Churches and community members provide relief to hurricane victims
Inspection Services Department
What does the Inspection Services Department do in Gardendale?
The Inspection Services Department is responsible for plan reviews, code enforcement, Issuing building permits and certificates of occupancy, and performing inspections on all building components. These components include structural, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, alarm/low voltage, natural/propane gas, irrigation, and signs.
Complaints: They also investigate complaints received from the public (i.e. weeds, trash, abandoned vehicles, ect.)
Planning and Zoning: is a division of the Inspection Services Department regulating and controlling the design, quality of materials, building and property use, and location of all residential and commercial developments within the city. This department is also responsible for safeguarding property and public welfare through the enforcement of the city's zoning codes. This includes enforcement of the city's zoning ordinance (Ord. No. 2013-02), the Subdivision Regulations, and the Vision 2020 Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
Business Licenses: Inspection Services also performs inspections and verifies zoning for the release of business licenses, both for new businesses and for those having a change of location within the city. A New Business Start-Up Guide has been created to assist in this process. Information is also provided for the home occupation business licenses.
Blake Castleberry - Building Inspections Superintendent
Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Physical Address: 925 Main Street Gardendale, AL 35071
Mailing Address: PO Box 889 Gardendale, AL 35071
Phone: (205) 631-1708
Business Profile: Wood’s Trading Company opens its doors 8/ 16/
Gardendale residents rally to help hurricane survivors
20/
Rocket Around the Christmas Tree Trail largest ever event
Gardendale native honored for lifetime of service 24/ 28/
Photos: Bill Noble Park hosts Pumpkinfest
Christmas is such a busy time of year around here. The calendar is bursting with parades, events, shopping, family events and decorating, cleaning and cooking on top of all those things. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, but there is also something magical about the time of year. One of my favorite things about this time of year is seeing everyone’s decorations and hearing about their family traditions.
Next year, we will be back with even more stories about the community and the people who make it so special. We have so many new things planned and we’re excited to start another year telling the story of Gardendale.
I know I speak for the entire staff of Gardendale Magazine when I say we hope you have a Merry Christmas (or Happy Hannahkuh) and a safe and happy New Year. We appreciate all of our advertisers, readers and the community members who have offered us such overwhelming support.
/ About Us / On The Cover
Who We Are
Gardendale Magazine is published monthly by JBMC Media, a Birmingham-based publishing company. The magazine is available at nearly 90 locations throughout Gardendale, free of charge, and is supported by the advertisers within the pages of this magazine. Subscriptions by mail area also available for $35 per year. Email matthew@jbmcmedia. com for more information.
Gardendale Magazine is 100% local; the stories and photos are all about the city of Gardendale, its residents, its businesses, its schools, and its cultural institutions. It’s our promise to you that we will always keep it this way, so that the content and stories are relevant to everyone who calls Gardendale home.
Staff
Matthew Allen, Publisher (205) 617-9609 | matthew@jbmcmedia.com
Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director (205) 613-7850 | rachel@jbmcmedia.com
Leah Ingram Eagle, Copy Editor leah@jbmcmedia.com
Michelle Salem Haynes, Marketing Consultant (205) 381-1311 | michelle@jbmcmedia.com
Amy Phillips, Marketing Consultant (205) 515-2564 | amy@jbmcmedia.com
Anthony Bratina, Cover Designer
Shweta Bratina, Graphic Designer
Emily VanderMey Listo , Operations & Project Manager , Graphic Designer emily@emilylisto.com
About the Cover
BY
Britt and Laura Wood opened Wood’s Trading Company, and along with Ace of the South, they now operate two businesses in Gardendale. Read about their journey starting on page 16.
@GardendaleMagazine @GardendaleMag Contact Us/Follow Us P.O. Box 26432, Birmingham, AL 35260
PROUD MEMBER
PHOTO
RACHEL DAVIS KARR
A Helping Hand
Gardendale churches assist hurricane survivors
Several area churches collected supplies and sent resources to help victims in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Gardendale First Baptist sent trucks full of supplies to August, Georgia; Asheville, North Carolina; and Butler, Tennessee. Central Baptist Church also donated items and traveled to the areas impacted by the hurricane to provide assistance.
Enon Baptist Church deployed a Disaster Relief Team to Clearwater, South Carolina as part of a partnership with the North Jefferson Baptist Association.
// Continued on Page 10 //
PHOTOS FROM GARDENDALE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH, ENON BAPTIST CHURCH
24e Fitness
Ace of the South
Adair Tire Pros
Baja California
Becky’s Health Foods
Buffalo Wild Wings
Cheri W. Cunningham, DMD
Chick-fil-A
Fieldstown Dental Care
Gardendale City Hall
Gardendale Civic Center
Gardendale Pickers
Gardendale Public Library
Gardendale Senior Center
Gllam Boutique
Glover Chiropractic
Hamburger Heaven
Jim n Nick’s
Luma Dentistry
Maggie G. Pond, DMD
Merle Norman
Monita’s Bakery
Mordecai Sporting Goods
Roo’s Place Garden Center
Shrimp Basket
Southern Focus Vision Center
Southern Market
The Covenant Place of Gardendale
TherapySouth
Total Skin & Dermatology
Village Dermatology
Village Pharmacy
Woods Trading Co.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church’s Shepherd’s Heart Disaster Response Ministry was started in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The group activated and sent teams to Hendersonville, North Carolina and Augusta, Georgia to assist with debris removal in the areas.
In a statement, the groups expressed gratitude for the church and community’s forethought when it comes to disaster response.
“We could not do it without your prayers and financial support,” the post said. “We can hook up the equipment, communicate to our base of volunteers and hit the road, not worrying about how to pay for everything when folks like you generously support us… Continue to pray for wisdom, strength, and grace to point people back to Jesus as that is the reason we use our skills in debris removal–to point people back to the hope we have in Jesus and His Resurrection! He will resurrect these communities, we just pray He resurrects them with a renewed faith in HIM and HIS mercies!”
Sharon Heights Baptist Church and 7 Mile Ministries also collected donations and provided support to those impacted by the hurricane.
// Photos Continued on Page 12//
// Continued from Page 8 //
Christmas morning
I like to do Christmas morning big. Nothing extravagant, but usually a fun, large gift and several smaller toys, books, and candy. I really want the excitement and the “Look at this! Oh wait, look at this!” reaction from my boys.
Some mommas like to gift three presents, just like Jesus. That’s probably the most practical and humble way to celebrate, and I think that’s wonderful.
Some moms are just doing their best to get one thing for each kid this year. And momma, if this is you, they will love whatever you have under the tree.
I think the way we celebrate Christmas is a reflection of our childhoods—either you yearn for the nostalgia and to do it the way your family did, or you want a totally different experience.
Some of us wrap nothing. Some wrap everything. Gifts may be under the tree or laid out on the couch or floor.
Some have everyone in matching family pajamas on Christmas morning, and some are lucky to get anyone in their pajamas at all.
Some of us want a fancy meal on Christmas night, and some want to eat breakfast food and Reese’s Cups all day long.
I imagine there are spousal disputes on which way is right. However you choose to celebrate, I hope it brings you joy. If it doesn’t, change it. If traveling on Christmas Day is stressing you out, well, don’t travel. Feel free to just lounge in the afterglow of your morning festivities.
If you like to do it up on Christmas with lots of gifts, don’t feel bad about it. There are only a few short years where your children will be old enough to remember believing in Santa, so gift whatever amount works for your family. They have their entire lives to be practical.
And, if you crave a simpler Christmas, then simplify away. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you aren’t doing enough. Christmas morning is a feeling, one that you create with
excitement and love, and the joy of Christ. There’s no right or wrong way.
We are stretched so thin around the holidays that it’s easy to let the magic pass us by. So, this Christmas Eve, when you finally hit your pillow, close your eyes, and remember that childhood excitement—searching the sky for a sleigh, listening for Santa, and thinking
to yourself that there’s only one more sleep ’til Christmas! And know that joy is coming in the morning.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
With love,
Holy Moly Motherhood
Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 9 and 4), 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.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JILL WELLINGTON
Wood’s Trading Company Opens its Doors
Britt and Laura Wood are familiar faces in the Gardendale community. Their store, Ace of the South, opened almost five years ago and quickly became an integral part of the community, sponsoring local events and teams.
Last year, Mayor Stan Hogeland approached them because he believed the city had a need for retail space, particularly where you can buy name-brand clothes for the whole family.
After looking at the market, they realized the mayor was right and there was a gap in the market for retail, but also for
those interested in outdoors and fishing. Out of that, Wood’s Trading Company was born.
The store is more than just the outdoors store that the name implies, it has a large variety of items for everyone.
“It’s not just outdoor apparel and fishing,” Laura said. “We have something for everybody–whether it be shoes or apparel or jewelry or purses or bags–we cover the gamut.”
In addition to having items that appeal to everyone in the
Laura and Britt Wood chose unique items to give their new store a welcoming feel.
family, the store features a unique atmosphere with one-of-a kind pieces serving as decorations and furnishings. There is also a coffee pot at the front of the store, to encourage people to use the space as a way to strengthen the community.
“We want it to be more of an experience and not just a place to come shop,” Laura said. “We both are very involved in the community and, to me, there is a need for that, so that’s why we did the entertainment space.”
The entertainment space in front of the store will host events, cornhole and food trucks, as well as other gatherings throughout the year. The building also features additional spaces that are available for rent to other businesses. Sweet Carolines has already committed to moving into one of the spaces.
“In the ever-changing landscape of retail, a lot of consumers can sit at home and order from their laptop, so what gets you out of bed to go to a retail store–it’s about the experience,” Britt said.
The couple’s commitment to the community doesn’t stop at the walls of their stores.
“We live in the community,” Britt said. “We give back to the community. It’s not like a major corporation where you don’t know if you’re going to get it back. We pride ourselves on all the sponsorships we do.”
Among those sponsorships were donations to the local high school fishing teams and offering those students discounts on fishing items.
Between the new store and a remodel of the initial Ace Store to include an expanded grilling section and garden center, the addition of ammunition and a propane filling station, they feel they are caring for their city.
“Between our Ace store and this store, I feel like we’re closing the needs of what our community needs,” Britt said.
Legacy Builders Academy Opens
Gardendale Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting recently at Legacy Builders Academy.
Walmart Introduces New Store Manager
Tyson Elrod was recently introduced as Walmart in Gardendale’s new Store Manager. Tyson has 28 years of experience with the company.
Musicality Moves to New Building
Musicality announced recently that they have moved into a new building. Its new location is at 116 Bell Street (near the Civic Center).
Wendy’s Opens
The new Wendy’s restaurant opened in Gardendale in early November. The new location at 530 Fieldstown Road marks the return of the restaurant to Gardendale after closing a previous store a few years ago.
Send your business news to rachel@jbmcmedia.com for inclusion in a future issue.
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Pumkinfest at BNP
Bill Noble Park’s quarterly event featured favorites like pumpkin chucking, costumes and pumpkin painting. The events also include vendors and food trucks. The next event will be the Christmas event on December 3, 5-9 p.m. at the park.
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Annual tree trail returns, grows
The Rocket Around the Christmas Tree Trail, benefitting the Dick Lee Memorial Scholarship, is back this year and has even more trees than last year, with 105 expected to decorate the Civic Center lawn this year.
The trail has become an annual tradition as it moves into its fourth year.
“The community is still responding to it,” organizer Walt Thomas said. “We’ve had more people this year that just called us and asked to sponsor a tree, rather than us having to go out and sell the trees.”
Local businesses, groups, nonprofits and families sponsor a tree and decorate it. Seeing the different trees and decorations gives a fun, free way to celebrate the season.
The trail opens on December 5, the night of the Christmas Parade. That night, Walt and his wife, Sandy, as well as others involved with the trail, will host a cookie night. They also have a selfie station for those visiting before or after the parade.
“It’s a good, positive thing for the city,” Walt said.
The trail began as a way to fund a scholarship to honor their friend.
“When Dick Lee died in 2017, our goal was to honor his memory by awarding scholarships to the Gardendale seniors to keep his memory alive,” Walt said.
“So, we started out with friends and family members who would contribute money and we would have the students at the high school submit applications. We would select a recipient and then award them the scholarship. Then we realized that wasn’t a sustainable way of fundraising so we started the Christmas Tree Trail.”
The Rocket Around the Christmas Tree Trail will open for its fourth year on December 5.
“He just meant so much to us and we felt such a great loss,” Sandy said. “We just wanted to do something in honor so he could be remembered longer.”
This year, the scholarship became an endowed scholarship, meaning that The University of Alabama’s Jefferson County Alumni Association will match the funds the organization provides. Any student from Gardendale High School who applies at The University of Alabama will be considered for the scholarship. In the event there is not a student from Gardendale who applies, the scholarship will be awarded to another north Jefferson County senior to keep the funds local.
“Dick was just a unique, special person and he gave so much of himself to the community and individuals,” Walt said. “Many people don’t know all the good he did. A person like that needs to be remembered because they are the kind of person we should aspire to be.”
From Gardendale to the CDC
Story by Rachel Davis Karr
When Curtis Florence was growing up in the Gardendale and Mount Olive areas, he watched his father work closely with community members at Mt. Olive Drugs.
“I saw what my father did, and he was very good at sort of counseling people in the community,” Florence said. “He was somebody I think a lot of people looked up to because they were coming to him when they had a health problem. They could talk to him and he had more time to interact with them than their doctor would have.”
Although watching his dad didn’t convince him that he wanted to be a pharmacist, growing up embedded in the community did make a lasting impression on him.
“I grew up in that environment, but I also saw other things happen in the community during that time,” Florence remembers. “While I was in high school, the U.S. Steel plant in Bessemer shut down, and that was such a big part of the local economy. There were a lot of steel workers in the Mt. Olive/Gardendale area, so that was a lot of our customers and friends. That was something that was very impactful–that happening and at that age. I just wanted to understand what in the world was going on, because this was the kind of thing that nobody really ever dreamed was going to happen–at least that’s how it felt to me. When I got into college, initially I was going to study to be an engineer, and I was taking an economics class because it was a requirement. In that class, there were a lot of things that helped answer the questions I had about why things were happening. I just had more interest in that than I did in being an engineer.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CURTIS FLORENCE AND THE CDC
After a few years teaching at various colleges, Florence took his current position as Team Lead for the Economics Team in the Data Analytics Branch at the CDC. In this position, he studies things like the economic impact of the public health issues and how prevention could help.
“Once I started doing that, I saw a lot of similarities to my father’s experience when I was growing up, but I wasn’t dealing with people on a one-on-one basis, I was doing research. Research that could help address people’s health problems.”
“I lead a team of people who do work on identifying what the cost of different health problems are and help people better understand what it would be worth to invest in prevention,” Florence said. “Probably the biggest profile we work in is the overdose crisis and the opioid dependence. For that project, we have access to different kinds of data sources–we have data that’s collected from people’s healthcare claims, so we have a data set how many times in a year people have filed a claim for their health insurance and with every one of those claims has a diagnosis code attached so we can identify people who have what’s called opioid use disorder. We can see how much more they spend in a given year than people who are similar to them except they don’t have opioid use disorder.”
Then, using multiple other data sources, they determine the overall cost and then are able to break it down into individual state costs. This allows states to determine how much money they should devote to fighting or preventing the issue.
“The most rewarding part is that I get to work on things that can positively impact people’s lives,” Florence said. “We’re addressing health problems that I know are an issue all over the country, but, in my mind, I identify it with people where I live or where I came from. I know that these are things that impact people in the community I live in now and in the community I came from, and so that’s the part that I think is the most rewarding.”
Gardendale resident honored for lifetime of work
Gerald Watkins was honored by the Vulcan Park Foundation’s annual Vulcan Awards that recognize those doing outstanding work in the community. Watkins received the lifetime achievement award for “his unwavering dedication to the preservation and revitalization of Rickwood Field. His leadership has brought major events, including the return of the Rickwood Classic and a Major League Baseball event, to Birmingham. Through his efforts, Rickwood Field has become a cultural landmark, enriching the city’s history and enhancing its visibility as a destination.”
Easy Christmas Cheese Trees
In The Kitchen with Kathleen Phillips
Kathleen Phillips is a food blogger, food stylist, cookbook author, and former Oxmoor House test kitchen director (Southern Living cookbooks). On her food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, she creates Southern shortcut recipes. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.
Christmas Cheese Trees start with Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedges found next to the beef jerky in the grocery store. It’s just the right shape to form edible Christmas tree bites. Sprinkle or coat them with spices, herbs, dried fruit or nuts for colorful and healthier options for your cheese tray or charcuterie board this holiday season. This recipe easily doubles or triples for a larger party.
Prep: 10 minutes Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 (5.4 ounce) package Laughing Cow cheese spread wedges (8 wedges)
4 pretzel sticks, broken in half
Dried fruit (Such as cranberries, cherries, golden raisins, dates, sun-dried tomatoes)
Dried herbs or finely chopped fresh herbs (Such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives)
Finely chopped nuts or seeds (Such as pistachios, pepitas, sesame seeds)
Spices or seasoning blends (Such as paprika, red pepper flakes, Tajin)
(optional) Wasabi peas (dried crunchy snack)
INSTRUCTIONS
Carefully unwrap the cheese wedges and insert a pretzel stick into the larger side of the triangles.
Arrange the dried fruit and/or nuts on the sides and top of the cheese, first. If you don’t place these first, the herbs and spices cling to the surfaces and the fruit and nuts do not stay on as well.
Next, sprinkle the dried or fresh herbs and gently press into the cheese.
Lastly, sprinkle on the spices or seasonings, gently pressing them into the cheese.
On one of the trees, I coated the cheese wedge in crushed wasabi peas. It adds a pretty green color and a pop of flavor.
You decide what flavor, color, and texture combinations you want to put on the cheese wedges.
Arrange the little cheese Christmas trees on a charcuterie board or small platter. To gild the lily, arrange some tiny sprigs of fresh rosemary among the trees as a fun garnish.
Helping Gardendale families
City Employee Spotlight
PATRICIA NORTHCUTT
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE MAYOR’S OFFICE
“It’s not a small town–it’s a home town”
When Patricia Northcutt first visited Gardendale, she wasn’t impressed. Her husband brought her to the city one Friday evening and there was no one around. She couldn’t imagine why he wanted to raise a family there. She asked him where everyone was. Then they drove by the football stadium.
“It was a home game, so the lights were on and everyone was at the game,” Northcutt remembers. “It’s not a small town–it’s a home town. You only have to go out to dinner or the grocery store to run into someone you know. I think that’s what is so awesome about Gardendale, it’s just a super large community.”
She was sold. Not only did she move to the community and raise her two boys here, she became one of the city’s biggest promoters. That’s why, when Mayor Stan Hogeland wanted someone to serve as a greeter and customer service agent, he knew she was the perfect person. In addition to her other duties, Northcutt is the face that greets every person who enters city hall. She even created the artwork on the walls of her new office with the help of dotedison. One wall is a timeline of significant events in the history of the city and the other is landmarks in the modern Gardendale.
“I like to think that’s what I do–I’m customer service for the city,” Northcutt said. “I like the idea that people can walk in that door and they are greeted. I like the fact that, if I don’t know the answer, I can find it for you. I like to think that I have made a difference since I’ve been up here.”
In her spare time, she is usually spending time with her family–one of Northcutt’s sons is in college and the other is in his senior year at Gardendale High School, but she has never once regretted the
decision she made to raise them here.
Ultimately, she hopes everyone in the city will stop by to see her in her office at City Hall, to check out the custom artwork or just chat about the city and community she loves.
PHOTO BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR
GES Basketball
Gardendale High School’s basketball team visited Gardendale Elementary to teach the younger students.
GES 4th Grade Visits State Capitol
Gardendale Elementary’s fourth-grade students had an unforgettable trip visiting our state Capitol, exploring the planetarium, touring Old Alabama Town and enjoying a scenic riverboat ride!
GES surgeons
Gardendale Elementary’s 3rd grade students wrapped up their Human Body unit with an exciting surgery-themed escape room and operation activity.
GES Buddies Help Out in Kindergarten
Gardendale Elementary’s 5th grade buddies teamed up with the kindergarteners for a fun and creative project, shaping turkeys and crafting Native American instruments, blending art, history and teamwork.
GHS Volleyball Wins Tournament
The Gardedale High School Volleyball team won the 6A Area 12 Tournament last night.
SRES Honors Veterans
Snow Rogers Elementary’s 3rd and 4th graders performed for veterans recently.
SRES Thanksgiving Lunch
GHS Gives Back
SRES
Principal’s Club
Snow Rogers Elementary’s Principal’s Club Celebration was held recently. Students got to pick one activity out of four options for their celebration.
Ms. Martin and her Event Planning students spent yesterday morning giving back to those who serve our community. Members of the Gardendale Police Department, Gardendale Fire, RPS, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, health care workers and Mayor Stan Hogeland came through. Dr. Gonsoulin also stopped by to talk with the students and serve alongside them.
Snow Rogers Elementary hosted friends and family for Thanksgiving lunches.
GES Camp Cosby
Gardendale Elementary’s 5th graders spent two exciting days at Camp Cosby, exploring the connection between themselves and the natural environment. They learned about their roles as stewards of the earth, gaining hands-on experience in understanding and caring for the world around them.
GHS Theatre Competition
Gardendale High School announced results from Rocket Theaters Trumbauer competition. The following students are advancing to state:
• Harper Maxwell
• Amaya Bowmen
• Maria Christi-George
• Brianna Cooley
• Riley Chandler
• Kathryn Brasseal
• Natalie Dickinson
• Dorian Dotson
• Madison Price
The GHS Rocket Theater show also made it to state. All-Star Cast:
• Kathryn Brasseal
• Amaya Baumann
• Breanna Cooley
• Leading Actress:
• Riley Chandler
GHS also received best ensemble and best costumes.
Bragg November Students of the Month
Bragg Middle School recently honored its November Students of the Month. These students were chosen by their teachers for their hard work, a great display of character, and their willingness to go above and beyond. Students of the Month are treated to lunch, courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings in Gardendale. Recipients were:
• 6th Grade - Evie Moon & Caleya Works
• 7th Grade - Harleigh Nolan & Dominic Watson
• 8th Grade - Sophia Tidwell & Novaleigh Payton
SRES 5th Grade Honor Roll
recently honored its 5th grade
Snow Rogers Elementary
Honor Roll.
Bragg Middle School honored its students that were recently named to the All Metro Team. Those students were: Bragg Metro Football
• Grayson Burdette • Brooks Beasley • Jake Donaldson
• MJ Tyson
SRES Students of the Month for October
Snow Rogers Elementary’s October students of the month were honored recently by the school.
SRES 4th Grade Honor Roll
Snow Rogers Elementary recently honored its 4th grade Honor Roll.
City of Fultondale Hosts Barking at the Moon Festival
On October 27th, the City of Fultondale celebrated its annual Barking at the Moon Festival at the Fultondale Bark Park, a free, tail-wagging event that had something for everyone! Dog lovers and families gathered for a day packed with fun and fur, from adorable dog and kid costume contests to speedy wiener dog races that kept the crowd cheering. Food trucks and local vendors added to the festive spirit with treats, toys and pet essentials, while rabies vaccinations offered pet parents peace of mind. The event showcased Fultondale’s pet-loving community at its finest.
Fultondale Blue Pride Marching Band Given Superior Ratings at Competitions
The Fultondale High School Blue Pride Marching Wildcats recently participated in two competitions. The band competed in the Hayden Marching Festival receiving All Superior Ratings. At the Horsecreek Marching Invitational, Blue Pride received All Superior Ratings, winning Best in Class for colorguard and percussion.
Mount Olive Elementary Students and Families Enjoy Fall Festival
Mount Olive Elementary School brought the community together for its annual Fall Festival on October 18, filling the day with excitement and seasonal fun! Families enjoyed inflatables, face painting, kid-friendly games, and a variety of local vendors, making it a festive celebration for all ages.
Fultondale High Students Awarded Scholarships
Alabama State University recently awarded scholarships to Futondale High School Seniors: Trinity Farrior, Jared Ramos and Eve Freeman. These outstanding students were awarded the scholarships at the Magic City Counselor’s Luncheon.
Fultondale Seniors Enjoy Fall Crafting
Fultondale senior residents enjoyed participating in a fun fall craft recently. The Senior Center hosted a decorative broom-making class. Participants made beautiful brooms to display in their home throughout the colorful season of fall.
Fultondale High School FFA Earns National Recognition
For the first time ever the Mortimer Jordan High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter attended the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. For the first time ever, the group was recognized as a National 3-Star FFA Chapter in Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Indianapolis Colts). This is the highest rating an FFA chapter can receive. Only 10 percent of the 9,000+ FFA chapters receive a 1, 2, or 3-Star national rating.
North Jefferson Companies Honored among Small Business Awards
Alabama Chambers and the Business Council of Alabama recently announced their finalists for the Alabama Small Business Awards. Two nominees from the North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, Stephen’s Hotdog Wagon and Musicality Studio, were both recognized as finalists in their respective categories.
Upcoming Events
Morris Christmas Parade
The Morris Christmas Parade will be held on Saturday, December 7th at 10 a.m. The Parade will start at The Burkett Center located at 8601 Old Highway 31.
Homewood’s CentralParkgetsupgrade
Police Lieutenant Completes Training
Gardendale Police Lieutenant Brad Cotton successfully completed the FBI-LEEDA Leadership Training and received the Trilogy Award today. The Trilogy Series consist of 3 week long classes over the course of a year, Supervisor Leadership Institute (SLI), the Command Leadership Institute (CLI), and the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI). The FBI-LEEDA group considers the Trilogy courses as pieces of a puzzle that all fit together to form a whole educational experience on leadership.
Council Named Field to Honor Coach, Dad
The Gardendale City Council recently passed a resolution renaming field 4 to the Jay Bear Flag Football Field. Beard was a longtime volunteer with Park and Recreation and helped with various events throughout the city.
Hogeland Sworn in as Vice-President
Mayor Stan Hogeland was recently sworn in as vice-president of the Jefferson County Mayors Association.
Golden Eagles Visit Tannehill
The Gardendale Golden Eagles visited Iron & Steel Museum of Alabama in the Tannehill Ironworks Historical Park recently.
Chamber of Commerce Luncheon
The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce Luncheon will be December 12. Sponsorships are still available.
Christmas Village
Bill Noble Park will host its quarterly event with vendors, activities for the whole community and food trucks will be December 3, at the park.
Christmas Parade
This year’s Christmas Parade will be December 5, at 6 p.m. The theme for this year is “The Sweetest Christmas Ever.”
Rocket Around the Christmas Tree
The 2024 Rocket Around the Christmas Tree Trail will be presented December 5-27 and is free to the public.
Book Club
The book this month is Elin Hilderbrand’s last Nantucket novel, “Swan Song.” The club will meet on Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Gardendale Library.
Kids Cooking Class
The Kids Cooking Classes at Bill Noble Park will be December 13 (Christmas themed). Each class is $20 per child and is for children ages 7-13. Register at billnoblepark. recdesk.com
Stock Little Free Library
Help us stock our Little Free Library! We are in need of children’s and young adult books in good to perfect condition to stock our Little Free Library (LFL) located by the soccer fields off of Fieldstown Road. Donations can be placed directly in the LFL or you can bring them to the front desk at the library and we will take them to the LFL when we visit weekly.
Library Food Pantry
Our library food pantry always need the following items: hearty soups/stews/chili, varieties of canned chicken/tuna/ham, single-sized and normal cereal, granola type bars, fruit cups, peanut butter, jelly, oatmeal/grits packets, pasta and Alfredo and other sauces and any toiletries. We take food only if it is not outdated and not opened.
Historical Museum Hours
The Kermit E. Dooley Gardendale Historical Museum (170 Bell Street) will be open to the public every Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MyGardendale
For a complete list of events and happenings, visit MyGardendale.com to see an interactive calendar. To
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