Volume 4 | Issue 1 | May 2016
the
FIRST
step
tainment r e t n e g in d d Bu ay night id r F s n la p t distric crowds w a r d o t s t n e ev By SYDNEY
L
CROMWEL
ainment disge is an entert id R ky oc R s the shopping ow that said he believe n ga am or M ob R trict, own Birmingh te with downt out. t gh ni a y jo area can compe en ople looking to n, as a spot for pe , Robin Morga er th fa s hi ith w s ks rt or A w ge ho id R w e Rocky Morgan, ts s, is part of th en tie ev er op ng ni Pr n an at Morga n, which is pl ct ent Associatio ainment distri & Entertainm ar e ea’s entert th ne of Ju e on ag f nt of to take adva cided to kick mmittee has de ainstay event: m ’s ge id status. The co R s will be Rocky 3 what it hope et to bring som First Fridays. draw. We wan a . te id ea sa cr n to ga t or “We wan new,” M te something ea cr d an re he thing
N
See DISTRICT
| page A26
ula Reynolds from left, Pa t, gh ni ers K ha Leis e of the lead gan are som s and ay id Fr and Rob Mor t rs Fi ky Ridge’s planning Roc t events. nment distric ai rt te en other l. el w ey Crom Photo by Sydn
INSIDE Sponsors .......... A4 City .................... A6 Business ...........A8 Events ..............A15 Community .....A18
What is ‘Winner?’
School House .. B5 Sports ..............B18 Faith ................ B24 Real Estate..... B25 Calendar ......... B26
Solving the feral cat fiasco Complaints of wild felines prompt city officials to act By EMILY FEATHERSTON
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830
facebook.com/vestaviavoice Vestavia High alumnus Carter Spires commands two-night win streak on ‘Jeopardy!’
See page B5
The Class of 2016 As graduation season approaches, some Vestavia Hills seniors share their favorite high school moments.
See page B8
When Cahaba Heights resident Scott Roby walks down his street, he doesn’t see squirrels or birds. He sees cats. The Cahaba Heights area has become the epicenter of a feral cat problem that has led the Vestavia Hills City Council to take action. “It’s really taken on a life of its own,” Roby said. During the past five years, Roby said he and his neighbors have been dealing with dozens of cats in and around their yards and even under their homes. He said he has had cats breeding and destroying ductwork under his house, and his neighbors have had trouble with smells from urine spray and feces. Roby attributes the problem to two houses on the corner of Autumn Lane and Valley Park Drive. He
A feral cat peers out from behind a box on the side of a road in Cahaba Heights. Photo by Emily Featherston.
said the houses appear to be abandoned and are surrounded by trees and shrubs. “The cats live all through there,” he said. “It’s causing them to roam around our neighborhood.”
IT’S TIME TO TAKE A vacation FROM CLEANING.
See CATS | page A25 Proudly keeping homes cleaner and healthier since 1987
871-9338 www.MAIDS.com
Give yourself a break, call the cleaning service most recommended to family and friends.
Referred for a reason.
A2 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A3
FS 38 TRIMMER
16” bar†
www.bobspowerequipment.com Vestavia Hills: 637 Montgomery Highway 205-979-3488
Hoover: 4532 Valleydale Road 205-536-7777
A4 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
About Us Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell Nearly every weekend, I have my camera in hand and I’m out covering an event: a festival or market one weekend, a 5K run the next. I’m technically working — and it feels especially like work when those 5Ks begin at 8 on a Saturday morning — but most of the time I’m having too much fun to mind. These events give me the chance to get out and experience my community, and see the things that, if I had another job, I might have stayed home instead. I get to see some familiar faces from past stories I’ve written and meetings I’ve covered, as well as new people who may be regular readers or may have never heard of the Vestavia Voice. People talk a lot about how disconnected modern societies are, but I’ve never felt more like I’m part of this community than when I’m in the
middle of a farmers market crowd and realize I recognize some of the people around me. That’s why I was especially excited to cover the upcoming First Fridays in Rocky Ridge’s brand-new entertainment district. The inaugural event
will be in early June, but the planning is coming together to create something great for the community. I attended a recent meeting and was impressed with the number of Rocky Ridge business owners who showed up and shared their ideas. We at the Voice can’t wait to see the First Friday come to life, and cover it along with all the other events, news and great things happening in this city. Even if we grumble a little when our alarm clocks go off on those weekend mornings, we’re actually glad to be there, to be part of this community and share it with you and your neighbors.
BEHIND THE LENS By Frank Couch Dogwood blossoms begin to turn as our brief Alabama spring fades and begins to give way to new growth. Members of the Vestavia Hills Garden Club have been busy pruning, cutting and preparing the grounds around Sibyl Temple, preparing for the next round of fl wering plants to color the popular Vestavia landmark. Technical data: NIKON D810, Lens (mm): 52, ISO: 400, Aperture: 11, Shutter: 1/60. Got a question or have an idea for next month’s Behind the Lens? Email me at fcouch@starnespublishing.com.
Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Video Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Sports Editor: Copy Editor:
Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Frank Couch Cherie Olivier Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Kyle Parmley Louisa Jeffries
Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Jon Harrison
Contributing Writers: Kari Kampakis Rick Watson Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Steve Irvine Rachel Burchfiel Chris Megginson Jesse Chambers Grace Thornton
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.
Please recycle this paper.
Please Support Our Sponsors 30 A Realty (B27) Adventure Travel (A14) Alabama Goods (A24) Alabama Outdoors (A18) Alabama Power c/o AL Newspaper Advertising Service (B26) American Pest Control (B18) Anna Lu Hemphill, Realty South (A5) ARC Realty (A27) Auto Oasis Express Wash (A8) Barganier & LeCroy Dentistry (A20) Becky Hicks, Remax Southern Homes (B10) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (B17) Bistro V (A10) Bob’s Power Equipment (A3) Brandy Bradford/ ARC Realty (B16) Bromberg & Company, Inc. (A25) Brookdale University Park (A16) Bruster’s Real Ice Cream (B12) Cabinetry Refinishing & estoration (A1) California Closets (B20) Cardiovascular Associates of the Southeast (B3) Central Alabama Cadillac Dealers (A13) Classic Gardens (B23) Club Pilates (B25) Commute Smart (B19) Construx (B10) Counter Dimensions (A16) Davis Insurance Agency (A10) Dawson Music Academy (B3) Dermatology & Skin Care Center of Birmingham (A6) Donatos (A12) Doorstep Delivery (B18) Dry Clean City (A11) Ex Voto Vintage (A24) EZ Roof & EZ Restoration (B5) Fancy Goods Variety (A19) Frances Knox (B24) Gardner Landscaping (A7) Huffstutler’s (A20) Hutchinson Automotive (B25) Issis & Sons (B9) Iz Café (A25) Jana Hanna, RealtySouth (A7) JJ Eyes (B14) Kidz Closet Consignment (B17) Klinglers Cafe & Catering (B20) Lamb’s Ears, Ltd. (B12) Landscape Workshop (B7) Liberty Park (A23) Manda Luccasen, Re/MAX Southern Homes (A19) Moran’s Rocky Ridge Hardware (A15) Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese (B19) Neurogenx (B23) Noble Bank (B21) Pappas’ Grill (B24) Phoenix Builders (B8) Planet Fitness (B28) Preserve Paints (A23) RealtySouth Marketing (B15) Red Pearl Restaurant (B8) Rocky Ridge Chiropractic Center (A21) Royal Automotive (A28) Sarver Orthodontics (B24) Sentry Heating & Air (B6) Shelby Dermatology (B4) Sugar Sands Realty (B26) Terry Hall Hair Design (A9) The Cook Store (B19) The Maids (A1) The UPS Store - Cahaba Heights (B13) Tom Williams BMW (A17) UAB Comprehensive Stroke Center (A2) United Car Care Center (B13) University of Alabama Men’s Basketball (A5) Uptown Nail Spa (B16) Vestavia Hills Soccer Club (B11) Village Dermatology (A26) Water Drainage Solutions (A9) Weigh To Wellness (B1) Wilcox Communities (A20)
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A5
VERY JOHNSON
BASKETBALL CAMP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
JUNE 1922 | BOYS 718 | OVERNIGHT & DAY OPTIONS
WWW.C OACHA VERYC AMPS. COM 205-348-4111
COACHAVERYCAMPS @IA.UA.EDU
A6 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
City
Council approves purchase, sale agreement for Public Works facility Sewer, rezoning issues still to be resolved By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Vestavia Hills City Council voted to move forward with the sale of 1280 Montgomery Highway to Bama Custard, LLC, the purveyor of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. The Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance declaring the property, which is the current location of the city’s Public Works facilities, as surplus and accepting a purchase and sale agreement. The purchase and sale agreement approved Monday set the purchase price at $1.2 million, with a tentative closing date in January 2017. However, the agreement comes with multiple caveats. “There are several hurdles that have to be jumped,” City Manager Jeff Downes told the Council. Downes said that in the process of drafting the agreement, it was determined that the property has sanitary sewer problems that will need to be fixed prior to any new construction. Downes said the agreement outlines that the $50,000 to $75,000 cost to fix the problems will be deducted from the final purchase prices upon closing. The agreement is also contingent on sufficient rezoning efforts, as well as final determination that there are no outstanding covenants on the land. The city will also need to secure new locations
for Public Works facilities. If there is a delay in the relocation, Downes said the closing date could be pushed back as far as April 2017. If the sale goes through, Alabama’s third Freddy’s location would anchor a multi-retail development, with Bama Custard acting as owner-operator. Downes said this was part of the negotiation to maximize the use of the site, rather than having a stand-alone restaurant. In other council business: ► Mayor Butch Zaragoza and the Council proclaimed Tuesday, April 26, as a Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving in honor of the annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. ► Downes announced that the resurfacing of Wald Park Pool was completed on budget and before the deadline. ► The Council voted to add $24,000 to the city’s turf management agreement to cover mowing and maintenance at the old Altadena Country Club. ► The Council accepted a bid for a comprehensive HVAC maintenance agreement with H & M Mechanical, Inc. ► The Council voted to allow Charles Fletcher of 1600 Gentilly Drive two weeks to reduce overgrowth of weeds and shrubs. If on April 25, Officer Jimmy Coleman determined the problem had not been abated, the city staff would take action to eliminate the problem.
The Vestavia Hills City Council on April 11 voted to move forward with the sale of 1280 Montgomery Highway to Bama Custard, LLC, the purveyor of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. Photo courtesy of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A7
Council announces captain promotions, City Hall updates By EMILY FEATHERSTON
Council member George Pierce listens as the Council discusses the feral cat resolution. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Two Vestavia Hills Police Department lieutenants were recognized by the Vestavia Hills City Council on March 28 as City Manager Jeff Downes announced their promotion to captain. Kevin York and Jason Hardin officially transitioned from their current ranks and duties to those of captain on Friday, April 1, but Downes said he and the council wanted to officially recognize them at the meeting. During the Council’s consideration of a resolution to appoint an election manager for 2016, Mayor Butch Zaragoza announced he will be running for re-election in the August 23 vote. Normally, Zaragoza said, the state dictates that the mayor serves as the election manager, but because of his candidacy, the council voted to designate City Clerk Rebecca Leavings as the election manager. Downes also briefed the Council on technological updates at City Hall. Monday’s meeting was a test-run for audio and video recordings of future meetings, that will hopefully be available on the city’s website in the near future. Additionally, Downes said the city’s guest wireless Internet access went live in the last few days, and is available throughout the City Hall grounds. He added that the IT department is working to determine the possibility of having wireless access throughout
Mayor’s Minute
By Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza I’d like to take a few minutes to thank the Vestavia Hills Beautification Board for its work on Art in the Hills, which was April 9. Anne Boston and the committee did an outstanding job. I thank the artists who participated and showed their work and craftsmanship. I also want to thank those who provided entertainment throughout the day, a large number of
which were Vestavia children. It encourages me to know that we have that much young talent in our school system. Thanks as well to the Vestavia Belles for their participation. I’d also like to thank the students, from kindergarten to high school, who showed their work at Art in the Hills. Congratulations to all the
the city’s public spaces, including parks and athletics complexes. “[It’s] access like we’ve never had before,” Downes said. In other council business: ► The Council approved a conditional-use request for 854 Vestlake Drive to allow James Sumner, owner, to operate an ethics-consulting business from his home. ► A residual rezoning need from the 1992 annexation of 2834 and 2838 Acton Place was approved. ► The Council voted to approve funding for the purchase of two undercover police vehicles for the narcotics unit of the Police Department. ► The Council voted to declare one of the Fire Department’s defibrillators as surplus property, in order for the department to return the unit to the manufacturer for a discount on a new unit. ► The Council approved a resolution accepting a bid for the trail stage of the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex renovation. ► The Council approved an agreement with Jefferson County for elections services for the 2016 municipal election. ► The Council voted, with unanimous consent, to enter into a $10,000 agreement with the Greater Birmingham Humane Society as the beginning of a solution for the feral cat problem in Cahaba Heights.
student winners. I hope this event starts the use of City Hall for events throughout the year. We classify this as our town square, and Art in the Hills demonstrated our vision for providing entertainment here to the city. I encourage you to come up to City Hall on the weekends and enjoy our outdoor space. I’ve already seen families arrive with picnic blankets and packed lunches. In addition to the beautiful outdoor space, we also now offer free public Wi-Fi at City Hall. From a financial standpoint, Vestavia Hills
continues to show an increase in sales tax above our projections for the year. Some of that is contributed by our newest retailers in the city, such as Sprouts Farmers Market. The other areas of business licenses, ad valorem, real and personal tax and new construction also show revenue coming in above our projections. Finally, I’d like to congratulate our graduating seniors at Vestavia Hills High School. We wish them well in the upcoming years.
When choosing a real estate agent, you want an EXPERT! Realtor Jana Hanna is a
2015 REALTYSOUTH TOP PRODUCER and she is ready to work for you!
§ Long-time Vestavia Hills resident § Specializes in buying and selling in the Vestavia Hills home market § More than 20 years of sales and marketing experience § Conducts business with honesty and integrity § Communicates with clients effectively and often § Gets the best possible results, whether you are buying or selling
When you are ready for an expert, contact Jana Hanna! 205.835.6188 § jhanna@realtysouth.com § www.janahanna.com
A8 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Ov er
to n
Rd
Vestavia Hills 18 Street S.
Business Happenings Rosedale Dr
280
28 Ave S th
31
r Rd
oo Oxm
e Av ey
er Ov epe
nd
enc eD
r
Overton Rd
149
sH ng pri
nS ee Gr
ore
esh Lak
2
Dr
459
id
ge
Rd
d
wy
ck
Rd
Ro
est s Cr
yR
149
65
de Sha
7
Cahaba Heights Rd
d
y
La ke R
w Pk re
280
ho
L
Bl
ue
6
31 3
e Av rd
fo Al
4 m Colu
yS
459 Rd Ridge Rocky
d
m
er y
Hw
aR bian
65
5
1 on tg o
W
es ak
M
or R
o Oxm
Rd
Liberty Pkwy
Ind
ll Va
n to
VestaviaVoice.com
Now Open Kool Korner Sandwiches, a popular Cuban restaurant, has reopened at 1360 Montgomery Highway, Suite 106, in the space formerly occupied by Philly Connection. 822-4406, koolkornersandwiches.com
1
Encore Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy has opened a new clinic in Cahaba Heights at 3156 Sunview Drive. 970-2348, encorerehab.com
2
365 Equipment & Parts Direct is now open at 1021 Montgomery Highway, in the back of the building formerly occupied by Party Time. They offer new power equipment, power equipment service, power equipment rental and more. 874-6935, 365partsdirect.com
3
May 2016 • A9 Financial Network’s Chairman’s Retreat, February 22–24, 2016, in Miami, Florida. Chairman’s Retreat — Commonwealth’s highest level of recognition, representing just over 3 percent of the broker/dealer–RIA’s advisor network — is an intensive learning and networking experience designed to support the firm’s elite advisers. 262-1277, thebenjamingroup.biz Iron Tribe, with a location at 1014 Montgomery Highway, has been named Elite Business of the Year by Infusionsoft, a company that offers email marketing and sales platforms to small businesses. 383-4034, irontribefitness.com
6
“When it rains, we drain!”
Hirings and Promotions ARC Realty, 4274 Cahaba Heights Court, Suite 200, has hired Bill Priddy, Dee Mazingo and Heidi Forsythe as Realtors. 969-8910, arcrealtyco.com
7
Coming Soon Developer Shannon Waltchack plans to build a mixed-use development at 3127 Blue Lake Drive, near the Patchwork Farms development. The building will encompass more than 22,000 square feet. 977-9797, shanwalt.com
4
News and Accomplishments
RealtySouth’s Acton Road office, 2409 Acton Road, Suite 137, has hired Janie Robbins as a Realtor. 978-9000, realtysouth.com
8
8 NOT ON MAP
Stuart Benjamin, ChFC of The Benjamin Group, 4924 Cahaba River Road, gathered with a group of leading financial advisers invited to participate in Commonwealth
5
244-1114 Heavy Runoff ? Standing Water ? Erosion Problems? Storm Drainage Clogged ? WaterDrainageSolutions.com
Business news
to share? Now Open Coming Soon
Relocation Expansion Anniversary
If you are in a brick and mortar business in Vestavia Hills and want to share your event with the community, let us know.
Ste 11 inside of Salon Suites
Email dan@vestaviavoice.com
A10 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Chamber
Children’s CEO discusses logistics of Birmingham staple
“
By ANA GOOD Mike Warren, chief executive officer of Children’s of Alabama, spoke about what it’s like to help run what he referred to as one of Birmingham’s best blessings during his talk at the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on April 13. Warren, who has been with Children’s since January 2008, shared the logistical details of what it takes to run the hospital. “It’s an asset to the community that we hope you never have to need,” he said, “but if there is a need, thank God it is here.” Children’s, Warren said, has been a Birmingham staple since 1911 when it first opened its doors. Today, it remains the only standalone, not-for-profit children’s hospital in the state. It is affiliated with UAB, he said, but not part of it — a detail that can be overlooked. The hospital is equipped with 380 beds and bassinets, which makes it rank among the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation based on size. A total of 5,000 employees help run the hospital, he said, 84 percent of them female. Each year, the hospital treats at least 30 patients from every county in the state, 60 percent of whom use Medicaid. Just about half of all the patients at Children’s are younger than six, Warren said. “It’s a busy place for sure,” he said, of the 15,450 annual inpatients and 675,000 outpatient visits the hospital receives. The previous night, Warren said, the hospital received a total of 184 patients, a number he said meant a “slow night.” Children’s now has its own helicopter to help
It’s an asset to the community that we hope you never have to need, but if there is a need, thank God it is here.
Mike Warren, chief executive officer of Children’s of Alabama, spoke about what it’s like to help run the hospital during the April 13Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Photo by Ana Good.
assist in the roughly 425 critical care transports the hospital carries out every year via the skies. “It’s a great blessing,” Warren said of the helicopter, “and at the same time a terrible stressor for parents whose children are on board.” Since his arrival at Children’s, Warren helped create what is known as the “Impact Fund,” a special budget created to help pay for hospital needs beyond normal expenses. To date, he said,
the Impact Fund has helped the hospital purchase an acute dialysis machine for the hospital’s tiniest patients born with kidney disease, a surgical microscope which he referred to as a “Bentley” of microscopes, an epilepsy seizure monitoring machine, two Berlin Hearts and AirStrip mobile monitoring program, among other tools. “These are the reasons we have an Impact Fund,” Warren said as he showed images of all
”
MIKE WARREN
the children who have benefited from the hospital’s technological advances, “the reasons we are so fortunate to do what we do.” Prior to joining Children’s, Warren was chairman and CEO of Energen Corporation and its two primary subsidiaries, Alagasco and Energen Resources. According to his Children’s of Alabama online profile, Warren was born in Texas and is the oldest of six sons. His family moved to Alabama when he was in grade school. Warren attended Auburn public schools and graduated with honors from Auburn University with a business administration degree. He received his law degree from Duke University. Warren practiced law with the Birmingham firm Bradley, Arant, Rose & White for a dozen years before joining Alabama Gas in 1983. He became president of Alagasco in 1984 and was named president and CEO of Energen in February 1997 and chairman in January 1998. Visit childrensal.org for more information.
Patio dining weather is here! 521 Montgomery Hwy. Vestavia Hills 205-823-1505 • bistro-v.com HOURS: Mon-Sat, 11-2 and 5-9 • Closed Sun
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A11
The proposed plan for a park at the former Altadena Country Club. Courtesy of city of Vestavia Hills.
Council votes to buy land for access road By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Vestavia Hills City Council held specially called meeting Monday, April 18 and voted in favor of a purchase and sale agreement for 1.2 acres off of Acton Road. The agreement would pave the way for a public access road from Acton road to the former Altadena Country Club, which will eventually be home to multiple parks and recreation facilities. City Manager Jeff Downes said the need for a westerly entrance emerged after citizens and engineers expressed concerns that using the current entrance would be costly and difficult to upgrade, and the proximity to a S-shaped intersection could be dangerous. The new access road would be closer to Interstate 459, and would also eliminate the need for soil borrowing to support a future residential development. The agreement with International Park
Meisler-Keith, LLC will ultimately be a public-private partnership with a total cost of just under $1.5 million. The phase voted on Monday is for the land purchase agreement, with a price tag of $495,000 for the approximately 1.2 acres of land the road will eventually occupy. Meisler-Keith is purchasing a total of about 40 acres of land to be developed commercially. Because the parcel of land goes through Vestavia, Hoover and Jefferson County and because the agreement involves a third party owner, Downes said the negotiations were complicated, and did not come to a close until last week. While Downes and Council members noted that there were concerns that this item was coming up unusually quickly at a special meeting, Downes said that because the contract closes on Wednesday, the city’s chance of making the westerly entrance happen has a small window.
FIRE DESTROYS 2 BUSINESSES
Vestavia Hills firefighters battled flames at Olde Towne shopping center for several hours early in the morning of April 25. The fire department received a call about the fire around 2:30 a.m., said Lt. Ryan Farrell, and was putting out the last few hot spots just before 8 a.m. There was significant fire damage to Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar as well as Pure Fitness in the shopping center, and Farrell said other nearby businesses have water damage. Photo by Frank Couch.
A12 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Left: Carla Jackson, center facing camera, is a customer of the Sprouts Farmers Market on Highway 150 in Hoover and said she was “enjoying the atmosphere with people clapping and cheering when we walked in.” Above: A Sprouts employee rings up a bag of potatoes. Photos by Frank Couch.
A sprouting development Grocer opens ahead of schedule to bring farm-fresh fare to the Hills By EMILY FEATHERSTON After more than a year of waiting, Vestavia Hills residents finally got the chance to welcome Sprouts Farmers Market to the Highway 31 corridor. The store opened ahead of schedule April 6, and as many as 150 customers woke up bright
and early to be the first through the doors after the 7 a.m. ribbon-cutting. The first 200 shoppers received 20 percent off their purchase, and every 15th shopper through checkout received a coupon book. Customers were also given a free reusable shopping bag. Alabama’s first Sprouts location opened in 2015, and Senior Communications Specialist
Erin Miller said the company is happy to finally be in the area. “Since opening in the Birmingham area, we had Vestavia Hills residents asking for a Sprouts in their neighborhood,” Miller said. “We have been eyeing the opportunity for a while and are excited to bring fresh, natural and organic foods to the area at affordable prices.
“We offer a complete healthy grocery shopping experience that’s like nothing else in the area,” Miller said. Miller said being active in the community is an important goal for Sprouts, and that the Vestavia location will partner with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama through the store’s Food Rescue program.
Vestavia’s ‘hometown pizza joint’ In the fall of 2011, Robert Sullivan knew that he had to own Donatos Pizza in Vestavia. Robert grew up in Vestavia and was looking for his next opportunity after 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry. The little pizza joint on U.S. 31 in Vestavia had always been his go-to place for catering, and when he stopped in one day for lunch, the then-owner, whom he knew quite well, approached him and said, “I’ve been thinking about selling the place and think you would be a great person to turn the business over to!” Robert had not worked in the restaurant industry since he delivered pizzas for Dominos in college at Auburn, but he told the guy that he would think about it. Robert didn’t think long. He looked at the financials and decided that not only was the local Donatos franchise a great business, but it had huge growth potential. Robert took over the
Robert Sullivan, owner business in 2012, and it’s been a success ever since. One thing Robert decided from the start was that his Donatos, which is a chain out of Columbus, Ohio, would be a fixture in the
Vestavia community. Early on, he secured sponsorships for several Vestavia sports teams, including baseball, soccer and football. Robert also, continuing a tradition started by the previous
owner, hosts Vestavia East field trips throughout the school year during which students see how pizzas are made and get to make their own pizza. Customers who are now adults come in to this day with fond memories of their field trip experience at Donatos. This tradition has been going on so long that he recently found “pizza maker” certificates that were awarded to his younger two sons, who are now 24 and 22 years old. For the adults in Vestavia, Robert took the advice of several friends and added both draft and bottled beer, which have been a huge success. He also has stepped up the décor with sports memorabilia from Vestavia, Alabama and Auburn, which both he and his three sons attended. All in all, Robert Sullivan has turned Donatos Vestavia into his dream — the Vestavia “hometown pizza joint.”
PLANNING A PARTY? WE CATER! PICK UP
DINE IN
629 Montgomery Highway Vestavia Hills, Alabama
DELIVERY
205-824-1112 www.donatos.com
ORDER ONLINE
Share your Donatos love!
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A13
Wayne Bagwell lives a couple of blocks from the Vestavia Hills store and was proudly the first customer. “This is a beautiful place, and I am glad to have them as a neighbor,” he said. Photos by Frank Couch.
The nearly 28,000-square-foot facility is part of a greater development that City Manager Jeff Downes said has been in the works for almost three years. “It’s always good to see a plan come to life,” Downes said. “I think it will be a great, unique shopping destination that will serve the residents of Vestavia Hills very well, but also bring people from outside Vestavia Hills to this location. The city worked with GBT Realty Corporation to bring the development to the area. Downes said that all of the tax sources from the overall development, which includes Sprouts, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grille, Supercuts and Jersey Mike’s Subs, would generate up to $600,000 a year in tax revenue. Additionally, Downes said he thinks the development will have a “rising tides float all of the boats” effect for the area and create momentum for other businesses. “I can tell you, from the economic development perspective, we have people coming to us
Sprouts Farmers Market • WHERE: 1031 Montgomery Highway • HOURS: Daily from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. • CALL: 484-0084 • WEB: sprouts.com
every single day looking for opportunities up and down Highway 31 to build new, to build different, to build unique,” he said. For those who live closest to the new store, Sprouts has also cleaned up the area and replaced the empty buildings and patches of weeds. “This is a beautiful place, and I am glad to have them as a neighbor," Wayne Bagwell, who lives just a few blocks away, said. Bagwell was the new store’s first customer, spending $0.74 on a small package of seasoning.
The Sprouts Farmers Market opened ahead of schedule April 6 in Vestavia Hills. The nearly 28,000-squarefoot facility is part of a greater development that City Manager Jeff Downes said has been in the works for almost three years.
A14 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
No need to shy away from this party-pleasing finger food
WHAT’S COOKING
By ERICA TECHO and CHERIE OLIVIER As graduation, engagement and other parties pick up steam this spring, we asked Snapper Grabbers Seafood Market for a favorite finger food. Chef Tim Hughes, who has about 18 years of cooking experience, shared a recipe for cured Hawaiian Hebi Crostini. “I chose this dish because of its elegant yet simplistic nature,” Hughes said. “The uniqueness of the preparation with a fish as sweet as Hebi makes for a summer finger food that is light, tasty and works well for any occasion.” He said one thing he loves about working at Snapper Grabbers is teaching customers how to prepare seafood they may normally shy away from.
RECIPE:
► 8 ounces of Sashimi grade Hebi (or Marlin) ► 2 cups coarse sea salt ► 1 cup sugar ► 3/4 cup ground mustard ► 1/4 cup white pepper ► 1 sprig fresh tarragon ► 1 bunch fresh dill ► 1 bunch of fresh dill (finely chopped) ► 1 English cucumber (finely diced) ► 2 red chilies (deseeded, pithed and minced) ► 1 shallot (finely diced) ► 1 loaf of pumpernickel bread sliced into crostinis ► 8 ounces cream fraiche
FOR THE CURED HEBI:
1. Combine salt, sugar, mustard, white pepper, tarragon and dill into a food processor and blend until incorporated.
2. Cover a cookie sheet in plastic wrap and place about 1/3 of the seasoning mixture down the middle of the cookie sheet. You'll need just enough for the fish to lie on. Place fish on seasoning. 3. Pack the remaining salt mixture onto the top of the fish making sure that the fish is completely covered. Wrap the fish as tightly as possible in plastic wrap and then with aluminum, once again wrapping as tightly as possible. Refrigerate for 24 hours. 4. Remove the fish from the refrigerator, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Slice the cured fish into pieces large enough to cover the prepared crostini. 5. Slice pumpernickel bread in half and butter lightly. 6. Toast bread in the oven or in a skillet until nice and brown. 7. Place the slices of fish on the prepared crostini and top with a small scoop of the cream fraiche mixture.
Chef Tim Hughes said these cured Hawaiian Hebi Crostini were one of his favorite finger food recipes. Photo by Cherie Olivier.
FOR THE CUCUMBERDILL CREAM FRAICHE: 1. Mix finely chopped dill, cucumber, red chilies and shallots together in a small bowl and fold into cream fraiche.
Watch Tim Hughes prepare his Hawaiian Hebi Crostini
280living.com/topics/video
vestaviavoice.com/videos
Awaken Summer with new magic in all four parks!
SAVE 30%* UP TO
on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels! For stays most nights 6/12–8/25/16. Book through 6/10/16.
Plus get an exclusive MagicBand when you upgrade to a room and Theme Park ticket package!
This summer, excitement soars beyond imagination across all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks. Blast into faraway galaxies for Star Wars™ thrills, discover the land of Frozen, join a royal celebration with special Disney friends and behold the wonders of nature in a dazzling nighttime spectacular.
*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room. Additional peradult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Advance reservations required. Offer excludes The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort—French Quarter, campsites, 3-bedroom villas, Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort—The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms. 30% savings for select Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts; lower savings may be available for other Resorts. ©Disney © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. WDW-16-49852
Contact your Vacation Planning agent today! Call: Adventure Travel at 205-380-5500 Email: vacations@adtrav.com Visit: www.adventuretravel.com
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A15
Events Finding opera’s
next star Vestavia Hills Country Club hosts 38th annual vocal competition
By SYDNEY CROMWELL The voices of some of the most talented opera singers in the country will this month fill Vestavia Hills Country Club, the site of the final portion of the annual Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition. Opera General Director Keith Wolfe said this is the 38th annual competition, and it has grown from a local talent contest into a national event. This year more than 120 people sent in applications, making it one of the biggest years yet. The competition is open to anyone age 21 to 35 with varying degrees of opera training or experience. Wolfe said that he worked with local vocal teachers and performers to listen to the applications and narrow them down to 20 semifinalists. Opera Birmingham’s competition benefits both the opera and the contestants who reach the semifinal stage. “[We] identify the next generation of opera stars and help give them a platform to launch their careers,” Wolfe said. He noted that several previous winners have gone on to national opera careers, and top contestants are on the short list to be considered for future roles with Opera Birmingham. The semifinal competition will be held on Saturday, May 14, at Hulsey Recital Hall. Each of the contestants will sing two arias for the judges, which include Wolfe, the director of the
From left: Megan Marino (second place winner), Brent Turner (fourth place winner), Clara Nieman (fifth place winner), Melinda Whittington (first place winner), Lesley Anne Friend (third place winner) and Opera General Director Keith Wolfe. Photo courtesy of Opera Birmingham.
Shreveport Opera and an artist manager from New York. Wolfe said last year, he didn’t hear a single aria repeated. “The first rounds are always for me the most interesting because you hear such a wide variety of repertoire,” Wolfe said. “We’ve got almost 400 years — if I’m doing my math correctly, maybe more — of opera. And in the competition you’ll hear stuff from the very earliest operas to stuff that’s been written in the last 10 years.” Five finalists are chosen from that stage and compete Sunday, May 14, at Vestavia Hills Country Club. The competition is
preceded by a cocktail hour at 6 p.m., and a gala dinner follows where the winner is announced. All five finalists receive a cash prize, including $1,000 for the audience favorite and $3,500 for the judges’ winner. The winner is also invited back to Birmingham to be featured in a special recital. The gala dinner is a fundraiser which helps Opera Birmingham continue to host the vocal competition and provide prizes. Opera members have already been invited, but Wolfe said the public is welcome to request tickets until May 11. Tickets are $175 per person or $1,500 per
eight-person table, and black tie attire is optional. The ticket includes cocktails, a seat at the competition and dinner. Wolfe said that the vocal competition is a treat for opera fans and newcomers alike because of the variety and skill displayed on the stage. Opera singers must also act well to portray the emotion and actions of their arias to the crowd, so the audience can understand what’s happening even if they don’t know the language. To learn more about the vocal competition or purchase tickets to the semifinal or final stages, visit operabirmingham.org or call 322-6737.
Professional Lamp Repairs
A16 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Vestavia Hills resident’s St. Jude Field of Dreams event to raise funds for hospital By ANA GOOD Later this month, Vestavia Hills resident Sophia Schefano and her father, Michael Schefano, will attend the St. Jude Field of Dreams event to celebrate Sophia’s 11th birthday and the hospital that helped her live to see it. The celebration, set to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee, will come nearly 10 years after Sophia’s father heard the news no parent wants to hear: At just 2 months old, doctors diagnosed Sophia with retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer. Though Sophia had been developing normally by all accounts, Schefano and the rest of the family grew uneasy every time they photographed baby Sophia. In every picture, Sophia’s left eye looked white. At Sophia’s grandmother’s suggestion, the family took Sophia to one of the top local eye doctors. Within minutes, Sophia’s diagnosis was clear: Sophia’s eye looked white in pictures, doctors said, because the flash from the camera reflected off of the tumor in her eye. Almost immediately, Sophia’s family made their way to St. Jude in Memphis, where doctors began treatment that included chemotherapy, radiation therapy and corrective surgery. The May 7 fundraising event began as an idea that Schefano, the owner of Hollywood Imports in Vestavia Hills, had just over two years ago. It’s his way of giving back to the hospital that saved his daughter’s life. Sophia remains cancer-free. “St. Jude just doesn’t have the feel of a hospital,” Schefano said. “There’s more to it than that. It puts not only the kids, but the parents at ease. They care.” Sophia still makes regular trips to St. Jude for checkups, now on a yearly basis. “We’ll always be St. Jude patients,” Schefano said. It was on one of those recent visits to the
Above: Molly Fielding, Michael Schefano and Sophia Schefano. Below: Jason, Cole and Lisa Tanner. Photos by Karim Shamsi-Basha. Emily, Slade and Josh Anderson pose at the Grand Bohemian Hotel. Photo by Ana Good.
hospital that Schefano first started taking steps to give back. His girlfriend, Molly Fielding, who has been part of Sophia’s life since she was three, reached out to St. Jude for ideas on how they could give back. Fielding, who along with Schefano serves as an event chair, said the first St. Jude Field of Dreams event took more than a year to plan. The inaugural event, held at Regions Field, helped raise $101,094 to benefit the children’s research hospital through a silent auction and donations. More than 300 people attended the event, which Fielding said she hopes will only increase this year. St. Jude Field of Dreams will be held Saturday, May 7, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Grand Bohemian Hotel ballroom in Mountain Brook. The event is sponsored by Merrill Lynch and will once again feature auction items including event tickets, travel packages, gift certificates
and autographed memorabilia. Mountain Brook’s Slade Anderson, who is also a patient at St. Jude, will also be honored at the event. After complaining of an earache over a Thanksgiving holiday, Slade, then 6 years old, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2012. Like Sophia’s family, the Andersons made their way to St. Jude to receive treatment. Slade finished his treatment June 9, 2015. Cole Tanner, who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma when he was just a baby, will also be honored at the event. After receiving treatment at St. Jude, Tanner has been cancer free for several years. Tickets are on sale for $125 per person or $200 per couple. Group tickets and sponsorship opportunities are also available. Tickets to the May 7 event can be purchased at stjude.org/fieldofdreams.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A17
Giving back, 1 lemonade sale at a time Annual Lucy & Ruby’s Brainy Day raising resources for brain cancer research By ERICA TECHO Lucy and Ruby Harris started fundraising in support of brain cancer research in 2013. What started as a simple lemonade and cookie stand hosted by the young Vestavia Hills residents has now grown into an annual event, Lucy & Ruby’s Brainy Day. “It’s really exciting, and it did all start with the idea of my youngest daughter,” said Lucy and Ruby’s mom, Lisa Harris. “It was just a casual little thing that she was going to do.” Lucy and Ruby’s father, Scott Harris, was diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer, and they started their lemonade stand to give back to the hospital that was treating him. That first year, the girls raised $3,000 for Wheeling for Hope, a nonprofit that benefits brain cancer research and patient support services at UAB and Children’s of Alabama. Scott Harris passed away in November 2013, and the girls chose to grow the event to help keep his memory alive and provide hope to those
living with cancer. Lucy & Ruby’s Brainy Day is in its third year and has raised more than $30,000 for Wheeling for Hope to date. Harris said she hopes as the event continues to grow, they can bring hope to more families and help create a greater sense of community. “This provides an opportunity for people to get involved,” she said. “The awareness, for me, of brain cancer is just as important as the fundraising, maybe even more so.” The event is held in May every year, in recognition of Brain Cancer Awareness Month. It will be held May 7 at Mountain Brook Community Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be food, live music, a silent auction, games, activities, prizes and free cookies and lemonade. Donations will be accepted upon entry to the event. There will also be T-shirts for sale, and $5 from each T-shirt purchased will go toward research. All proceeds from the silent auction, a pre-event online auction and online donations will go toward research as well.
John Wilson Dorlon and Ashton Pate at the 2015 Lucy & Ruby’s Brainy Day. Photo courtesy of Lisa Harris.
This year, Hoover resident Matt Anderson and his two daughters are partnering with the cause. Anderson’s wife, Gretchen Anderson, passed away from brain cancer in July 2015, and they plan to have a “Go Grey for Gretchen” booth set up at the event. “Brain cancer doesn’t get a lot of attention, so this event is a great way to help increase awareness in the community and give back,” Anderson said. “My daughters and I are excited about being involved this year and partnering with Lucy and Ruby.” This year, they plan to personally reach out to more families and individuals affected by brain cancer, Lisa Harris said. “It’s more about creating a sense of community
Lucy & Ruby’s Brainy Day • WHEN: May 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. • WHERE: Mountain Brook Community Church • COST: Donations accepted on entry • WEB: lucyandruby.com
with people who have been impacted because brain cancer isn’t something that really gets attention,” she said. For more information, visit lucyandruby.com.
A18 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Community
A new respect for the fallen Vestavia Hills firefighters participate in 9/11 stair climb in New York By SYDNEY CROMWELL Three members of the Vestavia Hills Fire Department traveled to New York City in March to honor fellow firefighters who gave their lives in service Sept. 11, 2001. David Koski, Station 3 — Rocky Ridge, and Adrian Millican and Chris Slavich, Station 4 — Liberty Park, were among 343 firefighters from around the world who climbed the 72 floors of World Trade Center 4. Each firefighter wore their full gear, as well as a badge around their neck with the picture and information of a firefighter who died on 9/11. “The experience was amazing,” Millican said. “I gained a whole new respect for those guys and those people who came together [on 9/11].” Climbing up 72 flights of stairs was challenging, but Millican completed the climb in just under 17 minutes. He frequently competes in firefighter combat challenges, which include a stair-climbing element. “At about 50 floors, it got to the point where you had the breathing, the legs, the muscles and the heat inside the suit became a factor,” Millican said. “You had to keep your head down and keep working.” At the top, Millican said he felt a mixture of awe at the view over the city and relief that he did not have to climb anymore. “It was pretty surreal to look down and realize you climbed that high,” Millican said. The three firefighters were in New York City from March 11-13. They had the chance to visit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Rockefeller Center, Times Square and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Millican said they also visited the World Trade Center memorial and the observatory in the new One World Trade Center. “We saw quite a bit while we were there,” Millican said. Millican said he and his fellow firefighters were glad to have the support of their department to participate in the climb. He said he wants to participate again next year and is encouraging others at the Vestavia Hills stations to participate in the climb next year or at least to visit the memorial in New York. “It’s an amazing experience to go up there and see how they’ve rebuilt around there,” Millican said.
Vestavia Hills firefighters Chris Slavich, David Koski and Adrian Millican participated in the 9/11 Stair Climb in New York in March. Photo courtesy of Adrian Millican.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A19
West student receives trip to Disney World By SYDNEY CROMWELL A trip to learn about investments turned into a much better surprise for 9-year-old Emoree Nichols: a trip to Disney World provided by Magic Moments. Emoree is a student at Vestavia Hills Elementary West and had surgery to remove a brain tumor in summer 2015. The weeklong vacation for Emoree, her parents and two brothers was funded by Merrill Lynch’s office at Brookwood Village. Emoree was told she was coming to Merrill Lynch on March 29 to learn about finances and investing, but instead a group of employees came in with balloons, a “Frozen” character cutout and a sign that said, “You’re going to Disney World!” After the announcement, Emoree kept turning to her mom, Aimee, to ask if it was really happening. “She’s too excited to eat the cake,” Aimee said as the family and Merrill Lynch employees enjoyed a special red velvet cake, Emoree’s favorite flavor. The Nichols family will fly to Disney in May and stay at the Give Kids the World Village for a week. Aimee said she and her husband, Will, were the only ones who knew in advance. They were afraid to tell Emoree’s grandparents or even her brothers Parrish and Sims, in case they accidentally shared the secret. It wasn’t easy to keep the secret. Aimee said a few times her children almost caught her researching Disney World or asking questions about what they’d like to see at the amusement park. Aimee said she’s looking forward to the chance to be together and enjoy a week without any medical worries. “[It’s] us as a family having our first vacation since her surgery,” Aimee said. Emoree said she’s looking forward to “getting to see all the characters,” including some of her favorites: Cinderella, Peter Pan and Mickey Mouse. Throughout the month of March, Merrill Lynch raised over $7,000 through individual donations and corporate matching. Magic Moments Executive Director Joyce Spielberger said that since it only takes $4,500 to send the Nichols family to Disney, the leftover money will be spent on another child’s Magic Moment. Spielberger said a few employees have also expressed interest in volunteering with the organization. Merrill Lynch was the pilot company for the new Moment of the Month program, where Magic Moments will partner with a new company each month to fund a child’s Moment. Jon Register, a Merrill Lynch financial advisor and member of the Magic Moments board of directors, helped create the program. Spielberger said Merrill Lynch was matched with Emoree since they were so close to where she lives. “It’s important for people to realize that these kids come from their school, their neighborhood,” Spielberger said.
Above: The Nichols family poses with Magic Moments and Merrill Lynch employees on their Disney trip reveal on March 29. Left: Emoree Nichols and her family celebrate their upcoming trip to Disney World through Magic Moments. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
A20 • May 2016
mother’s day For the
PERSON ON THE GO
Vestavia Voice
gift guide For the
Yeti Rambler 18-oz. bottle $39.99 Its stainless steel construction stands up to the toughest of conditions. The leakproof cap protects from spills. Easy loading, drinking and cleaning in the perfectly sized gift for Mom.
SHOE LOVER
Moran’s Rocky Ridge Hardware 3354 Morgan Drive 979-5444
Alabama Outdoors 3054 Independence Drive 870-1919
Birkenstock Mayari Sandal $89.95 This graceful cross strap sandal with toe loop is the perfect addition to her summer wardrobe. The Mayari sandal is made for all day comfort and style.
For the
MOM WHO CAN’T DECIDE Issis & Sons gift card Any amount available Purchase this gift card, and let Mom pick out what she wants. Issis & Sons Redeemable at all locations: Pelham, Greystone or Vestavia 620-6926
Luxury Ranch Homes from the low $200’s Maintenance-free living with golf course views, just minutes from downtown Birmingham. The only ranch-style, new condominium complex in the area! On-site amenities include a 3,000 square foot clubhouse, fitness center and outdoor pool.
WilcoxCommunities.com
(205) 942-6619
Cornerstones at Oxmoor Valley | 101 Cornerstone Court | Birmingham, AL
For the
JEWELRY LOVER Pearl necklace $100 24-inch 6.5 x 7 mm freshwater cultured pearl lariat with a pear-shaped pearl drop is perfect for Mother’s Day. Bromberg’s 131 Summit Boulevard 969-1776
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A21
For the
STYLISH MOM Tom Ford Edita sunglasses $400 Treat Mom to a timeless, gorgeous pair of designer shades that she can enjoy for seasons to come. JJ Eyes 2814 18th Street South 703-8596
Custom Designed Mother's Day Cakes $24.99
Give Mom an 8-inch round ice cream cake in her favorite flavors. Bruster's Real Ice Cream 1008 Vestavia Parkway 978-2347
For the
PHOTOGRAPHER Juju Bee Frame $46 Mom loves to display the people she loves. Give her a gift she will cherish. Alabama Goods 2933 18th Street South 803-3900
For the
FASHIONISTA Lola Blue Designs purse $190 One of a kind purse, made in the USA. Fancy Goods Variety 2512 Rocky Ridge Road 978-1451
A22 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
The Vestavia Belles pose during April’s Art in the Hills event. Photos by Ron Burkett.
S
Art Hills in the
pring arrived in Vestavia Hills with its annual Dogwood Festival, a community event sponsored by the Vestavia Beautification Board to celebrate the natural beauty of the city. Proceeds from the festival aid in the purchase of trees and seasonal holiday décor for City Hall, the Senior Lodge and the Dogwood Room. The festival included three days of exciting activities including the Vestavia Belles Presentation and Garden Party, Art in the Hills, the spring yard judging and the Dogwood Luncheon.
Art in the Hills patrons browse works by area artists.
Vestavia students’ art was on display at Art in the Hills, with several taking home awards.
Above left: The New Hooteneers perform. Above right: Addie Wright, 10, Asher Wright, 6, and Alice Wright, 3, of Vestavia enjoying some ice cream.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A23
Beautiful kitchens are the heart of your home. And when you buy a new home at Liberty Park before July 31st, you’ll have an extra $6,000.00 bonus to use toward an outdoor kitchen or to add those dream upgrades to our already lavish kitchens. Visit Liberty Park today and take advantage of this very special offer. Limited Time Special $6,000.00 Bonus for upgrades to your new gourmet kitchen or toward an exciting outdoor kitchen.
Hurry! Bonus ends July 31, 2016.
Indoor or Outdoor, every kitchen needs a little spice. How’s $6,000.00?
High $300s to high $600s DECORATED MODELS NOW OPEN (205) 945-6401 | libertypark.com Buyer’s incentive of up to $6,000.00 in gourmet kitchen upgrades or towards the construction of an outdoor kitchen area, Liberty Park Joint Venture, LLP, is applicable to homes built by LifeScape Builders, LLC. Such incentive will be disclosed in the sales contract and included on the Closing Disclosure in the transaction. This offer applies only to contracts finalized by July 31st, 2016 and cannot be combined with any other incentives or offers. The information contained herein should be deemed accurate but not warranted. Liberty Park Joint Venture, LLP, Liberty Park Properties, and their respective builders and agents, are not responsible for errors or omissions.
A24 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Vestavia’s family of flori ts By GRACE THORNTON Jim Orr didn’t have a lot of life plans nailed down on the day his grandfather died. “It was in the late ’70s, and I was living in Chattanooga,” he said. “I came to Birmingham for my grandfather’s funeral, and an uncle of mine came up to me and asked me what I was going to do with my life.” Jim told him he didn’t know. “My uncle said, ‘You have a cousin who owns a flower shop in Fairfield, and she wants to retire. Would you be willing to look at it?’ And I said, ‘Uncle Buddy, I’d be willing to look at anything.’” Jim came back a few days later and spent two weeks with his cousin in Fairfield. And something happened that surprised him. He fell in love with the flower business. “So I quit my job, moved to Birmingham, moved into my grandfather’s house and have been a florist ever since,” he said. Slowly his family moved to the area to join him, and it wasn’t long before Jim, his two brothers and his mother, Barbara Orr, were running three flower shops in the city — the one in Fairfield, one on First Avenue downtown and one in Vestavia, Continental Florist. “But that just turned out to be way too much work, so we ended up closing the other two and focusing on Vestavia,” Jim said. It’s a focus he’s glad they chose. Thirty years since beginning their work at Continental Florist, he and his mother are still going strong in the same location. “We are celebrating our 30th anniversary here,” Barbara said. “It’s worked well. Jim is the talented designer, and I do the other stuff — wait on customers, answer the phone, things like that.” At first, Barbara didn’t work full time in the flower business — she just wanted to dabble in it and learn a little.
Continental Florist, operated by Jim Orr and his mother, Barbara, has been going strong at its Vestavia location for 30 years. Photo by Frank Couch.
“But after a few years, I wanted to get my feet wet and learn more,” she said. So she quit her job as an office manager for a local physician and joined her son in the business. “I love the people,” Barbara said. “We have many who have been customers for 20-plus years.” She and Jim invest a lot in relationships with customers and in the community, she said. They often provide flowers for the local high schools, nursing homes and library. “We try to stay active and try to be participants in the city,” Barbara said.
Moms, Dads & Grads
Visit our showroom in Mountain Brook Village. Shop online with in-store pickup . Complimentary gift wrap. 205.538.7301
Jim also does a flower demonstration the last Thursday of every month for Talk Alabama and often helps with events for Sav-A-Life. “We could tell stories for days of the people whose lives we’ve gotten to be a part of over the years,” he said. For example, he’s done the flowers for the weddings of three former Miss Alabamas. And he’s done arrangements for former first lady Laura Bush. “We’ve had a good variety of work,” he said. That’s kept them entertained. When mother and son started the shop as a family business, they “never thought we would be doing it this
long,” Barbara said. But Jim has always had “a very natural flair,” Barbara said. “He loves to work with brides and customers.” Barbara feels the same way about interacting with clients. “We want to help our customers get as close as possible to exactly what they want,” she said. “We try to run a smooth operation. Every business makes mistakes, but when we do, we try to correct those as quickly as we can.” Barbara loves the contact with people — the customers, but also the staff. “We love each other. It’s obvious. It’s like a family environment, and I think it makes us a little bit different,” she said. “We have people who have stayed with us, not people who come and stay a year and move on.” One current employee, for instance, has worked there since before he could drive, and he’s working on his master’s degree now, Barbara said. “Jim has mentored him, and we feel like he’s family,” she said. “He is just a joy.” And as for the actual core family that runs the business, both Jim and Barbara say with a smile that working closely as mother and son has its pros and its cons. “It’s definitely positive that we get to spend so much time with each other every day,” Barbara said. “We work well together.” But it’s also best when they can go home and leave business talk behind at the store, she said. “Jim is better at that than me — he can turn it off, and sometimes I have to remind myself not to talk about it too much outside of work.” Jim agreed that they try to make some separation between work and life. “We try to leave the personal stuff personal and the business stuff business,” he said. “But we love it. We just enjoy what we do.”
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A25
CATS
CONTINUED from page A1 Roby said at around 5 p.m. each day, 20-25 cats gather near the houses waiting for a woman to feed them, then they will disappear again throughout the neighborhood. “I see a different cat about every time I go by there,” he said. And Roby isn’t the only Cahaba Heights resident who has noticed the cats. Council member George Pierce said the city has been receiving complaints about the cats for a while, but in February the complaints began to increase. Despite efforts by the Police Department’s animal control officer, Jimmy Cleveland, reports of large numbers of cats and their effect on Cahaba Heights continued to come in. “We had some merchants in the Cahaba Heights area that starting complaining,” Pierce said. “They were getting complaints from the health department concerning cats in their dumpsters.” It was at that point, Pierce said, that Vestavia Hills Mayor Butch Zaragoza decided to put together a committee to get the problem under control.
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS
Officer Cleveland, City Manager Jeff Downes, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Ammons and Pierce met with representatives from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) and the Alabama Spay Neuter Clinic to better understand feral cats and the options the city had. “They educated us,” Pierce said. “They were aware of the colonies that we were not aware of. We were all really surprised.” Though they haven’t done a complete data count, the GBHS estimates there are at least three major colonies with more than 50 cats each in Cahaba Heights alone — a population that would only grow if left unchecked. “It looks like a really high number,” CEO Allison Black Cornelius said, based on preliminary observations. Feral cats differ from regular stray cats in several ways, Cornelius said. First, feral cats are completely undomesticated
Feral cats congregate near plates of animal food. Photo by Emily Featherston.
and usually are not social toward humans. “I’m not saying this is a universal truth, because there certainly have been feral cats that people have adopted, but if you come across a feral cat, you will know it,” she said. She said the cats are often skittish, don’t like to be petted and can even hiss or scratch when cornered. This, she said, can lead to a serious safety issue, with at least one recently reported case of a child getting badly scratched. “Young children do not realize the difference sometimes between a feral cat and a domestic cat, so they will chase a feral cat or they will try to pet a feral cat,” she said, adding that the cats will often fight back, and most have not had rabies vaccinations.
OFFICIAL ACTION
When the committee was formed, Vestavia Hills had no formal ordinance related to feral cats or how to deal with them, leaving the committee unsure of how to proceed. After multiple meetings and a public work session, the committee presented a proposal to the Council for a partnership with the GBHS to begin mitigating the problem as soon as possible. The Council voted March 28 to allot $10,000 for a “limited” trap-neuter-release (TNR) program to begin as soon as possible. Once implemented, cats will be trapped by GBHS staff and taken in for evaluation. Cats that are free of disease and major behavioral issues will be spayed or neutered, ear-tipped
No room fee
Rehearsal Dinners
Celebrations
Cocktail Receptions
Corporate Meetings
www.everythingiz.com
and vaccinated. Cornelius said kittens and adult cats with the proper temperament would be put up for adoption. “Our No. 1 goal would be to find them a permanent, safe home,” she said, adding she thinks many of the cats appear to be adoptable. If the cats are not adoptable but are healthy, they will be returned to the wild. This “limited” TNR program is different than a wholesale TNR program, Cornelius said, because they will not be indiscriminately returning cats to the area. “When we say ‘limited’ what we mean is, we’re not just going to pick up every cat, spay and neuter them, and then turn around and release them despite their health assessment, despite everything else.” Pierce said the Council wanted to move quickly toward this program, because the spring, especially the month of April, sees a high volume of cat reproduction. Cornelius said, however, that she and the organization needed to wait until a comprehensive ordinance was put in place before beginning any work in the area. The ordinance offered to the Council mirrors that of Mountain Brook’s, and not only permits and outlines how the city deals with the cats, but also makes it a misdemeanor to feed or otherwise abet feral cats. “This is a two-part thing,” Pierce said. “First, we’ve got to get control of the cat population. We’ve got to start addressing the feral cat issue, but also we’ve got to create an ordinance.” Ultimately, Pierce said that the city had to address the feral cat problem for the public’s safety. “Our concern was for the public as a nuisance and a health issue,” he said, because feral cats are not treated for rabies and can be a threat to both residents and their pets. Roby said he is also concerned about the safety aspect. “If these are feral cats, we don’t want them to have diseases and pass diseases on to our children, on to our pets, to anything else,” he said. Roby added that he and his neighbors are also concerned the cats are attracting coyotes to the area.
Now that the city is aware of the problem, Roby said he is glad to see the Council taking action. “It’s a step in the right direction,” he said. “I think it’s well worth it, because I think it is a major problem in Cahaba Heights.” Others, however, are less pleased.
CRITICS CONCERNED
Susan Schwartz, who is involved with a network of individuals who feed and care for feral cats around the area, said she and others are concerned that the ordinance will do more harm than good. Schwartz said she is a supporter of the GBHS but thinks the current plan, as well as the ordinance, is counterproductive to the goal of helping the animals. She said her main concerns are that the GBHS won’t be able to socialize the cats, and that more than anticipated would be euthanized for aggressive behavior that is mistaken for disease. “The problem with feral cats is, they’re not socialized,” she said. “The minute they put them in the cage, they’re going to get stressed out, and they’re going to euthanize them.” She said she is also concerned with the section of the ordinance that would outlaw caretaking of the cats that are returned to the area. One thing both sides of the issue can agree on is that the best way to keep this kind of situation from coming up again is to make sure pet owners spay or neuter their pets. “We have been trying forever to try to educate people on spay and neuter,” Schwartz said, and recommended those who believe the procedures to be cost-prohibitive to seek out various organizations that will treat pets for a reduced cost. While education will help the problem in the long run, Cornelius said something needs to be done immediately. “I’m really concerned that, if we don’t get in there and do this quickly there are going to be people who take this matter into their own hands,” she said, and said there has already been at least one instance of this occurring. Pierce agreed, and said the city still needs to take action to mitigate the problem in the near future. “It will not solve itself,” he said.
A26 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
MAP OF EVENTS* Rocky Ridge Square Shopping Center
PARKING Morgan Drive
Children’s area, performance artists, possibly vendors
Wells Fargo Bank
Andy’s Landscape Services Artists Inc.
Moe’s BBQ
Ridgedale Drive
Countrywood Trace
Rocky Ridge Shell Station
The Ridge
Napa Auto Care
LOCAL ATTRACTION
First Fridays will be a monthly evening event to bring out shoppers and diners from Vestavia Hills and beyond. Morgan said live music will be one of the principal attractions as well as vendors selling art and homemade products. Rocky Ridge businesses also can choose to stay open late and set up their own outdoor displays. “We’re concentrating on vendors, to be honest, that don’t necessarily compete with our brick-and-mortar stores here. We don’t want to step on anybody’s toes,” Morgan said. “We want this to be a benefit to all. And we’re hoping that we’re able to create that.” Reynolds said Artists Incorporated will host several of its members to sell their work and give
Mountain Chapel United Methodist
Rocky Ridge Road
Paula Reynolds of Artists Incorporated and Leisha Knight of Morgan Dentistry also are leading the association’s efforts. They, along with Morgan and others, began throwing around ideas for the entertainment district even before the council approved it last October. Meetings with Rocky Ridge businesses and residents began in January, and the idea of First Fridays began to take shape. “The response, for the most part, from the community and from tenants is really excited,” Morgan said. “We’re very fortunate that we have a lot of people who are kind of getting behind this, and we’re confident it should be a lot of fun.” An entertainment district is exceptional in that patrons can take an open alcoholic beverage from the restaurant where they bought it and drink it outdoors in the district, as long as the drink is in a specially marked cup and the patrons do not enter another restaurant licensed to sell alcohol. The association is hoping to use this designation to create events where guests can move freely between businesses and outdoor spaces. Reynolds mentioned the possibility of creating an event around Slide the City’s June 25 arrival or setting up an inflatable movie screen one night.
es Cree k
CONTINUED from page A1
Little Sh ad
DISTRICT
Glen Cove
LEGEND:
Entertainment District
demonstrations. Knight, a former performer with Cirque du Soleil and other circuses, is in charge of bringing in performing artists for additional entertainment. She said she plans to bring in artists to perform in aerial silks, partner acrobatics, juggling and hoop dancers, as well as a children’s circus area. Knight said she wants to use this as an opportunity for new artists to have
Live music, entertainment
an audience. “Right now, it’s going to be fun and exploratory,” she said. Other possible attractions they mentioned included hula hoop and acrobatic “jams” at pH Balanced Fitness, games at Morgan Dentistry, pet adoptions, children’s activities and a fashion truck. The Vestavia Hills Library is also on board
C H A N G E yo ur T O N E
Vendors
*Map as of April. Layout subject to change.
to participate. Based on research Reynolds has done on First Fridays in Florence and other Alabama cities, Rocky Ridge’s restaurants will likely be the first to see an increase in business from the event and the entertainment district in general. Because of this, Morgan said, a couple of restaurants are taking on the initial cost of
When problem areas no longer respond to diet and exercise, it may be time for a new plan of attack. CoolSculpting is an effective, non-surgical treatment for removal of stubborn fat around the belly, hips, inner and outer thighs, upper arms and small pockets of fat including the “double chin.” It uses controlled cooling to crystallize fat cells, which are eliminated by the body naturally. The procedure is needle-free and requires no downtime. Join us for lunch and a special CoolSculpting presentation by Dr. Sobera on Thursday, June 2nd. learn more
2900 Cahaba Rd Bir mingham, AL 35223 205.877.9773 villageder matology.net
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • A27
Moe’s Original BBQ is building a new patio area to host live music for First Fridays. Live music is also planned at an outdoor area near The Ridge and on the porch of Artists Incorporated. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
paying for musical acts. Retail businesses are likely to see a slower growth in business as new shoppers are exposed to the Rocky Ridge area. Live music will be on a new patio being built at Moe’s BBQ, an outdoor area near The Ridge and on the porch of Artists Incorporated. The final layout of First Fridays has yet to be decided, but Morgan and Reynolds said they envision it with the heaviest concentration of vendors in the parking lot of Rocky Ridge Square, where Western Supermarket is. These vendors would be stationed along the sidewalk in front of the shopping center and around the perimeter of the parking lot, leaving the center open to parking so people can continue with their normal shopping. “We don’t want to touch the Western’s spots. We want to be able to make sure people can
come in there and carry on business as usual,” Morgan said. The Artists Incorporated property would host more art-specific vendors. Rocky Ridge Square, where Moe’s Original BBQ is, would feature music and a few more vendors. Finally, the Shops at Oak Park, across Rocky Ridge Road from the Western, is likely going to be the spot for the children’s area, performance artists and perhaps a few more vendors.
KNOWN CHALLENGES
There are a number of challenges the Arts & Entertainment Association face when planning the First Fridays, and Morgan said the first few events will require a lot of learning and adjustments. One of the major problems is accessibility and pedestrian safety, since roads through Rocky
Ridge cannot be closed down during First Fridays. The association is working with Vestavia Hills Police Officer Eddie Crim to plan police presence and safe road-crossing sites. Morgan said he is hoping the entertainment district will draw enough crowds to spur more accessibility to foot traffic in Rocky Ridge. “One of the offshoots of this that we are hoping to have is if we do get a draw and people are coming in, enjoying this live music outside, to kind of increase the pedestrian crossings and more sidewalks,” Morgan said. Parking is another challenge, and Morgan said that depending on crowd size, the association is hoping to partner with neighboring churches to use their parking lots and perhaps shuttle people into the district. However, one of their biggest obstacles is making sure that First Fridays stay a family event even with the presence of open
alcohol containers. Morgan said one of the ways they will accomplish this is by carefully selecting the musicians to create a welcoming atmosphere and “to make it into something positive and not turn it into a raging rock concert party.” “We didn’t want this to be something negative,” he said. Knight said that the mood of First Fridays will also shift from an afternoon shopping and family experience when the First Fridays open at 5 p.m. to an evening dining and entertainment experience once the music begins around 6:30 or 7 p.m. It will still be appropriate for families, but Knight said parents can choose whether they want to participate in the later activities. “That naturally will bring in more of an evening flow,” he said. Also, Reynolds said that the police plan to use the first several events as an education opportunity since most vendors and guests will be unfamiliar with the rules in an entertainment district. City Manager Jeff Downes said that the city is supporting the Rocky Ridge business community’s efforts to create entertainment district events. Vestavia Hills can have up to three of these districts, and Downes said that learning from Rocky Ridge and seeing whether it is successful is an essential first step to any conversations about creating more districts. “We need to see how this one entertainment district works and how we can make sure it creates fun, neat opportunities for our residents and those who want to do business in our city but make sure it does not create nuisances,” Downes said. Morgan and the other business owners involved in the planning said they are optimistic about the potential that the district and the First Fridays will have. “I think this can grow. We have all the right stuff at this point. We have the makings of it. We just have to do it,” Morgan said. “Once people come in; they see what Rocky Ridge is; they’re going to come back.” To learn more about Rocky Ridge First Fridays and their first event on June 3, find them on Facebook or email rockyridgeartsandentertainment@gmail.com.
SECTION B School House B5 Sports B18 Faith B24 Real Estate B25 Calendar B26
LIVING
ultimate By SYDNEY CROMWELL
K
elvin Williams likes to stay active on weekends, and for the last seven years one of his sports of choice is Ultimate disc. At the end of February, however, he traded in casual pickup games and local league teams to spend his weekends on the field with a national-level Ultimate disc team. Williams, an accountant who lives in the Cahaba River Road area near Lifetime Fitness, was recently drafted into the Atlanta Hustle team, which plays in the South Division of the American Ultimate Disc League. Ultimate disc, often shortened to Ultimate, is played between teams of seven competing for control of the disc and attempting to get it into the end zone to score. Williams said he enjoys the exercise he gets, as the game involves almost constant running and jumping, but he also enjoys the friendships formed on the field. He initially learned about Ultimate and began playing in his freshman year at Alabama. Before that, Williams said he didn’t know that passing a disc around a field could be an “actual sport with rules or strategy or stuff like that.” He joined the Birmingham Ultimate Disc Alliance (BUDA) and began playing on summer and winter league teams. Two years ago, Williams decided to move to the next level of competition and join a summer club team, the Birmingham Ironmen. The Ironmen play against other club teams in states around the Southeast, and Williams’ teammate Matt
Kelvin Williams prepares to throw a disc during a game of pickup Ultimate disc. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
See WILLIAMS | page B23
. . . g n i m o c s i r e m m u S y d a e r e b u o will y
CALL FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION 205.994.2393
aplanforme.com
B2 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B3
B4 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Living life unfettered with food allergies With help of online community No Nut Moms, Vestavia Hills family adjusts diet, lifestyle By SYDNEY CROMWELL Nuts aren’t allowed in the Cole household. William, 4, is severely allergic to peanuts, and his mother, Carden, said they don’t take the chance on other nuts, either. The Vestavia Hills family’s whole approach to food changed when William had a reaction to a peanut butter sandwich at 1 year old. “He immediately just started rubbing his eyes and rubbing his eyes. He wouldn’t stop and I knew something was just instantly wrong,” Carden said. Carden said doctors at Children’s of Alabama were able to bring down her son’s hives with Benadryl, but at the time she knew almost nothing about food allergies. They took William to an allergist, but Carden said she learned so much more about living with food allergies from connecting with the No Nut Moms Group of Birmingham online. “I’ve learned more from the moms in that group than I’ve learned from any doctor,” Carden said. “We moms do all the legwork for each other to keep our kids safe.” Each family’s approach to handling food allergies is different. For the Cole family, which also includes husband John and 6-year-old daughter Harper, it means that every label has to be checked before they bring groceries into their home. Carden
especially worries about cross contamination, trace amounts of nuts being found in nut-free products if they are made nearby. William goes to a nut-free day care, and the Coles will have to have a special conversation with staff at Vestavia Hills Elementary East when he is older. “There’s never really a down time for mom,” Carden said. It also means passing up on little pleasures. “You can avoid a nut. That’s easy. You can’t avoid a cross contamination. So for us that means we don’t go to bakeries, we don’t get the free cookie at Publix, we don’t go to ice cream stores ... There’s so much risk involved that any chance that nuts or peanut protein could have touched anything. I don’t risk it,” Carden said. Carden said William already understands that he can’t pick up just any food, and asks her to check labels for him. But the Coles also want to make sure their son isn’t cut out of a normal childhood just because of peanuts. When William goes to a birthday party, he brings his own cupcake. Carden volunteers to bring treats in to school so she can make sure there aren’t any nuts. After their friends finish trick or treating on Halloween — a difficult holiday for food-allergic children — the Coles invite everyone over for a party with games
and safe food. “There’s a lot of long nights of making homemade cookies or cupcakes ... I don’t ever want him to feel that he’s different, per se, or excluded because of these allergies,” Carden said. It can be difficult, as Carden said the default way to spend time with friends is around a meal. Also, many people don’t understand how easily William’s nut allergy can be triggered. It’s important to the Coles, though, that William grows up knowing how to handle his allergy when other people can’t be there to help him. “He has to live his life, and I can’t keep him in a bubble. He has to learn how to protect himself and be cautious and be aware,” Carden said. Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) is a national organization that promotes research, education and healthy management of food allergies. FARE’s nationwide Food Allergy Awareness Week will be May 8-14. The No Nuts Moms Group of Birmingham will be celebrating the awareness week early by hosting an event May 6 at the North Shelby Library, 5521 Cahaba Valley Road. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. and includes a viewing of a food allergy awareness video by Kyle Dine. The video includes music, puppets and games to teach children about allergies in an age-appropriate manner.
Vestavia Hills residents John, Harper, Carden and William Cole. William has a severe peanut allergy. Photo courtesy of Carden Cole.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B5
School House
Carter Spires, a 2009 VHHS graduate, was on three episodes of “Jeopardy!” in April. Photo courtesy of Carter Spires.
VHHS alumnus has 2-night win streak on TV’s ‘Jeopardy!’ By ERICA TECHO Carter Spires started watching “Jeopardy!” in middle school, but he did not take the steps to be a contestant until last year. In spring 2015, Spires took the online test to become a “Jeopardy!” contestant and after an in-person audition and test, he was on three episodes of “Jeopardy!” in April. Spires said while he was disappointed to lose his third game, he believes it was when he played his best. “I’m just happy to have done it,” he said. “It was sort of a dream come true to be on the show to begin with, and to have actually won two games was more than I ever expected.” Spires, a 2009 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School and law student at the University of Alabama, said his passion for trivia came around during middle school and high school Quiz Bowl teams. After learning he would be a contestant, Spires said he did not try to learn any more trivia. Instead, he focused on his technique. All contestants receive a click pen that mimics the actual buzzer, Spires said, so he would work on “buzzing in” while watching episodes of “Jeopardy!”. “Since you can’t buzz in while Alex [Trebek] is still asking the question, you have to really practice your timing,” Spires said. Spires said his past experience with Quiz Bowl meant he was comfortable with holding the buzzer, and his experience in theater helped him remain comfortable on stage and under the show’s lights. During the day of filming, there is a large pool of contestants that is pulled from, and there is no set list of who will go next. As one episode ended, Spires said crew members would call out a few more names and get them ready for the next episode. “It was really fun,” Spires said. “It was a really great experience. A lot of contestants say it goes by really fast because they film it in about 30 minutes, so the whole thing is over before you realize it.” Before the episode aired, Spires joked that he would have to watch to remember all of the questions. He said he was surprised to know the answers to some of the questions, including one in a category on flags where the answer was “Fillmore Flag.” “When I saw it come up, at first I was like, ‘How in the world did I know that,’” Spires said, noting that “Millard” was mentioned in the
“
It was a really great experience. A lot of contestants say it goes by really fast because they film it in about 0 minutes, so the whole thing is over before you realize it.
”
CARTER SPIRES
question, leading him to think of former President Millard Fillmore. Being behind the scenes gave an interesting perspective on the show, Spires said. The crew members all helped keep contestants at ease, but because episodes are filmed back to back, it was a fast-paced atmosphere. “Right when the last one ends, they say, ‘So-and-so and so-and-so are going,’” he said. Contestants also have a limited time to talk with show host Alex Trebek. They talk with him during the introductory interviews and after the last question, but Spires said Trebek keeps a polite distance so he does not seem partial to one contestant or another. Although all three episodes were filmed in one day and that may sound draining, Spires said each game goes by so quickly that it was an easy experience. Since contestants only return to “Jeopardy!” if they are invited back, Spires said his run on “Jeopardy!” was probably a once in a lifetime experience. “You kind of come in feeling this is your one and only shot, and you don’t want to make too much of it because two-thirds of people on the show lose their first game,” Spires said. Because his run is over and he no longer has to focus on timing or strategy, Spires said he can go back to being a casual but consistent viewer of the show. “It takes a lot of the pressure off because I felt like when I was preparing for the show I needed to be practicing,” he said, “… but now it’s like the pressure is off and I can shout off the answers whenever I want.”
B6 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
From left: Rahul P., Keene Z., Dexin K. and Yihan Z. The Robotics Team attended two competitions this year. It came in third in Anniston and second in Centre. In the future, robotics team sponsor Pam Hickman hopes to take the robotics team to more competitions on the state and national level, as well as a world championship in spring 2017. Photos courtesy of Pam Hickman.
Robotics team successfully ends 1st season By AMBER RITCHIE Vestavia Hills High School successfully completed its first robotics competition season with active participation. In the upcoming year, VHHS is offering a robotics class as an elective for students in grades nine through 12. The robotics class is specifically designed for students on the VHHS Robotics Team. They will be working with VEX robots and RobotC programming software and will participate in VEX Robotics Competitions. The Robotics Team attended two competitions this year. It came in third in Anniston and second in Centre. In the future, robotics team sponsor Pam Hickman hopes to take the team to more competitions on the state and national level, as well as a world championship in spring 2017. Hickman is in her second year teaching at
VHHS. Her course originated as an information technology and programming vocational course for students called IT Pathway Programming, but has transformed into a robotics team spinoff. “My goal is to let the kids have fun while learning,” Hickman said, “whether it’s a lot of students or just a small, tight-knit group.” Hickman attended school for business education and shifted her coursework from accounting to technology-based classes. She currently teaches Information Technology Fundamentals as part of the high school’s Career Technical Education courses, designed as a college preparatory program for students to explore various career paths. Through CTE, students complete an assessment and their interests are matched with different career opportunities to explore a personal career plan. The courses offered at VHHS range
from business and finance to the medical field. CTE also offers internship and on-site workbased learning opportunities in their curriculum for 11th- and 12th-grade students. “Everything we do is based in technology,” Hickman said. “We all carry cellphones and laptops and tablets — someone had to program that. We need people who know how to code and read code in all fields — not only programming, for marketing, website design and troubleshooting in any career field.” This year, Information Technology Fundamentals taught around 40 students C Sharp, HTML 5, JavaScript, web programming and coding. Eleven students even took the Microsoft Technology Associate Certification for software development, an adult-level professional assessment, and three passed. “Whether college bound or entering the
workforce straight out of high school, these courses are for anyone interested in technology,” Hickman said. “Some kids will use this knowledge in future business ventures and some will attend prestigious colleges.” In the upcoming year, VHHS will also be offering a Java Programming class for 10ththrough 12th-grade students to explore more advanced coding and web programming. Hickman is hoping to recruit Microsoft volunteers to help with some lessons. “I’m hoping to have about ten to 15 students in the robotics class next year and maybe 20 enrolled in Java Programming,” Hickman said. “These classes teach kids to be lifelong learners,” Hickman added. “None of us will ever be experts in technology since it’s constantly changing, but we need to know how to find answers and build off of that information.”
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B7
Youth baseball team donates equipment, service in Dominican communities Reel Life International, a local faith-based missions organization, facilitated a father-son trip to the Dominican Republic over spring break for young baseball players. A group of seven dads and 10 sons collected gear, packed their bags and headed out for a week of extreme “travel ball.” Area members of the team included Vestavia resident and Reel Life board member Tim Smith, Kevin Witherington of Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que and State Farm Agent/Reel Life founder Michael O’Neal. The Vestavia Park System played a role in providing baseball equipment for the several Dominican communities visited by the team. Brooks Souders, vice president of Vestavia Hills Youth Baseball, gathered a load of helmets, catcher’s gear, baseballs and jerseys for the team to transport. Play It Again Sports donated 25 pairs of cleats, and many area families also contributed extra gear. Baseball was a large part of the trip, but the team also focused on community service. Each morning was spent visiting impoverished
Students and adults gathered at First Presbyterian Church to assemble meal packages for Stop Hunger Now. Photo courtesy of Heather Benoit.
villages to minister by distributing food and water purification systems. In order to cover more ground, the group divided up into four smaller teams, each accompanied by a translator. All together, they were able to provide 18 families with a water purification system and food to 30 others. Each group shared the Christian faith as they went door to door. Each afternoon, the group traveled to play a baseball game against a young Dominican team, and kids on both sides were full of fun and enthusiasm. In the first inning of the first game, Conner Witherington made his presence known by hitting one out of the park for a grand slam. Throughout the week, the boys all seemed to enjoy playing each other, and more importantly, displayed great sportsmanship and character. At the conclusion of each game, one of the dads would come forward and share their testimony for all who had gathered. Following the final game of the week, two of the boys stepped up to address to the crowd. Wheeler Smith of Vestavia and Clayton Noblitt of Fairhope each
Young baseball players from Birmingham and the Dominican Republic meet on the ballfield. Photo courtesy of Tim Smith.
got up before the teams, coaches and onlookers to share their faith. Brooks and Elizabeth Sounders are already putting together a team of Vestavia families to return to the Dominican Republic next year. For
more information about that trip, or any others offered by Vestavia-based Reel Life International, please visit Reel-Life.org or email info@ Reel-Life.org. – Submitted by Tim Smith.
Stop Hunger Now hosts meal packing event Members from First Presbyterian Church, Southminster Presbyterian Church and Southminster Day School gathered at First Presbyterian Church on March 12 to pack meals for Stop Hunger Now. In just two hours, more than 100 volunteers packed more than 25,000 meals for those in need. Stop Hunger Now is a national organization dedicated to eradicating and educating volunteers about world hunger. The meal-packing event was
the culmination of a six-month-long fundraising campaign. The meals, which consist of dried protein, dried vegetables, vitamin packets and rice, will be shipped to needy families both in the United States and all over the world. For more information about Stop Hunger Now, visit stophungernow.org. – Submitted by Heather Benoit.
Spend time enjoying your yard, not working in it.
We don’t just maintain. We manicure. Contact us today at (205) 424-0244 or landscapeworkshop.com/residential
B8 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
VHHS By ERICA TECHO Graduation season is here. As the members of Vestavia Hills High School’s Class of 2016 are preparing to turn their tassels and accept their diplomas on May 24, that also means preparing to wave goodbye to the classrooms they have known for four years. We sat down with a few members of this year’s graduating class to discuss favorite moments (beating Hoover High School in football), favorite activities (We the People) and favorite teachers. Here is what a few students had to say. Name: Jackson Robinson Activities: Varsity soccer, We the People College plans: Furman University As he looks toward selecting a college major or majors, Jackson Robinson said he sees the influence of his Vestavia Hills High School courses on his decision. He said he hopes to double major in neuroscience and history or political science,
class of
combining what he enjoys about the hard sciences and government. “I don’t think without my AP History class in 10th or 11th grade or my AP Biology class in 11th grade that I would really have any idea of what I wanted to do,” Robinson said. Robinson said because his parents are attorneys and his grandfather is a federal bankruptcy judge, he has always been interested in law, but his time at VHHS allowed him to pursue other interests through classes and extracurricular activities. He was able to take several AP courses during his four years at Vestavia, which he said helped prepare him for applying to colleges. “Vestavia does a really good job of catering to what students want,” he said. “If you want to have engaging and hard courses, they’re available. I took advantage of that.” Robinson also participated in We the People, a 20-person constitutional law and AP Government class. It was his favorite class from his time at VHHS, Robinson said, and it provided him with a way to learn in the classroom as well as at competitions. “Really, the teachers who teach the class, Ms. [Amy] Maddox and Ms. [Jane] Schaefer, are some of my favorite people alive,” Robinson said. Outside of academics, Robinson also played on the Vestavia soccer team for five years, including playing varsity in his junior and senior years. The team helped him cultivate a group of friends, Robinson said, and benefited him when it came to developing interpersonal skills. “I’ve always thought that team sports are
2016
really a great thing to participate in,” Robinson said. “They give you a lot of insight into working as a team and working with people.” Robinson received a scholarship offer from Furman University, where he said he is “95 percent sure” he will attend. Name: Ching Sullivan Activities: SGA, Habitat for Humanity, debate team, math team, Vestavia Ambassadors, We the People, Indian dancing, Alabama Youth Symphony, youth worship leader at Shades Mountain Baptist Church College plans: Harvard or Yale University When she was in fourth grade, Ching S u l l i v a n ’s family was looking at where they wanted to move. “We ended up choosing Vestavia, because I’d already formed bonds there. They had a very good record of developing students that excel,” she said. “[At VHHS] I’ve gotten to take over 10 AP classes. I have amazing teachers that have inspired me to go into the
profession that I want to go into.” Sullivan said she thanks her We the People sponsors Amy Maddox and Jane Schaefer, AP teachers Virginia Hackney and Linda Rainer, college counselor Oliver Aaron and VHHS’s new principal Tyler Burgess for positively influencing her experience at VHHS. “The passion that teachers have at Vestavia really transferred to me,” Sullivan said. “They’ve really affected me, and that’s something I’m really thankful for.” Sullivan is ranked second of her class and plans to attend Yale University in the fall. “I got in early action, which was honestly the biggest blessing in my life, because I didn’t have to apply to 10, 15 other schools,” she said. Her dedication to academics, Sullivan said, came from lessons she was taught at a young age. She grew up in China almost without parents, she said. Her mother worked eight hours away, so she saw her only once a month, and her father divorced her mother when she was an infant. “My grandmother raised me in China, and she’s my biggest inspiration, but she’s also very disciplined,” Sullivan said. “She enforced the importance of hard work and humility, selflessness, to do what you’re supposed to do while benefiting others at the same time. So that’s why I think I’m so dedicated in school.” Even while she has excelled academically, Sullivan has also remained involved outside of the classroom. She is a member of several school groups, principal oboist for the Alabama Youth Symphony, a youth worship leader in the
Newly Expanded
Lunch specials $5.99-$7.99 Tuesday-Friday 10 am - 3:30 pm Full dinner menu available all day Live Lobster, Crabs, Bullfrogs, Tilapia, and Eels Large Selection of Fresh Oriental Veggies
Market & Red Pearl Restaurant 243 W Valley Ave, Homewood • 205.945.9558 • superorientalmkt.com
VestaviaVoice.com Chinese ministry at Shades Mountain Baptist Church and has performed with an Indian dancing team for nine years. “I wouldn’t want any other life, because I enjoy this life, and I enjoy always having something to look forward to doing,” she said. “I love everything that I do, so it’s never bothersome or burdensome for me to always be so involved.” Name: Clayton Farris Activities: Football, wrestling, secretary of National Honor Society, Latin Honor Society, Math Honor Society College plans: Pre-med at Washington University at St. Louis Clayton Farris said his senior football season left him with a moment he will not soon forget. “This year when we beat Hoover in football is probably going to be one of my most shining memories,” Farris said. Farris grew up in a blue-and-red jersey, and his dad played for coach Buddy Anderson. He has had the goal to beat Hoover High School since he was young. “It’s a long-standing tradition, and since we normally lose, it’s a lot of fun when we win,” Farris said. But the last four years were about more than just what took place on the football field, Farris said. In addition to several clubs, Farris took AP Biology, English literature and composition, calculus AB, government and macroeconomics. During his time at VHHS, Farris said his AP teachers and college counselor Oliver Aaron helped prepare him for the next step in his education. “My teachers all four years, but especially the last two years, have really been invaluable
resources,” he said. Farris plans to be pre-med at Washington University at St. Louis, and he said Aaron’s counseling helped him settle on a university that fit his needs — somewhere outside of Birmingham that he is familiar with as well as a place to prepare him for medical school. “I’ve been encouraged by my family to pursue the highest education that I can get for myself for my whole life,” Farris said. “The biggest thing I’ve worried about is separation.” Although his feelings have not changed in regard to distance from home, Farris said preparation and planning have made the move less daunting. “I’ve just grown more comfortable with the idea,” he said. Name: Andrea Burris Activities: National Merit Finalist, captain of Vestavia Rockettes, yearbook editor, Vestavia Belles, chair of the Relay for Life Survivorship Committee, chaplain for Habitat for Humanity, Youth Leadership Vestavia Member, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society College plans: Undecided In her final year at Vestavia Hills High School, Andrea Burris has worked to collect and preserve memories. As editor of the VHHS yearbook, Burris said her goal is to build something the whole Class of 2016 will want to look back at. “It’s definitely lots of pressure,” she said. “You have to think, ‘What do we want people from what we make to remember 10, 20, 30 years down the road?’” she said. Photo spreads from events where the whole school was involved are some of her favorite
“
May 2016 • B9
The passion that teachers have at Vestavia really transferred to me. They’ve really affected me, and that’s something I’m really thankful for.
”
CHING SULLIVAN
parts of the yearbook, she said. As someone who was heavily involved in VHHS organizations, she said those events were also some of her favorite memories. Burris joined Relay for Life her freshman year, and she said the opening day event still sticks out. She remembers the music, hearing her friends perform and seeing the sky lanterns light up. “It was just a blast,” she said. “It was just, out of all of my moments, that is one of the best memories of our student body as a whole becoming one.” Joining other groups, including the Vestavia Belles and Rockettes, meant she stayed involved in community events. Burris served as captain of the Rockettes her senior year, which she said helped shape her leadership and time management skills. Inside the classroom, Burris said teachers helped prepare her for life after high school
through their guidance and dedication to helping students excel. “As far as preparing us academically, they’ve done everything terrifically,” she said. “They’re really giving you the ability to show off your knowledge to all the schools you’re applying to.” Although she has not decided where she will attend college, all of her options would take her out of Vestavia Hills. As she looks back on her academic career in Vestavia and as she puts together the yearbook, Burris said she is grateful for the opportunities and classmates she had. “I would definitely like to thank them [my classmates] for a great 13 years,” she said. “It’s been so great to get to know each and every one of them. Also, they should know that at VHHS, we’re a support system. They should know that all of their classmates will be here to support them even if we’re not still in the same building.”
B10 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
gift guide For the
PERSON ON THE GO Yeti Rambler bottle series 18 oz. - $39.95, 36 oz. - $59.99, 64 oz. - $89.99 Give your graduate the ultimate drink companion. Keep their drink as cold as science allows and always on the go with rugged stainless steel protection. Alabama Outdoors 3054 Independence Drive 870-1919
For the
FASHIONISTA Krewe St. Louis sunglasses $215 Give your grad a pair of timeless, gorgeous designer shades to enjoy for seasons to come. JJ Eyes 2814 18th St. South 703-8596
For the
TRAVELER Beach towel $32 100 percent cotton Turkish-inspired beach towel. 39x78. Monogramming available. Fancy Goods Variety 2512 Rocky Ridge Road 978-1451
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B11
For the
SOPHISTICATED GRAD Crystal engraved box $28.95 with monogram This engraved crystal box is perfect for any graduate. Bromberg’s 131 Summit Blvd. 969-1776
For the
For the
“It’s Nice to Have You in Birmingham” T-shirt $24 American Apparel. Comes in various colors.
Yeti Rambler bottle $59.99 This 36-oz. bottle is the perfect gift for any graduating student with enough power to keep drinks hot or cold until the last drop.
OUT OF STATE GRAD
Alabama Goods 2933 18th St. South 803-3900
OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST
Moran’s Rocky Ridge Hardware 3354 Morgan Drive 979-5444
B12 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
VHHS says goodbye to We the People program By ERICA TECHO We the People students have met then Sen. Barack Obama, sat in U.S. Representatives’ seats, competed in the committee room from the Watergate hearings and consistently placed in the top 10 in the nation. But after 15 years, the Vestavia Hills High School’s mock congressional hearing competition class is coming to an end. Amy Maddox, one of the sponsors for We the People, first heard about the program when she was teaching at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School. After she was hired at VHHS, she asked to start the program. Jane Schaeffer joined as a co-sponsor in the 2007-08 school year. Students have to try out for We the People, and Maddox said throughout the years, the class has grown more competitive. “I think the intensity of the program grew after those first few years,” she said. “We won state for the first year in 2005, and that set the bar pretty high for future classes. The kids that we have, who try out and join the program, are really dedicated program.” As sponsors of the class, Maddox and Schaeffer hope students gain valuable communication and teamwork skills, but they also hope students step away with a greater understanding of government. “We want them to see how the country came to be, how the government operates today, their role in that,” Maddox said. “We hope to combat the cynicism and inspire them to be a part of positive change.” They also enjoy seeing students who get involved in government and engage students outside of We the People. “We’ve had a number of students over the years actually serve as poll workers, and they really are an inspiration to their classmates,” Schaeffer said, “and I don’t just mean within their class. I mean the school as a whole.” VHHS senior Ching Sullivan said the passion
After 15 years as a class at VHHS, the 2015-16 We the People class will be the last. Photo courtesy of Amy Maddox.
Maddox and Schaeffer have for We the People has inspired her to enter the field of government and law. “They love history and they love this We the People program,” Sullivan said. “They invest everything in to it to make it such a fine institution.” Vestavia’s We the People team has made the top 10 at Nationals, meaning they get to compete
on the third day of the National Invitational, for 11 of the past 12 years. The fact that this is We the People’s last year in the school has pushed students to work harder, Sullivan said. “We’ve gotten second, we’ve gotten third, we’ve gotten fourth and fifth,” she said. “We’ve never gotten first, so we’re kind of like, ‘Alright guys, this is it. We’ve got to put everything we’ve got into this.’”
Preparing for Nationals means working hard past college applications, and Maddox said that is one thing that shows the dedication of We the People students. “They are some of our highest achievers in the school, and they know coming in they don’t get to slack second semester of senior year because they’ll be prepping for Nationals, we hope,” she said.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B13 The Vestavia Hills High School Rebelette dance team performs during the NDA Nationals in February. Photo courtesy of Liz Coleman.
We the People competition results ► 2006: Top 10 finish at nationals ► 2007: Southeast Regional Award ► 2008: Top 10 finish at nationals ► 2009: Second place at nationals ► 2010: Second place at nationals ► 2011: Top 10 finish at nationals ► 2012: Top 10 finish at nationals ► 2013: Top 10 finish at nationals ► 2014: Top 10 finish at nationals ► 2015: Top 10 finish at nationals ► 2016: Check vestaviavoice.com
The decision to no longer serve as a sponsor for We the People was not an easy one for Maddox or Schaeffer. Even though this program will come to an end, both teachers have looked at other programs to benefit students. “Stepping away is so bittersweet,” Maddox said. “We love these kids, and we’re so grateful and humbled by the work that they’ve done and the commitment they’ve made.” As a teacher, Schaeffer said We the People was a way to consistently learn from her students. The fact that students step away from the program and continue their involvement in government and law is something she was proud to take part in. “They don’t do this and say, ‘Yay, I achieved all of this.’ They really want to continue it,” Schaeffer said. “It really inspired a passion for it that hopefully is going to last forever.” Students go on to work on political campaigns, intern at the Capital and keep up to date on political news. The influence Shaeffer and Maddox had on students is greater than they realized, Sullivan said. “They have devoted their lives to We the People, and I don’t know if they’re away of this, but they’ve impacted so many students,” she said. “I think every Vestavia We the People alum I’ve talked to has said this is the most enriching high school experience anyone could have, and all of that goes to them.” The We the People team attended Nationals at the end of April. To see their competition results, visit vestaviavoice.com.
Rebelettes dancers finish 3rd at nationals The VHHS Rebelette dance team won the state championship and came in third in the NDA Nationals in Orlando, Florida, in February. The high school honored them with a pep rally, and team members were recognized at the Vestavia Hills Board of Education’s March 23 meeting. Their story is one of consistent focus
and determination in the face of many setbacks. Despite a torn ACL, broken noses, a broken hand, an almost ruptured spleen and countless knee and back injuries, these hard working girls fought their way to third in the nation. The members: ► Seniors: Adeline Johnson, Ashlyn
Lovell, Catherine Carroll, Ellie Barantine, Harper Coleman, Katie Corona and Olivia Head. ► Juniors: Ally Cross, Daryl Wilson, Hannah Claire Hamric, Jessie Stephens, Katie Genetti, Mary Frances Garner, Rae Brown and Zoe Tenner. – Submitted by Liz Coleman.
VHEW students celebrate ancestries By ERICA TECHO
Students from Mrs. Pierce’s class celebrated the American flag with rhythm sticks and tambourines. Courtesy photo.
Second graders at Vestavia Hills Elementary West celebrated their ancestry, recognized veterans and honored the American flag during a November musical performance. The students performed “In America: We Are As One” in front of a large American flag that was created by former West students following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. During the performances on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, students sang “This Land is
Your Land,” “Yankee Doodle” and “I am Thankful to be an American” for classmates and family members. In addition to singing, students used percussion instruments, sign language and dance movements. The students performed under the direction of West’s music teacher, Trudye Confessore. During each performance, veterans in the audience were asked to stand and be recognized. The performance aimed to celebrate national and personal history, and students researched their ancestry before the performances.
B14 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Keeping teaching in the family By SYDNEY CROMWELL Kimberly Matchen is one of the faces that students at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central see in the front office every day. When they head to Pizitz Middle for sixth grade, those students get to meet another member of the Matchen family in their gym: Katie Matchen, Kimberly’s daughter. Katie is finishing up her first year at Pizitz, where she teaches physical education and coaches girls’ volleyball, softball and basketball. Last year, she worked at Liberty Park Middle for her first year with the Vestavia Hills school system. Kimberly is in her 16th year in the Central front office. Both mother and daughter agree that they’re excited to come to work each day. “I think the easier question would be what I don’t like because there’s nothing I don’t like,” Katie said. The Matchens are former Vestavia Hills residents, and Katie attended the city’s schools through her 2008 high school graduation. Kimberly began working at Central when her daughter was in fifth grade there. Katie was too shy to talk to her during the day, but Kimberly said she still enjoyed seeing her children throughout their day. “[Katie] was totally opposite of her brother. Her brother would love to come in and say “Hey,” Kimberly said. “She was incognito.”
Kimberly and Katie Matchen pose outside Pizitz Middle School, where Katie teaches physical education. Kimberly has worked in the front office at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central for 16 years. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
Even after her kids left Central and graduated from high school, Kimberly stayed because she enjoyed her job more than the “other world” she left, as a State Farm administrative secretary. “There’s just something different about this. Your heart is in it, the kids are just so wonderful,” Kimberly said. Besides Kimberly, Katie’s grandmother and two of her aunts are in education and one of her uncles is a coach. Katie said her family was not what influenced her to be a teacher — she originally wanted to be an athletic trainer — but she felt the same calling. “I just felt the need for it, and I’ve always felt
a passion to coach kids and give back to the sport [softball] that gave me so much,” Katie said. Having already been a Vestavia student, Katie knew that was where she wanted to work. She said she feels like all the teachers at Pizitz are working toward a common goal, and she enjoys the kids she teaches. A corkboard in her office is dotted with notes, cards and drawings from students expressing their appreciation for her. Each day, she sees 541 kids and has “541 favorites.” “It’s been wonderful to our family,” Kimberly said. Being at different schools, the Matchens don’t see each other much from day to day. However,
they attend school system events together, and Katie said it’s great to have her mother’s years of experience working at Vestavia Hills when she has a question or encounters something new. At the end of the day, they also almost exactly understand each other’s stresses. “You don’t have to say much. It’s an understood thing,” Katie said. Both Kimberly and Katie described their schools and the Vestavia school system as a family. For them, it’s just a bit more literal than for most. “It’s cool in the sense of along with that family atmosphere, I really do have a family member working in the system,” Katie said.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B15
VHEW staff and faculty at a teacher appreciation luncheon hosted by West’s PTO Hospitality Committee. Photo courtesy of Alice Elmore.
VHEW shows appreciation for teachers Vestavia Hills Elementary West’s PTO showed their appreciation for teachers during the week of Feb. 29. The week began with breakfast provided by the Room Parent Committee. On Tuesday, March 1, VHEW students brought their teachers flowers
and wore red. Staff members also received treats in the teacher workroom. At the end of the week, teachers were provided a luncheon hosted by the Hospitality Committee. Teachers also received special gifts to take home. – Submitted by Alice Elmore.
Guest author visits VHEW Children’s author and storyteller Atinuke visited Vestavia Hills Elementary West on Jan. 20. Atinuke, a native of Nigeria, shared her colorful books and stories with students and teachers during her visit. Some of her books include “Anna Hibiscus” and “No. 1 Car Spotter.” She read several of her books to West students, sharing stories that focus on her characters’ adventures and family life in Africa. Atinuke’s visit was made possible through collaboration between West’s PTO and Usborne Books & More, a division of the Educational Development Corporation. – Submitted by Alice Elmore.
Guest author Atinuke reads one of her children’s books to Vestavia Hills Elementary West students. Photo courtesy of Alice Elmore.
s, d n a h e k a e sh w e r o f e B s. d n a h d l o we h
At RealtySouth, real estate doesn’t simply equate to hard negotiation and paperwork. For us, it’s more than
Royal Automotive donates thousands to VHHS band Royal Automotive owner Greg Belcher recently presented a $4,860 check to Vestavia Hills High School Rebel Band Director Jerrell Horton. The funds were raised through a Buick Drive for Your Students event at VHHS in December. This was the second year Royal Automotive hosted the event, raising more than $10,000 for the band in that time. VHHS students Ashley Wright and Sidney Kirk received Macbook Pros for their contribution at the event. The one-day test-drive event was Dec. 12, and vehicles available for test drive included the Buick Encore, Lacrosse, Regal and Enclave. For every new Buick driven, $10 was donated to the band, and after 100 were driven, the donation doubled to $20 per test drive. – Submitted by Heather Jeffcoat.
a transaction. It’s the relationship that matters most. For more than 60 years, we’ve been running in the same crowds. If I look familiar, it’s not necessarily because I sold your parent’s home. We live on the same block near the coolest lemonade stand. We fish and ski the same lake. Our children have been teammates for years. Your community is our community. We are proud to be your neighbor. It’s Who We Are.
Royal Automotive owner Greg Belcher holds a donation check with VHHS Band Director Jerrell Horton. Photo courtesy of Heather Jeffcoat.
www.realtysouth.com/welcomehome
Who We Are CLASSMATES V2 ad-VillageLivingHALF.indd 1
4/12/16 7:24 AM
B16 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
State representatives stop by for VHHS visit Alabama Teacher of the Year Jennifer Brown and Rep. Jim Carnes talk with students in a Spanish class during a school visit. Brown invited Rep. Jack Williams and Rep. Jim Carns, R-Vestavia Hills, to visit the school so that they could understand what goes into an average school day. Photo by Erica Techo.
By ERICA TECHO One of Alabama Teacher of the Year Jennifer Brown’s goals is to have teachers be open to visitors at any time. The Monday after spring break, a few Vestavia Hills High School teachers opened their doors to Brown, state representatives and Superintendent Sheila Phillips. Brown invited Rep. Jack Williams and Rep. Jim Carns, R-Vestavia Hills, to visit the school so they could understand what goes into an average school day. “There are so many education bills right now, and I feel like the legislators don’t really know everything that’s going on with schools,” Brown said. Instead of making decisions based on what they think goes on in schools, Brown said, visits could encourage legislators to talk with teachers about potential legislation. Williams and Carns visited several classrooms during the day, seeing the technology and programs used by students as well as participating in class discussions. Brown also encouraged them to ask students questions about what they preferred. Another legislator has tried, and continues to try, to get a bill to increase the emphasis on cursive writing passed, Carns said, so he polled students on the skill. In multiple classrooms, he asked students if they knew cursive, how often they used it and how often they thought they would use it. One stop was in history teacher and Vestavia Hills City Schools secondary Teacher of the Year Lauren Dressback’s classroom. Dressback has a “Leading by Learning” poster outside of her room, which Brown said means she is open to visitors at any time of the day. Brown said she hopes to have most teachers be open to visitors so that other teachers can learn from their methods. Overall, teachers sharing would be positive for education, she said. “The best professional development is just down the hall,” she said. In Dressback’s class, students were learning
about John F. Kennedy and the “package politician.” She discussed how television and media access influenced citizens’ views on Kennedy and his family, and she asked the representatives to enter the conversation. Williams said each politician has their own policy and chooses when they want to speak with media, but he tries to open up conversations through social media and other tools. “We’re in a time where people expect greater access,” he said. “… I think it’s important for the public to know what we’re doing.” Following classroom visits, the group sat down with VHHS Vice Principal Phillip Holley to discuss standardized testing. Rather than rate teachers based on test scores, Brown said they should be held accountable for helping students succeed overall. She said that is one reason she has been working with other educators to create an educator accountability system. “Our primary focus should be how can our
students grow,” she said. “Are we teaching students to learn or are we teaching them to take tests? And there’s a balance [with that].” Another issue with holding teachers accountable to test scores is some students know they will not go to college and therefore do not care about their performance on tests such as the ACT. Brown also showed Williams and Carns a list of several classes and teachers that would be displaced during testing and noted the other disruptions to teaching that testing can cause. “My point is we don’t need any more testing,” she said. “We have enough testing.” Williams said the reliance on standardized testing bothers him, and he would prefer students develop problem-solving skills rather than focus on tests. “I don’t think we teach children how to think, I think we teach them how to pass a test,” he said. “And I think that’s problematic for kids later in life, when they’re confronted with issues
and there’s not an A, B, C or D.” Holley said many changes with the ACT are moving away from questions that require memorization and moving toward more problem-solving-focused questions. “That’s why the shift in [teaching] standards was crucial and needing to change,” Phillips said. “I am a definite supporter of the college and career-ready standards.” Teachers can build lesson plans and expectations around those standards, Phillips said, and students will learn the skills they need to analyze and interpret information. Brown said it is not possible to teach to the ACT because of its focus on analytical skills, and students end up benefiting standards that are aligned with the ACT. Work VHHS does to prepare students for the ACT has also paid off, Phillips said, with students receiving an average score of 25 in 2015. “That is huge, and that speaks volumes about the things you saw today,” Phillips said. “And to me it even speaks to the standards.”
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B17 ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ cast and crew
VHHS presents spring play, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ The Vestavia High School Fine Arts Department held its production of “The Drowsy Chaperone” on March 19. The play represented a collaboration of over 60 student actors, dancers, musicians and stagehands. The play, called a “musical within a comedy,” is a lighthearted look at the early days of musical theater. At the final performance, the lead cast members arrived at the school in costume and driven in a Rolls Royce. They made a red-carpet entrance, flanked by paparazzi. – Submitted by Dustin Helmer.
Left: Cast members of “The Drowsy Chaperone” make a red-carpet entrance on the final night of the production. Above: VHHS students perform “The Drowsy Chaperone,” their spring musical. Photos by Frank Couch.
► Man In Chair: Denver Ammonds ► Mrs. Tottendale: Dina Kasman ► Underling: Jeremy Jackson ► Robert Martin: Joshua Cummings ► George: Chris Jensen ► Feldzieg: Jackson Ulmar ► Kitty: Grace Holley ► Gangsters: Sam Jesse And Kat Walton ► Aldolpho: Christopher Kelley ► Janet Van De Graaf: Jenna Moulder ► The Drowsy Chaperone: Allie Mcmullen ► Trix, The Aviatrix: Caroline Kirkconnell ► Dance Captain (For Ms. Lenhart): Caroline Penfield ► Dance Captain (For Mr. Dover): Grace Holley ► Ensemble (Wedding Guests, Reporters, Staff): Rileigh Arnold, Elizabeth Allegrzza, Lily Burchfield, Mackenzie Black, Brandon Bogard, Hannah Bogard, Lydia Johnson, Jack Kirkendall, Sara Grace Lyon, Caroline Penfield, Arlana Spencer, Greta Wistuk ► The Vestavia Hills High School Jazz Band ► Director: Dustin Helmer ► Musical Director: Gavin Dover ► Dance Coach: Faith Lenhart ► Band Director: Jerell Horton ► Lighting Design and Costume Coordinator: Annie Hackney ► Stage Managers: Mary Ashley Dease and Kara Moncrief ► Assistant Stage Manager: Sadie Sue Long ► Sound Engineer: Jordan Cunningham ► Light Board Operator: Maddy Pyles ► Spotlight Operators: Christian Clark, Audrey Porter ► Running Crew: Eva Gibson, Dillon Harnage, Emily Price
B18 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Sports
Life of hard work setting Abbie Miranda apart By KYLE PARMLEY Mandy Burford saw something in the seventh-grade version of Abbie Miranda. “I started softball in seventh grade and had no idea what I was doing,” Miranda recalled. But the pieces fell into place. Her father, Mark, played collegiate baseball at Birmingham-Southern College and was inducted in 2009 into the school’s Hall of Fame. He called upon his alma mater to set up a hitting lesson for his daughter. That hitting lesson was with Burford, an assistant coach with the BSC softball program at the time. Burford saw all she needed in the middle school kid from Vestavia Hills, brand new to the game. “We started working on infield drills when she was 12 (years old),” Burford said. “She had an attitude, like a chip on her shoulder. You have to have a couple of those pieces to build a team around. There was something in Abbie that I saw that I wanted to build around.” Those instructional times laid the groundwork for Miranda’s future, although she did not realize it in the moment. Burford moved on to Samford University in 2011 and became the head coach in 2012.
Abbie Miranda has the best hands of any player Mandy Burford has ever coached. Photo courtesy of Samford Athletics.
VestaviaVoice.com “I looked at Samford because she had taught me a lot of the things I know about hitting. I just got lucky in the aspect that I had that relationship with her, and it definitely is what sparked my love for Samford,” Miranda said. High school softball provided a taste of success for Miranda, as Lissa Walker took over at Vestavia Hills High School in 2011, after four state championships in 16 years at Hueytown High School. Miranda played for Walker her junior and senior years at Vestavia and admits the team was a little hesitant at first, a common reaction to change. But the Rebels advanced to the state tournament each of those two years. During those high school years, someone suggested to Burford that Miranda would be best suited for the outfield because of her average fielding ability. Burford’s response to that? “I kind of laughed.” In a twist of irony, defense is now the backbone of Miranda’s game, now a junior at Samford. Burford and her coaching staff discussed whether to put her at second base or shortstop before the season, but ultimately decided to leave her at second because of the responsibility and leadership required to man the position, along with the volume of ground balls hit to each side of the field. “She has the best hands of any of our infielders or anyone I’ve coached,” Burford said. “Defensively, I could literally put her anywhere in the infield.” But if there is one thing Burford emphasized repeatedly, it’s that “Miranda’s the hardest worker on
May 2016 • B19 the field.” Burford continued: “She’s the hardest worker on and off the field. She just isn’t one that you can tell no to. She wants me to get madder at her. When she was going through this little slump, she wants me to just chew her out or something, get in her face. She works hard to correct everything she’s doing wrong.” The home run is not the tell-all sign of a player’s offensive game improving, but it is a testament to the work Miranda has put in to becoming a better all-around player. In her freshman season alone, she hit four homers. She doubled that total with four more in her sophomore season. As far as home run numbers at Vestavia go, there are not many to recount. “I hit one home run, against Hueytown. One in four years,” Miranda said. “She knows she’s only got four years at this, so she’s gotten stronger and faster, and her arm strength has gotten better, and she’s hitting the ball harder than she ever has,” Burford said. “Her hitting has evolved, and I think it will keep evolving until she’s finished playing.” Miranda is proud of the family atmosphere that Burford and the players have helped create in the softball program, and one of her goals is to set a strong enough foundation so that remains once she leaves. But there’s one thing that Burford won’t let you forget about Abbie Miranda. “Something she’ll leave behind that I’ll have the biggest role to replace is, Miranda’s the hardest worker on the field,” she said.
Miranda’s bat has evolved since high school, hitting eight homers in her first two years at Samford after hitting just one in high school. Photo courtesy of the Southern Conference.
Offer Expires 05/31/16
B20 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
‘Twin towers’ form elite back line for Rebels By KYLE PARMLEY Some losses are harder to swallow than others. The Vestavia Hills girls soccer team knows that better than anyone. The Rebels were ranked No. 3 in Class 7A in the final ranking of 2015, and had high hopes of a deep playoff run. They knocked off Thompson 4-1 to set up a clash with No. 1 Oak Mountain. The teams played to a 1-1 tie in regulation, and overtime periods were not enough to break the stalemate. Thus, penalty kicks came into play. Five rounds is the standard for PKs, and after that, each round becomes a sudden-death proposition. Oak Mountain would win the shootout 10-9 in 13 rounds and go on to win the first 7A championship, as the AHSAA added the classification before the 2014-15 school year. The Rebels are attempting to put that loss in the rearview mirror, and move forward with a successful 2016 run. “We had a few issues at the beginning of the year with some injuries,” head coach Brigid Littleton said. “You want to see your team improve throughout the year.” One way to measure that success is the Rebels first crack at Oak Mountain since that playoff marathon. The two teams dueled at Oak Mountain on April 4, with the Rebels picking up a big 2-1 win. Littleton has three team captains that she will lean on, in Lindsay Copeland, Abigail Albritton, and Kennedy Hicks. Littleton said of them, “They’re amazing. They’re our team captains. They’re all leaders on and off the field, and I think that’s most important. They’re also respected by their teammates because of the effort they put in practice and the dedication they have to the team, not just to themselves.” Copeland and Albritton form a dominant back line for the team, acting as a wall for opposing offenses to break through, usually with limited success.
Abigail Albritton, left, is one piece of the Vestavia Hills’ solid line of defense. Coach Brigid Littleton said opposing teams hate playing against Lindsay Copeland, right. Photos by Kyle Parmley.
“They’re like twin towers. They’re both very vocal in the back. I would say the difference is their tone. Copeland is going to tell you straight how it is, and Abby might be a little nicer, but she’ll tell you too. They’re very fluid on the field,” Littleton said. “Everybody hates playing against her,” Littleton said of Copeland. “She is very skilled on the ball, which is very beneficial.” That back line also cannot be spoken of without mentioning Lauren Roussell’s name in goal, and Julia Freeman’s alongside Copeland and Albritton. A player that has come on strong is forward Kennedy Hicks, as a playmaker and possibly the fastest player on the Vestavia team. “Kennedy has gotten so much better over the years. She was very undervalued and underestimated at the beginning of the season, and now people are starting to mark her more, which is
good that they’re starting to notice,” Littleton said. One of the ingredients that will set the Rebels up for success this season is the team chemistry. “We’re a very close group. If you have the good team dynamic off the field, and you can get along and mess around, but when you get on the field and you’re still that close, it’s much easier to play with each other,” Albritton said. It’s also a benefit to go up against the top teams in the state on a regular basis, with teams like Oak Mountain and Hoover always being among the top-class teams in Alabama. “So when we go up against all those different good players, it strengthens us. So we’re able to take what we’ve learned against other teams to take it to other teams and beat them,” Hicks said. Each Rebel has a “why.” The “why” is the individual’s reason for playing the game of soccer as a part of the Vestavia Hills soccer
program. When all of those are combined, the team shows and flourishes. “We play our best when we all want it. We go out on the field. At practice, everybody works really hard to get prepared for the games. Our want to win and our want to be competitive helps us in the game,” Copeland said. But more important than the pursuit of a blue trophy is what Littleton instills in the student-athletes throughout their high school careers. “Individual improvement and knowledge. It’s rewarding for me to see someone mature throughout a year and grow as an athlete but also mature in confidence. Ultimately, everything else aside, I want these young women to be empowered and confident for the future. To know anytime there is an obstacle, they can overcome it, and never give up. It’s a life lesson; it’s not about soccer really. Soccer is an avenue to learn,” she said.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B21
Head coach Joel Person, center, is flanked by team co-founders John Killian, left, and Morgan Copes. The trio is prepared to lead the organization in its first season as members of the National Premier Soccer League. Photo by Sam Chandler.
Hammers call Sicard Hollow home for 2nd season as semi-pros By SAM CHANDLER The Birmingham Hammers soccer team will return to Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex for its second season of semi-professional action on Saturday, April 30. The Hammers will host Sandy Springs FC (Georgia) to kick off the 2016 campaign — their first in the National Premier Soccer League. “Last year was a great start. For the amount of time we had to plan for it, it was really, really great,” head coach Joel Person said. “But this year we’ve had a little bit more time, and now we’re actually in the NPSL as a formal league, so we’re really excited to take that next step.” The NPSL is sanctioned through the U.S. Adult Soccer Association. As a member, the Hammers will have the opportunity to compete in one of the country’s top amateur tiers. Founded in 2013, the team played its inaugural exhibition season in 2015. It faced off against clubs from the NPSL and Premier Development League, along with other exhibition squads. Following the successful trial run, President and General Manager Morgan Copes said joining the NPSL was the clear step forward, especially since the organization was equipped with two key ingredients: a top-notch facility and good business plan. “It was just a matter of time before we made the jump,” Copes said. Having assembled a roster — primarily composed of college players and recent graduates — drawn from a pair of open tryouts in March, the Head coach Joel Person will lead the Hammers in its first season as members of the National Premier Soccer League. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
Hammers will compete in the NPSL’s Southeast Conference. They are scheduled to play 13 regular season matches against teams from Georgia, Tennessee and Louisiana. If eligible, they will also have the opportunity to participate in postseason play. “I think our team will take another step forward as far as the quality both on the field and depth coming off the bench, so I’m most excited to see that come together,” Person said. Person and three of his four assistant coaches are holdovers from the 2015 season. They include Chazz Romeo, Zac Crawford, A.J. Robles and Luke Whittle, director of coaching for Vestavia Hills Soccer Club. Person brings a unique coaching style to the Hammers, mixing a direct, old-school European style with the possession-based tiki-taka approach made famous by FC Barcelona. “I believe in possession, but not for possession’s sake,” Person said. “So we’re always going to try and possess the ball, but if the opportunity presents itself to go forward, then we’re going to go forward.” The Hammers will host seven matches at Sicard Hollow between late April and June, concluding their regular season home slate June 25. Copes said he expects the number of spectators, which ranged from 750 to 1,300 per match last season, to surge in 2016. “We definitely see a huge uptick in average attendance,” he said. Tickets are available online or at the gate. Season passes also are available. For more information, visit birminghamhammers.com.
MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS MADE EASY
Your home isn’t just a place to live, it’s an investment and a future for you and your family. We simplify the mortgage process and our goal is to save you time and money.
Apply online today
NobleBank & Trust • 361 Summit Boulevard, Suite 100 • Birmingham, AL 35243
B22 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice Members of the 8U Vestavia Red team, back row, from left: Assistant coach Nick Madsen, Grayson Hudgens, Rosemary Gill, Sarah Gordon, Jordan Madsen and head coach Jason Robinson; front row: Holland Abernathy, Jule McMillan, Ava Robinson and Claire Spooner. Photo courtesy of Jason Robinson.
Members of the Blue Rebels, from left: Hartwell Forstman, Hill Hughen, Cannon Cherry, Coach Greg Cherry, Chapman Newsom, Bo Shea, Clark Dickerson, Jackson Hess, John Paul Head and Benjamin Payne. Photo courtesy of Thersea Moore.
Blue Rebels win NSBA title The fourth-grade Vestavia Blue Rebels took home the North Shelby Basketball Association championship with a 10-1 record on the season. Coach Greg Cherry said the Blue Rebels were a fun team to coach. The team has been together for three years, and they began to jell early in the season. Cherry said their progress continued throughout the playoffs. The team was versatile in terms of the different options of style of play, Cherry added. The team
featured great guards and good shooters, along with the big guys to compete on the boards. The players worked hard for the championship, from the start of practice in November until the ending of a great championship run in the playoffs. Cherry said he couldn’t be prouder of the way the Blue Rebels carried themselves on and off the court and represented the City of Vestavia in a first-class manner. – Submitted by Theresa Moore.
Vestavia Red wins district basketball tournament The 8U Vestavia Red girls basketball team recently won the 2016 ARPA District III basketball tournament. The team beat Jasper 37-0, Vestavia Blue 30-2 and Homewood
Birmingham Track Club explores Vestavia Hills during Spring Social The Birmingham Track Club, a nonprofit running organization that has about 1,200 members in the Birmingham area, hosted its Spring Social on March 26 at the Vestavia Hills City Hall. About 115 runners met for a relaxed social run that varied in distances from 4 to 14 miles. The routes took them behind City Hall, down
and across U.S. 31 to see the views from Shades Crest, then back up 31 to City Hall. “It was a great opportunity to showcase the beautiful, yet very hilly, city and the new City Hall,” BTC Social Coordinator Katherine Dease said. During the run route, runners were on the lookout for pink Easter Eggs that contained BTC
tickets to redeem for gift cards. After the run, the families and their kids joined the tired runners for food, a bouncy house and Easter Egg hunt for the kids. To find more about Birmingham Track Club, please visit birminghamtrackclub.com/. – Submitted by Katherine Dease.
29-6 to win the championship. The team also qualified to play in the state tournament in Gadsden in mid-March. – Submitted by Jason Robinson.
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B23 WILLIAMS
CONTINUED from page B1
Kelvin Williams has played Ultimate with the Birmingham Ultimate Disc Alliance for about seven years, but this spring he was drafted into the Atlanta Hustle national team. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
Smith played for the Hustle in their inaugural 2015 season and was named to the All-Division team. Smith encouraged him to give the 2016 tryouts a shot. “He’s one of the guys, at least around my age, that I’ve kind of learned the most from,” Williams said. “[I decided to] do it for fun, do it for the experience and see what happens.” The tryouts were more intense than he had ever experienced, even at club team competitions. Many of the men he was trying out with had been playing at higher levels of Ultimate than Williams, and for more years. “I’ve never been that sore from one day of Frisbee,” Williams said. “I tried out for the experience, but it was also a challenge. I like challenging myself just to push myself, see if I can get better.” He found out that he made the team in late February and began traveling to Atlanta each weekend for practices. Williams said he’s lucky that the busy season for his job is in winter, and his evenings and weekends during spring and summer are fairly free. However, it got more difficult once the season began on April 2 and Williams had to travel for weekly Wednesday practices as well as weekend games. “I’m already pretty active … I feel like I was in pretty good shape, but at least these first few weeks of practice, I’m pretty tired at the end of the weekend,” Williams said. The Hustle play against six other teams in the South Division, from North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and two teams from Texas. The Hustle is one of several teams in their division that are only a year or two old. “They’re pretty new to the scene,” Williams said. They play 15 games throughout the regular season, which ends in July. Then, Williams said, the top teams compete for a spot in the Final Four in August, where they play against the best Ultimate teams from the West, Midwest and East Divisions. In his first scrimmage game in March, Williams said he realized how different national Ultimate games are to local or regional games. He said there was an audience of several hundred people watching them play under the stadium lights. He said he’s looking forward to continuing that experience, as well as using that first game to drive himself to improve. “I made a couple plays in that game, but also made a couple mistakes, which I guess is better to make some plays and some mistakes than no plays at all,” Williams said. Williams said the Hustle has about 35 to 40 members on its team, but must select a smaller active roster for each week’s game. That inspired Williams to set a personal goal for himself this season. “For each game that I’m available, I want to make that roster. So that’s a personal goal that I’ve set for myself. I don’t know how realistic it is,” Williams said. Learn more about the game of Ultimate disc at theaudl.com, and find the Atlanta Hustle at atlantahustle.com or on Facebook.
B24 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Having a strong character is more important than winning Several years ago, I heard about a fifth-grade boy who showed character during a summer all-stars baseball game that was intense and high-stakes. Both teams were determined to win. The boy, named Michael, made an amazing stop at short stop. Everybody in the stands thought he’d caught the ball for an out, but it was questionable whether the ball touched the ground before landing in his mitt. The umpire asked Michael if he’d caught the ball. The crowd grew silent as everyone leaned in and listened closely. Michael knew if he said yes, he’d be the game hero. His team and their fans would be thrilled. But Michael chose to be honest instead. He admitted the ball hit the ground before landing in his mitt. Immediately, you could hear the crazy parents in the stands grumbling about the call and the missed catch. Michael’s mother, on the other hand, was so proud of her son for choosing to tell the truth. She grew more proud when a father from the opposing team emailed her after the game to congratulate Michael on his honesty. Now, all of us like to win, and it’s probably fair to say that most of us would love to be heroes. And while the desire to win can be good and motivating in pushing us to work hard, be brave and achieve our goals and dreams, it stops being good when it overshadows something more important. Like character. What is character? Character is the way you conduct your life, and who you are when nobody is looking. Character is making a habit of good choices, and practicing virtues like honesty,
kindness, patience and respect. Character is how you treat people who can do nothing to help you. And character is doing the right thing on a small level every day, because these small choices prepare you for those big choices that put your true character to the test. At some point, we all face moments like Michael. In a matter of seconds, we’re forced to choose between doing what’s safe, easy, yet wrong and doing what’s hard, risky, yet right. And if you put yourself in Michael’s shoes, it’s easy to imagine the temptation to lie. It took great courage for him to be honest even though he knew he might disappoint some people and even make them angry. Michael took a risk, but it was a risk worth taking because he kept his integrity. He proved he’s the kind of person who others can trust and respect. More importantly, his choice allowed him to feel proud of himself. It enabled him to feel that deep inner peace we all want and crave. Living in a place like Mountain Brook, I’m surrounded by winners every day. I see highly successful adults raising exceptionally talented kids in this Community of Champions where the bar is set high. In many ways, it inspires me. I love watching people use their gifts to help others, serve God and reach their full potential. With each generation, the standard of excellence gets passed on, which makes the kids of Mountain Brook well equipped to become world changers by the time they leave home for college. What I’ve realized over time, however, is how easily the drive to succeed can create blind spots
in communities like this. Being overly focused on outward success — and overly impressed by tangible signs — can make character an undervalued commodity. Frankly, I want more for my kids. I want them to care more about their substance than their show. How my kids feel about themselves matters far more than whether they look like a big deal to others. And while I want them to strive for excellence, I believe real excellence starts with character. Because it’s not trophies, bragging rights or bank accounts that will make my kids winners at life. It’s not victories that will turn them into a class act. It’s not fancy homes that will lead to meaningful relationships. And it’s not a perfect résumé that will fill the emptiness inside them as they wrestle with who they are and what purpose they were made to serve. Winning is awesome, and I hope every child experiences the thrill of winning many times as they grow up. At the same time, I hope my kids and others learn to value character over winning, understanding that character is really about moral fiber, and when you seek moral excellence first, excellence in the rest of your life will naturally follow. I applaud parents like Michael’s mom and the dad who emailed her, because they get it. They understand how Michael’s character win was a greater victory than being a fifth-grade hero. And what the rest of us can learn from this is to make sure we celebrate the right things at home. Our kids should have no doubt that what thrills us more than them being named Most
Likely to Succeed is for them to earn a reputation of being Most Likely to... ► Comfort a classmate who is upset; ► Stand up for someone being bullied; ► Admit their mistakes and face the consequences; ► Agree to be PE partners with the least athletic person; ► Give money back to a person who just dropped a $20 bill; ► Congratulate a friend for making a team that they didn’t make; and ► Work hard and keep a positive attitude, even when everyone else is complaining. Kids with great character attract friends with great character. The perks of this are obvious. So if we want to launch our children into positive relationships and help them become people who others want to be around and imitate, we must value and cultivate quiet strength. Any child can catch a baseball but only a handful would have the guts to choose honesty over a moment of glory. If you ask me, that’s the sign of a superstar who’s going places in life. That’s the kind of child I hope to raise, and the kind of person I want to be in my own character journey. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Birmingham mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.
All Real Estate is Local... Yet, All Local Realtors are not the Same
Whether Buying or Selling, I Guarantee You Will Be
Sold on Service!!! Contact me for a “Complimentary Consultation”.
205-936-8062 Putting My 26+ Years of Experience to Work for You...
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B25
Vestavia Hills Real Estate Listings MLS #
Zip
Address
Status
Price
747044
35216
1202 Cheval Lane
New
$514,900
746958
35216
2805 Shades Crest Road
New
$569,000
746825
35216
1842 Canyon Road
New
$257,950
746649
35216
3356 Shallowford Circle
New
$157,500
746602
35216
1601 Woodridge Place
New
$874,900
746592
35216
1500 Badham Drive
New
$549,000
746470
35216
3022 Smyer Road
New
$389,900
746388
35216
1812 Mountain Woods Place
New
$295,000
746312
35216
2158 Montreat Parkway
New
$174,900
746257
35216
2208 Comer Place
New
$359,900
746119
35216
11 Berrywood Drive #11
New
$110,000
746078
35216
2596 Crosswood Way
New
$499,900
746140
35216
1529 Woodridge Place
New
$999,750
746073
35216
1630 Panorama Lane
New
$539,900
745872
35216
2283 Lime Rock Road
New
$425,000
745806
35216
2240 Jacobs Road
New
$269,900
745533
35216
312 Sunset Drive
New
$799,900
745449
35216
209 Montclaire Circle
New
$489,000
745306
35216
1788 Indian Hill Road
New
$304,900
745259
35216
3232 Wagon Gap Trail
New
$275,000
Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on April 18. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.
1202 Cheval Lane
1529 Woodridge Place
B26 • May 2016
Vestavia Voice
Calendar
Join us for some Family Fun! SPECIAL
FREE NIGHTS AND
HOT DEALS Enjoy luxurious gulf side accommodations including fully equipped kitchens, private balconies & beach front pools. Efficiencies, 1,2,4, or 4 bedroom condominiums available by the night or week. BOOK ONLINE 24/7
Vestavia Events May 6: Artist Incorporated, First Friday Reception. Artists Incorporated, 3365 Morgan Drive. Wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music. Meet May’s featured artists: Sam Chiarella, Druscilla Defalque, Mary Jean Henke, Joyce Kraft and Will Pate. Free. Visit artistsincorporated.com. May 10: Vestavia Chamber Monthly Luncheon. 11:30 a.m. Vestavia Country Club.
May 11: ROI Professional Networking Meeting. 8:30 a.m. Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. Free and open to professionals. Visit vestaviahills.org.
May 15: 38th annual Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition Gala Dinner & Finals Concert. 6 p.m. Vestavia Hills Country Club. $125. Visit operabirmingham.org. May 15: Birmingham Boys Choir 38th annual Spring Concert. 4 p.m. Wright Fine Arts enter, Samford. Visit birminghamboyschoir.com.
Library in the Forest Events
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Contact Eden Pfaff at epfaff@bham.lib.al.us or 978-4678 or visit vestavialibrary.org May 1: College Planning 101: Camp Workshop. 2 p.m.-4 p.m. College Readiness from ninth-12th grade, covering steps to take at each grade level to prepare for college. For both students and parents. Visit vestaviahills.org.
Family Night).
Historical Room.
Wednesdays: Story Friends. 10:30 a.m. Join Mrs. Lisa for great stories and songs plus a surprise visitor or two. Ages 5 and under.
May 12: Preschool Pals. 10:30 a.m. Community Room.
May 7: Mother/Daughter Self-Defense Workshop. 4 p.m. For ages 16 and up. Learn self-defense tactics from Vestavia Hills Police Officers and certified instructors Call 978-4678 to register.
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.
Kids
Thursdays: L.I.F.T. (Library in the Forest Time). (Except May 12). 9:30 a.m.-noon. Enjoy special play equipment in the program room for preschoolers and their caregivers.
Mondays: Maker Monday. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Work with the electric circuits. Something for everyone, but adults must accompany children.
www.sugsands.com sugarsands@sugsands.com 251.974.1672 | 800.824.6462
$18 advance, $25 late reservations. Network with other chamber members and hear speakers on a wide variety of updates.
Tuesdays: Together with Twos. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Join Miss Cristina for a rollicking toddler time of stories, songs, finger pl ys and movement. Ages 18 mos. to 35 mos. Tuesdays: PJ Storytime. 6:30 p.m. Children’s Program Room. (except the third Tuesday, which is
Thursdays: Book Babies. (except May 12) 10 a.m. A new program just for babies, with small classes limited to 12 each, where we begin the journey toward a life-long love of books! You must register each week. Birth to 18 months. Call 9780158 to register. May 10: Ms. Olivia’s Evening Reads.
Teens 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. May 10: Fandom Tuesday. 4 p.m. Community Room. Movies, crafts and themed foods. May 10: Marvel Movie Night. 4 p.m. Snacks served. Free. May 11: Teen Art Group. 4 p.m. Historical Room. May 15: Minecraft in the Forest. 1 p.m. May 17: Otaku Time. 4 p.m. Historical Room.
Every day thousands of men and women come together to bring you the wonder that is electricity, affordably and reliably, and with a belief that, in the right hands, this energy can do a whole lot more than make the lights come on. It can make an entire state shine.
© 2016 Alabama Power Company
APSA-4313 P2 Alabama 10x7.5.indd 1
4/14/16 4:35 PM
VestaviaVoice.com
May 2016 • B27
Library Events (continued) May 18: Studio 1221. 4 p.m. Make crafts and artwork.
May 11: The A, B, C and D’s of Medicare. 12 p.m. Treehouse.
May 24: Anime Movie Night. 4 p.m. Community Room.
May 12: Cahaba Heights Book Group. 6:30 p.m. The Pita Stop. Discussing “The Lake House” by Kate Morton.
May 25: Teen Writing Group. 4 p.m. Historical Room. Snacks served. May 27: Mario Kart Tournament. 4 p.m. Snacks served. Adults
May 16: Facebook 101. 4 p.m. Sign up by calling 978-4679. May 18: Email Essentials. 4 p.m. Sign up by calling 978-4679.
May 3 & 16: Downloading Library Ebooks. By appointment only. Call 978-4679.
May 19: OLLI Presents: TED Talks: Great Ideas in 18 Minutes. Community Room.
May 4: Microsoft Word Course. 4 p.m. Sign up by calling 978-4679.
May 20: Creating Websites. 12 p.m. Sign up by calling 978-4679.
May 5: Sunrise Rotary Club. 6 a.m. Community Room.
May 23: Computer Troubleshooting. 4 p.m. Sign up by calling 978-4679.
May 5: OLLI Presents: Comparing Harper Lee’s Books and Social. 1:30 p.m. Comparing and contrasting her two novels by Ralph Voss.
May 25: 3D Printing and Design Class. Learn how to use the library’s 3D printer. Sign up by calling 978-4679.
May 6: First Friday Fiber Arts. 10 a.m. Tree House, lower level.
May 26: Friend of the Library Presents: Annual Appreciation Lunch. 11:30 a.m. Community Room.
May 9: Mac 101 Class. 4 p.m. Sign up by calling 978-4679.
May 26: Resume Workshops. 12 p.m. By appointment only. Call 978-4679.
May 10: Windows 10. 4 p.m. Sign up by calling 978-4679.
May 31: YouTube 101. 4 p.m. Call 978-4679 to register.
Area Events May 1: Sixth annual Birmingham Bible Reading Marathon. Southside Baptist Church, 1016 19th St. South. Begins at 6 p.m. Sunday and will continue around the clock until 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 5. Everyone is welcome to read or listen. Reading will be in 15-minute increments. For details or to sign up to read, visit libertypark.org/ biblemarathon. May 1: Southern Bazaar. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. BJCC. Arts, crafts, clothes and jewelry. Free admission. Southernbazaar1@gmail.com. May 1: Springfest. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. St. Patrick Catholic Church, 301 Shamrock Trail, Adamsville. Food, games, plant sale, auction and raffle Visit saintpatrickcc.com/Springfest. May 4: Paul Simon. 8 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. Tickets $59-$129. Visit ticketmaster.com. May 7: Garden Art Party. Iron City. Benefiting Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama. 7 p.m. Tickets are $95 per person. Call 871-1970 for information. May 7: Trussville City Fest. The Mall in Trussville. Celebrating the city’s 36th anniversary. $5, children under 2 are free. Visit trussvillecityfest.com. May 7: Relay for Life. 12 p.m. Briarwood Christian School South Campus, 6255 Cahaba Valley Road. Visit relay.acsevents.org. May 7: The Run for Kids Challenge. Oak Mountain State Park. 12-hour 50K and 10K races beginning at 7 a.m. at the Cedar Pavilion. Visit southeasterntrailruns.com.
Walking Trail. 1:30 p.m. Depart 1:30 p.m. from the DVGWT trail head on Shelby County Highway 41. Contact: Edd Spencer, 205-317-5868. May 18-22: Regions Golf Tournament. Greystone Golf & Country Club. $20-$80. Visit regionstradition.com. May 18: Flicks Among the Flowers. 8 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Outdoor movies. Visit bbgardens.org. May 21-22 Tannehill Trade Days. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks State Park, Bessemer. $3-5. Visit tannehill.org. May 21-22 Great Southern Gun & Knife Show. BJCC Exhibition Hall. May 21 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 22 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Visit greatsoutherngunshow.com. May 21-22 Auditions for Mary Poppins. May 21 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and May 22 at 2 p.m. in the Springville Middle School auditorium at 6691 U.S. 11 (Main Street), Springville. The play offers a wide variety of parts for actors of all ages, including a large chorus of townspeople. Rehearsals will be during June and July. No experience is necessary. May 22: XTERRA Southeast Championship. 8 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. Racer registration $30-$160 plus park admission. Visit xterraplanet.com. May 24: Dave Matthews Band. 7 p.m. Oak Mountain Amphitheater. $65-$85. Visit livenation. com.
May 14: Do Dah Day. 11 a.m. Caldwell Park. Pet parade, music, food and more. Benefiting local animal charities. Free admission. Visit dodahday.org.
May 24-29 SEC Baseball Tournament. Hoover Met Stadium. Ten team tournament. Visit secticketoffice.com
May 14: Spring Walking Tour: Forest Park. 10 a.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. Visitvulcan.com.
May 28: Color Run. Uptown Entertainment District. Promoted as the happiest 5K on the planet. $24.99 presale tickets. Visit thecolorrun.com.
May 14: Mudbugs and Music. 2 p.m. Good People Brewing Company. Benefitting the Arthritis Foundation. $25-$50. Visit mudbugsandmusic.com.
May 28: Memorial Day Trail Race. 8 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. Six and 12 mile races. Visit southeasterntrailruns.com.
May 15: Southeastern Outings Sunday Stroll, Dunnavant Valley Greenway
May 29: Janet Jackson. Legacy Arena, BJCC. $44.95-$125. Ticketmaster.com.
REDUCED