Bham Family - January 2024

JANUARY 2024

MISS SHELBY CO. SHINES

Ella Kate Nichols uses her platform to promote the founded to bring joy to kids with cancer

PAGE 24

Bitty & Beau’s Comes to Homewood New shop pours coffee for a cause PAGE 27

Jump-Start January with Less Clutter PAGE 14 Ring in 2024 with Resolutions PAGE 22

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Vineyard Family Services Feeding Kids in Need, Promoting Responsible Fatherhood, and Helping Families in Crisis Donations help us: Feed children in need and provide other essential items Deliver family emergency food boxes Aid fathers and mothers with parenting programs Support incarcerated families and children Provide at-risk teens important life skills

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2 Bham Family January 2024

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Bham Family January 2024 3

EDITOR’S NOTE Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoyed a restful holiday season and feel refreshed and ready to tackle a great 2024!

Whether you’re a fan of New Year’s resolutions or not, I think you’ll find the history of the tradition interesting; I certainly did! I enjoyed learning how other countries approach their annual aspirations, and I felt inspired to incorporate a few new ideas into my 2024 goals, too. Plus, we polled y’all and included a round-up of your dreams for this upcoming year. Check it out on page 22.

I know for many people, getting organized for a fresh beginning at the start of a fresh year is top of the resolution list. It’s always on mine! At least until I enter mid-project regret syndrome (thanks, Busy Toddler!), throw everything back into the closet, and forget about it until the next new year. Hopefully, the mentality from our friends at House Peace (page 14) helps you to “chunk” your stuff and get the project finished before 2025.

Someone check on me and my attic next month.

Finally, I am committed to finding more opportunities to serve our community, both solo and with my 7-yearold daughter. I’m grateful for role models like Ella Kate Nichols, Miss Shelby County (page 24), who example what it looks like to put others first. And one of my favorite stories this month is the profile of Bitty & Beau’s Coffee on page 27, an inclusive shop that employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Make it a priority to stop by the Homewood location. You will leave with a huge smile on you face!

I hope this issue leaves you inspired and ready to dive into 2024!

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

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ON THE COVER Photograph courtesy of Ella Kate Nichols Miss Shelby County Ella Kate Nichols founded her nonprofit, Buckets of Smiles, at just 15 years old after witnessing the devastating effects of childhood cancer. She delivers joy and hope to kids across the state while also attending Auburn University and representing Shelby County. After graduation next year, she will continue her commitment to serving others as a Child Life Specialist. “Child Life Specialists are the heartbeat of my organization.

They provide family-centered care, give relief to patients through medical play and procedure preparation, aid in donation assistance, and a million other responsibilities,” she says. Read the story on page 24.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

24 Just for Dads

Ward Williams gives advice p. 8 Holy Moly Motherhood

Making resolutions p. 10 Sean of the South

Breakfast King p. 12 Organization

Decluttering in the New Year p. 14 Schoolhouse

Update from the Hoover School District p. 16 Arts & Entertainment

Heroes and Villains exhibit p. 17 Food

Celeb culinary consultant p. 19

19 Education

News from local schools and college students p. 29 Kids Who Shine

Vestavia West food drive p. 30 FEATURE STORIES New Year’s Resolutions

2024 goals from readers p. 22 Shining Bright

Ella Kate Nichols uses her pageant platform for good p. 24 Caffeine for a Cause

New coffee shop helps employees exercise independence p. 27

Bham Family January 2024 7

JUST FOR DADS

PHOTOGRAPH BY LIDERINA ON ISTOCK

Ever since my son’s first year in the Thompson High School marching band, I made a point of walking over to the band section of the stadium during a football game and screaming, “Carson Williams, your dad is here to support you!” and “Go saxophones!” This interaction embarrassed him deeply for a while.

Then it became an expectation, and then a family tradition.

Once, as the 7A High School championship game Ward between Thompson High Williams School and Auburn was drawing to a close, the Thompson attendees, players, and band had accepted the fact that they had lost the game.

With less than 2 minutes of play in the game to go, with miniscule odds for a win, I made my way over to the band to fulfill the tradition and congratulate my son and the rest of the band on a great season. I was standing directly behind my son, amongst the marching band as the game took a dramatic turn and an enthusiastic celebration broke out.

ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Shelby County 8 Bham Family January 2024

Reporter, AL.com, and several other media outlets all replayed videos of the celebration of the Thompson High School’s improbable comeback victory. But my favorite video was of my son, in his senior year, playing the high school fight song, and looking at me with a scowl, then a smirk and finally a smile.

The Thompson football game is a reminder that many situations have not reached their final conclusion. You must never give up. One of my favorite Bible verses is Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

As we start a new year, I encourage you: Create memories, new memories with your children; go fishing, hunting, camping; drive them to school; take a dance class with them; exercise with them; seek reconciliation with your child, parent, friend, or whatever relationship needs mending in your life. I pray your 2024 will be a year of redemption of anything that has been lost.

Ward Williams is the founder and executive director of Vineyard Family Services. Contact him at ward@vfsdads.com.

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HOLY MOLY MOTHERHOOD

A Brand-New Year 2024. A new year!

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not much of a resolution person. I don’t do well with never doing something. Except for skydiving, which I can say with extreme confidence that “I will never!” But, that’s what a resolution is: a “firm decision to do or not to do something.” That sounds a little intense when you Google it.

Do we really need a hard and fast resolution every year? Probably not—unless Alana Smith you’re harming someone, littering, entering an elevator before others come out, or yelling at others in traffic, in which you should definitely resolve not to do those things. I do think kindness is a great resolution that we should all commit to.

But overall, I think we are a good bunch most of the time. It’s been a hard few years, so why would I say that I’m never eating cake or that I’m going to run every day if I hate running? That’s just setting myself up for failure, and I have no time for failure this year.

In 2024, I’m going to just do my best.

Should I eat fewer Kit Kats and drink more water? Definitely.

Should I sleep more and yell less? You betcha.

Should I save more money? For sure.

Should I read more books and scroll less often? Yes! What I’m not going to do is set ILLUSTRATION BY FILO an unrealistic goal—whether it be weight-, money-, or relationshipbased—that’s going to make me feel somehow less than.

My best is enough.

And I like the idea of aspiring toward instead of resolving from this new year. Let’s aspire toward our goals and be a positive light. Let’s aspire toward goodness and compassion. Let’s eat, drink, and be merry in moderation. Let’s get outside and exercise if we feel like it and rest when we don’t. Let’s give ourselves and others grace, and embrace whatever circumstances are thrown at us this year.

As long as we are trying hard and spreading love while we do it, our best is enough.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 8 and 3), 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.

10 Bham Family January 2024

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SEAN OF THE SOUTH

Breakfast King The kid is an artist. He stands behind the flat top grill, flipping eggs.

I am at your quintessential American eatery. It’s raining. But it’s warm inside. And I’m happy here.

The kid wears the emblematic tiny paper hat. He is maybe 25. He cooks my breakfast with thy tender care, treating my bacon like it’s made of spun gold.

Meantime, he is responsible for the meals of 11 other customers. I don’t know how he does it.

But he never misses a beat.

He plates my eggs and fatback. The steaming platter arrives in perfect form. My eggs are just right.

And believe me, I am funny about my eggs.

The yolk of an over-easy egg should not run, it should merely creep. This kid nailed it. On a fourstar rating system, I give the boy 13 stars.

“How’d you learn how to cook like this?” I ask.

He shrugs. “My mama showed me. First thing she taught me was how to make eggs. I learned to cook eggs every single way.”

“I can only think of four ways.”

“Oh, no, there’s more than that.”

“There are?”

He starts counting fingers. “Yep. You can cook them sunny, over easy, over medium, over hard, scrambled, omelets, poached, hard boiled, soft boiled, and you got some other weird ways.”

“Such as?”

“You got eggs shirred.”

“Shirred?”

“Google it, man. You also got basted eggs.”

“What’s a basted egg?”

The young man is now cooking waffles with his right hand, preparing hash browns with his left, and using his feet to stir the grits. He’s a real talent.

“Basted eggs,” he goes on, “are what all the old-timers want. It’s how my mom liked her eggs 12 Bham Family January 2024

best.”

In his limited spare time, he demonstrates a basted egg.

The cook removes a skillet, tosses a pat of butter into the pan, then cracks an egg, one-handed.

Then, he walks to the ice machine and removes a single ice cube. He places the ice cube into the sizzling skillet with the egg, then covers the pan with a cookie sheet.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“It’s the steam,” he explains. “The steam from the melting ice cube cooks the egg so you don’t have to flip it.”

When the egg is finished, he places the culinary treat before me and urges me to eat. It’s delicious. The yolk is just right. The white is not too dry.

“Your mother must be proud of you,” I say.

“Yeah, I think she was.”

Was. The kid lets a few beats go by. Then he speaks as he flips a slab of ham that is roughly the size of a grown man’s thigh.

“She died last year. My mom was a single mother. Kidney problems.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

She raised him and his little brother in a fifthwheel trailer. Their family had nothing, literally. A lot of people say they grew up with nothing, but CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

ILLUSTRATION BY ELI FLAMRA

SEAN OF THE SOUTH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

this kid really did. And still, his mom made it work.

“She pulled our little camper around the world in her truck. I’ve lived everywhere.

Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia.

“After my dad left my mom, she bought a trailer with her savings. She parked at campgrounds. Rent was cheap, and Mom started saving up her money for a house someday.”

His mother got a job cooking at restaurants. She was a short order cook for years. She worked double shifts. Sometimes triple.

“She always told me, she said, “Robert, if you know how to cook in a restaurant, you’ll never go hungry.” So, she taught me and my brother to cook.”

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“Sounds like good advice.”

The kid smiles.

“When my mom died, she left me and my brother a bank account. We were shocked when we looked into it. My mom had saved her money for so long, she had a fortune. She never spent a dime on herself.

She had hundreds of thousands, man.”

“Really.”

“Because of her, I’m gonna be a homeowner for the first time in my life in about a week. You believe it?”

“Congratulations,” I say.

His eyes are bright. His nose is running.

His face is lit with a pained smile. I know that smile because I see it in the mirror sometimes.

“How are the eggs?” he asks.

Best eggs I ever had.

How Chamber membership works for me.

“I made a decision to invest in the Shelby County Chamber a few years ago because of the networking and business services for small businesses. As a new business owner, the Chamber was a vital part in my growth as a leader.

I felt fortunate when KATs Delivery was nominated to be Small Business of the Year in 2018 by my peers and then successful in clinching the award in 2019. I have continued to stay involved and support other small businesses as well.”

Maurice Mercer, owner, KATs Delivery (205) 624-0777 • katsdelivery.com

To learn how your business can benefit as a member, call Jordan Powell at (205) 6634542, or email jordan@shelbychamber.org.

Bham Family January 2024 13

ORGANIZATION

PHOTOGRAPH BY HALFPOINT

Clearing Clutter in the New Year

Start fresh with these ideas to get your home back in order

BY COLLEEN DIXON One thing that often happens to me with the changing of seasons is the urge to declutter, minimize, and create a fresh start. This is never truer than at the beginning of a new year. As we tear off the calendar page for 2023 and look ahead to 2024, the word that I want to focus on is “minimalism.”

Now, I know that word can strike fear in the hearts of many, but if we get to define the word ourselves, perhaps we can make it less scary. The way I define minimalism is: having what I need— nothing more, nothing less. We can get into the weeds if we want to define “need” as basic human necessities, but that’s not realistic and it’s not what I’m suggesting. Rather, I like to define “needs” as the things I have in my home and life that 14 Bham Family January 2024

make it functional and enjoyable for me. So, with those definitions in place, let’s proceed with the discussion of minimalism in the new year.

The most obvious place to start with a minimalism journey is to declutter your physical space. I like to pick one room of my home to focus on for a period of time (one day, one week, one month, whatever works for you), and then do a thorough declutter of the entire room. Open up cabinets, empty drawers, get your hands and eyes on nearly every item in that room. If the item is currently useful or enjoyable to you (perhaps it’s a decoration that isn’t necessarily useful but you still find it beautiful and enjoy having it in your space), keep it. If it no longer fits the categories of useful or enjoyable, part with it. It’s likely that there will CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

ORGANIZATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

be things that feel tricky to get rid of but also don’t seem to fit into the useful/enjoyable categories.

That’s okay and to be expected, but try to keep these things to a minimum. For example, recently our family sorted through our board game cabinet.

There were a couple of games that I wanted to get rid of that my children believed they’ll still play.

For those two games, I gave them a limited time frame to work within to see whether they’re actually interested in playing them. If, by the end of that time they haven’t played the game at least once, they aren’t actually interested in playing with it, and we will get rid of it. This tactic can be used throughout your home with all sorts of items: beauty products, kitchen gadgets, clothes, and other toys.

Once you’ve decided what items you’d like to get rid of, it’s best to get those things out of your home ASAP. If not, you’ll justify a reason to keep them or forget they exist and let them collect dust while other people could be actively enjoying them.

There are, of course, some items that are of value that you could try to sell, but I want to caution you that we often spend a lot of time fielding inquiries for items we’d like to sell, and your time is worth something, so be selective with what you attempt to sell. Consider the money you spent on the item a sunk cost, learn a lesson about what you need in the future, and forgive yourself if you feel any guilt. The easiest and quickest way to free yourself of these things is to donate them. For many people, loading a vehicle with donations and making a trip to the local Goodwill or Salvation Army is simple. In Birmingham, you can also schedule a free pickup by America’s Thrift Stores.

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(Get a receipt from any of these places to deduct donations on your taxes.) Be sure that you’re only donating items that still have life left in them, and look for ways to recycle or repurpose anything that shouldn’t be donated. Our local farmers market has a booth that accepts textile and shoe donations for the purpose of recycling, so all our over-worn shoes, stained or ripped clothing, and matchless socks go there instead of to Goodwill. If you have a local Buy Nothing group on Facebook, it doesn’t hurt to post things that aren’t in good enough shape to donate before throwing them in the trash. Currently on my local Buy Nothing page, someone is collecting used books in any condition for a project; you never know what someone might want. If there are no hits on the item in a relatively short amount of time, you can throw it in the trash or recycling, knowing you did your best to give it a second life.

Now that you’ve rid yourself of the items you no longer need, it’s time to organize what’s left. As you put things back in their new homes, now is a good time to upgrade your organizing products. We like to get same/similar items for the whole house if possible, and some of our favorite items are readily available at Target, like Sterilite Clear Boxes with Latches in multiple sizes, or Room Essentials super affordable lidded bins that also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. As always, label your bins. We use a simple label maker on all our jobs.

If you have specific questions while you’re in the process of decluttering your home, we’re always here to help. Feel free to drop us a DM on Instagram ( @house.peace), or visit housepeace.net to book us for a job. Best of luck on your minimalism journey!

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NEWS FROM HOOVER CITY SCHOOLS

HHS band captures state title In October, Hoover High School’s Marching Band emerged victorious at the Alabama High School Marching Band State Championship. The band’s stellar performance earned them Outstanding Color Guard, Outstanding Musical Achievement, and the coveted title of 7A Championship Band.

This triumphant moment was particularly poignant for Kathryn Baker, a senior drum major, who expressed her pride in the band’s journey.

“I am incredibly proud of our band after winning the title of 7A Band Champs. Our last run of the show at State was incredible, and the feeling at the end of the performance was euphoric. This title means so much to me and the rest of the band because it represents all our hard work and dedication this season,” said Baker. “Without every individual band member doing their part in and out of practice, we would have never been able to perform at the level we did.”

HCS Transportaion scores perfect 100 Hoover City Schools District transportation department mechanics have once again achieved a perfect score of 100% on the annual state inspections. This marks the seventh consecutive year the team of skilled professionals earned a flawless inspection score. Transportation Department Director Jeremy Bradford said, “In the pursuit of excellence, a perfect score is not just a number; it is a testament to our commitment to safety. Achieving a perfect score reassures our families that safety is a top priority. With 181 buses in the fleet, it takes dedication from our staff to keep all buses in safe operating condition.”

16 Bham Family January 2024

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Artistry on Display Traveling exhibit Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume lands at the Birmingham Museum of Art next month.

Belle; Beauty and the Beast (2017); (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures), Walt Disney Archives, ©Disney

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Comprised of 70 costumes from close to a half-century of productions, Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume, comes to the Birmingham Museum of Art next month in partnership with The Walt Disney Archives. The exhibition is presented by PNC. The show highlights the enchantment of Disney characters and shows ways in which creative craftsmanship brings them to life. Visitors will view a collection that

Letha; Return from Witch Mountain (1978); (Walt Disney Productions), Walt Disney Archives, ©Disney

includes pieces worn by Cruella De Vil, the Sanderson Sisters, and Captain Jack Sparrow, as well as Cinderella’s glass slipper.

Costumes from Mary Poppins are the oldest in the exhibit, and a group of costumes from Dumbo (2019) is the newest. Also included is the fairy godmother costume worn by Whitney Houston in Cinderella.

Visitors will get to explore the intricacies of ball gowns, capes, uniforms, tiaras, and more worn by actresses such as Julie Andrews, Bette Davis, Glenn CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Bham Family January 2024 17

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Close, and Angelina Jolie. The pieces provide a glimpse into the creative process and minds of more than 20 Hollywood designers, including Colleen Atwood, Eduardo Castro, Sandy Powell, and Tony Walton. The showcase will spotlight not just many of Disney’s most iconic costumes, but also the artisans and their significant contributions that brought the pieces to life.

The exhibit originally debuted at the 2019 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, and has now traveled around the country, including to Seattle and Dearborn, Michigan. It premieres at the Birmingham Museum of Art February 17 for a six-month stay through August 18.

Admission is $30 for adults, $25 for seniors (age 65 and up), and $20 for youth (ages 4-12); children 3 and under are free. For tickets and more information, visit artsbma.org.

18 Bham Family January 2024

Above: Mrs. Who; A Wrinkle in Time (2018); (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures), Walt Disney Archives, ©Disney Left: Gaston; Beauty and the Beast (2017); (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures), Walt Disney Archives, ©Disney

FOOD

CELEB CHEF Back in Birmingham

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEIDRE LACKEY/DEIDRE RUTH PHOTOGRAPHY

Former Highlands chef and Food Network star adds culinary consultant to his menu.

BY SCARLET THOMPSON The right ingredients mixed together can make for a perfect dish. That’s what Samford hopes for in its plan to enrich the student dining experience, with one unique piece of that recipe being James Briscione (’01).

Samford has officially dubbed the Food Network star the university’s first ever culinary advisor. The role will allow James to contribute to staff training, new menu options, and even develop a teaching kitchen.

“We are just starting to scratch the surface of this partnership, but one of the things I foresee is that sometimes you get out of college and don’t know what to feed yourself and don’t know where to start,” says James. “The teaching kitchen will help students with basic life skills, sharing some simple meals they can put together.”

This culinary collaboration with the two-time Chopped winner follows a massive cafeteria renovation by Samford, as well as the implementation of a new food services provider CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Bham Family January 2024 19

FOOD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

in the Ralph W. Beeson University Center. It’s hoped all the changes will lead to increased use of the cafeteria and continued student engagement.

“Part of Samford’s new strategic plan calls for fostering a community committed to overall wellness and creating opportunities for all students to connect with and contribute to formative activities,” says Wade Walker, Director of Business Services. “With the addition of Chef James, it shows we are committed to making our dining service program the best it can possibly be.”

Briscione recently showcased his new role on Family Weekend, whipping up butternut squash gnocchi in the teaching kitchen as students watched, learned, and, of course, tasted. He hosted similar demonstrations at Homecoming and during the holidays.

As an alum, serving as the culinary advisor is James’s way of passing down a recipe that worked for him as a student. He says Samford’s “secret sauce” contains ingredients—particularly passion and encouragement—that are hard to measure anywhere else.

“I had the support of my instructors and 20 Bham Family January 2024

advisors at Samford to help me be a part of the community here, get an education and have a job all at once. I would not be who I am, nor where I am, had I not made the decision to attend Samford,” says James.

During his time at Samford, James worked under James Beard award-winning restauranteur Frank Stitt, making pizzas at Bottega Café and going on to become chef de cuisine at Highlands Bar & Grill at age 24. James moved to New York City for a position at the four-star Daniel restaurant, where, as sous chef of the private dining room, he cooked for celebrities and dignitaries. He spent 10 years as Director of Culinary Research at The Institute of Culinary Education. In addition, James is a Food Network regular, serving as a host and judge and earning the distinction of the first-ever two-time champion of Chopped. He served as both a judge and competitor on Beat Bobby Flay, progressing through the cook-off-style episode to beat the celebrity chef and restauranteur during a tortellini dish challenge. James returned to his hometown of Pensacola, Florida, in 2018 to open Angelena’s Italian restaurant.

Together with his wife, James has published four cookbooks.

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FEATURE

2024 New Year’s Resolutions How this tradition started and what people around the world do to celebrate a fresh start Each year leading up to January 1, we anticipate new possibilities by making resolutions and setting goals for the upcoming 12 months.

And though it often feels like it’s the same old thing—eat healthy, go to the gym, save money— the start of making New Year’s resolutions dates back thousands of years, and the history is quite fascinating.

The first recorded group to celebrate a new year more than 4,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians, held a 12-day Akitu festival at the beginning of the spring planting season in March. During the festival, Babylonians made resolutions to their gods, pledging loyalty to the king and making promises to pay debts and return any borrowed items to their owners. They believed that, by keeping these resolutions, the gods would treat them with favor throughout the year.

The modern Gregorian New Year began in ancient Rome in 46 B.C. after Julius Caesar declared January 1 the start of the new year.

22 Bham Family January 2024

The Romans moved the date to honor the god Janus, a two-faced god who could look back on the past year and forward to the new year.

The Romans would offer sacrifices to Janus and make resolutions of good behavior.

New Year’s resolutions continued into the Middle Ages, when knights made a “peacock vow” at the end of the year to renew their resolution to maintain the values of knighthood by putting their hands on a live or roasted peacock. By the 17th century, when New Year’s resolutions were becoming more common, Scottish writer Anne Halkett recorded several in her diary, including this promise: “I will not offend anymore.”

In the 18th century, Christians held mass on New Year’s Eve or Day, allowing worshipers to reflect on the previous year and make resolutions to do better in the year ahead. In 1813, a Boston newspaper published the first recorded use of the phrase “New Year resolution”: CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

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“And yet, I believe there are multitudes of people, accustomed to receive injunctions of new year resolutions, who will sin all the month of December, with a serious determination of beginning the new year with new resolutions and new behaviour, and with the full belief that they shall thus expiate and wipe away all their former faults.”

Of course, today New Year’s resolutions are as common as the New Year’s Eve midnight kiss, and countries celebrate them in a variety of quirky and traditional ways.

Brazilians flock to the beach to make their resolutions. At midnight, they tread into the ocean in all-white clothing—which represents purity—and jump seven waves while making seven wishes. In Italy, it’s called buoni propositi, or good intentions.

Traditions include eating fatty pork to “fatten” wallets and eating black-eyed peas or wearing red underwear on January 1 to bring good luck.

The Chinese New Year is a huge twoweek celebration that starts on the first full moon of the Lunar calendar (between January 21 and February 20). The event culminates at the Lantern Festival, where millions of Chinese people practice rituals to ensure good luck in the new year.

Common practices include passing out red envelopes filled with money, hosting family dinners, offering sacrifices to ancestors, and deep-cleaning houses to usher in prosperity.

In Colombia, people make wishes— deseos—at the strike of midnight on January 1 as they eat one grape for each chime, so, 12 grapes and 12 wishes. Those who wish for a prosperous year can also fill their pockets with lentils, while those hoping to travel more may carry their suitcase around the block at midnight. Spaniards also participate in the celebratory grape eating, rushing to eat 12 grapes before the clock stops chiming—that’s one grape every two seconds. Doing so ensures luck in the new year.

Here in the United States, around 40 percent of the population makes resolutions, though typically fewer than 10 percent follow through with them. We polled Bham Family readers recently to learn about their resolutions; keep reading to see what locals are determined to accomplish in 2024.

I want to prioritize my sleep routine. I’m a natural night owl, but that’s starting to be a challenge for this school bus driver who wakes up at 5 a.m. I also want to exercise/ move my body three days a week, and my “big fat scary dream” is to start a podcast. —Vallie P., Oak Mountain Grow my travel planning business! —Jaime D., Mt Laurel To nurture my authentic self. —Anne W., Vestavia Start strength training to prevent osteoporosis. Paint more by managing my time better. Devote more volunteer time to ministry. —Melanie M., Irondale Actively practice at remaining stoic in circumstances that I cannot control. And also more volunteer time, especially with my son. —Marilyn S., Hoover Eat less. Sleep more. —Lauren L., Vestavia Start a podcast. Actually, mine launches this month!

—Melanie W., Cahaba Heights I’m really committed to regular date nights in 2024.

—Jill M., Mountain Brook Make time for one-on-one dates with my kids.

—James L., Vestavia Weekly grocery trip and cook more at home.

—Mary Beth T., Leeds My goal is to read 30 books in 2024! —Kristine K., Hoover Find regular volunteer/charity opportunities to do with my kids. —Stephanie L., Moody My lofty goal this year is to drive a clean car—no kid clutter or Chick-fil-A bags left behind.

—Heather M., Chelsea Save for a family vacation to somewhere we’ve never been before! —Laurie P., Inverness Self-care, self-care, self-care. —Becky M., Leeds I want to read more to my daughter. —Allen P., Pelham I’m going to cook something new each week out of the many cookbooks I own! —Laine G., Leeds I really want to stop procrastinating. Maybe 2024 is my year. —Kim. C., Alabaster Put my phone away and live in the present.

—Colleen R., Homewood Learn a new hobby! I need a new passion.

—Carol P., Vestavia I’m going to try to eat less sugar. I guess that means I’ll be baking less! —Holly G., Trussville Read the entire Bible. —Angela H., Crestline

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FEATURE

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ELLA KATE NICHOLS

Bright Shining Star College junior turns her own opportunities into ways to give back to others.

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Andalusia native Ella Kate Nichols’ sense of community and heart for helping others bloomed early, when she was still in elementary school in her small south-central Alabama hometown. “When I was nine years old, I was introduced to the Rising Star program that is incorporated with Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama’s Teen,” she explains. The mentoring program pairs girls ages seven to 11 with a pageant contestant for the year, and participants 24 Bham Family January 2024

accompany the ladies at local appearances and onstage at the state competition. “After being a Rising Star for three years and meeting such outstanding women, I decided to compete in Miss Alabama’s Teen at age 13. I saw how life-changing the organization truly is through my years as a Rising Star! I competed in Miss Alabama’s Teen from 13 to 17, winning numerous awards and scholarships, including the Community Service Award and being placed in the Top 15.” Now, at age 21, Ella Kate will CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

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represent Shelby County in the Miss Alabama pageant this summer. Her two previous trips to the state competition earned her several scholarships for talent performance and community service.

That community service is what has driven Ella Kate to compete and serve since she was young. “Before I was born, my Uncle David passed away at 14 years old from leukemia,” she says. “Then, when I was in kindergarten, one of my best friends was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a form of cancer in the retina.

At age nine, I met a great friend of mine who was fighting medulloblastoma, a cancer that occurs on the brain stem. Because of them, I began fundraising for childhood cancer research in any way I could. After a few years, I realized I wanted to make a direct impact on the lives of childhood cancer patients. I had seen firsthand the toll that childhood cancer takes on a kid and their families, and I knew that I wanted to make a difference in this area.” Ella Kate’s dream manifested as a nonprofit, called Buckets of Smiles, which she founded at just 15 years old.

“Through the organization, I deliver buckets full of hospital-approved activity items to

childhood cancer patients. It’s now a countrywide program thanks to the Buckets of Smiles Ambassador Program, which has spread to 21 states and Washington, D.C.” Through the nonprofit, Ella Kate also fundraises for research alongside other nonprofit groups such as Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, as well as lobbies for equitable treatments and research for childhood cancer.

“While being a college student can complicate deliveries every now and then, I am still able to make several, as well as fundraise, while I am studying to become a Child Life Specialist,” says Ella Kate, a junior at Auburn. “Child Life Specialists are the heartbeat of my organization.

They provide family-centered care, give relief to patients through medical play and procedure preparation, aid in donation assistance, and a million other responsibilities.” She’s being modest; Ella Kate juggles her student and Miss Shelby County responsibilities along with participation in the Auburn University Singers, Alpha Chi Omega, Auburn University Dance Marathon, Student Recruiters, and the College of Human Sciences Dean Student Advisory Board.

Noting that pageants offer a multitude of opportunities, Ella Kate is clear on her favorite CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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one: the chance to be surrounded by like-minded women. “Within the Miss America Opportunity, contestants can develop a Community Service Initiative. Each contestant chooses something they are passionate about to work toward throughout their year, and it really blows my mind how much each woman in the Miss America Opportunity impacts their area of service and their community,” says Ella Kate. “Plus, these are some of the most genuine and intentional friends that I have ever had. I have made memories to last a lifetime throughout my years of competing in this organization because of the friendships I made along the way. From eating Taco Bell and laughing until our stomachs hurt in our dorms during Miss Alabama week to having impromptu karaoke parties in the dressing room, I could not be more thankful for these friendships!”

Another silver lining: The scholarships she earned at the previous trips to Miss Alabama means she will not bear the burden of student loans. “Because of Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama’s Teen, I am on track to graduate completely debt-free from college! This is one of the numerous benefits that all contestants gain from competing. I have also gained a plethora of life skills, unique experiences that are both a lot of fun and opportunities for networking, and my best friends. I cannot thank the Miss America Opportunity enough for shaping me into who I am today!” she says.

During her years at Auburn, she’s also met a number of people from the Shelby County area.

“These people are some of the most amazing individuals I have ever met and are a big reason I chose to compete in Miss Shelby County. They, along with the entirety of Shelby County, have shown me the true meaning of community, and they hold such a special place in my heart. It is a huge honor to represent them throughout the year and at Miss Alabama this summer!”

After she crowns the new Miss Shelby County, Ella Kate will start her senior year at Auburn.

She will earn a degree with a major in Human Development and Family Science in the Child Life option with a minor in Music Business. “I 26 Bham Family January 2024

have always loved to sing and perform, which is why I chose this as my field of minor study, but my goal is to become a Child Life Specialist at a children’s hospital,” she says. “The thought of graduating is bittersweet, but I could not be more excited to enter my career field!” She’ll continue her work with Buckets of Smiles, making deliveries across Alabama as she advocates for childhood cancer research. “This year has been a blast, and I would love to be Miss Shelby County forever, but I am thrilled for whomever gets to serve this wonderful community next.”

FEATURE

Coffee With a Smile Bitty & Beau’s fuels customers with cups of java and an abundance of joy.

BY DREW ROBERTS

The only thing better than a refreshing cup of coffee is the smiling face of the person handing it to you. This is certainly true for Bitty & Beau’s, an inclusive coffee shop employing those with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

What started as a passion project from Amy and Ben Wright in Wilmington, North Carolina, has since ballooned to 20 locations. In Homewood, we’re fortunate to have one of those locations in our own backyard.

When Amy and Ben Wright learned that 80 percent of people with disabilities in America were unemployed, they knew something needed to change. The statistic hit close to home because their two youngest children,

Bitty and Beau, both have Down Syndrome.

Eventually, they took a leap into a revolutionary new business venture: employing those with disabilities as baristas at a coffee shop.

In 2016, the first location opened its doors in Wilmington. It didn’t stay confined to one location for long, however. This secret was too good to be kept. A quick glance at any of Bitty & Beau’s social media platforms shows a place that serves joy with coffee on the side.

The nation has been captivated by this “human rights movement disguised as a coffee shop.” What started in a small southern town has stretched as far as Boulder, Colorado. Amy Wright was dubbed CNN’s Hero of the Year for 2017. In her acceptance speech, she delivered CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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what could be named the central thesis for her company, saying to her children,“I would not change you for the world, but I will change the world for you.”

Located on 1625 Oxmoor Road, the new location has been open for open for right at two months, but has, seen no shortage of customers.

The ribbon cutting on November 11, 2023, drew massive crowds despite rainy weather. The grand opening 10 days later had a packed house as well. That doesn’t happen for any run-of-themill coffee shop. That happens with something truly special.

The Homewood location marks the second location in Alabama. The first being in Auburn, which opened in March 2023. Prior to housing Bitty & Beau’s, the Homewood location served as a laundromat. After some refurbishing, the building has been transformed. It comes complete with an outdoor patio overlooking Homewood Central Park. The new location continues the sleek and simple design influence present in other Bitty & Beau’s locations. The interior features black walls accented by gold chairs and string lights. This simple yet effective aesthetic is perfect for typing away at a laptop or catching up with some friends over a hot cup of joe.

Because Bitty & Beau’s is not only a coffee shop, but a movement, it only makes sense for them to make their message loud and clear. On the wall directly behind the cash register is the phrase “changing the way people view people.”

The placement allows for the phrase to work its magic right as you order, for the employees are the beating heart of every location.

In 2018, co-founder Ben Wright testified before the US Senate Special Committee on Aging to advocate for the wider employment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In his testimony, he said, “I believe what we’re really dealing with is not a classic unemployment problem driven by the economy, but a bona fide social and cultural problem.

Having a disability is nothing to be ashamed of.

It’s part of the human condition.”Across all of 28 Bham Family January 2024

their social media platforms, Bitty & Beau’s has highlighted the 30 employees you’ll see any time you walk through their doors. By showcasing their staff, they are fighting this cultural problem and giving a platform to a group deprived of one for far too long.

In a recent YouTube video on the company website, staff visited Homewood High School and some local businesses to hand out job offers to students and residents in the Homewood area.

Met with signs, balloons, and plenty of cheers, these offers turned into a giant celebration and an opportunity for the new employees to show off their dance moves. If the joy present there is just a glimpse of things to come, Homewood has a bright future with its new addition.

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is located at 1625 Oxmoor Road in Homewood. Open daily 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit bittyandbeauscoffee.com.

EDUCATION

Trussville Teachers Receive Grants Penny Moore, a first-grade teacher at Paine Elementary in Trussville, received a $751 Motivational Unique Strategic Helpful (MUSH) Grant through the Trussville City Schools Foundation to fund flexible seating for her students.

The MUSH grant program helps teachers to jump-start innovative ideas throughout Trussville City School System classrooms and supports learning and enrichment.

Teachers must propose projects for the competitive grant program; money is awarded to multiple teachers in the system. Other Paine teachers who received grant funds are Lesley Rogers, Carter Pharis, Courtney Stodghill, Elizabeth Moffett, Nicole Jenkins, Natalie Johnson, Dana Trowbridge, Taylor Knuppel, Lynsey Phillips, and Kimberly McGinnis.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PENNY MOORE

Penny Moore, first grade teacher at Paine Elementary

Altamont Theatre Earns Top State Honors

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE ALTAMONT SCHOOL

The cast of The Altamont School’s award-winning production of A Chorus Line

The Altamont School’s Theatre Program earned top state honors in Alabama’s Walter Trumbauer High School Theatre Festival last month. The group advanced to the state stage after earning multiple honors in the district competition, including Best In Show for the school’s production of A Chorus Line.

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KIDS WHO SHINE

VESTAVIA HILLS ELEMENTARY WEST STUDENTS

First-grader Eliza Batte

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF VESTAVIA HILLS ELEMENTARY WEST PTO

Students at Vestavia Hills Elementary West kicked off the holiday season last month with a school-wide food drive.

The students competed across their nine houses to see who could bring in the most donations. The result was a total of more than 7,000 items, with Aroha winning the house competition.

First grader Eliza Batte was most 30 Bham Family January 2024

excited to donate boxes of macaroni and cheese to the cause. “I love having macaroni and cheese at Christmas and wanted other people to have some, too,” she said.

Students helped load the donations to be taken to Vestavia Methodist Church, as well as to be distributed by school counselors to West families in need.

205- 638-PIRC (7472)

Helping navigate the mental health system for teens and children.

Services are FREE and confidential. Services provided by phone are not medical advice and should not be considered as such.

Services are provided via telephone by licensed mental health professionals who recommend the most appropriate mental health resources.

PIRC is available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

PIRC is NOT a crisis or suicide hotline. Call for mental health resources.

The PIRC 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.

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Serving Shelby County Families

WHAT WE DO:

Identify juveniles who are either at high risk for or already involved in substance misuse and provide them resources to make better choices for a healthy lifestyle while promoting mental wellness.

PREVENTION:

Compact’s Community Coalitions educate, engage, and empower their communities at the local level to prevent substance misuse and provide resources to those impacted.

INTERVENTION:

Our Intervention Team works to educate parents and students as well as locate youth who are at risk of, or involved in substance misuse or addiction, and provide them help and resources.

www.compact2020.com

32 Bham Family January 2024

Parent Talk Line: 205-605-1827 • Teen Talk Line: 205-605-1830