Walk This Way

Birmingham Autism Walk Returns to Avondale Park

Autism Support of Alabama has set its Birmingham Autism Walk — complete with music, face painting and a fair to connect people with service providers — for April 15 at Avondale Park.

“We’re so excited about our walk this year. This is the first time in two years we’ll gather in-person in support of autism,” Anna Maple, ASA’s walk coordinator, said in a statement. “Participants can learn about service providers at the resource fair, listen to music, get their faces painted and enjoy light refreshments. But the highlight will be taking positive steps as a community to increase awareness and acceptance.”

The walk will be 9-11 a.m. and registration is $25, which includes a T-shirt. at walkforautismal.com.

Resource Fair service providers on hand will include Birmingham Fire and Rescue, Milestones Behavioral Group Inc., ADRS, United Ability, Triumph Services, Puzzle Piece Therapy, UAB Sparks Civitan, Regional Autism NetworkBirmingham, Full Life Ahead, Hannah Creel Music Intervention, Dance Without Limits, Studio By the Tracks and others.

To sign up as an individual walker or a team captain, or to donate, visit www.walkforautismal.com.

Sat., April 22

Stop the Violence 5K and Fun Run

The American Legion 21st District will hold a Stop the Violence 5K and Fun Run to raise awareness of gun violence in Birmingham and our communities. When: Registration begins at 9 a.m., race at 11 a.m. Where: 17th Street Plaza at Railroad Park, Birmingham

Mutt Strut

Hand in Paw’s 13th Annual Mutt Strut: Dog-Friendly 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run will take place at Homewood Central Park. When: 9 a.m. Where: Homewood Central Park

Fri., April 28

Hoover Schools Denim and Dining

The seventh annual fundraising event for the Hoover City Schools Foundation will feature a reception, silent and live auctions, a Jim n’ Nicks barbecue dinner and live music. When: 6-10 p.m. Where: Aldridge Gardens

Courtesy Samford Legacy League

Members of the 2023 Scholarship Celebration Committee are, front, from left: Paula Gossett, Kristen Comer, Wendy Cook, Rhonda Cantelow; middle, Claire Gwaltney, Rhonda Orr (chair), Karen Carlisle, Shea Williams; back, Marilyn Henry, Amy Duffey, Sherri Foyt, Sharon Smith; not pictured, Julie Cundiff, Rohaun Green, Robin Greer, Julie Taylor and Julia Vasquez.

sionate ballad, and “A Thousand Years,” a modern song reinvented as a classical cohesion of vocals and instrumentation.

The annual Scholarship Celebration will include a sponsor reception, a celebratory dinner and an intimate concert.

Proceeds from the event will support the new Legacy League Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing Centennial Scholarship to benefit students who have faced challenges including homelessness, inner-city violence, abandonment and the death or disability of a parent.

The sponsor reception and dinner are presented by Samford Dining by Aramark, and the Sons of Serendip concert is presented by Vulcan Materials Company. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., the dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the concert at 8 p.m.

Apr il 1 3 –15

At B Irmingham B Otanical G Ardens

Sons of Serendip – a classical cross over group, Billboard-charting quartet and America’s Got Talent finalist –will perform during the Samford Legacy League’s 14th annual Scholarship Celebration on April 20. A harpist, a cellist, a pianist and a lead vocalist make up the group, whose sound was described by The New York Times as “alive with detail but silky beyond reason.”

Dog-Friendly 5k & Fun Run

Companies also sponsoring the event are: Gold Sponsors, Baptist Health System, Hoar Construction and Ronnie Watkins Ford; Silver Sponsors, Altec, John 3:16, Marathon Electrical Contractors, Medical Properties Trust, Regions Bank and RJ Mechanical Inc.; Bronze Sponsors, Brasfield & Gorrie, Carpet Specialties Inc., Craftsman Printing and Standard Commercial Roofing & Envelope Solutions.

The event, which is open to the public, will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Reservations are required and cost $125 per person, of which $55 is tax deductible. Find more information and make online reserva tions at samford.edu/legacyleague.

Our annual Spring Plant Sale is back at the Gardens. Get ready for spring planting by shopping hard-tofind plants specially selected for our region by expert volunteer growers. Bring a folding cart or wagon.

Membe r Priority Shopping: Thursda y, April 13

Open to the Public: Frida y, April 14

Saturda y, A pril 1 5

A facility of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the result of a 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.