Shevat Planting. Continuing lessions from ECLC Garden. Jan. 29: ASO Coffee Concert Trip — Tchaikovsky. 9:30 a.m. Departing the main lobby at 9:30 a.m. for the Alys Stephens Center by bus, return by 12:30 p.m. $18. Members only. RSVP mcohen@bhamjcc.org or 510-9024.

VillageLivingOnline.com

January 2016 • B15

Area Events Jan. 2: Fifth Annual Resolution Run. 7:30 a.m. Red Mountain Park, 281 Lyon Lane. 5K, 10K and 20K courses. Visit raceroster.com to register.

Jan. 9: UAB men’s basketball vs. UTEP. 1 p.m. Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. S. $15-$20. Visit uabsports.com.

Jan. 18: Birmingham-Southern basketball vs. Huntingdon. Bill Battle Coliseum, 900 Arkadelphia Road. 7 p.m. $5. Visit bscsports.net.

Jan. 2-3: Great Southern Gun & Knife Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sunday. $9 adults, $2 children ages 6-11. Visit greatsoutherngunshow.com.

Jan. 10: Southern Bridal Show. BJCC Exhibition Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. $10 advance, $15 at door. Visit eliteevents.com.

Jan. 19-24: Cowboy Bill Martin. Comedy Club at the StarDome. Jan. 19-22 at 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.; Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. $9.75-16.50. Visit stardome.com.

Jan. 13: Birmingham-Southern women’s basketball vs. Rust. 6 p.m. Bill Battle Coliseum, 900 Arkadelphia Road. $5. Visit bscsports.net.

Jan. 21: UAB men’s basketball vs. Rice. 8:30 p.m. Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. S. $15-$20. Visit uabsports.com

Jan. 14: UAB women’s basketball vs. Old Dominion. 7 p.m. Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. S. $5. Visit uabsports.com.

Jan. 21-24: Birmingham Boat Show. BJCC, Exhibition Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. Jan. 21-22 from 12 p.m.-9 p.m.; Jan. 23 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Jan. 24 from 12 p.m.- 5 p.m. Visit bjcc.org.

Jan. 3: UAB men’s basketball vs. Middle Tennessee. 2 p.m. Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. S. $15-$20. Visit uabsports.com. Jan. 5-6: Gregg Allman. 8 p.m. Iron City Birmingham, 513 22nd St. S. $42.50. Visit ironcitybham.com. Jan. 7: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5 p.m.- 9 p.m. 113 22nd St. N., downtown Birmingham. Meet local artists and performers. Artwork for sale. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com. Jan. 7: UAB men’s basketball vs. UTSA. 7 p.m. Bartow Arena, 617 13th Street S. $15-$20. Visit uabsports.com. Jan. 7: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Classical EDGE Series. 7:30 p.m. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. $16. Music of Wray. Visit alabamasymphony.org.

Jan. 14: Samford men’s basketball vs. ETSU. 7 p.m. Pete Hanna Center, 800 Lakeshore Drive. $10-$15. Visit samfordsports.com. Jan. 14-16: Lyric Theatre Grand Opening: 3 Nights of Moderne Vaudeville. 7:30 p.m. 1800 Third Ave. N. $40-$60. Visit lyricbham.com. Jan. 15: Ron White. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. N. $50-$60. Visit tatersalad.com. Jan. 16: UAB women’s basketball vs. Charlotte. 2 p.m. Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. S. $5. Visit uabsports.com.

Jan. 8: Bards & Brews Poetry Slam. Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place. Free admission, $5 to compete. Music and sign ups start at 6:30 p.m. Visit facebook.com/bardsandbrews.

Jan. 16-17 BrickFair 2016. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. BJCC Exhibition Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. LEGO models, displays and trains. $12, ages 3 and under free.

Jan. 8-9: Monster Jam. Legacy Arena at the BJCC, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $10-$60. Visit monsterjam.com.

Jan. 17: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Reflect & Rejoice: A ribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 3 p.m. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. $9-$24. Visit alabamasymphony.org.

Jan. 8-9: Jim Norton. Comedy Club at the StarDome. Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Jan. 9 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. $33-$38. Visit stardome. com.

Jan. 17: The SoHo Bridal Show. 1 p.m.4 p.m. Rosewood Hall at SoHo Square, 2850 19th St. S. $10. Visit engagedbirmingham.com.

University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. $50-$200. Visit tickets.samford.edu. Jan. 27-31: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Legacy Arena at the BJCC, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. Jan. 27-29 at 7 p.m.; Jan 28-30 at 10:30 a.m.; Jan 30 at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. $16$81. Visit ringling.om. Jan. 28: UAB women’s basketball vs. WKU. 7 p.m. Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. S. $5. Visit uabsports.com Jan. 28: Peppa Pig Live! 6 p.m. Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. N. $27.50 and $37.50. Visit alabamatheatre.com.

Jan. 22-24: La Traviata. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University. Presented by Opera Birmingham Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Jan 24 at 2:30 p.m. $20-$90. Visit operabirmingham.org.

Jan. 28-30: Henry Cho. Comedy Club at the StarDome. Jan. 28-29 at 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. $16.50-$18.50. Visit stardome. com.

Jan. 23: Red Shoe Run. 7:30 p.m. Rosewood Hall at SoHo Square. 10 mile, 5K or 1-mile fun run. $20-$45. Visit redshoerun-bham.org.

Jan. 29 Alabama Symphony Orchestra Coffee Concert. 11 a.m. Carlos Izcaray conducts Tchaikovsky. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. $19-$33. Visit alabamasymphony.org.

Jan. 23: Samford women’s basketball vs. Chattanooga. Pete Hanna Center, 800 Lakeshore Drive. 2 p.m. $10-$15. Visit samfordsports.com. Jan. 24: Alabama Wildlife Center & Audubon Teaches Nature: Birds of Prey, Masters of the Skies. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. 100 Terrace Drive, Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham. Park admission $5 adults, $2 children. Jan. 26: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster & Friends Series: Russian Moods. 7:30 p.m. Brock Recital Hall, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. $32. Visit alabamasymphony.org. Jan. 26: An Evening with Art Garfunkel. 7 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford

Jan. 29: New Works Concert. 8 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. $8-$15. Visit tickets.samford.edu. Jan. 29-30: Alabama Symphony Orchestra EBSCO Masterworks Series. 8 p.m. Carlos Izcaray conducts Tchaikovsky. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. $24-$69. Visit alabamasymphony.org. Jan. 30: Jessica Lang Dance. 8 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. New York City based dance company. $15-$25. Visit alabamadancecouncil.org.

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