Vestavia Voice December 2022

Serving those who serve

Vestavia Hills community lends support to 2 emergency responders

By NEAL EMBRY

In the past year, members of the Vestavia Hills police and fire departments have joined with residents to take care of two of their own.

In October of this year, firefighter Jon athan Vickery lost his own home in McCalla to a fire. In the weeks since, his colleagues have picked up his shifts, collected money and started a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $10,000 with the help of numerous city residents. While there is still a long road ahead, Vickery said he wants to thank the people of Vestavia Hills for helping his family.

Police officer Alice Miller was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in October 2021, and over the past year her colleagues have taken up money, brought food to her family and adorned their uniforms and cars with all things pink to support her in her fight.

When in Rome: VHHS band, choir headed to Rome New Year’s Day Parade in 2024

By NEAL EMBRY

The Vestavia Hills High School band and choir will have a unique New Year’s Day expe rience in 2024, as they ring in the new year with the people of Rome.

The band has been invited to participate in the Rome New Year’s Day Parade, the latest in overseas trips for the band, which participated in the London New Year’s Day Parade in 2010 and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin in 2018.

This will be the first international trip for

the choir which is set for Dec. 27, 2023-Jan. 3, 2024.

Being able to go on the trips gives students an advantage and different perspective on life and performing. The students are exposed to international travel along with a great perfor mance opportunity, band director Jerell Horton said.

During the past trip to London, students visited Buckingham Palace, and Stonehenge, Horton said. “This trip, students will visit the

Jonathan Vickery, a firefighter with the Vestavia Hills Fire Department, points to where he and his wife were sleeping the night of Oct. 19 when the Vickery’s home caught fire, as he stands in the rubble of his McCalla property. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Bob Bone, director of the Rome New Year’s Day Parade, at left, poses for a photo with Vestavia Hills High School choir director Taylor Stricklin, associate band director Heather Palmer and band director Jerell Horton on Oct. 20 while delivering invitations to the 2024 parade. Photo by Erin Nelson.

When it came time to upgrade, Jim and Candy didn’t just go big—they went huge! The Tates needed top-of-the-line power and size, so we matched them with a new 2023 GMC Yukon XL Denali Ultimate and a 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Denali Black Diamond Edition. This heavy-hitting combo is a one-two punch of performance and cargo-hauling capability. Not to mention the luxury appointments. For when you need nothing but the best, there’s Royal!

Jim and Candy Tate with their new Yukon and Sierra vehicles.

Editor’s Note By Neal Embry

Christmas is finally here.

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2022 has been a long year, and I’m glad that we have arrived at my favorite time of the year.

The Christmas season is a precious reminder of the birth of Christ and a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and friends, surprise each other with gifts and eat way too much food.

It was this time of year in 2019 that we discovered we were expecting our first child, our beautiful daughter, Mary-Ken neth. We had some early scares, but God has blessed us with a healthy and amaz ing 2-year-old girl.

It’s hard to believe this will be her third Christmas. Maybe this year she can help us pick up all the wrapping paper.

In this month’s cover story, we tell a story that makes me very proud to call Vestavia my hometown. City residents and employees have stepped up over the past year to help firefighter Jonathan

Vickery after he lost his home in a fire in October, along with helping police officer Alice Miller as she fought breast cancer. She recently found out she is in remission!

I am proud to be from a city that takes care of those who take care of them.

We also feature some exciting news about the Vestavia Hills High School band and choir, which will participate in New Year’s Day festivities in Rome in 2024.

I hope this holiday season is mean ingful for you and your family, and as always, thank you for reading!

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Contact Information: Vestavia Voice P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnesmedia.com

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Published by: Starnes Publishing LLC

Legals: Vestavia Voice is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Vestavia Voice is designed to inform the Vestavia community of area school, family and community events. Information in Vestavia Voice is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/ photos submitted become the property of Vestavia Voice. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

Please recycle this paper.

Vestavia Hills’ Kaitlyn Wende raises her arms as she crosses the finish line in fifth place during the girls Class 7A race of the AHSAA State Cross-Country Championships at Oakville Indian Mounds on Nov. 5. Photo by Erin Nelson.

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Legislators discuss education issues at PTO forum

By NEAL EMBRY

Legislators representing Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills gathered at Vestavia Hills City Hall on Nov. 15 to discuss issues related to education.

The 18th annual PTO Legislative Forum, facilitated by the PTOs of both Mountain Brook City Schools and Vestavia Hills City Schools, included state Sen. Dan Roberts, state Rep. Jim Carns, state Rep. David Faulkner and new state Rep. Mike Shaw, who represents House District 47. Longtime state Sen. Jabo Waggoner could not attend.

PTO representatives took turns asking the legislators present different questions about education.

Teacher shortages have been a problem all over the country, and legislators were asked how they would ensure both school systems can recruit and retain the best teachers.

Faulkner mentioned the 2021 law that cre ated TEAMS, which offers science, technology, engineering and math teachers up to $20,000 more each year and creates a different salary schedule. Faulkner said he wants to focus on teachers obtaining higher certifications and then making more money. He also brought up the possibility of apprenticeship programs to get high school students involved earlier in the education process.

Carns said there is not a one-size-fits-all solution, which was echoed by Roberts.

Mountain Brook Superintendent Dicky Barlow cautioned against relying too heavily on money.

“There is a point where it’s not about the money; it’s about the culture,” Barlow said. Teachers and administrators are “worn out” and are being asked to do much more than they were 20 years ago, he said.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

The issue of whether to fund charter schools

with local tax dollars was also discussed. Charter schools currently only receive state funding.

Roberts argued that while charter schools may not be needed here, there are parents in other parts of the state where traditional public schools are underperforming who would like the option of a charter school.

“I think we need competition in the educa tion system,” Roberts said.

Carns said he would not want to divert local funds away from traditional public schools.

Faulkner said charter schools are public schools and that if parents choose to send their child to a charter school, their tax dollars should be allowed to go to that school.

“Should your money follow your kid or the school?” Faulkner said.

Shaw said there have to be “creative solu tions” but said he is hesitant to take any fund ing away from local schools. The concern in the Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook area would be charter schools opening for different philosophical or political reasons, as opposed to academic needs, given the strength of the over-the-mountain school districts.

Barlow took the side of taking care of “the least of these” by funding and improving underperforming school districts.

ALABAMA LITERACY AND NUMERACY ACTS

With the Alabama Literacy and Numeracy acts becoming law, PTO representatives asked about ensuring that both literacy and math coaches in schools were fully funded to help achieve the state’s goals in those areas.

The Literacy Act funded one reading inter ventionist for each school but did not cover the full cost of salary and benefits, while the Numeracy Act covered the cost of a math coach but only for some schools, a PTO rep resentative said.

Faulkner said the state has funded and

should continue to fund whatever is asked of them when it comes to education.

Carns said he supports the laws, while Rob erts said strengthening education in the state is critical for ensuring a positive future for children.

Both Mountain Brook and Vestavia are known for their strong school systems. So how do the school systems and the state raise the bar for future generations?

“It’s local government, parental involve ment and the community working together,” Roberts said. “This is the gem of the state, education-wise.”

Roberts also said it is important to protect the schools from the “woke” environment and ideology.

Faulkner compared Barlow and Vestavia Hills City Schools Superintendent Todd Free man to University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban and said getting to the top isn’t nearly as hard as staying there.

“Keep hiring great teachers,” Faulkner said. “Focus on things making a tangible difference.”

Faulkner said the state is seeing great results from the Literacy Act and touted the Computer

Science Act and other state initiatives training and developing teachers.

Shaw supported making vocational educa tion a priority and called it a different path to college. It is a way to engage more students, he said. Carns said preparing children for the future must begin in the home.

SCHOOL SAFETY AND HEALTH

With several high-profile school shootings and the revived emphasis on student health in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, PTO repre sentatives asked legislators if they supported creating a line item in the state’s budget to fund school resource officers as opposed to just funding them locally, as well as the idea of fully funding one nurse for each school.

Roberts said last year saw a record budget, with nearly $10 billion in state coffers, but that there will be a decrease in available money at some point, as federal dollars increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, with the surplus the state has now, it will likely be spent on onetime purchases as opposed to longer, continu ous issues such as the state funding of SROs.

“It’s a complicated mix,” Roberts said.

Roberts said he would need to see the fiscal note and know more about any proposal before deciding one way or the other, but added he supported the concept. He later added he believes it would cost between $50 million to $85 million to fully fund an SRO in each Ala bama school from the state budget.

Shaw said having an SRO in each school is great, but schools must also have a plan in place to keep students safe. He cautioned against a “one-size-fits-all” approach toward school safety.

On the issue of nurses, Roberts said the group is for school nurses and said there was a $9 million increase this fiscal year for nurses, a 22% increase from fiscal 2022. Faulkner said he is confident the funding for nurses will con tinue to increase.

CityFrom left: state Sen. Dan Roberts, state Rep. Jim Carns, state Rep. David Faulkner and state Rep.-Elect Mike Shaw prepare to answer questions during the 2022 PTO Legislative Forum.

Photo by Neal Embry.

“

”

It’s local government, parental involvement and the community working together. This is the gem of the state, education-wise.

DAN ROBERTS

City collects record revenues in 2022

By JON ANDERSON

The city of Vestavia Hills had another record year financially, with a 6% growth in revenues for fiscal 2022, according to a preliminary report given to the City Council by Chief Finan cial Officer Melvin Turner.

Total revenues for the year ending Sept. 30 were $60.3 million, compared to $56.7 mil lion in fiscal 2021, Turner said. That’s a $3.6 million increase and $8.3 million better than the amount of revenues projected in the 2022 budget.

Sixty-five percent of the year-over-year growth came from sales taxes, records show. The city collected $27.9 million in sales taxes, up from $25.5 million in fiscal 2021.

“Sales taxes have just exploded,” Turner said. “We’re doing extremely well.”

The city also took in $17.1 million in real estate property taxes, up from $16.6 million, and almost $2 million in personal property taxes, which was only $1,715 less than in 2021.

Revenue from business licenses increased $243,000 to $3.75 million, and utility franchise fees were up $113,000 to $2.35 million.

Expenditures also increased from $51.7 million in fiscal 2021 to $56.3 million in fiscal 2022. But expenditures stayed below revenues by almost $4 million, Turner shared.

Councilwoman Kimberly Cook said a lot of the growth in sales taxes is because of the city’s economic growth and great potential the city has moving forward, but some of it is due to inflation.

“Even though revenues are up, our expenses are also inflated somewhat because of infla tion,” Cook said.

Final financial numbers for fiscal 2022 won’t be ready until the city’s audit is completed, Turner said.

The City Council also has approved a lease agreement for space for the city’s public works and park maintenance crews. The city will pay $11,651 a month to Longford LLC for 15,280

square feet of warehouse and office space in the Acton Center at 3224 Cahaba Heights Road.

The space will serve as the home base for the city’s public works and park maintenance crews, giving them a place to park trucks and store tools and other equipment, City Manager Jeff Downes said. There also will be some office space for supervisors, he said.

The space has been used by Acton Floor ing, which will continue to maintain a retail space on the first floor of the building that is there, Downes said. The city is just taking over office and warehouse space, he said. The lease agreement is for five years, but the city has the option to extend that lease another five years, Downes said.

The city’s public works and park mainte nance crews have moved around in recent years after being moved from Wald Park for the construction project there, Downes said. The crews at first moved to the former Gold’s Gym

location for about 1½ years, but for the past two years, they have been on property owned by the Vestavia Hills Board of Education as the Gold’s Gym site has been transformed into Vestavia’s new Civic Center.

The plan is to move into the new space on Cahaba Heights Road in mid-January, Downes said.

Cook asked if people living near that site would experience any inconveniences because of the city crews moving there, and Downes said he doesn’t anticipate any noise nuisances. There actually probably will be less traffic because Acton’s flooring business has frequent tile floor deliveries there now, Downes said.

In other business on Oct. 24, the City Council:

► Amended the master plan for Liberty Park to allow for single-family development in areas previously zoned for businesses, among a few other changes.

► Rezoned property at 901 Montgomery Highway for office use that had never been put in a Vestavia Hills zoning category since being annexed by the city. There currently is an office on the site, and Dr. Melanie Petro, a plastic surgeon, plans to move her office there from adjacent property, Downes said.

► Gave approval for a small cell tower to be put on right of way next to 2701 Anna Steele Lane.

► Declared some furniture at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest to be surplus so the city can sell or dispose of it. The library added some study carrels and no longer had space for the furniture, Daniel Taggart said.

► Recognized Vestavia Hills resident John Michael Chandash for rescuing a woman from a burning home in Mountain Brook on Aug. 29.

► Accepted a park bench built by Girl Scout Troop 30688 out of wood salvaged from the old Wald Park playground.

Vestavia Hills City Hall. Photo by Jon Anderson.

Mayor’s Minute

By Ashley Curry

As this year comes to an end, let’s look back on what was accomplished during 2022.

Our much-anticipated Civic Center was finally opened in November. It is absolutely amazing and should serve our needs for years to come. The ball room on the second floor has 10,000 square feet of space with a spectacular view southeast to Double Oak Mountain.

City to educate, crack down on illegal disposal of yard waste

By NEAL EMBRY

Only rain should go in your storm drain.

That’s according to Vestavia Hills City Manager Jeff Downes, who talked about the issue in his city manager’s report at the Nov. 14 City Council meeting.

Downes said the city is embarking on an effort to educate residents, landscaping com panies and others involved in yard waste dis posal that only rain should go down a storm drain, not yard waste.

The city will soon add an option in the city’s action center for residents to report it when they see improper disposal of yard waste. The person or company reported will first be educated, but Downes warned there would be “ramifications” for repeated, inten tional violations, which are being discussed and implemented by the city’s Municipal

Court.

In the rest of his report, Downes noted that city employees raised just under $31,000 for United Way, breaking last year’s record.

Assistant City Manager Cinnamon McCul ley talked about the “See the Season” initia tive. The effort, directed by both the city and Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, has many businesses, with more hopefully to come, in agreement to paint their windows for the holiday season.

In other business, the council:

► Approved alcohol licenses for Daven port’s Pizza and Mama Coca Cantina

► Approved a small cell facility being located next to 3025 English Oaks Circle

► Reappointed Richard Rice to the Board of Zoning Adjustments, along with appoint ing Thomas Parchman. The council appointed Mike Fliegel as the new alternate.

In November, one of our first events in the ballroom was our annual Veterans Day cele bration. This year’s event featured the VHHS band and choir. The larger space facilitated a larger contingent of band and choral members. I hope you were able to attend this event as we recognized the service of all our men and women in the armed forces.

Speaking of the band and choir, I congratu late them on being selected to participate the annual “New Year’s Celebration” in Rome in late December 2022 through January 2023.

Also, during October, we were able to host the 2022 Watercolor Society of Alabama Member Showcase. This event featured 50 watercolor submissions from 39 Alabama art ists. This art show, displayed in City Hall, was well attended and we received many favorable comments from our citizens.

Much of the Wald Park renovations have been completed with the tennis and pickle ball courts to be completed in the near future. What started as the “Community Spaces and Infrastructure Plan” several years ago is now

reality and one of the major accomplishments for the city.

On the infrastructure project of our plan, the city has completed its portion of the lane-widening and new sidewalks on Crosshaven Drive in Cahaba Heights. The portion being handled by Jefferson County should be completed soon.

Hopefully you were able to attend the Tree Lighting event on Nov. 29. This year’s event also included the grand opening of our new Civic Center. Citizens were able to tour the new facility. If you were not able to participate, you need to come by for a visit.

As we approach the New Year, let’s reflect on the word “blessing.” We are truly blessed to live in our city and have the quality of life that we enjoy.

You might be thinking about your New Year’s resolution. National surveys indicate that around 93% of people that made reso lutions last year failed to accomplish them. Sabrina Romanoff, a clinical psycholo gist said, “We often fail in achieving and keeping them because they focus on a specific outcome. When focus is placed on a specific outcome, it can be challenging to persevere in your efforts toward it if results are not immediate.”

So instead of the usual “lose weight, exer cise more” resolution, I think I will resolve to think about our “blessings” and be grateful for them each day. I wish you a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year.

Changing lives

Photo by Meredith Rowlen Photography

The city of Vestavia Hills plans to educate and crackdown on illegal disposal of yard waste to help alleviate stormwater issues throughout the city.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

Business Happenings

NOW OPEN

Dr. Lindsay Floyd, a Hoover resident who graduated Hoover High School in 1999 and the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007, has found ed a new business called Compassionate Crossings that offers pet euthanasia services in the home of pets. The service operates primarily on weeknights, week ends and most holidays and give pet owners an option for this service when their primary veterinary clinic is closed. 205-317-6747

Shoe Station is now open at Vestavia City Center. 205-506-4811

RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS

Dr. Melanie Petro, a facial plastic sur geon, plans to move her business from 905 Montgomery Highway to 901 Mont gomery Highway, which was currently rezoned for office use. petromd.com

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Lee Equity Partners, LLC, a growth-ori ented middle market private equity firm, announced the firm acquired a majority ownership interest in Bradford Health Services. Lee Equity acquired Bradford Health from Centre Partners and certain other investors, with Centre Partners maintaining an ongoing equity stake. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Bradford Health is a leading

substance use disorder treatment provid er in the Southeast and has a 40+ year operating history in its core geographies and is an early pioneer in value based behavioral healthcare reimbursement. Bradford Health is a regional leader in the Southeast with a strong market pres ence in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina and Arkansas. 205-547-2727, bradfordhealth.com

PERSONNEL MOVES

Madison Gaines in September joined Starnes Media as a business develop ment representative. Gaines graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in marketing in May. She previously worked as a social media marketing specialist and sales represen tative for the Gaines Family Farmstead in Birmingham and a part-time leasing agent for College Station Properties in Tuscaloosa. Starnes Media, based in Homewood, publishes the Hoover Sun, The Homewood Star, Vestavia Voice, Village Living, 280 Living and Cahaba Sun newspapers and websites and other publications such as The Birmingham Bar Bulletin. 205-313-1780, starnesmedia.com

ANNIVERSARIES

Stuart Curry Dentistry is celebrating 15 years of providing general and cosmetic dentistry to all ages. 205-972-3831, currydentistry.com

CLOSINGS

Hardee’s in Vestavia Hills is temporarily closed.

Business news to share? If you have news to share with the community about a brick-and-mortar business in Vestavia Hills, let us know at vestaviavoice.com/about-us

Couple opening up ice cream shop in Rocky Ridge

By NEAL EMBRY

Jarrard and Casey Ray’s two children have made it clear to their parents that Rocky Ridge needs an ice cream shop.

So, after thinking over it and looking at avail able space, the Rays found the perfect spot for the shop in the old Continental Florist location, sharing half of the space with Essential Pilates.

The shop, Sunshine Creamery, is the newest addition to the Rocky Ridge area. Jarrard was in the appliance business while Casey worked as a pharmacist. Both said they are pretty good with numbers and wanted to open up a shop for families like theirs.

Work on the site began in the first quarter of 2022. The couple experienced a few delays, but said it has been exciting to meet with archi tects and begin the process of opening their own business.

The store will feature “bright, cheery, sun shine colors,” Casey said, and will be kidfriendly. Jarrard, who will be at the shop full-time, said the couple plans on being very involved with the community, providing

scholarships and hiring local students to scoop ice cream and run the shop.

Casey also makes ice cream cakes, which will be for sale, along with 36 different flavors from a handful of vendors. The menu will also feature shakes, sundaes, specials of the month, ways to honor military and veterans, along with neighborhood-inspired ideas, Jarrard said.

Flavors will include a range of offerings, from traditional flavors to Blue Cookie Mon ster, Superman and more. There will also be alternative options such as no sugar added, vegan and dairy free.

Jarrard said he feels “joy and excitement” over the prospect of opening his own shop, while Casey said the children who love ice cream are excited for Sunshine Creamery to open.

“Our 7-year-old is definitely our biggest cheerleader,” Casey said.

The plan is for the shop to be a “well-oiled machine” when it comes time for a grand open ing, so there will likely be a 30-day soft open ing, Jarrard said. The shop is set to open in the first few months of 2023.

Sunshine Creamery will open soon in Rocky Ridge.

Photo by Neal Embry.

Flower Betty adding book, coffee shop

By NEAL EMBRY

Marilee Gilbert always wanted to own a bookstore.

When she realized Vestavia Hills did not have an independent bookstore or a coffee shop, she decided to make her dream come true, adding both to her and her husband Bradley’s flower business, Flower Betty, located at 2531 Rocky Ridge Road, Suite 101.

Gilbert admits her “to-be-read” pile is large. “I love the coziness of an independent book store,” Gilbert said. “I love the feel of books in my hands. All of it just brings me joy, brings me calm.”

Her time before operating the book and coffee shop was at Flower Betty, which opened a few years ago and has achieved great success. She and Bradley began at Homewood Flowers before moving the business during the COVID19 pandemic. They have been in the flower business for close to 30 years, she said. While Bradley is more of an extrovert, Marilee is also hard at work behind the scenes.

While the book and coffee shop are adjacent to Flower Betty, there will be a separate entrance for the latter, with books and seating all around the bookstore. The coffee shop area will be toward the back of the bookstore. The new logo, designed by Gilbert’s sister, has coffee beans in the shape of a flower.

Gilbert plans to have fun events, connecting with nearby Vestavia Hills High School, hosting poetry slams and more. There will also be gift items, candles and journals available for pur chase, she said, and at some point, she hopes to host book clubs.

There will be a wide variety of books for purchase and the plan is to continue to grow and add more as the shop hopefully succeeds, Gilbert said.

“My goal is to have full shelves, lots of them back to back,” Gilbert said. “We’ve got a pretty good space.”

Gilbert said independent bookstores provide something that corporate bookstores cannot: a

sense of community.

“I have always worked for small businesses,” Gilbert said. “I believe in small business and I believe that communities … have to sup port your small businesses or you’re left with nothing.”

The Vestavia community has supported Flower Betty so well, Gilbert said. You have that personal relationship. We have customers that we know what kinds of flowers they love.”

Gilbert wants that to carry over to the bookstore.

“I want to know what kind of books they’ll

love,” Gilbert said. “It’s more personal.”

Gilbert has partnered with a local bakery to provide baked goods, including pastries and more. All of the coffee will be named after literary characters handpicked by Gilbert and her sister. Gilbert’s favorite novel is “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” so her favorite drink, a hazelnut and Irish cream latte, is named after the main character. Her sister’s favorite drink, a salted caramel mocha, is named “Marianne Dashwood” after the “Sense and Sensibility” character.a

There will also be fun drinks including

“Hagrid hot chocolate” for the kids, Gilbert said.

In the shop itself, Gilbert said the colors will include chocolates and plums, creating a “dark and cozy” feel, with dim lights and “cozy, comfy” chairs to sit in.

“We want it to be a place for friends to come and hang out,” Gilbert said.

There will be several jobs available, and the shop has partnered with a company training them on how to create the perfect espressos and more, Gilbert said.

Gilbert was optimistic the store would open during the first week of December at the latest.

Flower Betty will soon be opening a book store and coffee shop in this space. Photo by Neal Embry.

Alabama Air National Guard member speaks at chamber luncheon

By NEAL EMBRY

It is not uncommon that people don’t real ize that the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Inter national Airport is also home to the 117th Air Refueling Wing, part of the Alabama Air National Guard.

Lt. Col. James Whaley, with the wing, shared more about that organization at the Nov. 8 luncheon of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce.

The unit began in the reconnaissance field, but then shifted to refueling. They even have their motto on their planes: “No one kicks [butt] without tanker gas,” Whaley said.

There are also tenant units at the airport, including the active-unit 99th Squadron, Whaley said.

While a part of the Air National Guard, the 117th does have four enduring missions, includ ing Operation Noble Eagle, which charges them, under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security, to monitor and defend U.S. airspace, along with a litany of other military units across the country.

Some of the unit’s missions are federal and some are led by the state, and Whaley joked that it can be a challenge to know who your boss is on any given day.

The unit is also a part of history, as they wear the oldest continuous patch in the U.S. Air Force, Whaley said.

However military operations change in the future, tankers won’t be going away, Whaley said. There will always be a need for tankers to ensure that fighters and other personnel remain properly fueled, he said.

Their job is made easier by the support of the Birmingham-area community, he said.

“It’s the support of the communities around us that let us do our job,” Whaley said.

About 3,900 personnel and families work

and live at or near the base, Whaley said, and the base spends about $17.6 million annually, with money going back into the community.

The base supports numerous organizations and opportunities within the Birmingham area, including Aviation Academy with Birmingham City Schools; Dreams on Wings, which pro vides civilian flights for terminally ill children; and recruiting students from local colleges. They also provide the Folds of Honor program, which supports the educational needs of fam ilies and spouses of fallen service members.

“[My dad] was a real inspiration to me,” Hawkins said.

That led Hawkins to enter the Alabama Air National Guard as a senior in high school, where he has been ever since. Entering the Guard with plans to fly, he began learning

about the maintenance of planes and now serves as crew chief of the unit, handling maintenance and inspections.

Hawkins encouraged those in attendance to challenge their children who may be consider ing entering the military.

“Take a step and build a legacy for their fam ilies, their children,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins noted that the Air National Guard is not just about flying planes and maintenance, but also has jobs in the fields of medicine, tech nology, communications and more.

Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Exec utive Director Michelle Hawkins’ stepson, Bradley, also spoke to the chamber. He spoke about the personal impact of his father, Allen, who was also in the Alabama Air National Guard.

Lt. Col. James Whaley with the 117th Air Refueling Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard speaks to Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce members and guests at the November luncheon. Photo by Neal Embry.

Birmingham Girls Choir makes its return this holiday season

By NEAL EMBRY

After being on the brink of ceasing opera tion, the Birmingham Girls Choir is back this holiday season.

Margaret Heron, the newly-named director of the choir, said the choir operates on a much smaller financial scale than the “more wellknown” Birmingham Boys Choir. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it almost forced the group to shut down due to financial pressures and lower choir attendance, Heron said. The group had to reapply for its nonprofit status with the IRS and there was concern they might not make it, Heron said.

But now, following leadership changes and an investment in the area, there are more than 70 girls in the program this year, representing 40 schools. Last year, there were only seven schools represented and between 20 and 30 girls, Heron said. Four of the more than 70 current students sang with the group before the pandemic, she said.

“It’s been really exciting, but there’s been so little recognition,” Heron said.

The choir has done its part to try and change that, performing last month at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, entertaining guests with their annual fall concert. This month, they will be singing Christmas carols at Cahaba Ridge Resort on Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. and on Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. outside Saks at The Summit.

On Dec. 13, they will be Christmas caroling in the areas around Edgewood Presbyterian Church, where they practice.

“We’re hoping to get more funding, corpo rate sponsorships,” Heron said.

Birmingham Girls Choir was founded a couple of decades ago, Heron said. Heron

began her role as executive director last year when she was still teaching full-time, but she has since retired. The group has set up social media and Heron is now able to devote more time to the choir, she said.

The choir operates similarly to the Birming ham Boys Choir, with three separate choirs making up the entire Birmingham Girls Choir.

“Although the budget is small, the voices are strong,” Heron said in a news release.

“It has been absolutely a joy to watch,” Heron said. “Most of our girls have just a

passion for singing.”

Heron said it has been great to see the com munity get involved and re-establish the choir’s role in the community. They started with a camp this year, allowing the girls to build friendships before they began singing, Heron said. Girls were recruited using word-of-mouth advertising and using connections with music teachers in the area, Heron said.

A variety of music is heard at concerts and performances, from Appalachian folk music to Gregorian chants to African greeting songs, and

“everything in between,” Heron said. The girls rehearse once a week at Edgewood Presbyte rian, with fourth grade girls and older practicing for one and a half hours and younger students practicing for 45 minutes, Heron said.

Coming from a public education background, leading the choir was “all new” to Heron, she said, but she thanked the great people on the board who have helped her, and said the non profit status should be re-established this year.

For more information, visit birmingham girlschoir.org.

The Birmingham Girls Choir has expanded during the past year and is looking forward to some Christmas performances during the holiday season. Photo courtesy of Margaret Heron.

Mission complete

Vestavia Hills man completes trek of Appalachian Trail in honor of late daughter

By NEAL EMBRY

Eight months and three weeks to the day after he first left Talladega in January, Dan Sims summited Mount Katahdin in Maine, completing the 2,600-mile Appalachian Trail in honor of his late daughter, Janie.

“It was everything I hoped it would be,” Sims said.

Sims hiked to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer, raising about $12,000. Most of that was raised before he began hiking, he said.

While he was disappointed more was not raised, Sims said he will keep going and will think of the next thing he can do to raise money to help children like Janie, who died from leukemia at 5 years old in 2003.

“It goes back to not giving up,” Sims said.

One year after Sims and Janie’s mom welcomed twin boys who were 10 weeks premature, Janie was diagnosed with leukemia. She was treated for 15 months before passing away, Sims said.

“It blindsided us,” Sims said of the diagnosis.

Janie, though, never complained. She was, even while undergoing treatment, “fun to be around and easy to love,” Sims said. She woke up with a smile on her face and gen uinely enjoyed life.

Her attitude helped inspire her father to take up this hike in her honor.

“I don’t care what obstacle, this is something I’ve got to do now,” he said at the time.

‘EVERY STEP OF EVERY DAY’

During his hike from January to late September, Sims experienced all kinds of weather.

“The rain is the most miserable because you’re soaked,” Sims said.

Toward the end of the hike, closer to Maine, hikers lose daylight, espe cially in the fall, Sims said. New Hampshire was the most challenging part of the hike, as it is “nothing but mountains.” At times, hikers must use fingers to pull themselves up, moving straight up rocks, Sims said.

“People get hurt,” Sims said.

Sims heard of a man dying of hypothermia on Mount Washing ton in New Hampshire in June. The weather on top of the mountain is some of the worst in the world, he said.

“You appreciate your ability to tackle every day,” Sims said.

Another part of the trail is known as the “100-mile wilderness,” during which there is no chance to get off the trail. As Sims hiked the wilder ness, it rained the whole time.

Still, Janie and the thought of other children battling pediatric cancer kept him going.

“Every time I’d run into an obsta cle, … it’s nothing compared to what these kids go through,” Sims said. “I thought of her every step of every day.”

Sims has always been an early riser, so that helped him get the most out of daylight, as well as allowing him to get a head start on other hikers. When he could, he would spend the night in a hostel and get a shower and sleep before getting back on the trail.

Wildlife was used to humans, including a moose that Sims made contact with.

“Experiences like that, you don’t get anywhere else,” Sims said. “There are sections [where] you feel like you’re in a National Geographic movie.”

Sims met people from all over the world, including a Frenchman he spent three weeks with, along with hikers from England, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany and more.

“It’s amazing,” Sims said. “It

makes you appreciate the resource we have here.”

Sims didn’t travel with anyone specifically and while he interacted with many other hikers, he said it was not unusual to see someone in the Carolinas and not see them again until Maine. Still, a fellowship is born on the trail, he said.

“People on the trail help each other,” Sims said.

FINISHING THE JOURNEY

Time on the trail was often lonely, he said.

“You really embrace the soli tude,” Sims said. “You thank God for the beauty around you.”

When he arrived in Maine, the weather was perfect for him to summit the trail’s northernmost point. Rangers give permission for hikers to summit and tell them to be respectful, as Katahdin is a holy site for local Native Americans.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” Sims said. “I knew it was a life-changing

journey.”

Some days on the trail are sim ilar to the journey of dealing with cancer, Sims said. You’d have one good day and then two days later everything falls apart, he said, like when the rain and cold forced him to spend the night in a public bathroom.

“You just tough it,” Sims said. “You just never give up.”

The long trek gives hikers a lot of time to reflect on their life and their future, Sims said. At night, Sims spent time reading and came across a famous quote from Mark Twain: "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why."

Sims now knows his “why.” His future is tied to his past and to the daughter he’ll never forget, whose picture hung on his shirt as he climbed the top of Katahdin.

“I’m going to spend the rest of my life finding a cure for pediatric cancer,” Sims said.

Dan Sims recently hiked the entirety of the Appalachian Trail to the summit of Mt. Katahdin in honor of his daughter, Janie, pictured on his bag, who died from childhood cancer. Photos courtesy of Dan Sims.

The view from Mt. Katahdin, the finish line of the Appalachian Trail.

PAYING TRIBUTE

The city of Vestavia Hills honored U.S. military veterans at a pinning ceremony at the New Merkel House on Nov. 10. Then on Nov. 11, the city held its annual Salute to Veterans event at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center, where retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kent Davis delivered the keynote speech. Photos by Neal Embry and Erin Nelson.

Vestavia student places 3rd in national MLB competition

By NEAL EMBRY

Brayden Watkins, a 9-year-old Vestavia Hills resident, recently placed third nationally among the 9- and 10-year-old age group in Major League Baseball’s “Pitch, Hit & Run” competition, winning a trip to the 2022 World Series.

“It was really fun,” Brayden said.

Brayden won multiple earlier rounds of the competition to advance to the final four in his age group, which meant he and his family were flown out to Houston to watch a World Series game before competing for the champi onship, which was livestreamed on MLB.com during an off day for the teams.

“It was really cool; I saw the best players in the league,” Brayden said.

Brayden said he learned to never give up and to keep going, even when he’s struggling.

Brayden’s dad, Harman Watkins, said the competition focuses on the three areas men tioned in its name, turning outcomes into points. Players get five pitches, with a score based on how many times the player hit the strike zone. In hitting, the players hit five balls

off of a tee, with the cumulative distance cre ating a score.

This was the first year the competition was offered at the youth baseball level in Vestavia Hills, Harman said, and he knew his son wouldn’t be happy if he didn’t sign up.

Brayden won his group in Vestavia and then went down to Tampa to compete in regionals at Tropicana Field, which he also won, send ing him to Houston. All expenses are paid by the league, which also treated the family to a watch party of Game 1 before the group was able to watch the second game of the World Series.

“It was really cool,” Harman said. “You’re hitting on the field big leaguers did the night before.”

The Houston Astros were pretty lenient on what the kids could do, Watkins said, allowing them to be in the dugout and more.

Brayden has been playing baseball since he was 4 years old, Harman said. While the family knew he was good, they did not realize how good or that he could win a competition like this, Harman said.

“He’s very talented,” Harman said.

ASO to play at Civic Center

Sponsored by RISE at VHHS, to benefit O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center

By NEAL EMBRY

The proud tradition of Vestavia Hills High School students raising money for good causes continues this month, as the school will host the first event of RISE — Rebels Impact through Service and Engagement, part of Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills.

To kick off the RISE season, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra is playing a “Sounds of the Season” concert, entertaining guests with Christmas songs. The event is set for Dec. 9 at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center ballroom and will include, in addition to the concert from 8 to 9 p.m., a silent auction of fine, local art and dessert, to be served at 6:30 p.m. Jackets are required to be worn.

Kym Prewitt, who leads Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills along with Morgan Jones,

said the orchestra reached out to the city of Vestavia Hills to inquire about possible per formances in the new space, which was set to open in November. The city then passed along that information to the school system.

The event will make a great Christmas present, in addition to being an opportunity to show off the new Civic Center, Prewitt said.

“We’re hoping for a sell-out,” Prewitt said.

The annual fundraising campaign includes a variety of events that begin in earnest in January, Prewitt said. All of the proceeds benefit the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB Hospital.

Tickets for the event are $50 and can be purchased at Go.UAB.edu/VHHS.

Those interested in donating art should contact Prewitt at prewittk@vhcs.us.

Brayden Watkins of Vestavia Hills recently placed third in his age group in MLB's "Pitch, Hit, Run" contest and was flown to Houston to watch the 2022 World Series.

Photo courtesy of Harman Watkins.

The Alabama Symphony Orchestra in a rehearsal led by Carlos Izcaray, the ASO’s music director and principal conductor. To kick off the RISE season, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra is playing a christmas concert Dec. 9 at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center ballroom. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Williams.

Santa waves to paradegoers at the Vestavia Hills Christmas Parade in December 2021 in Liberty Park. Staff photo.

Christmas events coming to Vestavia Hills

By NEAL EMBRY

For those looking to get into the Christmas spirit, Vestavia Hills has plenty of options this month.

On Dec. 10, the annual Breakfast with Santa event will take place at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. and lasts until 10 a.m. The tradition gives fam ilies a chance to enjoy a pancake breakfast and meet Santa for free.

The next day, the city will host its annual Christmas Parade, which typically includes face painting, bouncy houses, games and more family-friendly entertainment, said Assistant City Manager Cinnamon McCulley. The event

begins at 2 p.m. in Liberty Park and ends in Alston Meadows Park. Santa will also be on hand to take pictures with children.

McCulley said there is a grand marshal for the parade but that person has not yet been chosen.

Contact Melanie Perry with the New Merkel House if you are interested in having a float in the parade at mperry@vhal.org.

On Dec. 20 at 6 p.m., the city will hold a Menorah lighting at Vestavia Hills City Hall. The event began in 2020 and is led by Rabbi Levi Weinbaum. The event will include refreshments and activities.

For more information on Christmas events, visit vestaviahills.org.

Reindeer

By HEATHER JONES SKAGGS

Ready, set, dash! Pure Fitness in Vestavia is hosting its 6th Annual Reindeer Dash Saturday, Dec. 17.

Participants are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite holiday character. Organizer Erin Holtz says they love seeing their runners dressed in their favorite holiday attire each year. Holtz grew up running a Christmas run in her hometown with her family and wanted to bring the same tradition to Birmingham for all to enjoy.

“We choose a nonprofit each year to support, and this year we have chosen the students at Unless U,” Holtz said.

Unless U is an organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities and their families through continuing education, job training, life skills and social skills to create an environment that promotes independence.

”I love seeing all the smiling faces show up during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and take the time to support a great cause,” Holtz said.

The dash features a 5K and 1-mile fun

Denise Bivin and Dawn Higginbotham near the finish line of the 2018 Reindeer Dash 5K at Pure Fitness in Vestavia Hills in December 2018. Photo by Jon Anderson.

• WHEN: Dec. 17, 7:30 a.m.

• WEB: runsignup.com/the reindeerdash2022

run. The route runs through Vestavia Hills, starting and ending at Pure Fitness and wind ing through the neighborhood. All ages can participate.

“We have as young as 4 for the 1-mile fun run,” Holtz says. Registration is $35 for the 5K and $25 for the 1-mile Fun Run. Registration cost increases after Dec. 14. Register by Dec. 1 for a guaranteed t-shirt and race packet with goodies. The dash has also added medals that turn into a Christmas ornament this year.

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Legacy League’s Christmas Home Tour returns to neighboring cities

By BETHANY ADAMS

Bundle up, grab a friend and tour five beauti fully festive homes during the Samford Legacy League’s 12th annual Christmas Home Tour.

This year’s event, which will take place on Dec. 8, will feature two homes in Mountain Brook and three in Vestavia Hills, each of which will showcase a personal take on hol iday decor.

As the Legacy League’s largest annual fund raiser, the event supports the organization in providing scholarships to students with “sig nificant financial need and challenging cir cumstances,” said managing director Sharon Smith. Presenting sponsor ARC Realty will return for another year, and as many as 1,000 guests and volunteers are expected to take part in the preparations and presentation.

“The style of the architecture and the decor varies by home, but all are gracious, welcom ing, lovely homes,” Smith said.

Spanning nearly-new builds and renovated historic homes, highlights will include every thing from city views to a dedicated chapel. “I think there is something for everybody,” Smith

said. “It doesn’t matter what your personal taste is — I think you will walk through and find lovely things to look at in all of them.” The homes will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the tour also includes Samford President Beck A. Taylor’s home, where guests will be treated to light refresh ments, live music and a selection of pop-up shoppes. Guests choose their starting time and first home during the registration process.

This year’s featured homes are:

► Kathryn and Doug Eckert, 2900 Overhill Road, Mountain Brook

► Wansley and Ryan Griffin, 2133 South wood Road, Vestavia Hills

► Bridget and Andrew Patterson, 309 Sunset Drive, Vestavia Hills

► Jenny and Scott Sobera, 2824 Canoe Brook Circle, Mountain Brook

► Julie and Beck Taylor, 1994 Shades Crest Road, Vestavia Hills

Tickets are $35 per person through Nov. 30 and will be on sale for $40 through Dec. 6. Advance purchase is required. For more infor mation, and to purchase tickets, visit samford. edu/legacyleague.

Birmingham Boys Choir celebrating 50 years of music with Christmas concert

By BETHANY ADAMS

On Dec. 13, the Birmingham Boys Choir will celebrate 50 years of music with its 45th Annual Christmas Concert, “Behold the Star!”

Held at the Samford University Wright Center, the concert will also mark 45 years of direction by Ken and Susan Berg.

“The Star of Bethlehem is a prominent feature within the wealth of glorious choral music of the Advent/Christmas season,” said Ken Berg, who also provided creative direction.

Following the theme of the concert, the program will feature a combination of clas sic carols and contemporary pieces with a focus on the Nativity story. The choir com prises Junior Choristers, Senior Choristers and Graduate Choristers, totaling 140 boys who range from 3rd to 12th grade. The cho risters, who represent communities all over Birmingham, begin rehearsing for the pro gram in September. “They rehearse once a

week at four different satellite locations and then they come together in the middle of November, when they start full rehearsals,” said operations manager Charlotte Rumore.

Preserving a centuries-old tradition, the BBC provides boys and young men in Bir mingham with musical training and the opportunity to perform in countries like Ireland, Japan and Germany. The nonprofit relies on public support. Rumore said the Christmas concert is the organization’s “gift back to the public.”

In addition to the vocal performances, the program will feature live accompaniment, including Susan Berg on the piano, a violinist and a string quartet.

“This concert will not only include some of the most beloved carols of the season but also some lesser-known carols and new anthems, all of which — like the Star — lead us to find the Christ child born into our world,” Berg said.

“Behold the Star!” will begin at 7 p.m. and admission is free to the public.

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Nutcrackers and other Christmas decor are seen at a 2018 home displayed during Samford University’s Legacy League Home Tour. Photo courtesy of Sharon Smith.

Members of the Birmingham Boys Choir perform during their holiday concert at Briarwood Presbyterian Church in December 2019. Photo by Neal Embry.

Magic City Nutcracker Returns to Lyric Theatre

By HEATHER JONES SKAGGS

Travel with Clara as she battles the Rat King and meets the Sugar Plum Fairy in a fan tastic journey fitting for the Christmas season.

The Magic City Nutcracker returns to the historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Birming ham Dec. 2-4 with performances Friday night at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

There will also be a patron party and recep tion on Saturday night at 9:30 p.m.

More than 150 local dancers of all ages and principal guest artists Camila Rosado and Luis Victor Santana from Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico make up the cast. Other guest artists include dancers from Samford Dance Company, Formations Dance Company and Sanspointe. The Alabama Youth Symphony will open the matinee performances with live Christmas music. The ballet is an original work by Artistic Director Stephanie Rangel,

Magic City Nutcracker

• WHERE: Lyric Theatre

• WHEN: Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.

• WEB: magiccitynutcracker.com

Jamie Kilgore Foust, Jamie Zarilli Grimes, Claire Kendrick, Lisa Gibbs, Rachel Single tary Gates and Whitney Renfroe.

“The Magic City Performing Arts is com mitted to supporting and maintaining the highest quality of artistic vision presenting this beautiful holiday tradition, the Magic City Nutcracker,” Rangel said.

Tickets are available for purchase online at Ticketmaster. For more information, visit magiccitynutcracker.org.

Santa to visit Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest

By NEAL EMBRY

Santa is coming to town, or, more specifi cally, the library.

On Dec. 13, the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest is hosting the man in the big red suit for a “Family Night with Santa” beginning at 6 p.m. in the community room. There will be a meal at 6 p.m. and a “Santa Show” beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pictures with Santa will be taken afterward.

Also in the children’s department, there will be a gingerbread house competition, all supplies provided, on Dec. 14 at 3:30 p.m. in the chil dren’s program room. The event is for children in grades 3-6.

There will be no children’s programs from Dec. 20 to Jan. 3.

In the teen department, there will be extended library hours Dec. 12-14 for high school final exams. The library will be open until 9 p.m., and at 3, 5 and 7 p.m., there will be study breaks in the historical room, including snacks and games.

On Dec. 16, there will be a “Snowdown Throwdown” at 4 p.m. in the community room.

Guests will compete in an “ice-themed tourna ment” and will not know the game until the tournament ends. The prize is an Amazon gift card, and there will also be snacks.

There will also be an opportunity for teens to decorate ornaments on Dec. 20 at 4 p.m. in the treehouse. Supplies and hot chocolate will be provided.

In the adults department, guests can make mini-string wreaths at 11 a.m. on Dec. 7 in the community room. Register by contacting holly. parker@vestavialibrary.org or call 205-9784674. All materials are provided.

On Dec. 9, patrons can make holiday art using translucent art tiles. Registration is required. Call 205-978-4678 or email terri. leslie@vestavialibrary.org.

On Dec. 12, adults can join their friends and watch a Hallmark Christmas movie complete with hot chocolate, snacks, bingo and prizes. The event begins at 6 p.m. Register by contact ing holly.parker@vestavialibrary.org or call 205-978-4674.

The library will be closed Dec. 1 for a staff day.

WE CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH

The Magic City Nutcracker performance in 2021.

Photo courtesy of Eric Lucky Photography.

Santa Claus made an appearance at Vestavia's Library in the Forest to spread cheer and take gift request from children of the Vestavia Hills community. Staff photo.

ROME

Vatican, Pompeii, the Sistine Chapel, the Col iseum and more. “It’s pretty exciting, I think it’s one thing to tell a student about a place like Rome but it’s another thing to let them go and experience it.”

There was an audible gasp when the band found out about the news during an assembly on Oct. 20, and Horton said there was a lot of cheering.

The choir was “thrilled,” Director Taylor Stricklin said.

Stricklin said he anticipates taking about 100 students and is excited to collaborate with the band.

“It makes the arts department special and unique,” Stricklin said. “We really enjoy work ing together.”

Horton echoed Stricklin’s comments.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to travel with the choir,” Horton said. “This will be the first time both groups have traveled together, though they try to collaborate more often.”

There will be multiple performances for both groups with the possibility of a joint perfor mance, Stricklin said.

Being able to be part of an international trip is not something to pass up. Each time he has gone abroad with choirs, Stricklin said for eign audiences have loved seeing American

performing groups. Horton said that is his experience, as well.

“I want them to understand that continuing in music will take them places,” Stricklin said. “You’ve seen pictures, but seeing them your selves is a whole new experience.”

The choir will take part in a four or five day festival of performances, one of which will be their own.

Possible venues for their performance include a cathedral, the Pantheon and St. Peter’s in the Vatican, which has “incredible” acous tics. To be able to sing in the revered space is a “once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Stricklin said.

The choir will have extra rehearsals for their performances and Stricklin is working on choosing the music and doing other planning for the festival.

Horton noted that the band will be working on how to handle the parade from an endur ance standpoint. He said while the parade route length is unknown, the standard is 2.5 miles, Horton.

Bob Bone, managing director of Destination Events, which founded the London parade and facilitates parades for multiple cities, said the band’s past experience in London left a great impression. That helped sway the group when Horton called, asking if the Rome trip would be possible.

“It was really a no-brainer,” Bone said.

Destination Events has an “extensive net work” of music consultants who recommend bands to the group to use in parades, such as Vestavia’s band.

The reputation and record of excellence of Vestavia’s band, along with his prior knowl edge of Horton helped. That choice was solid ified when he watched them perform when the announcement was made this fall.

“They were every bit as good as expected,” Bone said.

Bone said the Rome Parade will be a terrific event with a lovely parade route and he is hope ful the choir can participate in it as well.

The easiest way to explain the parade, Bone said, is that the band will “be mobbed, in a safe way, by 200,000 to 250,000 Romans.

“It will be a pretty fantastic experience,” he said.

The band and choir are also invited to a smaller festival in the Italian city of Frascati, near Rome. The mayor will entertain the stu dents and invite them to lunch.

Being picked to march in the parade is an honor, Horton said.

“It’s really humbling, actually,” Horton said. “Neither one of us [Horton or Assistant Direc tor Heather Palmer] got these opportunities when we were in high school band.”

Left: The Vestavia Hills High School Honor Choir performs during the annual Salute to Veterans event at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center on Nov. 10. Right: The Vestavia Hills wind symphony performs during a presentation on Oct. 20 by Bob Bone, the director of Rome New Year, who invited the Vestavia Hills High School marching band and choir to the 2024 Rome New Year Parade. Photos by Erin Nelson.

Bob Bone, the director of Rome New Year, invites the Vestavia Hills High School marching band and choir to the 2024 Rome New Year Parade.

SUPPORT

from page A1

JONATHAN VICKERY

For the past seven years, Vickery has risked his life on a daily basis to fight fires, helping serve and protect the residents in Vestavia Hills as a member of the city’s Fire Department.

But in the early morning hours of Oct. 19, he and his wife, LaVonda, faced their own nightmare. Around 2 a.m., they were asleep in their McCalla home when they woke up to the power going out and a sound like rain on a tin roof. The veteran firefighter recognized what was happening immediately.

“I think the house is on fire,” he told his wife.

After getting his wife out of the house safely, Vickery went back in and discovered flames in their bathroom. After calling 911, he closed all the doors, grabbed a water hose and started to spray, trying to slow the fire down. But the fire was spreading rapidly and within an hour their home was fully involved.

Despite a valiant effort from Vick ery and the McCalla Fire Depart ment, the home was a total loss.

A Christmas gift Vickery’s son purchased for LaVonda was gone. So too is the bedroom suite LaVonda had just finished setting up the way she wanted. Military history books from Vickery’s grandfather, a Civil War buff, are ruined. Gifts for Vickery’s grandchildren are still recognizable, but they won’t be in any stockings later this month.

“We sat in the truck and watched everything we have disintegrate,” Vickery said. “It took everything we have.”

Thankfully, no one was hurt in the fire. The couple made it out safe, along with their dog, and their 15-year-old son wasn’t home at the time. Vickery has two older sons who live on their own.

While there are no physical scars, the fire was still traumatic, Vickery said. “We both still wake up with nightmares.”

One night, the power cut off in the hotel where they were staying, trig gering that same fear all over again. It will cost about $30,000 just to clear out the debris on their property. At that point, Vickery will determine if the slab is still in good enough shape to rebuild on it, which is what he and LaVonda want to do.

No matter what ends up happen ing, Vickery hasn’t walked this path alone. During the blaze, Vickery called his battalion chief, Greg Ham rick, to tell him the news. Hamrick arrived on the scene within a few hours. By 7:30 a.m., fire admin istration had shut down Vickery’s crew, staffed their truck with other personnel and allowed his crew to come help him.

While their home was lost, some items were able to be found, includ ing some family photos and guns in a safe. LaVonda was hoping her rings could be salvaged. Vickery’s colleagues were able to go through the rubble and find them, providing her a big boost, he said.

The city rallied around him and his family and he said the most meaningful help he has been given is the coverage of his shifts by his fellow firefighters so he doesn’t have to use his sick time.

“It’s a very humbling thing,” Vickery said.

Battalion Chief Scott Ferrell said Vickery is family.

“Even though we see it [fires] a lot more than your average person, it still hurts to see someone … go through that,” Ferrell said. “The Fire Department volunteering time and money to help Vickery and others who have gone through challenging times makes it easier to come to work. It’s just a big relief knowing you can count on the people you work with.”

The family has received checks from people they don’t even know, and Vickery said there are still likely some unanswered text messages on his phone from fellow firefighters asking if they can help or offering condolences. Fellow firefighters set up a GoFundMe account to help them financially, with nearly $10,000 raised by mid-November.

Vickery said he’s not sure they would have this kind of support anywhere else.

“The citizens that don’t know me, stepping up to help me and my family out when we need it … it’s kind of hard to explain the feeling you get from that,” Vickery said.

“My whole life has been helping people, and now I’m the one that needed that. It’s hard to embrace, but

… everybody has to embrace help at some point in their life.”

The next steps for the family are moving into a rental home and trying to figure out if they can rebuild. With so many people look ing out for them and offering help, Vickery said they are in good shape.

“I would rather somebody else that needs help get help,” Vickery said.

He also wants people to recognize that this can happen to anyone.

“Fire doesn’t discriminate,” Vick ery said. “Now I know what those people I serve feel like.”

As someone who normally does not show emotion and tries to not let situations get to him, Vickery admits he has his moments.

“It opens you up a little bit,” he said. “It sucks. But we’re going to overcome.”

As time moves on, the Vickerys will rebuild their life. At some point, they may even write a book to share their story, Vickery said. Along with the story of the fire itself, the book will be the story of those who helped the Vickerys, from his fellow firefighters to the residents whose names he might never know.

“It’s overwhelming with some of the support that we’ve had,” Vickery said. “You can’t say thank you enough … I’ll never be able to repay what people have done for us.”

The fundraiser for the Vickery family can be found by searching “Helping the Vickery Family” on gofundme.com.

ALICE MILLER

After seeing her stepfather pass away from colon cancer within a year of his diagnosis, Officer Alice “Ali” Miller admits she was “ter rified” when she was told she had breast cancer in October 2021.

“I didn’t know if I would be here

this time next year,” Miller said she thought at the time. “All I could see was what my [step]dad went through.”

Miller said she shut down and had trouble focusing and recalled the first time she noticed her hair falling out.

“I ran my hand through my hair, and there was so much hair on my hand,” she said.

Miller started crying and called her husband, who came home and hugged her so tight “you would’ve thought there was an F5 tornado” coming, Miller said.

The first step was surgery to remove the mass, followed by che motherapy treatments then radiation.

“I told my husband, ‘I didn’t know the human body could still breathe after a burn like that,’” Miller said about radiation.

Miller’s mother and stepmother offered to help. Her husband and colleagues at the department offered to drive her to her chemo appoint ments, but she said no, in an effort to maintain as much independence as she could.

Miller recently received the news that she is cancer-free and in remission.

While police officers and firefighters are used to solving the problems of others, Miller said they don’t always know how to handle their own.

During her treatment, the depart ment knew they wanted to help in some way. So, on their own, officers got together and shaved their heads in a sign of solidarity. Miller saw it while getting ready one morning and showed it to her husband with tears running down her face.

The department bought bracelets, pins, wristbands and more, engraved with #AliStrong, all to show her she was not alone.

“I am very blessed,” Miller said. Miller walked into roll call one day to discover her fellow officers had taken up money to give to her and her family. On numerous occa sions, officers have given them fruit baskets, food and more, she said.

“What this department did for me mentally was overwhelming,” Miller said.

The outpouring of love has made Miller, who joined the department in 2020, even more committed to Vestavia.

“I’m going to break my neck for this place,” she said. “I love these guys.”

Lt. Mike Keller said the depart ment had empathy for Miller and wanted to help when they found out about her diagnosis.

“It’s always difficult when you hear that news,” Keller said. “We just wanted to be there for her.”

Capt. Shane Ware said knowing officers take care of each other the way they did Miller improves everyone’s job.

“It makes the job and the fact we get to work for this city more rewarding,” Ware said.

Miller became a police officer to follow in her family’s footsteps. Her mother worked in the White House, while her stepfather served President Ronald Reagan as a member of the U.S. Secret Service.

Going through cancer has made her a better officer and a better person, she said. It has allowed her to be more patient, even with those who might be breaking the law. It’s also allowed her to help others, to show empathy and to share her story to encourage someone else.

In October, Miller was stopped in Liberty Park when an older woman out for a walk struck up a conver sation with her about changes to rules about golf carts on city roads, now that many streets in Liberty Park have been dedicated to the city. Somehow, the conversation turned to the woman’s husband, who had just been diagnosed with cancer. Miller told her, “You’re going to get through this just fine.”

Since the woman had been gone so long, Miller took her home to make sure her husband knew she was safe. She then had an opportu nity to grab his hand and tell him, “You’re going to get through this just like I did.”

On a recent call, Miller encoun tered a young wife who was worried about her husband, who had had a medical emergency. She calmed her down, told her he would be okay and complimented her two young daughters in the backseat.

“The citizens and the people I’ve run into … they make me want to do my job,” Miller said.

“This really has changed me to be a better person. … I want to make a difference on a different level every day now.”

Left: Jonathan Vickery, a firefighter with the Vestavia Hills Fire Department, talks about the experience of losing his home to a house fire the night of Oct. 19 and the support received from his fellow firefighters, as he stands in the rubble of his McCalla property on Nov 10. Right: Photographs of Vestavia Hills Police officers that shaved their heads in solidarity with Officer Alice Miller following her diagnosis with breast cancer in October 2021, are seen at the Vestavia Hills Police Department on Nov. 8. Photos by Erin Nelson.

Officer Alice Miller is a breast cancer survivor, following a diagnosis in October 2021, and is now cancer free.

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Hills City Schools Hall of Fame

By NEAL EMBRY

The third class of the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame includes teachers, an administrator and a beloved custodian.

The five inductees are:

► Kelly Bagby: special education teacher at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge and Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park from 2000 to 2022

► Brian Cain: math and psychology teacher at Vestavia Hills High School from 1989 to 2002

► Karen DeLano: assistant superintendent of Vestavia Hills City Schools from 2000 to 2012

► Kimberly McBride: custodian at Liberty Park Middle School from 2008 to 2021, who will be inducted posthumously

► Audrey Pharo: kindergarten teacher at Vestavia Hills Elementary West from 1977 to 2008

This year’s class joins Buddy Anderson, Helen Holley, David Miles, Carlton Smith, Kay Tipton, Sammy Dunn, Barbara Grant, Michael Gross, Rick McKay and John Rush from previ ous year’s classes.

AUDREY PHARO

Audrey Pharo began teaching while she was still in high school. While she was participating in baton twirling, she began teaching other stu dents in Vestal, New York.

She later taught arts and crafts, along with other activities, as a recreation supervisor in her hometown.

“I always did it with goofy things,” Pharo said.

Pharo married a “Southern gentleman” and

moved to Birmingham after 10 years of teaching in New York. She then began teaching in the Vestavia school system.

In her kindergarten classes at West, she had a sign: “I may not be perfect but I am forever creative.” Pharo would throw all of the con struction paper into the middle of the floor and no student was ever considered the best or made to follow specific patterns.

“Nobody ever competed in my room,” Pharo said. “I couldn’t stand where teachers would do everything within the lines. … I just tried to relate the difference of artwork and the differ ence of children.”

Pharo “did crazy things,” she said, includ ing moving a bathtub into her room where stu dents could read. She always had mannequins and would dress them. Students would tattle on other students to the mannequin and the

mannequin would “tell Ms. Pharo,” she said.

“I guess I stayed in kindergarten my whole life because that was the level I was at,” Pharo said with a laugh.

Years later, parents and students still remem ber her and write to her, Pharo said, due to the impact she made.

“They know I love their children,” Pharo said. “I’ll never forget my kids.”

Even now, at the age of 81, Pharo is still teaching, homeschooling and tutoring.

“I don’t think I’ll ever retire,” Pharo said.

KELLY BAGBY

Kelly Bagby said she was “shocked” when she got the phone call that she would be inducted into the school system’s Hall of Fame. She said it was an honor to be included with “legends” of the system.

“I feel like I’m standing on the porch knock ing, saying, ‘Are you sure I can come?’” Bagby said.

Bagby worked at the University of Mon tevallo, her alma mater, before joining Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park in 2000. She ended up working at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central and Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge before retiring at the end of last school year.

Working with students who have special needs made her feel at home.

“This is where I belong,” Bagby said. “These are my people.”

Bagby said God gave her “specific gifts” she was able to use to help students. She credited the school system, parents and teachers with

From left: Audrey Pharo, a retired kindergarten teacher from Vestavia Hills Elementary West, at her home on Nov. 9; Kelly Bagby, a retired teacher from Vestavia Hills City Schools, at her home on Nov. 10; Brian Cain, a retired teacher from Vestavia Hills City Schools, stands in the office at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School, where he serves as the interim head of school, on Nov. 11. All three educators are inductees to the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame. Photos by Erin Nelson.

Together we can climb toward your financial goals.

Schoolhouse

Have a schoolhouse announcement? Email Neal Embry at nembry@ starnesmedia.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

Schneider Electric provides facilities report to BOE

By NEAL EMBRY

Several HVAC systems and roofs will need to be replaced throughout Vestavia Hills City Schools over the next few years, according to a report from a third-party evaluator.

Schneider Electric, which is per forming an energy audit and exam ining the schools’ facilities, told the Vestavia Hills Board of Education at the Oct. 24 meeting that of five priorities they identified, “major” HVAC needs topped the list, with HVAC systems needing replacement at a majority of schools, except for Pizitz Middle School and Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge, which have new systems.

The roofs at Vestavia Hills Elementary East, Vestavia Hills Elementary West and Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge also need to be replaced, a representative from the company said. Other priorities identified by the company include upgrading operational efficiency, creating “healthy and productive learning environments” and improving “student enrichment and commu nity engagement.”

Lighting throughout the district is currently being upgraded and a new, centralized opera tional system is being installed at the high school, allowing operators to control the entire building’s energy settings from one location. The chiller at the high school is also being replaced.

The system has owner-architect agreements in place with Lathan Associates Architects for all campuses for general facility maintenance work. The Schneider Electric plans, part of the Healthy Schools Plans project, is contingent on the 1Rebel 1Future initiative being financially supported by the community.

The upgrades are projected to save the system about $27.4 million or more during the 20-year partnership with Schneider.

The board also approved the seeking of an opinion from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall regarding the use of public funds for the 1Rebel 1Future proposal. Previously, legal exemptions allowed public funds to be spent on issues that were non-partisan and shown to be in the public interest, such as the possibility of raising additional revenues.

That exemption was outlawed during the last legislative session, and the board is now seeking additional information from the attorney general’s office on what that might mean for any potential action they might take on the 1Rebel 1Future initiative.

Superintendent Todd Freeman also updated the board on a review of the system’s STEM offer ings, currently being conducted by the Southern Regional Education Board. The organization is reviewing curriculum and instruction and will provide feedback on how the system can grow and improve in the area of STEM. Freeman told the board he expects to bring a full report in Feb ruary 2023.

Vestavia Hills High School. Photo by Erin Nelson.

HALL OF FAME

“To be entrusted with someone else’s child … is not something to be taken lightly,” Bagby said. “The system gave me a chance to impact lives and help them [the students] succeed.”

Building a relationship with families was key to her work, she said.

“We all have to be on the same page and we all have to be headed in the same direction,” Bagby said.

Bagby said she remembers a fire drill taking place and having to walk up a big hill with stu dents. Even then, she told a colleague, “I would rather be here than anywhere else in the world.”

Much changed in the education field during her 22 years with Vestavia, but the importance of putting the child first did not, she said.

“If it’s what the child needs, that’s what we’re going to do,” Bagby said.

BRIAN CAIN

In 1989, Brian Cain admits he was still “very green” when he began teaching math and psy chology at Vestavia Hills High School.

When he got the job, he called his mom, who was crying and excited for her son. He had done his student teaching at Vestavia and had previ ously wanted to be a counselor before moving into education.

While math was never his favorite subject, he was always good at it, he said. He remembered thinking, “Why do we make this so hard?” as he prepared to teach students.

Other teachers throughout the school helped show him how to teach, how to make lesson plans and more. So, as his career progressed, he paid it forward and worked with students and new teachers to help them grow. He called his time working with the high school faculty the “richest development” he ever had.

Being a part of the Vestavia school system was never just about academics, he said. It was a “devoted family atmosphere” of every person on the staff. From the principal to the lunch room staff, everyone was loved and celebrated, he said.

Even though he’s left teaching on a full-time basis, the work of helping students grow and succeed never ends.

“If you ever leave the classroom, never leave your students,” Cain said.

KIM MCBRIDE

Kim McBride was known for the smiles she often gave others.

“Every day … you could count on her for a smile,” said Jack Cobb, a student at Liberty Park Middle School, in 2021.

Each day for 13 years, McBride came to work and put a smile on the face of her coworkers and students.

McBride, a beloved custodian at LPMS, died in a car accident in February 2021, leaving behind two children, Jacobi and Ryan.

It did not matter to McBride who walked through the front doors of Liberty Park Middle School, whether it was a student, a parent or the superintendent, her coworkers previously said.

“She could be friends with anybody,” said Alison Noble, a teacher and co-sponsor of the SGA at the school. “She was just a special person.”

McBride’s sister, Monica Lee, said in 2021 that McBride loved her job and would “give people her last.”

“She was a beautiful person inside and out,” Lee said. “She was just a blessing.”

Each school year since McBride’s passing, LPMS awards the “Kim McBride Sunshine Award” to an eighth grade student who exhib its the characteristics for which McBride was known: friendly with all people, inclusive to all groups, a “daily ray” of sunshine and positivity, respectful and a conversation starter.

Lee said to hear her sister was being inducted into the school system’s Hall of Fame was a “great honor.”

“She left a legacy,” Lee said. “She shared her gift. Her gift was love and talking to those kids.”

Lee said she was “overwhelmed” when she learned the news of her sister’s upcoming honor.

“She meant the world to a lot of people,” she said. “They’re still talking about my sister. That means the world to me.”

KAREN DELANO

Both of Karen DeLano’s parents were teach ers, setting the stage for her to follow in their footsteps.

At first, however, she resisted. She pur sued medical school, but changed during her sophomore year of college. Forty-six years later, DeLano is now retired from a lifetime in education.

She came to Vestavia Hills after serving as the principal at Shades Cahaba Elementary in Homewood, and after leaving Vestavia, retired as the superintendent of Auburn City Schools.

“I feel like it [education] found me,” DeLano said.

Working in Vestavia was a challenge because of the high expectations set on everybody within the school system, DeLano said.

“It was challenging work in a very good way,” DeLano said. “I learned quite a bit from the people that I worked with.”

In her role as an administrator, DeLano said the most important job she had was hiring the right kind of people to work in the school system.

“I really felt inspired when I would interview and hire really good people who would do great things for kids,” DeLano said.

DeLano credited mentors throughout her life as helping her in her career.

“When you’re lucky enough to have that happen, it’s your responsibility to pay that for ward,” DeLano said.

Being included in this year’s Hall of Fame class is such an honor in a system like Vestavia’s, which has had so many people build the system to what it is today, she said.

“I felt like I just stood on that foundation,” DeLano said. “I probably received more than I probably gave.”

The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Monday, Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Louis Pizitz Middle School. The event is free and open to the public.

Left: Former Assistant Superintendent Karen DeLano will soon be inducted into the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame. Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills City Schools

Far left: Kim McBride hugs her son Jacobi after his graduation from Madison Academy. Photo courtesy of Monica Lee.

Sports

UNDER THE LIGHTS

The high school football season is coming to a close, as several teams enjoyed pros perous regular seasons followed by hopeful playoff pushes. Here are some highlights from the last few weeks of the regular sea son. Vestavia Hills finished the season with an 8-4 record, beating Austin in the first round of the playoffs. Photos by Richard Force, Todd Lester and Erin Nelson.

The Vestavia Hills running attack has largely centered around the quarterback position for much of the season, but running back Jack Lockhart (32) has emerged as a key force as the season has gone on. In a must-win game against Tuscaloosa County, Lockhart ran for 100 yards on just six carries, scoring a touchdown on a 47yard run.

Vestavia Hills’ offense was red hot the last month of the regular season, even in a 45-37 loss to Hewitt-Trussville in early October. In the first quarter of that game, quarterback John Paul Head connected with a pair of non-receivers for touchdowns, as Lane Whisenhunt and Warren Ainsworth (88) scored.

Ainsworth finished with 72 receiving yards in the game.

Above: The

raise

following

regular season, but

were still able to make big plays in a win over Helena to cap off the regular season. Jordan Ross (5) helped in one of three turnovers forced on the night, recovering a fumble and returning it 11 yards for a touchdown.

Left: Senior quarterback John Paul Head (13) has been a stat machine this season, pouring in the touchdowns at a rapid clip. In the Rebels’ win over Oak Mountain on Oct. 14, Head scored four rushing touchdowns and threw for one, piling up more than 300 total yards.

Keown Richardson (8) and John Paul Head had a great connection in the Rebels’ dominant win over Tuscaloosa County. Richardson caught three passes in the first half, scoring on all three, as the Rebels ran away with a 59-18 win to qualify for the playoffs.

Vestavia Hills defense hoped to

its play

the

the Rebels

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Rebels fitting the pieces together

By KYLE PARMLEY

Every head coach has issues to sort through, and that’s no different for Vestavia Hills High School head basket ball coach Patrick Davis.

But some problems are better than others, and one of Davis’ main ones at the outset of this season qualifies as a good one.

He has a varsity roster of 15 and needs to figure out how to properly divide play ing time in a group of talented players.

“We’re faster and more athletic than we’ve ever been, top to bottom,” Davis said before the season. “We’re still trying to figure out who’s going to do what.”

Everyone knows about Win Miller, as the standout guard embarks on his senior season with the Rebels. He will likely be the Rebels’ leading scorer again this season, and the Belmont University commit is fully healthy entering the year after battling back from a knee injury at the outset of his junior year.

“He’s stronger than ever and has a good burst,” Davis said. “The thing for him is continuing to feel out, ‘When do I go get one or when do I move the ball and trust other people?’ He’s really good at that.”

Senior Nate Harris and junior Keown Richardson are both players who contrib uted last year, but Davis expects both of them to step up into starring roles this season.

Jordan Ross, a 6-foot-6 force of nature, is set to join the Rebels after wrapping up a postseason run with the football team. Ross and Richardson are both key players for the football and bas ketball teams, so blending them into the basketball team will give the Rebels a boost.

“He’s a player,” Davis said of Ross.

“He just brings us something that we haven’t had, athleticism and physicality at the rim. He rebounds on both ends and can just go get them.”

Jackson Weaver is a junior guard Davis has high hopes for this year as well, after he spent much of last season on the junior varsity team.

Aside from Miller and Harris, the Rebels senior class includes William Worrell, Graham Uldrich, Ben Sawyer, Joshua Heald and Taylor Akin.

Andrew Cox, Nate Brown, Thomas Taaffe and Ben Evans are also juniors, with Adam Barksdale being the lone sophomore this year.

With all of them being capable of contributing, Davis expects there to be challenges rotating them all in.

“Everybody gets a crack at it,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of depth. It’s going to be hard for me to figure out who’s going to play.”

Davis sees plenty to like from this team. Practices involve competition each day, which has added to the energy of the team. The Rebels will play an up-tempo game on both ends of the floor, but don’t mistake that for them being a finesse team.

“We’ll be as good as we are tough,” Davis said. “If we can maximize how tough we are, we’ve got a chance to be really good.”

Vestavia Hills will move over to Class 7A, Area 5 this year and compete against Hoover, Thompson and Tuscalo osa County, three teams that will not be an easy out. The Rebels will take on the likes of Chelsea, Spain Park and Hart selle in the regular season, in addition to traveling to Lexington, Kentucky for a prestigious tournament.

Vestavia Hills’ Win Miller (0) shoot a layup guarded by Huntsville’s Caleb Harrison (23) during the second half of the AHSAA Class 7A boys Northeast Regional Semifinal at Pete Mathews Coliseum on Feb. 16. Photo by Erin Nelson.

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Lady Rebels not content with last year’s run

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Vestavia Hills High School girls basket ball program has no intention of being a one-hit wonder.

After making it to the Class 7A state cham pionship game last year and finishing runner-up to Hoover, some may expect the Lady Rebels to take a step back. After all, Emma Smith, one of the best players in program history, graduated and is now playing at the University of Denver.

But the cupboard is far from bare. Much of the roster returning this winter was part of that play off run a season ago and many of those players will step into bigger roles this season.

Out of the 12 players on this year’s varsity roster, there is only one senior and two juniors, but plenty of those underclassmen contributed last season.

“We’re a young team, but for as young as we are, we have some pretty good experience there, as far as big games,” Vestavia Hills head coach John David Smelser said. “We’re very talented. The young ones haven’t really scratched the sur face of how good they’re going to be.”

Replacing the three Smiths (Emma, Ally and Carley) will not be an easy task and is not something to be done by a singular player. But Smelser believes that, collectively, his team has the potential to reach great heights once again.

“It’s a very athletic team, a very quick team, very deep. I can play everybody,” he said.

Anna Towry is the lone senior, entering her fourth year on the varsity team. For years, she has blended in, excelling in various roles. She will be asked to truly emerge as a consistent threat on both ends of the floor this year. Smelser is somewhat baffled that she has never received the notoriety he believes she is due.

“In the years past, I’ve just been kind of able to be under the seniors that we lost, but now I have to step up and lead the team in different ways,” Towry said at a preseason Birmingham Media Day event at Thompson.

Sophomore Sarah Gordon rose to the

challenge last season as a freshman, establish ing herself as one of the top scorers in the area and leaving some wondering just how high her ceiling is.

“She has gotten a lot better and is one that is not close to tapping into how good she’s going to be,” Smelser said.

Jill Gaylard is a sophomore and seems poised to step into the point guard role for the Lady

Rebels, having already played in several mean ingful games over the last two years. Mallory Cowan and Jordan Madsen provide length, rebounding, energy and many other traits, as both can play around the rim on both ends of the floor.

Grayson Hudgens, Ava Robinson, Jule McMil lan, Ryleigh Martin, Ally Perry, Emma Gordon and Rosemary Gill all make up the varsity roster as well. Smelser said he will need every one of

them to contribute throughout the season.

“We’re going to play fast and try to wear people down,” he said.

Vestavia Hills competes in Class 7A, Area 5 this year with Hoover, Thompson and Tuscaloosa County. The Lady Rebels will also play at Wal lace State Community College four times during the season, where they hope to be playing in the regional tournament in February.

Vestavia Hills’ Jill Gaylard (2) takes the ball downcourt guarded by Auburn’s Brianna Harris (12) in the second half of the AHSAA Class 7A girls state semifinal game at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 3. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Opinion

By Kari Kampakis

Nothing breaks a parent's heart more than arguing with your child.

Even when a debate is needed, it's painful and unsettling to be at odds with the person who you would walk through fire for.

During the teenage years, the tension can escalate as teenagers push boundaries in their search for independence. This pushing helps them grow up and form an identity and life apart from their family. For parents in the trenches, it can be scary and unnerving. It's not always clear how to find the right bal ance between loving your teenager and still being their parent, correcting the attitudes and behavior that may hurt them long-term while keeping a strong relationship.

Like all parents, I've done many things right and many things wrong. What I’ve realized over time is how it's possible to argue well and recover from mistakes if our hearts stay in the right place. With that in mind, here are steps that we can take when the tension gets high: 1. Give your teenager the space to process their thoughts and feelings. Let them have time alone in their bedroom (if they want) because that’s the only room in the house that belongs solely to them.

2. Calm down, pray, and get your mind in a rational place. Ask God to help you see the sit uation clearly, set your pride aside, and guide you through the conflict.

3. Try to empathize and understand your teenager’s point of view. Even if you disagree

with them, putting yourself in their shoes and remembering yourself at their age can keep you from overreacting or reacting in a way that makes your child shut down. It’s possible to stay strong while still showing compassion for how they feel.

4. Seek good counsel after big fights. Espe cially if you’re unsure or doubting yourself, talk to someone who gives good advice: your spouse, your mom, your wise best friend. If they agree with your decision, you’ll feel more confident to stick by it. If they tell you you’re being too strict, too lenient, too dic tatorial, or too acquiescing, you can reflect on their observations and talk them over with God.

5. Circle back around after you’ve both had time to calm down. Apologize for your mistakes (I’m sorry I lost my temper, I plan to work on that and do better next time) and remind your teenager that even when you argue, you still love them with all your heart. If they pick another fight, don’t take the bait. If they give you the cold shoulder, don’t take it personally. If they open up and talk, don’t catalog all the reasons why they are wrong. Instead, listen closely, encourage respectful honesty, and talk about how to move forward and grow from this experience.

6. Buy your teenager's favorite food as a peace offering or to remind them that you are on their team, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

7. Remember how conflict is a part of life,

and learning healthy ways to work through it is a crucial life skill. Even in marriage, the No. 1 predictor of success is how well the couple can resolve conflict, according to John Gottman, America's top couple's therapist. By teaching your teenager how to respectfully work through their differences with you (a secure relationship where they can make mis takes and not lose your love) you set them up to thrive in other relationships too.

8. Remember, too, that the ultimate goal is to fight for your teenager, not with your teenager. Choose your battles wisely and save arguments for what really matters. If every conversation gets heated (or turns into a lec ture/lesson) your teenager will tune you out and look elsewhere for advice.

9. Be patient with your teenager just as God is patient with you. Every relationship con sists of two imperfect sinners doing the best they can with what they know at the time. Like you, your child is a work-in-progress, and they need grace and room to grow. Be the first person to believe in them and the last person to lose faith in them. Remember we are all on this journey together: making mistakes, learning, and being transformed through Christ.

10. Let God love you as you love your child. While some fights end quickly, others take time. Find comfort in knowing that God cares about you and understands. He is close to broken-hearted and can heal, strengthen,

and deepen any relationship that seeks to honor Him.

Parenting would be easier if we just didn't care. If we didn't set rules or boundaries, we wouldn't get pushback. At the same time, our teenagers need us to care. They need us to have their backs, look out for their well-being, and teach them how to thrive.

So when your teenager pushes your button, stop and take a deep breath. Don't lash out or speak out of anger. Instead, aim for rec onciliation. Show love even when there's not a quick fix. One day, when your teenager is grown, they'll understand your decisions better. They'll have a blueprint they can follow. They'll know how to respond when conflicts arise – and apply the lessons they learned through tensions with you to build better and stronger relationships.

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,” releases April 5 and can be pre-ordered now on Amazon. Her 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 Instagram, visit her blog at karikampakis.com, or find her on the Girl Mom Podcast.

Sean of the South By Sean Dietrich

Merry Christmas

It was just the two of us, seated at dinner. Alone on Christmas night. Dressed in our Sunday best. Candles on the dining table. Choral music playing.

“This is weird,” said my wife, slicing her turkey. “Not having Mother with us.”

“I know.”

“I keep waiting for her to call me on the phone. I keep waiting to wake up one morning and figure out it was all a bad dream, and that she never really died.” “Yeah.”

Long silence.

“Is this turkey too dry?” she said.

“Are you kidding? This turkey is so good it’s got an R rating.”

“How about the gravy?”

“I could water ski on this gravy.”

“You like the dressing?”

“I want to use this dressing in the shower.”

She smiled. “Do you recognize the plates that we’re eating off of?”

My wife lifted a dish. It had a simple green Christmas tree painted on it.

“These are your mama’s plates?” I said.

She nodded. “We ate on them every Christmas.” Then she inspected the plate and her eyes began to turn pink.

“And,” she said, “do you notice any thing about this blouse I’m wearing?”

“Your mom’s blouse.”

Another nod. “Do you like it?”

“I do.”

“This strand of pearls is hers, too.” “Ah.”

“The perfume I’m wearing, can you smell it?”

“I can. Was that your mother’s, too?”

“Yes. Do you like this perfume? Is it weird that I’m wearing an old woman’s perfume at Christmas?”

“I adore that smell. And there’s no such thing as an old woman’s perfume.”

She covered her mouth. Her head dropped. Her hair fell into her plate. She dropped her fork and her knife, and there was the light sound of sobbing. I stood and went to my wife. I wrapped my arms around her.

“She’s gone,” moaned my wife. “Why can’t I seem to feel that? Why do I keep thinking she’s still here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where is she? Is she happy? I don’t want to do this without her. Christmas was her favorite day. I can’t do this.”

“Ssssshhhh.”

“How can an old woman seem so normal and healthy one year, and then just up and die? How? Why do people die? Why, why, why?”

“I don’t know.”

“I called her every single day. She called me every single day. We were best friends. This hurts so bad. I need a Kleenex, I’m getting snot all over your sweater.”

“I don’t care.”

“No. It’s a lot of snot. Get me a Kleenex.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, seriously, there’s so much snot on your sweater, it’s getting all over

your khakis. Take off your pants and shirt, let me go run them through the wash.”

“I am not taking off my trousers and eating Christmas dinner in my underpants.”

Silent crying into my chest for several minutes. The Vienna Boys Choir sang “Adeste Fideles” in the background. The food was getting cold.

“Do you think she can see me?” said my wife.

“Yes,” I said.

“How can you believe that?”

“I don’t know. I just do. I believe she sees you, and me, and all of us. And I don’t believe she’s really gone. I believe she’s with us, somehow. I believe all our loved ones are with us.”

“You do?”

“I really do. I don’t believe she’s gone any more than I believe big waves on the ocean can truly disappear.

“I believe that waves take shape for a little while, and then they crash into the beach, and then they go back into the ocean. But they never disappear. They are always there. We are not a drop in the ocean. We are the ocean in a drop.”

“Wait. Did you steal that from a Disney movie?”

“Perhaps.”

“Which movie?”

“I don’t remember. I think I heard it on ‘Finding Nemo.’”

My wife pushed her plate away. “That

was a good movie.”

“Most underrated Disney flick of all time. Second only to ‘Apple Dumpling Gang.’”

Silence.

She said, “Do you think Mother knows how much I miss her?”

“I know she does.”

“Do you think I’m crazy for talking to her like I do all the time?”

“No.”

“Do you think she hears me?”

“I know it.”

“Can we talk to her now? You and me?”

My wife and I both bowed our heads. And the weight of holiday grief sort of pressed downward on my shoulders. My wife squeezed my hand.

“Dear God,” I began. “Please get a message to our loved ones. Please tell them how much we miss them, and how Christmas is not the same without them. And how this world will never be the same without them. And thank you for our lives, God. We are sorry if we don’t appreciate them enough.”

“Amen,” said my wife. Silence.

“I love you, Sean.”

“I love you, too, Jamie darlin’.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Yes. It sure is.”

“Now take off that sweater right now.”

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

Dietrich

Metro Roundup

HOMEWOOD

Residents take part in ‘Love Your Trees Day’

In late October, the Homewood Envi ronmental Commission hosted its inau gural “Love Your Trees Day” at the Lee Community Center. Close to 30 partic ipants gathered to enjoy free coffee and bagels with fellow Home wood residents while learning about Home wood's native tree canopy from experts Henry Hughes, Bram Odrezin and Katie Wiswall.

Chair, Kristin Trowbridge.

Brought to you by our sister paper: thehomewood star.com

The Homewood Environmental Commission set a goal of sending home 30 native trees to be planted in Homewood soil, as well as to build community and educate the public on the history of the city's urban forest as well as how to best plant and maintain these canopy and understory trees.

Some attendees joined the event out of curiosity with no intention of adding a tree to their yard, but after learning of the benefits these natives provide to our community, they left with one or more in tow, excited to be a part of a move ment to help replace Homewood's aging and disappearing urban forest.

“We now have 33 new native trees in Homewood soil, thanks to this Com mission, our city arborist, Hunter Trees and these willing residents,” said HEC

The donated trees include native canopy varieties such as the Bald Cypress, Shumard Oak, White Oak, River Birch and American Beech as well as two native understory trees, the Eastern Redbud and Australis Bay Magnolia. Canopy trees are consid ered to be the uppermost branches in a forest, whereas the understory trees tuck in nicely under the protection of these canopy trees, providing another layer of shade and habitat.

Henry Hughes, executive director of Friends of Shades Creek, shared his lifelong knowledge of the different types of trees indigenous to Birming ham, as well as invasive species and their history. Katie Wiswall, partnership coordinator for the Alabama Forestry Commission, gave participants instruc tions on how to plant their tree con sidering factors such as depth, width, mulch and water management.

“I loved meeting so many Home wood residents that are interested in our community’s growth and development and how trees fit into the equation. It is definitely a conversation that needs to be continued and I am so grateful to the Environmental Commission for organizing this,” said resident Catherine Mayo.

Next year’s ‘Love Your Trees Day’ will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28.

– Submitted by Kristin Trowbridge.

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Volunteers plant trees and learn about them at Love Your Trees Day in Homewood in late October. Photo courtesy of Kristin Trowbridge.

Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest

Dec. 3. Dungeons and Dragons One-Shot. 2 p.m. Historical Room. Join us and dive into a holiday themed “oneshot” of this classic tabletop game with other teens. Beginners welcome. Snacks served. Registration required. To register, contact Daniel at 205-978-3683. For teens grade 6-12. Dec. 7. Handmade with Holly. 11 a.m. Community Room. Add some charm to your house this holiday season with adorable string wreaths. Register by contacting Holly at holly. parker@vestavialibrary.org or 205-978-4674. All materials provided.

Dec. 9. Craft Lab -- Holiday Zentangle Art with Darla. 7 p.m. Community Room. Create unique holiday art using translucent art tiles. All materials provided along with snacks and prizes. Registration required, ages 18 and up. Con tact Terri at 205-978-4678 or terri.leslie@vestavialibrary.org.

Dec. 12-14. Extended Library Hours and Study Breaks. 3, 5 and 7 p.m. Come enjoy 30-minute study breaks complete with snacks and games at the library. The library will be open until 9 p.m. these three evenings.

Dec. 12. Hallmark Movie and Bingo Party. 6 p.m. Enjoy a Hallmark movie, hot chocolate, snacks and bingo, along with prizes. Register by contacting Holly at holly.parker@ vestavialibrary.org or 205-978-4674.

Dec. 13. Family Night with Santa. 6 p.m. Community Room. Santa Claus is coming to town, and he will be at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest. Enjoy a meal, then stay to watch the Santa show and have your picture made with Santa.

Dec. 14. Twelve Below. 3:30 p.m. Children’s Program Room. Come participate in a gingerbread house competition. Supplies included. Grades 3-6.

Dec. 16. Snowdown Throwdown. 4 p.m. Community Room. Compete in an ice-themed tournament where you won’t know the game till the tournament starts. The prize: an Amazon gift card. Snacks served. For teens grade 6-12.

Dec. 20. Holiday Baubles. 4 p.m. Treehouse. Come create your own Christmas ornaments with marbled paint and hot glue. Supplies and hot chocolate provided. For teens grades 6-12.

Area Events

Dec. 9. Sounds of the Season concert. 6:30 p.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center. To kick off this year’s RISE fundraiser for UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra is performing Christmas songs at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center. There will also be a silent auction of fine art and local art. Dessert served at 6:30 p.m. with concert at 8 p.m. Jackets are required. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at Go.UAB.edu/VHHS.

Dec. 10. Breakfast with Santa. 7:30-10 a.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center. Join Santa and his elves for a free, family-friendly event where kids can eat pancakes and take their picture with Santa Claus. No reservations needed. Visit vhal.org.

Dec. 11. Vestavia Hills Christmas Parade. 2 p.m. Liberty Park Sports Complex. The parade typically includes face painting, bouncy houses, games and more family-friendly en tertainment including pictures with Santa. The event begins in Liberty Park and ends in Alston Meadows Park. Visit vhal.org. Dec. 13. Birmingham Boys Choir concert. 7 p.m. Samford University Wright Center. The Birmingham Boys Choir will celebrate 50 years of music with their 45th Annual Christ mas Concert, “Behold the Star!” Visit birminghamboyschoir.org/ performances.

Dec. 17. Reindeer Dash. 7:30 a.m. Pure Fitness, 1425 Montgomery Highway, Suite 115. The sixth annual Reindeer Dash allows people to dress in their favorite Christmas cos tumes and participate in a 5K or 1-mile fun run. Registration is $35 for the 5K and $25 for the 1-mile Fun Run. Registration cost increases after Dec. 14. Register by Dec. 1 for a guar anteed t-shirt and race packet with goodies. To register, visit runsignup.com/thereindeerdash2022. To learn more about this year’s benefactor, visit unlessu.org.

Dec. 20. Menorah Lighting. 5 p.m. Vestavia Hills City Hall. The event began in 2020 and is led by Rabbi Levi Weinbaum. The event will include refreshments and activities. Visit vhal.org.

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