BILL NOBLE PARK:
A sports facility and so much more PAGE 8
A HUSKER COMES HOME
Former Rocket VOLLEYBALL STAR hosts girls camp PAGE 28
Brandy Malone brings custom laser engraving to your home PAGE 24
Parks and Recreation
Under the direction of Parks and Recreation Superintendent Dale Hyche, our Parks and Recreation employees strive to provide the citizens of Gardendale with the very best in recreational and athletics facilities.
We would like to invite you to come visit and take advantage of all these amenities our recreational and athletics facilities have to offer. We welcome suggestions in making our parks and our department the very best they can be.
Bill Noble Park, our newest park, provides our citizens with amenities such as turfed football, baseball and softball fields, pickleball courts, tennis courts, a beach volleyball court, two half basketball courts, an awesome state of the art playground, pavilions for parties and two event rooms at the Hogeland Event Center.
5895 Bill Noble Drive
Kenny Clemons Park provides our citizens with amenities such as soccer fields, flag football fields, a walking track, an awesome 18 hole disc golf course, and our Celebration Park which includes our Splash Pad and pavilions for parties.
Luman Harris Park provides our citizens with amenities such as softball and baseball fields, batting cages, our very popular Miracle League Field for our special citizens and an awesome playground for children of all ages.
Beatrice Johnson Park located in our New Castle community provides our citizens with an awesome playground
Citizen: Merritt Beason gives back to
Recipe of the Month: Bacon Tomato Dip
Photos: Father Daughter Date Night
As many of you who have been reading this magazine for years know, I am a big fan of the Gardendale Farmers Market. Every year, I look forward to catching up with the vendors, many of whom have become friends. This year the market is in its new home at Bill Noble Park
The staff at Bill Noble Park are passionate and always thinking about new ways to use the park facilities to serve residents, even if they don’t play sports. If you haven’t found a reason to visit the park yet, take another look–there is certain to be something happening that is of interest to you.
This issue also sees the triumphant return of Merritt Beason to Gardendale to help shepherd the next generation of volleyball players before she heads back to Nebraska for her senior season. She represents what is magical about Gardendale–the people and their commitment to making the world a better place for the future.
The summer seems to be flying by and soon we will be in back-to-school mode. We have some exciting new features planned to begin later this year, and I can’t wait to fill you all in on the details. As always, I look forward to hearing from you about what stories you want to see.
Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director
Helical Piers
Statewide Residential, Commercial,
/ About Us / On The Cover /
About the Cover
PHOTO BY HEATHER WARDEN, WARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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.
Bill Noble Park’s General Manager Jesse Newsom and Marketing and Customer Relations Manager Caeley Guthrie are committed to making the park a place for everyone to enjoy. Read more about the park and its staff on page 8
Our Advertisers
It’s never easy asking businesses to invest in advertising, so we want to give a VERY special thank you to these businesses. Please, support them!
ACE of the South - Gardendale
Adair Tire Pros
Amore Design & Event Planning Budget Blinds
Cakes by Elise
Carvy Home Services
Cassidy Glass, Inc.
Cheri W. Cunningham DMD
Children’s of Alabama
City of Gardendale
Closets by Design
Deo Gloria Wood Works
Fieldstown Dental Care
Glover Chiropractic
Healthy Kids of Gardendale
Louver Shop of North Alabama
Luma Dentistry - Gardendale
Mold & Mildew Solutions
Mullins Heating & Air
North Hill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
Parrot Structural Services
Reliable Septic Service
Ridout’s Gardendale Chapel & Oakwood
Memorial Gardens
Singletary Plumbing, Inc.
Skinology
Southern Focus Vision Center
Tabernacle Christian School
The Chiropractic Oasis of Gardendale LLC
The Harrison Agency
TherapySouth
Total Skin & Beauty Dermatology Center
Uniquely U Wellness Coaching
Village Dermatology
Vulcan Termite and Pest Control
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 Designers
Emily VanderMey Listo Operations & Project Manager Graphic Designer
PROUD MEMBER
A Place for Everyone
Bill Noble Park reopened in early 2023 to fanfare as a premier sports destination for local athletes and travel ball teams alike.
The expansive park property features one football field, nine baseball fields, eight tennis courts,
11 pickleball courts, two half basketball courts, state-of-the-art playground, a party deck, two concession stands, an event center with breakout rooms, a putting green and a beach volleyball pit.
The staff at Bill Noble want to make it clear that it isn’t just a place for sports. There is room for all types of events, activities and needs at the facility.
“It’s a park that any kid would love to have,” General Manager Jesse Newsom said.
For Caeley Guthrie, the marketing and customer relations manager, the investment in the park is personal. And she is devoted to making sure the park fills the needs of the community, not just those who play sports.
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“I grew up in Gardendale, and I grew up at the old park. Now I get to see everybody come together. It’s something that kids get to experience that I did not get to experience growing up. Being able to provide something like this for the kids really is astonishing.”
Caeley Guthrie, Bill Noble marketing and customer relations manager
PHOTO BY HEATHER WARDEN
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“I grew up in Gardendale, and I grew up at the old park,” Guthrie said. “Now I get to see everybody come together. It’s something that kids get to experience that I did not get to experience growing up. Being able to provide something like this for the kids really is astonishing.”
When the park first opened, many people felt like the park would just serve a portion of the population and it caused some hard feelings.
“When the park first opened, you could feel it in the air in Gardendale that people were hesitant about it,” Guthrie said.
Although providing a space for local athletes to play that they can be proud of and generating income with tournaments are the purpose of the park, it isn’t the only thing that matters.
“The tournaments that we have here are great, but that’s not our number one focus,” Newsom added. “Our focus is the stuff Monday through Friday that we have here. I’m really pushing on our team for more programs, more family events, movies in
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PHOTOS BY GARY SCHULTZ
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the park, the summer camp classes that we’re trying to do, the little leagues, pickleball and tennis.”
Each quarter, the park hosts events with activities like a scavenger hunt, competitions, food trucks and vendors. The events feature themed activities like pumpkin chunkin, egg toss, water balloon fights, pictures with Santa or the Easter Bunny, a seasonal craft and more depending on the season.
The park has also hosted a NERF battle, transforming one of the fields into a battlefield–complete with obstacles. There have been regular kids art classes and cooking classes at the park throughout the year. Newsom said he has received great feedback, particularly on the kids cooking classes that kids went home and cooked for the family or were interested in finding new things to cook at home after trying it at the park.
“I want them to have a tangible benefit, I want them
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PHOTOS BY GARY SCHULTZ
Helping Gardendale families
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to learn something, be able to take something home, be able to do it themselves when they get home,” Newsom said.
Other things like the weekly farmers market have found homes at the park and there is a food truck at the market at least one day a week to give people on that end of town an option for lunch without having to drive a long distance, Newsom said.
Another popular community event that has become popular is the weekly #FindItFridays.
“We hide a card with our logo on it and the hashtag #FinditFridays,” Guthrie explained. “We post a hint picture of where the card will be located at 2 p.m. and the public has until 5 p.m. to find the card and bring it up to the office building to receive a prize! Prizes include concessions stand coupons or some Bill Noble swag. It has grown since we first launched it last year. We have people that come early on Fridays and ask every week if we are still doing. It’s been a great community engagement tool that we launched.
PHOTO BY GARY SCHULTZ
01. Event Suites
02. Pavilions
At the Market
This year, the Gardendale Farmers Market has a new location at Bill Noble Park. That change led to a slow start for the season, but customers quickly found the new location and, by the official opening, the farmers and other vendors were seeing an influx of customers. The hope is that the market will thrive due to the higher visibility of the location versus the civic center.
One of the farmers who has been a regular at the market for several years, Spinks Farm, said they were selling out their vegetables by the second week, a fact they attributed to higher visibility and traffic at the new location.
“We very rarely got close to selling out at the Civic Center,” they said.
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PHOTOS BY HEATHER WARDEN
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With the park attracting people via events and working to promote the market, the faithful market customers have been joined by a new crowd looking for fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as other goods or just checking out the tents and people gathering in the park.
“We’ve seen a lot of new faces,” Heather Manning, of Barking Bee Coffee said. Barking Bee has been a regular at the market for the last few years. “The staff here has been so helpful and accommodating.”
The market started the year with 17 vendors signed up for the market, selling vegetables, baked goods, jewelry, coffee and candles and other home items, according to market manager Jim Parola.
Parola said he was “pretty pleased” with the market so far this season. Although there
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aren’t any metrics to determine if the market is bringing in more business than previous years, the vendors, particularly those who sell produce, have been complimentary of the new location. Parola said it seemed that most of those visiting the market seemed to be looking for fresh produce, but the other vendors also seemed to be doing well each week.
Each week, the market also has a food truck set up around lunch time, which also draws members of the community to the park. And once a month, a local church group cooks hotdogs and hamburgers to give away to market visitors.
The food trucks seem to bring more interest from the community and the nearby medical facilities to the market, according to several vendors.
The Gardendale Farmers Market is held each Thursday all summer from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bill Noble Park.
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• Hydra facial
• VI peel
• Procell aging service
• Medical grade services
• iS Clinical and Elta MD products available
THE SKIN YOU’RE IN
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• Procell aging service
• Full Body Waxing
• Procell, Vi Peel
• Medical grade services iS Clinical and Elta MD products available
• Cryo therapy for weight loss or pain management
• Permanent Makeup
• Weight Loss Inc. Injections
• IV Drips
• 4D Baby Sonars
2722 Mt. Olive Rd. | Gardendale (205) 567-8376
BACON TOMATO DIP
This will be the first bowl empty at every summer lake or pool party! Made with ripe tomatoes and crispy bacon, it’s also fabulous spread between two slices of bread, topped with a lettuce leaf for a quick and easy BLT sammich!
6 ounces uncooked bacon about 6 slices
3 medium tomatoes equal 2 cups chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream
If you start with a 12 ounce package of bacon, cut it in half crosswise so you have 6 ounces of bacon or just remove 6 slices of bacon. Keep the bacon stacked together and slice the bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces. No need to separate the pieces yet.
Place the bacon in a cold skillet and turn the heat to
medium. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally to break up the bacon about 6 minutes or until the bacon is browned and crisp. The bacon separates easily as it warms up in the skillet.
Drain the bacon on paper towels and let cool.
While bacon cooks (don’t forget to stir occasionally), slice the tomatoes in half crosswise/horizontally. Gently squeeze the tomato pulp and seeds into a small bowl. (Save this to make a fresh tomato vinaigrette-see my tip on the post). Chop the tomatoes and place in a medium size bowl.
Add the cooked bacon, mayonnaise, and sour cream and stir until combined. At this point, you can add a little salt and pepper if you like but it’s pretty salty already. Serve with corn chip scoops or tortilla chips.
Kathleen 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.
InScribed Laser brings custom designs to your home
Brandy Malone grew up watching her grandparents run Howard Reid Optician in Gardendale and decided early that she wanted to own a business in the area. In 2022, that became a reality for her as she opened InScribed Laser Engraving.
“I have loved crafting my whole life, and when I bought my first laser machine, I knew this was exactly what I wanted to do,” Malone said. “I have learned (and I’m still learning) everything I can to create high-quality custom items that can be offered as gifts, home decor, and even promotional items.”
In addition to selling her items at Marketplace on Main and online, she also started offering paint parties for those who want to host sign-painting parties at their home. Essentially, anyone who is interested can book Malone and she will bring the paint and the design they want
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRANDY MALONE
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and each person can paint their sign to match their own aesthetic. It can also be a fun event for birthday parties or bachelorette parties so the bride can paint a sign with their new name on it.
“If someone wants to host a party and has at least five people, their sign is free,” Malone said.
“My daughter, Lexi, and I bring all the supplies and guide participants through creating their very own door sign, something they can be proud of when finished. What makes my signs stand out is that they are 3D and painted with exterior house paint, ensuring they hold up to weather and UV light. We don’t use just any craft paint.”
Of course, she also creates custom pieces and other items that are requested as gifts or special design pieces: designs on tumblers
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for individuals or companies, ornaments with photos or logos engraved on them, etc. She can engrave or cut metal or wood designs.
“I have big dreams to one day open a storefront that will not only be a gift shop but also the place to host paint parties and workshops for birthday parties, girls’ nights out, teambuilding events, and any kind of fun get-together.” Malone said.
See her designs or find more information on Facebook or at her website at www. inscribedlaserengraving.com.
PHOTO BYX
Beason comes home
Merritt Beason loves volleyball and Gardendale. As a first-team All-American volleyball player who is heading into her senior season at Nebraska, she has a lot to focus on in front of her, but she still made time to come home and give back to the next generation of volleyball players in Gardendale.
It isn’t the first time the star athlete has made the school and community her priority, choosing to grow and develop the high school team even after she secured a full scholarship for herself in her sophomore year.
“I ended up making the decision to come back and play school ball because I wanted to grow the sport of volleyball in Gardendale,” Merritt explained in an interview with us in 2022. “I mean, no one really knew that was a thing and that was a pathway to college if you wanted it. So that was my goal, I started training little girls in my driveway.”
Beason first started holding actual camps for young players after her freshman season in college, teaching about 50 students the first year.
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“I ended up making the decision to come back and play school ball because I wanted to grow the sport of volleyball in Gardendale.”
Merritt Beason, now a first-team All-American volleyball player for the University of Nebraska, on her commitment to her hometown.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GARDENDALE VOLLEYBALL AND ASHLEY JONES
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“I really want to make it a bigger thing, be able to take more girls,” Merritt said at the time. “Maybe one day even go to the next step and even own a volleyball gym here in Gardendale, who knows.”
Ashley Jones is the parent of two of the campers from this year.
“My two daughters, Emerson and Layla, attended and had a wonderful time,” Jones said. “They learned a lot, and are eager to learn more about volleyball even as upcoming 2nd and 3rd graders. Merritt was even telling them that she hadn’t even touched a volleyball at their age and was excited to see the younger girls taking interest as well as great participation from the older girls.”
As a former volleyball player herself, Jones is excited to see Beason achieve her dreams and appreciative of her efforts to grow the sport.
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“I played volleyball at Bragg and Gardendale High School and also helped coach the recreational league at the Gardendale Civic Center for several years after graduating,” Jones explained. “I am so excited to see someone offering exposure to the sport for the younger kids as they will only have more time and opportunity to develop their skills over the years.”
Gardendale High School volleyball coach Kelly Ingram said, “Not many, with the status Merritt Beason has, have given back to our school and community like Merritt does. She is a ROCKET through and through and has single handedly helped the sport of volleyball grow in Gardendale and surrounding areas. I am so thankful for her and these girls truly don’t understand how lucky they are to have the opportunity to work with her and then watch her ball out on TV.”
Ingram, Jones and all her campers are sure to be watching Beason this year as she and her fellow Huskers compete on the volleyball court.
Under the STARS
Chick-fil-A Gardendale hosted its annual Father Daughter Date Night recently. This year’s theme was “Under the Stars.” Dads and daughters dressed up and enjoyed a Chick-fil-A buffet and dancing.
Photos courtesy of Chick-fil-A Gardendale
GES says goodbye to two beloved Rockets
Gardendale Elementary said goodbye to two beloved staffers, Lena Frankl and Wonda Melvin have devoted many years to the students, faculty and staff in the community. The school saw them off with “A Sweet Ending.”
GHS Boys State
The Boys State delegation from GHS at the 87th Boys State are: Left to right: Logan Henry, Shaw Wiggins, Braxton Strickland, Joe Paul Brasseal, Cade Caufield. Not pictured Owenn Colvin and Jackson Stanford
SRES Ambassadors
The Snow Rogers Ambassadors for 2024-25 started serving at the 5th grade Celebration. They are:
Hannah Rouse
Jennavive Scott
Laura Bailey
Mary Elizabeth Adams
Henry Peek
Harmony Ware
Emma Gault
Keegan Stovall
Braelie Pittman
Scotlyn Smith
Kelby McCreless
(missing Jackson Austin)
Bragg Students of the Month for May
Bragg Middle School honored its May 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.
6th Grade MaroonChristopher Rodriguez
6th Grade Gray - Bryan Adame
7th Grade Maroon - Kate Lewis
7th Grade Gray - Ja’Nya Hudson
8th Grade Maroon - Haley McAnear
8th Grade Gray - Hannah Walter
Bragg students thank city for special lab
The seventh grade students at Bragg Middle School thanked the city of funding their sheep brain lab this year. The students enjoyed the hands-on opportunity to learn about the structure and function of the brain.
GHS Girls State
Gardendale High School’s Alabama Girls State 2024 representatives are Riley Chandler and Kathryn Brasseal.
GHS honors Second Mile Teacher
Gardendale High School presented its Second Mile Teacher, Christen Landrum, with her award.
Tabernacle Cheer Camp
Tabernacle Christian School’s cheerleaders hosted a cheer clinic recently for the younger kids who want to be cheerleaders one day.
Tabernacle Christian School hosts summer day campers
The Elementary Summer Day Campers at Tabernacle Christian School have lots of fun daily activities.
SRES Pre-K Graduation
Snow Rogers Elementary School celebrated the graduation of its Pre-K class.
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Bragg sees pickleball success
Bragg students won big on the pickleball courts during a recent tournament. Grayson Brown and Colt Caufield won gold, Steven Cooper and Ayden Davis won silver, Josey Shackleford and Natalie Thornton won gold and the Bragg Boys Middle School won the state championship. The Gardendale Pickleball Club and Shane Shelnutt helped make the wins possible, according to the school.
SRES Newcomb Game
Snow Rogers Elementary’s first Students vs Staff Newcomb Game was a success.
GES celebrates Pre-K graduates
Gardendale Elementary School celebrated the graduation of the tiniest Rockets from Pre-K.
GHS Honors Retirees
Gardendale High School celebrated the staff with breakfast and honored 3 of its retirees. Thank you, Mrs. Houchins, Coach Myrick and Mr. Williams for your service to Gardendale High School and our community.
NJMS Cheerleaders earned awards
The North Jefferson Middle School Cheerleaders spent a week at Great Wolf Lodge and came home with the following awards:
• 1st Place Camp Routine
• 2nd place Sideline
• 2nd place Cheer
• All Superior Ribbons
• UCA Spirit Stick
• St. Jude Spirit Stick - To earn this special award you have to be the team with the most addresses turned in for the St. Jude campaign. UCA made a commitment that in the next 5 years they will replace the playground for the precious families they care for! They have already raised over $13 million since partnering in 2011. It takes over $3 million a day to run the hospital.
• The Golden Paw Award - This award is chosen by the Great Wolf Lodge Staff for cleanest rooms during the week and upon checkout.
• Madyson Burney, Emma Cantrell, Ainsley Madison, and Kaylee Pschirer were named All-American and received an invitation to attend an exclusive special event!
• Harper Bowman and Chloe Ard received the Pin it Forward Award. They were awarded this award for noticeable kindness and helpfulness toward others.
North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce holds ribbon cutting
Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting at Triple 7 Strength & Performance, located at 8490 US-31 in Morris.
MOE Awards Day
Mt. Olive Elementary held awards ceremonies for 1st-4th grades. Two students scored a perfect score on the reading portion of the ACAP: Jake Wilson and Avett Arrington.
McCarty-Farrar Lodge No. 8 donates to Mt. Olive Elementary School
The McCarty-Farrar Lodge No. 8 in Mount Olive gifted $2,000 donated to Mt. Olive Elementary. The money donated is in honor of William M. “Billy” Rhodes to benefit the excellence in education initiative.
MJHS Bass Club honors seniors
Mortimer Jordan High School honored Tucker McCoy and Ethan Hopkins, two seniors with High Finishes in Tournaments this season including Placing 2nd in AOY in Bass Nation High School Tournament Trail and Placing 2nd in The State Tournament on Lake Jordan in Alabama Bass Federation
High School Tournament Trail and Also For Qualifying for the Bassmaster High School National Championship to be held August 1-3 at Lake Chickamauga.
North
MJHS
Holcombe signs
with NW Florida State
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Kenley Holcombe signed with Northwest Florida State Softball
MJHS Smith signs with University of Montevallo
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Kaiden Smith signed with University of Montevallo Wrestling.
MJHS Brown signs with Gardner Webb
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Isaiah Brown signed with Gardner Webb University Baseball.
MJHS McCoy signs with University of Montevallo
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Tucker McCoy signed with University of Montevallo Fishing.
MJHS Tyler signs with Lawson State
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Jasmine Tyler signed with Lawson State Community College Volleyball.
MJHS Payne signs with William Penn University
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Chase Payne signed with William Penn University Football.
MJHS Pridmore signs with Northwest Shoals Community College
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Reese Pridmore signed with Northwest Shoals Community College Softball.
MJHS Wright signs with Life University
Mortimer Jordan High School celebrated their high school signees. Caleb Wright signed with Life University Wrestling.
Mt Olive Students of the Month
Mt. Olive honored its students of the month for May:
Pre-K: Anna Walden
Kindergarten: Kirsten Cruse and Axel Hendrickson
1st Grade: Sebastian Gomez, Asher Crump, & Kinley Hunt
2nd Grade:
Madison Hawkins and Dante Snyder
3rd Grade: Lana Porter and Hadleigh Anderson
4th Grade: Morgan Green and Porter Crump
5th Grade:
Jeremiah Johnson and Jase Odom
FES 2nd Mile Teacher
Fultondale Elementary School honored 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. vonHerrmann as the 2nd Mile Teacher of the Year. She was honored for her support of her students and fellow teachers.
MJHS honored at State FFA Convention
Mortimer Jordan High School is an Alabama FFA Gold Emblem Chapter and Top 15 in the state and heading to Nationals in October.
North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosts monthly luncheon
The North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce held its June luncheon with speaker Joe Calamusa.
FES educators celebrate retirement
Fultondale Elementary School celebrated the retirement of four of its educators. Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Pugh, Ms. Orris and Mrs. LaFonte have served generations of students with love and compassion, as well as mentoring their fellow teachers.
Warrior Elementary celebrates retirees
Warrior Elementary honored Mrs Singletary and Mr Foshee in their retirement.
Coming Events
North Jefferson Chamber Costa Rica Trip
The North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce is putting together a trip to Costa Rica in March of 2025. A meeting will be held on August 26 at 6 p.m. at the Fultondale Event Center at 2980 Hawkins Lane for anyone interested in learning more.
Warrior Farmers Market
A Farmers Market will be held the first and third Friday from May to October from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The first market will be May 3. The location will be 550 North Main Street. For more e information, call city hall at 205.647.0520 or email jtanks@cityofwarrior. com
Kimberly Farmers Market
The Kimberly Farmers Market will be held on Tuesdays from 2-6 p.m. and two Saturdays–July 27 and August 26 from 8 a.m. - noon. The market will be at the Kimberly Truck Stop at 9178 Old Highway 31.
Morris Fourth Friday Food Truck Nights
The Town of Morris will host Food Truck Nights on the fourth Friday of each month–July 26, August 23 and September 27. The event will last from 5-8:30 p.m. on those days. The events will be in the Morris Town Park at the intersection of Morris Majestic and Glenwood Road.
Fultondale Founders Day
Fultondale Founders Day will be August 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Black Creek Park, 777 Yarbrough Road. There will be food trucks, arts and crafts, live entertainment, a free kid’s zone and a car show. They are accepting vendors and sponsors.
Kimberly Truck Stop Food Truck Event
Kimberly Truck Stop hosts Third Thursday Food Truck Events each month. The Kimberly Truck Stop is at 9178 Old Highway 31.
Gardendale Civic Center hosts library’s summer reading program
The Gardendale Civic Center was recently invaded by lizards and hedgehogs and Brazilian rainbow boas as part of the Gardendale Public Library’s summer youth program. Check out the schedules for the remainder of the summer and contact the library for more info.
Crossing Guard Appreciation Breakfast
The Gardendale Civitan Club hosted the annual Crossing Guard Appreciation Breakfast.
The Gardendale Crossing Guards work hard throughout the school year no matter rain, sleet or sun shine for all of our Gardendale City Schools. They also play a huge role in helping with large events such as the Christmas Parade, Magnolia Festival and Bill Noble Park events.
Edmonds earned paramedic license
Wydner Edmonds passed his National Registry for Paramedic. This is a huge accomplishment; he did all of this while working multiple jobs and taking care of his family. Edmonds works for Gardendale Fire Department.
Briscoe hired at Gardendale Public Works
Matthew Briscoe was recently hired as an unskilled laborer in the Public Works Department. He is pictured with Paul Tidwell, the department head for the Public Works Department.
Torbert promoted at Gardendale Civic Center
Tracie Torbert was recently promoted from customer service representative to administrative clerk at the Gardendale Civic Center. She is pictured with Keith Mosley, the department head for the Gardendale Civic Center.
Gardendale Fire officers graduate from leadership academy
Gardendale Fire Captain Hill and Fire Medic Wood graduated from the Alabama Public Safety Leadership Academy through the Alabama Fire College. Only 30 applicants are chosen in each year’s class. All of the students are from different disciplines of public safety, from all areas of the state. They go through a nine month process focusing on honing different areas of leadership. Captain Hill and Fire Medic Wood also serve the citizens of Kimberly.
McConnell hired at Gardendale Public Safety
Adam McConnell was recently hired as a public safety dispatcher in the Gardendale Police Department. He is pictured with Police Chief Scott Banks.
Library Summer Programs
The library will host a series of summer programs at the library and civic center:
• July 3: Alabama Museum of Natural History, 10:30 a.m. at the library
• July 10: Alabama Museum of Natural History, 10:30 a.m. at the library
Book Club
• July 11: Chalk Day, 1 p.m. at the library
July 12: Learn Fencing, 10:30 a.m. at the civic center
July 17: Mr. Larry Magic Show, 10:30 a.m. at the civic center
• July 19: Magic of Reading, 2 p.m.at the library
July 25: Board Games, 1 p.m. at the library
The Tuesday Book Club will meet at the Gardendale Public Library on July 9 at 10 a.m. Call 205.631.6639 to request a copy of the June book selection.
Civic Center Food Truck Nights
July 11 will be the next Food Truck night at the Gardendale Civic Center for the year. The events will be held each second Thursday of the month, 5-8 p.m. A variety of food trucks from the area gather at the Civic Center and there is music or other entertainment each month. Come sample the food truck offerings and socialize with friends and family. Bring blankets or chairs to enjoy the evening. Visit the Civic Center Facebook the week of the event to see a food truck lineup.
Just for Teachers Summer Book Club
The July meeting will be Tuesday, July 16 at 10 a.m. and the book will be “Funny Story” by Emily Henry. To participate, you must be a teacher and no parents or students will be allowed.
Rotary Trivia Night
The annual Rotary Trivia Night will be held on July 26, 6-8 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center. All funds raised will go to community service projects. For more information, contact Mia Thompson at miatallant@gmail.com or call 903.285.7447.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH JEFFERSON ROTARY
Gardendale Farmers Market
The Gardendale Farmers Market will be open every Thursday until September 26, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. This year it will be at Bill Noble Park. Every year, farmers and local vendors come from all over the area to sell their products and produce in Gardendale.
Chamber of Commerce Luncheons
The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce Luncheons will be August 8, September 12, October 10, November 14 and December 12. Sponsorships are still available.
Library Events
• Toddler Zone:July 24, 10:30 - 11 a.m.
• Toddler Time: July 19 and 26, 11 a.m.
Stock Little Free Library
• K - 4th Grade Activity: July 1, 8, 15 and 22, 11 a.m.
• 5th - 9th Grade Activity: July 2, 9, 16, 25, 11 a.m.
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.
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.
To have an item added to our calendar, please send information to rachel@jbmcmedia.com.
PHOTO BY HEATHER WARDEN
In the little moments and major milestones of childhood, we are here for our patients and their families – helping, healing, teaching and discovering.
