Bham Family - January 2023

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy New Year, Bham Family readers!

Are you Team Take Down Decorations or Team Leave Them Up Until the New Year? I’m the latter, often leaving up the tinsel and the tree until the Epiphany (sometimes later!). Lights up or down, 2023 is here, and it’s time to welcome a fresh 12 months and a clean slate. Whatever that holds for each of you personally, I’m glad to be starting my year with you!

Resolutions mark the beginning of every New Year, and maybe you’re joining the “new year, new me” crowd. It could be that includes finding new ways to serve and give back to our community. We have two great options to share! On page 16, you can learn all about the Prodigal Pottery program through King’s Home and find out ways to lend a hand to the women there. For the sports-minded, flip to page 26 to get the details about NorthStar Soccer Ministries, a program that gives area youth an opportunity to channel their time and talent on the field.

In the inspirational department, I am so proud to feature Trussville’s Logan McCool, the 2023 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals National Ambassador. Logan, who was born with spina bifida, was selected to put a face with the cause and show others how to live life to the fullest despite physical challenges. Together with her parents—Candice, a nurse, and James, a police officer—Logan will be traveling and fulfilling her ambassador privileges around the United States. I might be biased, but it’s the first story I’d start with in this issue (page 23).

For some light-hearted Southern fun, make sure you check out the interview with Alabama author and humorist Kelly Kazek on page 20, then skip back to page 12 and try to resist the fluffy breakfast goods from Nashville’s Biscuit Love, which opened its first Alabama location in Cahaba Heights last month. (Apologies in advance if this derails your 2023 weight-loss goals. My two cents: Worth it.)

We also hear from a Serbian exchange student who is living in Chelsea this school year. On page 30, she shares an essay from her day spent shadowing Irondale Police Chief Jason Wiggins for a leadership project.

These are just a few of the great stories you’ll find in this issue, and we’d love to hear from you if you have other ideas. Happy New Year from Family to you!

Stephanie Gibson Lepore, Content Director and Mom, stephanie@jbmcmedia.com

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Just for Dads

Ward Williams gives advice p. 8

Holy

Moly Motherhood

That’s a good dog p. 10

Sean of the South The joy of jumping p. 14

Food Biscuit Love comes to Birmingham p. 12

Faith

Prodigal Pottery gives women renewed purpose. p. 16

Kids Who Shine

Serbian exchange student shadows police chief p. 30

FEATURE STORIES

Kelly Kazek

Alabama humorist writes about Southern culture p. 20

Logan McCool

Trussville girl named 2023 National Ambassador p. 23

Q&A: NorthStar Soccer Ministries

Learn more about this sports program serving area youth p. 26

My wife and I love to share with and show each other YouTube and Facebook videos. We find these videos can be a great way to unwind, and sometimes they are very entertaining! My wife cannot name 10 college football coaches, but she knows what Mike Leach had to say about weddings, pirates, Halloween candy, and mascot chances in The Hunger Games. I could not name 10 professional dancers, but I have seen tWitch dance multiple times and I’ve watched his family perform group dances on Instagram. Both these men had loving families, professional success, and creative powers—and both left earth unexpectedly within days of each other. One died of a heart attack, and the other’s death was self-inflicted.

One of the five characteristics of a 24/7 dad is the need to take care of themselves. As fathers, being alive is a necessity for spending time with our kids. Our overall health will impact the quality of our relationships. Taking care of oneself is not selfish or self-absorbed; rather it is realizing that our health influences those around us.

The most common descriptor I heard mentioned about both Mike Leach and tWitch was that they were one of a kind. Being in the responsible fatherhood field for 20 years, I know that research has proven that fathers uniquely influence their children in many ways, including health, wealth, and life longevity.

At the beginning of each year, many of us make a commitment to get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle. We need to evaluate how we are teaching our children to care for themselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. As you are thinking about joining the health club, dropping some bad habits, and picking up some new disciplines, remember these behaviors are both taught and caught through observation. We must continually learn ways to pass on healthy living patterns and maintain and model healthy relationships. We must learn to live healthy in the areas that go beyond outward appearances. We are all created one of a kind, and living a healthy life helps to ensure that others have a greater chance of benefiting from our unique gifts and contributions. May this be the year that you find a way to take care of yourself and find opportunities to teach your kids ways to develop healthy habits.

Ward Williams

PHOTOGRAPH BY CONNER BAKER ON UNSPLASH

Dear Dog

Dear Dog,

I do know that you cannot read letters, but that didn’t stop me from writing this one. I’m sure you’d either shred this paper to pieces—or eat it whole if I gave it to you—so I’ll read it aloud for you one day.

You are a good dog, as most dogs are. You don’t destroy shoes or poop in the house. You don’t chase cars and you don’t bark into the night. You don’t make many messes. You do dig in the yard and bother my plants, but I will overlook it. Your good qualities outweigh the bad, and that’s something you can’t say about some folks.

fireplace and thunder. You chase your tail, which is barely a tail and more of a nub, so maybe you are confused by it. You can sit, shake, and roll, but you refuse to “speak,” no matter how hard I try. I don’t think you’re too old to learn it at this point, I just think you like to keep your barks to yourself. You bring laughter to our house, especially when we try to put a sweater on you, or a Batman costume, or attach anything to your collar. That is your collar, and no one is to touch it, apparently. I get it.

Alana Smith

You aren’t my first dog, and I hope that you aren’t my last. You are our family dog. You were brought into our lives when we were a family of three. Since then, we’ve added another little human, and you took that in stride, somehow knowing the importance of that tiny bundle. You tolerate toddler slaps, pulls, and all the noise and excitement from a house full of boys. You sleep outside their rooms, like you know that is your duty— your post throughout the night.

You live a simple life. As humans, we often don’t take the time to just enjoy the little things like you do. You love lying in the sun, meeting new people, leaves, napping, and chasing bees. You find warm windows to lounge by to pass the time. You watch the world with attentive eyes and take it all in. You live for a back scratch and a thrown ball. You are easy to please and a happy fella overall. Your daily pace is a slow one, and one that I should aspire toward.

Simplicity.

You are eager to go, to play, and to please. Unlike humans, you are always ready and full of excitement. You don’t begrudgingly go anywhere, other than to the vet, which is understandable. You would get an “A” for attitude if you were in school.

You are funny. You are spooked by the

You don’t have much to say, but you are an expert listener—oh how I wish to be this way! How much more I would learn about others, and myself, if I could calm the words flowing from me. Sometimes I don’t clearly hear what another is saying, because I am thinking of how to properly respond. I assume this is human nature, but we would be much more aware if we were a bit more like you. Quiet and contemplative. Kind and easygoing.

You are a selfless and loyal dog, like most are. You are protective of me especially, as I am your favorite—but I won’t tell that to your Dad. You are by my side always. When I’m lounging on the couch, you are leaning next to it. When I’m getting ready in the morning, you are at my feet. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, you are there. When I push you away, donning freshly painted toenails or black dress pants, you still love me from afar. Humans harbor grudges and hurt feelings, yet you always come running right back to me. You hold no judgment; you just want to be in my presence. You can sense my emotions, and your eyes read mine with the slightest bit of true comprehension. Like you are saying: “Don’t worry, I am here.” You are a loving companion. And you are my friend.

With love and dog treats, Your Favorite Human

Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 7 and 2), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.

Biscuit Love Rises in Birmingham

Husband-wife duo Karl and Sarah Worley began their biscuit business a little over 10 years ago as a food truck, serving breakfast favorites from their Airstream. After quickly earning a devoted following, the couple opened their first brick-and-mortar location in 2015 in Nashville. Their spilled-secret ingredient: love.

The restaurant’s motto is “Breakfast for Good,” and they aspire to create a welcoming atmosphere for local communities to enjoy madefrom-scratch breakfast (and lunch) with local ingredients, where the money goes to support employees and local farmers and nonprofits. As noted on their website: “Our hope is you find opportunities to sit across the table from someone who may not look, talk, think, or vote like you and still find common ground even if it’s over the simple, shared love of the biscuit. We believe in brunch for all. We believe a meal is more than just food. It’s an experience—an experience in community, joy, empathy, and love.”

The Birmingham Biscuit Love, owned and operated

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BISCUIT LOVE

locally by Melanie Zarzaur, is located in Cahaba Heights at 4317 Dolly Ridge Road, Suite 101. It’s open daily 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Magic City customers can expect the same great dishes that grace the Tennessee location menus, including fan faves such as the Bonuts—a five-piece basket of fried biscuit dough tossed in sugar, topped with lemon mascarpone, and served over blueberry compote; the East Nasty—a buttermilk biscuit topped with a fried boneless chicken thigh, aged Cheddar, and sausage gravy (plus optional egg); the B-Roll—a biscuit cinnamon roll topped with pecan sticky bun sauce and served with cream cheese icing; and Cherry on Top Oatmeal, a special oat blend made with oat milk, housemade tart cherry jam, and house granola. There are options for vegetarians (a tasty roasted veggie bowl, made even better with a side of grits and a brûléed grapefruit) and little ones (the pint-size menu includes an egg plate with choice of meat and a mini biscuit, French toast with homemade butter toffee syrup, and a grilled ham-and-cheese). Hearty appetites will appreciate the Hungry Hash Bowl of fried

potatoes, sausage gravy, bacon, and eggs.

The drink menu is as inventive as the food. The housemade brown sugar lemonade comes with free refills, the OJ is fresh-squeezed, and imbibing adults can choose from a spicy bloody Mary, mimosa, Basic B-Llini, or prosecco.

For our taste-testing crew of three (two adults and one 6-year-old), we awarded the most creativity points to The Gertie, a buttermilk biscuit slathered with peanut butter frosting, bananas, and pretzel crunch served atop chocolate gravy. Biased or not, our all-around fave was The S.E.C., which starts with the same buttermilk biscuit base, sausage, a scrambled egg, and aged Cheddar. The bacon and sausage earned high marks from us, as well, and the stoneground grits were perfection. I grabbed a Brussels sprout salad to-go (highly recommend), and we can guarantee you’ll win employee of the month if you walk into the office with a take-home order of six buttermilk biscuits packed up with a signature jam (strawberry, blackberry-lemon, or peach). We’ll definitely be back soon (like, tomorrow!).

For more information, visit biscuitlove.com.

Yesterday, I jumped on the trampoline with my cousin’s kids. We hopped around for hours until I ruptured L4, L5, and S1. It was great.

I remember when my old man bought a trampoline for me and my kid sister before he died. Trampolines were a big deal in Kid World. My family had never known such shameless expenditures. A trampoline was a novelty such as had never been seen before by our kind.

The view of my people was that trampolines were for rich folks. They

PHOTOGRAPH BY JASPER GARRATT ON UNSPLASH

were luxury items for the well-off.

Moreover, my old man was tighter than a duck’s hind parts. We never expected him to splurge on a piece of equipment intended for something as unproductive and wanton as acrobatic play.

I come from a modest family of humble fundamentalists. We bought our bread from the day-old bread store. We saved our newspapers. We donated our used tea bags to missionaries.

We never left light bulbs on in rooms unless we were physically inside the aforementioned room.

My father inherited his frugality from his grandfather. When my great-grandfather was on his deathbed, half-blind from diabetes, he squinted into the darkness and said, “Is everyone here?”

“Yes, Daddy,” the family said. “We’re all here, gathered around your bed.”

“But, if you’re all here,” he said, “then why in the name of God are the lights still on downstairs?”

I remember the afternoon my father put the trampoline together in the backyard. It became the hottest news to ever hit the Kid Telegraph. One boy came all the way from Greensboro just to see it.

Within the span of one day, my backyard became the most popular place in six counties. After that, on any given weekend you could see a single-file line of runny noses stretching from our trampoline into the street.

We kids jumped for twenty-six hours per day until we either fell from exhaustion or sustained a concussion.

I can still recall when Donny Randolph broke his nose during a mid-air collision with Bradley Albertson’s shinbone. His nose started to bleed, and he ran home screaming, “MAMA!”

His mother arrived, storming up our driveway, carrying the wrath of God upon her. Her forehead was hot enough to melt her cat-eye glasses.

“I demand that you dismantle this thing,” she said to my father. “My son’s lucky he didn’t break his neck. I oughta sue you!”

So, my father agreed to take the thing apart. The next morning, he got out his toolbox and started disassembling the Wonder of Childhood, while 1,284 children gathered around him to mourn. I could swear I heard “Taps” playing somewhere in the distance.

“Please, Mr. Dietrich!” the kids cried in unison. “Please don’t get rid of the trampoline!”

Children began throwing themselves onto the ground, wallowing in agony, rending their garments,

and openly weeping.

Thankfully, my father agreed to leave it standing.

And so, we tykes lived on that trampoline. All kids. All creeds. All denominations. We ate lunch upon it. We played Spin the Bottle, Truth or Dare, and Telephone while seated on its black fabric. It was our life.

Sometimes, after dark, a random neighbor boy would still be jumping in the backyard. Occasionally, someone’s mother would nab her kid from the trampoline at dusk, then drag the child home by his or her earlobe, angrily muttering, “When I call you for supper, you’d better come, buster!”

We were all “buster” back then.

Then, my father died. It was a dark period indeed. That trampoline became like a tomb to me. Nobody came around to use it. There were no children at my house. It was like the thing was cursed.

My kid sister and I quit jumping altogether. No more fun. No more games. Often, we would lie upon the nylon and stare at the cold sky above us and wonder why.

Why does life hold treasures for some, but deliver suffering for others? Why do good people die?

“What does the word “suicide” mean?” my baby sister asked me one day while lying on the trampoline.

And it was there, upon a backyard toy, where I gently explained the manner in which her father met his end.

After a while, since nobody was using the trampoline, my uncle took it apart. He put the thing into a giant box, and that was that.

Not long thereafter, I remember there was a family at our church who was going through hard times. I was invited to a birthday party at their house. My mother loaded the trampoline into our truck and gave it to the needy kids as a birthday gift.

That night, when the trampoline was erected in the family’s backyard, I remember watching kids jump and shout with adolescent joy. And I cried. Hard. But my tears, you see, weren’t sad tears. They were tears of—I don’t know—gladness, I guess.

Because to me, it was as through the spirit of my father lived on somehow within that stupid apparatus. He would have loved to see children laughing. It was one of the things he loved most.

And wherever he is now, I’d like to think he still enjoys watching children laugh happily in mid-air.

Even middle-aged ones.

POTTERY with a purpose

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

King’s Home, a women’s shelter just outside Birmingham, continues to do good in the metro area, this time by providing a source of creativity and employment for residents through Prodigal Pottery. The makers—women fleeing domestic abuse, sex trafficking, and homelessness—work directly out of King’s Home. “The women we employ are residents of King’s Home Shelby, a long-term shelter offering safety and care for women and their children for up to two years,” says co-director Jenna Collins.

In addition to these women, Prodigal Pottery also employs women from The WellHouse, a safe house near Birmingham specifically for women fleeing trafficking situations. “We work to employ, equip, and empower women in need in the name of Jesus.”

EMPLOY

We offer employment to women despite their backgrounds. Many of the women we serve have felonies on their records, open court cases, or

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF JENNA COLLINS

A local shelter gives women a second chance through creative work, training, and hope.

emotional trauma that prevents them from holding a regular job, keeping them in the cycle of chronic homelessness. At Prodigal Pottery, we do not turn any woman away based on her past but employ these women to help them take hold of their futures.

EQUIP

We work to equip the women we employ with the skills needed to succeed outside the safety and protection of King’s Home. We work with our staff to provide financial training, emotional care and support, professional skills, and assistance finding stable living situations and transportation when they are preparing to graduate from King’s Home. Helping transition the women we serve into stable situations is a foundation of our program.

EMPOWER

We work daily to empower the women we serve through dignified work where they know they are valued, loved, and supported. Our greatest desire for the women we serve is that they would walk out the doors of Prodigal Pottery every day knowing

PURCHASE PRODIGAL POTTERY

Locally, Prodigal Pottery is available for purchase at Alabama Goods in Homewood, and you can also shop online at prodigalpottery.com, Etsy (prodigalpottery. etsy.com), and Wayfair. Retailers can purchase wholesale through Faire. In addition, the pottery is sold at more than 1,000 stores across the U.S. and in a few other countries.

they are strong, capable, and loved and that the Lord has a powerful and important plan for their life. Empowered women empower others, and that’s our

prayer for the women of Prodigal Pottery.

These values were established in response to a unique item received by King’s Home in 2014. “An industrial-size kiln was donated to King’s Home, and they weren’t quite sure how to use the donation,” says Jenna. “For years, the board tried to come up with ways to provide employment within the safe walls of our ministry to the women in our homes. We face several issues there, including lack of education, felony records, and emotional instability. The board realized that, if they could provide jobs to our women within the safety and comfort of King’s Home, then we might really be able to train them, give them opportunities to be in school, and give them the freedom to get the emotional care and counseling they need, while still holding down a rewarding job. The kiln was an answer to that!”

That spring, founder Jamie Johnson was contacted about starting the pottery program. The original plan was to offer art therapy program and a potential social enterprise later. “Jamie designed a line of pottery and taught two women how to make it,” says Jenna. “We had no expectation that we would sell much in the first year at all, but the Lord had other plans. The social enterprise piece took off faster than we ever fathomed, and in November (2014), we had our first big sale, which catapulted us as a small business. And the rest is history!” Since then, Prodigal Pottery has provided jobs for more than 200 women and the pottery has been sold all over the world. Jenna runs the program along with co-director Amanda Claridy.

Perhaps most importantly, Prodigal Pottery offers

these women the foundation of faith. Amanda leads six- to eight-week in-depth Bible studies, and the women also participate in weekly devotionals. “We also have the privilege of offering faith-based therapy provided by Hope’s Door,” Jenna notes, “as well as a once-a-year six-week course from Catherine Brown of Crown Financial Ministries, who teaches a zero-based budget and the importance of giving God the first 10 percent.”

“Watching the women surrender to God and letting Him into their hearts is the most important part of this program,” says Jenna. “Each piece of pottery is a part of our women’s healing journey, [and we get to] watch the light come back into their eyes one piece at a time. I was once one of these women, coming into this program after homelessness and drug addiction. Prodigal Pottery provided a safe place for me to sit and allow God to work in my life. [Founder] Jamie poured not only into my life, but also into the hundreds of women she served.”

Jenna believes the ministry is imperative to walking out God’s calling to take care of the broken. “Jesus’s heart was for the hurting and the disadvantaged,” she says. “We don’t get to say that we are committed to Jesus if we aren’t committed to those who are disadvantaged and in need. It’s a great commission, and we are called to walk that out daily.”

Prodigal Pottery now offers volunteer opportunities in groups of five, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-noon. Studio needs include packaging orders, painting ornaments and other simple pieces, or working on custom orders. For more information, email pottery@kingshome.com.

Made in the South

Born, brought up, and embedded in these parts, author Kelly Kazek writes about Southerners, for Southerners (but everyone else is welcome to read, too!).

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

“I am about as Southern as you can get,” says author Kelly Kazek. “Born in Georgia and raised in Alabama from age 12.”

Following college at Auburn—“I have an English degree, mainly because I got good grades in English and had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up”—she made good use of her raising and her raw talent.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KELLY KAZEK

“I became an accidental journalist,” she says.

“After 36 years, I’ve gone from being a reporter to an editor to a humor columnist, until I eventually wrote almost exclusively about Southern culture for It’s a Southern Thing [sister company to AL.com].”

Her path might’ve meandered, but it didn’t wander. She’s stayed true to her roots and writing.

“At first, I wrote lots of regional history for Arcadia Publishing and The History Press,” she explains.

“Then, I penned two books of humor; the first focusing on raising a child as a single mom (my daughter’s dad died when she was 2 years old), and the second—years later—on being a middle-aged newlywed who traveled around writing about world’s largest things and other quirky roadside attractions,” says Kelly,

who remarried to Wil Elrick when she was 52. Together, they co-authored two books and Wil also wrote Alabama Lore.

“He loves the quirky South as much as I do.”

After It’s a Southern Thing was formed in 2017, Kelly mentioned to managers an idea about Southern ABCs that she’d been harboring for years, and the company asked her to pen it for the online store.

“Y is for Y’all became a huge hit, and I quickly followed with Ten Baskets of Biscuits: A Southern Counting Book, A Southern Night Before Christmas, and No Hissy Fits: A Book of Southern Manners,” she says.

A fifth book in the series debuts this spring, about a girl who recalls her family’s summer road trip through the South. “It is one of my favorites so far.”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF IT’S A SOUTHERN THING

In addition to these titles, Kelly has begun three picture book series, which include the titles: Mo Possum is Awesome: A Southern Critters Book; The Sun Has Gone to Bed: A Little Spotted Fawn Bedtime Book; and What Makes Texas Texas?

“The [Texas book] will be the first of books about individual Southern states,” she says.

“I have so much fun writing for children—I’ve always loved silly rhymes and fun illustrations. Our illustrators—Michelle Hazelwood Hyde, Jan Shade Beach, Lynnette Swope, and Sonya Clemons (The Artlady)— are all from the South and phenomenal. They really add to the stories.”

Despite the foray into adolescent adventures, Kelly still enjoys writing for her adult audience, too. Last fall, she released The Southern Thesaurus: For When You’re Plumb Out of Things to Say, the first in a series of grownup Southern culture books. “It’s a fun look at how

we use Southern language. Age aside, Kelly plans to continue her role in the important Southern culture of passing down stories.

“I love the South and I love Southern traditions. It is something that unites us as a region. But I also love quirkiness and folklore from other states. My main love is passing down tales to be enjoyed by future generations,” she says, whose maternal grandmother, Shannon Gray, was a poet who wrote children’s poems and whose mother loved to write humorous poems, as well.

“These days, I also get to make up games based on Southern traditions, such as “That Dog Won’t Hunt,” a family dice game released in September by It’s a Southern Thing. I have a job that’s all about making people smile, and that makes me smile. How lucky am I?”

Purchase Kelly’s books at store.southernthing.com/ collections/books, including her latest picture book, The Sun Has Gone to Bed: A Bedtime Book.

Living Like Logan

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

Trussville kindergartner Logan McCool is living with spina bifida, but her diagnosis doesn’t define her, and its subsequent challenges haven’t slowed down the determined six-year-old at all. Thanks to her fighting spirit, buoyed by parents who encourage her every step of the way, she is a typical kid doing typical kid things—along with

some extraordinary things, too.

Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect (NTD) that can occur anywhere along the spine where the neural tube does not close all the way. When this happens, the backbone that protects the spinal cord doesn’t form and close correctly, resulting in damage to the spinal cord and nerves.

“Logan was diagnosed in utero at our 17-

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF CANDICE AND JAMES MCCOOL

Trussville’s Logan McCool shows others that spina bifida doesn’t stop her from making the most of her one big life.

week anatomy ultrasound,” says her mom, ER nurse, pageant coach, and fitness instructor Candice McCool. Dad James is a police officer and owner of Content Enthusiasts media company. (He uses his tech savvy to run his daughter’s YouTube channel as well.) “She has the most severe kind, called myelomeningocele, which means there was an opening in her lower back exposing her spinal nerves.”

She was whisked away to the OR the day after she was born in 2016 to have her opening surgically closed, but the damage to her exposed nerves left her paralyzed from the waist down. “She is a full-time wheelchair user,” Candice explains. “She has other medical complications related to her spina bifida diagnosis, but she has no cognitive deficits.” The six-year-old is like everyone else her age in most ways: She is currently in kindergarten. She can read and write. She loves math and science. She adores animals and has a cat and a dog at home. “She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. She’s a typical kid in every way except for how she ambulates [gets around].”

She’s also different from other kids her age in some special ways, too. After spending a month in the NICU of Children’s Hospital for multiple brain and back surgeries, Logan was nominated at three years old to be a “Superhero,” which honors the hospital’s NICU with “The Power of Children’s” initiative sponsored by Books-A-Million. For more than five years now, the Birminghambased book retailer has partnered with the hospital to celebrate “Superhero Month” each October. Events include a private superhero meet-and-greet, capes and masks for all patients, special parties, and arts and crafts activities to encourage kids to be silly and have fun even in the face of their medical challenges. (You’ve probably even seen Captain America or Spider-Man washing windows at Children’s of Alabama, a highlight of the month both outside and inside the hospital.)

“From there, she was chosen to be a Children’s of Alabama ambassador the next year, and then she was chosen the following

Q&A: GET TO KNOW LOGAN

What is your favorite activity/hobby? “My favorite thing to do is karate because I get to do new things; not like everyone else because I have weak legs, but I get to do them in my own way.”

What are you most excited about being an ambassador this year? “I am excited about going on another flight and playing with the other kids again!”

What is your favorite snack, toy, TV show, and part of school? “Cheez-Its; coloring books, “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” playing outside.”

What did you think about your first plane ride recently (to Utah)? “I liked it. I liked seeing all of the clouds.”

Current favorite thing to cook? (Logan is known among friends and family for being a big baker who loves to share her creations!) “Hot chocolate bombs.”

What is your favorite song? “Trap remixes of kid songs.” (“She and her dad dance to these during her bedtime routine,” says Candice.)

year by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) to represent the state of Alabama as a champion,” says Candice. CMN is a nonprofit that raises funds for 170 hospital partners throughout the United States. Their donations go toward research, medical equipment, financial assistance, and meeting needs of patients, Candice explains. “CMN recently selected Logan from all the state champions to be one of 10 kids to serve as a CMN 2023 National Champion.”

In her new role, Logan will travel to various fundraising events around the country, putting a face to the cause and sharing her story to show others how Children’s of Alabama helps

her “live life to the fullest.”

And full her life is. In the beginning, she attended physical, occupational, feeding, and speech therapies. To be sure someone is always home with Logan and able to transport her to various therapy appointments and activities, Candice and James arranged their work schedules so that James works during the week while Candice is at home; Candice works weekend shifts while James takes over weekend parenting. “She has progressed so much that she now only receives PT and OT while she’s in school and no longer requires outpatient therapy at this time,” says Candice. That leaves extra time for the things she loves, like taking horseback riding lessons at The Red Barn, helping to strengthen her core; enrolling in karate classes with adaptive movements; taking ballet, swim lessons at Lakeshore Rehab, and playing T-ball through the Miracle League. She’s also a model for The Forward Agency in Atlanta, and she has been featured in ads for Carter’s and in a commercial on Cartoon Network.

“At school, she has mastered two of her three OT goals already, meaning she can spend more time in the classroom with her peers, which is so important!” says Candice. “She is currently working on wheelchair maneuvers, core strength, and adapting classroom activities with her physical therapist at school.”

Candice and James have coined the phrase “Live Like Logan” to more or less brand her adventures as well as inspire others to live life to the fullest, despite challenges. “We have always encouraged Logan to be as independent as possible,” says Candice. “We do not let her use her physical disability as an excuse to not get involved with activities. We help her find her own way of doing things so she can participate and reach her fullest potential.”

You can follow Logan’s adventures at facebook.com/ UpliftingLogan and on her YouTube channel at youtube.com/@livelikelogan.

NorthStar Soccer Ministries

Learn more about this sports program from our chat with founder and executive director Paul Neville

NorthStar Soccer Ministries, then known as Neighborhood Network, was founded by Birmingham resident Paul Neville in 1996. Paul’s vision was to help cultivate a range of resources for the development of the Smithfield community, though he soon realized youth development was the area in which he and the organization were best equipped to make an impact. So, Neighborhood Network began to reach out locally by offering scouting programs, sports teams, and a summer learning program (Camp NorthStar).

As the camp grew, a new program name was adopted in 2001—NorthStar Youth

Ministries—to reflect its change in focus. After interest in soccer among the program’s participants progressed, NorthStar Soccer Club was formed in 2002. The ministry dropped other sports, and NorthStar entered teams in the regional league. In 2008, NorthStar received a grant to further develop the soccer program; following a leap to 150 participants under the leadership of former Samford University soccer player Val Kikkert, in 2014 NorthStar was invited to bring soccer to Cornerstone School, leading to a partnership with the Woodlawn community for NorthStar

PHOTOGRAPH BY AKERIYA HAMILTON Players from the U14 Girls State League Team with coaches Grace Clark and Paul Neville.

to use the school’s soccer fields beginning in the fall of 2015. The partnership grew soccer participation to 240 youth, and, in January 2016, NorthStar redirected to become strictly focused on a soccer ministry, changing its name to NorthStar Soccer Ministries.

In January 2018, NorthStar began holding after-school practice at Hemphill Elementary in Birmingham’s West End neighborhood. NorthStar then established intramural leagues for under-6, 8, 10, and 12 teams from three practice locations: Cornerstone Field in Woodlawn; Legion Field Stadium for Smithfield participants; and Hemphill Elementary in West End. A year later, Holy Rosary Soccer (Gate City neighborhood) became a program partner, with teams participating in the NorthStar Intramural League. Dedicated players from the intramural program are invited to participate on NorthStar Travel Teams, which compete in either Central Alabama Soccer League or Division State League with the Alabama Soccer Association.

Q: Where did NorthStar begin?

A: We started in 1996 as a community-based ministry out of my house. Over the years, we grew to offer several different youth programs: scouting, sports, summer educational enrichment, art classes. As the soccer program grew, we decided to focus on it and be the best we could in that one program.

Q: Tell us about the ministry and its mission.

A: NorthStar strives to grow our program as a safe harbor for local youth to find a positive direction in life. We are driven to provide youth the opportunity to play soccer, grow spiritually, and seek life mentors. Our program provides staff and volunteers the opportunity to serve as character-building mentors among our youth. We accomplish our mission and purpose by being present in the community that we serve, developing relationships and programs—on and off the soccer field—that nurture the following characteristics: Reverent,

PHOTOGRAPH BY PAUL NEVILLE

U17 Girls Club Team

Resilient, and Responsible. Our programs flow from our mission. Typically, kids enter our programs in elementary ages through NorthStar Intramural Soccer. The intramural program offers a West Side and an East Side evening practice location. We also host three after-school sites, with practice on school grounds immediately following dismissal. In addition to those, we offer the Oak Tree Soccer Program based in the Gate City community and the Black Home School of Birmingham Program. We bring together older kids from all of these areas to form club teams that compete against teams from other clubs throughout the metro area. Our top teams compete in Alabama State League and travel across the state. We also encourage leadership development through our Teen Referee Program and Junior Assistant Coach Initiative. We take players to off-season clinics as we are able and provide small group Bible studies when we have leaders available.

Q: What do you feel is the most important part of the NorthStar mission?

A: Reaching the hardest to reach kids is the most important part of our mission. Many of our kids would not be playing soccer without NorthStar. They depend on us for transportation to get to practices and games.

Q: Where do participants play their games?

A: For the past several years, our game field has been at Cornerstone Elementary School in Woodlawn. We are currently in the process of trying to secure our own larger field.

Q: What do you offer faith-wise to participants?

A: We have team devotionals throughout our program. We offer more in-depth small group studies for older teams when we are able.

Q: How can volunteers help?

A: We rely on volunteer coaches, and we also need volunteers to help with transportation and game-day field management.

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is generously supported by funding from the Anne B. LaRussa Foundation of Hope, United Way of Central Alabama, the Daniel Foundation of Alabama and the Walker Area Community Foundation.

NJEGOMIR, 16

KIDS WHO SHINE ANDREA

This year, Heidi Marimberga of Heidi’s Kids (facebook.com/littlehandsdoingbigthings) and her daughters are hosting an exchange student in their Chelsea home for the school year. Andrea Njegomir is in Alabama from Serbia on a Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) scholarship through the ASSE International Student Exchange Program, attending Chelsea High School for her junior year. (The competitive scholarship is funded by the United States government; asse.com.) Andrea has logged more than 100 community service and outreach hours through Heidi’s Kids during her time in the U.S. For a recent leadership project, she chose to shadow Police Chief Wiggins of the Irondale Police Department for the day. Below is Andrea’s essay.

Chief Jason Wiggins is the chief of the Irondale Police Department. The department consists of 39 police officers whose vision is to make Irondale the safest city in Alabama through exceptional professional service in concert with integrity and honesty.

The reason I chose Chief Wiggins as a leader I wanted to shadow is because I have never met a person who is in his work field, and it seemed interesting to learn about. I first met him when I was volunteering at the National Night Out, a community police awareness event held on the first Tuesday of October in Alabama.

When we met at the police department, he was more than welcoming. He was willing to show me every corner of the station, introducing me to new people in every room we went into. The first room that was really interesting was the dispatch room. There, I met two really nice dispatch officers who were more than willing to tell me everything about their jobs. I even had a chance to pet their little dog. They were showing me the computer that they use to track police cars and also the map of the whole city that showed where everybody is and which cars were available. They told me about Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), which I’d

never heard of before, and which I saw later on in the day in real police cars.

When I was talking to Chief Wiggins, I knew I’d made a good choice choosing to shadow him. We started talking about how he realized that this job is what they wanted to do.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF IRONDALE POLICE CHIEF JASON WIGGINS Andrea Njegomir with officers of the Irondale Police Department

Heidi’s daughter Ellakate Ayala (age 9) with Irondale Police Chief Jason Wiggins at Irondale Police Department’s annual cornhole tournament

He was always good with numbers, so when he got to college, he started studying accounting. Because of a friend, he realized that he might want to be in the FBI, so he quickly enrolled in the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. In the end, life did its wonders, and he ended up not going to the FBI; instead he got a job at the police department, climbed the ranks, and eventually became the chief of police. Chief Wiggins has served with the Irondale Police Department for 32 years.

While talking to Chief Wiggins, I learned that sports played a huge part in his and his family’s lives. Since his high school days, he’s been a football player. He played the quarterback spot, which I look at as the leader on the field. He gained a lot of leadership skills from the sport itself, but also from his coaches. His biggest tip at being a good leader is knowing how to motivate people. From his athlete days, he had to learn how to properly motivate his friends on the team, which he later implemented in his work. Like playing a sport, nobody’s going to be motivated if they’re being put under immense pressure. That’s why, when he would teach people at work how to do something, he would first do it with them, then provide less and less help until they could do it themselves. As one of the leaders of the community, he wants people to see him as an actual person who wants to help them, not just a police officer. He says that too many people don’t see beyond a police officer’s badge and don’t actually realize that they’re there to help them. One of his goals is to actually connect with and be trusted by the community, which I found greatly inspiring.

Chief Wiggins really tried his best to show me everything that came to his mind, so he took me to visit the fire department. There, I met some amazing firefighters who showed me around the station and their firetrucks, even the newest one. They explained to me how everything works and were really nice when I asked some silly questions.

Next, we headed off to meet the detectives.

They were fun people to meet, and I was so glad that they had time in their day to meet me. We talked so much about their job and how they got into it, and they were also interested to hear about me and my country.

What I’ve noticed in all the people I’ve talked to is that a lot of them didn’t even really plan on working in the position that they’re in. This really brings me great comfort, because I see that, in the end, everyone finds themselves in the jobs they love and that they’re good at. The positive energy and happiness I’ve sensed in everyone was amazing. Whenever I asked somebody why they chose to do their job in the end, they always said that they truly wanted to help people. I found it extremely inspiring how much they loved what they did.

Something that we talked about in the end is police TV shows and how realistic/unrealistic they are. Chief Wiggins was telling me how it’s not as easy as it looks on the screen, and that it’s an immense pressure when you actually need to solve a case. It was an extremely interesting conversation, after which I’m most likely going to look at crime shows in an entirely different way.

Throughout the day, I met so many people that made me respect Chief Wiggins even more. Everybody that I met at the police department said that they loved their job and that it’s great, but what makes it even greater is their chief, who is there not only as their authority, but also as a person who really aspires to teach and help. That’s another reason I’m glad I chose to shadow him; I liked how he was not being authoritative with anyone; rather he was being friendly, which I think makes him more approachable to people around him and people who work at the department.

What I’ve learned through this awesome experience is that a leader doesn’t have to be a strict authoritative figure but can instead be a motivational, open person who is ready to help and teach anyone who needs it. I’m so grateful for all the people I met this particular day, and I’m especially grateful to Chief Jason Wiggins for finding a day out of his packed schedule to show me what this profession is truly like!

–Andrea Njegomir

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