Gardendale Magazine - February 2023

Covering

Bases

Softball and baseball teams prepare for spring season

PAGES 12 & 16

How Teaching others to carry a tune

Fieldstown Rd.

Got its Name PAGE 8

Musicality grows from side gig to thriving business

PAGES 20

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.

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.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Gardendale baseball looks to the future

8/ 20/

Memory Lane: How Fieldstown got its name

Business Profile: Musicality makes a joyful noise

16/

Lady Rockets: Softball looks to veterans to lead

Makers: Majestic Minis fills a need for local-themed jewelry 24/

Recipe of the Month: Kathleen gives quick tips for hearty favorite 30/

There are so many exciting things coming to Gardendale in the next few months and we are excited to be a part of it. I have appreciated the reception our two new features have gotten over the last few weeks since our January issue came out. Thank you for your feedback and ideas as we move forward.

A lot of this issue is dedicated to Spring sports. Gardendale’s softball team is poised to have a great season with five seniors leading them into the season. Coach Kyndall White enters her sophomore season with a special group of seniors and a lot of talent at several positions.

The baseball team is young, but veteran coach Ryan Keedy is still excited to see what his boys will do this season. Replacing key seniors from last year’s team could have been a weakness, but Keedy says his players are rising to the challenge. Their schedule will be tough, but Keedy is excited to see how they develop throughout the season. We also have the second maker featured in our new series and her adorable daughter/assistant helped make sure the story and photos were exactly right.

I also got the opportunity to look over the research and family history compiled by Joyce Fields Blankenship. Her family founded the Fieldstown community that gives Fieldstown Road it’s name. Working with the ladies at the historical society has been fun as we uncover the story behind prominent landmarks in the city.

Next month we are launching even more new features, including a new chance to highlight the children in our community who make it a special place to live. As always, we want Gardendale Magazine to be YOUR magazine, so keep the ideas coming.

Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director

Our Advertisers

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Children’s of Alabama

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Norwood Clinic

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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.

About the Cover

Cover photo by Vickie Unlap (fodaction.com)

There are high hopes for this year’s Gardendale High School softball team. These five seniors will lead the Rockets in the 2023 season.

Staff

Matthew Allen Publisher

(205) 617-9609, matthew@jbmcmedia.com

Rachel Davis Karr Content Director

(205) 613-7850, rachel@jbmcmedia.com

Michelle Salem Haynes Marketing Consultant

(205) 381-1311, michelle@jbmcmedia.com

Anthony and Shweta Bratina

Graphic Design

History of Fieldstown

Fieldstown started in 1878

Everyone reading this has traveled Fieldstown Road at some point. The main thoroughfare through the city connects the interstate to Highway 31, takes you by most of the city’s businesses and trails down to many of the newer, larger housing developments in the city.

But how many people have thought about where the name Fieldstown came from?

The short answer is that the area down Fieldstown Road, near where Fire Station Number 2 now sits, was once a community known as Fieldstown. Its founder, William Alfred Fields, founded the community in 1878. At this time, Jugtown (as Gardendale was still known) did not extend that far out. His great-granddaughter, Joyce Fields Blankenship, compiled her family history for the Kermit Dooley Gardendale Historical Museum several years ago, in order to preserve the stories. Blankenship has living in Fieldstown her entire life.

William Alfred Fields was born November 15, 1839 to John and Nancy Melinda (Bagley) Fields. Fields enlisted to fight in the Civil War in 1862 and served in the 28th Infantry and Company G, before being honorable discharged in May of 1865. He was married to Louisa Toles Burnam in 1871 and soon after he purchased 160 acres of land in the area that would become the Fieldstown community. He purchased the land for $350 (paid in two $175 payments).

At the time, according to Blankenship, each township had 36 sections and each section was 640 acres, making FIelds’ 160-acre purchase ¼ of a section.

Fields and his wife had eight children and built a house in the middle of the 160 acres.

// Continued on Page 9//

PHOTOS SPECIAL TO GARDENDALE MAGAZINE

// Continued from Page 8

That first home was a log structure with two large cedar trees in the front yard. Blankenship said the cedar trees must have been near the well on the property because her dad recalled the well water tasting like cedar twice a year.

After a few years in the log structure, Fields decided to build a larger home he called “Big House.” That home was still standing on Phillips Drive in Fieldstown, although it had been updated and had additions made until it was torn down in 2013.

Families began coming to live in Fieldstown and, it is likely, according to Blankenship, that Fields was leasing them acreage to live and farm. Also, as each of his eight children got married, he gave them 10 acres to start their own homes and farms.

Fields was also known for his avid beekeeping and older family members told Blankeship the hives once stretched for miles, four rows deep. At one point, according to sources, he had over 80 hives and it took almost five days to rob them all for honey. He would sell the honey in the mining camps or trade it at the commissary for flour and coffee.

Fields died in 1913 and was buried in the Fields family plot at Cluster Springs Cemetery, where his mother was also laid to rest. In his later years, family legend said he had a “blood disease” in his legs and also developed a large skin cancer on his face.

In October of 2010, Fieldstown was declared a Historic Community by the City of Gardendale and a marker was placed at the site. Most of what was one Fieldstown is now a part of the City of Gardendale, although some of the property may still remain in unincorporated Jefferson County.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Joyce Fields Blankenship for her help in providing this information about the beginnings of Fieldstown. This monthly feature is produced in conjunction with the Gardendale Historical Society.

Engagements

Weddings

Birthdays Anniversaries

Share your moments with all of Gardendale. Engaged? Recently married? Celebrating a special birthday or anniversary? Share it with us so we can let everybody in town know about it! Here’s what to do:

• Email a high-resolution photo, 50-75 word description, and the name(s) of the people in the announcement to celebrations@jbmcmedia.com.

• Choose from one of two sizes to share your celebration: a 1/4 page space ($95) or a 1/2 page ($190). Payment can be made with debit or credit card, or through PayPal or Venmo.

• Your announcement will also be shared on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

• Deadline is the 5th of the month prior to the issue you wish the celebration to appear in.

Play Ball

Talented young players step into new roles

By Rachel Davis Karr

Coach Ryan Keedy enters the baseball season with the smallest number of seniors he can ever remember and one of the most challenging schedules he’s ever seen. Just three of his players this year are set to graduate at the end of the season, but they are backed by a large number of underclassmen who have already seen playing time.

“We have a really good group of junior and sophomore kids that have been in the program for a couple of years, so I think we’ve got a chance to be pretty good,” Keedy said.

// Continued on Page 10//

PHOTOS BY VICKIE UNLAP (FODACTION.COM)

Coach Ryan Keedy said his players will be looking to the three seniors and other talent to guide them through challenges.

// Continued from Page 12 //

The team lost a large group of senior starters last year, including the starting pitcher and catcher, as well as its veteran outfielders, but Keedy said his players are ready to step up to the plate, so to speak. .

“I feel good about who is coming up to step into those roles,” Keedy said. “Some of those kids have played for two years already and they are just juniors and sophomores. We did lose a lot, but I feel like, with what we have coming up it won’t be that much, if any, of a dropoff.”

In fact, Connor Hensley, who will be stepping into catcher duties has already committed to play at Gadsden State, after playing third base for the Rockets for the last two years. Keedy is confident that position will see no drop from last year.

// Continued on Page 14//

Coach Ryan Keedy expects a lot from his three seniors, as well as his experienced sophomores and juniors.

Other players, like sophomore Caiden Combs, who has already committed to Auburn, still has three more years in a Gardendale jersey, so Keedy is excited to see what he will do.

First baseman Ty McGraw is committed to play at Troy and Cooper Jarvis, who missed last season with a knee injury, will be returning this year.

“Those are going to be our guys and hopefully everyone else will rally around them and they can lead the charge,” Keedy said.

The biggest unknown currently is depth at pitcher. Logan Fitzgerald is returning and he has picked up quite a few innings for the team in past years, but the team doesn’t have the returning depth in that position that Keedy has had in previous seasons.

“We’ve got some guys who are gonna have to step up, but because we;ve had so much depth in the past, they don’t have a lot of innings so it’s unknown,” Keedy said.

The veteran coach has been with the team in some capacity since 2011, but was named head coach in 2019, when the team went all the way to the quarterfinals. The next year, the season was cut to just 11 games by the pandemic. So he and his players are no strangers to adversity, but he’s eager to get the season started, even with young players and a challenging schedule.

“It will be a good test, especially right out of the shoot, to see what we’re made of,” Keedy said. “I’m excited to see our offense. I think we have the ability, with the guys who will be playing for us, to hit the ball pretty well and score a bunch of runs. I’ll be interested and excited to see how we handle our schedule. It’s really, really tough. In going through it, there’s not a whole lot, if any, games you feel like ‘oh we should win this.” It’s a really tough schedule and I hope at the end of the year, since we’ve been tested all year, we will come out on the other side ahead and prepared for postseason play.”

Covering All Bases

Rockets Softball looking forward to a winning season

By Rachel Davis Karr

Going into her second year as Gardendale’s softball coach, Kyndall White is optimistic about her team.

“This year, I’m extremely excited about our young core that we have,” White said. “I’m really excited about the possibilities we have throughout our lineup with speed and power. We have a really strong defense, and a lot of young kids in a lot of areas that are going to be beneficial to us. I think that is our strength–we have a young, talented group of kids–very athletic, smart and they know the game. We’re going to be very strong defensively and I think we will have a lot of speed that we haven’t

// Continued on Page 10//

PHOTOS BY VICKIE UNLAP (FODACTION.COM)

Coach Kyndall White called this year’s senior softball players “special,” and has high hopes for their season.

Gardendale’s talented young players will be led by the five seniors who include several power hitters and key field positions.

// Continued from Page 16 //

had in the past.”

In White’s first year, the team was cochampion in region play, runner up in the area and, overall exceeded all the goals their coach had set. White remembers though the season didn’t quite go her team’s way, she also said many of the losses last year were close games, leaving her optimistic about this year.

The team lost five seniors last year, including two heavy hitters for the team, one of those being starting pitcher Natalie Snow. Sophie Gant will be the new starter. She split innings with Snow last year, so she is an experienced pitcher, but who will be second and third string pitcher is currently up in the air.

Overall, while White says some of the players who graduated last year will be a challenge to replace, she believes this team, and this year’s seniors are something special.

“I’m going to miss them when it’s all said and over for the senior class,” White said. “They are great kids, and they have been in this program for a really long time. I have been blessed to coach them for two years and see them grow. They are the glue that holds this team together.”

While her seniors have a special place in her heart, White is proud of the whole team and ready for the season to start.

// Continued on Page 14//

“I’m excited about seeing these kids play,” White said. “The culture they have built this season with competing, caring about each other, having accountability, wanting to get better. That’s what I’m excited about.”

“I just really think that we have a bunch of young kids that have really understood the goals of what me and Coach Tori Brown have set out there and the standards of what this softball program has had for many many years,” White said. “I really think they have taken ownership of that so I’m excited to see all of that transfer over to the field in the Spring.”

But White isn’t just excited about their performance on the field, she is also proud of the young women she has watched grow for the last two years.

“It being my second year here, my goal this year was to allow our girls to get out there in the community and make a difference,” White said. “We went to Snow Roger Elementary School on their club day and got to hang out with some amazing kids that are interested in softball and wanting to learn.”

“We’re excited to represent the community, and we look forward to going out there and playing hard and doing everything we can to bring a championship back here to Gardendale,” White said.

Although Coach White worries about the depth at some positions, she is confident in her veteran players.

Highlighting the Partnership Between the City of Gardendale and Sports Facilities Companies

The City of Gardendale has partnered with Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) under the leadership of Gardendale Mayor Stan Hogeland and Account Executive John Sparks to manage and staff the new Bill Noble Park in Gardendale. The staff at Bill Noble Park is hard at work planning for the Grand Opening and daily operation of the park.

Sports Facilities Companies also partners with two other cities in Alabama, Hoover and Albertville, to help manage the operations at the Hoover Met and Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater.

Join us on March 11th for the Grand Opening Event at the new Bill Noble Park!

Bill Noble Park Staff

Our staff is ready to serve every visitor at Bill Noble Park with a smile and ensure that each guest has an amazing experience with each visit. Please visit our website for more information about Bill Noble Park or reach out to one of our staff members today

Website: billnoblepark.com

Will Mayhall, General Manager

wmayhall@billnoblepark.com

Jesse Newsom, Business Development & Sponsorship Manager

jnewsom@sportsfacilities.com

Caeley Guthrie, Marketing Manager

caeleyguthrie@billnoblepark.com

Austin Pearson, Events Manager

apearson@sportsfacilities.com

Katrina McLaughlin, Finance Manager

kmclaughlin@billnoblepark.com

Musical Calling

By Rachel Davis Karr

Most people don’t find themselves accidentally owning a business, but, for Kyla Duckworth that’s exactly what happened. “I taught piano lessons for years at other music studios,”

Duckworth explained. “I have been a worship leader since I was a teenager and would teach kids at my church.”

After some personal changes for Kyla, she began teaching music lessons from her dad’s basement. Then a friend allowed them to use

// Continued on Page 21 //

the church basement if she taught for their homeschool program in exchange for rent. Then, two years ago, she opened Musicality. In no time, she went from four students in her dad’s basement to more than 150 now.

“I feel like my steps were ordered by the Lord,” Duckworth said. “He wanted me to do it and it just happened and I didn’t really know that was the direction we were going.”

It may not have been a planned route, but Duckworth could not be happier that she gets to share her love of music with so many people. She also hopes that her students, who are mostly children, will find the positive outlet in music that she did.

“I grew up doing music and it just saved me in so many situations,” Duckworth explained. “Finding my identity in something good like that, so I wasn’t making friends with the wrong people, and I was involved in something that was good for me.”

Duckworth also said that music gave her confidence in herself and her own abilities and that is something she hopes to instill in her students.

“I don’t want to just teach music, I want them to grow in confidence,” Duckworth explained. “We started teaching by accident, but then we started to realize kids were growing so much in other ways.”

Her three goals for every student are:

• We want to provide quality music education.

• We want to help your kid grow in confidence and creativity.

• Fun!

Parents of children who have special needs or who have been through trauma also benefit from the lessons taught at Musicality. Parents have told Duckworth that their child couldn’t play sports or had refused to talk to a therapist, but opened up while learning music.

Duckworth encourages kids to find their

// Continued from Page 20 // // Continued on Page 22 //

“I don’t want to just teach music, I want them to grow in confidence. We started teaching by accident, but then we started to realize kids were growing so much in other ways.”

Kyla Duckworth

own unique sound through her tagline: “You have a sound the world needs to hear.” She also often tells prospective students or parents, “We help you find, develop and release your sound.”

“It’s more than just learning music lessons, we want the kid to grow as a person and realize they have worth,” Duckworth said. Some of the kids benefit more from group lessons and enjoy feeling like they are part of a team, and many of them like the concerts that are held at the end of each semester.

“We have ‘Release Your Sound’ concerts at the end of each semester, so the kids have an opportunity to release their sound and not just learn in a classroom with a teacher and never use their talents,” Duckworth explained. “Even if they are a first-time student, they get to be in the concert, if they want to.”

They also visit places like The Day Place and perform for Friends who spend their days there. Duckworth said they used to go into nursing homes but COVID stopped that a few years ago.

Their Raise the Praise Worship Band performs at churches and other places where they can lead praise.

Currently Musicality students can learn piano, voice, drums, guitar or ukulele. There is also a worship band, music and movement classes for young kids and music for homeschoolers. In the future, Musicality may look for a larger space in order to expand its offerings into other instruments or even other arts.

Kids can start lessons as young as 3, but Musicality isn’t just for kids, Duckworth said. In fact, she just had a 75-year-old sign up for lessons.

For anyone interested in lessons for themselves or their child, you can submit a contact form at MusicalityStudio.com.

Duckworth also encourages parents to schedule a time to bring their child by and let them look around and gauge their interest in taking lessons.

LOCALLY MADE | LOCALLY SOURCED

cutting boards | Charcuterie trays

bathtub caddies | bed swings

stovetop covers | tables | planters

shelves | bookcases

custom orders accepted

facebook: @deogloriawoodworks

Instagram: @deogloriawoodworks

DEO GLORIA WOOD WORKS

Majestic Minis Mom’s need for dainty jewelry led to business

By Rachel Davis Karr

Emily Woodard just wanted some earrings to wear to her daughter’s school events. But there weren’t a lot of options, especially in the smaller, daintier jewelry the mom of three likes to wear. So she made her own. After posting about them on social media, she started getting requests from other parents and students and decided to start selling the mascot earrings. The small, post-backed button earrings feature rockets and blue devils, as well as other small designs. .

// Continued on Page 25//

Continued from Page 24

Soon those mascot earrings led to Halloween, Christmas and now Valentine’s earrings, as well as custom orders.

Woodard just started selling the earrings around Halloween and sold more than 185 pairs by the end of the year. Then, the owners of ACE Hardware in Gardendale contacted her to offer the earrings in their new Cullman location.

Before earrings, Woodard made door signs and many other items around the house, but those were more time and labor intensive. Being a mother with three young children, a husband and assorted pets doesn’t allow a lot of time for creating things, but Woodard said her mom was always working on something when she was growing up and still managed to find time for crafts and sewing.

““My mom has always done crafts and different projects,” Woodard explained. “She was even the costume designer for their local community theater for 15 years or so. She costumed about 80 kids for a play for many years. So I grew up doing different crafts.”

These days, she does all her work in the kitchen, mostly under the watchful eye of her youngest daughter, Brooklyn.

Woodard’s goal with her tiny creations is to bright someone’s day and give them a hard-to-find item, but the money she makes is being squirreled away for another reason. Woodard’s husband wants to have LASIK eye surgery and she is storing her money to pay for the out-of pocket cost of surgery.

You can find Woodard on Facebook or Instagram under Majestic Minis. She can ship them, but most people just pick their orders up from her porch. The earrings are affordable, with all of them so far costing just $5 a pair.

Library Open for Curbside

The Gardendale Library remains closed after a burst pipe caused damage to the building. But, the library has been able to open up curbside service to allow patrons to still get the items they want and need from the library. The library is also continuing with many of its other programs, but they are being hosted at the Gardendale Civic Center. For more information, call the library or visit its Facebook page.

Mordecai donation

Danny Mordecai and Nita Mordecai donated this framed print to the city. Gardendale hosted this tournament back in 2008. Mayor Stan Hogeland said he will hang the picture in his office.

Chamber Shirts for Sale

The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce is selling shirts so you can show your hometown pride. The deadline to order is February 17.

Theraplay Opens Office in Gardendale

TheraPlay is a pediatric clinic offering speech and occupational therapy services. They have opened an office on Main Street in Gardendale. For more information, contact them at (256) 841-5185 or visit their Facebook page.

KS Boutique Ribbon Cutting

The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce welcomed KS Boutique at 1705 Decatur Highway to Gardendale with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

GES Art Show

Gardendale Elementary student

Chloe Berendt was chosen to represent the Jefferson County School System at the State Superintendent Art Show in Montgomery. Only 10 elementary artists are selected to represent the entire county at the state show.

GES Perfect Attendance

Gardendale Elementary School honored its first semester perfect attendance students.

Bragg Student of the Month

Bragg Middle School honored its January Students of the Month. These students were chosen by their teachers (one student from each team) for their hard work, 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.

Those students are:

6th Grade Maroon - Amiyah Johnson

6th Grade Gray - Amelia Boles

7th Grade Maroon - Steven Cooper

7th Grade Gray - Cruce McCoy

8th Grade Maroon - Nahomi Cumula Aquino

8th Grade Gray - Calie Vance

GES Character Award

Gardendale Elementary School honored its December Character Award winners for displaying Joy.

Bragg Wrestling

Bragg won the 2023 Jefferson County Tournament. Placing were:

1st - JT Boone, Aaron Head, Camaree Gooden, Ashton Vice

2nd - Jacob Tarwater, Reese Morgan, William Osborne, Jayden Jordan, Mark Moody, Weston Morton, Chauncey Goodwin

3rd - Dakota Fitts, Ayden Davis, Crue Bryson, Davion Stanley, Luke Pruitt, Caleb Combs

4th - Austin Haygood, Jayden Levins, Mike Shelley

Snow Rogers Elementary School Students of the Month December

Snow Rogers Elementary School honored its December Students of the Month.

SRES Heart Challenge

Snow Rogers Elementary School students that raised at least $100 for Kids Heart Challenge got to have a Silly String Party as a reward.

SRES Robotics

Snow Rogers Elementary School is proud of its Robotics Teams. Two teams tied for 10th in the Skills division and one in 19th at a recent competition. We were 19th, 20th and 24th places in the Team division.

Open to the Public:

Open to the Public:

Thursday, March 10 -- 8am-7pm

Thursday, March 9 -- 8am-7pm

Friday, March 11 -- 8am-5pm

Friday, March 10 -- 8am-6pm

Saturday, March 12 -- 7am-noon (many items discounted 50%)

Saturday, March 11 -- 7am-noon (many items discounted 50%)

Featuring gently-used children’s clothing size newborn to “big kid” 18, children’s shoes up to “big kid” 9, baby equipment, bikes, sports equipment, toys, games, puzzles, and more!

Featuring gently-used children’s clothing size newborn to “big kid” 18, children’s shoes (all sizes), baby equipment, bikes, sports equipment, toys, games, puzzles, and more!

KingdomKidsConsignment.com 805 Crest Drive, Gardendale

KingdomKidsConsignment.com 805 Crest Drive, Gardendale

ALL PROFITS SUPPORT MISSIONS

ALL PROFITS SUPPORT MISSIONS

SHORTCUT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TART

1 12-oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream (Do not use regular whipping cream. It will not firm up enough.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 6-oz chocolate cookie or graham cracker pie crust (Homemade Oreo cookie crust recipe below)

Garnishes:

Sweetened Whipped Cream (or Cool Whip) Strawberries, blueberries or raspberries

Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and pour the whipping cream over the chips. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute and 30 seconds. I have a 1200 watt microwave.

Let it stand 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. It might look like it will never get smooth but it will. If lumps persist, microwave an additional 20 seconds and stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla.

Pour truffle filling into pie crust, spreading to the edges with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. If you are making this the day before, cover it after the filling firms up with aluminum foil. “Tent” it so it doesn’t touch the filling and leave marks.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream, raspberries, blueberries or strawberries.

To gild the lily, drizzle with chocolate syrup!

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CRUST (OPTION):

11 double stuf Oreo cookies (about 1 cup cookie crumbs)

Preheat oven to 350°. Process the cookies in a food processor until finely crushed into crumbs. Press cookie crumbs into a 9 inch pie plate (not deep dish) with the bottom of a glass. Press the crumbs up the sides of the plate about 1/2 inch with your fingers. Tap the top of the crust down gently to make a smooth edge. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, about 30 minutes before adding filling. Note: The extra filling in the cookies helps to hold the crust together in place of butter. Regular Oreo cookies will work but the crust will be a little fragile.

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 and Pinterest.

Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast

The annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast will be February 24 at 7 a.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center. More details will be announced, but make plans to join us to celebrate our great city!

Chamber of Commerce Scholarships

The deadline for the annual Chamber of Commerce Scholarships is March 3rd. Applications opened January 30, 2023. The scholarship is open to any student living or going to school in the community. For more information, visit the Chamber of Commerce’s website or Facebook page.

State of the Chamber Address

Gardendale Chamber of Commerce executive director Heather Lebischak will host the first ever State of the Chamber Address at the Gardendale Civic Center. Make plans to attend and hear about all the exciting things happening in the city. More details, including sign-up information, will be released at a later date.

Opening of Bill Noble Park

The official opening of the new Bill Noble Athletic Complex will be March 11. There will be a celebration for the community, as well as opening day festivities for baseball and softball.

Magnolia Festival

The annual Magnolia Festival is set for April 21-22. Applications for sponsors, vendors and scholarships will be available beginning January 2. For more information, find them on Facebook or visit MagnoliaFestival.org.

Historical Museum Hours

The Kermit E. Dooley Gardendale Historical Museum will be open to the public every Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Community Kickball Game

A community kickball game is starting every Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Gardendale soccer fields. Anyone who is interested is welcome.

To have an item added to our calendar, please send information to rachel@jbmcmedia.com.