Gardendale Magazine - February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

A FRIEND

In the

JEWELRY BUSINESS

JEFF DENNIS VALUES FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

PAGE 28

Petals of

Love A family serving Gardendale for 60 years PAGE 10

A seafood favorite returns PAGE 14

Quality Amenities for Locals to Enjoy Parks Splash Pad Civic Center Hiking & Biking Trails

Local & National Restaurants Convenient & Unique Shopping

Coming 2022 · The Crossings at Magnolia City Place · · A Premier Development for Restaurants and Retail ·

The Medical Mile The Gardendale Medical Mile is an innovative collaboration of healthcare businesses focused on providing exceptional care and wellness services. It’s an accomplishment that reflects the success and development of our humble city! The Mayor and Council have worked hard to establish Gardendale as the medical hub of North Jefferson County. Join us!

Coming 2023

Bill Noble Park 9 Synthetic Turf Baseball & Softball Fields 1 Synthetic Regulation Football/Soccer Field Playgrounds

Walking Trails Basketball Court Beach Volleyball Pickelball Tennis

There’s so much to enjoy and experience in Gardendale that you will need to experience it for yourself to believe it!

www.cityofgardendale.com | Phone: 205-631-8789 | Address: 925 Main St, Gardendale, AL 35071 [ 2 ] Gardendale magazine

Olivia Tetralogy of Fallot Patient

Olivia Tetralogy of Fallot Patient

The path to The path to

MENDING HER MENDING HER

HEART MENDINGHEART HER HEART The path to

The path to MENDING

HER

was actually through her leg. was actually through her leg.

Olivia was born with a congenital heart defect requiring open

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Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve in her heart.

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Olivia was the first pediatric patient in the Children’s of Alabama. of Alabama. they went through vein invalve, her leg insert southeast to receive theaChildren’s Harmony and to it was herethe at Harmony Children’s of Alabama.

To learn more visitValve in her heart. This less-invasive Transcatheter Pulmonary To learn more visit To more ChildrensAL.org/heart visit ChildrensAL.org/heart pathlearn to replacement shortened her recovery time, and she went ChildrensAL.org/heart home the next day. Olivia was the first pediatric patient in the Gardendale southeast to receive the Harmony valve, and it was here at magazine [ 3 ]

was actually through her leg.

/ Table of Contents /

10/

18/

14/

A seafood favorite returns

16/

Nonprofit Spotlight: Kingdom Kids works for the community

Petals of love: A family serving Gardendale for 60 years.

Recipe of the Month: A new take on a Mardi Gras favorite

[ 4 ] Gardendale magazine

/ Table of Contents /

20/

Faith: Landmark church gets a new name with Hope

22/

28/

Everyday Folks: Jeff Dennis focuses on family and community

Local Love Stories: Three local couples share their stories

30/

Calendar: Don’t miss these events

Gardendale magazine [ 5 ]

/ About Us / On The Cover / Who We Are Gardendale Magazine is published monthly by JBMC Media, a Birmingham-based publishing company.

The magazine is mailed directly to 8,600+ homes and businesses within the city of Gardendale, and it is solely supported by advertisers within the pages of this magazine.

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 Anita Rouse and Rosilyn Wilson still keep their mom’s memory alive at Wilson’s Florist. The business has been serving Gardendale residents for 60 years.

Cover photo by Ron Burkett

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Your City Podcast

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(205) 617-9609 // P.O. Box 26432, Birmingham, AL 35260 [ 6 ] Gardendale magazine

Rachel Davis Karr Content Director (205) 613-7850, rachel@jbmcmedia.com Lori Kinney Marketing Consultant (205) 447-1164, lkinney1215@gmail.com Anthony Bratina, Shweta Gamble Graphic Design

Contact Us/Follow Us @GardendaleMagazine

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

/ Editor’s Note / Our official About Us says, “Telling the story of Gardendale, in print and online.” But, I’ve always described the magazine as a love letter to the city of Gardendale and its residents.

Because that’s what it is for me. I love getting to tell the stories of the people who call this city home. So, since it is February, we thought we would make “love” our theme.

For this issue, I met the sisters on our cover, who have been keeping their mom’s legacy alive at Wilson’s Florist and have now made the difficult decision to sell the shop. It’s hard to imagine Gardendale without a business that has become an institution, so hopefully someone will buy it and continue the tradition.

I also chatted with local jeweler Jeff Dennis about his business and how he thinks the pandemic has changed peoples’ priorities and outlooks on things and what he focuses on in his own life.

Then we told the love stories of some local couples. There were several more we wanted to include, but illness prevented them from participating. But the three couples who were able to be a part of the project talked about putting God and their families first and shared their stories and advice with us.

I also had the chance to get the story on the renaming of a Gardendale landmark church, as well as a history lesson on how Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church came to be and what led the church to rename itself “Hope.”

And I got a sneak peek at the new Shrimp Basket (which will be open by the time this hits your mailboxes). If you haven’t seen the new concept for the restaurants, Gardendale is one of the first locations to get the makeup and it is stunning.

We also talked to the organizer of the twice-annual consignment sale for children. Kingdom Kids will be reopening its doors for its spring and summer sale soon, but we delved into all the good they do with the money they raise.

As much as this magazine is a love story, this one has been a labor of love. Never in my career have I had so many interviews canceled or rescheduled due to illness. Please be safe out there, readers. I hope those of you who haven’t been feeling well are recovering, and we will be able to return to some normalcy soon.

Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director

Gardendale magazine [ 7 ]

/ Mayor’s Corner / What is your city’s greatest asset? That was the question posed to me as I was being interviewed along with my fellow mayors. My response? Our city employees. They are the true backbone of our city. In Gardendale, it’s nine department heads representing the approximately 175 employees beneath them, working together to provide the quality of life that our citizens deserve. The nine departments are police, fire, inspections, public works, civic center, parks and recreation, administration, court and library.

Every Wednesday morning, I have a department head meeting to discuss what is happening in the individual departments and the city as a whole. These men and women are dedicated professionals with well over 300 years of combined municipal experience. But more than that, they care about the people who depend on them every day. Also, there is a deep bond between them as fellow department heads and they work well together. It’s always very gratifying to me to see one department helping another, crossing departmental lines. We are all in this together and every department head is here to serve all of our citizens.

Spring will be here soon, and we will all be out and about more as the temperatures warm. I encourage you to take notice of our employees as they work hard providing the quality of life that is expected by our citizens. And, when you see them, take the time to thank them for their service. Just a simple gesture of appreciation can go a long way!

Stan Hogeland, Mayor City of Gardendale

[ 8 ] Gardendale magazine

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facebook: @deogloriawoodworks Instagram: @deogloriawoodworks Gardendale magazine [ 9 ]

/ Feature /

Memories of mom Sisters still honor mom’s dream after 60 years

PHOTOS BY RON BURGETT

Story by Rachel Davis Karr Rosilyn Wilson remembers when her mom started making flower arrangements and selling them from their home in Mt. Olive. In 1963, Martha Wilson bought $100 worth of silk flowers and arranged them for grave decorations and placed them on her

“We had shelves in our living room–which our house was not very big–but people would come into our house and go into the living room while we were there watching t.v. as kids and pick out something they wanted on the shelves,” Rosilyn remembered with a laugh.

front porch for sale. When she sold those, she would

After outgrowing her home and venturing into live

reinvest her earnings into the business and buy more

flowers, Martha Wilson opened a small flower shop

flowers to sell. // Continued on Page 12 // [ 10 ] Gardendale magazine

in Fultondale, behind the dance hall.

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/ Feature /

// Continued from Page 11 // “It was small, it probably wasn’t as big as our cooler now,” Rosilyn said.

After a few shops in Fultondale, Martha Wilson built her large store on Gardendale’s Main Street in 1971. Wilson’s Florist was a true family business, with Martha’s husband, James, building display shelves and her four children often called into service to help around the store.

The store’s motto “We take care of you from birth to death and everywhere in between,” reflects the fact that Wilson’s flowers have been featured in every part of local lives.

After the original building was built, Martha decided to branch out into China and then built a wedding chapel. She had been going and setting up weddings at churches and other locations, but there was nothing like a little wedding chapel in the area.

“That was my mother’s dream–to have a wedding // Continued on Page 13 // [ 12 ] Gardendale magazine

chapel,” Rosilyn remembered.

During its heyday, the wedding chapel saw two or three weddings a weekend, but over the last few years has fallen out of use because of staffing issues and changing trends.

Over the years, the additional spaces at the expansive business have been rented by beauticians, accountants, doctors and others, but now those renters are gone. Martha loved the social aspect of the business and the community. She was a member of local garden clubs, philanthropic organizations and community groups until her death in 2008, even though she had left the business itself mostly for the girls to run.

These days, Rosilyn and Anita both work with the flowers and Rosilyn runs the day-to-day while Anita makes deliveries and does the bookkeeping. Other family members also come by to help some, but mostly Anita and Rosilyn have been running things

/ Feature / // Continued from Page 12// on their own for almost 30 years. But now the sisters are ready for their next chapters.

60 years after Martha first ventured into the world of flower sales, her daughters, Rosilyn and Anita are ready to retire themselves. None of their children want to take over the business so they have made the difficult decision to place their beloved family business for sale.

“We’ve been talking about this for about 10 or 15 years, Anita and I have,” Rosilyn explained.

“Last Valentine’s Day, she didn’t even go home and I went home and got four hours of sleep. We said ‘we cannot go through this again.’”

The chaos of Valentine’s Day and the responsibility of being entrusted with so many funerals and other occasions hasn’t taken away the love for the work, but the years have taken a toll.

“I started working here when I was 10 years old,” Rosilyn said. “I love to work with the fresh flowers and, some days, I love to work with the silk flowers. I

love it all, I’m just tired.”

The sisters are hoping that whoever buys their mom’s business will be someone who loves their customers as much as they do and enjoy being a part of their celebrations as well as a comfort in their losses.

The business and the building itself are for sale. The wedding chapel is attached to the front shop and Rosilyn thinks the setup might be ideal for an event venue as well. But the one thing that isn’t for sale is the original shelving sets their dad built all those years ago. Rosilyn said she can remember her little brother napping on the shelves when he was a small child. She said she just can’t bear to part with those.

For both sisters, it’s hard to imagine life without the business they have devoted the last six decades to, but they are both excited about possibly being able to travel or spend more time with their families outside of the business.

“Maybe even take a trip on Valentine’s, that might be nice,” Rosilyn mused.

Gardendale magazine [ 13 ]

/ Restaurant Profile /

Old favorite, new look Shrimp Basket reopens in Gardendale after almost three-year absence

The new dining room at the Shrimp Basket is a cleaner, brighter look than previous designs for the restaurants.

Story by Rachel Davis Karr When Shrimp Basket first opened in Gardendale in 2016, it was largely because of a social media campaign, started by Gardendale residents, begging the chain to consider the city for its new location.

Those fans are also the reason the store is reopening its location in Gardendale.

Area Manager Lori Rapp, who is overseeing the reopening of the Shrimp Basket location on Fieldstown Road said the company never wanted to close the location, but an issue with the lease left the company with no other options in March of 2019.

After a few years of constant outcry from local seafood // Continued on Page 15 // [ 14 ] Gardendale magazine

aficionados who wanted the restaurant to return, the company was finally able to negotiate a new lease for its old location.

“Every time we posted anything on social media, people wanted to know when we were coming back to Gardendale,” Lori said. “It was the number one most requested location to reopen.”

The location remained unchanged from the first opening and unoccupied, but, in the time since the location closed, a lot has changed. The company was in the middle of a complete rebrand plan that gives the restaurants a fresh, clean look along with new menu items.

/ Restaurant Profile /

The completely overhauled bar area is one of the highlights of the new dining room.

// Continued from Page 14 // Lori and the rest of the Shrimp Basket team got to work turning the old location into the new Shrimp Basket. Gone are the open concept dining room and the stereotypical seafood restaurant decorations.

Instead, the restaurant is now mostly white shiplap with banquet seating built into the outer areas. The white is accented with Hawaiian print seat covers and woven light covers– feelings of coastal living without the more commercial appearance. Even the bathrooms got a major overhaul, with floor to ceiling tile that is designed to look like old boards.

Overall, the location marks a major investment in the Gardendale community for the restaurant chain. The company also brought in experts from its different locations to train the Gardendale staff and help with the opening. This meant compiling the best servers, wait staff, kitchen staff and other key employees to

dispense all their knowledge on the new staff.

The menu got less of a makeover, with some new offerings alongside the old favorites. With one out of every three people ordering the namesake shrimp baskets, those obviously remained on the menu, as did the second most popular dish–blackened redfish with seafood cream sauce. An exciting new addition are fish tacos, made with either fried or blackened whitefish and a house-made mango salsa. The seafood is shipped fresh from the gulf coast twice a week, courtesy of the restaurant’s own seafood company.

In the weeks leading up to the restaurant’s reopening, social media in Gardendale was once again buzzing about when the restaurant would open and what they were planning to order. Some residents have become regulars at the chain’s Cullman and Homewood locations, but were excited to not have to drive as far for their seafood fix.

Gardendale magazine [ 15 ]

/ Nonprofit /

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KINGDOM KIDS

The Kingdom Kids Sale offers more than 60,000 children’s items for sale.

Kingdom Kids helps families, local causes Story by Rachel Davis Karr Twice a year the doors open to the Kingdom Kids consignment sale at Hope Church (formerly Gardendale Mt. Vernon) to allow parents a chance to buy gently-used clothes at a steep discount or make a little money off old clothes their children have outgrown.

The sale boasts more than 300 sellers and more than 60,000 items each time. The profits from the sale of items are split 70 percent to the consignor and 30 percent for the church to go toward the mission // Continued on Page 17 //

[ 16 ] Gardendale magazine

work it supports. Locally those organizations include the Well House, Cornerstone Ranch, Jimmie Hale Mission, North Jefferson Women’s Center, Bundles of Hope and many others. There are also national and international organizations that receive support from the funds raised.

Beverly Hoff, the chairman of the committee that organizes the show, explained it is a three-day show that is open to the public. Hoff said the church has hosted the show for more than a decade and now raises more than $100,000 in sales. Consignors bring baby equipment, toys, children’s clothing and shoes,

/ Nonprofit / The sale boasts more than 300 sellers and more than 60,000 items each time. The profits from the sale of items are split 70 percent to the consignor and 30 percent for the church to go toward the mission work it supports.

// Continued from Page 16 // but no large furniture, accessories or teen clothing, since those items have not sold well in the past.

Donations are not the only way the sale helps local families, offering a special sale night and discount for foster families and donating many of the items left at the end of the sale to local charities that help those in need. Once the sale is concluded, the consignors can choose to pick up the remaining items or allow them to be donated. Then, the North Jefferson Women’s Center accepts most clothing size 2T and smaller. Other items are usually donated to First Light or the Lovelady Center.

This year’s Spring/Summer Sale will open to the public on March 10. There are still limited spaces left for sellers for that sale and there are many opportunities for volunteers to help with the show.

See their ad on page 11 for more information. The clothes in this sale will be spring/summer weight.

There will be a fall/winter sale later in the year.

For more information, visit the website at kingdomkidsconsignment.com or find them on Facebook or Instagram.

A large group of volunteers make the twice-yearly Kingdom Kids consignment sale a reality.

Gardendale magazine [ 17 ]

/ Recipe of the Month /

KING CAKE PANCAKES This shortcut King Cake Pancakes recipe starts with pancake mix and mashed bananas! You don’t have to wait for Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday (also known as Pancake Day) to enjoy these for breakfast or brunch.

Drizzle simple icing over a short stack of these light and fluffy pancakes, sprinkle gold, purple and green sanding sugar over the top or change the color of sprinkles to match the holiday.

The icing and sprinkles instead of pancake syrup is certainly a delicious way to gild the lily!

Prep Time: 10 mins / Cook Time: 16 mins / Total Time: 26 mins Breakfast Servings: 4 servings Calories: 448kcal Equipment skillet or griddle Ingredients 2 cups buttermilk complete pancake mix (I used Krusteaz) 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional) * (Or, 1 tablespoon cinnamonsugar) 1 cup water 2 small ripe bananas mashed with a fork (about ¾ cup) 1 tablespoon melted butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups powdered sugar

[ 18 ] Gardendale magazine

3 tablespoons half-n-half, whole milk, or 2 % milk (or half whipping cream and half water) Purple, gold, and green sanding sugars

Preheat an electric griddle to 350 degrees or heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Combine pancake mix, (cinnamon, if using) water, and mashed bananas in a large bowl, stirring just until moistened.

Melt butter in a very small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Add the vegetable oil and stir well. This is an excellent mixture to fry pancakes because the butter adds flavor and the vegetable oil has a higher smoke point and won’t burn the pancakes.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet. I use a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup.

Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges looked cooked when lifted with a spatula. If the edges look brown before the tops are bubbly, your heat is too hot.

Carefully turn pancakes over with a spatula that won’t scratch the nonstick surface; cook about 1 minute more or until bottoms are lightly browned.

While pancakes cook, whisk together powdered sugar and milk. (Add additional milk if icing is not able to “drizzle” to your liking.

Stack 2, 3, or 4 pancakes on a plate (depending on your appetite) and drizzle with icing. (2 pancakes is a typical serving)

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/ Faith /

Hope Church, formerly Gardendale-Mt. Vernon, is looking forward to a new future with its new name and redesigned worship area.

Landmark church changes name Story and photos by Rachel Davis Karr As one of the largest churches in the north Jefferson County area, Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church had long been a gathering point for a number of events and groups, has served as a voting location and sits prominently on the hill overlooking the city.

Despite its current stature, the church can trace its humble roots back to a brush arbor (it was first called Shugart’s Chapel for its founder, Rev. John Shugart).

The congregation then began to worship in a log house. // Continued on Page 21 //

[ 20 ] Gardendale magazine

The name then changed to New Bethel and then changed again to Gardendale Methodist Church.

Meanwhile, in north Birmingham, in 1878, another small church began to meet in a home, then the group was able to rent a store. In 1884, a lot was finally purchased and a building was erected, a two-story brick building was constructed in 1904 and a sanctuary approved in 1923. This church was named Mount Vernon Methodist Church.

The Methodist denomination was reunited in 1938,

/ Faith /

// Continued from Page 20 // following the Civil War and then changed its name to the United Methodist Church in 1968. Then, in 1974, The Gardendale United Methodist Church and the Mount Vernon United Methodist Church merged to form the Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. That’s when the beautiful building that houses the church now was constructed.

When a decision was made last year to change the name of the church to Hope, a Community Church, many people reacted with confusion, but, according to senior pastor Steve Baccus, it’s just part of the rich history of the church.

“Today when a church moves, changes her name, or changes locations, folks sometimes react with suspicion, doubt or wonder,” Baccus explained. “We often forget that the generations of saints in this country who came before us did what was necessary to remain a viable place for worship and spiritual transformation.

Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, with her rich and diverse history, has now-renamed to ‘Hope, a Community Church.’ The logo is HOPECHURCH. Cultural, denominational and personal stressors, as well as a world-wide pandemic, are predicating the need for a new direction for many of our churches in America.

HOPECHURCH remains a congregation with a deep Methodist heritage as we, with God’s help and direction, remain a place for intimate worship, Biblical fidelity, adherence to the beliefs and practices of the historic Christian faith and spiritual transformation and growth.”

As part of the transformation, the church’s worship space and online presence are also undergoing a change.

“We are in the midst of a ‘soft relaunch,’ as we live into our new vision and mission,” Baccus said. “The worship space is now under renovation so currently both the Contemporary and Traditional worship services are taking place in the church gym at 9:30 and 11 a.m.–and we are online on Facebook, YouTube and the church website.

We are revamping our technological capabilities and have launched a new website at www.hccommunity.org, and we have a free downloadable app in the app stores of both iPhones and Androids–this helps keep folks connected– just search in the app store for ‘Hope Church Gardendale.’

When our renovated worship space becomes available (in the Spring or early Summer) we will stage our ‘hard relaunch.’ We are excited about the things God is doing in our midst and you are invited to join us!”

Gardendale magazine [ 21 ]

/ Love Stories /

Mark and Debbie Harrison What started as a seasonal Christmas job turned into a lifetime for Debbie Harrison.

When she started her Christmas job at BelkHudson Department Store, Mark already worked there. It wasn’t long before he asked Debbie out, but she didn’t make it easy for him. Instead of outright acceptance of the date, she told him that she would go out with him on Saturday if he went to church with her the next morning. Mark agreed.

The deal meant that, from the very beginning, God would be the center of their relationship, but neither realized where that would take them.

Mark became a pastor and that moved the couple to churches in Florida, Texas and three cities in Alabama–Alexander City, Jasper, and Gardendale where he has been for the last 27 years. He is currently the executive pastor. Debbie retired as a special education teacher after 35 years, but still teaches the women at Gardendale First Baptist Church. // Continued on Page 23 //

[ 22 ] Gardendale magazine

/ Love Stories /

// Continued from Page 22 // After 13 years of marriage, Debbie was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Determined to see her two young children grow up, she bravely battled through the treatment and is now a 30-year survivor. Through her cancer diagnosis and the other difficulties that have arisen in their 43-year marriage, the couple has clung to Mark’s motto: Celebrate the blessings and work through the challenges.

Their two sons, John Mark and Josh, are grown now and have families of their own. John Mark and his wife, Brigitte, live in Knoxville, Tennessee, where John Mark is the senior pastor of Concord First Baptist Church. Josh and his wife, Hilary, live in Birmingham, where Josh is an attorney with the law firm of Ogletree Deakins. They also have five grandchildren, four boys and one girl.

For young couples, Debbie and Mark offer this advice: A person cannot truly love someone else until the individual knows himself/herself. The relationship must be filled with honesty and transparency … and lots of humor. Find someone who makes you laugh!!

And Mark and Debbie are still laughing, most of the time at the fact that Mark insists everything in the house is backwards. ”We are opposites,” Debbie said. “Mark says he lives in a left-handed house!!

He says I hang his shirts on hangers backwards. Even the ornaments on the Christmas tree are hung backwards, according to him. We tie the grandkids’ shoes differently and it bothers Mark because when he tries to untie, it always ends up in a knot.”

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/ Love Stories /

Bill and Kathy Casaday Bill and Kathy Casaday grew up together in Talladega County. Bill’s dad was Kathy’s family’s pastor. In high school, the pair started dating and eventually went to Samford together. Six years after they began dating, when Bill was 21 and Kathy was 22, they got married.

Later, they both taught at Gardendale and felt the Lord was leading them to the city. Once Bill retired, he began working for the city, helping to lead the chamber of commerce and now serving as the mayor’s assistant.

They have three children, a boy and two girls and three grandchildren, with another on the way. Their three granddaughters will soon be joined by a grandson. The couple enjoys spending time together at church.

They have been members at Gardendale First Baptist since 1991. They also love reading, doing Crossfit and playing with their grandchildren. Another shared passion is traveling. Their favorite trips usually involve the beach, including a special trip to Aruba for Kathy’s retirement last year.

In August, the couple will have been married 40 years. They are considering another special trip for the anniversary, but no location is set.

“You’ve just got to get up and keep working at it every day,” Bill said.

“We never gave ourselves the option of quitting,” Kathy added. “We never let divorce or separation come up.We based our marriage on the Lord.”

They credit a lot of their longevity to the Godly example their parents set for them.

“I just hope we can be a good example for our kids to keep their focus on Christ and let him be the center of your marriage,” Kathy said.

[ 24 ] Gardendale magazine

/ Love Stories /

Stephen and Jecca Nix For a lot of guys, meeting a girl’s dad is a stressful relationship milestone, but Stephen Nix actually met Jecca’s dad before he met her. He was working part-time at Gardendale First Baptist with her dad in the college-aged group. Stephen and Jecca had both been at Gardendale High School, but the three-year age difference meant they didn’t interact at school. Once Jecca graduated, she started coming to the group and they hit it off immediately, but they didn’t jump right to dating.

“I finally got up enough nerve to ask her out and fortunately she said ‘yes,’” Stephen said.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the pair, Jecca was a few years younger than Stephen, but she was one of his first serious relationships and they were both learning about // Continued on Page 26 //

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/ Love Stories /

“I wish I could say everything was perfect and we never had any arguments, but that isn’t true ... Sometimes we carry that stress home and all through the week so eventually you have to just shut it off and be a family. Don’t take it too seriously. Yes, your job is important, but your marriage is more important.” // Continued from Page 25 // themselves and each other. But, they always found their way back to each other. After a few years of dating, they decided they wanted to get married so they said their vows in 2010.

A few years later their daughter, Linley, was born. A few more years later, Jecca decided to try her hand at real estate in 2015 and Stephen followed her into real estate sales in 2019. The duo currently works for Knox Realty here in Gardendale.

Working together has its challenges, but it is also rewarding. Stephen and Jecca said they have to work to keep their work and home life separate sometimes. Real estate can be very emotional for clients sometimes, and that can bleed over into their realtors when they are devoted to getting the best for their clients, Jecca said.

“I wish I could say everything was perfect and we never had any arguments, but that isn’t true,” Jecca said. “We do clash, but you have to shut work off. Sometimes we carry that stress home and all through the week so eventually you have to just shut it off and be a family. Don’t take it too seriously. Yes, your job is important, but your marriage is more important.”

When they aren’t working, they stay home, have a quiet night out with friends or try to get away with their daughter and other family or friends to the beach.

They have also opened their home to children living in foster care, although they currently don’t have any children placed with them. During the time they were active as a foster home, 16 children passed through for one reason or another.

[ 26 ] Gardendale magazine

/ Love Stories / Allen and Donna Davis Allen and Donna Davis’ love story started on the second Sunday in May of 1967.

Donna and her sister, LoJuana, were going door to door collecting money for cerebral palsy.

Donna was only 14 years old, so her sister was her chauffeur that day, driving her down to the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham to drop off the money collected.

As they were walking down the street collecting money, a car came to a stop beside them. This handsome gentleman rolled down his window to talk to the ladies, which startled Donna, causing her to drop her money jar in the road.

She was terribly embarrassed while picking up the money.

Donna recalls the fact that she snuck into her sister Diana’s closet to borrow the white jeans that she swears to this day caught Allen’s eye.

Allen wanted to court Donna, but she was still too young to date. Her parents wanted her to wait until she was 15.

They did not see one another over the summer, but when school began that September she ran into Allen in the office while getting her class schedule changed. He asked Donna if he could take her to the Jordan/Gardendale football game which turned into their first date. The date went so well they had another date where Allen surprised her with some Estee Lauder perfume.

The two love birds dated all through high school with several breakups in between. Their senior year they broke up before graduation and both got jobs and started living separate lives.

Six months later, in November, Allen called Donna at work, Channel 10, out of the blue to see if they could meet up and talk. According to Allen, he realized he couldn’t live without her and he asked her to marry him that day in her parent’s driveway.

They set the date for March 3rd, 1972 at St. Edwards Catholic Church. Donna says that Allen has always put her first and believes that he is her soulmate brought to her by God. All of their family and friends would like to wish them a Happy 50th Anniversary.

Six months later, in November, Allen called Donna at work, Channel 10, out of the blue to see if they could meet up and talk.

According to Allen, he realized he couldn’t live without her and he asked her to marry him that day in her parent’s driveway.

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/ Everyday Folks /

Small business puts family, community first

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JEFF DENNIS JEWELERS

Jeff Dennis is a well-known local businessman, but he’s even better known for his dedication to his family and community.

Story by Rachel Davis Karr In the early 2000s, Jeff Dennis was a business owner in Pelham and a proud new father.

Then he and his wife decided to move to north Jefferson County so the kids would be closer to her parents. For a while, he drove to Pelham every day to open his business, sometimes the demands of being a small business owner who worked far from home meant he got home late or missed things with his family, but overall life was good. Then his daughter said she wanted to start working late so she could see daddy. That one simple sentence changed his trajectory. // Continued on Page 29 //

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He started looking at the feasibility of moving his business closer to home. After talks with friends who were working to develop the north Jefferson area, he thought he could make it work. He said a friend told him that it wasn’t just about the Gardendale demographics, but you had to consider the other areas as well–Mt. Olive, Morris, Kimberly, Fultondale and more who would come to a local store.

“Shopping local just meant a lot more to people in this area,” Jeff said.

Putting his family first and taking a risk led to

/ Everyday Folks /

Last year, a “sign war” between Jeff Dennis Jewelers and Chick-Fil-A turned into a win for local charities as well as bringing a lot of laughs to the community. // Continued from Page 28// Jeff Dennis Jewelers opening in Gardendale in 2004 on Odum Road and moving to the current location in 2009. With a history like that, Jeff has been a part of many special, happy occasions for three generations at his different locations.

“I’m seeing families come in now where I sold their parents and grandparents engagement rings,” Jeff said. That ability to be part of happy life events such as births, engagements, weddings, Christmas, Mother’s Day, etc. is his favorite thing about the business.

Many people who have never darkened the door of Jeff ’s jewelry shop know him for his support of the local schools, nonprofits and events. And, of course, who could forget the “sign wars” last year? His funny signs are always a must-see for drivers along Fieldstown Road, but last year’s good-natured “war” with Chick-Fil-A was a funny way to raise money for a local nonprofit.

Jeff takes pride in being an active part of the community that has blessed him over the last 18 years.. The pandemic has forced him to pull back from some of his physical involvement in local groups, largely because he wants to protect those closest to his heart. As the driving

force behind the Miracle League (and its voice during ball games), Jeff knew he needed to limit exposure as much as possible to protect the kids in the league, so it has been his main focus for volunteering through the pandemic.

Jeff said he has seen record numbers of people over the last few months (last December was his biggest ever) and he thinks that is a sign that people are focusing more on those around them. Just like his daughter’s words woke him up to the importance of family time all those years ago, Jeff thinks the pandemic has made many people reevaluate their priorities and values.

“For the last two years, people haven’t been able to do things,” Jeff said. “People have realized that family is a lot more important.

We used to be distracted by everything we had to go and do, but now people are being more intentional about family time. I think people are celebrating occasions with a little more heart than in the past. People have always thought ‘we can do that later,’ but now are being more intentional about doing things now and not putting things off.”

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/ Calendar /

// February 14 10-11 a.m. Toddler’s Valentine’s Party: Join Mrs. Ashley at Gardendale Public LIbrary for sweet treats, crafts and stories.

6th grades and up can join the Gardendale Public Library for a movie and popcorn. No registration required.

// February 19

6-8 p.m. Monday Night Book Club: Call Gardendale Public Library for book information. For adults to discuss upcoming and past selected books.

9:30 a.m. Saturday Cartoons: Join us in your pjs for cartoons and cereal at the Gardendale Public Library while supplies last. No registration required.

// February 18

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Open Board Games: Bring your own board games to the Gardendale Public LIbrary or borrow one of ours. Don’t forget to bring your friends! No registration required.

10:30 a.m. Social Cafe: Author Joe Carver will be discussing his books at the Gardendale Public Library.

// February 18 & 25 3:30 p.m. After school film fest: After school, // Continued on Page 31 //

[ 30 ] Gardendale magazine

// February 22 10:30 a.m. Books and Brunch: Discussion of ‘Britt-Marie Was Here’ by Fredric Bachman at

/ Calendar / // Continued from Page 30// the Gardendale Public Library.

6 - 7:45 p.m. Family Movie Night: Join the Gardendale Public Library with the whole family for a rated G or PG film and popcorn. No registration required.

// February 25 7 a.m. Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast: The annual prayer breakfast, held at the Gardendale Civic Center, will have James Spann as its speaker.

Tickets are $5 and are available from the Gardendale Chamber of Commerce.

11 a.m. Social Cafe: Library Ladies’ Day Out. Meet at the Groovy Grub Cafe in Warrior at 11 a.m. Call 205-631-6639 for more information.

// March 18 10 a.m. Spring Author Expo: Join us in welcoming several local Alabama Authors to our first annual Spring Authors Expo at the Gardendale Public Library. This is a free to enter event however authors will be selling and signing books at a set cost specific to each author and book. NO PURCHASES NECESSARY TO ATTEND AND ENJOY. Help us support these amazing, talented and LOCAL authors! We will have a big variety of genres represented.

Village Dermatology is accepting new patients at our Gardendale satellite office! We’re committed to caring for you and your family’s skin care needs: • • • • • •

Skin cancer/moles Rashes Skin tags Nail disorders Acne Rosacea

• • • • • •

Warts Molluscum Eczema Psoriasis Excessive sweating Hair loss

2 2 1 7 D E C AT U R H I G H WAY GARDENDALE, ALABAMA 35071 JE N N Y S O B E R A , M D | K AT H E R I N E F E N ING, MD A M A N D A L A N I E R , PA - C | K E L LY F O R D H A M, PA-C W E N D Y C A N T R E L L , D N P, C R N P

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We make people feel better.™

FULTONDALE After Hours Care Natasha Workman, CRNP (205) 250-6424 339 Walkers Chapel Plz., Ste. 115 Fultondale Internal Medicine Dr. Doug Alford Troy Henderson, CRNP (205) 849-9811 1604 Stouts Rd. Imaging (205) 250-6830 339 Walker Chapel Plz., Ste. 101 Plaza Internal Medicine Dr. Kelli Grinder (205) 250-6400 339 Walker Chapel Plz., Ste. 115

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Dr. Robert Robinson Dr. Blake Pearson Dr. Walter Haynes Dr. Elizabeth Kuhn Wendy Conner, CRNP Analyn Blair, CRNP (205) 250-6805 3535 Grandview Pkwy., Bldg. 1, Ste. 150

[ 32 ] Gardendale magazine

Bariatric and Robotic General Surgery Dr. Andrew DeWitt (205) 502-4400 2660 10th Ave. S., POB I, Ste. 222 Brookwood Clinic Dr. Mark Adams Dr. Walter Dunn Jenna Bosch, CRNP (205) 250-8100 513 Brookwood Blvd., Medical Office D, Ste. 200 General Surgery Dr. Raleigh Kent III (205) 250-6068 513 Brookwood Blvd., Medical Office D, Ste. 200 Ophthalmology Dr. John Owen (205) 250-6042 One Independence Dr., Ste. 700 Pulmonology Dr. Karl Schroeder (205) 250-8910 3570 Grandview Pkwy., Ste. 100

GARDENDALE Gardendale Clinic Dr. Fred Patton Dr. Elizabeth Carstensen (205) 631-5671 527 Fieldstown Rd., Ste. C Gardendale Primary Care Dr. Gilbert Douglas IV Emily Snider, CRNP (205) 631-0055 313 Fieldstown Rd., Ste. 103 North Gardendale Primary Care Dr. Alan Hanley (205) 631-2124 2650 Decatur Hwy.

norwoodclinic.com (205) 250-6000