ROCKETS CHEER
SQUAD bringing the school spirit PAGE 28
ALSO: A look at Gardendale volleyball PAGE 34
Local Realtor opens her own brokerage PAGE 20
BUILDING HER DREAM MERRIEST MARKET YET
Annual show now benefits the Arts in Gardendal PAGE 26
Gardendale Fire and Rescue
The Gardendale Fire and Rescue Service is a full-time career fire department operating in the North Jefferson County area. It employs twenty-seven full-time fire/medics. Gardendale Fire and Rescue Service covers approximately 23 square miles and averages over 250 alarms monthly with 70% assigned to medical-related alarms. The staff is trained and certified in various levels of service, ranging from paramedic, high angle/rope rescue, confined space, trench rescue, HAZ-MAT and other individual certifications. According to the Alabama Fire College, Gardendale Fire and Rescue ranks number five on the state list of certifications per firefighter.
Services
Through the dedication, knowledge, and experience within our department staff, we can provide the citizens and patrons of Gardendale with the finest protection and best services possible in:
• Medical Emergencies
• Structure Fires
• Wildland Fires
• Technical Rescues
• Fire Prevention Training
• Blood Pressure Checks
• CPR Training
• Fire Safety Education
• Business Inspections
Contacts
Chief Joe Thomas - firechief@cityofgardendale.com
Asst. Chief Brody Cooper - bcooper@cityofgardendale.com
Station 1 (Est. 2004)
Fire Station #1, 1811 Decatur Highway, operates as the main fire station, also houses Administration Offices
Station 2 (Est. 2014)
Fire Station #2, 1648 Fieldstown Rd. operates as a satellite station that serves the western side of the city.
Gardendale Fire and Rescue Office: (205) 631-6660 · Fax: (205)631-1725
Sports: Rockets volleyball team ready
/ 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.
The Gardendale cheerleaders are an important part of high school sports at Gardendale High School, as well as a competitive team themselves.
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
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Total Skin & Beauty Dermatology Center
Uniquely U Wellness Coaching
Village Dermatology
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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
Amy Phillips Marketing Consultant (205) 515-2564 amy@jbmcmedia.com
Anthony Bratina Cover Designer
Shweta Bratina Graphic Designer
Emily VanderMey Listo Operations & Project Manager Graphic Designer
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Survivor helping others
Cathy Maple uplifts others as they battle breast cancer
By Rachel Davis Karr
When Cathy Maple was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2012, it made her mad.
“I was so angry that my children’s mother had breast cancer,” Maple said. “They were 13, 8 and 7, including my middle daughter with special needs.”
In addition to her anger over her children having to deal with the sickness, Maple also had to battle
the system to even be diagnosed in the first place and her delayed diagnosis could have cost her and her children dearly.
“Before I was diagnosed it was painful to sleep on my left side, but I couldn’t pinpoint the source of the pain,” Maple recalls. “I remembered reading an article about breast cancer that was a thickening, not just lumps, but what I could feel felt about two fingers wide and one finger long.
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STEPHEN P. ULMER GENERAL MANAGER
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Mammogram did not detect anything. Neither did an ultrasound. Eventually, I was diagnosed during a biopsy.”
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer February 1, 2012,” Maple said. “I was triple positive, Stage 2A, my lymph nodes were clear. I had no family history of breast cancer, and I do not have the BRCA Gene. They attributed fertility drugs I took to get my first child as a factor in the hormone positive aspect of my cancer. I had a double mastectomy, chemo, radiation and double abdominal tram breast reconstruction.”
That treatment plan took two years, which was also a challenge, as Maple watched the rest of the world move forward.
“Breast cancer is such a long journey,” Maple said. “Everyone else goes on with their life, while you’re still in it.”
Maple knows the news changed her and her family in many ways, but she’s grateful to be able to look back on her journey and see how her family and community have rallied together.
“My mom used to say that labor pains are the greatest pains that you ever forgot, and I think that’s a little bit how cancer is, because once you’re on the other side of it, Lord willing, you’ll look back at it and it will just be a blur, like a blink,” Maple said in a video to encourage another patient. “It will change who you are as a person, it will change who your children become and it will shape them. It will make them some pretty amazing people.”
A decade after she completed her two-year battle, her children are now 25, 20 and 19, but she still remains vigilant.
“I see my oncologist annually and anytime I’m concerned about
“Breast cancer is such a long journey. Everyone else goes on with their life, while you’re still in it.”
something,” Maple said. “The fear of it returning is always there.”
Maple likely saved her own life by being aware of her body, informed about the realities of breast cancer and insistent in pushing for a diagnosis. Now, she spends a lot of free time trying to help other women who are in the same situation. She shares monthly reminders to do self-exams, as well as pushing for information to be more readily available and offering support as other women walk the path she knows all too well.
“I share monthly breast self exam reminders the first of each month because early detection saves lives,” Maple said. “It saved mine.”
Cancer-free for 12 years, she serves as an inspiration to women who are still in the early stages of this diagnosis, even recording messages of support and advice to some of them. In those messages, she is brutally honest with how she felt when she got the news, how she dealt with it and how she felt throughout the process, but cautions that they may not experience things the way she did–and that’s ok.
“I encourage you not to compare your journey with anybody else’s,” Maple said in one video, since each cancer diagnosis is so different, as are the treatment plans. But she encourages the patients to accept help from those who want to, to be present where they can and engage with others in their lives who care about them or are walking a similar path.
“My advice to you is to keep living, keep making memories and be in all the photos,” Maple said in a video to another survivor. “Stop escaping those cameras–be in those memories that are captured for your kids. Regardless of the outcome, there will be two different people–the person that you were the day before you heard the news and the people you’ll become after hearing those words.”
Caregiver turned patient
Jennifer Thornton cares for cancer patients while battling breast cancer
By Rachel Davis Karr
Jennifer Thornton has spent the last 25 years caring for cancer patients, so when she found a lump in her breast in February, she knew the process and what to expect.
During her mammogram in April 2023, they noted “dense tissue,” but nothing to be concerned about. If she could change one thing, she said she would insist on an ultrasound at that point. Instead, 10 months later, she noticed a lump in
her right breast, then received an ultrasound and biopsy. Those results–lobular carcinoma in all four quadrants of her right breast and lymph nodes on her right side as well–were still a shock.
“That kind is frequently missed because it’s very sneaky,” Thornton explained. “It doesn’t grow in round tumors–it grows in ‘spiderwebs,’ is what I’ve been told by my doctors–it branches out.”
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Fire Prevention Month
October is Fire Prevention Month. The goal of Fire Prevention Month (and week October 8th - 14th) is to raise fire safety awareness and help protect homes and families. In 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) named the second week of October Fire Prevention Week in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Today, we celebrate Fire Prevention Week and Month by spreading fire safety awareness through our local schools and day care facilities. Every October Gardendale Fire and Rescue personnel visit local schools and day cares educating our children on fire safety. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU.” Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths. The good news is you can prevent most cooking fires and burns by following a few simple safety tips.
Fire safety education isn’t just for school children. Teenagers, adults, and the elderly are also at risk in fires, making it important for every member of the community to take some time every October during Fire Prevention Week to make sure they understand how to stay safe in case of a fire. We are dedicated to "Protecting the Moments" and encourage you to gather your family and discuss fire safety. Here are some ways that you can participate in National Fire Prevention Month:
• Discuss cooking and kitchen safety as a family.
• Develop a fire escape plan with everyone in your household and practice at least twice a year.
• Establish a family meeting spot outside.
• Install smoke alarms in your home, on every level, and outside each sleeping area.
• Test smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries at least once a year if required.
For more information about fire prevention and fire safety for you and your family, contact the Gardendale Fire Marshal, Captain Adam Crain, at acrain@cityofgardendale.com
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With the diagnosis, things began to move very quickly. She had a double mastectomy, then four months of chemotherapy, which will be followed by radiation. She also has tissue expanders to prepare for reconstructive surgery after treatment. Through it all, she has continued working.
“It’s rewarding,” she explained. “I work with cancer patients. They come in bald, and I come in bald. They come in with the same cancer I do, and I work on them with the same cancer they have.I can feel for them on a whole new level now. I understand what it feels like to have surgery to remove cancer, I understand how it feels to have those chemotherapy symptoms that they complained of for so long. And now I’m about to have every bit of it that they have–the radiation as well. It’s good in a way, because you can say ‘I’m in the same boat you are.’ They see me come in bald-headed, and they immediately either ask or hint around.”
Although Thornton wishes she didn’t have this in common with her patients, she chooses to focus on the good things that have happened in her life after her diagnosis.
“It’s never the same,” she said. “I can’t go back and undo February. I
“You gotta live every day like it matters. I have a different perspective now. I don’t sweat the small things like I used to and if something is wrong, I’m more likely to call it out. Nothing can scare you anymore.”
can’t ever go back and get that feeling back that I had before February. Some of the feelings I don’t want back. I’ve really grown a lot and stopped overthinking things. It gives you perspective to let go of things a little bit better than you ever did because what really matters more than surviving?”
“You gotta live every day like it matters,” she continued. “I have a different perspective now. I don’t sweat the small things like I used to and if something is wrong, I’m more likely to call it out. Nothing can scare you anymore.”
She has also found strength in her community. Thornton and her husband of 26 years moved to Gardendale when they started a family to raise their children in a good community with good schools. Being there for her children, now 16, 14 and 9-years-old, are a major inspiration as she goes through all these treatments.
Through it all, she finds strength in her faith, finding special solace in Psalms 46:1, “God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
“God has helped me through this storm, and will continue helping me,” Thornton said. “I will continue to glorify him in this storm. He is my healer, my waymaker and has a special plan for my life.”
Helping Gardendale families
Trick or Treat
Gosh, Halloween was so much fun as a kid. Dressing up, eating too much candy, and staying up way past your bedtime always made for the best night.
We had a good trick-or-treating neighborhood, too—flat roads, lots of kids, and not too much traffic. My brother and I would get dressed in our costumes and wait for the dark. We’d sit out on our porch, holding our empty Halloween bags, waiting on our friends across the street so we could all head down the road together. Those minutes would pass so slowly, and I can still feel the anticipation.
When everyone was finally ready, we’d take off at a sprint to the first house with its porch lights on. Our parents trailed way behind yelling, “Make sure to say thank you!” and “Let your brother go first!” We were thrilled when the owners of the house opened the door in costume with a good “BOO!” or exclaimed, “Aren’t you the best witch I’ve ever seen!” Good neighbors made all the difference.
When we had more candy than we could carry—or when our parents were tired of walking—we’d head on back home. We had already eaten several of our favorites (Reese’s Cups and KitKats) as we walked, but we would dump our haul of candy in the middle of the living room floor to count and sort and generally be in awe over. My dad would always say, “Give me a Snickers. Gotta make sure it’s safe, you know,” and he would confiscate one from each of us. We’d pile up all the chocolate and Skittles and Smarties and then push aside the Twizzlers and Bottle Caps and strawberry-wrapped hard candy for someone who didn’t like the good stuff. And then we ate. We ate and ate and didn’t care if we ended up with a stomachache. My mom would say, “That’s enough,” and we’d say, “But it’s Halloween!” and then we’d eat some more. I think I even slept in my costume once.
So, now, as a parent, Halloween is really special to me. I think it’s more fun now watching it through my children’s eyes than it was as a kid, honestly. My husband doesn’t love the Halloween tradition, but I think it’s because his memories of it aren’t as comforting as mine. So, I do my best to make it memorable for my boys. We go all out on costumes and decorations. We carve the pumpkin even though I hate the insides. We eat all the candy. We stay up late watching Hocus Pocus. We leave the porch light on and trick-or-treat ’til the bags are full or someone’s too tired to walk. And I can’t wait to do it again this year.
So, here’s to trick-or-treating ’til you drop and having the best Halloween with your family! Happy October, y’all.
Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 9 and 4), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MEDIA PHOTOS ON ISTOCK
Apple Cider Cookies
In The Kitchen with Kathleen Phillips
Food Blogger, GritsandGouda.com
Kathleen Phillips is a food blogger, food stylist, cookbook author, and former Oxmoor House test kitchen director (Southern Living cookbooks). On her food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, she creates Southern shortcut recipes. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.
In October, I’m all about everything applecinnamon and apple cider! If you’ve ever had an apple cider donut and loved it, you’re going to enjoy these Shortcut Apple Cider Cookies! They start with a sugar cookie mix and the secret ingredient is powdered apple cider drink mix to roll the cookie balls in!
On my food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, you’ll also find Shortcut Caramel Apple Pie (Galette), Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing, and Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (1 stick)
salted butter, very soft
1 large egg
1 (17.9 ounce) package snickerdoodle cookie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
2 (.74 ounce) packages spiced apple cider instant drink mix (I used Alpine)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
GritsAndGouda.com
Make 1-inch balls with the cookie dough using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or measure out about 2 tablespoons of dough and shape into balls. Then, roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar/apple cider drink mix mixture.
Ignore the directions on the cookie package! Do not use 1 tablespoon water listed in the package directions.
To achieve “very soft” butter, microwave it at HIGH (1100 watts) for 8 seconds, turn it over, then microwave it an additional 8 seconds. You want it almost to the melty point without melting it.
Beat the butter and egg together in a large bowl for 1 minute with an electric hand mixer. Add the cookie mix and ONE of the apple cider drink mix packages. Mix together with the hand mixer until the mixture is soft crumbles and sticks together when pinched.
Combine the cinnamon sugar with the remaining package of apple cider drink mix in a small bowl.
Place the cookie balls on parchment- lined baking sheets. Bake for 11 minutes or until edges are set and are barely golden. They will still be soft in the center but will firm up when cooled.
NOTES
• I like to slightly press down the cookies with my fingertips for flatter cookies, but for thicker cookies just bake the cookie balls after rolling in the sugar mixture.
• Shortcut Tip: You can also use the Snickerdoodles cookie mix and just stir the second package of apple cider mix into the packet of cinnamon sugar that comes in that cookie mix package.
Apple Cider Cookies
BUILDING HER DREAM
Story by Rachel Davis Karr
Holly Fryar first started in real estate in 2000, working for Travis Realty in Gardendale. The small hometown brokerage taught her a lot about the industry and the community. Although she initially ran the office, she eventually moved on to getting a license of her own.
After some time, she found herself moving out of real estate and into the legal field, using both her real estate knowledge and paralegal training to specialize in legal matters related to real estate, but she returned to real estate full time in 2017. During the last seven years, she has made a name for herself in north Jefferson real estate and in the community. She currently serves as the president of the Gardendale Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Rotary Club of North Jefferson.
Tired of the corporate world of real estate, Fryar decided earlier this year to return to her locally-owned roots and open her own brokerage, Magnolia Real Estate Group, with a partner.
“I wanted to get out of that corporate life,” Fryar explained. “I loved everyone I worked with, but
I prayed about it and the opportunity presented itself.”
Through her 24 years in the real estate industry, Fryar has seen many changes, many of them related to technological advances–something that has been a little bit of a double-edged sword for the industry. Fryar said it empowers buyers to see what is available and decide on properties they want to see, but it also leads to some unrealistic expectations on
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the part of sellers sometimes, as well as bad advice that often circulates on the internet.
Fryar’s best advice to those looking to buy a new home is to go into the process with realistic expectations by determining exactly what they can afford.
“Be preapproved for a loan,” Fryar said. “Know how much you can afford to buy before you shop, because it will keep you from getting disappointed. I say that to buyers all the time. If they have loan pre-approval, it proves to a seller they are serious, but it also tells them what they can afford. You know what your budget is–you might be able to afford more than you thought or maybe you can’t afford as much as you thought. It manages expectations.”
Her advice for those selling their home is to find a realtor they like and trust and then listen to them.
“I have told clients to go talk to other realtors before they decide,” Fryar said. “I would love to get your listing. I would love to work with you, but it’s also very important that our personalities mesh because we’re about to get into the trenches. We’re gonna be in this together until it’s over. I would like to think all agents do that.”
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Because, the bottom line for Fryar is that she views her clients as relationships, not just clients.
“That’s the beauty of what I do–you make friends,” Fryar said. “I enjoy walking away from a transaction with a new friend. I’ve only had two transactions, in all the years I have been involved in and around real estate, that if I never talk to those people again it’s fine. I think two out of twenty-four years is pretty good.”
Fryar would also like to see more of a sense of community among the realtors in the area. As a way of facilitating that, she has been part of turning a group–formerly known as Northern Area Caravan–into an official nonprofit and helping it regroup after COVID. The group–now called the Northern Area Real Estate Initiative–will continue to serve as a bridge among local realtors, as well as a way to give back to the community as an official 501(c)3 nonprofit.
Every other Wednesday, the group meets to look at the properties for sale and discuss community outreach, such as a toy drive for underprivileged children the group has always done at Christmas.
“COVID disconnected the community, and it has been difficult to reconnect,” Fryar said.
’Tis the Season-ing
Holiday cooking means stress and hours chained to the stove, right? Not in Kathleen Phillips’ world. Phillips has become the queen of tips to help the family cooks enjoy family time more without sacrificing the meal.
Each year, the holiday show gives local residents a chance to learn how to make seasonal favorites and new recipes more efficiently. That includes three Thanksgiving recipes and three Christmas recipes to be cooked at the show. The recipes remain a secret until the show though–available to those who attend via their own personal recipe handout. Eventually, they will all appear on Kathleen’s blog, GritsandGouda.com.
But beyond the recipes, the annual holiday show is an experience.
“It is a show–that’s what we want people to know–this is
not just Kathleen cooking on stage,” Phillips said. “It is an interactive, fun, entertaining show where you will be laughing and crying and screaming ‘gild the lily’ all at one time.”
Some annual traditions, like attendees screaming out when Kathleen uses that signature phrase, are part of what keeps bringing attendees back year after year. Panera Bread will also be on site again this year to give out hot cocoa, coffee and cookies.
There are some changes to the show, mostly based on comments left on the comment cards by attendees, such as offering a meal to be ordered for those who come straight from work (Gardendale Chick-fil-A takes preorders for meals), asking to hear more about the work
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of the nonprofit and even allowing attendees to buy their tickets for the silent auction in advance.
The auction also serves as a draw for the event, with everything from local business donations to national companies such as Instapot donating items.
Some groups use the cooking show as a Girl’s Night Out, while others attend as couples and, last year, Phillips said she had the pleasure of meeting a 12-year-old boy whose parents said he insisted on coming to the show because he loves to cook.
The show also serves as a benefit for the Outdoor Ability Foundation. The nonprofit, run by Kathleen’s husband and son, provides adaptive equipment for children who love the outdoors, but need special equipment to enjoy them. This year, a piece of adaptive equipment will even be given away at the show.
The nonprofit has given away multiple pieces of equipment to allow children who love the outdoors to participate in the activities they love. These items include 29 tank chairs that allow kids to travel across terrain that would otherwise be impossible for them to traverse in a wheelchair.
Grits and Gouda has gallery pictures of past shows under “cooking shows.”
Statewide Residential, Commercial,
Helical Piers
Old Favorite, New Cause
The annual Merry Market at the Gardendale Civic Center is a holiday tradition for many in the area. Earlier this year, Just Keep Smiling–the nonprofit that created the event–announced that they would no longer be hosting the show.
Connie Smith, head librarian of Gardendale’s Martha Moore Public Library, said she immediately wanted to help find a way to keep the event going. Mayor Stan Hogeland also wanted to ensure the event continued, so they set up a meeting with Just Keep Smiling. The group was eager for the event to continue and gladly handed off the event to the City of Gardendale to continue it. The city will host the event at the civic center as a benefit to The Arts in Gardendale.
“For many years, Merry Market had been enjoyed by our local community and beyond,” Hogeland wrote in his announcement. “Our friends at Just Keep Smiling brought so much joy and fun to everyone who entered our Civic Center doors. After numerous messages and reading comments from citizens, I met with Just Keep Smiling to discuss a transition to a City-sponsored event.”
Smith, who heads up The Arts in Gardendale, was excited to be able to continue the tradition and appreciates Just Keep Smiling for being so willing to hand the show over and help keep it going.
Although some of the regular vendors made other plans after the announcement that the event would not continue, most of them will return this year, along with some new vendors and even a new “coffee shop” area where people can relax and enjoy their treats, according to Smith.
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“It’s a great event,” Smith said. “They created something nice, and we want to keep it going.”
This year, Merry Market will be October 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and October 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center. Admission is $5.
The Arts in Gardendale is also looking for more citizen involvement to determine what types of programs are most wanted in the area.
“We’re also still trying to get volunteers, because it takes a lot of volunteers to do any kind of arts programming,” Smith said.
In the past, the group has hosted a popular mystery dinner theater, art classes, flower-arranging classes, charcuterie classes and more. Going forward, the group is hoping to start an elementary drama club that will also transition into a summer drama camp.
For more information on Merry Market or The Arts in Gardendale, contact Smith at the Gardendale Library or via the Facebook page.
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The first competition of the season will be later this month, and the coaches are hoping to improve on their second in the county ranking from last year, as well as looking forward to regional competitions.
Next year, they will return to Nationals in Orlando, Florida, in February. Although the City of Gardendale sponsors their entry into the competition, they are still looking for businesses to sponsor travel and other items they need for the competition.
“Nationals is the largest competition in the US,” Gooch said. “Teams from all around the US come and compete. It’s cool because you get to see all types of performances from all around the US.”
“It’s a great experience for the girls,” Landrum added. “It’s unlike any other thing you will do in this sport.”
But, it isn’t just about competition, it’s about building the relationships between the cheerleaders and helping them develop individually and as a group, according to Gooch and the junior varsity coach, Christen Landrum. The coaches get along and said they largely function as one squad.
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/ Cheerleaders /
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“I feel like it really is a kind of sisterhood these girls spend every single day together,” Gooch said. “They spend their weekends together and the community events we do bring us a lot closer together.”
This includes helping out at Miracle League and at other community events.
“We’re really big on giving the girls as many experiences as they can get–whether that be just dinner as a team or doing different things around the community,” Landrum said.
Those community events give the girls a chance to serve their community, but they also have a lot of fun.
“For me, it’s just seeing them grow throughout the season and seeing how their personalities develop, and then going to competition seeing how they work as a team together,” Gooch said. “Specifically, last year, I thought that Nationals was super rewarding just because it was the first time the school has been sponsored to go there. All the girls were super excited, and we just got to spend a lot of time with them.”
As someone who didn’t cheer in high school, Landrum was asked to take the helm last year and has fallen in love with the sport and her team.
“I like their excitement,” Landrum said. “I love seeing the smiles on their faces when we do things, on Friday nights and pep rallies. I love seeing them happy and smiling. It’s my favorite thing.”
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Ready to launch
The 2024 Gardendale High School varsity volleyball team has high hopes and expectations for this season, Coach Kelly Ingram said.
“Our goals this season were both small and large,” Ingram explained. “Some small goals are going further in tournaments, a winning record, improving each week and focusing on our team relationships. Big goals are winning Area, going past the 2nd round at Regionals, winning the County Tournament.”
This group of girls has a special bond with each other and with their coach, something she believes is a major strength in this year’s squad. Putting the team first and ensuring they all work hard to support each other through difficult times has helped players returning from injury, growing into leadership roles and even improvements in veteran players.
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PHOTOS BY HEATHER WARDEN, WARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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“Our biggest strengths this year are team chemistry and how we make that a priority,” Ingram said. “Kayla Kirksey and Darby Jarvis both sustained ACL injuries last year and are back this season–which is huge.”
Kirksey is also one of the team leaders and captains of the team, along with Heather Hardman, Kenlie Hitchler and Shelby Hammond. These standouts have been playing on varsity since they were freshmen, according to Ingram, and they continue to work to better themselves and the younger players.
“I’m most excited to watch our seniors enjoy their last season, and building up the ones below them to continue building upon what Gardendale Volleyball stands for,” Ingram said. “They have worked hard to become the leaders they are, and I’m excited to watch them help take this team far this season.”
There are some young players that Ingram is excited to see grow through the season as well.
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“I have two freshmen–Alexa Dunagan and Hannah Moore–that are huge assets to the varsity team and have a bright future ahead of them,” Ingram said.
The season hasn’t been perfect, but overall, Ingram is proud of everything her team has accomplished and everything they continue to work for, even if things don’t come easily.
“So far we have played some tough competition and will continue to do so, but we have held our own and have grown from each match,” Ingram said “The only place we can move is up and that’s when it matters, when we get to regionals!”
Later this month, the team will be headed to fulfill some of their larger goals in the Area tournament on October 22 and the Super Regionals on October 25.
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GES recognizes positive office referrals
Gardendale Elementary School congratulates students on earning a Positive Office Referral.
SRES learns about bodies
Snow Rogers Elementary School’s first grade learned about the human body. Recently, they learned that muscles cover our bones and help us move our bodies. They had fun using playdough to build muscles over bodies.
SRES celebrates high ACAP scores
Snow Rogers Elementary School celebrated all of the students that made level fours on last spring’s ACAP. The PTA provided ice cream for the celebration.
SRES August
Students of the Month
Snow Rogers Elementary School honored its August Students of the Month.
Both Bragg Middle School’s girl’s and boy’s teams brought home wins in the first meet of the season. Madison Walker finished 1st for girls. William Bobo finished 1st for the boy’s team. Both teams held all top 5 finishers.
Bragg Cross Country
Bragg Middle School
September Students of the Month
Bragg Middle School honored its September Students of the Month. These students were chosen by their teachers for their hard work, a great display of character, and their willingness to go above and beyond. Students of the Month are treated to lunch, courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings in Gardendale.
6th Grade - Keven Pham and Brittney Felipe
7th Grade - Ethan Wright and Aaliyah Hacker
8th Grade - Bella Lyvers and Martin Matute
Snow Rogers Elementary School honored its attendance winners for August. They each received a free ticket for an athletic event at Gardendale High School.
Bryan Elementary Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
Fultondale High School Supports Fultondale Elementary
Fultondale High School Cheerleaders, Dance Team, Band and Wildcat Mascot visited Fultondale Elementary School for a pep rally to encourage students to do their best when taking the I-ready diagnostic tests.They also had a special visit from the Chickfil-A Fultondale Cheerleader Cow.
Fultondale Senior Citizens Enjoy Fun Events
Members of the Fultondale Senior Center recently enjoyed a night out to see The Martini Shakers a Tribute to Elvis at the Leeds Art Council. The group had a great night of music and dancing. Additionally, members of the Center had a fun night of bingo, which was hosted by Oak Street Health.
Bryan Elementary School is excited to have seven new faculty and staff members for the 2024-2025 school year. They are as follows: Serra Wakefield, Assistant Principal; Alyssa Tucker, Pre-K Assistant; Aaliyah Wyatt, Exceptional Education; Kelsi Hurley, Fifth Grade; Jared Humphry, Exceptional Education; Lindsey Hayes, Kindergarten; Debra McLendon, Exceptional Education. The school is looking forward to a great year with the new members of their education team.
Free Smoke Alarms for Fultondale Residents
Fultondale Fire & Rescue provides free smoke alarms through cooperative programs with the Alabama Fire College’s Get Alarmed and the American Red Cross of Alabama to Fultondale residents. Email canprogram@fultondaleal.gov to schedule pickup or installation if you require assistance.This initiative is sponsored by Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention.
Fultondale Fire and Rescue Visits Senior Center
The Fultondale Fire and Rescue team recently enjoyed a fun morning with citizens at the Fultondale Senior Center. Director Wilma Rice, staff and members, gave them a warm welcome.The crew enjoyed breakfast with the members, which was provided by Mrs. Rice.
Upcoming Events
Fultondale & Warrior National Night Out Event
The cities of Fultondale and Warrior are coming together on Tuesday, Oct. 1 to host a National Night Out event at Buck Creek Park located at 777 Yarbrough Road. Bring the whole family for an evening of fun and community spirit. Enjoy Touch-aTruck, free hot dogs, chips,
drinks, music and check out firetrucks, police cars, and even a helicopter. This is a great opportunity for a fun night with the family.
Mt. Olive Elementary Fall Festival
Mt. Olive Elementary will host its Fall Festival on Friday, Oct. 18 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Warrior Day
The annual Warrior Day event will be held in downtown Warrior on October 19, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. There will be food trucks, vendors of all types, live entertainment and a car show. Applications for vendors are already being accepted.
State of the Cities Address
The North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce will host a State of the Cities Address for Morris and Kimberly on October 21 at 7 p.m. at Enon Baptist Church in Morris. Morris Mayor Joe Pylant and Kimberly Mayor Bob Ellerbrock will speak.
Barking at the Moon
The annual Barking at the Moon Festival will be held at the Fultondale Bark Park on October 27, 1-5 p.m. The event is free and there will be entertainment, kid and dog costume contests, vendors and more.
Warrior Farmers Market
A Farmers Market will be held the first and third Friday through the month of October from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The location will be 550 North Main Street. For more e information, call city hall at 205.647.0520 or email jtanks@cityofwarrior.com
Morris Blue Spoon Chili Fest
The Morris Blue Spoon Chili Fest, benefitting the Morris Youth Association and BB Burn Camp, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16. Admission is free and $5 to sample chili. For more information visit morrischili.com.
Arnold hired as Crossing Guard
Misty Arnold was recently hired as a crossing guard in the Gardendale Police Department. She is pictured on the right with Dawn Burgess, standing in for supervisor Mary Tidwell.
Summer Adult Softball champions crowned
The new tournament champions of the Summer Adult Softball League were Hometown Athletics.
Hallmark hired in Parks and Recreation
Jacob Hallmark was recently hired as a full-time unskilled laborer in the Parks and Recreation Department. He is pictured with Dale Hyche, the Department Head for the Gardendale Parks and Recreation Department.
Gentry and Goggans hired in Public Works
Cody Gentry and Zach Goggans were recently hired as full-time unskilled laborers in the Gardendale Public Works Department. Zach Goggans is pictured to the left of Paul Tidwell, the Department of the Public Works Department, and Cody Gentry is pictured to his right.
Gardendale Civitan scholarships awarded
Gardendale Civitan awarded three college scholarships through Down Syndrome Alabama. Please congratulate recipients Lindsay, Cooper and Jackson.
Golden Eagles feature speaker from Historical Society
The Golden Eagles Club recently hosted Ronnie Guinn from the Gardendale Historical Museum...He talked about the history of the city of Gardendale.
Rotary gets updates on projects
North Jefferson Rotary Club recently made for upcoming community projects and fundraisers. Also, Archie and Annette Hand gave an update on the ministry work they are doing in Tapachula, Mexico. North Jefferson Rotary has completed several service projects in Tapachula.
Scarecrow Row
The Arts in Gardendale will host a Scarecrow Row decorating contest at the library. The scarecrows can be sponsored for $20 at the library. The scarecrows will be decorated from Oct. 1-7, Judged from Oct 10-19 and the winner will be announced Oct. 21.
Citywide Fall Cleanup
The annual Fall Cleanup will be October 7-11. To schedule a pickup, contact the Gardendale Public Works at 205.631.3394. All pickups must be scheduled by noon on Oct. 9. Items such as appliances, grills, TVs, old furniture, etc. will be accepted, but hazardous items like paint, propane cylinders, tires, gas cans, insecticides or household garbage will not be accepted. Any discarded fridges or freezers must be emptied of all food. Building supplies will not be accepted. Items must be placed at the curb for pickup.
Chamber of Commerce Luncheons
The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce Luncheons will be October 10, November 14 and December 12. Sponsorships are still available.
Merry Market
Merry Market hosted by The Arts in Gardendale will be held on Friday, October 18, and Saturday, October 19, at the Gardendale Civic Center.
Pumpkin Palooza
Bill Noble Park will host its quarterly event with vendors, activities for the whole community and food trucks on October 25, at the park.
Grits and Gouda Holiday Cooking Show
The 7th Annual Holiday Cooking Show will be October 28, at 6 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center. The show serves as a fundraiser for the Outdoor Ability Foundation. Tickets will go on sale in early September at GritsandGouda.com.
Quilt and Craft Show
East Gardendale Baptist Church will host a Quilt and Craft
Show on November 1 and 2, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 360 Tarrant Road. The quilt show will be November 1 and 2 and presented by the North Jefferson Quilter’s Guild. On November 2, there will also be craft vendors at the show. There will be food trucks both days. For more information, email eastgardendalebaptistevents@gmail.com.
Christmas Village
Bill Noble Park will host its quarterly event with vendors, activities for the whole community and food trucks will be December 3, at the park.
Stock Little Free Library
Help us stock our Little Free Library! We are in need of children’s and young adult books in good to perfect condition to stock our Little Free Library (LFL) located by the soccer fields off of Fieldstown Road.
Donations can be placed directly in the LFL or you can bring them to the front desk at the library and we will take them to the LFL when we visit weekly.
Library Food Pantry
Our library food pantry always need the following items: hearty soups/stews/chili, varieties of canned chicken/tuna/ ham, single-sized and normal cereal, granola type bars, fruit cups, peanut butter, jelly, oatmeal/grits packets, pasta and Alfredo and other sauces and any toiletries. We take food only if it is not outdated and not opened.
Historical Museum Hours
The Kermit E. Dooley Gardendale Historical Museum (170 Bell Street) will be open to the public every Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MyGardendale
For a complete list of events and happenings, visit MyGardendale.com to see an interactive calendar.
To have an item added to our calendar, please send information to rachel@jbmcmedia.com.
happens Amazing
When people with extraordinary talent and passion are given the technology, the facilities, and the support, they achieve great things. The discoveries and innovations happening today will help shape the future of treatments and lead to cures. And it benefits not only the patients and families who come to Children’s of Alabama, but people across the country and around the world for years to come.
Meet
Kent Glover, D.C.
Chiropractic Manipulation
Dry Needling
DOT Physicals
Physio-Therapeutics
Originally from Sumiton, Alabama, Dr. Kent Glover earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Samford University in 2012. Dr. Glover went on to complete his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life University in Atlanta in 2016, graduating with honors. After practicing in Gardendale for six years within a group setting, he decided to branch out on his own. In spring of 2023 Dr. Glover purchased his practice from Dr. Scott Wood, who served the North Jefferson community for more than twenty years.
Dr. Glover has certifications in physiotherapeutics, activator technique, and dry needling. He is also a certified medical examiner for the Department of Transportation.
Using a problem-centered approach, Dr. Glover ensures he is addressing the current needs of his patients in the most ethical and moral way possible. Providing quality, evidence-based care and education to his patients is his top priority.
In his free time, he loves to spend his days with his wife, Kayla, his son, Samuel, and their ten year old golden retriever, George. In addition to being a jazz musician and disc golfer, he and his wife are self-proclaimed “foodies” and love to travel the world. He hopes to continue to serve the Gardendale and north Jefferson areas and is excited to be a part of the growth Gardendale continues to see.
Dr. Kent Glover with his wife Kayla, son Samuel and daughter Rosie.