VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2014
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Village Living neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook
Volume 4 | Issue 12 | March 2014
Free trees
Return of the
Pig?
On Arbor Day this year, the Mountain Brook Tree Commission will be giving trees away at several locations. Find more details inside.
City page 7
WHO’S WHO o f M O U N TA I N B R O O K
Results page 14
Fresh food, fast
Brick & Tin’s new Mountain Brook Village location is scheduled to open this month. Learn more about what the restaurant will feature inside.
Food page 10
INSIDE Sponsors ......... 4 City ................... 6 Business .......... 8 Food ................. 10 Celebrations ... 11 Community ..... 12 School House.. 20 Sports ............. 26 Faith ................ 29 Calendar ......... 30
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Local organizers could open new Crestline store A group of local investors is considering the site of the current CVS in Crestline Village combined with three other parcels of land on Vine Street for the location of a new Piggly Wiggly. Photo by Madoline Markham.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Plans are in the works to bring a new Piggly Wiggly location to the current CVS site in Crestline Village. The store would be approximately 20,000 square feet, which
is comparable to the Piggly Wiggly at River Run, and would encompass the current pharmacy property as well as additional property on Vine Street. Robert Jolly, president of Retail Specialists and 17-year Mountain Brook resident, said his company
is acting as a facilitator in a deal that includes CVS, Piggly Wiggly, the City of Mountain Brook and property owners in Crestline. “If ever there was a win-winwin, this is it,” he said. Retail Specialists is working with both Andy and Stanley Virciglio,
owners of the former Crestline store, and Naseem Ajlouny and family, partners in the River Run store, on plans for the new Pig. “I have never worked on a complex project [like this] where
See GROCERY | page 29
Leading the charge Mountain Brook High students drive the local fight against cancer By MADOLINE MARKHAM Paul Roth picked one student out of the crowd at an assembly this year at Cherokee Bend Elementary School. “What are you going to do to make a difference [in the battle against cancer]?” he asked sixth-grader Sam Rysedorph. What the Mountain Brook High School student asked struck
See RELAY FOR LIFE | page 28
Cancer survivors walk a lap around the track during last year’s Relay for Life event at Mountain Brook High School. Photo by Image Arts.
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Village Living
Through March 9th
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March 2014
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Village Living
About Us Photo of the Month Seventh-grader Jackson Savage and sixth-grader Ben Savage collected and sorted about 3,000 pieces of clothing for The Child’s Closet for a community service project for Boy Scout Troop 28 at Independent Presbyterian Church. Their “aunt” Sally is the founder of the closet, and they were inspired to undertake the project when they heard Sally talk about the children that shop there. Photo courtesy of Donna Savage.
Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray Most of us associate March with the beginning of spring, and this year, spring can’t come soon enough. By Alabama standards, we have had a tough winter. While the snow and ice might have been fun for the children and even the kid in many adults, it also created difficult circumstances for many families. In the days following the big snow event in January, it seemed that I couldn’t go anywhere without hearing people sharing their “snow stories.” Everyone had one. Maybe yours wasn’t as dramatic as your neighbor’s, but we do all have a story. Some of the best stories of the snow event came from the acts of kindness that people shared. Facebook became a forum for people to share stories of merchants who gave food and shelter; of neighbors and friends who drove all-wheel-drive cars and fourwheelers up and down 280 to rescue
loved ones; of Mountain Brook churches and schools that became shelters for the stranded. In this issue, we have included some of the acts of kindness that you all shared with us in the days following the storm. It seems like this event just drew everyone in our community closer and made us appreciate the connectedness that we share. We are so fortunate to have that here in Mountain Brook. As we move on to hopefully warmer weather this month, we have much to look forward to. Of course, March means spring break. We asked some of our children about their dream spring break destinations. Read their answers on page 19. We also celebrate the beauty that all of the old trees around our city create with our annual Arbor Day events. Mountain Brook earned Tree City USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation, so join the
festivities on March 8. You can even get a free tree sapling to plant in your own yard. In this issue you will also read about some of our local high school athletes who will be playing their sport next year at the college level. Get all the details of this year’s signing day. Speaking of the high school, on April 4 students will participate in Relay for Life. This event has become a major fundraiser for cancer research and something that everyone in our city can get behind. The event is earlier this year than in years past, so think about getting involved and helping this group reach their goal. Here’s to a warm and beautiful spring!
Village Living Publisher : Creative Director : Editor : Managing Editor : Executive Editor: Staff Writer: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution :
Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Jennifer Gray Madoline Markham Jeff Thompson Katie Turpen Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Contributing Writers : Kari Kampakis C.R. Leonard Alec Lewis Interns : Sydney Cromwell Rachael Headley Emily VanderMey Published by : Village Living LLC
School House Contributors : Catherine Gasque & Catherine Bodnar- Cherokee Bend, Lisa Stone - Crestline, Kathleen Woodry- Brookwood Forest, Suzanne Milligan- Mountain Brook High School, Hilary Ross- Mountain Brook Elementary, Elizabeth Farrar- Mountain Brook Jr. High Contributing Photographer: Image Arts Contact Information: Village Living #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 Dan@VillageLivingOnline.com
Please submit all articles, information and photos to: Jennifer@VillageLivingOnline.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253
For advertising contact: Dan@VillageLivingOnline.com
Legals: Village Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Village Living is designed to inform the Mountain Brook community of area school, faith, 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) 370-0732 or by email.
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Please Support our Community Partners A Little Something (27) Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (30) Alabama Outdoors (11) Alabama Power (10) Allstate Insurance - Jay Barker Agency (9) Amy Smith (24) Architectural Heritage (13) Bariatrics of Alabama (12) Bedzzz Express (2) Birmingham Botanical Gardens (15) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (21) Bromberg & Company, Inc. (16) Canterbury Gardens (27) Case Remodeling (29) Children’s of Alabama (9) Classic Gardens (28) Cottontails Village (22) Dish’n It Out (13) E & FEntertainment (23) Eufaula Heritage Association (18) Fi-Plan Partners (20) Fred Smith Group (15) Hearlab (17) Hufham Orthodontics (20) Issis & Sons (14) King’s House Oriental Rugs (16) Kirkwood by the River (31) Lane Parke - Evson Inc. (23) Leaf & Petal (11) Marguerite’s Conceits (18) Mobley & Sons (14) Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce (26) Mountain Brook Merchants Association (5) Otey’s (28) Pilates On Highland (29) Please Reply (30) RealtySouth (32) Renasant Bank (3) Sew Sheri Designs (21) Swoop (24) Taco Mama (14) The ARC of Jefferson County (17) The Highlands School (22) The Maids (1) The Scribbler (31) Total Fitness Consultants (19) Tracy’s Restaurant (22) Tutoring Club Cahaba Heights (24) UAB Health System Marketing (6) Village Dermatology (7) Vitalogy Wellness Center (8) YMCA of Greater Birmingham (25)
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City
Mural project under discussion for 280
Magic City Mural Collective is looking to paint a mural on this faded retaining wall on U.S. 280 across from Birmingham Water Works.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM U.S. 280 drivers could soon have a new piece of art to brighten their drive along the corridor. At the Jan. 27 Mountain Brook City Council meeting, Creighton Tynes of the Magic City Mural Collective requested to paint a mural on a retaining wall on U.S. 280 across from Birmingham Water Works. The wall was originally built to hold up the embankment in the late 1960s and now bears a faded scene. According to its Facebook page, the Magic City Mural Collective is a group of artists and designers who aim to elevate the aesthetic presence of Birmingham,
reflected by its buildings and walls. The group recently worked with REV Birmingham to paint a mural with the former tourism slogan “It’s nice to have you in Birmingham” on a building in Woodlawn. According to City Manager Sam Gaston, Amy Pleasant had previously sought to paint over the outdated art on the 280 retaining wall but got held up due to complications from Alabama Department of Transportation traffic control requirements. Council members told Tynes they liked the idea and requested he come back to the Council with more specific ideas and a budget proposal, which the collective intends to raise funds for. Council
Magic City Mural Collective has completed projects like one of a former city tourism slogan on an building in Woodlawn. The group is looking to do something similar on U.S. 280 in Mountain Brook.
members suggested a naturalistic scene and cautioned against using words. To learn more about the Magic City Mural Collective, visit mcmcbhm.tumblr. com or facebook.com/mcmcllc.
Cherokee Road, others to be paved By MADOLINE MARKHAM The City has announced the roads that will be paved in Mountain Brook this year. At the Jan. 27 City Council meeting, Public Works Director Ronnie Vaughn presented a list of roads, all of which he said could be completed in less than a month total. The City aims to try to group all the roads in one area together and complete them at one time. Paving Country Club Boulevard was put off until 2015 due to funds. 2014 Paving List: ÌÌ Cherokee Road from Overcrest to Old Leeds Road ÌÌ Overbrook Road from Cherokee Road to Mountain Brook Parkway ÌÌ Cahaba Road from English Village Lane to city limits ÌÌ Fairway Drive behind City Hall ÌÌ East Fairway Drive ÌÌ West Jackson Boulevard ÌÌ Matthews Drive ÌÌ Randolph Road ÌÌ Greenway Road ÌÌ Caldwell Mill Road from Caldwell Mill Lane to Dolly Ridge Road (joint project with Birmingham Water Works) ÌÌ Brookwood Road from Shookhill to Overcrest Road ÌÌ High School Athletic Complex Tentative 2015 Paving List: ÌÌ Montrose and Old Leeds Road from Montevallo to Forest Glen Drive ÌÌ Country Club Boulevard ÌÌ Mountain Park Drive ÌÌ Brookwood Road from Overcrest to East Briarcliff intersection east of Westbury ÌÌ Green Valley Road (part in city) ÌÌ Mill Springs Road from Old Leeds Road to city limits
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2014
CRIME REPORT Week of Jan. 17-23 Unlawful breaking/entering vehicle A UBEV occurred on Jan. 20 on the 3600 block of Montevallo Road between 2:20-3:59 p.m. Unknown suspect(s) broke a vehicle window to gain entrance to the victim’s vehicle. A purse, currency, phone and credit cards were taken from the vehicle. Another UBEV occurred on Jan. 16 on the 3600 block of Montevallo Road between 5:306:30 p.m. Unknown suspect(s) broke out a window to gain entry to the victim’s vehicle. Credit cards were stolen from the vehicle. Burglary, residential A residential burglary occurred on Jan. 16 on the 2800 block of Overhill Road between 7:30 a.m.-4:14 p.m. Unknown suspect(s) entered the residence by breaking out a window. Computer and other electronic equipment were stolen from the residence. Week of Jan. 24-30 Theft of vehicle
A vehicle was stolen from a driveway in the 3800 block of Rock Brook Circle. The theft occurred between Jan. 24-25. The vehicle was recovered by Birmingham Police Department on Jan. 25. Two suspects were arrested. Unlawful breaking/entering vehicle Unknown suspect(s) entered a vehicle in the 3800 block of Rock Brook Circle. The offense occurred between Jan. 24-25. Stolen from the vehicle were credits cards and a purse. Unknown persons entered a vehicle in the 3600 block of Ridgeview Drive. The offense occurred between Jan. 24-25. No items appeared to be missing from the vehicle. Unknown suspect(s) entered a vehicle in the 300 block of Cross Ridge Road. The offense occurred between Jan. 24-25. No items appeared to be missing from the vehicle. Unknown suspect(s) entered a vehicle in the 300 block of Cross Ridge Road. The offense occurred between Jan. 24-25. A
City earns Tree City designation, schedules Arbor Day tree giveaway
power cord was stolen. Week of Jan. 31-Feb. 6 Unlawful breaking/entering vehicle A UBEV occurred on Feb. 5 on the 2500 block of Mountain Brook Parkway. Unknown suspect(s) broke the window of the vehicle and stole a purse, credit cards and currency. Burglary, residential A residential burglary occurred in the 3900 block of Forest Avenue on Feb. 2. Unknown suspect(s) forced entry to a window of the residence. Stolen items included electronic equipment and computer equipment. A residential burglary was reported on Jan. 30. The burglary occurred in the 2300 block of Cahaba Road. Unknown suspect(s) forced entry to a door of the residence. Stolen items included electronic equipment and a television. Week of Feb. 7-13 No offenses reported. -Submitted by Mountain Brook Police Department
St. Patrick’s Day celebration coming to local shops near you Mountain Brook Village is hosting a St. Patrick’s Day celebration Saturday, March 15 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The day will feature festivities, sales and trunk shows. Additionally, shopping at a participating store
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can earn you a chance to win a “pot of gold” containing a $100 Village Gold gift card and gift certificates from participating stores. The more you shop, the more chances you have to win gold. For more, visit welcometomountainbrook.com.
Mountain Brook Tree Commission members pass out saplings on Arbor Day last year. This year the event will take place on March 8. Photo courtesy of Don Cafaro.
For the 20th year running, Mountain Brook has been named a Tree City USA, a designation awarded by the Arbor Day Foundation that the city shares with more than 3,400 communities across the nation. The city also earned a growth award. The honor was delivered just a month shy of the city’s annual Arbor Day Tree Giveaway. The Mountain Brook Tree Commission will be giving away seedlings on March 8 from 9-11 a.m. in front of the Emmet O’Neal Library as well as at Western in Mountain Brook Village, Whole Foods in Cahaba Village and Piggly Wiggly in River Run. This year’s selections include roughleaf dogwood, Eastern redbud, white oak, sweetbay magnolia, and longleaf with
dogwood seedlings being handed out to elementary students. Tree Commission members will be on hand to provide planting tips and information about the trees. Four things are required for a community to become a Tree City: the creation of a tree board or department, an ordinance giving the commission authority to create an annual forestry work plan, an annual forestry budget of approximately $2 per resident and an annual Arbor Day proclamation. The Mountain Brook Tree Commission, a board of nine volunteers, works in conjunction with Don Cafaro, Mountain Brook’s senior arborist, to manage and care for the community’s trees.
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Coming Soon Ex Voto Vintage is opening a second showroom location on March 1 at 2402 Canterbury Road behind Gilchrist in Mountain Brook Village. The Montgomery-based business features a collection of limited edition jewelry pieces created from antique elements by Elizabeth Adams. A grand opening event will be held Thursday, March 6 from 5-7 p.m. exvotovintage.com.
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Now Open Tonya Jones SalonSpa has opened a second location in the former Richard Joseph SalonSpa space in English Village, located at 2410 Fairway Drive. 870-4247. tonyajonessalonspa.com.
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Smartphone and device repair business iRevive, 2710 Culver Road, is now open in Mountain Brook Village. 637-0034. ireviveonline.com.
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March 2014
Hirings and Promotions RealtySouth’s Mountain Brook Crestline Office has welcomed Sheila Smoot as a new agent, and the Cahaba Office welcomed Caroline Ezelle, Megan Kincaid, Joyce Ratliff and Jason Turner. 879-6330. realtysouth.com.
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Meyer & Middleton, LLC has announced its new partner, April H. DeLuca. DeLuca brings a financial background to the firm, adding the new practice areas of family business and tax planning, and expanding the firm’s business entity formation and estate planning practice areas. The firm has also changed its name to Meyer, Middleton, & DeLuca, LLC and relocated to 2 Office Park Circle, Suite 220. 202-0070. magiccityfamilylaw.com.
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Business Business news news
National Bank of Commerce, 813 Shades Creek Parkway, Suite 100, has promoted Patrick Carlton to senior vice president, manager of private and professional banking. 313-8100. nationalbankofcommerce.com.
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to share?
News and Accomplishments
John-William Jeweller is hosting a Crestline Village Design Contest to run May 3-10 on a Facebook page by the same name. Entrants must design a piece of jewelry with at least one precious metal, gemstone or natural material. Entries should be dropped off at the shop April 19-May 1. Cash prizes will be awarded. 870-4367. johnwilliamjeweller.com.
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Anniversaries
A’mano, 2707 Culver Road, is celebrating its 17th anniversary in March. The store offers unique gifts and items from local artists as well as artists from around the world. 871-9093. amanogifts.com.
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Coming Coming Soon Soon
Business news
Expansion Expansion to share? If you are in a brick and mortar business If in you are in a Brook brick and business Mountain andmortar want to share in Mountain Brook and want to share your event with the community, your eventletwith the community, us know. let us know.
Coming Soon Village iving Village Living Living
Expansion Email dan@villagelivingonline.com Email dan@villagelivingonline.com
If you are in a brick and mortar business in Mountain Brook and want to share your event with the community, let us know.
Village Living Email dan@villagelivingonline.com
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Lane Park Rd
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Restaurant Showcase
Brick & Tin
Village Living Read past Restaurant Showcases at villagelivingonline.com
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By MADOLINE MARKHAM The change in seasons is hitting Mountain Brook Village in a new way. Just ask Mauricio Papapietro. Like he has done at his downtown Brick & Tin location for three years, he will apply high-end cooking techniques to quality food that is both quick and affordable. With a bigger space and a bigger staff, he is excited to expand the menu and hours and be more creative in the kitchen for both lunch and dinner. His new restaurant is scheduled to open this month. “I trained for 15 years in fine dining kitchens, and that’s all brought to the table here,” Papapietro said. “Nothing is bought premade. It’s all made fresh.” Long tables for families sit at the front of the 70-seat dining room. On the right, a 13-seat full bar features seasonal “farm-to-glass” cocktails as well as wine and beer — local whenever possible. Behind a brick wall recovered during renovations lies a distinct bakery space that will have a separate entrance to Culver Road. The retail space will sell freshly baked breads as well as to-go items like soups and seasonal sides such as couscous salad and faro salad. Hoping to grow the selection over time, Papapietro is considering selling their dressings as well as fresh produce from local growers in
The new Brick & Tin location serves dinner entrees like Sautéed Black Grouper with Wilted Kale, Roasted Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Puree. Photos by Madoline Markham.
the summer. The new Brick & Tin menu will be slightly expanded from its downtown location to include entrées in addition to soups, paninis and salads. Three to five seasonal entrées, ranging from $15-25, will change at least monthly. Plus, there will be an all-new Sunday brunch menu. “A lot of people say they are local
and organic, but they do not use those ingredients. It’s becoming catchy and cliché,” Papapietro said. “We have strong relationships with local growers. The person who plants the seed is the same one who delivers it to us.” The kitchen is about three times the size of the downtown location, but ordering will work the same way. Diners will place their orders at the bar,
and then food is brought to the table. A limited kids’ menu ensures parents can feel good about bringing their children, Papapietro said. “A family could come in and get seared scallops or steak for $20-25 and their kid gets grilled cheese for $5,” he said. “The parents can also get cocktails if they want. I hope all will be happy.”
Mauricio Papapietro has opened a new location of Brick & Tin in Mountain Brook Village.
Papapietro said he is looking forward to being in such a vibrant neighborhood, one that, unlike downtown, comes alive in the afternoons and evenings. “I think what we do will be appreciated around here,” Papapietro said. “We make high-quality food from scratch and make it quick and affordable.”
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2014
Have an engagement, wedding or anniversary announcement? Email jennifer@villagelivingonline.com.
Ratcliffe-Tyson Mr. and Mrs. Lester O’Neal Hamiter of Birmingham and Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson Goode Ratcliffe Jr. of Montgomery announce the engagement of their daughter, Elizabeth Bradshaw Ratcliffe, to Thomas Martin Tyson II, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred White Tyson of Montgomery. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Morton Lipscomb Carl Jr. of Birmingham and Mrs. Jefferson Goode Ratcliffe Sr. of Selma and the late Mr. Ratcliffe. Miss Ratcliffe is a graduate of Mountain Brook High School and The University of Alabama, where she was a member of Kappa Delta sorority. She was presented at Redstone and the Beaux Arts Krewe Ball. Miss Ratcliffe is employed at Balch and Bingham in Birmingham. Mr. Tyson is the grandson of Mrs. Thomas Martin Tyson Sr. of Montgomery and the late Mr. Tyson, and Mrs. David Hume Culver of Huntsville and the late Mr. Culver. Mr. Tyson is a graduate of the Montgomery Academy and The University of Alabama, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in finance. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Mr. Tyson is currently employed as the project manager at the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce in Economic Development. The wedding is planned for May 17.
Lee-Pritchard Mr. and Mrs. Steven Forest Lee of Greenville, Ala., announce the engagement of their daughter, Mallory Watts Lee, to James Arthur Pritchard III, son of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Pritchard Jr. of Mountain Brook. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. Danolyn Cavanaugh Poole of Greenville and the late Mr. Walter Francis Cavanaugh, as well as Mrs. Rexine Johnston Lee of Dothan and the late Mr. Claude Gene Lee. Miss Lee is a 2006 graduate of Fort Dale Academy of Greenville and a 2010 cum laude graduate of The University of Alabama, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She received a master’s degree in occupational therapy from UAB. Miss Lee is employed with Puzzle Piece LLC. The prospective groom is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. William Clifford Dickinson of Trussville and the late Mr. and Mrs. James Arthur Pritchard Sr. of Trussville. Mr. Pritchard is a 2006 graduate of Mountain Brook High School and a 2010 graduate of The University of Alabama School of Business and Finance. He was a member and officer of Sigma Nu fraternity. Mr. Pritchard is employed with BLW Roofing - ALABAMA LLC, where he serves as sales representative and operations manager. The wedding is planned for March 29 in Greenville.
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Celebrations Lanier-Russell Mr. and Mrs. Luther Barner Lanier of Birmingham announce the engagement of their daughter, Dorothy Barton Lanier, to Andrew Robert Russell, son of Dr. Julia Arndt Russell and Dr. William Atkins Crunk of Birmingham and Dr. and Mrs. Robert Irving Russell of Birmingham. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. Andrew Corbett Scott and the late John Henderson Lanier of Birmingham and the late Mr. and Mrs. James Clifton Barton of Birmingham. Miss Lanier is a graduate of Mountain Brook High School and Millsaps College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She is a member of Kappa Delta sorority and was presented at the Beaux Arts Krewe Ball. She graduated from The University of Alabama with a master’s of business administration and is employed by Georgia Pacific in Baton Rouge. The prospective groom is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Charles John Arndt III of Birmingham and Dr. and Mrs. Edward Samuel Russell of Birmingham. Mr. Russell is a graduate of St. Bernard Preparatory School and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s of public administration. He is pursuing a graduate certificate in urban and regional planning at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The wedding is planned for May 17 at Independent Presbyterian Church.
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Village Living
Community Residents co-chair Lenten Lunch series Mountain Brook residents Carla Reich and Anne-Marie Brown are heading up the 2014 Lenten Lunches at the Cathedral Church of the Advent as co-chairs. Lunches will be served March 5-April 17 along with the annual preaching series, as listed below: March 5 (Ash Wednesday): Kee Sloan, bishop of Alabama; Birmingham. March 6-7: Ken Jones, pastor and co-host of White Horse Inn Radio Program; Miami, Fla. March 10-11: Elyse Fitzpatrick, author and speaker; Valley Center, Calif. March 12: Jim Pounds, director of operations, Beeson Divinity School; Birmingham. March 13-14: Lauren Larkin, writer and blogger; Ambridge, Penn. March 17-19: Ed Salmon, previous bishop of South Carolina, dean of Nashotah House Theological Seminary. March 20-21: Jady Koch, associate, St. Francis in the Fields; Harrods Creek, Ky. March 24: Cameron Cole, director of Youth Ministries, Church of the Advent.
March 25-26: Paul Zahl, previous dean of the Church of the Advent and Trinity School for Ministry. March 27-28: Mark Gignilliat, canon theologian, Church of the Advent; professor, Beeson Divinity School. March 31-April 2: Steve Stockman, author and minister, Fitzroy Presbyterian; Belfast, Northern Ireland. April 3-4: Jim Munroe, dean, Christ Church Cathedral; Springfield, Ma. April 7-9: Ashley Null, author; canon theologian, Diocese of Western Kansas; Berlin, Germany. April 10-11: John Barr, rector, Church of the Holy Comforter; Sumter, S.C. April 14-15: Justyn Terry, dean, Trinity School for Ministry; Ambridge, Penn. April 16-17: Eric Walker, author and speaker; Birmingham. April 18: Andrew Pearson, dean, Church of the Advent; Birmingham. For more, visit adventbirmingham.org.
Carla Reich and Anne-Marie Brown, pictured in the center between Canon Deborah Leighton and Dean Andrew Pearson.
Junior League looking for gently used items for event After a recent pipe burst, a significant portion of the Junior League of Birmingham (JLB) Bargain Carousel warehouse inventory was damaged. JLB is now asking community members to donate gently used items for this annual yard sale-style fundraiser. “We do not want to let our community down by not having the items they need,” JLB President Kara Myers said. “We are in great need
of gently used large furniture items such as sofas and chairs, rugs, flat panel TVs and exercise equipment. If you or anyone you know has any of these items they would consider donating, please consider the Junior League of Birmingham.” Donations can be dropped off at the former JCPenney at Century Plaza (Entrance 1), 7580 Crestwood Blvd., 35210, at the following times:
ÌÌ Tuesday, March 18: 5:30-8:30 p.m. ÌÌ Thursday, March 20: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & 5:30-8:30 p.m.
ÌÌ Tuesday, April 1: 5:30-8:30 p.m. ÌÌ Thursday, April 3: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & 5:30-8:30 p.m.
ÌÌ Saturday, April 5: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ÌÌ Sunday, April 6: 1-4:30 p.m.
ÌÌ Tuesday, April 8: 5:30-8:30 p.m. If you have large, bulky items (e.g., sofas, armoires, refrigerators, treadmills) that don’t fit in a car or SUV and need to be picked up, email jlbmightymen@gmail.com or call 879-9861. -Submitted by the Junior League of Birmingham
VillageLivingOnline.com
Brinkley earns Eagle rank
Sam Brinkley, a member of Boy Scout Troop 53, earned the Eagle Scout rank in December. Brinkley was recognized at a Court of Honor ceremony at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in February. After joining Troop 53 as a fifth-grader, Brinkley earned Order of the Arrow in 2011. He attended Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, along with numerous other summer camps, and he sailed the Abacos with members of his troop. He earned 23 merit badges on his way to Eagle. With funds raised for his project and the help of Troop 53, Brinkley built a new picnic area with railroad ties and pea gravel at St. Francis Xavier School in Mountain Brook. In addition, he repaired two benches and built two new picnic tables for use by students and parishioners at St. Francis Xavier, where he is involved with the youth group. Brinkley is a junior at The Altamont School, and he plays varsity basketball and lacrosse and serves as a school ambassador and peer mentor. He is the son of Katherine and Tom Brinkley.
March 2014
Honorees presented at Holiday Assembly
Front row: Amanda Delight Carmichael, Brooke Elyse Littleton, Mary Lee Bard Livingston, Julia Grace Garrison. Back row: Morgan Ann Dommerich Lineberry, Margaret Ellison Gray, Chaise Taylor Belt, Margaret Elizabeth Howell, Kendall Elizabeth Crumbaugh.
Front row: Mildred Eugenia Stutts, Mary Evelyn Sprain, Brooke Frances Tucker, Elinor Clay Anthony. Back row: Mary Boyd Crosier, Anne Kinsman Simmons, Catherine Brevard Harmon, Anna Catherine Gillespy, Mary Lucile Baker. Photos courtesy of Dee Moore Photography.
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Indoor triathlon to appeal to novice athletes This month, those interested in a taste of a triathlon can do so in less than an hour. Team Magic’s LJCC Indoor Triathlon, starting at 8 a.m. on March 2 at the Levite Jewish Community Center, requires 15 minutes of pool swimming, 20 minutes of spin biking and 20 minutes of treadmill running. For this event, time is the predetermined factor, not distance, so the most distance completed, rather than the shortest time covering a distance, determines the best performance. Organizers said it appeals to both novice multisport athletes and seasoned triathletes looking to test their off-season fitness. Each participant is given 10 minutes for changing from the swim to the bike and 5 minutes to move from the bike to the run. Transition times are not included in the total time. For event novices, indoor pool swim eliminates the fear of the open-water swim in addition to not having to figure in transition times. For more, call 879-0411 or visit bhamjcc.org.
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Village Living
WHO’S WHO o f M O U N TA I N B R O O K Every morning men and women wake with a hope of building something better in the space around them, and Village Living is offering the community a chance to say, “thank you” to them. Over the coming months, the pages that follow will highlight members of our community whose impact is so wide that hundreds chose them to be featured, likely because they had been touched personally. These neighbors make you smile, teach you to push yourselves harder, mold your children to live with conviction and give because they want to. They, and the dozens of others nominated who aren’t featured on these pages, are reason to celebrate. Their faces and stories remind us of all the people in Mountain Brook who make us proud to call it home.
Photography by Alec Dixon. To see more of his work, visit alecdixoncreative.com.
Voted
BEST OF MOUNTAIN BROOK Village Living 2013 Best Mexican Food
VillageLivingOnline.com
WHO’S WHO o f M O U N TA I N B R O O K
Best Coach (Youth Leagues)
Greg Osborne Crestline Orthodontist “Greg Osborne is our daughter’s basketball coach this year, and we have been amazed at how well he connects with the girls. He never raises his voice, and he is certainly a strategist, which appeals to our daughter with the same type of mind. What is most impressive is how he is so positive and uplifting about everything. He gives each girl praise about some aspect of her play – no matter what.” -Pratt Austin-Trucks Photo by Alec Dixon.
March 2014
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March 2014
WHO’S WHO
Village Living
o f M O U N TA I N B R O O K
Best Teacher Wanda Burns Mountain Brook High School Math Teacher “Ms. Burns is always one of the first ones to arrive at school. She then takes confused, somewhat uninterested and distracted teenage math students and turns them into calculus whizzes. I really don’t know how she does it! I know of several kids who, when they go back to visit the high school after graduation, always stop by her classroom and hope to have just one more conversation with her. She really, honestly cares about each student, both those who are math geniuses and those who struggle terribly through it.” -MBHS Parent Wanda Burns is pictured in her classroom. Photo by Alec Dixon.
VillageLivingOnline.com
WHO’S WHO o f M O U N TA I N B R O O K
Most Charitable Hatton Smith Royal Cup Coffee President “Hatton is no stranger to the community and has supported thousands of organizations in his professional life. Royal Cup stepped up years ago to support the first year of MBTV, a community news program that promotes the businesses in our community and gives residents an update on all that is happening in the city. He also supported the first year of Leadership Mountain Brook through this effort.” -Suzan Doidge Hatton Smith is pictured in front of what will soon be a new trail connecting Vulcan Trial and Railroad Park. Smith was instrumental in planning the project with the Birmingham Rotary Club. Photo by Alec Dixon.
March 2014
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Village Living
WHO’S WHO o f M O U N TA I N B R O O K
Most Artistic Meredith Keith Gallery 1931 Co-owner “Meredith Keith is an old soul in a young body. When you see her art, you feel her spirit – warm, inviting and well traveled. Meredith creates beautiful paintings that take us to locations around the world and right back home to our villages in Mountain Brook. She is reflected in her art, which is filled with texture and color, vibrant and yet nostalgic, focused on God’s creation and its beauty in people, animals and places.” -Pam Colbert Photo by Jeff Thompson.
Pajamas by Pine Cone Hill Luggage by Cinda b
2406 CANTERBURY ROAD MTN. BROOK VILLAGE 879.2730
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March 2014
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Snow day acts of kindness The horror of iced roads on Jan. 28 brought out neighborly actions throughout Mountain Brook My neighbor Jamie Brasher left home to rescue her husband and returned with two more people. She then brought hot food to me as she was worried I had none. Also Matt Condra, vice president of First Commercial Bank, rescued an older gentleman stranded at the Mountain Brook YMCA and me, a teacher, with his two young children in the car. He drove us to Cherokee Bend and Euclid Avenue. -Georgia Miller We have made many new friends that we would have never encountered otherwise. Jenny Sollie had spent the night with a neighbor, and my husband Chuck Burkhart took her from our home on Mountain Park Drive to Spring Valley Road on our four-wheeler. It was about 9 degrees when they left. We are happy to have made a new friend and to help her get back to her family. The night before, Chuck helped many stranded people including a 75-year-old man who he found near Mountain Brook Elementary who had been walking from Hoover. He lived on Montclair Road. -Betsy Burkhart My son Rex had surgery on his leg the Thursday before the Tuesday storm and was unable to walk. After the roads were blocked from accidents, there was no way to get to the school except by foot. My sweet neighbors and friends walked to the school and back and pushed my son up and down the hills from Brookwood Forest Elementary to our house. My neighbors John Burke and Meg Sims
went above and beyond and made sure that my four children, including Rex, got home safe and sound. Sometimes it does take a village, especially one filled with compassionate individuals, to get us through the sometimes unexpected situations life presents. -Jill Everette One of my favorite moments that I witnessed during the chaos was by a man named Tom Adams, who lives in English Village. A crowd had gathered in Cafe Iz getting coffee and food and trying to help people as they flooded in from the downtown area. There were many people who had nowhere to go, knew no one, and were trying to figure out where to stay the night as it was quickly getting colder and dark. There was even one lost traveler who had flown in from Chicago, just for the day, for a medical conference, which was canceled along with all his flights out. This lost traveler had merged, without a choice, into the traffic that landed him in English Village. He was at a loss for what to do or even where he was. Then out of the crowd a strong voice was heard that said, “Anyone, anyone is welcome in my home. We have more than enough room for all who need a place to stay.” That voice came from Tom Adams, a gracious man who never once wavered on his bold word, welcome! He left Cafe Iz with a group of people in need including the lost traveler. As they left, I thought to myself, I just witnessed and heard the voice of Jesus coming through one of His Godly warriors. -Beth McMillan
Chuck Burkhart and his passenger Jenny. Photo courtesy of Betsy Burkhart.
Meg Sims and John Burke help push Rex Everette home from Brookwood Forest Elementary. Photo courtesy of Jill Everette.
A nine-car pileup blocked Cahaba Road below English Village on Jan. 28. Photo by Jeff Thompson.
20 • March 2014
Village Living
School House
CES celebrates novelists
Front row: Lilly Odom, Claudia Carson-Keane, Miller Simon. Back row: Kate Ryan, Lillie Wright, Caroline Hellums, Leo Keane-Carson, Mia Dunlap, Anna Foweather.
By LISA STONE Nine students at Crestline Elementary School are official novelists. They successfully completed the Young Writers National Novel Writing Month challenge to write an
entire novel during November. The students set a word-count goal for their novels, ranging from 3,000-20,000 words. The novelists celebrated their works at a tea where they read excerpts from their stories to an audience of teachers, families and friends.
VillageLivingOnline.com
March 2014
Cherokee Bend food drive a success
Front Row: Baker Gasque, Julia Naftel and Drew Bodnar. Back row: Community Awareness Chair Libba Vaughan, Rosemary Lee, Katie Ramsbacher, Elaine Russell, Principal Betsy Bell and PTO volunteer Jennifer Segers.
By CATHERINE BODNAR Despite the disastrous ice events during the week, Cherokee Bend Elementary students brought in more than 475 pounds of food for the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama. Two 50-gallon barrels in the lobby were overflowing after the second day of the drive. The donated food was also there when some teachers spent the evening at school on Tuesday, Jan. 28 due to the ice storm. “We had enough food, but it was comforting to know that if we needed it, it was there,”
said Stacey Ewing, a Cherokee Bend faculty member who stayed overnight. The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama provided the collection barrels and then picked up and delivered the donated food, paper products and toiletries to greater Birmingham nonprofit feeding sites such as day care centers, food pantries, and shelters for women and children. To learn more about the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and how they serve more than 750,000 hungry Alabamians, visit feedingal.org.
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2832 Culver Rd • 879.8278 79.8278 • Mon. - Sat
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Village Living
Dreaming of spring break Mountain Brook students on where they would like to travel
I would go to Universal Studios in Orlando. I would go on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey rides, Minion Mayhem ride and the Incredible Hulk roller coaster. I would take my family. I would try to get a wand when I was down there. Billy Daniel, fourth grade
If I could go on any spring break trip, I would go to Niagara Falls. I would like to see the waterfalls and hear how loud they are. Carter Brooks, third grade
I would like to go to Hawaii. I want to go there so I can swim in the clear water, wear sunglasses on the beach and dance with a hula skirt. Also, I might paint the sunset. Anna Alton Weathers, first grade
I don’t want to go to a bad place where there are robbers. I would like to go to Disney World because there are so much fun activities like Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad and all of the rides. Millie Hard, kindergarten
If I could go anywhere for spring break, I would want to go to the Caribbean and go snorkeling. Allen Baker, third grade
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MBJH choir wins big at Atlanta competition
Members of the MBJH choir.
By ELIZABETH FARRAR Twenty students from the Mountain Brook Junior High School choir joined more than 4,000 other students from 28 states at the 2014 Junior Theater Festival in January at the Cobb Galleria Center in Atlanta. This is the third year that the MBJH choir has been chosen to participate in the event, which brings together students, teachers and professionals to celebrate and encourage outstanding student musical theater. Each group performs a selection from a Broadway Junior or KIDS Collection musical for critique by a panel of theater professionals. The panel scores each group and offers feedback on its music, acting, choreography and overall performance. Amy Loden, the school’s choir director, helped the students perfect their 15-minute medley of songs from The Little Mermaid, Junior. Though some of the students had not performed before this year, the group from the MBJH choir received a trophy for Excellence
in Ensemble Work. A festival judge who composed the music that the MBJH choir performed was “blown away” by the MBJH performance, according to parents in attendance. Nicole Roberts won recognition for Excellent Individual Performance by a Female and Alex Perlman for Excellent Individual Performance by a Male. Clare Friday, Grayson Gamso, Kate Edmonds, Ainsley Platt, Remy Garrison, Simona Shirley and Rachel Rysdorph were awarded Golden Tickets and chosen to advance to other programming, auditions or performance opportunities. MBJH choir students participating in the festival were Lucy Reich, Ainsley Platt, Catherine Skinner, Tess Levine, Simona Shirley, Kate Edmonds, Ann Douglas Lott, Remy Garrison, Alex Perlman, Daniel Azrin, Gabe Ivker, Josiah Sonich, Nicole Roberts, Anne Catherine Bonatz, Marilyn Oestrike, Sarah Oestrike, Clare Friday, Rachel Rysdorph, Grayson Gamso and Jessica Davidson.
MBJH honors teacher of the year By ELIZABETH FARRAR Jennifer Nelson, a seventh-grade English teacher, was chosen as the Mountain Brook Junior High School Teacher of the Year. A graduate of Hoover High School, The University of Alabama and UAB, she is in her second year of teaching at MBJH. The dynamo was chosen for her overall impact on the school. “Mrs. Nelson teaches her classes with a variety of innovation and creativity,” principal Donald Clayton said. “She is a leader among the teachers and a real example of quality teaching. We are lucky to have her at MBJH.” Nelson’s honor was announced during the January Parent Teacher Organization meeting.
24 • March 2014
Village Living
BWF celebrates Circle of Friends
MBE students express themselves
MBE Expressions contest preliminary winners pose for a photo.
By HILARY ROSS Each year, the Expressions Arts Competition encourages and fosters creativity in Mountain Brook Elementary School students. This year’s theme for entries in creative writing, photography, visual arts, video and a new category, instrumental performance, was “I am ... ” Teachers encouraged students to enter by offering
bonus points or homework passes. All students entering the expressions contest were awarded an ice cream treat while preliminary winners were announced in each category at a medal ceremony. Preliminary winners at MBE were automatically entered into the Mountain Brook district contest and judged along with those from the other elementary schools.
CES Spelling Bee
Geography whizzes
Crestline Elementary sixth-grader Tess Patton, left, won the school spelling bee. Amelia Moffatt, right, was the runner-up.
Sixth-grader Edward Berry, left, won the Cherokee Bend Geography Bee recently. Fourth-grader Matthew Zitella, right, was runner-up.
Jerry the Frog, BWF student John Rowlen and Kim Rowlen.
By KATHLEEN WOODRY Brookwood Forest Elementary celebrated Circle of Friends week in January. The event allows students and staff members to foster inclusion, acceptance, tolerance and patience for those who live with challenges every single day within the BWF community. This year, Jerry the Frog came to visit kindergarten through second-grade
classes; a luncheon was held for the teachers in the special education department; a daily video was shown schoolwide educating students about special needs; the Lakeshore Foundation wheelchair team came to visit and played BWF staff in front of the third- to sixth-graders; and students also experienced real-life simulations of others’ possible daily challenges.
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M ‘bee’ E champions
First-grader places in chess tourney
Reich wins Miss Olympian
Mountain Brook Elementary first-grader Farley Nunnelley represented MBE in the 2013 USCF National K-12 Scholastic Chess Tournament in Orlando. He won third place in his division. Photo courtesy of Jenny Nunnelley.
MBE fifth-grade students Fletcher Nunnelley, who was the MBE geography bee winner, and Ann Carlton Keller, who was the MBE and Mountain Brook District spelling bee winner and finished sixth in the Jefferson County Spelling Bee.
By HILARY ROSS Two bees were recently held at Mountain Brook Elementary. Fourth- through sixth-graders competed in the geography bee, sponsored by National Geographic, with preliminary rounds held in classrooms and the top 10 competing in the schoolwide bee. Fifth-grader John Keith placed third, and second place went to fourth-grader Edward Barze. Fifthgrader Fletcher Nunnelley won the bee by correctly answering “Indonesia” to a question about which country islands Madura and Bali are part of.
Fletcher has completed a written test to see if he qualifies to participate at the state-level competition to be held at Samford University. For the spelling bee, the top two students from each homeroom in grades four through six competed on challenging words. In the end, fifthgrader Ann Carlton Keller was named MBE spelling bee champion. She went on to compete in the Mountain Brook district spelling bee against the other champions from the elementary schools and the junior high. She will represent Mountain Brook in the Jefferson County Spelling Bee.
Seniors named as Presidential Scholars Five Mountain Brook High School students have been named as candidates for the 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The students are: `` John W. Blum `` Olivia H. Burton `` Margaret L. Selesky `` Mary N. Roberson `` Carlton E. Wood Seth M. Perlman, an Indian Springs School student from Mountain Brook, was also awarded the honor. The program was established in 1964 by executive order of the president to recognize and honor some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. Each year, up to 141 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.
Annie Reich was named this year’s Miss Olympian. Photo courtesy of Image Arts.
Eighteen Mountain Brook High School students competed in this year’s Miss Olympian Pageant. Another 17 students ran the Candyland-themed event as a part of the pageant staff. The winner was Annie Reich, who sang “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles. Other finalists were: `` First alternate: Emily Sink played “All of Me” by Jon Schmidt on the piano. `` Second alternate: Kelsey Platt sang “I’ll Be Waiting” by Adele and played the piano. `` Third alternate: Mary Kathryn Parrott sang “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by Cass Elliot. `` Fourth alternate: Katie Seeger danced to “Freedom” by Aretha Franklin.
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Village Living
Sports Spartans advance in Regionals
Track athletes sign commitments Two Mountain Brook High School track athletes committed to play at the collegiate level on National Signing Day, Feb. 5. Mary Glenn Waldrop will compete in javelin at The University of Alabama, and Emily Bedell will be a distance runner for Tulane University. Mary Glenn Waldrop
Photos by Rachael Headley.
Emily Bedell
Casey signs to play lacrosse at Emmanuel By ALEC LEWIS
TaWarren Grant (5) drives the lane during a regular season game against Hoover. Photo by Image Arts.
As of Feb. 19, the Mountain Brook High School boys varsity basketball team was advancing in the regional tournament with its sights set on a second consecutive state title. The No. 1-ranked Spartans (31-3) defeated No. 6 Lee-Huntsville (25-5) on Feb. 18 in the AHSAA basketball Northeast Regional at Jacksonville State University. The final score was 72-60. A few days prior, the Spartans defeated Gardendale 73-46. Visit villagelivingonline.com for updates on the AHSAA State Basketball Tournament.
Although baseball and football are the U.S. leaders in played and watched sports, lacrosse is actually considered America’s first sport, according to many historians. And in recent years in Alabama, lacrosse has grown extremely popular, especially in Mountain Brook. Lacrosse first became a high school sport in Mountain Brook in 2004, and it has since become a popular college sport that is even televised on ESPN. Over the past three years, the area has produced multiple collegiate lacrosse players, including current senior Matthew Casey, who will attend Emmanuel College in Georgia to play. “There were many aspects of Emmanuel College that interested me, such as their great academic programs and their very well-funded sports programs,” Casey said. Casey, who first picked up the sport in fifth grade, was one of the first to take part in lacrosse at Mountain Brook, giving greater significance
Matthew Casey signs to play lacrosse with Emmanuel College. Photo by Alec Lewis.
to the Mountain Brook lacrosse program on his recent signing day. “Mountain Brook lacrosse means more to me than just my love for the sport,” Casey said. “The memories and people involved in all of my lacrosse years just mean so much as well.” This year, Casey and the Spartans look to have another successful year and ultimately compete for the state championship to send Matthew out with a bang.
Mountain Brook Chamber Luncheon Featuring Richard E. Simmons III
“The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence.” Vince Lombardi, Hall of Fame NFL Coach.
April 24th 2014 Park Lane in English Village Doors open - 11:00 Luncheon - 11:30 Register at welcometomountainbrook.com or call the Chamber office at 871-3779
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MBJH wrestling finishes season strong This year the Mountain Brook Junior High wrestling team achieved more success on the mat than the program has experienced in several years. Many individuals had standout seasons in their weight divisions, and the team experienced a great deal of success at tournaments throughout the year. At the Vestavia Kick-Off Classic, the team had 14 individuals place in the top four of their weight division. Andrew Fuqua and Zach Morris went undefeated at this tournament, taking first place in their respective weight divisions. The team also finished third in points out of 19 teams competing in the tournament. At the Homewood Christmas Duals, the team had another top-three finish, placing third out of 20 teams. The team went undefeated on the second day of the tournament to win the championship in the silver division. At the Metro Championships, all five starters individually placed in their weight divisions. There are 14 weight divisions total. Seven starters won more than 75 percent of their matches. These wrestlers are Brinson Reed, Lyons Shaffer, Nik Dworek, Jake Harris, Mason Knowles, Connor Hart and Andrew Fuqua. At the conclusion of the 2011-2012 wrestling season, the MBJH program only had 13 wrestlers. Now, the program has more than 40 members and continues to grow each year. This team has given a great start to what could be one of the best junior high/high school wrestling programs in the state of Alabama within a couple of years. The team is coached by Derek Jones. -Submitted by Lynn Huddle
The junior high wrestling team boasts more than 40 members.
Wrestlers advance to state The Mountain Brook High School Wrestling Team advanced seven athletes — a number six more than previous years — to the state finals Feb. 13-15. The team finished the season with a 24-12 dual record and is coached by Justin Ransom, Joe Webb and Bill Strickland.
28 • March 2014
Village Living
Relay for Life of Mountain Brook April 4, 4 p.m.-midnight • Mountain Brook High School Relayforlife.org/mountainbrookal How to support the event `` Attend the Relay for Life Talent Show. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at the high school. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door.
MBHS students sell slices of rainbow cake, one of many on-site fundraisers that are a part of Relay for Life. Photo by Image Arts.
RELAY FOR LIFE from page 1
a chord with Sam. Within weeks, Sam raised $1,005 for the American Cancer Society. He and his friends, wearing backpack leaf blowers, walked around to neighbors and asked to clear leaves out of their yards in exchange for a donation to “blow out cancer.” Sam’s team is one of 57 registered so far for this year’s Relay for Life event, scheduled for April 4 at Mountain Brook High School. Last year student-led Relay for Life of Mountain Brook efforts raised $267,000 — surpassing a goal of $250,000. That put them as the No. 1 youth Relay for Life event per capita in the country and as No. 2 overall out of 150. The event has received multiple awards, including the Gordy Klatt Number One Youth Per Capita event and the Nationwide Top 5 Youth Income event. But the heart of the event is not about money, but people — people like Patricia “Polly” Shoulders, who served as the registrar at MBHS for 37 years. She battled and defeated breast cancer twice but lost her third round with cancer in early 2013. People like Sean Fredella, whom the community rallied around with blue ribbons on
mailboxes as he fought cancer in late 2011 and early 2012 as a Mountain Brook Elementary fifthgrader. People like former Interact Club sponsor and MBHS teacher Rodney Kornegay, who had Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a child. And people like Slade Anderson, a Crestline student who is now undergoing cancer treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. “[Relay for Life] is a really big deal in this community because people in the community are affected by cancer,” event co-director and MBHS student Catherine Kinney said. “It’s so cool to see how the community comes together with even elementary school teams raising so much money.” For co-director Ann Peyton Baker, Relay is an active way the community can try to keep the horrors of cancer from happening. Baker and Kinney are on this year’s student leadership team along with Mary Fran Wright, Katie Reiss and Roth. The team leads Interact Club members on 14 different committees — 116 students in all this year — to put together Relay, starting shortly after the previous year’s event. In the weeks leading up the event, the leadership team spends about eight to 10 hours a week working on it before and after school and on weekends. The leadership team holds assemblies at the
`` Attend the April 4 event. Even if you are not a team member, everyone in the community is invited to support the cause in a celebratory fashion.
elementary and junior high schools, where they show a special kickoff video they make each year and get the students excited about participating in Relay for Life. “It’s cool to grow up with it and see how there is a huge age range of people with the same goal,” Kinney said, recalling how she first got involved in sixth grade because it sounded fun. The following year, her great-uncle passed away from cancer. It prompted her initial interest in raising money, which she said is what Relay is all about. Relay fundraising efforts span the entire school year at the high school. Soccer teams wear pink socks for a game. Buckets are passed around at football games, including the annual game against rival Vestavia Hills, where funds are split between the schools’ fundraising efforts. Ornaments are sold. Entry fees for the Powder Puff football game during Homecoming and Powder Buff volleyball tournament in the spring go to Relay. A team at the junior high worked with the administration to charge $5 for students to wear athletic shorts to school one day. The April 4 event is primarily about celebrating the efforts that have taken place all year and all the survivors in the community, but that’s not to say the fundraising doesn’t continue. Male
`` Eat at a restaurant participating in 10 Percent Tuesdays. On Tuesdays in March, participating restaurants will donate 10 percent of their revenue to Relay for Life. Visit villagelivingonline. com for an updated list of which restaurants are participating on which dates. `` Form a team. `` Donate to a team online.
students dress up like females during the Mr. Relay Pageant and walk around with a purse to collect donations. The winner is whoever collects the most money — in part based on how well they respond to the pageant interview. Booths with festivities run the gamut from smashing fruit to inflatable sumo wrestling competitions. Attendees can purchase fried Oreos, cupcakes, ice-your-own donuts, pizza, “walking tacos” and pancakes — with all the funds going to the American Cancer Society. The leadership team also encourages the wider community to attend the event, donate to the cause, start a team or purchase a luminaria (a lantern made of a bag and candle, lit after nightfall) in honor or memory of a loved one. Starting last year, they offered sky lanterns for $50 that will be released into the air that night in complete silence — a sight Kinney describes as “incredible.” They said they would like to have more adults on teams, especially young adults who don’t have children in the school system. “We want the whole community involved,” Kinney said. For her, Relay isn’t just about the years of tradition behind the fundraising at the school. It’s about how each and every person in the community is affected by cancer.
Making People Happy For 22 Years, It’s An Institution! Voted
BEST OF MOUNTAIN BROOK Village Living 2013
Most friendly service
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Live music every Fri. and Sat. night starting @ 9pm.
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Faith
GROCERY from page 1
we had more support,” Jolly said. The proposal is subject to CVS relocating to the former Piggly Wiggly location next to La Paz. Currently, CVS is working with the city on details of parking for its new property, according to City Manager Sam Gaston; the drive-through it plans to build will eliminate 11 existing parking spots. Complete plans for the proposed store announcing a construction schedule could be released at a later date. “For 30 years our family has been a part of the Crestline community, and along with our other Mountain Brook store in River Run, we know this is a great fit,” Andy Virciglio said. “We heard loud and clear that Crestline wants its Piggly Wiggly, and we want to be back!” Mountain Brook City Council member Billy Pritchard said he was present for multiple discussions about the project. These took place over several months, he said. “I have talked to them and have seen several different concepts,” Pritchard said. “They have what they think is the plan they want to move forward with, but the details still have to be put in place and scrutinized.” Ajlouny emphasized that his family looks forward to joining the Virciglios in serving Crestline. “We applaud how the property owners, community leaders, city officials, visionary real estate people and everyone else worked together in a community-first approach to put a plan like this in place,” he said. “This is a true win-win for everyone involved, and it will be wonderful to have the Piggly Wiggly return to Crestline.” Find updates on plans for the new Piggly Wiggly on villagelivingonline. com.
Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
What next? Helping kids cope with rejection Life is hard. Disappointments happen. Sometimes we lose when we deserve to win. Sometimes we win when we deserve to lose. As adults, we’ve had practice coping with a letdown. But for children, the pain is fresh and the wounds particularly deep. They’re not prepared for unexpected blows, nor do they understand how a loss might benefit them long-term. One rejection can feel like the new norm, and with every subsequent defeat, they might fear they’ll never break the cycle. Once a loser, always a loser. That isn’t true, of course — at least not for those who keep plugging away — but try explaining that to the boy cut from his baseball team or the girl who didn’t make cheerleader. Try convincing anyone who just failed miserably that there’s hope. So what’s a parent to do? How can we pull our children from the pit when they fall in? I don’t have many answers, but I do know this: We don’t jump in the pit with them. We don’t act like it’s the end of the world or throw confetti on their pity party because that fuels their fears. Our attitude affects their attitude, and if we in our infinite wisdom send a message of doom and gloom, what does that say about their future? Let me clarify that I believe parents should share in a child’s disappointment. We should cry with them if that’s where our heart is and allow a mourning period. Since many tryouts fall on Friday, we often have a weekend to work with. For two days we can grant our child permission to mope, scream, sob and vent. We can let their ugliest emotions be acknowledged to get it all out of their system.
But come Monday morning, the world starts spinning again. Come Monday morning, our child will have to rise back up and ask a crucial question: “What next?” Will they try out again next year or branch into something new? Could now be the time for soul-searching? People have different ways of moving on, and even if they’re spinning their wheels a while, going through the motions to get a game plan, it’s a step in the right direction. As a parent, I worry about the heartache my kids will face. But my biggest fear is that they’ll quit trying. This happens a lot, and it happened to me in grade school when I stopped trying out for plays because I failed a few times. For years my sister, Krissie, and I auditioned for productions, and together we made our first three. But then The Wizard of Oz came along, and Krissie made it without me. I was OK with one rejection, but when the same thing happened two more times, I dropped out of acting. Having my little sister show me up was embarrassing, and by cutting my losses early, I thought I could avoid future grief. To this day I regret giving up something I loved. If only I’d admitted to my parents that my reason for quitting was fear, not a loss of interest, they could have encouraged me to stick with it. They could have explained that failure is a part of life, and with every effort I made, I increased the likelihood of the tide turning in my favor. Babe Ruth once said, “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” (For the record, he struck out more than 3,000 times.) In baseball, a batting average of .300 is considered excellent.
That’s basically hitting three balls out of 10 — a statistic we’d balk at in real life. But could that be our problem? If we adopted baseball’s philosophy in all parts of life, would it take the pressure off us having a perfect record? Could it put our disappointments in perspective, reminding us that one home run — or better yet, a grand slam — can compensate for nine missed hits? I think so. If I have any advice for people down on their luck, it’s this: Don’t give up. Hang in there. Work hard and believe in your ability to improve. If you really love something, stick with it, because your passions help lead you to your calling. Giving up may seem safe now, but as you get older you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did. When one door closes, another opens. Embrace new opportunities and be ready to act. As Confucius said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” There’s no shame in trying, only the remorse of passively watching the world go by. So jump back in the game by asking yourself, “What next?” These two words may be the motto you need to begin a fabulous new chapter of life. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four with a background in public relations, writing and photography. For more inspiration, like her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer” or find her on Twitter @karikampakis. Visit karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.
30 • March 2014
Village Living
Calendar
Mountain Brook Events
Emmet O’Neal Library EVents Call 445-1121 or visit eolib.org for more.
March 1, 2, 6, 9, 13: Disney’s Jungle Book Kids. March 1, 6, 13 at 7:30 p.m., March 2 & 9 at 2 p.m. Levite Jewish Community Center. Join Mowgli, Baloo, King Louie and the rest of the gang as they swing their way through madcap adventures and thwart the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan. Adapted from the beloved film, this musical includes Disney tunes such as “The Bare Necessities” and “I Wan’na Be Like You.” $15 adults, $12 students. Visit bhamjcc.org. March 2: Team Magic LJCC Indoor Triathlon. 8 a.m. Levite Jewish Community Center. Designed to introduce the sport of triathlon (swim, bike, run) to single-sport enthusiasts or as a competitive training exercise for those already involved in the multisport lifestyle. $35 on-site registration. Contact Dan Tourtellotte at dt@bhamjcc. org or 879-0411 ext. 237, or visit bhamjcc.org. March 6: Annual Spencer Lecture. 6:30 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Linn-Henley Lecture Hall. Featuring botanist David Price. Free. Visit bbgardens.org. March 6: Hitting Home. 6:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 2100 Highland Avenue, 35205. Mountain Brook Anti-Drug Coalition and Mountain Brook Schools will offer a program on prescription drug abuse and addiction featuring Dr. Ann P. Slattery, managing director of the Regional Poison Control Center at Children’s of Alabama. March 8: Arbor Day Tree Giveaway. 9-11 a.m. In front of
Emmet O’Neal Library, Western in Mountain Brook Village, Whole Foods in Cahaba Village and Piggly Wiggly in River Run. The Mountain Brook Tree Commission will be giving away seedlings. Visit mtnbrook.org. March 15: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mountain Brook Village. Shop at participating retailers to earn a chance to win a “pot of gold.” Visit welcometomountainbrook.com. March 15: Kiwanis Club of Homewood-Mountain Brook Pancake Breakfast. 7 a.m. Exceptional Foundation, 1616 Oxmoor Road. A pancake and sausage breakfast will be served for $5. Other festivities include a silent auction, moon bounce, music, clowns, face painting and games. Visit the club’s page on Facebook. March 17-20: MBHS Cheerleading Tryout Clinic. 3:30-6 p.m. MBHS Gym. March 21: MBHS Cheerleading Tryouts. 3:30-7:30 p.m. MBHS Gym. March 24-28: Mountain Brook Schools Spring Break.
Adults Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. Noon doors open, 12:30 p.m. program. March 2: Holocaust Film & Discussion series. 2 p.m. Call 445-1121 for title. March 4: Holocaust Film & Discussion series. 6:30 p.m. Call 445-1121 for title. March 6: Church & Oak Book Group. 6:30 p.m. Church Street Coffee & Books. Discussing Tenth of December by George Saunders. March 8: Knit & Knibble. 2-3:30 p.m. All crafts and skill levels welcome. March 9: Holocaust Film & Discussion series. 2 p.m. Call 445-1121 for title. March 10: Great Books. 6:30 p.m. Book group discussing a selected short story. March 11: The Bookies. 10 a.m. Book group discussing The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan. March 18: Documentaries After Dark. 6:30 p.m. Film about fixed gear cycling. March 20: Let’s Talk Money financial education series presents: Understanding Social Security. 6:30 p.m. Light dinner served.
March 24-28: Spring Break Camp. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Levite Jewish Community Center. Contact Jessica Klein at jklein@bhamjcc.org or 8790411, ext. 224, or visit bhamjcc.org.
March 21: Standing Room Only Presents Mixology 101: Homemade Bitters. 7 p.m. Ages 21+ only.
March 26: Relay for Life Talent Show. 7 p.m. Mountain Brook High School.
Teens
March 25: Genre Reading Group. 6:30 p.m. Discussing books/films on women’s history.
March 5: TAB. 5-6 p.m. The monthly meeting of the
library’s Teen Advisory Board. March 7: Game On Video Game Tournament. 4:306:30 p.m.
Children Regular programming will not take place the week of Spring Break, March 24-28. Mondays *Toddler Tales Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays Together Time Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Library Out Loud Story Time. 3:30 p.m. Evenings @ EOL. 6 p.m. Wednesdays *Mother Goose Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Thursdays *Patty Cake Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. SNaP. 3:30 p.m. Saturdays Family Story Time with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m.
Special Events March 19: After-School Special: Magician Arthur Atsma. 3:30 p.m. March 20: *Bookmania: The Westing Game. 6 p.m. March 24-27: Beach Blanket Books. 3 p.m. *Space is limited; please call 879-0497 or visit eolib.org to register.
VillageLivingOnline.com
Calendar
March 2014
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Greater Birmingham Area Events Feb. 22-May 18: Delacroix and a Matter of Finish. Birmingham Museum of Art. The first Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) exhibition in the U.S. in more than a decade features the work of the leader of the French Romantic Movement, who was often heralded as the “father of impressionism.” Call 254-2565 or visit artsbma.org. March 1: Brenda Ladun Conquer Cancer Run. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. 5K walk/ run 8:00 a.m., 1-mile walk/run 9:00 a.m., awards ceremony and survivor celebration 9:45 a.m. Visit conquercancerrun.org. March 2: Birmingham Boys Choir. 4 p.m. Wright Center, Samford University. A collaborative concert with Traces of Blue, an a cappella jazz group that appeared on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” Visit birminghamboyschoir.com. March 2: Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra. 3 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Visit alysstephens.org. March 3-7: “Finish the Fight” LoveLove Magic City Challenge Tennis Tournament. A city-wide doubles-only tournament for ladies, levels 2.5-5.3, at facilities throughout Birmingham. Entrance fee is $50 per player. Proceeds support Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation’s funding of GI cancer research. Visit reedgifoundation.com/ our-events or love-lovemagiccitychallenge.com. March 7-9: Birmingham Ballet: Hansel and Gretel. March 7 at 7:30 p.m., March 8 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., March 9 at 2 p.m. BJCC. Tickets available through BJCC central ticket office. Visit birminghamballet.com or bjcc.org. March 8: Spirit of Sochi. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Lakeshore Foundation, 4000 Ridgeway Drive. As
a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training site and Paralympic Sport Club, Lakeshore is hosting the first U.S. community-wide celebration and viewing of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony broadcast. Traveling interactive tour featuring 12 winter sports, an Alabama Olympians and Paralympians autograph booth, cultural treats from Sochi, an exhibition of wheelchair rugby, food truck games and more. The Paralympic Opening Ceremony will also be broadcast on a large screen. Visit lakeshore.org. March 8: Professional Bull Riders. 7:30 p.m. BJCC Arena. Featuring up-and-coming bull riders and riders not competing on the elite Built Ford Tough Series, participants compete in PBR-sanctioned events while earning money to qualify them for the BFTS and the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals. Call 1-800-745-3000 or visit bjcc.org. March 8: ASO Wells Fargo Classical EDGE: Mohammad Fairouz. 7:30 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Mohammed Fairouz will premiere his newest violin concerto along with violinist Rachel Barton Pine. Tickets $15-$35. Call 975-2787 or visit alysstephens.org. March 8: Chili Cook-Off. 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Colonial Brookwood Village. This is the 10th annual Chili Cook-Off benefiting the Exceptional Foundation. $10 in advance, $15 at gate, 12 and under free. Visit exceptionalfoundation.org. March 13: Gabriel Iglesias: Unity Through Laughter. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. Visit alabamatheatre.com. March 14-15: Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival. March 14 at 6 p.m., March 15 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. BJCC. Mickey Mouse and friends perform live. Tickets available through Ticketmaster and BJCC central ticket office. Visit bjcc.org.
March 15: Rumpshaker 5K Run/Walk. 8 a.m. Sloss Furnaces. Raising awareness about colorectal cancer. Register at rumpshaker5k.com. March 15: Elton John & His Band. 8 p.m. BJCC. Tickets available through Ticketmaster and BJCC central ticket office. Visit bjcc.org. March 16: UAB Department of Music presents: “Around the World in 80 Minutes: A Musical Extravaganza.” 4 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Funds raised will support UAB Department of Music student scholarships and ensembles. Tickets are $48, $36 and $24. Student tickets are $10. Call 975-2787 or visit alysstephens.org. March 16: Harlem Globetrotters “Fans Rule” Tour. 4 p.m. Pete Hanna Center, Samford University. Admission $22-$85. $20 additional for pre-show event beginning at 2:30 p.m. Call 1-800641-HOOP. March 19: The NotWedding Birmingham. 7-9 p.m. BridgeStreet Gallery and Loft. A bridal show in the form of a big, fake wedding allows brides to truly experience the vendors in action. General admission $30, VIP admission $40. Visit thenotwedding.com. March 20: Brian Regan. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Brian Regan presents his comedy show. Tickets are $39.75, available at livenation. com. March 21: Ron White. 7:30-10:00 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Ron White presents his comedy show. For mature audiences only. Visit ticketmaster. com. March 22: SEC Women’s Gymnastics
Championship. All-day event beginning at 8 a.m. BJCC. Visit gymnasticschamps.com. March 22: Taj Mahal. 8 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Taj Mahal, blues and world musician, will perform at ASC for the second time in his over 40-year career. Admission for section A is $62.50, section B is $53.50 and section C is $43.50. Visit alysstephens.org. March 27-29: Joyce Meyer Ministries. March 27 at 7 p.m., March 28 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., March 29 at 10 a.m. BJCC. Joyce Meyer Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing God’s love and the word of the Bible through media productions and live conferences. Admission is free and no registration required. March 28: Diamonds and Denim Gala. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Discovery Alabama Center at Watermark Place, 4500 Alabama Adventure Parkway, Bessemer. Fundraiser to benefit the Birmingham area Tuskegee Alumni Scholarship Fund. $50 Gala ticket, $75 VIP Gala ticket, $500 table sponsorship includes 8 VIP Gala tickets. Call 425-4529. March 28: Birmingham Barons vs. Chicago White Sox (Exhibition Game). 6 p.m. Tickets $14-$28. Call 988-3200. March 29: Red Diamond SuperPops! Series. Rhapsody in Blue: The Best of Gershwin with Christopher Confessore. 8 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University. Maestro Chris Confessore leads the ASO in music by Gershwin. Admission $24-$62. Call 975-2787. March 29: Walk to End Lupus Now. 8-11 a.m. Veterans Park. Walk-up registration opens at 8 a.m. Walk begins at 10 a.m. Admission is free. Call 1-877-865-8787.
32 • March 2014
Village Living