Volume 4 | Issue 5 | September 2016
2016 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
New faces prep for office Asphalt degradation and potholes, like this one on Crosshaven Drive, have led to nearly 30 miles of Vestavia roads being deemed to be in “fair to poor” condition. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Nearly 30 miles of roads to be resurfaced over next 3 years By EMILY FEATHERSTON When driving through various parts of the city, certain things are unavoidable: Congestion around schools in the early afternoon or the frequent steep hills in neighborhoods near the Vestavia Country Club are all familiar to Vestavia Hills drivers. ► List of roads set Potholes and street for repaving degradation are unfortuwork, A28 nately another common encounter, but over the next few years, the city hopes to continue the recent push for road improvements. City Manager Jeff Downes said a recent study found that nearly 30 miles of residential roads, roughly 9 percent of the city’s roadways, are in “fair to poor” condition. “Being able to put a plan together to address those 30 miles is very important,” Downes said. Two years ago, Downes said the City
INSIDE
Mayor-elect Ashley Curry shares a moment with his daughter, Anna, after receiving the final results Aug. 23. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Curry ousts Zaragoza for mayor; Ammons drops out of Place 3 runoff By EMILY FEATHERSTON
THE FACES OF YOUR NEW CITY GOVERNMENT
W
hen November rolls around, four new faces will take a seat in the council chambers. With Steve Ammons dropping out of a runoff for Place 3 and the defeat of Mayor Butch Zaragoza and Place 1 Councilor John Henley, Place 4 Councilor George Pierce was the only incumbent to win in the Aug. 23 election. Former FBI agent Ashley Curry won the mayoral race
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Tupelo, MS Permit #54
See ELECTIONS | page A30
Mayor
Place 1
Place 2
*Place 3
Place 4
Curry
Weaver
Cook
Head
Pierce (I)
3,712 votes
3,288 votes
3,606 votes
2,546 votes
4,110 votes
Zaragoza (I) .........2,771 Henley (I) ............. 2,919 Benos ...................2,729 Ammons (I) ........ 2,333 Elliott ..................2,082 De Buys .................1,420
INSIDE
Sponsors .............. A4 News...................... A6
Business ............... A8 Events .................. A12
Community .........A15 School House ..... B10
See REPAVING | page A28 Sports .................. B12 Real Estate.......... B17
School Guide ...... B18 Calendar ............. B22 facebook.com/vestaviavoice
30 Years of Yarn
‘Be All There’
Hooked on the hobby for decades, Vestavia Hills resident Holly Tenison runs mother’s business, Knit Happenz.
Boys, girls cross-country squads prepare to face giants in their 2016 seasons.
See page B8
See page B15
A2 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
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September 2016 • A3
A4 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
About Us Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell Every summer, I tell myself that this is the year I’ll finally adjust to Southern summers and enjoy my time outdoors in our long, sunny days. And every summer, I scurry back indoors to the blessed air conditioning, choosing instead to glare out my window at the heat waves rising off the pavement. Despite living in the South since I was five years old, I’m convinced that I’m a cold weather creature, built for scarves and hats and boots. This was reinforced recently when I was lucky enough to take a trip to Alaska. The landscape, the wildlife and everything about the trip was stunning. But in the midst of that, I also felt a sense of relief at the summer temperatures, which felt more like the mid-autumn days I experience here. “Ah,” I thought, “this is what it’s
supposed to be.” That breath of cold, fresh air evaporated all too quickly once I got on the plane back home. But it gave me a nice reminder that I’ve got fall days coming my way. Summer’s just about over, and we
chose a few of the best photos you sent us to highlight your summer adventures. Be sure to find those inside. You’ll also find stories about several local businesses, election results and a new rabbit rescue, which I was delighted to learn is a thing that exists. Whether your interests are in service days or consignment sales, we also have previews of several events this month. I hope you enjoy September and all our community has to offer this month. Meanwhile, I’ll be cranking up the air conditioning and looking fondly at my sweaters.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
The Jim ‘N Nick’s team brought their best barbecue to the annual Iron City Chef competition, hosted by the Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary. Photo by Ron Burkett.
Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Digital Media: Sports Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters:
Staff Writers: Copy Editor: Contributing Writers:
Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Heather VacLav Kyle Parmley Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Erica Techo Jon Anderson Tara Massouleh Ana Good Jesse Chambers Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Louisa Jeffries Kari Kampakis Danni Zhou Leah Ingram Eagle Ali Renckens Rachel Burchfiel
Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Jon Harrison Gail King Eric Clements
For advertising contact: dan@starnespublishing.com Contact Information: Vestavia Voice PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnespublishing.com
Please submit all articles, information and photos to: sydney @starnespublishing.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253
Published by: Starnes Publishing LLC Legals: The Vestavia Voice is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. The Vestavia Voice is designed to inform the Vestavia community of area school, family and community events. Information in The Vestavia Voice is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of The Vestavia Voice. 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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September 2016 • A5
A6 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
City Alice Laurendine and Ginny Bourland accepted the city’s recognition and encouraged citizens to learn the symptoms of GYN cancers. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Mayor’s Minute
By Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza
September declared GYN cancer awareness month By EMILY FEATHERSTON Mayor Butch Zaragoza and the Vestavia Hills City Council issued a proclamation at the Aug. 22 meeting declaring September 2016 as Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month. The proclamation follows a national and regional campaign to raise awareness for cervical, ovarian and other gynecological cancers. A State of Teal, Alabama's GYN cancer awareness group, has been traveling around the state encouraging municipalities to bring the issue to their citizens. Alice Laurendine and Ginny Bourland, representatives of A State of Teal and both GYN cancer survivors, spoke to the council and audience about the necessity of awareness about the disease.
Bourland said when she was diagnosed, she was given only a 30 percent chance of surviving the next five years — but that she has just made it to her five year mark. “I consider myself very lucky, but it is crucial that we get the word out,” she said. Laurendine has been in remission for eight years, and considers herself fortunate because she originally ignored her symptoms. There is currently no screening test available, but there are symptoms of GYN cancers that women should look for, the women said. Women should look for “BEAT” symptoms that last for two weeks or more: bloating, eating habit changes, abdominal discomfort and trouble or changes in urination. More information about A State of
Teal can be found at astateofteal.org. Zaragoza said the council elected to postpone a vote on the upcoming year's budget until the next meeting Sept. 12 because of the Aug. 23 election. Other council business included: ► Zaragoza reminded the council and audience of municipal elections on Tuesday, Aug. 23. The four incumbents and Place 2 candidate Kim Benos were in attendance and recognized at the meeting. ► Nine ordinances were approved amending the city's building and construction codes to adhere to the 2014-15 national and international codes. ► The council approved an alcohol license for Everyday Food Mart and Cafe, located at 3015 Columbiana Road.
I’d like to welcome our students back to school for the 2016-2017 school year. I hope they all have a good experience in our school system. Also, welcome back to our teachers and staff. There are several road-paving projects in the works in our city. We have finished paving on Rocky Ridge Road and are getting kudos for the smooth ride there. Guardrail work and shoulder construction is still in progress, but we hope to limit congestion in the area. Our ATRIP (Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program) project on Columbiana and Tyler Road is underway. We have finished paving on Tyler and are working on Columbiana. This project also includes rail and shoulder work that should initiate after paving is finished. We are continuing to work with Jefferson County and City of Birmingham on paving Sicard Hollow Road. A geo study shows three sites with road deterioration, which requires digging up and replacing the materials. Jefferson County Department of Roads and Transportation is the lead agency on the project and is working through the design and bid process so we can get started. Birmingham and Jefferson County are also working with Vestavia Hills on the Cahaba River Road widening project, and engineering work is being done. The Massey Road paving project is at the engineering stage as well. We hope it will get underway shortly. Finally, the city has put out a bid for the citywide street-paving project, which we hope to get underway in September or October. I look forward to seeing these projects completed so our neighbors will have a much smoother ride throughout Vestavia Hills.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A7
Temporary parking, Hollis Crossing project funding OK’d By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Vestavia Hills City Council voted to approve funding measures that would “kickstart” a project to add an access road and temporary parking lot behind Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights. The project, City Manager Jeff Downes said, is to replace the parking being lost due to the current construction of a new gym at the school. The parking would serve both the school as well as the ball fields operated by the city. The Aug. 8 action set a maximum total project cost of $350,000, which is based on the cost of similar projects with a 20 percent contingency for a “worst case” scenario. Downes said the resolution allows the Board of Education to move forward with Sain Engineering on a plan for the project, as the BOE will be the lead party in the scope, design and oversight of the construction. “Our involvement is funding for the purpose of primarily supporting the schools and allowing access to our ball fields,” Downes said in his comments to the council. There are currently no designs yet, but Downes and City Engineer Christopher Brady indicated that the roadway would be “of some permanence” and that the parking lot is intended to be gravel. Council members went back and forth clarifying the reasons to fund a project without a defined scope, but Downes said the effort was to eliminate delay in the project and allow the BOE to move forward uninhibited. Though all agreed there is a need for more parking, several residents expressed their concerns about entering into a project with few parameters. Resident and city council candidate Robert
City engineer Christopher Brady explains the intended mitigation of occasional roadway water runoff. Photo by Emily Featherston.
de Buys urged the council to vote against the resolution, calling the measures a “blank check.” At the close of the meeting, Place 3 council member George Pierce encouraged council liaisons with the BOE to relay the residents’ concerns about the project’s scope, and to keep the total cost well below $350,000. In other council business: ► Downes presented the council with his proposal for the fiscal-year 2017 budget. A resolution approving the budget was given its first read and will be considered on Aug. 22. ► A resolution regarding a reduction of municipal limits was dropped because the necessary paperwork has not been filed. ► The council approved election officers for the Aug. 23 municipal election, as well as their pay contracts. ► The council voted to approve the final 10 percent of the 2016 budget, as per state-required formality.
City approves $19,000 in immediate funding for new bulletproof vests By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Vestavia Hill City Council voted July 25 to allot $19,000 for the immediate purchase of new bulletproof vests for the Vestavia Hills Police Department. Mayor Butch Zaragoza said he was moved to investigate the safety of the city’s officers after the recent shootings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Zaragoza set up a meeting with Chief Dan Rary, and said that Rary had already been investigating the department’s options to prevent situations seen in the news. Up to this point, police officers have been issued standard “soft” Kevlar vests that are worn under the uniform while on patrol or responding to a call. These vests have the ability to stop rounds of ammunition from a handgun, but not from a high-powered rifle, Rary said. He said the new vests will be worn in addition to the current vests in any high-risk situations, including when officers serve highrisk warrants, any active-shooter situations or SWAT situations such as the one in January on Shades Crest Road. Vests with the ability to stop high-powered rifles have been looked at before by the city, and were priced at around $700. The vests being purchased now, however, are just over $200, and the entire purchase will amount to $19,000. The purchase price exceeds the $15,000 cap that typically requires the city to conduct a competitive bid process. However, in the event of an emergency, the council has the authority to allot the funds without putting the matter out to bid. City Attorney Patrick Boone said he was more than comfortable with using the emergency exemption in this case. “We owe a duty to our police officers to provide them with as much safety and protection as we can,” Boone said. “We don’t have time to invite competitive bids.”
Officers show the new protective vests purchased for the department. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Other council business included: ► The council voted to finalize a resolution regarding the remediation agreement with Deborah Reinhardt regarding the property at 1756 Indian Creek Drive. ► The council approved the rezoning of 1280 Montgomery Highway from un-zoned to B-2 as part of the agreement with the parent company of Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. ► The council voted in favor of the conditional-use approval at the current park maintenance facility on Sicard Hollow Road for the relocation of Fleet Operations facility. ► The council voted to approve funding for necessary improvements at several of the city’s parks, primarily the athletic facilities at Wald Park and in Cahaba Heights. ► The council approved the purchase of new data servers for the city’s financial software. ►The council approved a power easement at the intersection of Cahaba River Road and Healthy Way for a sign for the Publix at Patchwork Farms. ► The council voted in favor of amending the Construction Operation and Reciprocal Easement Agreement with The Shops at City Hall in order to allow for an additional restaurant to lease space from the property owner.
A8 • September 2016
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September 2016 • A9
Now Open
New Ownership
Pure Fitness is now open at 1425 Montgomery Highway, Suite 115 in the Park South Plaza shopping center. The facility was slated to open earlier in the year in the Old Town shopping center nearby, but a fire gutted the building and delayed the opening. 420-1054, purefitnessllc.com
Chateau Vestavia, located at 2435 Columbiana Road, has been purchased by Senior Housing Properties Trust and renamed Morningside of Vestavia Hills. The facility is under the operation of Five Star Senior Living. 822-4773, fivestarseniorliving.com/communities/al/birmingham/morningside-of-vestaviahills
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Coming Soon IronStone Pizzaworks will open its first restaurant in September at 632 Montgomery Highway in the Vestavia Hills City Center. The restaurant is owned by Bill McPherson. ironstonepizza.com
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Relocations and Renovations Garrett, Perkins and Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., has relocated from their office at 1500 Urban Center Drive, Suite 350, to a new location at 5120 Selkirk Drive, Suite 200, in Hoover. 313-9153, stephengarrettassociates.com
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Hirings and Promotions RealtySouth, 2409 Acton Road, Suite 137, has hired Susie Barnes, Heath Anderson and Sheila Martin as Realtors. 978-9000, realtysouth.com
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Anniversaries St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 2870 Acton Road, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in September. 969-2700, stthomasepiscopal.net
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A10 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
FEELING the CHILL By EMILY FEATHERSTON As the technician opened the door, thin white smoke drifted from the chamber toward the floor. A young woman, wrapped in a crisp white robe, thick socks, insulated slippers and ski-worthy gloves, stepped inside and prepared to be super-cooled. Sounds like a scene from a science-fiction movie, but it’s not. It’s a common sight at Glacier Cryotherapy inside Anytime Fitness on U.S. 31. “It’s just a new-age form of cold therapy,” owner Morgan Smith said. Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) is the process of exposing the legs and torso to temperatures of about minus-300 degrees Fahrenheit using super-cooled nitrogen vapor. This can be done individually in an open-top chamber that keeps the head and neck free, as it is at Glacier, or in a closed setting that requires a gas mask. The idea, Smith and others say, is to oxygenate the blood, release “happy” chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine and reduce inflammation in the body. “Those are the main reasons you’re going to see an athlete use it is for the inflammation, the muscle recovery and for the melatonin levels,” Smith said, adding that users commonly report sleeping better after a session. Smith likened the process to the common ice-bath, but in a much shorter time period. Each session at Glacier lasts three minutes, and depending on what level the customer is cooled to, can reach anywhere from minus-200 degrees to just under minus-300 degrees. For safety, Glacier’s chamber must be operated by a technician at all times, with 30-second alarms that will automatically shut off the chamber if not cleared.
Christina Camp demonstrates the cryotherapy process while Kelsey Berg operates the chamber. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Mitch Ross, one of Glacier’s certified technicians — who has done more than 150 WBC sessions — agreed with Smith that the process is better than other cold-therapy methods. “This is a shocking three minutes to the skin, but it’s way more enjoyable than an ice bath and it takes a lot less time,” he said. Is it comfortable? No, Ross said, but the results he has seen make him think it’s worth it. “It’s three minutes of hell to feel like heaven,” he said. Glacier Cryotherapy has been in Vestavia Hills for a little under a year, and Smith said he has both customers that simply want to see what all the hype is about as well as regular customers who come seeking pain relief.
Ross said he has clients with chronic pain as well as athletes recovering from a difficult workout who have reported improvement. Kelsey Berg and Christina Camp both recently started using WBC, and said they enjoyed it so much they are training with Smith to become technicians. “I hadn’t really heard of it before,” Camp said. “But my degree is in health science, so it’s the type of thing that interests me.” Camp, a friend of Smith’s, said she had been considering trying WBC for a while, but was finally persuaded when she was having trouble with pain in her back. “After that first session I did, I noticed a difference with my back,” she said. “It seemed to
alleviate some of the pain.” Berg, who also has a degree in exercise science, said she heard about WBC when watching “Good Morning America,” and decided to try it. Berg broke her knee two years ago and said she still experiences problems with it while exercising, but she said she thinks WBC is helping. “I like to do it after working out,” she said. “I can tell a difference in the gym.” Whole Body Cryotherapy, while new to many in the United States, has been used in Europe and Japan for decades. However, there has not been significant scientific research done on its effects on the body, beneficial or otherwise. In July, the Food and Drug Administration released a consumer update regarding its concerns with the practice, citing there was no scientific evidence that cryotherapy provides the health benefits many of its users claim. The FDA also expressed concern for possible side effects, as little research has been done to establish what effects exposure to minus-300-degree temperatures does to the human body. Smith and the others at Glacier openly acknowledge the lack of FDA approval, and encourage their clients to consult with a physician if they have health concerns. This especially applies to those with known heart conditions, as the process is said to cause capillary swelling and other blood-vessel dilation. Camp, too, said she acknowledges people who haven’t experienced WBC would have reservations about the process. “I know a lot of people are kind of skeptical,” Camp said. “I definitely think research does need to be done on it.” But with the possible benefits, she said, to her, it’s worth it. “I think that anything that could potentially reduce inflammation in your body is worth giving it a shot,” Camp said.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A11
Noah Holtkamp holds a box with a regular produce delivery. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
GREEN GO on the
Company delivers organic produce
By DANNI ZHOU With Nutrient High’s delivery service, people can no longer use the convenience of fast-food restaurants to excuse unhealthy eating habits. In 2015, Vestavia resident Noah Holtkamp and business partner Joanna Zaleski started formulating ideas for a company that delivers organic produce. They stressed the importance of a healthy diet and quickly worked out the logistics to establish the company. Nutrient High offers more than 500 types of produce but typically markets seasonal foods, unless specially requested. The company’s office and warehouse is stationed in Trussville. Delivery areas include Pinson and Clay, but are mostly to Vestavia Hills, Homewood and parts of Hoover. “I personally lost over 40 pounds because I changed my diet and became educated about fruits and vegetables along with grains and legumes,” Holtkamp said. “They are the best you can eat for your body, and I want to share that with our customers.” A standard package costs $32.50, including delivery fee. The 16-item bundle includes various fruits and vegetables such as plums, potatoes and watermelon. Buyers may customize the package, and the price will fluctuate accordingly. “So far, I would say we’ve had easily 100 customers, but we want to focus on what each client needs and what will fit their lifestyle best,” Holtkamp said. Along with produce deliveries, the two entrepreneurs recently added nutrition counseling to their services. Holtkamp said they have assisted
about a dozen customers in grocery-store tours and exchanged healthy recipes. Holtkamp and Zaleski first meet customers at their home or a public place. They then discuss lists of interests: for example, wanting to lose weight or changing to a healthier lifestyle. “We want to explain to them what is healthy and what is not. It’s important that we don’t say, ‘No, that’s unhealthy’ and leave it at that,” Holtkamp said. “I want to elaborate on why it isn’t healthy.” Nutrient High promotes local and regional farms, as well as locations in California, Georgia and Florida. Produce shipment from the farms to Nutrient High’s warehouse is on Mondays and Thursdays. “That way, we have fresh produce coming in throughout the week. If we have a client ordering on Wednesday for example, the produce will still be fresh from Monday,” Holtkamp said. Although Nutrient High normally delivers during the day, Holtkamp and Zaleski said they do not have set hours. They try to accommodate their clients’ schedules. Prior to establishing Nutrient High, Holtkamp and Zaleski both completed an online course and each earned a certificate in nutrition from Cornell University. “My future vision for Nutrient High is for us to continue supporting as many clients as we can,” Holtkamp said. “We want to keep promoting nutrition and impacting others.” For organic produce deliveries or to schedule a nutrition-counseling session, contact Noah Holtkamp at 789-0550 or visit Nutrient High’s Facebook page.
A12 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Events Mountain Brook to host Patriot Day ceremony on 15th anniversary of 9/11 By ANA GOOD Vestavia Hills will join the cities of Mountain Brook and Homewood this year to pause and remember the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. The annual Patriot Day ceremony, which rotates annually among the three cities, will this year be Sunday, Sept. 11, in Mountain Brook. U.S. Navy Rear Admiral (Ret.) John T. (Jack) Natter will serve as the keynote speaker at this year’s Patriot Day ceremony. Natter is an attorney and has served as a member of the Hoover City Council since 2011. He grew up in Trussville and Homewood, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1962 and retired from the Navy in 1998 after service both on active duty and in the reserves. Immediately after the 9/11 attacks, Natter returned to duty for a few weeks at the headquarters of the Navy’s European fleet in London, England, serving as Deputy of Resources and Readiness. Beginning at 8:30 a.m. that Sunday morning, Vestavia Hills Mayor Butch Zaragoza will join Mountain Brook Mayor Terry Oden, Fire Chief Chris Mullins and Police Chief Ted Cook, as well as Homewood Mayor Scott McBrayer and other members of the cities’ police and fire departments to welcome guests at the intersection of Hoyt Lane and Oak Street in Mountain Brook’s Crestline Village. Mullins, who is helping to plan this year’s event for the first time as Mountain Brook’s fire chief following the retirement of former Chief Robert “Zeke” Ezekiel, said he planned the event in 2013 when it was last held in Mountain Brook.
The City of Mountain Brook last hosted the Patriot Day ceremony in 2013. As in years past, the 2016 ceremony will be held next to the Sept. 11 memorial that sits outside the Mountain Brook fire station at the intersection of Hoyt Lane and Oak Street. Photo courtesy of the Mountain Brook Fire Department.
This year’s event, he said, will have an “identical footprint.” The city of Vestavia Hills hosted the event in 2014, which began with the Vestavia Hills High School Choir singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Zaragoza gave the welcome address, and Dr. Dennis Anderson of Vestavia Hills Baptist Church gave the invocation. Vestavia Hills Police Department Chief
Dan Rary introduced keynote speaker Colonel Andrew W. Love, who shared his personal involvement with first response teams after 9/11 and also his involvement with the response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As in years past, Vestavia Hills will provide the large American flag set to be raised above the crowd using ladder trucks provided by the other participating cities.
Mullins said the cities discussed the possibility of hosting the event on another day because Sept. 11 falls on a Sunday this year, but they decided against it. “We felt it was important to reflect on that day,” he said. Mullins said because the event is on a weekend day, the hope is that more community members will be able to take part in this year’s 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. The ceremony was first organized after the Sept. 11 attacks as a way to always remember. The host city is in charge of organizing the main details, while the other cities participate in the coordinated effort by providing personnel and equipment. Area residents, as well as off- and on-duty firemen and police officers are all invited to attend, said Mountain Brook Police Chief Ted Cook. “Schedules and patrol duties permitting, of course,” he said. The 45-minute ceremony, which brings together those who keep the city safe and its residents to honor lives lost, will once again be steeped in tradition. A laying of the wreath and a bell ceremony will be part of the planned schedule, along with a moment of silence at the exact time two passenger planes struck the World Trade Center towers. The ceremony will take place next to the Sept. 11 memorial, which sits outside the Mountain Brook fire station. The beam, a 1,305-pound H-beam from the former World Trade Center site in New York, was dedicated during the 2013 Patriot Day ceremony.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A13
3 popular consignment sales returning By DANNI ZHOU Black Friday is still months away, but Birmingham shoppers can relieve their anticipation at local sales in September. Butterflies and Bowties, Market on the Mountain and Whale of a Sale will each host individual sales. Donors will receive 70 percent of the profits, and each organization will invest the remaining 30 percent toward different fundraisers. Butterflies and Bowties will host its third annual sale Sept. 21-24 from 4 to 8 p.m. for the first day, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the next two days and 8 a.m. to noon on the last day at Liberty Crossings United Methodist Church. Items for infants through teens, including clothing, furniture and toys, will be available. “Something new we’re trying to start up is offering formal wear for children of all ages,” said Laura Cox, director of children’s ministry for Liberty Crossings. “Our goal through these sales is to raise funds for children and our community in the Greater Birmingham area.” The staff at Butterflies and Bowties uses the money to buy books and supplies, clothing and children’s birthday party goods for those unable to afford them. Any items left after the sale are donated to The Lovelady Center and Urban Ministry. “There was a lady who was trying to start her own day care for children with special needs. We helped her by donating rugs and toys,” Cox said. Across town, Market on the Mountain’s fall sale will be at Mountaintop Community Church on Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Coordinator Mindy Strevy said the sale will offer maternity and children’s items such as bedding and bikes.
Butterflies and Bowties • WHERE: Liberty Crossings United Methodist Church • WHEN: Sept. 21-24
Market on the Mountain • WHERE: Mountaintop Community Church • WHEN: Sept. 23-24
Whale of a Sale • WHERE: Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church • WHEN: Sept. 15-16 Hundreds of items line the racks at last year’s Market on the Mountain sale. Photo courtesy of Mindy Strevy.
This year designates the seventh year of Market on the Mountain. The staff plans to use 30 percent of the sale’s proceeds to raise money for the Mountaintots Christian Day School, a day care program affiliated with the church. “We hope to be using these funds to improve technology, such as purchasing computers and iPads. We want the classrooms to stay up-todate,” Strevy said. For items left unsold, consignors can reclaim
them or let the staff donate to the day care or various parts of the community. “We are able to provide very good quality items at a hugely discounted price, and since 70 percent of sales goes to the families who donated them, we are also helping them make a little more additional income,” Strevy said. Shoppers can find Whale of a Sale at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church. The sale is scheduled for Sept. 15 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Jenny Ballentine, chairman of Whale of a Sale, said the sale’s 30 percent amount raised will be dedicated for supplies for the Vestavia Day School. Leftover items will be donated to the Oak Mountain Missions Ministries. “A lot of mothers come in because they can find a wide variety of children’s clothing in one place and at a good price,” Ballentine said. “We’re happy that we can offer that for them.”
A14 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Helping Hands in the Hills returns for 2nd year By DANNI ZHOU Last year, 300 Vestavia Hills residents gathered in Wald Park. Team by team, they trickled out to various locations in Vestavia Hills to help out those in need. This fall, the Chamber of Commerce is hosting its second Helping Hands in the Hills service day. The program is scheduled for Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers again will meet at Wald Park to get instructions for projects and head to the assigned sites. “If we can have the same turnout as last year, I will be thrilled. I thought it was an incredible number for a first-time event,” said Karen Odle, president of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. Each year, the chamber reaches out to senior citizens and those with disabilities and special needs, asking if they need assistance with weeding, raking leaves and other household tasks. E-recyling and shredding stations also will be in the parking lot near the pool in Wald Park. After composing a list of projects, the chamber will recruit volunteers by contacting organizations across the community. Families and individuals can register through the chamber’s website. “Last year, a World War II veteran asked for help with pressure washing his fences,” Odle said. “That may seem like a small task, but it was the least we could do for him after he served our country.” Two-time past chamber President Scott Perry was among the 300 locals who participated in last
year’s Helping Hands in the Hills service day. His team had 12 people, including his family and members of the chamber. The team helped an elderly woman, who had previously lost her husband, clean the house she had lived in for 50 years along with the surrounding areas. Perry’s daughter and friends cleaned the bathtub and rooms within the house, while the adults trimmed the trees and focused on yard work. “When we finished, the lady wanted to address us all as a group. It was really special to see her gratitude,” Perry said. “It was also a lot of fun to work with kids of all ages and friends from the chamber.” Perry said he plans to participate again this September. Denton Lunceford, the former community service chair for the Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club, said he would be back again, too. “The lady [we helped] wrote the kindest of letters we ever received,” Lunceford said. “It was amazing because we were only there for about an hour working at her house. The small hour seemed nothing to us, but it was a tremendous help to her.” His team of about six people assisted a woman who was disabled and could not tend to her yard and household tasks. “We are always looking for opportunities to give back to the community,” Lunceford said. “When we heard about Helping Hands in the Hills, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to do so.”
Vestavia Hills residents help their neighbors as part of the inaugural Helping Hands in the Hills event in 2015. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A15
Community 140 finish certificate programs The Training and Development Department of the Personnel Board of Jefferson County announced 140 individual Merit System employees have successfully completed certificate programs. Sixty-seven completed the Leading People Certificate; 36 completed the Leading Processes Certificate; 34 completed the Professional Development Certificate; 23 completed the Technical Development Certificate; and 20 completed the MPACT (Managers Preparing to Accomplish Change Today) program for a total of 180 certificates among 140 individual employees. Employees recognized from Vestavia Hills include: Gregory Ackley, Fire, apparatus operator (LPL); Brian C. Davis, Public Services, director of Public Services (MPACT); Scott Hunter, Fire, lieutenant (LPL); Jacob S. Jones, Fire, apparatus operator (LPL); and William Pearson, Fire, captain (MPACT). They were recognized during a July 29 celebration at the Bessemer Civic Center. The keynote speaker was Dr. Mark Nelson, dean of the College of Communication and Information Sciences at the University of Alabama. The PBJC Leading People Certificate program is designed for current and aspiring supervisors to develop the necessary skills to lead the people on their team. This program covers topics such as communication skills, the art of delegation and conflict resolution.
Southminster Presbyterian Church yard sale raises $1,577
Photo courtesy of Pete Blank.
The PBJC Leading Processes Certificate program focuses on the crucial decisions that a manager must make to ensure work is accomplished. Sessions cover topics such as strategic planning, critical thinking and project management. After completing this program, attendees will have learned the skills needed to be a strategic leader in local government. The PBJC Professional Development Certificate program focuses on helping our employees be the best possible employee they can be. Sessions cover topics such as personal branding, networking, professionalism and public speaking. Employees successfully completing this program will have a solid foundation to build upon as they continue their career path in local government. The PBJC Technical Development Certificate program provides two options: a fundamental skills track or the Office Professional track. This allows employees to customize a program that meets them where they are. Basic Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access are
offered, while the elective components allow participants to customize a program that works best for them. The MPACT program is the newest leadership training program. Participants completed this nine-month program by attending over 70 hours of training classes on trust, communication, accountability and more. They also posted management issues on an electronic forum, interacted with guest speakers, visited local businesses and completed a project designed to improve their department and jurisdiction. Training and developing the Merit System employees is a key driver for the Personnel Board of Jefferson County. “These programs are great tools that enable our supervisors and future supervisors from across the Merit System to enhance their leadership and computer skills,” said Lorren Oliver, director of the Personnel Board of Jefferson County. For more information about these programs or the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, visit its website at pbjcal.org – Submitted by Pete Blank.
Southminster Presbyterian Church held its “Love Your Neighbor Yard Sale” on Saturday, Aug. 6. Church members donated hundreds of items to sell in an effort to raise money for the Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega. The sale also provided an opportunity for the church to connect with and build relationships with people in the community, as hundreds of shoppers browsed a myriad of wares. The event, hosted by the church’s Outreach Ministry Unit, raised $1,577. The Presbyterian Home Photos courtesy of for Children provides many Heather Benoit. services, which include secure dwellings for homeless children and caregivers, transition services to adult living, and educational services. – Submitted by Heather Benoit.
Church moves service times Southminster Presbyterian Church has moved from two services to one service as of Sunday, August 21. Sunday school now begins at 9:00 a.m., with fellowship at 10:00, and worship beginning at 11:00 a.m. For more information on the new service times, visit Southminster’s website at southminsterpcusa.org. – Submitted by Heather Benoit.
A16 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Reflecting and moving on Sharp, owner and operator of Sharp Cleaners on Highway 31, said he has appreciated his chance to serve Vestavia Hills. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Ending run on council, Jim Sharp still aims to push city forward By EMILY FEATHERSTON As candidates introduced themselves at an early August meeting, the lone city councilor not running for re-election looked on with a smile. When everyone had finished, he leaned into his microphone. “And I’m Jim Sharp, and I’m still not running,” he said, getting a hearty laugh from the audience. Sharp has held a place on the Vestavia Hills City Council since 2000, making him the longest-standing member of the council whose term ends this November. “I’m honored and blessed to have served every citizen in Vestavia Hills the last 16 years,” Sharp said. During that initial 2000 election, Sharp said he was approached by V3 – Vestavia Voters with Vision, a resident action group that wanted to make changes in the Vestavia Hills city government. After polling citizens, Sharp said the group discovered a number of issues that were important to residents, including long-range planning, economic development, recruitment of new businesses and changing the form of government. Because his views lined up with V3’s, the group encouraged him to run, Sharp said. In the 16 years since that first election, Sharp said he thinks the city has accomplished a number of those goals and more, from changing the city’s form of government and hiring a city manager to creating a city newsletter by
coordinating with the school system and Chamber of Commerce. Sharp said he also thinks the city has made strides economically, growing from only around 24 days of reserve funds to nearly 101 days, or $9.7 million, as well as a capital reserve fund. “Economic development is going great, our communications with our city schools and our chamber of commerce is very good, and I just want to let people know that I appreciate the opportunity that I’ve had to represent Vestavia Hills,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed helping
push Vestavia forward in a proactive stance.” For the incoming mayor and city council, he said he hopes the city will continue to aggressively pursue continued economic development, following through on parks and recreation expansion and working to better coordinate with the school system. “I look forward to our staff working so hard to work on the projects that are in place, because there are many.” For any newly elected officials, Sharp said they will find a strong team at their disposal.
“Any new person to the council will find that the staff is unbeatable. We are blessed with the best police chief and fire chief and finance director, city clerk, city manager,” he said. “You couldn’t go pick a better staff.” Now that much of his time will be freed up, Sharp said he is hoping to increase his efforts with the Chamber of Commerce, where he has served previously as a board member, and keep pushing the community forward. “We are blessed to be in such a wonderful city such as Vestavia Hills,” he said.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A17
VCC hosts author Emily Giffin By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE With her latest book topping the New York Times bestselling fiction chart, author Emily Giffin made a recent stop at the Vestavia Country Club for a private lunch event. Almost 90 tickets were sold exclusively to club members and their guests. In partnership with the Alabama Booksmith, the club hosted Giffin on July 20. She had spent time at the store before the event, signing first-edition copies of her newest release for purchase by luncheon attendees. “First Comes Love” is Giffin’s eighth novel, which focuses on the relationship between two sisters dealing with tragedy and being true to one’s self. Robert Carr, chief operations officer at VCC, said they host several author events each year, and they are always successful. “When we first started these events, they took off, and we have wonderful turnouts,” he said. “Emily Giffin is not only a wonderful writer, but entertaining as well.” Jake Reiss, owner of the Alabama Booksmith, said Carr came to him several years ago with this partnership idea, and he thought it was brilliant. “I don’t know of any other country clubs in the world that do this,” Reiss said. “He [Carr] wanted to bring in a major writer that would appeal to his members and give them a signed first edition. It just so happened that we had Emily scheduled, and he jumped at the chance. We had a huge crowd, and that started the relationship.” After her arrival, Giffin visited each table, chatting, mingling and posing for photos with attendees. As the last official stop on her U.S. tour, Giffin said she was happy to be in Vestavia and definitely “saved the best for last.” “It’s so beautiful here,” she said. “I love all my book-store signings, but what a beautiful
“
My best friend, Julie, is one of the reasons I’m here. I try to book my best friends in my tour and get a little reunion every year. Julie is one of the few people I let read the book before it goes to print.
”
EMILY GIFFIN
room, and you definitely win best-dressed crowd.” This marked Giffin’s second time at the VCC and third to the Birmingham area. One of her best friends is Julie Portera, a local attorney. The two met at the University of Virginia School of Law, and Giffin revealed Portera gets one of the first reads of each novel. “My best friend, Julie, is one of the reasons I’m here,” Giffin said. “I try to book my best friends in my tour and get a little reunion every year. Julie is one of the few people I let read the book before it goes to print. She edited every line of this novel (and) finds mistakes that no one else finds.” “It was so much fun, and I love doing it,” said Portera, a partner at Maynard Cooper & Gale. Giffin spoke for about 20 minutes, discussing her decision to leave her job practicing law to pursue her passion of writing, her second novel in film production and where she gets her ideas and inspirations for each book. She ended by taking questions from the audience.
Emily Giffin, right, poses for a photo with local author Patti Callahan Henry during a recent visit to Vestavia Country Club. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
A18 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Every
bunny needs
somebody Vestavia Hills resident puts focus on care, education while operating nonprofit rabbit rescue
By EMILY FEATHERSTON Bentley, a brown and white lop-mix house rabbit, started life in 2015 the same way many rabbits do, as a cute and cuddly Easter holiday gift. Unfortunately, like 80 percent of bunnies purchased for Easter, Bentley was discarded shortly after the holiday when he grew larger than his family anticipated. Last October, he met Connie Cowan. Cowan, a Vestavia Hills resident, runs Alabama Rabbit Rescue, a newly certified 501(c)3 nonprofit looking to help rescue, foster, rehome and advocate for abandoned and surrendered domestic rabbits. Cowan is retired, but has been working with rabbits since 2003, including through her small business The Blissful Bunny, where she makes and sells wooden rabbit castles and rabbit toys.
For a while, Cowan’s proceeds went to the Georgia House Rabbit Society, as Alabama’s chapter had fallen by the wayside for many years. Earlier this year, however, Cowan decided to take The Blissful Bunny and start her own rabbit rescue to pick up where the former chapter left off. Cowan said she hopes to use the rescue to educate the public on the responsibilities of rabbit ownership. “It’s a long-term commitment,” she said, as most house rabbits can live for more than 10 years. “That’s what people don’t understand,” she said. “You go to the pet store, and that little baby bunny is so tiny, it can’t do anything but sit in your hand. But that tiny, cute stage only lasts for about a month.” After that, their nails grow long and sharp; they no longer want to be picked up, and without being
Hope, a brown lop, was rescued after living outside and contracting botfly parasites, but quickly recovered after a few days with the rescue. Photos by Emily Featherston.
spayed or neutered, can become aggressive. “People tell me over and over that they had a rabbit, and it was so mean,” Cowan said. “Hormones at about 4 to 5 months old make them territorial and aggressive.” Cowan said she discovered this firsthand when her daughter brought home a female rabbit, Mopsy. After a few months, she said Mopsy began to bite and scratch to the point the family was unwilling to go near her. After doing some research and getting her spayed, however,
Mopsy became a calm and gentle rabbit. “They do make good pets for the right home, but you need to research before you get one,” she said. Eventually, Cowan said she hopes the rescue will be able to start a low-cost spay and neuter program to encourage rabbit owners to go ahead with the typically expensive surgeries. She said this would hopefully prevent a majority of rabbits from being surrendered to shelters or “set free” outside, both of which she
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A19
Left: Vestavia Hills resident Connie Cowan holds a young, newly rescued female bunny. Right: Bentley performs for a treat. To adopt from the rescue, families and individuals are required to take a “Bunny 101” class to learn what it takes to responsibly care for a domestic rabbit.
said almost always end poorly for the rabbit. Cowan said the House Rabbit Society’s research indicates rabbits are the third leading animal surrendered to shelters behind cats and dogs. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society reported receiving 43 rabbits in 2014, 45 rabbits in 2015 and 15 rabbits as of June 30 of this year. An important step toward reducing the numbers, Cowan said, has been getting around the idea of rabbits being “impulse purchases,” and
said many local pet stores have stopped selling rabbits for that reason. To adopt from the rescue, families and individuals are required to take a “Bunny 101” class to learn what it takes to responsibly care for a domestic rabbit. These days, Bentley is completely litter box trained and recognizes his name, and Cowan said he spends most nights stretched out, asleep in front of her fireplace. Often, he will even greet visitors at the door of Cowan’s home. “Rabbits are so much smarter than people
know,” Cowan said. “It’s how much time you spend with them.” She said that’s why she is in such need of volunteers to help rescue, foster, feed and just socialize with the rabbits. Soon, she said she hopes to find a facility where they can set up a “rabbit center” to house and care for the rabbits in an environment that will be easier for volunteers and those interested in fostering or adopting rabbits. She said they should soon finalize the rescue’s status as a chapter of the national House
Rabbit Society and change the name to Alabama House Rabbit Society. For those interested in helping, but who cannot foster a bunny or rabbit, Cowan said the rescue is in need of website help, gift cards to buy produce and willow branches she uses to make toys for The Blissful Bunny. “We know that we cannot save them all, but we can change one life at a time,” she said. For more information, go to Facebook.com/ AlabamaRabbitRescue or alabamahrs.org.
A20 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Ride-along with Officer Coleman By EMILY FEATHERSTON Officer Jimmy Coleman grabbed a notebook with a list of addresses, double-checked his computer and headed out the door for a typical Wednesday morning. His first stop was a house in Cahaba Heights where he had set up a pair of cat traps a few days before, and where he hoped to catch a feral cat that had been plaguing the homeowner. Instead, the trap held a large orange cat wearing a collar, which Coleman promptly set free. He only removes feral cats, not pets who have wandered a few blocks from home. Coleman is the Vestavia Hills Police Department’s code-enforcement officer, a job that not only entails being the city’s lead cat-removal expert, but also aims to protect property values throughout Vestavia. “Everybody wants to keep their property value up. It’s good for them; it’s good for their neighbors; it’s good for the city,” Coleman said. Whether it’s a yard or lot that needs landscaping work or a home in disrepair, Coleman said he spends most of his time talking with residents about property maintenance, informing them of Vestavia’s various codes and ordinances. From enforcing the city’s weed ordinance that requires underbrush be removed and any overgrowth maintained to reminding homeowners to keep their property clear of “junk,” Coleman said he spends a lot of his time driving through Vestavia’s neighborhoods, but doesn’t make traffic stops or go on patrol calls. He is also the officer responsible for any animal control calls, such as a loose or continuously barking dog. After the City Council’s action earlier this year, his job now also includes mitigating and taking care of feral cat infestations. Coleman said his position was created when civilian city employees were having difficulties getting residents to comply when faced with a code violation. When the former animal control officer retired, the city merged the two positions, and Coleman’s unique job was born.
The City of Vestavia Hills recently launched a mobile application platform for the city’s Action Center. The app, which is available for both Apple and Android devices, allows residents to make public service requests as well as file complaints and pay fines. It also includes links to important city information, as well as other resources residents might need. Officer Coleman has been with the Vestavia Hills Police Department since 2011. Photo by Emily Featherston.
After 21 years with the Birmingham Police Department, Coleman retired from Birmingham’s force on Feb. 23, 2011. On Feb. 24, he was in uniform patrolling the streets of Vestavia Hills, and he said he is thankful for the opportunity to serve residents with the VHPD. “This is a top-notch police department,” he said. Coleman’s main responsibilities revolve around answering complaints, either those logged through the city’s Action Center or through the many phone calls he said he receives each week. He said he is careful, though, not to let residents know who complained about them. “My job is to go into the neighborhood and fix the problem, not create another one,” he said. For the animal control side of his position, Coleman said the majority of his work involves family pets that have lost their way,
not dangerous animals. Ideally, Coleman said, pets would have a collar and tag with the owner’s phone number and address. That way, instead of having to take the dog to a clinic and write the owner a ticket, he can simply return the animal to its home and discuss the issue with the owner in person. “That’s the best scenario,” he said, and said he highly encourages people to make sure their pets are properly identified, both through tags and microchips. Still, Coleman always tries to reunite lost pets with their families, and will post photos of dogs without collars on the animal control Facebook page. Coleman said dogs also come up fairly often in his code-enforcement work, particularly violations of the city’s barking-dog ordinance. Any “continuous barking,” when a dog barks without stopping for 30 minutes or more,
To download: Search “Vestavia Hills Action Center” in the Apple App Store or Google Play store. is a violation of a city code Coleman said he thinks many residents are unaware exists. “Everybody needs to try to fix that problem before it escalates,” he said. Coleman said he recognizes that he might not be everyone’s favorite visitor when he stops by to remind them about cutting their grass or cleaning up their driveway, but that he does his best to work with residents so that matters don’t escalate to the point of going to court or before the city council. “I always try to be compassionate with everybody,” he said, adding that he knows every situation is different, so he tries to approach every situation that way. In the end, he said he just wants everyone to feel secure and happy to live in Vestavia Hills. “What I find most rewarding is when I’m able to help somebody solve a problem,” he said.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A21
A22 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
PHOTO summer CONT EST CATEGORY 1 WINNER
CATEGORY 1 RUNNER-UP
Eva Feinman strikes an underwater pose while swimming with friends. Photo courtesy of Keith Feinman.
Grayson Kusibab jumps for joy along the shore at Orange Beach. Photo courtesy of Michele Kusibab.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A23
PHOTO summer CONT EST CATEGORY 2 WINNER
Vestavia Hills resident Margaret Hess finds the perfect setting to enjoy Vestavia Voice at Mt. Rainier National Park near Seattle, Washington. Photo courtesy of Thomas Hess.
CATEGORY 2 RUNNER-UP
Glenda Cantrell of Vestavia Hills shares the Vestavia Voice with two of the iguana occupants of Parque Seminario in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The park’s nickname is “Iguana Park” (Parque de las Iguanas) due to the hundreds of dragonlike lizards who have made the inner-city park their home. Photo courtesy of Glenda Cantrell.
A24 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
getting a
HANDLE on HEALTH Vestavia Hills man initiates earn-a-bike program for Birmingham children By SYDNEY CROMWELL That dusty, neglected bicycle sitting in the garage isn’t done being useful yet. Doug Brown wants to collect those unused bikes and match them with a brand-new owner. Brown is a Vestavia Hills resident and started Trips for Kids in summer 2013, a program that loans bikes to Birmingham children and takes them on regular rides at Oak Mountain State Park. Last year he had 147 kids participate in the rides. “Trying to get kids out of the house and healthy and eating healthy is the whole thing,” Brown said. Trips for Kids is a local chapter of a national program, and Brown said he heard about other chapters opening bike refurbishing shops and earn-a-bike programs for kids. For a volunteer organization relying on grants, Brown said copying such a program would be a difficult project. However, he began collecting bike donations with that goal in mind. In the spring, his neighbor, Keith Brown, offered him some warehouse space near Old Car Heaven on 1st Avenue South downtown.
“
My vision is that kids in East Lake, Avondale, Woodlawn, Irondale, inner city can come down here and earn a bike and then … they’d be able to ride to Ruffner from their house. ... And we also want to give the kids a place where they can sort of come and hang out.
The location is ideal not only to be close to the children he serves in Trips for Kids, but also because it’s next to the planned route for the Jones Valley Trail. “My vision is that kids in East Lake, Avondale, Woodlawn, Irondale, inner city can come down here and earn a bike and then … they’d be able to ride to Ruffner from their house,” Brown said. The Recyclery, which opened Aug. 22, includes racks of more than 70 donated bikes so far, including street and mountain bikes for
”
DOUG BROWN
children and adults. The store will also sell parts, helmets, clothes, racks and other gear that is donated. Brown said the goal is to have the Recyclery pay for Trips for Kids, the earn-a-bike program and eventually a salary for the person running the program. Brown’s earn-a-bike program will provide Birmingham kids with donated bicycles for free after they complete a program learning how to take care of their bike and use it safely. With the Christian Service Mission right
next door, Brown said he plans to have community service hours be a component of the program. “So when they leave, they know to wear a helmet, how to fix a flat tire and hopefully they’ve got enough sweat equity in it that they’ll lock it up and secure it. And they’ll know how to do some small repairs. And we also want to give the kids a place where they can sort of come and hang out,” Brown said The program will start with a couple children, ages 10 to 15, who are involved in the
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A25 Doug Brown, left, created the Recyclery to fund his bicycling charity, Trips for Kids, and the earn-a-bike program. Opposite page: The Recyclery will sell donated bikes of all types, as well as parts, clothes, racks, helmets and other gear. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
organizations participating in Trips for Kids, including the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Once a few have earned their bikes, Brown said he thinks the word will spread quickly and bring more future bike owners to his workshop. “We don’t want to make it too laborious, but at the same time, we want them to feel like
they’ve earned it,” Brown said. Brown said he plans to collect “dusty, not rusty” bicycles from individuals and from bike drives at businesses, schools and churches. He hopes the Recyclery will become known as a good place to fi nd a nice, inexpensive bicycle, as well as a place to donate unneeded bikes for a good cause. The local chapter of Trips for Kids initially
started because Brown was concerned about high rates of obesity and diabetes in Alabama. He is also involved in the Alabama Obesity Task Force, Let’s Move Birmingham and Healthy Communities. Getting more kids on bikes is part of his goal to “get kids self-sufficient and enjoying bicycling and getting exercise.” The Recyclery will be open several
afternoons per week. Brown said he and other volunteers will have more hours for the next few weeks until they determine their busiest times, then will adjust their schedule to around three days per week. To donate a bike or learn more about the Recyclery and earn-a-bike programs, contact Brown at 908-0564 or info@tripsforkidsbham. org.
A26 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Ringing in the new (school) year Families celebrate new school year with Back 2 School in the Hills
H
undreds of Vestavia Hills residents celebrated the new school year at Back 2 School in the Hills. This was the event’s third year, and attendees had the chance to enjoy bounce houses, games and balloon animals and to chat with local vendors. City council candidates were also able to rent out booth spaces and chat with the community. Back 2 School in the Hills started three years ago when Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce members Birmingham Parent, Deborah’s Party Rentals, JAMM Entertainment and Oliver Square approached the chamber about hosting a back-to-school event. The chamber agreed and worked to make sure the event had activities for everyone.
Children play on an inflatable slide during Back 2 School in the Hills on Friday, Aug. 12.
Photos by ARNOLD FINKELSTEIN
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A27
Clockwise, from left: Parents talk while children play as the Back 2 School in the Hills event kicked off its third year on Friday, Aug. 12. Event organizers from the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, from left: Lisa Christopher, Katie Woodruff, Katie Geurin and Karen Odle. Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation members, from left: Executive Director Elaine Yancy, LeArden Pike, Bert Crenshaw and Kellie McIntyre.
A28 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
VESTAVIA ROADS SCHEDULED FOR REPAVING, 2016-19 Road
Neighborhood Length
Road
Neighborhood Length
Road
Neighborhood Length
Acton Drive Acton Place Alta Vista Drive Alta Vista Circle Leslie Ann Road Blue Lake Drive (from Cahaba Heights Road to city limits) Bon Dell Drive Cahaba Drive Crosshaven Drive (north of Overton Road) Fairhaven Drive Firewood Drive (from Moss Brook Lane) Midland Drive Millhaven Drive North Cahaba Drive Oak Brook Circle Oakview Lane Old Wood Lane Overton Road (from Crosshaven Drive to city limits) Pipe Line Road Poe Drive Pumphouse Road (from Dolly Ridge Road to city limits) Ranger Road Ronlea Circle Barr Road Canal Street Jacobs Road Old Columbiana Road (from Old Columbiana to Vestavia) Woodbury Lane
Altadena Altadena Altadena Altadena Altadena
0.18 0.32 0.14 0.3 0.19
Columbiana Country Club Country Club Country Club
0.1 0.82 0.34 0.06
Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights
0.23 0.23 0.08 0.26 0.19 0.34 0.07 0.16 0.22
Country Club Country Club Country Club U.S. 31 U.S. 31 U.S. 31
1.99 0.59 0.4 0.25 0.4 0.68
0.41 0.47 0.28 0.13 0.36 0.45
0.78 0.2 0.23
U.S. 31 U.S. 31 U.S. 31 U.S. 31 U.S. 31 U.S. 31
0.76 0.49 0.42 0.68 0.51 0.64
Rocky Ridge Shades Mountain Shades Mountain Shades Mountain Shades Mountain Shades Mountain
0.74 0.25 0.4 0.27 0.47 0.72
U.S. 31 Liberty Park Patchwork Farms Pizitz Pizitz Pizitz Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge
0.28 0.09 0.26 0.19 0.07 0.51 0.22 0.27 0.07 0.16 0.04 0.04 0.23 0.07
Cheval Lane Morgan Drive Morningstar Drive Ridge Dell Circle Skyland Drive Valley Circle Wisteria Drive (from Renfro Road to Rocky Ridge Road) Brookdale Lane Catala Road Cedarbark Lane Cedarwood Road Pinecrest Drive Shades Crest Road (from Columbiana to Alford Avenue) Belle Terre Circle Donna Drive Greenmont Circle Greenmont Drive InWood Road Lacee Lane Laredo Drive Linbard Lane Paden Drive Southland Drive Twin Branch Drive Tyler Road Winwood Circle Winwood Drive Georgia Avenue (from Old Montgomery Highway to Chestnut Street) Oak Lawn Drive Ridgeview Drive
Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge Rocky Ridge
Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights
Woodbury Drive Chestnut Road Monterey Place Shades Crest Circle Shades Crest Road (from U.S. 31 to Rocky Ridge Road) Smyer Circle Sunset Drive Canyon Creek Lane Highfield Drive Indian Hill Road Massey Road (coordinate with sidewalk project) Montreat Drive Montreat Parkway Post Oak Road Southwood Road (east of U.S. 31) Southwood Road (west of U.S. 31) Vestavia Forest Drive (north of Forest Haven Lane) Summer Lane Old Looney Mill Road Forest Haven Lane Old South Trace Panorama Trail Buckhead Circle Buckhead Drive Buckhead Lane Buckhead Road Buckhead Trail Buckhead Way Cedardell Lane Cheval Circle
Shades Mountain Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler Tyler
0.32 0.09 0.3 0.06 0.22 0.23 0.06 0.14 0.24 0.9 0.16 0.66 1.1 0.04 0.31
Vesthaven Vesthaven Vesthaven
0.08 0.32 0.23
Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights
0.36 0.8 0.23
Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Cahaba Heights Columbiana Columbiana Columbiana
0.4 0.13 0.16 0.07 0.12 1
Columbiana Columbiana
0.41 0.04
REPAVING
CONTINUED from page A1 Council thought residential paving was “of the highest priority,” and authorized funding for one of the larger residential paving projects in recent history. Over the course of 2015 and early 2016, 13 miles of residential streets were resurfaced. “That made a nice dent, but it still leaves work to be done as far as residential paving,” he said. As of the study, the roads in dire need of resurfacing are Downes located in all parts of Vestavia Hills, from Cahaba Heights to streets off of Highway 31 and Tyler Road, and more may be added as time goes on. Downes said the plan is to address the 30 additional miles identified in the study over the next two to three years.
KEY CAUSES, TIMETABLE
Several major factors have led to the need for resurfacing, Downes said. Asphalt generally has a lifespan of 10 to 20 years, but with heavy construction traffic and cuts made by utility companies, roads weaken and decay faster. Downes said engineers have also found poor conditions in road bases in several locations throughout the city, such as Shades Crest Road and Sicard Hollow Road. When the foundation is poor, resurfacing is generally not enough. “When you have a poor road base, it will lead to pavement failures in areas that could have just recently been paved,” he said. To combat this, certain areas will likely need to be dug out and strengthened, meaning portions of major residential roadways may be closed for longer periods of time, requiring detours that Downes said the city recognizes are a major inconvenience. The 30 miles of residential streets up for resurfacing are in addition to the roughly 35 miles of larger connector roads that are either currently being resurfaced, in the planning stages of being resurfaced or were just recently completed. Several of these projects, such as the work on
A pothole on Monterey Place, which is off of Shades Crest Road and near Vestavia Country Club. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Rocky Ridge Road, have been multi-jurisdictional, which Downes said that while helping with the cost of projects, adds to the complexity and timetable. Still, Downes said he and others within the city feel like positive progress has been made thanks to the willingness by all jurisdictions to cooperate and figure out a rational paving schedule. In the next several months, additional multi-jurisdictional work is scheduled to take place on Cahaba River Road, Crosshaven Drive and Sicard Hollow Road.
FUNDING
The largest variable for any resurfacing project, residential or otherwise, Downes said, is cost. “When we as a city look at trying to make
sure that we keep our transportation corridors in good shape, we have to look at funding sources,” he said. For local projects, that funding usually comes from the city’s gas tax, and is often combined with other funding sources or inter-jurisdictional funding, depending on the project type. Downes said residential repaving is typically re-bid every three years, and the contract for 2016-19 residential repaving was put out for bid in early August. Companies bid on a per-unit basis, and that per-unit cost will ultimately determine how many roads can be addressed right away, and which will have to wait. In a typical year, Downes said the city sees about $300,000 in gas taxes, and he estimated that the residential project will likely be in the
$4-5 million dollar range, meaning the city will have to complete it in phases. The bid for the 2016-19 paving project will go before the city council in September, and while it may take a while, Downes said all of the streets should hopefully get a facelift in the near future. “Our target is to, within a three-year period of time, reach those 30 miles as we try to keep the road conditions in Vestavia Hills in good shape,” he said. Over those three years, Downes asked for one thing. “I call for patience, because it is not a pleasant thing to undergo the challenges of any construction, road construction or otherwise,” he said, “but it is our goal at the end of the day to have an improved ride and transportation infrastructure for our residents.”
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A29
A30 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
2016 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS PRECINCT RESULTS Mayor Ashley Curry
Place 1
Butch Zaragoza (I)
John Henley (I)
Place 2 Rusty Weaver
Kimberly Cook
Place 3 Kim Benos
Steve Ammons (I)
Robert De Buys
Place 4 Paul Head
George Pierce (I)
Bob Elliott
Absentee
87
87
93
74
97
74
76
30
66
112
55
Horizon 1
205
178
200
165
170
198
155
52
159
252
115
Horizon 2
128
130
148
102
119
131
105
35
113
161
90
VHUMC 1
392
383
451
289
307
446
366
95
296
531
213
VHUMC 2
284
284
331
219
220
336
281
73
200
387
166
Mountaintop 1
263
128
195
172
225
152
143
44
190
266
103
Mountaintop 2
248
155
183
197
224
167
139
47
201
243
140
Town Village 1
412
319
376
310
333
374
299
79
332
527
178
Town Village 2
514
453
503
428
446
494
409
91
444
673
265
New Merkle 1
288
152
129
285
328
95
54
327
54
244
170
New Merkle 2
291
148
120
296
333
94
49
336
58
228
192
LPBC 1
72
41
19
91
90
23
26
21
62
64
42
LPBC 2
528
313
171
660
714
145
231
190
371
422
353
TOTAL
3,712
2,771
2,919
3,288
3,606
2,729
2,333
1,420
2,546
4,110
2,082
Incumbent mayoral candidate Butch Zaragoza, left, greets Chip McCallum, right, on election night. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
ELECTIONS
CONTINUED from page A1 with a higher number of votes in all precincts except absentee, where the candidates tied. Place 1 went to area attorney and youth recreation coach Rusty Weaver thanks to a strong showing at the Liberty Park Baptist Church and Cahaba Heights Community Center polling precincts. Henley said he is thankful for his opportunity to have served the last four years. “I appreciate all of the support, and I hope you join me in helping our new mayor and City Council continue our city on a great path in the next four years,” Henley said. With current councilor Jim Sharp stepping down and not running for re-election, Place 2 was guaranteed to bring a new member to the council, and that spot was won by former data systems engineer Kimberly Cook, who also had a strong showing in Liberty Park and Cahaba Heights. Though she didn’t win, Place 2 candidate Kim Benos
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • A31
2016 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
Above: Incumbent Place 4 candidate George Pierce celebrates his election night victory Aug. 23 with his family at City Hall. Photo by Emily Featherston. Right: Councilor John Henley looks at incoming results with David Meyers and Diane Zaragoza. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
said she feels blessed to have had the opportunity to run and was thankful for the support she received. “I have a new, deeper respect for all who offer themselves to run for public office. Congratulations and blessings to Ashley Curry, Rusty Weaver, Kimberly Cook, Paul Head and George Pierce,” she said. Incumbent for Place 4, Pierce was at City Hall on election night with his family, including his eight grandchildren, as the results came in. Pierce carried all precincts, including absentee ballots, and he and his family celebrated when the final tally was called out. “I’m excited,” Pierce said. “I’m humbled by the trust of our citizens. I’m humbled by the turnout for voting. It shows our citizens want to be involved. We’ve got to listen to them.” Pierce said he thinks his focus on listening
to citizens is the reason for his wide margin of victory, and that he plans to continue to engage with residents both online through social media, as well as in other ways.
NO RUNOFF FOR PLACE 3
A runoff election was initially required between Steve Ammons and Paul Head for Place 3. However, Ammons announced Aug. 24 that he would not pursue the race. “As a charter member of the Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club, I have always lived my life with the motto of ‘Service above Self,’” Ammons said in a press release. “While I am proud and will continue to be proud of the work we accomplished moving the city forward the last several years, I will not put myself above service to our city. I cannot, in good conscience, allow my desire to continue serving Vestavia Hills cost the taxpayers
roughly $65,000 to hold one runoff election. That is money the city and state desperately need and could fund one more police officer or schoolroom teacher. This decision is my personal way of putting service above self one more time. “I wish Paul Head and the incoming council the best as their success is now all of our success in Vestavia Hills.”
MOVING FORWARD
Curry said the campaign was “incredible,” and that he is thankful for the support of friends and family as well as voters. “I’m just truly humbled, truly, by the encouragement, the support of friends, family, it’s just been overwhelming,” he said. In the time before the new council takes office Nov. 8, Curry said he hopes to work with Zaragoza on making the transition as
smooth as possible. “I appreciate Butch. He has been very cordial throughout the entire event, a real gentleman,” Curry said, adding that Zaragoza has already extended the invitation to bring him up to speed. “I will gladly take him up on that offer,” he said, “I’m just pleased with what he’s done for the city, and I hope I can improve on that.” In the days and weeks before inauguration, Curry said he wants to “take a deep breath,” then look at the city’s needs and wants and determine what the priorities are. Pierce echoed Curry’s sentiments, saying the new council members should go ahead and get involved with citizens before they take office. “I would suggest they reach out, learn as much as they can,” Pierce said, and added he would be willing to work with them personally as well.
David Putman is not a liberal or a conservative, he’s a LEADER with a plan for developing real solutions to FIX real problems.
Candidate for Alabama’s 6th Congressional District
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“
David J. Putman
David J. Putman is running for Congress because he wants to help fix our broken system in Washington. David is a solutions man, willing to work across the aisle to serve the best interests of the citizens of Alabama and the nation.
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visit our website for more information
www.DavidJPutmanForCongress.com Paid for by David J Putman for Congress. PO Box 660811, Vestavia, Al 35266
SECTION
B
SEPTEMBER 2016
School House B10 Sports B12 Real Estate B17 School Guide B18 Calendar B22
Learning through travel Vestavia Spanish teacher reflects on Costa Rican immersion trip
By ANA GOOD
Students eating traditional Costa Rican foods prepared in an outdoor oven served on banana leaves. Photo courtesy of Lisa Garrison.
Almost as soon as her plane landed once again on U.S. soil, Vestavia Hills High School Spanish teacher Lisa Garrison already was hard at work planning her next international adventure. For eight days, Garrison traveled with 11 Spanish students from Liberty Park Middle School and the high school to Costa Rica as part of a language-immersion trip. Brooke Izurieta, a Spanish teacher at Liberty Park, joined in, as did two other adult chaperones. Garrison said the trip, which was not sponsored by Vestavia City Schools and was instead privately organized by the teachers, allowed the students the opportunity to practice their Spanish language skills outside of the classroom. “We can teach a language and talk to our students about the sights and sounds they might encounter in a foreign country, but we can’t
reproduce what it’s actually like to be there from the inside of a classroom,” Garrison said. Last fall, Garrison helped spearhead plans to create a Seal of Biliteracy program at the high school. The program, which is kicking off in the 2016-2017 school year, is open to students in their junior or senior year through an application and basic language proficiency requirements. These international Spanish-immersion trips, which Garrison plans to continue in the years to come, go hand-in-hand with the aims of the Seal of Biliteracy program, she said. After all, the trip was much more than a sightseeing trip, she said. “It was a hands-on experience,” Garrison said. “We had a thematic lesson built in to each day so the students could use what they had learned in the classroom and apply it to real-life situations.”
See LEARNING | page B9
B2 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B3
B4 • September 2016
“
Vestavia Voice
Photos courtesy of Sheri Sheffield.
Our hope, then, was that he would be back in time to start his senior year, so the fact that we are done and heading home and that he’s only going to miss the first two weeks of his junior year is incredible.
”
SHERI SHEFFIELD
Davis’ homecoming Teen returns to routine after receiving double lung transplant By TARA MASSOULEH For most teenagers, the end of summer is met with groans and complaints about tests and homework. But for Davis Hartsell, returning to school is a welcome change from the six months he’s spent in and out of the hospital in Houston. After missing the second half of his
sophomore year due to two collapsed lungs and a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, the Vestavia Hills junior returns to school this fall with a new set of lungs and a new outlook on the future. “I’m really excited about getting to go home after being here for so long,” Hartsell said. “I think it’s going to be weird getting back into my old routine, but I’m looking forward to being
able to see my friends every day at school, since I haven’t seen them in a long time.” For the 16-year-old, returning to a normal routine has been a long time coming. Since he was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma at the age of 4, hospitals and health scares have become a regular part of his life. He underwent a bone marrow transplant at 5, and then in the following years, he had two relapse scares that
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B5
Above: A group of Vestavia Hills High School friends, including Davis, sixth standing from left, at going away party in February. Opposite page: Davis before the 2015 VHHS Homecoming formal, left, and in May, waiting in pre-op for his double-lung transplant.
led to invasive bone biopsies in his left leg and right arm. In the early spring of 2014, Hartsell was running track at Vestavia Hills High School when he began having back pain and trouble breathing. He went to the doctor, where they realized he had a collapsed lung. After undergoing surgery to repair the lung, he left with not one, but two collapsed lungs and a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, a condition in which lung tissue thickens, preventing the lungs from contracting and expanding properly. The condition, a side effect of the chemotherapy he underwent as a child, worsened over the next two years. By January 2016, Hartsell’s
health was so poor that he could no longer attend school. At that point, doctors told Hartsell that without a transplant he only had a year to live. He was referred to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where he began the grueling process of physical conditioning and weight gain in order to get on the transplant list. He gained nearly 20 pounds in two months, but was denied by the transplant review board. On May 5, his last chance for approval, the board finally approved his request. What happened next is something his mother, Sheri Sheffield, said is nothing short of a miracle. “We were told to expect to wait four to six months for the perfect donor,” she said. “But
we ended up waiting less than two days.” Hartsell was put on the donor list at 5 p.m. on May 16, and less than 30 hours later on May 17, Sheffield received the news she had been praying about for months. She said she remembers the feeling of disbelief when her hospital-issued pager went off. “I thought, it can’t be,” she said. “Initially I thought it was just a test to see if the pager was working. We still just can’t believe the way it all happened.” The next day, on May 18, Hartsell underwent a double-lung transplant, and exactly two weeks later he walked out of the hospital. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, there have been only 10 lung
transplants in the United States for patients ages 11-18 this year. Since the transplant, Hartsell has been hard at work doing physical therapy to build up his strength. Hartsell said he’s been excited to see himself get better and stronger. “At first, after my surgery, I was still getting tired and didn’t feel great, but now it’s amazing how much better I feel and how much more I can do without needing my oxygen tank,” he said. Of course, Hartsell’s father, Michael Hartsell, said he’s not surprised at how quickly his son has recovered. He said he has never heard his son complain through any of his health complications. He remembers interviewing with a psychiatrist as part of the donor evaluation process and telling her, “Davis plans to win.” “There’s never been a question in his mind that he would do anything but beat this,” Michael Hartsell said. Now that Hartsell is back home, he’s ready to go back to a regular schedule and finish out both his junior and senior year at Vestavia, something Sheffield said she hadn’t considered when they first moved to Houston. “Our hope, then, was that he would be back in time to start his senior year, so the fact that we are done and heading home and that he’s only going to miss the first two weeks of his junior year is incredible,” she said. “The way timing worked out was just so perfect that we know it was God’s plan for Davis.” Though there’s always a risk for Hartsell’s body to reject his new lungs, Sheffield said he’s been extremely responsible in taking his medication because he wants to be a good steward of the gift he’s been given. Hartsell said if he could talk to his donor’s family, he would tell them what a positive impact the transplant has had on his life. “I would say, ‘thank you,’ because they gave up one of their loved one’s lives, so that I could live and enjoy mine,” he said. “I would tell them about all the things I can do now that I couldn’t do before.” A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover Hartsell’s medical and living expenses while he has been in Houston. It can be found at gofundme.com/m9kjbxgk.
B6 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Couple makes charity part of business By SYDNEY CROMWELL There’s a folder on Carol Adkins’ desk that is filled to overflowing. But the contents aren’t related to OnTime Service, which Carol and husband, Kerry Adkins, own. The folder is filled with requests for help from charities in Birmingham and around the world. The Adkins were nearly 25-year residents of Liberty Park. Though they relocated to Indian Springs in late 2015, Carol Adkins said they remain heavily involved in their former city through Liberty Park events and community involvement, especially with Vestavia Hillsbased nonprofit Kulture City. “I still feel like I’m a Vestavia resident,” Carol Adkins said. OnTime Service provides electrical, heating and cooling services around Birmingham. However, the Adkins agreed that they wanted their business to be the path for good things in the community. “We both made an agreement a long time ago that God has blessed us so we can be a blessing to others,” Carol Adkins said. “When you start giving, people will come, and they will call. They come from everywhere.” They started with service projects and serving on boards through Church of the Highlands. With Kerry Adkins’ background as a master electrician, it was easy for them to get involved in hands-on projects. This led to bringing OnTime employees with them on charity projects and around 2013, Kerry Adkins said they decided to make community service a part of their business model. Since then, every service call OnTime receives includes a fee that goes into their charity fund. Kerry Adkins said his wife is mainly responsible for connecting with charities and adding more requests to the folder on her desk. Though the Adkins require that each nonprofit they help has a Christian ministry element, they said they don’t make the decisions on who to help by themselves.
The Adkins and OnTime Service employees have worked on numerous service projects over the years. Photo courtesy of Kerry Adkins.
Nonprofits are asked to come to OnTime’s headquarters in Hoover and make a presentation to OnTime employees about their needs. The whole company decides whether or not to support each project, though Kerry Adkins said it’s rare for them to say no. “We’ve been blessed; our business is doing well. We’ve got a great group of people here that a lot of them have a heart for this kind of stuff,” Kerry Adkins said. “And I think people like being a part of something bigger.” Help from OnTime Service comes in a
variety of forms, including cash donations or hands-on work. Kerry Adkins said employees have installed a chair lift in a family’s home, fixed electrical work and constructed a kiln for a pottery program at King’s Home, among other projects. “We’re always looking for something when there’s an immediate need,” Carol Adkins said. The recipients also vary. Kerry Adkins said they have a list of “favorite” groups they regularly help, including Kulture City, King’s Home, Big Oak Ranch, Children’s Harbor,
Carly’s Clubhouse and Children’s Village. Children’s nonprofits are particular favorites among OnTime employees. However, they actively seek new organizations to serve. “Our intention was never to really have one thing,” Carol Adkins said. “We wanted to show people that right here in our area we have a mission field. There’s a lot of hurting, needing people around us.” “We didn’t want it to be the same thing all the time,” Kerry Adkins said.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B7
OnTime’s charity commitment, the Adkins said, makes it a good place to work for employees with similar priorities. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
In addition to local nonprofits, OnTime has provided help for employee mission trips and individual families in need. Kerry Adkins also visits Woodlawn High School about once a week to teach students about the basics of electrical work, in hopes that some might consider it as a career. He said one of the students he taught later came to work at OnTime for a while and trained to be an electrician. The Adkins also host a monthly luncheon for fellow business owners to talk about incorporating their faith and charity work into their business model. Carol Adkins said she believes a lot more good can be done in the community if businesses, nonprofits and individuals work together. Kerry Adkins said in 2015, OnTime Service put about $30,000 into the community through donations, not including work on service
projects, and they’re hoping to donate about $50,000 this year. Their “big, hairy, audacious goal” is to someday reach $300,000 in annual charity funds. However, he said the involvement of his employees plays a bigger role than the money itself. “It may not be a dollar thing; it may be a ‘how involved are our people?’ kind of thing,” Kerry Adkins said. OnTime’s charity commitment, the Adkins said, makes it a good place to work for employees with similar priorities. “This can really be bigger than just a job,” Kerry Adkins said. “We can be part of something really big, really noble, really important if we make it that way.” Not only is their generosity a part of their faith, the Adkins also simply enjoy it. “Giving away stuff is fun,” Kerry Adkins said.
Vestavia Bowl has flooded three times, with the worst taking place two years ago. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Vestavia Bowl getting new lanes By EMILY FEATHERSTON Just in time for fall leagues and teams, 28 of the lanes at Vestavia Bowl are being replaced with pristine new panels, approaches and lane beds. General Manager Angela Nance said while most recreational bowlers wouldn’t notice, many of Vestavia Bowl’s lanes have warped over the last few years. This is due largely in part to three major floods that left a majority of the lanes completely under water. The worst of the floods happened about two and half years ago, when the lanes were not only covered in water, but also mud and other flood debris. Since then, Nance said the staff has tried to take up boards and flatten them by hand, but that things have progressed to where the lanes can’t be saved. “We knew that it was time,” she said. In the immediate aftermath of the flood, she said the replacement process was too costly
to undertake, and the alley was able to get by because most bowlers wouldn’t notice. Now, she said, with an ever-increasing number of serious bowlers as well as middle school and high school teams utilizing the facilities, the time had come to make the transition. Nance said the replacements will come from Brunswick Bowling Products, the same provider the alley has used for years, and that customers won’t really notice a difference visually, but that serious bowlers should see an improvement in their scores on those lanes. She said they hope to replace six lanes per week, finishing the entire project in roughly five weeks. In the mean time, the rest of the alley will remain open, with just the lanes currently under construction being roped off. Lanes No. 1-6 will not be affected, as they were not damaged in the floods. Work is scheduled to begin the week after Labor Day. For updates, visit vestaviabowl.com.
B8 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
30 years of yarn Hooked on hobby for decades, daughter runs mom’s business, Knit Happenz By SYDNEY CROMWELL Behind every great craftsperson, there’s that disastrous project she wishes she could forget. Vestavia Hills resident Holly Tenison said her mother, Memory Hagler, had just such a project in her early years of knitting: an attempted red, white and blue sweater Tenison estimates was about eight feet wide. “Oh, boy, they were disasters,” Tenison said of her mother’s first attempts. Now, after a lot more experience, Hagler could be considered a master of knitting — and Tenison, too. Hagler opened her own yarn shop in Vestavia 31 years ago, and her daughter continues to run the store, now called Knit Happenz at Memory Hagler Knitting. Inside the store at 2126 Columbiana Road, the walls are almost completely hidden by shelves of brightly colored yarn and shirts, blankets, socks and other finished projects to give curious shoppers a few ideas. Tenison said she picks a variety of yarns based on textures, colors and personal preference, with much more selection than the average craft store. Along with traditional wool or acrylic yarns, she stocks skeins of more unusual origins, such as bamboo, corn, alpaca, mink, recycled jeans and even milk. “You’ll get hooked because the yarns are just so different, and it’s so much more fun,” Tenison said. More so than the yarn selection, Tenison said Knit Happenz sets itself apart from other craft stores by the people inside. At any time there are volunteers and regular visitors scattered across the tables and couches in the store,
Shop volunteers and regulars chat as they work on their knitting projects at Knit Happenz. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
needles clicking away as they talk. The store policy is “everybody helps everybody.” “Most people will say it’s more like a club than it is like a business,” Tenison said. “There’s a lot of therapy that goes on around here. To be honest, a lot of us need our knitting to make it through the day.” While Knit Happenz does host classes for advanced techniques, Tenison said she’s seen plenty of customers teaching each other and fixing mistakes. Her mother continues to visit the store but purely to enjoy friends rather than
to run the business. Knitting continues to be a female-driven hobby, Tenison said, but she has a few regular male customers. It is also drawing an increasingly younger audience, with teens and college students hanging out in the shop just like senior citizens. “I love looking around and seeing multigenerational, all races, people from all over the world coming together and just being together because they share the knitting bug — or crocheting bug,” she said.
With loyal customers, some of whom have been coming for decades, Tenison said she frequently knows all about their lives, and they know all about hers. When her family went on a mission trip, volunteers stepped up to keep the store running while she was gone. “We know just about everything about everybody that comes in,” she said. Tenison began knitting when she was about 11 years old, when her mother learned how to knit much more successfully. Tenison said she wanted her mother to make her several sweaters, but instead she was handed knitting needles and told to learn. If she learned to knit, Hagler told her, she would buy her daughter whatever yarn she chose. “Well, that was a mistake because I not only learned, I started knitting like a crazy fool,” Tenison said. “I got into the business because I wanted all those sweaters, and she wasn’t going to knit them for me.” Now Tenison can see pictures of clothes she likes and figure out a pattern to recreate them for a lot less money and a lot more fun, she said. Knit Happenz wasn’t the original career plan for Tenison. She worked in special education, particularly with infants and toddlers. But when Hagler wanted to retire from running the store, she and shop regulars convinced Tenison to take the reins. Having managed the store for eight years, Tenison said she has seen that knitting and crocheting are about so much more than the yarn. “A lot of times we’re knitting, not for the outcome, but it’s for the community, for the relaxation,” Tenison said.
VestaviaVoice.com LEARNING
CONTINUED from page B1 The trip began May 28, when the group traveled to Costa Rica and met up with their EF Educational Tours director. Each day, the group traveled to a different location within Costa Rica where they experienced a different aspect of the country and its people. Garrison and the students spent a day in Guanacaste, where the day’s theme was “community and social entrepreneurship.” There, the students took part in a language lesson, explored a socially and environmentally sustainable project and learned to make local crafts. On the third day, the students traveled to the Arenal region, where they spent two days learning about Costa Rican biodiversity as well as environmental sustainability and ecotourism. During their two days there, the students soared above the landscape on a zip-line canopy tour and volunteered for a few hours at a local eco-lodge. On days five and six, the group spent time in the Sarapiqui region, where they learned about the area’s youth and culture. The students interacted with local Costa Rican students and compared their teenage lives in each country. The group also took part in salsa lessons, ate a homemade dinner with locals, visited an organic farm where they harvested vegetables, learned how to prepare the vegetables during a cooking class and took a tour of a chocolate farm. On the seventh and final day of activities, the group visited San Jose, where they learned about Costa Rica’s early settlements and industry, traveled to a coffee plantation and participated on a team-building and leadership activity. Garrison and the rest of the group returned stateside on June 4. “It was amazing,” Garrison said. “In the beginning, I was super nervous of course, traveling abroad with children who are not my own.” Once the trip was underway, however, Garrison said her nerves quickly eased.
September 2016 • B9 “This was just the perfect group of children,” she said. “It was a wonderful learning experience as a teacher. There’s no substitute in the classroom for actual travel.” Garrison said she particularly enjoyed watching how the kids, who ranged from level-one to level-five Spanish students, grew over the eight days. “I watched as kids who at first would have been very shy and not taken the lead, suddenly were the first to speak, to take the initiative to introduce themselves and take charge. It might not have been perfect Spanish, but the students learned they were perfectly capable of communicating effectively,” she said. Garrison said throughout the trip, the students were encouraged to speak mostly in Spanish, though English did come into play when it was important to communicate safety specifics in cases such as the zip-line tour, for example. Garrison said the enthusiasm was so great among the students that they were all asking when they could return even before they had left. “I asked them to at least let me get home first,” she said with a laugh. Among her personal favorite experiences of the trip are the places they stayed that were so close to nature. “The views were beautiful,” she said. “We saw tree frogs that glow in the dark, monkeys and all types of birds.” Garrison said she also particularly enjoyed the visit to a local elementary school, where the local students provided a guided tour of their campus. “By the end of the day, everyone had broken out into a game of soccer,” Garrison said. “Everyone joined in. I only wish we could have spent some more time with them, meeting teachers, students and watching the students interact.” Garrison said she’s already busy “plotting and planning” the next immersion trip. “These trips have to be a regular part of my life now, because of the impact it had on the kids and on me as a teacher,” she said. “We saw and did some amazing things together.”
Above: Bradley Gottier and Abigail Fowler try achiote, a local plant used for its red color for makeup and cooking. Left: Julia Freeman and other students enjoy the views while working on an activity with local Costa Rican newspapers. The Arenal Volcano is in the background. Photos courtesy of Lisa Garrison.
B10 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
School House
Rebel Marching Band beats the summer heat By RACHEL BURCHFIELD When the Vestavia Hills High School band’s summer camp kicked off on July 25, the band — comprised of 190 instrumentalists, 33 color guard members, 23 dancers and nine majorettes — had to face the heat. Summer practice is a critical time as the band prepares for fall performances, but temperatures hovering near triple digits require extra precautions. The band stays hydrated, taking water breaks every 15 to 20 minutes. Tents are pitched to help shield students from the elements, and Jerell Horton, director of bands for VHHS, is always watching the thermometer — and the clock. “We pay close attention to the time that we spend outside when the temperature rises,” he said. A nurse is on hand at every rehearsal, and parents, too — some of whom bring ice cold treats. “We have parents who donate popsicles to the band, and we have them from time to time as well,” Horton said. Horton is entering his 11th year as director of bands at VHHS, a job he said he relishes. “It is exactly what I should be doing,” he said. “It is challenging, sometimes frustrating, but all of the time rewarding.” Before coming to VHHS exclusively, Horton was an assistant director of bands at VHHS as well as the assistant director at Pizitz Middle School. The band’s year and their summer rehearsals begin with the start of band camp, and the band typically rehearses from 1 to 4 p.m., breaks for dinner, and meets back from 6 to 10 p.m. — their own version of two-a-days.
Vestavia Hills majorettes and flag corps practice inside the gym Monday afternoon July 25, 2016. Photo by Frank Couch.
“We use this schedule so that the evening block is much cooler,” Horton said. Band camp lasts about two weeks and focuses on marching, music fundamentals and learning the halftime show’s music and marching. “By the first football game we would like to have learned at least half of the fall production with a goal of learning the full production by the third football game,” Horton said. Songs the band works on during camp are numbers they will use throughout the fall — tunes played in the stands at football games
as well as on the turf for halftime shows. This year’s fall production is called “Four” and will highlight music that reflects the seasons of the year, he said. “We are super excited about this production, and we think [fans] will like it as well,” Horton said. “We will feature the music of Earth, Wind and Fire, Louis Armstrong, DeBarge and even some classical music as well.” He said being selected for the band’s auxiliary groups — the color guard, dance line and majorettes — is not an easy feat.
“It is pretty competitive,” Horton said. Instrumentalists are trained through middle school band programs before they arrive at VHHS, he said. “In a time when many bands do not have all of these auxiliary groups, I am proud that our groups work together to create an amazing product,” Horton said. “We design our shows so that all auxiliary members can be the visual representation of our music.” The band is ever evolving, Horton said, staying on pace with cutting-edge enhancements. “Musically, we are trying to enhance our live music with recorded sounds as well as amplified instruments that you may not normally notice in a halftime show,” he said. The music, Horton said, is custom arranged, and their visual presentation — all marching maneuvers, auxiliary choreography and coordination — is created by Horton and his staff. It all crescendos when the band takes the field for football games. “It is something that is very hard to describe,” he said. “A VHHS football game is the largest community gathering that we have, and we have them once a week for 10 weeks, so it is pretty awesome to be able to perform for our community as often as we do.” Even after band camp ends in August, the band continues to practice during football season three days a week from 3:45 to 6 p.m. It is all in an effort to uphold the band’s strong tradition, Horton said. “I believe the Rebel Marching Band has a tradition of great school spirit and football support in the stadium,” he said. “Our band is a huge family, and each section of the band really has their own set of traditions.”
Fundraising becomes an Olympic event at VHEC By ALI RENCKENS Most of these Olympic competitors are under 5 feet tall. Some still need help tying their shoelaces, and until Opening Ceremonies on Sept. 23, they won’t know what sport they are competing in. This year, Vestavia Hills Elementary Central is holding Central Games, a fundraising campaign with an Olympic theme, Sept. 26-30. Kids will ask friends and family for donations while engaging in physical activities and challenges for the chance to win prizes. In the past, the school has hired an outside source to aid with fundraising. However, the PTO devised this campaign as a more cost-efficient way to raise funds and give students the chance to participate. “We have so many talented parents and businesses that will help us,” said Ruth Bean, Vestavia Hills Elementary Central fundraising chairwoman. “I just saw it as an opportunity … It might be a flop, but I really feel like it’s going to be well-received.” The event will kick off with Opening Ceremonies Sept. 23. Principal Marian Humphries, alongside Assistant Principal Lorie Belski, will bear the Olympic torch, and each class will be assigned a sport. The community can support the students by visiting the McDonalds on U.S. 31 Sept. 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. During that time, 25 percent of the revenue will go to the school. Students will receive prizes for raising a certain amount of money. For example, for reaching $50, students earn a T-shirt designed by fifth-grader Gibson Bean. Students who raise $100 or more will be entered to win prizes from community donors, and, every day,
top-earning classes will have the chance to play video games in the game truck parked outside the school. “You have to kind of think like a kid when you’re thinking of prizes,” Bean said. “I went to my son’s class, and I said, ‘What do you all want?’ and they wanted things like, to be PE teachers for the day, which is free. And I was like, ‘Done! We can do that!’” When a class reaches its fundraising goal, money will be deposited in its classroom fund. The teacher will also be entered in a drawing for an individual prize, such as a pass to Iron Tribe Fitness. “We want teachers to be excited about this and encourage their students,” Bean said. The Vestavia Hills Soccer Club volunteered to lead PE classes one day, and Bean said she hopes more athletic organizations will do the same to introduce students to different Olympic sports. The top-earning classrooms and teachers will compete in relay challenges for the chance to win an ice-cream party later that day. Students will find out which classes raised the most money during Closing Ceremonies Oct. 3. The money raised will go toward new technology and playground equipment. “I’m just really looking forward to it,” Bean said. “I have a really good team of people, and this makes it fun for the kids. It includes them.”
Photo courtesy of Ellen Bryant.
Vestavia Hills resident, Chelsea High student awarded Eagle Scout Kevin Michael Bryant, of Boy Scout Troop 83, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on September 10, 2015. Troop 83 is sponsored by Dawson Baptist Church in Homewood, Alabama. Bryant has been involved in scouting for 11 years beginning as a Cub Scout in Pack 352 at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, where he earned the Arrow of Light award. On his way to the rank of Eagle Scout, Bryant earned a total of 31 merit badges, though only 21 merit badges are required to obtain the rank. Within the troop, he held the positions of Scribe, Historian, Librarian and Senior Patrol Leader. For his Eagle Scout leadership project, Bryant chose to revitalize and improve a portion of the amphitheater at Covenant Presbyterian Church. This project included clearing out, cleaning up and improving an
area with new shrubbery behind and beside the outdoor amphitheater. After raising over $1,000, Bryant coordinated the efforts of 15 scouts and adults in completing this project in July 2015. A senior at Chelsea High School, Bryant will be graduating in May 2016 and plans to attend Shelton State Community College. While at Chelsea High, Bryant was inducted into the National Beta Club and the National Technical Honor Society. At Shelton State, he plans to enroll in the Industrial Electronics Technology program and participate in the Mechatronics partnership with Mercedes Benz U.S. International. Bryant is the son of Michael and Ellen Bryant of Vestavia Hills and is an active member of Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church. – Submitted by Ellen Bryant.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B11
VHEW kindergartners put farm to music During the first week of May, kindergarteners at Vestavia Hills Elementary West performed for their families and friends as each class shared its own musical entitled, “A Day at the Farm.” Under the direction of West’s music teacher, Trudye Confessore, students in each class explored various musical concepts as they used songs, movement, and instruments to demonstrate the sounds of animals and farm activities.
“Had a Little Rooster,” “Ducks Like Rain,” and “Oats, Pea, Beans and Barley Grow” were among the songs performed. The students, who are now first graders, played instruments such as hand drums, thunder tubes, wood blocks, and even a Chinese gong. Many different styles of music were enjoyed, and in the Ecuadorian folk song “Los Pollitos (Little Chickens),” the students sang in Spanish. – Submitted by Alice Elmore.
Mrs. McGriff’s class gestures during their production of “A Day at the Farm,” singing, “Do you or I or anyone know how oats, peas, beans and barley grow?” Photo courtesy of Alice Elmore.
VHEW celebrates school year’s end with parties To mark the end of a fantastic 2015-16 school year, students at Vestavia Hills Elementary West celebrated with games and parties. On May 20, the school held its annual May Day Play Day, which featured a rainy day filled with games such as tug of war, limbo and obstacle courses. On May 23, the third-graders carried on a West tradition as they enjoyed a pool party at Wald Park with classmates and teachers. All classes wrapped up the year with class parties May 25. – Submitted by Alice Elmore.
Photos courtesy of Alice Elmore.
B12 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Sports through the
LENS LEGEND of a
Coach Buddy Anderson weighs in on the evolution of the high school game By SAM CHANDLER
T
Briarwood head coach Fred Yancey, center, and Vestavia Hills head coach Buddy Anderson lead players in prayer following a 2015 exhibition game. Photo courtesy of Todd Kwarcinski.
he last football game that Buddy Anderson ever played in got off to a stone cold start. It was November 1971, and the Samford University football team was facing Ohio Wesleyan in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. Anderson, a Samford senior lineman, took the field in the first quarter as a blocker on a kickoff return. “One of my good friends, we would cross-block, and I said, ‘Don’t hit me, hit the other person,’” Anderson recalled. “Well, what does he do? He hits me and knocks me down.” While attempting to climb to his feet, Anderson absorbed a knee to his forehead, courtesy of the Bulldogs’ return man. His helmet, he said, split like a watermelon. “How I got to the sideline I don’t know, but I didn’t know where I was,” Anderson said. “I wasn’t knocked out, but I was in a stupor, dazed. I didn’t know what day it was.” Anderson said he finally “came to” his senses at the end of the first quarter. In typical 1970s fashion, he then played the rest of the game. “That was nothing unusual back then,” Anderson said. How the times have changed. Now entering his 39th season as head coach at Vestavia Hills High School, Anderson identified the rise of concussion awareness and treatment protocol as one of the game’s paradigm shifts that has occurred during his career. That, on-field schematics and pace of play represent three key facets
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B13
With decades of experience and more than 300 victories to his name, Vestavia Hills football coach Buddy Anderson has nearly seen it all during his legendary tenure. Photo courtesy of Ted Melton.
in which the coach said he has noticed continual evolution. With decades of experience and more than 300 victories to his name, Anderson has nearly seen it all during his legendary tenure. While he acknowledged that the game has undoubtedly changed, some things, he said, will always stay the same.
PASS-HAPPY OFFENSES
When Anderson took over as the Rebels’ head coach in 1978, he relied on an offensive attack centered on a commitment to the ground game. That’s still the way he likes to do it, but at the time, it was a more common approach. “In the ‘70s and ‘80s, it was a more optionand-run game on offense with some play-action passes thrown in,” said 27th-year Briarwood head coach Fred Yancey, one of Anderson’s longtime coaching pals. “If you could win the C-gap on offense — off-tackle play — you
could win the games. Conversely, if you could stop the C-gap power, you could win games, but it was a lower scoring, harder grinding, more difficult yard-getting way to do things.” As Anderson and Yancey can both attest, offensive strategy has transformed over time. Nowadays, almost every team incorporates the passing game into its base system. Many, in fact, have come to rely on it. With the sweeping emergence of the spread formation, a number of offenses have opted to operate out of the shotgun. The tactical shift has subsequently opened the field, creating more space for a diverse attack. “Today’s game, it’s a sideline-to-sideline game, where it used to be people would line up, put their hand in the ground, put a lot of weight on their hand, and they were going to come out and just hit you,” said Vestavia Hills athletic director Jeff Segars, one of Anderson’s defensive linemen in the mid-80s. Although Anderson still implements a bruising,
run-first attack out of the I-formation, teams that employ such a strategy have steadily dwindled in recent years. Spain Park, leaning on the I and pistol formations, and Oak Mountain, using the split-back veer, are exceptions to the norm. But for the most part, classic styles of offense have been swapped for fast-paced, pass-happy approaches that often flow without a huddle. Anderson said his defense has been forced to adapt accordingly. “Used to, you’d find somebody at linebacker that’s tough, and you wanted that guy like a Dick Butkus,” Anderson said in reference to the hard-hitting NFL Hall of Fame linebacker. “We never had that guy, but you wanted somebody like that who’s going to be tough on the run when you’re playing a lot of run offenses. With the spread offenses, we’ve had to adapt and go with more mobile guys at linebacker.” Even with lighter, faster personnel, Anderson has maintained a reputation of annually fielding a gritty football team. Because of Anderson’s
influence, Segars said, Vestavia is just as much of a smash-mouth force today as it was during his own playing days. “Still today, Vestavia is just a tough, hardnosed football team,” Segars said “People know when you play Vestavia, you’re going to get hit.” But the jarring effect of impact after impact reemphasizes the concussion issue. What was once viewed as an expected consequence of the game has surged to the forefront of public debate. “The concussion issue is probably one of the biggest things that’s come along,” Anderson said. Apart from following mandated protocol, which includes time limits on contact practices, Anderson said that he has taken extra precautions to prevent the onset of concussions among his players. After each season, he said he sends every helmet and set of shoulder pads off for reconditioning. He also said he places an increased emphasis on ensuring that his players develop strong neck muscles, a key factor in stymying the onset of concussions. “We’ve been very proactive,” Anderson said. “The last thing we want to do is to have somebody hurt.”
CONSTANTS OF THE GAME
Despite the various changes—to concussion protocol, to X’s and O’s, to pace— Anderson said that elements of the game have stayed the same. Though they may look a bit different, he said the fundamental components of blocking, tackling, running and throwing still comprise the substance of the sport. 11 teammates battle 11 teammates for four quarters, spilling blood, sweat and tears in hopes of finishing the season latched to the top of the standings. At its heart, Anderson said, the core of the game remains unchanged. “Kids today are different, but they’re still looking to be a part of something bigger than them,” Anderson said. “They’re looking for discipline — they don’t know it a lot of times. They’re looking for somebody to care about them, somebody to love them, demand the best of them. They’re looking for all those things. That part hasn’t changed.”
B14 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
VESTAVIA HILLS FOOTBALL: SEPTEMBER PREVIEW
Rebels begin region play in September By KYLE PARMLEY The Vestavia Hills High School football team is looking to replicate its success from last fall when the Rebels advanced to the playoffs and registered a 9-3 mark. In order to do so, they must get off to a solid start in September, and their first regular season game against Homewood High School. They opened with a win in a jamboree game against Briarwood Christian. The Rebels begin the month with back-toback Class 7A, Region 3 road games. On Sept. 2, Vestavia kicks off region play against Spain Park, a team that shut them out a year ago. Spain Park has won three of the last four games in the series and advanced to the State Final last fall, losing to McGill-Toolen. Vestavia visits Heardmont Park the following week to play Oak Mountain. The Rebels have won 10 of 12 games all-time against the Eagles, including a 35-26 victory last fall. Vestavia jumped out to a 14-0 lead in that contest and hung on the rest of the way. The only new face in Region 3 visits Thompson Reynolds Stadium Sept. 16, as Huffman comes to Vestavia. The teams have played 17 times previously, with the Rebels holding an 11-6 edge. The programs last faced off in 2013, as the Rebels won by a 30-8 margin, and Vestavia has won the last three meetings. The Rebels take a week off of region play the following Friday, and play host to Class 6A Helena. With Helena entering its third year of competition, the two teams have never met on the gridiron. Vestavia rounds out the month Sept. 30 with a tough game at Thompson. The Rebels also visited Thompson last fall, forcing seven turnovers and coming up with a critical 23-13 victory. The Rebels jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the contest and sealed the deal late in the fourth
Vestavia kicks off region play Sept. 2 against Spain Park, a team that shut them out a year ago. Photo courtesy of Ted Melton.
quarter with a fumble recovery for a touchdown to make the score 23-6. In the series, Thompson took six of the first seven, but Vestavia has won each of the last 13 contests, dating back to 1993. Coach Buddy Anderson knows his team will have its hands full in a tough month full of quality region opponents.
“Our region is as tough as any,” he said. “Some people refer to it as the SEC West of high school football. Region [3] is a very tough region. Every week you go out, you better be ready to bring your A-game.” Another quirk of the Rebels’ schedule is that, due to the fact they open the slate with a jamboree game, they play 10 straight regular season
games with no off week at any point. “That’s kind of a ‘Catch-22’ situation. Two years ago, it would’ve been great to have a break there, because we had a lot of injuries that hurt us pretty good,” Anderson said. “Years ago, we used to have it where we had an open date in there. I kind of like some aspects, some I don’t.”
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B15
Rebel cross-country squads prepare to face giants in 2016 By SAM CHANDLER
Vestavia Hills senior Madison Milldrum brings experience and leadership to the Rebel girls cross-country team. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Pfitzer.
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“Wherever you are, be all there.” That’s the motto for the Vestavia Hills High School cross-country program. Originally coined by missionary Jim Elliott, the phrase has coursed through Vestavia’s lifeblood since Brett Huber became the Rebels’ head coach 17 years ago. He said it encourages his athletes to give their best all the time. But this fall, the Rebels have added another guiding mantra that will set the stage for their season: facing giants. “That’s sort of related to qualifying and competition and some of the things that these teams have to deal with,” Huber said. “What do you do with expectations — when you meet them and when you don’t meet them? What challenges are in front of you? How are you going to meet them when they’re in front of you?” All are questions the Vestavia boys and girls cross-country teams will seek to answer this fall. Competing in a section comprised of the state’s top competition, the runners’ individual responses will likely determine the teams’ collective fate when the Class 7A, Section 3 meet rolls around in early November. Last fall, neither Rebels squad advanced to the state meet, despite being two of the better teams in Alabama. The Vestavia boys finished fifth at sectionals, and the Vestavia girls finished fourth. “Our teams last year, if they would have made it to the state meet — boys and girls — they would have been not only top five in all classifications, they would have been top five at the 7A state meet,” Huber said. “The problem with qualifying in our section is the top teams year in
“
The tough part is when you’re one of the best teams in Alabama out of all the teams, and you can’t go to state. ... At the end of the day, they train hard, they know what’s expected, and they give you the best effort they can.
”
BRETT HUBER
and year out are always from this metro area.” Home to distance-running goliaths like Mountain Brook and Hoover, Section 3 has been labeled the “Section of Death” by the state’s leading cross-country and track-andfield website, Alabama Runners. The Hoover and Mountain Brook boys are the two winningest teams in state history, with a combined 28 state championships. The Mountain Brook girls, meanwhile, have won 13 consecutive state titles. “We always train in a way that we’re ready for that,” Huber said in reference to the level of competition. With only three teams from a section earning bids to state, the yearly dominance of schools like Mountain Brook and Hoover can create a
B16 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice The Vestavia Hills boys cross-country team will be aiming for a spot at the Class 7A state meet in 2016. The Vestavia boys last competed at the state meet in 2013, when former star Mac Macoy led the team to a runner-up finish.
mad scramble for the third spot. To draw a football comparison, Section 3 is like the West division of the Southeastern Conference. There is almost always a surplus of talent and, correspondingly, quality teams get short-changed when the season reaches its peak. Many years, the Rebels have punched their ticket to state. Some years, like in 2015, they have fallen short. “The tough part is when you’re one of the best teams in Alabama out of all the teams, and you can’t go to state,” Huber said. “That’s hard for the kids, but I think they handled it well. At the end of the day, they train hard, they know what’s expected, and they give you the best effort they can.” Huber said his squads hope their persistence in training yields different results this fall. The Vestavia boys will pursue their first state
meet appearance since making the jump to 7A in 2014, while the Vestavia girls will aim to replicate their 2014 state-meet showing that resulted in a fifth-place finish. James Sweeney, a junior, will lead the Rebel boys. He qualified as an individual for the 2015 state meet, and holds a 5K personal best of 16 minutes, 29.97 seconds. “He’s done very well as a freshman, sophomore amongst his peers and at the state level in all seasons,” Huber said. “I see a lot of potential in just his desire and wanting to be a good runner.” Sweeney will be joined up front by sophomore Bryce Hutchinson and junior Joseph Gilroy. Hutchinson ran 16:47 for 5K last season, and Gilroy was within seconds of breaking the 17-minute barrier. Hutchinson said a strong summer of training has positioned his team well for a redemptive
season. “Everyone’s going off right now, and it’s awesome,” Hutchinson said. “We have some high potential.” The Vestavia boys last competed at the state meet in 2013, when former star Mac Macoy led the team to a runner-up finish. The year before, in 2012, Macoy paced the team to its first state title since 1987. In a sense, Huber said Vestavia has been in rebuilding mode since Macoy’s graduation in spring 2014. “The teams after the Macoy teams worked real hard and were just as competitive, but not competitive enough to get past qualifying,” Huber said. “We have a lot of young runners coming in that we’re hoping can help turn the tide.” Senior Madison Milldrum and junior Sasha Allison return as front-runners for the Vestavia girls. Although neither nabbed individual
qualifying spots for the state meet in 2015, both should contend for All-State recognition this fall. Milldrum and Allison both hold 5K personal bests in the mid-19-minute range, but the pair fell victim to a competitive sectional race that was contested on a challenging course. “I think we kind of have a new outlook with a lot of the new girls,” Milldrum said. “I think it’s going to be easier for everyone to just make it their goal to get to the state championship.” The Rebel girls graduated two key contributors from last year’s team in Sarahanne Pfitzer and Lanie Kraus, but they should receive a boost from sophomores MaryGriffith Lytle and Cat Yeilding. “We all really want to work hard, and we love the sport, so we’ll just have to see how things work out,” Allison said. “We’re super excited for the season.”
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B17
Vestavia Hills Real Estate Listings MLS #
Zip
Address
Status
Price
758059
35216
2812 Cross Bridge Drive
New
$335,000
760102
35216
1837 Glendmere Drive
New
$299,900
760023
35216
2452 Shades Crest Road
New
$349,900
759911
35216
2371 Lime Rock Road
New
$289,900
759910
35216
209 Erwin Circle
New
$299,900
759866
35216
209 Smyer Terrace
New
$439,900
759774
35216
2329 Derby Drive
New
$274,900
759640
35216
2809 Vestavia Forest Place
New
$364,900
759393
35216
2808 Vestavia Forest Place
New
$399,900
758867
35216
2829 Cross Bridge Drive
New
$230,000
758858
35216
1516 Blind Brook Lane
New
$310,000
758778
35216
916 Haviland Drive
New
$189,000
757184
35216
2317 Garland Drive
New
$445,000
758755
35216
1909 Old Orchard
New
$279,900
758621
35216
1248 Lincoya Road
New
$354,900
758589
35216
1826 Southwood Road
New
$499,900
758572
35216
1749 Vestaview Lane
New
$274,900
758490
35216
1901 Mission Road
New
$264,900
758346
35216
2657 Southbury Circle #2657
New
$89,900
758082
35216
2108 Longleaf Circle
New
$325,000
Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on Aug. 22. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.
2812 Cross Bridge Drive
2317 Garland Drive
B18 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
2016
INSIDE THE ALTAMONT SCHOOL .......................... B19 ADVENT EPISCOPAL SCHOOL .......................... B20 SPRING VALLEY SCHOOL .......................... B20
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B19
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
THE ALTAMONT school Altamont is more than a school where talented, smart individuals gather together to learn. It is a community of caring, like-minded leaders who come together with the common goal to inspire, educate and encourage one another to reach full potential. At Altamont, we are preparing students to be good citizens; educating compassionate, curious, students; committed to producing wellrounded students; a rigorous school with strong core values; a family. We will encourage and support our students’ interests; graduate mature, enlightened students who are prepared for their life and career; prepare the next generation to be critical thinkers; do everything in our power to see your child succeed. We do this because we care; we believe in unending possibilities; we’re small, passionate and competitive; we believe in truth, knowledge and honor. Each day at Altamont, we strive to improve the fabric of society by graduating compassionate, educated individuals capable of independent thinking and innovative ideas. That is never more important than in today’s changing and fast-paced world. Preparing students for the world requires both balance and breadth, and this is where Altamont’s faculty stands out. No matter a student’s passion or strength, each one is nurtured and allowed to grow, mature and learn in a caring environment. We are confident that our students are articulate, passionate and ethically aware young people who will make a difference in the world, hold themselves to a higher standard and lead trustworthy lives. Altamont is a small family with socio-economic, ethnic and religious diversity, and our honor code is essential to the fulfillment of our mission. The school has an intensive college preparatory academic program with a
KEY FACTS • • • •
personalized college search program, including an annual college tour. And the school offers many opportunities for children to develop multiple talents by participating in arts, foreign language, leadership programs, community service, clubs, class projects, science competitions and sports — all at the same time.
We seek highly motivated students who crave greater breadth and challenge in all areas of school life. The school awards about $1 million in merit and need-based scholarships each year in order to attract the best, brightest and most diverse student body. Altamont’s main campus is on 28 acres on
GRADES: 5-12 WHERE: 4801 Altamont Road S. CALL: 879-2006 WEB: altamontschool.org
the crest of Red Mountain just south of downtown Birmingham. The main school building houses 40 classrooms, two science wings, a fine arts center, a student center, an art gallery and sculpture garden, a computer lab, a 14,000-volume library and special studios for chorus, art, photography and orchestra. The athletic facilities include two gymnasiums with basketball and volleyball courts and a weight room. The main campus offers six tennis courts, a soccer field and a track. A second campus provides another gymnasium as well as soccer, baseball and softball fields. Please join us for one of our Open Houses to learn more about our school, our students, our mission and what sets us apart.
B20 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
ADVENT EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
SPRING VALLEY SCHOOL
Since its establishment in 1950 in downtown Birmingham, Advent Episcopal School has built a national reputation for academic excellence. Offering 4-year-old kindergarten through eighth grade, Advent is a diverse community of bright children who excel in an environment that is safe, stable and enriching. Our graduates attend the most prestigious high schools in the country, well poised for the road ahead. As the only PK-8 school in downtown Birmingham, Advent is able to take advantage of the rich and extraordinary educational and cultural opportunities at our doorstep. Meaningful exposure to fine art, music, foreign language and critical thinking spurs intellectual curiosity amongst our students. Advent is small by design, even though our students come from 44 different zip codes. Every Advent student is known by name. They are challenged, celebrated for who they are, filled with wonder and have a willingness to learn.
Spring Valley School is an independent, nonsectarian school for students in grades 2-12 who struggle with dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other learning differences. It is the only accredited school in central Alabama devoted to impacting the lives of children with learning disabilities, and it serves children from all over the Birmingham area and beyond. Founded in 2000 by parents seeking better educational opportunities for their children, the school is a nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors. The school recognizes that the learning processes of these students differ from that of their peers and that each student possesses unique academic needs. As a result, the school offers a multi-sensory (visual, auditory and tactile), language-based instructional program presented in small classes (between five and nine students). Core beliefs include: ► A successful student sets academic goals and monitors progress in achieving them ► Students excel when they are actively involved in the learning process ► Students thrive when high expectations
KEY FACTS • GRADES: PK-8 • WHERE: 2019 6th Ave. N., Birmingham • CALL: 252-2535 • WEB: adventepiscopalschool.org
Passions, such as Chinese, chess and soccer are realized and fostered here. Advent is an extraordinary place to be.
DID YOU KNOW?
► 16 percent of students are residents of Vestavia Hills ► 11 percent of faculty and staff are residents of Vestavia Hills ► Recipient of the 2015-16 AISA President’s Award ► 2015-16 AISA Blue Ribbon School.
KEY FACTS • • • •
GRADES: 2-12 WHERE: 2701 Sydney Drive CALL: 423-8660 WEB: springvalleyschool.org
are coupled with opportunities to achieve academic success ► The curriculum must incorporate a variety of teaching strategies to accommodate various learning styles ► Students become good citizens by contributing to their community through leadership and service. Spring Valley School is accredited through AdvancED (formerly the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). To learn more or to discuss admission, contact their administrative assistant at 423-8660 to set up an interview with the executive director and a tour of the school. Spring Valley School thanks the many donors who helped make their dream of a new building a reality!
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B21
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Be awesome and make history Recently I asked my 9-year-old daughter what she wants to be when she grows up. She eagerly replied, “I want to be awesome and make history!” Exactly how she plans to make history is still up in the air, because at her age, that part is irrelevant. All she knows is that she wants her life to count. She wants to matter. She wants a life of significance that people will remember for years and years to come. And if we’re being honest, don’t we all feel the same way? Don’t we all long to leave a legacy that outlives our time on earth and keeps our memory alive? Our desire for a meaningful life is good because God planted that desire in us. He created each of us for a special purpose meant to leave this world better than we found it. Sometimes, however, we mistakenly assume that a meaningful life must be grand and spectacular. We look for big signs, big assignments, and clearly significant work. And when they don’t come, we get discouraged. We question our value and wonder if God is ignoring us to tend to more important people. But God never ignores us. He thinks about us constantly and speaks all the time. The problem isn’t His lack of attention to us, but our lack of attention to Him. As Job 33:14 says, “For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.” Usually when we miss God’s presence and God’s voice, it’s because we’re overlooking the small moments and small assignments where He quietly reveals Himself. Sometimes when I forget the value of small moments and small assignments, I think of Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa had a simple philosophy known as “the little way,” which involved doing small things with great love.
Her entire legacy was based on loving the person in front of her. Her inspiration was St. Thérѐse de Lisieux, who came up with “the little way” and has been acclaimed as the greatest saint of modern times because her spirituality has influenced millions. St. Thérѐse saw herself as the “little flower of Jesus,” created to give glory to God by simply being herself among the flowers in God’s garden. Just as a child becomes enamored with whatever is before her (and can be fascinated by a simple flower), St. Thérѐse believed we should also have a childlike focus and be completely attentive to the person right before us. In her autobiography “Story of a Soul,” St. Thérѐse said that not every flower can be a rose. Some flowers were created to be wildflowers, daisies or violets. She wrote: “I understand how all the flowers God has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away the perfume of the violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understand that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wildflowers. So it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden. He has created smaller ones and those must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God’s glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.” What St. Thérѐse recognized is how most humans, deep down, long to be roses. We believe that making an impact requires us to be the show-stopper that gets noticed and continuously praised. We fear that being anything other than the rose makes us less special
— and less important to God. But every flower is special to God because God created every flower. He loves variety and the beauty that variety brings. Far more important than how the world sees us is how God sees us. And by blooming where we are planted, and staying true to our natural design, we bring God great joy. He delights in all the same, whether we’re a rose, a violet or a wildflower. The world’s idea of a significant life is to have a wide impact. But I truly believe that the most influential people are those who have a deep impact. More than altering the course of history, they alter the course of someone’s soul. They understand how bringing just one person closer to God makes them an undeniable success in His book. Whatever flower you’re made to be, be a good one. Use your life to make an eternal difference, not a temporary splash. If your name ends up in a history book for future generations that’s fantastic, but if not that’s okay too, because you’re still awesome in God’s eyes. You can still make history in heaven by valuing the size of your love for God over the size of your assignments, and finding peace in the pleasure you give Him even when nobody else is looking. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her newest book, “LIKED: Whose Approval Are You Living For?,” releases Nov. 15 and is available for pre-order on Amazon. Her first book, “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” is available everywhere books are sold. Join Kari’s Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.
B22 • September 2016
Vestavia Voice
Calendar Vestavia Events Through Sept. 12: Conservatory of the Arts Fall Registration. Vestavia Hills UMC. Teaches private music lessons to adults and students. Call 205-769-0123 or visit vhumc.org/ministries/coa/ school-music. Sept. 1: Panel Discussion on Community Media. 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest, Community Room. Reporters and editors from the Vestavia Voice, Homewood Star, Village Living, Over the Mountain Journal, 280 Living and the Hoover Sun will discuss what it takes to cover our local communities and why they are successful when many mainstream media are not. Visit olli.ua.edu.
Sept. 2: Artists Incorporated, First Friday Reception. 5:30 p.m. Artists Incorporated. Featured artists: Susan Baird, Pat Dicas, Chuck Jones, Karen Libecap, Katherine Long and Tena Payne. Wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music. Visit artistsincorporated. com. Sept. 2: Rocky Ridge Arts & Entertainment Event. 5:30 p.m. Visit rockyridgeae.com. Sept. 6: Learning to Write From Your Heart. 1:30 p.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Senior Center. Philip Theibert, writing coach and author, finds the hidden writer within. Course continues on September 13,
Vestavia Hills High School Football Sept. 2: @ Spain Park, 7 p.m. Sept. 9: @ Oak Mountain, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: vs. Huffman, 7 p.m. Sept. 23:. vs. Helena (homecoming), 7 p.m. Sept. 30: @ Thompson, 7 p.m.
20, and 27. Visit olli.ua.edu. Sept. 8: Water and the Environment. 10:30 a.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center-Senior Center. Topic: Antarctica: Personal Encounters with the White Continent. Course continues on Sept. 15, 22 and 29. Visit olli.ua.edu. Sept. 13: Vestavia Chamber Monthly Luncheon. 11:30 a.m. Vestavia Country Club. $18 advance, $25 late reservations. Network with other chamber members and hear speakers on a wide variety of updates. Visit vestaviahills.org.
Sept. 14: ID Theft and Personal Protection. 10:30 a.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Senior Center. From the police who deal with these issues every day, learn how to prevent ID theft, credit card abuse, computer hacking, and personal attacks and what you can do to protect yourself. Visit olli.ua.edu. Sept. 18: Friendship Force of Birmingham Meeting. 2 p.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Vestavian Room.
Vestavia Hills Library Events Children
two. Ages 5 and under.
Mondays: Maker Mondays. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Work with the electric circuits. Something for everyone, but adults must accompany children.
Wednesdays & Fridays: W-H-Y! (crafts) 3:30 p.m. Join Miss Alicia for a craft program on Wednesdays and a movie and snack on Friday. We Hear Ya! Something for our school age kids.
Tuesdays: Together with Twos. 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Join Miss Cristina for a rollicking toddler time of stories, songs, finger plays and movement. Ages 18-35 months. Tuesdays: PJ Storytime. 6:30 p.m. Children’s Program Room. (except the 3rd Tuesday, which is Family Night). Wednesdays: Summer Story Friends. 10:30 a.m. Join Mrs. Lisa for great stories and songs plus a surprise visitor or
Thursdays: L.I.F.T. (Library in the Forest Time). 9:30 a.m.noon. Enjoy special play equipment in the program room for preschoolers and their caregivers Thursdays: Book Babies. 10 a.m. A new program just for babies, with small classes limited to 12 each, where we begin the journey toward a lifelong love of books! Registration required. Birth to 18 mos.
VestaviaVoice.com
September 2016 • B23
Sept. 13: Ms. Olivia’s Evening Reads. 6 p.m. Historical room.
Sept. 20: Otaku Time. 4:30 p.m. Read, discuss and exchange manga.
Teens
Sept. 21: Henna. 4 p.m. Professional artist shows henna tattoos. Treehouse.
Fridays: Open Gaming. 4-5:30 p.m. Enjoy video games on the Wii U, PS4, board games to play with fellow teens. Snacks served. Sept. 6: The Playlist. 4 p.m. Monthly YouTube playlist. Snacks served. Sept. 7, 14 & 28: Teen Writing Group. 4 p.m. Sept. 13: Books to Show Fandom Night. 4 p.m. Community room. Shows based off book series. Sept. 14: Fandom Tuesday. 4 p.m. Movies, crafts and themed foods.
Sept. 27: Anime Night. 4 p.m. Sept. 30: Super Smash Bros. Tournament. 4 p.m. Snacks served. Adults Sept. 2: First Friday Fiber Arts. 10 a.m. All levels welcome. Sept. 14: The ABCs of Medicare. 12 p.m. Sept. 22: Friends of the Library Presents. 10 a.m.
Area Events Saturdays through Dec. 10: Pepper Place Market. 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Visit pepperplacemarket. com.
Sept. 17: Ride the Calera & Shelby RR Train. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Calera. $10-$35. Visit hodrrm.org.
Sept. 3: Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip. Depart 9 a.m. from Leeds Hwy. 78 gravel parking lot. Contact Dan Frederick 205-631-4680 or seoutings@bellsouth.net.
Sept. 17-18: Tannehill Trade Days. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. $3-$5. Visit tannehill.org/events.
Sept. 3: Saturday Morning Train Excursion. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Ozan Vineyard and Cellars. Calera. $32. Visit ozanwine.com. Sept. 3: Ride the Calera & Shelby RR Train. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Calera. $10-$35. Visit hodrrm.org. Sept. 3 & 10: The Little Engine That Could. Birmingham Children’s Theatre. Both days at 10 a.m. and noon. Visit bct123.org. Sept. 5: 25th Annual Labor Day Celebration and Moon Pie Eating Contest. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. $3-$5. Visit tannehill.org/events. Sept. 8-10: Saint George Middle Eastern Food Festival. 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Saint George Malkite Catholic Church. Free admission. Food, live music and dance. Visit saintgeorgeonline.org. Sept. 10: Kem: An Evening of Love- 11th Anniversary Summer Concert Series. BJCC Concert Hall. $59-$89. Visit bjcc.org/events. Sept. 10: Southeastern Outings Dayhikes, Picnic, Swim and Bicycle Ride. Depart 9 a.m. from Kmart on Greensprings Highway. Contact Dan Frederick 205-631-4680 or seoutings@bellsouth.net. Sept. 10: Saturday Morning Train Excursion. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Ozan Vineyard and Cellars. Calera. $32. Visit ozanwine.com. Sept. 10: Ride the Calera & Shelby RR Train. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Calera. $10-$35. Visit hodrrm.org. Sept. 11: Sturgill Simpson. Alabama Theatre. 8 p.m. $22-$43. Visit sturgillsimpson.com.
Sept. 20: Heart, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Cheap Trick. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre. $32.50$72.50. Visit heart-music.com Sept. 20: WWE Smackdown. Legacy Arena, BJCC. 6 p.m. $17-$102. Visit wwe.com. Sept. 23-25: Homestead Hollow Arts & Crafts Festival. Springville. $7 adults, $3 children 3-12, under 2 are free. Visit homesteadhollow. com. Sept. 24: Saturday Morning Train Excursion. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Ozan Vineyard and Cellars. Calera. $32. Visit ozanwine.com. Sept. 24: Ride the Calera & Shelby RR Train. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Calera. $10-$35. Visit hodrrm.org. Sept. 24: 3 Doors Down with Black Stone Cherry and Red Sun Rising. BJCC Concert Hall. 8 p.m. $36.50-$66.50. Visit 3doorsdown.com. Sept. 24: Irondale Whistle Stop Festival. 10 a.m.7 p.m. Historic Downtown Irondale. Free admission. Art and food vendors from around the region. Visit irondalewhistlestopfestival.com. Sept. 25: Birmingham Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Railroad Park. 3 p.m. Free and open to the public. Visit act.alz.org. Sept. 25: 25th Annual Magic City AIDS Walk. Railroad Park. 4:30 p.m. Free. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org. Sept. 25: Vulcan AfterTunes: Dylan LeBlanc with Duquette Johnston. 2:30 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. $15. Visitvulcan.com.
Sept. 12: BAO Bingo. Birmingham AIDS Outreach. 7 p.m. $15 for 5 games. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org.
Sept. 25: Breakin’ Bread. 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Sloss Furnaces. Sampling food from the Birmingham Food Scene. $30 early bird general admission, gate price $35. VIP $89/$99. Kids 12 and under free. Visit birminghamoriginals.org.
Sept. 15: Live at the Lyric: Roseanne Cash. Lyric Theatre. 8 p.m. $40-$50. Visit lyricbham.com.
Sept. 27: Band of Horses. Alabama Theatre. 8 p.m. $30.50-$43. Visit alabamatheatre.com.
Sept. 15-17: 44th Annual Greek Festival. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Holy Trinity- Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church. Food, fine jewelry, art and more. Visit bhamgreekfestival.com.
Sept. 29: Hearts After Dark. Iron City. 6:30 p.m. Fundraising event benefiting Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Foundation. $60 individual, $105 couple. Visit phtsfoundation.org.
Sept. 16: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Coffee Concerts. 11 a.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Visit alabamasymphony.org.
Sept. 29-Oct. 2: Southern Women’s Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls. Fashion shows, celebrity appearances, food sampling and more. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $8 advance, $10 at the door. Visit southernshows.com.
Sept. 16: Zac Brown Band. 7 p.m. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre. $36.50-$79.50. Visit zacbrownband. com. Sept. 16-17: Alabama Symphony Orchestra EBSCO Masterworks Series. 8 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Visit alabamasymphony.org.
Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Broadway Night at the Cabaret. RMTC Cabaret Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Some of Broadway’s best perform. Tickets start at $20. Visit redmountaintheatre.org.
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