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PEOPLE
Gregg Wadsworth to Lead Homewood Rotary Club
Gregg Wadsworth has been elected Homewood Rotary president for the 2022-2023 club year. He was installed by Rotary International Assistant District Gov. Derek Brown at the club’s June 23 meeting.
Wadsworth, regional accounting support manager with Buffalo Rock, has been a Rotarian since 2008.
Other newly installed officers are Jennifer Kyle, program chair/president-elect; Jo-Ann Bradley, secretary; Kathryn Henry, treasurer; and Peter Bradley, sergeant-at-arms.
The leadership team also includes RI Foundation Director Michael O’Kelley, club foundation Director Bo Duke, youth service Director Mike Hathorne, club service/membership Director Mary Lou Reynolds, grants Chair Laura Tucker and immediate past President Rhett McCreight.
Homewood Rotary supports local, national and international projects through service and financial commitment. Its annual college scholarship program has assisted hundreds of Homewood High School graduates over five decades. The club awarded scholarships totaling $20,000 in 2022. Third-graders at Homewood’s three elementary schools enjoy receiving dictionaries personally presented by Rotarians.
The club also supports varied other projects and services that impact area residents of all ages. To meet these financial needs, the club is known for its Chalk Art Festival at We Love Homewood Day each May, a St. Patrick’s Day auction and other fundraising opportunities throughout the year.
Homewood Rotary meets at noon on Thursdays at Homewood Library. Learn more at homewoodrotaryal.org and #homewoodrotary. Gregg Wadsworth
Hoover Resident Elected Vice-Chair of the National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation, the nation’s oldest and largest wildlife conservation organization, has elected Rebecca Wright Pritchett of Adams and Reese as eastern vice-chair of its board of directors.
“I am honored to have been elected by NWF’s affiliates as the federation’s eastern vice chair representing the eastern third of the country,” Pritchett, a resident of Hoover, said in a statement from her law firm.
“As an affiliate-based organization with independently governed, local affiliates in the states and several U.S. territories, the federation has a unique advantage among national nonprofits,” she continued. “We have boots on the ground and local perspectives to guide our actions at the federal level. Our affiliates set the federation’s national conservation policy, ensuring that we focus on the things that are important to them.
“I look forward to continuing to work with and represent the affiliates on the NWF board and advocating on their behalf at the national level,” she said.
Pritchett, a Jackson native, served as president of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, one of NWF’s oldest state affiliates, from 2004 to 2005. She has chaired multiple resolution committees and participated on several bylaws committees. She has served on the NWF board of directors as Region 4 director since 2017, representing Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
One of her most notable projects as a member of the organization was traveling to the Dakotas with NWF to help resolve affiliate conflict over the Garrison Diversion Project, an interbasin water transfer project, in 2001.
Pritchett has more than 29 years of experience in environmental and natural resources law. As special counsel at Adams and Reese, she focuses on assisting clients across the country with regulatory compliance, enforcement actions and civil litigation in all aspects of environmental and natural resources law, as well as brownfield redevelopment and formation of habitat mitigation banks.
Pritchett has received some of the legal community’s most coveted honors, including a ranking in Chambers USA for environmental law. She is admitted to practice in Alabama and California. Rebecca Pritchett
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Almost from the outset, Lori Smith was hooked on “The Chosen,” a television drama based on the life of Jesus.
So, when she had the opportunity to be an extra in an episode, she jumped on it.
In early June, Smith traveled to Midlothian, Texas, just north of Dallas, to take part in the filming of the Feeding of the 5,000 scene. The filming lasted three days, and the scene will be included in the season 3 finale, expected to air in December or January.
“It’s really exciting,” said Smith, a resident of Mountain Brook who attends St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. “Four years ago, I was scrolling Facebook and something caught my eye. It mentioned something about the show, even before a thing had been filmed.”
What Smith saw was a 20-minute clip called ‘The Shepherd.’ When it was released, she got a chance to watch it and it referenced how viewers could invest in the upcoming drama “The Chosen.”
“After watching the clip, I decided that whatever it takes I wanted to be a part of it,” Smith said.
The show is completely crowdfunded, and those interested can make a financial investment. The producers needed $10 million to film the first season. Smith made an initial $100 contribution and has continued to
Mountain Brook Resident Gets to Be an Extra in ‘The Chosen’
invest in the show.
“The show is free to the viewer, with millions of dollars being raised by ‘paying it forward,’ if someone is able, in order for other people to have the chance to watch it, too,” Smith said.
American filmmaker Dallas Jenkins created, directed and cowrote “The Chosen.” He is the son of Jerry B. Jenkins, a Christian novelist best known for the Left Behind series.
“The first season was better than I thought it was going to be,” Smith said. “Each season has eight episodes and each episode is typically about 45 to 50 minutes in length.”
Humanizing Jesus and the Apostles
Smith can’t hide her enthusiasm about the show, giving it a glowing review.
“What I like about ‘The Chosen’ is that it allows you to get to know each of the apostles more personally and intimately, including all of their flaws and imperfections, while at the same time showing the human side of Jesus and his compassion for others and the impact this has on those around him,” she said. “What I especially love about ‘The Chosen’ is how it tries to be as biblically accurate as possible even though it does take some liberty in writing back stories that allow you to get to know the apostles and those involved in Jesus’ life better. There is a Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi and an evangelical pastor who are consulted
“On the first day of filming, they literally regularly.” There is a “The Chosen” app that had 5,000 extras can be downloaded and through there who are all which the show can be watched on any device. Episodes also can be fans of ‘The Chosen,’ streamed on TV with Apple TV or which is how I got Roku and viewed on YouTube. “Currently, there are approxito be a part of the mately 400 million people who have show.” watched ‘The Chosen,’ and it is available worldwide and in multiple LORI SMITH languages,” Smith said. “What is especially amazing is how well it has been received by all generations, young and old, in addition to lay people and clergy alike. The pope has even embraced it.” Smith can’t wait to watch the episode featuring the Feeding of the 5,000 scene. “On the first day of filming, they literally had 5,000 extras there who are all fans of ‘The Chosen,’ which is how I got to be a part of the show,” she said. “It was neat to see the different groups each hour. I got to meet people from all over the country and world who love the show, including someone from South Africa and Canada. “I have to say the experience was truly one of the most meaningful and amazing experiences of my life. It was really a special day.”
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f Wood window restoration and repair f Sash replacement, rot repair f Replace broken and fogged glass f Wood insulated, putty glazed, and composite vinyl replacement sashes In early June, Lori Smith, above, traveled to Midlothian, Texas, just north of Dallas, to take part in the filming of the Feeding of the 5,000 scene.
FUN AND GAMES
