Vestavia Voice November 2022

Reclaiming

SAINT

BY NEAL EMBRY

It has been nearly five months since a shooting at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church left three beloved members dead during a group potluck for seniors.

There is no set way to reopen a space after such a horrific event. Yet, on July 7, less than a month after the shooting, that’s what the seniors did. To ensure no one had to walk back into the space alone, they gathered

in the large area just outside the doors to the Parish Hall and walked in together. They broke bread and shared the Eucharist and prayers. Afterwards, they shared a large meal together in the chapel, prepared by the “Middlers,” a group of middle-aged people in the church.

“It just felt like a real gift of love,” said the Rev. Becky Bridges, associate rector for formation and outreach at Saint Stephen’s.

Three days later, the entire congregation at

the church did the same. It was the church’s way of “reclaiming” that space, of not allow ing the evil of June 16 to have the last word.

Instead of living in fear, the people of Saint Stephen’s have offered ways of loving each other, said the Rev. John Burruss, the rector at the church.

“To me, that’s the gospel message,”

Veterans reflect on service

By NEAL EMBRY

Growing

After

BRIAN DAVIS

Brian Davis, a U.S. Army Reserves and National Guard veteran, sits in front of a display

from his time in the armed forces

his office in the public works division at Vestavia Hills City Hall. Photo by Erin Nelson.

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Editor’s Note By Neal Embry

Since I’ve been at Starnes Media, our November papers have always featured veterans in honor of Veterans Day.

Each year, we reach out to our sourc es and ask them to connect us to vet erans in the city, and that’s followed up with an interview and photos. It is always an honor to meet those citizens who have sacrificed so much of their lives to serve this country, and it is an honor to tell their stories.

I hope you enjoy this year’s version of our veteran stories. In addition to honoring our veterans, we also have a story about Vestavia Hills City Schools nurse Bianca Guiser in this month’s paper. Guiser recently became a U.S. citizen, following her family’s immigration to the country when she was 9 years old. Congratu

lations to Bianca!

On this month’s cover, we feature how the congregation at Saint Ste

phen’s Episcopal Church has moved forward after the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of three parishioners on June 16. I’m grateful to church leaders John Burruss, Katherine Harper and Becky Bridges for speak ing with me about how they have reclaimed their spaces and sought to love each other and others in these difficult times.

We take time this month to give thanks for our many blessings. What ever your plans are for this Thanks giving season, I hope it brings rest and joy to you and your family.

As always, thank you for reading!

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Legals: Vestavia Voice is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Vestavia Voice

The Vestavia Hills marching band performs at halftime of a game against Hewitt-Trussville at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Oct. 7. Photo by Erin Nelson.

concerns, other

discussed at council meeting

By ERIC TAUNTON

A Hoover citizen expressed multiple con cerns about the rezoning of the property at 2245 and 2249 Blue Ridge Blvd at a Vestavia Hills City Council meeting on Sept. 26.

Rebekah Golden lives a few feet from the Jefferson County and Shelby County line next to the two properties, she said.

She said she’s concerned about the flooding in her backyard and the potential impact con struction will have on traffic.

“They’re wanting to redirect the drainage pipe going toward the creek but against the nat ural flow of the creek and our backyard already floods,” Golden said. “The construction, just them coming in for pre-construction for demo lition, how is that going to affect school traffic in the morning when they’ve got dump trucks coming in and out?”

She said she met with an engineer for the city of Hoover who said her backyard will flood if construction proceeds as planned.

Vestavia Hills City Engineer Christopher Brady said though the city is tackling issues regarding erosion due to stormwater runoff, he has not heard from any engineers with the city of Hoover about Golden’s concerns and that the current stormwater run off plan meets all requirements of the city of Vestavia Hills.

“We are aware of some ongoing erosion going on on the edge of the road there,” Brady said. “The design intent is to help create better control of that stormwater as it's coming off

the edge of the road… I believe their storm water runoff plan meets all of city of Vestavia Hills regulations. I don’t see a flooding threat for any of the units that they have proposed for development.”

The city council approved the rezoning from and annexation of the property.

At the meeting, City Manager Jeff Downes provided the council with an update of the Days Inn property that was recently secured by the

city of Vestavia Hills.

Spectrum Environmental, an environmental solutions service based in Alabaster, evaluated for the property and identified an issue with asbestos, Downes said.

“We are finalizing the scope of work for civil engineering,” Downes said. “Our objective is to get a bid by November for the demolition of the property. Given the time it takes to go through the bidding process, the goal is, by the end of

December, have a day for demolition if we can maybe jump a few hurdles.”

Downes said he’s been approached by many developers who requested to remain private, he said.

“Our intent is, in the month of January or February, is to present developers with a clean site so that the development world can see what the site could actually be. We want to have a public planning charrette [a meeting where all parties get together to resolve conflicts and develop plans], similar to what we’ve done in other projects, to develop a vision, not just for that property, but adjoining properties.”

Downes also reported both the Vestavia Hills Police Department and Fire Department plan to conduct training exercises in November, he said.

The Vestavia Hills Fire Department will participate in regional training exercises that will be “beneficial for our people as well as fire departments around the region,” Downes said.

The council also approved a contract with neighboring cities Hoover, Homewood and Mountain Brook, along with the Rocky Ridge Fire District, to form a regional training facility at the still-to-be-constructed training facility near Vestavia. Specialized classes and training will be offered there.

In other business, the City Council:

► Approved the annexation and rezoning of the property at 2632 Rillwood Road

► Approved the reappointment of Jeff Slaton to the Vestavia Hills Design Review Board

The Vestavia Hills Fire Department training facility located in Hoover. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Council accepts bid for Cahaba Heights sidewalk project

By NEAL EMBRY

The Vestavia Hills City Council accepted a bid for a sidewalk project in Cahaba Heights that is tied to new commercial development and landscape improvements.

The bid, worth roughly $267,000, came in within budget from Avery Landscaping and will pay for sidewalks connecting Heights Village to the back of The Fig Tree restaurant. The council approved the bid at the Oct. 10 council meeting.

The sidewalks are part of a larger project to improve both pedestrian access and land scaping in the area in advance of two new restaurants coming to town. In October 2021, the council approved $47,000 in tax incentives for Miss Astrid’s Tavern, which will be located behind The Fig Tree. The business will receive 50% of sales tax revenues generated from their business for up to six years, or until that amount reaches $47,000.

The tavern will serve alcoholic beverages while using The Fig Tree’s kitchen. In exchange for the rebate, the property owner, Richard Edge, will improve the on-site stormwater structures and parking, which will serve not

only that property but the entire area.

Another restaurant and outdoor venue con cept is being planned next door, developed by Bluwater Properties. Owner Jared Lewis previously told the Vestavia Voice it was a “fast-casual” concept. Parking and stormwa ter improvements will also be made at that property.

The council also approved an amendment to the funding agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation for the pedestrian bridge project. Roughly $205,000 in additional grant money was recently made available and accepted. The city’s portion of the roughly $4.7 million project is about $905,000 total.

Also at the meeting, the council:

► Approved a fuel surcharge with Amwaste, the provider for the Cahaba Solid Waste Dis posal Authority. The city budgeted an addi tional $500,000 this year in sanitation costs in anticipation of the surcharge.

► Moved the Dec. 26 council meeting to Dec. 19

► Declared four police vehicles as surplus

► Approved six different contracts for those who rent the new Civic Center

New

Fig

Cahaba Heights Entertainment District.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

Several legislative races on the ballot

By NEAL EMBRY

This November, among many state and county races, Vestavia Hills voters have a Congressional seat up for grabs, as well as a state Senate seat and multiple House seats.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Roberts, who represents District 15, faces Libertarian challenger Michael Crump, while U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer, a Republican repre senting Alabama’s 6th District, faces Libertarian Andria Chieffo.

Incumbent Republican Jim Carns faces Libertarian challenger Bruce Stutts in House District 48, while Republican Mike Shaw faces Dem ocrat Christian Coleman in House District 47, which was previously represented by Republican David Wheeler, who died in March.

up-to-date information about this year’s election, visit vestaviavoice.com.

GARY PALMER (I)

U.S.

Elected to U.S. Congress in 2014 represent ing Alabama’s 6th District

experience: Pres ident of the Alabama Policy Institute for 24 years; worked in engineering, as well as with Focus on the Family

experience: Rotary Club of Birmingham; member of Briar wood Presbyterian Church;

Bachelor’s degree in operations management from Uni versity of Alabama in 1977

Main issues: Fiscal conserva tism; reducing regulation; lowering energy costs; replacing the Afford able Care Act; protecting the life of the unborn

Website/social media: palmer.house.gov; Twitter @ USRepGaryPalmer; Facebook: CongressmanGaryPalmer

ANDRIA CHIEFFO

U.S.

experience:

Main issues: “Andria Chieffo is excited to provide a liberty-sup porting option on the ballot for Dis trict 6, but is unable to devote herself to a full-time campaign at this time.

supports our state party’s planks and the planks of the national Libertarian Party,” from the Liber tarian Party of Alabama’s Candidate

Walser

DAN ROBERTS (I)

Senate

Elected in

to the state Senate represent ing District

international

Real

experience: Elder, Bri arwood Presbyterian Church; board member of Briarwood Christian School; chairman of Briarwood Ballet

Master’s degree in real estate development and urban affairs from Georgia State University in 1985; bachelor’s degree in build ing science from Auburn University in

Tax reform;

Alabama’s workforce;

in education (some

school choice); allowing

to compete, especially in the

Website/social media: dan robertsforsenate.com; Facebook: DanRoberts4StateSenate

MICHAEL CRUMP

Mountain Brook

Trea

Greater Birmingham

experience: Cus

for a blockchain cryp

experience: Past volun teer at Sidewalk Film Festival, vari ous church events

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Herzing College

Main issues: Abolishing some government entities such as the IRS and ATF; ensuring citizens live their lives without government influence; pro-homeschooling; anti-all gun laws; would forfeit legislative pay for two years

Website/social media: LinkedIn: themichaelcrump

MIKE SHAW

► Race: AL House District 47

► Party: Republican

Age: 50

► Residence: Hoover

► Political experience: Six years on Hoover City Council

► Professional experience: Chief technology officer and senior vice president for Mutual Savings Credit Union for 17 years

► Civic experience: Represents the Hoover City Council on the Hoover Planning and Zoning Com mission and Sports Facility Advi sory Committee; founded Hoover Technology Roundtable; member of technology advisory group for Riv erchase Career Connection Center; Tech Birmingham board member; former Birmingham Infragard board member; founded Destina tion Hoover International; member of Shades Mountain Baptist Church and Spain Park High School Band Boosters

► Education: Bachelor’s degree in public administration from Auburn University in 1995

► Main issues: Make sure Hoover and Vestavia Hills get fair share of money for infrastructure projects; improve education; support charter schools and school choice options without hurting successful school systems; re-examine impact of legislation legalizing medical mar ijuana; revisit automatic future gaso line tax increases already approved

► Website/social media: elect mikeshaw.com

CHRISTIAN COLEMAN

► Race: AL House 47

► Party: Democratic

Age: 33

► Residence: Hoover

Political experience: None

Professional experience: Freelance writer

► Civic experience: Alabama Air National Guard; grew up attend ing New Pilgrim Baptist Church and Mountaintop Community Church

► Education: Bachelor’s degree in film from the University of Ala bama in 2011; master of fine arts degree from the University of New Orleans in 2015

► Main issues: Medicaid expan sion; make election day a state holiday; opposes school choice; improving education; paid family

leave; clean energy and protecting the state’s environment

► Website/social media: chris tianforalabama.com; Instagram: christianforalabama

BRUCE STUTTS

► Race: AL House District 48

Party: Libertarian

Age: 60

► Residence: Vestavia Hills

► Political experience: None

► Professional experience: Compass Bank; Regions Bank; inde pendent portfolio manager; college instructor for Huntington College Finance & Investment; BBVA/PNC Bank

► Civic experience: Church of the Highlands

► Education: Master’s degree in finance; bachelor’s degree in corpo rate finance and investments from the University of Alabama

► Main issues: individual free dom; not limiting voters to major two parties; reduce taxes when possible; support smaller government

Website/social media: N/A

JIM CARNS (I)

► Race: AL House 48

Party: Republican

Age: 82

Residence: Vestavia Hills

Political experience: State representative, 1990-2005; Jefferson County Commission, 2006-2010; state representative, 2012-present

► Professional experience: Founder, American Metal Technol ogy; founder, Modern Sales; vice president, Modern Handling Systems

► Civic experience: Alabama Air National Guard veteran; board member, Youth Leadership Devel opment Program; elder, Briarwood Presbyterian Church

► Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering from University of Alabama in 1962

► Main issues: Protecting the life of the unborn; ensuring elec tion integrity (pro-voter ID, voted to ban curbside voting); pro-Second Amendment; fiscal responsibility; supports vocational training; welfare reform; anti-vaccine mandate

Website/social media: elect jimcarns.com; Facebook: RepJimCarns

Shaw Coleman Stutts

Carns

Palmer Chieffo

Roberts

Crump

Charles Kessler bringing luxury subdivision near Vestavia Hills

By NEAL EMBRY

Developer Charles Kessler has plans to build 11 homes, in addition to one already built, on Sicard Hollow Road just outside the limits of Vestavia Hills, to create “Sicard Hollow Farms,” a luxury subdivision.

The subdivision will be located at 4401 Sicard Hollow Road and will sit next to the Cotswolds in Liberty Park. The homes will range from the low $900,000s to one that will likely be about $2.5 million, Kessler said. The subdivision will include private streets, a gate and the minimum square footage for each home will be between 2,500 and 3,000 square feet, he said.

While the homes won’t be zoned for Vestavia Hills City Schools, most of his buyers don’t

need the school system, Kessler said, allowing them to lessen their tax burden by staying in Jefferson County.

The homes will differ from lot to lot, Kessler said.

“I don’t want any two to be the same,” he said.

Kessler has told homeowners not to remove trees without permission and wants to keep the area wooded.

This represents “one of the last places you can go” in Vestavia Hills for development, Kessler said, and provides easy access to the Summit and the Colonnade along U.S. 280.

Construction was set to begin in October and should take between 12 and 24 months, Kes sler said.

Mayor’s Minute

By Ashley Curry

month, I gave the “State of the City Address” to the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. There are two very notable things about our city that were addressed. The first was the quality of life that we enjoy in our city. We continue to be rated as one of the most “livable” cities in Alabama. Also of note is the economic strength of our city. Under the leadership of the City Council and the city manager, we are very fiscally responsible and, as I pointed out in the address, we are very efficient and “do more with less” compared to other cities.

In November we celebrate two big events. The first one is Veterans Day and the other is Thanksgiving.

It would be safe to say that if it were not for our veterans, we probably would have nothing to celebrate. Without the freedoms that they fought for, we would not be able to live in a country that allows the quality of life that we enjoy.

We must honor and remember the service of our men and women in the military presently as well as those who served previously. The sacrifices made by our veterans should never be forgotten.

In Vestavia Hills, we will be remembering our veterans with two separate events. There will be a veterans celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at the New Merkel House in Cahaba Heights. Another veterans event will be held in the new Civic Center on Thursday, Nov. 10. All are welcome to attend these events. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? I suspect many of you will respond with family, friends and good health. But there is so much

more for which to be thank ful. Our homes, the food on our table and even our city.

Thanksgiving is also a time to be grateful. Susan Rhodes, a licensed clinical social worker, says, “Grat itude is more than just the feeling of thankfulness. Being thankful is the first step, and we have to have that initial feeling to build upon. We build upon it by redirecting our focus into making gratefulness an intrinsic part of our lives.” She suggests that we show gratitude to all the people that have added value, love or friendship in our lives.

I am grateful for all our employees, our civic clubs, our churches, our citizen volunteers and all of our citizens that contribute so much to our city.

I will be thankful and grateful for the comple tion of the new Civic Center. Projected to open in November, it will have increased space for recreation, numerous meeting rooms and even a large banquet space. Our parks and recreation staff is busy planning events, program and rec reational activities for our new facility.

Mark your calendars for Nov. 29. The city will be holding its annual Christmas Tree light ing at City Hall.

I hope that you have an enjoyable and happy Thanksgiving.

Changing lives one smile at a time

Photo by Meredith Rowlen Photography

Curry Dentistry

This rendering shows a home at the new Sicard Hollow Farms residential development near Liberty Park. Photo courtesy of Charles Kessler.

Business Happenings

surprise overdraft fee practices years earlier but chose to wait while the bank pursued changes that would generate new fee revenue to make up for ending the illegal fees. Regions issued a statement, saying that “although Regions Bank disagrees with the CFPB’s characterizations, the bank cooperated with the investigation and is pleased to move forward. Agreeing to the settlement reflects Regions’ desire to focus its attention on continuing to support customers through a wide range of ac count enhancements that have already lowered fees for many customers.” regions.com

PERSONNEL MOVES

Online

Regions

the

Mama.

at

at 529 Montgomery Highway, 3172

and 3390 Morgan Drive, was fined $50 million

Financial Protection Bureau and ordered to

the bureau said Re gions

at least $141 million to

with

surprise overdraft fees. From August 2018 through July 2021, Regions charged customers surprise overdraft fees on certain ATM withdrawals and debit card

even after telling consumers they had sufficient funds at the time of the transactions. The bureau found that Regions leadership knew about and could have discontinued its

Storyteller Overland, an industry leader in the burgeoning class B RV and adventure vehicle manufacturing space, is excited to welcome Tyler Duke as their new Chief Technology Officer. Tyler has 15 years of experience as an executive work ing in enterprise software development, business intelligence, and consumer facing technologies. As Chief Technology Officer, Tyler will implement technology solutions to build a strong foundation for Storyteller Overland and its subsidiaries — like GoCamp, FlareSpace, and Global X — to succeed upon. Tyler started his career in software development, and then he moved into consulting at CTS, Inc where he consulted with local and national businesses on product development, software engi neering, business intelligence and more. In 2017, he joined E.A. Renfroe & Company, Inc. as the Director of Technology where he built a high-performing technology department from the ground up. In 2021, Tyler co-founded ListList, a social network ing startup that helps users share and collaborate on lists, which was accepted into Innovation Depot’s Velocity Accelera tor program. Tyler is a lifelong Alabamian, receiving his under graduate degree from The University of Alabama and his MBA at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. When he’s not at work, he enjoys spending as much time outside as possible with his two daughters. His other hobby includes working on his technology startup with his wife and co-founder, Piyanka. storytelleroverland.com

By ERIC TAUNTON

Medical Properties Trust, a real estate invest ment company specializing in healthcare facil ities, recently announced a brand new, state of the art headquarters for the Birmingham area coming to Vestavia Hills.

The building will make the surrounding forest visible from anywhere in the building and will harvest its own electricity from the sun and its own water from rainfall, said Bruce McEvoy, design director at Perkins and Will.

“MPT started in Birmingham,” said Ed Aldag, president and CEO of Medical Properties Trust. “We’ve been around for 20 years and we’ve grown from zero to 200 employees and have built over 450 hospitals across the world. Our lease here — 1000 Urban Center Drive, Suite 501 — was coming up in a few years; we’ve outgrown the space so it was time to start look ing for something else.”

The Drummond Company offered land to MPT that is located down the road from their current office building, Aldag said.

Aldag said he approached McEvoy to design the new headquarters to be the most environ mentally friendly facility in the state.

“It’ll be the most environmentally friendly building built here in Alabama and certainly here in Birmingham,” Aldag said. “We’re excited to be the headquarters for Medical Properties Trust for many years after Bruce and I are gone.”

The building was modeled after a property that EBSCO built on top of Oak Mountain, he said.

“I fell in love with it the very first time I went there and saw the stream running under the building,” Aldag said. “When we got this particular site and I saw what we could do… this was always the vision.”

Construction on the building began the week of Sept. 26, with construction expected to be

finished in 2025, she said.

In late September, residents and city leaders expressed their excitement about the construc tion of the new building at a gathering at the current MPT headquarters.

“On behalf of the City of Vestavia Hills, I wanted to add that this is outstanding and excit ing,” said Vestavia Hills City Councilor George Pierce. “I hope there’s an opportunity for our Vestavia Hills students to watch this project, study it. If you haven’t met [Vestavia Hills City Schools Superintendent Todd] Freeman, I’d like to introduce you to him. I can see Vestavia Hills students, elementary through high school, want ing to study this and see what you do.”

Aldag said he is passionate about the MPT headquarters being in Birmingham.

“I think this is a trifecta of an experience in that it’s 200 jobs which any community would love and then it’s healthcare, which is what we know we do really well here in our region,” an audience member said. “To Vestavia, Bir mingham and the entire county, hats off to you guys. This is truly an amazing opportunity for our region, not just Birmingham and not just Vestavia. I truly see this as catalytic in nature… We stand ready to continue to being a native support your efforts.’”

He said MPT board member Steve Dawson can attest that “the very first thing my employ ment contract says is that they have to pay me a lot of money to move the headquarters outside of Birmingham.”

“As the mayor knows, I am one of Birming ham’s biggest cheerleaders,” Aldag said. “I have the opportunity to host people from all over the world and I do absolutely everything I can to sing the praises of Birmingham. Not being a native here, I grew up in south Alabama, this has been a fabulous place to raise a family and I appreciate everyone so very much. This is the most welcoming place I’ve ever moved to.”

Photo by

Taunton.

By ERIC TAUNTON

Stephanie Hazen and Kayla Swink have always been passionate about animals, which led them to work for several years as dog groomers in the city.

They’ve used their 30 years of combined experience to introduce their own dog groom ing service, Iron City PAWfection, which started accepting appointments in September, Hazen said. The business is located at 1401 Montgomery Highway in Vestavia Hills.

Iron City PAWfection is a whole-service dog grooming salon that offers haircuts, baths, ear cleaning, nail trims and facials, she said.

“I’m really excited,” Hazen said. “I’ve been passionate about animals my whole life, Kayla has too. We have and always will be dog loving people.”

Iron City PAWfection offers a cage-free environment, which allows for a more relaxed

atmosphere that is different from most dog salons, she said.

‘The dogs can kind of just hang out with us all day,” Hazen said. “They’re right here and we can keep an eye on them. It’s just fabulous.”

Hazen, who’s been a dog groomer for 17 years, has groomed dogs in Vestavia Hills for several years, she said.

She’s owned a dog salon before in Hueytown that was very successful, she said, but had to close it for personal reasons.

She later worked for PetSmart as a manager, leading her location to be ranked third in the region, she said.

One of the reasons Hazen and Swink decided to open Iron City PAWfection, she said, is because it’s hard and frustrating to work for people who don’t know much about the process of grooming a dog.

“It’s frustrating when certain things are out of your control and you’re just like, ‘Gosh, it

would work so much better if we did it like this,’” Hazen said. “Now I have that chance and I’m really excited.”

There are more dogs than there are people to groom them, Hazen said, both in Vestavia Hills and across the country.

The pandemic was a huge factor that contrib uted to the disparity, Hazen said.

There were so many people working from home, they had the time to be able to have pets, she said.

The problem was that dog grooming services were struggling to stay afloat while it wasn’t safe for people to socially interact, which forced many businesses to permanently close their doors, she said.

“I know one place that closed and I think they had been open for 20 years,” she said.

“There’s a nationwide shortage of groomers right now,” Hazen said. “The dogs that every body seems to have wanted to go out and buy

are doodles; we probably see about six a day. A lot of doodles are very high maintenance, they require a lot of grooming. A lot of times, I don’t think the breeders have adequately prepared people for exactly how much grooming they’re going to need.”

Dogs need to have a regular grooming sched ule to maintain good health and prevent compli cations including eye infections, ear infections and skin infections, among other problems, Hazen said.

Hazen said her business sees a lot of clients that have done business with her for years and is looking forward to new ones.

“We want to be able to give people the best grooming experience that they can get. It can be a stressful experience but with our exten sive experience, we know how to make it a smoother, easier experience,” Hazen said.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ Ironcitypawfection or call 205-306-5405.

Above: Stephanie Hazen, left, and Kayla Swink at Iron City

PAWfection in Vestavia Hills.

Right: A couple of happy customers.

Photos courtesy of Stephanie Hazen.

Inspiration home comes to Vestavia Hills

By NEAL EMBRY

This year’s Birmingham Home and Garden “Inspiration Home” is in Vestavia Hills, located at 2211 Chestnut Road.

Viewings for this year’s home begin Nov. 3 and are available every Thursday through Sunday in November except during the Thanksgiving holiday. Tickets are $10 and are available at birminghamhomeandgarden.com or at the door. The entirety of the proceeds benefit The Bell Center.

Cathy McGowin with the magazine said this year’s builder is Saunders Bradford, with Adam Gerndt serving as the designer. The home brings together 14 room designers, many product vendors and more to allow read ers to step inside the magazine and its pages, McGowin said.

This home is the 12th that the magazine has done in Birmingham, and there have also been four homes in Mobile.

Britney Bradford, design liaison, said the home has a lot of earth tones and is a “return

to traditional neutral tones accented with greens.”

The living room includes a stone fireplace and Mongolian fur, among other items.

“It really feels cohesive,” Bradford said.

The home features open walkways and a floor plan guests will love, Bradford said.

The goal each year is to assemble a group of people whose work is “inspirational, inno vative and elevative” to reflect the magazine’s project.

Mitch Bradford said the builder, architect and designers, along with vendors, have to work in tandem to help the customer see the vision and create a home that balances budget with quality.

“We keep going until we make it right,” Bradford said.

The home, which is between 5,000 and 6,000 square feet and features four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and two half bathrooms, has been sold, but everything in the home is up for sale during the showings, and a product book will be available.

Luxury Flooring

The

Chestnut

Vestavia

on Oct. 3. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Mayor Ashley Curry shares State of the City

By ERIC TAUNTON

Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry gave his annual State of the City address to Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce members at the chamber's monthly luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at Vestavia Country Club.

In this year’s address, Curry shared the progress the city has made since last year and how he expects the city to grow in the coming years in qual ity of life, safety and other facets.

“We continue to offer a quality of life for our residents that is second to none,” Curry said. “We have excel lent parks and recreational facilities, our children attend excellent schools, we have a robust housing market and we experience other qualities of life that affect families.”

Curry said the city’s quality of life and economic strength continue to contribute to the city’s success and growth over time.

He said programs such as the Freedom from Addiction Coali tion, Phoenix program and the Oct. 18 Domestic Violence Awareness Forum, where mayors from Vestavia, Homewood, Hoover and Mountain Brook will hear from domestic vio lence experts in Jefferson County about the state of domestic violence in the area, make Vestavia Hills a desirable place to live.

Curry also reported that Vestavia Hills was ranked as one of the safest cities in Alabama that has a popula tion of more than 30,000 people.

He said the crime rate in the city continues to be extremely low, a trend that’s carried on for several years.

“The Alabama crime rate is some five times higher than what we have

in Vestavia Hills,” Curry said.

The Vestavia Hills Police Depart ment increased the number of offi cers in Liberty Park, which improves the efficiency of the department in Cahaba Heights and other parts of

Vestavia, he said.

“I think we’ve mentioned before that the additional units in Liberty Park helps because Cahaba Heights units now don’t have to leave Cahaba Heights and go to Liberty Park to

answer a call,” Curry said.

The Vestavia Hills Fire Depart ment received a class 1 rating by the Insurance Services Office, which is the highest rating a fire department can receive, Curry said.

Only 474 fire departments in the nation received a class 1 rating this year, Curry said, and only 14 in the state have earned that rating.

“I’m extremely proud of the fire department for achieving that ISO rating of No. 1,” Curry said.

The fire department also re-initi ated the Fire Prevention and Educa tion program into the Vestavia Hills City Schools system, he said.

Curry reported to the chamber that the school system continues to find success in academics.

He said Superintendent Todd Free man attributed the success of VHCS to the “culture of excellence” that is perpetuated by the employees and parents of the school system.

“One of the most exciting accom plishments of this class in 2022 is that they received over $44 mil lion in scholarship offers,” Curry said.

Curry said he’s excited to see more economic growth in Vestavia Hills as several new businesses moved into the City Center such as Davenport’s Pizza and the Standard as well as Biscuit Love and Cajun Steamer in Cahaba Heights.

“As you can see, this area contin ues to grow and is accomplishing the family friendly atmosphere that was envisioned,” Curry said.

Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry shares his State of the City address on Oct. 11 at the Vestavia Country Club. Photo by Eric Taunton.

Neal Embry at nembry@ starnesmedia.com

in

Megan’s Fund hosting gingerbread house contest fundraiser

Megan’s Fund, which raises money and awareness to stop domestic violence in honor of Megan Montgomery, killed at the hands of her ex-husband, is hosting a gingerbread house contest Dec. 3.

Proceeds will benefit Megan’s Fund, which has awarded almost $18,000 in grants to sev eral schools and nonprofits. The fundraiser will allow for more funds to be given to schools so students can learn how to recognize an unhealthy relationship and how to access resources for help, and know how to hold each other accountable for dangerous or risky behavior, since the most at-risk age group for relationship violence is 18-24.

The event will further the mission “to save lives by preventing relationship violence before it begins.”

The little house entries in several family categories will be judged by professional bakers or chefs and there also will be a culi nary category which will be designer-type larger gingerbread house creations to be auc tioned off. Eight lucky winners will take these beautiful large designer gingerbread houses home to prominently display at their Christ mas parties!

Megan’s Fund is hosting a gingerbread house competition in December. Art courtesy of Susann Montgomery-Clark.

It will be at Vestavia Civic Center with drop off on Friday, Dec. 2, from 3-6 pm.

For more information, visit cfbham.org/ megans-fund or call Susann Montgom ery-Clark or Rod Clark, founding donor/ advisors of Megan’s Fund at 205-568-7474 or email Montgomeryclark22@gmail.com.

For information about submitting a house entry or to register to attend the free event, contact Nan cy Cargile at nancy.cargile@ gmail.com.

– Submitted by Susann Montgomery-Clark.

Schoolhouse

program aims to help meet student needs

By NEAL EMBRY

A new program called Neighbor hood Bridges allows Vestavia Hills residents to help meet the needs of Vestavia Hills students.

Director of Student Services

Jennifer Bailey said conversations began last January, when a parent brought the idea to the school. The program is used in neighboring dis tricts like Hoover City Schools, she said.

“It’s very much community led,” Bailey said.

Anyone who has a need can coordinate with a counselor at their child’s school, who will be the only person who knows the identity of the child and his or her family, Bailey said. From there, needs are posted on the website, neighborhoodbridges. org/community/vestaviahills-al.

Area directors help coordinate picking up items and getting them to the families. Drop-off takes place anonymously at Vestavia Hills Fire Station 1 and Fire Station 4.

Needs can be anything from help with school supplies to cleats, shoes and even helping pay school fees, Bailey said.

“There is need in our commu nity,” Bailey said.

Vestavia Hills is well known for being a relatively affluent area, but that does not mean that there isn’t need, she said.

Meeting needs, whether it be

financial or material, helps ensure that students have what they need to engage fully in school.

The area directors are usually those who no longer have students in the system but still want to help, Bailey said.

Karen Cardwell, the area direc tor for Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights, said she ensures details are posted on the site and also posts on the Facebook page, facebook.com/nbVestaviaHills.

“It’s really amazing how people

just automatically respond to a need,” Cardwell said.

Cardwell said she isn’t surprised by people helping, as the community is “great.” She’s seen requests for financial assistance, backpacks and more, about 15 to 20 requests since

the beginning of August.

“It’s so inspiring and I’m just so glad this is available to help people,” Cardwell said. “It makes you feel pride in your community when you see people stepping up.”

Catherine Alexander-Wright and Lindsey Shar are two other area directors and have built a friendship through the program.

“We didn’t know each other [before] and now we talk quite fre quently,” Alexander-Wright said.

Shar said she is “so glad” that she got involved with Neighborhood Bridges. Coming from a school counselor background, Shar said she was asked to get involved last school year, helping with a successful soft launch in the spring.

“It has really taken off,” Shar said.

Snacks are a big need, Shar said. It isn’t easy to learn when you’re hungry, Shar said, and that’s made worse as students experience growth spurts. Hygiene products are another highly requested category, she said.

Alexander-Wright said the response is “immediate.”

“It really is so heartwarming to see the community respond to the needs of the community,” Alexan der-Wright said.

For more information, visit the website or Facebook page. For questions or more information about Neighbor hood Bridges, email vestavia hills@neighborhoodbridges.org.

The

VHCS nurse becomes American citizen

NEAL EMBRY

When Bianca Guiser raised her right hand, took an oath to the United States and heard that she was officially a citizen on Sept. 16, it was a memory long in the making.

“I was grinning from ear to ear,” Guiser said.

Guiser, a nurse in the Vestavia Hills City School system, immigrated to the U.S. in February 2001 from South Africa with her family. Guiser went through the Leeds school system and then received a nursing degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Since 2018, Guiser has been with the Vestavia school system, first at Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park and then, since the COVID-19 pandemic, as a float nurse. When she applied for a green card, she was told to pursue a four-year degree that was a “service to society,” which led to nursing.

It’s been a long road for Guiser, whose family began the paperwork to stay in the United States in 2007. It took seven years for that paperwork to process, but then Guiser and her brother had to fill out more paper work since they had turned 21 during that time.

“That’s probably why this doesn’t feel completely real yet,” Guiser said.

Guiser and her husband, who live in Trussville now, dated for three years before getting married, but the government takes extra steps to ensure marriages between an American citizen and an immigrant are legit imate, to avoid so-called “green-card mar riages.” They examine deeds, ask questions about whether Guiser knows her in-laws’ names and more, she said. There are fol low-up interviews two years later.

“You always feel a little bit different than others, because my paperwork says I’m dif ferent than others,” Guiser said.

Many South Africans have left the country

due to corruption and violence, Guiser said.

“It was weird to us that people could leave their bicycles outside [in the U.S],” Guiser said.

Guiser said there is sometimes a misun derstanding that not all immigrants look the same. There have been people in her past that told her mother to go back where she came from.

“That hurts so much,” Guiser said.

In third grade, Guiser learned it wasn’t cool to be different, so she learned the Amer ican accent, she said.

But now, she said she has a very support ive community, and everyone in Vestavia has been very excited for her becoming a citizen.

“Sometimes we don’t even know how good we have it over here [in Vestavia],” Guiser said.

Brenda Seale, the system’s lead nurse, said Guiser does whatever is needed, which became evident when she agreed to become a float nurse during the pandemic. Guiser “does things the right way” and works hard to find solutions to problems, Seale said.

Guiser has a “good heart,” she said.

“She really cares a lot and shows it in her work ethic,” Seale said.

To become a citizen, Guiser had to obtain an ID, answer some questions and pass a citizenship test. She did all three and came back a few hours later to take the oath.

Reflecting on her journey to America, Guiser said she’s thankful for her parents.

“[They] gave up everything to bring us here,” Guiser said. “They gave up success ful jobs. But for my brothers and I to have a chance and live in a safer community. … We wouldn’t have that if we stayed in South Africa.”

Early this month, Guiser will vote for the first time in her life. It hasn’t yet hit her that she is a full-fledged American citizen.

“Standing in line to vote will maybe do it,” she said.

Bianca Guiser, a float nurse for Vestavia Hills City Schools, works with a student in the nurse’s office at the Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus on Sept. 26. Guiser received her United States citizenship status in September. Photo by Erin Nelson.

By NEAL EMBRY

At the Sept. 26 Vestavia Hills Board of Edu cation meeting, the board approved agreements to allow design work to begin on proposed school-system projects, ahead of an expected tax-increase vote sometime next year.

No funding or expenditure has been approved for any project, but the design work will take place in order to provide a better understanding of scope and possible cost should the plan be approved, Superintendent Todd Freeman said.

The projects, part of the proposed 1Rebel 1Future plan, include:

► Gym renovations to create new classroom space at Vestavia Hills Elementary West

► Classroom and gym addition and interior renovations at Vestavia Hills Elementary East

► A kitchen addition and interior renova tions at Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge

► Parking and drive improvements at Vestavia Hills High School, along with arts, athletics and kitchen cafeteria improvements at the campus.

► An auxiliary gym at Liberty Park Middle School

► Interior and exterior renovations to the

former Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce building

► Facility assessment upgrades at Pizitz Middle School, Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights, Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park and the Vestavia Hills High School freshman campus.

The board also heard an update on the mental health policy that requires parents to opt-in for their child to receive counseling and guidance services, following a law passed by the state legislature. Freeman said a majority of parents have opted into those services and told the board more guidance has come on what specifi cally schools must ask parents to either opt in or opt out of receiving. The guidance indicates the focus of the law is on whether students receive therapeutic services or not, he said, and that will be the focus ahead of the 2023-24 school year.

Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Services Patrick Martin also updated the board on 1Rebel 1Future, including news that pro posals for security upgrades, along with facility assessments and the prioritization of upgrades, would be coming to the board in the spring.

For more on this meeting, visit vestaviavoice. com.

21 students named National Merit Semifinalists at VHHS

The students are among 16,000 semifinalists nationwide who will have the opportunity to compete for some $30 million in scholarships, according to a release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The students entered this year’s competition by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The nation wide pool of semifinalists represents less than 1% of high school seniors in the United States. Vestavia’s 21 National Merit Semifinalists represent the largest number of semifinalists from any individual high school in Alabama this year. It’s the largest group of semifinalists

from VHHS since 2006, when the school had 24 semifinalists.

“I’m thrilled for the achievement of these scholars and all the opportunities this will set into motion for them and their families,” Vestavia Hills High School principal Tonya Rozell said. “They demonstrated great perse verance through many challenges — including several unprecedented years of high school — and continued to learn and grow on the highest level.”

National Merit Finalists will be announced in the spring of 2023.

– Submitted by Whit McGhee.

Twenty-one Vestavia Hills High School seniors have been named semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Front row, left to right: Mary Katherine Meeks, Alice Sun, Malaika Dsa, Jamie Casey, Isabella Gentry, Rebecca Maddox, Susan Baskar Raj, Dylan Zhao. Back row, left to right: Kate Kaiser, Philip Mitchell, James Anthony, Amith Varambally, Graham Uldrich, Jaxon Dunlevy, Erin Visser, Haojun Chen, Aarya Aluri, Zain Farooqui, Arman Dolatabadi. Not pictured: Jonathan Gidley, Hannah Wright. Photo courtesy of Whit McGhee, Vestavia Hill City Schools

Fun library events coming in November

By ERIC TAUNTON

The Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest is bringing another month of fun events for all ages this November.

In the children’s department, the holiday season kicks off with its weekly Toddler-aGo-Go event on Nov. 1, which allows tod dlers to sing, dance, play and listen to stories in the community room.

The same day, the department will host its Afterschool Adventures event, which allows kindergarten through second grade students to make crafts, conduct experiments and play at 3:30 p.m. in the community room.

On Nov. 2 in the children’s program room, toddlers can play, listen to stories and dance with Ms. Lisa at the library’s Story Friends event at 10:30 a.m., or hang out with Ms. Kelsey to play games, eat food and partici pate in other activities in her Twelve Below

program.

In the teen department, the month starts on Nov. 2 with the Writing Group in the his torical room at 4 p.m. Teens can learn and improve their writing skills and receive feed back from other teen writers.

The next day, on Nov. 3, teens can also learn how to play chess or play against other experienced players in the Chess Club in the historical room at 4:20 p.m.

In the adult department, for the entire month of November, adults can make scratch-off leaf art and decorate the library’s fall wall.

They can also learn about nonprofit orga nizations Unless U and Post Place on Nov. 17 in the community room at 10:30 a.m. Coffee will be available at 10 a.m.

For more information, visit vestaviali brary.org/events.

Veterans program set for this month

By NEAL EMBRY

The city of Vestavia Hills will once again host its “Salute to Veterans” this month to honor those who have served in the military.

The annual celebration features patriot ic-themed entertainment and a reception honoring all branches of service. This year’s event is set for Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center, following years of being held at Vestavia Hills United Meth odist Church.

The keynote speaker is Rear Admiral W. Kent Davis, U.S. Navy. Davis is “an accom plished leader with more than 30 years of senior communication, management, legal

and military experience, retiring in 2016 as Vice Chief of Information for the Navy at the rank of Rear Admiral (Lower Half),” accord ing to a news release from the city.

Davis is currently the state commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs.

The city is asking for veteran photos to be sent in to be used in an event video. If you have veteran photos of you or a family member, email the scanned photo to cmc culley@vhal.org. Please include the service member’s first and last name, military rank, branch of service, military conflict/theater of operation and the dates of military service, if available.

Vestavia

The Birmingham Harmony Belles sing a variety of songs from the World War I and II era during the Salute to Veterans program held at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church in November 2019. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Magical Marketplace returns to

By ERIC TAUNTON

The Magical Marketplace is coming back to Vestavia Hills for the holidays for its 23rd year at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church on Friday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m to 4 p.m.

The church has added a VIP shopping event to the marketplace this year on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m.

“The 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. time slot cut out a lot of working people, that was one of our major complaints,” said Vickie Finley, co-organizer of the Magical Marketplace.

There is no cost of admission to the mar ketplace on Nov. 18, but shoppers who want

early access can attend the VIP event for $5, Finley said.

The marketplace will feature 75 vendors for shoppers to choose from, with all of the pro ceeds going to Unless U, a Vestavia Hills-based nonprofit organization that provides education, job training and social and life skill training for adults with developmental disabilities.

“It’s fun,” Finley said. “It gets you in the hol iday spirit, there are plenty of gifts to purchase or you can buy things for yourself. There’s a broad price range from $5 all the way up to $100 and it covers a lot of locally owned busi nesses and vendors who are either artisans or just started their business.”

35210 205-951-0255

35216 205-822-5023

Guests look at fresh baked goods and salsa at the Karter’s Korner table at the 2021 Magical Marketplace holiday shopping event held at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church. Photo by Erin Nelson.

State Farm Life

licensed

Farm

Junior League Market Noel coming to Finley Center

JON ANDERSON

The Junior League of Birmingham is gear ing up for its 2022 Market Noel shopping event at the Finley Center in Hoover on Nov. 16-19.

It’s a chance for people to shop from about 100 merchants that are expected to be selling clothing, jewelry, home décor, holiday items and other goods, said Jayna Goedecke, the Market Noel chairwoman this year.

General admission tickets are $15, with pro ceeds being used to assist the Junior League’s 21 community projects to improve people’s lives in the areas of safety, crisis recovery, health and wellness, economic security, finan cial stability, education and culture.

The Junior League’s partners include groups such as Cornerstone Schools of Alabama, Girls Inc., The Literacy Council, Youth Lead ership Forum, The Foundry’s Hope Inspired Ministries, Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, Meals on Wheels, Crisis Center, Grace Klein Community, Mother’s Milk Bank of Alabama, NorthStar Youth Ministries and the YWCA.

This year’s Market Noel will begin with a “Preview Noel” event from 7 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, that gives people first dibs on merchandise available for sale. Guests that night also will be treated to music, food and drinks. Tickets for the Preview Noel are $55. The first 100 people to purchase tickets will receive a swag bag.

General admission shopping is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

On Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Texas Roadhouse is providing a free lunch for first

responders. Then that night, from 5 to 8 p.m., an event called JLB Hearts Bham will allow shoppers to see performances by various choirs, dance groups, cheerleaders and other groups.

On Saturday morning from 9 to 11 a.m., there’s a special event called Brunch with the Big Guy, with Tre Luna providing biscuits, waffles and fruits, and kids will have a chance to do a craft and get a picture taken with Santa. There also will be mimosas for moms. Tickets are $12 for children and $28 for adults.

Also, on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. will be a chance to have milk, cookies and a photo with Santa. A $36 ticket is good for two chil dren and two adults. Extra children will cost $6 each.

The Junior League also is offering people a chance to win a diamond jewelry item from Diamonds Direct valued at $5,000. A $48 ticket bought online gives you two chances to win. The winner will be drawn at the Preview Noel event, and the price goes up at the event. For the men, there’s a cigar drop. For each

2022 Market Noel

• WHERE: Finley Center at Hoover Metropolitan Complex

• WHEN: Nov. 17-19; Preview Noel Nov. 16

• COST: $15 general admission

• DETAILS: Shopping event orga nized by Junior League of Birming ham

• WEB: jlbonline.com/market-no el-2022-tickets

$12 ticket bought online, you can get a cigar and one chance to win a men’s prize pack age valued at more than $300. The winner of the Cigar Drop also will be drawn at Preview Noel, and the price increases at the event.

The final special item for sale is a cocktail kit from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, with a holi day-inspired specialty drink curated especially for Market Noel. The cost for the kit is $48.

Goedecke said the Market Noel is an easy way to do a little holiday shopping for a good cause. “We help a lot of people out,” she said.

Also, because there was no food at the 2021 event, this year, Olexa’s, a restaurant and bakery from Mountain Brook Village, will be selling breakfast, lunch and snacks at Market Noel, Goedecke said. Parking at the Finley Center will be free.

Last year’s Market Noel raised $235,000, and the goal this year is $250,000, Goedecke said.

To buy tickets or for more information, go to jlbonline.com/market-noel-2022-tickets.

Deck the Heights kicks off the holiday season in Cahaba Heights

By NEAL EMBRY

Deck the Heights is once again set for this month in Cahaba Heights.

The annual event that helps open the holiday season is set for Nov. 12, with trolleys running from 2 to 7 p.m. and pop-up shops beginning at 10 a.m. in Heights Village, said Katherine McRee, head of the Cahaba Heights Merchant Association and owner of The Lili Pad and Gigi’s.

Tree lighting ceremony coming later this month

By NEAL EMBRY

The Christmas season is here, and the city of Vestavia Hills will kick off the holiday festivities with a tree lighting ceremony at City Hall and the new Civic Center later this month.

This year’s event is set for 6 p.m. on Nov. 29. Vendors and Santa will be set up at the new Civic Center, while the tree lighting cer emony itself will take place on the lawn in front of Vestavia Hills City Hall, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Director Michelle Hawkins said.

If for some reason the new Civic Center is not ready, everything will shift to City Hall, she said. There will be hot cocoa, refresh ments and possibly more from vendors,

Hawkins said.

Santa himself will be available to take photos with children and their families, Hawkins said.

As usual, various groups from throughout the Vestavia Hills City Schools system will perform for those gathered, Hawkins said, followed by the lighting of the tree.

“As soon as we round to October, it’s my favorite time of year. I love fall,” Hawkins said. “I love Christmas.”

The annual events in Vestavia, which also include a menorah lighting, parades, shopping events and more, help create those Southern traditions of the holidays, Hawkins said. To be part of it in this town this year, her first as chamber director, is special, Haw kins said.

Each year, attendance has grown, McRee said. Pop-up shops feature local artists while trolley stops allow guests to get to know their neighbors and Cahaba Heights businesses. There will also be a photo op with a horse and buggy with Santa, McRee said. Photos will be $20 per person, McRee said.

The merchant’s association recently received a $7,800 grant, with half of it given before Deck the Heights, in order to help pay for the event. Trol leys will stop at Murphree's Market and Garden Center, Cajun Steamer, Heights Village, Leaf N Petal, Blue Willow and flip-flops & what nots.

“It turns Cahaba Heights into a magical experience for the kids,” McRee said. “It helps families kick off the holiday season.”

Businesses are able to show their love for the city and give back, she said.

Deck the Heights

•

Heights Village, various loca tions in Cahaba Heights

• WHEN: Nov. 12, pop-up shops beginning at 10 a.m., trolleys 2-7

The 2021 Market Noel at the Finley Center, raised $235,000 for the Junior League of Birmingham's community improvement projects. Photo courtesy of Junior League of Birmingham.

Children

Photo by Erin Nelson.

A saxophonist performs at the 2021 Deck the Heights event in Cahaba Heights. Photo courtesy of Katherine McRee.

Burruss said. “What do we do when we meet violence, pain and suffering? We respond with compassion and love.”

That gospel message was apparent in the days after the shooting. as details poured in about what happened that night. The alleged perpetrator, just a few minutes prior to shooting his victims, was seated alone at a table when Bart Rainey, one of the victims, reached out to offer him a spot at his table and a chance to share a meal together that would never come.

The three victims, Sharon Yeager, Jane Pounds and Rainey, were “three people I deeply loved and spent a decent amount of time with,” Burruss said.

Now, the congregation is trying to “pick up the mantle” and follow their example, Bridges said. Yeager and Pounds were leaders of the altar guild, and many parishioners have signed up to help in that ministry since June 16, Bridges said.

“It’s a living example of our faith,” Burruss said, “People come to church as Christians to hear of Jesus Christ, who gave His life. … This is an example of what it means to be faithful. … We’re all asked to give of ourselves.”

The church has received no shortage of support from both near and far in the weeks and months following the shooting. One of the most visible signs of love came from the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Memphis, which created a connected series of fabric hearts, each with a Bible verse, a word of encouragement or a prayer, that now hangs from the Parish Hall, stretching across the entire room. The notes came not only from that church, but from churches around the country, according to a story about the project in the Daily Memphian.

People have sent in prayer shawls, a welcome comfort for those grieving, Burruss said. There has been an outpouring of support as well in the form of emails, text messages, letters and more, he said.

“I genuinely feel … lifted up by the prayers

of the world,” Burruss said.

There may not be a manual for how to deal with what happened June 16, but Burruss said one thing that was apparent early on is that it must be done together. Grief is shared together, as is encouragement.

“I think many of us have utilized the resources of our community,” Burruss said.

The community was ready to help moments after the shooting. In the Publix parking lot adjacent to the church in Cahaba Heights, community members gathered to form a prayer circle, praying for those impacted.

It was seeing those people gathered together that made Bridges the most emo tional, as she watched what was happening from England, where she had been the night of the shooting.

“The parking lot of Publix became a sacred space,” Bridges said.

Counseling was offered to those who were in the Parish Hall that night, and group coun seling is now being offered through a third party to the church at large, Burruss said. Fabric artists are turning the fabric ribbons into a banner, and there will likely be some physical memorials coming in the future.

Next June 16, there will be a special ser vice to remember the one-year anniversary of the shooting, with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, the head of the Episcopal Church in the United States, set to attend.

While the church has held traditional services, June 16 still shapes a lot of the ser mons and messages sent to the congregation, Burruss said.

On their end, the staff has worked to be “really flexible,” Burruss said, something that is just part of the culture at Saint Stephen’s.

“Things don’t have to be done perfectly,” he said.

The staff has shown a lot of grace with each other and has had enjoyable retreats, more meals and times of laughter and joy, Burruss said.

For the church as a whole, it has been a clarifying time where members are reminded of what is most important, Bridges said.

While Bridges said the word “normalcy” has been avoided, Burruss said the church is moving forward.

“We continue to take steps forward because people show up asking, ‘How do I live my life? How do I be faithful?”

People have deepened their faith these past five months, Burruss said.

“There’s not a moment I’m not thinking about my faith and how to live it out,” he said.

The Rev. Katherine Harper, associate rector for pastoral care and liturgy, said there contin ues to be moments of “real closeness” in the congregation after the shooting.

For Harper, she said she has stayed “grounded in love” and reminds people to slow down and take whatever time they need.

“While I want to move past this, I know glossing over it won’t be helpful for any body,” Harper said.

It’s important to not push feelings down, she said.

“We won’t get washed away in those hard feelings even though they seem really big,” Harper said.

Despite the events of June 16, the love that has been shown since that day has given Burruss hope, he said. “No matter what the news cycle is telling you, there is so much beauty and compassion and love in this world, and our ability to come together is deeply profound.”

Left: Rev. John Burress of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church stands in the memorial garden at the church. Right: Cards and letters with words of encouragement, Bible verses and prayers are displayed outside of the fellowship hall at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Photos by Erin Nelson.

So when a delivery job he held as a student at the University of Alabama took him into a military recruiting station, Davis signed up to join the Alabama National Guard, initially as a company clerk.

But when he came back from training, he was trained on driving vehicles. After six years with the Alabama National Guard, Davis trans ferred to the Army Reserve when he and his family moved to New Orleans.

Davis and his wife, Tracy, welcomed their first son in 1999. Two years later, Sept. 11, 2001, happened.

Davis called his grandfather and asked, “What do I do?” His grandfather told him to sit tight and the military would call him.

Sure enough, in January 2003, Davis was told to report to Fort Jackson in South Caro lina. Three weeks later, he was sent to Bagram in Afghanistan. His family had just purchased their home in Vestavia Hills and still had a house in Hoover. They had a 4-year-old son and another child on the way. He had been working for the city of Vestavia for about 15 months.

Davis said his time away showed him that his family could be independent and how strong his wife really was.

“She had a full-time job, raised two boys. … I had the easy job,” Davis said.

Davis was in Afghanistan from April to December 2003 and handled a variety of jobs, including leading the daily situational report for the joint operational center and working with multinational militaries to combat U.S. enemies in the area. He made supply runs to Kabul, helped on humanitarian aid missions and served as security for financial missions involving locals.

When Davis returned to the States, he got out of military service, ending a more-than-10-year career in both the National Guard and Reserves.

When he returned from his time overseas, Davis shared stories with his grandfather, who had served decades before. He found there was no generational gap between veterans.

“We could just sit around and have this bond ing,” he said.

Davis said he also served with a bunch of great men and women, including Col. Michael Steele of Black Hawk Down fame.

In 2021, 13 U.S. service members were killed during the final withdrawal of all U.S. troops from the country, which was met con currently by the Taliban’s second takeover of the nation.

Many criticized President Joe Biden’s admin istration and their handling of the evacuation.

“It was frustrating,” Davis said of the way the war ended.

While people asked over the years when troops would leave Afghanistan, Davis pointed out that the military still has troops in Germany, Korea and other countries.

The withdrawal, he said, was a “gut punch.”

Davis said that in 2003, it was still early in the war and the military were still actively trying to clear out “bad people.”

“There were battles and casualties … it just kind of dragged on,” Davis said.

Still, Davis thinks fondly of his time in the military.

“I wouldn’t trade it,” Davis said. “I learned a ton.”

Davis credits his time in the military with

helping him learn about leadership and how to be part of an organization, as well as teaching him patience and focusing on the task at hand.

CHARLES THOMPSON

Following three years at the University of Montevallo, Charles Thompson entered officer training school, scoring “extremely high” on the Marine IQ test. He then received his com mission in basic training.

In 1967, following supply school, he was sent to Vietnam for 23 months, coming home in October 1969.

Thompson and his battalion supplied the infantry by helicopter, taking care of logisti cal support and ensuring they had what they needed to fight successfully.

“It was fulfilling knowing that everything I put on helicopters was going to the infantry,” he said.

He also served as a logistics officer for a reconnaissance battalion. Once, while moni toring the enemy’s location, a tiger came out from the jungle and bit a Marine on the neck, dragging him into the woods.

The Marine fired 18 shots at the beast, but only struck it twice, Thompson said.

Thankfully, that was enough to kill it.

When he got back to camp, the Marine bore the brunt of jokes and questions of how on earth he missed such a large animal, Thompson said.

The tiger hung on a chin-up bar, allowing a doctor to cut out its brain to ensure it wasn’t rabid, he said. Afterwards, the tiger was made into a rug and sent to the soldier.

Thompson’s time in the military and service to others carried over to his time in Vestavia Hills, especially when the infamous 2011 tor nado struck Cahaba Heights. Thompson helped keep a main road clear and made it a double lane so people could pass through. That helped bank personnel open a bank nearby, which was vital during the event, he said.

Thompson has lived in the home he and his dad built since 1971.

ALAN DANE

Alan Dane, a retired lawyer, got notice of being drafted into service in Vietnam during his senior year of college at Auburn University.

Deferring until graduation, he then went to officer training and then communications school.

Dane then went to what is now Joint Base Andrews for a year and a half, serving as a basic communications officer, before transfer ring to what is now Joint Base Cape Cod, but was then an Air Force base. Dane was the chief of maintenance for communications and man aged all the air traffic control devices.

As a communications officer, Dane was responsible for sending messages to any mil itary unit around the world as needed. It could include sending plane parts to Germany or switching messages between officers. With computers in their infancy, Dane was respon sible for taking messages on tape and feeding it through computers, all the while making sure the messages were encrypted.

Being in the military not only allowed him to meet his wife and pay for law school, it taught Dane how America really is a “melting pot.”

He had a Puerto Rican roommate and a Black captain, and he said it’s a shame to not have those same opportunities in other walks of life to meet such a diverse group of people.

“We all want the same things for ourselves and our families,” Dane said.

Alan Dane, a U.S. Air Force veteran, at the New Merkel Senior Center in Vestavia Hills. Photo by Erin Nelson.

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Bells return to Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church

By NEAL EMBRY

For the first time in five years, the bells once again ring out from Vestavia Hills United Meth odist Church.

Finding people to fix broken parts of the bell system was difficult, pastor Bill Brunson said, so the church began researching how to replace it themselves. In addition to a high price tag, it had to be replaced by going halfway up the bell tower.

However, thanks to three families, the church has replaced the system, Brunson said. The fami lies donated more than $25,000. The system — not a real bell, which is even more expensive — allows the church to program hymns and chimes to play, Brunson said. It will chime at 9 a.m., noon and 6 p.m., and more music will be added at 6 p.m.

“This church has always focused on reaching our community,” Brunson said. “Music is calming. For those who know the hymns [that play], it’s a wonderful reminder.”

As a boy in the mid-1950s, Frank Brock, at the instruction of his parents, rang the bells to alert the neighborhood that it was time for church at 9 and 11 a.m.

Marshall Burgin had given the church an actual bell at that time, Brock recalled.

“I would pull a chain and hit it,” Brock said. “Everybody was really jealous of me being able to ring the bell.”

The new bell system, a Schulmerich system, can be played through an app on the phone, Brunson said. The church first moved to a chime system in the 1970s, a few years after the current sanctuary was built, and only had to upgrade the system once since then, Brunson said, before this latest move.

The bell started as a dinner bell in 1953, Brun son said, and featured as a key part of the church’s outreach. Back then, everyone walked to church.

Brock would ring the bell until his parents told him to stop.

When researching something for 2022 and beyond, the church wanted something a little more accessible, Brunson said.

“We wanted something that would be easily adjusted, easy to play,” Brunson said.

On special holidays, the church can play “Taps” or patriotic music.

The Rev. Sherry Harris, who works at the church, said she and her husband go out at 6 p.m. and play “name that hymn.”

“They’re just so beautiful,” Harris said. “There’s something about them.”

While churchgoers may not remember every word of Brunson’s sermons, they’ll remember hymns, he said.

Neighbors have called and thanked the church for bringing the bells back. They’ve become part of everyday life in that part of Vestavia Hills. One family told Brunson that it “called people to church.”

“One person said, ‘I didn’t realize how much I missed the fact that they weren’t playing until they started playing again,’” Brunson said. “He said, ‘It makes [it] have that feel that Vestavia is supposed to have.’”

At Christmas, the church should be able to play at their various services, including “Joy to the World,” and at Easter, they’ll play, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” Brunson said.

The chimes will adjust time on their own, saving someone the trouble of climbing up the bell tower to change it, Brunson said.

For the families who donated the money, Brun son said it shows their commitment to the church.

“It’s an affirmation of how much their faith means to them,” Brunson said. “They want to share their faith with others.”

The church bells at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church are now operated using a Schulmerich Carillons electronic bell system. Photo by Erin Nelson.

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Vestavia Hills has made it quite apparent that it wants to run the ball this season, and running back William Tonsmeire (1) has been a key part of that. In the win over Spain Park, Tonsmeire and quarterback John Paul Head each rushed for more than 100 rushing yards, with Tonsmeire going for 108 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

UNDER THE LIGHTS

Kicker Carter Shirley (95) has been fantastic for the Rebels this season, giving them stability at an often-difficult position. In the Rebels’ 36-7 win over Spain Park, they started slow on offense, but Shirley dialed up field goals of 36, 23 and 22 yards to give his team a 9-0 lead at halftime.

PHOTOS BY ERIN NELSON AND LAURA CHRAMER

Quarterback John Paul Head (13) is not the

prototypical pocket passer, but his skillset fits perfectly with what the Rebels are attempting to do on offense this season. Head has had many games where he has made significant impacts on the ground and through the air, and the 52-10 win over Chelsea on Sept. 30 was one of those. Against the Hornets, he threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Smitha in addition to rushing for 135 yards and three touchdowns.

Wide receiver Brady Johnson (2) transferred in before the season and is beginning to make some waves in the offense. In the big win over Chelsea, Johnson caught a 29-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter from Luke Turner.

Defensive lineman Jordan Ross (5) has the potential to be one of the top players in the state pretty soon, and he is beginning to realize that capability. In the Vestavia Hills win over Spain Park, Ross stripped Spain Park’s quarterback and recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.

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Attention to detail allows Smitha to thrive for Rebels

KYLE PARMLEY

Tucker Smitha’s life revolves around details on and off the field.

As a senior on the Vestavia Hills High School football team, he plays a variety of roles for the offense. Some plays he lines up at H-back, some plays he’s split out wide, other plays he’s in the slot. There are plenty of things he has to know and account for at all times.

But there are also the details off the field. He and his brother Blake run Tuble Detailing, a car detailing service that has become quite successful over the course of 2022.

Those two things, along with academics, take up all of his time during the fall.

“It’s a lot, but he’s a smart kid,” Vestavia Hills football coach Robert Evans said. “He’s a guy that has an entrepreneurial spirit. He runs his own business. I wish there was more of that mindset in today’s youth. They think big picture, have a plan and use their skill set to make their plans happen.”

Smitha grew up in Vestavia Hills, where he watched legendary coach Buddy Anderson’s teams. As a sophomore, he played varsity ball for Anderson as a fullback. Last year, when Sean Calhoun took over the Rebels, Smitha was a running back who primarily garnered carries in the run game.

Enter Evans and new offensive coordinator Josh Franklin this season, and Smitha has yet another new role, one Evans calls the queen on the chess board. Smitha does it all. He’s an H-back tasked with being a lead blocker on many plays. He also lines up as a receiver out wide and in the slot, running routes for the first time in his football life.

“It took a lot of practice, because I had never run routes before this year,” Smitha said. “In the spring, I would run routes every day. It was a lot of conditioning. It’s a whole new position I had to learn, completely different.”

Smitha said people used to joke with him

about being a receiver, but now that’s a reality and he’s excelling. He’s had some big games along the way. On Sept. 8, in the Rebels’ tight loss to Hoover, Smitha caught six passes for 77 yards. A few weeks later, on Oct. 6, Smitha caught six more passes for 94 yards in a tough loss against Hewitt-Trussville.

It’s taken plenty of hard work to get to this point.

“I’ve always been able to catch, but it’s different when you have a four-star corner covering you,” Smitha said. “It’s been an

adjustment, coming in on off days running routes. I knew I couldn’t do it with just prac tice, I had to do extra.”

Evans said Smitha’s presence on the field allows the Rebels to line him up in different places without giving the defense much time to decipher what formation the offense is in.

“It’s unique to find someone with his skill set,” Evans said. “This offense is tailored to someone like him. He’s the next-most important guy on our offense besides the quarterback.”

After putting all those details to work on Friday nights, the Smitha brothers are out and about throughout Vestavia Hills on Saturdays, detailing cars.

Smitha said Blake, younger by a year, will likely continue running the business once Tucker heads off to Auburn next year to pursue a degree in industrial engineering.

Whether it’s getting open or working on a car’s interior, the devil is in the details.

“It’s really important the tiny things that make them work,” he said.

Vestavia Hills running back Tucker Smitha (46) takes the ball to the end zone to score in a game against Chelsea at Vestavia Hills High School’s Thompson Reynolds Stadium on Sept. 30. Photo by Erin Nelson.

VHHS VOLLEYBALL HIGHLIGHTS

Vestavia Hills High School’s volleyball team finished runner-up in the Class 7A, Area 5 tournament

Oct. 12 to begin the Rebels’ postseason run. As of press time the Rebels were still in the midst of the state playoffs.

Photos by Erin Nelson.

Varsity Sports Calendar

FOOTBALL

Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25: Playoffs. TBD.

CROSS-COUNTRY

Nov. 5: State meet. Oakville Indian Mounds Park.

BASKETBALL

Nov. 3: Girls vs. Pell City. 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 8: Girls @ Pleasant Grove. 6 p.m.

Nov. 10: @ Chelsea. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Nov. 14: Girls vs. Pelham. 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 14: Boys vs. Spain Park. 7 p.m.

Nov. 15: Boys vs. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 18: vs. Hartselle. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Nov. 21-23: Boys at Sneaky Pete’s Rebel Classic. Vestavia Hills High School.

Nov. 22: Girls vs. Mortimer Jordan. Wallace State Community College. TBA.

Nov. 23: Girls vs. McEachern (Ga.). Wallace State Community College. TBA.

Nov. 29: @ Hueytown. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Sean of the South By Sean Dietrich Things I’m Grateful For

My cousin’s daughter is making a list of things she’s grateful for. It’s a Thanksgiv ing-themed assignment for school. She asked for my help. And when a kid asks you for help, it makes you feel eleven feet tall.

“It would be an honor,” I said. “Thanks for asking me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“What made you choose me?”

“Well, I was thinking maybe you could write my list while I ride bikes with my friends.”

“Wait a second. Aren’t you gonna do any work?”

“Of course,” she explained. “I’ll be your editor. Now get busy.”

Editors.

Well, I don’t mind naming items for which I am grateful. I will start by writing that I am grateful for cold weather.

Admittedly, I don’t love the weather itself, but I enjoy what the cold represents. It means November is here, it means the holidays are close, it means I have to put on my winter coat to use the toilet in my trailer home.

Gratefulness item number two: cinnamon brooms in the supermarket. Man, I love these things. I could sniff them for hours in the gro cery store.

I am grateful for sweet potato pies, and But terball turkeys that are deep fried by men who wear overalls. And for squash casserole, green

bean casserole, cheese potato casserole, hash brown casse role, collards, and cornbread dressing.

Reruns of the Andy Griffith Show. My late father’s Case pocket knife. And good music.

This is the time of year when radio stations play the old stuff.

Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Old Blue Eyes, and Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I am grateful for the way dogs wake you up in the morn ing. And for Hallmark Channel movies. Especially the cheesy movies that are about as clever as a scoop of ham salad.

The plots all go something like this:

Beautiful young business woman from big city visits her hometown after twenty years and falls in love with a handsome flan nel-shirt-wearing widower and former coun try-music singer who owns a golden retriever named Max and is trying to save his town from bankruptcy by opening a Christmas bakery with his lovable but prediabetic grandpa, George. Boy gets girl. They kiss. The end. I could watch these movies until April.

I also love cast iron cookware, old coffee cans of bacon grease, the taste of pepper gravy, Conecuh sausage, gaudy socks, and the aroma

of truck exhaust on a cold morning.

I am grateful for the way my wife looks when she’s sleep ing. Her face relaxes, and she snores gently with her mouth open.

In moments like that, I like to see how many cocktail pea nuts I can carefully place into her open mouth without waking her. My all-time record is nine teen. When she awoke, she spit out the peanuts, and tried to gut me with a set of car keys.

I am thankful for the way the sun comes out and warms the world when we need it most. The sun is poking through the clouds while I write this. And it’s enough to make you stop and stare.

My cousin’s daughter is still riding bikes with friends, laughing. She breezes into the driveway, then slams her brakes. She is out of breath, rosy cheeked, and alive with child hood. An entire lifetime is ahead of her, and she doesn’t even know it.

I was her age once. I was happy, like her. And I believed in things. Big things. But then life happened. Our family fell on hard times, I lost myself. The details don’t matter because my story is your story.

Life is hard. Sooner or later, everyone learns this. It’s no revelation. Life is unfair, unforgiv ing, indifferent, and out to kill you — at least that’s what some people believe.

But I don’t believe that.

Not that it matters what I think, but if you ask me, life is artwork, hanging on a museum wall. Not a single stroke of paint is out of place. It’s magnificent. And I hope one day to see this painting from the Other Side. Maybe then, I’ll see how good things, bad things, and the sad things join to make a breathtaking portrait.

And how everything matters. Both the great, and the minuscule. From cinnamon brooms, to the hours spent in a hospital waiting room. Neighborhood cats, cheesy movies, and the way my mother hugs me and refuses to let go before I do.

“Are you done with my list?” my cousin’s daughter says.

“Yeah, I’m done.”

“Hey!” she says, inspecting my work. “You misspelled ‘cinnamon.’ I thought you were sup posed to be a freakin’ writer, man.”

Editors.

Sean Dietrich is a columnist and novelist known for his commentary on life in the Amer ican South. He has authored nine books and is the creator of the “Sean of the South” blog and podcast.

On a family trip to a tropical island during one Spring Break, I got a text from my daugh ter’s friend.

Help! These guys are begging us to party with them tonight, and they won’t leave us alone.

I got to the girls quickly, thanks to it being a small resort. Sure enough, 5 young men were surrounding and flirting with my daughter and her friend, both 16, as they laid out. The girls were trying to be polite, so I told the guys (who looked to be about 20) to leave them alone.

They left, and when my husband came, the girls explained how they couldn’t get rid of them. The guys tried to convince them to leave the resort, even as they repeatedly turned them down.

With anger crossing his face, my husband said, “Girls, you’ve got to be blunt. If blunt doesn’t work, get ugly. Don’t beat around the bush, especially with guys like that. Next time tell them to get lost. Or get up and leave and report them to the front desk.”

It was great advice – yet advice I’d never heard myself. For many females, being blunt does not come naturally, especially in the South, where we’re raised to have good manners. But sometimes, manners must fly out the window, and as we prepare our daughters for the real world, it’s imperative to talk through different scenarios that call for a different voice.

Every girl’s voice deserves to be heard, and every girl needs guidance with using her voice wisely.

At one extreme, there are girls who have a strong voice and say exactly what they think, yet they lack tact and warmth. They may have no problem telling boys to get lost, but they struggle in everyday relationships. They hurt people’s feelings and have no social filter. At the other extreme, there are girls who

have a kind voice. They’re loved and respected – but they don’t speak up. They let people take advantage of them and often feel powerless over their lives. When they find their voice, often as grown women, they may be bitter due to years of suppressed anger.

Neither extreme is healthy, and the truth is, it’s possible to be strong and kind. Honest and tactful. Assertive and congenial. Respectful when we feel safe – and ugly and blunt when we don’t.

More than ever, today’s girls need healthy assertion. In a society where people will walk all over others and prey on the weak, girls should know how to take up for themselves, protect themselves, let boys down, tell friends when they hurt their feelings, and effectively express their emotions.

So how do we teach our daughters healthy assertion? How do we help them read situations and find the voice that is needed? Here are 6 points to start the conversation.

Your needs and desires matter. It’s not your job to make everyone happy. One of my daugh ters used to never speak up in family decisions. And what hit me on one vacation was how she rarely chimed in on even little things like where to eat. When I asked why, she said, “I just like to make people happy.”

Immediately I saw the flag of a people-pleas ing personality. I didn’t want her to lose herself and become a passive participant of life, so I started asking for her opinion more, reminding her that her thoughts and desires matter, and encouraging her to speak up even as her siblings voiced strong opinions.

One secret to being heard is to raise your argument, not your voice. People who are loud, offensive, vulgar, brash, or always angry push rational people away. They attract extremists,

which never leads to a positive life.

The best voices – ones that really inspire change – make people think, empathize, and open their hearts and minds to a higher point of view.

It’s okay to be rude to stay safe. Most guys fall into two categories: protectors and preda tors. Predators may look harmless initially to get what they want.

Trust your gut, and know if a situation doesn’t feel right, it’s usually not right. Walk away while you can, and don’t let anyone play on your niceness or give you a guilt-trip.

It’s your right to say no. In the book Boundar ies, the authors explain how God gives you your time, your life, and your body as gift. It’s your job to be a good steward of those gifts.

The authors declare no as the most basic boundary-setting word. It tells people that you exist apart from them, and you are in control of you. Boundaries are a “litmus test” for your relationships because people who can respect your boundaries will love your will, opinions, and separateness. People who can’t respect your boundaries will only love your compliance, your yes but not your no. Don’t let anyone take your power away – especially when it comes to your no.

Being a people-pleaser can make you say and do things you don’t mean. Since girls tend to be relationship-driven, many have an enor mous fear of upsetting others, rocking the boat, or losing approval.

Being a people-pleaser can make you tell people what they want to hear, even if it means white lies. It can make you go out with a boy you don’t like – or be talked into bad decisions – because you’re scared to hurt feelings or make a scene.

Value your relationships, but not the point

where you compromise your values, cower against strong personalities, or choose what is easy over what is right. Real relationships can handle differences in opinion and truth that’s spoken in love.

Learning to self-advocate brings lifelong ben efits. In Mountain Brook schools, self-advocacy starts early. Beginning in middle school, teach ers encourage students to speak up, email, and come to them directly with questions or prob lems rather than have their parents do it.

It’s awkward at first, but students adjust, and by high school they are comfortable interacting with teachers and adults. This is a big reason why our students end up in leadership positions in college.

Too often in life, we wait for things to happen rather than voicing our hopes, needs, dreams, ideas, and concerns. Learning to self-advocate empowers you and gives you the confidence to advocate for others too.

Every girl should know that her voice mat ters. And should your daughter ever find herself in a tricky situation, needing a voice that means business, I hope she rises to the occasion. I hope she finds the strength to say what needs to be said and keep herself and others safe.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, author, speaker, and blogger. Kari’s newest book, More Than a Mom: How Prioritizing Your Wellness Helps You (and Your Family) Thrive, is now available on Amazon, Audible, and everywhere books are sold. Kari’s bestselling other books – Love Her Well, Liked, and 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know have been used widely across the country for small group studies. Join Kari on Facebook and Ins tagram, visit her blog at karikampakis.com, or find her on the Girl Mom Podcast.

Dietrich

Living

Listen to your heart.

By JON ANDERSON

Animals and nature are recurring themes in the artwork of Jane Mar shall, so it’s only natural that the organizers of the Moss Rock Fes tival chose her to be their featured artist this year.

Marshall, an 85-year-old artist who has homes in both Birmingham and Michigan, will exhibit a collection of her woodcut paintings, woodcut reduction prints and ceramics at the Moss Rock Festival, which is scheduled for Nov. 5-6 in the lower parking lot next to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

The festival, now in its 17th year, is billed as an “eco-creative” event designed to cele brate art, nature, creative designs and ways that people can live wisely to sustain the natural environment.

Marshall said art has been a focus and anchor for her throughout her life, providing oppor tunities to observe things people often see as mundane and translate them into a “rich, visual vocabulary.”

She started drawing animals when she was 3 or 4 years old and is intrigued by the connec tion between animals and humans, she said. “We effect them, and they are important to us,” Marshall said. “If they aren’t surviving, we aren’t going to survive.”

Marshall said she often uses animals in her art that sometimes are irritating to humans, such as deer (which eat people’s flowers), beavers (which tear things up to build dams) and raccoons (which get into trash and can ruin gardens or crops). Even though they can be nuisances at times, they really are beautiful animals, she said.

She often relies on her immediate environ ment to stimulate her art, from bird watching on her back deck to enjoying the greenery of spring and fall colors.

Marshall has been a teacher in some form or fashion since she was 21 and spent many years teaching at colleges, such as the University of Wisconsin, Albright College, Saint Mary-ofthe-Woods, Kansas State University, Marshall University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. But she also has spent time sell ing art supplies and managing art supply stores.

Alex Kunzman, co-director of the Moss Rock Festival, said he has known Marshall for years. She was part of the Magic City Art Connection’s exhibit of “Movers and Shakers: Celebrated Women Artists of Alabama,” and he has his own personal collection of her artwork.

Her pieces involving animals are very whim sical and full of personality, and they reflect the way animals relate to both nature and people,

he said.

“They’re just really colorful and beautiful,” Kunzman said. “She’s just a very talented artist we have in Alabama. We’re excited to be able to spotlight her this year out at Moss Rock. … She just embodies what the Moss Rock Festival is all about — the appreciation of ani mals, nature and wildlife.”

In total, there should be about 100 artists at the festival whose work either depicts nature, is influenced or inspired by nature, uses nat ural materials or uses recycled or repurposed objects in the art, Kunzman said.

The design portion of this year’s festival will feature Storyteller Overland’s retrofitted vans for adventure travel. “They’re really cool,” Kunzman said.

SMART LIVING MARKET

The “Smart Living Market” will feature items for everyday living that include fresh, organic, locally made, sustainable products and consumables in the areas of food, home décor, body and health products and technology.

For example, Jean’s Apothecare offers herbal seasonings, candles, aromatherapy, infused honey, lip balm, body butter and paper goods such as stationery. All the company’s botanicals are sourced from certified organic farmers, and its partners are ethical in their crop decisions and labor practices, Kunzman said.

Chicken & Sweets Southern Yardbird offers handcrafted jams and preserves using locally sourced fruits and vegetables as much as pos sible, as well as pickles, candied jalapenos and squash relish, zucchini corn relish, chow chow, fresh peaches, crackling cornbread, ginger snaps, fried lemon pies and more.

There also will be honey from the Ivy Brook Apiary in east Birmingham and Gitts Bajan Pepper Sauce made with fresh habanero and scotch bonnet peppers using a true Caribbean family recipe.

The Hoover Public Library will have used books for sale, and the Grace Klein Commu nity will have information to share about its program to recover leftover food and share with people who need it.

NATURE AND FOOD

Also, Colin Williams, an art professor and director of new media at the University of Montevallo, will have 200 to 300 tree saplings for people to take and plant at home, Kunzman said. Each sapling will be trackable so Williams can tell where they end up as part of a project, Kunzman said.

The festival also will include a Wonderkid

Studio with interactive workshops for chil dren. One of the workshops will let kids create three-dimensional butterflies using string, yarn, raffia, beads, pipe cleaners and jewels, and another workshop will allow young artists to explore all stages of a butterfly’s development.

At least five Hoover schools are participat ing in an art project to creatively highlight the endangered monarch butterfly and the habitats that help it survive, Kunzman said.

The Birmingham Quilters Guild will be exhibiting quilts from its 2022 Quiltfest as well as more quilts chosen especially for its fall festival showcase.

There also will be a “sweetery” with goodies from award-winning pastry chef Susan Notter of Elizabeth Moore Chocolates and designer chocolates by Kathy D’Agostino of Chocolata.

The Café by the Woods area will include Rae Rae’s Catering, which offers Polish sausage, jumbo hot dogs, chili and slaw dogs, hamburg ers, cheeseburgers, Philly beef and chicken cheese steak sandwiches, nachos, pulled pork and chicken, chips, lemonade and fruit punch.

There also will be numerous food trucks, including Cousins Maine Lobster (Saturday only), Nawlins Style Po’boys, Tamale Queen, Corazon Mexican and D&M Snow Cones.

For those who want alcoholic beverages, the festival for the 11th year will feature a beer garden with about 50 craft beers to taste, as well as a home brewery group called the Car Boy Junkies, wine from Plenty of Vino and beer snacks, Kunzman said.

The beer garden will have three sessions (12:30-2 p.m. Saturday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Moss Rock Festival

WHERE: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium lower parking lot, 5310

Trace

Saturday, Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

COST: $10 in advance; $12 at gate; children ages 15 and younger get in free

PARKING: Free at Hoover Met Stadium

WEB: mossrockfestival.com

Saturday and 1-3 p.m. Sunday). Tickets for the beer garden cost $30 in advance and $40 at the gate, but the beer garden ticket includes festival entry and a commemorative beer glass sponsored by The Beer Hog.

Festivalgoers also will have live music and dance performances throughout the day.

a list of artists who are signed up to come and a sample of their work, or for tickets or more information, go to mossrockfestival.com or call 205-595-6306.

by Jane Marshall, an artist who splits her time between Birmingham, Alabama, and Michigan.

courtesy of Moss Rock Festival.

Jane Marshall will be the featured artist at the 2022 Moss Rock Festival in the parking lot at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Photo courtesy of Brett Levine.

Duo expands their business Scenthound to Mountain Brook

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE

Brett Basik was working as an investment banker on Wall Street and Jacob Lee was working for a well known consulting firm. In 2021, the friends decided to go into business together.

“We had always dreamed of being entrepre neurs and had that itch and were talking about it for about a year,” Basik said. “We pulled the trigger and did it this past summer [in 2021].”

The duo opened their first Scenthound loca tion off U.S. 280 in Greystone’s Lee Branch shopping center in February 2022. The busi ness is a wellness-focused concept to keep dogs clean and healthy.

Basik graduated from Briarwood Christian School and Lee is from Nashville. They said they are excited to open their businesses near where they grew up.

They attended Auburn, where their wives were in the same sorority, but the two never crossed paths until they were in business school at the University of Virginia.

Lee said while they were in the process of looking at different businesses and franchises, he remembered a colleague had told him about a business she had opened in South Carolina (Scenthound), and they were interested in the concept.

They are preparing to open their second location in Mountain Brook on Nov. 1 and are already signing up members. Their goal is to open 10 stores over the next four years, includ ing four in Birmingham and six in Nashville.

Scenthound focuses on dogs’ overall health, and their routine care covers skin, coat, ears, nails and teeth. After the appointment, owners receive a copy of their dog's report for each item, rated on a scale from one to five.

Scenthound also offers a membership model, making it a consistent monthly event

for pet parents and their dogs. The basic package includes a bath, nail trim, ear cleaning and teeth brushing.

Other add-on services include haircuts, dog facials, deshedding treatments and more. 24/7 tele-vet access is also available at an addi tional cost.

Brought to you by our sister paper:

villageliving online.com

“With our focus on routine maintenance and basic hygiene for dogs, there is nothing quite like Scenthound in the Mountain Brook community and we felt we could serve a unique need,” Lee said. “Being right off U.S. 280, our location is super

convenient to all over-the-moun tain neighborhoods.”

Bobby Turner, manager of the Lee Branch location, will launch the Mountain Brook store, which will open with around eight employees.

“We're providing that easy button for people where they can be great dog parents and don't have to think much about it,” Basik said.

Scenthound will be located at 354 Holly wood Blvd. and will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Lee said he and Basik have already signed

Tiffany McKinney bathes Sky, an Australian shepherd, during a grooming appointment at Scenthound Lee Branch in Hoover. Scenthound is set to open a new location in Mountain Brook Nov. 1.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

Scenthound Mountain Brook

► 354 Hollywood Blvd.

205-476-4144

Scenthound.com

the lease for their third store, which will be located in Hoover by the Sprouts grocery store, and they plan to open in late 2022 or early 2023.

HOMEWOOD

Annual

returns this

By ERIC TAUNTON

A Birmingham tradition, the Mac and Cheese Fest hosted by Community Grief Support, will return for its fifth year at Back Forty Beer Company on Sunday, Nov. 13, from 1 to 4 p.m.

The festival is “part competi tion and part celebration of the South’s ultimate comfort food” as well as a fundraiser for Community Grief Support, according to a press release by CGS.

CGS expects over 3,000 participants this year, according to a press release. The festival will feature different mac and cheese dishes from local restaurants, food trucks, corporate teams, caterers and home chefs.

Mac and Cheese Fest will also feature live music and a kid's zone with activities such as face painting, arts and crafts and balloon animals.

All proceeds from this year’s Mac and

Cheese Fest will be donated to CGS, a Homewood-based non profit organization that helps people suffering from the loss of a loved one.

“Early bird” tickets are $15, same-day tickets are $20, tick ets for children 12 and under are $5 and children under 5 get free admission.

“The Mac and Cheese Festival has been a community tradition for the past five years,” said Erin Slaughter, CGS events & marketing manager and junior board coor dinator. “We decided on an annual Mac and Cheese Festival to represent the comfort that mac + cheese brings, just as CGS brings com fort to those who are grieving.”

CGS provides free individual, couples and family grief therapy; hosts more than 20 loss-specific grief support groups annually; and provides grief education to residents throughout the Greater Birmingham area.

Calendar

Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest

CHILDREN’S

Nov. 1. After-School Adventures. 3:30 p.m. Children’s Program Room. Ms. Lakin has so much planned for all our kindergarten through sec ond-grade friends. Games, crafts, experiments and lots of adventures await. This week: Bookbag Bling — make your own keychains for your bookbag. K-2nd grade.

Nov. 7-11. Picture Your Self(ie) with a veteran. If you know a veteran, grab a selfie with them and your child and post the photo to social media using our hashtag #pictureyourselfieVH. Then, send your photo to our Facebook account to be entered to win a copy of Jill Biden’s picture book, “Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops,” for your child. The winner’s picture will be posted on our Facebook on Veterans Day, November 11. *By submitting your photo to the library’s Facebook page, you are granting permission for the photo to be posted*

Nov. 8. Family Night with juggler Ron Anglin. Meal at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. Community Room. Come for a meal at 6 p.m. and enjoy Ron Anglin and his “Quite a Catch” juggling show. All ages.

TEENS

Nov. 9. Art Group. 4 p.m. Makerspace. Like drawing, sketching or simply doodling? Make and share your work while celebrating your artistic talents with other teens! Snacks served. For teens grade 6-12.

Nov. 12. Dungeons and Dragons OneShot. 2 p.m. Historical Room. Dive into a “oneshot” of this classic tabletop role-playing game with other teens. Beginners welcome. Snacks served.

Registration required. To register, contact Daniel at 205-978-3683. For teens grade 6-12.

Nov. 18. Super Smash Bros. Tour nament. 4 p.m. Community Room. Come and dominate the competition in this fun video game tournament. Winner receives an Amazon gift card. Snacks served.

ADULT

Nov. 2. Handmade with Holly — Cozy Mug Creations. 11 a.m. Community Room. Create your favorite new mug using sharpies. Register by contacting Holly at holly.parker@ vestavialibrary.org or by calling 205-978-4674. All materials provided.

Nov. 17. Progress in Alzheimer's Di agnosis and Treatment. 6 p.m. Community Room. Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama presents Dr. David S. Geldmacher, MD, Warren Family endowed chair and professor of the UAB Department of Neurology.

Nov. 30. ACA Author Visit and Candle Lighting Ceremony. 9 a.m. Community Room. Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama presents Dr. Renee Harmon, a local physician and author of “Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer's.” ACA’s annual candle lighting ceremony will follow Dr. Harmon’s presentation on Compassionate Communication.

MAKERSPACE

Nov. 7. Intro to 3D Printing. 4:30 p.m. Makerspace. Curious about 3D printing? This class is the perfect introduction. Learn how our 3D print ers work and the basics of finding and preparing models to print.

Nov. 28-Dec. 22. Seasonal Portrait Studio. By Appointment. Whether you're putting together your family’s annual holiday card or just looking to take some seasonal fall selfies, take advantage of our portrait studio to get the perfect shot. The studio provides an elegant setting with scenery, lighting and a tripod. Use our sign-up link at vestavialibrary.org to reserve your time slot.

in downtown Birmingham.

Photo by Eric Taunton.

Jeremy and Kelli Thompson with their new 2022 GMC Yukon SLT.