NEWS

Getting Better

Unless U Celebrates the Final Stages of Construction on its First Free-Standing Facility

Celebrating the almost completely finished new home of Unless U last Friday were, from left, Lindy Cleveland, Mo Oliver and Lisa McAlpin Williams.

By Emily Williams-RoBERtshaW

Over six years ago, Vestavia Hills resident Lindy Cleveland was volunteering with a summer camp at United Ability and was asked to go on a field trip with some of the students to see the movie “The Lorax.”

One simple quote packing a whole lot of meaning stuck with her and lit a fire in her heart: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

The words are at the heart of the nonprofit she founded days later in her parent’s house with her brother Jordan, who has Down Syndrome, and his close friends.

The nonprofit, Unless U, seeks to provide faith-based continuing education and teach development and life skills to adults with disabilities. It now has its own facility where students like her brother can achieve a collegestyle experience.

“My story and my connection started in 2003 with some special Hoover Bucs behind me,” said board President Ammie Akin.

A clinical professor for the University of Alabama’s Center for the Study of Ethical Development, Akin’s career in education began at Hoover High School, where she served as an exceptional education teacher.

“It really is a remarkable story, but the most important storyline today is the story of a brother with a disability, a sister with a vision and a God with a plan,” Akin said.

Though the facility isn’t completely finished, community members, Unless U students and families gathered for a celebration May 14, entering the building to be greeted by the inspirational Dr. Seuss quote.

When Unless U first outgrew Cleveland’s parents’ house, she reached out to her church, Shades Mountain Baptist Church, and the Rev. Danny Wood, who leased her space for Unless U in 2014.

“I told Danny, we’re only going to donated by Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church and Karen and Jerry Duncan, considerable work had to be done to create a campus.

The organization broke ground on the site on its fourth anniversary, in 2018, not knowing that the work to be done would be met with obstacles as great as a pandemic.

When she hired her contractor, Cleveland said she told him, “You need to armor up, because Satan is going to attack us in every way possible.

“He recently said, I’ve seen Satan attack before, but I’ve never seen him pitch a tent.”

Despite the struggles, visitors who toured the facility were greeted by high-tech classrooms, a library, a teaching kitchen, space for fine arts practices and other offerings.

After another few weeks of work, the facility’s ice cream shop, Unless U Scoops, will be complete. The shop will be a vocational opportunity for students as they sell ice cream provided by Big Spoon Creamery to the public.

Within the walls, Cleveland and her staff will be able to double the amount of students they serve and will continue to offer continuing education in academics, intramural sports and other areas.

Cleveland’s father, Doug Williamson, applauded the day and his daughter and thanked the many people who helped make the building a reality.

“Standing in this building today is a testament to our heart and our community as hundreds of you have financially supported this program,” said Williamson, who added that there is no debt on the facility.

“The funding for this building began with our students and families and it quickly became a communitywide effort. To all of you, we express our gratitude.”

Through teary eyes, he addressed his daughter, stating that words could not express his pride or her mother’s pride.

“We have watched your love for Jordan and his friends grow in your heart from the time you were a very little girl,” Williamson said. “It brings to mind Esther 4:14, ‘For perhaps you were born for such a time as this.’”

As Unless U looks forward to the future, leaders there have scheduled the 2021 Unless U Got Talent for Aug. 20 at The Lyric Theatre.

Funds raised at the event will support the completion of any remaining projects on the new campus building.

For more information, visit unlessu.org.

Above, Jamie Brown with Susan, Pete and Jody Peddy. Right, Peter and Leah Guarisco. Mark Patrick

ASO Taps New Executive Director

The Alabama Symphony Orchestra’s interim executive director, Mark Patrick, has been formally named to take over as the next executive director of the ASO.

Patrick began his tenure with the organization in 2004 as stage manager and since has served in several roles, from director of operations to general manager and now executive director. During that time, he has cultivated relationships with members of the orchestra, staff and community and corporate partners.

Patrick’s experience in artistic leadership, budgetary management and arts advocacy have prepared him to lead the institution, ASO leaders said in a statement.

“Over the years, we have been proud to have Mark Patrick as a member of the ASO administration. It has been a pleasure to work with him on various ASO programs and initiatives, especially as the orchestra expanded its online programing this year,” the outgoing chairman of the Alabama Symphonic Association, Dixon Brooke, said in the statement.

Danny McKinney, incoming chairman of the association added, “I welcome Mark Patrick in his new role as executive director of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. He has brought fresh ideas to our organization and has guided us throughout this time of transition. I look forward to our partnership in the coming years as we work to expand access to orchestral music across Alabama.”

The ASO also formally named Kimberly King director of development. King has 20 years’ experience in nonprofit fundraising, membership development and community awareness generation.

Before joining the ASO in 2019 as corporate development and events manager, she spent time as the development officer for the Birmingham Museum of Art and then member of the museum’s board. Her ability to organize a volunteer workforce, execute large-scale special events and grow an organization’s membership base were cited as reasons for naming her to her new position.

Other officers in the association are Carol Phillips, treasurer, and Karen Piassick, secretary.

Hand in Paw volunteer Suzanne Wood with Charlie, far left, have been a Therapy Team since 2014. This photo taken at The Burkett Center in 2018 is an example of a Hand In Paw Heals visit with a goal of improving fine motor skills and joint movement while providing furry motivation.

Puppy Love

Hand in Paw Celebrates 25 Years of Service and Announces Plans to Return to In-Person Visits

Hand in Paw is returning to in-person animal-assisted therapy visits after having to provide virtual visits during the pandemic.

Citing the availability of COVID19 vaccines, Hand in Paw officials said they would begin slowly by hosting small, socially distanced therapy team refresher courses to introduce new health and safety visit protocols. The group is working with its partners to ensure volunteer, staff and client safety.

“Our therapy teams shifted to virtual visits during COVID-19 and are preparing for a return to in-person visits,” Hand in Paw founder Beth Franklin said in a statement. “There is a huge need for these teams to help those who have suffered so many losses, and we are eager to be part of their healing.”

During the pandemic, Hand in Paw created TeleHIP therapy teams to keep in touch with program partners online by using video conferencing tools.

“Understanding the isolation and loneliness of our community, therapy teams embraced technology and learned to serve in creative and interesting ways,” Executive Director Margaret Stinnett said. “Program Partners like Children’s Hospital, UAB, the Exceptional Foundation, Glenwood and Girls Inc. collaborated with Hand in Paw to develop new ways of providing therapeutic support and educational experiences. Many schools welcomed therapy teams to work with struggling readers and life skill-oriented classrooms. It has been a time of ‘coming together’ for teachers, health care workers and volunteers.”

Hand in Paw announced its return to in-person therapy on the occasion of its 25th anniversary of providing animal-assisted therapy to north central Alabama and Tuscaloosa.

Franklin in 1996 struck out on a mission to create an organization that would improve people’s lives through animal-assisted therapy, at a time when such therapy had not been much in the spotlight. She and her rescued peke-a-poo, Jessica, had their first visit at UAB’s Comprehensive Care Center and, along with other volunteer handler and animal therapy teams, quickly became a familiar sight in area hospitals, schools, nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.

Today, the group has more than 70 program partners and 100 therapy teams. The teams are trained in a state-of-the-art facility that was renovated and expanded in 2019, after a $2 million capital campaign. The expanded campus enables the organization to train more potential teams and serve more of the community.

The campus also can be used for service projects, educational events and volunteer orientations.

Hand in Paw in its early years focused on visits to children. But now it provides animal-assisted therapy to people of all ages. Its program areas are HIP Heals, which focuses on mental health, wellness and compassion; HIP Reads, which focuses on education, literacy and special education; and HIP Cares, which focuses on life skills, mentoring and animal advocacy.

Hand in Paw relies on donors to fund its work. To donate, go to handinpaw.org/donate. —Virginia Martin This summer, the Alabama Theatre will be back in action, hosting its annual summer film series with some adjustments to meet health concerns.

The series was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the theater’s winter movie series had to be canceled after just a few showings.

In addition to adhering to social distancing guidelines, the 2021 summer season has been shortened from its traditional 14-film run to eight classic movies, instead.

Kicking off the series of film screenings will be a sing-along showing of the 1978 film “Grease” on July 9 at 7 p.m.

Additional showings will be “Singing’ in the Rain” on July 11 at 2 p.m.; “9 to 5” on July 16 at 7 p.m.; “The Princess Bride” on July 18 at. 2 p.m.; “The Color Purple” on July 23 at 7 p.m.; “The Wizard of Oz” on July 25 at 2 p.m.; and “Steel Magnolias” on July 30 at 7 p.m.

Closing out the seasonal series will be a showing of “The Sound of Music,” on Aug. 1 at 2 p.m.

Guests may notice that the traditional showing of the film “Gone with the Wind” is not included. According to theater officials, “Gone With the Wind” was not available for licensing.

The venue will be selling tickets to the series at 50% capacity, coming in at about 1,100 guests.

In addition, sing-alongs with the theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer Organ will kick off the movie viewings.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at alabamatheatre.com.

While the return of the summer series is a sign that things are returning to some form of normalcy, the Alabama and Lyric Theatres are in the red.

The historic buildings that have survived downtown for more than a century, dipping in and out of disrepair over the years, has lost an estimated $2 million in revenue.

The facilities are owned and operated by Birmingham Landmarks Inc. and are not publicly funded. Both buildings are pieces of history, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and, therefore, require constant maintenance.

While ticket sales will help pay for current costs to maintain the facilities, it cannot cover the losses.

To support the Alabama and Lyric theaters and ensure their survival, donate to their GoFundMe Charity page, “Save the Alabama and Lyric Theatres,” or go to the individual theater’s home pages. —Emily Williams-Robertshaw

Alabama Theatre Announces Summer Series, Continues to Raise Funds to Cover COVID Losses

While the return of the summer series is a sign that things are returning to some form of normalcy, the Alabama and Lyric Theatres are in the red. The historic buildings that have survived downtown for more than a century, dipping in and out of disrepair over the years, has lost an estimated $2 million in revenue.