Volume 4 | Issue 2 | June 2016
WING DING ’16:
5th annual cook-off expecting big crowds with move to City Hall By RACHEL BURCHFIELD
T
asty wings, good music and family fun have been hallmarks of Wing Ding since 2011, but this year, Vestavia Hills’ annual event marks its fifth anniversary at a new location. The event, formerly hosted at Vestavia Hills City Center, will be Saturday, June 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Vestavia Hills City Hall. Admission is $5, and children 8 and younger are free. “This year we are excited to host the event at the new City Hall,” said Lilla Hood, 2016 Wing Ding co-chairwoman. “It should be a fabulous new location. It has the amphitheater where our musical acts will perform. Also, the huge green space in the middle will be a great place for families to put out blankets and chairs and enjoy the music and wings.”
See WING DING | page A22 Clockwise, from far left: A team member cooks up a favorite wing recipe during last year’s Wing Ding event. Teams serve wings. Anesthesia Services takes home the 2015 People’s Choice Award. Rollin’ in the Hay will perform again at this year’s Wing Ding. Staff photos.
Representing Vestavia at VidCon By GRACE THORNTON
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830
Like many of her peers, Elizabeth Baker likes watching funny YouTube videos. But a little bit unlike her peers, the Vestavia Hills High School junior didn’t stop there. She started posting her own videos weekly. She built an audience. She
talked with other YouTubers online, then met up with them like they were old friends at YouTube conferences. But it didn’t stop there, either. When an open call came for presenters at a big conference on the West Coast, Baker decided to give it her best shot. “I’ve been to other YouTube conferences, but this is the biggest one there
INSIDE
Elizabeth Baker, a junior at Vestavia Hills High, has her own YouTube channel and has been invited to Los Angeles this summer to meet other YouTube personalities. Photo by Frank Couch.
is. I was planning to go just as a fan, but then they asked for submissions to present at the conference,” she said. “They had a website open for submissions, and I don’t know how many people entered, but it was a lot.” She submitted three of her videos. Much to her surprise, she got picked.
See BAKER | page A23
Sponsors .............. A4 City ........................ A6
Business ..............A10 Chamber..............A14
Events ..................A15 Community .......... B4
School House .......B7 Sports .................. B16
Faith .................... B20 Calendar ............. B22 facebook.com/vestaviavoice
Time to Rebuild Owners of businesses damaged in recent fire make plans to reopen and say community support has been overwhelming.
See page A12
Replacing a Legend Patrick Davis ‘unbelievably excited’ to fill Vestavia Hills boys basketball coach George Hatchett’s shoes.
See page B17
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June 2016 • A3
A4 • June 2016
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About Us Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell With Father’s Day coming up, I’ve been reflecting recently on the male role models in my life. I’ve written about my grandfather in these notes before, so if you regularly read them you know how big of an impact he made on me. Though he has passed away, I still think about whether my life and my choices are something he would be proud of. I like to think so. But my Dad has been just as important in making me the person I am. He’s the person who taught me that nothing — not fear, not gender, not lack of experience — should get in the way of something I want to achieve. He taught me how to ride a bicycle — and a motorcycle, too — and pushed me to give my full effort in everything. Though not all of his lessons stuck
Day gift guide if you want to find the perfect present. If you want to enjoy some time together, read on to find out details about this summer’s farmers markets, Wing Ding, summer library reading and I Love America Day. I hope you enjoy these stories, along with the other features and event previews inside. And remember, take time to celebrate and thank your fathers, grandfathers or father figures this month. They’ve earned it. (sorry Dad, I can’t fix anything under my car’s hood), I wouldn’t have gotten this far in life without a father who was always in my corner. Inside this issue, we have a Father’s
BEHIND THE LENS By Frank Couch
Construction continues at the new Chick-fil A location on the site of the former City Hall on U.S. 31 in Vestavia Hills. Residents and travelers along the busy corridor have watched the demolition and transformation of the property since January and now see the formation of the shell of the popular restaurant.
Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Director of Digital Media: Video Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Sports Editor: Copy Editor:
Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Frank Couch Heather VacLav Cherie Olivier Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Kyle Parmley Louisa Jeffries
Earlier reports called for a June 2016 opening. Technical data: NIKON D810, Lens (mm): 105, ISO: 200, Aperture: 4, Shutter: 1/2500. Got a question or have an idea for next month’s Behind the Lens? Email me at fcouch@starnespublishing.com.
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
Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Jon Harrison
graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. The Vestavia Voice is designed to inform the Vestavia community of area school, family and community events. Information in The Vestavia Voice is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of The Vestavia Voice. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.
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June 2016 • A5
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A6 • June 2016
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City Fire Chief Jim St. John presents to the City Council photos of the finished renovation and recognizes the hard work of the firefighters assigned to Station No. 2. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Mayor’s Minute
By Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza
Council lauds fire station’s remodel By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Vestavia Hills City Council recognized the hard work of Fire Station No. 2 after the crew received an Alabama Remodeling Excellence Award for the station’s recent kitchen and bath renovation. “They made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” Fire Chief Jim St. John said. The fire station was built in 1971 and had not been updated until firefighters took it upon themselves to make the station a better place to be. St. John said everyone who works at the station wanted to make a change, and when he asked if they were willing to help, “there was a resounding ‘yes,’” he said. The Fire Department partnered with Kitchen and Bath Dimensions, but the firefighters at the station did a majority of the labor, saving the city thousands of dollars.
Mayor Butch Zaragoza, who started his fire department career at Fire Station No. 2, said he was happy to see the remodel and thankful for the firefighters’ hard work. In other business, the Council: ► Was updated by City Manager Jeff Downes that the Greater Birmingham Humane Society has trapped 67 feral cats in the Cahaba Heights area. Three cats had to be euthanized for either feline leukemia or cancer, but three other cats were deemed adoptable. The remaining 66 cats will go through the TNR program and be released in a “non-residential” location. ► Was updated by Downes that Charter will commence “re-splicing” cable lines at the future Meadowlawn Park site, with potential outages around midnight for the next week. ► Proclaimed with the mayor that May 15-21 is National Police Week and May 15
is Peace Officers Memorial Day. ► Approved two resolutions to further the relocation of the Public Works facilities, including an agreement with Williams Blackstock Architects to design and bid out a new structure. ► Voted to declare multiple obsolete computer items as surplus property and available for sale or destruction. ► Approved two resolutions allowing for power easements at 501 Montgomery Highway for the future Chick-fil-A. ► Accepted a settlement deal with Bariatrics of Alabama, a former business that closed in January 2016, for $40,000 to settle an outstanding sales tax lien. ► Approved amendments to Ordinances 2530 and 2538 to clarify that infrastructure work done by Daniel Realty Company at Patchwork Farms includes work for the future Patchwork Nature Park.
This month, I’d like to talk about the growth in our city. So far this year, we have given 46 residential and 13 commercial construction permits. This keeps us in line with last year’s record numbers, and we anticipate by the end of the fiscal year that we will exceed them in both residential and commercial permits. Also, looking at the commercial area of our community, we see $40 million in new construction so far. Once again, this keeps us in line with last year, when the record was $51 million. So far, sales tax income is ahead of last year by an increase of close to 9 percent. The top four areas of sales tax revenue are: Out of area, such as building materials being brought into the city, at 29 percent of total revenue; north U.S. 31 at 21 percent; south Highway 21 at 15 percent; and Cahaba Heights at 11 percent. These show signs of great increase in our retail areas, and research shows that with additional construction, our sales tax income should be up quite a bit for the fiscal year. From a financial standpoint, the city’s ad valorem property tax income and business license income have both increased. Progress continues to move forward on the construction at Patchwork Farms. The Chick-fil-A location on U.S. 31 is scheduled to open sometime around July 1, and the city’s work with developers in Cahaba Heights is continuing to move forward. Whether you spend time at the pool, the park, Wing Ding or I Love America Day, we at the city of Vestavia Hills hope you enjoy all that June has to offer in our city.
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June 2016 • A7
City Council approves feral cat ordinance By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Vestavia Hills City Council voted April 25 to approve an ordinance for the management of feral cats. The ordinance allows for the city to partner with another organization for the humane trapping, sterilization, treatment and possible release of feral, stray or otherwise abandoned felines within the city. It also details the penalties for those found to be knowingly feeding, housing or otherwise abetting feral cats. The Council began considering measures to deal with the feral cat problem after multiple residents and businesses began complaining, particularly in the Cahaba Heights area. CEO of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society Allison Black Cornelius was present at the meeting to explain to the Council the measures the group will take to alleviate the problem. Cornelius and Holly Baker, who is also with the GBHS, said they are completely confident that they can effectively and humanely solve the cat problem. Several community members voiced their opinions regarding the ordinance and its effectiveness, as well as their concerns about the details of the GBHS’s plan. Council member George Pierce said that the city has taken the comments from those for and against the ordinance, and that they are working to make the process as humane as possible. “We’ve got to do it in the right way, in a gentle way, but we’ve got to do something,” he said. Cornelius and Baker said feral cats will be trapped, evaluated by multiple members of the veterinary staff, sterilized, ear-tagged and vaccinated before being returned near where they were found. According to state law, the cats must be held for a minimum of seven days, during which their temperament will be evaluated. Stray or abandoned cats that are socialized
Susan Schwartz, who opposed the city’s ordinance, explains to the Council her concerns and the concerns of the Humane Society of the United States. Photo by Emily Featherston.
will be put up for adoption. Cornelius said that photos of all the cats collected will be posted to the GBHS’s website, so any pet owners concerned their cat may have been accidentally trapped can claim them. For more information, visit gbhs.org. In other business, the Council: ► Appointed Lisa Baker to the Board of Education in a 4-1 vote. Baker will begin her five-year term in June. ► Voted to approve a resolution to pay of the outstanding contracts on the new City Hall facilities.
► Voted to accept tax levies from both Jefferson and Shelby Counties. ► Approved a technical, wording amendment to Resolution 4817 to change “per month” to “per cut.” ► Approved electronic vote-counting machines for the upcoming municipal elections. ► Approved a resolution declaring multiple old police cars and a trailer as surplus property available to be sold. ► Approved a request for a power line easement at 501 Montgomery Highway to make
way for the new Chick-fil-A restaurant location. ► Voted to rezone 1280 Montgomery Highway, the current Public Works facility, to VH B-2. ► Approved two ALDOT project agreements: one for the repaving of parts of Columbiana Road and one for sidewalk construction along Massey Road, Columbiana Road and Montgomery Highway. ► Approved a conditional-use measure for a portion of Lot No. 1 at Vestavia Hills Sports Park for the construction of a city operations facility.
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A8 • June 2016
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Prayer breakfast speaker shares triumph from difficult beginning By SYDNEY CROMWELL Liz Huntley was 5 years old when the family life she thought she had was turned upside down — her father was arrested for drug dealing, her mother became addicted to heroin and then committed suicide. Huntley and her four siblings were divided among their relatives and at her grandmother’s house, Huntley was sexually abused by her uncle. Those early years of her life could have crippled Huntley’s growth but, as she shared at the Vestavia Hills Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on April 26, other influences in her life were stronger. The 26th annual Prayer Breakfast, held at the Vestavia Country Club, included a performance of the national anthem by Just Singin’, the high school a cappella group, and comments from Mayor Butch Zaragoza. The mayor thanked city employees and council members, state legislators, local pastors and judges for their community service and attending the breakfast. Quoting Mister Rogers, Zaragoza said when the crowd left the breakfast, it would be a “beautiful day in the neighborhood.” “It’s truly a blessing from God that we have the community we have here,” Zaragoza said. A Bible verse reading by Pauline Parker, the president of Leadership Vestavia Hills, followed the mayor’s comments. Parker chose Romans 5:1-5. Impact Family Counseling Executive Director George Casey, VHHS Student Government Association President Ashlyn Lovell and VHPD Lt. Brian Gilham gave prayers of thanksgiving, for Vestavia’s youth and for the rest of the world.
Liz Huntley speaks at the 2016 Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on April 26. Photo by Frank Couch.
Huntley, the morning’s keynote speaker, is an attorney at Birmingham law firm Lightfoot, Franklin and White, on the Governor’s Task Force for Prevention of Sexual Abuse in Children and on the boards of trustees for Auburn University, University of Alabama School of Law and the Farrah Law Society. She was introduced by Executive Director Sharon Bolden of Children’s Village, a Birmingham children’s group home that Huntley works with. Huntley started her address by saying that she gives credit to God for both the good and bad things that have shaped her life so far. “People always say, ‘You’re so bold about
God,’ because sometimes we feel like we have to be,” Huntley said. “He can take a terrible situation and turn it into something really beautiful.” She added that underprivileged children need community help not only because they have fewer resources, but also because many have the grit and resilience to become great community leaders in the future. Huntley pointed to herself as an example of the effect that early intervention can make. “It’s all about inspiring hope in those who don’t have the opportunities we’re afforded,” Huntley said.
The change in Huntley’s life started with her church preschool in Clanton, where the teachers’ affection drove her to seek their approval through learning. She then went to first grade at a newly integrated public school and the teacher — who Huntley said reminded her of “Wonder Woman” actress Lynda Carter — saw the intelligence and strength in her young student rather than her background. “She spoke hope into me,” Huntley said, adding that the teacher continues to be close to her family. “She was and still is my Wonder Woman.” Struggles with her home life continued through school, but there was always a person in her life to temper the effect it had as Huntley grew up. She remains an advocate of providing quality pre-K education, and encouraged the Prayer Breakfast audience to find ways to impact the lives of young children who need it. “He [God] reaches through the hearts of people to touch you,” Huntley said. After the breakfast, Huntley signed copies of her book, “More Than a Bird.” She said the title came from a church service she attended at eight years old, when she first began to commit to her Christian faith. Huntley recalls the pastor reading Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” A portion of the sales from her book supports Children’s Village. “If he’ll take care of the birds, he’ll certainly take care of his children,” Huntley said. “Because God has given you a little extra, he expects you to use it to help others.”
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June 2016 • A9
School officials to ‘carefully’ study old campus options By JON ANDERSON Vestavia Hills school officials say they look forward to gaining control of the former Berry High School campus on Columbiana Road from Hoover but are not rushing the plans to renovate the facility and open a school there. Superintendent Sheila Phillips said school officials will “continue moving forward carefully and methodically” as they close the purchase of the 38.6acre campus and decide exactly what to do with it. The Vestavia Hills Board of Education offered the Hoover Board of Education $11 million for the property, with $2 million of that coming from the city of Vestavia Hills, and the Hoover City Council on May 16 de-annexed the property from Hoover so it could be annexed into Vestavia Hills. Phillips said in a written statement that Vestavia school officials do not yet know which students the Berry campus will serve, but it’s easy to see the district needs more room for students. Schools such as Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, Louis Pizitz Middle School and Vestavia Hills High School have been operating at capacity for some time, she said. “We believe the purchase of the Berry campus coupled with available
“
It’s still very fluid at this point. We don’t know exactly what those phases will be or what the costs will be.
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GREG MANER
space at other facilities in the district may present us with the option of reconfiguring our middle schools into junior high schools,” Phillips said. The idea of moving away from Vestavia’s longstanding commitment to the middle school model requires more than just space, Phillips said. It also requires the district to rethink its approach to curriculum and instruction, athletics and extracurricular programs, she said. “These issues require thoughtful consideration and input from our stakeholders,” she said. “This process is still in its infancy. We will ensure that our stakeholders have the opportunity to make their voices heard in the conversations that take place in the months ahead.”
Vestavia Hills school officials say they will be careful and methodical as they make plans for use of the 38.5-acre property on Columbiana Road that formerly was home to Berry High School. Photo courtesy of Bluff Park Drone.
Some parts of the Berry campus need renovation before they can be used, Phillips said. In addition to spending $11 million to buy the Berry property, Vestavia officials likely would need to spend $20 million to $21 million to renovate the school in phases, Phillips said in March. The shell and structure of the building is strong, but some parts are better than others, she said. Because the school dates back to the 1960s and
is so traditional in its design, a lot of redesigning may be necessary to meet current needs, Phillips said. The district is considering issuing warrants to refinance $19 million of existing debt and borrow another $54 million for various projects throughout the district, Finance Director Greg Maner said. Currently, there is $20 million in that capital project plan for a project that would not be needed if the Vestavia Hills school system were
able to purchase Berry, Maner said. With $9 million of school district money going toward the purchase of the Berry property, that would leave $11 million available for the first phase of renovations, he said. “It’s still very fluid at this point,” Maner said. “We don’t know exactly what those phases will be or what the costs will be.” The school district has additional borrowing capacity to come up with the other $10 million, Maner said.
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Now Open Huntington Learning Center is now open in the Vestavia City Center at 790 Montgomery Highway, Suite 112. The center offers exam preparation, tutoring, and classes to enhance academic skills. The center is locally owned by Marty Lively. 800-CAN-LEARN, huntingtonhelps.com
1
Xcite Fitness is now open at 2531 Rocky Ridge Road, Suite 104. The facility is owned by Krissi Williford, offers general fitness, post rehab/post injury corrective exercise, health improvement and healthy weight loss strategies, comprehensive corporate wellness programs. 490-6461, vestaviahillspersonaltraining.com
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Coming Soon First Watch, a daytime-only restaurant offering breakfast, brunch and lunch items, will open this summer at 700 Montgomery Highway, Suite 188. The restaurant will replace The Egg & I, which was sold to First Watch in 2015. firstwatch.com
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OrangeTheory Fitness will open a new location in the Vestavia Hills City Center, 790 Montgomery Highway, Suite 132. No opening date has been set. 823-5700, orangetheoryfitness.com/vestaviahills
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Relocations and Renovations Uptick Marketing, 2081 Columbiana Road, Suite A, has announced that it is moving offices to 12th St. N. in downtown Birmingham. 271-8446, uptickmarketing.com
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June 2016 • A11
News and Accomplishments Western Market, 3350 Morgan Drive, has announced a new partnership with Shipt to begin offering home delivery of groceries from its Birmingham-area stores. 822-5920, westernsupermarkets.com
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Wood & Spooner Cosmetic and General Dentistry, 502 Montgomery Highway, Suite 201, was recently recognized as “2015 Best Business of Vestavia” in the category of Cosmetic Dentists by bestbusinesses.biz. 822-2808, woodandspooner.com
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Hirings and Promotions ARC Realty, 4274 Cahaba Heights Court, Suite 200 , has hired Linda Ford and Beth Wyatt as Realtors. 969-8910, arcrealtyco.com
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Landscape Workshop, 550 Montgomery Highway, Suite 200, has promoted Randy Owens to general manager of their new construction division. In this role, he will work closely with the senior advisor and project managers to grow the division and meet client needs. 547-3945, landscapeworkshop.com
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Anniversaries CrossFit Mudtown, 4125 Autumn Lane, recently celebrated its first anniversary. 790-2019, crossfitmudtown.com 10
Primrose School at Liberty Park, 1800 Urban Center Parkway, is celebrating its sixth anniversary in June. 969-8202, primroseschools.com/schools/ liberty-park 11
Klingler’s European Bakery & Café, 621 Montgomery Highway, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in June. 823-4560, klinglers.com 12
Business news
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Email dan@vestaviavoice.com
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A12 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Owners to reopen damaged businesses
June 2016 • A13
Construction to begin on Liberty Park retail development, HealthSouth headquarters Firm aims to have tenants in place by 1st quarter of 2017
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Two Vestavia businesses destroyed by a fire in April are working to rebuild. Inspections are still ongoing, and the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, as of press time. The building did not have sprinklers, as it was built before those were required. Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse and Pure Fitness were in the Old Towne Shopping Center off U.S. 31. While Ichiban had been there for more than 25 years, Pure Fitness was just getting started. Both businesses were a total loss. Ichiban’s owner, Manny Saenz, said he was “seriously uninsured” and the rebuilding costs will be more than $400,000. He said he does plan to reopen and would like to stay in the same location. He is anxious to find out the results of the inspection and wants to be in compliance with whatever the city requires him to do. “At some point, they’ll let me know whether or not I can move into the two damaged spots. My landlord wants us to stay and is supportive,” Suarez said. The community is showing their support for Ichiban, and a gofundme.com page has been set up to accept donations. “I didn’t know about it until someone told me,” Suarez said. As of press time, $950 had been collected. Erin Holtz had just opened her business, Pure Fitness, and had a grand opening set for the weekend following the fire. She had begun
VestaviaVoice.com
By ANA GOOD
Erin Holtz stands in front of her former Pure Fitness location, which was lost to a fire in April. Photo by Frank Couch.
training her existing clients and was getting ready to open to the public. “My husband and I had done the whole buildout ourselves. We were officially open but about to start full operation the next week,” Holtz said. Holtz said that she knew God had his hand in the situation, and her faith is getting her through this difficult situation. “Actually I said a prayer that morning that God would have his hand in the grand opening, and he had other plans,” she said. “It was surprising to see the fire that morning, but something
else is going to work out better.” Holtz is looking at another space and working with the landlord, management and contractors. She is starting from scratch, but will stay in the Vestavia area, she said. She said she also has received support from clients and others who are concerned about her and the business. She had insurance coverage on her content, but that won’t cover the costs to replace everything. “Tons of people sent notes and messages and phone calls; people stopped by to let me know they’re supporting me,” Holtz said. “Everyone
has offered to help, but there’s not much people can do right now except pray things move along quickly and we can reopen soon.” Until the new space is complete, Holtz will continue training her current clients. She said she hopes to be open in her new space in June. Pure Fitness offers personal one-on-one training and also group classes. “We will have a big grand opening once we get the location ready. Check our website and Facebook page for updates,” she said. If you would like to donate, visit gofundme. com/ichibandontaion and purefitness.com.
Although the bulk of construction work is yet to begin, two separate projects in Liberty Park will bring both retail space and business offices to the neighborhood. In December, Sanders Capital Partners, a Birmingham-based development and acquisition firm, announced its plans for a $3 million development. Those plans are ready to go, said Steve Hewett, senior vice president at subsidiary company Sanders Trust. “All of our architectural plans and construction plans are completed,” he said. “We are working through final permit and site plan details.” Once the details are ironed out, Hewett said construction will begin soon with it being complete by the end of the year. “The goal is to have tenants inside the space by the first quarter of 2017,” he said. Once complete, the development will be adjacent to the existing Prominence Shops. Your Pie
An artist’s rendering of the Sanders Capital Partners’ proposed $3 million development in Liberty Park. Photo courtesy of Sanders Capital Partners.
pizzeria, a build-it-yourself pizza restaurant, is the first business to lease space in the development. This will be the pizzeria’s second Birmingham location. Hewett said while he couldn’t discuss the specifics of other potential tenants, developers are working to bring in another restaurant. Other tenants will provide retail and services. “We are so pleased to be starting this muchneeded project in the ever-expanding Liberty Park and nearby Mountain Brook communities,” said Brooks Sanders, vice president of Sanders Capital. “We are gratified by the enthusiastic response we have received from prospective tenants, neighbors and the city of Vestavia Hills. We look forward to delivering a high quality center with a complementary mix of restaurants and retailers to serve
the community.” Architect Williams Blackstock will design the 9,000-square-foot property. Stewart Perry Company will serve as general contractor, and Schoel Engineering will provide civil design services. Walter Kelley, a broker at ARC Realty, will be in charge of leasing the property. Liberty Park’s growth will continue a few years down the line, when HealthSouth Corporation makes its move from the Grandview Plaza on U.S. 280 to the neighborhood. According to the company’s announcement, the Liberty Park offices will be “new and larger.” The move is expected in the spring of 2018, with construction scheduled to begin in August of this year. The headquarters will be built on 20 acres,
fi ve of which will house the new offi ces. The remaining land will be left for future expansions. The new corporate headquarters will include seven fl oors of offi ce space, covered parking for employees, outdoor patio areas, an on-site cafeteria, outdoor walking trails and an employee fitness center, officials said. The developer for the construction project is Corporate Realty Development LLC, the architect is M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates Inc., and the general contractor is Brasfield & Gorrie LLC. Brad Jones with Cushman & Wakefield and EGS Commercial Real Estate represented HealthSouth in the relocation of its headquarters. HealthSouth’s new address will be 9001 Liberty Parkway.
A14 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Preview of
Chamber
Luncheon
Police chief shares department’s response to drug use, crime
June
The June Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce luncheon will feature UAB head football coach Bill Clark as its speaker. Clark led the Jacksonville State University football team to a record-breaking season in 2013, including the school’s highest NCAA Division I ranking in its history, before coming to UAB in January 2014. He has had success with the Blazers as well, including leading the team to their first bowl eligibility in more than a decade, an increase in home game attendance and several All-Conference honors. Clark was named 2014 C-USA Coach of the Year in an unofficial vote by the league’s media. The luncheon will be June 14, with networking beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Vestavia Country Club. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 the week of the luncheon. Register online or call the chamber at 823-5011.
Vestavia Hills Police Department officers answer questions from the audience during the May 10 Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Photo by Ana Good.
By ANA GOOD The heroin problems the city of Vestavia Hills faces today are no different than the problems faced by other cities, Police Chief Dan Rary said during the monthly Chamber of Commerce luncheon May 10. Every city has the same issues, he said. “We used to be really bad about sticking our head in the sand and trying to ignore the problem,” Rary said, “but that’s just not possible anymore.” In the past few years, Rary said, the city has lost five students to heroin overdoses, including a close friend of his own daughter. “That’s five too many,” he said. He outlined issues the city is facing and how the department is tackling them. Rary said almost all of the crimes seen in Vestavia Hills are in one way or another connected to drug crimes in metro Birmingham. The increase in drug use in Vestavia, he said, can be traced back to a combination of factors, including a growing social acceptance and legalization of marijuana, increases in underage drinking and enabling parents, an increase in opiate-based prescriptions, the easy access to cheap heroin and the prevalent lacing of heroin with fentanyl. The lacing, he said, yields a cheaper, but more potent and deadlier, product. All five of the recent heroin-related deaths in the city, Rary said, involved heroin laced with fentanyl. Those factors, in combination with the increase of legal synthetic drugs flooding the market and weakening penalties for offenders, means cities are seeing a rise in deaths and overdoses, as well as crime, he said.
When Rary became chief in 2011, the city was in the midst of its highest crime levels. It was then, he said, that the department took the decision to drastically increase its drug enforcement efforts. In 2015 alone, Rary said, the four-man VHPD narcotics unit was responsible for 354 undercover narcotic purchases. To date, the department’s SWAT team has carried out 35 felony search warrants, collecting thousands of pounds of drugs as a result. The department has also expanded its efforts to collect unused narcotics. Prescription collection sites have brought in 944 pounds of pills since 2013. “That’s a lot of pills,” Rary said. Traffic stops, he said, are another avenue for catching drug users and sellers. “If you pull a car over,” he said, “you might find something else.” Since the department increased its drug enforcement efforts, crime rates in the city
“have collapsed,” according to Rary, and are the lowest they have been since 1974. Rary said he preaches a proactive approach to his officers, who are trained to take preventative measures rather than reactive ones. High priorities for the department include ensuring officers are properly trained in DUI recognition, as well as search and seizure laws, Rary said. Rary outlined the department’s current goals as it continues its drug enforcement efforts, including reducing the availability of narcotics, increasing the ratio of patrol officers to the population, having more student resource officers at schools, creating a family services unit, improving its crime trend analytic response and developing a deferred prosecution programs for youthful offenders. Following Rary’s talk, officers with the department took questions from the audience. To submit an anonymous crime tip to VHPD, visit the department’s Facebook page.
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June 2016 • A15
Events Home grown: Area markets provide farm fresh produce By EMILY FEATHERSTON Throughout the spring and summer months, local farms provide a bounty of produce to the area, from classic Alabama strawberries and peaches to hearty greens and juicy tomatoes, and Vestavia’s local markets work hard to connect farmers and residents. ► Andy’s Farm Market 2489 Rocky Ridge Road Open Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Owner Andy Burris said he began selling produce when he was 6 years old. Sitting on the back of a pickup truck, Burris and his brother would sell produce to Alabamians on their way to the beaches of Baldwin County. For the last 19 years, Andy’s Farm Market has been bringing local farms and residents together. Starting in March with strawberries and continuing throughout the summer and early fall, Burris said his market carries local, home-grown vegetables and fruits from the Birmingham area as well as Chilton and Blount counties.
cheeses and soap, baked goods and more. Market organizer John Sechrist said all vendors are registered with the state of Alabama, certifying that their produce is grown locally. Sechrist said VHUMC will be reaching out to other local churches and schools throughout the summer to hopefully grow the market.
► Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church 2061 Kentucky Ave. Open Wednesdays 7-11 a.m. in the church parking lot VHUMC is hoping to bring together the community through a weekly farmers market, providing locals the chance to buy fresh vegetables at the same time. The market will offer seasonal fruits and vegetables, locally procured meats,
► Murphree’s Market & Garden Center 4212 Dolly Ridge Road Open Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Located in Cahaba Heights, Murphree’s Market & Garden Center offers locally harvested fruits, vegetables and more than 20 varieties of jams and jellies, as well as locally made barbecue sauces and salad dressings. Additionally, shoppers can find a variety of garden tools and supplies.
Sweet Alabama strawberries are a staple at Andy’s Farm Market in late spring, as well as markets around the area. Photo by Emily Featherston.
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
The Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest will kick off its annual summer reading program on June 2. Staff photo.
Ready, set, read: Library in the Forest to host summer reading program By EMILY FEATHERSTON Nearly 3,000 students are expected to participate in the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest summer reading program this year, with the kickoff set for Thursday, June 2. The program, which will run through July 28, is aimed at engaging kids of all ages with reading and with the library. Head of the children’s department April Moon said Vestavia’s program is different than some at other libraries, because it focuses on rewarding kids for visiting the library — rather than for a certain amount of reading. That way, she said, the program is accessible to all reading levels and speeds. “They set their own goals. We don’t try to set the goals for them,” Moon said. “We want it to be fun, and not frustrating.” Library visits will be rewarded with weekly prizes, and Moon said this year participants will have the added fun of using scratch cards to see which prize they get. At the end of the summer, participants will also receive an additional prize. Kids and parents can visit the library any day of the week except Sunday, but Moon said Thursdays will be the main program days with special events, speakers and activities. Thursdays will also see outreach sessions at Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights at 3 p.m. for families in the Cahaba Heights and Liberty Park areas that are in search of a closer alternative.
“There’s something for everybody,” Moon said. In addition to activities at the library itself, an online reading program is available that will coincide with the in-library schedule. After registering, users can access the site from anywhere and log their books read, minutes spent reading, pages read or other personal goals. This year’s theme is “Ready, Set, Read” and will incorporate physical activity into the reading program. Online, participants can log different activities, such as a walk in the park, walking the dog or other recreation, and earn online badges. When a certain number of points from reaching reading and activity goals are earned, there will be prizes available for pickup at the library. There will also be an exercise gym in the library’s program for toddlers and young children up to 100 pounds. Registration began May 23 and will be open throughout the summer. However, the first 500 registered on June 2 will receive a special bag with items and coupons from local merchants. At the kickoff event that day, there will be a performance by Beatin’ Path Rhythm, as well as hot dogs, drinks and free Kona Ice for those who attend. At 6:30, Cirque du Soleil alum Global Movement will perform on aerial silks at the library’s outdoor amphitheater. For more information about the kickoff event and reading program, visit vestavialibrary.org/ events or call 978-0158.
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A16 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
I Love America Summer Celebration back for 35th year By RACHEL BURCHFIELD
Vestavia children enjoy giveaways and activities at I Love America Day. Staff photo.
Vestavia Hills’ Independence Day celebration has gone through changes over its 35-year history, but the I Love America Summer Celebration still offers fun for everyone. “I Love America is an excellent way to celebrate our nation’s birth with friends and family,” said Katie Woodruff, I Love America Summer Celebration chairwoman. “With all of the different activities, there is something for every age group to enjoy.” The celebration kicks off June 30 at 6 p.m. with free swimming at Wald Park Pool until 7:30 p.m. Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church will run the children’s area from 6 to 8 p.m. It will have inflatables and games including a moonwalk and a big slide, Woodruff said. At the same time, the event sponsors will have booths set up to give out promotional items. At 7 p.m., the Shades Mountain Baptist Church Orchestra will perform a Pops in the Park concert. The concert will feature patriotic music, including a tribute to the military, Woodruff said. Attendees can settle in for a family movie at 8 p.m. Events will be on the baseball fields at Wald Park. “People can vote for which movie they would like to see by visiting either our website or Facebook page,” Woodruff said. I Love America is not the same festival it
I Love America Summer Celebration • WHERE: Wald Park, 1973 Merryvale Road • WHEN: June 30, 6 p.m.
was when it first started 35 years ago. “It used to be an all-day festival on July 4, but as more people started going out of town for the Fourth, we decided to start having it a few days before,” Woodruff said. “We changed it to its current format, an evening event with a family movie, in 2007.” I Love America Summer Celebration is sponsored by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce with help from the Vestavia Hills Public Services Department. It is open to everyone, not just Vestavia Hills residents, but four-legged family members will need to stay home, she said. “Pets are not allowed on the baseball fields,” Woodruff said. Woodruff suggested bringing a lawn chair or blanket for the concert and movie. She said the concession stand will be selling barbecue plates and snacks, but outside food is allowed. “Everyone is welcome to bring their own picnic if they prefer,” she said.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • A17
A18 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
adventuring together
“
By SYDNEY CROMWELL Mark and Anna Gualano aren’t the kind of people to shy away from a challenge. Mark Gualano completed the Appalachian Trail and Anna Gualano summited Mount Kilimanjaro. Later this month, the Vestavia Hills couple is trying a new challenge: a triathlon to raise money for a cure for osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), or brittle bone disease. Adventures have mostly taken a backseat as the couple raises their young children, 3-yearold son Luke and 1-year-old daughter Charlie, who Mark Gualano said he hopes to include in outdoor fun when they get older. But while hiking with their children is still a few years in the future, Mark and Anna Gualano are setting a new goal for themselves by competing in the Sprint Triathlon on June 18 in Georgia’s Callaway Gardens. It is a beginner’s triathlon, and the couple will compete as a relay team, with Anna Gualano completing the quarter-mile swim, Mark Gualano biking 9 miles and both completing the 2-mile run at the end. More importantly, the Gualanos’ goal is to raise $10,000 for research into the effects of brittle bone disease on adults. Mark Gualano said several friends plan to join them in the triathlon, and Anna Gualano, who was also diagnosed with OI, is also running in honor of friends with OI who have died. The Gualanos were adventurers long before they met. In 2008, Mark Gualano found himself a 40-year-old lawyer losing focus at work, daydreaming about hiking the Appalachian Trail, a 2,200-mile path from Georgia to Maine. He kept wondering if he could be one of the 25 percent of people who successfully complete the hike. Without a wife, kids or a mortgage, Mark Gualano had nothing stopping him from giving it a shot. He quit his job, put his belongings in storage and hit the trail on March 8, 2008. “I got a lot out of my system. I really craved
If she took one step on the trail to the top and hurt herself, she would have considered it a success because she made it there.
Above: Vestavia Hills resident Mark Gualano hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2008. Left: The Gualano family, from left: Luke, Mark, Anna and Charlie. Photos courtesy of Mark Gualano.
checking out from the paycheck way of life,” he said. He arrived at Mount Katahdin, Maine — the official end of the trail — five months later on
Aug. 30, having successfully traversed mountainous terrain and nearly every kind of weather. “It was very euphoric that I made it,” Mark Gualano said. “It was refreshing for me. I was craving that.” Mark Gualano said the experience made him want to be a “trail angel” — one of the people who will visit difficult parts of the trail and give supplies, a hot shower or encouragement to passing hikers — in the future. After a few more months camping in Colorado and Utah, Mark Gualano returned to Birmingham and set up his own law practice, Vestavia Title, in 2009. His office on Chestnut Street has a map of the trail as well as pictures from along the route. He met Anna, who grew up in Vestavia
”
MARK GUALANO
Hills, as she was preparing for a journey of her own. About two years before the Gualanos met, Anna Gualano was sitting in a hospital recovering from major surgery. She decided she was going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa. But she had to be careful — her OI diagnosis made her more susceptible to injury, and she could get hurt in training before she ever reached the mountain. “When we met, she said even if she wasn’t successful in making it to the top of the mountain, at least it was getting her striving toward something, and at least it was getting her moving,” Mark Gualano said. “If she took one step on the trail to the top and hurt herself, she would have considered it a success, because she made it there.” But she didn’t just take one step. Anna Gualano and her father made it to the top of Kilimanjaro in 2009. Along the way, they raised more than $30,000 for OI research. The Sprint Triathlon this month is a chance for the Gualanos to continue supporting a cause that’s near to their hearts. For more information about the Gualanos’ race or to donate, find Tri for OI on Facebook.
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VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • A19
Serving those who serve Families offer police home-cooked meals in Cop Stop effort By EMILY FEATHERSTON It’s not often that having six to eight on-duty police officers in your home is a positive thing, but for Vestavia Hills resident Erin Mullen, it is a wonderful thing. Mullen is responsible for bringing Cop Stop, an effort to provide on-duty police officers with a home-cooked meal, to the Vestavia Hills area. “This is just a way to show that we support them while serving them,” Mullen said. Cop Stop began in Germantown, Tennessee, a suburb of Memphis, when founders Joanna and Bob Young were looking for a way to support their local police department. “They need to know that their community supports them,” Joanna said. She said the project began when an officer helping with school dismissal traffic asked if he could bring a steak by and have Bob cook it as part of the family’s Friday night steak night. After instead inviting the officer to join her family for dinner, Joanna said the idea began to spread, and after coordinating with local police departments, the project has grown to around 18 dinners a month, with even more breakfasts and lunches. Mullen, who is friends with the Youngs and watched Cop Stop grow while she lived nearby, moved to Vestavia Hills last summer, and decided when she arrived that she wanted to bring the project to her new home. “[Cop Stop] is serving those who serve us,” Mullen said. “It’s been really fun to watch it
Vestavia Hills Cop Stop provided desserts and goodies for police officers to celebrate Easter. Photo courtesy of Erin Mullen.
grow here in Vestavia as people have, without many questions at all, just joined in.” Mullen also started with a steak and potatoes dinner for the Sunday evening shift of officers, after approaching VHPD Captain Kevin York about the program. Mullen said at first, York and others were surprised and asked her, “Why?” “Why not?” she said she responded. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to work,” York said, “we’re not used to that, that’s never happened before,” but added that after communicating back and forth with Mullen and seeing officers’ appreciation of the first event, officers have been very supportive of the idea. “I would venture to say, safely, that it is a big hit with everybody,” he said.
So far, the Vestavia Cop Stop has grown to one to two dinners per month, with additional special events as well. For Easter, the group set out a spread of cookies and pastries at the dispatch office large enough to feed 24 hours’ worth of shifts. When she was in need of a few more items to feed the 30-40 expected officers, Mullen said she reached out to local businesses such as Marta’s Bakery and Klingler’s European Bakery and Café, as well as Starbucks, and the businesses were more than willing to pitch in to help serve the officers. “Am I some person who loves to cook? No,” Mullen said. “I’m a mom, I can make a meal. Simple enough, right?” Mullen said Cop Stop provides residents who
are already looking for an outlet to give back to officers a way to serve. She said she thinks that the program aligns with the police department’s mission to be more familiar with Vestavia residents. “I think their goal is to connect with the community more, and I think this is meeting that need,” she said. York echoed her thoughts, saying that since Chief Dan Rary arrived, the department has been trying to be more transparent and interact more with the public. “Any time you interact with the police department, you get to know the inside track on them: that they’re just people,” York said. “They have families, they have likes and dislikes, they have varying experiences in life, and I think the more that you get to know us, the less of a mystery we become.” Not only does Cop Stop give officers the chance to get to know residents, but it also allows residents to know their officers on a personal level. It’s not about getting out of a ticket, Mullen said, which is what some people may think when they first hear of the program. “We don’t talk about ‘cop stuff,’” she said, “we talk about life. We talk about their families.” She said engaging officers in a positive way is particularly important in light of recent events around the country. “The voice of support is just not as loud as the negative voices,” she said. Mullen said she hopes to see Cop Stop grow outside of Vestavia Hills and into the surrounding Birmingham community. “Vestavia compared to Memphis is like a little safety bubble, Vestavia compared to Birmingham is a little safety bubble, so I hope it grows,” she said. Those interested in participating in or hosting a Cop Stop event can find more information on the group’s Facebook page.
A20 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
father’s day gift guide
For the
HAM OF A DAD BHAM T-shirt $24 The clever design depicts “Bham,” the short name for Birmingham. Super soft. Alabama Goods 2933 18th St. S., Homewood 803-3900
For the
GIFTED GRILLER The Big Green Egg The Ultimate Grilling Experience The original ceramic cooker is perfect for outdoor cooking year round. Hollywood Pools 1441 Montgomery Highway 979-7727
For the
OUTDOORSMAN
William Henry Black D2 blade $325 Aircraft-grade aluminum handle with cocobolo wood inset.
YETI Hopper soft coolers Hopper 20: $299.99 Hopper 30: $349.99 Hopper 40: $399.99 A Yeti Hopper is the perfect gift for Dad this Father’s Day. Now offered in three sizes. No matter where you carry it or how you handle it, the Hopper won’t leak or break. Engineered to keep ice for days.
Bromberg’s 131 Summit Blvd. 969-1776
Alabama Outdoors 3054 Independence Drive 870-1919
For the
RESOURCEFUL DAD
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • A21
For the For the
HANDY DAD BR 350 leaf blower $359.95 A good model for homeowners or professionals. Bobs Power Equipment 637 Montgomery Highway 536-7777
DAD WITH A SWEET TOOTH Father’s Day cakes $24.99 Treat dad to a delicious treat on his special day. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 1008 Vestavia Parkway 978-2347
For the For the
DAD ON THE GO Yeti Rambler 64 oz. bottle $89.99 Also available in 18 oz. and 36 oz. sizes. The Rambler bottle keeps a beverage hot or cold longer than the Rambler tumblers. Dishwasher safe. Moran’s Rocky Ridge Hardware 3354 Morgan Drive 979-5444
For the
DAD WHOSE DIRECTIONS IN LIFE ARE KEY Teak keychain with compass $25 Handmade in the USA. Fancy Goods Variety 2512 Rocky Ridge Road 978-1451
HOLLYWOOD DAD Persol sunglasses $280 Steve McQueen-inspired polarized sunglasses by Persol. JJ Eyes 2814 18th St. S. in Homewood 703-8596
Ste 11 inside of Salon Suites
A22 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
WING DING
CONTINUED from page A1 Once again, Hood said, Wing Ding’s headlining musical act will be Rollin’ in the Hay. “They are the perfect band for all ages, and everyone always enjoys their music,” she said. “We plan to have a local acoustic act open the event before Rollin’ in the Hay hits the stage.” And what is Wing Ding without wings? “Since it’s a wing competition, there are all flavors of wings, and these competitors take wing cooking seriously,” Hood said. “Some try to make hot wings, but there are all kinds to choose from. Some are grilled. Some are fried. Some are spicy. Some are barbecued.” Last year, first place in the competition went to Principal Mortgage, followed by second-place winner Pinnacle Bank and third-place winner John Henley State Farm. Anesthesia Services of Birmingham rounded out the winners with the People’s Choice award. “There is a lot of talk between the competitors on who cooks the best wings and will go home with the coveted chicken trophy,” Hood said. Wing Ding began in 2011 as a class project for Leadership Vestavia Hills, Hood said. In addition to being a wing competition, it is also raises funds for a local charity. “Last year, the event raised $6,924 for the Alabama chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation,” Hood said. “A small amount of the money was also given to Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills at Vestavia Hills High School.” Every year, the event adds more teams, which translates into more money raised, Hood said. “In 2015, we had 17 teams, which is the largest we’ve had,” she said. “Also, more people attended the event than in years past.” More than 2,500 people attended the event last year, Hood said. And Wing Ding is not just for adults, she added. There is a children’s area with bounce houses and other activities. “In the past, there has been someone making balloon animals for the kids,” Hood said. “Wing Ding is a family-friendly event.” This year, Alagasco is the event’s title sponsor, and Regions and Moore’s Marinade are presenting sponsors. “There is still time to sign up as a sponsor and have a booth,” Hood said. “Anyone interested in volunteering can also contact me directly.” Wing Ding is an event centered around the Vestavia community, she said. “This is a great, family-friendly event,” Hood said. “It’s a great time to come see your friends and neighbors and enjoy some fantastic wings.” To become a sponsor, visit the Leadership Vestavia Hills website at leadershipvestaviahills.com. For more information on volunteering, contact Lilla Hood at hoodcreate@me.com.
Above: One of 17 teams for the 2015 competition works on their wings. Right: Students hold a bake sale to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the beneficiary of Wing Ding. Staff photos.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • A23
BAKER
CONTINUED from page A1 On June 25, the 16-year-old will be playing guitar and singing at VidCon, a giant online video conference in Anaheim, California. Last year, more than 21,000 video fans and creators attended. “I’ll be playing covers. I get a 15-minute set,” she said. The song that got her picked for the spot was a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself,” viewable on her YouTube channel at youtube.com/ absurdelizabeth. But it’s her funny videos that have gotten her the biggest following, videos such as “My house is haunted,” a five-minute video explaining things that have happened to her in her house that she thinks might be the work of ghosts. That video has more than 23,000 views. “I’d been watching a lot of other people’s videos for a long time, and I just wanted to make videos too that entertained people,” Elizabeth Baker said. Videos such as “How to be popular,” a tonguein-cheek description of things that make you part of the “in” crowd in high school, have gotten hundreds of hits. “That one was a fun one to make,” she said. Many of her viewers are her schoolmates, some of whom have been in her videos, too. But a good number of her viewers come from other places, she said. “I’ve made a lot of friends over YouTube and on Twitter,” Elizabeth Baker said. “It’s really cool to have friends that you haven’t gotten to meet in person but that I know I’m going to get to meet soon.” At one conference in Orlando, she made friends and got to meet a lot of the YouTubers she likes to watch, she said. That’s one of her hopes for VidCon — that she’ll make a lot of friends. Her online presence has always been a social thing for her, way before she started posting videos two years ago, she said. “I’ve been active on social media for years.” And as for the video production itself?
Carolyn Baker sometimes appears in her daughter’s YouTube videos. Photo by Frank Couch.
“I’m not sure what I’m trying to get out of it — I just think it’s a really cool experience,” Elizabeth Baker said. “I’m just probably going to expand my audience as much as I can. I don’t want to pursue it as a career, but I think it would be fun to keep making them for a while.” Elizabeth Baker’s mom, Carolyn, said the family is proud of her. “What started as a sporadic activity has blossomed into something she enjoys weekly,” she said.
The family is planning to travel to California with Baker for the conference, something they’re excited about, she said. “We are still a bit in shock about Elizabeth singing in Anaheim. She is really talented and a hard worker, but this is surreal,” Carolyn Baker said. “She’s gifted, and she’s a joy.” Carolyn Baker has appeared in a few of her daughter’s videos, including a recent one where she modeled Ugg boots, a cowboy outfit and a hat shaped like Sully from “Monsters, Inc.”
“We recorded that one recently,” Elizabeth Baker said. “She really likes telling her friends about it.” In that post, “My Mom’s Coachella Lookbook,” the mom and daughter make a parody video based on other fashion videos posted online by people showing off their outfits for the massive music festival in California. To check out Baker’s videos, visit youtube. com/absurdelizabeth. For more information about VidCon, visit vidcon.com.
SECTION
B JUNE 2016
Community .......B4 School House .. B7 Sports ..........B16 Faith ...........B20 Real Estate....B21 Calendar .........B22
Domino effect: Patchwork Farms’ ‘explosive growth’ boosts city, schools
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By ANA GOOD Construction crews are busy at work in the Patchwork Farms area of Vestavia Hills, and the scope of change is only expected to increase in the coming months. Since the opening of both Lifetime Fitness and most recently, Grandview Medical Center, the area has experienced what has been referred to as “explosive growth.” Along with a new shopping plaza, anchored by a 45,600-square-foot Publix supermarket, a new office complex just down the road from Lifetime Fitness is set to continue to expand the development in the area. In April, Birmingham-based Stidco Construction announced it had been awarded the contract to build a 12,000-square-foot office complex on Blue Lake Drive. The complex will be split among two 6,000-square-foot buildings. The $2 million project will house the new offices of Slate Bargainer Building Inc., local law firm Fortune & Beard, as well as Prime Surgical LLC. Once complete, some 6,600 square feet of space will also be available for additional tenants. Tim Garner, vice president of business development at Stidco, said two buildings will be built on what once were two residential properties at 3121 and 3117 Blue Lake Drive. The twin buildings will share a parking lot and will be primarily accessible through Cahaba River Road. To date, crews continue to do grading and site work on the property, he said, as well as put in drainage
We talk of ‘living a life above’ here in Vestavia Hills, but in order to sincerely ‘live the life above,’ we need to be able to afford the services that our residents need and deserve.
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JEFF DOWNES
A rendering of the planned 12,000-square-foot office complex on Blue Lake Drive by Birmingham-based Stidco Construction. Courtesy of Dan Fritts.
systems. Soon, the building’s footings will be put in place, which will allow for construction on the buildings to be more noticeable to the untrained eye. Current plans are to have the construction complete by November, said Garner, and so far, everything is running according to schedule. The project was designed by Dan Fritts of Fifth Dimension Architecture and Interiors. The building’s designs, Garner said, will feature a combination of brick and siding.
“The look will follow the current trends in building,” he said, “a more natural look with wood structures and beams that combines darker trim with light bases.” Cameron Easton, principal partner of Slate Barganier Holdings said the complex’s location, close to Interstate 459 and U.S. Highway 280, was just what they were looking for. “Slate Barganier Building, the law offices of Fortune & Beard, and Chris Donnelly with
Heart care in Birmingham has a new home. (And multiple locations for your convenience.)
Prime Surgical LLC are very excited to be breaking ground on their respective corporate headquarters in the ‘hot’ Patchwork Farms area of Vestavia,” said Eaton in a statement. “We love the architecture and pedestrian feel of the whole area and are honored to be a part of it.” Just down the road, construction continues on Blackwater Resources’ latest development project, the Patchwork Farms Shopping Center. The shopping center is being built between Caldwell Mill Road and Cahaba River Road. Along with the 45,600-square-foot Publix, the property will feature more than 36,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space. The additional retail
See PATCHWORK FARMS | page B11
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B2 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B3
B4 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Community
Seniors show green thumbs through community garden at New Merkle House By EMILY FEATHERSTON Several Vestavia Hills seniors are getting their hands dirty by taking care of the New Merkle House’s community garden. As part of the senior lunch program, a garden was planted to celebrate Earth Day in April, but the seniors will continue to care for the vegetables and herbs year-round. The garden consists of two raised planting beds made possible by the Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation department. The Lowe’s home improvement store on U.S. 280 also helped with the purchase of the materials. The beds were built higher than normal, about two feet, so that it would be easier for seniors and volunteers to access them. Senior center manager Melanie Perry said the garden was an effort to provide the seniors with an enriching activity and give them something they could nurture and take care of. “It’s not just an activity to enjoy,” she said. “It’s something they can be proud of.” Perry added that it’s also something tangible that, hopefully, they will be able to take home and share with others. Most of the seniors who participate in the senior lunch program have
farmed or gardened in the past, Perry said, so creating a garden was a natural fit. Eddie Mauter, who comes regularly to the lunch program, said he has gardened for most of his life. Mauter said that until he fell last year, he has always had at least a few tomato plants, and was glad to see the other seniors enjoying an activity that he loves. “It’s just amazing that everybody participated,” he said. Hellen Lann said she is looking forward to caring for the garden, as she grew up a farmer’s daughter and has always loved growing vegetables. Perry said the seniors will get to enjoy the fruits of their labor, particularly the tomatoes, as she said tomato sandwiches are a group favorite. Anything left over will be shared with the area’s homebound seniors, something Perry said is an example of the kindness and thoughtfulness the seniors approach life with. She also said the group intends to have something growing in the garden year round, transitioning to cooler-weather vegetables such as cabbage and collard greens this fall. Lann, who is looking forward to that cabbage, said she is excited. “I can’t wait to watch it bloom,” she said.
Above: Eddie Mauter plants a tomato in the new garden. Left: Hellen Lann helps plant the new garden at the New Merkle House. Photos by Emily Featherston.
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VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B5
Left: Former VHPD Officer Alec Phillips hugs Chief Dan Rary at the MS Walk in April. Above: Members of the police department raised money for the 2016 MS Walk and surprised former Officer Alec Phillips with his retirement badge. Photos courtesy of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Alabama/Mississippi Chapter.
VHPD raises funds in honor of former officer with MS By SYDNEY CROMWELL Alec Phillips arrived at Regions Field on April 9 prepared to participate in the Multiple Sclerosis Walk and celebrate the money his team had raised. Before that happened, however, he was surprised by about 30 of his former fellow Vestavia Hills police officers. Phillips was diagnosed with MS in summer 2014. At the time, he was a night-shift officer, only a couple years into his service with VHPD. As he began treatment, Phillips continued working with the department. “I enjoyed working for the city. They’re good people there,” he said. When he told his fellow officers about his
diagnosis, Phillips said they all stepped up to help and “treated me like one of their own,” including helping with odd jobs around his house and letting him take time off when needed. Their willingness to go above and beyond “blew me away,” he said. “The department was amazing, not just through this weekend, but through everything,” Phillips said. “I don’t know what I would have done without it.” However, one of the main symptoms of MS is extreme fatigue, and many other symptoms are worsened by stress. In fall 2015, Phillips made the decision to retire. “With that kind of job, you’ve got to be able to have the energy and have the focus to do a good job and be safe,” Phillips said.
He said retiring early was the “hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.” Not long after that, Phillips and his wife found out they had a child on the way. The Vestavia police officers who had worked with Phillips wanted to recognize his service in some way. “We hated to see a young man just beginning his career have to end it,” VHPD Lt. Kevin York said. While Phillips created his own team — including some VHPD officers — to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and participate in the MS walk, the police department secretly set up its own team. York said donations from within the department totaled about $750. Officers Jason McCoy
and Renee Reeves led the fundraising efforts. In addition to the donations, York said, the department decided to surprise Phillips at the MS Walk and present him with his retirement badge. After the presentation, the officers also led the walk around Regions Field. “We just wanted to walk with him to show support and unity,” he said. Phillips said he was speechless when the officers arrived, and the presentation of the badge was especially touching. His team raised $3,200, and Phillips said his wife and future child are what drives him to stay as healthy as possible and support research to find a cure for MS. “I didn’t know they were going to roll up in such a way,” he said. “I’ll never forget it.”
B6 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
living art THROUGH
By SARAH COOK Becky Bolton can recall making mud pies beneath the boughs of an old pear tree in her backyard at a young age. More than 40 years later, the Vestavia native still clings to the earthy material, which has inspired her career as a clay artist. “I have several strong interests in life, but working in clay is one thing that has kept me involved on many levels because it serves to satisfy my creative and curious mind endlessly,” she said. The artist said she was first exposed to the potter’s wheel while taking art classes at Vestavia High School. Working with clay deeply inspired Bolton, as it was a three-dimensional medium that could be sculpted into anything her heart desired. “I felt a naturalness in that medium,” she said. Graduating from Vestavia High School in 1973, the emerging artist knew she wanted to pursue a career in the arts, but she was also
interested in science. The two loves seemed inseparable, she said. While pursuing a degree from the University of Montevallo, art professors Ted Metz and John Spicer encouraged her artistic abilities, influencing Bolton to ultimately spin in the direction of full-time clay work. “I think my love of form, geometry, nature and life play into my artistic expression,” she said. Now, decades later, Bolton has made a career of her passion and teaches ceramics at Montevallo. Bolton said there are a few motifs to her work, such as aquatics, that she often gravitates toward — but ultimately, she said her art is something that’s solely driven from an internal place. “Since artwork reflects one’s personality and spirit, my work has a basic essence that has permeated throughout my 40 professional years,” she said. Each bowl, porcelain figure and any other object Bolton creates is signed and dated. “I like to know where I was in life when I made it,” she said. Throughout her career, Bolton has
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Vestavia Hills native Becky Bolton at work on her pottery wheel. Photo courtesy of Becky Bolton.
experimented with a wide range of techniques, from sculpted and wheel-thrown stoneware to paper-relief design on airbrushed porcelain. “The swimming fish motif is a decorative element I use drawing into porcelain slip,” she said. “Many of my pieces have blue glaze, and the aquatic theme lends itself nicely.” Bolton said reoccurring aquatic imagery might be inspired by childhood vacations spent by the Gulf. And while some of her designs are geometric in
form, others feature a more loosely ornate appeal. The artist’s style is ever changing. Looking ahead, Bolton said she couldn’t imagine doing anything else than creating and teaching art. “I plan to keep working in clay as long as I am able,” she said. “And I hope people will continue to connect with my art and want to have it in their own lives.” Bolton’s work can be found at seasonal shows such as Bluff Park Art Show and occasional showings at Pepper Place Market.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B7
School House
Speech and debate coach wins state honor VHHS teacher Nate Conoly works with junior Maggie Rogers to prepare for her trip to the national speech and debate tournament this month. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
By SYDNEY CROMWELL When he became a math teacher at Vestavia Hills High School in 2014, Nate Conoly was asked if he could be a coach. But instead of the athletic team he expected, Conoly was asked to lead the speech and debate team. “At first I was a little taken aback,” said Conoly, who had no prior experience with speech and debate. “It was just something I was thrown into and have come to love.” Conoly, an Auburn graduate and Vestavia Hills resident, just capped his second year as coach with a big honor: He was chosen as the Alabama Speech and Debate Association Coach of the Year from nominees statewide who have been coaching five years or less. Conoly is quick, however, to deflect most of the credit. “It’s easy to do what I do because of my students,” he said. “They’re the real reason we’ve had such good success this year.” The 50 students on the VHHS speech and debate team participated in about 20 tournaments this past school year, including in Chicago, Boston and the Tournament of Champions in Kentucky, where two students were invited to compete. Additionally, junior Maggie Rogers will compete at the National Tournament in Utah on June 13-17. “These are some of the best kids in the world, the ones that we have on our team. I know they’re all going to do great and amazing things,” Conoly said. “My job is to give them the tools to succeed.” The VHHS team practices daily in Conoly’s classroom to prepare for these competitions. In addition to the 10 students who compete in speech, about 40 students are divided equally between the two types of competition debate:
Lincoln-Douglas, which are one-on-one debates about morals and philosophy, and public forum, two-on-two debates centered around current events and public policy. Conoly also pairs the veteran team members with the novices so they can mentor and help the less experienced students improve. Since he became a coach nearly two years ago, he said he has come to feel that speech and debate have “more application and direct benefits for students’ lives than any other activity. That’s how
strongly I believe about it.” He added that the communication and public speaking skills learned in his classroom can pay off no matter what career his students choose in the future. “That will carry you so far in life,” Conoly said. Every debate student is also required to defend both sides of an issue during competitions, which Conoly said is just as important in everyday relationships. “Regardless what your position is before
you go in there, you have to be prepared, you have to do research and understand both sides of the argument, and I think that’s really good and useful,” he said. Conoly calls becoming a teacher “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” With an award and a trip to Nationals under his belt, Conoly has set a high bar for his speech and debate team next year. “I think we’re on a great track where we are right now,” he said.
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B8 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Katie Jernigan of Knight Eady, left, gives a presentation on the new branding, seen above, for Vestavia Hills High School. Photo by Erica Techo.
BOE approves new VHHS branding By ERICA TECHO A full brand package and guide for using various Vestavia Hills marks was released on May 12 and approved by the Vestavia Hills Board of Education on May 18. The branding package was created by Knight Eady Sports Group, which partnered with the Vestavia Hills City Schools Board of Education in August. The new marks and logo maintain Vestavia Hills High School’s school colors and pull from the marks historically used at the school, including an old English “V” which has been a part of the school’s baseball team’s history.
The new branding plan also includes supplementary graphics and a 1REBEL mark based on football coach Buddy Anderson’s well-known saying, “When you play one Rebel, you play us all.” In a 34-page branding package, created by Knight Eady, there is a breakdown of the new marks and their designated uses, as well as specific color codes and guidelines. The guidelines are also a way to solidify name recognition and maintain consistency. Katie Jernigan, public relations and digital media coordinator for Knight Eady, presented the new marks for VHHS to the school board
and explained some of the information included in the brand style guide. “The brand style guide is basically the framework for how the brand will be used and implemented and moved forward, just kind of rules of engagement for these new marks,” Jernigan said. Jernigan also discussed a new addition to the VHHS brand, the institutional mark. The mark includes a blend of the letters V and H and utilizes negative space. “This helps really represent innovation, forward thinking, and this is one that will serve as the primary mark for the school, really in any capacity,” Jernigan said.
Primary marks include an institutional logo and an activities logo; these are the new official logos for VHHS and school-affiliated organizations, according to the release. Secondary marks are additional images that can be used by VHHS and VHHS-affiliated groups or activities. Knight Eady will consult on implementing the new branding with VHHS and the Board of Education through December. Merchandisers who would like information about printing can contact Vestavia@knighteady. com. More information about the new branding, including descriptions and guidelines for the new marks, is available at vhbrand.com.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B9
Brown reflects on time as Teacher of Year By SARAH COOK Casually chatting with the vice president of the United States was never a feat Jennifer Brown intended to reach when she began her career as a high school teacher 17 years ago. That’s exactly what she did, however, after she was named Alabama’s 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year. After making it through a rigorous selection process that involved several rounds of interviews — not to mention competing with some of the state’s best educators — Brown officially was named Alabama’s Teacher of the Year on May 13, 2015. “I cried that day,” said Brown, who has been teaching 10th grade physical science at Vestavia Hills High School for 14 years. The next day, Brown received a prepaid car with an “Alabama Teacher of the Year” logo stamped on the side, along with an agenda that would chart her course for the next year. On that agenda were trips to San Antonio, Washington, D.C., and other locations where she would meet teachers from other states who received the same accolade. Brown said she didn’t find her passion for
Sen. Slade Blackwell, Rep. Jim Carns and LPMS librarian Jean Deal talk during a legislator visit at Liberty Park Middle School. Photo courtesy of Lindsay Corley.
teaching until a friend asked her to lend a hand coaching at Pleasant Grove High School. (Brown has an impressive past in athletics, too.) She said she credits her penchant for always putting her students first as the leading reason for why she received the award. “You have to love what you do; you have to be passionate, and you have to be willing to get to know your students,” Brown said while sitting in her classroom, which recently received a makeover thanks to her recognition. But the toughest part of being Teacher of the Year, Brown confessed, is not getting to spend every day in her favorite place: her classroom. Since the chosen teacher is required to travel heavily for a year, Brown stepped down from her full-time teaching post and became a temporary instructional coach at VHHS. Stepping away from the classroom has enabled Brown to gain insight into how she can advocate for teachers in Alabama and across the nation. While visiting Washington, Brown met with education decision-makers who have the power to determine what goes on inside schools nationwide.
“A lot of times educators are left out of the education policy conversation, and that’s what I want to change next year,” Brown said. She said she’s already formed a small coalition of local educators who have one goal in mind — getting legislators out of their offices and inside classrooms to see firsthand the struggles and triumphs of Alabama educators. “If we want to be valued as the experts in education and if we want people to see us as the experts, we have to bring them into our classrooms, so they can see why we’re the experts,” Brown said. “Our goal is to get every legislator inside a classroom — not just the school.” Before she was named Teacher of the Year, Brown already had momentum building in her professional career. Now, she wants to go one step further and improve the entire education landscape. “I feel like I need to keep the momentum going,” she said. “I hope I’ve been able to become an advocate for positive change in public education.” For photos of Brown’s trips and speaking engagements during her Alabama Teacher of the Year tenure, check out her Facebook page, “Jennifer Brown 2015-16 TOY.”
Jennifer Brown on a recent trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss education with legislators and other states’ teachers of the year. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Brown.
3 Alabama legislators visit Liberty Park Middle School State legislators joined students and faculty at Liberty Park Middle School as part of a movement to connect teachers with legislators. During the April 25 visit, Sen. Slade Blackwell, R-Mountain Brook, Rep. Jim Carns, R-Vestavia Hills, and Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, visited and observed classrooms, talked with teachers and students and sat down
with administrators. Alabama Teacher of the Year Jennifer Brown has worked to set up legislator visits at local schools. The effort is a way to help legislators see an average day in the classroom, recognize the needs of Alabama schools and work for legislation that fits those needs. – Submitted by Lindsay Corley.
B10 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
New SGA officers inducted Vestavia Hills High School’s new Student Government Association officers were inducted as part of the school’s awards day April 24. The new officers include, front row: Millie Cadden, (president). Middle row, from left: Lily Rumbley (administrative vice president); Brooke Lindsey (vice president). Back row, from left: Manning Owen (treasurer); Kate Strange (director of spirit); Sloen Zieverink (director of homecoming); Grant Belcher (director of elections); Adair Dortch (director of publicity); Spencer Logsdon (chaplain); and Maggie Dazzio (director of community involvement). Photo by Kristin Lindsey Photography.
VHEE student wins Full Moon cookie coloring contest A Vestavia Hills Elementary East student won an end-of-theyear party for his first grade class. Barrett participated in Full Moon BBQ’s cookie coloring contest, which Barrett was open to first-graders at VHEE, Mountain Brook Elementary and Crestline Elementary. Students completed cookie coloring sheets, and then the submissions were put up for a vote on the Full Moon BBQ Facebook page. A winner was selected from each school. – Submitted by KC Projects.
Diane Zaragoza, Kacy Pierce and Misty Gillispie. Photo courtesy of Amy Woodard.
Liberty Park Middle raises more than $1K for nonprofit
First-graders share a song about singing and hiking on a mountain track. Photo courtesy of Shelley Stevens.
VHEW 1st-graders move with music First-graders at Vestavia Hills Elementary West shared music on the move with family, friends and fellow students in March. The first-graders performed their spring musical “Away We Go!” under the direction of West’s music teacher, Trudye Confessore. Students sang songs that celebrated movement
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and forms of transportation. Each class was given time on stage, and the first-graders played instruments, danced and performed songs including “Round the Mountain,” “New River Train” and “The Happy Wanderer.” – Submitted by Alice Elmore.
Liberty Park Middle School students sold candy grams for Valentine’s Day to raise money for Kulture City. The fundraiser was spearheaded by the school’s Student Government Association and raised $1,130, which bought 62 lifeBOKS for Kulture City. A lifeBOKS is a kit provided to families with autistic children free of charge. The kit includes tools to help prevent wandering and wandering-related accidents. Kulture City is an impact-driven, nonprofit organization with a mission to create a world where all individuals with autism and their families can be accepted and treated equally. – Submitted by Amy Woodard.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B11
PATCHWORK FARMS CONTINUED from page B1
and restaurant locations will be housed inside shop buildings surrounding Publix as well as four free-standing outparcel sites that will be available for sale or lease. Miller Terry, senior leasing representative with Blackwater Resources, said crews have commenced site work and are finishing up the shopping center’s storm sewer installation. Since the groundbreaking ceremony in February, crews have poured the slab for Publix and expect to start pouring slabs for the other, smaller shops in the next few months. During the site’s groundbreaking ceremony in February, Terry said the Vestavia Hills market is one leasing agents want to be part of due to its population, median household income and combination of office space and residential areas. Within one mile of the Patchwork Farms Shopping Center, according to Blackwater Resources, there is over 2 million square feet of office space that is 99 percent leased and more than 3,500 apartment units. Within a three-mile radius of the center, Blackwater estimates there are over 45,000 residents with an average household income of more than $115,000. Construction of the entire project, Terry said, is expected to be complete in January 2017, though various aspects of the build-out will have different start dates. Although Terry said he could not disclose details on other tenants yet as deals are still in the works, he said he expects to be able to release more information in the coming months. All of this new construction, said City Manager Jeff Downes, will have both tangible and intangible benefits for the city, each on a massive scale. “As a city we have been very conscious in our efforts to incentivize and stimulate development opportunities with the private sector throughout the city,” said Downes. The summer months, he said, will see some of the most active construction projects throughout the city, especially in the Patchwork Farms and surrounding Blue Lake area. The construction in the Patchwork Farms and surrounding areas, said
Above: A rendering of the Patchwork Farms development in Vestavia Hills. The project will be anchored by a 45,600-square-foot Publix grocery store. Photo courtesy of Blackwater Resources. Left: Site work and sewer installation continues on the site of the Patchwork Farms Shopping Center. Photo courtesy of Miller Terry.
Downes, will represent a portion of what he said will be another record year for the city in terms of commercial new construction. In turn, that new construction means tangible benefits for the city and the school system in the form of money earned from building permits, sales taxes on construction, property taxes and sales taxes on goods sold. “There are also intangible benefits that come from all this construction,” said Downes, “such as taking property that was underutilized and getting the highest and best use possible from the property. In turn, the new businesses will help provide goods and services to people in the community.”
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Money the city and schools will receive will help increase budgets. In the past, said Downes, the city has seen budget growth of only about 2 percent. This new construction and eventual completion of projects is estimated to help the budgets grow by approximately 10 percent. “This all bodes well for the future of Vestavia Hills,” said Downes. In time, the growth will mean the city can deliver the services expected and wanted from its residents, he said. “We talk of ‘living a life above’ here in Vestavia Hills,” said Downes, “but in order to sincerely ‘live the life above,’ we need to be able
to afford the services that our residents need and deserve. That means an expanded tax base that will help keep us in a financial position to both keep good reserves for the city and grow a general fund revenue at the same time.” Thanks to Grandview and Lifetime, he said, Vestavia has been able to and will continue to enjoy the growth of the Patchwork Farms area. Blue Lake, in turn, he said, has been a possibility because of the growth of Patchwork Farms. “It’s always good to see a plan come to action,” said Downes. “I’m excited to see the ideas that were once shared at a community charrette in 2013 become a reality.”
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B12 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
TOUCH A TRUCK Photos by Ron Burkett Vestavia Hills Baptist Church got a little loud on April 23. Their brand-new Touch-A-Truck event that day let children explore a variety of big trucks, including the opportunity to blow the horns. Touch-A-Truck included everything from emergency vehicles to cherry pickers and a cement truck. The event also included children’s activities, food trucks and a play area with truck-related toys. This was a brand new event for the church, and it attracted a large crowd of excited children.
Clockwise from top: Annelise Nordlund (5) from Hoover. Hayden Rickert (5) from Vestavia in the fire truck. Touch-A-Truck included truck-related crafts and activities. Touch-A-Truck invited children to explore large trucks at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church on April 23.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B13
B14 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Rotary Club celebrates first responders By EMILY FEATHERSTON Vestavia Hills’ firefighters, police officers and emergency medical personnel gathered with their families and members of the community on April 23 for an afternoon of fun and celebration. The Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club hosted its annual first responders celebration at City Hall to honor the men and women who serve the city. While the breezy conditions caused the FAA to cancel the skydivers, there was plenty of fun to
Clockwise from top: Members of the Rotary Club, including City Council member Steve Ammons, prepared the shrimp boil. Police Chief Dan Rary helps himself to shrimp, sausage and vegetables at the celebration. The Sunrise Rotary Club of Vestavia Hills celebrated the city’s first responders with a low-country shrimp boil and several activities. The Rotary Club was able to purchase a drone for both the police and fire departments for use in emergency situations. Photos by Emily Featherston.
be had, including a video game truck, inflatables, the Pepsi Challenge and music by The Castors. Guests also enjoyed a shrimp boil, popcorn and cotton candy. Rotary Club member and event organizer Dan Moran said the group was successful in its fundraising efforts, and was able to purchase two drones, one for fire department use and one for the police department. The Club was also able to give away passes to Hoover Tactical Firearms, Gold’s Gym, a Yeti cooler and other items.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B15
B16 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Sports
Coe, Reising leave Lady Rebels in great shape By KYLE PARMLEY Taylor Coe and Jordan Reising had different careers in the Vestavia Hills High School softball program, but each will leave a positive mark on the program. Coe was a four-year starter for the Lady Rebels, growing into a great center fielder and solid hitter near the top of the batting order. “Taylor is very, very strong in the outfield,” Vestavia Hills head coach Lissa Walker said. “She reads the ball well, has a strong arm, and leads the outfield really well.” Coe’s left-handed bat struggled at the beginning of her senior season, but she rounded into form as her final year wound down. “She puts a lot of pressure on herself. She wants to be the best and do her best,” Walker said. Reising’s efforts put her on the varsity squad for the tail end of her junior year and the entirety of this past season. “Jordan just works hard,” Walker said. “She’s one of those type kids that she’s going to do everything she can, and she’s one of those type kids that she’s going to listen to everything that’s being said to her and, to the best of her ability, do it right.” Each player pointed to Senior Night as one of their favorite moments in their softball careers, but not because of the ceremony honoring them before the game. Coe and Reising were recognized in the middle of the diamond, but had the same thoughts racing through their heads. “I just wanted to beat Spain Park,” said
Reising, the first baseman for the Lady Rebels. “That was it. I didn’t really care what was going on. I just wanted to beat Spain Park.” The Lady Rebels had not beaten Spain Park since the two girls had been at Vestavia Hills, but RaeAnn King’s two-run home run lifted them over that hump. “She’s so good and it made me so happy, because it was Senior Night. It was awesome,” Reising said. “That was one of the sharpest games we’ve had,” said Coe, who told the student newspaper at the high school that the game was her favorite softball moment in her career. However, the Lady Rebels didn’t come down off the high of winning the game quickly enough, and lost to Hueytown the next night. “We were so excited about that win that we forgot that we have to play this game,” Walker said. “But we needed it, as a program.” Each was asked to describe her own game. Coe said, “Personally, I think I have strong leadership characteristics. I’m vocal and I try not to show my feelings on my sleeve when I’m down in a slump.” Reising said she tries to keep her teammates happy, because she doesn’t feel that being angry is the correct way to play the game of softball. Walker agreed with both of their assessments. “Taylor’s just solid all the way around,” Walker said. “(She) has definitely has become a vocal leader this year, which has been really good for us. “They’re kind of different though, because
Jordan Reising and Taylor Coe hold the Vestavia Hills softball team’s regional qualifier trophy. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
Jordan is the quieter of the two. Taylor’s more vocal, but they both have good leadership qualities that have been a plus for us.” Being the only two seniors, Coe and Reising feel that the team can only be better in the coming years. They have done their part in pulling the program to new heights, citing the team chemistry this season as the best they’ve witnessed in their high school years. They both want to be remembered in one
specific way, if a person were describing the pair in the years following their departure. “I would want somebody to say that we were both good teammates, rather than, ‘Oh my gosh she was good at this and this and this.’ I would rather her say they were good teammates,” Reising said. Neither is playing softball in college, only by choice. They have helped lay the groundwork for successful Lady Rebel squads in future seasons.
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VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B17
Patrick Davis will replace George Hatchett, who spent the past 35 years as Vestavia’s head coach. Photos by Kyle Parmley.
Patrick Davis ready to replace a legend By KYLE PARMLEY Patrick Davis feels no anxiety following a legend. He succeeds George Hatchett as the boys basketball coach at Vestavia Hills High School, after the legend’s 35 years coaching the Rebels. “Unbelievably excited at the opportunity,” Davis said. “Obviously, this is a top-notch school system, community, high school, athletic program, all the way down. Excels at everything.” Davis comes from Thompson High School, where he spent the last seven seasons and compiled a 121-86 record with three area titles and a regional playoff appearance. “The opportunity to be the guy that gets to come after a legend is pretty special too. There’s a lot that Coach Hatchett has done for the game
— not just here, but everywhere — throughout his three-plus decade tenure,” Davis said. Davis feels he is in a unique position as he takes over the program. “A lot of times, people take jobs and have to go in and blow everything up,” he said. “Obviously, that’s not the case here.” The culture within the program is in a good place, but Davis has no intention of coming into things and attempting to mimic Hatchett. “No two coaches are going to do anything the same way, but there’s such a great setup here in terms of what these kids have been taught and what they’ve learned,” he said. He added, “I’m not going to try to be anybody but me. I would fail if I tried to be anybody other than myself. So we’re going to take the philosophy that I have about the playing the game, and
implement that. I have a lot of respect for Coach Hatchett and the job that he’s done here for so long.” That balance of respect and putting a unique stamp on the program will be an important dynamic over the next few years at Vestavia, a school that has not seen many coaching changes. Along with Davis, Jamie Harris recently completed his first year as baseball coach, Jeff Segars completed his first year as the athletic director, and Tee Adams was hired to take over for wrestling coach Steve Gaydosh after 34 years. “It makes it an even more special opportunity to be the guy that he kind of hands that torch off to,” Davis said. On the floor, Davis maintains a style of placing pressure on the opponent on both sides of
the floor. “Offensively, that means playing with good pace so that they have to defend you from the second you get the basketball to the second they get the basketball,” he said. On the defensive side, the Rebels will look to dictate the play, pressuring the basketball with their man-to-man defense. “It’s about being the hammer, not the nail,” he said. His first few weeks with the team have focused on players being the best teammates they can be and finding their individual roles within the team. “You can control your energy and your effort every day,” Davis said. “Just hammering that every day so that there is an expectation and there’s accountability for that.”
B18 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
FINISHING
ON TOP Lady Rebels soccer claim Alabama title, end season ranked No. 1 in nation By KYLE PARMLEY Vestavia Hills went up to John Hunt Park for the state finals, and came away with convincing victories over Huntsville and Auburn to seal the Class 7A girls soccer championship on May 14. “I knew everything we did over the year and everything we improved upon, if we just played the way we had been, there was no other option for us but to win,” head coach Brigid Littleton said. The Lady Rebels were so ready for the stage, that it made them nervous how calm they were before the title match against Auburn, a team they lost to early in the season by a single goal, but were without three key players. Auburn never got anything going in the game, and Vestavia ran away with a 3-0 victory, getting goals from Sophia Kamburis, Sara McCurry and Alli Glaze.
“The girls are beyond excited about the win,” Littleton said. “It’s still kind of sinking in and they’re still all smiles and excited about it.” In the semifinal game, the Lady Rebels jumped on Huntsville early, with three goals in the first half. They added on two in the second half and took a 5-1 victory, as Kamburis put two in the back of the net. Kennedy Hicks, Glaze, and Faith Hauberg also scored goals. “They didn’t have many opportunities on goal and our defense was impeccable the whole time,” Littleton said. Littleton felt the biggest win occurred before her team even reached the state tournament, as her team’s game against Oak Mountain in the quarterfinals pitted arguably the two best teams in the state against each other. The Lady Rebels came out on top with a narrow 3-2 win. “I felt like that was the state championship game right there because
The Lady Rebels outscored their opponents 8-1 in the state tournament to win. Photo courtesy of Don Korn.
once we got out of Birmingham, I just kind of felt we were unstoppable,” she said. The depth of the Lady Rebels was a key all season, as they mixed and matched lineups throughout the year. There was no set starting lineup, but everyone was on board. “The whole season was absolutely a team effort,” Littleton said. “The team was happy for whoever was playing in that there wasn’t any complaining. Everyone supported whoever was playing at that time.”
Vestavia finished the season with a 24-2 record, and finished the season No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps’ High School Girls Soccer Rankings. The Lady Rebels avenged their only two losses of the season in the playoffs, against Auburn and Oak Mountain. The Lady Rebels allowed just 13 goals all season, while scoring 73 goals. Hicks led the team with 16 goals, while Taylor Korn and Kamburis also reached double digits, with 10 goals each.
Goalie Lauren Roussell surrendered 11 goals overall, and pitched 14 shutouts, including seven consecutive in the middle of the season. Korn led the team with eight assists, followed closely by Caroline Causey with seven. Littleton made sure to thank the parents for their support throughout the season, and the culture within the program that they have helped create. “The parents were overly positive,” she said. “Perfect season.”
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VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B19
Vestavia tennis pulls out narrow victory at state tournament By KYLE PARMLEY It came down to the final match, and the Vestavia Hills girls tennis team did just enough to edge Mountain Brook, 42-40, to win the Class 7A state tennis championship. “It’s something I’ve never experienced before,” head coach Shelley Sumner said. “I’m a very competitive person myself. It was something that you always dream about and think about and so it was really unbelievable
and a great experience.” The Lady Rebels could not celebrate the victory until the final match of the day was completed: one they had no control over. It was a singles match between Huntsville and Mountain Brook, and Vestavia needed Huntsville to win. “When that last ball (hit), we knew it was over. We kind of exploded,” Sumner said. She said, “It was one of those where you’re not yelling out loud or cheering out loud, but
inside you’re going, ‘please please please,’ or we’re going to a playoff.” Sumner said much of her team had been sitting around for awhile or had just finished playing, so being forced to a playoff would not have been an ideal scenario. The Rebels got a total of four state championships in the singles and doubles portions. Georgia Moros won the title at No. 3 singles, and Maggie Nelson defeated Mountain Brook’s Morgan Jenkins in the No. 5 final,
a big victory considering the final score. Harper Anderson took home the honor in No. 6 singles. No. 1 Haley Harmon fell to eventual winner Margaret Polk, also from Mountain Brook, as did Rebecca Pearlman, who lost in the final to Morgan Jenkins in No. 5 singles. Moros and Maggie Nelson won the doubles championship in No. 3 doubles, while Harmon and Hannah Nelson lost in the No. 1 finals.
Vestavia boys track and field finish 4th By SAM CHANDLER
Vestavia’s Walter Thomas competes in shot put at sectionals April 29 at Mountain Brook High School. Photo by Sam Chandler.
The Vestavia Hills High School boys track and field team tallied 52 points to secure a fourth-place finish at the AHSAA Class 4A-7A state meet, held May 5-7 in Gulf Shores. Walter Thomas, Will Macoy and James Henry Barrett all brought home individual state titles. Thomas established a new state-meet record in the shot put, heaving the dense sphere 59 feet, one-half inch. He beat the second-place finisher — Spain Park High School’s Damon Wright — by more than four feet. Likewise, Macoy out-threw his competition in the javelin by nearly 10 feet. His mark of 191-1 fell five feet shy of his state-meet record set in 2015. Barrett cleared 15-6 in the pole vault to clinch a gold medal. His teammate, Whitt Harrelson, jumped 14 feet to claim third. Carl Nesbitt finished fourth in the high jump with a leap of 6-4.
B20 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Faith In loving memory of Nestor “Bubba” Kampakis: Aug. 28, 1933 - Dec. 31, 2015.
Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Consistency the key to great parenting My sweet father-in-law, Nestor Kampakis, passed away unexpectedly this past New Year’s Eve. Although he had Alzheimer’s, his death was a shock, altering the landscape of 2016 for our family. Papou was a good soul and everything you’d hope for in a father: kind, loving, protective, wise, honest, committed and faithful. He adored his family and loved anyone whom his children loved, because if someone was important to his child, they were important to him too. After Papou died, I sat down with Harry and his two sisters to help Harry with his eulogy. We cried and laughed as we recalled our favorite memories of Papou, from famous words of wisdom like “If you go to bed with dogs, you’re going to wake up with fleas” to stories of him patiently teaching his kids to water ski and pulling them all day long on the boat. As Harry wrote his eulogy, he noticed a theme to his father’s life. What made Papou a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend could be summed up in one word. Consistency. You see, Papou wasn’t the type to make New Year’s resolutions that only lasted a month. He didn’t jump on the bandwagon of hot new trends and hop from one opportunity to another, always looking for some get-rich-quick strategy. Instead, Papou lived a life of quiet commitment. He was faithful and firm, the kind of father
who kept his word, showed up, and followed through on his decisions. When his oldest daughter, Renee, was in first grade, for instance, she came home from school one day admitting she’d lied to her teacher. The teacher asked the kids where they went to church, and since their family had moved to Gadsden, they’d stopped going to church because the closest Greek Orthodox church was in Birmingham. Immediately Papou made a decision. On Sunday mornings, he and his family would begin driving to Birmingham to attend church. An hour there and an hour back. His kids would sometimes complain, of course, but Papou stuck with it. Rarely did their family miss a Sunday service. Today, Harry and his sisters agree that those Sunday drives to church are some of their best childhood memories. They talked about everything during those car rides — school, relationships, life lessons — and bonded over the conversations that resulted. When Papou’s kids went to college, he wanted a way to keep in touch with them. He decided to start calling each child every morning on his way to work. His calls rolled in like clockwork, and even if Harry and his sisters had been out late the night before, they knew to expect their phones to ring sometime around 8 a.m. Once Harry and I got engaged a few years later, Papou added me to his call list. “Since you’re going to be my fourth child,” he told me,
“you’ll get a call too.” Papou kept his promise, calling me at work each morning until I married his son nine months later. Papou’s death really got me thinking about what makes a great parent — and the kind of legacy I hope to leave. One thing I noticed in the aftermath of his death was the deep sadness in the eyes of those childhood friends who grew up with his kids and considered him an important influence in their lives. Many old friends called Papou their “second dad.” Others admitted to feeling closer to Papou than they did their own father. Papou always welcomed his children’s friends into his home. He took a genuine interest in their lives and showed up for every football game, school event and special gathering that parents were invited to because he loved to be part of his children’s world. Celebrating Father’s Day this year will be tough without Papou. I expect there to be a lot of storytelling, tears and laughter. And if there’s anything I think we can all learn from this man whose family adored him and whose absence is felt deeply, it’s the importance of being consistent. Because sometimes parenting gets boring and hard. Sometimes we get burned out and want to check out. For moms and dads alike, the work can get monotonous. It’s time to go to work again. It’s time to do laundry again. It’s time to drive carpool again and help with homework
again and repeat the same old routine again. This daily grind can make us feel either antsy or stuck. We may wonder what the point is and if the end result is worth it. Through Papou’s life and death, I’ve seen what the daily grind can lead to. I’ve witnessed how his commitment as a family man led to a really rich harvest at the end of his life. The reason Papou become a beloved grandfather whose grown children and grandchildren flocked to him and loved spending time with him is because he had engaged with them since birth. He loved fiercely and with a jolly smile. He was a steady and predictable presence in their lives. Great parenting is no accident. Of the many habits that made Papou an example to follow, I believe his habit of honoring his commitments tops the list. Papou’s daily discipline added up to a really amazing life. And as we settle into life without him, we hope to carry his legacy on, and try to raise our children with the same values he held and the same beautiful commitment to being present and consistent. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Birmingham area mom of four girls, columnist, and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” is now 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.
POWER TO
HOME
© 2016 Alabama Power Company
Safe, affordable, reliable electricity is one form of power we provide, but not the only one. Meet Rita Burns. She recently built her fi rst home, and with the help of Alabama Power, was able to make sure it was as comfortable and efficient as she imagined it could be. With a simple call to Alabama Power for advice and direction, Rita now has a comfortable place that her whole family can enjoy. That’s power to turn a house into a home. That’s Power to Alabama.
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B21
Vestavia Hills Real Estate Listings MLS #
Zip
Address
Status
Price
749777
35216
516 Lansdowne Place
New
$359,900
749904
35216
1848 Montclaire Drive
New
$289,900
749776
35216
204 Erwin Circle
New
$259,900
749571
35216
3310 Altaloma Drive
New
$309,000
749365
35216
2298 Lime Rock Road
New
$250,000
749024
35216
2724 Southbury Circle #2724
New
$89,900
748977
35216
1580 Woodridge Place
New
$1,090,000
748969
35216
1597 Woodridge Place
New
$998,500
748890
35216
2257 Pine Crest Circle
New
$354,900
748884
35216
1941 Southwood Road
New
$535,000
748879
35216
1701 Cedarwood Road
New
$799,900
748746
35216
1212 Green Glen Road
New
$297,900
750081
35216
2740 Vestavia Forest Drive
New
$369,900
748711
35216
464 Vesclub Way
New
$999,999
748613
35216
424 Glenwood Road
New
$419,000
748576
35216
2613 Vesclub Circle
New
$375,000
748418
35216
1028 Vestavia Manor Drive
New
$229,900
748164
35216
1784 Old Creek Trail
New
$310,900
748158
35216
1721 Ashley Wood Place
New
$435,000
748099
35216
2160 Brookdale Lane
New
$525,000
Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on May 16. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.
516 Lansdowne Place
2740 Vestavia Forest Drive
B22 • June 2016
Vestavia Voice
Calendar Vestavia Events June 2: OLLI of Greater Birmingham Presents: Comparing World Governments. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Senior Center. Course continues on June 9, 16, and 23. Visit training.ua.edu/olli. June 3: OLLI of Greater Birmingham Presents: Road to the White House: Primaries, Conventions & Electoral College. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Senior Center. Course continues on June 10, 17, and 24. Visit training.ua.edu/olli. June 3: Artist Incorporated, First Friday Reception. 5:30 p.m. Artists Incorporated, 3365 Morgan Drive. Wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music. Visit artistsincorporated.com. June 4: Wing Ding Challenge & Festival. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Vestavia City Hall. $5, children 8 and under free. Visit vestaviahillsorg.
June 13: Senior Citizen Luncheon. Vestavia Civic Center. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. June 14: Vestavia Chamber Monthly Luncheon. 11:30 a.m. Vestavia Country Club. $18 advance, $25 late reservations. Network with other chamber members and hear speakers on a wide variety of updates. Visit vestaviahillsorg. June 14: OLLI of Greater Birmingham Presents: Our Personal Finances. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Senior Center. Visit training.ua.edu/olli. June 14: OLLI of Greater Birmingham Presents: State of Alabama’s Budgeting Process. 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Senior Center. Visit training.ua.edu/olli. June 21: OLLI of Greater Birmingham Presents: Calling the Rules: Officials
Coordinator of the Southeastern Conference Tells All. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Senior Center. Visit training.ua.edu/ olli. June 25: Slide the City. Vestavia Hills High School. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Featuring a 1,000foot water slide. Live music, food, drinks and more. $10-$65. Visit slidethecity.com. June 28: OLLI of Greater Birmingham Presents: Japanese Maples: The Aristocrat of Trees. 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center. Visit training.ua.edu/olli. June 30: 2016 I Love America Summer Celebration. 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Wald Park. Free swimming from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Children’s area, Pops in the Park by Shades Mountain Baptist Church Orchestra at 7 p.m. Movie at 8:15 p.m.
Vestavia Hills Library Events Children Mondays: Maker Mondays. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Work with the electric circuits. Something for everyone, but adults must accompany children. Tuesdays: Together with Twos. 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Join Miss Cristina for a rollicking toddler time of stories, songs, finger plays and movement. Ages 18 mos. to 35 mos. Tuesdays, June 7–July 26: Get Up and Go Tuesday. 2 p.m. for a “moving” activity. Kids in second through sixth grade will enjoy all kinds of
new experiences. June 7: Ping Pong with Bumper Nets, June 14: Dance Hip Hop with Birmingham Dance, June 21: Villager Yoga teaches yoga, June 28: Obstacle Course. Tuesdays: PJ Storytime. 6:30 p.m. Children’s Program Room. (except the 3rd Tuesday, which is Family Night). Wednesdays: Summer Story Friends. 10:30 a.m. Join Mrs. Lisa for great stories and songs plus a surprise visitor or two. Ages 5 and under. 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. Thursdays: L.I.F.T. (Library in the Forest Time). 9:30 a.m.-noon. Enjoy special play equipment in the program room for preschoolers and their caregivers Thursdays: Book Babies. (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 mos. Call 978-0158
VestaviaVoice.com
June 2016 • B23
to register. (no class April 14)
refreshments provided. Sunday dress encouraged.
Thursdays, June 9–July 28: Ready, Set, Read! Performer. 10:30 a.m. June 9: Singer Anna Moo, June 16: Hampstead Stage Company: Aladdin, June 23: Juggler Ron Anglin, June 30: Puppeteer Lee Bryan.
June 28: Obstacle Course. 2 p.m. Community Room.
Fridays: Summer Movie Fridays. 10:30 a.m. Feature kid’s movie with popcorn and drinks.
June 29: Atlanta Puppeteer, Lee Bryan, Presents: Aesop’s Fables. 10:30 a.m. Community Room. Teens
June 2: Summer Reading Kickoff Party. 10:30 a.m. Community Room. Kickoff with a Beatin’ Path Rhythm performance followed by free Kona Ice. Special bags will be given to all who sign up for Summer Reading on this day.
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.
June 2: Summer Reading Kickoff Party. 6:30 p.m. Amphitheater. Kickoff continues with an evening performance by Global Movement, a Cirque Du Soleil alum, who will perform a gymnastics program on the silks in our outdoor amphitheater.
June 7: Library Olympics. Opening ceremony for this year’s Teen Summer Reading. 5:30 p.m.
June 4 & 18: Fiddlesticks Music Program. 10:30 a.m. Preschoolers and parents make music together. Ages 2-6.
June 14: Fandom Tuesday. 4 p.m. Community Room. Movies, crafts and themed foods.
June 7: Bumper Nets Ping Pong. 2 p.m. Community Room. June 7: Library Olympics. 5:30 p.m. Community Room. June 9: Musician Anna Moo. 10:30 a.m. Community Room. June 11: Minecraft in the Forest. 1 p.m. Historical Room. June 14: Hip Hop Dance. 2 p.m. Community Room. June 16: Hampstead Stage Company presents “Aladdin.” 10:30 a.m. Community Room. June 23: Juggler Ron Anglin. 10:30 a.m. Community Room. June 25: Cinderella Father-Daughter Tea. 11 a.m. Community room. Magical time with
June 1: Teen Art Group. 4 p.m.
June 8 & 22: Teen Writing Group. 4 p.m. Historical Room. Snacks served.
June 15: Otaku Time. 4 p.m. Historical Room. June 22: Teen Writing Group. 4 p.m. Historical Room. June 28: Anime Movie Night. 4 p.m. Community Room. Adults June 3: First Fridays Fiber Arts. 10 a.m. Knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, crewel, embroidery ad smoking. All skill levels welcome. June 8: The A, B, C, and D’s of Medicare. 12 p.m. Free monthly workshop held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. No registration necessary. June 17: Summer Concerts in the Forest: Rollin’ in the Hay. 6:30–7:30 p.m. June 21: Village Yoga. Community Room. 2 p.m.
Area Events June 1: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. 113 22nd Street North, Downtown Birmingham. Walking art gallery with artists, performers and food. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com June 2: Journey & The Doobie Brothers with special guest Dave Mason. 7 p.m. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, Pelham. $20-$125. Visit doobiebros.com. June 3-4: ASO EBSCO Masterworks Series. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Alys Stephens Center. Tickets $24-$69. Visit alabamasymphony.org. June 3-4: 10th Annual Magic City Brewfest. Sloss Furnaces. Friday 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturday 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Tickets $38 advanced, $45 day of event. Visit magiccitybrewfest.com. June 5: Vulcan’s 112th Birthday Bash. 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. $5. Visitulcan. com. June 5: Harry Connick Jr. 8 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. Tickets available through ticketmaster.com. June 10: Y’all Connect (Blogging and Social Media Conference). 8 a.m.-5 p.m. BJCC East Meeting Rooms. $129/$199 VIP. Visit yallconnect.com. June 10-12: Alabama Symphony Orchestra: Symphony in the Summer. Railroad Park. Three nights of free concerts under the stars. 8 p.m. nightly. Visit alabamasymphony.org. June 11: Ira Glass in Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host. 8 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $39.50-$59.50. Visit alysstephens.org. June 11: Big Green Eggs in the Ham. Regions Field. Presented by Easter Seals of the Birmingham Area. $14 single admission, $25 couple’s
admission. Visit eastersealsbham.org. June 11: SliceFest 2016. Slice Pizza and Brew, Lakeview. 1 p.m.-12 a.m. Tickets $25 advance, $30 at the gate. Visit slicefest.com. June 11: Take the Reins 10K. Good People Brewery, 114 14th Street South. 8 a.m. Benefi ing The Red Barn which provides equine assisted activities for those with special needs and special circumstance. $30 race registration. Visit theredbarn. org. June 12: 2016 VIVA Health Starlight Gala starring Kristin Chenoweth. Alys Stephens Center. 6 p.m. $150. Visit alysstephenscenter.org. June 12: Weird Al Yankovic. BJCC Concert Hall. $31-$61. Visit weirdal.com. June 22-July 3: Wicked. BJCC Concert Hall. Presented by Theater League Birmingham. Visit ticketmaster.com. June 28: Monthly meeting of WordPress Users. 7 p.m. Pale Eddie’s Pour House, 2nd Ave. North. From beginners to programmers. Visit www. meetup.com/Birmingham-WordPress-Meetup. June 25: Brantley Gilbert: Take It Outside Tour 2016. Special guests Justin Moore and Colt Ford. 7 p.m. $30.25-$55. Visit brantleygilbert. com. June 27: Bring It! Live. Alabama Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Performance by Miss D and her Dancing Dolls. $31-$47. Visit alabamatheatre.com. Saturdays: Valleydale Farmer’s Market. 4601 Valleydale Road. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Visit valleydalefarmersmarket.com.
- cOMMUTESMART RIDESHARE COMMUTER STORY
The Smarter Way to Work! Do you ever sit in traffic and think, “There has to be a better way to get to work?” CommuteSmart is here to help everyone enjoy an easier commute and reduce air pollution in Jefferson and Shelby counties. CommuteSmart offers free online ridematching, carpool and vanpool services, the Emergency Ride Home program and more. We can help you find a commute alternative from home to work and back.
Visit commutesmart.org for more information