Gardendale Magazine - June 2023

Graze SHALL AND THEY TOGETHER KITCHEN: IN THE

Back to the books

Library celebrates re-opening

PAGE

Local family opens gathering spot this month’s featured recipe

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PAGE 27

Find Your Space, Find Your Community

The Gardendale Civic Center’s meeting spaces are available to rent for all types and sizes of events and activities, such as business meetings, workshops, seminars, luncheons, birthday parties, baby showers, class reunions, dinners, and banquets.

Combined with our fitness center, group fitness classes, basketball, racquetball, indoor and outdoor walking tracks, many community events and more, the GCC has something for everyone!

The Gardendale Civic Center is here to SERVE you. Seven days a week!

Address: 857 Main Street, Gardendale, AL, 35071

Phone: +205-631-5679

Email: gccinfo@cityofgardendale.com

Website: www.cityofgardendale.com/civic-center

Social Media: Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

8/ 18/

Back to the Books: Library celebrates reopening

27/

School News: What’s happening at the local schools

12/ 20/

Recipe of the Month: Kathleen’s recipe for Shortcut Blackberry Lemonade

Memory Lane: How did Gardendale’s Martha Moore Public Library get its name?

Cover Feature: And they shall Graze Together

Happenings: Local people, places and events 30/

There are few things that are as exciting to me as seeing the library reopen. I love that the Gardendale library has such an active role in the community, as evidenced by the popularity of the annual summer reading program. The work and care that have gone into the library’s renovation and reopening are exciting for the staff and the community.

The summer reading program, the farmers market kickoff, the opening of new long-awaited restaurants and the return of the food truck events at the Gardendale Civic Center are just a few of the exciting things happening this summer in the city. I look forward to seeing everyone at all the events and telling those stories in these pages, as we have done for the last almost 2 years.

We have a new feature beginning next month that will give one person a chance to tell everyone why they love Gardendale and what’s special about this community for them. If you have a special story or would like to nominate someone to tell us their story, email me at rachel@jbmcmedia.com.

As always, I look forward to hearing from all of you about the stories you want to see here and we already have several story ideas in the next few months that have come from you. I hope you enjoy this issue and the future issues as we focus on the exciting things happening in this city.

Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director

JENNY SOBERA, MD | KATHERINE FENING, MD JULIA TAUSCHER, MD | RACHEL PFLEDERER, MD

AMANDA LANIER, PA-C | KELLY FORDHAM, PA-C WENDY CANTRELL, DNP, CRNP | LELIE WELDEN, PA-C

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

Photo courtesy of Katie King/Graze Together

Graze Together opened their doors in April after starting their charcuterie business in 2022. Read about this homegrown business and the impact they’re making on page 20.

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

Brad Drake Heating & Air

Cakes by Elise

Children’s of Alabama

City of Gardendale

Deo Gloria Wood Works

El Patron

Glover Chiropractic

Harrison Agency

Jade Ivy Fashions

Magnolia Dental

Monita’s Bakery

Norwood Clinic

Parrot Structural Services

Smiles Forever of Gardendale

Superior Service Electric

Tabernacle Christian School

The Harrison Agency

Total Skin and Beauty

Village Dermatology

Vulcan Termite & 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 Design

The journey to mend his heart led

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

Back to the Books

For many communities, libraries are just a building that many never visit. The dedicated staff at Gardendale’s Martha Moore Public Library have worked diligently to ensure their library doesn’t get forgotten and it remains a hub of activity in the city for citizens of all ages. From the expansive children’s area and activities to the Social Cafe and book club, there is something for everyone.

That made the library’s sudden closing for four months even more traumatic for local residents who rely on the library for education, assistance and interaction. While the library was closed for Christmas, a sprinkler pipe burst in the computer lab, damaging the electronics, furniture, walls and floors.

Fortunately, the library’s collection was stored safely on the shelves that are off the floor and were not damaged by the water. Those shelves are solid wood and weren’t damaged by the water, but most of the desks and the shelves in the hallway where the book sale occurs were pressed wood and absorbed too much water.

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The dedicated library staff responded to the library to pack those books and other material carefully into storage pods and then disassemble the furniture that could be salvaged and place them in the storage areas as well.

“It was everywhere that I call ‘adult space,’ it didn’t quite make it into children’s,” Circulation Manager Irma LaBorde said. “Thank goodness. Because then we would have had to remove all their books and there are a lot of them.”

For the next four months, the staff worked in the undamaged children’s area of the library as construction crews replaced the walls and flooring in the main areas, restrooms, computer labs and meeting rooms. Even without access to all their items or even their own desks, the library staff began doing curbside services for books and DVDs for those who knew what they wanted. Patrons could also pick up tax forms and wireless printing services from the library’s back door. The staff also found alternate locations for adult programs like Social Cafe and book club, and found other options for those who like to come peruse the library shelves.

“Fultondale Library was very kind,” LaBorde said. “They are our sister library, and they took in a lot of our people who like to come in and touch books before they check them out.”

Then in early May, the renovations were finally complete, the new paint dry and the books and materials unpacked.

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“We are glad to be back open,” LaBorde said. “We missed the patrons.”

Library employees welcomed the patrons back to the library, just in time to begin sign ups for summer reading. Gardendale Library’s summer reading program had almost 1,500 participants last year, from the opening in late May to the end of July.

The sign-up for the kid’s summer reading program is online and kids can sign up at any point, even after the programs have begun. There are prizes and events all summer. There is also a program for adult readers with prizes, but there is no need to sign up. Contact the library for more information.

Where Did The Martha Moore Public Library Get Its Name?

In the 1950s, the county’s bookmobile visited Gardendale and offered the only opportunity for residents to borrow books. Martha C. Moore was the Library Chairperson for the Gardendale ParentTeacher Association and had the responsibility of ensuring she was at the school when the bookmobile made its monthly stop at the school. Each month, children stood outside the bookmobile in the heat, cold and rain to check out five books each month.

Moore wanted the city to have a permanent library that would allow residents to benefit from it every

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PHOTO COURTESY OF GARDENDALE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

day. In the summer of 1958, Moore set out to secure a path for the library, and the next year, the mayor and council agreed to have shelves built and placed in the police chief’s office. Moore arranged with the Jefferson County Bookmobile director, Maye Gilliland, for the group to furnish the books to start the library. The library officially opened on Halloween in 1959. In the early days it was open to the public on Saturday and Wednesday each week for a total of six hours.

At that time, the city hall was in a converted house so the entire library was the corner of the police chief’s office that had previously been a bedroom in the residence. Later, when a then-new city hall was built, the library was given another small room, but quickly outgrew it under the leadership of librarian Martha Moore. In 1968, the library was given the former fire station and it began accumulating reference material and furniture to facilitate visitor comfort.

In 1974, the library moved again. This time, a new library building was erected behind city hall (on Grubbs Ave.) A large open house event was held to introduce the new, large space to the community.

Since its humble beginning, the library has occupied five different spaces, but has been in its present location since 1990. An addition on the current building was completed in 2012 to allow for a dedicated children’s area. The most recent renovation allowed for the majority of the library to be refreshed and renovated. The library now occupies more than 12,000 square feet with items for all ages.

Correction: Last month there was an error in the Memory Lane feature. It should have said Bragg Middle School was constructed in 1976, not 1986. This monthly feature is produced in conjunction with the Gardendale Historical Society.

Dr. Kent Glover with his wife Kayla and son Samuel.

SHARE YOUR

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.

GES April Character Award Winners

The Gardendale Elementary Character Award winners for the month of April were honored for Humility!!!

SRES May Students of the Month

Snow Rogers Elementary honored its May Students of the Month.

Bragg iReady

Bragg Middle School’s 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students showed growth on their iReady diagnostic. After tracking the students’ growth from Fall until Spring, the school is proud of how hard our students have worked to achieve their iReady goals! Those showing 100% - 200% growth in Reading and/or Math got to spin the prize wheel today for some pretty cool and amazing prizes.

GES Positive Referal

Gardendale Elementary Positive Office Referral recipents were rewarded with a trip to the Rocket Book vending machine.

Draw Your Dream Home

Congratulations to Laura Bailey of Snow Rogers Elementary! She participated in the dreamArchitecture

Draw Your Dream Home Competition and won.

Snow Rogers Fairytale

Snow Rogers 2nd Grade students participated in the Fairytale Ball. They had so much fun dressing up and participating in several events.

GES Camp Out

PreK had a great time at their camp out and even got to go on a nature scavenger hunt with their 3rd grade book buddies!

Graze Together

Fast-growing business expands into its first storefront

A few years ago, as the charcuterie craze took off around the country, Katie King started doing boards and tables for family and friends. For more than 2 years, her arrangements of meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits and more were showcased at parties for her circle of friends and family, while others marveled at her creativity.

She really loved it, so she decided to try to make a business out of it last year. She did catering events and then, last fall, decided to move toward a storefront in Gardendale. The store, Graze Together, opened earlier this year.

“I want it to be a place to build community and just a place for people to hang out, have meetings, get work done, whatever, but my main goal is to build community there,†King said.

King, a Gardendale High School graduate and native of the city, felt Gardendale residents needed a space where they could come together, eat, socialize and collaborate. When the store opened, the community immediately fell in love with the space and the offerings.

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“I have been blown away by the support of my friends, family and people in and around Gardendale,†King said.

The regular menu includes chicken salad options, a charcuterie plate or a variety of wraps. King said the wraps have been a big hit with the lunchtime crowd, but which one is most popular seems to vary daily.

King’s family is a top priority, which is evident by their support and involvement in her business. The popular smoothies are even named after her four kids. The Ryleigh, The Oliver, The Owen and The Riggs are the four regular smoothie offerings (although other specials show up from time to time). King said the naming of each smoothie just happened, but admits there is some competition among the oldest two to see whose smoothie is most popular each day.

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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

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“Every day they ask which one sold more,†King said with a laugh.

So far, Ryleigh’s drink has been the winner each day. Meanwhile, the baby, Riggs, was assigned the green smoothie.

“It’s good, but you have to want THAT smoothie to order it,†King admits.

Whether you want a wrap or smoothie or just a conversation, Graze Together is devoted to bringing the community in any way they can.

Graze Together is located at 243 Fieldstown Road or you can reach out to them on Facebook. They are open each day, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and sometimes open late on Thursdays.

See Graze Together’s menu on page 25

SHORTCUT BLACKBERRY LEMONADE

2 cups fresh blackberries (one pint) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons water

1 52 ounce container lemonade or about 7 cups prepared lemonade (I used refrigerated Simply Lemonade) Garnishes: fresh blackberries, mint sprigs, lemon slices

Wash blackberries by putting under running water briefly.

Combine blackberries, sugar and water in a medium-size saucepan. Bring up to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes, or until berries are soft, while gently mashing the berries with a potato masher or large fork to help release blackberry juice.

Place a fine mesh strainer or sieve over a medium-size bowl. Carefully pour the hot blackberry pulp and juice into the strainer. Let the juice (light blackberry syrup) drip into the bowl below.

Gently press the pulp against the metal strainer with the back of a spoon or spatula until you have about 3/4 cup juice (light syrup).

When ready to serve Shortcut Blackberry Lemonade, pour the blackberry juice into a pitcher of ice and lemonade. Stir well and serve.

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 and Pinterest.

Olive Garden

City leaders met with the management team of the new Olive Garden. The restaurant expects to be open around June 12.

Torch Run for Special Olympics

Officer Terry Crumpton participates each year in the Alabama Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Crumpton has organized the effort for the police department for a number of years.

LongHorn Open

LongHorn Steakhouse finally opened its doors in Gardendale after supply-chain issues threatened to delay the restaurant’s opening day.

Crafting With the Chamber

The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce and Gardendale Heritage Funeral Home hosted a crafting event at Bill Noble Park. Watch the Chamber’s Facebook page to see future crafting events.

3rd Annual Alabama Bottle & Antique Show

The 3rd annual Alabama Bottle & Antique Show presented by the Alabama Bottle Collectors’ Society was held at the Gardendale Civic Center in May. This event included dealers from all over the Southeast.

Civitan Breakfast

The Gardendale Civitan Club hosted its annual breakfast for the school crossing guards, city leaders and the local police force.

Rotary Trivia Night

Rotary Club of North Jefferson hosted its fifth annual Trivia Night. Members of the community had fun competing across various types of trivia.

Jade Ivy Ribbon Cutting

The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting at Jade Ivy Boutique, located at 2244 North Road, Suite 100.

After Hours Business Mixer

The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce, along with Glover Chiropractic, will host an After Hours Business Mixer on June 20 at the Bill Noble Park event center. Tickets are $10 and everyone is asked to bring business cards.

Food Truck Events

The monthly food truck events launched last month and will be held on Thursday, June 8, 5 - 8 pm at the Gardendale Civic Center (857 Main Street). There are a variety of food trucks, entertainment and other activities.

Farmers Market Opening Day

The Gardendale Farmers Market will be open each Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center (857 Main Street).

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.

Community Kickball Game

A community kickball game is starting every Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Gardendale soccer fields (2191 Fieldstown Road). Anyone who is interested is welcome.

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