OTMJ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL u OTMJ.COM
SOCIAL
SPORTS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017
INSIDE
TURN IT UP! Homewood Dads Rock It out for Homewood Schools Foundation Fundraiser. PAGE 4
Photo by Lloyd Beard
LATE-IN-LIFE CALLING Presbyterian Minister Converts to Catholicism and Joins the Sisterhood PAGE 12
VETERANS DAY | NOVEMBER 11, 2017
Saying ‘Thank You’ Vet Speaks for Those Who Served During Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park By Emily Williams
hen retired Maj. Gen. James Darden stands before an audience to speak about his duties to the country, the message he shares is not simply his. It also is the story of the 1 percent of the population who put their lives on the line to protect the other 99 percent.
See THANK YOU, page 10
NOV. 16, 2017 THE CLUB For more information or to purchase tickets: www.reedgifoundation.com
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
W
THE LIFE OF LOTS OF PARTIES For More than a Century, Ousler Sandwiches Have Starred at Special Occasions PAGE 25
RHAPSODY IN BLUE Ross Bridge Home Shines as 2017 Inspiration Home. PAGE 21
Supporting Gastrointestinal Oncology Research and Dr. Marty Heslin
2 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
New Digs on the Way
Hand in Paw Breaks Ground on Expansion The non-profit therapy animal organization Hand in Paw did a little digging on Oct. 24 to celebrate and kick off the $2 million construction and renovation at its headquarters. Supporters, handlers and therapy team members gathered at Hand in Paw’s South Avondale property in their hard hats to view renderings detailing how the existing administrative will be transformed into a new campus. The property will feature a training center addition with a large, open training room, offices, a dog spa and a simulation Children’s of Alabama hospital room. The grounds will be gated with a dog path and memorial garden. The event included words from Hand in Paw’s Executive Director Laura Cardwell, campaign cabinet chairman Dr. Jim Lasker and Janie Wallace, who was comforted by therapy dog Pippa, owned by Philippa and Frank Bainbridge, during her cancer treatments. Campaign advisor Ken Jackson also spoke and it was announced that with a significant contribution to the campaign, he will name the new facility after Hand in Paw founder Beth Franklin. While campaign leaders broke ground with shovels, buried MilkBones drew therapy dogs snout-first into the dirt. Completion of the expanded headquarters will result in a major expansion of Hand in Paw’s volunteer program, according to organization officials, and will allow Hand in Paw to grow its partnerships throughout the community by allowing the space for more internships and service learning projects, educational camps, conferences for practitioners and growing its research department. For more information, visit handinpaw.org/ capitalcampaign. ❖
CORRECTION: In our last issue, a calendar listing for the Alabama Ballet’s production of Ovation contained incorrect information regarding ticket prices. Tickets were $30 - $50 for this event.
ABOUT TOWN 4 PEOPLE 8 NEWS 10 LIFE 12 SOCIAL 14
WEDDINGS 20 HOME 21 FOOD 25 SCHOOLS 28 SPORTS 32
ON OTMJ.COM
There’s so much happening in the Over the Mountain area, we can’t fit it all in the paper! Visit www.otmj.com for more stories and photos.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
J O U R N A L November 2, 2017 Publisher & Editor: Maury Wald Copy Editor: Virginia Martin Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Staff Writers: Sarah Kuper, Emily Williams Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Blake Ells, Rubin E. Grant Contributors: Susan Murphy, Jordan Wald, June Mathews, William C. Singleton III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls Jr., Bryan Bunch Sam Prickett Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Vol. 28, No. 7
Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper delivered to Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas. Subscriptions for The Journal are available for $24 yearly. Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205) 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at mwald@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2017 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Journal is not responsible for return of photos, copy and other unsolicited materials submitted. To have materials returned, please specify when submitting and provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All materials submitted are subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
OPINION/CONTENTS
MURPHY’S LAW
W
Sofa So Good
or a wallet, is a personal thing. It has hen Goldilocks broke the to be the right size and shape, neither chairs of the Bear family, too hard nor too soft. But each pershe did more than destroy son’s optimum hard/soft/size paramefurniture. She plundered the family’s ters are different. peace of mind. After many rounds of sitting and Baby Bear’s chair may have been doubting and sitting again, I bought assigned to him because of his size, a new couch last year and, even but I’m guessing Mama and Papa though I tried it on, as it were, I was had personally selected theirs. They nervous when it arrived. More than probably tried several, sitting a few that, I felt guilty when the delivery minutes in one, a few minutes in people carted the old one out the another, until they found one that door, like I was heartlessly banishwas just right for each of them. They weren’t interchangeable. If Papa ing an old friend. Still, I let the truck Bear had decided to sit a spell in drive away and turned my thoughts Mama Bear’s just-right chair, it to moving forward, or more preciseSue Murphy would have felt just-wrong. So, they ly, to sitting back. chose their chairs and happily setIt took me a few weeks to realtled in except for one brief foray ly break in the new couch, a lot of For me, my couch isn’t shifting and into the forest to let their porridge pillow fluffing, but in just a place to sit, it’s a the end, my instincts were spot cool; then in walks Goldilocks and ruins everything. The couch is just right. One refuge of sorts. When I’m on. The Bears managed to chase arm is next to the end table where her away (Somehow the Bears feeling a little run down I can set my snack. The other arm were portrayed as the aggressors next to a window with just the or world weary, I give isright in the story. It would never stand amount of light to stretch up in court.), but they still had to myself a couch day. (I’m out in the afternoon with a crosssit in hardback folding chairs until word puzzle. The cushions are nice like that.) the insurance check came through. interchangeable, and I had the Everyone has a place where whole thing Scotchguarded. I love they feel most comfortable. I’ll bet it. you always sit at the same chair at the dinner table. For me, my couch isn’t just a place to sit, it’s a refuge of sorts. When I’m feeling a little run down You sit in the same pew each Sunday at church. That may be force of habit, but at the end of a long, hard or world weary, I give myself a couch day. (I’m nice day, when you finally get to sit down and relax, you like that.) I watch a movie, do an extra crossword puzzle, have an unhurried cup of tea, and suddenly know exactly where you want to be. I have friends who say goodbye at the end of a party because “their I’m feeling just right again. So, when the days get colder, when the wind chairs are calling them.” I get that. Even if I am out blows leaves against the windows and everything having a good time with friends, as the evening looks gray, retreat to your chair, to your cushion on wears on, I begin to think of my place on the couch. I saw a TV ad for a store that lets you design your the couch, and if your porridge is too hot, just blow on it. No sense taking chances. ❖ own couch, which is brilliant. A couch, like a purse
OVER THE MOUNTAIN VIEWS
What does Veterans Day mean to you? “It reminds me that peace is very elusive - I pray daily for peace. My husband was a Marine in the Korean War.” Jean Holt Bluff Park “It’s a day to honor those who sacrificed and worked for our freedoms.” Patrick Whitworth Homewood “Sacrifice, my uncle flew in combat during World War II and I served in the Air National Guard from 1969-1974.” Wiley Spivey Hoover “I think about my father. He was in WWII. He went on an Honor flight six to eight years ago.” Linda Moore Vestavia
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
ABOUT TOWN
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 3
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4 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
ABOUT TOWN
TURN IT UP!
By Sarah Kuper The Homewood City Schools Foundation will host its fourth annual fall band jam on Nov. 6 at Good People Brewing Company. The event is called “Grateful Dads” because the live entertainment is provided by two local bands that feature Homewood dads. The band 3 Legged Dog includes Homewood dads Danny Whitsett, Chris Hoke, Brian McCool, Bret Estep and Tony Oliver. While their sound is more rock and roll, band members say they will play familiar favorites at Grateful Dads. Matt Stephens is a Homewood dad and the drummer in the BHP’s, which is the other band performing. He said the band covers everyone from Bob Dylan and the Allman Brothers to REM and the Talking Heads.
McCool, who plays bass guitar in 3 Legged Dog, said that when the Grateful Dads event began four years ago, he was surprised at how many dads shared the same story. “Once upon a time, before raising our children here in Homewood, we chased down our rock and roll dreams by playing in various bands in the Southeast,” he said, “I guess the dream dies hard, so many of us are still in bands that perform around Birmingham or get called upon to play at events like Grateful Dads.” Aside from their shared love of music and entertaining, members of both bands say they participate because they want to ensure Homewood City Schools continue their reputation for excellence. “Undoubtedly the school system in Homewood is a crown jewel,” McCool said.
‘Once upon a time, before raising our children here in Homewood, we chased down our rock and roll dreams by playing in various bands in the Southeast.’
Photo courtesy Homewood City Schools Foundation
Homewood Dads Rock It out for Homewood Schools Foundation Fundraiser
fun night out. “I would explain it as a very social, laid-back fundraiser where
The Homewood City Schools Foundation will host its fourth annual fall band jam on Nov. 6 at Good People Brewing Company.
“The more support we can provide to their education through money, time and awareness gives us all a common bond through which we can improve our kids’ education,” Stephens said. Food will be provided at the event by Little Donkey.
NOV. 2 - 16 Thurs., Nov. 2 HOOVER
Inspiration and Perspiration Hoover Library The Hoover Historical Society presents a free celebration in the Library Theatre, from 6:30-8 p.m., on Hoover’s leaders old and new as they look back over 50 years of the city. For more information, visit hooveral.org or call 444-7840.
McCool said the local support from the business community makes the event special. “This is a fantastic event with the location and beer and catered food all provided by Homewood residents,” he said. Plus, Stephens said it is just a From 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Shades Mountain Baptist Church will host vendor market featuring a variety of ministries that fight human trafficking, encourage adoption and spread the Gospel around the world. Tickets are $5. For more information, visit shades. org. BIRMINGHAM
The Vulcan’s Community Awards The Club Vulcan Park and Museum will host the fourth annual Vulcan’s Community Awards dinner at 6:30 p.m. with
you can come see your friends and neighbors channel their inner rock star,” he said. Money raised through this event and by the Homewood City Schools Foundation goes toward grant programs at all five Homewood schools. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased through the Homewood City Schools Foundation website or from a board member. To learn more, visit homewoodcityschoolsfoundation.com. ❖ registration at 5:30 p.m. Festivities will include dinner and presentations about the inspiration for and substance of each honoree. Individual tickets are $115. For more information, visit visitvulcan.com. BIRMINGHAM
Birmingham Art Crawl Downtown Birmingham This free art showcase stretches across the historic arts districts from 5-9 p.m. rain or shine and features more than 50 local artists as well as musicians and performers. For more
BIRMINGHAM
Visit these participating businesses
Opera Shots The Collins Bar Opera Birmingham will host a series of pop-up concerts throughout the community, held in unexpected places and designed to break down the stereotypes of opera, from 6-8 p.m. For more information, visit operabirmingham.org. Holiday Open House Downtown Homewood The Homewood Chamber of Commerce will kick off the holiday season at the annual Holiday Open House from 5:30-8:30 p.m. with refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, a trolley, shopping discounts and more. For more information, visit homewoodchamber.org. BIRMINGHAM
Día de los Muertos Festival Pepper Place Bare Hands Gallery presents a celebration of life through music, a memorial roll call, a jazz street parade, the Frida Kahlo Ceremony, dance, food vendors, a Corona Beer Garden, art, kids’ activities and alters from 4-10 p.m. in the streets of Pepper Place. For more information, visit barehandsinc.org. VESTAVIA HILLS
Presented by Escape Day Spa
Gifted: A Market with a Mission Shades Mountain Baptist Church
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
HOMEWOOD
Cahaba Heights merchants looking forward to this year’s “Deck the Heights” Holiday Open House include, from left, front: Kaitlyn Bentley, Kathleen Roberts, Tina Toles, Kaylee Toles and Jennifer Cummings. Back, Lesley Vedel, Dr. Erin McAtee, Bryson Kessler, Michelle Crim, Melissa McCollum, Katherine McRee, Lawrence Angelo and Susan Day. VESTAVIA HILLS
Deck the Heights, Thurs., Nov. 9 Cahaba Heights Cold weather arrived just in time for Cahaba Heights merchants to announce the kick-off for this year’s “Deck the Heights” Holiday Open House. The event will be held on Nov. 9 from 5-7 p.m. and features a trolley ride to six different entertainment areas offering prizes, tastings, discounts and more. Heights Village will be the last stop, featuring performances by the Vestavia Hills Rockettes, from 5-5:30 p.m., Mason Music artists from 5-7 p.m. and the AJ Beavers Band from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Guests can board the trolley at Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights. For more information please contact Katherine McRee, The Lili Pad and GiGi’s, 205-516-2588 or katherine@lilipadbham.com ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
information, visit birminghamartcrawl. com.
Nov. 2-4 BIRMINGHAM
TumTum Tree Wine Auction Regions Field The 28th annual Charity Wine Auction weekend will begin Nov. 2 with a wine tasting at 5:30 p.m. at Regions Field followed by private winemaker dinners and the “Bubble Bash” beginning at 7:30 p.m. A live auction and dinner by Chef Rob McDaniel of SpringHouse will be held at The Ballroom at the Thomas Jefferson Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. The weekend will conclude with a tailgate party in Tuscaloosa at the Alabama vs. LSU football game Nov. 4. Proceeds benefit children’s charities in Alabama. For more information, visit tumtumtreefoundation.org.
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 5
ABOUT TOWN at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org.
Sat., Nov. 4 HOOVER
Walking to Remember Riverchase Galleria The LocAL Walk to support LocAL Alzheimer’s Services and Research will begin at 8 a.m in the food court area of the Galleria. Guests are invited to create fundraising teams and walk in honor or memory of a loved one. For more information or to register a team, call 871-7970 or email vholder@alzca. org.
HOMEWOOD
Joyce Brooks Book Signing Homewood Public Library In honor of National Picture Book Month author Joyce Brooks will share her new picture book, “Mr. Brown, Will You Please Open the Door?” from 11-11:30 a.m. in the Children’s Department. For more information, visit homewood.libnet.info.
Fireballs the modern alternative
BIRMINGHAM
Vulcan Run Boutwell Auditorium The 43rd annual run will benefit Vulcan Park and Museum, Girls on the Run and the Birmingham Track Club. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m.with
Fri., Nov. 3 BIRMINGHAM
Harvest of Hope Barber Motorsports Cornerstone School’s Women’s Service Board will host the annual Harvest of Hope from 5:45-9 p.m. Bid on student artwork along side other local artist’s work, jewelry and accessories, gift cards and one-ofa-kind collector’s items. For more information, contact Logan Heim at lheim@csalabama.org or call 769-0034 or visit csalabama.org. BIRMINGHAM
“Get Busy Fighting” Golf Tournament Highland Park Golf Course The Laura Crandall Brown Foundation will host its fourth annual golf tournament, honoring Ginny Bourland, who recently lost her battle with ovarian cancer. If all shotguns do not fill up all players will be moved to the 8 a.m. time. Single registration is $125, $500 for a team of four. For more information, visit thinkoflaura.org.
To: From: Date:
Mike Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Oct. 11, 2016
This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for t Oct. 20, 2016 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number!
Reset your record.
Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.
if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
For you, recovery isn’t enough. You need
Thank you for your prompt attention.
to achieve victory over your injury and come
back better than ever. When you team up with Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, we’ll put you back in the position to win.
BIRMINGHAM
Lights Out for Alzhiemers Atrox Factory Sign a waiver, get a glow stick and enjoy the largest indoor haunted attraction in the Southeast from 6:30 p.m. to midnight, featuring 50,000 square feet of scares through twisted hallways. General admission tickets are $20. Cash only. Proceeds benefit Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama. For more information, visit atroxfactory.com.
Nov. 3-5 BIRMINGHAM
Disney Sleeping Beauty Kids RMTC Cabaret Theatre A “for kids by kids” production of the classic fairy tale and one of Disney’s most treasured animated films will be at 7:30 p.m. on Fri. and Sat. and 2 p.m. on Sat. and Sun. For more information, visit redmountaintheatre.org.
NOV. 3-12 BIRMINNGHAM
The Taming of the Shrew Virginia Samford Theatre’s Martha Moore Sykes Studio Theatre David McMahon returns to VST to direct this well-loved Shakespearean performance Thursdays - Saturdays
Go to Andrews SportsMedicine.com to start making your comeback. ©2017 Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center. All rights reserved.
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ABOUT TOWN Sun., Nov. 5 HOOVER
BIRMINGHAM
Edgewood businesses are getting ready for an “Escape Under the Stars.” Front: Whitney Ballew and Ava Dombrowski. Back: Paula Dobnikar, Patti Walker, Jason Hale, Amber Kelley, Dr. Adam Cotant, Carrie Holley, Foti Sardeli, Jama Ketcham and Geoffrey Ketcham. HOMEWOOD
Escape Under the Stars, Thurs. Nov. 10 Edgewood An Edgewood Community Open House is set for 5-9 p.m. with in-store specials, raffles, live music, food and more. Outdoor event begins at 5 p.m. which includes live music, emcee and DJ Coach Steve Sills. For more information, visit “Escape Under the Stars_An Edgewood Open House” Facebook page. ❖ the race beginning at 8 a.m. Post-race activities include a DJ, food, beverages and adult refreshments. For more information, visit birminghamtrackclub. com. HOMEWOOD/MOUNTAIN BROOK
Sports Cars at Brookwood Village
Upper Macy’s Parking Lot The Birmingham Motoring Club will showcase a large collection of European and classic sports cars from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. All proceeds benefit Camp Smile-A-Mile. Pre-registration is available at birminghamotoringclub. com.
Southern Tales Birmingham Botanical Gardens As our clocks “fall back” on Sun. Nov. 5, storyteller Dolores Hydock will present an afternoon of stories about another kind of time change. The event will be in the Linn Henley Lecture Hall at 2 p.m. General admission is $20. For more information, visit bbgardens.org. HOMEWOOD
Tutus & Brews Red Hills Brewery This free family friendly event featuring live music by Automatic Slim, activities, food and beer will be from 3-5 p.m. Proceeds benefit The Dance Foundation’s extensive educational outreach the Community Partnership Program. For more information, visit thedancefoundation.org. NORTH SHELBY
Out of the Darkness Community Walk Heardmont Park The Alabama Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host a walk to fight suicide beginning at 1 p.m. Friendly leashed dogs are welcome at the event. AFSP Pooch bandanas may be purchased for $10 at the Paws for Prevention Tent. For more information, visit afsp.donordrive.com. BIRMINGHAM
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS Holiday Special!
$695
Emmylou Harris Alys Stephens Center A 13-time Grammy winner, Billboard Century Award Recipient and Birmingham native will perform at 7p.m. Jemison Concert Hall. Tickets begin at $56. For more information, visit alysstephens.org.
Nov. 7-Dec. 16 BIRMINGHAM
BRAVO Kamado Grills
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Mike
Cinderella Birmingham Childrens Theatre A Cinderella for the holiday season will be performed on the main stage. Tickets are $15 for adults and $9 for children. For more information, visit bct123.org.
Natural Inspiration Moss Rock Festival Features Programs and Products Celebrating Nature
By Emily Williams Nature and creativity will collide once again for the 12th annual Moss Rock Festival Nov. 4 and 5 at The Preserve in Hoover, adjacent to the Moss Rock Preserve. The festival will include booths manned by 100 exhibiting artists and artisans whose work is inspired by nature. One of those is Walt Stricklin of Hoover, whose approach to photography is driven by his environment. Stricklin discovered a passion for fine art photography after a 40-year career as a photojournalist with eight newspapers in five cities. “While photojournalism still colors the way I see and shoot the world, I am now doing it with my voice, expressing my point of view and enjoying coloring outside the lines,” Stricklin said. In his Scapes projects, Stricklin takes multiple photos of his subject – be it cities, landscapes or people – and then pieces the photos together to create a panoramic image. “Since I believe our environment shapes us as much as we shape our surroundings, I want my images to celebrate how we fit together, honoring the harmony between places and people,” Stricklin said. “My works are ultimately photographic sculptures that are a blend of reality and my perception of the situations. The many individual imperfections are left to engage and draw the viewer into my images for the enjoyment of discovery and to help them celebrate our humanity.” Another artist showing during the festival, watercolor artist Kimberly Paige of Vestavia Hills, is inspired by the shapes and colors of the natural world. She creates pieces inspired by the emotions she feels when seeing, “a sunset in its last 10 seconds, or in the curve of a blooming Calla Lily.” Instead of recreating a scene, she prefers to create a work of art that reflects her inner self as it is inspired by nature. “My process is a ritual of self-exploration and escapism. The result is a world in which the viewer can lose themselves. With several sessions of meditation upon the painting, the viewer learns more of their own delights, and therefore they learn more of my own,” Paige said.
Kimberly Paige of Vestavia Hills, is inspired by the shapes and colors of the natural world.
Guests can peruse works of both Paige and Stricklin at the festival. In addition, they can find their own natural inspiration through informative programs including a tiny home exhibition by Atkinson Cottages, kid’s projects in the WonderKid Studios, programming for aspiring gardeners and a Greenways/Pathways Expo that features eco-friendly programs on sustainability, outdoor activities and more. In addition, the festival will offer live music and opportunities to take advantage of outdoor activities through guided hikes, a fly fishing workshop and a climbing wall. The sixth annual Beer Garden will offer craft beer, food and sustainable wine tastings on Saturday from noon until 2 p.m. and again from 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. A Sunday tasting will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Festival hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free parking and a shuttle service will be available at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. Tickets for the festival are $10 for the weekend or $7 for one day, $5 for seniors and students and free for children ages 15 and younger. Tickets for the Beer Garden are $25 until Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. or $35 at the gate and include festival admission. Proceeds from this year’s festival and Beer Garden will support future Moss Rock Festivals and the mission to offer art and eco-educational programs for kids and adults. For more information, visit MossRockFestival.com or call 5956306. ❖
Thurs., Nov. 9 HOOVER
Adventures of a Citizen Scientist Aldridge Gardens A seminar presented by author Claire Datnow, as she shares her fascinating adventures on the road to writing her ecological mystery series, is set for 6-8 p.m. in the Aldridge Gardens House. Signed copies of her book series, “The Adventures of the Sizzling Six”, will be available for purchase. For more information, visit aldridgegardens.com.
ABOUT TOWN continues on page 7
Photo courtesy Walt Stricklin
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
NF Walk Veterans Park The 3 p.m. walk celebrates those who live with neurofibromatosis and raises funds for new research. The event will begin at noon and features face painting, food, drawings, carnival games, live music and more. For more information, visit ctf.org.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Image courtesy Moss Rock Festival
6 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
“Bethlehem Baptist Church” by Walt Stricklin of Hoover. Stricklin takes multiple photos of his subject – be it cities, landscapes or people – and then pieces the photos together to create a panoramic image.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL HOOVER
Fashion Show Hoover Country Club The annual fashion show will begin at 11 a.m. featuring Hoover Service Club members under the direction of Darlene Real Higginbotham. Lunch will be available for $18 following the show. Reservations are required. For more information, visit hooverserviceclub.com or call 979-5699.
Nov. 11-12 BIRMINGHAM
Alabama Designer Craftsmen Show Birmingham Botanical Gardens The 45th annual show sponsored by the National Federation of Garden Clubs of Alabama, 4th District will be held Fri. and Sat. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., featuring over 50 of Alabama’s best fine crafters from around the state. Proceeds provide funding for college horticultural scholarships. For more information, visit bbgardens.org.
Tues., Nov. 14 BIRMINGHAM
Spirit of Recovery Luncheon The Club Focus on Recover, an organization that provides women with a clean and sober living environment during recovery from addiction, will host its 16th annual celebration luncheon form 11:30-1 p.m. Individual tickets are $75. For more information, call 822-7300 or visit focus-on-recovery.org. BIRMINGHAM
Baroque Explorations
Independent Presbyterian Church Transcendent works for trumpets, timpani, violin and organ with the music of Bach, Handel, Telemann and more. For more information, visit alabamasymphony.org.
Nov. 15-18 HOOVER
Market Noel The Finley Center at Hoover Metropolitan Complex The Junior League of Birmingham invites you to delight in the holiday season with special events and extraordinary shopping from more than 100 exclusive merchants. For event times and ticket information, visit market noel.net.
SAVE THE DATE Fri., Nov. 17 BIRMINGHAM
Blue Jeans and Baskets Bash The Haven Support Firehouse Ministries in their care for the homeless from 6-9 p.m. featuring high quality baskets and silent and live auction items. $50 tickets include complimentary beer and wine, live music by JKO and food. For more information, visit firehouseshelter. presencehost.net.
9 a.m.-4 p.m. features arts and crafts, clothes, candles and scents, housewares, wooden items, toys jewelry, hand-makde items and more. For more information, visit “Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church’s Magical Marketplace” Facebook page.
Sat., Nov. 18 VESTAVIA HILLS
Grand Masquerade Ball A Private Club in Vestavia Hills Alzheimer’s Research and Care Society presents a masquerade ball from 7-11 p.m. Wear Venetian masquerade attire for a night of heavy appetizers and dessert, a cash bar, silent auction and live music featuring Total Assets. Tickets are $75 per person. For more information, visit alzarcs.org. BIRMINGHAM
ASYO Fall Concert Alys Stephens Center The Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra will perform a free fall concert conducted by Dr. Blake Richardson. For more information, visit alabamasymphony.org. ❖
INSURANCE APPRAISALS FOR JEWELRY
Alan & Company
VESTAVIA HILLS
Magical Market Place Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church This free holiday bazaar from
Jewelry & Express Repair
619 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills 205.769.6930
Free Lunch and Learn Seminar:
Peripheral Artery Disease Friday, December 8 • Noon-1 p.m. Grandview Conference Rooms inside Grandview Medical Center
To: From: Date:
3690 Grandview Parkway Lunch will be provided at 11:30 a.m. Christopher King, M.D., FACC Board-Certified in Cardiology
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 7
ABOUT TOWN
Seating is limited and registration is required.
Call 205-971-7474.
To: Leaf and Petal From: Over The Mountain Journal, phone 205-823-9646, fax 205-824-1246 Date: October Donna This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the OverNovember The Mountain Journal 2nd issue, 2017 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. Sept., 2017
Please make sure all information is correct, Including address and phone number!
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STAY A STEP AHEAD OF PERIPHERAL ARTERY DISEASE.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
Do your legs ache or feel heavy? Do your feet or toes sometimes tingle or feel cold? Do you have sores on your feet that just won’t heal? Those could be symptoms of peripheral artery disease, or PAD. If allowed to progress, PAD can result in the loss of a limb. But fortunately, it’s treatable when detected early. So join cardiologist Christopher King, M.D., FACC, to learn more about PAD symptoms, early detection and treatment options.
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Look Forward. 10/20/17 11:39 AM
8 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
PEOPLE
A Roaring Good Time Debutante Club Hosts ‘20s-themed Soiree to Honor Debutantes
Foregoing the traditional presentation, the Debutante Club of Birmingham will honor its 2017 debutantes with a 1920s-themed party over the Thanksgiving holiday. Founded in 1929, The Debutante Club of Birmingham is continuing an 88-year tradition. This year’s event will be Nov. 24, when seventeen debutantes will be presented. —Photos by Dee Moore
Mary Virginia Adams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Seth Adams.
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hay Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 AX: 205-824-1246 October This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for the November 3rd, 2016 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
Anne Peyton Baker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kenneth Baker.
Virginia Ann Balkovetz, daughter of Drs. Daniel Frederick and Mary Matheson Balkovetz.
Mary Stewart Beasley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Martin Beasley Jr.
Madelyn Haynes Beatty, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Craig Shipley Beatty.
Alice Elizabeth Martin Bradford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Aubrey Bradford.
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Frances Elizabeth Carson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Christopher Carson.
Elizabeth Harris Forsyth Donald, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Marion Donald III.
Elizabeth Baylee Edwards, daughter of the late Sterling William Edwards and Mrs. Julianna Trammell Edwards.
Sarah Challis Gamble, daughter of Mrs. Challis Wall Gamble.
Mary Martha Grizzle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Grizzle Jr.
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Allison Murray Manley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Young Manley.
Laura Eustis Stagno, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Sergio Stagno.
Mary Helen Poole Terry, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Roden Terry Jr.
Teresa James Walker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Orr Walker and Mr. and Mrs. Allan Rexford Wheeler.
Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number! Dr. Whitehead joins us after completing her residency in Please and fax back withinShe 24 hours. Obstetrics andinitial Gynecology at UAB. is a graduate of the if we have not heard fromSchool you by 5 pm the Friday before the press date, University. University of Alabama ofofMedicine and Samford your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 9
PEOPLE
Dealing for Dollars
The 2017 Faces of GI Cancer Ashley Bates
As a 45-year-old mother of two young children, Ashley was shocked when she was diagnosed with stage 3B colon cancer. After aggressive treatment and surgery, Ashley is celebrating two years cancer-free.
Casino Fundraiser Honors Gastrointestinal Cancer Survivors
Mike Raita
Photos courtesy Harry Long
The Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation will honor the 2017 Faces of GI Cancer at its annual Iron Bowl Kickoff Casino Party on Nov. 16. The event will be 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at The Club and will include casino games with celebrity football player dealers. Tickets begin at $100. For more information, visit reedgifoundation.com. Funds raised will benefit the foundation’s efforts to create a world class center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for research and patient education in GI cancer, which is a cancer that can spread quickly to other areas. Benefitting from the Casino fundraiser are the foundation’s Living with Cancer Symposium, which annually attracts top researchers in cancer survivability; an educational website; and research at UAB Hospital. Most notably, the foundation provides funds for GI cancer research in the lab of Dr. Martin Heslin, UAB’s chief of medical staff and surgical oncologist. But the foundation is expanding its support to other UAB labs in need of funding. The stories of each of the five honorees’ journeys as survivors of GI cancers will be highlighted during the event.
Mike was reporting on the 2010 National Championship game, but he didn’t enjoy it. Unbeknownst to him at the time, he was suffering from stage 4 colorectal cancer. Because of expert treatment and care, Mike has been able to cover six more National Championships and remains cancer-free today.
Holly Richardson
1997-2017
Holly, a self-proclaimed master chef, was devastated in 2014 when she was diagnosed with ampullary cancer in her upper digestive track. After several surgeries, she is thankful to be cancer-free and back in the kitchen cooking for her family.
Sophie Slate
Sophie was diagnosed in 2012 with stage 3 esophageal cancer. Since receiving aggressive treatment, she has been cancer-free, and Sophie is happy today to be teaching first grade in Hoover and spending time with her husband and son.
THE
IDEAL
SEASON
FOR
Annlee Wood
In late 2016, while Annlee was working on immigrating to the United States from South Africa, her doctor discovered a neuroendocrine tumor in her pancreas. Her two daughters got her to Birmingham for treatment. She’s now cancer-free and spends time with her grandchildren.
To: From: Date:
ENJOY 1 1/2 WELL-ORGANIZED ACRES OF TREES, SHRUBS, GROUNDCOVERS, ANNUALS, PERENNIALS & HERBS, AS WELL AS A KNOWLEDGEABLE, HELPFUL STAFF.
Collier's Over The Mountain Journal, phone 205-823-9646, fax 205-824-1246 September This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for t October 5, 2017 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
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NEWS
10 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
THANK YOU, From page one
THURS., NOV. 2 BIRMINGHAM
Tribute to Veterans Southern Museum of Flight The museum and Patriotism in Action will host a free event celebrating the military, veterans and their families beginning with a Vizzini Farms Winery tasting from 5:30-6:30 p.m., followed by a program featuring keynote speaker U.S. Army Retired Brigadier General and former NASA astronaut, Robert L. Stewart. For more information, visit PatriotismInAction.us.
SUN., NOV. 5 HOOVER
Patriotic Tribute Alabama Veterans Memorial Park A private viewing for family and friends of the honorees recently added to the Hall of Honors will be held in the Hall between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. A 1 p.m. ceremony will honor Rodney J. Evans who gave his life in Vietnam and received the Medal of Honor for his bravery. Major General James W. Darden will be the guest speaker and the Simmons Middle School choir will
Included in the Veterans Day program at Alabama Veterans Memorial Park will be recognition of a new group of Hall of Honor heroes, whose names will be immortalized on the memorial’s walls.
Photo by Lloyd Beard
Darden, of Mountain Brook, has been a leader among that 1 percent of Americans in the armed forces, reserves and guard for about 50 years, serving actively for 38 years and as a reserve ambassador. In his retirement, he volunteers his time as the “eyes and ears” of the military, overseeing the goings-on in the state of Alabama and serving as a liaison between the Army and the public. “One of my main duties is to tell the Army story in the hopes that others will have a healthy respect for the military,” he said. On Nov. 5, Darden will be the featured speaker at the Alabama Veterans Memorial Park’s annual Veteran’s Day ceremony. His mission is to remind the public what it means to be a veteran of the armed forces and how their service affects everyone’s life, but most notably their own. “People who have not served do not understand what a serviceman goes through, the horror. And it isn’t just going into combat. These men and women are leaving their lives behind to do and see things that nobody should ever have to see and do,” he said. “And they know that some of them don’t come back, but also that they will come back different because of those experiences.” One of Darden’s favorite quotes, which has been attributed to many different sources, is, “We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us.” “Those rough men are the Army and that violence is war,” he said. For Darden, military service was a goal throughout his childhood in the northern Mississippi town of Myrtle, near New Albany. “Most of my teachers were men who were veterans of World War II and Korea, so I grew up in that environment,” he said. “When I was little I always said I wanted to be a cowboy and I wanted to be a soldier, so I blended those two together.” The push in 1962-1963 for Americans to
serve in the military had a big effect on him – the “ask not what your country can do for you,” years, Darden said. So his 1966 graduation from Mississippi State was followed by active duty in the Vietnam War, during which he lived with the Vietnamese and attended a language school with fellow soldiers. “I always say I was one of the few men who volunteered to serve in Vietnam, but don’t tell my mother,” he said with a smile. His service in Vietnam spanned both the best and the worst times of his life, he said, and was a pivotal era of maturing and, plainly, growing up. “Of my classmates I went to school with – there were 33 of us – three of us made it home, and we were wounded,” he said. Even when he was spending his morning or afternoon in a spray of gunfire, watching comrades fall and carrying them through a haze of battle, Darden said, as a soldier he was always ready to commit to his orders. More than 180,000 men and women are living in those dangerous situations now, serving active duty missions throughout the world. “I’ve led men into combat, and in the ensuing years, I’ve sent men and women into combat. And I have learned that it is far easier for a sol-
dier to go to combat than it is to send one,” he said. “I’ve been in the same situations that many men have died in and I can look back on every one of them and say that I would do it again, 100 percent, with no regrets,” he said. “The military made me stronger, better and more appreciative.”
He Chose Service Twice
After serving in Vietnam, he returned to his home turf to earn a graduate degree in land planning and development from the University of Mississippi, briefly entertaining the idea of civilian life. But he returned to a successful career in the Army reserve, highlighted by positions as a director of mobilization, a political adviser and deputy of plans and policy at the European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. “Once you enter the service, people never look at you the same again,” he said. “That’s why I always told my men and women, even if you’re filling up your car at a gas station, straighten your hat and tuck in that shirt; because somebody somewhere is looking for something wrong. People judge you every day.” Those words were most true when Darden
the patriotic interests of veterans and veteran organizations throughout the country. Tickets are $45. For more information, visit nationalveteransday.org.
provide music followed by a 2:15 p.m. StepStone Ceremony at the American Flag Plaza. For more information, call 305-6749 or visit alabamaveterans.org.
MONTEVALLO
NOV. 5-9 HOOVER
Thank a Vet Week Hoover Public Library The Thank a Vet kickoff event is set for 2 p.m. with a program, reception, Alabama Youth Symphony concert and special flag folding ceremony. Other activities during the week include daily flag folding ceremonies, patriotic displays throughout the library and activities for all ages. For more information, visit hooverlibrary.org.
FRI., NOV. 10 BIRMINGHAM
Raymond Weeks Memorial Service Linn Park The city will hold a program, named for the founder of America’s Veterans Day, at 4:30 p.m., featuring remarks by former mayor William Bell. The
returned from the war. Even in rural Mississippi, he said, the late ‘60s were a time of terrible turmoil in the U.S. due to the intense unpopularity of the war. He recalled a national poll at the time ranking the top 100 most respected occupations and placing military service in the neighborhood of 68th. “Those were dark days, but we have since come out of that,” he said. “Now we are in the top five most respected occupations in the country. That is not without a lot of effort.” One of the most important things people should know about servicemen, according to Darden, is that most don’t want to go to war, and they aren’t the ones deciding to. They are taking orders because that is what is asked and expected of people who commit their lives to protecting this country. “On Nov. 5, my goal is to make sure that we know what Veteran’s Day is. It’s not a mourning of the deceased, it is a time that we give accolades to all veterans,” he said. “You don’t have to be a combat veteran to know what you signed up for.” For every man and woman in the reserve, the idea they could get a phone call at any moment asking them to drop everything and prepare for active duty is ever-present. It is especially present in today’s world as the United States is in a war on terror and preparing for another possible war. “The best thing that any person can do is, in your daily life, when you see a veteran, whether they are still serving or have served, just go up and thank them,” he said. “That is all of the support they need. Let them know that they are appreciated.” The Alabama Veterans Memorial Park Veteran’s Day ceremony will be held at the park from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Included in the program will be recognizing a new group of Hall of Honor heroes, whose names will be immortalized on the memorial’s walls. Also, for the first time in 10 years, the park will be adding a Medal of Honor hero with a plaque that will be installed on a column in the Memorial Plaza. For more information, visit alabamaveterans. org. ❖
program will take place at at the Raymond Weeks Memorial at the northwest corner of Linn Park. For more information, visit nationalveteransday. org. BIRMINGHAM
National Veterans Award Reception Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. for all distinguished visitors and honored guests attending the National Awards Dinner at 6:30 p.m. The perpetual national Veterans Award will be given to honor an outstanding veteran who has made the greatest contribution to further
Governor’s Salute to Alabama Veterans The American Village A Service of Recognition and Thanksgiving for World War II veterans will be held in the Colonial Chapel from 10:15-10:45 a.m. and a Veterans Day Program and Governor’s Salute at the National Veterans Shrine from 11-11:45 a.m. All veterans, active members of the United States Armed Forces and their families are invited. Free lunch will be provided by the American Village and Full Moon BBQ while quantities last as well as family friendly activities throughout the afternoon. Register at americanvillage. org or call 665-3535 x 1776.
SAT., NOV. 11 BIRMINGHAM
Memorial Service Cathedral Church of the Advent
A service to recognize and honor veterans who have passed away this past year will be conducted by the Forty and Eight, an independent honor organization of male and female U.S. veterans, at 8:30 a.m. For more information, visit nationalveteransday. org. BIRMINGHAM
World Peace Luncheon Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom The annual luncheon will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will offer the opportunity to meet and eat with veterans and their families. Tickets are $35. For more information, visit nationalveteransday. org. BIRMINGHAM
Veterans Day Parade 18th Street and 9th Ave. N. The city will honor and celebrate veterans with a parade beginning at 1:30 p.m. at 18th St. and 9th Ave. N. and ending at 19th St. and 10th Ave. N. For a parade route and more information, visit nationalveteransday. org. ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
NEWS
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 11
The Alabama Retail Association, in cooperation with the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business, recently honored 20 retail businesses with stores in 30 Alabama cities as Retailers of the Year or Centennial Retailers. Jeffrey A. Bayer, founder and owner of Birmingham-based Bayer Properties, was the keynote speaker for the 2017 Retail Day, held Oct. 17 at Vestavia Country Club. Birmingham-area retailers honored as Retailers of the Year during the event were Annie Damsky, Villager Yoga, Mountain Brook; Komeh Davis, CakEffect, Homewood; Ken Hubbard, Western Market in Birmingham, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills, Food Depot in Gardendale and Village Market in Birmingham; Ryan and Geri-Martha O’Hara, Big Spoon Creamery, Birmingham; Andrew Pharo, Cahaba Brewing Co., Birmingham; Katie Smith, Please Reply LLC, Mountain Brook; and David and Andrea Snyder, Urban Cookhouse, Homewood, The Summit, Tuscaloosa and downtown Birmingham. Ousler Sandwiches (see story in our Food section on page 25) in Mountain Brook, Edwards Chevrolet in Birmingham, McCurry Furniture in Warrior, and Books-A-Million, with 20 stores in Alabama, were honored as Centennial Retailers.
Journal photo by Maury Wald
Alabama Retail Association Recognizes Area Businesses
Rotary Recognition
The Rotary Club of Vestavia Hills honored the recipients of the Police, Fire and Civilian Employees of the year at the organizations regular meeting on Oct. 27. From left, Rotary club president David Martin with Police Officer of the Year, Jordan Fowler; Civic Employee of the Year, librarian Derek Anderson; and Firefighter of the Year, Lynn Payne. “We are privileged to be able to honor the diligent service of the Vestavia Hills Fire and Police Departments, as well as the Civilian Employee of the Year,” Martin said.
Hoover Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Beautification Board
The Hoover Beautification Board celebrated its 40th anniversary Oct. 16 by celebrating the past and future. While paying recognition to its efforts to keep the community “clean and green,” the organization’s motto, the board unveiled a new logo. Mayor Frank Brocato recognized new members of the board Dawn Azok, Jean Ingram and Susan Sheedy. Members Roberta Atkinson, Betty Daigle, Sarah Johnson, Pat Lawley and Ann McAdams were reappointed
to the board. The board recognized Brocato’s support by presenting him with a scrapbook. Brocato and board representatives recounted the ways in which the board has supported the community. Efforts throughout Hoover include planting trees at city schools, decorating City Hall for Christmas and promoting litter and recycling awareness. In addition, the board hosts events throughout the year, including the annual Arbor Day celebration and the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, and presents Beautification Awards to local businesses. ❖
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LIFE
12 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
CELEBRATING SENIORS
LATE-IN-LIFE CALLING Presbyterian Minister Converts to Catholicism and Joins the Sisterhood
By Sarah Kuper
Jouornal photo by Jordan Wald
G
rowing up, Sara Burress was one of many faithful Presbyterians in her small Mississippi hometown. “Whenever the church doors were open, our family was there,” she said. In fact, Burress’s Presbyterian roots run deep; one of her Scottish ancestors journeyed to colonial America to found a Presbyterian church in South Carolina. That’s why it is surprising to hear her referred to as Sister Sara. “I never, ever would have imagined I would be Catholic, let alone a Benedictine sister,” she said. In 2006, Burress joined the Benedictine Sisters at the Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman. She was 66 at the time. Although her conversion to Catholicism is fairly recent, her life has always centered around spiritual education and identity. In college, Burress was part of an interdenominational ministry and even served on staff for the group. She continued on to attend a Presbyterian seminary in Atlanta, earning her master of divinity. Burress spent years as a Presbyterian minister, but over time she began to feel disheartened by the divisive atmosphere among the Protestant denominations. “I became more heartbroken over the constant division. There was an inability to come to terms with each other, and the church would keep splintering,” she said. The way she saw it, the Catholic church had the right approach. “In the Catholic church, you try to work
Although her conversion to Catholicism is fairly recent, her life has always centered around spiritual education and identity. She is currently on mission in Birmingham serving as the director of pastoral ministry at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.
things out. The idea is you stay in the fight. Where I was, I felt like I was living in a society and a church that didn’t know how to do that.” Burress said she yearned to get back to the roots of the church. She began to admire the way the Catholic faith reveres the past but doesn’t live in the past. “If you go back to the very beginning of
Jesus giving St. Peter the keys, the church has always been reforming itself. I like the firmness of teaching but the understanding of gaining wisdom over time.” Burress was also fascinated by the rich history of the church. “The Catholic church has 2,000 plus years – a treasure trove of spirituality. Teachings from
the early fathers and saints who wrote and lived exemplary lives,” she said, “And I love that all five senses are engaged in worship.” In the years leading up to her conversion, Burress became close with the Benedictine sisters in Cullman and ‘Although I she began attending haven’t always retreats at the made myself fully monastery. Burress present to God, made the deciI’ve come to sion to join the order and then, understand that she said, she God has always faced the hard part. been fully present Benedictine to me. God never sisters take vows of obedigives up on us.’ ence, stability and faithfulness. Essentially, sisters vow to live a life without personal possessions or pursuits outside of the work of the church. Burress, who joined the sisters as a middleaged woman, owned her own home, had her own income and had the freedom to spend her time and money how she saw fit. “It was difficult. It was like the grief process you go through when you lose anything,” she said, “It was hard to let go, not only of my Presbyterian heritage, but also of a way of life; no credit card or bank account. It’s frightening to suddenly not have those things that prop you up.” See BURRESS, page 13
MORE THAN STORIED
Mountain Brook’s Jackson Pens Beach-Themed Children’s Book
In his career, Jackson has served in the U.S. Navy and then was a property and casualty insurance agent. In his free time, he has been equal parts tennis player, photographer, amateur magician and golfer.
Photo courtesy Ivey Jackson
By Emily Williams Ben “Ivey” Jackson wears many hats. Throughout his childhood in Birmingham, he collected a variety of hobbies that have stuck with him throughout his life. In his career, he served in the U.S. Navy and then was a property and casualty insurance agent. In his free time, he has been equal parts tennis player, photographer, amateur magician and golfer. Recently, he added the distinction of author to his resume, publishing a children’s book dedicated to sharing his love of the beach, with essays on anything from a beach packing list to an old pirate tale. “This is not so much about my book ‘A Beach Manual’ but the concept that anyone who wants to write a book can easily do it,” Jackson said. Jackson sprinkled in commentary on the process of publishing his book to show children and parents that publishing their stories doesn’t have to seem out of reach. He published the book using CreateSpace, a sub-
sidiary of Amazon. The process began when he bought the book “How to Publish Your Paperback with CreateSpace” for $10. “I was not smart enough to pull this book off by myself, so I associated with a local editor (Diane Simmons Dill),” he said. “A Beach Manual” is inspired by not only his own childhood beach trips, but also the many vacations he and his late wife, Babs, spent taking their two children to the beach. “This book represents my desire to share decades of fun that I enjoyed as a child and which I passed along to my own children,” Jackson said. His love of the beach is one of many aspects of his life that he has passed on to his children and his four grandchildren, he said.
Hobby Hound
One of his first hobbies, he said, was photography. He learned the skill from two of his uncles See JACKSON, page 13
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
We Can Do It!
Photos special to the Journal
Local DAR Celebrates National Rosie the Riveter Organization
Zella Listerman with Gov. Kay Ivey.
Gov. Ivey Joins Local Seniors for National Senior Citizens Day Community members gathered at Vestavia Hills City Hall on Aug. 21, to celebrate national Senior Citizens Day. Guests were greeted by Vestavia Belles while refreshments were served. The event showcased tablescapes featuring different senior volunteer activities. Posters described educational opportunities, recreation, card playing, luncheons, garden clubs, travel and dancing. Organizations set up booths to pass out information on opportunities for seniors, including the Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Gov. Kay Ivey, who was presented with a key to the city, was a guest speaker, along with Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills. Ivey used her time to celebrate the many ways senior citizens can and do contribute to the community. ❖
JACKSON, From page 12
who were photographers, and, by the age of 10, he had his own dark room set up in the basement of his home. Over the years, he delved into many different areas of photography, mostly taking and printing photos as gifts for his friends. In adulthood, he recalls taking photos for the local swim teams. When photos didn’t come out well, he would have 100 mothers up in arms, so he retired from team photos after the fifth season. “I was fortunate when the digital camera was invented because one could take multiple photos at no additional cost,” he wrote. From age 10 to 15, Jackson took up the art of magic. He learned from his grandfather, who would often perform small shows for kids at the local playground. After retiring from the Navy, Jackson dusted off his bag of tricks and performed during chil-
BURRESS, From page 12
While perhaps confused at Burress’ late-inlife decision to convert to Catholicism and become a nun, her two sisters were supportive. Burress does not downplay the weight of the sacrifice to become a Benedictine sister. But she said she feels she has gained more than she ever gave up.
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 13
LIFE
The General Sumter Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution opened its 122nd year on Oct. 4 with a meeting at the Birmingham Country Club. Tables were decorated with American flags, stars and red, white and blue to celebrate Constitution Week as chapter regent Mary Helen Dixon presided over the meeting. Dr. Frances Carter, founder of the American Rosie the Riveter Association, presented a program about her efforts to establish the national association in 1998. Ellen Tucker, first vice regent and program chairman, introduced Carter and her daughter, Nell Branum. In addition, Betty Northen, constitution week chairman, was celebrated for her work distributing informational packets to area schools. Cheri Sanders presented plans for participation in the Veterans’ Day Parade and Annette Dean discussed upcoming Dedication Day activities at the Kate Duncan Smith DAR School in Grant. To conclude the meeting, Carolyn Johnson, chaplain, led the group’s ritual and Nancy Jones detailed the chapter’s co-sponsorship of the Alabama Bicentennial Country Fair at Arlington Historical House on Oct. 15. ❖
From left: Mary Helen Dixon, Dr. Frances Carter, Ellen Tucker, Nell Brannum and Judith Hand.
dren’s birthday parties. He went on to teach his son, who had a surprising talent for it and still performs today under the name Mr. Magic. More active hobbies arrived in Jackson’s teenage years, as he took up tennis. It began with time spent playing at the Underwood Park courts across from his childhood home in downtown Birmingham. “There were two tennis courts and a player could stay on the clay court if he kept winning … a great motivation to play better,” he said. He went on to play on his high school and collegiate teams, winning state championship titles in his senior years at each school. While visiting ports in the Mediterranean on the U.S.S. Midway aircraft carrier during his Navy days, Jackson recalls him and his crew mates challenging local tennis players to matches and found it to be a great way to make friends. Upon returning to Birmingham, he began the Birmingham Tennis Association just in time for the sport to drastically rise in popularity because of the success of the former American world
No. 1 tennis player Jimmy Connors. After only five years, the club’s membership rose to 500; calling Jackson to trade in his racquet for a golf club and leave the crowded courts behind. Though he feels his friends may never believe it, Jackson said he excelled at golf for a time, with a three-point handicap. During that time, he invited Joe Namath to play with him in his country club’s member-guest golf tournament and won in the fourth flight, earning Jackson a silver dish that he said his wife enjoyed using to serve casseroles. Outside of sport and art, Jackson spent much of his 56 years with his wife traveling the world. They met his cousin in Jerusalem at the Western Wall, they cruised the Mediterranean and their 50th anniversary was celebrated by cruising the Baltic Sea. Jackson plans to write again in the near future, and with the variety of hobbies collected throughout his life, he has more than a handful of subjects to focus on. Jackson’s book, “A Beach Manual,” is available on Amazon for $10. ❖
“What I was receiving was what I really wanted to embrace and be embraced by, the Benedictine way of life,” she said. “I felt like I was suited for it, I was meant for it.” Burress spends her time pursuing the basic occupations of a Benedictine sister: prayer, work and study. She is currently on mission in Birmingham serving as the director of pastoral ministry at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. It is Burress who visits sick and housebound parishioners and guides grieving fami-
lies after the death of a loved one. She said she always stays busy, and she never gets tired of her work. “It is an important ministry to be with people during happiness and sadness,” she said. Whether it was as a Presbyterian minister or now as a catholic nun, Burress said she has always felt God was close. “Although I haven’t always made myself fully present to God, I’ve come to understand that God has always been fully present to me,” she said, “God never gives up on us.” ❖
Town Village Vestavia Hills
Town Village Vestavia Hills is an independent living community for seniors. The community has recently been renovated and offers a wide variety of apartment style choices with full kitchens. Additional care services are available onsite for residents who need additional help with daily activities. Town Village offers a variety of amenities such as an indoor heated pool, walking trail, fenced-in dog park, gardening boxes, all-day dining options and many fitness classes. Town Village offers great choices for someone who is considering the idea of senior living, whether they are still active in their lives Regina Phillip or if they exerpience declined health and favor an independent lifestyle with additional care services. “If you are tired of being home alone, Town Village can give you the privacy of home in your own apartment and friends with whom you can eat with and enjoy activities,” said resident Regina Phillips. “It’s easier to connect with friendly folk when they are next door or just down the hall. There are several activity types whether you are active or sedentary. The setting is lovely and convenient to drugstores, a grocery store, restaurants, and churches. The location is convenient to freeways and highways. Move in, make friends and enjoy! Don’t wait. Leave the work and responsibility behind and “c’mon down.” Tours are available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and by appointment on weekends. Town Village is located at 2385 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham (behind the CVS off of Rocky Ridge Road), 979-2702.
Join us for Town Village Vestavia Hill’s
ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET December 1st 10 am-4pm.
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SOCIAL
14 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Cheryl Grissom and Stephanie Farrington. Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Britney Bradford and Julie Brandrup.
From left: Paige Drew, Caroline Eades, Meleesa Jack, Angela Layman and Kelly Michelle Lewis.
Cool Witches
Michelle Franco and Kim Crawford.
Melissa Galbraith and Michelle Franco.
Annual Witches Ride Scares Up Funds for ACS and Lung Cancer Research
Alison Henninger and Jenna Bailey.
With an autumnal nip in the air, a crowd of “witches” took flight on their broom-like bicycles through Homewood on Oct. 29 for the annual Homewood Witches Ride. This year’s event marked the fifth anniversary of the fundraiser, founded by Homewood resident Janie Mayer as a way to honor the memory of her mother, Paula Stringfellow Ford, after losing her to lung cancer. The event is held in partnership with the American Cancer Society. Proceeds benefit lung cancer awareness and research efforts. The witches took off from Homewood Central
Beth Eidson, Lillie Davis and Lara Patterson.
Park just as the Homewood Parks and Rec’s annual fall festival began to wind down, with drones capturing footage of the parade participants before they took flight. Food trucks including Tot Spot, Saw’s Street Kitchen and Magic City Sweet Ice served up sustenance to crowds as they waited for their chance to snag some candy. Once all of the witches crossed the parade’s finish line, an after party concluded the evening at the Little Donkey with dinner and live music by the duo Dave and Alan. ❖
Paige Whitt, Bonnie Fair and Susan Whitt.
Janie Mayer kicked off the 2017 Homewood Witches Ride last Sunday.
Isabella Gordon, Diana Ellis with son James and Amy-Renee King.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 15
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
SOCIAL
Above, from left, Erwin and Kathy Raughley, Mary Beth Walker and Jonathan Small. Below, Jason Stuckey, Diana Boyd, Davis Richardson and Madeline Boyd.
Susan Allred and Sarah Lindley.
Pride and responsibility drive us to be the best in everything we do.
Anna and Richard Caples.
Fall Fiesta
Annual Trinity Counseling Fundraiser Celebrates the Season With Flair For its fifth annual Autumn Celebration on Oct. 12, Trinity Counseling hosted a “Tacos for Trinity” fiesta at Cahaba Brewing
20s
Company to support the organization’s mission to provide mental health services to the community. The event was organized by
Trinity’s junior board as well as a host committee. Taco Mama served up food as guests perused a silent auction and enjoyed the music of the band “Tarred and Feathered.” Big ticket items up for auction included a “wine cellar,” which was 20 bottles of fine wines, art, a Steel City Pops party, football tickets and more. ❖
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16 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
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Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Thursday Evening November 9th 5:00 - 7:00pm
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Wine About It
Western Hosts Annual Food and Wine Benefit More than 600 wines were on tap at Western Supermarket’s annual Western Food and Wine Festival at the Birmingham Zoo on Oct. 6. Guests had the opportunity to taste wines that covered a variety of price points, sample tastings from more than 40 food vendors, pre-order wines at the show, ride the carousel and see live animals on display. A raffle offered prizes such as four rounds of golf at Bent Brook and a halflife-sized bobblehead of John Gruden. Proceeds from the evening benefit The Birmingham Zoo, The Emmet O’Neal Library, Junior League of Birmingham and the East Lake Initiative. ❖
Kaylan Clark and Sydney Boehm.
Jonathan and Janna Rutland.
BITE-SIZED BASH
Charades Dance Club Hosts Fall Wine and Cheese Party The Charades Dance Club members ushered in fall with a Wine and Cheese Party on the afternoon of Sept. 28 at the home of Katie and Brad Dunn. Co-chairs Mary Putman and Kathleen Watkins, along with committee members, Kathi Ash, Margaret Balch, Judy Bewley, Cindy Bibb, Mary Michael Bowman, Susan Bowman, Jeannie Bradford, Patsy Burns, Camille Butrus and Sallie White provided a variety of party sandwiches, including pork sliders, cheese and crackers, brie and pepper jelly phyllo cups, sweet and sour meatballs, fruit, dips and a selection of desserts. The centerpiece for the round dining table was a large, antique Chinese bowl containing double white orchids surrounded by fern and miniature frost-colored pumpkins. Among the members attending the party were Gayle Byrne, Barbara Chapman, Anne Carey, Martha Cobb, Mary Cobb, Carol Corvin, Ellen Cunningham, Naomi Cunningham, Enid Dean, Sarah Lynn DeFuniak, Louise Ellis, Carolyn Featheringill, Anne Finch, Diane Gamble, Toye Gannon, Toni Hartley, Laurie Hayworth, Carolyn Hill, Dorothy Hodges and Dale Holditch. Mingling after a short meeting held by Charades President Loretta Hood were Pam Kilgore, Anne Lamkin, Gordon Lanier, Verna Lyons, Pat Miree, Jane Newman, George Ann Parker, Leslie Puckett, Susan Reeves, Helen Robin, Sara Ruiz De Molina, Emily Scarbrough, Katy Sexton, Marianne Sharbel, Lynn Smith, Rita Spencer, Barbara Stone, Lana Thompson, Janie Trammell, Karen Watkins and Diane Weatherford. ❖
Photo special to the Journal
Grab a friend and shop while enjoying refreshments and other treats!
Lindsy Gardner and Darwin Metcalf.
From left: Mary Michael Bowman, Camille Butrus, Judy Bewley, Margaret Balch, Kathleen Watkins, Katie Dunn, Mary Putman, Susan Bowman, Patsy Burns and Sallie White.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Exceptional Foundation Hosts Annual Dinnertainment Event The Birmingham Young CPA’s teamed up with the Exceptional Foundation to host this year’s Dinnertainment, held Sept. 22 at the Country Club of Birmingham. The event had more than 482 participants, with some performing songs, dancing and displaying other talents for the guests. In addition, a silent auction featured a variety of artworks created by program participants. Proceeds from Dinnertainment benefit the organization’s efforts to support children and adults with special needs in the greater Birmingham area. ❖
Clockwise from, right: Carmine Jordan and Tricia Kirk; Helen Walker and Nicholas Saab; Ann and Ken Sanders; and Jenna and Jane Bissell.
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Talent on Display
SOCIAL
From left, Mike and Megan O’Brien and Amanda and Henry Elmore.
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 17
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SOCIAL
From left, Paul Liles, Robby Nichols, Anne Liles, Julia Ann and Joe Cleage, and Marion Nichols.
Mediterranean Magic Pickwick Dance Club Enjoys an Elegant Evening
A beautiful fall evening at Donna Jernigan’s home on Shook Hill Circle was the setting for the Sept. 29 Pickwick Dance Club party. More than 140 club members and escorts attended the candlelit courtyard event. Tables were decorated with burlap toppers, colorful pumpkins, gourds, fall leaves, votive candles and fall flowers. Sheer white curtains hung in the CRAVEN POTTERY TRUNK SHOW Mediterranean portico overlooking the Wednesday November 15th & pool area and torch lanterns lined the lawn. Thursday November 16th Party committee members and contributors Nancy Bagby, Lindsay Cook, MEET IAN CRAVEN AND SHOP HIS WORLD Tricia Ford and Jim Ford, Trissy RENOWNED, HAND BUILT PORCELAIN. Holladay, Allison Morgan, Ramona Shannon, and Jean and Robert 2402 MONTEVALLO RD MOUNTAIN BROOK VILLAGE 205.879.0125 Woodward created an autumnal celeWWW.TABLE-MATTERS.COM bration for partygoers. Robert Robinson, son of members Phoebe and Red Robinson, provided music for guests, performing a variety of selections from Willie Nelson to To: Jessica operatic tunes. From: Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., Seated for dinner in the courtyard 205-824-1246, fax and visiting around the bar were Linda Date: Oct. and Bobby Vann, Grace and Larry Whatley, This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the Linda Abele, Mallory Gray and Paul Samuelson, Bootsie and Nov. 2, 2017 issue. Please contact your sales representative as soon as possible to approve Lowell Garrett, Nancy and John your ad or make changes. You may fax approval or changes to 824-1246. Bagby, Laura and Erskine Ramsey, Please make sure all information is correct, Fran and Rob Glendinning, Lind including address and phone number! Burks and Bob Hunter, Jane and Jack Shaloop, Courtney and Phil Please initial and fax back within 24 hours. Brown, Sallie and Jim Johnson, If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the pressCatherine date, Ann Schilleci, Pat and Bill your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday. Houseal, Dottie Miller, Mary and Lex Thank you for your prompt attention.Williamson, Marion and Robbie Nichols, and Yorke Williams. Other guest seen around the candlelit courtyard were Sharon and Emris Graham, Caroline and Robert Daniel, Anne Moore and Bryan Baldwin, Sara and Tom Moody, Kathy and George Andrews, Chris and Alston Ray, Mims and Carl Adams, Linda and Richard Compton, Proudly keeping homes cleaner Ramona and Jim Shannon, Don and healthier since 1987 Bevill, Beth and Bill Gunn, Suzanne and Frank Brock, Susan and Bob 205-871-9338 Warnock, Leila Anne and Robbie www.MAIDS.com Kidd, Garnett and Jim Baker, Linda Arnold, Patsy Dreher, Barbara and Leon Ashford, Donna and Johnny Beauchamp, Lowell and Ken Adams, Linda and Bill Tilly, Karen Johnson, John and Liz Cooney, Candy and John Lindley, Susan and George Nolan, Anne and Paul Liles, Lucy and Les Underwood, Darleen and Johnny Referred for a reason. AV Mears, Susan and John Kidd, Lisa and Charlie Venable, Lynda and
DISCOVER THE MANY REASONS HOMEOWNERS ARE GIVING THANKS THIS
Leon and Barbara Ashford, Donna and Johnny Beauchamp and Patsy Dreher.
Allison Morgan, Jeanne Adair and Tricia Ford.
Phoebe Robinson, Robert Robinson and Red Robinson.
Jim Shannon, Jack Shannon, Romona Shannon and Jan Shannon.
Bill and Beth Gunn with Donna Jernigan.
George Hiller, Jeanne and Jim Adair, and Beth and Rick Woodward. Seated in the living room were Cathy and Bill Moss, Kathy and Bubby Brush, Sara Beth Blair and Dick Coffee, Ann Vrocher, Kathryn and Jim Porter, and Margaret and Bob Agnew. Gathered around the fireplace were Dana and Tom Norton, Tricia and Jim Ford, Kelley and Pete Gage, Elizabeth Meadows, and Prince Warnock and Lindsay Cook. Others enjoying the evening were
Jane Van Eaton and Ben Smith, Jan and Jack Shannon, Patty and Bill Ringland, Vicki and Mike Drummond, Dottie and Raleigh Kent, Kathy and Frank Anderson, Patty and Allen Baker, Charlotte and John Kearney, Sarah and Jerry Hodge, Jean and Robert Woodward, Gail and Alan Howle, Molly Bradley, Elaine and Perry Morgan, Julianne and Joe Cleage, Allison Morgan, Helen and Richard Pardue, and Debby and Mac McCollough. ❖
holiday season.
Photos special to the Journal
18 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
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Greeted and Gathered
From left: Evelyn Ringler, Nell Freeman, Linda Bachus and Nancy Becker. Below,Shirley Evans, Linda Gooldrup and Redonda Broom.
Photos special to the Journal
Coronets Meet After the Summer Hiatus
Excited to see one another after the summer, Coronets Dance Club members gathered for their annual fall meeting and luncheon recently at Vestavia Country Club. President Shirley Palmes presided over the board meeting of officers and committee chairs and a business meeting with all members. Hostesses Nell Freeman and Joy Wilkes planned a lunch with pumpkin floral arrangements on each table. Nancy Becker and Shelley Watkins are the chairwomen for the dance at Vestavia Country Club held Oct. 20. Those attending included Palmes,
Watkins, Secretary Pat Garlicov, Treasurer Linda Woods, Marsha Hire and Becker, who is parliamentarian. Also attending were India Askew, Linda Bachus, Sue Belcher, Barbara Bell, Redonda Broom, Marti Buck, Cheree Carlton, Patty Clay, Bettie Davenport, Phyllis Davis, Carolyn Delk, Patty Echols, Carolyn Edge, Cindy Edmonds, Shirley Evans, Clarice Gibbs, Linda Gooldrup, Jean Hendrickson, Carolyn Hogan, Marti Buck and Carolyn Delk.
Bust a Move
Local celebrities slipped on their dancing shoes and hit the floor of Old Car Heaven on Oct. 2 for Dancing with the Stars of the Magic City. The fundraiser was hosted by the junior board for First Light, a local center for homeless women and children. Guests enjoyed food prepared by Shindigs, Old Town Pizza and Repicci’s Italian Ice and Gelato before the competition kicked off. Last year’s People’s Choice Awardwinner, Meagan Thomas of ABC 33/40, emceed the event with her dancing partner, Wes Chapman. Judges included last year’s Best Routine-winner Morgan Copes, as well as Tommy Spina and Johnnie Spina. Dancing teams included John Archibald and Kimberly LavenderJones; Harley Chapin and Blakely Channell; Mark Everett and Haley Ingrum; Dr. Matt Kiser and Caitlin Schweizer; Ashley Fierman Lewis and Sterling Burroughs; Tom Luckie and Ann Browning; Martha Legg Miller and Brandon Barranco; Zack Redes and Ashley Bryant; Kyle Schwab and Claire Caddell; and Brad White and Morgan Creech. While votes were calculated, Birmingham Dance Theatre’s Level 2 company dancers performed a musical theater jazz routine to “Friend Like
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
First Light Hosts Annual Dance Competition Fundraiser
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 19
Margaret Howell, Gloria Hudson, Dr. Rusty Kirkpatrick, Joanne McConnell, Betty Miller, Cecelia Miller, Anne Nelson, Dot Renneker, Evelyn Ringler, Liz Slive, Sally Stanley, Cindy Tilghman, Betty Tucker, Karen Tucker, Debbie Visentainer and Janis Zeanah. ❖
Me,” from Aladdin, and semi-pro team Clave y Tumbao performed a salsa. Along with First Light Development Director Lani Powell, junior board members coordinating the event included Amanda Abbott, Stewart Alvis, Kathleen Bowers, Susan Brown, Jordan Burson, Mandy Feagans, Tiffany Ford, Jocquelyn Griggs, Bianca Ingram, Raleigh Kent, Abigayle Krause, Anne Kyle, Christopher Kyle, Amy Peterson, Dee Repici, Michelle Repici, Millie Ronnlund, Ann Watford Kimberly Lavender-Jones and John Archibald. and Katie Voss. ❖
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20 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
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SOCIAL/WEDDINGS Katie Brandler with Delta.
Swagler-Webb
Viridian offers all the charm of a vintage neighborhood with the latest energy-efficient green homebuilding technologies. These authentic, one-of-a-kind homes are tucked in the woods in a unique gated community off Tyler Road, with prices starting in the $600s. Two lush parks and an abundance of green space provide privacy and a sense of history for this significant property.
www.wedgworth.net (205) 365-4344
Wags and Whiskers Hosts Annual Fall Fundraiser Wayne Alford with Moxie and Meghan Taylor with Koda.
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Vestavia’s Premiere Green Home Community
Howloween
Pooches were on parade in their Halloween costumes at Cahaba Brewing Company on Oct. 21 for the second annual Pupkins and Pints fundraiser, hosted by Wags ‘N Whiskers Rescue. Festivities included food for people and pets, served by Fetch – A Treat
Attic Antiques
Celebrating 50 Years
Christmas Open House
Truck for Dogs, Doodle’s Homemade Sorbets and Ices, and Tamale Queen. Winner of the costume competition was a collaboration between dogs Nado and Nora, who dressed up as Pennywise the Dancing Clown and Georgie from Stephen King’s “It.” A raffle offered guests a chance to win jewelry, Cahaba Brewing merchandise and gift cards to local businesses such as Cahaba Cycles, Icing on the Cookie, Real and Rosemary and the Whole Dog Market in Homewood. As owners perused the offerings, dogs had the chance to “bob for bones” in a treat tub. Funds raised through the event support the organization’s efforts to bring in more homeless pets and find their forever homes. ❖
Allison Lee Swagler and William Mitchell Webb were married Oct. 7 at Vulcan Park & Museum in Birmingham. The Rev. John Michael Cleghorn of Charlotte, North Carolina, officiated the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Swagler Jr. of Mountain Brook. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mitchell Webb of Shreveport, Louisiana. Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a champagne A-line satin gown with pearl-studded ivory Alençon lace and a court train. She carried a bouquet of roses, dahlias and succulents hand-tied in lace, which was made by her great-grandmother, and a handkerchief, embroidered in blue, that had belonged to the groom’s great-great grandmother. Eleanor Martelia Swagler, sister of the bride, was the maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Dr. Deanna Webb, sister-in-law of the groom; Samantha Rosier; Katherine Scarbrough; Ella Sorscher; and Hannah Wulz. Dr. Christopher Bennett Webb, brother of the groom, was the best man. Groomsmen were Andrew Swagler, brother of the bride; Joel Mabry; Joseph Muller; Richard Sanchez; and Dr. Jordan Wulz. After a honeymoon trip to Paris, the couple will live in Birmingham.
Chelsea Henderson and Fudge.
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Come share the joy of the coming season with us. Fun, laughter and fellowship!
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Alex Thomas and friend.
Judy Patterson and Cagney.
HOME
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Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 21
ROSS BRIDGE HOME SHINES AS 2017 INSPIRATION HOME
RHAPSODY in BLUE
Photos by Jean Allsopp
The ceilings in the living room area are 16 feet high, giving a feeling of grandeur and then the ceilings drop to 10 feet in other areas like the kitchen (below) to delineate.
‘We’re calling it transitional. It’s a home that can be dressed up as modern while still incorporating elements of the traditional.’ CATHY STILLS MCGOWIN BIRMINGHAM HOME & GARDEN
By Emily Williams
H
aving a case of the blues doesn’t mean sadness when it comes to Birmingham Home & Garden magazine’s 2017 Inspiration Home. According to editor Cathy Stills McGowin, the pops of color and shades of blue decorating the Ross Bridge family home are in keeping with a growing trend in interior design. The home, built by Kyle Murphy, also is filled with examples of ways to create character in a new build. “When you build a new home, I think it’s easy
to have it end up looking like a big white box,” she said. McGowin has seen the 4,700-square-foot house go from concept to creation in preparation for its debut this month as the magazine’s annual Inspiration Home. It showcases new home trends by bringing together some of the talented interior designers and vendors in the area to outfit the house. “This is most definitely a family home,” McGowin said. “It has five bedrooms and 4½ bathrooms and it is very functional. The master is on the ground level and the rest of the bedrooms
are upstairs.” One of the most inspiring aspects of the home, according to McGowin, is the attention to detail. Murphy worked with a design liaison, Virginia Volman of Virginia Volman Designs, and the two found surprising ways to include pops of color and character-adding elements in the home’s design to help avoid the “big white box” issue. “We’re calling it transitional,” McGowin said. “It’s a home that can be dressed up as modern while still incorporating elements of the traditional.”
See INSPIRATION page 22
22 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
From page 21
During walk-throughs of the home as it was completed, McGowin said, Murphy would point out design elements that helped give the home a unique feel, including a washed pine ceiling in the master bedroom and an exposed beam in the living area. “Kyle has an amazing reputation for beautiful work,” she said. “He does a lot of design builds, so his company will not just act as the architects, but the leaders of constructing the design. So, as he designed the home, he had in mind what it would take to accomplish from the perspective of the contractor.”
Design Built in Its Bones
McGowin said the home makes a big statement from the moment you enter. From the doorway, a guest will be faced with an open living space with a large sliding glass wall that opens to an outdoor living area and views of the pool in the backyard. Open floor plans are still very much in, but Murphy used the ceiling height in the great room to give it more definition. “The ceilings in the living room area are 16 feet high, so you get that feeling of grandeur and then the ceilings drop to 10 feet in other areas like the kitchen to delineate,” McGowin said. McGowin noted that Volman’s collaboration with Murphy throughout
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the building process made the difference when designers came in to decorate the home. “She was able to insert interior designs that are built in,” McGowin said. “For example, she would have a backsplash installed on a diagonal instead to give the room more depth.”
Colorful Tile
Colorful and eye-catching tile is found throughout the home. One of the most interesting uses of patterned tile, in McGowin’s opinion, was a rectangular shape that Volman used on the floor of the home’s “drop zone.” The room serves multiple purposes, including use as a butler’s pantry and a laundry room. “The tile on the floor looks almost like a rug on the floor,” McGowin said. “It’s something I never would have thought of.” She added that, while tile always has been a popular material, there is growing interest in colorful tiles, with mosaics being one of the biggest trends. “There really is just a lot of color in this house, which is great to see,”
Photo by Jean Allsopp
INSPIRATION,
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HOME
Designer and builder Kyle Murphy used a washed pine ceiling in the master bedroom, above, to add character; while Stock and Trade outfitted the room with unexpected color combinations, pairing purple and orange bed linens.
she said. “Instead of white, blush colors are becoming popular with paints and there are a lot of dark blues, greens and deep reds seen in many of the designers’ rooms.”
Bluff Park WindoW Works HANNA
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ANTIQUES MALL fbcalparadeofhomesad.pdf
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(205) 323-6036 MON-SAT 10:00-5:00
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Inspired by the Past
McGowin said she is yearning for most of the home’s furnishings, par-
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LocaLLy owned and operated
Jim Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 May 2015 This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for the Nov. 4 2010 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
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Though McGowin thought the colors might compete with each other, the marriage of purple linens in Stock and Trade’s master bedroom and a bright burnt orange European sham is a total success. “It was totally unexpected. You would have never thought those colors would work together so well,” she said. “That’s what this project is all about – giving you great design ideas that you feel you would never find on your own.”
Hanna Antique Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 November This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the November 2 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
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If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
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Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.
if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
ticularly a silver chandelier in the master closet that pays homage to the art deco style of the 1920s. “Inline Electric/Lighting did all of the light fixtures in the home and they are all amazing, but that one is my absolute favorite,” she said. “When you see it up close, you’ll notice that the material it is made out of is a thin jewelry chain.” It’s all about making a bold statement, McGowin said, and that statement is most notably made with color and pattern. Cotton and Quill’s black and white wallpaper in the powder room has made the home’s smallest room one
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 23
HOME of the most exciting for guests, she said. The pattern also can be seen on a pillow in the girl’s bedroom that the company also designed. The bed is dressed in white and hot pink linens with a healthy mixture of prints, a floral headboard, monogrammed pillows, and a duvet and pink and white patterned European shams that feature a chain design. Cotton and Quill’s Mary Catherine Folmar designs the patterns and left a pair of gold shoes resting at the foot of the bed to pay homage to the inspiration for the shams. “The Zelda pattern was inspired from my great-aunt’s 1939 wedding
shoes,” Folmar said. “I pull inspiration from many things, whether it be fashion, architecture, my travels or even periods of time, like the Roaring 20’s for my Deco Collection.”
Decorating With Blues
The home’s two blue rooms seem to have inspired a theme throughout the home. In the dining room, the deep navy walls blend well with Chickadee’s design inspiration – a portrait by Sarah Souls Webb that incorporates bright shades of blues and turquoise. Urban Home Market’s blue study set the tone for the entire issue of Birmingham Home and Garden. “We put this on the cover because we felt it best displayed the transitional theme,” McGowin said. “There is a more traditional wooden desk paired with a Lucite chair and deep blue walls. It’s striking and it sets the tone for the entire home. “I think the flow of the interior design of the home is a real testament to Virginia,” she said. “Even though the designers were given control of what they used in their designs, they all work cohesively together.”
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Trussville
Photo by Jean Allsopp
Ross Bridge Community
From the front doorway, a guest will be faced with an open living space with a large sliding glass wall that opens to an outdoor living area and views of the pool in the backyard.
Antiques & Interiors
This marks the first year that an Inspiration Home has been located in Ross Bridge, and working on the project gave McGowin a strong appreciation for the community. “On the way to the house I’ve really enjoyed driving through the
TRUSSVILLE ANTIQUES & INTERIORS 147 North Chalkville Road, Trussville
From I-59 North take Exit 141 turn right, we're 1.5 miles on the left
661-9805 • Open Monday - Saturday 10 - 6 Sunday 12 - 6
See INSPIRATION page 24
TROON HAMLET To: From: Date:
Kirk Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Oct 2017
This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURN Nov. 2, 2017 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824
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HOME PLA N:PRESTWICK
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24 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
HOME
GBAHB Kicks off Annual Parade of Homes and New Chefs on Parade
By Emily Williams
Neighborhoods and homes throughout the Birmingham metro area will be on display this month in the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders’ 2017 Fall Parade of Homes. The event will be Nov. 4-5 and Nov. 11-12 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Over the Mountain homes and communities featured on this year’s
tour include: • Byrom Building Corp.’s Lake Ridge Retreat at 1604 Lake Ridge Circle in Homewood. • The Brock Point community in Hoover and Signature Home’s Brock S1 at 2209 Brock Circle. • North Shelby County’s Highland Lakes, featuring Eddleman Residential’s Celebration at 105 Linden Lane, the Carlton at 1004
Columbia Circle, Brighton at 1040 Regency Way, Wilshire at 1064 Regency Way, Hampton at 1044 Regency Way, Fairway at 1096 Regency Way and the Ashley at 2000 Regency Way. • The Mt Laurel community in North Shelby County, featuring Town Builders Inc.’s The Leatherwood Cottage at 324 Olmsted Street and The Cherry Hill at 49 Nolen Street.
custom homes | beautiful lots | cahaba river natural surroundings | walking trails
• The Preserve in Hoover, featuring Byrom Building’s The Preserve Plantation at 578 Restoration Drive. • The Village in North Shelby County and Eddleman Residential’s Cambridge at 6061 English Village Lane, Redmont at 6042 English Village Lane and Ashby at 6033 English Village Lane. New this year, the showcase will include a Chefs on Parade culinary event. Held Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., guests will visit three homes for a taste of the chefs’ signature dishes. Tickets are $25 for one night or $40 for both nights. The Nov. 2 event will include houses in the U.S. 280 area. It offers tastings by Cajun Boys and Our Poboys and Johnny Ray’s BBQ at Donovan Builder’s 157 Grey Oaks Court; Bellinis Catering at NJT Construction’s 2016 Lindsay Lane, in the Highlands community in Chelsea; and Galley and Garden at Signature Homes’ 2209
INSPIRATION, From page 23
Trillium is a private, gated community with protective covenants nestled along the beautiful Cahaba River. An extensive network of walking trails and more than 1/2 mile of private river frontage offer many outdoor recreation opportunities for Trillium residents. Our close-in location affords easy access to downtown and shopping.
5651 Overton Rd., trilliumdrive.com
To: From: Date:
Pierce Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Oct. 2017 This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the Nov. 2, 2017 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number! Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.
If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
community,” McGowin said. “It has almost become its own bustling city.” It has more than lived up to its reputation, she said, recounting the National Association of Home Builders’ inaugural “Best Community in America” award the community nabbed in 2011. “The house is a part of the second phase of Ross Bridge’s Glasscott
Brock Circle. The Nov. 9 tasting will visit houses in Hoover, Vestavia Hills and
New this year, the showcase will include a Chefs on Parade culinary event. Guests will visit three homes for a taste of the chefs’ signature dishes. Homewood. It offers food from Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q at Byrom Building’s 1604 Lake Ridge Circle; Moss Rock Tacos and Tequila and Vecchia Pizzeria at Byrom’s 578 Restoration Drive; and Main Street Tavern at Murphy Home Builder’s 4282 Glasscott Crossing. For more information, visit birminghamparadeofhomes.com. ❖ neighborhood, which has a lot of their larger properties,” she said. The home will be open for tours Nov. 22 through Nov. 26. Hours of operation are Thursday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $10, with funds raised benefiting the Junior League of Birmingham and the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information, visit birminghamhomeandgarden.com. ❖
FOOD
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
When most families sit down to Christmas dinner, they don’t stray too far from turkey, ham and the usual edible suspects. Christmas Eve, however, is another story – a chance to be a little more creative food-wise. While awaiting Santa’s arrival, my clan, for example, has lobster mac and cheese with tomato basil soup, while my sister-in-law’s family always chows down with Brunswick stew and barbecue. A friend says her group would be less than merry if she didn’t serve poinsettias – festive cocktails made with champagne and cranberry juice. We’d love to know what you’ll have on your table Dec. 24. If you’d like to share your family’s Christmas Eve food traditions with us, please email your menu and comments about it to me at donnawcornelius@bellsouth.net no later than Friday, Nov. 10. Just make sure to include your name and which Over the Mountain city or neighborhood you live in. We’ll include as many responses as possible in the Nov. 30 issue of the OTMJ. – Donna Cornelius GOLD STANDARD: WESTERN MARKET EARNS RETAILER AWARD
Western Market won the 2017 Gold Alabama Retailer of the Year Award in the category of businesses with annual sales of more than $20 million. The Alabama Retail Association honored Ken Hubbard, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer, at its Oct. 17 Alabama Retail Day luncheon at Vestavia Country Club. Western Market has been in business for 69 years and operates five locally owned stores. Three operate as Western Markets: Lane Parke in Mountain Brook, Rocky Ridge in Vestavia Hills, and Highland Avenue in Birmingham’s Southside. The company also runs a Food Depot in Gardendale and a Village Market in the East Lake area of Birmingham. “We are committed and invested in these communities to serving our customers and remaining Birmingham’s leading independent grocer,” Hubbard said. The Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills chambers of commerce along with the Birmingham Business Alliance nominated Hubbard and Western for Retailer of the Year. “Ken Hubbard is a retailer of the year every year to the Western Market customers and its 300 employees as well as the Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and greater Birmingham communities,” Alabama Retail Association President Rick Brown said.
HEADED TO HOMEWOOD: ASHLEY MAC’S PLANS TO OPEN FOURTH STORE
Ashley Mac’s cafe and takeout business plans to open in Homewood’s SoHo Square development early next year, according to an AL.com report. The Homewood store, which will be Ashley Mac’s fourth metro Birmingham location, will occupy part of the old DoDiYos restaurant space at 1831 28th Ave. South. Ashley Mac’s café offers sandwiches, salads and sweets. Its take-home “gourmet-to-go” menu
See ASHLEY MAC, page 27
‘We haven’t changed a thing. It’s always been all sandwiches all the time.’
Photo special to the Journal
’Twas the Night Before Christmas – and What Are You Eating?
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 25
It’s not just loyal customers who love Ousler sandwiches. The Alabama Retail Association on Oct. 17 honored the business, which is more than a century old, as one of its Centennial Retailers. From left, front: Jennifer Elmore, Bill Elmore, Becky Elmore and LeAnn Wood. Back: Turner Wood, Chris Wood, Brian Elmore and Camren Wood.
THE LIFE OF LOTS OF PARTIES For More than a Century, Ousler Sandwiches Have Starred at Special Occasions
By Donna Cornelius Bill and Becky Elmore and their daughter, LeAnn Wood, were still at their store, Ousler Sandwiches, when the front door opened. It was well past closing time, but the three greeted the woman who came in warmly. They all exchanged friendly chitchat and then hashed out how many sandwiches she’d need for a special occasion. When the customer left, all four were smiling. Some business owners might have been a bit put out to have to stay late. Not the Elmores and their daughter. “That lady has been our customer for a long time, and I’m so glad we were still here when she came in,” Becky Elmore said. The family has a deep appreciation for those who buy their sandwiches, which have been staples at special occasions both great and small for many years. “Customers will say, ‘I had you at my wedding 50 years ago, and I want you at my 50th wedding anniversary,’” LeAnn said. Another customer picking up an order once told LeAnn: “We had Ousler sandwiches when I was born, and I expect to have them when I die. You’re not legally dead unless you have Ousler sandwiches.” It’s not just loyal customers who love Ousler sandwiches. The Alabama Retail Association on Oct. 17 honored the business, which is more than a century old, as one of its Centennial Retailers. Ousler Sandwiches is a true family enterprise. On the wall of the company’s store in Mountain Brook Village is a portrait of Christine Campbell Elmore, an integral part of the business almost from its start. Dana Ousler started the business in 1915 in Birmingham’s Five Points South. Christine Campbell, who was then 16, started working for him. She left when she married Marvin Elmore; they had two children, Bill and Jayne. After Marvin was killed in a mining accident in 1947, Christine returned to Ousler to support her fam-
ily.
She bought the business from Dana Ousler in 1953, and she and her children moved the store to Avondale in 1971. “Back at the old shop, when I was out of school in the summer, we’d sweep the floors and empty the garbage cans,” Bill said. “I remember my uncle driving me to Birmingham University School in an old shop truck. I went into the Air Force later.” After Bill and Becky married, she stayed home most of the time while the couple’s three children were young and later joined the company full time. “I helped with the sandwiches but mainly in the office,” Becky said. Did she know she was marrying a business as well as Bill? “I surprised her,” Bill said with a grin. Another move in 2005 took Ousler Sandwiches to Mountain Brook. Christine Elmore died in 2006, but her daughter-in-law still uses her recipes. “We haven’t changed a thing,” Becky said. “It’s always been all sandwiches all the time.” The business doesn’t have a retail side -- it’s not a restaurant. But you can order the sandwiches for parties, corporate events or just about any occasion. The menu is small and consists of proven winners.
Ten Tons of Chicken Salad
The menu is small and consists of proven winners. “We have our best sellers: chicken salad, pimento cheese, ham salad, cream cheese and olive, sliced ham, and egg salad,” LeAnn said. White bread sandwiches are $18 per dozen, and wheat bread sandwiches are $20 per dozen. Each dozen has 48 small finger sandwiches. The Elmores recommend ordering three to four finger sandwiches per person. “We have five different sizes of boxes of sandwiches, from 48 pieces to 240,” LeAnn said. Also available are boxed lunches that include a
sandwich, chips, deviled egg and brownie. “We make about 10 tons of chicken salad a year,” LeAnn said. “We crank it out. Everything is made by mom and dad. They usually get here about 6 a.m. every day.” With the holidays approaching, it’s wise to order sandwiches as far in advance as possible. “We’ll make close to 300 sandwiches per day the week before Christmas,” LeAnn said. “The most stressful part of the business is having to tell people we know that we can’t take an order.” In addition to their traditional tastiness, Ousler sandwiches have another trademark. “It’s not an Ousler sandwich without the crusts being cut off,” LeAnn said. “I can’t go home and
Another customer picking up an order once told LeAnn: “We had Ousler sandwiches when I was born, and I expect to have them when I die. You’re not legally dead unless you have Ousler sandwiches.” make sandwiches without cutting off the crusts for my boys.” Although the quality of food hasn’t changed, the business itself has. “We used to have a wholesale side – eight trucks that delivered to grocery stores, drugstores and other businesses,” Bill said. Ten other trucks served another part of the business. “We also had a catering side – but not catering like you think of it today,” LeAnn said. “We had trucks that went out to plants and factories and other places in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery and Fort Payne to sell sandwiches to the workers. The trucks had ovens, coolers and ice machines. The sides lifted up. We did food trucks See OUSLER, page 26
26 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
FOOD
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
By Donna Cornelius
OUSLER, From page 25
Photo courtesy of Amy Henry
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
Most Thanksgiving feasts include so much food that even the pickiest eater can find something to love. That variety also is a boon for choosing wines. “There are so many different flavors on the table, especially if you’re having a big meal,” said Scott Atkinson, the Mountain Brook Western Market’s wine director. “With wine, that’s a good thing. There’s something that will go with almost any wine, so you can have everybody’s favorites.” Atkinson, who celebrated his ninth year with Western on Oct. 31 and who has been in the wine business since 1996, said Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday. His uncle, Ben Johnson of Vestavia Hills, is hosting the family’s get-together this year. “One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories is being at my uncle’s house and doing dishes with my brother until the hot water ran out,” Atkinson said. If you’re not sure what kinds of wines to buy for holiday meals – or to take if you’re a guest – there’s a simple rule. “The most important thing is to drink what you like,” Atkinson said. “Have both reds and whites.” Atkinson shared a few of his favorite wines for Thanksgiving and beyond, and so did another Birmingham wine guru, Scott Jones of Hoover. Jones, a former Southern Living executive editor, promotes
Wine director Scott Atkinson celebrated his ninth year with Western Market on Oct. 31.
Scott Jones has some great recommendations for holiday wines – and most cost less than $15.
Wining and Holiday Dining Two Experts Pour out Their Tips for Your Thanksgiving Table
his “no-snobbery wine education” through his company, Jones Is Thirsty. He’s a nationally known food and wine expert, author and chef. Most of the wines on Atkinson’s list cost less than $20, and most on Jones’ list cost less than $15.
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FROM SCOTT ATKINSON:
Naveran Brut Vintage Cava: “This Spanish cava is a sparkling wine. You get a lot of the benefits of champagne, but it’s cheaper. You have a celebratory atmosphere during the holidays, and sparkling wine symbolizes this.” 2015 Brooks Gewürztraminer, Oak Ridge Vineyard: “This may seem like a strange option, but gewürztraminer can handle that weird mix of sweet and savory – when your cranberry sauce gets into your creamed spinach. I like its juxtaposition of sweet, spicy and herbal flavors.” Cult Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay: “In the absence of any information about what people like to drink, these two are good choices to have at your table and to bring to gatherings. Those who may not drink a lot of wine tend to go for cab and chardonnay.” 2015 Marietta Zinfandel, Román Estate: “For larger crowds, add this wine, which plays well with almost everything on the table. It’s a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Barbera. This winery is owned by third generation Italian immigrants.” 1997 Laurent-Perrier Brut Rose, Grand Siecle Alexandra champagne or, from the Rhône Valley of France, Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneufdu-Pape: While the other picks are $20 or less, these wines are not inexpensive. But they are special treats and exciting to serve. “Because Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday and the French did so much to help us win our independence, we try to have at least one French wine on the table,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson and Jerome Crawford, Mountain Brook Western Market wine
consultant, and other members of the Western team are happy to offer recommendations and answer questions. You also can rent wineglasses at the store if you’re having a large party. Western Market is located in Mountain Brook at 1000 Jemison Lane. FROM SCOTT JONES:
Jones said the reds and whites he’s listed all cost less than $15; the Bedrock is about $35.
Luccarelli Primitivo, Puglia, Italy: “Zinfandel fans will love this rich red from the south of Italy. Primitivo is hearty enough to hold its own but is surprisingly soft, making it ideal with everything from a cheese platter to a stuffed pork or beef roast.”
Viña Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile: “Los Vascos is the Chilean outpost for the famed Domaines Barons de Rothschild, so there’s real winemaking muscle in the bottle.” Gérard Bertand Réserve Spéciale Chardonnay, Languedoc, France: “This off-the-beaten path chardonnay is much more like its crisp yet rich Burgundian cousins than the big, oaky styles often found in the Napa Valley. Much more food-friendly from appetizer to final course.” Pazo Cillerio Albariño, Spain: “This lip-smacking, medium-bodied Spanish gem is perfect alongside everything from crab cakes to oyster dressing.” Bedrock Wine Co. North Coast Syrah, Sonoma, Calif.: “In the tradition of a Rhône red, this hefty wine brings the spice and dark cherry flavors. Cozies up to smoked brisket or grilled lamb chops. Definitely worth the splurge.”
For more information on wines, and Jones’ tasting sessions, visit www.jonesisthirsty.com. ❖
before they were cool.” The move to Mountain Brook Village came when the family decided to streamline its operations and thus didn’t need its large building in Avondale. “My husband is a Realtor, and one day he was driving through Mountain Brook and saw a ‘for rent’ sign in the window of this building,” LeAnn said. “The building had a freezer, cooler and a hood that matched the stove we already had. I feel like this was meant to be.” LeAnn said she loves working with her parents at Ousler Sandwiches. “I guess I’m the manager, but Mom really manages me,” she said, laughing. “I have two degrees in history and taught in the Hoover City Schools. In 2005, I came here full time. This was my teenage job, so I was already trained.” Her two siblings have other jobs but help out in the family business from time to time. Her sister, Jennifer Elmore, works at Lakeside Baptist Church. Her brother, Brian Elmore, is the projectionist at the McWane Science Center’s IMAX theater. LeAnn said her husband, Chris, pitches in on occasion; the couple’s sons, 18-year-old Camren and 13-year-old Turner, also have put in time at Ousler. “Turner is the best dishwasher ever,” LeAnn said. “I think they need to learn to do every job that they might someday hire someone to do.” While Ousler Sandwiches now has a website and Facebook page, there’s one aspect of its operations that has remained the same. “People are dumfounded that we don’t take credit cards,” Bill said. “We don’t keep records, either. But my wife has a great memory.” Becky said it’s “heartwarming” to hear appreciative words from customers. “People tell you how much you mean to them,” she said. “We’ve gotten to watch little children who would come in and could barely see over the counter grow up and come in as adults.” Bill said having a store in Mountain Brook has worked out well. “There are great people here, and this is a great place to work,” he said. All three said they were honored by the Alabama Retail Association award. “We just don’t think that we’re that big of a deal,” LeAnn said. “But my grandmother said that if you can make a great product at a reasonable price, you’ll stay in business forever.” The many customers who have invited Ousler Sandwiches to their celebrations likely hope that the business will be around for years to come. And if LeAnn’s younger son has his way, more folks someday may have an opportunity to join the Ousler fan club. “Turner wants to franchise,” LeAnn said, smiling. Ousler Sandwiches is at 2814 Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. For more information, visit www.ouslers.com, follow the business on Facebook, or call 879-1115. ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
FOOD
Rehab Reality...
Vestavia Hills Chamber Hosts Annual Halloween Fundraiser
Linda and Scott Parker.
ASHLEY MAC’S, From page 25
includes frozen entrees, soups and sides plus appetizers, salads, desserts and breads. The company also has a catering menu.
BOOKS AND BEVERAGES: HOMEWOOD LIBRARY WILL EXPLORE ‘LITERARY LIBATIONS’
Clair McLafferty, a bartender and writer, will be at the Homewood Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3 to talk about the drinks that fueled famous works – or were created in them. Literary Libations is for ages 21 and up. Tickets are $10 and include two adult beverages and light refreshments. For tickets or more information, visit homewoodpubliclibrary.org.
CHILI COMPETITION: COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN YOUTH WILL HOST COOK-OFF
Enter your chili in a competition or just come and sample others’ concoctions at the Covenant Presbyterian Church Youth Ministries Great Chili Cook-off at 6 p.m. Nov. 12. Tickets are $5 per person with a maximum charge of $20 per family, and they include all the chili you can eat. Bring a few extra dollars if you’d like to cast votes for your favorite chili and
by Judy Butler
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
The time was right for guests to eat, drink and be scary Oct. 26 as the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Viva Vestavia fundraiser. Guests gathered at Hollywood Pools dressed in their Halloween best for a costume contest, silent auction and food tastings from local restaurants. Coordinating the event was Viva Vestavia Chairman James Robinson, who also served as emcee for the silent auction. Chamber board member Angie McEwan was named winner of the costume contest for the third year in a row for her softball player costume, reminiscent of “A League of Their Own.” Proceeds raised will benefit the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Foundation and its efforts to support local businesses and provide scholarships for graduating seniors. ❖
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 27
The Cost of Addiction Above, Connie Robinson with Maria, Melanie and Larry Mote. Right, Ashley and Zach Jones.
Ashbey and Paul Orman.
Breanne and Connor Branch.
help it win the People’s Choice award. The church is at 65 Old Montgomery Highway in Birmingham. For more information, visit covpres.com.
stnicholasbrookside.org. ❖
NUTS TO THAT: FESTIVAL CELEBRATES THE PEANUT
Feel like a nut? Travel south for the 10-day National Peanut Festival in Dothan. The annual event, set for Nov. 3-12, is at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, 5622 U.S. 231 in Dothan, also known as the “Peanut Capital of the World.” The festival honors peanut farmers, celebrates the harvest season and has amusement park rides, livestock shows and concerts – plus a whole lot of peanuts. For more information, visit nationalpeanutfestival.com.
VISITING ST. NICK: BROOKSIDE CHURCH SHARES ITS RUSSIAN HERITAGE
Join a cultural celebration Nov. 4 and 5 at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church’s Russian/Slavic Food Festival. The church is in Brookside, about 25 minutes from downtown Birmingham. The 121-year-old church in rural Jefferson County celebrates its Russian heritage with dishes such as dumplings, meat pies, and kolbasa and kraut. For directions to the church and more information, visit
Southern Gourmet at it's Best LOCATED AT THE TOP OF SHADES MOUNTAIN ON HWY 31, BISTRO V OFFERS ONE OF THE FINEST CULINARY EXPERIENCES IN BIRMINGHAM!
Open Monday-Saturday 11am-2pm & 5pm-9pm 521 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 • (205) 823-1505
We recently had a client come to Bayshore Retreat to get help with his addiction. His wife has terminal cancer and he worried that he might have to leave Bayshore during treatment. My answer was simple: “You have to leave and any time left on the table will be waiting for you, should you need to return.” What this man is going through emotionally is heart wrenching. He is so very brave to take this time to heal himself so he will be a better person for her. He chose to come to Bayshore because he knew he would be able to talk with her every day and skype her ‘good night’. Addiction, like cancer, doesn’t choose whom it will affect. It can happen to anyone and for some there can be a cure if the right treatment is given; also, as with cancer, addiction can reoccur. Over the years we’ve had doctors, lawyers, and other professionals who have turned their life around in our home setting. Some of the key reasons are that we don’t use 12 steps as our program. We take clients to meetings if they’ve never been, but some places have this as their program. (Why pay for that?). Instead, we have about 30 hours a week of counseling, including individual, group, and life skills. Life Skills is particularly important to me because of issues Jeff (my son) and I dealt with over the years. Things like irrational thinking, relationships, anger, money, etc. If you or someone you know is losing his or her life one drink or pill at time, give me a call. Bayshore Retreat is different and can make a difference.
28 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SCHOOLS
A Tour Guide to College Campuses
On a recent College Bound Birmingham trip that included a stop at Southern Methodist University in Dallas were, from left: Sean Fredella, Lucie Kline, Owen Riley, Brice England, Adelia Collier, Ann Wolter, Rush Denson, Rosemary Mann, Zahra Navheed and Seth McCaughan.
By Sarah Kuper The fall season for Over the Mountain high school students is in full swing with pep rallies and Friday night lights. But looming over the fun of a student’s senior year is the deadline for a big decision – where to apply to college. Now, one Birmingham business is helping take the stress out of at least one step in the process. Several times a year, College Bound Birmingham takes groups of high schoolers to tour colleges in the southeast or Texas, hitting multiple campuses in the span of a week. The week is packed with official campus tours, informal gatherings with current students, one-on-one meetings with coaches and professors and downtime to evaluate. And no parents are allowed. Kristin Sartelle is the founder of the company. With her background in admission counseling and recruiting, she understands the importance of actually setting foot on campus instead of depending on brochures and online experiences. “I think students are much more content and confident in their ultimate
decision if they have been able to look around campus,” she said, “but it can be hard for two working parents to take off a week to get kids to several colleges.” The most recent tour of southeastern schools included a large state school, University of Virginia, and smaller liberal arts schools, including Sewanee: The University of the South, and Washington and Lee University Owen Riley is a junior at Mountain Brook High School. He went on the tour of Texas schools this summer. He said one of the most helpful things about the tour was going off-the-record with current students. “We met up with some recent Mountain Brook High School grads who were at some of the schools we were touring. We were able to talk with them about their experience; they had a different perspective sometimes,” he said. Riley said he was surprised to find that Southern Methodist University in Dallas was his favorite of the schools he toured. “I really wasn’t interested in SMU but I ended up liking it the best. You
Photo special to the Journal
Birmingham Business Takes the Legwork out of Organizing College Search
can just tell that some campuses feel more welcoming than others,” he said.
From the Students’ Perspective
Sartelle said she keeps the groups small and tries to cater to individuals as much as possible, setting up meetings with the drama department for some students or tours of engineering schools for others. Amy Roberts’ son James went on a College Bound tour as a junior last year. Roberts said she was impressed with the way Sartelle was able to get on the students’ level and find out what was going on in their heads. “She was so vivacious and full of life,” Roberts said. “She worked hard to get students individual attention, lining them up with meetings and introducing them to peers.” For Roberts, the idea of having her son look at schools without her parental guidance seemed to make sense.
“At the end of the day, it really is his decision. Seeing the schools himself makes him more invested in the process and less anxious. Plus, it is more fun to go with your peers.” Sartelle said students may be more open-minded without their parents looking over their shoulders. “Without parents, conversations among students are rich and honest,” she said, “Plus, students pick up on their parents’ biases, but really this may be the first truly independent decision they make in life.” When a student gets serious about a school, Sartelle encourages parents to go back with their student for a second look. College Bound Birmingham arranges transportation, hotel stays, campus tours and off-campus activities. Fees for tours range from $1,300 to $1,500. Sartelle’s husband, Preston, often comes on the trips to serve as an extra chaperone. College Bound Birmingham does not assist with college testing prep or the actual application process, but
Sartelle recommends getting help from school guidance counselors or ACT prep courses such as All Pencils Down. Most college applications are due Nov. 1, but the process can start months and even years before. Whether it is through College Bound Birmingham or not, Sartelle recommends students tour colleges any chance they get no matter where they are in the process. “Any time you are on family vacation, if there is a college in the town, go see it, even going as a freshman or sophomore. Instead of stressing a student out, this can actually make it seem less intimidating,” she said. The next trip is in January. Students will visit Georgetown University, Davidson College, University of North Carolina, Wake Forest University, University of Virginia and Washington and Lee University. To register and learn more about future trips, visit collegeboundbirmingham.com. ❖
Five Homewood High School students headed up a recent fundraiser that raised $2,081 for people affected by Hurricane Harvey. Hannah Richardson, Mary Callen Darnell, Sarah Smith, Amy Szafran and Erica Bradley teamed up in Rick Baguley’s freshman Career Prep class to coordinate a week-long fundraiser. The original goal was $1,000, which was quickly surpassed. The funds were donated to the JJ Watt Foundation in Houston, which will distribute the money as needed. ❖
Come Celebrate Surprising Grace with Us! Sundays at 8:15 & 10:45 am
OMPC.ORG
5080 Cahaba Valley Trace Birmingham, AL 35242
Photo special to the Journal
Homewood Students Support Harvey Victims
From left: Hannah Richardson, Mary Callen Darnell, Sarah Smith, Amy Szafran and Erica Bradley.
SPHS Science Teacher Named Finalist for Presidential Awards
Spain Park High School science teacher Kristin Bundren has been named a 2017 State Finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The awards are the highest honor the U.S. government bestows specifically on K-12 mathematics and science teachers. “I was pretty surprised when I got the email that I was a state finalist. We have so many great science teachers in Alabama. I was really honored to be included in this group of amazing educators,” Bundren said.
The awards, administered by the National Science Foundation, recognizes teachers who develop and implement high-quality instructional programs. Letters of recommendation, videos of lessons and an extensive writing assignment were part of Bundren’s nomination. As a state finalist, Bundren now advances to the national level. A biology teacher in Hoover City Schools since 2007, Bundren said she enjoys the instructional challenges specific to the teaching of science. “One of the reasons I love teaching science is that it is changing so much, especially now that we know so much about DNA, our body’s cells and so forth,” Bundren said. ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
‘Everyone I know who works with youth is seeing an increase in anxiety and stress among kids. I don’t know anyone who can say why.’ Photo by Ron Burkett.
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 29
SCHOOLS
MOUNTAIN BROOK SCHOOLS DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES DALE WISELY
program. “The leadership of this district – Dr. Barlow, our principals and our school board – have been uniformly supportive of our efforts to reduce the very real dangers and risks our youth face,” he said. “We also get great support from the city government, the City Council, the Fire Department, the Police Department and others. They’ve not just been supportive, they have been out in front, directly involved and very much visible.”
OTM Groups Joining Forces
Groups similar to All In Mountain Brook also have been gaining momentum in the Over the Mountain area, and the groups are finding opportunities to join forces. Most recently, the Safe and Healthy Homewood Coalition and the Homewood Police Department hosted an event Oct. 24 that featured a panel discussion on “Today’s Teen Drug Culture,” opening attendance
to Vestavia’s Help the Hills Coalition and All In Mountain Brook. Until the next joining of forces, the All In community can look forward to the fall conference. The event is open to parents of children of all ages, and a similar parent conference focusing on elementary school children will be held in February. To register and reserve a space at the event, visit allinmountainbrook. org. ❖
Tools for Success All In Mountain Brook Prepares for Annual Parenting Conference
By Emily Williams Parenting isn’t easy. There isn’t a book that can be read or an app that can be downloaded to solve all of the mysteries and struggles. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t help available. One of the ways the Mountain Brook school system helps parents is through participation in All In Mountain Brook, a community-based nonprofit organization that educates students and parents on issues that students today face by hosting talks and workshops throughout the year. On Nov. 8, the organization will be hosting its annual “All In Parenting” fall conference at Mountain Brook High School. The free event includes three 45-minute sessions from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. featuring speakers discussing a variety of tools parents can use to help their children. Many members of the community may be familiar with Mountain Brook Schools Director of Student Services Dale Wisely, who will be a featured speaker. Wisely has been a child and adolescent psychologist for more than 30 years and – in addition to overseeing the school system’s counseling, guidance, health and at-risk programs – regularly hosts speaking engagements and workshops on parenting and family matters. He also is a founding member and board secretary for All In. “Everyone I know who works with youth is seeing an increase in anxiety and stress among kids,” Wisely said. “I don’t know anyone who can say why. “Social media is likely a contributor. Academic expectations may well be higher than ever. Young people are often way too busy and are universally sleep-deprived. I don’t think it’s ever been a walk in the park to be a kid, but these are not easy times for them.” While working closely with adolescents and parents throughout his career, Wisely has found that parents often feel overwhelmed and isolated regardless of how many resources their communities offer. His hope is that programs such as this conference provide people an opportunity to really think about the struggles their
children go through and gather as much information as possible. “I often wonder if these programs we do for parents, at their best, help parents spend time focusing on some of the common issues,” Wisely said. “With so much to do these days, it can be hard for parents to sit down and say, for example, ‘OK, here’s the thing about underage drinking, and here’s the stance we need to take on it.’” At the fall conference, Wisely will be leading the talk “Exit Strategies,” which is one of his newer talks. “It describes a long-term approach to parenting that helps youth learn to recognize the dangers in high-risk situations and to approach those situations with an established set of strategies for getting themselves out of danger while saving face with their peers,” Wisely said. In the talk, Wisely notes that repetition is key in this approach, and he provides some ways parents can regularly engage their children in discussions about common risky situations such as drunk driving, sex, dangerous stunts or drugs.
Hitting the High Points
The slate of speakers will include Dr. Lee Keyes, long-time director of the University of Alabama’s counseling center, talking about emotional and behavioral strains that college students face. Dr. Susan Walley, a pediatric pulmonologist at UAB, will give a presentation on issues with e-cigarettes and vaping. According to Wisely, Walley is a national figure when it comes to her topic. In addition, attendees will hear from the Rev. Rich Webster, Dr. Andrea Hendricks, Jerry Hood and Mountain Brook High School Principal Amanda Hood, and municipal court Judge K.C. Hairston. Joining Wisely and Hood in representing Mountain Brook schools will be Superintendent Dicky Barlow, speaking on the subject of family dinner conversations and healthy decision-making. Wisely said the community can be proud that the school system is so heavily involved in the All In
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30 • Thursday, November 2, 2017
#StandUpForBen
Pleasant Grove, Former Home of Abercrombie’s Father, Rallies for Fallen Buc By Rubin E. Grant
Ben Abercrombie has been transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta to continue his rehabilitation. He is using a motorized wheelchair that he controls with his mouth through a “Sipand-Puff” system. for him to come back to the school he attended.” After the proceedings at Pleasant Grove, Marty Abercrombie and friend Chris Cole traveled to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, where the Bucs were playing Thompson. At the end of the third quarter, Abercrombie was brought onto the field, and when his presence was announced, the crowd rose and gave him a standing ovation. “It was unbelievable,” Cole said. “The only thing that would have made it more special is if Ben and his mom had been there.” ❖
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Pleasant Grove football coach Jim Elgin had no idea attending one of his son’s baseball games in the spring would lead to such a poignant event as the one the Spartans had Friday. Elgin’s son Scott plays baseball for Hoover High School and was a teammate of former Buc Ben Abercrombie’s on the Bucs’ 2017 Class 7A championship team. Elgin showed up for the baseball game wearing a Pleasant Grove football T-shirt. Abercrombie’s dad, Marty, came over to him and wanted to get one of the shirts because he and his wife, Sherri, are Pleasant Grove graduates. Early this fall, Elgin recalled that conversation after Ben Abercrombie, who also played football for the Bucs, sustained a paralyzing neck injury while playing as a freshman cornerback for Harvard in his first college football game. He was taken to a hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, for emergency surgery to repair a fracture and get the pressure off his spinal cord. Ben Abercrombie has since been transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta to continue his rehabilitation. He is using a motorized wheelchair that he controls with his mouth through a “Sip-and-Puff” system. After the injury, Elgin’s wife Lori, a Hoover teacher and the Bucs’ former girls basketball coach, led a drive to sell #StandUpForBen T-shirts. That prompted Elgin to have a ceremonial #StandUpForBen event before Pleasant Grove played Briarwood Christian on Friday, and he invited Marty Abercrombie as the special guest. Both teams wore crimson-colored #StandUpForBen T-shirts during warm-ups. The ceremonies included a special cheer for
Abercrombie. Briarwood defensive line coach Shane Harmon, who coached Abercrombie in youth football, led the crowd in prayer. Marty Abercrombie joined Elgin and Briarwood coach Fred Yancey on the field during the festivities and was presented a ceremonial game ball. Marty Abercrombie attended the events with his in-laws. “I am glad we had the opportunity to do it,” Elgin said. “Coach Yancey and the Briarwood family graciously agreed to help in our endeavor to raise awareness and funds to assist the family. “I think Marty was pleased to see the Pleasant Grove community do this kind of thing for his family and his son, and it was a good chance
Spartan Homecoming
Mountain Brook recently celebrated Homecoming and marked the occasion with a Homecoming Parade through Crestline Village on Oct. 20. The Spartans beat Oak Mountain 31-28 in an important Region 3 game. During halftime, last year’s queen Katherine Brian, left, crowned Mary Allison Turner the 2017 queen.
SPORTS
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
REGAINING CONFIDENCE By Blake Ells
Spain Park Coach Pushing Players to Overcome Three Losses Before the Playoffs
Spain Park has known its postseason plans for a few weeks, which could be to blame for late season complacency and losses to Hoover, Mountain Brook and Oak Mountain. In its final region game against Mountain Brook, the Jaguars had five turnovers. “Against a team like Oak Mountain that eats up the clock, you don’t get many opportunities on offense,” said head coach Shawn Raney. “When you give it back to them five times, you don’t have a chance. And we didn’t have a chance.” Still, Spain Park will enter the postseason as the fourth seed from the toughest region in the state, behind Thompson, Hoover and Mountain Brook. “To make the playoffs in our region is the number one goal,” Raney said. “To make the top four in this region, you’ve got to play some good ball and beat some good teams. I thought initially in the season, we had a lot of stuff that went right for us. We lost two heartbreakers – one to Hoover and the next week to Mountain Brook. I think our kids lost a little bit of confidence.” Regaining that confidence is para-
mount to turning around their fortunes in the postseason, according to Raney. Ahead of his team’s final regular season contest against Minor, he met with his players individually to see how they could shake those issues. Just two seasons ago, Spain Park had its best season in school history. This year, it seems, all of the bounces that went their way then are going the other way. “I’ve got to make sure they understand that we just reached a goal by making the playoffs and it’s time to put all feelings aside and throw down and let’s go see what happens in the playoffs,” said Raney. “We’ve proven we can play with the best teams, we’ve just come up a little short. If we can just keep getting a little better each day, we can maybe win some of those games.” The Jaguars lost to Hoover by just three points and Mountain Brook by just one. “Instead of expecting to win, they’re expecting something bad to happen,” said Raney. “It starts with coaching. We’ve got to do a better job coaching. I talked to our coaches about not only being X’s and O’s coaches, but talking to our kids and making sure they understand that we believe in them. The contest against Minor comes at a perfect time. Spain Park will have an opportunity to get back into its groove before the games become
FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD BRIARWOOD 21, Pls. Grove 14 HOMEWOOD 23, Hueytown 7 Thompson 32, HOOVER 25 JOHN CARROLL 36, Shds Valley 49 MOUNTAIN BROOK 25, Huffman 19 OAK MTN 29, SPAIN PARK 3 VESTAVIA HILLS 28 Tusc. County 0
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Madison Academy at BRIARWOOD HOMEWOOD at Paul Bryant HOOVER at IMG (Fla.) Pelham at JOHN CARROLL MTN BROOK at Ramsay (11/2) Hazel Green at OAK MOUNTAIN Minor at SPAIN PARK (11/2) Shds Valley at VESTAVIA HILLS (HC)
more important. The players in this year’s senior class were sophomores in 2015, so they’re not strangers to success. “When you become a starter, you acquire a leadership responsibility,” Raney said. “That’s a new deal (for seniors who are first-year starters). Leadership is the coaches’ job, but it helps when you have kids that understand and are pushing their peers to do what you want done.” The playoffs begin Nov. 10. ❖
Crossing the Country
Mountain Brook Runners Compete in Oregon to Prepare for Sectionals By Blake Ells Mountain Brook Cross Country trekked to the Nike Portland XC Invite in late September and earned a 10th place finish among boys’ teams and a 13th place finish among girls’ teams. More than 6,000 runners from across the country competed in the prestigious meet. Sophomore Amanda Jones topped all of her competition in the sophomore girls race, a promising sign for the future of a young Spartans girls team that has just four seniors. An out-of-state trip has become something coach Michael McGovern likes to do with his team each season. Not only does it allow his runners to compete against elite competition they wouldn’t otherwise see, it allows them an opportunity to see different parts of the country. While in Oregon, the Spartans visited Eugene, affectionately known as “Track Town U.S.A.” Both teams had an opportunity to run on Pre’s Trail, a four-mile trail that was the inspiration of Olympian Steve Prefontaine. They were able to check out Autzen Stadium, home to the Oregon Ducks.
They toured Nike’s World Headquarters and took part in a product study. The competition helped prepare both teams for the meets that count. “As I told our teams, they’re not going to see competition like that the rest of the way,” said McGovern. “These are some of the better teams in the country. Some of the teams ranked in the top 25 were there. It was something that definitely got us ready for the rest of our season.” Upon their return, the Spartans competed in Dew it on the Trails in Decatur and the Hoover Invitational at Spain Park High School. The girls’ team won at Decatur, topping defending champion Huntsville, and the boys’ team finished second. The two teams replicated those results at the Hoover Invitational. Anna Balzli and Hunter Harwell were their team’s top finishers at both meets. Now, the Spartans turn their attention to Sectionals on Nov. 2 at Spain Park High School, with hopes of returning to the State Championships in Oakville on Nov. 11. “Obviously, our first goal is to qualify from the toughest section in the state,” said McGovern. “A lot of coaches refer to it as the ‘Section of Death,’ because it’s that tough. Our girls would probably be considered the favorite, but
Hoover is a really good team; they’ve beaten us once this year, and we’ve beaten them.” Three teams will advance to the State Championships, and McGovern believes that four to five teams are capable. Auburn likely will be the girls favorite at State, while Huntsville will be defending their
Now, the Spartans turn their attention to Sectionals on Nov. 2 at Spain Park High School, with hopes of returning to the State Championships in Oakville on Nov. 11. championship and, if the Spartans advance, they’ll probably compete with Hoover again. Huntsville has already defeated Mountain Brook’s boys twice this season, and if the Spartans have hopes of a state championship, they’ll have to get over that hump. Vestavia Hills will also present a challenge in Oakville. ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Sliding Into Place
Thursday, November 2, 2017 • 31
SPORTS
Savannah Gibbs Fit Right In at State-Bound Hoover Volleyball Team
Spartan sophomores Grace Carr, left and Liz Vandevelde in tournament action last week.
Journal photo by Marvin Gentry
By Rubin E. Grant Usually, transferring from one high school to another in a different state before your senior year could entail a considerable adjustment. But not for Savannah Gibbs. She felt at home right away after she transferred from Panama City, Florida, to Hoover High School this summer. Her teammates on the Hoover Bucs’ volleyball team made the transition smooth for her.
CHRIS CAMPER HOOVER COACH
“The girls were so sweet and so welcoming,” Gibbs said. “I couldn’t have had a better team to be on for my senior year.” Besides, Gibbs already was familiar with the area. “I was born in Pell City,” she said. “When my dad got a job promotion at UPS, we moved to Panama City. And when he got another promotion, we moved to Hoover.” Gibbs has been a major contributor as a libero for Hoover, helping the Bucs return to the AHSAA Elite Eight state tournament at the Birmingham CrossPlex. The Bucs, runners-up in the tournament in 2016, were scheduled to play McGill-Toolen Catholic in the Class 7A quarterfinals Wednesday. The Bucs entered that game with a 31-9 record for the year against McGill-Toolen’s 43-8. Gibbs recorded 30 digs as Hoover secured its berth in the state tournament Friday with a 3-1 (25-18, 25-23, 19-25, 25-18) victory against James Clemens in the Class 7A North Super Regional in Huntsville. But the Bucs fell to Mountain Brook 3-1 (25-27, 25-22, 25-20, 25-18) in the semifinals Saturday, then lost 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-19) to Oak Mountain in the consolation match. The setbacks left Hoover with the No. 4 seed and its tough quarterfinal match-up with perennial powerhouse McGill-Toolen, the No. 1 seed from the South Regional. Gibbs described the Bucs’ performance Saturday as disappointing. “We would have rather gotten out with a better draw, but we’ll play our hardest no matter what,” she said. Hoover coach Chris Camper would expect nothing else from Gibbs, who will play volleyball at Jacksonville State. “She’s been a consistent source of energy for our team and her playing style is contagious,” Camper said.
From page 32
Journal photo by Mark Almond
‘It’s a cliché, but everybody who gets to the Elite Eight will have a shot, no matter if you come out as a two seed, three seed or four seed.’
SPARTANS,
Savannah Gibbs has been a major contributor as a libero for Hoover, helping the Bucs return to the AHSAA Elite Eight state tournament at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
“She gets after every ball. She’s been a key addition to our team.” Camper hopes Gibbs and her teammates will put their disappointing finish at the regional behind them. “We just struggled from the start,” he said. “We had a lot of unforced errors. We were out of rhythm most of the day. We’ve got to get that back.” Hoover has played McGill-Toolen twice this season, both times in the Margaret Blaylock Tournament Oct. 13-14 at Homewood. The Bucs beat the Dirty Dozen in pool play but lost 2-1 in the finals. “McGill is the best team in Alabama,” Camper said. “But the biggest thing is we’ve got to find ourselves. We can’t worry about who
focus on the squad as it stands. They didn’t spend time focused on their past accomplishments or the competition that was ahead, but rather making sure that they were paying attention to details. “Our coach always says to do the ordinary things better than anyone else,” said Gann. “We knew that as long as we did the small things on our side, it would help us get to our fourth state championship.” Leading a young team was never intimidating for Gann; she’s been on the squad since she was a freshman and she had plenty of guidance from the classes that came before her. Significant contributions to those three state championship teams didn’t hurt her confidence, either. “I got to watch so many amazing seniors and older leaders,” she said. “So I knew what I needed to do, and Ellen Dulin stepped up a lot. Watching those previous leaders helped me learn what I needed to carry on to this team.” The Spartans fell to Bob Jones at Super Regionals, which boosted the Patriots to the top seed. That possible championship rematch looms, but Gann isn’t looking ahead. “We’re going to take it one game at a time,” she said. “As long as we take care of our side, we don’t need to worry about the other side. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we should just go out there and play to the greatest of our abilities and whatever happens, happens.” After the state tournament, Gann will begin preparing for her career at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. She’s already gotten to know several of her future teammates with the Chargers, and she’ll join them next fall. ❖
we’re playing. We’ve got to get ourselves back in rhythm. “Our girls will play hard, but it comes down to execution. They played hard in the regional, but we didn’t execute to the level we have been for the last few weeks. Our passes were off, our sets were off and we didn’t hit the way we had been.” Camper believes the Bucs will give McGill a competitive match. “It’s a cliché, but everybody who gets to the Elite Eight will have a shot, no matter if you come out as a two seed, three seed or four seed,” he said. “McGill has great team. They’ve got two or three great hitters, they’re very balanced and they’re well coached. “I think it will be a battle. We’ve got to execute at a high level.” ❖
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017
SPORTS
IN CONTROL Seasoned Junior Larkin Williams Commands Patriots’ Offense
ing Williams entrenched as the Patriots’ starter. Now a seasoned junior, Williams is no longer reluctant about directing a Homewood offense that is averaging 28.8 points and 308.1 yards per game. “He’s done all we’ve asked of him and more,” Homewood coach Ben Berguson said. “He’s more mature and that’s the biggest difference between this year and last year. He’s a great leader and he’s gotten better and better each week of the season.” Williams hasn’t put up gaudy numbers, but he has been steady. He’s completed 61.8 percent of his passes – 118 of 191 – for 1,426 yards and 11 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also has rushed for 239 yards and four touchdowns. “I think I’ve done well managing the game,” Williams said. “I’d rather not have the numbers and be winning than being the quarterback of a team that’s 4-4.” As it is, the fifth-ranked Patriots are 9-0, including 6-0 in Class 6A, Region 5, following a 23-7 victory against Hueytown last week. “I think everybody has bought into what we are doing this year,” Williams said. “We have a lot more experience, especially on the offensive line. When you have a good offensive line, you can do more things on offense.” Williams also is surrounded by some talented players, such as senior receiver TyShawn Buckner and running backs David Robertson and Nick McCoy. “I feel all I have to do is get the ball in the air and let them make plays,” Williams said. “Not too many of my passes are super long. They are short passes that the guys took to the house (for touchdowns).”
Journal photo by Marvin Gentry
Power When It Was Needed
Homewood quarterback Larkin Williams has completed 61.8 percent of his passes – 118 of 191 – for 1,426 yards and 11 touchdowns with six interceptions. The fifth-ranked Patriots are 9-0, including 6-0 in Class 6A, Region 5, following a 23-7 victory against Hueytown last week.
By Rubin E. Grant Larkin Williams felt somewhat awkward as a sophomore quarterback for Homewood in 2016. He had grown up as the little brother of Faulkner Williams, and several of the Patriots’ upperclassmen were Faulkner’s friends, although Faulkner didn’t play football in high school. That was before Williams hit 6 feet 3 inches and 180 pounds. Still, “I didn’t feel comfortable telling the older guys what to do,” Larkin Williams said. “I wanted everybody to like me. I was afraid to speak out.” Besides that, Williams was splitting time at quarterback with a junior, Ty Hatcher. They swapped in and out every few offensive series in each game throughout the season. During the offseason, Hatcher transferred to Bessemer Academy for his senior season, leav-
‘I think everybody has bought into what we are doing this year. We have a lot more experience, especially on the offensive line. When you have a good offensive line, you can do more things on offense.’ HOMEWOOD QUARTERBACK LARKIN WILLIAMS
Williams had his best game of the season Oct. 20 at Shades Valley. He completed 16 of 24 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns, rallying the Patriots from a 13-27 halftime deficit to a 37-27 victory that secured the region championship. “I think that’s the first game all year we kind of took the reins off the offense,” Williams said. “With the defense we have, we haven’t been looking to put up a lot of points.” Homewood offensive coordinator David Jones was not surprised that Williams delivered when the Patriots needed him to. “He did a good job,” Jones said. “He recognized the things we needed him to do. He showed his composure. “Besides, he’s had all this season and half of last season to play. That’s a lot of experience.” With another year remaining at Homewood, Jones believes Williams could attract the attention of college scouts. “If he continues to improve, he might be able to play at the next level,” Jones said. “He’s a very good athlete.” Williams also plays basketball for the Patriots and is considering playing baseball in the spring. But at the moment, his focus is entirely on football and trying to help the Patriots make a serious run in the state playoffs. They will open the playoffs at home Nov. 10 against Carver-Birmingham. Homewood will attempt to finish the regular season unbeaten when it travels to Tuscaloosa on Friday to play a non-region game against Paul Bryant. “We definitely want to go 10-0 and be the third Homewood team to do that,” Williams said. “But if we finish 9-1 and go deep in the playoffs, I’d be happy with that. Our goal is to win the state championship.” ❖
ATTENTION TO DETAIL Gann Leads Spartans Volleyball Team Hoping to Score a Fourth State Championship
By Blake Ells Mountain Brook is the only high school volleyball team in Alabama to win the state championship since Class 7A was created. But, despite its three straight wins, the team heads into the state championship this week as the second seed and a bit of an underdog. Members of the team have felt doubted this season, and perhaps their doubters had reason. Libby Grace Gann is the only senior on this year’s squad; not only did three seniors depart in 2016, but three more of Gann’s classmates departed, too. She’s joined by just one junior, Ellen Dulin. “I don’t even think we were ranked number one at the beginning of the season,” said Gann. “We were always in the top ten, but never at the top. We just want to go out there and prove everyone wrong because no one expects us to win. Even though we’ve won three – obviously people will be gunning for us because we won those three – but I don’t think anyone expects us to win again.” Their success this season came from their See SPARTANS, page 31
Libby Gann
Journal photo by Marvin Gentry
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Pleasant Grove, Former Home of Abercrombie’s Father, Rallies for Fallen Buc PAGE 30