OTMJ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL u OTMJ.COM
INSIDE Christmas Gift Guide II
SOCIAL
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021
SPORTS
Journal file photo by Jordan Wald
To encourage residents to spend their gift-giving dollars at home, cities and chambers host a variety of events to highlight local small businesses. Santa will be in downtown Homewood on Dec. 7 during the Lighting of the Star and Homewood Christmas Parade activities. See story, page 10
Holiday Rush
Community Events, Bustling Retail Activity Point To A Happy 2021 Holiday Season
VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS Magic City Nutcracker returns. PAGE 4
HOLIDAY FASHIONS FOR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS OLS student breaks Into the business world. PAGE 36
HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS Legacy League, IPC Homes on tour. PAGE 24
2 • Thursday, December 2, 2021
Inside
Murphy’s Law
W A GRAND ENTRANCE Friends Patty B. Driscoll, Katharine Marx Open artistic doors together PAGE 12
ABOUT TOWN 4 NEWS 10 LIFE 12 SOCIAL 16
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OPINION/CONTENTS
‘CLASSICS ALWAYS DELIVER’ Famed photographer brings New York-Style pies to Crestline Village PAGE 32
HOME 24 FOOD 32 SCHOOLS 36 SPORTS 40
Rapping Things Up
hen I told my granddaughter that I had spent the afternoon wrapping, her eyes went wide. “Like a song?” she whispered. No, I assured her, nothing as scary as all that. A grandmother who raps? That’s enough to shake you to your very foundation. Later that day, however, I thought, ‘Well, why not?’ And so here it is, with sincere apologies to my granddaughter: my Wrapping Rap. Since I cannot be there in person to provide the beat box, you’ll have to improvise. I shopped online and I went to the store. Now all the presents are stretched out the door. Sweaters and board games and stuff like that. And now, friends and neighbors, they gotta be wrapped.
26 • Thursday, December 10, 2020
NEXT ISSUE! An Over The Mountain Journal Holiday Tradition Continues! In our Dec. 12 issue we’ll feature hundreds of Holiday Cards created by OTM-area school children.
Sue Murphy
Wrapped, wrapped, HOLIDAY they gotta
Santa has it covered, but he’s got elves. All of my presents gotta wrap myself. Shoulda bought gift cards, shoulda bought less. When the store said, “Wrap?’ I shoulda said, “Yes!” I didn’t so I’m here now with a king-sized stack, And all these presents gotta be wrapped.
With everything that’s happening “Over the Mountain,” it can be difficult to keep up. That’s why we have launched the OTMJ newsletter. Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - we’ll give you a quick recap of the latest news, sports and social events as well as a heads up on upcoming events so you won’t miss any of the interesting and fun happenings in the Greater Birmingham metro area. To sign up for our newsletter, visit otmj.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @overthemountainjournal, for daily updates on what’s going on around town, too.
Wrapped, wrapped, they gotta be wrapped. All these presents gotta be wrapped.
And so here it is, with sincere apologies OVER to my THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL and I folded and I taped granddaughter: my andI Icutswore, Wrapping Rap. ‘Til the gifts were all done.
All of the schools in our area were invited CARDS to participate again this year and the schoolsbe thatwrapped. did are represented. This year’s OTMJ logo art, above, was done by Makenna Wald, Every 2nd lastgrade, oneVestav of iathem gotta be wrapped. Hills Cahab a Heigh ts Elementary.
otmj.com
I didn’t even buy a bag of stick-on bows. Three kinds of paper, matching labels, All stretched across the dining room table. Wrapping up a grill pan and a wine carafe, A pop-up tent and a stuffed giraffe. Barbie got a dream house, Batman got a car. My sister up in Sandwich got a candle in a jar.
There weren’t any more. But just when I thought I had the whole thing licked, I remembered that most of it had to be shipped. Drop the mic. Time for some cocoa reinforcements.
Wrapped, wrapped, they gotta be wrapped. Every last one of them gotta be wrapped. Did I go gift bag? Oh, heck no.
Over the Mountain Views
Celebrating The Festival of Lights
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
J O U R N A L December 2, 2021 Publisher & Editor: Maury Wald Copy Editor: Virginia Martin Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Staff Writers: Emily Williams-Robertshaw Photographer: Jordan Wald Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Rubin E. Grant Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls, Bryan Bunch Advertising Sales: Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald, Gail Kidd TOP ROW, FROM
LEFT: Homewood Schools, EDGEW OOD ELEMENTARY: Paris-Anne Simme Luke Gillis, 5th; June Murril, 5th; link, 2nd; Miller Pulvere, 5th; SECO THIRD ROW: Celine Abouarraj, 1st; ND ROW: Rickie Naylor, 5th; Charlo Daniel Pigford, 5th; Zaidee Mann tte Odrezin, 4th; ROW: Ellis Strickland, 4th; Helen ing, 5th; Graham Corscadden, 5th; S., 4th; Jaydan Gilliam, 4th; Olivia Anne Michael Drake, 4th; FOUR Finney, 1st; Nico Davis, 4th; FIFTH Forsythe, 2nd; Franklin Jones, 2nd; TH ROW: SHADES CAHABA ELEMENTARY Olive Gratton, 2nd. : Mary Afton Delaney, 2nd; John Micahel
Vol. 32, No. 9
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 HOM the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205)EWOOD TOY & HOBBY SALUTES ARTISTIC STUDENTS EVERYWHER 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our E advertising department at mwald@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2021 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 2830 18th Street South | Homewo od | 205-879-3986 subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification. OPEN: Mon. - Fri. 9:30 - 6:30 | Sat. 9:30 - 5:30 | Sun. 12:00 - 5:00
Making Christmas Magic
On Nov. 28, the first night of Hanukkah, local organizations came together to host the seventh annual Grand Menorah Lighting at The Summit. Festivities included a festival of stilt walkers, a drum circle, a silent disco, latkes, donuts and more. The lighting celebration is an annual collaboration between the Levite Jewish Community Center, Chabad of Alabama, the Birmingham Jewish Foundation - Karl and Gladys Friedman LJCC Fund and the Birmingham Jewish Federation. Left, Matthew and Russell Gold at the Grand Menorah Lighting festivities at The Summit. Look for more coverage from this event in our Dec. 16 issue.
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An Animal Lantern Celebration at the Birmingham Zoo!
Select dates from Nov. 17 - Jan. 17 Supporting Sponsors
Purchase tickets in advance at birminghamzoo.com
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Visions of Sugar Plums Magic City Nutcracker Returns Dec. 3-5
More than 100 dancers representing 33 dance studios across the state will come together on stage at the Lyric Theatre Dec. 3-5 for the Magic City Nutcracker. This marks the eighth annual performance and a return to a live gathering, as last year’s performance was filmed in iconic locations around Birmingham and presented virtually. “We received such amazing support of our filmed production in 2020 in response to COVID that we have been able to expand outside of simply performing the Nutcracker each year,” Magic City Performing Arts’ Artistic Director Stephanie Rangel said. The Magic City Nutcracker organization recently formed the performing arts group to extend fine arts education in the community, beyond the annual Nutcracker performances. “In fact, we provide classes to places like the Boys and Girls Club, and two of our students from that outreach program will be performing in this year’s production,” Rangel said. “Performance experience with local and professional talent would be something unheard of without the generosity of past and current sponsors allowing us to establish an organization with a broader fine arts mission.” Tickets to the Nutcracker are $25, and proceeds will benefit the performing arts group’s weekly outreach classes. This year’s cast is composed of dancers as young as 5, college students and professionals from the Birmingham metro area, Gadsden,
DEC 2 - DEC 16
The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum will offer trips to the “North Pole” aboard the magical North Pole Express. Along the way, passengers will listen to a whimsical Christmas story, sing holiday carols and will watch as bright lights of the North Pole appear in the windows. Website: hodrrm.org
More than 100 dancers representing 33 dance studios across the state will come together on stage at the Lyric Theatre Dec. 3-5 for the Magic City Nutcracker.
For more information, please visit magiccitynutcracker.org.
LeGarde. When: 1-2 p.m. Website: homewoodpubliclibrary.org
Through Dec. 18 North Pole Express
Anniston and beyond. Additionally, principal guest artists Adriana Alvarado and Luis Victor Santana, from Centro Danza in Puerto Rico, will join the show as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. The pair performed virtually in 2020 from Puerto Rico. Performances will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 3, with children’s matinees Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. A formal attire gala performance, reception and patron party will be held Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
Photos courtesy Magic City Nutcracker
By Emily Williams-Robertshaw
Fri., Dec. 3 A Christmas Carol
The students at Unless U will host performances of this timeless classic
holiday tale. When: 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Where: Unless U Website: unlessu. org
Dec. 3-19 Holiday Spectacular
Members of the Red Mountain
Theatre youth ensemble will perform alongside some of the area’s best professional talent in this showcase featuring song and dance that celebrates the holiday season. When: showtimes vary Where: RMT MainStage Website: redmountaintheatre.org
Magical Nights: Vulcan’s Holiday Experience
On select nights in December, Vulcan Park and Museum will transform into a magical holiday experience, featuring food trucks, music, Santa and more. When: 6-8 p.m., weekends Where: Vulcan Park and Museum Website: visitvulcan.com
Dec. 3-22 Alabama Theatre Christmas Movie Series
Thurs., Dec. 2 Gifts of Art
Aldridge Gardens will host its annual holiday gift market, featuring unique gifts created by local artists. When: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Where: Aldridge Gardens Website: Aldridgegardens. com
GLOW WILD: AN ANIMAL LANTERN CELEBRATION THROUGH JAN. 17
Journal file photo by Jordan Wald
Lost at Pearl Harbor
In honor of the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Homewood Public Library will host a virtual presentation in conjunction with the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to highlight government work to identify the Missing In Action veterans from Pearl Harbor, featuring forensic anthropologist and USS Oklahoma Project Lead Carrie
Dec. 3-19
The Birmingham Zoo will be lit up on select evenings with a largerthan-life illuminated experience during the months of December and January. The installations feature jaw-dropping plant and animal lantern creations, paired with rides on the Red Diamond Radiant Express Train and the Protective Life Jingle Bell Carousel. When: 5-9 p.m., select nights Where: The Birmingham Zoo Website: birminghamzoo.com
This year’s lineup of holiday movies will include White Christmas, The Polar Express, Christmas Vacation, Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, A Christmas Story, Die Hard and Christmas in Connecticut. In addition, a Cartoon Triple Feature will include Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. All showings will be $10, except for the Polar Express, which will be $12 with funds raised benefitting Kid One Transport. Doors open one hour before showtime, and each showing begins with a singalong to the theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. Where: The Alabama Theatre Website: alabamatheatre.com
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Sat., Dec. 4 Aubie Clause
The Greater Birmingham Auburn Club will host its annual Aubie Clause meet and greet, featuring pictures with Aubie Clause and an opportunity to meet David Housel, director of athletics emeritus at Auburn University and author of “From the Backbooth at Chappy’s.” In lieu of a photo fee, the club will be collecting donations for Arc of Central Alabama, including new items such as blankets, gloves, hats, sock packs, slippers, bath sets, movies, journals, colored pencils and sketch pads. When: 9 a.m.noon Where: Arc of Central Alabama Website: thegbac.org
Bluff Park Christmas Parade
The Bluff Park community will host this annual holiday parade, featuring seasonally themed floats created by local families, friend groups, community organizations, businesses and more as well as performances by school groups. When: 10 a.m. Where: Shades Cliff Pool Website: “Bluff Park Christmas Parade” Facebook page.
Sun., Dec. 5 Ho Ho Hoover-Randle
The Hoover Randle Home and Gardens will host a holiday event benefitting Hoover Helps, featuring home tours, refreshments and performances by the Spain Park
ABOUT TOWN and Hoover high school choirs and dance teams. Jordan Carraway, Miss Hoover, will sere as the emcee for the event. Additional parking and shuttle service will be available at Shades Mountain Community Church. When: 2-5 p.m. Where: Hoover Randle Home & Gardens Website: aldridgegardens.com
Car Menorah Parade
Chabad of Alabama is bringing back its car parade celebrating the light of Chanukah in the streets of Birmingham. Accompanied by police escort, each car in the parade will have a magnetic car menorah or Chanukah flag. When: 4:30 p.m., lineup Website: chabadofalabama. com
Tues., Dec. 7 “Air Raid… Pearl Harbor… This is Not a Drill!” Niki Sepsas will present a program about the attack on Pearl Harbor that took place on Dec. 7, 1941 and changed the course of history for a generation of Americans and the world. When: 1-2 p.m. Where: Homewood Public Library, large auditorium Website: homewoodpubliclibrary.org.
Thurs., Dec. 9 Holiday Concert
Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 5
Department will host a special holiday concert for senior citizens, featuring performances by the Vestavia Hills High School Jazz Band. When: 3-5 p.m. Where: Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Dogwood Room Website: business.vestaviahills.org/events/
Sat., Dec. 11 Holiday Craft and Bake Sale
The Alabama Wildlife Center will host a holiday shopping experience to support the organization’s mission of wildlife rehabilitation and education. Featured products include items such as nature-themed ornaments, bird feeders, holiday decor and artwork, as well as food items ranging from homemade jams and baked goods to smoked hams and homemade frozen casseroles. The event will include visits with Santa, refreshments and meet and greets with the facility’s Education Birds. When: 9-3 p.m. Where: Alabama Wildlife Center Website: Alabamawildlifecenter.org
Home for the Holidays
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra will present a SuperPOPS! Special Event, featuring sing alongs to holiday favorites, timeless classics and more with special guest Leah Luker. When: 7 p.m. Where: BJCC Concert Hall Website: alabamasymphony.org
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beautiful decorations, and we hope to get everyone in the Christmas spirit with this show!” Nicholson said . This production is the Broadway musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic and features songs by composer Alan Menken. It is part of the Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman Theatre and Dance Series and sponsored by Elouise Williams. Tickets are available at tickets. samford.edu.
A MEMBERSHIP TO
DECEMBER 11TH & 12TH
Sat. 9am-4pm & Sun. 11am-4pm
Samford University School of the Arts will celebrate the holidays with a production of “A Christmas Carol: The Musical” in the Wright Center Dec. 2-5. Almost 50 students are cast in the show with an equal number working behind the scenes in lighting, set design, costumes and production management. The Samford Orchestra will accompany the production. “It is a team effort to pull off a production of this size,” Chelsea Nicholson, director of the show and assistant professor at Samford with
a focus on musical theater and acting, said in a statement from Samford. “‘A Christmas Carol’ is one of the most beautiful redemption stories that mirrors the Gospel and grace available to all; even the most selfish curmudgeon of us can find hope in repentance and forgiveness,” Nicholson said. “The musical version of A Christmas Carol is appropriate for the entire family. We are excited to offer this show to the Birmingham community. The Samford campus shines during the holidays with
Photo courtesy Samford University
Samford Stages ‘A Christmas Carol: The Musical’
Almost 50 students are cast in the show with an equal number working behind the scenes in lighting, set design, costumes and production management.
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Studio By the Tracks to Host Annual Holiday Open House and Maker’s Market ance as needed, and artist representation at no cost. According to organization officials, all kinds of studio merchandise and one-of-a-kind art created by studio artists will be available for viewing and purchase in the indoor Studio Sale. Goods available for purchase include art prints, ceramic goods, greeting cards, T-shirts, sweatshirts, scarves, face masks, mugs, pillows, gift sets and other items. Visitors also can shop from 18 local art and gift vendors at the outdoor market, including Marsuko Jewelry, Digs Design, Honey Paint,
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Mike Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Oct. 11, 2016
Dec. 10-12 McWane Holiday Movie Series
The holidays will arrive at McWane over this weekend, with the IMAX Dome hosting showings of familyfriendly holiday movies. “The Polar Express” (2004) will show Dec. 10-12 and “The Grinch” (2018) will be showing on Dec. 11 and 12. Where: McWane Science Center Website: mcwane.org
Photos courtesy Studio by the Tracks
Studio By The Tracks will celebrate art, neurodiversity and the gift-giving season at the Irondale studio on Dec. 11, hosting its annual Holiday Open House. Each holiday season, the studio hosts this fundraiser along with a maker’s market featuring art created by local vendors and studio participants. The nonprofit organization provides adult artists on the autism spectrum with access to all the resources they need to pursue a creative career path in the arts. Studio artists receive art supplies and materials, instruction and guid-
Dec. 11 Celebration in Whoville All kinds of studio merchandise and one-of-a-kind art created by studio artists will be available for viewing and purchase in the indoor Studio Sale, right. Visitors also can shop from 18 local art and gift vendors at the outdoor market, above.
Betsy R. Marks Design, Doug Baulos, Amparo Creative House, Merilka LLC, Natalie Zoghby Art, Pearl’s Goods and Cutitupsnippit, Melissa Word, Chris Lawson, Paul Cordes Wilm, Tara Stallworth Lee, Kathleen Watson, Feather Wild, Aaron Sanders Head Studio, Drifter Clay, Wild Violet Gardens and Knotty By Nature. Food and drink will be provided by Red Bike Coffee and baked goods will be available courtesy of Last Call Baking Co. Studio artists receive 60% commission on all sales of their works, and the remaining proceeds go directly back to the studio’s programs. The studio also serves 30 children who have diagnoses of severe emotional disorders with a weekly art curriculum. For more information, visit studiobythetracks.org.
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Cindy Lou Who and the McWane Science Center team are throwing a holiday party to lift the Grinch’s spirits. The celebration will include themed entertainment and activities, cookies, hot chocolate and more. Free admission for children under the age of 2. When: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Where: McWane Science Center Website: mcwane.org
Dec. 11-22 “A Christmas Carol”
Birmingham Children’s Theatre will present this reimagined, kid-friendly play by Toby Hulse with music by Julian Butler, based on the novel by Charles Dickens. The production will be directed by Tam DeBolt of Terrific New Theatre and is geared towards ages six and up. When: Dec. 11 and 18, 2:30 p.m.; Dec. 22, 7 p.m. Where: Birmingham Children’s Theatre Website: bct123.org Sun., Dec. 12
Merry & Bright
The Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra will host two performances while folks shop for the holidays. When: 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Where: Riverchase Galleria Website: alabamasymphony.org
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Tues., Dec. 14 Birmingham Boys Choir Christmas Concert
Members of the Birmingham Boys Choir will regale audiences with holiday favorites with this annual concert. This year’s concert will include performances by more than 30 fathers as well as a number of BBC alums. When: 7 p.m. Where: Samford University’s Wright Center Website: birminghamboyschoir.org
VHCS Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Vestavia Hills City Schools will host a ceremony to induct its second class of Hall of Fame members, including Barbara Grant, Michael Gross, Rick McKay, John Rush and the late Sammy Dunn. When: 7 p.m. Where: Vestavia Hills High School
Dec. 14-21 Wacky Tacky Light Tour
The 10th annual tour will include 12, 13 and 32-passenger buses leaving every 15 minutes from 6-7:30 p.m. to tour magical light displays around town. Well known holiday houses include Santa’s Trailer Park, the Hanukkah House, Dueling Neighbors, Star Wars Christmas, and two new houses: Saddle Up Santa and Xmas on a Limb. Funds raised benefit the Fresh Air Family’s award winning Gross Out Camp scholarship fund.
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 9
ABOUT TOWN When: Dec. 14-16 and Dec. 21 Where: Tropicaleo, 4426 Fourth Ave. S Website: wackytacky.org
When: 7 p.m. Where: Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall
Sun., Dec. 19
Dec. 17-19, 21-23
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Sounds of the Season
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
The Alabama Ballet is one of only eight companies in the world licensed by The Balanchine Trust to perform this holiday masterpiece. Tchaikovsky’s beloved melodies transport the young and young at heart to a magical world where mischievous mice besiege a battalion of toy soldiers and an onstage blizzard leads to an enchanted Land of Sweets. When: showtimes vary Where: BJCC Concert Hall Website: alabamaballet.org
Kick off the holidays with Opera Birmingham’s annual concert of holiday songs, featuring both sacred and secular tunes. Featured performers include Birmingham natives Elias Hendricks, tenor, and Cordelia Anderson, soprano, joined by artists of the Opera Birmingham Studio at Samford University and the Opera Birmingham Chamber Choir. When: 2:30 p.m. Where: Brock Recital Hall, Samford University Website: operabirmingham.org.
Mary Charles' Doll House Dolls, Doll Houses and Miniatures
Dec. 17-18
Longines Spirit
Handel’s Messiah
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra Masterworks series continues with the orchestra’s most beloved holiday tradition. For the first time in several seasons, the production will include almost every movement of the original work.The performance will feature conductor Kevin Fitzgerald, soprano Paulina Swierczek, mezzo-soprano Emily Jaworski Koriath, tenor Roderick George, bass-baritone William Socolof and the orchestra chorus under the direction of Dr. Philip L. Copeland.
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Local sales’ rising is a win not only for small business owners but the community as a whole, adding to the community’s economic health, its tax base and job pool. and national media have done a great job of keeping the public aware of shipping delays and the small business community has stepped up to fill any holes. Even larger businesses have enlisted small, local vendors to ensure shelves are stocked, benefiting everyone.”
Make It a Party
To encourage residents to spend their gift-giving dollars at home, cities and chambers host a variety of events to highlight local small businesses. According to Drennen, holding holiday open houses in areas where there are high concentrations of small businesses is a great way to encourage the community to buy local. Not only was attendance at the Downtown Homewood Holiday Open House on Nov. 4 comparable to a prepandemic year, Drennen said, the number of sales was much higher than in a typical year. “We attribute this to the community being aware of shipping delays and supply chain issues,” she said. Similarly, Doidge said there was a
It Takes A Holiday Village
OTM Shoppers Buy Locally to Support Small Business, Avoid Holiday Shipping Delays
Journal file photo by Emily Williams-Robertshaw
The theme for this year’s shopping season is, “If you see it, buy it,” according to local business leaders. Shipping delays and their impact on the 2021 holiday shopping season are headline news throughout the nation, and local chamber officials have noticed that folks are shopping and buying earlier. Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Suzan Doidge notes that many merchants and retailers are making a point to be transparent with shoppers. “Mountain Brook is a close-knit community with many of the merchants and retailers living here,” Doidge said. “Our businesses have all been going through some of the same things with shipping and many have said that if you see it in the store, buy it because they might not have the options of buying more.” While shopping by clicking a button from your couch can feel instantly gratifying, the wait for your package to arrive at your door may be longer than expected. When you shop at the store shelf, you know it’s yours. According to local chamber officials, there is already a noticeable rise in sales at local small businesses. “Retail foot traffic and total sales seem to be up this year at an earlier time frame,” Drennen said. “Both local
great response at the Crestline Holiday Open House on Nov. 18. “It was a cold rainy day and evening but people came out to support the business,” Doidge said. “I was surprised we had so many participants with the weather and also two large events going on that evening – The Reed Foundation’s Finish the Fight and the Junior League’s Market Noel.” Local sales’ rising is a win not only for small business owners but the community as a whole, adding to the community’s economic health, its tax base and job pool. In Mountain Brook, for example, the commercial villages establish the unique identities of the communities and are a draw not just for surrounding residents but people from other communities. City Manager Sam Gaston pointed out that Mountain Brook’s three original commercial villages – English Village, Mountain Brook Village and Crestline Village – and Overton Village are maintained by the city’s Public Works Department. When the business communities thrive, it gives city government cause to invest more. In the late 1990s, Gaston said, the city of Mountain Brook invested in projects in each village to widen sidewalks, improve landscaping, install new streetlights and other tasks to make the area more aesthetically pleasing and functional for visitors. “We clean and blow the sidewalks, run the street sweeper, maintain the decorative street lights, empty the garbage and recycling cans and maintain the flowers and pots throughout each village,” Gaston said. “Without a viable and diverse business community, this might not be possible.”
GOOD TIMES FOR BUSINESS
To encourage residents to spend their gift-giving dollars at home, cities and chambers host a variety of events that help highlight local small businesses, including the upcoming:
Mountain Brook Village Holiday Open House Dec. 2
Shoppers who want to check things off of their lists in Mountain Brook Village can do so with a little added holiday spirit as the merchants host the Mountain Brook Holiday Open House on Dec. 2. Website: mtnbrookchamber.org
Mistletoe and Mimosas Dec. 4
Lane Parke will host a sip and stroll event from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., featuring festive mimosas, a hot chocolate bar and holiday shopping deals. In
addition, the Alabama Hair Fairy will be available for anyone who wants to add a little sparkle to their hairstyle. Website: laneparke.com
Mountain Brook Holiday Parade - Dec. 5
A time-honored tradition for the entire city, the annual Mountain Brook Holiday Parade will travel through Mountain Brook Village form 3-4 p.m. The event will feature floats decked out in holiday decor as well as live performances. Website: mtnbrookchamber.org
Homewood Lighting of the Star and Christmas Parade - Dec. 7
The City of Homewood will celebrate its annual Lighting of the Star in conjunction with the Homewood Christmas Parade. The event
will begin with the lighting of the historic Homewood Star over 18th St., followed by the parade at 6:30 p.m. and the lighting of the Christmas Tree at City Hall. Website: homewoodchamber.org
Poker Run; Shop, Sip and Stroll -Dec. 9
The merchants of English Village in Mountain Brook will host the annual Shop, Sip and Stroll event, along with the rescheduled Poker Run from 4-7 p.m. Website: mtnbrookchamber.org
Breakfast with Santa Dec. 11
Vestavia Hills’ annual Holiday in the Hills event series continues with this family-friendly pancake breakfast, including meet and greets with Santa Claus from 7:30-10 a.m. at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center. No Reservations are needed and the event is free to the public. Website: vestaviahills.org/holiday-in-the-hills
Vestavia Hills Christmas Parade - Dec. 12
Journal file photo by Jordan Wald
By Emily Williams-Robertshaw
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
The city of Vestavia Hills’s annual holiday parade will include floats and performers traveling along Liberty Parkway from the Liberty Park Sports Complex to Alston Meadows beginning at 2 p.m. Website: vestaviahills.org/holiday-in-the-hills For many shoppers the Mountain Brook Village Open House is a highly anticipated annual event.
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 11
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of Craft near Asheville, North Carolina. At Penland, she met the person for whom her very first door knocker, which has a Regency dolphin design, is named. “She was a bold little 4-year-old named
Journal photo by Maury Wald
‘Most of us have doorbells now, but door knockers represent who’s on the other side of the door.’
Katharine Marx, right, has given artist Patty B. Driscoll’s creations a beautiful showcase at AMW Inc., her Homewood jewelry store. Driscoll, left and below in her studio working on a doorknocker, sculpts the original out of wax and then makes a duplicate mold from wax.
A Grand Entrance Friends Patty B. Driscoll, Katharine Marx Open Artistic Doors Together
By Donna Cornelius
Photo by Becky Staynor
T
After the Fire
Photo by Kimberly Wilson
he newest chapter in artist Patty B. Driscoll’s creative story is inspired by women. Thus, it’s fitting that another woman who’s a friend and fellow artist is helping her write it. Driscoll’s Agatha Studio is a collection of decorative brass door knockers, each of which has a strong female for its namesake – and a captivating story behind it. Katharine Marx has given the creations a beautiful showcase at AMW Inc., her Homewood jewelry store. Patty B., as Driscoll is known, grew up in Birmingham and then majored in studio art at Skidmore College in Sarasota Springs, New York. She earned a master’s degree in fine arts at the California College of Arts before returning to her hometown. “While I was working on my master’s, I was a weaver,” Patty B. said. “After that, I was sick of school and started decorating cakes, sculpting in sugar. I did that until our second child was born.” She’s also a painter; her luminous still lifes often feature silver pieces and flowers, including roses from gardens cultivated by Patty B. and her husband, Dave. That led to another medium: photography. “The roses would open up before I could paint them, so I started making photographs to work from,” Patty B. said. Katharine encouraged her friend to show her photographs. Now, Patty B.’s photos of flowers, fruits and elegant silver pieces are displayed at AMW along with the door knockers. Katharine, also a Birmingham native and gifted photographer, moved to New York City after graduating from Virginia’s Hollins University. She studied 19th and 20th century art at
Christie’s, the well-known auction house, and then worked in Vanity Fair magazine’s editorial and photography departments. Her mother, Margot Marx, started AMW in 1980 with two other women: Lynn Adams, the daughter-in-law of Birmingham antiques dealer Mary Adams, and Barbara Walthall. The store’s name comes from the first initials of each woman’s last name. “I was close to my family and went back and forth between New York and Birmingham for a while,” Katharine said. “I found that I loved working with my mother. She was dynamic, and she made everyone who walked through the door feel comfortable, whether they were buying a $50 pair of earrings or pink diamond earrings.” Patty B. and Katharine connected through a mutual friend, the late Dr. Jeannine O’Grody, who was curator of European art at the Birmingham Museum of Art. They all were among a group of women who would gather for dinners at Chez Fonfon. Patty B. said her door knockers came into being “out of the ashes.” In 2013, her family’s Redmont house caught fire after it was struck by lightning. “We went back with the original design almost exactly but changed a few things to make it more modern,” she said. “It took us two years to rebuild. As an artist, I got obsessed with the hardware.” A trip to Paris to celebrate her 50th birthday was an opportunity for Patty B. to research door knockers in the city’s St. Germain neighborhood. She found that most were made from brass, not bronze, so decided to use brass herself. She also learned more by studying at the Penland School
Charlotte who was the daughter of one of the instructors,” Patty B. said. Other knockers are named for exceptional women, such as St. Agatha, the patron saint of breast cancer patients and rape victims; Paula, a memorable server at a New Orleans restaurant; and Katharine, for Marx. Each piece is painstakingly created. “I sculpt the original out of wax and then make a duplicate mold from wax,” she said. “Next comes chasing, which is the process of defining the details, such as bird feathers.” Then the piece goes to Birmingham Sculpture, a metal foundry run by artists John Stewart Jackson and Joe McCreary. “That’s where it becomes brass,” Patty B. said. She suggested that since many modern doors are glass, the knockers also can be used on garden gates or other entrances. Katharine said she likes displaying them on tabletops. “Most of us have doorbells now, but door knockers represent who’s on the other side of the door,” Patty B. said. “They are more sensory, involving touch, sound and sight. I think of them as jewelry for the house.” She’s pleased with the direction her art is taking, and she has more time to devote to her work now that her children, Will and Dede, are grown. She’s also looking forward to her show set for October 2022 in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama Gallery. “I’m excited to work with the art students there,” Patty B. said. “I think they’ll be interested to see all the different mediums I use.”
A Lovely Legacy
Although Margot Marx died in 2020, her influence can still be felt at AMW. “We wear black because my mother always did, to show off the jewelry,” Katharine Marx said. “She came to work every day in high heels, too. She worked with local artists and loved supporting Birmingham’s talents.” Margot eventually became the sole owner of AMW, which is one of the top venues in the Southeast for estate jewelry, fine silver and 20th century photography. Over the years, the store has drawn clients from all over the country. A staunch supporter of her daughter’s photography, Margot hosted a show for Katharine and always bought the first photo from each of Katharine’s photo series. While Katharine describes herself as being “more of a dealer now,” her striking black-and-white photographs can be seen in her AMW office. “My passion is photography, my mother’s was silver, and jewelry is our business,” she said. Patty B.’s door knockers and photographs will be among the many treasures displayed at AMW’s holiday open house, Dec. 2, 4-7 p.m. AMW is at 1829 29th Ave. S in Homewood. For more information about the store, visit www.amwjewelry. com. For more information about Patty B.’s door knockers, visit www.agathastudio.com.
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Valor Recognition
Abercrombie Receives Award for Inspiring Others Following His Spinal Injury
Photo Ben Abercombie/caringbridge.org
By Rubin E. Grant When the Valor awards were handed out during the Lunch with Heroes program in Hoover a few days before Veterans Day, Ben Abercrombie received one along with Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis. Abercrombie was a 2017 Hoover High graduate who was playing in his first college football game for Harvard four years ago at Rhode Island when he was hit and sustained a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the neck down. Two years after his injury, Abercrombie returned to classes at Harvard with plans to earn an economics degree. Originally, Abercrombie was going to receive the Valor Award in 2020, but it was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Abercrombie appreciated receiving the award. “It’s been an honor being recognized that way,” he said during a phone interview from Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I’m blessed that I can be an inspiration for others because they see how I have handled my situation. It’s a great honor to be recognized for valor.” Abercrombie’s parents, Marty and Sherri, received the Great American
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 13
LIFE
Ben Abercrombie in his Harvard dorm room in September.
Hero Award for the actions they have taken to help their son continue to pursue his dreams. All three of them are living in New England. Ben Abercrombie returned to the Harvard campus at the end of August to begin classes, which he attends Monday through Friday. “Things are going pretty good right now,” Abercrombie said. “The semester is winding down and I’m starting to get ready for exams. “I’m taking a reduced load of classes, but I’ll probably start to take more classes next year.” Abercrombie and his parents were
set to spend Thanksgiving in Cape Cod as guests of Harvard football coach Tim Murphy. Abercrombie continues to rehab, spending time riding in his functional electrical stimulation bike in his dorm room at the Winthrop House on the Harvard campus. His parents live in the dorm with him. At times, Abercrombie travels to the Journey Forward Rehab facility in Canton, which is approximately 30 minutes south of campus. “I guess I have moments when it’s tough, but I try to take it one day at a time and work on my recovery as much as I can,” he said. “I’m setting goals and trying to accomplish them. That’s how I’m approaching it.” Abercrombie also keeps up with the Hoover football team. He watched the Bucs’ semifinal state playoff loss to Thompson online. “I’m a little disappointed the way the game went,” he said. “Thompson is tough, but Hoover still had a good season.”
“I was honored,” Derzis said. “I was honored to be able to accept it, really, for the men and women of law enforcement and for many of the men and women of the Hoover Police Department that I’m so proud to be associated with.”
Derzis’ Valor Award
Derzis received the Sgt. First Class Melvin Morris Valor Award on behalf of the Hoover law enforcement community. Morris is a Medal of Honor recipient because of his actions in Vietnam. The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest medal for valor in combat that can be awarded to members of the armed forces. Morris presented Derzis with the award named after Morris.
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323-6014 Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 Benefactors of The Reed Foundation FAX: 205-824-1246 Polymer Industries, LLC Date: ABC December 2 This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNT Altec Industries, Inc. December 2, 2021 issue. Please Church Transportation & Logistics Inc.fax approval or ch
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Holiday Drama
Homewood’s Scott Sims Named Alabama Kiwanis Governor J. Scott Sims, longtime resident of Homewood, has been elected governor of Kiwanis International’s Alabama district. An attorney and shareholder in the Dentons Sirote real estate group in Birmingham, Sims is recognized among the Best Lawyers in America by the Best Lawyers group and was named to Birmingham Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40.” He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and the Cumberland School of Law, at Samford University. Before his collegiate studies, Sims was actively involved in the Key Club of his high school in Jasper. Those experiences first attracted him to the Kiwanis family. He previously served as adviser to the Homewood High School Key Club, where his son, William Sims, officiated, and he was then elected president of Key Club International in 2017.
Sims was honored both with the George Price Service to Youth Award and the Hoyt W. Lee Outstanding Kiwanian Award 2018-19 by the Alabama district Key Club. As district governor, Sims tops his long career with Kiwanis having been voted state lieutenant governor and receiving the David Womack Outstanding Lieutenant Governor Award. During his year as president of the Homewood-Mountain Brook Kiwanis Club, Sims was awarded the Walter Zeller Fellowship. Major actions while district governor in 2021-2022 will include speaking and visiting with the 77 Kiwanis Clubs, which have more than 2,700 members throughout the state; installing officers; leading conferences; and representing Alabama at the Kiwanis International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, in June. A primary objective is directing Kiwanis Clubs in Alabama to recognize and build local projects around the goals of Kiwanis International. The group’s vision promotes improving the lives of children in local communities and supports child health around the world. Sims has been active through the years locally as a member of the Birmingham Baptist Foundation board, Homewood City Schools Foundation, committee member of
Oh joy! It’s that time of year everyone looks forward to – NOT. The commercialization of the holidays can create stress to perform. Perhaps worse is the drama that family members create when they get together. Thanksgiving is supposed to be about being thankful for what we have, and Christmas or Hanukkah is the celebration of a rededication of life. But every year it seems like the meanings slip away a little more. There’s so much pressure from all around, it’s no wonder people drink or seek other means to Doggy Daycare & Boarding escape. We aim to provide an environment that Having a glass of wine or delivers a safe, open play space that a mixed drink at the end of a focuses on socialization, exercise, and stressful day can be what some safety for all pups. Life should be fun; people use to relax. However, let’s laugh and play together. those who find that one drink leads to a second or third and so Monday-Friday 6:30am-7:30pm on should take stock of his or Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm her life. Maybe it’s time to realSunday 3:00pm- 6:00pm ly be honest with one self before it’s too late. We accept the fact 205.201.4782 that no one plans on becoming an addict therefore there’s no topdogbirmingham.com shame in getting help just as one 2222 5th Avenue South would do with another disease Birmingham, AL 35233 of health issue. If there are missing time slots in the memory of the night before or a bruise that can’t be explained … or the need to have that morning drink to ‘get going’ or to prevent trimmers it’s probably time to get help. Drama isn’t limited to the holidays; it can be a part of everyday life for some. FindTo: for handling Top Dog ing the right tools From: Over it should be a priority. Call meThe Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: today and give the greatest gift205-824-1246 Date: of the season to yourselfNovember or This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the someone you love. December 2, 2021 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
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J. Scott Sims, (above left, with fellow Kiwanian Gary Sheffer) has been elected governor of Kiwanis International’s Alabama district.
Boy Scouts of America Troop 97 and coach with Homewood Youth Sports. He is a current member of Birmingham Bar Association, Alabama State Bar and American Bar Association. In addition, Sims and Andi, his wife, attend Mountain
Brook Community Church. The Kiwanis Club of HomewoodMountain Brook meets weekly at noon in the auditorium of Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road. Visitors and prospective members are invited to attend.
Photo courtesy AdventureKEEN
14 • Thursday, December 2, 2021
Bob Sehlinger Inducted into Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame
Bob Sehlinger (pictured) of Inverness has been inducted as part of the inaugural class of Southern Appalachian Paddlesports Museum’s Hall of Fame. He was recognized as the founder of Sage Inc., a provider of outdoor skills courses, and as an early leader in the outfitting industry, including serving as president of Eastern Professional River Outfitters Association. Sehlinger also is owner and publisher of AdventureKeen, an independent outdoor activity and nature book publisher based in Birmingham. He has years of experience as a paddling guide and is the author of five guidebooks on canoeing and kayaking, according to a release by AdventureKeen. The induction ceremony took place at the Southern Appalachian Museum in Asheville, North Carolina. The Hall of Fame honors innovators, pioneers and leaders in the sport of whitewater paddling.
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Caroline Michele Dugas of Vestavia Hills Earns Equestrian Championship Title than a second behind the winner. The 20-year-old rider has been developing her relationship with Skyfall for the past six years. Although the gelding was not initially what Dugas was expecting when she was looking for a horse, the match ended up being perfect. “When I first saw him, I thought he was crazy,” admitted Dugas. “I
thought, ‘No way am I going to be riding this horse.’ But he is the kind of crazy that’s not scary. He just is a little bit wild, but that’s what we love about him, that he has that little extra spunk.” Dugas is a student at the University of Alabama. She and Skyfall train with M&M Sporthorses, and she hopes to move up to the
Medium Junior Jumper Division. “He is just the kind of horse that you don’t want to sell,” said Dugas of the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood by Vigaro. “He’s in it with you. He has a big heart, and he never wants to let you down. I never have to doubt if he’s going to do his job. He’s the best. He got hurt a few years ago, but now he’s back and better than ever.”
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Caroline Michele Dugas of Vestavia Hills, riding her horse Skyfall, recently competed in the 2021 Washington International Horse Show.
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presented with The Foxbrook Perpetual Trophy donated by Joy Slater in honor of Space Citation. Dugas, riding her horse Skyfall, won a class earlier in the week and then secured the tricolor ribbon with a second-place finish in the classic with a time of 35.739, which was less
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FINISH THE FIGHT
Robert E. Reed Foundation Hosts 16th Annual Iron Bowl Kickoff and Casino Party Journal photos by Jordan Wald
S Michael and Abbey Sheehan.
Elizabeth Haferkamp, Allie Rutherford, and Frances and William Tynes.
upporters of the Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Foundation gathered at The Club Nov. 18 for an evening of casino-style fun as the organization hosted its 16th annual Finish the Fight Iron Bowl Kickoff Casino Party. Held on International Pancreatic Cancer Day, the event raises money for the Reed Foundation’s mission. Founded in 2002, the organization is dedicated to raising money for research and patient care to fight some of the deadliest cancers, including colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic, stomach, liver, bile duct, gallbladder and appendix. The evening highlighted this year’s Faces of GI Cancer, including Michael Murray, colon cancer; and the late John Michael Pierce, esophageal cancer. Funds raised support research and
Bridget and Glenn Drennen.
Elisabeth and Chuck Branch.
Sunset
Fun-Loving John Michael Pierce Succumbs to Cancer Battle By Rubin E. Grant John Michael Pierce was looking forward to attending the Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Foundation’s Iron Bowl Kickoff Casino Party fundraiser Nov. 18 at The Club. But on the night before the event, Pierce died after a four-month battle with cancer, an esophageal carcinoma. He was 25. His parents, Patti and Jeff Pierce,
Paige Scott, Julie Estes, and John and Amy Bromberg.
were by his side when he died at Brookwood Hospital. They attended the fundraiser, which was the foundation’s 16th annual Finish the Fight fundraiser, and treated it as a celebration of John Michael’s life. After being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, Pierce became involved with the Reed Foundation. Also attending the fundraiser was Robert Sorrell, John Michael’s best friend, roommate and business partner, and a member of the foundation’s junior board. “We had an awesome time celebrating him,” Sorrell said. “We were members of The Club and on Friday afternoons we would go up there and watch the sunset,” Sorrell said. “So, I went up there with his parents on Friday (Nov. 19) and we watched the sunset.”
On the night before the Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Foundation’s Iron Bowl Kickoff Casino Party fundraiser, board member John Michael Pierce Pierce died after a four-month battle with cancer, an esophageal carcinoma. He was 25.
Virginia and George Jones.
Jessica Naftel and Carey Thomasson.
John Michael Pierce was a 2015 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School, where he played receiver on the football team. “He’s got to be one of the funniest kids I ever coached,” said Buddy Anderson, the legendary Vestavia Hills coach who retired at the end of the 2020 season. “You couldn’t get mad at him because he had that wit about him and a smile about a mile wide. He was happy-go-lucky and he loved being around people. “He wasn’t a great athlete, but he was there every day and he practiced hard. He had a great attitude.” After high school, Pierce attended the University of Alabama and graduated in 2019, earning a degree in business. His obituary said, “He was a loving brother to Michelle, who nurtured him
and loved him ferociously. He also was a devoted and loyal friend to everyone. He had an ability to bring in everyone and made them feel a part of the group. He loved his times of deep sea fishing, playing golf and his old fashioneds. He brought the fun to everything and was known for saying, “Let’s make a memory.” A memorial service was held Nov. 20 at The Church of the Highlands, Grants Mill campus. “What I’m going to miss about him is how incredibly happy and positive he was,” Sorrell said. “He knew how to get people together and have fun. He had the ability to touch people and make them the happiest they could be. “After his funeral, we gathered with family and friends and made it a fun thing, a party. It’s what he would have wanted.”
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patient support for those undergoing treatment and care at UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. The casino party included live music by the Prince tribute band Purple Madness, casino games, a wine pull, a liquor toss and activities. In addition, the Foundation’s Women’s Committee organized an online and silent auction. ❖
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Elouise Williams, Becky Keys, Audrey Lindquist and Carolyn Ratliff.
Celebrating the Magic City Women’s Committee of 100 Gathers for Fall Luncheon
5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 980-9030 southeasternjewelers.net (1/4 mile off 280)
The Women’s Committee of 100 recently held its fall luncheon and board meeting at the Country Club of Birmingham. Organized in 1964, the committee uses the abilities and skills of its members to increase and promote knowledge of Birmingham and of Alabama. President Anne Lampkin and members welcomed guest speaker Kathy Boswell, vice president of community engagement with the 2022
World Games to be held in Birmingham. Birmingham, is only the second city in the United States to host the World Games, which was founded in 1981. The city will welcome 3,600 athletes from more than 100 countries to compete in the games July 7-17. Athletes will compete in 34 sports with the tournament played in more than 25 venues in Alabama. The economic impact of the event is estimat-
ed to be $256 million. According to the Women’s Committee of 100 officials, the organization, “is honored to help with this endeavor to ‘show off’ our beautiful city.” Members include Anne Lampkin, Rebekah Taylor, Marjorie Forney, Anna Williams, Jeanna Westmoreland, Lisa Roberts, Carla Roberson, Valerie Ramsbacher, Kirke Cater, Carolyn Satterfield, Jean Liles, Gail Pugh, Kathy
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Miller, Ellen Staner, Eloise Williams, Irene Collins, Bet Wright, Nan Teinbaum, Nancy Skinner, Becky Keys, Dorothy McDaniel, Tainey Marcoux, Kathryn Porter and Helen Mills Pittman. More members are Kate Milhouse, Natasha Randolph, Angela Comfort, Jane Ellis, Carolyn Drennan, Sandra Holley, Susan Kidd, Nancy Jones, Anne Gibbons, Ethel King, Dottie Hoover, Carolyn Ratliff, Audrey Lindquist, Nelda Pugh, Nan Skier, Mellisa Whetstone, Sara Ruiz de Molina, Kathy Smith, Ann Vrocher, Carole Thomas, Molly Bee Bloetscher, Anne Michaels, Judy Matthews, Carole Sue Mitchell and Nelda Pugh. ❖
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April McAnnally, Carolyn Drennen and Ellen Staner.
Lisa Roberts, Helen Pittman, Gail Pugh and Irene Collins.
Thank you to our 2021 Corporate Friends for their support in the fight against cancer
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More than 220 runners participated Nov. 7 in the annual Pink Up The Pace 5K and Dolly Dash Fun Run. Annually hosted by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama junior board, the event raised more than $26,000 for breast cancer research in Alabama. The event included more than just running. Festivities featured a special trumpet by members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra to kick off the event and a family-friendly after-party with face painting, live music, a Tickled Pink Petting Zoo and inflatable obstacle course. ❖
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Merry ChristMas & happy holidays
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Happy Halloween
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Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 21
Tinsley Family Hosts Annual Halloween Party at Mountain Brook Home
MAKE HER SPIRITS BRIGHT
Photos coourtesy
Goblins and skeletons met guests at Phyllis and Roye Tinsley’s Mountain Brook home as they hosted their annual Halloween party. Throughout the evening, guests arrived dressed in creative costumes – with the best dressed receiving a prize – and danced to the sounds of the band Panama Jack and The Hangouts. The evening also included the scavenger hunt, created by Roye Tinsley, which has teams recalling Mountain Brook history and racing to see who can make their way through all of the clues first. Preparations for the annual affair begin weeks in advance, according to Phyllis Tinsley, who serves up a variety of homemade dishes including staples, such as North Carolina chili and Brunswick stew, and classic desserts, including red velvet cake, pound cakes, candied apples and Tinsley’s famous coconut cakes. ❖
Jay Histed and Sandy Eichelberger.
Emris and Sharon Graham.
JohnBromberg@JBandCoJewelry.com Stephen and Darlene Higgobotham.
Brooke Slaughter, Shannon Harris and Kimberly Pruitt.
205.478.0455 | JBandCoJewelry.com One Office Park Circle | Suite 201 | Mountain Brook, AL 35223
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Journal photos by Jordan Wald
22 • Thursday, December 2, 2021
Marion Wilson, Laurel Bassett and Gina Green.
Ann Gervin and Erinn Fain.
Holidays in the USA
Hoover Service Club Has Holiday Market, Veterans Day Ceremony Members of the Hoover Service Club brought the holidays to Hoover Country Club on Nov. 11, hosting the club’s annual holiday market. Guests were greeted by Hoover Belles before perusing a holiday market featuring 14 local businesses. Products available for holiday shoppers included clothing, jewelry, World Games products, woodworking, chocolates and other items. All the while, members of the Spain Park High School choir sang Christmas Carols. The meeting’s proGuests were greeted by Hoover Belles before perusing a holiday market. gram also served as the club’s Veterans Day program. Members of the Hoover High School Air Force JROTC color guard presented their colors to sponsor Col. Chris Moulton. They also led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. The community service project for the month involved collecting donations for Support Our Soldiers. More than $500 was collected to purchase postage for holiday boxes that will be mailed through the organization to active duty military personnel stationed in South Korea. ❖ Amy Woodward and Jan Harris.
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Rhett-Sanders
Alexandra Moore Rhett and William Clayton Sanders were married May 15, 2021, at Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham. The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Canon Craig R. Smalley. Music for the ceremony was provided by Dr. Frederick Teardo, organist, and the cathedral choir. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Warren Barbour Rhett of Mountain Brook and Chatham, Massachusetts. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Randall Wesley Sanders of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Orange Beach, Florida. The bride wore a gown of natural silk Zibeline, designed by Martina Liana. The gown featured narrow
&
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 23
WEDDINGS & ENGAGEMENTS straps, a V-neckline, a fitted waist, princess seams and full cathedral train. A matching bow and silk-covered buttons accented the back of the gown. She is the 27th bride to wear the Samford Wedding Veil, made of handmade Brussels lace and first worn by the groom’s great-grandmother, Mary Denson Samford, 100 years ago, on October 26, 1921. The bride carried an all-white asymmetrical bouquet fashioned of peonies, garden roses, calla, stephanotis and lily of the valley. A sprig of sweet William, in honor of the groom’s first name, was tucked into the bouquet. The bride also wore a pair of diamond earrings belonging to her mother. Gabrielle Lavelle of New York, New York, served as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Brittany Finley, Nashville, Tennessee; Eleanor Friedman, Birmingham; Paige Gibson, Atlanta; and Hannah Muncher, Nashville. They wore similar gowns of matching emerald green matte satin and carried handtied bouquets of garden roses, antique hydrangea and coral charm peony. The father of the groom and Randall Wesley Sanders Jr., brother of the groom, of Brentwood, Tennessee, served as best men. Groomsmen were Jared Elders, Huntsville; Daniel Holm, Huntsville; Nicholas Kolts, Nashville; Blake League, Denver;
William Rhett, brother of the bride, Nashville; Dr. Collin Skye, Franklin, Tennessee; and Benjamin Tarpley, Nashville. Lynne Rison Sloan and Elysabeth Barbour Hale, cousins of the bride, were flower girls and Dayton Foster Hale IV, also a cousin of the bride, was ring bearer, all of Nashville. Scripture readers were Lauren Sanders Simpson, sister of the groom, Nashville; Mary McKenzie Huckaby, Salt Lake City; and Harriet Rhett Crosby, Granby, Colorado, both cousins of the bride. Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents entertained with a seated dinner in the Mountain Brook Ballroom of the Grand Bohemian Hotel. Cocktail music was provided by Ingrid Marie Jazz Trio, followed by the band Jessie’s Girls, which took the stage to play music for dancing during and after dinner. Following a wedding trip to La Samanna Resort in the French West Indies, the couple reside in Nashville, where the groom is vice president and co-owner of Specialty Foods and the bride is a freelance marketing specialist.
Neal-Hoyt
Margaret Lee Neal and Charles Nelson Hoyt II were married November 20, 2021, at Independent Presbyterian Church in a ceremony officiated by the Rev. David Seamon. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Clifton Neal Jr. of Birmingham. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hallman Bell Bryant and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Frederick Schoen. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Wills Hoyt of
Birmingham. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. James Somerville McLester French and Mrs. Patricia Ann Hoyt. Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a silk white gown by Atlanta designer Anne Barge, featuring a fitted, strapless bodice with an obi bow and streamers at the center of the back. Completing her ensemble was a chapel-length veil of illusion. Attending the bride as maids of honor were the bride’s sisters, Lucy Neal and Sally Neal. Bridesmaids were Elizabeth Akins, Lucy Gardner, Lizzy Getzewich, Abby Gipson, Colee Harkins, Anna Hoyt, Erin Korn, Chandler Law, Bentley Logue, Elizabeth Moffett, Izzy Sandoval, Emma Stutts and Morgan Wall. Serving the groom as best man was his brother, James Hoyt. Groomsmen were Billy Hoyt, Garrison Banks, Nathan Bartz, Daniel Calhoun, Josh Ellis, Josh Fullenwider, Parker Henley, Matt Lavender, Joseph McCormick, Collin McMahon, Paul Roth, Ben Rysedorph and Jack Winchester. After a wedding trip to Hawaii, the couple reside in Huntsville.
SHARE YOUR GOOD NEWS! To have our wedding & engagement forms sent to you, please call 205-823-9646.
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Thursday December 2 5-7 PM
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Photos courtesy Samford Legacy League
MERRY AND BRIGHT Alison and Martin Smith living room and kitchen. Below, the foyer of Samford President Beck Taylor and wife Julie. Far left, Jenny and Sonny Culp’s home decked out in holiday splendor.
Homes for the HOLIDAYS Lots of New Sights Await Visitors During Samford Legacy League’s Christmas Home Tour
By Sharon Smith
F
ive festively decorated houses will be open for visitors during Samford Legacy League’s 11th annual Christmas Home Tour on Dec. 9. This annual community event raises funds to provide transformational scholarships for students with significant financial need and challenging circumstances. Since its inception, the tour has featured 43 homes and raised more than $275,000 to help students who have endured obstacles such as homelessness, inner-city vio-
lence, the disability or death of a parent or sibling, foster care, parental job loss, abandonment, parental incarceration and the sacrifices of full-time ministry. Presented by ARC Realty, the 2021 tour includes three homes in Mountain Brook and two in Vestavia Hills. The featured homes range from a year to decades old, encompassing a wide variety of architecture, interior styles and holiday décor. Tour guests will find lots of new on this year’s tour. The Samford President’s Home has new occupants, the Taylors. The Sinks live on a new cul-de-sac they devel-
See SAMFORD, page 25
Photo courtesy IPC
IPC Organizes 72nd Annual Holiday House Tour The 72nd annual Holiday House Tour hosted by Independent Presbyterian Church will revisit its virtual format, created last year out of COVID concerns. The theme for this year’s tour is a Moveable Feast with a Mission, as this year’s mission will not only support IPC community ministry programs but also those in the greater Birmingham commu-
nity who are food insecure. “In these unique times, the tour has adapted, and last year was our first-ever virtual Holiday House Tour,” said Elizabeth Miles, 2021 Holiday House Committee chair. Last year’s tour reached 2,400 views online and raised approximately $20,000. A beneficiary of Holiday House, IPC’s
Blessing Boxes and Food Pantry also provide hygiene essentials, and IPC’s utility assistance program helps keep families in their homes with running water and electricity. Net proceeds from the event annually support IPC’s Community Ministries programs, which directly support women and
See IPC, page 30
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SAMFORD From page 24
oped; their home was completed less than a year ago. The Smiths’ recently built Vestavia Hills home features lots of new décor. The Davises undertook a major renovation just a few years ago. And the Culps recently renovated their kitchen and added a butler’s pantry.
The Culp Home
Nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac in Glencoe off Montevallo Road, Jenny and Sonny Culp’s Mountain Brook home, at 5 Glenview Circle, was custom built in 2001. Though the stately English Tudor is just 20 years old, its exterior brick is much older, having come from the old Stockham Value building near the airport. A limestonetrimmed archway marks the entry to the front porch while an arched wooden front door and arched windows continue this design element. Just through the foyer sits a double staircase that also is accessible from behind the kitchen. The stairs provide easy access to the recently redecorated upstairs bedrooms, where the Culps’ three children lived. After two decades in their home and entering a different life stage, the Culps decided it was time for some updates. They recently completed a major kitchen renovation, adding a butler’s pantry where an office had been and a large steel window overlooking the backyard. Since their three kids are grown and their family’s needs have changed, they removed the well-used lockers, using the area for entertaining, instead. The Culps value family, and many of their rooms are filled with reminders of those they love. “Much of the artwork and many of the antiques were from Sonny’s late mother, who had an amazing art collection and fabulous knack for decorating,” Jenny said. A treasured nativity was a gift from Jenny’s sister, Marnie, whose family spent many years serving in Central Asia. Jenny credits “a village” of people, including Marnie, with helping ready the home for the tour. The decorations include a 10-foot fresh tree and fresh greenery and festive touches throughout the house.
The Davis Home
When Julia and Tim Davis bought their house, at 3212 Brookwood Road in Mountain Brook, they freshened it up a bit before moving in, knowing one day they may opt to take on a
Henderson Draperies
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 25
HOME bigger project. A decade later, they enlisted Robert Wilkes Construction to complete a major renovation, raising the roof and adding numerous rooms. Their goal, Julia explained, was to gain a main level garage and expand the living spaces “like when you use
your fingers to enlarge a picture on your phone.” While many around them were tearing down their homes, the Davises “wanted to enhance the house we had, not start over.” With the renovation came the addition of a dining room, along with a new master bedroom, screen porch
and an extension to the den. “The den is one of the showpieces of the home,” Wilkes said. “The reclaimed timbers came from an old Amish barn in Pennsylvania.” The large yet cozy room opens to a screen porch with a peaked roof and large wood-burning fireplace. With
205.401.7126
See SAMFORD, page 30
“Every home is unique because every client is unique.”
Let us plan and build your dream home. For more than three decades, the Wedgworth team has created some of Birmingham’s most remarkable new homes, each one customized to fit the exacting standards of our clients. Let the Wedgworth Team help you plan and build your dream home in one of our 3 Vestavia Communities: Walnut Hill Located off Shades Crest Road, Viridian located off Tyler Road, and Midland Drive in Cahaba Heights.
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space for dining and lounging and a view of the yard, the porch is used year-round. Since all four Davis family members have Samford degrees, agreeing to be part of the tour gave them a way to support their alma mater and the
www.wedgworth.net
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ry with an art minor, and she continued taking at least one studio class throughout her pursuit of her master’s in art history. “I took my first ceramics class in graduate school and I just loved it,” she said. “I enjoy working with my hands and that has taken on different outlets over the years.” Creating the charms got her back into the ceramics studio, until the pandemic hindered her ability to frequent the shared workspace. Now she has her own kiln at home to fire the pieces. The charm was the answer to the question, “What can you do besides embroider a name?” They are secured to ribbons and can be removed or exchanged. “I like options,” Terrell said. “I like flexibility. “If you are a host and you have a few different gatherings over this season, it would be nice to switch out a charm but still have something special remain for your niece, nephew or a grandchild.”
Artistic Inspiration
By Emily Williams-Robertshaw Homewood-based interior designer Julie Terrell has a new holiday venture that mixes her love of art and design as well as her answer to a seasonal plight. About three years ago, Terrell began making custom heirloom stockings, first for herself and then for her clients. Last year, she piloted a business selling her stockings online through her Christmas collection and saw a great response. “I think it actually helped me to decide this was something I enjoy doing and wanted to do,” she said. This year, she has fine-tuned her business and branded it Merry by Julie Terrell. “There are some really unattractive stockings out there,” she said, with a laugh. “This really came out of a personal search and a struggle.” In her work as an interior designer, Terrell identifies her style as eclectic with roots in her love of old world European design. It’s timeless classic with an edge and she’s found that she
constantly evolves, adding in elements of something bohemian or quirky along the way. Terrell developed her stocking design after growing tired of searching for stockings that matched her own vision. “I had purchased about three different stockings over about 15 years and I was never excited about them,” she said. “I would pull them out the next year and think, that’s not the timeless look I was hoping for.” After failing to find a stocking that was adaptable and made of quality materials, she decided to make it for herself. “I created the pattern by myself out of paper bags, basically,” she said. “Then I tinkered with it trying to get the shape and the silhouette just right.” What she came up with was a vintage-inspired shape that incorporates mix-and-match elements so the stocking can evolve along with her own style. “I tend to change up my aesthetic every few years, just a little bit, not an overhaul. So, I wanted to be able to
Photo courtesy Julie Terrell
Homewood Interior Designer Launches Her Own Brand of Heirloom Stockings, Holiday Decor
Julie Terrell developed her stocking design after growing tired of searching for stockings that matched her own vision.
add things to the stocking one year or simplify,” she said. Stockings come with interchangeable collars that aren’t permanently attached. They can be temporarily secured with ribbon ties or vintage cuff links and personalized with porcelain charms that Terrell makes herself. “The idea of having accessories that you could add to any stocking, I
liked,” she said. “Even if you have an heirloom stocking, you might want to give it a little something extra.” The porcelain charms are about the size of a poker chip and are etched with letters to personalize the stocking. Their look and design were conceived completely by Terrell, born out of her return to ceramics. In college, she majored in art histo-
Hunts for Materials
One of her favorite parts of the process is the search for unique fabrics, ribbons, trim and cufflinks, which she hunts for online and in small shops. She likes things that are different from the average. Some are home interior fabrics, but some of her favorite finds have been fashion materials made for small batch use. This year, her top finds are a black
See STOCKINGS, page 29
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Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 27
A Beautiful Home for the Holidays
Call Budget Blinds for a no-obligation consultation Budget Blinds provides shop-at-home convenience and affordable prices on a great selection of brand name window coverings. Choose from a wide variety of shapes and styles including, woven woods, wood blinds, draperies, soft treatments, wood and composite shutters, verticals, decorative valances and much, much, more... all installed free. We'd love to discuss your specific needs and show you some exciting new designs, fabrics, and products. Call or visit our showroom.
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Two Great Showrooms, Now Under One Roof! Two Great Showrooms, Now Under One Roof!
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Steve Mote & Family—Owners of Hollywood Pools Outdoor Furnishings & Spas are excited to announce the acquisition of Alabama Gaslight & Grill! Formerly located in Homewood and owned by long-time Vestavia Hills resident Mike Barnett, Alabama Gaslight & Grill offers a wide selection of gas grills & smokers, gas & electric lighting, Steve and gasMote logs. & Combined with Hollywood of Steve Mote &Family—Owners Family—Owners of Pool’s outstanding inventoryOutdoor of pool, spa, and patio furnishings, Hollywood HollywoodPools Pools OutdoorFurnishings Furnishings& &Spas Spas the Vestavia Hills location is your one-stop shop for outdoor are to announce the of areexcited excited announce theacquisition acquisition of products fromto local families you know and trust.
Alabama AlabamaGaslight Gaslight& &Grill! Grill!
Formerly located Formerly locatedin inHomewood Homewood and ownedby bylong-time long-time 1441 Montgomery Hwyand | owned Vestavia Hills Vestavia VestaviaHills Hillsresident residentMike MikeBarnett, Barnett,Alabama AlabamaGaslight Gaslight& &Grill Grill (205) 979-7727 | www.hollywoodpoolandspa.com offers a wide selection of gas grills & smokers, gas & electric offers a wide selection of gas grills & smokers, gas & electric lighting, and logs. Combined with lighting,Steve andgas gas logs.& Combined withHollywood Hollywood Pool’s Mote Family—Owners of Pool’s outstanding inventory of pool, spa, and patio furnishings, outstanding inventory of pool, spa, and patio furnishings, Hollywood Pools Outdoor Furnishings & Spas the theVestavia VestaviaHills Hillslocation locationis isyour yourone-stop one-stopshop shopfor foroutdoor outdoor are excited to announce the acquisition of products from local families you know and trust. products from local families you know and trust.
TruBlue
TruBlue of Birmingham provides quality handyman and maintenance services to homeowners, seniors and busy families in Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook and Hoover. The company was started by Rick Batson and Roxanne Batson, above, left and right, with Roxanne’s former partner in a technology company, Mur Feldman, center. “The reason we started this company was because we found it so difficult to find someone we could call on when we needed the small things done around the house including repairs, replacements and even regular maintenance items. Just to have a doorknob fixed took three months!” said Roxanne. “In addition, all three of us had dealt with aging parents who wanted to stay in their home but couldn’t maintain it. They needed regular help
and it was always us putting in the labor or find someone else. We have two Certified Home Safety Inspectors on our team who specialize in helping seniors and their adult children to make the home as safe and well-maintained as possible.” “We install ramps, grab bars for safety in the bathroom and other areas in the home,” said Mur. “TruBlue could be the handyman you have been searching for, we are bonded and insured.” TruBlue also offers programs to help with regular maintenance such as replace bulbs in overhead lights, batteries in smoke alarms, air filters, move furniture, clean up and organize storage rooms, etc. “This holiday season give your parents something they can really use, the gift of handyman services!” said Rick. TruBlue offers gift certificates TruBlue of Birmingham is headquartered in Homewood, their phone number is 205-839-3818.
GIVE THE GIFT MOM AND DAD REALLY WANT THIS YEAR. A HANDYMAN! Why give your loved ones that same old gift year after year when you can give them something they can really use - The Gift of Handyman Services! Our handymen are experienced craftsmen who can do repairs and installations on many small projects from leaky faucets to grab bars, damaged deck rails, door knobs, TV Mounts, senior modifications, closet systems and more. GIFT #1 Three (3) Hours Handyman Services $249 GIFT #2 Six (6) Hours Handyman Services $498 GIFT #3 Housecare Plus Monthly or Quarterly Maintenance Plan for a year! Call Trublue of Birmingham 205-839-3818
Alabama Gaslight & Grill!
Formerly located in Homewood by long-time 1441 Hwy || owned Vestavia Hills 1441 Montgomery Montgomery Hwyand Vestavia Hills Vestavia Hills resident Mike Barnett, Alabama Gaslight & Grill (205) 979-7727 || www.hollywoodpoolandspa.com (205) www.hollywoodpoolandspa.com offers979-7727 a wide selection of gas grills & smokers, gas & electric lighting, and gas logs. Combined with Hollywood Pool’s outstanding inventory of pool, spa, and patio furnishings, the Vestavia Hills location is your one-stop shop for outdoor products from local families you know and trust.
Housecare Plus is a new service offered by Trublue that helps seniors and busy families keep up their home. More than 25% of all seniors over the age of 65 fall in any given year. A regular home maintenance service can help prevent accidents, not to mention all the time and energy you save from trying to do it yourself. Repairs - Maintenance - Special Projects
Call us at 205-839-3818 and let us help you create a gift especially for the ones you love. Select from a curb-side pick up of your gift certificate enclosed in a special Christmas gift box or choose our digital gift certificate. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Call Roxanne, Mur or Rick at Trublue House Care Services 205-839-3818 • birminghamoffice@trubluehousecare.com
1441 Montgomery Hwy | Vestavia Hills (205) 979-7727 | www.hollywoodpoolandspa.com
Trubluehousecare.com/birmingham
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STOCKINGS From page 26
and white plaid wool that was used in wool suiting, as well as a Chanel fabric she has used before that is a blush color with metallic elements. “I also found a really pretty red velvet,” she said. “I had not done red before because I could not find a red
Through her online shop, Terrell is now mailing off stockings not just to established clients but to customers she’s never met from places such as Pebble Beach and Los Angeles. that I loved. Red is hard because it can get too kitschy or too dramatic. This one was made for women’s suiting, so it’s a little bit lighter than some of the other reds and I just love the texture.” She has also been loving a grosgrain trim she found that originally was from a millinery and designed to use on hats. “It’s a really interesting material and I love that it has a history,” she said. On her website, Terrell offers options for people to mix and match
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 29
HOME stockings that are ready-made as well as ribbons, charms and cufflinks. “It’s more for people who can’t really picture it or can’t decide,” she said. “It’s kind of like putting an outfit together. I pull from what I have as far as stockings and collars, and you can mix and match.” One of Terrell’s favorite processes is the fully custom projects. There is a lead time of about eight to 10 weeks, but she gets to really collaborate with the buyer to help realize their vision. A favorite custom piece she has created was one of her first stocking projects for one of her interior design clients. “We had been working on (her new home) from the very beginning, before construction and all the way through decorating and furnishing,” she said. It was a lengthy process, and Terrell decided to make custom stockings for the client as a housewarming gift. “By that time we were totally in sync, so I knew what she liked and I knew what would work for her space,” Terrell said. The result were reversible stockings with an upholstery fabric on one side and a Chanel tweed on the other so the homeowner could switch up the look. Through her online shop, Terrell is now mailing off stockings not just to established clients but to customers she’s never met from places such as Pebble Beach and Los Angeles.
Creating Advent Calendars
It’s just the beginning, as she continues to find new inspiration to create her own spin on classic seasonal decorations, like her advent calendar. The piece featured nickel-sized charms numbered for the days of advent and hung over a framed antique mirror on a decorative easel. “I love an Advent calendar, but a lot of them are geared more towards children rather than that sophisticated aesthetic,” she said. “Once I started
thinking about that, I went all the way down the rabbit hole.” Her advent calendars were inspired by her stocking charms. As she created the charms, she would store them by hanging them over framed pictures on easels. “When I did that, I thought, well that could be a really interesting Advent calendar,” she said. She’s found that the Merry business has allowed her to practice more of her creative abilities.
SINCE
ROZAR’S
“As a designer, it certainly is a creative field but not all of it is creative. You’ve got purchase orders and sales tax and lots of logistics,” she said. “You can really get bogged down in the business of it, the paperwork and accounting. It has been nice to get a little more of a creative outlet in addition to the parts of design that aren’t.” For more information, visit merry. julieterrell.com.
1947
PAINT SUPPLY
Located in the heart of Lakeview. www.rozars.com 205-320-2696 • 3507 6th Ct. S • BIRMINGHAM , AL 35222
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SAMFORD From page 25
Photo courtesy IPC
Legacy League’s mission. To prepare for the event, they’ve added festive holiday touches, including magnolia garland and multiple fresh wreaths. A tall, flocked tree, viewable from the foyer, the sunken living room and the new dining room, fills the front picture window. A variety of art is on display, some of it collected locally and some purchased while traveling. Featured on this year’s tour are the homes of Merrill Stewart (above), Bart McCorquodale (page 25), and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Calvin, as well as the retreat venue Pursell Farms.
IPC From page 24
children through organizations including the Children’s Fresh Air Farm and First Light Shelter. “This longstanding IPC holiday tradition has welcomed thousands of visitors, now both in person and virtual; organized thousands of volunteers; hosted hundreds of homes, condominiums or businesses; served countless finger sandwiches and homemade snacks from our very own “Holiday House Cookbook;” tied bows; hung garland and wreaths; and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars that have greatly benefited our community,” Miles said. Featured on this year’s tour are the
homes of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Calvin, Mr. Bart McCorquodale and Mr. Merrill Stewart, and the retreat venue Pursell Farms will be highlighted. With the purchase of a $35 ticket, the tour will be available for online viewing throughout the holiday season. Those who purchase tickets also will receive an invitation to an in-person gathering Dec. 11. The Holiday House Tea will be held at IPC from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. “We are happy to announce that the Holiday House Tea will be in person this year, so that we can enjoy the fellowship that was so missed during the height of the pandemic last year.” For more information, visit ipcusa.org/holiday-house.html.
The Sink Home
Andy and Laura Sink are a dream team when it comes to building and flipping houses. They moved nine times in 10 years before settling in their last home for 17 years. A desire for one-level living and space suitable for their young adult children motivated the Sinks to move. Building their current house, at 3058 Lewis Circle in Mountain Brook, was a complex project that involved subdividing the lot of the old Lewis homestead and constructing a new road they named for the previous owner. A commercial real estate developer, Andy is “really good structurally,” described Laura, who focuses on functionality. Visitors to the Sinks’ new Acadian French Country home will find a mixture of old southern Louisiana style, a nod to Laura’s Shreveport roots, with new modern
Join us for a Christmas Party and Gallery Grand Opening
December 11th 6pm-9pm
22 Artists / Food & Drink / Live Music by Phillip McWayne’s Dazeyavoo
2700 19th Place South Homewood | 205-871-9779 | Tue.-Fri. 10:30-5:00 | Sat. 11:00-4:30
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
amenities. “One of the really interesting things is how we incorporated reclaimed Birmingham old town brick from the early to mid-1900s,” project manager Keith Taub of Slate Barganier Building said. The wood trusses in the family room were built from wood that came from an old Pennsylvania barn, while the old doors came from Southern Accents Architectural Antiques in Cullman. The house also features materials re-used from the Lewis house, including the limestone steps, bluestone on the front lower porch and chandelier in the dining room. The house includes a plethora of notable design elements, from old doors, curved openings and handrails to unusual lighting and plumbing fixtures. The enormous marble Cristallo backsplash in the kitchen required four men and significant bracing during installation. The expansive screen porch features ceiling heaters, which are efficient as well as attractive. Behind the house is a small putting green offering entertainment adjacent to the grilling area.
The Smith Home
For Alison and Martin Smith and their three children, proximity to schools and convenience were the keys to the decision to build their home at 2012 Southwood Road in Vestavia Hills. The challenge was getting the living space they wanted on the footprint of the original home. Alison, an interior designer, knew she could “describe perfect living conditions for our family” to aid Long and Long Design in creating a plan. The result was a brick home with unusual features, clean lines, lots of natural light and functional spaces conducive to their lifestyle. The main level of the new home includes a dining room Allison describes as “casual formal,” a large open kitchen with an island to seat five, a spacious living area and a downstairs master bed and bath. The screen porch off the living room has a wood-burning fireplace and comfortable furniture, making it usable nearly every day of the year. To accommodate out-of-town family, the Smiths’ kids’ rooms double as guest rooms, and their upstairs living area includes four built-in bunk beds, reminiscent of berths on a train. “It’s always a house where people can pop in to spend the night,” Allison said. At Christmas, the Smiths put up live trees and lots of fresh greenery in their home. Their downstairs tree includes a collection of ornaments procured from trips and an annual ornament swap. It’s topped with an angel, a gift from a college friend to Allison after she was hit head-on by a drunk driver. Upstairs is a second tree, adorned with handmade ornaments created by the Smith’s children.
Samford President’s Home
This Christmas is the first in the president’s home for the Taylor family. Made up of Beck A. Taylor, new president of Samford; his wife, Julie, Samford’s first lady and executive director of the Legacy League; their youngest daughter, Chloe; and dog, Peanut, the family took up residence this past summer in the house at 1994 Shades Crest Road in Vestavia Hills. The Taylors brought some of their personal furniture to add to recently reupholstered university furnishings and artwork. Sallie Aman of Ruby Ansley Interiors, Inc. led redecorating projects, which include new draperies, wallpaper, rugs and paint. The Taylors have enjoyed preparing for the holidays in a new place, using decorations they’ve collected through the years and adding new seasonal items. A vibrant red wreath and garland on the front door greet guests as they arrive. Inside, a collection of Dickens Village Department 56 pieces depict classic sights of Victorian England along with scenes from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Yards of greenery and intricate bows adorn the home’s two grand staircases. Not to be outdone, the three fireplace mantels are festively dressed with garlands of their own. Adding to the home’s holiday décor are mesmerizing gold and white orbs in the library and four trees outfitted in angelic gold and white by Rita Daffison of RD Designs. In addition to seeing the residence bedecked in seasonal splendor, tour guests at the Samford President’s Home will be treated to live holiday music.
Tickets on Sale
Advance tickets are required for the tour and may be purchased at samford.edu/legacyleague for $35 through Dec. 7. There will be no ticket sales at the door. Purchasers of the first 500 tickets will receive a special take-home box of Christmas treats during their stop at the president’s home. Guests will select their start times and first house to be toured during ticket purchase. Houses will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Premium sponsors of the tour are Community Bank, Slate Barganier Building and Wilkes Construction Co. The Legacy League is a service organization with nearly 800 members ranging in age from 22 to 100. The 2021 Christmas Home Tour Committee, chaired by Tricia Naro, planned this year’s event, which is one of the organization’s largest fundraisers. The annual tour draws hundreds of people every year, attracting visitors from across Alabama and multiple other states. Sharon Smith is director of development, Samford University Legacy League
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 31
ENGLISH VILLAGE
Henhouse Antiques Located in charming English Village for over twenty years, Ashford Hill for Henhouse Antiques offers beautiful, unique pieces personally selected by owners Laura Ashford Gessert and Libby Hill McGowan. From the traditional to the unexpected, our collection is a fresh approach to decorating. We enjoy mixing English with French, 18th Century with 21st Century and primitive with formal. Our look is constantly changing and evolving! We were able to go on an in-person buying trip to England this past September and put together an impressive 40 foot container! Henhouse Antiques is located at 1900 Cahaba Rd., 205-918-0505.
Little Hardware In 1946, Lewis Little opened the doors of Little Hardware in Ensley. In 1959 an opportunity presented itself to move to the newly built Mountain Brook Shopping Center adjacent to Mountain Brook Village. Prospective businessman Frank Davies Jr. bought Little Hardware in 1965 from Mr. Little. In addition to being a devoted business-man, Frank Davies Jr. was dedicated to his family. He and his wife had three children, all of whom worked in the store at some point in their lives. His son, Frank Wesley Davies III, permanently joined the team in 1982, which made Little Hardware the family business Mr. Davies Jr. had dreamed about. In 2013, Little Hardware relocated to English
Village in the former Park Lane grocery store location. “We are a family owned and operated business built on service and selection,” said owner, Frank Davies, above, sixth from the left, with members of the Little Hardware team. “We offer barbecue grills, pet food, lawn and garden power equipment, bird feed and feeders. We are a full-line hardware store.” The popular longtime hardware store also sells Benjamin Moore paints and a complete line of STIHL products. “We have lots of great and practical gifts for everyone. We are open from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.” Little Hardware is located at 2117 Cahaba Rd. in English Village, 205-871-4616.
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ENGLISH VILLAGE 2117 CAHABA ROAD • 871-4616
All prices are DSRP at participating dealers while supplies last. †The actual listed guide bar length may vary from the effective cutting length based on which powerhead it is installed on. Check out these reviews and others on the product pages at STIHLdealers.com. © 2021 STIHL
All prices are DSRP at participating dealers while supplies last. †The actual listed guide bar length may vary from the effective cutting length based on which powerhead it is installed on. Check out these reviews and others on the product pages at STIHLdealers.com. © 2020 STIHL
FOOD ‘Classics Always Deliver’
32 • Thursday, December 2, 2021
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
FOODIE NEWS
Famed Photographer Brings New York-Style Pies to Crestline Village
By Emily Williams-Robertshaw
A
Photos courtesy Helen
cclaimed photographer Miller Mobley tacked restaurateur to his credits this fall as his first restaurant, Slim’s Pizzeria, opened its doors in October. Led by an adage that suggests one build the restaurant they would want to go to, the New York-style pizza joint serves up simple Italian dishes inspired by his favorite haunts in the Big Apple. “I lived in New York for about eight years,
The contemporary Southern grill, Helen, led by chef Rob McDaniel and Emily McDaniel pays homage to Rob’s grandmother.
Nationally Ranked
Mobley’s career has put him near interesting people, photographing the likes of the late Anthony Bourdain, Michelle Obama, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Tom Hanks and numerous other high-profile public figures. Photos courtesy Miller Mobley
so I’m used to being able to have great New York-style pizza,” Mobley said. “I wanted that same pizza, but in my neighborhood of Birmingham.” Mobley now lives in Mountain Brook with his wife, Jana, and their young children. “Crestline is my own personal neighborhood and I wanted to do something that the community would appreciate and be proud to call their own,” Mobley said. The experience at Slim’s is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the mouth. According to Mobley, everything used in the interior design was either handcrafted or sourced from an antique shop. “My wife and I have been in the creative business for awhile now with my photography,” he said. Mobley’s career has put him near interesting people, photographing the likes of the late Anthony Bourdain, Michelle Obama, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Tom Hanks and numerous other high-profile public figures. “We are always involved with the art direction of building sets for my photographs, so it was kind of a natural fit to handle all the design aspects of Slim’s,” Mobley said. “We basically treated it as our own theatrical set, if you will.” To create the menu for the restaurant, Mobley relied on the culinary expertise of former Bottega chef de cuisine John Rolen. “For me, the classics always deliver and give me a sense of nostalgia,” Mobley said. “We aren’t doing anything revolutionary in terms of food, we just wanted to create our best version of everything that’s considered
Birmingham’s Helen Restaurant Singled Out by Esquire on Its Best New Restaurant List
The New York-style pizza joint serves up simple Italian dishes inspired by Mobley’s favorite haunts in the Big Apple. Below left, everything used in the interior design was either handcrafted or sourced from an antique shop. Below right, marinated garlic knots.
Spoon Creamery. If plain ice cream doesn’t suffice, the Slim’s Sundae and the Bambino each come stacked with toppings and two warm cookies. Slim’s is a place where parents can bring their young kids, but it also doubles as a bar serving a slew of specialty cocktails, beer and wine. In their first weeks on the job, Mobley said, the Slim’s crew has been warmly welcomed by the community. “As with any new venture, there are certain kinks to iron out, but I really feel the community has embraced Slim’s as their own,” Mobley said. “We built it for the neighborhood. It’s that simple.” For more information, visit slimspizzeria. com. classic.” The pair concocted a menu that reflected more than their love of traditional pizzeria standards. “I think the hot honey is one of my favorite pies, but I also love just a classic original with cheese and fresh basil,” Mobley said. One can begin the meal with marinated garlic knots, meatballs or a salad. For dessert, there are slices of cheesecake and a selection of Italian-inspired ice cream flavors by Big
A downtown Birmingham restaurant called Helen recently was slotted in the No. 3 spot on Esquire’s 2021 Best New Restaurants in America list. The contemporary Southern grill led by chef Rob McDaniel and Emily McDaniel pays homage to Rob’s grandmother, who had a grill inside her house and who showed him how to cook over the hardwood coals. “Witness the twentytwo-ounce, dry-aged Kansas City strip, drizzled with beef-and-herbinfused duck fat, and the fennely porchetta with a crackling skin,” Joshua David Stein wrote in the Esquire piece on the restaurant. The restaurant cooks fresh, seasonal food with generous portions best served family-style, according to its website. The menu changes seasonally and now includes several meat choices of steak, lamb, pork, chicken, duck and fish served with inventive vegetable and salad choices. Helen is in a two-story 1920s-era shotgunstyle building at 2013 Second Avenue North. For more information and menus, visit helenbham.com. Esquire’s list included 40 restaurants spread across the country. Topping the list were restaurants in New York and Chicago.
Three Birmingham Restaurants Earn Alabama Environmental Council’s EAT Gold Status
Three Birmingham restaurants recently were named Gold Sustainable Partners in the Alabama Environmental Council’s Earth Aware Team restaurant initiative: Blueprint on 3rd, Blueroot and Filter Coffee Parlor. The EAT program is an initiative established
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
The Blind Dog Biscuit Co., Plant Stand and Wild Honey Flower Truck. Funds raised from the event support the organization’s free compassionate counseling, education and support for bereaved persons in the seven-county Birmingham area.
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
by the council to raise health and sustainability standards in the state’s culinary industry. The advisory board for the initiative includes Birmingham Breadworks owner Brooks Taylor, Bottega sustainability manager Weston Stitt, Rojo owner Laney DeJonge, Slice owner Chris Bahaleigh, Field Culture Compost owner Matthew Nesbitt and Feast BHAM owner Brett Abels. Founding partners Bottega and Birmingham Breadworks also are local gold sustainability partners. Through the program, eateries commit to three levels of sustainability, beginning with a commitment to eliminate the use of plastic foam containers and single-use plastic bags in takeout and to provide takeout accoutrements such as utensils and condiments only on request. Partners must then reach silver status by using only food service containers that contain minimal to no polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, which contain toxins and carcinogens harmful to the environment and human health. In addition, partners must use only reusable foodware in onsite dining service. To earn gold status, establishments must compost to reduce landfill waste and must commit to one of the following measures: buy local produce and humanely raised animals when possible, offer plant-based proteins, donate leftovers, eliminate sales of beverages in plastic bottles, advertise the option to refill water bottles and accept personal containers for take-out.
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 33
FOOD
FAB Fruit Opens in Stadium Trace Village Sydney Haas and Bentley Rosser with Griz at this year’s Magic City Mac N’ Cheese Festival.
Say Cheese! Community Grief Support Hosts Annual Mac N’ Cheese Competition Competition came to a boiling point Nov. 14 at Back Forty Birmingham as the junior board for Community Grief Support hosted the annual Magic City Mac N’ Cheese Festival. This year’s cooking competition and community celebration raised more than $20,000. Vendors at the event included Back Forty, The Southern Kitchen and Bar, Newk’s Eatery, Katie’s Plates, Fig Tree, Pelham Diner, 1918 Catering, Little London Kitchen, Doodles, The Foundry Ministries, Forstall Art Center, Stacie Blackburn, Hanna Simmons, Erin Bailey Jewelry, Finklepott’s Original Fairy Hair,
FAB Fruit has opened its first Hoover location serving made-to-order fruit bowls and smoothies. The restaurant is in Stadium Trace Village, on Peridot Place. “We are proud to offer a delicious and nutritious option for lunch, dinner or snack, made to order with the freshest of produce,” Kaye Tompkins, CEO and owner of the restaurant, said in a statement. “We look forward to growing with Stadium Trace Village’s Entertainment District and serving residents and visitors to the Birmingham Metro.” FAB Fruit offers dine-in, carry-out, curbside and third-party delivery service. There is a menu of items, or customers can create their own bowls and smoothies. The fruit bowls start with a base of acai, pitaya and spinach, with granola added on top, and then the customers’ choice of fruit and toppings such as peanut butter, Nutella and chia seeds. Smoothies contain fresh fruit, juices and nut milks. For more information or to order online, visit www.FABfruitbowls.com.
GOURMET & GIFT STORE
IT'S TIME TO THINK HOLIDAYS BRING US YOUR LIST! GIFT SETS - CHARCUTERIE COMBOS COMPLIMENTARY GIFT WRAP
261 RELE ST. LANE PARKE 205.703.9003 SHOP US ONLINE - SHIP OR PICK UP IN STORE MOUNTAINBROOKOLIVE.COM
2022 MOUNTAIN BROOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL LUNCHEON JANUARY 26TH
11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. For more information or ticket reservations contact the Mountain Brook Chamber, wwwmtnbrookchamber.org or call 205-871-3779.
Sponsored by Evson, Inc., Hoar Construction and RealtySouth Mountain Brook Village This year the Chamber will honor Jemison Visionary Award Winner, Rob Burton.
From left, Ricky Bromberg, 2021 Chamber Board President; Suzan Doidge, Chamber Executive Director; Walter Crye, 2022 Chamber Board President; and Rob Burton, Jemison Visionary Award Winner. Photo by Stuart Franco
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021 • PAGE 34
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Christmas GIFT GUIDE 2021 PART II
Handmade pottery by Lee Barnes, Birmingham native and Samford graduate, available in assorted styles including angels, Santas and flowers, $99.99. Wild Birds Unlimited, 205-823-6500.
W
e’ve turned up so many great gifts that we had to use two issues to include them all. After Thanksgiving, the countdown to Christmas commands your full attention. You can make this special shopping season merrier, brighter and less complicated with our suggestions for all kinds of gifts—and all from Over the Mountain area shops. e
Truelux lotion candles are made in the USA with a distinctive blend of natural butters and oils. Candles burn at two degrees above body temperature. Christine’s on Canterbury, 205-871-8297.
The fire pit sized for every adventure, Ranger Solo Stove’s unique features make it suitable for cityscapes and campsites alike, $269.99. Bonfire and Yukon sizes also available. Little Hardware, 205-871-4616.
Make an over-the-top dessert with Cookie Fix Dough to Go, $20, or Little Lodge skillets, $11.25. Pair with your favorite ice cream and sauce. Cookie Fix Homewood, 205-582-2623; Cahaba Heights 205-848-8001.
Featured Phillip Gavriel necklaces: sterling silver and gold initial, $230; popcorn style, $405; sterling silver with gold accents, $315. Southeastern Jewelers, 205-980-9030.
Donate $100 to Homewood Community Grief Support and receive a beautiful, antique-gold memorial ornament with velvet ribbon, calligraphed with a loved one’s name. communitygriefsupport.org
A favorite for the holidays, the Vietri Old St. Nick Mug. is handprinted in Italy with whimsical designs inspired by the adventures of Babbo Natale, Italy’s Santa Claus, $44. Bromberg’s, 205-871-3276.
Over the Mountain Candle Company candles, startin at $12.50, available in a variety of sizes and styles. The Clotheshorse, 205-823-9144
Montblanc’s classic Meisterstück gold-coated ballpoint pen, $425. Barton-Clay Jewelers, 205-871-7060.
Cute garlic zesters, ginger grater and bread dipper small dishes, $12, comes with idea card. The Cook Store, 205- 879-5277.
A luxury faux fur throw is an effortless way to add luxurious ambiance to your home, $329-399. Gus Mayer, 205-870-3300.
Brut rosé, made with Pinot Noir grapes from Carmel Valley, Calif., $99. R&R Wine and Liquor Crestline, 205-848-2080.
Bloch warm up booties in new Cheetah prints are perfect to slide over dance shoes to protect them. In child and adult sizes, from $49. Applause Dancewear, 205-871-7837.
Personalize your Marla Aaron lock necklace, $240, with Zoe Chicco charms, starting at $95 per charm. Exclusively available at Etc..., 205-335-7912.
Mouth Party “OMG!” Chocolate covered caramels with sea salt. Available in 6 oz., $12, or 10 oz., $18. Marguerite’s Conceits, 205-879-2730
For the ear, 3.50ct sapphires with 3.50 ct diamonds set in 18k gold, $20,000. John-William Jewelers, 205-870-4367.
Build a mighty construction vehicle packed with details with this huge LEGO Technic App-Controlled Cat D11 Bulldozer 42131 model building set for adults, $474.99. Homewood Toy & Hobby, 205-879-3986.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Your favorite earrings in 14k gold, diamond and gemstones. Sold individually, two is better than one. Rex Harris Jewelry, 205-871-3333.
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 35
GIFT GUIDE
Custom gift baskets for your dog and best friend, including a free assessment. Top Dog Birmingham, 205-201-4782.
Let the wine experts at Piggly Wiggly put together the perfect gift basket. Includes two bottles of wine, local grocery and shelf stable charcuterie. Piggly Wiggly, all locations.
Beautiful 14k Huggie Hoops with bezel set diamonds, starting at $399, and 14kw Huggie Hoops, starting at $579. Shay’s Jewelers, 205-978-5880.
Alabama charcuterie board crafted in Alabama exclusively for Alabama Goods. $59.99 Luxury faux fur throw. An effortless way to add luxurious ambiance to your home, $329-399. Gus Mayer, 205-870-3300.
A Decorative Christmas Lamb, $9, adds holiday splendor to the home. Attic Antiques, 205-991-6887.
Get lit this holiday season with a lighted hand bag. Includes a battery pack with light switch and removable cross-body chain. Wallace-Burke Fine Jewelry & Art, 205-874-1044.
Nutcracker guest napkins in a red and gold tray, $26.50 per set, include 16 double sided paper napkins (4.25 x 8.25). Baker Lamps & Linens, 205-981-3330.
2933 18th Street South Homewood, AL 35209 www.alabamagoods.com
Facebook.com/alabamagoods Instagram.com/alabamagoods
Happy Holidays! from
Wild Birds Unlimited Just what every homeowner and senior wants! Someone to help around the house. Three hours of handyman services, $249, or six hours, $498. TruBlue, 205-839-3838.
ThermoWorks Thermometer for grilling, from $29.95-109.95. Alabama Gaslight and Grill at Hollywood Pools, 205-979-7727.
Mottahedeh Tobacco Leaf Cache pot, tall vase and plate. Roman Brantley Art and Antiques, 205-460-1224.
BIRDFOOD Adorable assorted Christmas towels by Coast & Cotton, $19.99, are a customer favorite, made with premium 100% cotton. Alabama Goods, 205-803-3900.
Create a table just like your favorite restaurants with beautiful, functional pottery. A variety of forms ranging from $20 to $375. Earthborn Pottery, 205-702-7055.
SB2–Professional 2” Blowout Brush all-in-one dryer and styling, available at a holiday price of $99. Salon Summit, 205-518-0406.
FEEDERS
GARDEN ACCENTS
UNIQUE GIFTS 1580 Montgomery Hwy, Birmingham 823-6500 • www.wbu.com/birmingham
36 • Thursday, December 2, 2021
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SCHOOLS
Going Pro
By Mary Stephens Pugh As the holiday season approaches, Elizabeth Lowman, an eighth-grade student at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School, will be doing something most teenagers her age have not yet considered. At 13 years old, she will be crafting and fulfilling gift orders for her online Etsy store and setting up for local pop-up markets. She has more than 40 handcrafted dog accessories available to ship to people across the world. Lowman took an interest in the retail business at a very young age. “I would make bracelets and other jewelry and sell it to my Nana,” she said. When she was 8 years old, her third grade class incorporated an economics lesson with a classroom disciplinary program that sparked her interest in a dream that now has become a reality. The program each month offered a “class store,” where the third graders could bring toys they no longer wanted or make crafts they would like to sell. Each child had a classroom job and could earn their “store money” for performing their job well. If they made bad choices or broke rules, they received a ticket, paid a fine and would have less money to spend at the class store. “This economy system works very well with our third grade students and encourages good behavior, as well as introducing them to economics,” said OLS third grade teacher Kim Yerkes. “At the time, I noticed that Elizabeth was always very imaginative and liked to sell items to her classmates.” Lowman became inspired by the idea of entrepreneurship at 9 years old and decided to begin her own personal
business, which she called “House on the Go.” “I made custom artwork, usually drawings and paintings of houses, and I would sell them to my parents and grandparents,” she said. “It was fun to see people interested in what I had to sell.” In the fifth grade, her parents gifted her with a Cricut for Christmas, and she began making stickers, decals and iron-ons for fun. Her fun soon turned into money when she started selling the items to people outside of her family. “In middle school, we learned about economics, so I began to understand even more how things worked,” she said. It wasn’t long before her little business took another positive turn. In April 2020, during the COVID19 pandemic, “Broadway Monograms” was born. With the new name, Lowman posted items she created on Instagram. During that time, her parents gave her the puppy she had always wanted, and she named her Millie. Her creativity sparked once again. “Millie is a girl, and girls need their accessories!” she thought. So she and her mom shopped for fabrics and opened a bank account in Elizabeth’s name for her to buy materials needed to broaden her product line online. Lowman began creating different dog bandana styles and posting pictures on her Instagram account. She also changed her store to its current name, “Birmingham Pup Co.,” and eventually decided to make her business more official. “My mom and I had bought things from Etsy before, so I knew it was a place where people sold handmade crafted items, and I figured it would be a good place to grow my sales,” she said.
Photo courtesy OLS
From a Classroom to Etsy, OLS Student Breaks Into the Business World with Handmade Crafts
“My dogs, Millie (age 17 months) and Mazie (age 11months) are my motivation and inspiration,” Elizabeth Lowman said. “They are so fun and even cooperate as models, wearing my products in pictures.
Since she is under the legal age of 18, her mother, Beth Lowman, registered the Etsy account in her name. “Her dad and I thought the idea of starting an Etsy store was a bit crazy,” said Beth Lowman. “She kept saying her ‘customers’ (followers on Instagram) were waiting for her to open her store (on Etsy). We finally gave in and set it up over Christmas break; Elizabeth did most of the work, as she’d been researching and reading about how to set it up for months.” By the end of the year, she had 10 orders for 17 items. To date, she has shipped almost 500 items all over the country, including several orders to Canada, and is considered an Etsy “Star Seller” based on her reviews. “I am amazed at her vision, cre-
ativity, salesmanship and craftsmanship,” said Beth Lowman. “The quality of her products and marketing just keeps getting better.” Today, her online store sells a variety of products, mostly colorful double-sided dog bandanas, custom orders with vinyl add-ons, dog clothing, leashes, ID tags, collars and cups with custom vinyl or iron-ons. “Elizabeth handcrafts all of the items for her store by herself and most of the accessory designs are her ideas,” said Beth Lowman. As for her creative insight, she gives credit to her dogs. “My dogs, Millie (age 17 months) and Mazie (age 11months) are my motivation and inspiration,” Lowman said. “They are so fun and even cooperate as models, wearing my products
Mountain Brook Senior Dorians Perform In Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade really good opportunity to go and do what our program has done in the past,” Wint said. “We saw the program and all the activities and decided it was something we really wanted to do.” After submitting a dance video to Spirit of America and being selected in July, the four seniors began planning their trip. Ahead of the parade, the girls participated in two four-hour rehearsals. Between rehearsals, they were able to tour the city, fit in some shopping, see the Statue of Liberty, watch the Broadway musical “Moulin Rouge” and visit Radio City Music Hall to watch a performance by The Rockettes.
Mary Stephens Pugh is Director of Marketing & Development at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School
South Shades Crest Hosts Thanksgiving Day Parade
Photo courtesy Mountain Brook City Schools
Millions of Americans tuned in for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, held in New York City. Included in the talent performing during the event were four dancers from Mountain Brook High School’s Dorians dance team. MBHS seniors Addison Wint, Catherine Guilsher, Emily Moore and Sarah Simon participated in the parade. The group Spirit of America puts on the parade yearly and about 800 high school dancers from across the country are selected to perform through the streets of New York. Dorians have been invited before but not while these four seniors have been on the team. “We thought that it would be a
in pictures. I think seeing my puppies in their bandanas makes people want to have something cute for their dogs.” Millie and Mazie even have their own Instagram account, @millie.and. mazie.the.doodles, which links to her store’s account. Most of her profit is reinvested into her business for additional inventory and new products. As she maintains the store and its products on her own, she hopes to continue growing her business. “I’ve designed a better, larger workspace in our basement,” she said. “I would also like to purchase a 35 mm camera to take pictures of my products and maybe even do dog photography in the future.” Lowman recently created a fall collection and is now promoting her Christmas collection. She also is considering a new product line with the proceeds being donated to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, a hospital and rehab facility for injured sea turtles. “I remember Elizabeth being such a creative third grader,” said Yerkes. “I have purchased dog bandanas from her Etsy store recently and couldn’t be prouder of her entrepreneurial instincts.” When Lowman was asked what advice she would give to other young people who may want to start their own businesses, she said, “Just find something you enjoy doing and do it. I love my dogs, and it gives me joy to make things for them. I also love seeing pictures that people share with me of my products on their dogs. If I make a profit, that’s great, but as long as I’m having fun planning, growing and creating, and I’m not spending more than I’m making, then I’m happy.” Elizabeth’s handmade dog accessories can be seen on Instagram at instagram.com/birminghampupco/ or purchased at her online ETSY store at etsy. com/shop/BirminghamPupCo.
From left: Catherine Guilsher, Addison Wint, Emily Moore and Sarah Simon.
South Shades Crest Elementary School held its annual Thankful Parade on Nov. 19, before the Thanksgiving holidays. The parade is the school’s own version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Before the event, school librarians taught each class about the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, with each class selecting what they were thankful for. Classes then created cardboard box floats that represented their choice. Walking in the parade wearing their class cardboard box floats were student representatives elected by their classmates.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SCHOOLS
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 37
Photo courtesy VHEW
We work tirelessly to help kids get well because Hugh has a long list of stuff he wants to do. WE DO WHAT WE DO
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VHEW Canned Food Drive Generates Record Number of Cans Students at Vestavia Hills Elementary West collected more than 9,500 canned and boxed food items for families in need in the school’s annual canned food drive Nov. 8-12. This was the most items collected in the drive’s 15-year history. Each November, VHEW gathers non-perishable food items and partners with Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church to distribute them to families in need throughout the community, including some with children attending the school. “I am overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of our West family,” said Dawn Norris, VHEW school counselor and sponsor of the event. “It is a privilege to be able to give back to the community and to see kids excited about helping others.” A team of parents and students helped to sort, count and transport the food collected. Students enjoyed a friendly competition between classes, with the highest collectors in each grade winning a small prize.
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Journal photo by Jordan Wald
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The South Shades Crest Elementary School parade is the school’s own version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and included a visit from Santa.
38 • Thursday, December 2, 2021
SPORTS
SPARTANS
Mountain Brook’s Jones Beavers wraps up a Clay-Chalkville runner.
coach said following the season-ending game. “Tonight, we didn’t play very clean football. You put the ball on the ground, you have penalties. You can’t do that in a championship game.” Mountain Brook had moments against the No. 1 Cougars, like Jake Thompson’s TD pass to fellow senior George Cain on a fake field goal to give the home team an early 8-6 lead. Or Jones Beavers jumping a route and making a diving interception to set the stage for John Colvin’s 16-yard touchdown toss to Brown. Or sophomore Cole Gamble’s 17-yard run during which he dragged wouldbe tacklers to set the Spartans up for Colvin’s 28-yard field goal that tied the contest at 18-18 with 1:48 to go in
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Margaret Blalock Tournament. They were especially dominant in the postseason, dropping only one set and capping their championship season with a 3-0 sweep (26-24, 25-23, 25-23) of perennial powerhouse McGill-Toolen in the Class 7A final. Their 47 wins set a school record. “We did what we set out to do,” Bowen said right after claiming the title. “I knew if we played our best game, nobody could beat us, and we proved that.” A few weeks after winning the crown, she said, “I’ve been through the lowest of lows, thinking, do I really want this job. We finally got it done. The word I have used is perseverance.” Bowen credited her players, including All-American Audrey Rothman, the 2021 OTM Player of the Year, for her finally reaching the pinnacle as a coach. “We never talked about winning a state championship,” Bowen said. “We talked about being a good teammate and having love for each other and playing to our standards. “They bought in to what we were doing. They wanted success for one another and wanted to be the best team we could be.”
OTM Volleyball Coach of the Year Kellye Bowen, left, with Player of the Year Audrey Rothman.
ROTHMAN From page 40
Grown as a Player
H K A R
Rothman joined the Jags’ varsity as an eighth-grader and will leave as Spain Park’s all-time leader in kills and digs. She has been named an AllAmerican by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and signed with Florida State in November to play indoor and beach volleyball. Bowen raves about Rothman and not just about what she does on the court. “I can’t say enough good things about her,” Bowen said. “She’s got God-gifted talent, but no other player works as hard as she does or plays at such a high level. She’s a once-in-alifetime player. “What makes her so different is
what she does off the floor. She’s someone you want your daughter to hang out with and be like. She’s always so positive and gives her teammates credit and encouragement. I get choked up talking about her.” Rothman returns the favor, saying she would not have become the player she is if not for Bowen. “She took me under her wings when I was in the eighth grade and is like family,” Rothman said. “She was always trying to get me to be more assertive and be more aggressive, and I finally learned to play that way. I love her so much.” Rothman said she is going to miss being a part of Spain Park’s program. “This program has meant the world to me,” she said. “I’ve developed close relationships with my teammates and all the athletic staff. I’m going to miss those relationships.”
RD
& BE NICE TO PEOPLE
the fourth quarter. A 60-yard pass play and a 16-yard TD run by Clay-Chalkville’s Ed Osley turned that tie into a Cougar lead the visitors would not relinquish. “We made plays but we also made a lot of mistakes when we needed to make plays,” Brown said. “It’s just a tough one but we’re gonna have to bite the bullet on that one.” The Spartans had a chance to distance themselves from the Cougars. When they were leading 15-12, a short Clay-Chalkville punt put the home team in business at the Cougar 32. One play later, the Spartans fumbled and gave the ball back to ClayChalkville. “That was the difference. I really believe that was the difference,” Yeager said. “That’s just sports. That’s just the way it goes. We’ll come back next year and work harder on ball security. That’s how you do it.” The Clay-Chalkville offense had been spectacular this season, not scoring fewer than 40 points until they faced Mountain Brook. The Spartan defense was equally special, notching seven shutouts on the season. “The defense played a heck of a game,” the coach said. “They played a great game. We left them out there too long. The team that wins the turnover ratio in a big game like this usually wins the game and they won the turnover ratio. “We had an interception,” Yeager continued, “but we fumbled the ball. We put the ball on the ground. You have to execute better than we did in these games like this.” The Spartan coach said his players “fought their guts out,” acknowledging that both teams played hard. “It was an unbelievable high school football game,” Yeager said. “What a game! It was decided in the fourth quarter and we knew it would be decided in the fourth quarter. They’ve got a good program and we do too.”
For eight seemingly long years, Kellye Bowen had been trying to reach the pinnacle with her Spain Park volleyball team. She finally got there this fall, leading the Jaguars to a 47-4 record and the Class 7A championship, the first in school history. She was selected the 2021 OTM Volleyball Coach of the Year unanimously in a vote of Over the Mountain coaches. “It’s very humbling after the experiences I’ve had over the last eight seasons,” Bowen said. “To God be the glory. I think highly of my coaching peers, and for them to pick me makes it special. They have seen me go through some tough times.” Bowen pointed to her first season, when the Jags had a 9-22 record, and she questioned whether she had made the right decision to take the job. But she steadily built the Jags into a contender, finishing as Class 7A runnersup in 2020 to a great Hoover team. The Jags were ranked No. 1 in the preseason this year and played like it throughout the season, winning its own HeffStrong Tournament, the Juanita Boddie Tournament and the
WO
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
By Rubin E. Grant
Journal photo by Marvin Gentry
semifinals, the coach said, and Mountain Brook was one of those teams. “We’re blessed to be playing and I’m thankful that we are,” he said. “I wish it had turned out differently. It’s
difficult, it’s hard, but I’m thankful to be here. I’m proud of the way our guys played.” The season was eight games old when Yeager truly grasped the notion that his team could possibly make a deep run in the playoffs. That game was a 49-14 win over Homewood. “That was a week I saw us really trend upward,” he said. “We played a very clean football game. We started playing complementary football. The offense was complementing the defense. The defense was complementing the offense.” And he couldn’t forget the kicking game. “We were playing well in all three phases,” Yeager said. “That’s what you’ve got to do. I felt like that was the first week we played well in all three phases and we’ve been trending upward since then. “We played clean football,” the
Perseverance
Bowen Voted OTM Volleyball Coach of the Year After Finally Winning a State Title
From page 40
‘It was an unbelievable high school football game. What a game! It was decided in the fourth quarter and we knew it would be decided in the fourth quarter.’
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, December 2, 2021 • 39
SPORTS
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
HOT START
By Rubin E. Grant Gavin King couldn’t have imagined a better start for his young Homewood girls basketball team in his first season as the Patriots’ head coach. Homewood opened the season with five consecutive wins and was 7-1 going into the Thanksgiving break.
‘One thing I love about this team is the girls are so unselfish. They cheer for each other, they share the ball and they share minutes.’ “We have a lot of new starters and rotational players,” King said. “We have started 15 different girls, and I don’t think we have rolled out the same starting five in any game.” The Patriots’ roster is loaded with freshmen and sophomores as well as 5-foot-10 eighth grader Ellis McCool. The freshmen include 6-1 Ella Serotsky, Laine Litton, Charlotte
Deerman, Annie McBride, Lydia Pope, Hollis Tangye and Madeline Alford. The sophomores are forward Kayla Warren, point guard Susie Whitsett, and 6-3 center Mira McCool. The Patriots have only two seniors, Katelyn Pope and Caidyn Cannon, and two juniors, Ava Pepper and Maddie Massie. “We’ve got girls who played in middle school or came off the bench last year who are new starters or getting minutes off the bench for the first time at the varsity level,” King said. “We’re trying to win now and give a lot of girls an opportunity to play. We play at a fast pace, so it doesn’t matter who starts. Sometimes we sub five in and five out. “One thing I love about this team is the girls are so unselfish. They cheer for each other, they share the ball and they share minutes.” King credits that chemistry along with depth and an aggressive, uptempo style of play for the Patriots’ hot start. “We’ve used our numbers to our advantage,” he said. “Our girls are so athletic and active, and most of them play multiple sports.
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
Coach King Has Young Patriots Girls Basketball Team Sizzling in His First Season
Homewood girls basketball team coach Gavin King with key players, from left, Kayla Warren, Katelyn Pope and Susie Whitsett. Homewood opened the season with five consecutive wins and was 7-1 going into the Thanksgiving break.
“We’re physical and we play extremely fast and the girls are in great shape, so I think against some of the teams we’ve played conditioning has come into the play.” The Patriots are blowing out opponents, winning by an average of 26.3 points, with wins against John Carroll Catholic (58-32), Pinson Valley (57-25), Bessemer City (5845), Woodlawn (53-28), Calera (6229), Talladega (61-30) and Central Clay County (73-49). Their only loss was to Northridge (58-47). “All of our wins have come against 5A and 6A schools,” King said. “We get out and run in transi-
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tion and we’re pressing. I think we have worn some of the other teams down. “The second half of our schedule is going to get tougher, so we’re trying to get as many girls ready for it as we can.” Homewood will compete in Class 6A, Area 9 along with Mountain Brook, Briarwood and Chelsea. Before coming to Homewood, King was the head coach at Childersburg, where he had four highly successful seasons. He led the team to four regional appearances, four area championships, and two Final Four trips while compiling a
102-29 record. King replaced Kevin Tubbs as the Patriots’ head coach. Tubbs left at the end of last season to become athletic director of Gulf Shores City Schools. King jumped at the chance to come to Homewood. “I live in Trussville and I was commuting two hours round trip to Childersburg,” King said. “Homewood is closer to home. It is a great high school and has a great basketball program with a great feeder program from the recreational leagues and middle school. I think it’s a great fit for me.”
Hot Start: Coach King has young Patriots girls basketball team sizzling in his first season. Page 39
SPORTS
NEXT ISSUE THE 2021 OTMJ ALL OTM HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM DEC. 16, 2021
Thursday, December 2, 2021 ❖ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
2021 OTMJ ALL-OTM VOLLYEBALL TEAM OUTSIDE HITTERS
Audrey Rothman, Senior, Spain Park Rya McKinnon, Senior, Hoover Olivia Brown, Senior, Homewood Angelica Vines, Senior, Vestavia Hills
RIGHT SIDE
Mackenzie Yoakum, Senior, Homewood Bella Halyard, Senior, Spain Park Jayni Thompson, Senior, Oak Mountain
MIDDLE
Journal photo by Marvin Gentry
Greer Golden, Senior, Mountain Brook Lily Janas, Senior, Homewood Poppy Moellering, Sophomore, John Carroll Stella Helms, Sophomore, Briarwood
SETTERS Members of the 2021 OTMJ All OTM Volleyball team are, front, from left: Coach Kellye Bowen, Spain Park; Olivia Brown, Homewood; Kathryn Smith, Oak Mountain; Lilly Johnson, Spain Park; Audrey Vielguth, Vestavia Hills; Brooklyn Allison, Spain Park; and Angelica Vines, Vestavia Hills. Back: Hannah Parant, Mountain Brook; Greer Golden, Mountain Brook; Jayni Thompson, Oak Mountain; Audrey Rothman, Spain Park; Mackenzie Yoakum, Homewood; and Lily Janas, Homewood. Not pictured: Rya McKinnon, Hoover; Bella Halyard, Spain Park; Poppy Moellering, John Carroll; and Stella Helms, Briarwood.
Special Talent Spain Park’s Rothman Tabbed OTM Volleyball Player of the Year After Dominating Season
By Rubin E. Grant
W
hile watching a replay of the Class 7A volleyball championship game against McGill-Toolen Catholic, Audrey Rothman’s emotions got the best of her, especially during the final blow that sealed Spain Park’s first state title. Rothman, an athletic 6-foot-4 senior outside hitter, delivered the kill to complete the Jaguars’ 3-0 sweep (26-24, 25-23, 25-23) of the legendary Dirty Dozen.
“It was bittersweet, honestly,” Rothman said of seeing the decisive kill again. “I was filled with a lot of emotions. “It still feels unreal that we actually won it. It’s something I’ve always looked forward to when I was younger.” Rothman had 24 kills and 12 digs in the final match of her high school career, earning Class 7A MVP honors. For the season, she had 709 kills, 249 digs, 71 blocks and 35 assists while leading Spain Park to a school record for wins with a 47-4 record.
Spain Park’s Her dominant perforBowen earns mance earned her the 2021 Coach of the OTM Volleyball Player of Year Honor. the Year honor in voting PAGE 38 done by Over the Mountain coaches. “I feel very blessed,” Rothman said. “I am thankful for everything this season gave me and for every single girl on my team. We have a special bond.” Rothman is one of four Spain Park players voted to the 2021 All-OTM team. Senior right side Bella Halyard, junior setter Lilly Johnson and junior libero Brooklyn Allison also were selected. Class 6A state champion Mountain Brook landed two players on the team, senior middle hitter Greer Golden and sophomore setter Hannah Parant. Class 6A semifinalist Homewood had three players chosen, senior outside hitter Olivia
Hannah Parant, Sophomore, Mountain Brook Kathryn Smith, Senior, Oak Mountain Lilly Johnson, Junior, Spain Park
LIBERO
Brooklyn Allison, Junior, Spain Park Audrey Vielguth, Sophomore, Vestavia Hills Player of the Year Audrey Rothman, Spain Park Coach of the Year Kellye Bowen, Spain Park
Brown, senior right side Mackenzie Yoakum and senior middle hitter Lily Janas. Vestavia Hills had two players selected, senior outside hitter Angelica Vines and sophomore libero Audrey Vielguth. Oak Mountain also had two players voted to the squad, senior right side Jayni Thompson and senior setter Kathryn Smith. Rounding out the team are Hoover senior outside hitter Rya McKinnon, John Carroll Catholic sophomore middle hitter Poppy Moellering and Briarwood Christian sophomore middle hitter Stella Helms. Spain Park’s Kellye Bowen was the unanimous choice as 2021 OTM Coach of Year.
End of the Run Mountain Brook Season Ends With 6A Semifinal Loss to Clay-Chalkville
Journal photo Jordan Wald
By Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
Mountain Brook’s Jake Thompson works to break a tackle in the Spartan’s semifinal loss to ClayChalkville Friday.
Sims Brown lingered on the field at Spartans Stadium Friday night after his No. 3 Mountain Brook team lost 24-18 to No. 1 Clay-Chalkville in the Class 6A semifinals of the Alabama High School Athletic Association football playoffs. The wide receiver might have hung around after any game, but this one was different because it was his last one as a high school player.
“It’s pretty much all I’ve known for 18 years of my life. Well, half of it,” the senior said, choking up a bit. “I’m sorry. We put so much into it. We put so much into it. It’s tough but I think we left these younger guys with something they can learn from and hopefully they’ll get it next year.” The Mountain Brook roster shows 27 12th-graders. That total pales when compared to the 46 seniors who were on the 2020 squad. That loss of veteran experience could have
See ROTHMAN, page 38
made the 2021 season a rebuilding campaign for coach Chris Yeager. Instead, his Spartans finished the regular season ranked No. 3 by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and came within one win of earning a berth in the Super 7 this week at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium. Yeager admits that he was pleasantly surprised by this year’s Spartans. “These guys rallied. They led. They pulled this team together,” he said of the seniors on the squad. “They trended upward every week. They improved every single week. It’s a tribute to them that we’re even here.” Four teams reached the Class 6A
See SPARTANS, page 38
