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Thursday, May 19, 2016
inside Memorial day
Reluctant
Hero
First Alabama Vietnam Veteran Reflects on Real Tragedy of Any War
play ball! Barons and Leadership Vestavia host annual Special Needs Baseball Clinic. sports page 32
By Lee Davis
Photo special to the Journal
Jim Lawrence’s professorial looks and soft-spoken manner
Jim Lawrence was awarded The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, The Air Medal, The Army Commendation Medal, The Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and other Vietnamese service medals.
give him the appearance of a college dean or a teacher. In fact, Lawrence has been both. But he is much more than that. The Vestavia Hills resident is a war hero – even though he disputes that description. Lawrence, a Troy native, had just graduated from The Citadel in South Carolina when he decided to join the United States Army. Lawrence received his commission as a second lieutenant in March 1964 and joined the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. While there, he earned his wings from paratrooper school, often jumping from UH-1 Huey helicopters, which were being used extensively in America’s comparatively small but gradually increasing military role in helping its Southeast Asian ally, South Vietnam, halt communist aggression from the north. “People have always asked me why I wanted to jump out of perfectly good airplanes or helicopters,” Lawrence recalled last week. “To me, I wanted to prove that I could do it. Being a paratrooper was a good way to learn how to deal with fear.” A few months later, Lawrence’s 2nd Infantry Division was converted to the 1st Calvary Division, and he was named reconnaissance platoon leader. After deployment to Vietnam, Lawrence was promoted to 1st lieutenant and was named executive officer of Delta Company in the early fall of 1965. To many Americans, Vietnam was still just an obscure spot on a map, but that was about to change. Fate put Lawrence in the middle of one of the most significant battles in American military history. The Ia Drang Valley was an area in South Vietnam just a few miles east of the Cambodian border where American troops first engaged with North Vietnamese Army regulars (PAVN) as part of Operation Long Reach. The confrontation, which would become known as the battle at Landing Zone Albany (LZ-Albany), began in the early afternoon on Nov. 17, 1965, when U.S. forces came into a clearing. North Vietnamese troops, which had arrived from Hanoi via the Ho Chi Minh
‘That’s Your Heartbeat Out There’ Crestline mom wants to make her son’s world better. people Page 8
summer Fashion Page 31
See Lawrence, page 16
In an emergency, it’s about time. GrandviewHealth.com The E.R. team will work to have you initially seen by a medical professional within 30 minutes of your arrival in the Emergency Room.
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look forward 4/13/16 2:50 PM
2 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
Opinion/Contents
Bulwagi, the Zoo’s African Elephant, Recovering From Surgery Bulwagi, one of the Birmingham Zoo’s African elephants, came through surgery on an infected tusk well and is recuperating, according to officials with the zoo. Initially, vets had intended to remove the tusk. But after three hours of surgery on May 11, they decided to cut the tusk, instead, according to a news release from the zoo. That will give them better access than they had to manage the infection. Bulwagi did well under anesthesia and is eating and drinking normally, the release stated. “We had a great team in place that made the procedure go very smoothly,” said zoo Director of Animal Health Dr. Stephanie McCain. “While we were hoping to remove the whole tusk, after working for three hours on the extraction without seeing the results we needed, we did not want to keep Bulwagi under anesthesia any longer. We fortunately had planned for a variety of scenarios, and were able to go with the plan to partially remove the tusk.” The elephant has had a crack in that tusk for years. Several months ago, vets at the zoo worked with experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to apply a composite material they hoped would stop the crack from spreading. But the tusk became infected, and attempts to treat the infection with antibiotics failed. Left untreated, the infection could have spread to other organs, including the heart, and eventually could have been fatal. ❖ Bulwagi, pre-surgery
in this issue About Town 3 people 8 news 12 life 14 social 18
weddings 25 business 26 schools 28 fashions 30 sports 36
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
murphy’s law
P
The Turkey Chainsaw Massacre
Harold approaches spring with a vision oor Harold. Since he broke his of how he wants the yard to look, but arm, he has had to rely on my this year he only has my spindly abilipatchy expertise in way too ties to make his dream a reality. many areas. It would try the patience I liken it to someone doing robotic of a saint. surgery. Harold looks through his I know what you’re saying. Didn’t horticultural microscope and tries to Harold break his arm before? Yes, he position my hands and the clippers did, and that made the poor man crazy. where he wants them to go, but my But this time it’s his right arm, which hands have a mind of their own, which has added a host of other indignities. routinely gets in the way. This is madWe tackled the “I can’t drive” dening for Harold but, trust me, I am dilemma during the first go-round. It doing my best. was tough, but Harold learned to steel My son-in-law was here for the himself against my driving quirks, great garden gate rewiring, but he had most especially riding in the right lane cleared the driveway when the cabinet (“This is the Clown Car Lane!”). After Sue Murphy door came off the hinges, so it was many silent and not-so-silent protests, up to me to balance on the ladder he simply gave up in that arena and while poking broken toothpicks now sits stoically on the passenger into the screw apertures and turn side with a look of a long-suffering Harold approaches the Phillip’s head in correct rightyresignation. Harold’s typing has always been spring with a vision of tighty fashion. As of this writing, door is still opening and closing hunt-and-peck, so computer work is how he wants the yard the effectively, so that’s OK, too. still doable, but his left-handed pento look, but this year Harold can still fire up the grill, manship is too wobbly for anything official, so he reluctantly turned he only has my spindly but I must do the carrying and the flipping and the hoisting of the over the check writing and checkabilities to make his propane tanks. We’ve been able to book balancing to his trusted second dream a reality. tag-team stir fry, as long as I do in command. I have proven myself the slicing and dicing, although if worthy in this area, following his you ask Chef Harold, I slice when explicit instructions to the letter, and I should have diced and vice versa, am happy to report that our finances but I think it still tastes just fine. are still A-OK. The only big fiasco came when I roasted a turkey Lawn maintenance has been problematic, but that’s breast. It came out beautiful, golden brown, but then I to be expected because (a) I have never done it, and (b) had to carve it – again, an activity I have never before I have a deep-seated (Seeded? Probably both.) aversion attempted. Harold tried to talk me through it as he did to machines. We have someone who routinely comes with the checkbook, but when I got down to the skeland cuts the grass, so I haven’t had to attempt to coneton, Harold just shook his head. “You might as well quer the mower that has the potential to sever limbs have taken an axe to it.” while it self-propels, but this is the time of year when I just want to say, I’m trying, Harold, I really am. Harold likes to haul out his arsenal of trimmers and Be patient with me and get better soon…for both of our blowers and some gadgets that do both, but not simulsakes. ❖ taneously, although that would be helpful, I’m sure.
On otmj.com
There’s so much happening in the Over the Mountain area, we can’t fit it all in the paper! Visit www.otmj.com for more stories and photos.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
May 19, 2016 JOU RNAL Publisher & Editor: Maury Wald Copy Editor: Virginia Martin Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Staff Writers: Sarah Kuper, Emily Williams Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Lee Davis Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, William C. Singleton III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls Jr., Bryan Bunch Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Intern: Rae Patterson Vol. 26, No. 18
Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper delivered to Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas. Subscriptions for The Journal are available for $24 yearly. Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205) 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at mwald@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2016 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Journal is not responsible for return of photos, copy and other unsolicited materials submitted. To have materials returned, please specify when submitting and provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All materials submitted are subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification.
over the Mountain Views
Do you have any big trips planned for this summer?
“I do in late summer. Around September, I’m going to Edisto Island. It’s in South Carolina.” Hannah Greenwood North Shelby
“I’m flying to the happiest place on Earth, Universal Studios’ Harry Potter World. We’re also going to stop by Disney.” Elizabeth Naro Mountain Brook
“I’m going to Maine and Quebec City. It’s a trip I planned with my friends. We’ve got someone picking us up in Maine and driving us to Quebec.” Glenda Robertson Birmingham
“I’m going to Ireland to visit cousins. It has been a longtime dream to reconnect with my Irish heritage.” Charlie Bice Mountain Brook
May 19 - june 1
Tent Sale weekend in English Village.
Sat., May 21 BIRMINGHAM
Zoo Run Birmingham Zoo The Zoo will host its annual 5K run from 7:30-10:30 a.m. benefiting the zoo’s Marine Mammal Center. The starting line will be located in the parking lot and the finish line will be in the Trails of Africa. A selection of kids races will be held in the children’s zoo. Registration is $30 for adults and $12 for children. For HOOVER
Regions Tradition Greystone Golf and Country Club Regions Bank will host the annual PGA Champions Golf Tournament. Golfers scheduled to play in the ProAm on May 18 include: Nick Saban, Gus Malzahn, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Steve Spurrier and Bo Jackson. John Daly, (above) a two-time major champion makes his debut at the tournament this year. Gates open May 18-20 at 7 a.m. and May 21-22 at 8 a.m. One-day tickets are $20 and weekly admission is $65. For more information, visit regionstradition. com. ❖
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 3
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
more information, visit birminghamzoo. com. NORTH SHELBY
Cahaba Lily Festival Cahaba Lily Center The center will host its annual celebration of the flower, which usually blooms once a day between late May and early June. Programs led by various nature groups will begin at 9 a.m.. Botanist Larry Davenport will give a presentation on lilies. This event is free. For more information visit cahabalily. com.
HOOVER
Summer Reading Kickoff Veterans Park The Library will host an event beginning at 10 a.m. featuring games, snacks, inflatables and more. The BMX Trickstars will hold an exhibition at both 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. For more information, visit hooverlibrary.org. BIRMINGHAM
International Street Fair Downtown Birmingham From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Birmingham Multicultural Association will host its fourth annual street fair on 3rd Avenue
ALL-NEW JAGUAR F-PACE
PERFORMANCE. IT’S WHAT WE DO.
Thurs., May 19 HOMEWOOD
Homeschool Hour Homewood Library Local meteorologist James Spann will join the Library from 1:30-2:30 p.m. to present a formative program about local weather. The program is suggested for ages fourth grade and up. Online registration is required. For more information, visit homewoodpubliclibrary. org.
JAGUAR BIRMINGHAM 3000 Tom Williams Way, Birmingham, AL 35210 866-200-5106 jaguarbirmingham.com
HOMEWOOD
Purses Etc. The Club The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary will host a silent auction and luncheon beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 11:15 a.m. Actress Karen Abercrombie will serve as the featured speaker. Tickets are $50 and funds raised benefit the Salvation Army and its various support programming for women and children. To reserve a seat, call 328-2420 ext. 214.
ALL-NEW JAGUAR XE
ARE YOU READY TO RULE THE ROADS?
BIRMINGHAM
Flicks Among the Flowers Birmingham Botanical Gardens The Gardens will host its annual summer movie series, beginning with a showing of “Back to the Future.” The gates will open at 6 p.m. and the movie begins at 8 p.m. in the formal garden in front of the conservatory. Refreshments will be sold at The Gardens Cafe. For more information, visit bbgardens.org. Mountain Brook
Jazz with Civitas English Village Shop, sip and stroll through English Village from 5pm-8pm. Enjoy complimentary beverages and specials throughout the Village at your favorite local merchants and a jazz band playing out on the street. This event kicks off a
JAGUAR BIRMINGHAM 3000 Tom Williams Way, Birmingham, AL 35210 866-200-5106 jaguarbirmingham.com
North and 20th Street North. Activities include food, international dance performances, and vendors. Guests are encouraged to dress in traditional styles of their countries. For more information, visit birminghammulticultural.org. BESSEMER
Bob Sykes Blues Festival DeBardeleben Park The 7th annual barbeque and blues festival will begin at noon, with gates opening at 11 a.m. The event is hosted by restaurant Bob Sykes Bar B Q and features local and national blues musicians, as well as a variety of booths
4 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
About Town
HOMEWOOD
Photo special to the Journal
Race Into Reading Homewood Library The library will kick off its summer reading programs with a onemile Foundation Fun Run at 6 p.m., benefiting the Homewood Library Foundation. Registration for the race is $10 for individuals or $20 for a family of four. The event will include a bouncy house and a Zumbatonic pre-race workout. For more information, visit homewoodpubliclibrary. org. ❖
offering various crafts, giveaways and more. Tickets begin at $15. Kids ages 12 and under enter for free. For more information, visit bobsykesblues.com.
Sun., May 22
more than 30 games, free train rides, popcorn and cotton candy. A grownup version of the event will be held, featuring a summer reading game with a grand prize winner. Admission for the run and carnival is $25. For more information, visit eolib.org.
MOUNTAIN BROOK
Summer Reading Kick Off Emmet O’Neal Library The library will host a carnival to introduce this year’s summer reading programs. A fun run will be held at 3 p.m. and a carnival will follow featuring
Mon., May 23 HOOVER
Charity Golf Tournament Hoover Country Club The Christian Deaf Fellowship will
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host its first tournament benefitting Camp Shocco for the Deaf. The tournament will begin at 9 a.m. and a BBQ lunch and awards ceremony will follow. The event will include cash prizes for winners as well as door prizes. Registration is $125 per golfer. For more information, visit deaf-online-university. com.
May 27-28 HOMEWOOD
HHS Class of 1976 Reunion Various Locations The Homewood High School Class of 1976 will host its 40th reunion Memorial Weekend. Festivities will begin with an ice breaker at PT’s in Homewood’s SoHo Square at 6 p.m. Reunion day activities will begin with a 10 a.m. tour of the high school and will conclude with a reunion celebration from 6-11 p.m. at the Tutwiler Hotel. The party will include a buffet dinner, beer, wine and a cash bar. To register, visit the “Homewood High School Class of 1976” page at eventbrite.com.
May 27-29 BIRMINGHAM
Vintage Motorcycle Classic Barber Motorsports Park The Antique Motorcycle Club of America will host a national event showcasing classic motorcycles. The show will feature daily road runs, vendor expos, tech seminars, bike shows, children’s games and more. Tickets are $15 for one-day admission or $30 for the weekend. For more information, visit barbermotorsports.com.
Tues., May 31 HOOVER
Book It! 5K Veterans Park The Friends of the Hoover Library will host a 5K along the trail course at 8 a.m. Following the race will be games, crafts, inflatables and two BMX Trickstars shows. Registration is required. For more information, visit hooverlibrary.org.
Photo special to the Journal
Thurs., May 26
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Cancer Society Salutes Southern Research at Gala The American Cancer Society will honor Southern Research for its long-standing success in the development of anticancer drugs at its annual Hope Gala on Aug. 20. Margaret Lichty and Carmen Morrow, (from left above) will chair the event, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails and a silent auction, followed by dinner and a live auction. Mike Royer will serve as emcee and Jack Granger as auctioneer. Money raised at the Hope Gala will benefit ACS in Birmingham and the Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge. For more information or to volunteer, contact Libba Hardwick at libba.hardwick@cancer.org or 930-8883, or visit hopegalabirmingham.org. ❖
Thurs., June 2 VESTAVIA HILLS
Summer Reading Kickoff Library in the Forest The Library will host a party beginning at 10:30 a.m. to celebrate summer and the grand opening of the Small Fry Training Gym. Activities will include a performance by Beatin’ Path Rythm and free Kona Ice. A Global Movements performance will take place in the ampitheater at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit vestavialibrary.org.
June 2-4 Birmingham
Steel City Jazz Festival Linn Park The third annual jazz festival June 2-3 at 5 p.m. at June 4 at 11 a.m. the event will feature a line-up of jazz artists from around the country. A kick-off event Thursday evening at the Harbert Center will feature Grammy-nominated
musician Alvin Garrett and Logan the Entertainer. Two-day passes are $150 and one day passes are available at reduced rates. For more information, visit steelcityjazzfestbham.com.
Save The date June 3 and 4 BIRMINGHAM
Magic City Brewfest Sloss Furnaces The 10th annual beer-centric festival, hosted by Free the Hops, will feature more than 200 individual beers available for tasting. The J. Clyde will sponsor the Alabama Cask Garden which features firkins from all of the Alabama breweries. Food from various local restaurants and food trucks will be available for purchase and a line-up of musical performances is scheduled each evening. For more infomration and ticketing, visit magiccitybrewfest.com. ❖
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 5
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Photo special to the Journal
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The Brasfield & Gorrie BBQ CookOff will take over the street in front of the company’s Birmingham office May 26 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. For those who seek entertainment beyond a selection of barbecue tastings, the event will include a Kidzone and a variety of prizes will be raffled. The fundraiser this year will benefit the Bell Center, Down Syndrome Alabama, The Exceptional Foundation, Mitchell’s Place and Restoration Academy. “We are honored to be chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the cook-off,” said Bell Center Marketing
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Coordinator Stacey Morales. “We rely heavily on the generosity of company-sponsored events like this that help support our mission to maximize the potential of children birth to 3 years old with special needs or developmental delays.” Morales said the funding is crucial to support the scholarship fund and provide equipment and devices to the children. General admission to the event is $14 for guests ages 12 and up. The event entrance will be at 7th Avenue South and 30th Street. Parking will be available in the Brasfield and Gorrie parking deck, and free shuttle service will be available from the lot at the corner of 5th Avenue South and 33rd Street. Once the lots are full, officials suggest searching for street parking in the Lakeview neighborhood. ❖
SPACIOUS FLOOR PLANS • TOUR TODAY
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if not a cure, then a really good form of treatment that will significantly increase the lifespan of children with CF,” Hood said. The fundraiser will turn the City Hall campus into an outdoor kitchen. From 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the lawn will be filled with local and amateur chefs grilling, frying and spicing up a variety of chicken wings for guests to taste while enjoying live music provided by Rollin’ in the Hay. Hood suspects that a couple of booths will be serving up some different treats for guests who aren’t fans of hot wings. “This will be our first year at the new location and we think the space will be a little more open and family friendly,” Hood said. “People can bring blankets, set up picnics on the lawn and just enjoy some wings and live music.” The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with tickets available for $5. Children ages 8 and under get in for free and a variety of kids activities will be available to entertain them such as face painting, inflatables and balloon animals. For more information, visit leadershipvestaviahills.com. ❖
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Leadership Vestavia Hills is asking the community a simple question, ‘Do you like wings?’ Banking on the answer being yes, the organization is partnering with Alagasco to throw the 5th annual Wing Ding hot wing challenge on June 4. According to event co-chair Lilla Hood, this year is expected to be bigger and better than ever before. Luckily, Hood said, she has fellow co-chairs Donnie Winningham and Ann Hammiter on board to help share the increased work load. “Last year we raised almost $7,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation,” she said. “This year we’ve got about 20 booths planned so far, which is more than we have ever had.” The foundation has been the beneficiary for the event every year, in part because of Clay Hagler of Vestavia Hills, who has a daughter with CF. Hagler serves on the board of the foundation’s Alabama chapter and has been involved in the planning of Wing Ding since its inaugural year. “I learned this when we presented the check to the foundation last year, but they are really close to finding,
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6 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
About Town
Photo courtesy Barber Motorsports Park
July 8th - July17th
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Hot Wheels: The Barber Historics race and show is May 20-22. Spectators can watch practice and qualifying races plus enjoy barbeque leading up to the finals on Sunday afternoon.
Need for Speed
Adults $15 / Children $10
Mountain Brook Car Club Driver Readies for Barber Historics Race Birmingham Children’s Theatre
By Sarah Kuper
Michael Wright fell in love at a young age. His childhood sweetheart wasn’t a playground crush, but rather a passionate admiration for beautiful sports cars – especially Porsches. “I don’t know why I locked into Porsches but I did,” Wright said, “There are a lot of little boys who fit this category and for some reason are Scarlotte attracted to cars and find out everyOver The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 thing they can about them.” FAX: 205-824-1246 Wright credits childhood trips to May the hobby shop to build every model he could find for his knowledge and This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for the of Porsche cars today. appreciation May 19, 2016 issue. Please email approval or changes to 824-1246. In college, Wright was able to trade in his model cars for the real thing – owning the most affordable Please make sure all information is correct, Porsche he could find. including address and phone number! Now, a successful civil litigation lawyer in Birmingham, Wright once again owns a Porsche – this time a bright red vintage 1970 914-6. Wright bought the car already restored from a seller in Florida. But the vintage sports car does not sit idly in the garage. Wright has been competing in sports car races since 2001. He readily admits he doesn’t expect to win the top prize, but he takes pride in finishing well for the type of engine he drives. “If I finish in the middle of the pack, that’s a psychological victory for me,” he said. Wright has raced all over the southeast but it is the Barber Historics race he looks forward to nowadays. “I can’t say enough good things about this event. It is comparable to the famous Monterey Car event in California. People will bring their cars from all over,” he said. The Barber Historics race and show is May 20-22. Spectators can watch practice and qualifying races plus enjoy barbeque leading up to the
‘I can’t say enough good things about this event (Barber Historics). It is comparable to the famous Monterey Car event in California. People will bring their cars from all over.’
bct123.org
Date:
Mike Wright
Photos special to the Journal
To: From:
Mike Wright, left, with Casey Hooper of Eurasian Auto Service who maintains his 1970 Porsche 914-6 for him. Below, Mike Wright competing in last year’s Barber Historics race.
finals on Sunday afternoon. Although Wright doesn’t travel as far to race as he once did, he is still enjoying his car as a member of two Over the Mountain car clubs. As a Porsche enthusiast, Wright is naturally a member of the local Porsche driving club, but he has also become part of the newly formed Mountain Brook Driving Club. The club is a group of sports and luxury car enthusiasts that organizes public events to showcase their vehicles and private events such as scenic
drives through the countryside to nice restaurants. Wright said the driving club’s community involvement is especially important to him. “We host and participate in fundraisers like Toys for Tots. We don’t raise more than a few thousand dollars but it makes it about more than just the cars,” he said. Between the car clubs and the Barber Historics event, Wright said he has met interesting people from near and far – people he would have never encountered if it weren’t for his love of cars. Wright said he is proud to have Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham. “It is one of the best racetracks in the world and without a doubt the most beautiful,” he said. He said he hopes more people will realize the gem hidden in Leeds and come out to support the track and the museum. For more information on Barber Historics and the Barber Motorsports Park, visit barbermotorsports.com. To learn more about the Mountain Brook Driving Club, find the group on Facebook at facebook.com/mountainbrookdrivingclub. ❖
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 7
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Photos courtesy Wade Event Photography
Rollie Fingers will be the guest of honor at this year’s classic. Fingers, a three-time World Series pitcher, will be available after the game for photographs. In addition to his success on the field, Fingers is famous for his waxed handlebar mustache. The Barons will don the uniforms worn by the 1967 Birmingham A’s featuring the iconic A’s script on the left side of the jersey which will be white with green sleeves and green numbers on the front right and back
Glory Days
of the uniform. “We are excited to celebrate the 21st installment of the Rickwood Classic by honoring Baseball Hall of Famers,” said Barons General Manager Jonathan Nelson. “The Rickwood Classic is a very special event in the Birmingham community and over the years has been recognized nationally as a must-attend baseball game. ” The game begins at noon and tickets can be purchase at the park for $10. ❖
Embrace each day with peace of mind.
Rickwood Classic Celebrates History of Baseball in Birmingham
By Sarah Kuper
Rickwood Field in downtown Birmingham is the oldest surviving professional baseball stadium in the U.S. Long before the modern Regions Field was constructed in 2013, baseball greats got their start as a member of the Baron’s, the A’s or the Black Barons – all teams that called Rickwood Field home. The field primarily functions as a museum and event space now, but on June 1, the Barons will return to the field for the 21st annual Rickwood Classic. The team will don vintage-style
uniforms and compete against defending Southern League Champions the Chattanooga Lookouts. The event is a celebration of the field and the team’s historic past going back to 1910, when the Birmingham “Coal Barons” first took the field. The annual game also recognizes the many Baseball Hall of Famers who played with the Barons on their way to the major leagues. Examples include Harold “Pie” Traynor, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1948, Burleigh Grimes, inducted in 1964, and Frank Thomas, inducted in 2013. Former Birmingham A’s pitcher
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‘That’s Your Heartbeat Out There’
Crestline Mom Wants to Make Her Son’s World Better By Donna Cornelius
There’s a kind of hush all over Sara McDonald’s world. And she’s determined to break it. Her 11-year-old son, Jay, has Asperger’s syndrome, a disorder that’s on the higher-functioning end of the autism spectrum. The Crestline mom said it’s important for parents like her to tell it like it is – to be honest about living every minute of every day with a condition that affects the entire family. “I feel like if people talk about it, they only talk about the good stuff,” McDonald said. She’s willing to talk about painful experiences. “Jay started to regress and became quieter and quieter in the second and third grades,” McDonald said. “There was one time when he was in the fourth grade. I went to the lunchroom. The boys in his class were sitting on one side, the girls on the other – and he’s in the middle by himself, his head in his hands.” Another time, she said, she picked Jay up from a friend’s house and found a situation that would break any mother’s heart. “The other boys were circling him, throwing things at him and saying, ‘What’s wrong with him? He’s so weird,’” McDonald said. Jay was diagnosed with Asperger’s when he was a secondgrader, she said. Those with Asperger’s often have difficulty interacting socially – even within the safety of their own homes. “I threw a pool party here at our house for his third-grade class and another class,” McDonald said. “We ended up having about 75 kids. They were all swimming and having fun, and my child shut himself in his room.” One person who can empathize with McDonald is her friend Celina Miller, whose 14-year-old son, Jim, also has Asperger’s. The two mothers met when Miller and her family lived in Mountain Brook. They’ve remained friends even though the Millers now live in Brewton. “Children who have Asperger’s are very high-functioning,” Miller said. “They’re typically very bright children with learning difficulties.” Other conditions, like dyscalculia, which is difficulty in learning or comprehending math, or dysgraphia, which affects writing abilities, can accompany Asperger’s, she said. Miller sent her son to Middlebridge School, a private school in Rhode Island for students with learning disabilities. “Jim was sad to leave, but he wants to go to college,” Miller said.
Photo special to the Journal
8 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
John and Sara McDonald with their daughter Sterling, son Jay, and dogs Miley, left, and Gloria.
“Even as a 14-year-old, he has goals and wants to achieve them. The growth I’ve seen in him is remarkable. I’m so very proud of him.” McDonald and her husband, John, tried a private tutoring center and other options when it became clear that public school wasn’t working for Jay. “I prayed hard about taking him out of school, but he was so depressed and angry,” she said. Last fall, Jay began his fifthgrade year at Spring Valley School in Mountain Brook. It’s an independent school for bright students with learning differences, according to its website. (See related story on page 28). “This school – it’s not about a label,” McDonald said. “It’s a safe place to learn.” Attending Spring Valley has been a good experience for Jay, she said. “It’s the coolest thing to sit in the carpool line and see how all these children who ‘don’t fit’ do fit there,” McDonald said. “They’ve all been beaten down so badly, but there, there’s no judgment, no fighting. “I try to go on all the field trips. One day, one of the girls got in the front seat and said, ‘I’ve got dysgraphia.’ One of the guys said, ‘I’ve got dyscalculia.’ Jay said, “I’ve got Asperger’s.’ It was so refreshing to hear them talk so openly.” Sara and John McDonald have become active advocates for Spring Valley. They are co-chairing the school’s building committee, and John is a member of the school’s board of directors. LeAnn McMillan, Sara McDonald’s sister, once taught at a school for dyslexic children and thinks Spring Valley has a crucial mission. “It’s important to get these kids on the right track,” McMillan said. “I’m grateful for Spring Valley, where kids aren’t bullied or different.” McMillan said she realized how happy her nephew was at the school
after a recent conversation with him. “Jay said he only had four more weeks of school and was going to be a little sad when it ended,” she said. “He said, ‘I love it.’”
Disorders Affect the Whole Family
The McDonalds also have a daughter, 9-year-old Sterling. Children who have siblings on the autism spectrum are “the greatest kids,” McDonald said. “I’ve got to take care of her, too.” She and John have separate “date nights” with Jay and Sterling so they can spend one-on-one time with each child, she said. Miller agreed that autism affects not only the child who has it but a wider circle. “It’s a total global impact on the whole family,” she said. “The parents, siblings – it affects every moment of their lives. “Helping educate these children impacts their families and their futures. Sara is working so hard not only to help her son but to help other children, too.” McDonald said her faith has deepened through her family’s experience. “I’m closer to God now,” she said. It also doesn’t hurt to keep a sense of humor even during trying times, McDonald said. “Jay said one time, ‘Mom, I just want to be normal,’” she said. “I told him, ‘I don’t want you to be normal. Normal is boring.’” Opening up about her family’s situation wasn’t easy for McDonald. But she said she hopes doing so will help others in similar circumstances. “Talking about this was a family decision,” she said. “Jay is on board with this. I asked him if this was something he wanted to share. He said, ‘Yes, if it will help somebody else.’ He’s proud of himself, and I’m proud of him, too. “You just want your child to be happy. That’s your heartbeat out there.” ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Mountain Brook’s Davis Earns Eagle Scout Rank Richard Swaim Davis Jr., a member of Boy Scout Troop 63 at Canterbury United Methodist Church, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Davis received his award from the Vulcan District Board on Nov. 12 and a court of honor ceremony was held Feb. 21. Davis began scouting in 2006 as a Cub Scout with Troop 53 at Shades Valley Presbyterian Church. During his scouting career, he Richard Swaim earned the Davis Jr. arrow of light and held various leadership positions including chaplain, quartermaster, librarian, assistant patrol leader and patrol leader. He earned 23 badges, attended Sea Base high adventure camp and participated in a Boy Scout Leadership Conference at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. For his Eagle Scout service project, Davis aided the FOAC trail at Cherokee Bend Elementary, which provides the school with a 12-acre space equipped with a high ropes course for its adventure curriculum used to teach students lessons in teamwork. Davis cleaned up the trail, built a bridge over a creek, replaced a handrail and added a platform to an existing element. With the help of his brothers, friends and fellow scouts, he finished the project in time for school to begin last August. Davis is the son of Richard and Leighanne Davis of Mountain Brook and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Minter of Pelham, Dr. and Mrs. J.T. Davis of Memphis, Tennessee, and Mrs. Robin Davis of Memphis, Tennessee. Davis joins his two older brothers, Andrew and Logan, in achieving the Eagle Scout honor.
Hoover Grad Appointed to US Coast Guard Academy Lake Williams of Hoover recently received an appointment to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Williams is an honors student at Hoover High School, where he is a peer helper and captain of the soccer team. At the academy, he will pursue Lake Williams a bachelor’s degree in marine and environmental sciences in addition to training to become a Coast Guard pilot. Williams will report to the academy June 27 to be a fourth-class cadet. The Coast Guard Academy Corps of Cadets is made up of almost 1,000 men and women from the United States, Europe, Middle East and Caribbean, each pursuing a bachelor of science
Vestavia Beautification Board Awards Student Artists In conjunction with the Vestavia Hills Beautification Board’s Art in the Hills festival April 9, the board awarded the winners of this year’s student art competition (pictured below). All art entries were on display in City Hall before judging and the winning selections remained on display during the festival. Mayor Butch Zaragoza kicked off the art show by introducing the winners of the competition and presenting the recipients with their cash prizes. The Chairs Choice Awards were presented to kindergartener Cade McEwen and 10th-grader Ginger Llivina. Winners, listed from first to third place, were: kindergarteners Avery Franklin, Mary Emma Hogue and Nolan Blackenburg; first-graders Tyler Sach, Millie Fulton and Alex Stanley; secondgraders McKenzie Scoggin, Collins Tyus and Clair Creel; third-graders Isabella Haladwala, Maria Moskaleva and Chloe McCormick; fourth-graders Addie Wright, Keller McDuff and Miley Crowe; fifth-graders Ruihuang Ding, Jumana Zara and Natalie Metcalf; sixth-
graders Harrison Irby, Crawford West and Madison Waldrop; seventh-graders Madison McGill, Emily Lin and Tatam Swafford; eight-graders Josiah Todd, Aimee Perino and Kapreona Ross; ninth-graders Aaron Crowde, Chloe Ruggeno and Melissa Hall; 10th-graders Maggie Hargrove, Gavin Smith and August Baumann; 11th-graders Frances Dazzio, Julia Hunter and Maryn Miles; and 12th-graders Greer Miceli, Avery Baker and Erica Wei.
POP Knights of Columbus Awards Inaugural Scholarship The Prince of Peace Knights of Columbus Council 11537 awarded the first Patrick Francis Werszner Memorial Scholarship to Michael Grondin of Hoover on April 23. Grondin is an eighth-grade student at Prince of Peace Catholic School who will attend John Carroll Catholic High School next year. The $1,000 scholarship is designated for a student planning to attend John Carroll, and the recipient is chosen based on scholarship, service and extracurricular activities as well as an essay. This year’s essay prompt was “What is the importance of Christ’s resurrection?” According to council officials, Grondin was chosen due to his “all star” status as a student. He maintains a 4.0 GPA, is the vice president of the National Junior Honor Society and is a member of the band, choir and musical theater group. He is a cantor for school Masses, an altar server, a member of
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degree and a commission in the U.S. Coast Guard or their host country’s military service. It is one of the smallest of the five federal service academies; the others are the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 9
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Knights of Columbus’ Grand Knight Alvie Allison congratulates Prince of Peace eighth-grader Michael Grondin, recipient of the inaugural Patrick Francis Werszner Memorial Scholarship.
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the church’s middle school youth group and a vacation Bible school volunteer. In addition, he plays on John Carroll’s middle school basketball and soccer teams. Grondin is the son of Andree and Steven Grondin of Hoover. The group established the scholarship to honor Knight Patrick Francis Werszner who suffered a fatal fall from a ledge at Stephen’s Gap Cave Preserve in Scottsboro on Sept. 6, 2015, at the age of 19. Werszner was a member of the POP Council 11537, a 2014 graduate of John Carroll Catholic High School, a student at UAB and a member of both Prince of Peace Catholic To: Church and KenSt. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Chapel at the time of his From: Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 death. ❖
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The annual Ball of Roses, a presentation of debutantes organized by the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, will take place June 4 in the East Room of the Country Club of Birmingham. Serving as sponsors for the evening are Guild President Miller Beale Girvin and Executive Vice-President Ashley Andrews Jackson. Ball of Roses Chairman Mary Cox Brown and co-Chairman Beverly Long Crawford have collaborated with Carole Sullivan of Lagniappe Designs to create a whimsical palette of coral, pink
Belles of the Ball Ballet Guild Announces 2016 Ball of Roses Debutantes Photos by Dee Moore
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
and green for the ball decor. Men’s Committee Dinner Chairman Emory Richardson Ratliff has planned a formal seated dinner for donors before presentation of this year’s 68 debutantes. The first ball was held in August 1961 and featured 11 young women from Birmingham. Each year since, the ball has served as an invitational organization of young women dedicated to supporting the ballet in Birmingham through fundraising and volunteer work. The Ballet Guild has raised more than $1 million for the Alabama Ballet since its inception in 1959. ❖
Eleanor Harris Bailey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ryburn Hancock Bailey Jr.
Lillian Wakefield Bowron, daughter of Mrs. Sandy Bowron Blalock and the late Harold Alfred Bowron III.
Celeste Chisolm Brady, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Craig Chisolm Brady.
Dabney Kathleen Bragg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Reneau Bragg.
Margaret Alice Brown, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Terrance Michael Brown.
Margaret Keelyn Callaway, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Jasper Callaway IV.
Caroline Grace Carmichael, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Donald Carmichael Jr.
Elizabeth Ashley Carmichael, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Troy Carmichael.
Margaret Marks Cartner, daughter of Drs. Samuel C. and Agnes M. Cartner.
Sarah Church Cassady, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Edward Cassady III.
Lee Ellison Chapman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Chapman III.
Mary Kathryn Chesebro, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Frederick Chesebro.
Adrienne Lange Clark, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lange Clark.
Kathleen Markham Collins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kevin E. Collins and the late Claire Markham Collins.
Lamar Bickley Cooper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Lawrence Cooper Jr.
Emily Rose Cox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Stanley Cox III.
Mary Glenn Culp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Glenn Culp III.
Matilda Lillian Culp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Newton Culp III.
Elizabeth Miller Damrich, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Reynolds Ireland Jr. and Dr. David Brown Damrich
Mary Eleanor DeRamus, daughter of Capt. and Mrs. Sterling Lanier DeRamus.
Harper Lane DeWine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Charles DeWine.
Patricia McGee Dodson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Selden Dodson Jr.
Marguerite MacRae Edmonds, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bryson Glass Edmonds.
Claire Elizabeth Fox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hanlin Fox Jr.
Julia Blair Franklin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Denson Nauls Franklin III.
Mary Carolyn Garcia, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Michael Matthew Garcia.
Cameron Burke Gorham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gary McRoy Gorham.
Margaret Stabler Greene, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Keller Greene.
Virginia Ann Haas, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Gunter Haas.
Mary Virginia Hamn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Thomas Hamn III.
Caroline Ashcraft Holbrook, daughter of Mr. William Knight Holbrook and Ms. Ashley Miller Brown.
Jordan Leigh Hughes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Roberts Hughes.
Ann Brooks Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Gates Johnson.
Isabella Mae Keating, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Terence Keating.
Margherite Cecelia Keller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hunter L. Keller III.
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 11
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Kathryn Blunt Kirkland, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Ira Kirkland.
Mary Rebecca Lankford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Edward Lankford Jr.
Leah Brooks LaRussa, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Gregory LaRussa and Ms. Debra McConnell LaRussa.
Frances Caroline Lee, daughter of Mrs. Natalie Hicks Lee.
Julia Rose Lott, daughter of Drs. James and Amy Lott.
Farris Ann Luce, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Michael Donegan Luce.
Brucie Elizabeth Mancuso, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Stephen Mancuso.
Elizabeth Carter Marks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Amos Marks Jr.
Sarah Frances Matheson, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. John Thornton Matheson.
Anne Stabler Matthews, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren C. Matthews.
Megan Elizabeth McDowell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Michael McDowell.
Adelaide Elizabeth Miller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mixson Miller Jr.
Elizabeth Overton Moore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Winstead Moore.
Katharyn Gray Neil, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Todd Brandon Neil.
Sydney McClure Newton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robins J. Newton.
Virginia McDonnieal Pittman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Davidson Marbury Pittman III.
Margaret Louise Pritchard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Camp Pritchard.
Kendall Caroline Reed, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Scott Reed.
Sarah Lawrence Reed, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Lawrence Reed Jr.
Katherine Fuller Register, daughter of Mr. Jonathan Hugh Register and Ms. Susan Hay Register.
Symone Beth Shaw, daughter of Cynthia Jean Owen and Dorothy Cobbs Shaw.
Anna Evelyn Nichols Simms, daughter of Mrs. Thomas Whitwell Bowron II and Mr. K. Donald Simms.
Ann Alexander Sisson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Edward Sisson.
Emerson Monteray Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Smith III.
Carolyn Anne Holman Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Thomas Smith.
Catherine Treadwell Smith, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. John Roger Smith.
Mary Kyle Spurlock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Dixon Spurlock.
Ann Ellard Turner, daughter of Mrs. Cathy Turner and the late Mr. Jon M. Turner Jr.
Isabelle O’Neal White, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Trygve Hoff and Mr. and Mrs. David Hart White Jr.
Grace Elizabeth Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Douglas Williams Jr.
Elizabeth Stewart Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Eugene Wood III.
Virginia Carol Wright, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wright III.
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Virginia Ann Kennedy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Heflin Kennedy Jr.
Men’s Committee Dinner Chairman Emory Richardson Ratliff, left, with Ball of Roses Chairman Mary Cox Brown and co-Chairman Beverly Long Crawford. The annual Ball of Roses, a presentation of debutantes organized by the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, will take place June 4 in the East Room of the Country Club of Birmingham. The Ballet Guild has raised more than $1 million for the Alabama Ballet since its inception in 1959.
News
12 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
A Life in Politics OTM Legislator Looks Back on 50 Years but Isn’t Done Yet
BL Harbert Breaks Ground for Camp SAM
Photo special to the Journal
In late April, staff and board members of Camp Smile-A-Mile broke ground on what will become a new and larger facility to provide programming for children diagnosed with cancer. According to Camp SAM officials, construction of the facility will be the most significant project taken on in the organization’s 30-year history. The projected cost of the endeavor stands at $3.6 million. The organization plans
Photo by Grady Thorton
Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, has served the Over the Mountain area in an elected capacity for 50 years, but his political aspirations began before he ever ran for office. “My father served on the city commission in the 1950s, so we would all sit around the dinner table and talk politics and government,” Waggoner said. At the recent Jubilee for Jabo event sponsored by the Jefferson County Republican Party, more than 600 relatives, friends and colleagues gathered to celebrate Waggoner’s political career. Waggoner first entered public service when he won a seat in the House of Representatives at 29 years old. At that time, he ran as a Democrat. “When I won at 29 and went to Montgomery, that was the first time I ever stepped foot in the Capitol building,” Waggoner said. Waggoner stayed in the House of Representatives until 1983 and then decided to run for an open Senate seat, this time as a Republican. He was defeated and instead went to work for then-Gov. Guy Hunt until 1990, when he ran for Senate again and won. “Winning these elections makes me very proud that the people in the district think you are worthy,” he said. Waggoner said he is proud of many things he has been able to accomplish for his district, even if he had to put up a fight. “Sometimes you have a very controversial bill and it gets passed,” he said, “You overcome odds and then it turns out it really was the right thing all along. Sometimes it takes years.” One recent example he cited was
Photos courtesy Jabo Waggoner and Dennis Lathem
By Sarah Kuper
Jubillee for Jabo: Republicans from around the state got together on April 29 to celebrate State Senator Jabo Waggoner’s 50 years in public service.
Through the years: Clockwise from above: At his desk in the old House building. Presiding over the State Senate. Official portrait when he was elected to the House in 1966. Meeting President Reagan.
his work to pass legislation barring local governments from setting a minimum wage – a bill introduced by fellow legislator Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook. Looking back at his career so far, Waggoner notes the way the face of the Alabama Legislature has changed. “When I was first elected to the House, everyone was white, democratic and male.” But he said he noticed in the 70’s all of that began to change. “The diversity that has evolved has helped us a lot because now the
House and Senate are more representative of the state we represent.” Waggoner also recalls that the growing diversity of the Alabama congress was not popular with everyone, especially during and after the Civil Rights Movement. “But now, I think everyone is in agreement about the positive impact of diversity,” he said. While Waggoner has sponsored and voted on many different kinds of bills throughout his career, he said he is especially eager to pass bills that encourage the economic growth of
Alabama. “Our future depends on attracting new industry. A lot of positive things began to happen when Mercedes came to us in 1992,” he said. Waggoner credits other large corporations such as Remington and Airbus with continued economic growth. But he said current events in Alabama government are bringing the state the wrong kind of publicity, which may hinder large businesses from coming to the state. “The negative publicity we have
been seeing lately affects us all and our ability to attract talent and jobs. We are being talked about across the country and not for the good things happening in our state,” Waggoner said. Waggoner estimates he has sponsored hundreds of pieces of legislation and voted thousands of times plus served under eight Alabama governors going back to 1966. But, he said he isn’t ready to retire anytime soon. Waggoner plans to run for reelection in 2018. ❖
to raise the funds through a silent campaign with the hopes of surpassing its goal and funding an endowment for building maintenance. “Camp Smile-A-Mile Place means so much to this organization and will make a lasting impact in so many ways that we can’t even imagine at this moment,” Camp SAM Executive Director Bruce Hooper said in a released statement. “We do know that in a few short months, this building will come to life and within these walls the spirit of Camp Smile-AMile will reside.”
A 100-year-old building located on 2nd Avenue South was chosen as the location after what officials say was an extensive search. The facility will be transformed into Camp SAM Place by BL Harbert International and the design firm Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds. Once completed, the facility will be a visible part of the Birmingham skyline and within sight of the Children’s of Alabama’s hematology and oncology floor, which has a longstanding partnership with Camp SAM. In addition to programming space and a full kitchen, the new space will offer a variety of recreational amenities, including an exercise facility, a meditation room, a game room and a media room. “We are honored to play a role in the delivery of a monumental project for Camp Smile-A-Mile,” said BL Harbert project manager John Hansen. “This project is truly for these children and their families and we feel privileged to assist Camp SAM in carrying their
mission forward.” According to Harbert officials, construction is already under way and they expect to complete the project by September or October.
time ownership and make changes. Layne Schranz oversees Highland’s campuses. He said he expects the church will begin transitioning the space to suit the church’s needs later this year. Changes will include construction on the lower level to build out children’s ministry facilities. Schranz said Highlands will add First Wednesday services to the location. The Cahaba Grand Conference center was built in 1997 as the Richard M. Scrushy Conference Center, a part of the larger HealthSouth headquarters. After Healthsouth moved out of the space, the center was transitioned into the Cahaba Grand Conference Center and played host to many large-scale community and private events. The ballroom of the facility is 23,000 square feet. Although Highland’s Pastor Chris Hodges did not give a dollar figure to the sale price, he did say the church paid a quarter of its value. —Sarah Kuper
Church of the Highlands Purchases Conference Center at Cahaba Grand Church of the Highlands began holding Sunday services at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center Easter Sunday but soon the church will permanently occupy the space. Pastor Chris Hodges announced the purchased during Sunday services May 1. Currently, the church sets up and takes down equipment and seating for Sunday services at the conference center. But once the conference center has fulfilled its prior rental commitments, Church of the Highlands will take full-
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Vestavia Police Chief Says Drugs Fuel Most Crimes By Emily Williams
According to Vestavia Hills Police Chief Dan Rary, the city has seen a steady decrease in crime since he accepted his position in 2011, but the war on drugs is still an ongoing pursuit. “Almost every crime committed in Vestavia Hills is fueled by drugs,” he told the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce during a recent meeting. Rary has been an officer of the law since 1978, the past 35 years of which have been spent serving the city of Vestavia Hills. In recent years, Rary said, he has seen the crime rate collapse, dropping lower than the 1974 rate of 14,000 crime responses. He attributes the decline to the city’s efforts to increase officer visibility and the force’s diversified services. Rary focused on the narcotics unit, the members of which serve on the front lines of the department’s efforts to lower drug availability in the city and its surrounding areas. The team works not only on identifying who the local distributors are, but also where the products are created
and how they travel to the state. Rary said that the biggest problem facing citizens is the growing prevalence of heroine, the price of which is lower than ever due to the growing production in Mexico. “Just to put it into perspective, if someone has $20 in heroine, that amount will be good for two injections,” Rary said. The market for the drug has increased as well, most likely due to the over-prescribing of highly addictive opioid painkillers such as OxyContin, Percocet and Tramadol. “Someone who is using an opioid is 40 times more likely to use heroine,” he said. Buying painkillers on the street is highly expensive, so many addicts turn to heroine, which produces comparable effects. Over the past four years, in its growing effort to combat the drug market, the force removed $345,000 in drugs from the streets. Looking toward the future, Rary’s goals for the department include expanding the narcotics unit, as well as adding patrol units. “Those black Tahoes are extremely visible, especially at night when they are all lit up,” he said. “That
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 13
News is a big deterrent. A lot of criminals see us on the road and head toward another city.” Rary also plans to form a Family Services Unit, enhance communications between surrounding police departments and counties, and adjust the current process of prosecuting youthful offenders. “We want to achieve the highest efficiency as possible in the police force,” he said. “One way we do that is by being proactive. We want to stop the crimes before they start.” ❖
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life
14 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Memorial day
Journal file photo by Lee Walls, Jr.
Through a Vet’s Eyes WWII Vet and Broadcaster Appreciates American Village’s Mission
By Sarah Kuper
I
MEMORIAL DAY events
f you ask Sterling Brewer where he grew up, he won’t tell you about his childhood in Nashville. “I grew up in New Guinea and in Japan. At the age of 18 coming in direct contact with the dead, dying and wounded changes you,” he said. Brewer was drafted into the Army the week he turned 18. He served as a surgical technician in World War II. With no previous medical experience other than a few weeks of training at Beaumont General Hospital in Texas, Brewer found himself assisting
Birmingham Freedom Festival The Station at Grants Mill The annual veterans celebration will begin at 11 a.m. benefitting Three Hots and A Cot, a non-profit organization that serves homeless veterans. The free event will include live music, food crafts, door prizes, a raffle every two hours and a “Most Patriotic Motorcycle” contest with a $500 cash prize. For more information, visit the “Birmingham Freedom Festival” Facebook page.
Sun., May 29 BIRMINGHAM
Sterling Brewer was drafted into the Army the week he turned 18. He served as a surgical technician in World War II. Brewer is scheduled to participate in ceremonies on Memorial Day at The American Village in Montevallo.
began a career in media and advertising in Birmingham. As a radio and television broadcaster, he served as reporter, anchor, weatherman, salesman and even sports director for WAPI and WBMG-TV (now CBS 42 WIAT). He left broadcasting to start his own advertising firm and after several years sold the firm and became a school bus driver for 21 years. Today, Brewer takes time to share his memories and wisdom with churches and school groups that reach out to him. He frequently participates in events and ceremonies at the American Village in Montevallo. The American Village is a large campus in Montevallo allowing visitors to step back in history to witness America’s journey for independence. With colonial buildings and reenactors, the village is a destination for field trips and history buffs, but it also houses the National Veterans Shrine and Register of Honor. The shrine is modeled after
Memorial Day Remembrance Alabama Veterans Memorial Park The Alabama Veterans Memorial Foundation and the Vulcan District Boy Scouts will present the annual remembrance ceremony. The event will begin at 1 p.m. with a viewing of the Blue Star Salute Foundation’s exhibit, “Faces of the Price of Freedom,” and music by the Bob Moore Band. The featured program will follow, including a StepStone dedication ceremony, a Boy Scout color guard and performances of the National Anthem by Stephanie Whatley-Farmer and Echo Taps by Bugles Across America. For more information, visit alabamaveterans.org.
Mon., May 30 HOMEWOOD
Photo special to the Journal
surgeons first in New Guinea and the Philippines, and then in Japan after the atomic bombs were dropped in 1945. Brewer said he has a difficult time relating his experiences because some memories are too tough to talk about, but he does remember the kindness he experienced during his years in the service. “I had four brothers who were in the Army at the same time. During my basic training I went directly to the general of the camp and told him I was going home to see my mother,” Brewer said, “Almost no one gets to take a furlough during basic training but the general was kind and said, ‘Your mother has five sons in the Army right now? Where do you live and how long will you be gone?’” Brewer said he learned a lot about war, but he also learned about peace, especially when he was serving in Japan after the surrender. “The Japanese military leaders were terrible, but the normal Japanese people I encountered were friendly and felt no animosity toward me nor I toward them.” With Memorial Day approaching, Brewer is looking back on his experience during the war but also reflecting on his re-entry into civilian life after service. “You know, veterans were immediately appreciated and celebrated after we came home but that seemed to fade with the Vietnam War,” Brewer said. “The disaster of that war took away the appreciation of veterans because it was so unpopular.” After Brewer returned home, he
BIRMINGHAM
Journal photo by Sarah Kuper
“...the general was kind and said, ‘Your mother has five sons in the Army right now? Where do you live and how long will you be gone?’”
Sat., May 24
Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia and within the building is access to a digital archive of photos and biographical accounts from veterans. This Memorial Day, Brewer said, he appreciates the mission of American Village. “When you are 90 years old, every day is a special day, but Memorial Day is very important to me,” he said. “I am glad to see veterans getting more respect and recognition.” ❖
‘When you are 90 years old, every day is a special day, but Memorial Day is very important to me.’
Memorial Day Concert Homewood High School Birmingham’s all-adult community wind band, The Alabama Winds will join the Homewood High School band in presenting a Memorial Day concert. Rehearsals will begin at 10 a.m. and the free concert will take place from 3:304:30 p.m. For more information, visit alabamawinds.org.
Thurs., June 2 VESTAVIA HILLS
Memorial Day Dinner Briarwood Presbyterian Church The church will host a Memorial Day celebration to benefit Support Our Soldiers Alabama, a non-profit organization that packs and sends care packages to deployed servicemen. The featured speaker for the event will be Clebe McClary, a decorated Marine combat veteran. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. in the church fellowship hall. Tickets are $25 per person and reservations must be made by May 24. For more information, visit supportoursoldiersalabama.org. ❖
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 15
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
WWII Vet Running Coast-to-Coast to Raise Money for Ship Restoration
By Sarah Kuper At 93 years old, WWII veteran Ernie Andrus is on the verge of breaking the record for the oldest person to run from one coast of the United States to the other. Andrus isn’t running to break a record, but rather to restore a piece of WWII history. His run is an effort to raise money to help repair the USS LST 325 so it can make the trip back across the Atlantic for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The USS LST 325 is one of the last remaining ships that landed on Normandy Beach. After hearing of Andrus’ mission, Shades Mountain Baptist Church pastor Danny Wood wanted to meet the man running 2,000 miles at 93 years old. “I was going to a conference and I knew it was around where he would be running at that time. I wondered if it was worth going a little out of my way to run with him, but I thought, ‘You’ve got to do this,’” Wood said. Wood spoke about his time with Andrus at the church’s May Power Lunch event. Through his fundraising and Facebook page, Andrus publicly invites fellow runners to meet up with him on his
Photo special to the Journal
‘Honor those Who Didn’t Make it Home’
After hearing of WWII veteran Ernie Andrus’ mission, Shades Mountain Baptist Church pastor Danny Wood wanted to meet the man running 2,000 miles at 93 years old. In February, Wood met Andrus at 7 a.m. and they ran/walked for more than two hours, traveling 5.8 miles.
journey. In February, Wood met Andrus at 7 a.m. and they ran/ walked for more than two hours, traveling 5.8 miles. Over lunch, Wood said, he learned more about Andrus’ time in the service. Wood said he learned many lessons that apply to everyone, including the importance of being resourceful. After Pearl Harbor, Andrus decided to enlist but because of a lazy eye he failed the vision test over and over until he finally memorized the chart and passed. Designated to serve in the naval hospital corps, Andrus finagled his way into getting the assignment he wanted. Wood said Andrus also spoke about the importance of
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16 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
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Lawrence, From page 1
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trail, launched an all-out ambush. Lawrence knew that they were in the fight of their lives. He couldn’t know that they would be a part of the bloodiest battle of the entire war. “The enemy had the advantage of concealment and probably outnumbered us six to one,” Lawrence said. “Imagine a horseshoe. We were in the end of the horseshoe. The PAVN were in the trees and underbrush surrounding us. They hit us with all they had – grenades, mortar rocket fire, everything. We were sitting ducks. The North Vietnamese did their worst damage to us in the first couple of hours of the battle, or maybe even just the first few minutes.” More than 50 years later, Lawrence vividly recalls the sights and sounds of the battle. “There was smoke everywhere, and it was so loud,” he said. “There was the constant roar of gun fire and screams of agony.” The battle was graphically depicted in the movie “We Were Soldiers” starring Mel Gibson. On that single horrific day, 155 American soldiers were killed and 124 were wounded. The North Vietnamese suffered even greater casualties. Lawrence survived a wound causing a spinal injury that left him temporarily paralyzed. “I spent the night on the ground and the next morning, our forces recovered me and the other wounded soldiers and collected our dead,” he
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Cornett’s death still has a profound effect on Lawrence even after more than five decades. “When people go to the wall at the Vietnam Memorial, they see 58,000 names,” he said. “I see Don Cornett’s name 58,000 times. One of the horrors of war is that every single name on that wall had a mother, a father, a wife or a sister or brother. They all had relatives and friends. That’s true of the Americans, and it’s also true of the North Vietnamese that we killed.” Although a strong believer in our nation’s military, Lawrence feels called to be a peace advocate. “I believe God kept me alive at LZ Albany to spread the message that war should be avoided unless absolutely necessary,” he said. In 1967, Lawrence was named the First Alabama Veteran of the Vietnam War by Gov. George C. Wallace and the Alabama American Legion. As demonstrations against the war escalated in the late 1960s, Lawrence said, he never resented the protesters. “I’ve got to admit that while most of us didn’t admire Jane Fonda, the right to protest was one of the things we were fighting to protect,” he said. “We are a nation that values freedom.” Lawrence insisted that he’s not a hero. “The true heroes are the ones who died,” he said. “Memorial Day is for them. I was just doing my job like the rest of us. We should remember those who didn’t come back.” After returning home, Lawrence enrolled in the University of Alabama and graduated with a master’s degree in English in 1973. He taught compo-
said. “We thought the PAVN might come back, but they didn’t.” Lawrence was transported to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, where he underwent two months of rehabilitation before resuming his tour of duty. The battle was a turning point in the conflict, as it convinced North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh that his country could win the war. In the United States, the battle brought the realization to President Lyndon B. Johnson and the nation that the Vietnam War would be long and difficult. For Lawrence, the battle’s outcome had a far more personal impact. His best friend, Lt. Don Cornett, the executive officer of Charlie Company, was killed in action. “Don Cornett was, and still is, one of the finest men I have ever known and to this day one of the best friends I ever had,” Lawrence said. “We were roommates in the Infantry Officer Basic Course, roommates in the barracks at Lawson Field, roommates on the troop ship going to Vietnam and the greatest of friends until his untimely death. “Don represents the real tragedy of any war,” Lawrence continued. “There’s no telling what this man would have accomplished had he lived. He had uncanny abilities of leadership and friendship. He might have been a governor of a state or a CEO.” Lawrence writes extensively of his friendship with Cornett in his 2014 book, “Reflections on LZ Albany – The Agony of Vietnam.”
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Jim Lawrence, right, with Lieutenant Don Cornett on board the USNS Maurice Rose en route to Vietnam. Cornett was killed in action and his death still has a profound effect on Lawrence even after more than five decades.
War, the Battle of LZ Albany and Don Cornett are never far from his thoughts. “To this day, I’m haunted by the battle,” Lawrence said. “And I’m absolutely convinced that the American
fighting man and the armed forces of the United States of America comprise the best fighting force in the world. There is something inside us that makes us proud, patriotic, resolved and dedicated to defend freedom and fight for what is right and good.” The cherished memories of Lt. Don Cornett and other countless brave Americans who died in combat are honored in the lives of patriots such as Jim Lawrence. ❖
“You’re never too old to pursue a dream and you have to get moving,” he said. Andrus began his cross-country journey from the Pacific Ocean in 2013, when he was 90. He set a goal to reach Brunswick, Georgia, by August 2016. Andrus runs an average of six miles a day, three days per week. But Wood said Andrus sets a good example by taking breaks to give relationships the attention they deserve and be present at family functions such as graduations. Andrus’ cross-country run to see the LST 325 sail again isn’t the first time he has worked to restore the ship.
Andrus was one of more than a dozen WWII veterans who traveled to Greece in 1999 to help ready the ship for its return to the U.S. to be memorialized. The ship arrived in Mobile Bay in 2001 for public viewing and has since traveled up the Mississippi River to dock in Evansville, Indiana. Andrus has raised about $12,000 to put toward restoration of the ship, but it’s harder to assign a value to the attention he is bringing to WWII history and the actions of The Greatest Generation. To learn more about his run or to make a donation, visit coast2coastruns.com. ❖
Photo special to the Journal
sition and literature and served as an associate dean in the school of Arts and Sciences before entering a career in real estate in 1978. Lawrence joined Johnson Rast and Hayes in 1978 and earned awards as a top salesman. In 1992, he joined with Keith Arendall and Maurice Humphries to form Lawrence Arendall and Humphries (LAH), which grew to be the second-largest realty company in Alabama. Lawrence was named Birmingham Area Realtor of the Year in 1989 and was president of the Birmingham Board of Realtors in 2007. He sold his portion of the business four years later. At 75, Lawrence shows no signs of slowing down. He regularly travels across the state, teaching real estate for the University of Alabama-based Center of Real Estate. Whatever he does, the memories of the Vietnam
journey, From page 15
honoring those who deserve honor. “His purpose is to honor those who served on the LST and to honor those who didn’t make it home,” Wood said. Besides running, Andrus also honors fellow veterans by speaking to school children and groups. “He said the biggest surprise to him has been how many kids say they’ve never met a WWII veteran,” Wood said. After spending time with Andrus, Wood came to several conclusions about motivation and setting goals.
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From left: Rebecca Beers, Leslie Cooper and Clay Lewallen.
T
his year’s Fiesta Ball, organized by the Young Supporters Board for the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, broke records with more than 500 guests joining in on the celebration at Iron City on May 5. The funds raised – more than $160,000 – will support the addition of at least three new young investigator grants for the cancer center. As guests perused a selection of auction items – from trip and dinner packages to a signed copy of “To Kill a Mockingbird” – the band Livewire set the mood with pop, rock and country hits. The venue provided a selection of beer and wine as well as hors d’oeuvres, a grit bar, barbecue stations and “walking nachos,” nacho toppings poured over Fritos and served in the original packaging. Board President Mary-Margaret Brown welcomed guests to the event and introduced a video presentation. The event was organized through the efforts of Brown; Cole Gresham, ball co-chair; Virginia Hazelrig, ball cochair; and Jennifer McEwan, silent auction chair. Young Supporters Board members include Charlie Adams, Suzanne Alvarez, Joey Azar, Walker Badham, Kristen Bailey, Rebecca Beers, Kelsey Blair, Danae Boyd, Harrison Bradford, Matt Bragiel, Ryan Brooks, Callen Clyce, Laura DeMoss, Gayle Douglas, Danielle Downing, Sidney Fry, Joe Griffin, Ed Hauser, Martha Hawthorne, Katie Kimbrell, Scott Laney, Leslie Littrell, Gaines Livingston, Sarah Martin, Doug McCrary, Maloree McDonough, Brooke Moor, Colin Moorhouse, Will Northcutt, Rachel Powell, Whitney Price, Laura Senn, Lochrane Smith, Amy Stevens, Katie Terry and Alicia Waters. ❖
Fiesta!
Katie Howell, Beth Bradford, Harrison Bradford, Tyler Bradford and Scott Howell.
Young Supporters Turn Out for UAB Cancer Center
Members of the Young Supporters Board for the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Austin and Mary-Margaret Brown with Dr. Ed Partridge.
Leslie Littrell and Kelsey Blair.
Maureen Thompson and Rachel Powell.
Ain’t Misbehavin’ Coronets Celebrate the Season With Springtime Dance
Bill and Debbie Visintainer. Below, Nancy Becker with Don Englebert.
Cheryl and Bob Hardwick, Fay Hart, Jean and David Hendrickson, Marsha and Don Hire, Sandra and Elan Holley, Margaret and Bill Howell, Gloria and Dick Hudson, Nell Lawson, Joanne and Arthur McConnell, Betty and Malcolm Miller, Cecelia and Gus Miller, Shirley and Howard Palmes, Dena and Wallace Parker, Connie and Tom Pender, Carol and Phillip Powell, Susan and Bob Rapier, Evelyn and Bill Ringlear, Sally and Dr. Bob Stanley, Cindy and Steve Tilghman, Phyllis and Roye Tinsley, Karen and Tommy Tucker, Shelley and Steve Watkins, Jackie and Rex Webb, Linda and David Wood, Betty and Walley Womacks and Janis Zeanah. ❖
Photos special to the Journal
Spring weather inspired the ladies of the Coronets Dance Club to show off their fanciest steps April 15. Vestavia Country Club was the setting and “Ain’t Misbehavin’” was the sound for the springtime dance. Guests had their picture made beside a slipper chair as they entered the ballroom. Tables were decorated with floral arrangements in the shape of dancing slippers. The event was organized and attended by Debbie Visintainer, with her husband, Bill, and Patti Echols and her husband, Wynn. The current president, Carolyn Delk, attended with her husband, Jim, along with the president-elect, Nancy Becker, accompanied by Don Englebert. Also in the crowd were Edna and Ken Alderman, UnaRay and John Barnett, Nancy and Pat Boone, Redonda and Dr. Lowell Broom, Marti and Frank Buck, Jean Burnett, Phyllis and Tom Davies, Carolyn and Arthur Edge, Cindy and Tom Edmonds, Shirley and Roy Evans, Clarice and Dr. Sidney Gibbs, Virginia Cobb and John Golightly, and Linda and Mike Gooldrup.
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5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 980-9030 southeasternjewelers.net (1/4 mile off 280)
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This is your ad proof from the over the mountain Journal for the may 7, 2016 issue. Please contact your sales representative as soon as possible to approve your ad or make changes. You may fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
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RMTC Celebrates Annual Gala Fundraiser
Photos special to the Journal
Showstoppers
Broadway and television icon Norm Lewis performing with RMTC’s Youth Conservatory.
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From left: Pete and Kathy Horton with Barbara and David Oberman.
Honorary Chairs Nyya and John O. Hudson III hosted 400 guests for Red Mountain Theatre Company’s annual gala event at Old Car Heaven on April 9. The event honored Alabama Power Company for its contributions to RMTC and the community as a whole. The evening began with a cocktail hour, which featured passed hors d’oeuvres and a signature champagne cocktail. A silent auction included more than 50 items such as art, jewelry and beach trips. Following cocktails, guests sat down to a delicious dinner from Iz Catering. During dinner, guests were treated to a performance by Broadway and television icon Norm Lewis. Lewis’ accomplishments include roles in “Porgy and Bess,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables” and “Scandal.” RMTC’s Conservatory, a company of youth performers in training, accompanied Lewis in his performance. Also performing that evening were Caprenia Anthony, who is playing the role of Deloris Van Cartier in RMTC’s current production of “Sister Act;” and Amy Johnson, who will play the role of Ursala in RMTC’s upcoming production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Live auction items presented throughout the evening included two original Frank Fleming pieces, a trip to New York City for the National Alliance for Musical Theater’s Festival of New Musicals and a weekend experience in Los Angeles with RMTC alumni Jordan Fisher and Anna Grace Barlow, among other offerings. Proceeds from the event benefit the nonprofit’s professional musical theater productions as well as their arts education
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Gail and Jeffrey Bayer with Ann and Paul Rich. Below, Susan Silverstein and Nan Broughton.
programming. Among the guests in attendance were Mayor William Bell and Sharon Bell, Kathryn and Raymond Harbert, Jennifer and Mark Styslinger, Susan and Dowd Ritter, Gail and Jeffrey Bayer, Susan and David Silverstein, Dianne and Bill Mooney, Karen and Tommy Tynes, Derry Bunting, Tom Hill, David Donaldson, Robert Simon, Merrill Stewart, Linda and Steve Sewell, Barbara and David Oberman, and Fonda and Ken Shaia. Ann and John Forney, Susan and Lee Reeves, Robert Raiford and Zane Rhoades, Susan and Alan Rogers, Betty and John McMahon, Joan and Dick Pizitz, Cele and Alan Montgomery, Deborah and John Sellers, Sheryl and Jonathan Kimerling, Eileen and Danny Markstein, Cathy and Tommy Luckie, Wendy and Richard Crew, Patty McDonald, Bee and Ed Robinson, Leigh Robinson, and Steve Callaway and Keith Pennington. Plans are already underway for next year’s event on April 8, 2017, at Old Car Heaven. ❖
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IncredIble SaleS, Trunk ShowS and SpecIal evenTS all if we have not heard from you weekend! by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday. Come by Thursday, May 19th from 5pm-8pm during Jazz wITh cIvITaS and Thank you for your prompt attention. shop, sip and stroll through englISh vIllage with a jazz band playing out on the street, this will be a night to remember! Other TenT Sale activities continue through Saturday, May 21st. New to English Village!
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From left: Kristen Snell, Valerie Boyd, Caroline Bundy and Lindsey Seal.
Alzheimer’s Auction ACA Celebrates 25 Years of Keeping It Local
Crowds perused a selection of silent auction items that spanned nearly FOLLOW *Prices, plans, programs and specifications subject to change or withdrawal the entire ground floor of Iron City without notice. Void where prohibited by law. ©2016 Discovery Senior Living. US! 4/16 RVH0018 on May 7 at Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama’s 20th annual Garden Art Party. The organization is celebrating 25 years of supporting local Alzheimer’s and dementia patients and families who live in Jefferson, Shelby and Tuscaloosa counties. Beer and wine donated by E Exercis se Reh habilita ation af fter Hi p or K nee Re eplace ement E Exercis se Reh habilita ation affter Hip or Knee Re eplace ement International Wines complemented a selection of hors d’oeuvres includ Sched k oror h replac replac cement ddue hritis? ing sliders, caprese skewers and a Sched uleduled for for knee k knee hip h hip cement uetotoarth arth hritis? Betwee enand 40dand d 80 year old? grits bar. Betwee en 40 80 year rsrsold? Items up for grabs in the auction ranged from wine tastings and l, a rando nical trial You u may be eligible fo or the TWE EAK Tria omized cli at UAB to o You u may be eligible fo or the TWE EAK Trial, rando omized clinical trial at UAB to o deteermine s training reehabilitatio on improve improvees eryery after joointjo replac cement. esrecove recove dete ermine if strength s if strength training re ehabilitatio on after oint replac cement. dinner packages to pet portraits and fine jewelry. Various works of art created by Alzheimer’s patients and Free health dand function nal ss monitor ring Free health d function nalstatus status monitorring were available for bidding, show Free bodybody com position ess testin ng Free com positionand andfitne fitne ess testin ng casing the success of ACA’s efforts $500 fo or partici pation $500 fo or partici pation to support music and art programs Free personal exercise e exercise training t training (half ((half ofpa pa articipan Free personal e t ( of articipan ts)ts) in its eight partnering adult day care centers. This year, the organization plans to develop a pet therapy pro(half of p Sup pervised exercise e exercise trraining pro ogram trainers participant (half of pparticipant Suppervised e trraining pro ogramwit witth th certified certifiedddtrainers ts): ts): gram with Hand in Paw. 3 days per week k for 16 we eeks 3 days per weekk for 16 weeeks The event was emceed by Miller Exercis se Clinica l Trials Fa acility UUAB Exercis se Clinica l Trials FaacilityatatUAB U Piggott, executive director, and Vance Holder, community relaUAB Resear rch rch Team m m UAB Resear Team tions. Cen nterCen for Medicine nterExxercise for Exxercise Medicine Bob Straka served as auctioneer Division of Orthopaed O ic Surgery y Division of Orthopaed O ic Surgeryy for the live portion of the auction. mprehens sive Arthritis, Muscu uloskeleta al, Bone, a and Autoimmunity Center Com
mprehenssive Arthritis, Muscuuloskeletaal, Bone, aand Autoimmunity Center Com Clin nical Trials s Section,, Departm ment of Bio ostatisticss Clinnical Trialss Section,, Departm ment of Bioostatisticss
*Our researc r ch team m may call c you u to intrroduce the stu udy* *Our researc r ch team m may call c youu to intrroduce the stu udy* To contactt us: To contactt us: Center for Exercise E e Medicin ne Study y Hotline 205-9 934-6231 for Exercise E @uab.edu e Medicin mailCenter twe eaktrial@ une Studyy Hotline 205-9934-6231 Em mail tweaktrial@uab.edu tweeaktrial@ @uab.eduu Em Fund ded by: ded by: Natio onalFund Institute es of Health,, National Ce enter for Me edical Rehab bilitation Ressearch (Gran nt #1R01HD D084124) Natioonal Institutees of Health,, National Ceenter for Meedical Rehabbilitation Ressearch (Grannt #1R01HD D084124)
www.uab w b.edu/exxercise www.uab.edu/excercise www.uab w b.edu/exxercise
Above, Miller Piggott, Vance Holder and Anne Warren. Right, Lisa and Patrick Miller.
Big ticket items included a trip to Monaco, a month in Perdido Key and a selection of wine featuring the favorite bottle of each member of the host committee. ❖
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Camellia Garden Club Meets at the American Village
From left: Sarah Beth Thornton, Glenda Hamner Lott, Virginia Gilbert Loftin, Karley Nemeth, Abby Johnson and Leitha Bland Boutwell.
Networking Sisters
Local Delta Zeta Alums Travel to Regional Conference Members of the Delta Zeta Birmingham Alumnae Chapter of Delta Zeta Sorority participated in the regional Delta Zeta Truly Connected Networking Conference held Feb. 20 at the Coca-Cola World Headquarters conference center in Atlanta. The conference was a day of connecting, skill-building and professional growth presented by Delta Zeta Sorority. Both alumnae and collegiate chapters gathered to hear from dynamic speakers, participate in a multigenerational discussion panel and meet Delta Zeta Woman of the Year Susan Pearson Gambardella, executive assistant to the CEO and chairman of the Coca-Cola Company. Those attending from the Birmingham chapter were Virginia Gilbert Loftin, Glenda Hamner Lott, Abby Johnson and Karley Nemeth. ❖
824.0233 • 3351 Morgan Drive 402.2639 • Hwy 150 Hoover Mon-Sat 8-6 • Sun 12-5
The Camellia Garden Club met April 18 at the American Village for a festive program celebrating the founding fathers. Hostesses for the meeting were Nancy Crocker, Dale Foley, Ann King, Beth Hamer and Mary Grace Melick. The presentation “America’s Founding Fathers and their Colonial Gardens” was given by master gardener Jan McKinnon. Through her program, she connected American history with gardens and their locations. According to McKinnon, many of the plants grown were purposeful as well as lovely. She used the term “pass along plants” to describe the many seeds that were brought from England for planting and tested by members of the colonies to find which plants thrived in American soil. Following a business meeting, the group ate lunch in the Carriage House and toured the American Village Campus. The group viewed the colonial herb garden, which was started by a group of Shelby County master gardeners in 2006 and replanted by a group of Jefferson County master gardeners in 2015. ❖
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
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Grand Dreams
Photos courtesy Steve Higginbotham Style Blueprint
From left: Sarah Kathryn Tarter, Laura Anderson, Regina Reese, Debbie Anderson and Elizabeth Anderson.
Event Raises $142,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Guests dressed in their black-tie best trickled through the ballroom and sculpture garden at the Grand Bohemian Hotel on May 7 for the annual Field of Dreams event, benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Former University of Alabama and NFL player Siran Stacy was recognized as this year’s event honoree. Local St. Jude patients Slade Anderson, Sophia Schefano and Cole Tanner served as patient chairs for the event. Partygoers were treated to an elegant dinner with music by Razz Ma Tazz setting the scene. Heading up St. Jude’s hosting Jeannie and Siran Stacy. committee were event chairs Molly Fielding and Michael Schefano, auction chairwoman Carmen Boehme, sponsorship chairwoman Miranda Vickers, and public relations co-chairwomen Rose Kausler and Sarah Kathryn Tarter. Other host committee members include Ashley Bazemore, Annette Plaia, Cecilia Crenshaw, Debbie Anderson, Dolores Shropshire, Emily Anderson, Gracie Barksdale, Haley Heard, Jason Tanner, Jeannie Pate, Karim Shamsi-Basha, Kelly Webb, Laura Anderson, Lindsay Hussey, Melanie Riley, Meredith Lees, Monica Vercher, Patricia Hughes, Regina Reese and Ryan Martin. The event raised more than $142,000, which will support the hospital’s continued efforts to serve patients and families regardless of financial situations as well as the hospital’s pediatric cancer research programs. ❖
Susan Taber, Tracey Towns and Molly Fielding. Below, Chad and Janet Richey.
Melanie Riley, Kelly Webb, Miranda Vickers, Monica Vercher, Patti Hughes, Meleesa Jack, Ashely Bazemore and Gracie Barksdale.
Hillin-Spivey
Ms. Sharyn Washburn Hillin and Mr. David B. Adams of Birmingham announces the engagement of Ms. Hillin’s daughter, Shelby Nicole, to Thomas Mason Spivey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Delane Spivey, also of Birmingham. The bride-elect is the granddaugh-
Richardson, Texas. The groom is a 2014 graduate of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and a 2015 magna cum laude graduate of Texas Christian University, with a master’s degree in accounting. He is a certified public accountant with Ernst & Young in Fort Worth. Given in marriage by her parents and escorted by her father, the bride wore a custom strapless, silk crepe, fit to flare Olia Zavozina gown. Her gown featured freshwater pearl buttons and a chapel-length train. She also wore a Jennifer Leigh cathedrallength veil with Alencon lace trim and scalloped detailing. She carried a bouquet of white hydrangeas, white peonies and Tibet and Vendela roses accented with silver brunia and seeded eucalyptus. Serving as maid of honor was sister of the bride Anne Stanton Compton of Mountain Brook. The bridesmaid was Callie Anne Wilson and the junior bridesmaid was Anne Hardy Wilson, both of Mountain Brook. Ryan Chase Pulsifer, brother of the groom, of Austin, Texas, served as best man. Jerome Paul Compton III, brother of the bride, of Coral Gables, Florida, was the groomsman and Gunner Matthews Stiles, cousin of the groom, of Allen, Texas, served as junior groomsman. Scripture readings from Psalms and Hebrews were provided by Anna Elizabeth Strickland of The Woodlands, Texas, cousin of the groom, and John Austin Felton of Parkville, Missouri. Albert Morris Middleton Jr. was the usher. Music was performed by Caroline Nordlund and Lakeshore Strings. After a wedding trip to Cancun, Mexico, the couple lives in Fort Worth. ter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mathis Washburn of Birmingham. Miss Hillin is a graduate of Oak Mountain High School and the University of Alabama, where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and was a member of Phi Mu sorority. She received her master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Montevallo and will begin teaching in the fall. The prospective groom is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Aubrey Ivy Jr. of Birmingham and the late Mr. and Mrs. Loyce Edker Spivey of Dothan. Mr. Spivey is a graduate of Mountain Brook High School and the University of Alabama, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He is employed with Altec. The wedding is planned for July 23 at Mountain Brook Community Church in Birmingham.
To have our wedding & engagement forms sent to you, call 823-9646.
Botanical Adventures
McMinn Fled the Business World for a Life Lived in the Garden By Emily Williams Though she doesn’t have a garden of her own living in her downtown Birmingham apartment, Brooke McMinn, plant adventures program specialist, finds ownership in her work with the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. McMinn grew up in the Hoover school system and recalls going on field trips to the Botanical Gardens, but she did not have a concrete passion for horticulture. “My grandparents really taught me to appreciate nature,” she said. She recalls shucking corn and making jam with her grandmother and foraging for wild foods such as blackberries with her grandfather. Following a different path, McMinn pursued a business degree, which landed her in accounting working as vice president of administrative services for a local business. “When the owner passed away, I think I suddenly realized that I loved who I worked for but I didn’t actually love the work,” she said. When she and her husband made a move to New Jersey, she decided to make a career change and enrolled in Rutgers University to pursue a degree in plant science and medicinal and economic botany. The degree is a marriage of her appreciation for food and nature as well as a love of science, sparked by the introduction of the human genome project when she was in elementary school. In her current position, she hopes to pass on that appreciation to her students. “The purpose is to inspire people to care more about plants,” she said. “It’s easy to relate to other animals because they have a face and other similarities. So, you have to find that middle ground with plants.” Coming Home
In 2014, McMinn and her husband moved back to Birmingham, favoring the idea of raising her daughter in the same city as both of their parents. While hunting for jobs that would fit her horticultural expertise, she came across the listing for her current position at the gardens and applied. “If I could have written my dream job description, it would have been this one,” she said. In her position at the gardens, McMinn oversees the Plant Adventure Zone garden, which is used in various educational programs for school-age children and adults. Because staff is limited and maintenance spreads across more than 67 acres of foliage, volunteers are the backbone of garden maintenance. Many of McMinn’s most loyal volunteers are developmentally disabled adults. “One of my longest-running workers is Anthony Payne. They wrote a volunteer spotlight article about him a while back,” she said. “He’ll always be the first to say that he feels valued and cared for here. He’s almost always in a good mood and because he’s seen some of these plants grow,
Journal photo by Emily Williams
Compton–Pulsifer
Catherine Jane Compton and Cameron Taylor Pulsifer were married April 16 at the Country Club of Birmingham in Mountain Brook, where a reception and dinner followed. The ceremony was officiated by Dr. James Randolph Barnette of Brookwood Baptist Church. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Paul Compton Jr. of Mountain Brook. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. Jerome Paul Compton and the late Mr. Compton of Georgiana and Mrs. Donnie Jerald Rucks and the late Mr. Rucks of Frostproof, Florida. The bride is a 2014 graduate of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where she received a bachelor’s degree in nursing, was a University Honors laureate and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She is a registered nurse at Mesa Springs Hospital in Fort Worth. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Scott Pulsifer of Frisco, Texas. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Robin Duane Pulsifer of Granite Shoals, Texas, and Dr. and Mrs. James Elliott Stiles of Plano, Texas, and Ms. Barbara Van Voorst Stiles of
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 25
weddings/gardens
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Brooke McMinn, plant adventures program specialist, finds ownership in her work with the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
he really takes ownership of the garden.” The work is mostly weeding, but volunteers such as Payne also help her maintain pest traps, since she tries to steer clear of pesticides, and prune disease out of plants. The area acts as a representative of some of the plants on display in areas of the garden that are less accessible, including the Japanese Garden, and plants are on display at varying heights so volunteers and visitors can sit, stand or kneel. McMinn’s favorite plants, the carnivorous Venus fly traps, rest in a makeshift bog in the center of the garden. “We use those plants to teach children about evolutionary adaptations,” she said. “The Venus fly traps aren’t native to the area, but they are found in the southeast.” Taking the Garden Home
Though many of the species on display in her garden are difficult to grow in an Alabama backyard, one even landing on the endangered list, there are many plants that are easy to grow in the yard and also give back more than just their appearance. First on her list is aloe vera, classified as a succulent, which makes it a breeze for amateur gardeners.
“It’s pretty impossible to kill unless you give it too much water,” she said. “You can use it on skin irritations and burns.” Speaking of irritation, it’s mosquito season and McMinn has an easy solution to keep the pests away. Lemongrass. “We have a balcony and the second I moved back home, I crammed about five of them on the porch,” she said. For something a little more advanced, lavender is an option that is not only pleasing to the eye, but to the stomach as well. “It is antimicrobial and it is also delicious. I use it in almost everything. It’s great in your cocktails, cookies and dressings.” For a culinary experience, McMinn suggests looking beyond vegetables and herbs to something a little bit higher. Fruit trees are something she has found to be underused in the area. She’s hoping for a resurgence of a forgotten fruit. “Paw Paw trees used to be really popular as food plants, but they don’t transport well so they lost popularity around the time that most of our fruit started coming from California,” she said. “I would love to see more of them. They are absolutely delicious and much easier to maintain than something like an apple or pear tree. ❖
www.birmingham.archadeck.com www.birmingham.archadeck.com
business
26 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
Spark Match
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
business briefs
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Venture Club Sponsors Business Pitch Tournament By Sarah Kuper According to the online service marketplace Thumbtack, Birmingham is the number one city for millennial entrepreneurs. The Birmingham Venture Club is working to keep the city supportive of young entrepreneurs by hosting a tournamentstyle Spark Match pitch competition this year. On May 26 at the Venture Club’s members meeting, eight applicants will have three minutes each to pitch their business ideas to club members. Members will then vote for those who get to advance to the next round. After three rounds over the course of the next seven months, one winner will be announced and will receive $10,000 in cash prizes. Paul Pless, treasurer for the Birmingham Venture Club, said
Stock
the applicants are eager to win the prizes, but the real victory is exposure. “The club brings together Birmingham investors and influencers,” Pless said. “Leaders from all industries are in the same room to hear these pitches.” Pless said the applicants will bring ideas from many sectors, including technology, consumer products, education and health care. Not unlike the television show “Shark Tank,” the threeminute time limit will force competitors to jump right into the specifics of their ideas in a concise but intriguing presentation. Unlike the show, it will be the audience that decides who will move forward by casting votes on their smartphones. “Many pitch competitions have a panel of judges, but this will put the crowd in the decisionmaker’s seat. Everyone is qualified,” Pless said. The Birmingham Venture Club has hosted “3-minute pitch” events in the past, but this will be the first annual tournament competition. The goal is to showcase emerging companies and pair them with the Birmingham Venture Club in a fun way. Pless said he loves the energy he feels from participants. “One of the most exciting things is
National MS Society Honors 2016 Leadership Class
Photo special to the Journal
Not unlike the television show “Shark Tank,” the three-minute time limit will force competitors to jump right into the specifics of their ideas in a concise but intriguing presentation. Unlike the show, it will be the audience that decides who will move forward by casting votes on their smartphones.
Charles Powell and Caitlyn Smith.
On May 26 at the Venture Club’s members meeting, eight applicants will have three minutes each to pitch their business ideas to club members.
hearing from the person who is the creator of the idea,” Pless said. “They are always inspired and passionate. It is personal to them.” While participants look for their big break by attracting Birmingham investors, Pless said it is a great opportunity for the Birmingham Venture Club. “If we can play even a small part in helping an early-stage company gain the momentum they need to make it, we will achieve our goal of helping advance entrepreneurship” he said. According to the club’s mission statement, the Venture Club exists to help members exchange ideas and support best practices of venture capitalism. The organization works to facilitate access to investment opportunities through events and programs. In addition to capital investments, the club assists new businesses through business planning and growth management education. The second round of the competition will be July 28 and Sept. 22. The final matchup will be Dec. 8. To become a member of the Birmingham Venture Club or to learn more about the Spark Match competition, visit birminghamventure. com. ❖
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Alabama-Mississippi Chapter recognized the 2016 Birmingham MS Leadership Class at a May 10 awards reception at the Harbert Center. This year’s class consists of 50 professionals from the greater Birmingham area who are dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by multiple sclerosis. They were chosen by an advisory council of community leaders based on their contributions to the betterment of the local community, as well as their professional achievements. Since 1994, Leadership Class members have raised more than $2 million to support local programs and services for people living with MS and their families as well as fund cutting-edge research. “We have an outstanding class this year. This group has shown true passion for our cause and deserves to be recognized for their partnership with the Society,” said Cheri Shenefelt, development manager for the society. Jason Bushby, a partner with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, is the 2016 class valedictorian, raising more than $5,500 for the organization. Following a presentation by guest speaker, Scott Thorne, this year’s classmates were each presented their awards. Honorees included Archie Abrams, Owen Anderson, Brad Avery, Adam Baxter, Natalie Bolling, Bradford Botes, Anne Hayden Bromberg, Clay Brunson, Jason Bushby, Matthew Cannov, Jen Cook, Allen Cravens, B. Jade Criswell, David Dutton, Rebecca Early, Brad Edmonds, Drew Ellis, Mark Emanuelsen, Eric Essary, Baker Findley, Sarah Fisk, Mac Greene, Sridhara Gutti, Nate Harrington, Bill Heath, Jeff Hill, Jonathan Hoffmann, Justin Johnston, Andrew Lewis, Jason Lovoy and Steve Manown. Brian McCarthy, Stewart McCloud, Jason McCracken, Scott McDuffie, Tyler McGill, Clayton McKinnon, Owen Moore, Wilson Nash, Leann Neal, Dr. James Newsome, Carol Riney, Cody Robinson, Joel Rogers, Justin Rogers, Lindsey Simmons, Caitlyn Smith, Cooper Smith, Brian Turner, Stephen Wadsworth, Trey Whitt and Sam Wilcox.
Trendy Salt Room Treatments Come to Mountain Brook Spiro Salt Room and Massage Therapy has opened in Mountain Brook, offering an alternative treatment for sufferers of respiratory problems such as allergies. The spa offers Halotherapy, which mimics the effects of a salt cave by aerosolizing micronized salt particles. Salt caves and spas have been visited for hundreds of years in Europe for their
See salt room, facing page
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 27
than 400 claims related to the storm, amounting to more than $7 million in paid customer claims. Greenhalgh said he is proud that all the agency’s clients were cared for despite the chaos caused by the tornado. More so, Greenhalgh said he is proud of the resiliency of the Cahaba Heights community. “Everyone’s attitude was, ‘I’ve survived the storm and property can be replaced.’ People were grateful and upbeat.” Greenhalgh said the community’s spirit also can be seen in the way the neighborhoods have bounced back.
“You can tell where the tornado came through because there aren’t many trees, but otherwise the houses look great and the community is strong,” he said. As tornado season continues, Greenhalgh said he hopes that people will be prepared for severe weather and that they will be wary if the storm causes damage that requires outside contractors. “Protect yourself first of all. Do whatever you can to stay safe and protect your property until someone gets to you,” he said, “but watch out for repair companies or individuals who might take advantage of you.” ❖
Journal file photos
business
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Russell Greenhalgh said he is proud of the resiliency of the Cahaba Heights community.
A Cautionary Tale Cahaba Heights Agency Helped Put the Community Back Together After Tornadoes
By Sarah Kuper It was five years ago that Russell Greenhalgh realized the significance of his family’s business. As an insurance agency, Greenhalgh Insurance dealt firsthand with the destruction of the April 27, 2011, tornadoes that touched down in Cahaba Heights. “People often say they can’t stand insurance, but this was a time we were able to think, ‘This is why we are here,’” Greenhalgh said, “we are capable of really helping people.” Although the agency’s building in Cahaba Heights was damaged, Greenhalgh said agents and staff continued to work for clients from their homes and cars. “We found a way to transfer the phones to our homes and my wife was getting all the calls and we
damages by the numbers
Here is a look at some of the damages caused by the 2011 tornado in Vestavia Hills: 505 structures damaged 1 storm-related fatality 100 city lights down in Liberty Park $7.77 million in damages
were filing claims with carriers even though we couldn’t be in the office,” Greenhalgh said. Many roads in the area were impassable, but Greenhalgh said that with the help of a pick-up truck, they were able to go door to door to check on clients. “It looked like a war zone. There were only a few ways to get around town without running into power lines and trees,” Greenhalgh said. In total, the agency handled more
salt room, From previous page
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reputed health benefits, though the trendy treatments have become popular in the U.S. just in the past few years. Clients lounge in the salt rooms for 30- to 50-minute sessions and inhale the salty air to improve respiratory issues and some skin ailments, according to a news release from Spiro. The spa replaces Family Share Massage on Culver Road in Mountain Brook. It is owned by Loretta Wendel and Lee Bruno, who already are considering expansion, according to the release. Spiro still offers massages and the annual family memberships for which the previous business was known. For more information, visit www.spirotherapy.com. ❖
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28 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
schools
Safe Haven
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Spring Valley School Supporters Want to See It Grow
Spring Valley School’s executive director Dr. Laura Fiveash. The independent college-preparatory school for bright kids with learning differences was started 15 years ago.
up a Spring Valley student. Their mother has been the school’s executive director for a year. “I love it,” Fiveash said. “Every day is a new challenge. Every day I feel like I can make a difference.” Spring Valley students may have learning differences due to autism, dyslexia and other disorders, she said. The school includes second through 12th grades. Fiveash said the first step in applying to Spring Valley is for parents to come in for a meeting, bringing paperwork such as tests by school systems, medical diagnoses and an Individualized Education Plan – a document developed for each public school child who’s eligible for special education services. “These are children who are not successful in a public or private school setting,” she said. “They have to have an academic issue, a learning
issue. Is there a learning difference, attention issue, a math or writing or reading issue? Students have to have a typical IQ and no maladapted or destructive behavior.” Spring Valley School was started 15 years ago, Fiveash said. “Joan Keagy, a certified language therapist, was the first director,” she said. “Dr. Lee Ascherman of UAB was a founding board member.” The school is in a Hagood Street building owned by Crestline Christian Church. The church has been “extremely giving and supportive of the school” even though Spring Valley is not affiliated with it, Fiveash said. Spring Valley has been successful in providing small classes, including a variety of electives such as drama, Spanish and graphic arts. This year’s senior class of five has four students heading to college this
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Growth Plans
John and Sara McDonald of Crestline have a son, fifth-grader Jay, at Spring Valley. (See story page 8). The McDonalds are co-chairmen of the school’s building committee. John McDonald, a member of Spring Valley’s board of directors, said expansion plans are in the works. has also led to unique leadership opportunities for her students. The schools are hoping this becomes a new partnership and opens the doors for robotics instruction in the classroom at the elementary school.
Oak Mountain Schools Collaborate on Robotics
CBS Fourth-Graders Visit State Capitol The fourth grade at Cherokee Bend Elementary spent April 5 in Montgomery visiting several historical landmarks and government buildings to expand on their studies about Alabama history. The first stop was the Alabama State
Photo special to the Journal
Students in the gifted education classes at Oak Mountain Elementary have had the opportunity to work with the robotics department at Oak Mountain Middle School. According to school officials, middle school robotics instructor Sherri Whitehead and her students have given their time and knowledge to share their passion for robotics and technology. The elementary students learned to construct and program robots for specific tasks and to problem-solve to overcome various challenges. “It’s been fun to watch the middle school students work patiently with the
fall and the fifth joining a family business. Students have their own Chromebooks loaded with programs they might need, Fiveash said. But she, parents and supporters of the school think Spring Valley can be even better and want it to grow. “We have 65 students, 15 staff members – and three toilets,” Fiveash said. “The goal is to go to the next level. Kids shouldn’t think, ‘I have to go to that little school.’ I want them to be proud of where they go to school.”
elementary students and to see how the younger students look up to them. The middle school students have been able to break down the lessons, guide the younger students through each step
House, where they were welcomed by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, and voted on a mock bill. The next two stops included tours of the Governor’s Mansion and the state Capitol. Students also went to Old Alabama Town, where they saw a schoolhouse, church, cotton gin, grocery store and doctors’ office, all of which have been preserved in 1892 conditions. The students wrapped up their day with a stop at the Alabama Department of Archives and History museum. Featured in the museum were exhibits from the time of Native Americans to the present day.
of the process and encourage them to persevere when the task gets tough,” said gifted resource class instructor R. Austin. Whitehead noted that this opportunity
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Parents who meet with Spring Valley School’s executive director may not know that the woman facing them once sat where they’re sitting – on the other side of the desk. Dr. Laura Fiveash is the mother of one Spring Valley student and of another child who wasn’t accepted there. The independent college-preparatory school for bright kids with learning differences isn’t the right place for every student who applies, Fiveash said, but that doesn’t make turning down applicants any easier. “It’s hard in my role because I see the desperation of parents,” she said. She and her husband, UAB’s Dr. John Fiveash, have triplets – Nicholas, Jacob and Hannah, now 15. “They were born at 26 weeks, all weighing less than two pounds,” she said. “I knew what our lives would look like. It’s a process, an ongoing issue.” Nick has multiple disabilities, Jacob has high-functioning autism, and Hannah has a learning disability, anxiety and a small hearing loss, Fiveash said. “We were looking at Spring Valley for Jacob,” she said. “Hannah just came along for the interview.” The school wasn’t right for Jacob – he and Nick attend Oak Mountain Middle School – but Hannah ended
Journal photo by Emily Williams
By Donna Cornelius
“We are working hard to raise funds,” he said. “We have a building fund, have applied for grants and have gotten some generous donations. “If we can find an existing facility, that would be more cost-effective. We need a larger facility with more classrooms, a gym and athletic fields.” Sara McDonald said she envisions more opportunities for Spring Valley students. “I want to help develop a school where you can do classes like cooking or yoga – things that let these kids be what they want to be,” she said. “The dream would be to have boarding and more scholarships. “This is a school we can get behind.” Spring Valley may be small, but it’s a busy, lively place. On a recent spring afternoon, students gathered in the common area to rehearse a play. One hallway was filled with Jackson Pollock-style paintings, while minipiñatas dangled from the ceiling of a classroom. Teacher Elizabeth Smith sometimes brings Draco, a bearded dragon, to school. Fiveash said she takes a reduced salary because she believes so strongly in the school’s mission. Schools like Spring Valley are crucial to the success of students with learning differences, she said. “Alabama has the sixth-lowest graduation rate among students with disabilities,” she said. Those who want more information or who would like to help with Spring Valley’s building efforts can visit www.springvalleyschool.org or call the school at 423-8662. “We are building for a brighter future to meet the needs of each child,” Fiveash said. Sara McDonald also has dreams for the future. “I want Jay to one day be driving past the school and say, ‘My parents helped build this because they believed in me,’” McDonald said. ❖
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 29
schools
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Photo special to the Journal
Vestavia Hills Superintendent Gains National Recognition
MBHS Band Students Compete in Mobile Members of the Mountain Brook High School Symphonic Band traveled to Mobile to participate in the Alabama All-State Band Festival on April 16. The students selected for the band this year were Miranda Fast, flute; Robert Krauss, baritone; Adam Thomas, trombone; and Kaitlyn Coffey, French horn, pictured above. To be eligible, students from across the state auditioned in one of seven districts. Students who scored the highest on their auditions were selected for a district honor band. The top-scoring students from each district in the state were then invited to participate in the Alabama All-State Band. Under the direction of world-renowned conductors from across the country, the students spent one and half days rehearsing and then performed a concert. ❖
Rocky Ridge Elementary Wins National Grant
Hoover’s Rocky Ridge Elementary is the top grant recipient in this year’s UNthink My School program, winning $20,000. The Wahl Foundation, in partnership with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, awarded the grant to Rocky Ridge along with $2,000 grants to 10 other U.S. schools. The funds will help Rocky Ridge implement a curriculum called Project Lead the Way. The program introduces K-12 students to computer science, engineering and biomedical science concepts while helping them develop problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration and communication skills. “To be selected as the grand prize winner of $20,000 from hundreds of applications across this great country is such an honor for the students, staff and parents at Rocky Ridge Elementary,” Principal Dilhani Uswatte said in a press release. Winning this national grant will help us to build on our school focus: ‘Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead.’ With this new partnership, we will unleash creative problem solving and innovation and hope to bring much deserved recognition to Hoover City Schools and the state of Alabama.” In addition, the $20,000 will help fund technology and curricular initiatives beginning in the 2016-2017 school year. Assistant Principal Kara Chism helped write the grant application, noting that the money would help provide students ways to expand creativity and show them new paths for their futures, simultaneously broadening their imaginations through innovative engagement. “Our job as educators is to prepare students for future employment. The majority of jobs our current students will have do not even exist today. We must prepare our students to be problem solvers that can devise creative solutions and new ideas,” Chism said. Uswatte and Chism have begun work on budgeting the $20,000.
“The Wahl Foundation is honored to partner with Rocky Ridge Elementary School as they engage their students in lifelong learning. Reading the hundreds of grant applications we received, we were filled with gratitude and hope for the future of education,” Wahl Foundation Executive Director Tasha Wahl said in a release.
In a recent announcement, Dr. Sheila Phillips, superintendent for the Vestavia Hills City Schools, was awarded membership in the inaugural class of “Superintendents to Watch.” The list of 24 class members was released by the National School Public Relations Association in April. All recognized superintendents, who hail from various parts of the country, were required to have fewer than five years of experience in the position. “These superintendents are recognized for using dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core. They engage and inform their school communities with new communication technology Dr. Sheila Phillips tools combined with triedand-true techniques,” a release from the National School Public Relations Association said. The program is sponsored by SchoolMessenger, a company that provides communications support for thousands of schools across the nation. ❖
HE ONCE BEAT HIS DAD FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES IN CHESS. AFTERWARD, HE CELEBRATED WITH SOME ORANGE SLICES AND A BOOK ABOUT WIZARDS.
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30 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
On Trend
Style Consultant Tracy James Helps Clients Cultivate Confidence By Emily Williams racy James never saw Chic Made Simple, her fashion consulting and styling brand, in her future as a young girl growing up in Mountain
Tips From the Expert
Photo by Chuck St. John
Brook. “I always had a love of fashion,” she said. “I went to a Montessori school and I remember us doing a project in kindergarten where we drew a picture of what we were most excited to do over the summer and then we would tell the teacher what to write underneath it,” she said. “Most of the kids said things like a trip to Disney World or to the beach. I said that I was most excited to wear a shirt without sleeves.” She still remembers her favorite outfit: a red and white romper that zipped up the front paired with tall brown boots. Before celebrity stylists such as Rachel Zoe paved the way for the vocation, James said, she didn’t think she could have a successful career in the fashion industry if she wasn’t a merchandiser, fashion designer or the like. “There was just no real career in it,” she said. “When I went to Auburn I thought about majoring in fashion merchandising until I realized that you have to take chemistry. And I can’t draw, so, no to fashion design.” After graduating, James filtered through a few career options, but nothing ever felt right. She went to law school for a year. She pursued a broadcast journalism career with CNN but quickly figured out that career wasn’t as glamorous as Katie Couric made it seem. She attributes her segue into professional styling to her stint working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. “It was probably seeing all of those poorly dressed politicians that helped me realize that I wanted to help them,” she said. She began working for Parisians on contract, traveling across the country to the less fashion-forward cities such as Dayton, Ohio, and Detroit to style for photo shoots. One of her biggest influences during her early career was Tim Gunn, celebrity stylist best known for his role on “Project Runway,” whom she worked with and considers a mentor. Her favorite piece of advice from him is displayed on her website, a portion reading: “What is a closet, really, but a catalogue of the different personas we have auditioned and discarded?” James tries to maintain her status as a jack-of-all-trades, styling professionally for photo shoots, freelance writing fashion columns as well as personal shopping and styling throughout Birmingham. When she walks into a client’s closet, it takes James about 15 minutes to understand who her client is and what they are insecure about.
“Everybody has something that they feel insecure about,” she said. “I myself dealt with an eating disorder when I was in college and I feel that struggle has given me an intimate connection to image-based issues that other people have.” She is a big advocate for confidence as the best accessory.
One of the ways she spreads that message is through working with children. For eight years, James worked with The Summit, hosting a summer styling camp for young girls. “I feel really rewarded when I work with kids,” she said. “Peer pressure is starting earlier and earlier nowadays and I want them to understand that not all girls are meant to
‘Fashion is not rocket science. Finding your personal style and that message that you want to send to other people is something that everyone can learn.’ Photo special to the Journal
T
be tiny twigs. This is all a vehicle for me to help girls develop a healthy body image.” James also styles men, young and old, but she finds them a bit easier to work with. “The great thing about styling men is that they are like sponges,” she said. “They don’t have as many pre-conceived ideas about fashion.” They may get a little thrown off by the idea of wearing clothes that are a bit tighter than they are used to, but generally they are ready to learn.
Tracy James, Chic Made Simple
Quick tips and fashion mantras are everpresent on the tip of James’ tongue. They are short tidbits that are easy to remember and she often uses them when she is giving a seminar. “Fashion is not rocket science,” James said. “Finding your personal style and that message that you want to send to other people is something that everyone can learn.” She finds that many times, when women are trying to cover up an insecurity about their body, they are often hiding some of their best features. “No matter what size you are, you always look better when you feel confident,” she said. “First and foremost, you just need to accentuate what you do like … and then you work to camouflage what you don’t like.” She also urges people to embrace color and patterns, in moderation. She suggests including one trendy element, bright pattern or texture to create more interest. “I’m all about disposing (of) myths like black is the only color that’s slimming. It is not,” she said. James said that there are always trends that don’t appeal to her, but luckily they leave almost as quickly as they arrive. “I’m actually surprised that fringe is still in style,” she said. “It is part of an ongoing obsession that everyone has with the bohemian look.” Another long-running trend she sees is skinny jeans, but she is a fan of its longevity. “I’m wearing them right now.” She said. “But I’m glad to see other cuts. Skinny jeans don’t work for everyone, so it’s nice to see a boot cut and flare coming back into style.” Trends for men are less of an issue for James, but she said she has noticed some great things happening in affordable brands. “I took a client shopping last week and when we were in Banana Republic, I was delighted to see some high-grade-looking suits,” she said. “It’s really in the details. We found a $295 suit that had surgeon cuffs, which are cuffs with workable buttons. It’s something that you normally only see in custom and bespoke suits.” James takes the discovery as a hint that brands are starting to take advice from consumers. Regardless of the amount her clients spend on their wardrobe, James’ best tip is to wear what you love. ❖
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 31
summer fashion
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Annie Davidson is wearing a stripe Michael Stars dress, $78, paired with a blush gauze Michael Stars dress, $138. She is carrying a B. May gold metallic crossbody bag, $202, and has layered necklaces from Roxy Rabb, $96, and Joyce Shilling $260. Her ensemble is finished with Sacha London shoes, $156. B. Prince, 871-1965.
Josie Slaughter is wearing a Camilyn Beth Fiona dress in Navy Ponte, $290, Sam Edelman Dora slingbacks in Camel leather, $100, and a Kenneth Jay Lane necklace, $200. Her outfit is finished with a Gigi New York All in One Clutch in Python Print Special Edition Monkee’s Pink, $125. Monkee’s of Mountain Brook, 783-1240.
Jackson Pruitt is wearing the Performance Link pants in Antigua Green, $98.50, the Performance Stripe Tech Friction belt in Moonshine, $58, and the Performance Jive Stripe polo in Flag Blue, $85. Lindsey Nelson is wearing the Performance Kingston Stripe sleeveless polo in Rhododendron, $79.50, the Golf Performance 1/4 zip in Nautical Navy, $125, and the solid scalloped golf skort in Rhododendron. $118. vineyard vines, 970-9758.
Cool looks for Summer Journal photos by Lee Walls Jr.
Susy Nude platform wedges with cork geometric finishing and an ankle strap by Maker’s Shoes, $29.99, Lily Fringe back zip sandal, by Pierre Dumas, $29.99, and Azteck, a beaded brown multi wedge flip flop by Yellow Box, $49.99. Flip Flops & What Nots, 967-7429.
Lindsay Caddell is wearing a XCVI grey lace top, $125, and a Chalet black knit legging, $58. She has accessorized her look with Laurel Bassett pearl and leather earrings, $44. Town & Country Clothes, 871-7909.
32 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
sports
Play Ball!
Barons and Leadership Vestavia Host Annual Special Needs Baseball Clinic Students stepped up to the plate at Regions Field on May 10 for the fifth annual Special Needs Youth Baseball Clinic, hosted by the Birmingham Barons and Leadership Vestavia Hills. “The Barons players and staff always look forward to giving back to the community in any way possible. Any time we can use baseball as a form of bonding between players and some incredible children, it makes events like this even more spectacular,” said Michael Guzman, Barons media relations manager. Barons players were coaches for the day, giving the kids a close look at what it takes to make it on the team. Students took part in various stations of play, including a simulated game with Barons players pitching and in the field. Players Eddy Alvarez and Blair Walters ran a defensive drill station in left field and a bullpen station was overseen by players Brian Clark and James Dykstra. Kids were also treated to sessions in the NAPA batting cages with Keenyn Walker teaching proper hitting techniques. According to Leadership Vestavia Hills, the clinic is an opportunity for the students to further develop socialization, motor and sports skills while having a little extra fun. “To see 100-plus involved kids and nearly a dozen Birmingham Barons players together on the field laughing, smiling and being active makes it a memorable day,” Guzman said. ❖
Journal photos by Marvin Gentry More photos at otmjsports.com
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
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34 • Thursday, May 19, 2016
sports
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Vestavia’s Sophia Kamburis, left, celebrates a goal with teammate Sara MCurry. Kamburis, a senior, was named Most Valuable Player. Chad Jeter, below, scored the Eagles’ first goal in the first half. Jeter was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
soccer,
Members of the Homewood 6A boys state champion golf team are, from left: Ford Goldasich, Jack Poole, Connor Doyal, head coach Keat Litton, Jack Goldasich and Ben Harris. Not pictured: Reed Adkins, Nolen Langford, Josh Holland, Draper Tapscott and Christopher Williams.
Double Eagles
Jaguars and Patriots Roll to Boys Golf Titles By Lee Davis
powers Oak Mountain and Vestavia. “Claire has been doing this all season for us – coming in and making crucial goals at the right time,” Lady Cav coach Chase Zanaty said. “She made the game-winning goal and really put it all together for her sophomore season.” Zanaty has won a title in each of his two seasons as John Carroll’s head coach. “Our girls came out and dug deep and found a way to do it,” he said. “It’s reflective of the commitment and level of character that they have.” Lady Cav goalie Carmen Smith credited a higher power for her team’s success. “This is our third year to win the title and we’re grateful to God and thankful for our faith,” Smith said. “We practiced so hard and did all we could do to get here.” In Class 1A-3A boys competition, Altamont bid for the title fell short when the Knights fell to Bayside Academy 3-2. William Jackson and Mihir Limdi each scored a goal for Altamont. The Knights concluded their season with a 13-5-1 record. ❖
Photo special to the Journal
One of Alabama’s perennial powers in high school golf reasserted itself and a potential new one arose at the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class 7A and Class 6A championships last week at Huntsville’s Hampton Cove course. In Class 7A, Spain Park earned its fourth title in five years. The Jaguars’ two-day total of 571 easily claimed the blue first-place trophy by 14 shots over runner-up Fairhope. Vestavia Hills finished fourth at 596, as Rebel freshman Austin Coggin was the low medalist with a two-day 4 under par total of 140. Spain Park’s Landon Carner – a sophomore – shot rounds of 69 and 72 to lead his team with a 141 total and finished runner-up low medalist. Other top scorers were Luther Thomas and Conley Miller, who carded scores of 142 for the Jags. “Our guys did a great job of getting ready for this tournament,” Spain Park coach Brian Carter said. “With the three practice rounds we played the days leading up to the tournament, we realized the importance of studying each and every hole on the golf course. We had a great plan going in and our guys really attacked the golf course.” The school’s strong golf tradition was an incentive for his players, Carter said. “Their goal was to bring the trophy back to Spain Park after losing it (to Mountain Brook) last year,” he said. “I’m so proud of them for achieving our seventh state championship. They now get to put their names into an elite group of great teams that have played here and carry on a legacy of dominant golf.” Carner overcame a double bogey six on the fourth hole in the second round to shoot his 69. “I had to stay focused,” he said. “After getting a par
on five, I birdied six and seven. My confidence was up.” Carner went on to birdie four holes on the back nine. “It was a blessing to win,” he said. “At Spain Park, we take a lot of pride in golf. We struggled some in our practice rounds, but it all came together after the tournament started.” In Class 6A, Homewood staged an epic comeback to win their first golf championship. The Patriots rebounded from an eight-shot deficit after the first round to slip by runner-up Spanish Fort 591-593. John Carroll Catholic finished third with a 615 total. The Cavaliers’ John Snoddy fired a second round score of 68 to be his team’s best medalist at 145. “We were eight shots down, but our kids truly believed they could make up the difference,” Homewood coach Keat Litton said. “We set the tone for the second round from the beginning. Four of our five guys made birdies on the par-5 first hole and the Spanish Fort kids were making bogeys and double-bogeys.” Jack Goldasich’s 4-under-par effort on the front nine on the way to shooting an even par 72 was another harbinger of the Patriots’ comeback, as was Jack Poole’s birdie on the par-3 16th hole. Ben Harris overcame a 9 on the par-5 eighth hole to shoot three under the rest of the way, including a birdie on the par-4 18th. Connor Doyle added solid rounds of 73-74 for a total of 144. Doyle was only two shots behind Spanish Fort’s Charles Wood, Class 6A’s low medalist. In Class 7A girls competition, Hoover’s twoday total of 452 placed it second behind champion Huntsville’s 445 score. Julie Baker was the Lady Bucs’ low medalist at 148. Spain Park was third with a 469 score. Caroline Waldrop was the low Lady Jag medalist at 152. ❖
coach Daniel DeMasters. “It was hot so we tried to tire McGill out. But give them credit. They gave us a great game.” The Eagles ended the game with 12 shots on goal; the Yellow Jackets had only five. Oak Mountain – which spent much of the year ranked in the nation’s top five – finished 28-0-2. The Eagles have won six boys soccer state titles in the school’s relatively brief history. “This team worked really hard to get where we are,” Murphy said. “I think we deserve it.” In girls 7A, second-ranked Vestavia rolled to a 3-0 victory over Auburn to give the Lady Rebels their first state crown since 2007. Sophia Kamburis scored Vestavia’s first goal on a corner kick in the seventh minute. Julia Freeman got the ball to Kamburis. Alison Glaze scored the Lady Rebels second goal in the 30th minute. Caroline Causey earned the assist. The final goal came in the 37th minute when Sara McCurry scored with an assist from Kennedy Hicks. Vestavia’s defense dominated the Tigers so thoroughly that Auburn never had a shot on goal. Kamburis, a senior, was named Most Valuable Player. Auburn handed Vestavia one of its two regular season losses on Feb. 20. “We were confident in this game because we knew we were prepared,” Lady Rebel coach Brigid Littleton said. “Sometimes you have that feeling. Our girls were very calm. They were ready.” The victory marked Vestavia’s fourth girls soccer crown, as the Lady Rebels finished 24-2. In girls Class 6A, sophomore Claire Davies’ goal with only 2:59 to play gave John Carroll Catholic a 1-0 win over Northridge and their third consecutive state championship. “I was really tired,” Davies said. “But we all pushed through it. We had to score and we did.” The Lady Cavs’ defense held Northridge to only three shots on goal. John Carroll finished the season with a 23-2-3 record, with losses coming to perennial Class 7A
Journal photos by Marvin Gentry
Photo special to the Journal
From page 36
Members of the Spain Park High School 7A boys state champion golf team are, from left: Head coach Brian Carter, Nick Robillard, Thomas Luther, Conley Miller, Landon Carner and Reed Hereford.
John Carroll Catholic beat Northridge 1-0 to claim third consecutive state championship.
See more state soccer championship photos at otmjsports.com
Thursday, May 19, 2016 • 35
sports
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Vestavia Hills Grad Named SEC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Photo special to the Journal
Photo special to the Journal
Berry Middle School Claims First-ever Metro Tennis Title
Reed and Vincent Indovina. Team members pictured above, are, front, from left: Advaith Vadlakonda, Ryan Stafford, John Daniel Kendrick, Vincent Indovina, Fenn David and Jake Wilson. Back: Coach Matt Bowden, Sam Willard, Matthew Kendrick, Connor Coleman, Connor Reed, Viraj Kacker and Jack King.
State Champs: Mountain Brook Youth wrestlers brought home four individual state championships recently: Davis Smith 55-pound 6U, Wyatt Chavez 45-pound 8U, Jude Smith 75-pound 8U, and Gray Ortis 80-pound 12U. The team is coached by Marcus Brimley, Oz Chavez, and head coach Josh Lovelady.
Photo special to the Journal
Berry Middle School completed an undfeated regular season (11-0) en route to a MetroSouth Tennis Tournament Championship. Tournament individual champions were: number three seed, Jake Wilson; number four seed, Viraj Kacker and number six seed, Fenn David. Boys double champion: Connor
homewood,
Members of the Homewood High School boys and girls track teams. The Lady Patriots won their third consecutive outdoor track title. Homewood boys brought home the second-place trophy.
Then the number was up to about 20. Now we have more than 100.” Essingler also said support from
the school administration was a key. “The school was willing to make a commitment to track and help bring in qualified people to make sure our athletes get the individual attention
From page 36
weems,
From page 36
“Nobody had ever broken 2:10,” she said. “That was definitely one of my goals for the season. It was one of my incentives from the very beginning.” Finally, on Saturday, the athlete and the moment met as the 800-meter race began. “My strategy was to stay behind someone and rely on getting a kick start at the end,” Weems said. The plan changed when she found herself in the lead from the beginning. “Once I found myself in front, I had to be confident in the first lap,” she recalled. “On the second lap, I wanted to take control. At the end, I wanted to rely on my kick to bring it home.” As Weems crossed the finish line in first place, she sensed her time was good – she just wasn’t sure how good. Then the times were announced: Weems had crossed the finish line at 2:08.99 – breaking her own record and shattering the 2:10 mark by more than one second. Mountain Brook’s Frances Patrick was second at 2:13.06 and Weems’ teammate Sydney Steely was third at 2:14.28. “It was an incredible feeling not just to win but to break 2:10,” she said. “In
they need to be their best,” he said. And now Homewood’s winning way feeds on itself, according to the coach. “The new kids coming in under-
some ways, it really hasn’t sunk in yet. It might take a while.” Setting a new record wasn’t Weems’ only big moment in Gulf Shores. She also won the 1,600-meter run and finished second in the 400-meter run to help the Lady Bucs win their second consecutive Class 7A title by a wide margin. “This was the best track meet I’ve ever had,” Weems said. “There was no better way I could have ended my senior year.” Weems had success in the 800-meter run in every environment. She also won the event at the state indoor meet at the Birmingham Crossplex earlier this year. Her time was 2:13.19, also a state record. “Time-wise, the indoor race can be more difficult because there are so many more turns on a smaller track,” she said. The 1,600-meter race required a different strategy. “Coach (Devon) Hind told me I had to stay near Frances (Patrick) through the third lap,” she recalled. “I couldn’t beat her if I didn’t stay close. While I was running I kept thinking ‘stay with Frances, stay with Frances’ and I was able to finish strong at the end.” Patrick was runner-up to Weems in two events and won the 3,200- meter
stand the tradition we’ve built and want to be remembered as the ones who continued the legacy,” said Essingler. “We’ve developed a mindset where we expect to win.” ❖
run. Weems comes by her athletic talent naturally. Her father, Lance, was a basketball star at Auburn University and is a former basketball coach at Hoover. She began running competitively in the sixth grade. “In eighth grade, I began running the 800-meters and it became my favorite event,” she said. “That was also the first year I ran in the state meet.” Unlike some runners, Weems doesn’t run recreationally. “I run during practice, but not really any other time,” she said, laughing. “I’m not the type that gets up at five in the morning and runs three miles.” Maybe not, but her devotion to her sport has served her well. She’ll be running at Samford University next fall. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to run at the next level,” Weems said. “I enjoy challenges and this will be one. It will be nice to be close to home as well.” In the meantime, Weems plans to savor the accomplishment of breaking the 2.10 barrier. “It was important to me to leave high school with no regrets,” she said. “I guess it worked out that way.” No regrets go nicely with a new state record. ❖
Forrest Gamble, a University of Mississippi golfer and Vestavia Hills High School graduate, has been named the 2015-16 Southeastern Conference H. Boyd McWhorter Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Gamble and Alabama softball player Haylie McCleney of Morris were chosen by a committee of faculty athletics representatives from SEC universities and both will receive $15,000 postgraduate scholarships provided by AT&T and the Allstate Sugar Bowl, according to a press release from Ole Miss. “Forrest and Haylie are the type of studentathletes who make a commitment to excellence in the classroom and in competition that are representative of the high standards of the Southeastern Conference,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in the release. “Their accomplishments and their character make them ideal choices for the H. Boyd McWhorter ScholarAthlete Award.” Gamble, a physics major with a grade point average of 3.97, was the 2015 SEC Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a CoSIDA Academic All-American the same year. He has been named to the Chancellor’s List at Ole Miss every semester during his career with the Rebel golf team. “He is everything that you want in a studentathlete and his best days are certainly ahead of him. He is certainly deserving of this prestigious award,” said men’s golf coach Chris Malloy. Gamble finished in the top 10 this year at the Florida Atlantic University Slomin Autism Invitational to lead the Rebels to a first place finish, firing a season-low round of 2-under par 69 in the opening round. He finished in the top 20 at the Shoal Creek Invitational last fall and paced the Rebels with two rounds of even-par 72 last month at the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship to help Ole Miss finish second. He also fired a career-low 66 at the 2015 SEC Championships at Sea Island, Georgia, on route to a tie for an 11th place. He competed in every tournament his freshman season, earning his first top-five finish at the Querencia Cabo Collegiate in 2013. Gamble said winning the award was “a huge honor.” ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Thursday, May 19, 2016
By Lee Davis
See soccer, page 34
Photo special to the Journal
Presley Weems of Hoover, center, won the Class 7A 800-meter run with a state record time of 2:08.99. She is pictured with runner up Frances Patrick of Mountain Brook, left, and third place Sydney Steely of Hoover.
Gamble Named 2015-16 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year page 35
Blue Trophy Trio
lee davis
Patriot Fleet Lady Patriots Win Third Consecutive 6A Track Title
Vestavia and Cav Girls , Oak Mountain Boys, Earn State Soccer Titles
Journal photo by Marvin Gentry
The Over the Mountain area showed its domination of Alabama soccer in the state championships in Huntsville last weekend. Three area teams – Oak Mountain boys, Vestavia Hills girls and John Carroll Catholic girls – claimed blue trophies at the Rocket City’s John Hunt Park. The Altamont School’s boys team finished second in its bid for a title. In Class 7A boys, the Eagles capped an undefeated season with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen to earn their second consecutive championship. Jackson Murphy scored what proved to be the winning goal with 28:31 remaining to play. Murphy’s heroics were set up by a cross from Caleb Van Geffen. The play gave Oak Mountain a 2-0 lead that it never relinquished. Chad Jeter scored the Eagles’ first goal in the first half. Jeter was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. “These guys have been composed all year, so I’m not surprised how we played today,” said Oak Mountain
Sports
Forrest Gamble
Vestavia rolled to a 3-0 victory over Auburn to give the Lady Rebels their first state crown since 2007.
Race, Win, Repeat Hoover’s Weems Breaks Own Record in 800 Meters
By Lee Davis Presley Weems already held the Class 7A record for the 800-meter dash going into last week’s Alabama High School Athletic Association Track and Field Championships at Gulf Shores Sports Complex. Weems, a Hoover senior, completed the event in a record time of 2:12.53 a year ago. As sweet as the victory was, she still had some unfinished business in her final state meet. Weems wanted to break the elusive 2:10 mark.
Homewood’s budding girls track dynasty added another blue trophy to its mantle in early May, as the Lady Patriots won their third consecutive outdoor title. The Homewood boys brought home the second-place trophy. First place finishers for the girls included Jasmine Griffin, who won the 400-meter run, Elysa Griffin, who took first place in the long jump and Caroline Lawrence, who took top honors in the high jump. The foursome of Griffin, Lawrence, Ann Moseley Whitsett and Madison Kirkwood won the 4x400 meter relay. In boys competition, Andy Smith claimed the championship in the 1,600meter run, and Sean Conboy won the 800-meter dash. The foursome of Pierce Jackson, Paul Selden, Will Stone and Tucker Wilson won the 4x800 meter relay. All the recent success makes it easy to forget that there was a time when the Patriots hardly made a ripple in track and field. All of that changed in 20052006, when Tom Essingler was named head track coach. “Homewood always had a lot of potential,” Essingler said. “It was just a matter of getting all the pieces in place.” The new coach made a strong beginning, taking the Patriot boys to the state indoor title in his first season. Sustaining the success required much more. “It really began at the middle school,” Essingler explained. “The coaches there did a great job of getting the kids to come out for track. At first there might be as few as six kids.
See weems, page 35
See homewood, page 35
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