WestJeff Magazine - April 2024

Adhesives / Epoxies Fillers / Resins (caulk, glue)

Paint (latex, acrylic, oil, and spray)

Stains / Sealants

Varnishes / Shellacs

Strippers / Removers

Thinners / Solvents

Turpentine

Wallpaper Cement

Asphalt Sealers

Roof Cements

(WILL ACCEPT)

Cleaners / Degreasers

Rust Removers (carburetor, polish, soaps, solvents)

Filters and Fuel Additives

Fluids (antifreeze, brake, transmission)

Gas / Oil Gas and Oil Mixture

Tires (without rims, limit 8)

Aerosols (disinfectants, hair products)

(WILL NOT ACCEPT)

Batteries (alkaline, lead, lithium, rechargeable or NiCad)

Chemicals (acids, ammonia, bleach, drain openers)

Cleaners / Degreasers (bath, kitchen, rug, outdoor)

First Aid and Sunscreen (antiseptics, burn and wound care, sanitizers)

Gas Cylinders / Flammables (carbon dioxide, gasoline, kerosene, oxygen, propane)

Light Bulbs / Tubes / Ballasts (CFL, fluorescent, sodium)

Appliances (air conditioners, freezers, refrigerators, stoves)

Household

Cooking Oil and Grease

Electronics (computers, cell phones, televisions, security equipment, small

Fire

Mercury

Business News

Find out what’s happening in the business world around West Jefferson County

Forward in Faith

The Stanley family ministers through their horse ranch in Bessemer

Champions of the Community

Sam & Janice Poole are dedicated to serving Hueytown

Buddy Vines Fish Camp

The family-owned fish camp that has welcomed guests for 100+ years

Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival

Iconic festival continues into its 13th year

School News

Good news from our local schools

COLUMNS

The West Beat Jesse Chambers’ monthly column

Events Calendar

Plenty going on around the community in April

Sean of the South

A good word from Sean Dietrich

I want to welcome you to the pages of the first issue of WestJeff Magazine. My career has been dedicated to magazines and newspapers in the Birmingham area, but the last few years have given me the opportunity to focus on communities that remind me the most of my roots. After growing up in a small, rural town in Georgia, I’ve lived in the metro Birmingham area for 20 years, getting used to a faster pace of life along the way. But, I’ve always seemed to find my way to the communities in our area that still retain their small town charm.

I worked in Columbiana, in South Shelby County, for a number of years. I got to know my way around farther-flung communities like Vincent, Montevallo, Pinson, Argo, Mt. Olive, and Sterrett along my career path. Three years ago, our team launched Gardendale Magazine. It was a risk, but one that paid off for us and for that community. Today, that magazine is embraced in a way that the community sees it as their magazine, which it certainly is.

Today, with the first-ever issue of WestJeff Magazine, we see

the same opportunity: a chance to lift up the people, history, places, schools, and businesses across West Jefferson County. So many stories are waiting to be told, from places like Oak Grove and Adger, to Bessemer and Hueytown. From the busy thoroughfares of I-459 and I-20/59, to the meandering roads along the Black Warrior River, people work to improve their way of life and the lives of those around them. We can’t wait to tell all their stories.

So, thank you for reading, and thank you especially to the businesses, entities, and individuals who see our passion and our vision and invest their marketing budgets with us.

This magazine is yours. And we are so happy to bring it to you. Enjoy reading!

Matthew Allen, Publisher, JBMC Media matthew@jbmcmedia.com

Our Advertising Partners

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, and mention you saw their ad in WestJeff Magazine!

If you would like to support this magazine through advertising, contact Michelle Salem Haynes michelle@jbmcmedia.com.

American Pride Trophies and Awards

Children’s of Alabama

Deo Gloria Wood Works

First Financial Bank

Hill’s Carpet & Floor Covering

Hueytown Chamber of Commerce

Jefferson County Commission

Jimmie Stephens, Jefferson County Commission

Parrot Structural Services

TherapySouth

UAB Medical West Hospital

About Us

Who We Are Staff

WestJeff Magazine serves the communities and people of West Jefferson County. Published every month, the magazine is available for free at more than 100 locations in Bessemer, Hueytown, McCalla, Pleasant Grove, Concord, Oak Grove, Sylvan Springs, and other areas.

Subscriptions are available for $35 per year. Email subscribe@jbmcmedia.com for details on how to subscribe or send a gift subscription.

Does your business want to connect with West Jefferson County residents? Email us: advertise@jbmcmedia.com, and let’s talk!

All content in this magazine remains the property of JBMC Media, LLC. Any requests to reprint or republish should be directed to matthew@jbmcmedia.com.

Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.

On The Cover

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

Matthew Allen is a native of Georgia, but has called Birmingham his home for 20+ years. He and his wife have two children, 11 and 14, along with two dogs who don’t know they’re dogs.

He has spent his entire career in local journalism, having been affiliated with well over a dozen newspapers and magazines.

WestJeff Magazine is one of five local publications that he owns and publishes.

Jesse Chambers Content Director jesse@jbmcmedia.com

Jesse Chambers is a Birmingham native and has worked as an editor, reporter and feature writer in the area for about 20 years. He previously worked at such outlets as Birmingham Weekly, Weld for Birmingham, B-Metro, Al.com, The Birmingham News, Iron City Ink and Village Living. He is also the Managing Editor of an arts and entertainment website in Birmingham called bhmstr.com. Chambers earned a B.A. and an M.A. in English at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He has also lived in Atlanta, Seattle, Boston and Eugene, Ore.

Michelle Salem Haynes

Marketing Consultant (205) 381-1311 michelle@jbmcmedia.com

Michelle Salem Haynes grew up in Vestavia Hills, but now resides in but now resides in North Shelby County. She is married to Jeff, and they have two sons, Tyler and Hunter, two wonderful daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren who are the light of her life (Troy and Pippa)

She graduated from the University of Alabama with a major in public relations. Growing up in a family of athletes, she is an avid Bama fan! Michelle started her career in advertising sales with Yellow Pages, and she has been in marketing for more years than she can count. Her passion is building relationships and helping others achieve their goals, which brings her much “job joy.”

“Working here allows me to stay connected to the communities in which we serve and love!”

PHOTOS BY BRITTNEY FIELDS | FIELDS PHOTO

Forward in Faith Ranch, located off Hilltop Road in Bessemer, is a faith-based teaching ranch. Established in 2015, Forward in Faith is owned by Elizabeth and Andrew Stanley and their family. Learn more about them at fifranch.org.

Staff continued

Anthony and Shweta Bratina grew up in Hoover and have more than 25 years of experience in graphic design. When they aren’t designing, you might find Anthony playing racquetball or Shweta teaching group fitness classes. They have four boys, two dogs, and now live down the street in Helena.

Emily Listo grew up in Montgomery, studied Graphic Design and Ceramics at University of Montevallo, and worked and lived in the Birmingham area before leaning into semi-nomadic artist life, while still working remotely for local newspapers.

Now permanently located in rural Western North Carolina she splits her time between worknig in operations and project management for growing businesses like JBMC Media, creating custom ceramics through Emily VanderMey Ceramics, and managing marketing operations for their budding family farm. When not working, she spends her time with her husband Nick, son Jack, and their 4 dogs Rex, Clovis, Big Jimmy, and Bellatrix.

Anthony and Shweta Bratina Graphic Designers

Emily VanderMey Listo Operations & Project Manager Graphic Designer

The West Beat

BY JESSE CHAMBERS

Welcome to WestJeff Magazine, a new monthly publication dedicated to giving the communities of Western Jefferson County the media coverage they deserve.

And welcome to The West Beat, a monthly column where I look forward to talking about some of the people, places and things that make the Western communities unique and special.

I have a great affection for Western Jefferson County, even though I don’t live there, and I didn’t grow up there. I grew up in East Lake. But the area became a big part of my life during an earlier phase of my reporting career.

After stints at the now-defunct alt-weeklies Birmingham Weekly and Weld for Birmingham, I went to work at Al.com and The Birmingham News in 2012 as West Communities beat reporter.

The geographic area for that beat was huge — ranging from Adamsville to McCalla and almost everything in between.

In my nearly three years with The News, I learned more about the Western area than I ever had before and came to really care about those communities.

I covered elections and city council meetings in Bessemer, Hueytown, Midfield, Fairfield, Lipscomb, Brighton and other cities.

I wrote about continuing efforts to recover from the devastating tornadoes that had hit the Birmingham area, including Concord and Pleasant Grove, in 2011.

There were shootings and apartment fires and winter storms to cover, including the famed “Snowpocalypse” event in January 2014

I covered the construction of a new town hall in Sylvan

What do you want to read about in an upcoming issue?

We want to hear your story ideas, info about your business or organization, events or fundraisers.

Springs, the groundbreaking for a new recreation center in Bessemer and efforts to renovate the historic Lincoln Theatre movie house in Bessemer.

There were lots of feature stories to write, as well, including a visit to Pinkston Produce in Bessemer, an archery tournament at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, a sea lion show at the Splash Adventure Waterpark and the 25th anniversary of Restoration Academy in Fairfield in 2013.

I also saw Hitler’s typewriter at the Bessemer Hall of History; visited Frank Price, a barber who operated his shop from an RV; and wrote about the history of the legendary Green Lantern bar in McCalla in 2013, about 10 years before it closed.

In the years since my time at The News ended, the media business – in Birmingham and elsewhere – has continued to change radically, largely due to the internet and the explosive growth of social media. The Birmingham News is no longer printed, and outlets like AL.com are doing less and less local coverage.

At WestJeff Magazine, we want to fill that gap, at least for Western Jefferson County, but we can’t do it alone.

We want to hear from you. Send us your story ideas. Send us information about your business or organization. Let us know about your events or fundraisers. If possible, send us your large, hi-res photographs, preferably at least 1 MB.

Write to me at jesse@jbmcmedia.com or our publisher, Matthew Allen, at matthew@jbmc.com.

Please enjoy this first issue of WestJeff Magazine. We truly hope to see you again in this same space in May.

Email

Sean of the South

Cracker Barrel

BY SEAN DIETRICH

Cracker Barrel, 8:17 p.m.—it’s busy tonight. There’s a boy in a wheelchair at the table beside me. His father is spoon feeding him cooked apples and fried chicken.

When the boy’s sister says something funny, the boy claps and laughs.

His father wipes his face with a rag and says, “You’re my special boy.” Then, he kisses his forehead.

A nearby girl wanders toward the boy. She is four, maybe. Her hair is in locks. She stares at him with her hand in her mouth.

“Is he okay?” she asks.

The boy leans and gives a big “HELLO!”

There are apple bits on his chin.

The girl gives a smile brighter than a Christmas tree. “HI THERE!” she says in return. Then, she skips off.

Three tables from the boy is an old man. He is wearing a ball cap, Velcro shoes. He’s sitting at a two-top. He orders chicken-fried steak and potatoes. He has no cellphone to occupy his attention. No reading material. He sits.

He and I share a waitress. Her name is Blanche—it’s embroidered on her apron. Whenever he speaks to her, he holds her hand. Something you don’t see much.

He has a voice that sounds beautifully genteel. It’s a wonder he’s all alone.

Behind him is a table of Mexican workers—men, women, and kids. At least I think they’re Mexican. Every word they say is tagged with a diminutive “ito” or “ita.” They sit covered in paint and grit. They speak rapid Spanish. Lots of laughing.

One Mexican boy crawls into his mother’s lap. She strokes his silk hair with her paintspotted hand, saying, “Cariño mio,” over and over.

And though I don’t know much Spanish, I imagine this, more or less, means: “You’re my special boy.”

To their left: a teenage couple. He weighs a buck ten, she is a foot taller than him. They hold hands when they walk out. They kiss. They look drunk on each other. What a feeling.

When I pay my tab, Laney is my cashier. She takes my breath away.

I haven’t seen Laney since she was a 10-year-old in Vacation Bible School class. She’s in her mid-20s now. She has two kids. She’s a fine young woman.

God, where has time gone?

I ask about her mother. While we chat, the boy in the wheelchair is leaving the restaurant. His father wheels him out the door.

The boy throws his hands and says, “BYE EVERYONE!”

I wave goodbye. Most folks in the gift shop do the same. There’s not a single frown among us. How could there be.

Because it’s all around us—whatever you call it. I suppose it’s always here, hanging in the air like potpourri my mother would make on the stovetop.

It saves lives. It changes people. And you won’t find it on a television, smartphone, or newsfeed.

Sometimes I pay attention to it, and it makes me feel strong. Other times, I don’t.

Tonight, I did.

There goes one special boy.

Illustration courtesy of Sean Dietrich

New hotel in Bessemer first of its kind in the United States

BY JESSE CHAMBERS

At WestJeff Magazine, we will strive to provide comprehensive coverage of business activity of all kinds in Western Jefferson County during an exciting time for the area. For example, Bessemer has attracted such companies as Dollar General, Amazon, Milo’s Tea Company and BLOX in recent years. McCalla is currently seeing the construction of the new UAB Medical West Hospital and a massive, $1.1 billion Smucker’s plant. However, we don’t want to cover just the big projects. We want to hear news and updates about all of the businesses in the area, both large and small. Please send us any tips, releases or other information you have to jesse@jbmcmedia.com.

First in the U.S.A.

The first dual-branded Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Candlewood Suites property in the United States was opened in Bessemer in early March by IHG Hotels & Resorts. With 141 rooms, the dual-branded hotel offers business and leisure travelers lots of great amenities, as well as a greater choice in the nature of their guest experience. For the first time under one roof, customers can opt either for “smart, simple travel” or a “space to settle in.” For example, guests can enjoy the “Express Start Breakfast” from Holiday Inn Express or take advantage of the fully equipped kitchens at Candlewood Suites. The property also offers access to shared spaces, including a heated indoor pool, fitness center, 1,240 square feet of meeting space, and outdoor common areas with gas grills, fire pits and seating. A ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony will be held at the hotel, which is located on 5430 Academy Way, on April 17, from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. The new hotel operates under the ownership of Marigold Hospitality and is managed by Triad Property Management. “We’re extremely pleased to be partnering with IHG to open the United States’ first dual-branded Holiday Inn Express and Candlewood Suites to support both transient and extended stay travelers coming to the area,” said Mayur Desai, director of development with Triad Property Management, in a March 6 news release.

“The innovative design of our guest rooms paired with state-of-the-art features throughout the hotel are sure to meet any need.”

Making the sale

Graham & Co., a commercial real estate firm based in Birmingham, recently sold a Class A Warehouse in Bessemer to the Barber Companies for $17 million, according to a February 6 news release from the developer. Graham & Co. completed the construction of the facility, which is located at 4251 Turin Drive in Bessemer and measures about 187,000 square feet, in June 2022. The rear-load warehouse is located in the Lakeshore Parkway corridor and is close to such industrial distributors as FedEx, Dollar General, Amazon and Lowe’s Home Improvement.

A dream comes true

Bold as a Lion Studios, a local, black-owned photography and videography company, now has its own brick-and-mortar studio in downtown Bessemer. The company made the announcement in February. Founded by Martez Nalls, Bold as a Lion is located at 1815 Third Ave. N. “Opening our studio in Bessemer is a dream come true,”

Nalls said, according to a report at bhamnow. com. “We’re proud to contribute to the local economy and cultural landscape, especially during Black History Month. This is more than just a studio opening; it’s a celebration of community, creativity, and the power of storytelling.” For more about the company, call 205-413-2394 or go to boldasalionstudios.com.

Don’t give up

Fairfield native and entrepreneur Jason Burroughs started his first company, Able Body Moving and Delivery LLC, in 2010, but by 2018, he was facing serious business setbacks and personal problems, including a contentious marriage. But he kept working and, in 2020, opened a successful new flatbed trucking company, Carrier and Brokered (C&B) Transportation Systems. In fact, Burroughs now owns five companies. To read his inspiring story, check out “Jason Burroughs Rebuilt His Trucking Firm from Nearly Broke to Business with Billion-Dollar Companies,” published on February 29 at birminghamtimes.com.

Photo courtesy of Triad Property Management.

The first dual-branded Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Candlewood Suites property in America opened recently in Bessemer.

Riding Out THEIR Purpose

Elizabeth and Andrew Stanley use their horse ministry to help others heal and grow.

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

Photos by Brittney Fields | FIELDS PHOTO

When two women reached out to Elizabeth and Andrew Stanley a few years ago for consulting help on a project, Andrew was working as a physical therapist, and Elizabeth—an avid equestrian who also taught therapeutic horseriding lessons—had left her field to stay home with the couple’s six children. The project wasn’t meant to turn into a full-time ministry, but that’s how God dreams seem to go. “He really pulled us into this [horse ministry] for a reason,” says Andrew. “The other two girls involved in the project needed to step away, so Elizabeth and I prayed about our involvement, and that’s how this initiative was birthed.”

The ”initiative,” which began in 2015, is now a full-blown ranch, where Elizabeth, Andrew, their children, and a village of employees and volunteers aim to live out Forward in Faith’s mission to deliver the love and message of Jesus Christ by facilitating healing, rebuilding, and growth for the wounded, the broken, and the seeking in an authentic equestrian and agricultural environment. “It’s kind of a unique thing, a horse ministry,” says Elizabeth. “We share Jesus through riding lessons, stewardship, and two main themes: community and being a teaching ranch.” She goes on to explain they believe God gives the gift of knowledge—in their case, horses—so they can share it with others and help them grow closer to the Lord. “Everyone has hard things in their lives—some of them are really hard—and the Lord is able to speak into those situations through community and break the cycles through our sharing the gospel and teaching the tools from His Word.”

Forward in Faith’s programs include lessons on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, where they offer English and Western styles, as well as interactive vaulting, from Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) instructors—

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Jack, Riley, Eden-Micah, and Charlie Stanley stand with their horses, Boots, Blackjack, and Sebastian.

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several of whom also hold PATH certification. PATH credentials prepare instructors for working with riders with disabilities, necessary for the ranch’s unique therapeutic riding program. Nearly 140 families arrive each week for lessons on the Stanleys’ stable of 18 horses. In addition, stewardship classes provide students with the opportunity to grow a garden, study animal care and management, participate in building projects, and more. “We offer an armor of God class, where students incorporate team building to physically craft the armor with wood and other materials,” says Elizabeth. “Then we lead a CrossFittype exercise to demonstrate how the armor works.” They also offer men’s ministry, encouraging them to work shoulder-to-shoulder on building projects, and marriage initiatives. “Marriage is being attacked in our culture and world right now, so we want to provide people resources and opportunities [to help],” she says. Large groups—churches, businesses, school clubs—are welcome for leadership-based classes, where horses are used to teach character, communication, and teamwork.

Speaking of teamwork, the Stanleys readily acknowledge the family aspect of the ranch begins at home. Though their oldest two daughters—Riley (22) and Taylor (21)—are now off at college, they grew up teaching lessons and participating on Forward in Faith’s competitive equestrian team. Two of their younger children—Charlie (9) and Eden-Micah (7)—compete on the team now, and the couple notes both Eden-Micah and Ivey (5) are “horsecrazy.” “Jack (11) is our cowboy kind of dude,” says Elizabeth. “He’s not a horse enthusiast, but he loves people. His favorite thing is playing

Continued on Page 15

Elizabeth Stanley, owner of Forward in Faith, with Sebastian, one of their 18 horses.

Find Your Place at Forward in Faith

Continued from Page 14

with siblings while the others are doing lessons and serving in that way.”

Andrew makes clear the couple’s gratefulness for the word-of-mouth growth Forward in Faith has experienced. “There are a lot of opportunities to serve others, but we wanted to maintain bandwidth in our personal space and not rob our family of time. I work full-time [as a physical therapist] and Elizabeth homeschools our children, so it could’ve been overwhelming. Instead, we’ve been given the opportunity to grow at a pace that’s doable for us,” he says. “The Lord will lead the right people here.”

For more information, visit fifranch.org.

One of the things that makes the Stanleys’ ministry successful is the volunteers who serve at the ranch. It is also one of their greatest needs. “We have opportunities for volunteers, interns, and even student workers who want to earn lesson time,” says Elizabeth. There are plenty of options, whether your interest is working directly with the animals, or you possess skills more aligned with administrative tasks. For example:

• Helping care for horses (grooming, tacking, leading, side-walking)

• Leading or spotting during lessons

• Barn and farm help (landscaping, weed management, building projects)

• Special events

• Office help/fundraising

• Encouraging families while kids take lessons

To determine where you best fit in at the ranch, contact Elizabeth at (205) 370-2981.

Eden-Micah Stanley rides on Blackjack.

If you don’t have an answer to that question, we’d love to meet you e believe that just as you benefit by making regular visits to your doctor and your dentist, you can also live a more full life by seeing physical therapist regularly t herapySouth, we build relationships with our patients that last a lifetime e can assess pain obstacles to help you meet goals and return to your favorite activities! So, when you are making your plans for annual medical appointments, don’t forget physical therapy!

Hueytown Chamber of Commerce thrives with volunteers Long-time Hueytown residents Sam and Janice Poole are among the Chamber’s

loyal Ambassadors.

BY JESSE CHAMBERS

Chambers of commerce do a lot of valuable work in hundreds of cities and towns in America by promoting those communities and encouraging their small businesses.

The Hueytown Chamber of Commerce, headed by Director Debbie Kiker since 2020, is no exception.

One technique the Chamber uses very effectively to energize and entertain Hueytown residents and others is special events.

“We have a lot of events,” Kiker said, citing the Business After Hours: Munch & Mingle networking events, the Fall Festival, the Christmas tree lighting and the Easter Egg Drop, among others.

However, the Chamber badly needs the help and support it gets from its many volunteers, including its Ambassadors and Junior Ambassadors.

“I couldn’t do it without them, for real,” Kiker said. “I’m a one-person office.”

The volunteers are especially important now because the Chamber has grown rapidly under Kiker, from 36 members to almost 250, she said.

The size and scale of some of the events has grown, too.

“The Christmas tree lighting used to be maybe 300 to 500 people, but they bought a bigger

Sam and Janice Poole.

Photos courtesy Hueytown Chamber of Commerce.

Hueytown Chamber ambassadors and friends celebrate the ribbon cutting for My Geek on October 16, 2023.

Janice said.

tree, and we have Santa and sleigh rides,” she said. “Now we have 3,000 people coming. That’s why I need volunteers. That’s what our Ambassadors and Junior Ambassadors are for – to volunteer to help us do those things.”

Among the most loyal of the Ambassadors are Sam and Janice Poole, a married couple who have lived in Hueytown for most of their lives and take part in almost all of the Chamber’s events. The Chamber recently recognized the Pooles by thanking them on social media.

“They are just always there,” Kiker said. “They’re always among the first to help me and to volunteer.”

The Pooles have volunteered as Chamber Ambassadors for six years and enjoy taking part in an effort “to promote Hueytown, because it’s our hometown,” Sam said.

“We love Hueytown and the people here,” Janice said. “We raised our two children in Hueytown. We are involved with the Chamber because it gives us an opportunity to support and promote our local businesses.”

Technically, neither Sam nor Janice is a Hueytown native, but both have a long, deep connection to the city.

Sam’s family moved to Hueytown from Birmingham’s Central Park neighborhood in 1952 when he was only two years old. Janice’s family moved to Hueytown from Pampa, Texas in 1967, when she was in the middle of her ninth-grade year. They both graduated from Hueytown High School.

The couple married in 1971 and moved away for four years while Sam served in the U.S. Air Force.

“We returned to Hueytown in 1975 to raise our family, and we have never left,” Sam said.

“As a married couple, we have been here…almost 49 years,” Janice said.

The couple have lived in the Westwind neighborhood in Hueytown for more than 20 years, Janice said.

They are members of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and have two children and five grandchildren.

Both of the Pooles are retired. Sam worked as a controller, and Janice worked in administrative accounting.

The Pooles believe strongly that Hueytown is a special place.

“We have neighbors that care about each other and look after each other, and the income ranges are from low incomes to high incomes, but we don’t differentiate between the two,” Sam said.

“We just love Hueytown because of our church, too, but we also both graduated from Hueytown High School, and we have a lot of friendships from that,” Janice said.

Hueytown has retained its friendly, small-town character over the years,

“It started out a long time ago as just a bedroom community, and a lot of that has changed over time, but to me it’s still a place where families can settle and enjoy being together,” she said.

Being involved in a positive group effort as Chamber Ambassadors is very rewarding, the couple say.

“It is fun to see everyone come together for the same cause,” Sam said.

“We get to meet others who have the same love for Hueytown,” Janice said.

The Pooles named some of the Chamber events or activities that they have especially enjoyed.

They have taken part in numerous Munch & Mingle events. “Those are fun,” Sam says.

“We also have really enjoyed doing the grand openings and the ribbon cuttings,” Janice said. “Those are always fun.”

Janice said that the couple enjoys all of the Chamber’s special events, and Sam really likes the Fall Festival, which he said has become “a pretty big deal now.”

“We try to serve, either to greet people or to do whatever Debbie wants us to,” Janice said.

Kiker has great respect for the Pooles as people, not just as volunteers.

They are well-known and well-liked in the community and “have a lot of contacts here in Hueytown,” Kiker said.

”Sam and Janice have a really good Christian family,” she said. “Their kids are grown and have good careers.”

“They are just sweet, loving, caring people,” Kiker said. “They are just a good, wholesome, fun-loving couple.”

In addition to the Ambassadors, the Chamber relies on the volunteer efforts of its Junior Ambassadors, who are recruited from area high schools, including Hueytown High School, Oak Grove High School and Bessemer Academy.

The Junior Ambassadors program has grown a lot over the past year, Kiker said.

“I am so excited,” she said. “We have over 30 junior ambassadors,”

Kiker also praises the support she receives from her 10-member Board of Directors.

“I have a great board,” she said. “They are awesome.”

The Hueytown Chamber of Commerce is located at 1318 Hueytown Road.

For more information about the Chamber, including membership or volunteer opportunities, call 205-491-7010 or go to hueytownchamber. com. Follow the Chamber on social media at facebook.com/ HueytownChamber.

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Dachshunds race at the Hueytown Chamber’s annual Paw Palooza and Weiner Dog Race.

Buddy Vines Fishing Camp an ‘escape from reality’

The Vines family takes pride in their long legacy on the river

By JESSE CHAMBERS

In today’s chaotic, fast-paced world, many people are hungry to find peace and solace.

They want a place to relax and unplug, to enjoy nature and to make beautiful memories with friends and family.

For 109 years, many people in the Birmingham area seeking this sort of rejuvenation have turned to the Buddy Vines Fishing Camp.

One of the oldest family-owned businesses in Alabama, the camp is located on Bankhead Lake on the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River.

John C. “Buddy” Vines and his wife, Maria, currently operate the camp. The facility was founded by Buddy’s grandfather, John Aaron Vines, in 1915 – the same year the Bankhead Lock and Dam was created.

Photos by Matthew Allen

Buddy and Maria Vines stand on the steps of their home, which overlooks most of their fish camp. The Vines family has owned the camp since it began in 1915.

This 100-year-old pool table sits inside the Camp House, a venue that can be rented for gatherings at the Buddy Vines Fishing Camp.

Continued from Page 20

The camp provides swimming, boating and, of course, fishing. It features 15 charming cottages and 14 spaces for campers. The 1,200-square-foot Camp House is used for parties and other special events.

In addition, the bounty of nature on display at the camp is almost stunning.

“If you go fishing, you’re going to see lots of birds, lots of blue herons, lots of bald eagles,” Buddy said. “You’re gonna see a deer or two and mink and muskrat, so just getting out and seeing all that wildlife is pretty neat, too.”

In fact, the beautiful setting for the camp offers visitors more than mere recreation or sightseeing. It offers them an almost indefinable spiritual and emotional uplift.

“There is something about being on the river,” Buddy said. “It erases your worries. You come back refreshed after you’ve been out on the river.”

There is a value to being on the water and in the camp that transcends even the joys of fishing.

“Spending time in God’s creation is the biggest part,” Buddy said. “Most of the people who are fishing from our place say, ‘I just had to come fishing, and if I catch something that’s a bonus.”

“Most of the people who really love fishing just enjoy being on the water, and it’s a pastime while they’re enjoying the tranquility,” he said.

Buddy, Maria and their daughters – Chelsea Lee Vines and Tila Vines –recently spoke to WestJeff Magazine and shared their feelings about the camp. They discussed their family’s long history on the land and their plans for the future. They described what the place means to them and to their members. The family also shared what they see as the significance of a place like Buddy Vines Fishing Camp in the turbulent world of the 21st century.

The Vines legacy and their connection to the land goes even deeper than the fish camp.

“My family has been on this land since before Alabama became a state in 1819, and my daughters are the seventh generation on this same property,” Buddy said.

“It’s a family legacy,” he said, a legacy of which he and Maria are the current custodians.

“It’s just our turn to take care of the property, and it’s a task we wholeheartedly embrace because we love the property so,” Buddy said.

Taking good care of the property is “a huge responsibility,” Buddy said. “Keeping the grounds looking nice and all the grass and the weeds cut and everything painted and looking pristine is a tiresome responsibility, but it’s

Buddy Vines Fishing Camp

• 1509 Buddy Vines Camp Road

• Sits on the on Bankhead Lake on the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River.

• 205-260-4614

• buddyvinescamp.com

• facebook.com/pages/Buddy-Vines-Camp-WarriorRiver/223756047657795

the only way I would have it.”

The family also strives to maintain “a wholesome environment” at the camp, Buddy said.

“We are very selective about who we pick as members,” he said, noting that “there’s not a lot of profanity or drinking or even smoking.

“The camp is not meant for everybody,” he said. “For people for whom the fit is right, there’s no place they’d rather be.”

The camp offers memberships, but you do not have to be a member to fish. The boat launch is public, and the launch fee is only $5.

“People say we have the best launch on the entire river,” Buddy said.

All of the members of the Vines family celebrate the warm, friendly atmosphere at the camp and how much they enjoy getting to know their members and other visitors.

“There’s nothing better than sitting on our front porch and seeing our members ride by on golf carts or the little ones running through or walking through and playing, because they are experiencing a childhood where they can go out by themselves and play and not be constantly watched,” Maria said.

For years, the Vines have rented out the Camp House for parties and other functions.

In addition, they have recently begun hosting more holiday-themed functions for their members.

“We’re having functions now that we’ve never had before in the entire history of the camp,” Buddy said. “We had a big Halloween party where

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This gazebo allows fish camp guests to relax as the water slowly moves by. Many people come to the camp to unplug from heir busy, hectic schedules.

Continued from Page 21

everyone decorated their cottages and all the kids went from cottage to cottage trick or treating, and then we did a hay ride.”

The camp has also begun hosting Christmas and New Year’s parties, and they host a July 4 party with a live band.

There is also a lot of activity in the camp on college football game days in the fall beginning on the first Saturday of the season.

“Everybody gets together at a member’s cottage and they have the bigscreen TV and tailgating and have brunch,” Maria said. “They tailgate at their cottages, and some of them combine their tailgates.”

The camp is certainly a special place for the people who have experienced it.

“For most people, the camp is an escape from reality,” Chelsea said. “The cell phone service is spotty, high-speed internet is nonexistent, and most of the structures in which members stay were built in the 40’s. It seems that at the camp, time passes more slowly, and no one is in a rush to get anywhere.

“In a monotonous world where many things feel uncertain, I know that drinking an ice-cold Grapico on the Camp House porch will bring me the peace and safe haven that I regularly crave,” Chelsea said. “This experience can’t be manufactured anywhere else, and is, what I believe, the reason multiple generations of residents spend their time here.”

“Besides the obvious of memories and nostalgia, I think the camp is such a special place for so many people because of the commitment to excellence and community that my dad and my mom have put into the property,” Tila said. “I think the world around us is constantly changing and can be so chaotic nowadays, but when you drive on the Buddy Vines Camp property the atmosphere feels the same as it did when you last came. The camp is definitely a place that brings calmness and peace for so many people including myself.”

Long-time visitors to the camp can also rest assured that the facility’s future is in good hands.

Chelsea and Tila “will be taking the camp over when Maria and I leave this world,” Buddy said.

“I believe that they do have the passion and they understand the responsibility that comes with it,” Maria said.

“I’m extraordinarily proud to be a Vines and to continue the Vines legacy,” Chelsea said. “Most people can’t say they grew up learning to run a successful family business, and I can’t wait to give this experience to my own children someday.”

“Continuing the legacy for me has never been a question,” Tila said. “I absolutely take pride in being able to one day have my turn at looking over the camp because the camp is something that means a great deal to so many people. It is so much bigger than just a fishing camp. So many people were raised, raised their kids, and are watching their grandkids grow up on the property.”

“I’ve been told by many members that summer weekends at the camp have provided memories they’ll remember vividly for the rest of their lives,” Chelsea said.

Buddy and Maria both used the word “humbling” to describe the way they feel when contemplating the beauty of their unique property.

“It’s humbling to me to know that it is my turn to take care of this,” Buddy said.

The couple said they are extremely grateful to be able to live where and how they do.

“We are very blessed,” Maria said. “Everyday we pray about that.”

“I thank God so much for my blessings that I bet he’s sick of hearing me,” Buddy said, laughing.

The fishing camp “is just a place that we love, and there’s no place we’d rather be, and it’s home,” he said.

Guests can rent one of several cottages along the riverfront at Buddy Vines Fishing Camp.

Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival brings ‘positive vibe’

By JESSE CHAMBERS

Veteran pitmaster and restaurateur Van Sykes is the owner of Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q, a family-owned Bessemer eatery founded in 1957 by his parents, the late Bob and Maxine Sykes.

Understandably, Sykes is passionate about barbecue. He also enjoys great live music. Perhaps most of all, he loves Bessemer, a proud and often underrated city.

Sykes combined all of these passions in 2010, when he created the Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival, and he has used the event to spread some good news about the Marvel City.

He held the first festival at Tannehill State Park but moved the event to DeBardeleben Park downtown in 2011, where it’s become a local tradition.

From the beginning, Sykes wanted to improve Bessemer’s image.

“That was the initial thought in having it in downtown Bessemer, and I told the City Council this, we have to create positive headlines,” Sykes said. “You’ve got to have some kind of event that’s fun and positive and get the media to come out and report on it. I didn’t know how prophetic that was going to be, because the festival

The Chambers DesLauriers Band features Paul DesLauriers and American soul-blues singer Annika Chamber. Photo courtesy Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival.

Photos Courtesy of Roger Stephenson

Bessemer native and performer Earl “Guitar” Williams.

Continued from Page 24

created a positive vibe downtown.”

Sykes has presented BBQ & BLUES each year except 2020 and 2021, when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been growing it every year,” Sykes told WestJeff Magazine. “The park is a wonderful place to have an event like that, and the City of Bessemer has been great.”

The 13th annual BBQ & BLUES Festival will return to DeBardeleben Park on Saturday, April 20, from noon-8 p.m. As always, the event will offer performances by acclaimed blues musicians and great food from Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q. The festival also features a variety of booths, including arts and crafts, outdoor exhibits and a wide selection of vendors, as well as a large kids corner. The musicians set to perform include Chris “Bad News” Barnes, Anika Chambers, Nikki Hill, Misty Blues, Skyler Saufley and Earl Williams.

Not everyone Sykes talked to in the early days thought the festival would be a success, he said.

“It took a while for everyone to buy into what I was doing,” he said, laughing. “The first couple of years, people literally said, ‘You can’t do this in Bessemer. Who’s going to come down here?’”

Sykes wasn’t necessarily surprised by the negative attitudes. “Bessemer’s always been misevaluated,” he said.

However, “there’s a pride in that town about where it is and what it is and the history,” he said. “I knew the festival would tap into that at some point, and it really has now. We have a big local following every year, and people are really proud to have it there.

“Last year was by far the biggest year,” Sykes said. “I would estimate that, going and coming all day long, we had about 3,500 to 3,700 people, and that’s a lot for us, because we’re feeding them twice a day.”

Sykes also has a clear sense of the festival’s identity.

“I’m not looking to be City Stages or Woodstock,” he said. “You keep it as a small-town event in a park outdoors and just let it keep swelling and growing.”

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Top: Attendees at the annual Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs and find a spot for the day in DeBardeleben Park.

Middle: Some of the food at BBQ & BLUES. Event founder Van Sykes said that blues and barbecue just fit together. “It’s a perfect mesh,” he said.

Left: Fans moving and grooving to the blues sounds at Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival.

Photos courtesy of Elaine Lyda

Sykes said that a rough estimate of the event’s annual economic impact to the city is about $75,000.

The City of Bessemer is one of the event’s sponsors and has helped the festival by making numerous improvements to DeBardeleben Park, Sykes said.

“If you had seen Debardeleben Park the first year I did the event, you wouldn’t even recognize what it is today,” he said. “The number one comment I hear is, ‘I didn’t know Bessemer has such a beautiful park.’”

Sykes said that, after the success of BBQ & BLUES, the city found that they could rent the park for other events. He cites the annual Marvel City Caribbean Food and Music Festival, which moved to DeBardeleben Park from Linn Park in Birmingham a few years ago.

“If I didn’t have an event there, I don’t know if they would have even looked at that area,” Sykes said.

“I wanted to bring a positive headline and news to Bessemer, and we totally checked that box,” he said.

Sykes is not complacent, however, and continues to find ways to better market the event.

“I have started advertising in regional blues magazines, because every good-sized town in the South has a blues society,” he said. “We are reaching out to them and giving them promo codes for hotel rooms.”

He is also running a PSA on local TV this year, and he has become a CocaCola vendor. “I’m excited about the vibe Coca-Cola is bringing this year,” he said. “They’re going to run some ticket giveaways in Walmart, Publix and several other grocery stores.”

Sykes said that when he started the festival, he picked blues as its musical focus, even though he was not necessarily a huge blues fan at the time.

“I understood that blues fans are a close-knit group,” he said. “They’re almost an army. I’m in this one genre that is so dedicated that they show up to these events, and they are a good crowd. They’re drinkers, but they are not rowdy.”

There was also a local connection involved in Sykes’ decision regarding the musical emphasis for the festival.

“Blues got the nod over jazz because of Gips’ Place,” Sykes said, referring to the world-famous Bessemer juke joint started by the late musician Gip Gipson.

Lenny Madden, a musician who was active at Gip’s Place, gave Sykes lots of advice early on. “I immediately had really good musicians,” Sykes said.

Roger Stephenson of the Magic City Blues Society now books the bands for the festival, according to a festival spokesperson.

“The blues was a perfect fit” for the festival, in part because of Bessemer’s musical heritage, Sykes said.

“When you look at Bessemer’s history, even apart from Gip’s Place, Bessemer was a very music-centric place,” Sykes said. “There is a lot of natural music talent in Bessemer.”

For example, he notes that Eddie LaVert of the legendary soul and R&B act The O’Jays is a Bessemer native.

“I finally decided that barbecue and blues is like peanut butter and jelly,” he said. “It is a perfect mesh. Those two things are things that people from all walks of life and genders and classes and demographics can all come together and enjoy under the same tent.”

2024 CHARITY

BBQ & BLUES supports a charity each year, and the 2024 beneficiary is the Bessemer Service League, a group of women dedicated to promoting volunteer service and philanthropy. Over the years, the festival has also supported such local non-profits as Red Mountain Grace, Children’s of Alabama, Bessemer Education Enhancement Foundation, Clay House, Hands On Birmingham, Ady’s Army, and Latch and Live Foundation, Caring Men and Caring Women.

FESTIVAL INFO

DeBardeleben Park is located at 1623 Second Ave. N. in downtown Bessemer. The gates will open at 11 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. General admission festival tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q Restaurant or at bobsykesblues.com. Tickets are $30 the day of the event. Children eight and under are free with a ticketed adult. For more information, go to the website or call 205-426-1400.

Over time, Sykes also came to understand that the blues is not just a slow, mournful “cry in your beer kind of music,” he said. “It can be a very upbeat kind of blues that is not a waltz beat. It’s a good, fast beat.”

The festival also strives to book musicians who are great stage performers. “We like a very lively stage,” Sykes said.

For example, veteran performer Bobby Rush – winner of three Grammy Awards – played the festival in 2022.

“You talk about a show? Lordy lordy!” Sykes said. “Bobby knows how to play a crowd. He’s 87 years old. He played two hours and three encores. He dances. He moves.”

Over time, Sykes has also come to appreciate an important social dimension of the festival and its tasty mix of musical and culinary ingredients.

ANOTHER TASTE OF BBQ

Sykes will host a special event for foodies, the Bob Sykes BBQ Tour, on Thursday, April 18, from 9:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m. The event will take place at Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q, located at 1724 Ninth Ave. N. in Bessemer. Guests will taste numerous items from the Bob Sykes menu while Sykes recounts the history of his restaurant, discusses Southern barbecue and explains the process of taking barbecue from the pit to the plate. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at the restaurant or at.eventbrite.com (search for “Bob Sykes BBQ Tour and Demo.”) For more information, call 205-426-1400.

Photo courtesy of Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q.

Van Sykes will host a special event for foodies and barbecue lovers on April 18 at his family’s legendary Bessemer eatery.

Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival Live Music

12:10 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.: Earl Williams

A Bessemer native, Earl “Guitar” Williams is known for the electrifying sound of his guitar and harmonica. At the age of seven, Williams made his own guitar from a cigar box, broomstick and fishing cord. At the age of nine, he became a regular performer at Gip’s Place.

1:20 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.: Skyler Saufley

A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, Saufley specializes in jump, swing and West Coast-style blues. His live shows are a mix of electrifying blues and boogie-woogie standards that bring audiences to their feet. He’s known for his showmanship and powerful stage presence and has been compared to blues legends T-Bone Walker and Pee Wee Crayton. Skyler performs extensively across the Southeast and is a recent inductee into the Alabama Blues Hall of Fame.

2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.: Misty Blues

This band recently spent 21 weeks at the top of the Roots Music Report Traditional Folk Album Chart for “Tell Me Who You Are: A Live Tribute To Odetta.” They’ve also recorded with Charles Neville of the Neville Brothers and Joe Louis Walker and have opened for Tab Benoit, John Primer, Albert Cummings and Michael Powers. The band’s vocalist, Gina Coleman, has been nominated for two Independent Blues Awards for songwriting in the Best Contemporary Blues category. Inspired by Koko Taylor, Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday, Coleman is a graduate of Williams College and began singing in 1990. She has made several appearances at the famed Bitter End venue in New York City.

3:55 p.m. - 5:10 p.m.: Nikki Hill

Known for her distinctive, powerful vocals and energetic stage performance, the eclectic Hill mixes blues, soul, roots music and rock n’ roll. She has released two albums, “Here’s Nikki Hill” and “Heavy Hearts Hard Fists.” Hill has toured widely in the U.S., Europe, Australia, India and Morocco. She has appeared at more than 30 festivals, including Montreux Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival and the Byron Bay Blues Festival. A native of Durham, North Carolina, Hill lives in Memphis, and has also lived in New Orleans and St. Louis.

5:20 p.m. - 6:35 p.m.: Chambers DesLauriers Band

Canadian blues-rocker Paul DesLauriers and American soul-blues singer Annika Chambers got married in 2019 and are now partners both in life and music. A Houston native, Chambers was raised on gospel but found her voice in the blues and was the 2022 winner of the Blues Music Award for Soul-Blues Female Artist of the Year. Her third album, “Kiss My Sass,” won the 2020 Living Blues Award for Best Southern Soul album. Annika performs regularly at top blues festivals in Europe and in North and South America. DesLauriers has won several prestigious Maple Blues Awards in Canada, including Entertainer of the Year in 2016 and 2017 and Guitarist of the Year in 2013 and 2019. His most recent recording, “Bounce,” debuted at No. 1 on Canada’s Roots Music Report. He performs regularly at top blues events in North America and Europe

6:45 p.m. - 8 p.m.: Chris “BadNews” Barnes

A former TV writer and performer for such shows as “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “30 Rock,” Barnes has made his mark in music. He was called “The King of Hokum Blues” by Elmore Magazine and has released two albums, “Hokum Blues” and “LIVE.” The latter was recorded aboard the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise. The record received two Independent Blues Award nominations – for Best Live CD and Best Blues Band – and hit No. 8 on the Billboard chart and No. 5 on Amazon.

Gina Coleman of the Misty Blues Band.

Photo courtesy of Roger Stephenson

Oak Grove High School Wrestling

McAdory Elementary art teacher finalist for Teacher of the Year

At McAdory Elementary School, art teacher Mary Jane Coker was recently selected as one of five finalists for the JEFCOED Teacher of the Year award in the elementary division. The winners from both the elementary and secondary divisions will be announced at a banquet on April 16. Those winners will go on to compete for the Alabama State Teacher of the Year award. In other news at the school, the fourth and fifth graders hosted a wax museum on March 1 to celebrate Black History Month.

Hueytown Career Tech

both

The Oak Grove High School wrestling team recently finished in the top five in the Alabama state finals, and four wrestlers placed in the top 6 in their weight classes. Freshman David Hill finished in first place in the 115-lb. weight class and is the state champion. Junior Dru Moore finished in second place in the 146-lb. weight class. Eighth-grader Micah Woodman finished in fourth place in the 108-lb. weight class. Freshman Brooks Covin finished in sixth place in the 157-lb. weight class.

David Hill

Dru Moore

Micah Woodman

Brooks Colvin

Gavin Williams (left) and Braydon Johnson (right) are seniors at Hueytown High School who are part of the school’s TV Production Academy, one of the Career Tech programs in Jefferson County Schools. Students in these programs can earn credentials or certifications specific to those programs. Coach Pat Coyne, the Career Tech Teacher at HHS, said that Williams and Johnson recently became the first students in the Jefferson County Schools to pass the FAA Part 107 test and earn their certificates to be licensed commercial drone pilots. This allows them to earn money flying drones. “They are

awesome students who have thrived” in the HHS academy, Coyne said.

Pleasant Grove DECA Club

It’s been a big year for the DECA Club at Pleasant Grove High School. They are a Diamond Chapter, meaning they are one of the highest performing chapters in Alabama DECA. Some of the members will travel to the DECA Nationals in Anaheim, Calif., from April 27-30. The DECA faculty advisors at PGHS are Dr. Kameka Cottrell and Janice Lane. Student Brooklyn Cottrell placed second in the Hotel and Lodging Management Individual Series at the recent Alabama DECA Career Development Conference and will be among the students going to Anaheim. The Spartan Shop and The Rise and Shine Spartan Cafe at PGHS were named DECA gold-certified school-based enterprises, and two student managers from each store will also go to Anaheim.

Author visits Oak Grove High School

Award-winning author Wendelin Van Draanen was scheduled to visit Oak Grove High School on March 7 as a culmination of this year’s School Wide Reading program. Students in grades 6-12 all read one of Van Draanen’s books this school year. The sixth graders read “Flipped,” which was made into a feature film. Students in all other grades read “The Running Dream,” which won the Schneider Family Book Award. The Schneider award is given to an author or illustrator whose book embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. There are several events at Oak Grove in April that are open to the public, including the SGA Community Clean-Up Day on April 12 at 8 a.m. and the Chad Espy Memorial Blood Drive on April 17.

Oak Grove celebrates Read Across America Week

In news from Oak Grove Elementary School, fifth-grader Sawyer Stevens placed third in the Jefferson County Spelling Bee. The students also had fun celebrating Read Across America Week, including some tributes to Dr. Seuss. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation provided over 1,900 books to the school’s students. Dr. Laura Ware, who is the Jefferson County Board of Education Deputy Superintendent, and Janet Hagood, who serves as Director of Federal Programs for the board, served as guest readers.

Pleasant Grove Elementary School PTA

In recent news from Pleasant Grove Elementary School, the school’s PTA had a special guest at its meeting for February 29 – Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Walter Gonsoulin. The PTA also sponsored the school’s Sweetheart Dance for students in Pre-K through second grade on February 23 at the Brookline Community Center in Hueytown. On February 29, the school hosted its 2024 P.G.E.S. Art Show with a variety of student art on display, including drawings, paintings and collage.

Western Area Events

April 2: Bessemer City Council. 6 p.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council meets the first Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org

April 4, 11, 18 & 25: District 8 Walking Group. Birmingham Crossplex, 2331 Bessemer Road. Each Thursday at 8 a.m., meet at the CrossPlex Starbucks for a coffee and a casual 1.5 mile loop. Walkers of all abilities and speeds are welcome. Sponsored by the Freshwater Land Trust. freshwaterlandtrust.org/get-involved/events.

April 6: Spring Market. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Venue 3131, 3131 Allison-Bonnet Memorial Drive, Hueytown. Described as a girls day out, this indoor event is sponsored by the Hueytown Chamber of Commerce. 205-491-7010. hueytownchamber.com

April 9: Bessemer City Council. 9 a.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council holds a planning session on the second Tuesday of each month in the multi-purpose room on the first floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org

April 9: Hueytown City Council. Hueytown City Hall, 1318 Hueytown Road. The Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The pre-meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6 p.m. 205-491-7010. hueytownal.gov.

April 13: Black Maternal Health Week Cookout. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Bessemer Recreation Center, 100 14th Street S., Bessemer. This second annual event provides lots of important health information for expectant mothers, as well as food, games, giveaways and entertainment. Admission free. For more information, go to klamemorial.org.

April 13: An Evening with Sean of the South. 6:30-8 p.m. North Highlands Baptist Church, 4851 15th St. Hueytown. This appearance by the popular writer, humorist and novelist Sean Dietrich is sponsored by the Hueytown Public Library, the Hueytown Art Council and the Hueytown Chamber of Commerce. $35. For tickets and more information, go to seandietrich.com.

Photo by WestJeff Magazine staff.

The ArtPlay House at UAB will host visual arts camps for children this summer, and registration is now open.

Continued from Page 30

April 16: Bessemer City Council. 9 a.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council meets the third Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral. org

April 20: Bob Sykes BBQ & BLUES Festival. Noon8 p.m. DeBardeleben Park, 1623 Second Ave. N., downtown Bessemer. This 13th annual event features great live blues music and tasty food from Bessemer landmark Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q. For tickets and other information, call 205-426-1400 or go to bobsykesblues. com.

April 23: Hueytown City Council. Hueytown City Hall, 1318 Hueytown Road. The Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The pre-meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6 p.m. 205-491-7010. hueytownal.gov.

Ongoing: Exercise classes. Legacy YMCA, 1501 Fourth Ave S.W., Bessemer. Legacy presents a wide variety of exercise classes for members year round, including aerobics, aquacise, yoga, cycling, Zumba and Power HITT. For details, call 205-426-1211 or go to legacyymca.org

Other Area Events

April 6: End Addiction BHAM Walk. 10 a.m. 2001 Ninth Ave. N. This eighth annual event, hosted by the Addiction Prevention Coalition, raises awareness and funds to help fight the addiction epidemic in Alabama. It is free to attend the event and walk, but $25 to receive a T-shirt and “Walking for” credentials. For more information and registration, go to endaddictionbham. swell.gives

April 12: Magic City Pop-Up Plaza. 3-7 p.m. Railroad Park, 1600 First Ave. S. A wide variety of food trucks and retail vendors from the Birmingham area will set up on the Plaza at Railroad Park downtown. Admission free. 205-521-9933. railroadpark.org

April 13: Red Shoe Run: Rockin’ 5K and 1 Mile Walk. 8 a.m. Railroad Park, 1600 First Ave. S. This annual events raises money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama. For details and registration, call 205-638-7255 or go to rmhca.org/events/red-shoe-run.

April 20: Magic City Mimosa Festival. Noon-4 p.m. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, 20 32nd St. N. This event welcomes guests ages 21 and up for an afternoon filled with mimosas, food bites and music. In addition, local artisans will showcase their wares. For details and tickets, go to freshtix.com and search for “Magic City Mimosa Festival.”

Through August 18: Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume. Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. Featuring 70 costumes from nearly 50 years of Disney films, this show highlights the innovative ways the studio’s iconic characters are brought to life on screen. $30. 205-2542565. artsbma.org

Registration open: UAB ArtPlay Summer Camps. Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. & ArtPlay House, 1006 19th St. S. Parents can now sign up their children for summer arts camps taking place in June and July at UAB. Alys Stephen Center will host a series of Musical Theatre Camps for various age groups. The ArtPlay House near Five Points South will host three installments of the Discovering the Visual Arts Camp for ages 7-12. For details and registration, call 205-975-4769 or go to alysstephens.org/classes.

Photo by Wikimedia userJpwhitmore Railroad Park will be the site of the Magic City Pop-Up Plaza event on April 12 and the annual Red Shoe Run on April 13.

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