OTMJ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL u OTMJ.COM
SOCIAL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020
The Performing Arts and the Pandemic
SPORTS
From Border to Border Homewood Friends Bike 2,700 Miles Through the Wild West During Challenging Road Trip By Rubin E. Grant
W
Photo courtesy Virginia Samford Theatre
ith their lives moving in divergent directions, five childhood friends from Homewood decided they wanted to do something together in case they couldn’t
In our annual look at the local arts community we report on what some are doing to survive in the time of coronavirus. See page 10.
Shipt delivery excludes alcohol
for a while. So, on July 12, Adam Westfall, Ian Ross, Thomas Gordon, Willis Wood and Reed Whetstone embarked on an arduous bike ride from the Canadian border below Calgary to the border of Mexico, taking an unimaginably rugged trail. Wood, a back-country skier who lives in Durango, Colorado, and is described by his friends as a crazy adventurer, came up with the idea. Whetstone mapped out the route, which covered 2,700 miles with a total of 175,000 feet elevation gain. “The five of us have been friends since elementary school at Edgewood,” Whetstone said. “We wanted to keep up with each other because we seemed to be moving away from each other since college and it was getting harder to do things together.”
See BORDER TO BORDER, page 14
2 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
Inside
Murphy’s Law
B PARTY WITH THE ANIMALS ZooGala goes virtual to raise $400,000 for Emergency Animal Fund. PAGE 4
ECO-ESCAPE Homewood’s Sims EcoScape being renovated to make it more useful to the community. PAGE 6
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES Rob and Emily McDaniel’s new restaurant aims to make you feel at home. PAGE 18
THE NEW SCHOOL Camp Fire Alabama introduces Fletcher Academy, where kids can learn virtually in the outdoors. PAGE 20
ABOUT TOWN 3 NEWS 8 LIFE 10 SOCIAL 16
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
OPINION/CONTENTS
oy, have we had a lot to proWhat we’re trying to do here is give cess lately! Unexpected changyour inner person a chance to get a es, tangled up emotions – what few things off their chest or their jaw is a body supposed to do with it all? or their lower back or wherever it is Well, maybe put it on paper. you store up your tension. Numbers are good. Numbers are I don’t care if you are always the useful and charts and graphs and actulast person chosen for Pictionary. I arial predictions have their place, but don’t care if your spelling is atroshush it’s been my experience that alongside … or is it atrocious? Your dance the adaptive, functioning adult in your moves may be the stuff of your midbrain, there is a not-so-sure person dle school nightmares, but by golly, who may be quivering just a bit or it’s not beyond you to dabble in some would really, really like to break some art form. No one’s going to judge you, Sue Murphy dishes, or would just like to stand on and if they do, tell them to clam up a chair for a moment and scream, and keep moving. Or let your inner “SERIOUSLY???” person do it. She’s loaded for bear I also believe it’s important to anyway. somehow allow that poor little perMaybe the thought of an actual Maybe the thought son to have their say. Luckily, there human being getting a glimpse of of an actual human are a lot of “somehows” available. your inner person makes your You could draw a picture. Notice I being getting a throat close up. You’ve spent a lot did not say, “color a picture,” of time and energy trying to appear glimpse of your inner solid and upstanding. If someone which might be soothing, but then you are filling in someone else’s knew you were (shudder) vulneraperson makes your lines and I’m guessing that at this ble, where would that lead? Well, it throat close up. point you have a few lines of your just might make some other person own. feel not quite so alone, give them a You could write a story or a moment of “You said it, sister!” poem or a letter to the imaginary Oh, but what if your voice is editor of the “Gosh and Golly Gazette.” Give novelcompletely unique, a wellspring of thoughts and angles writing a go. Round up a cast of characters, throw a that no one has come up with before? I’d say, “Thank few problems at them (no writer’s block there), and goodness!” Look around. It doesn’t appear that we see what happens. have the answers to all of our problems yet, so someIf you are so inclined, you could play the piano or thing new might be just the ticket. Your inner voice the tuba or the bagpipes, whatever sound seems closest could be the gateway to a kinder, gentler world. (Cue to what your person needs to say. You could belt out a the sunbeams.) medley of yet-to-be-written show tunes, channel your Or maybe your inner person just wants to spew a inner Lin-Manuel Miranda. I mean, the man took the few pent-up adjectives in the privacy of your own story of a conflicted U.S. founding father and made it home so you can breathe again. That’s OK, too. into an unequivocal international hit. Maybe you All I’m saying is draw a picture, write a story, sing could, too, although I must point out that garnering the a song. It’s left brain therapy for your right brain approval of others is not the point of this exercise. angst. It can’t hurt.
FOOD 18 SCHOOL 20 SPORTS 24
otmj.com With everything that’s happening “Over the Mountain,” it can be difficult to keep up. That’s why we have launched the OTMJ newsletter. Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - we’ll give you a quick recap of the latest news, sports and social events as well as a heads up on upcoming events so you won’t miss any of the interesting and fun happenings in the Greater Birmingham metro area. To sign up for our newsletter, visit otmj.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @overthemountainjournal, for daily updates on what’s going on around town, too.
Over the Mountain Views
WELCOME BACK!
Vol. 30, No. 3
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 2020 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.
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
J O U R N A L September 3, 2020 Publisher & Editor: Maury Wald Copy Editor: Virginia Martin Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Staff Writers: Emily Williams Photographer: Jordan Wald Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Rubin E. Grant Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls, Bryan Bunch Advertising Sales: Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald, Gail Kidd
Drawing On Experience
The Birmingham Homeschoolers Community hosted a Back to School “Drive Thru” Party on Aug. 21 to celebrate the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. Vendors lined up by McCallum Park in Vestavia Hills and passed out information about local resources for homeschoolers and their parents, played interactive games and presented giveaways for preschoolers through teenage children. Following the drive-thru party, some families stayed at the park to participate in socially distant field games and play in the creek.
Cover mask by Robin Johnson available at The Assistance League in Homewood. Journal photo by Jordan Wald
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SEPT 3 -SEPT 17 Sept. 3 Underground Vulcan: Unearthing Local Mining History
What: VPM and Underground Birmingham officially unveil the updates to Lone Pine Mine, a small iron ore mine at Vulcan Park. Historians Jeff Newman and Josh Box will chat about the history of mining on Red Mountain and will have a Q&A live on Facebook and IGTV. When: 10 a.m. Website: visitvulcan.com
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 3
ABOUT TOWN necessary to move forward. College age or older. When: Thursday nights, 7-8:45 p.m., excluding Thanksgiving Where: Faith Presbyterian Church, lower level Website: griefshare.org/ groups/63460
Tues., Sept. 8 TEE UP for Down Syndrome Golf Tournament
What: Golfers hit the links for this annual event to raise funds to help support programs and educational resources for people with Down Syndrome and their
families. When: 11 a.m. Where: Inverness Country Club Website: downsyndromealabama.org
Sept. 10-14 Whale of a Sale
What: VHUMC hosts its annual fall consignment sale virtually this year, featuring fall and winter children’s clothing, shoes, children’s furniture, toys, children’s room decor and more. For details, visit the website When: Sept.10 at 5 p.m. - Sept. 14 at midnight. Website: thewhaleofasale. com
Sat. Sept 12 Birmingham Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale
What: Free and open to the public, this event features plants specially selected by dedicated growing groups and expert growing advice. Shop (and get) plants early option. Check the website for preorder details. When: 8 a.m.-noon; member priority shopping: Friday, Sept. 11, 4-5:30 p.m. Where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens Website: bbgardens.org
Helping Hands in the Hills Recycle Day
What: Vestavia Hills Chamber hosts a recycling event to include electronic recycling, paper shredding, household hazardous waste disposal and the Vestavia Police Department will be collecting medications for disposal (no needles). Proof of residency. When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Vestavia Hills City Hall Website: vestaviahills.org
Birds in Flight Breakfast
What: Enjoy breakfast and a
See ABOUT TOWN, page 5
Through Sept. 7 Virtual Art Off the Lake
What: Purchase unique artwork from featured artists from all over the country. A portion of the proceeds directly supports the seriously ill children and families served by Children’s Harbor. Website: childrensharbor.com
Through Sept. 20 Hike the Hill
What: Vestavia Hills Rotary Club hosts a fundraiser to benefit Vestavia Hills City Schools’ PTO programs and other charities. Individuals may “Hike the Hill” (the 1.5 mile course begins at Little Shades Creek Bridge on Morgan Road, and ends at the corner of Lime Rock Road and Panorama Drive) at any time during the event while social distancing. Website: vestaviarotary. org
Your Style. Your Budget. Our Expertise.
Through Sept. 30 Virtual Bargain Costume Closet What: Find Halloween costumes, dance wear and dress up clothes at Birmingham Dance Foundation’s annual fundraiser via Instagram, @ bargaincostumecloset. Proceeds benefit the Foundation’s Tuition Assistance and Community Partnership programs. Website: thedancefoundation.org
Through Oct. 1 Virtual Baby Steps Memorial Run 5K and One Mile Fun Run
What: Walk, run, jog or bike ride in remembrance of your loved one while we practicing proper social distancing. Proceeds benefit Amelia Center at Children’s of Alabama, a place of hope for grieving children, parents and families. Website: babystepsal.com
Through Dec. 10
2200 2ND AVE S | BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233 205.322.1687 | BIRMINGHAMWHOLESALE.COM
GriefShare
What: During this 14-week series, trained facilitators, who have experienced grief themselves, guide participants through and provide them with the tools and resources
The Crawford Sectional by Bernhardt (starting at $3,465) is a sleek and casual look that is both comfortable and on-trend. Dress it up with the Lambeth cocktail/side tables and this Taupin leather chair for luxurious living designed with the entire family in mind.
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8/27/20 12:18 PM
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
ABOUT TOWN
Photo courtesy Birmingham Zoo
4 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
READY TO RENDEZVOUS: Leigh Laser Collins, center, Birmingham Zoo corporate relations director; with ZooRendezvous Honorary Chairs, from left, Wally Nall III and Lisa and Craft O’Neal.
Party With the Animals
ZooGala Goes Virtual to Raise $400,000 for Emergency Animal Fund By Emily Williams
DISCOVER LOCAL FLAVORS FOR EVERY SEASON. Dine artfully on the rooftop or in the chic surroundings of Mountain Brook’s best kept secret. Habitat Feed & Social is the perfect gathering place to savor seasonal flavors, catch up with friends and top off the night with cocktails and live music.
For reservations call 205.203.4745 or find us on OpenTable.
The annual Zoo Gala has been transformed this year, becoming ZooRendezvous, a virtual luau that will be broadcast on social media free of charge. The ZooRendezvous Virtual Luau, presented by IberiaBank, will take place Sept. 10 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The fundraising goal for this year is $400,000, which will be raised through an auction and by meal deliveries the night of the event. Money
raised will benefit the zoo’s Emergency Animal Fund, which is projected to lose $2.7 million dollars this year. “Your Birmingham Zoo still needs your help in our financial recovery due to closing during the pandemic,” said zoo Vice President of Development Karen Carroll. “Please consider giving to and asking others to give, too. All ZooRendezvous proceeds will support the care and feeding of your zoo’s more than 550 animals, including endangered and protected species that have unique needs for nutrition and wellness.” Baker added that the zoo has a daily operating cost of $30,000, which provides food and vital care for the zoo’s animal residents. “Funding through donations allows us to continue community outreach, engage with our guests, provide educational programming and maintain the zoo facilities,” Baker said. The zoo relies on community support and public funding, which accounts for a large portion of its revenue. The rest is generated through ticket sales, memberships, sponsorships, events and its retail spaces. “The Birmingham Zoo is a vital part of our great city, state and entire region that is steadily enriching lives through education and engagement,” Baker said. “Our organization provides essential programs through community partnerships and serves as a community space for guests to create memories with their families, learn about wildlife and conserve natural resources for future generations to enjoy.” According to Carroll and Baker, taking the zoo’s largest fundraiser of the year virtual comes with a major positive; it will give staff the opportunity to reach more people than ever before. “We have thousands of supporters and donors from all over the country, and not everyone is able to visit Birmingham and attend our annual gala,” Baker said. “Hosting the event virtually will allow us to connect with
people in a new way. We hope our virtual event will inspire passion to conserve the natural world, gaining new and lifelong supporters.” Part of the fun will be a preshow that begins at 6:45 p.m., featuring Hawaiian-style music by Electric Avenue, Hula dancers and more entertainment. “Without having to leave your home, our supporters will be able to participate no matter where they are,” Carroll said. “There will also be a free virtual swag bag with fun surprises that will be available for download on Sept. 3. This party is a chance for everybody to enjoy the zoo and put their feet up for a festive evening.” Viewers can expect virtual animal encounters, behind the scenes views of the facility, appearances by community leaders and animals, and more. “The online auction always has great items and this year’s committee has gone all out,” Carroll said. “We have several auction categories: artwork, jewelry, dining, wine and beverage, zoo specialty items like a private movie night on Henley Park, home and garden, as well as entertainment packages.” Festivities have been organized by chairs Bronwyne Chapman, Candice McKinney and Ann Blair Gribbon. Honorary chairs include Wally Nall III, zoo Corporate Relations Director Leigh Laser Collins, and Lisa and Craft O’Neal. “My wife, Lisa, and I, along with Wally Nall, are grateful to serve as voices for our zoo’s animal family; they deserve the best and ZooRendezvous helps ensure they receive it,” Craft O’Neal said. The event will be broadcast at youtube.com/bhamzoo and a selection of meals, wine and swag will be available for preorder on the fundraising website, givebutter.com/VtVOT6. In addition, an online auction will take place from Sept. 3 until Sept. 12 at 10 p.m. at luau.givesmart.com. For more information, visit birminghamzoo.com.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 5
ABOUT TOWN
ABOUT TOWN
2020
From page 3 special wildlife show at this limited educational event with the zoo’s Ambassador Animal team and some of your favorite feathered friends. $120 a table (up to 4 guests). When: 9:30-11 a.m. Where: Birmingham Zoo Website: birminghamzoo.com
free & open to the public
Sept. 14-20 Stay-At-Home Gala and Online Auction
What: Community Grief Support presents an online art auction featuring various mediums, sports memorabilia and more. Proceeds benefit the organization and its mission to enhance the lives of those who are grieving. When: Sept. 14 at 8 a.m. - Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. Website: communitygriefsupport.org
Tues., Sept. 15
SMILE-A-MILE 5K -VIRTUAL | SEPT. 12-26
What: Run, walk or stroll at your own pace and follow along on Smile-A-Mile’s social media channels for updates and information, log your miles, send in your selfies and help collect donations in support of children and families on the childhood cancer journey. Website: smileamile.com
AT B I R M I N G H A M B OTA N I C A L G A R D E N S
No. 5 Recycling Drop-Off
What: Homewood Environmental Commission hosts a monthly opportunity to get your #5 plastics into a recycling program. Place your empty, clean and dry #5 plastics in the white super sack. When: noon-7:30 p.m. Where: Homewood Recreation Center, back parking lot Website: “No.5 Recycling Drop-Off” Facebook page
September 12 | 8 a.m.–Noon Benefiting the Gardens and featuring our Member Plant Gift
Sept. 18-26 Head Over Teal 5k and 10K
What: Laura Crandall Brown Foundation presents a virtual 5K/10K fundraiser in support of the Foundation and its mission of early detection research of ovarian cancer, raising awareness and enriching lives through support. Website: thinkoflaura.org
Sat., Sept. 19 St. Jude Walk/Run Birmingham
What: Join St. Jude in a virtual fundraiser for childhood cancer research for the kids of St. Jude and kids with cancer in your community. Check the website for details. Website: stjude.org
Member Priority Shopping: Friday, September 11 | 4–5:30 p.m.
Shop safely! Visit our website for current COVID-19 protocols.
bbgardens.org A facility of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the result of a successful public/private partnership between the City of Birmingham and the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a mission-driven membership organization that seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of the Gardens.
Eco-Escape
6 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
ABOUT TOWN
Homewood’s Sims EcoScape Being Renovated to Make It More Useful to the Community
Tucked away in a corner of Homewood’s Edgewood neighborhood, between blocks of houses, is a natural sanctuary that is a slice of Homewood history as well as an educational escape. When Amy Milam was hired in 2018 as the sixth caretaker of Sims EcoScape, she also became the first full-time manager of the five-lot property. Her job has been not only to maintain the land and plants that inhabit it, but to breathe new life into it while paying homage to the woman who started it all. The late Catherine Sims, known around the neighborhood as The Plant Lady, was a staple of the local arts and gardening community. After she passed away in 2006, Sim’s will deeded her home at 908 Highland Road and four neighboring lots to the city of Homewood to become a community park and outdoor classroom. Woven into the fabric of the garden’s layout is a mix of old and new, which Milam seeks to maintain as large-scale plans for landscape renovations begin. As people walk along the paths, they will see plants that Sims herself planted among a variety that have been thoughtfully curated. There are plant species with a little bit of history – antique roses hailing from the 1800s – and those that Sims created, such as a smooth hydrangea, which she propagated with the founder of Aldridge Gardens, Eddie Aldridge. Edible plants are also a staple throughout the gardens. Along the perimeter of a kitchen garden filled with vegetables and herbs are peach trees, which supplied a boun-
tiful harvest mid-summer. Fruiting plants include apple trees, a persimmon tree, blueberries and, most importantly, figs. “That was one of the things that Miss Sims planted,” Milam noted. “There are four fig trees on the property.” In fact, they ripen at this time of year, proven as Milam plucked one right off the tree and ate it. There are also nods to Sims love of education. Homewood resident Izzy Dettling installed Alabama’s first ozone monitoring garden this summer at Sims EcoScape for her Girl Scout Gold Award project. It features plants that show visible signs of sensitivity to increased amounts of pollutants in the air. Taking care of all of the garden’s pollinating needs are a colony of honey bees that are managed by Alabama Sawyer owner Cliff Spencer, who lives right up the street.
A Redesign Was in Order In 2011, after the gardens had fallen into disrepair due to overgrowth, the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham-Southern College took over the management of Sims as one of several ecoscapes the center manages throughout the greater Birmingham area. Small steps had been made in uncovering the garden’s potential over the years, but when Milam was hired, she decided it was time to enlist the help and financial support of the city of Homewood to finally create Sims’ vision for the land. A discussion among members of city government, landscape designers and people who knew Sims, moderated
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
By Emily Williams
Amy Milam, above, was hired in 2018 as the sixth caretaker of Sims EcoScape, she also became the first full-time manager of the five-lot property in Homewood. From Sept. 12 through Oct. 31, the gardens will become a pumpkin patch.
by Aldridge Gardens Executive Director Rip Weaver, resulted in a plan designed by Goodwyn, Mills and Caywood. Projects in the works now include making all of the pathways in the gardens ADA compliant. “It’s hard to have events here or make money off of it when your grand-
mother can’t show up because she can’t get through here with her cane or wheelchair,” Milam said. A paper alley along the right side of the property will be cleared and made into a path. Milam is even working on bringing in goats to clear part of the area that is covered in grass and brush to create the pathway as well as a playhouse village. “There are no sidewalks on Irving or Highland roads, so I would love for this alley to be a safe walking space for kids, because they come from Homewood Middle School and cut through the garden or walk down the streets,” Milam said. A lawn will be created where community movie nights can be held, and a section of brick pavers will be refurbished to form an area where outdoor classes can be conducted. A great portion of Milam’s preparations have revolved around getting to know the gardens’ namesake a bit better. “I have met so many people who knew (Sims), people who just stopped by the gardens while I was outside working, and I would learn something about her each time,” Milam said. “I want to create an oral narrative of her life because I don’t know anything about her life before Homewood,” Milam said. “I do know a lot about her life from 1960 until now.” She hopes to discover how Sims
developed a love of gardening and nature, something she also shared with her two brothers. Ben and Don Sims both were notable figures in Atlanta’s art and gardening scene. “I think that is just something they must have learned from their mother or both of their parents,” Milam said. “They were very civically engaged, engaged in gardening and art and it sounds like a really cool family.”
The House Could Be Repurposed All of her research will be used in the future in a historical display, perhaps in the house on the property once it is restored. Milam has heard that Sims imagined the house might be turned into an event space or museum. “The house is pretty much the same as it was when it was built in 1927,” she said. The only change made was to enclose the large front porch and take over a portion of it to extend a front bedroom. “Right now, I live in the house as a resident caretaker, but the goal is for the house to eventually be open for events,” Milam said. That’s not to say it hasn’t already hosted events. The house has been the site of a wedding, and there have been book and garden clubs, as well as school field trips, in the gardens.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 7
OTM Cities Cancel, Adjust 9/11 Ceremonies been reached to cancel this year’s 9/11 Ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic risk to public health.” The Hoover Fire Department plans to host their annual Patriot Day ceremony at a larger venue to accommodate social distancing. The ceremony will be held Friday, Sept. 11 at the Finley Center, beginning at 8:30 a.m. For more information, visit hooveral.org.
The 9/11 Remembrance and Patriot Day Ceremony usually co-hosted by Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and Homewood has been cancelled this year, as has Hoover’s annual ceremony. “Honoring our 9/11 heroes and those men and women serving in our Armed Forces is a cherished tradition,” a statement from the city of Mountain Brook read. “However, the incredibly difficult decision has Journal file photo by Jordan Wald
During the pandemic, children’s birthday parties have been hosted in the garden, including a fairy garden party and a pirate treasure hunt. Now that the garden is shaping up and a plan is set, Milam has been generating ideas for fundraising opportunities. From Sept. 12 through Oct. 31, the gardens will become a pumpkin patch. There will be pumpkins available of multiple sizes and colors, as well as a variety of mums and “mumpkins,” which are mums in pumpkin planters. Festivities also will include a scarecrow trail, fall crafts and plenty of treats. On Oct. 3, the gardens will host a Take-Home Tea Party, inspired by Sims. “(Sims) had talked to some of her friends, who I have since talked to, and apparently she wanted to see the house maybe turned into a tea room at some point,” Milam said, noting that it would be logistically impossible. When Milam discovered that Oct. 1 is Sims’ birthday, she knew she needed to organize a tea party fundraiser as a posthumous 105th birthday celebration. Attendees can preorder tea for two supplied by Little London Kitchen at Sims Garden from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Oct. 3. “I’m hoping that both of those will become traditions for Homewood and the surrounding communities,” Milam said.
ABOUT TOWN
There Still Will Be Racing for Children’s, Even if the Racing is on a Drive-In Theater Screen Racing for Children’s is shifting gears to host “Drive-In For A Cure,” a double feature showing at Grand River Drive-In in Leeds on Sept. 19. The movies will be “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and “Madagascar.” The event benefits pediatric cancer patients at Children’s of Alabama. Reservations are $25 per car, available online at give.childrensal. org/drivein. Gates open at 5 p.m., and the movies will begin at 7:15 p.m. Outside food and drinks are prohibited, but concessions, including $1 popcorn, will be available at The Snack Shack.
The event may be in person, but theater staff have incorporated social distancing protocols to ensure the safety of moviegoers. Masks will be required when not in vehicles, and cars will be parked with empty spaces in between to ensure safe distances. Proceeds support the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s, which treats more than 90% of Alabama children diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders. Racing for Children’s, presented by Medical Properties Trust, is in its 10th year of racing to cure childhood cancer.
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Samford President Andrew Westmoreland Announces Retirement
Samford University President Andrew Westmoreland, who has led the institution since 2006, will retire from the presidency effective June 30. According to an email Westmoreland sent to students, employees and alumni on Aug. 28, he announced his decision to the board of trustees during its Aug. 27 meeting. “Including our 15 years at Samford, Jeanna and I will have served more than 23 years in presidencies at two universities,” Westmoreland said. “Our careers in higher education now span more than four decades. We have been blessed with opportunities far beyond our dreams and we believe that this is the appropriate time to open the door for new leaders at Samford.” Westmoreland’s relationship with Samford University began on his first day of class as a college freshman, on Aug. 28, 1975. “As a first-generation college student, I was confused and anxious – and with no idea that, as my career unfolded, I would remain within the mysterious world of higher educa-
Photo courtesy Samford University
By Emily Williams
Andrew Westmoreland’s relationship with Samford University began on his first day of class as a college freshman, on Aug. 28, 1975.
tion for a lifetime.” Before returning to Samford as president, he served as president of Ouachita Baptist University in
Arkadelphia, Arkansas, for eight years. During his tenure, Samford officials noted that university enroll-
“As we know, every day is a gift; we take nothing for granted,” he said. “With whatever time that remains to me, I want the days to be filled with long hours for family and friends, productive labor, and – especially – support for Samford.” Westmoreland said he plans to spend the fall of 2021 away from the university and then will return to serve as executive director of the Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership. “In addition, I want to read and write and consult and travel – and have an enormous amount of pure fun,” he said. Until then, he stated, “mountains of work must be accomplished this fall and next spring” and he will be fully engaged in his position until June 30, “or a few days longer if the new president can’t be in place by that time.” A search for Samford’s next president begins immediately, according to university officials. A search committee will be co-chaired by trustees Tim Vines, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Alabama, and Beth Thorne Stukes, a corporate and civic leader from Jasper, with assistant to the president Michael Mordan serving as search committee secretary.
ment has experienced 11 consecutive years of growth in enrollment – which has, in total, increased by nearly 30% since 2006. In addition, more than 30 new or enhanced academic programs, both graduate and undergraduate, have been introduced. More than $400 million has been raised in philanthropic gifts, and the university has invested an estimated $100 million in its physical plant and campus. The university also has garnered national acclaim, including being ranked third in the nation and first in Alabama for student engagement in 2019 by the Wall Street Journal. “As we begin this transition in the university’s leadership, it is important to remember Samford is stronger today than at any time in its 179-year history,” Samford Board of Trustees Chairman Bill Stevens said in a released statement. “We all are immensely grateful for the tremendous service of President Westmoreland.” According to Westmoreland, his decision was shaped by two important memories: his father’s unexpected death at 66, and the death of his Samford predecessor Tom Corts at 67. He added that he is 63 and in good health.
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In an Aug. 22 ceremony, Hoover city officials broke ground on the Bluff Park Village and Piggly Wiggly Redevelopment Project. In attendance were project leaders Ken Harden, Bluff Park Village owner; Naseem Ajlouny, Piggly Wiggly owner; and Beetina Long, Mills Pharmacies owner. “Together as a team, all of us can make this a success for the community and the city,” Harden said. Harden will remodel the shopping center’s exterior and will incorporate sidewalks to boost walkability from residential areas. “We’re going to see a transformation here,” said Mayor Frank Brocato. “It will be much more of a neighborhood environment. It’ll be walkable. There will be green space and opportunities for events to take place.” To kick off the project, ground was broken on the site of a new Piggly Wiggly Bluff Park, which will be moved from its current location in the Shades Mountain Plaza Shopping Center. “We’ve had a diamond down the street, and we’re going to polish it up up here and make it a unique store,” Ajlouny said. The new location will be consistent with the design of the Dunnavant Valley store located in Mt Laurel.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Homewood government and school officials gathered Aug. 18 to not only cut the ribbon on an approximately 100,000-square-foot addition to Homewood High School but also to announce the creation of the Aniah Blanchard Memorial Scholarship Fund. The new building and the new scholarship, former Homewood superintendent Bill Cleveland stated in a speech given before the ribboncutting, are for the students and their futures. A graduate of Homewood High School, Blanchard was killed in October 2019 in Auburn, where she attended college at Southern Union State Community College. Cleveland is a close friend to the late Blanchard’s family, and his children grew up going to school with Aniah. She brought a smile to everyone’s face, he said, and embodied the spirit of Homewood High School. While the details are still being ironed out, he noted that the scholarship will be granted by the Homewood City Schools Foundation each year at the high school’s Awards Day ceremony.
Photo courtesy Homewood City Schools
Homewood City Schools Creates Aniah Blanchard Scholarship, Cuts Ribbon on New High School Addition
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 9
NEWS
Former superintendent Bill Cleveland, above, at the Homewood High School ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Following the ribbon-cutting, guests got a sneak peak of the high school’s newly finished addition, including the new front entrance and three new pavilions for academics, athletics and fine art. Some of the new features in the addition include a state-of-the-art weight training room, band and choir rooms, a dance studio, a new theater and 16 classrooms. According to school officials, the purpose of the project was to accommodate the projected growth of students in Homewood schools. —Emily Williams
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10 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
The Performing Arts and the Pandemic What comes next for live arts entertainment? Performance groups share the ways they are making the best of new and engaging ways to reach their audience in order to survive during this challenging time. Alabama Ballet The Alabama Ballet is the state’s premiere professional ballet company. The company has achieved national prominence as one of only eight ballet companies in the world permitted by the Balanchine Trust to perform Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker.” The Alabama Ballet promotes the development of classical and contemporary ballet through high-quality performances, dance education and community outreach. Tracey Alvey, Alabama Ballet Artistic Director & CEO
OTMJ: In what ways did your organization deal with or adapt to the pandemic? Tracey Alvey: Alabama Ballet was forced to cancel the remainder of its 2019-20 season once COVID hit. This included “Romeo & Juliet” and “Ovation,” two of our four major productions. Unfortunately, our company dancers have been unable to rehearse or perform since the shutdown. We are hopeful that they will return to the studios and to the stage as soon as possible. We were fortunate to have several couples who quarantined together and thus they were able to perform as part of the Birmingham Art’s Drive-In alongside our fellow performing arts organizations. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? We plan to move forward as scheduled with our 2020-2021 season, though we have pushed back our major productions to start in December instead of early fall. We will open our season with an in-studio performance, “At Home,” Oct. 16-18, which will be livestreamed as well as performed outdoors at Avondale Brewery. From there, we will present our first major production, George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 17-23. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? We, like
all performing arts organizations, have been unable to carry out our mission and encourage the community to support Alabama Ballet through donations and purchasing tickets.
Alabama Symphony Orchestra The formation of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra began with the first performance by a group of volunteer musicians in 1921. That group would evolve from a volunteer ensemble to the state’s only full-time professional orchestra. Today, the ASO is continuing to make music and provide vital services to the residents of the state, serving nearly 100,000 individuals a year through concert series, youth programs and educational and community engagement efforts to fulfill its mission to change lives through music. Carlos Izcaray, ASO Orchestra Music Director
In what ways did your organization adapt to the pandemic? Carlos Izcaray: Over the past several months, the ASO has been exploring ways to create brand new ways to share music with Alabamians from the comforts of their home. Some of our recent projects included #TunefulTuesday, presented by PNC, a weekly segment of ASO musicians playing pieces from Mozart to the Beatles, as well as the ASO’s #AskMusiciansAnything, where Alabama students submitted questions to various ASO musicians. Members of the orchestra were also thrilled to collaborate with community partners like the Alabama Ballet, Opera Birmingham, Red Mountain Theatre Company, WBHM and UAB’s Alys Stephens Center for the first #BhamArtsDriveIn. Those who missed out can still view the performance at alsymphony.org/
drivein. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? We are still hard at work finalizing our plans for the ‘20-‘21 season – and what experiencing the ASO will look like in the coming months. We are considering opportunities for virtual performances, educational programs and a variety of ways to engage with the conductors and musicians. It is our genuine hope to welcome patrons back into the concert hall as soon as it is safe to do so. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? To stay up to date on virtual events and announcements, be sure to follow the Alabama Symphony Orchestra on Facebook, @alsymphony; Instagram, @alsymphonyorch; and Twitter, @alsymphony; as well as subscribe to the ASO’s newsletter by visiting alsymphony.org/signup.
Birmingham Children’s Theatre This fall, Birmingham Children’s Theatre is entering its 73rd year of educating, enriching and entertaining audiences across the greater Birmingham area and all of Alabama. Though the primary area of focus has always been working with schools to provide arts integrated education options, most often through school field trips to the theater, each year BCT provides high-quality professional theater for public audiences of all ages as well as performance classes for youth and family-friendly arts events. Ashley Woods, BCT Interim Artistic Director
In what ways did your organization adapt to the pandemic? Ashley Woods: In March, as the pandemic began to impact our schools, BCT had to cancel three productions, one of which – “The Sword in the Stone” –
was in final dress rehearsal and has still not seen an audience. But, we immediately moved to producing a couple different video series to help provide entertainment and enrichment even while people remain sheltered in their homes. The first was called #AtHomeWithBCT and was a series of lessons, crafts, activities and stories to keep children entertained while everyone adjusted to what learning from home might look like. Then we came up with the Cardboard Puppet Theatre which was a series of brand new, 10-minute puppet shows that were released each week on our social media channels and website, all of which was free to our audiences. Each of these stories were meant to be fun and imaginative, but also address issues kids might be facing right now, like how to go on vacation in your living room if your family vacation is canceled, or what to do when you’re feeling “spiky” emotions. We also moved all of our summer camps to a virtual format and created the Imagine Outside the Box camps, where BCT provided kids with all the materials and lessons they needed to make their own stories and theater at home. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? We’ve really broken the upcoming season plans into 2020 and 2021 with a focus on what is possible this fall with everything we know, and a flexibility as we look to the spring to finalize decisions at a later date. For the fall of 2020, BCT is producing “The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus,” a single performer show, which can be adapted for a live or virtual performance depending on the needs of our audiences. Live performances will take place outdoors and tour to schools (any athletic field or patch of grass will be our theater) and parks, while virtual, interactive, live-streamed shows will be scheduled throughout October and November for classes and public audiences to enjoy together. We are also currently developing a larger outdoor performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to take place at
the Avondale Park Amphitheater. This project will be reliant on outside funding and won’t be finalized until mid-September. We have also put together a series of in-person classes for all age groups, all with limited class sizes and plentiful safety measures put in place, including adequate spacing between students, required face masks and a lot of cleaning and sanitizing between classes. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? In recognizing that school, as well as individual family, budgets are going to be tighter than in years past, we are working very hard to keep all of our programs affordable so every member of our community has an opportunity to engage with the arts, even in the midst of a global pandemic. With much smaller audiences and lower pricing, not to mention the free offerings such as the Cardboard Puppet Theatre we hope to continue, we are anticipating much less revenue across the board this year. In order to keep our programs and theater going, we are going to have to rely even more on the individual financial contributions from foundations, businesses and individuals who have the ability to help support our theater. So, we humbly ask our community to donate when they can at bct123.org/donate.
Birmingham Boys Choir Incorporated in 1973, Birmingham Boys Choir is a nonprofit, civic organization that provides intensive musical training for young men ages 8-18. The BBC trains young men in music theory and technique as well as teaching selfdiscipline, professionalism and the art of teamwork. Mandy Peterson, BBC Executive Director
In what ways did your organization adapt to the pandemic? Mandy Peterson: In the spring of 2020, we had to cancel our spring performances and switch to an online format. In a digital age, choral singing has been mainly (an) analog group activity. Our main goal was to allow boys to connect in an online format and still learn musical technique while staying safe in a pandemic. It certainly loses a little bit of the teamwork aspect because of sound delay and blending, but our parents reported that this was a highlight of their sons’ days while they were out of school. What will your 202021 season plans look like? The BBC has a plan in place to reopen safely. We will be conducting smaller ensembles and adding virtual ensembles for those families who prefer that method of instruction. We have postponed our concerts that we had scheduled but are hopeful that we can offer a Christmas concert to the community to bring hope during the holiday season. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? Yes. Send us your young men! We weren’t able to complete our spring recruitment due to the pandemic. We still have spots left for in-person and virtual choir this fall. We also need monetary donations. We have experienced a 32% decrease in income and increased expenses for rehearsals, technology upgrades and scholarships for those affected by income loss from quarantine. We are so appreciative of our community coming together to help us bridge the gap by giving monetary donations. We are also hopeful that we can postpone our Taste of Birmingham event until the spring to give our restaurants a bit of time to recuperate. We will need help, not only from our food-service community, but donations of gift cards, silent auction items and ticket sales. Please email ed@ birminghamboyschoir.org if you would like to donate or participate.
See THE ARTS page 12
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
On March 26, Virginia Samford Theatre leaders made the call to cancel the remainder of their 2019-2020 season, not knowing how long it would be before they reopened or whether they would have room for the cancelled shows in their next season. One of those productions, starring Jan Hunter, will now be presented as the season opener. Hunter will return to the stage in the show, “Love, Linda,” directed by Henry Scott. It will run Sept. 17-27 on the Virginia Samford Theatre’s Mainstage. “It’s the perfect vehicle to open back a theater season,” Hunter said, as there will be a limited number of people on the stage. Only one, to be exact. Hunter will take on the role of Linda Lee Thomas in a one-woman show about her life as a Kentucky-born socialite and her marriage to legendary songwriter Cole Porter. Hunter will sing a selection of Porter’s 1920s tunes and act out scenes inspired by the couple’s 35-year marriage, the successes and the darker elements. “She was pretty much the driving force behind his success, so it is her story woven in with his incredible music,” Hunter said. Folks can expect to hear well-known songs, such as “I Love Paris,” “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” “Night and Day,” and “In the Still of the Night.” Though she has had just a few rehearsals so far, Hunter said just being at the theater after a long quarantine was an amazing feeling. “I’ve only had two rehearsals, and I walked into the backstage of that theater and my whole spirit lifted,” she said. “It was like the light turned on in my soul.”
Welcome Back
banded together with fellow artists and friends to create a YouTube video, all singing the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and sending a message of support to fellow artists. The original video was posted April 30 and has been viewed more than 10,400 times. It even garnered social media praise from the likes of Barry Manilow.
Jan Hunter Takes on One-Woman Show “Love, Linda” for VST 2020-21 Season Opener Long History in Birmingham Hunter has a long history with the Virginia Samford through a few different iterations of its existence as a staple of the arts community in Birmingham. Hunter lived in the area for a year in the 1970s, between graduating from college and moving to New York City. While she was in the Magic City, she worked as an intern at the theater for professor James Hatcher. “I moved back here in the ‘90s and got involved again, when it was Town & Gown,” Hunter said. Over the years, she has seen the arts community continue to grow and expand. “We have added more and more theater companies in Birmingham,” she said. “Our symphony thrives. Our ballet does really well. Our museum is so beautiful… . So, I think we are a very culturally aware city.” At times, the arts community has been saturated and a few companies have been lost along the way. Like in the restaurant world, sometimes there are only so many people who go out. “That has happened, but I think the general support of the arts is still extremely strong, thankfully,” she said. When the pandemic hit, the entire arts community felt the weight of lockdown measures immediately, canceling one show after another as the “new reality” set in. “The friends of mine who are music directors
Back in Action
Photo courtesy Jan Hunter
By Emily Williams
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 11
LIFE
Jan Hunter
and directors and depended on these shows for financial livelihood … they were devastated,” Hunter said. Scott was working with a team of actors and crew members on a production of “The Fantasticks” that would have opened March 26. In response to that production being closed down, one of the actors in the show, Barry Austin, collaborated with Hunter and fellow actor Joe Zellner to create a virtual singalong, dubbed One Voice Birmingham. The trio
At Virginia Samford, shows that were cancelled due to the pandemic will find their way back to the stage, as “Love, Linda” has. “The Fantasticks” will show Oct. 15-25. In addition, summer productions have found a home in the 2020-21 season. “Frozen Jr.” by the VST Stars students has been moved to Nov. 12-22, and “1776” will show Jan. 21 through Feb. 7. According to Hunter, this first production will be a learning experience for the Birmingham theater community – actors, crew and audience members alike. “I know in our hearts and in our spirits we are ready to come back,” she said. “Physically, I don’t know if we are. We’re all afraid of getting sick and exposing ourselves and exposing others, so the Virginia-Samford Theatre is taking every precaution with this piece.” The theater will be conducting temperature checks at the door and will require masks. In addition, seating will be set at 50% capacity. “I just want to applaud the Virginia Samford Theatre and thank them for taking this chance, and for the sponsors that are supporting the show,” she said. “I just want to applaud them for getting us back in the groove.”
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12 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
THE ARTS From page 10
Homewood Theatre Homewood Theatre opened its doors in 2016 as a small, nonprofit community theater working to present quality productions in the Over the Mountain area. It produces small-cast musicals and comedies in an intimate setting that allows audiences to enjoy an evening of up-close-andpersonal theater. In 2019, it moved to its current location in Brookwood Village Mall, which gave it a permanent home with plenty of parking and access to restaurants for dinner before a show. Kyle Bass, Homewood Theatre Executive Director
In what ways did your organization adapt to the pandemic? Kyle Bass: In March of this year, we had to cancel one play from our 2019-2020 season and postpone another. All of this was done to ensure the health and safety of our audiences and our actors. Since then, we have been researching ways to bring theater to the Homewood Theatre family. We put out a couple of videos from past performances on our social media, but we are really excited about an outside performance coming up on Sept.12. We are working on an original production that will be performed in the parking lot of Brookwood Village Mall. We will observe social distancing guidelines for both audience and performers. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? In a normal season, we produce six shows consisting of four comedies and two musicals. And we had a full season planned for 2020-21. As of right now, that season is on hold. We hope to resume that season as soon as possible, hopefully by early 2021. We are planning some shows with small casts that can work well in a socially distanced setting. Our theater is modular and has a good deal of space to allow seating to comply with COVID-19 requirements, so we hope to be up and running soon. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? There are two ways. First, you can come see our next production. It will
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
LIFE
be an outdoor production on September 12 at 7:30 p.m. It’s a collection of writers and actors sharing their stories from the pandemic, and it’s called “Working Without Pants.” It’s a one-night performance and the performance is free to all. Look for details on our social media. And second, if you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation to a great, little community theater, call Homewood Theatre at 205-873-1816.
Opera Birmingham Opera Birmingham, the only professional opera company in Northern and Central Alabama, has entertained audiences for more than 60 years. From its humble beginnings in 1955 to its 60th anniversary in 2015 and beyond, Opera Birmingham has produced world-class operatic productions and concerts that have been hailed by critics and loved by audiences. Keith A. Wolfe-Hughes, Opera Birmingham General Director In what ways did your organization adapt to the pandemic? Keith A. Wolfe-Hughes: When we had to stop rehearsals and not perform “Cinderella” in March, we looked at what kind of digital content we would be able to share in the spring to stay in touch with our patrons. We shared archived video of some of our past productions (thanks to our artists and publishers for giving us permission to share these videos), and we launched a series of Opera Carpool Karaoke videos on Facebook – a spin on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke, with some of our favorite artists singing along to their favorite music in their car. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? We would love to perform on the stage again with live audiences in the theater, but I really don’t think that is realistic this season. We are adapting our season in two very different ways. First, we are taking our Opera Shots pop-up concerts on the road. With such great weather in the fall, we are moving these informal concerts outdoors to perform in parks and neighborhoods across Birmingham. Thanks to some wonderful partners, we’ll have a flatbed truck set up with sound
equipment to perform, and we plan to do three or four concerts on a weekend at least once a month. Follow us on social media for all the latest updates. Secondly, we are taking our other productions online, creating video performances that people can watch from their home. We did a fun drive-in concert in July (a partnership with the ASO, Alabama Ballet, RMTC and Alys Stephens Center), with two sold-out performances at UAB, plus over 5,000 people watching us online across the country. So, we know people are excited to watch their home companies again. Our first video performance will be a holiday concert, Sounds of the Season, featuring holiday
‘... we need our community’s support now more than ever to ensure Birmingham’s vibrant arts community continues to thrive even through these challenges.’ classics performed by a range of singers from Alabama. We have a few other online projects we are developing and will announce more plans as the season progresses. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? Even though we can’t perform a traditional season, I hope our patrons will continue to support us. Join us at our pop-up Opera Shots concerts, and purchase a ticket for our online shows this year. But the biggest way our patrons can help us is to continue making tax-deductible donations. In a normal year, ticket sales cover only one-third of the cost of a performance, so we need our community’s support now more than ever to ensure Birmingham’s vibrant arts community continues to thrive even through these challenges.
Red Mountain Theatre Red Mountain Theatre Company is a Tony Award-winning nonprofit organization committed to enriching the cultural landscape of Birmingham and beyond through unique, highquality professional theater and performing arts education.
Established in 1979 as Summerfest, RMTC has grown to become the preeminent year-round professional musical theater organization in Alabama. In tandem with professional productions that engage local and national artists, RMTC conducts one of the most highly regarded arts education programs in the South, reaching 17,000 students each year. RMTC is not only developing the musical theater skills of young artists but building future leaders. Drew Francis, RMTC Creative and Marketing Director
OTMJ: In what ways did your organization adapt to the pandemic? Drew Francis: We created a virtual series for the summer for 4- to 6-year-olds. Camps and classes have gone virtual. Our conservatory will be a mixture of in-person and virtual training. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? We are working towards opening our arts campus. All shows have been canceled until the opening show on the arts campus in the summer of 2021. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? We have many ways that people can get involved with the arts campus. You can find them at redmountaintheatre. org/arts-campus, or visit our sustainability fund redmountaintheatre.org/ sustainability-fund.
Cathy Gilmore, VST President
COVID to make our patrons safe and to make them comfortable coming to the theater. Those processes include selling general admission tickets; only selling half the house; requiring mask usage; blocking certain rows of seats to allow for social distancing; doing temperature checks upon entering the theater; encouraging copious use of hand sanitizer and making sure it is readily available; completely sanitizing the theater between performances; and restricting beverages to canned or bottled items. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? We have a full schedule slated for our 2020-21 season. We have a complete plan to deal with the COVID situation for as long as it plagues us. The schedule is: “Love, Linda,” Sept. 17-27; “The Fantasticks,” Oct. 15-25; Disney’s “Frozen Jr.,” Nov. 12-22; “1776,” Jan. 21-Feb. 7; “The Glass Menagerie,” March 18-28; “Company,” April 15-25; and “Million Dollar Quartet,” June 11-27. Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? In addition to greatly needed donations (all tax deductible), we urge everyone to come to the theater to experience our incredible performances. Come with confidence, because we’re ready for you with safety and precaution in abundance!
Terrific New Theatre Virginia Samford Theatre In 1927, a new cultural destination opened its doors in Birmingham. This intimate theater brought together a wide range of the community’s residents for thought-provoking new performances and soulstirring classics. Much has changed about Birmingham in the years since, but the venue now known as the Virginia Samford Theatre remains a singular hub of creative insight and diverse entertainment. OTMJ: In what ways did your organization adapt to the pandemic? Cathy Gilmore: Our complete spring, summer and fall schedules have been altered. We have shifted performance dates several times and begun an aggressive approach to
Terrific New Theatre was founded by Steve Stella and Carl Stewart in 1986. They were first in a space on First Avenue but moved into Pepper Place in 1990. In 1994, they moved into the suite that housed the theater until July of this year. The pandemic forced TNT to make a decision to move out of its longtime home, into storage and hibernate until it’s safe to rehearse, volunteer and be an audience member of live theater. Tam DeBolt, TNT Executive Director
OTMJ: In what ways did your organization adapt to the
pandemic? Tam DeBolt: For live performance theaters like TNT, there was no adapting. Like all theaters across the globe, the pandemic is having a catastrophic effect on our industry. We closed, due to health regulations, on March 14. We kept thinking, or hoping, that the pandemic would pass and we could reopen and continue on with the run of that show. We ended up canceling the remaining performances. We then canceled an April fundraiser, we moved our May show into 2021, we canceled a June season announcement event, and we moved our Season 34 closer to the summer of 2021. Then, in mid-July, we made an organizational decision to move out of Pepper Place. In the meantime, we have launched an online series of programming called “This ‘n That from TNT.” On August 20, we presented a play titled “Bad Auditions … On Camera.” Over 250 audience members registered for a free online viewing ticket and the show was fun, fun, fun … for everyone! Our patrons, as they always do, stepped up in huge fashion and donated after the show. Many of them sent us money to cover their tickets, some gave less, some gave more. But every dollar will help in the “Build A New Home” effort. Next, an interview series will hit our YouTube channel. “Who’s Zoomin’ In?” will have short, 10-minute visits with some of our favorite people – people we have missed for the last 5.5 months. What will your 2020-21 season plans look like? Right now, we still have “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” scheduled for February and “Ripcord” scheduled for the summer of 2021. It’s impossible to know, for sure, if both or either of these productions will be possible. As of the writing of this response, we do not have our new home secured. The pandemic has a mind of its own and we can only wait until its safe. We are keeping the lives of our actors, our volunteers, our designers and our audience at the top of our list of concerns. . Are there any specific ways the community can show its support? Sign up to receive emails from TNT about upcoming online events at tam@ terrificnewtheatre.com. Donate to our “Build A New Home” campaign. There also are donation opportunities on our website: terrificnewtheatre.com. If you prefer to use a check to send money, please mail it to our temporary PO Box: Terrific New Theatre, PO Box 130368, Birmingham, AL, 35213.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 13
LIFE
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14 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
LIFE
BORDER TO BORDER
Rehab Reality... by Judy Butler
Continued from Page One
Just before the journey, the friends decided to turn the adventure into a fundraiser for the Crisis Center in Birmingham.
Fill in the blank; this is what attendees do when they attend AA meetings. I have a problem with this ‘labeling’. I understand that one needs to remember that they have a problem with alcohol, but to wear the label for the rest of their life is something I can’t agree with. At Bayshore Retreat we take clients to AA meetings if they’ve never been because this might be the only support they will have when they leave. Ironically most of our clients with alcohol addiction have tried AA first and find that it didn’t help. Also, ironically most of the other rehabs use this as their program to which I say, “why not stay home, eat your own food and go to meetings”. One thing I must remind people when they call is ‘compare everything’. We only have six clients at a time and this means they get the individual attention they need. Unlike most rehabs we have about 30 hours of counseling weekly, not 12 step meetings. This is comprised of individual counseling at least twice a week, group counseling with professionals (not volunteers from AA) everyday except Saturdays, and finally Life Skills, which covers issues such as irrational thinking, relationships, self-awareness and discovery along with
five other topics. We even allow clients to work remotely from there. It’s also about physical health; starting with extensive blood tests followed by exercise, dry sauna therapy, deep tissue massage therapy, vitamins and freshly chef prepared meals. The transformation of clients is amazing in just two weeks of being there. Bayshore itself is a healing environment. People walk into my foyer, not a lobby with a receptionist sitting behind a glass barrier or a uniformed attendant that has to buzz them in. We have a pool and a beautiful bay view from every room. Sunsets are amazing. We have a boat and kayaks. On the weekend we take clients fishing, to play golf and other activities. It’s not just about beating addiction; it’s about embracing life without substance. Finally we are Joint Commission accredited. This huge when it comes to selecting a rehab center. It basically means that not only do we pass the various inspections and requirements to receive our license, but also we meet the highest standards in the industry. Before you or someone you love goes to one of the ‘big box’ rehabs, compare everything. Look for the Gold seal of approval. I know you will find that Bayshore Retreat will be the best option. Bayshore Retreat is different and this can make a difference. Call me any time.
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From left, Thomas Gordon, Reed Whetstone, Ian Ross, Adam Westfall and Willis Wood at the Canadian border crossing into Montana. The five childhood friends recently traveled 2,700 miles to the border of Mexico.
The friends are all in their mid20s and graduated from Homewood High School in 2014. Gordon graduated from Auburn; Ross graduated from Alabama; Wood and Westfall graduated from Appalachian State, as did Whetstone, who went to Auburn for two years before transferring. When Wood suggested the bike trip, his friends were all in, taking several months to plan the adventure. “This was an opportunity for us to do something together,” Whetstone said. “We started in Eureka, Montana, near the Canadian border. We went down from the border through Montana, Idaho, Utah and through Arizona, ending up in Sierra Vista near the border of Mexico.” Just before the journey, the friends decided to turn the adventure into a fundraiser for the Crisis Center in Birmingham. They asked people to donate 1 to 10 cents per mile of the trip or to add a custom amount, setting a goal of $10,000. The Crisis Center offers crisis intervention and prevention, sexual assault services and mental health services. “We are supremely fortunate for the privilege to undergo such a trip during these trying times and we wanted to give back,” the friends said in a statement on their GoFundMe page for the trip. When they finished, they had raised nearly $7,800. Donations can still be made by going to gofundme. com and searching for Wild West Route for the Crisis Center. The trail they took normally takes 40 to 65 days to complete, but they did it in 34 days. Well, at least three of them anyway – Whetstone, Gordon and Wood. Westfall, a world-class downhill skateboard racer who competed in the 2019 World Roller Games in
Photos courtesy Reed Whetstone
My Name Is ____ And I’m An Alcoholic
From left, Willis Wood, Adam Westfall, Reed Whetstone and Thomas Gordon in Park City, Utah enjoying a rare rest day near the halfway mark.
Barcelona, Spain, had to cut out halfway through the trip because he received a job opportunity as a biomedical designer for 3D Systems Corp. in Littleton, Colorado. Ross, an environmental law student at the University of Alabama, dislocated his elbow and had to be evacuated. “We were moving around 600 miles when Ian turned a corner, fell and dislocated his elbow,” Whetstone said. “It was so dislocated we thought he had broken his arm in half. “We were in the middle of nowhere. We were in the Bitterroot National Forest, one of the most remote areas in the U.S. We had to call in a helicopter and even the helicopter took time to get to where we were.” Ross is on the way to a full recovery.
Misadventures
Westfall’s departure and Ross’ injury weren’t the only unexpected incidents along the journey. “At the start we had a lot of bike maintenance and we had to repair our own bikes because the nearest
bike shop was 850 miles away,” Whetstone said. “We had to do some jerry-rigging things. The climbs were incredible and we went over mountains. But we had trained, so it was definitely do-able.” All of their training didn’t prepare them for what they experienced after reaching the Grand Canyon. “One of the most brutal parts of the trip was going through the Grand Canyon,” Whetstone said. “We were supposed to go through Navajo lands, but they were all closed because of COVID-19. So we had to find another way around. “If we had taken the highway route, it would have been another 300 miles to get around it. So we hiked from the North rim to the South rim of the Grand Canyon with our bikes strapped to our backs. None of us had any hiking shoes, so I spent part of the hike in my sandals and part of it in my bike shoes. My calves were completely shot.” The hike took 26 hours in miserable conditions. “It was so hot hiking through the canyon,” Whetstone said. “Because of the heat, we hiked from 10 to 12 at night until noon to get past the heat. That was probably the hardest
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
“Honestly, I’m surprised how well prepared I was,” he said. “I was able to train in North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which has a lot of hills. You wear down slowly over time, but it wasn’t in an explosive way.”
A Worthy Journey
The group followed the official Wild West route for most of the trip, taking an alternate path to avoid Tuscon and hiking the canyon since the Navajo lands were closed to tourist.
part of the trip. “It was a slow recovery before we could get to cover the last 700 miles to the Mexican border,” he said. “We were able to recover, but it took a week and a half. I had blisters on my feet.” Gordon skipped the hike through the Grand Canyon. “I didn’t think it was good for me to hike 26 hours through the night,” he said. “I took a shuttle around.” Whetstone felt he was up to the challenge, even if he didn’t have the proper hiking gear.
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 15
LIFE
Reflecting on the trip after returning to Birmingham, Gordon and Whetstone were more than satisfied they had done it. “It was really rewarding to see a part of the world I’d never seen with all the smells, sights and sounds I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise,” said Gordon, who’s the associate director of youth ministries at All Saints Episcopal in Homewood. “And I got to spend time with four of my best friends.” Whetstone described the journey as amazing and challenging. “There was a lot of elevation and it was remote,” he said. “We didn’t see many towns. But being outside in the wilderness and getting away from everything and all the turmoil in the country was great. On the trip, all we had to focus on was biking, eating and sleeping, the basic necessities to get through the day. There’s something fundamentally clean about that. “The last 150 miles we made a final push. I felt some numbness in my hands and have some calluses, but I feel great. Since I’ve gotten home and gotten some sleep, I’m feeling pretty good.”
Raising money for the Crisis Center was a bonus. “When I talk about this years from now and tell my children about the trip, I’ll focus on the money we raised,” Whetstone said. “It was an amazing opportunity to get together with my friends and to raise money for the Crisis Center was a great cause. The center’s calls have doubled because of all the mental health issues related to COVID-19.” Whetstone will be moving to Salt
Lake City next month, seeking employment. “I’m applying for a lot of design jobs,” he said. “My degree is in commercial photography, but I’ve got a lot of background in design and marketing.” He didn’t categorize the bike trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “We hear that a lot,” Whetstone said. “You could think of it that way, but I think of it as more of an adventure. You have a lot of dreams and
desires that go by the wayside, but if you make it a priority, you can make it happen and do it for sure. I just hope there are more trips to come.” Gordon is up for that. “I hope this isn’t our last adventure together,” Gordon said. “I don’t think we’ll ever do that route again, but we might take a skiing trip. Getting together at the lake isn’t a bad idea either, but I’m sure someone will find something extreme for us to do.”
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Caliber Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Date: September 2020 This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the September 3, 2020 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
16 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
From left, Suzan Doidge, Knox Richardson, Evans Johnson and Katrina Porter.
John Hall, owner and chef of Post Office Pies.
Welcome to the Neighborhood T Lane Parke Celebrates Post Office Pies Opening with Shopping/Dining Event
Mary Beasley Kohn, Melinda Curtis and Will Fountain.
he merchants of Lane Parke collaborated to host a Sidewalk Sips event Aug. 20 to celebrate the recent opening of the Lane Parke location of Post Office Pies. (For more about Post Office Pies see page 19). Stores extended their regular shopping hours, setting up tents along the sidewalk and serving small cocktails
and other beverages. In addition, a donation drive was hosted to collect needed items for Jessie’s Place of the Jimmie Hale Mission. Co-hosting the celebration was Char Bar 7, B Prince, Sol Y Luna, GreenWise Neighborhood Market, The Happy Olive, A’Mano Boutique, Carriage House Weddings and Tulipano Boutique. ❖
Hannah and Matt Reily.
Suzanna Wasserman, Will Reis and April Godsey.
Guests enjoyed patio dining at the new Post Office Pies.
A Sunday Visit With the Boys On Aug. 30, Birmingham Zoo guests had the chance to mingle with the African elephant bachelor herd at the sold-out Brunch with the Bachelors event. The second event of its kind at the zoo, attendees were greeted with a tour of the facility, followed by a buffet-style brunch with a mimosa and Bloody Mary bar. Following the meal, the zoo’s Animal Care Professionals organized a special elephant interaction for guests. In addition, they got to take a look at the Elephant Lair – Bulwagi, Luti and Gadze’s “bachelor pad.” ❖
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Zoo Hosts Second Installment of Brunch With the Bachelors
Clockwise from above: Jennifer, Isabella, John and John Manzelli; Grayson Ronilo and Roger Burton; and Luti and Gadze.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 17
SOCIAL/WEDDINGS
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Upton-Keller
Thanks for All You Do! Vestavia Hills Hosts Drive-Thru Celebration for Local Seniors
The spotlight was on community senior citizens Aug. 21 as Vestavia Hills hosted a drive-thru event to celebrate National Senior Citizens Day. Local seniors drove their cars through the loop at City Hall and were greeted by city officials, Vestavia Belles and vendors, among others. Along the way, photos were taken from a social distance and goodies were handed out. The national day of recognition is intended to show community appreciation for the many ways senior citizens have contributed to society, through the wisdom, experience and skills they collected throughout —Emily Williams their lives.
Top, Vestavia Belles greet seniors. Above, Kim Smith and Emily Everett.
Laurel Love Upton and George Keller IV were married June 6 at Belle Crane Inn in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The Rev. Matt Guzi officiated the ceremony. A reception followed at Belle Crane Inn. The bride is the daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Mark E. Upton of Charlotte, North Carolina. The groom is the son of Dr. and Mrs. George E. Keller III of Birmingham. Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a formal gown of candlelight matte satin. The strapless gown featured a ruched bodice with a natural waistline and a pleated ball gown skirt. The bride wore her mother’s veil, which was embellished with tiny seed pearls. The bride was attended by Sarah Fitzgerald of Birmingham as matron of honor and Hannah Cheramie of Charlotte as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Marilee Robinson, cousin of the bride, of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Hannah Edge of Dothan; and Elise Grove and Haley Joe Febrey of Birmingham. The father of the groom was best man. Groomsmen were Davis Upton, brother of the bride, of Charlotte; Lee McClellan, Garrett Bass and Preston Little of Birmingham; Thomas Skinner of Jackson, Mississippi; Andrew Titus of West Palm Beach, Florida; and J.D. Tyler of Princeton, New Jersey. Scripture readers were Lillie Ann Dawson, cousin of the groom,
Krysta Bass of Birmingham and J.D. Tyler of Princeton. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the couple will take a honeymoon trip in November to Cancun. They will live in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
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Mary Charles Robbins Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax May 2010
To: Mary Charles From: Over the Mountain Journal 823-9646 ph, 824-1246 fax Date: Oct. 2020
This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN June 3, 2010 issue. Please fax approval or changes t
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FOOD
18 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thanks for the Memories Rob and Emily McDaniel’s New Restaurant Aims to Make You Feel at Home
By Donna Cornelius
trait of Rob’s grandmother by Charleston artist Hannah Hurt.
O
‘Southern Grill’
Photos by Cary Norton
ne of Birmingham’s newest restaurants doesn’t have dancing forks and spoons like the ones that sing out the welcome-to-the-table tune in “Beauty and the Beast.” But “Be Our Guest” could be the theme song for Rob and Emily McDaniel’s Helen in downtown Birmingham. Chef Rob’s favorite food memories of his grandmother and her cooking inspired the name of the restaurant and the McDaniels’ desire to make diners feel at home there. “My grandparents, Helen and Jack Frutiger, lived in Rosa, near Oneonta,” Rob said. “My nanny stayed at home and always cooked threecourse meals; we always had dessert. My favorite food memory is going to her house as a child and watching her cook steaks on an indoor charcoal grill. It was built-in and right next to the fireplace. “That feeling of walking into your grandmother’s house and feeling loved and welcomed, that’s where we wanted to go with this restaurant.” The executive chef of SpringHouse on Lake Martin for 10 years, Rob is a five-time James Beard Foundation Best Chef: South semifinalist. He also was Auburn University’s 2012 Outstanding Hotel and Restaurant Management Program Alumnus. Fans of Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” may remember him as part of Chris Hastings’ team when Hastings took down celebrity chef Bobby Flay in a head-tohead competition. Leaving SpringHouse wasn’t an easy decision for Rob. He has nothing but good things to say about Russell Lands, which owns the restaurants. “I loved SpringHouse,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you go into this business and have to choose: Should you open your own place or not? We had a great life on Lake Martin, but SpringHouse was never going to be ours.” The vision of opening his own restaurant started about four years ago but was put on the back burner for a while. “Emily was selling real estate, and it wasn’t a good time for us to leave Lake Martin,” Rob said. The idea returned one morning in a way he couldn’t ignore. During Rob’s daily devotional at SpringHouse, Deuteronomy 1:6 popped up. That verse says: “The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain.’” “I listened, and doors started to open,” Rob said. Helen originally was set to open in March, but COVID-19 restrictions meant a postponement. “We were already under construction in March,” Emily said. “We decided to take the positive route and continue on this journey. It really turned out to be a blessing that we weren’t able to open in March because we’d probably have had to let some of our staff go.” Emily is from Birmingham; Rob grew up in Haleyville. They met when both worked at Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q. While Rob stayed in the food business, Emily switched to real estate. In
Favorite food memories of his grandmother and her cooking inspired the name of Rob and Emily McDaniel’s new restaurant, Helen, in downtown Birmingham.
May, they moved from Lake Martin to Birmingham with their twin 3-year-old daughters.
Hospitality Leads the Way
Emily is in charge of hospitality at Helen – an important component of the experience there. “We want our servers to be comfortable, so they don’t have to wear uniforms,” she said. “We’ve told them to dress and act like they’re welcoming guests to their own houses.” She agrees with her husband that almost everyone has a special food memory. “We invite you to walk down that lane,” she said. “We have a record player behind the bar, and guests can bring their own records in for us to play. We love to do that with our children at home.” Another key part of opening their own restaurant was finding the perfect space. A two-
story building on Second Avenue North in downtown Birmingham turned out to be just what the McDaniels were looking for. “This was the first building we looked at,” Rob said. “We went through about 22 more spaces and came back to this one. It was built in the 1920s and had character, brick walls and the shotgunstyle of architecture that we loved.” The couple called on friends and local artisans to create the look and feeling they wanted for the restaurant’s interior. Partners on the project include Carter and Scott Hughes of H2 Real Estate, contractors Prier Construction, architects Hendon & Huckestein, Hatcher Schuster Interiors and Madwind Studios on Lake Martin for custom metal, wood and glass work. A diner’s experience at the restaurant starts at the entrance, where framed copies of Helen Frutiger’s handwritten recipes hang on the wall. Framed turkey feathers, wallpaper and pillows printed with pheasants, church-style pews for seating and rugs on the floor contribute to a welcome-home atmosphere. On the first floor, guests can sit at tables or at the bar, where there’s a bird’s-eye view of the open kitchen and the massive smoker and grill. Upstairs has even more space plus a striking, glass-walled wine cellar and a lively por-
While the McDaniels put lots of thought into hospitality and ambience, there’s, of course, a third piece of the puzzle: the food. Billed as a contemporary Southern grill, Helen has a menu that reflects the seasons. Arrows on the menus let guests know which dishes are being served that night. As an example, Helen debuted with starters that included warm angel biscuits with whipped cane syrup, butter and sea salt; an heirloom tomato pie; grilled veal sweetbreads; smoked lamb ribs; and vegetable crudité with basil dressing. Rob said his grandmother always had a crudité tray on her eating bar. Listings in the “From the Soil” section include celery and blue cheese slaw, coal-roasted okra and roasted butternut squash from Tuscaloosa’s Belle Meadow Farm. Read down to the “From the Land, Sea and Air” part of the menu, and you’ll find bone-in ribeye, smoked beef brisket, a 32-ounce aged porterhouse, smoked lamb shank, grilled T-bone chops, porchetta, Manchester Farms quail, roasted duck breast and barbecued Spanish mackerel. Kristen Hall of Birmingham’s Bandit Patisserie is providing the restaurant with desserts such as lemon cheese and coconut cake, peach and basil slab pie, and a chocolate and peanut butter tart. Helen’s general manager is Daniel Goslin, an Alexander City native who worked at SpringHouse. During the shelter-at-home days of COVID-19, Goslin spent his time productively by working on the restaurant’s drinks list. “We have wines by the glass – classic varietals,” Goslin said. “Magnums are available, too, and it’s pretty neat to serve them tableside. We love whiskey. We’ll do fun, elevated specialty drinks integrating seasonal products and drinks as well.” Rob said a German beer always will be on tap as a tribute to his German heritage. Right now, the restaurant is practicing six feet of social distancing for guests; masks for both servers and diners, until they reach their tables; and temperature-taking at the door. A small private dining room upstairs can be reserved if guests have concerns about sitting in the restaurant’s common areas. While Rob keeps his memories of his grandmother and her good cooking close to his heart, he said Helen goes beyond that. It’s a place where the couple’s bright personalities, friendliness and charm are expressed in the food and the service. “This restaurant is a reflection of Emily and me,” Rob said. If you go: Helen is at 2013 Second Ave. N in downtown Birmingham. For more information, visit helenbham.com or follow the restaurant on social media. For reservations, visit resy.com, use the link on Helen’s website or call 205-4387000. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available. The restaurant is open 5-10 p.m. TuesdaySaturday.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
FOODIE NEWS
POST OFFICE PIES OPENS MOUNTAIN BROOK LOCATION
Mountain Brook city officials and members of the community gathered at Lane Parke on Aug. 20 to celebrate the opening of the new Mountain Brook location of Post Office Pies, at 2740 Rele St. Local chefs John Hall and Brandon Cain officially opened the more than 3,400-square-foot pizzeria, which began operation Aug. 15, in the space formerly occupied by MidiCi Neopolitan Pizza. The first location of Post Office Pies is in Avondale, opened in 2014 by Cain and Mike Wilson, with John Hall as the chef. In addition to co-owning Post Office Pies, Cain also owns Roots and Revelry and Saw’s Soul Kitchen. The Mountain Brook restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. For more information, visit postofficepies.com.
BIRMINGHAM CRAWFEST
The Birmingham chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association Alabama will host its annual CCA Birmingham Crawfest on Sept. 24. The event, presented by the Thomas E. Jeringan Foundation, will take place at the Birmingham Zoo from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Festivities will include a silent auction, raffle, door prizes, live music and a Cajun buffet by Crazy Cajuns. Proceeds from the event will benefit marine conservation efforts on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. For more information, visit the “CCA Birmingham Crawfest 2020” Facebook page.
DINING OUT FOR LIFE
AIDS Alabama and some of Birmingham’s best restaurants are teaming up to offer safe dining in or carryout options for this year’s Dining Out for Life Birmingham fundraiser on Sept. 24. From 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., folks can purchase a meal at one of the participating restaurants and a donation will be made to help AIDS Alabama in its efforts to fight HIV/ AIDS and support members of the community affected by the disease. For more information and a list of
Photo by Boris Zharkov 2019
TACO TRAIL TIME
Bare Hands Inc. will host its annual taco-centric fundraiser, Birmingham Taco Fest, throughout the month of September with a health-conscious spin. This year’s event will include an interactive “Taco Trail” map, highlighting Birmingham’s best taco eateries, with participating restaurants offering specials for those who participate. An interactive Taco Trail Map will be available on the event website, barehandsinc.org/2020-taco-fest. Simply scan the Taco Fest barcode available at each restaurant and register your visit. In addition to getting a great meal, those participating will have the opportunity to win prizes from event sponsors and vendors along the way. Funds raised will benefit the organization’s Bare Hands Art Club outreach program at the YWCA of Central Alabama and the annual Dia de los Muertos Festival, held each November. For more information, visit barehandsinc.org/2020-taco-fest.
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 19
FOOD
Samin Nosrat, chef and the author of “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat”.
Alys Stephens Center Hosts Virtual Q&A With Samin Nosrate, Pardis and Frank Stitt The Alys Stephens Center will host a virtual conversation with Samin Nosrat, chef and author of “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” and Frank and Pardis Stitt. Nosrat had been scheduled before the pandemic to speak at the center live. The event will now take place Sept. 13 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Zoom. It has been changed to a live Q&A session with the Stitts, owners and operators of Bottega, Chez Fon Fon and Highlands Bar & Grill. The latter restaurant was named 2018 Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. Nosrat’s New York Times bestselling book “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking,” has been highly acclaimed. Its accolades include 2018 James Beard General Cookbook of the Year, 2018 Fortnum & Mason Debut Cookbook, 2018 IACP Cookbook of the Year, 2018 IACP Julia Child First Book Award, and 2017 Sunday Times Food Book of the Year. A documentary series based on the book is now streaming on Netflix. In 2018, Nosrat was named Eater’s Chef of the Year, and she is one of five food columnists for the New York Times Magazine. In April 2019, she was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019 in the Pioneers category. She is working on her next book, “What to Cook,” to be published by Ten Speed Press. The event will begin at 4 p.m. and tickets are $29. A private link to join will be sent the day of the event. For more information, visit alysstephens.org or call 205-975-2787.
participating restaurants, visit the “Dining-Out For Life-Birmingham” Facebook page.
CAHABA RIVER FRY DOWN
This year’s event, hosted by the Cahaba River Society, will go virtual. Participating teams will enter their favorite fish dish and side recipes and will compete by submitting a video demonstration of their preparation. Beginning on Sept. 29 through Oct. 4, the Cahaba River Society will
introduce a new piece of interactive content on the event page. Content will include cooking demos, featured acts and performers and a virtual series of adventures including fishing tips, cooking on a camp out and educational information about the Cahaba River and its contributions to our community and ecosystem. Each supporter who makes a donation will receive a complimentary Fry-Down Cookbook, filled with all of this year’s recipes. For more information, visit fry down. swell.gives.
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20 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SCHOOLS
The New School
Camp Fire Alabama Introduces Fletcher Academy, Where Kids Can Learn Virtually in the Outdoors By Emily Williams
able way, how to handle stress and anxiety – something extremely important during a time of health scares.
W
A Healthy Body …
Over the summer, though it did not host its regular residential camp sessions, children in grades first through ninth were able to participate in day camps. Upwards of 70 children attended, less than in a normal summer, but the staff knew of none who tested COVID-positive. “I swear, I think it’s because they are outdoors, they’re in the fresh air, they’re getting exercise,” Meadows said, and that harkens back to Pauline Fletcher’s philosophy. “She was so intent upon kids being outdoors,”
Camp Services
Photos courtesy Camp Fletcher
hen you enter Camp Fletcher, you are transported into a different world as you pass under a sign that reads Wohelo, which stands for work, health and love. The words have been a motto for the camp since 1926 and are a nod to its original and continuing purpose, established by its founder, Pauline Bray Fletcher. Fletcher, who was the first African American registered nurse in Alabama, created the facility to serve underprivileged black children in the greater Birmingham community. It was a time when the threat of tuberculosis weighed heavy, and she believed allowing children the opportunity to play in the fresh air helped them build stronger lungs and immune systems. Today, the camp is managed by the Camp Fire Alabama organization but will continue to serve its founding purpose amid yet another health crisis, COVID-19. As Camp Fire Alabama CEO Nancy Meadows and Outreach Director Sian Eastwood sat on the porch of Camp Fletcher’s main office, they reminisced about their summer campers and talked about plans for their newest venture, Fletcher Academy. “I’ll tell you, I can’t imagine being a mother of school-aged kids right now,” Meadows said. “Especially if you are a working mom, a single mom or in a dual-income household.” As they spoke, two rambunctious rescued kittens chased each other back and forth across the wooden structure, much like young children playing tag. “During the summer, as we realized that this (pandemic) was going to go on, we sent out a survey to the parents of our campers, just to find out what their concerns were,” Meadows said. “Be careful what you ask for.” She said the most common need cited by those who responded to her survey was a safe place for their children to take part in remote learning during the work week, made even better if they also could play in the outdoors. “When parents came back with that, it was a no brainer,” Meadows said. “We exist to serve children and families. That’s why we are here.” The answer is the new Fletcher Academy, which will offer up the camp as a space for kids to work on their virtual classwork as well as participate in classic camp activities in the great outdoors. So far, kids have signed on from school systems in Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Lakeview, Helena, Shelby County, McCalla and beyond.
Fletcher Academy will offer up the camp as a space for kids to work on their virtual classwork as well as participate in classic camp activities in the great outdoors.
Meadows said. “She felt it made their lungs stronger and their immune system.” When the kids aren’t logged into their online classwork, they will be taking part in a variety of activities on the camp’s 300 acres. There will be canoeing, gardening, sports, fishing, crafts, hiking, character building and teamwork exercises, among other activities. Of course, while weather permits, there will be swimming days. The kids will be separated into small groups depending on their schedules, each led for the day by college-aged counselors who will be there to help with their classwork or to just be a mentor. “I could get out there and lead some of these kids, but none of them would pay attention to me because I’m old,” Meadows said. “College students are what these kids want to be when they grow up.” The camp staff has had a great response from potential interns who are enrolled at BirminghamSouthern College, right down the road from the
camp. According to Eastwood, the interns/counselors are one of the camp’s best assets because they act as role models for the kids. Her own son is a camper and is at an age at which self-esteem issues begin to arise. “His counselor really helped him this summer,” Eastwood said. “He could tell that he was struggling a little bit.” The counselor, just through communicating and watching her son, took note of activities that he loved. Whenever her son felt a little down, the counselor would get him involved in playing baseball or simply end the day with a compliment. “He also gave him some things to do at home,” she said. “He showed him how to do these pushups, so every night before bed he’d be doing his little push-ups. It just gave him so much more confidence.” It is the human connections and interactions that Meadows and her staff believe make a lasting impression on the kids the camp serves. “Academics and grades are just one measure, of a child’s progress and success,” Meadows said. “Really, all it does is help them take a test. So, when they aren’t doing their remote learning, we are going to offer them our character education program, our career education program, self-reliance curriculum, small-group mentoring” and so on, she said. Some of their lessons will be about diversity and understanding: how to disagree in an agree-
While there are a lot of great lessons in the works, the facility does have some limitations that parents would have to work around. The crux of those limitations is that Camp Fletcher is a camp. It doesn’t have a copious budget, particularly during a pandemic. Therefore, it can’t buy or rent a bus to transport campers. Kids will have to be dropped off by an adult in the mornings and picked up in the afternoons. The first building on the property still stands and was built in 1926, and the facility has no heat or air conditioning. All of the structures are either open-air or screened. The camp did receive a donation, though, that helped install fiber optic cable, so they have internet service. “If James Spann calls for a tornado outbreak or a hurricane blows up into the gulf and we lose power, we’ve got no phones,” she said. “That’s a liability if we’ve got kids out here. If there is a chance that there is severe weather, we will have to close.” In addition, for about three months in the winter the facility must be closed because the water needs to be turned off to avoid frozen pipes. Kids also need to take rain gear to camp in case some less severe rain rolls in. “Even if it’s a little drizzle, they will keep going,” she said. “They will get dirty. It will get hot. They will be sweaty and they will sleep well at night.” All of that play will also help tire the kids out and prepare them for their scheduled downtime of virtual study and reading during the day. Camp Fire is working to raise a final $300,000 before it can break ground on a new dining hall in October. “It will be our first winterized building,” Meadows said. Leaders with the camp plan to revamp its biannual Junk in the Trunk community sale this fall to raise money for the new building and to keep admission costs low. The event was inspired by a similar community sale in Eastwood’s native Wales, where vendors gather and sell their “junk” out of the trunks of their cars. “You’d be surprised what people try to (sell), and you’d be surprised what people will buy,” Meadows said. The crew is working to organize a “pass, punt and run” competition that kids could join for a donation. There also will be a game of Car Bingo, something the facility began hosting during the pandemic lockdowns. “We started it just as a way to give people something to do, to get out of the house,” Eastwood said. “People really got into it, and we gave away fun prizes … the winner got a packet of toilet paper back when they were out of stock.” For anyone who wishes to lend a bit of help, Meadows said there is the opportunity to contribute to a scholarship fund so children have the opportunity to attend Camp Fletcher regardless of their financial limitations. For more information, visit campfire-al.org or call 205-584-6033.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SCHOOLS
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 21
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
Mountain Brook Junior High Recognized by Character.org
Mountain Brook Junior High garnered recognition for its Connect program, implemented during the 2019-2020 academic year. Mountain Brook City Schools recently announced that Mountain Brook Junior High School has been named one of Character.org’s 2020 Promising Practices. The school garnered recognition for its Connect program, implemented during the 2019-2020 academic year. Through the program, students engaged in weekly character education lessons taught by their homeroom teachers. “To be the most welcoming school in America, which is our goal, we’ve all
got to care about one another and be connected,” MBJH Principal Donald Clayton said. “This is the feet-on-theground way to do that.” Mountain Brook Elementary School and Vestavia Hills Elementary West also were honored by the group. Officials at those schools could not be reached for details. MBJH teachers developed the character education curriculum with comments from students. In designing lessons, they drew from two of the school’s belief statements that center
Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation Donates $130,000 to Support School Reopening Plan
through high quality and safe learning experiences for students throughout our system.”
The Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation recently delivered one of its largest donations ever to support the school system’s reopening efforts. The foundation’s $130,000 gift is its second largest in the organization’s 24-year history. All nine Vestavia Hills campuses will receive a portion of the grant funds, which cover expenses related to implementation of the school system’s 2020 Reopening Plan. “We are so happy to be able to make such an important grant to support our school system in such unprecedented times,” foundation President Jay Morrow said. “Our teachers and administrators are doing a fantastic job of keeping our children safe while at the same time providing them with the educational excellence we are accustomed to here in Vestavia Hills. It is our hope that this grant by the foundation and our donors will provide the support they all desperately need.” Items purchased with the funds include individual student supply kits for math, music and art classes; face shields and resonance masks for students in speech and choral classes; disinfection supplies for band instruments; and screen recording software for Remote Learning Model instruction. “Vestavia Hills City Schools is grateful for the unparalleled support of the VHCS Foundation through the grant for instructional support,” Superintendent Todd Freeman said. “The grant allows for our schools to enhance our reopening plan
Fields Wins Foresters Financial Scholarship
Foresters Financial, a 146-yearold fraternal life insurance company, recently announced that Hoover resident McKenzie Fields had been awarded a scholarship. The Foresters competitive academic scholarships are awarded annually to 250 students McKenzie Fields in the U.S. and Canada who have demonstrated exceptional charitable activities within
on promoting a climate of acceptance and taking pride in the school and community. “One of our keys is including our students as much as possible,” Clayton said. “Adults can push this all day long, but if the kids aren’t included in what we need to talk about in these Connect groups, then it’s not going to work.” The junior high created time to implement its character education program by designating the first day of the school week as No Movement Monday. During Monday’s A0 period, students remained in their homeroom and participated in a lesson. “It had some effect on our building,” he said. “I saw our kids take care of one another more than normal.” Only six schools in Alabama and 264 in the country garnered recognition and earned certification from Character.org. MBJH and other 2020 Promising Practice recipients will be honored at the Character.org National Forum in Washington, D.C., next March. “Knowing our school, knowing the culture that our adults are aiming for collectively, it’s not a surprise to me that we get recognized for something like this,” Clayton said. “It’s a surprise that it happened this quickly into our process.” their communities. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years for students pursuing undergraduate study at accredited two- or four-year colleges/ universities or vocational/technical schools. Fields has chosen to attend the University of Alabama. She won her scholarship with a GPA of 3.50 and time spent volunteering with her high school baseball team. “Giving back to our communities through volunteering, especially during challenging times, is of paramount importance,” said Jim Boyle, president and CEO of Foresters. “The dedication of McKenzie is an inspiring example of how someone’s initiative can make a difference in the lives of so many others. As the insurance company with a mission to help others, we award this scholarship with pride and appreciation for McKenzie’s accomplishment and wish her great success in the years ahead.”
She’s taking on
life
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Because they’re taking on cancer
Pediatric Oncology Healthcare Team
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Our Center treats more than 90% of Alabama’s children with cancer and blood disorders. Learn how you can help at: ChildrensAL.org/committedtoacure
22 • Thursday, September 3, 2020
SPORTS
HOOVER
Senior Kendal Youngblood had 30 digs in the Juanita Boddie Invitational Tournament Aug. 21-22 at the Finley Center in Hoover.
From page 24
Deep Bench
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
Hoover has a deep, talented and experienced roster with eight seniors. “If it’s not the most talented team I’ve had since I’ve been here, it’s in the top two,” Camper said. “We had a similar team several years ago but lost three of our starting six players to injuries.” Among the Bucs’ seniors this year are 6-foot-3 middle hitter Gabbi Essix a Florida commit, and setter Aly Durban, who is also being recruited. Essix had a team-high .561 hitting percentage and 41 kills in the Boddie tournament while also leading the team in blocks. Durban amassed 138 assists. Seniors Kendal Youngblood and Eva Guenster are defensive specialists with plenty of experience. Both had 30 digs in the Boddie tournament. Kayla Jemison, a middle hitter, and Melodie Jones, a right side hitter, are both 6-foot-2 and capable of dominating a match. Sydney Melton, another defensive specialist, and reserve setter Cori Shipman round out the senior class. Junior outside hitter Rya McKinnon
From page 24
Raney said. “He just works his tail off.” Last week, Meredith rallied the Jags from a 14-0 halftime deficit to a 21-14 victory against Briarwood. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 184 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior Cooper Kelly with 8:46 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the score 14-14. Running back Justin Pegues scored the game-winning touchdown on a 7-yard run with 1:27 remaining. “We came out pretty slow,” Meredith said. “I played poorly in the first half, but I was able to turn it around and the team played football the way we should in the second half.” Meredith needed plenty of encouragement from Raney not to get down on himself in the first half. “He was telling me to stay up, keep the team fired up and be a leader,” Meredith said. “I stepped into that role and got it done.” Meredith is surrounded by playmakers, including Pegues and receivers Kelly, Jaylen Ward, who already has received multiple NCAA Division I offers, and David Moultry, another
Division 1 prospect. Ward and Moultry are both juniors. Pegues, Kelly, Ward and Moultry all had touchdown receptions against Huntsville. “It’s fun playing with those guys,” Meredith said. “It’s good to know that when one of them is not going right, I can find a good player on the other side of the field who can make plays.” Meredith has been a quarterback since he began playing football in the third grade. “They threw me in there ‘cause I had a good arm and I fell in love with the position,” he said. He was the starting quarterback at Berry Middle School in the eighth grade and played on the Jags’ junior varsity as a freshman. His sophomore year, in 2019, he played on the junior varsity and was the back up on the varsity behind senior Harrison Barker, who put up big numbers and was named the Over The Mountain Journal 2019 Offensive Player of the Year. Meredith had virtually no playing time with the varsity last year. “I think I got four snaps,” he said. But all the while, he was soaking in knowledge from Barker, who is the son of former University of Alabama quarterback Jay Barker. “He showed me how to do every-
might be the Bucs’ most dynamic player while establishing herself as one of the top players in the state. This is her fourth year on the varsity. McKinnon led the Bucs with 54 kills to go with a .460 hitting percentage in the Boddie tournament. “I think our frontline is what makes us dominant, but our backline has balanced that out,” Camper said. “The depth at our secondary positions has improved dramatically and so has our ball control. We have five girls who are really good passers.” Camper listed McKinnon, Youngblood, Guenster, Melton and sophomore defensive specialist Peyton David in that group. Durban gets the offense in gear as the setter and she has two solid backups in sophomore Maggie Harris and junior Baxley Downs. “With this coronavirus, we’re going to need depth at every position so we can be prepared going into a big match in case someone isn’t available,” Camper said. “We have 15 players on the team for a reason.” Hoover never lost a set in the Boddie tournament, which had 40 teams competing. The Bucs beat Mountain Brook, McGill-Toolen Catholic, Bayside Academy, Alexandria, Bob Jones, James Clemens Spain Park running back Justin Pegues scored the game-winning touchdown on a 7-yard run with 1:27 remaining to lift the Jaguars over Briarwood at home last week.
Journal photo by Lee Walls
MEREDITH
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
thing,” Meredith said. “He’s a great person and a great role model. We were pretty close.” With Barker gone, Raney had no qualms about handing the quarterback reins to Meredith. “He’s athletic, he throws really well and he understands the game,” Raney said. “He knows where to go with the football.” Meredith gives credit to Rozell for that. “He has me well prepared no matter the situation,” Meredith said. “He also gives me the freedom to change plays and make things happen. It helps
and Helena. In the Guntersville tournament, Hoover went 3-0 in pool play, then swept Mountain Brook in the semifinals and defeated Tennessee power Brentwood in three sets in the final.
Lining Up Rivals
Because of the pandemic, Hoover will face its Class 7A, Area 5 opponents – Oak Mountain, Thompson and Tuscaloosa County – before Sept. 15. The Bucs travel to Madison on Thursday to play Bob Jones and Austin in a tri-match. They also are scheduled to play in two other topnotch tournaments, the HeffStrong Sept. 25-26 at Spain Park and the Margaret Blalock Oct. 9-10 at Homewood. Even though Mountain Brook has dropped down to Class 6A this fall, Camper expects Hoover to still have to contend with perennial power McGill-Toolen, along with Spain Park, Thompson and Bob Jones if it wants to finally win a title. “It’s nice to have Mountain Brook gone from 7A, but I don’t know if that makes our path any easier,” Camper said. “We’ve got to keep getting better every day and stay healthy.” when you have a coach who has confidence in you like that.” Meredith is still learning on the job, as he did against Briarwood. “I have learned never to take anything for granted,” he said. “I’ve always got to come in prepared and ready to play.” The Jags (2-0) will play host to Hewitt-Trussville (2-0) in the first Class 7A, Region 3 game for both teams Friday at 7 p.m. Hewitt opened the season with a 44-19 rout of Pinson Valley and received a victory via forfeit last week when Saraland canceled its scheduled game against the Huskies because of COVID-19 concerns. “It should be a good game,” Meredith said. “If we come in from the jump and execute, I think we can get a win.”
SCHOOL SPIRIT SPOTLIGHT
Rebel Cheerleaders
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Photo courtesy Vestavia Hills High School
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Members of the 2020-2021 Vestavia Hills varstiy cheer squad are, front, from left: Co-Captain Emily Parker, Captain Anna Carlise Worrell and Co-Captain Riley Graham. Middle: Lydia Powell, Carlise Barranco, Lexi Green, Elizabeth Parker, Alyssa Bell, Abbey Fore, Greer Boland and Caroline Crain. Back: Katie Bruno, Sarah Leong, Madison McKenna, Ella Pettiti, Carson Horne, Mary Claire Magee, Julia Lucas, Emma Grace Nix and Julia Ann Bratton.
From page 24
and the other players have recovered well, too.” Anderson said it’s been tough overcoming the coronavirus and he hates not being able to play Mountain Brook and Homewood. “I hate it for the kids and I hate it since it’s my last year and we didn’t get to play those two teams,” Anderson said. “This year is going to be very unique. We’re doing things I never thought we’d have to do, like providing water separately when we have a timeout.” The Rebels returned to practice Aug. 21 and will play their first game at home against arch-rival Hoover on Friday at 7 p.m. in a Class 7A, Region 3 matchup. “It’s definitely been a roller coaster,” Glenn said. “We were getting ready to play Mountain Brook, then we had to cancel the game because of COVID. CORRECTION: In our OTM High School Football Preview issue we incorrectly identified Pearson Bedingfield, right, in the Key Players to Watch for Mountain Brook.
“We came back on (Aug. 21) and our energy was off the charts. We were excited to get ready to play against some great competition. I am happy how the team has handled being thrown a curveball.” Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic has been a challenge since the spring for schools throughout the state. Glenn was overjoyed when they were allowed to resume workouts in early June. “We had been out of school since March and missed spring training,” he said. “When we started working out on June 8, it was very exciting getting back together as a team, especially for all the seniors, including myself. “All summer we worked hard and followed the restrictions, and then we had to suspend practice.”
Staying Sharp
During the mid-August hiatus, Glenn found a way to stay sharp. “I came up to the school with a couple of receivers and a couple of running backs, social distancing of course, and threw the ball,” Glenn said. “We wanted to stay in shape and get ready for Hoover. “I am excited that we will finally get to play and we’re expecting to play the rest of the season. I’ve been quarantining myself, staying away from large gatherings because I really want to play my senior year.” The Rebels will be at somewhat of a disadvantage when they take the
field against the Bucs. Hoover is 2-0 with wins over Central-Phenix City (45-35) and Bessemer City (62-0). “Hoover has been able to play two games and have some experience from playing,” Glenn said. “We’ve been working on our game plan and we had a scrimmage last week. I think we looked good. We had some small mistakes that I think we’ll get corrected. “We’re ready to come out and go at it hard against Hoover.” Anderson expects the game to be a sellout, but he said, “We’re only going to be at 50% capacity of the stadium because of the COVID restrictions. Every ticket has to be bought online.” This will be the final season of Anderson’s lengthy career with the Rebels. The 70-year-old coach announced this summer he was retiring at the end of the 2020 campaign, his 43rd as the Rebels’ head coach. He is the winningest coach in state history with a 342-154 record. “I’m glad I’m here for his last year,” Glenn said. “His retirement will be a big loss for the team, but I’m glad he was here for all four of my years in high school.” Anderson’s final season will give the Rebels some extra motivation, coming off a 7-4 season in 2019. “We made the playoffs last year for the first time in three years,” Glenn said. “We’re going to try to use the momentum of it being coach Anderson’s last year to do even better and show Vestavia has a great football program.”
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
REBELS
Thursday, September 3, 2020 • 23
SPORTS
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
DJ Black looks for running room in the Bucs 62-0 win over Bessemer City at the Hoover Met last Friday. Hoover travels to Vestavia this week.
WEEK 2 SCOREBOARD
Hoover 62, Bessemer City 0 Oak Mountain 28, Pelham 21 Spain Park 21, Briarwood Christian 14 Homewood 1, Vestavia Hills 0, forfeit Mountain Brook 31, Calera 14 (replacement non-counter contest)
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Briarwood at Chelsea McAdory at Homewood Hoover at Vestavia Hills John Carroll at G.W. Carver Mountain Brook at Woodlawn Oak Mountain at Gadsden City Hewitt-Trussville at Spain Park
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School Spirit Spotlight Page 22
SPORTS
Week 2 Scoreboard Page 23
Thursday, September 3, 2020 ❖ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Journal photo by Lee Walls
Meredith Comes Out ‘Slinging It’ as Spain Park’s New Quarterback
By Rubin E. Grant Before he had ever attempted a pass for Spain Park’s varsity team, Jaguars junior quarterback Bennett Meredith already had received a college football scholarship offer. Earlier this year, Jags head coach Shawn Raney sent a highlight tape of
Hoover volleyball coach Chris Camper.
Meredith playing for the Jags’ junior varsity last season to Troy University head coach Chip Lindsey, who once coached Spain Park. Lindsey saw enough in the video to offer Meredith a scholarship. Lindsey was at Spain Park when Nick Mullens played quarterback for the Jags and was the offensive coordi-
nator at Southern Miss when Mullens played collegiately. Mullens now plays in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers. “Coach Lindsey is a friend of our offensive coordinator, Marty Rozell, and also a friend of mine,” Raney said. “We know what he likes in quarterbacks, so we sent him a tape of Bennett playing with the JV team and coach Lindsey decided to offer him.” Now that the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Meredith has made two varsity starts, he might begin receiving some more offers. In a spectacular starting debut, Meredith completed 15 of 20 passes for 391 yards and four touchdowns, all to different receivers, as the Jags beat Huntsville 52-21 in their season opener. “I was very impressed, but I wasn’t surprised,” Raney said, “I thought he would have some nerves with it being his first varsity start, but he was very composed and came out slinging it. “He loves football. He eats it up, so I knew he would be prepared. He’s a real leader.” Meredith deflected the compliments while giving a nod to Rozell and his teammates. “I had confidence in the game plan and we just executed,” Meredith said. “I knew my stats were up there because we had a couple of big plays. I was nervous. That’s just not what they saw.” Raney expected Meredith to downplay his performance. It fits his personality. “He’s not an outspoken kid,” See MEREDITH, page 22
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
STEPPING UP
Vestavia Hills senior quarterback Braden Glenn and his Rebel teammates take on Hoover at home Friday night in a Class 7A Region 3 matchup.
Delayed Start Rebels Ready to Take on Hoover Following COVID Outbreak
By Rubin E. Grant This was not the way Braden Glenn envisioned his senior year on the Vestavia Hills’ football team would begin, especially since it’s his first season as the Rebels’ starting quarterback. But three weeks ago, Vestavia Hills suspended preseason practice for nearly two weeks and canceled their first two games of the season against traditional rivals Mountain Brook and Homewood because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the team. Head football coach Buddy Anderson was one of those infected. The Rebels had played Mountain Brook each year since 1971 and
Camper Earns Milestone 700 Wins but Still Chasing First State Volleyball Title at Hoover
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
By Rubin E. Grant Hoover volleyball coach Chris Camper pays little attention to milestones. So, when he earned the 700th victory of his coaching career as the Bucs won the 38th Juanita Boddie Invitational Tournament Aug. 21-22 at the Finley Center in Hoover, Camper didn’t even realize it until someone congratulated him on the accomplishment. “It’s nice and I appreciate all the kind words that have been said to me,” Camper said. “But I’ve never considered that a big deal. When I reached 500 and 600, I didn’t even know I had passed it. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to be competitive, I want to win and I want to win a state
championship, but I focus more on how many players I’ve had who have gone to play in college and how many have come back to see me and stay connected to the program. It’s all about the relationships for me and making an impact on these girls’ lives through volleyball.” Now in his 21st year of being a high school head coach and his ninth season at Hoover, Camper estimates that he’s had 50 girls play collegiately, including 20 at the NCAA Division I level. He coached at Erwin, which now is Center Point, Spain Park and Mountain Brook before going to Hoover. After going 5-0 and winning the Guntersville Supreme Courts Tournament last Saturday, Camper’s career record stood at 707-288, including 276-91 at Hoover.
played Homewood each year since 1972. “I was pretty angry we weren’t able to play Mountain Brook, one of
Anderson said it’s been tough overcoming the coronavirus and he hates not being able to play Mountain Brook and Homewood. our rivals,” Glenn said. “I hate coach Anderson was one of those who got infected. I am glad he’s gotten better
See REBELS, page 23
Camper figures he might have reached 700 victories long before this season if he had scheduled more matches. “About 20 years ago, I decided we wouldn’t play 60 matches in a season any longer,” he said. “We play about 40 matches in a season now, and that includes the playoffs. If I had scheduled 60-70 games like some teams do, I’d have 400 or 500 more games played by now.” The one thing that has eluded Camper during his tenure at Hoover is a state championship. Hoover advanced to the state tournament for the seventh consecutive season in 2019 but lost in the Class 7A semifinals to eventual champion Mountain Brook. The Bucs have a good chance to win their first state volleyball title this fall if the COVID19 pandemic doesn’t curtail the season. After dropping their first match of the season to McGill-Toolen Catholic, Hoover had won 14 consecutive matches entering its home game Tuesday against Vestavia Hills. See HOOVER, page 22