Shelby Living August 2012

SHELBY Living Dancing daylilies Local growers find success with garden

Welcome to the Pawliks’

Catching up with Cat

Former Briarwood star commentates the Olympics

Fashion

Noodling Try your hand at catching catfish

August 2012 • $4.95

Fun with

Local kids model clothes for summer and fall August 2012

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From the Editor I owe all of you a big thank you!

In the eight weeks or so, I have heard from so many of you about Shelby Living. I have received dozens of phone calls, emails and Facebook messages from people who are interested in the magazine.

Some readers wanted to share that they enjoyed learning about interesting people in our county. Others had ideas for potential stories or ways to improve the magazine.

I loved hearing from each person who contacted me, and I hope to hear from more of you in the future.

The biggest news in this month’s issue of Shelby Living is the second round of voting has begun for our second annual Best of the Best contest. We received more than 700 votes in the first round of voting! We narrowed down the submissions to the top three finalists in each category. Now we need you to choose your favorite.

The second round of voting began on July 9 and ends on Aug. 10. Make sure to vote for your favorite local businesses and organizations if you haven’t done so already.

This issue is full of other interesting stories, so take time to read through this entire magazine.

• Shelby County offers great clothing for children. We asked a handful of local kids to model some of the new fashions for the late summer and fall.

Check out the spread on page 24.

• Aldo Amato, one of our summer interns, put together a great story about noodling for us. While I’m a bit too squeamish for traditional fishing, much less sticking my hand down a catfish’s mouth, I had a great time learning about this unusual sport.

• Becky and Morris Parr have a gorgeous daylily garden on the edge of Shelby County. Photographer Jon Goering captured the peak bloom in June, so check out his photos on page 56.

As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments or ideas. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. l

Katie McDowell, Editor

Katie.McDowell@ShelbyLiving.com

ON THE COVER Michele Pawlik invited Shelby Living writer Christine Boatwright and photographer Jon Goering to her Montevallo home in June.

Cover design: Daniel Holmes Photography: Jon Goering

SHELBY Living ediToRiAl Katie McDowell Amy Jones Wesley Hallman Neal Wagner Christine Boatwright Aldo Amato Daniel Porter CoNTRibuToRs Lisa Phillips Laura Brookhart Angie Brown pRoduCTioN Daniel Holmes Jamie Sparacino Amy Baldis Jon Goering Kreable Young Jessica Crihfield mARkeTiNG Alan Brown Melissa Clark Thomas LaBoone Nicole Loggins Casey Lucas Meagan Mims Barbara Buchanan Diane Fant LaShan Johnson Tracy Jones AdmiNisTRATioN Tim Prince Jan Griffey Mary Jo Eskridge Annie McGilvray Catherine Cousins Christine Roberts Shelby Living is published monthly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Shelby Living is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Shelby County Newspapers Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Shelby Living, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Shelby Living is mailed to select households throughout Shelby County, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses.

Please visit Shelbyliving.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $22 for one year by emailing subscribe@ shelbyliving.com, or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 21.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@shelbyliving.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 11.

August 2012

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Enroll in Cancer Prevention Study-3.

Register at Raceit.com

By enrolling in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study (CPS-3), you can help us understand how to prevent cancer, which will save lives and create a world with more birthdays for everyone.

Enrollment in CPS-3 will take place at locations throughout Birmingham August 22-29, 2012.

Join us for the 8th Annual Greystone 5k and Lori Johnson Fun Run Saturday, August 18, 2012

For more information or to make an appointment, visit cps3birmingham.org or call 1-888-604-5888.

Special thanks to our host sites:

Following the race will be food, pool games, entertainment and or a silent auction.

Auction prizes include: -a week’s stay at the Steamboat Grand in Steamboat Springs, Colorado -2 three night stays at luxury beach properties in Destin -golf packages to the finest local courses -a three-course in-home dinner party for 10 people provided

by Robby Melvin of Salt Fine Catering.

Location: Greystone Founders Clubhouse Aquatics Center 4100 Greystone Drive, Birmingham, AL 35242

Proudly supported by Shelby Living Magazine

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in every issue 9

The simple life

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SHORT STORIES

60

Shelby spotted

80

out & About

82

WHY I LOVE SHELBY COUNTY

arts & culture 12

EN PLEIN AIR Local artists take their painting outdoors

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THE CREATIVE Collective Columbiana native founds arts group in Birmingham

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READING ROOM PHS teacher Connie Nolen shares her favorite books

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features 18

TAking on skin cancer Locals raise awareness about disease

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ask the doctor Dr. Donald Walters shares the facts about skin cancer

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Home makeover: beekeeper edition What color paint do bees prefer?

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Having fun with fashion Styles that will take your kids from summer to school

30

Launching careers of distinction UM’s Center for Professional Practice helps students raise the bar

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best of the best Vote for favorite businesses in the second round of the contest

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August 2012

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recreation 32

disneyland for dogs Canine park opens this month in Inverness

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join the party Aqua Zumba is a fun, water-based workout

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Catching up with cat Former Briarwood star to commentate Olympic soccer games

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Whispers beneath the water Noodling in Shelby County

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52

home & food 40

if walls could talk Step inside the Pawliks’ beautiful Montevallo home

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a bloom in every hue Garden features 1,000 varieties of daylilies

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old-world flavor Vizzini Farms Winery’s perfectly paired plates

56

chock full of good stuff Terri Sullivan shares her cranberry cookie recipe

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the purple dragon Courtyard 280’s fruity drink is popular with the regulars

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48

The Simple Life

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This is a confusing time of year. The sunlight is calling us outside past the dinner hour, and the temperature says we should be splashing at the pool. Yet, the school bell is telling us that it is time to set the alarm clock, shop for a new box of crayons and pack the backpacks.

While routines are different, depending on the dynamics of the family, easing back into a routine after a vacation or time off can be challenging.

Here are a few tips to consider when facing the start of another school year.

• Make practice runs. Consider getting everyone in bed earlier and getting up without hitting snooze.

• Be prepared.

Start stocking up on nutritious, yet quick, breakfast foods and afternoon snacks. Look for new recipes. Studies tell us that kids eat more during the school year versus during the summer – must be Lisa Phillips, because of all the brain owner of SimpleWorks, cells they are growing. lisa_phillips@bellsouth.

• Shop early. Most net, 981.7733 school lists are posted right after the Fourth of July. Watch for weekly sales to save the most money.

• Try on clothes now. Growth spurts happen so fast and clothes are outgrown from one season to the next. Sort through closets and donate or consign items that no longer fit.

• Prepare the night before. This is huge in the context of running late or walking out the door on time. Set out clothes and shoes, pack the backpack, sign any papers, prepack lunches … anything you can do before you go to bed will help the mornings go much smoother.

• Set up folders. Designate a folder or notebook to put important papers, notes, phone numbers, etc., for each child. Have a place where papers are “dropped off” when they come home from school.

• Update homework supplies. Doublecheck that everything is in place to help with homework and projects.

The first day of school can be full of mixed emotions for parents, as well as the kids. Most kids couldn’t wait for summer to come, and most parents can’t wait for school to begin. Or is it the other way around?

While the school bell is a signal for kids that summer is over, most adults think of Labor Day weekend as the end of summer.

No matter what date your calendar is set for, saying goodbye to those lazy, hazy, crazy days isn’t all that bad. It just means tailgating and football are right around the corner. It’s that simple. l

Depending on the dynamics of the family, easing back into a routine after a vacation or time off can be challenging.

August 2012

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Short Stories &

Help cure cancer The American Cancer Society is asking Shelby County residents to enroll in a cancer prevention study this August. The study, known as Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), is the latest in a handful of studies over the last few decades that examine how genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors cause or prevent cancer.

The American Cancer Society hopes to enroll 300,000 people nationwide in CPS-3, including about 1,000 from the Birmingham metro area.

“You can help us find out what is causing cancer and how to prevent it,” said ACS Communications Director Scarlet Thompson. “It’s really cool.

You’re basically changing health history by participating in it.”

Previous studies have produced several “revelations” about cancer causes and preventions, including the link between being overweight and living a sedentary lifestyle to increased risk of cancer. A 1980s study linked aspirin use to a lower risk of colon cancer.

“We were the first study to ever link smoking to cancer back in the 1950s and 60s,” Thompson said.

Enrollment in the Birmingham metro area will be held Aug. 22-29 at various locations, including the Pelham YMCA, 2610 Pelham Parkway, and the Greystone YMCA, 5414 Highway 280.

Participants must be 30-65 years old and have no history of cancer, unless it’s a non-melanoma skin cancer.

Survey participants must complete follow-up surveys either online or by mail every few years for the next two to three decades.

For more information, visit Cps3birmingham.org. ~Katie McDowell

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CityFest draws record high Alabaster CityFest shattered previous attendance records at its annual summer concert on June 2. According to estimates from the Alabaster Police Department, this year’s CityFest drew a record crowd of 70,000 throughout the day. The attendance number was about 15,000 higher than last year’s event and shattered the previous high of 60,000, which was set in 2010.

This year’s festival was headlined by

country music group Lonestar, and featured a performance by alternative rock group Everclear. Other bands, such as Vallejo, Deputy 5 and 2Blu and the Lucky Stiffs, also lit up the event’s stages.

The Alabaster Arts Council, which sponsors the event, is not taking a break either. The organization has already started planning next year’s CityFest. ~Neal Wagner

GSCC welcomes new president The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce welcomed Kirk Mancer as its new president on July 1.

Prior to joining the GSCC, Mancer served as the president of the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce. He also served as the vice president of the former Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce and the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama.

Mancer was chosen from a pool of more than 35 applicants to serve as the GSCC president. The GSCC president’s seat had been vacant since former president Jennifer Whisenant stepped down in January to become the executive director of the Birmingham Auto Dealers Association. ~Neal Wagner

Raise a glass

Globetrotters

Two Shelby County teachers will have an excellent topic for the requisite “How did you spend your summer vacation” essay when they return to school this fall.

Richard Scott, a Columbiana Middle School teacher, and Karen Scott, a Thompson Middle School teacher, were awarded a Fund for Teachers fellowship

grant, which allowed them to visit European landmarks to aid in future history lessons.

From June 4-July 2, the pair joined 458 other teachers from across the country to visit World War II memorials, museums and historical landmarks in Budapest, Krakow, Prague, Munich and Amsterdam. ~Wesley Hallman

New leaders at the SCAC The Shelby County Arts Council named a new leadership team in June with former volunteer executive director and board president Terri Sullivan stepping into the newly created role of director of development.

Sullivan’s former position has been split into three new roles, and SCAC board members will fill those positions. Steve Flanagan will serve as board president, Kathy Copeland as volunteer

executive director and Debbie Butterworth as chairwoman of the newly formed Grants/ Development Committee.

As director of development, Sullivan will be responsible for developing community connections and encouraging contributions.

For more information, visit Shelbycountyartscouncil.com. ~Katie McDowell

Have you got something to say? The Circle of Champions Toastmasters Club in Alabaster helps members with preparing and giving speeches.

Helena resident Randy Cooper, vice president of public relations, said the club offers a program, which includes prepared speeches, organization and delivery.

“It is a self-paced program. You go at your own rate,” Cooper said.

“The other part of the program is the impromptu speaking, which we call table topics. People ask questions and you have one or two minutes to respond to the questions.”

Cooper, a systems analyst, said the club, which has about 18 active members, is made of a variety of people, and all are invited.

To join Toastmasters, the cost is $41 for six months and a one-time new members’ fee of $20, which covers materials.

The Circle of Champions Toastmasters Club meets on the first and third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Abundant Life Church, which is located at 1625 Kent Dairy Road in Alabaster. For more information, visit Circlechampions.toastmastersclubs. org. ~Christine Boatwright

August 2012

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Arts & Culture

En plein air

Shelby County artists take their painting outdoors

Written and photographed by lAuRA bRookhART

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E

n plein air brings to mind the images of mid-19th century Impressionists Monet and Renoir or those of a later generation of American painters such as Winslow Homer or Childe Hassam.

“Painting in the open air has a fresher feeling. An artist often chooses more vibrant colors to capture the outdoor light and the nuances of the shadows,” said painter Jeannie Robertson, who recently formed a small group of plein air painters who are using the grounds of Birmingham Botanical Gardens as inspiration.

“It is about working quickly to catch the shadows before they shift too much. And it is more about capturing the essence of a landscape rather than an exacting rendition,” Robertson said.

The group of five seasoned painters, who all live in Shelby County, has discovered they prefer to paint near one another, although everyone interprets the scene differently and no two paintings are ever alike.

Each person has a vision, choosing a point of interest where the viewer’s eye will be directed.

“I keep in mind the words of one of my professors who reminded us to compose so to give the viewer some-

thing to see at a distance and something new to notice up close,” Robertson said.

There is no doubt that the color and light is superior outdoors and that execution in alla prima usually means completing the work in a single session.

The group paints in acrylics, oils, pastels and occasionally watercolor – each artist generally favoring one medium. Kathleen Saab, who is somewhat new to plein air, prefers to begin in acrylic, later adding detail in oil when she returns home, referencing photographs taken.

All agree that painting together is more fun and that the social aspect adds enjoyment as conversation is tossed back and forth.

Justine Rynearson said painting on location is her favorite way to paint and as she has traveled extensively (to 34 countries), she keeps notes, photographs and inspirations in her sketchbook.

Her portfolio includes landscapes from the Bouchard Gardens of Victoria, British Columbia to Venice, Italy and from the Halifax Botanical Gardens and Luxembourg Gardens of Paris to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

One of Laura Cunningham’s favorite places to paint outdoors is at her farm

in Sterrett.

“I love being outdoors surrounded by nature,” she said. “When I am painting, I am in my own little world.

No cares, no worries. Times slows and I am at peace.”

Cunningham studies with John Lonergan and shows her work with the Mountain Brook Art Association and at Riverchase Loves Art. After a career in broadcasting and the music industry, Don Estes turned seriously to fine art painting. His training includes studying with Daniel E. Greene, and his work includes still life, portraiture and landscapes.

Estes has participated in two Aldridge Gardens Plein Air Art Shows, and his work was recently featured at Parnell Gallery and will be on view in August at Brookwood Hospital.

“As painters, we are often trying to capture on canvas God’s creation that we see before us. As humans, we can’t truly do that, but we can try. I find that awe-inspiring and humbling,” Estes said.

Robertson said the group will exhibit the results of their plein air outings at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in 2013. Her abstract paintings are currently on view at Unitarian Universalist Church and for the month of July at Brookwood Hospital. l

Page 12: Laura Cunningham is one of the five artists participating in the plein air painting group. ABOVE LEFT: Jeanne Robertson works on a landscape at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. ABOVE RIGHT: The group of artists typically choose to use different mediums, including pastels, oils, acrylics and watercolor.

August 2012

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Arts & Culture

The Creative Collective

Written by kATie mCdoWell | Photographs Contributed

ABOVE: Ernest Garver took this photo of Tyler Harris, founder of Art’nique. PAGE 15 FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Tyler Harris took this photo of Ryan Rutledge, a co-founder of Art’nique. Garrett Coyte took this photo of Ivan “IvProfen” Williams, a hip hop artist and member of Art’nique. Mikhail Paige took this photo of Chris “Christyle” Butler, a member of Art’nique and “C1UB Am” hip hop artist.

Columbiana native founds arts group in Birmingham

T

yler Harris prefers to travel with his camera.

The 21-year-old likes to capture whatever moment he’s experiencing, whether it’s an afternoon with friends or a trip to Bonnaroo, a music festival in Tennessee.

Like many college students, the UAB junior found a group of friends with similar interests. However, Harris and his friends have taken those shared interests to another level by forming Art’nique. The arts collective brings together artists from different mediums – videography, photography, choreog-

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raphy, music production, graphic design and more.

“It’s simply a group of people who appreciate the arts,” he said. “It’s made up of as many as 20 artists. I created the group so people with similar interests could network with each other.”

The group maintains a website where members post photos and videos.

The goal of the group is explained on its homepage: “Everything we do in life, from what we wear to how we speak, says something about who we are. We are creators from many walks of life, and many styles. The manifesto of this collective is to reorientate people towards the wonder and beauty that is art.”

For Harris, a Columbiana native, Art’nique has been an inspiring creative outlet during his studies. Harris is concentrating in graphic design and videog-

raphy – a sharp change from his high school goal of studying sports medicine.

After becoming interested in the arts late in his high school career, he decided to pursue it, first at Jacksonville State University and then at UAB, where he transferred after his freshman year.

He formed Art’nique soon after he transferred. While many of the members are based in Birmingham, the group is a diverse range of ages and backgrounds.

Art’nique’s website reflects their wide range of interests and their far-flung travels across the country. Recent posts include videos and photos from Birmingham, including a hip hop performance, graffiti and portraits of members at school or around town.

“We try to connect with each other through the web,” Harris said.

Harris plans to spend most of his

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summer in Birmingham. While he worries the city does not have many opportunities for videographers, he has managed to find several opportunities to develop his craft.

He recently got a job creating promotional video for the UAB recreation center. He said he also does freelance work, including videos for Woodrow Hal and Club AM, a Birmingham-based hip hop collective. He said he is also doing design work for The Dream Showcase, an annual talent show. The chance to work with other creative types was a big part of what attracted Harris to videography.

“I thought it was a perfect opportunity to help people exploit their talents,” he said.

For more information about Art’nique, visit Artnique.tumbler.com.

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August 2012

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Arts & Culture

Reading Room: Connie Nolen

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Photograph by kReAble youNG

This i believe “This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women” and “This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women” are a two-volume essay collection and an ongoing community project based on a 1950s radio program. To read the personal philosophies of a wide range of people and to be invited to write and submit your own 500-word personal philosophies creates a priceless opportunity for reflection.

onnie Nolen has deep roots in Pelham, where she moved with her family at the age of 8. Nolen is the chair of the English department at Pelham High School, where she also teaches several literature and writing classes. She and her husband, Jerry, have three children.

Q: share a little about yourself.

A: I am the chair of the English department at Pelham High School. I teach 11th grade English, which is modern and contemporary American literature. I also teach lots of writing –Creative Writing I, II and some years III; Competitive Writing, a class where seniors write for scholarships and publication; and a literary magazine class. My parents live in Pelham, and my dad was the mayor of Pelham for 24 years. My husband, Jerry, and I have three children – Georgia, a recent graduate of the University of Alabama who now works for Fox 6; Justin, a recent graduate of Pelham High School who will attend Huntingdon College in the fall; and Faith, a rising eighth grader at Riverchase Middle School.

Q: Why do you love to read?

A: I love to read because it’s the most amazing and enlightening way to spend my time. Perhaps because I write, I appreciate the amount of work that goes into really wonderful writing.

Q: What’s the first book you remember loving?

A: “The Pokey Little Puppy.” My grandmother must have been tired of reading this book to me, but she never let me know it. Every time she read to me, she brought the story to life –complete with voices and puppy barks. I love children’s books. I love stories – all stories, illustrated stories, fiction, nonfiction including true stories and poignant narrative essays.

Stories take generic lives and fill them with living color.

Q: What are your favorite types of books?

A: I am very fickle as a book lover. I’m always in love with the last book I read. I like realistic fiction. I love Anne Tyler’s books. Recently Han Nolan visited Shelby County, (note different Nolan spelling—no relation), and I’ve just finished her book “A Summer of Kings.” “A Summer of Kings” is

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Connie Nolen’s Reading Recommendations

set in the summer of 1963. In this intriguing story, the main character is a young woman.

The events of the summer of 1963 in this country lead her to the writings of Ghandi, and she embraces his belief in the power of nonviolent protest and his words, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” The novel is riveting. I think it’s important to read historical fiction so we can really join fictional characters in a moment in history and take to heart Sir Winston Churchill’s warning that “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Q: Why did you decide to pursue a literary career?

A: I’ve always been a reader, a writer and a teacher. Before these activities became my profession, they were my play and my passion. I do what I love. The fact that I get paid to do what I love surprises me. I don’t think I consciously decided to pursue a literary career. I’ve just kept doing what I love – and here I am – reading, writing and teaching.

Q: do you have anything you want to promote?

A: Well, my students just published the Pelham High School 2012 Literary Magazine.

It’s filled with incredible student writing, artwork, photography and design. We’ll have copies for sale at Pelham High School’s registration on July 24 and 26 and also when the school year begins.

poetry 180 “Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry” and “180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Every Day” are poetry collections including many poets edited by former Poet Laureate Billy Collins. These books grew out of his work as Poet Laureate.

Collins wrote in the forward to the first volume, “High school is the focus of my program because all to often it is the place where poetry goes to die.” In these books, Collins attempts to offer high school students a poem for every day of the school year, simply to read and enjoy.

At Pelham High School, poetry is in remission, living vibrantly and growing stronger every day. proverbs My final recommendation is the book of Proverbs. I started reading one of the 31 chapters of Proverbs to coincide with the day of the month many years ago. Proverbs provides wisdom for daily living. I need wisdom the way that some people need daily vitamins. I love the Bible app on my phone so I can read my chapter of Proverbs, even if I’m separated from my print Bible.

August 2012

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THIS PAGE: Lea Ann Howard and her father, Jerry Vickers, were both diagnosed with skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. ~American Cancer Society

More than 2 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are found in this country each year. Melanoma will account for more than 75,000 cases of skin cancer in 2012. ~American Cancer Society

Taking on skin cancer Written by kATie mCdoWell | Photograph kReAble youNG

R

ussell Davis was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with melanoma.

The Calera resident was spending a day on the lake with his wife, who was then his girlfriend, when she noticed a suspicious-looking mole on his back. The mole was dark and the skin surrounding it was pink. Davis scheduled an appointment to have it checked out, although he wasn’t too concerned. He tanned easily and felt he “didn’t fit the mold” for skin cancer. He remained calm even when the biopsy came back as melanoma, the most serious type of skin

cancer.

“I was only 18,” he said. “I didn’t understand the gravity of the situation.”

Sixteen years have passed since Davis’ diagnosis and he remains cancer-free. He and his wife, who had leukemia as a child and now works for the American Cancer Society, now have two daughters, who they slather in sunscreen. He also gets regular checkups with a dermatologist.

“Having it happen at such a young age, it opened my eyes,” he said.

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Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, responsible for almost half of all cancers in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society’s website. The three most common types of skin cancer are basal, squamous and melanoma.

Basal and squamous skin cancer typically develop on parts of the body that are often exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, neck and the backs of the hands, according to the ACS website. These types of cancers have a high cure rate if they are discovered and treated early.

Melanoma also has a high success cure rate when it is found very early. However, the cure rate drops dramatically when it is diagnosed later. The ACS found that melanoma accounts for about 9,000 of the almost 12,000 skin cancer death a year.

Risk factors for all three types of skin cancer include a history of tanning outdoors or in a tanning bed, pale complexion that sunburns easily and has difficulty tanning, natural red or blond hair color, a family history of skin cancer, multiple or unusual moles, a history of severe sunburns and occupational exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds or radium.

Chelsea resident Lea Ann Howard only had one of the risk factors – her father had a history of skin cancer – and was surprised by her melanoma diagnosis eight years ago.

“I was very, very, very surprised,” she said. “I just didn’t think I had the type of skin to get skin cancer.”

Howard also received her diagnosis after being prompted by a family member to get a checkup. Her mother, who is a nurse, noticed a dark freckle on her arm and encouraged her to have it checked out.

“It was kind of an odd shape, and it was really, really dark.

(It) looked scalloped a little bit around the edges,” she said.

She visited Dr. Donald Walters of Brookwood Dermatology and Azia Medical Spa, who biopsied the spot. Although the freckle was small – about the “size of the tip of a Sharpie” – it was deep.

The typical treatment for skin cancer is to surgically remove the mole and the surrounding skin until cancer is no longer found. In Howard’s case, it took several times until she received an all-clear and she now has a 2.5-inch scar.

“Even though it was small on the surface, it was a lot bigger on the inside,” she said.

Howard returns for regular skin examinations. While she’s had several biopsies since her first diagnosis, she remains cancer-free. Howard’s father, Vandiver resident Jerry Vickers, has also battled skin cancer for decades. The Vietnam veteran estimates he’s had “hundreds” of skin cancers removed since the 1970s.

Vickers is unsure whether his own battle with the disease can be traced to sun damage or exposure to Agent Orange, an herbicide used during the Vietnam War that has been linked to many cancers and health problems.

Whatever the cause, Vickers has to maintain constant vigilance against the suspicious spots that appear on his skin from time to time.

“If I notice a spot, I’ll go in,” he said.

That vigilance is exactly what The American Cancer Society encourages. In order for people to catch skin cancer at an early stage, the ACS encourages people to regularly check their skin for suspicious-looking moles and freckles.

Symptoms include any changes in the skin, including the size or color of a mole or spot; any new growth, even if it is colorless; scaliness, oozing, bleeding in a bump or freckle; the spread of color beyond a mole’s border, such a dark or red coloring; a change in sensation, including itchiness, tenderness or pain.

For more information about skin cancer, visit the American Cancer Society’s website at Cancer.org. l

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Ask the doctor about

skin cancer

2. At what age should an individual begin annual skin cancer screenings?

Yearly exams are recom6. how prevalent is skin mended by the American cancer?

Academy of Dermatology Skin cancer in the United Dr. Donald Walters for all adults, especially States is at epidemic proporto detect melanoma at its tions due to our enjoyment earliest stage. Suspicious moles even in of multiple outdoor activities during our children and teenagers should be evalulifetimes. ated by a dermatologist.

7. What changes have you seen in 3. What are the top risk factors for skin cancer diagnoses during your skin cancer? professional career?

Excessive sun exposure, multiple sunWe are seeing an increase in squaburns in your teenage years, fair commous cell carcinoma in our practice, plected individuals and family history of where in the past we have seen more skin cancer, as well as a previous history basal cell carcinoma. of skin cancer.

8. is tanning at a salon more or less 4. What prevention measures do dangerous than tanning outdoors? you recommend?

Tanning in a salon is equally as danAvoidance of direct sunlight between gerous as tanning outdoors. the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., a broad9. What type of sunscreen do you brimmed hat, as well as a broad specsuggest people use during a day at the trum sunblock. beach versus a normal workday or 5. What are the signs of melanoma? weekend?

At the beach or if you have an outdoor occupation, we suggest individuals wear a broad-brimmed hat and a sunscreen containing an SPF greater than 75. For people with an indoor occupation, an SPF of 15 should be adequate.

10. do you recommend clients perform self-examinations?

Self-exams are very important for the detection of skin cancer and many other diseases. We would recommend a selfskin exam once a month.

11. how do you suggest treating brown spots caused by sun damage and age?

These can be treated with topical bleaching creams and lasers.

12. Are any of the over-the-counter skin products powerful enough to work?

Hydroquinone 2% is an over-thecounter option that may work for mild cases. Dermatologists have prescription products that are generally more effective.

Dr. Donald Walters specializes in general surgery and dermatology at Brookwood Dermatology in Vestavia and Azia Medical Spa in Birmingham in Shelby County. l

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Ask the Doctor

The signs include pigmented lesions with irregular border, diameter greater than the size of a pencil eraser, irregular color and changes in existing or new moles.

March 2012 • $4.95

1. What are the main types of skin cancer?

Basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma

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Bellinis Ristorante Chic Boutique Davis Drug Co. Dixon-Ballog Glass Gallery and Studio Favorite Laundry Gravlee Fitness Massage Envy Victory Automotive Group

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Beekeeper edition

Extreme home makeover:

Written by Katie mcdowell Photographs by Kreable Young

TOP: Bee Keeper Research. ABOVE-LEFT TO RIGHT: The study used three paint colors on the bee hives. Two groups were painted white or black as a control group.

The final group of bee hives were painted with a paint that changes from black to white depending on the temperature. It is pictured here as a yellow-ish color, as it is in the process from changing from white to black. Dr. Jim Tew, Dr. Michael Steinkampf and Dr. John Hurst have managed the study.

What paint color do bees prefer?

T

hat’s the question Dr. John Hurst and Dr. Michael Steinkampf set out to answer this spring. The answer has greater consequences than enhanced aesthetics or a satisfied queen bee.

The results from Hurst and Steinkampf’s study, which took place at Hurst’s Wilsonville farm, could help beekeepers across the country maintain healthier and more productive hives.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for helping bees grow better by helping regulate the temperature of their colonies,” Steinkampf said.

Hurst and Steinkampf, both doctors who work for Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham, received a grant from the National Honey Board to study whether the color of the box hives could give beekeepers a more successful season.

With assistance from Dr. Jim Tew of Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University, the study began in April of last year with 15 boxes of bees.

The boxes were divided into three groups.

The first two groups were either painted white or black.

In the final group of boxes, paint was used with an additive that caused the color to change depending on the temperature. Once the temperature falls below 86 degrees, the paint begins turning from white to black. During the transition, the paint appears to be a mustard yellow color before achieving full black at 40 degrees. “(The bees) stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” Hurst said.

Data about temperature and humidity inside and outside the hives are collected digitally every five minutes. The researchers also inspect and weigh the hives every two weeks.

Hurst and Steinkampf were scheduled to end the experiment and harvest

the honey on July 1. Then, the real work begins when the men begin examining their data.

While it’s premature to speculate about the results, Tew said he expects the information to be useful to beekeepers across the country, no matter the results.

“They are uniquely qualified to do this work,” he said. “Something is going to come of (the study). There will be conclusions that can be drawn from it either way.”

While the researchers only lost one colony during their experiment – something Hurst attributes to “intensive beekeeping” – beekeepers face many challenges to keep colonies alive and productive, including diseases related to temperature.

Steinkampf said there are 2.5 million hives in the country, and between 15-35 percent of colonies are lost each year.

If the researchers’ hypothesis proves success, the buzz of bees may be a little louder in Shelby County next year. l August 2012

23

Having fun with fashion These styles will take your kids from summer to the school year

Styled by katie mcdowell Photographs by jon goering Location veterans park, hoover

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Hopper Akins wears a shirt and olive pique shirts, $20 each, from the Doo-Dads and Designs line available at Serendipity, Brook Highland Plaza, 5287 Highway 280, Suite 229, Birmingham.

Pierce Marsh wears a shirt and short set, $40, by Doo-Dads and Designs from Serendipity.

Maddie Bentley wears the “do the dress,” $56, and “happy hoodie,” $52, from the be{tween} line at Favorite Laundry, 100 Croft Street, Mt Laurel.

Micah Swain wears a Mayoral shirt, $16, and cargo shorts, $33, both from Forever Young.

August 2012

25

Niya Morris wears the “take the tank,” $42, and “giddy gaucho,” $44, both from Favorite Laundry in Mt Laurel.

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McClain Bentley wears a shirt, $38, and ruffled pants, $38, from Favorite Laundry.

TOP LEFT: Willa Rose Akins wears the Le’ Za Me Rouge Fleur Bishop dress, $75, from Fireflies and Fairytales, 611 Doug Baker Blvd., #115, Birmingham. BOTTOM LEFT: McClain Bentley wears a printed dress, $45, from Serendipity.

August 2012

27

Micah Swain wears a Mayoral hooded shirt, $34.40, from Forever Young, Brook Highland Plaza, 5287 Highway 280, Suite 209, Birmingham.

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Maddie Bentley wears the “thanks tank,” $42, and “rockin’ ruffles” pant, $44, both from the be[tween] line available at Favorite Laundry in Mt Laurel.

Hopper Akins wears the Rocket Boy Pant Suite, $60, from Fireflies and Fairytales. Willa Rose Akins’ white corduroy shirt, $36, and blue corduroy pants,$40, are both from Favorite Laundry.

August 2012

29

Center for Professional Practice: Launching careers of distinction

T

Written by ChRisTiNe boATWRiGhT

he University of Montevallo’s Stephens College of Business holds the highest accreditation available to institutes of higher learning. In addition to a top-notch education, business students who come through the college have the opportunity to utilize the Center for Professional Practice as a way to prepare themselves for their post-collegiate careers.

The center, which launched fall 2011, helps students with everything from interviewing and networking skills to appropriate work attire and updated resumes.

“The advantage of the scale of an institution like Montevallo is that we can work with each student on a career plan,” said Dr. Stephen Craft, dean of the College of Business.

According to Craft, the center, which is fashioned after an executive suite, is funded externally and is located on the top floor of the business school.

Dr. Bill Hamer, UM’s executive in residence, uses his extensive background in business and human resources to assist students individually with internship opportunities.

Hamer was the director of UM’s counseling center and served as dean of students. He later became the senior vice president in human resources for Protective Life Corporation.

“I do not teach, although I could,” Hamer said of his position at UM. “My main purpose is to raise the bar, and to help our students raise the bar.”

Hamer said the business school faculty has been “wonderful as a bridge” between the students and the center. He said Dr. Nancy Bell co-chaired the project.

Five senior accounting students were placed in local accounting firms, according to Hamer.

“Many of our students did not have a sense of what was available,” Hamer said. “Five out of five got job offers.”

The college of business has about 254 students enrolled currently, excluding the MBA program. The center worked with more than half of the enrolled juniors and seniors, Hamer said.

Clanton resident Steven Julaka, a senior accounting major, didn’t plan to work over the summer, but after speaking with Hamer, he changed his mind.

Julaka interviewed and earned one of the five 10-week internships offered by Cahaba GBA auditing firm.

“I’ve been here for a year, as I’m a transfer student. This was all new to me because I hadn’t done any interviews,” Julaka added, saying he transferred from Jefferson State Community College and then the University of Alabama. “Dr. Hamer set me up for the interview, had the contacts and helped me edit my resume.”

According to Craft, he has received a “strong, positive reaction” concerning the center from both current and prospective parents.

“We can talk in specific terms about the end game,” Craft said.

“They can launch a career of distinction.”l

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Who’s the best?

BEST OF THE BEST SHELBY COUNTY BALLOT

Name (required):______________________________________ Address (required): ____________________________________ Email address: ________________________________________

Shelby Living is holding its second-annual Best of the Best in Shelby County contest. We’re asking readers to tell us their favorite local businesses and people from the best yoga studio to best children’s clothing store. We received hundreds of votes this summer in the first round of the contest.

We narrowed down the submission to the top three entries in each category. Now, we want you to decide your favorite. The winners of the Best of the Best contest will be announced in the October issue of Shelby Living. How to vote: Paper ballots may be mailed to Best of the Best, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Only original ballots from the magazine will be counted. No photocopied or hand-written ballots will be counted. Readers also may fill out the ballot online at Shelbyliving.com. Only one ballot per person will be accepted. Participation is open to all readers 18 years and older.

Coffee

Italian cuisine

Veterinarian

New car dealer

Massage

Eclipse Coffee and Books

Bellinis Ristorante

Chelsea Animal Clinic

Edwards Chevrolet

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La Reunion Coffee Café

Joe’s Italian

Countryside Animal Clinic

(Highway 280)

Sante Fe Day Spa

Starbucks

Lucia’s Italian

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Ernest McCarty Ford

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

Victory Automotive Group

Bakery

Mexican cuisine

Dry cleaners

Delicious Bakery

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Champion (Calera)

Florist

Donut Joe’s

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Ken’s Cleaners

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Dr. Michelle Jones

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Zapopan

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Burger

Happy hour

Pet supply store

El Agave

Bellinis Ristorante

Alabama Pet Foods

Main Street Tavern

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Margarita Grill

Papa Saia’s

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Garden center

PetsMart (Alabaster)

Cedar Creek Nursery

Barbecue

Annual festival

Full Moon (Alabaster)

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Jim ‘N Nick’s (Alabaster)

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Sarah’s Flowers

Santa Fe Day Spa

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Bruce Andrews

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Lisa DiChiara

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Southern Magnolia

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Summer Classics

Danielle Turner

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St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

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Children’s clothing store

Snap Fitness

Melanie Siow

(Keller Williams)

Dining

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University of Montevallo

Fitness center/gym

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Local art gallery

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Issis & Sons

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St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

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August 2012

31

Disneyland

for dogs Canine park opens this month in Inverness Written by kATie mCdoWell Photography by joN GoeRiNG

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PAGE 32: The park will include trails and areas for small dogs, larger dogs and children. TOP LEFT: The Cahaba Beach Dog Park will include a 15,400 square-foot facility and 6.5 acres of trails and play areas. ABOVE Construction of the amphitheater was ongoing in the month of June.

S

tacye Horne Seremet met her future husband for the first time in Nashville in March 2007.

It was an introduction seemingly plucked from a romantic comedy.

Stayce, then in graduate school at Vanderbilt University, was walking her dog in a park when she stumbled upon Mike Seremet, who was also walking some dogs he was fostering at the time.

The duo found they shared a love of both dogs and animal rescue.

Fast forward five years, and Mike and Stacye are married with a 10-weekold son and seven dogs. They are also preparing to open Cahaba Beach Dog Park in Inverness, where they live.

“Basically, it’s the love of dogs that started everything,” Stacye said.

The idea for the park began soon after the Seremets moved to Birmingham and realized there were no dog parks in Shelby County or, at the time, the metro Birmingham area.

Stacye discussed the idea with her parents, Ken and Anne Horne, and her brother, Carlton Horne. The three families, who own or foster a combined 18 dogs, decided the park was a worthy venture.

“There’s an abundance of people who need a place to take their dogs, and there’s not a place to do it,” Stayce said.

The dog park, called “Disneyland for dogs” by their friends, includes a 15,400-square-foot facility and 6.5 acres of land with trails, tunnels, ramps, streams and an amphitheater.

Contractor Mark Thompson, who has been working on the project with the Hornes and the Seremets for about three years, said the park features several leash-free play areas for dogs.

“We’ve got about 6.5 acres around the park,” he said.

The park is settled on a large hill, but fences – high enough to keep dogs in, but low enough not to trap deer – offer safety in addition to dividing the park into zones. One play area is for dogs of all sizes, while another is for smaller dogs.

“Whenever you leave or enter the dog park area, there’s a holding area,” Thompson said. “These areas will have showers. So, if your dog’s dirty, you can wash him off before you leave the park.”

The park also features “Black Diamond” trails that owners can tackle with their canines and water features

for hot summer days.

An amphitheater can be rented for special events but will be available to the public on regular days.

“If there’s not a special event, it’s a good place to throw a Frisbee or hang out,” Thompson said.

“Penton Park for People” is a dogfree area located further up the hill and includes volleyball, bocce ball, a playground and a restaurant.

The facility will feature dog boarding, grooming, daycare and training.

(The second floor of the facility will house a call center owned by Ken Horne, the former CEO of Virginia College and the founder of Culinard.)

High-end safety features include kennel ventilation and fire sprinklers, as well as surveillance cameras that dog owners can monitor using computers.

A “nominal” monthly membership fee will be required to access the park.

Dogs will also have to be tested for temperament, spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

Cahaba Beach Dog Park is expected to open in August at 3555 Cahaba Beach Road in Inverness. For more information, visit Facebook.com/cahababeachdogpark. l August 2012

33

ABOVE: The Aqua Zumba class at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen regularly attracts 25 participants. The class includes dancing, twisting, jumping and streching in the water.

} Party{ Join the

Aqua Zumba class is a fun, water-based workout.

E

very Thursday morning at 8 a.m., music is playing at the indoor pool at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Health and Wellness where the Aqua Zumba class is dancing and moving to the tunes, all while in the water.

“This class is booming right now,” fitness supervisor Mandy Cox said.

Led by an Aqua Zumba certified instructor, the class consists of dancing, twisting, jumping and stretching in the water. Not only does the water give a

little more resistance, Mandy explained, but it is easy on knees, hips and joints and good for those with special needs, such as post rehabilitation, prenatal and more. Even beginners are well suited for this type of exercise, as it is easy to make it your own by adapting the moves.

“Zumba works the entire body,” says Mandy. “It is not just a cardio workout.

It is also muscular resistance and a flexibility workout.”

Men and women of all ages enjoy Aqua Zumba, and Cox said they recom-

mend swim shoes for class in order to protect your feet. For non-members, they allow two guest passes and then the cost of the class is $15 after that. The class is held in the shallow part of the water and lasts around 45 minutes. Class size averages between 20 and 25 people.

“Our members like to call it the pool party because they have so much fun with it,” Cox said.

Find out more about this class as well as membership at Onenineteen.com or call 408-6544. l

Written by ANGie bRoWN | Photography by kReAble youNG

34

ShelbyLiving.com

Catching up with Cat Briarwood’s former soccer star to commentate on the London 2012 Olympics Written by kATie mCdoWell

S

helby County residents may hear a familiar voice while watching the London 2102 Olympics this month.

Catherine “Cat” Reddick Whitehill, a former Briarwood Christian School standout who now plays for the Boston Breakers of the Women’s Professional Soccer League, will commentate women’s soccer games for NBC. Whitehill made a name for herself as a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. squad at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.

Now living in Boston, Whitehill spent much of her time off the field studying the 13 teams expected to compete in the women’s soccer competition.

“Obviously, I’m doing a lot of homework about this,” she said.

She expects France, Sweden and Great Britain to put on a good show, but she’s most excited to see Japan’s team, which won the World Cup last year.

“I just think they’re one of the best teams in the world,” she said.

Whitehill is well aware of what the players can expect. Eight years ago, family and friends traveled to Greece to watch as she served as a defender on the U.S. team.

“It was awesome,” she said. “When you go over to the birthplace of the Olympics and come home with a gold medal … it’s definitely an experience.”

While Brandi Chastain will travel to London to commentate on the U.S. soccer games, Whitehill will remain stateside. She’ll commentate on the other women’s soccer teams remotely from New York.

In June, Whitehill said she was unsure about the televion schedule, but she said NBC will have a channel dedicated entirely to soccer during the Olympics, which take place July 27-Aug. 12. Re-runs of the soccer matches will also be shown on that channel.

This isn’t Whitehill’s first experience commentating. She has commentated on college games for ESPNU, as well as the World Cup in Germany.

“When I was playing soccer on the national tour, I knew I wanted to go into commentating,” she said. “I always made sure to meet the producers.”

Whitehill now resides in Boston with her husband, a resident at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

She still has fond memories of her time at Briarwood and visits family and friends in Alabama often.

“I think it’s exciting that soccer is still on the map in Alabama,” she said. “I’d love to see another Alabamian on the national team.”

For more information about televised Olympic soccer games, visit Nbcolympics.com/soccer. l

ask the professionals

August 2012

35

Recreation

Whispers beneath the water:

I

t’s been called backwoods and hillbilly, but that doesn’t stop many Shelby County residents from flocking to the banks of the Coosa River each weekend to participate in the primitive form of fishing known as noodling.

Local noodler Chris Alexander will be the first to tell you what he is doing actually has historical significance.

“There is no sport to this whatsoever,” Alexander said as he reached under a crumbled boat ramp. “But how I am doing it is (how) the Native Americans that came before us did it.”

Noodling, also known as “hillbilly hand-fishing,” has become a county-wide craze over the past five years at hotspots along Lay Lake and the Coosa River.

Alexander, who runs Alexander’s Outdoor Excursions based out of Calera, is just one of many weekend warriors who set out in search of blue and yellow catfish that lurk in the muddy waters of Lay Lake.

“I have just seen it explode over the past five years,” he said. “Everyone is doing it now. You can’t go out to the lake without seeing at least a couple of people doing it.”

So how did the cultural phenomenon known as noodling

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ShelbyLiving.com

come to be?

Although the exact origins of noodling remain a mystery to this day, legend has it that the art of hand fishing began along the banks of rivers in Oklahoma in the late 1700s.

One of the earliest records of catfish noodling is from James Adair in 1775 while studying Native American culture, according to multiple websites that cite Adair’s book, “The History of the American Indians.”

The early practice of hand-fishing has caught on like never before with TV shows following noodlers on their adventures.

Columbiana resident J.C. Peeples, who is also a frequent noodler, said the practice of noodling is purely for enjoyment.

“I love doing it,” he said. “I’ve caught gators before and I go fishing with a rod and reel, but noodling never gets old.”

The rush Why would someone stick their sometimes bare, exposed hand inside a dark crevice in a murky lake or river? Local noodlers say that thrill has a little to do with it.

“It’s all about the rush,” Alexander said. “First time I went out and tried it with a buddy. After that I was hooked and it

Written by Aldo AmATo | Photographs by kReAble youNG

Noodling in Shelby County just kind of stuck.”

The risks involved in noodling go far beyond the risk of being bitten by snakes, alligator snapping turtles and, in some cases, alligators themselves. The fear of not coming up may be the biggest risk of noodling.

“I would never go out on here without a spotter,” Peeples said while pulling into “Bass Alley” along the Coosa River. “If you get your arm stuck in one of these holes and you’re alone, you could drown.”

Many noodling experts and fishing enthusiasts urge the same.

According to Catfishtipstoday.com, the “never noodle alone” sentiment ranks second as the most important thing to remember while on a noodling excursion.

Other than the safety factors involved in taking a plunge below the surface, Alexander said that the rush can intensify based on how the noodler searches for his or her prey.

“Some people use their feet to feel around the hole and see if something bites it,” he said. “I just dive below the water and use my hands because it’s just easier and quicker to pull the fish out.”

As far as changing methods to feel the rush, Peeples said he has no plans to ditch his PVC pipe any time soon.

“I’m (not) going to be sticking my bare hands in a hole,” he said. “I’m just gonna stick with my hook. It’s just as fun.”

Honey holes “You have to get in there really deep,” Alexander said, reaching underneath a broken dock near Wilsonville. “Almost arm deep, so you can feel around.”

Wannabe noodlers can’t just go out into the waters of Lay Lake or the Coosa River and start feeling around for 30-pound catfish. There are specific places and areas that noodlers must hone in on for their prize.

Although many like to keep their holes a secret, Alexander said Lay Lake hot spots are typically around the Spring Creek area.

“Of course, if I gave away the exact location of my holes it wouldn’t be much of a secret,” he said.

Typically, noodlers target enclosed areas such as docks, boat ramps and hollowed out logs. Alexander said these secluded places are ideal for the male and female fish to spawn.

“They use these spots to nest with their offspring,” he said.

“That’s why they get so aggressive when you stick your hand

August 2012

37

(Top) Chris Alexander opens the mouth of a yellow-cat catfish. (Bottom left) Alexander wrestles a yellow-cat out of the water. (Bottom right) Alexander shows off his prized 10-pound catfish.

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ShelbyLiving.com

or pole inside.”

Aggressiveness all depends on the color of the fish.

If the fish is navy blue with a grey tint, also known as a blue-cat, they tend to be more aggressive.

“You don’t want to mess with them,” Alexander said.

“They bite down much harder and tend to be more aggressive.”

Peeples said that blue-cats also tend to taste different compared to their yellow counterparts.

“They are certainly edible,” Peeples said. “However, they leave much more of a fishy taste and are not as tender.”

Launch points like Beeswax in Wilsonville and Bozo’s along Lay Lake also tend to hide some of the hotspots for noodling. Along both, homemade wooden boxes resembling a doghouse can be seen that noodlers set along the riverbanks. These contraptions are homemade honey-holes that are designed to attract catfish looking for a place to spawn.

“Usually they are made out of wood,” Peeples said.

“But sometimes guys will use empty kegs or barrels also.”

No one can predict what the market will do in the next five years. But judging by the last five, there’s only one thing we know is certain: change. That’s why in the Stephens College of Business MBA program, we don’t simply prepare you for today’s business issues - we teach you to think critically, adapt, create, solve and lead others to do the same.

Unconventional Wisdom

The future of noodling Over the past half-decade, Shelby County has seen a surge in noodling during the spring and summer months. The mainstream popularity of shows like the Discovery Channel’s “Hillbilly Handfishin’” and the History Channel’s “Mudcats” has only fueled the noodling craze throughout the county.

“I started noodling just a couple of years ago, and I was just one of a handful of people out there on the water,” Peeples said. “Now everyone, everyone is doing it.”

While noodling has increased in popularity in Shelby County, it does not appear to have affected the catfish population in Lay Lake or any other lakes across the state.

Mike Pollard, a law enforcement captain with the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries division, said lakes in the state have remained unscathed by the surge of noodlers.

“We really haven’t seen much of a decline at all,” he said. “We don’t plan on enforcing anything other than the usual regulations that apply to fishing.”

No noodler may take home a fish that is more than 34 inches long. Other than that, the fish are fair game.

Noodlers may take their catch home or release the fish back into the water, depending on their preference.

“I usually let them go,” Peeples said while filleting the back of a 20-pound yellow-cat. “But sometimes, depending on the way you hook them, you have no choice but to take them home or they will just die out on the water.”

Alexander echoed Peeples sentiment.

“Occasionally I’ll take one or two home,” he said.

“But that’s it. I don’t think it is right for people to go out on a noodling trip and take 20 fish home. They are not endangered or anything, it’s just that it is a bit excessive.”

One thing is for sure, whether it continues to grow exponentially or levels out, noodling is here to stay in Shelby County. l

For more information: mba@montevallo.edu or 205.665.6544

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If walls could talk

Written by christine boatwright | Photographs jon goering

Dave Pawlik’s office overlooks a screened-in sunroom, which leads to the lavish backyard and pool.

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ach detail of Dave and Michele Pawlik’s Montevallo home could tell a story all its own.

The Pawliks fill their 25-year-old home with friends’ artwork and elegantly pieced-together rooms, and Michele covers the house’s three acres with a tapestry of landscaping derived from friends’ and family members’ yards. As each piece inside the home has a story, so does every plant, flower and tree in the Pawliks’ landscaping.

The Pawliks moved to Montevallo 35 years ago and immediately fell in love with the small-town feel.

“We just found Montevallo,” Michele said. “I just knew immediately I wanted to live here.”

In 1987, the couple purchased the property and began building their home from a Southern Living floor plan called “Colonial Cottage.” Michele, a retired registered nurse, said the floor plan worked for their family of four because of the flow of the plan.

The home’s number of windows was especially appealing.

As the home sits in the middle of the partially wooded acreage, Michele said they don’t worry about curtains and privacy.

“With all of these windows, it lets in lots of light. We’re able to enjoy the outdoors as much as the inside,” Michele said.

Michele Pawlik maintains certain flowering plants in her yard for their blossoms. Each room in the Pawliks’ home, including the front door, has vases and containers overflowing with freshly cut flowers. Five years ago, the Pawliks turned their forest-filled backyard into an oasis complete with pool, lounge chairs, goldfish pond and wooden swing.

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The Pawliks intentionally planted a row of hydrangeas to create a wall of color adjacent to the pool.

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THE INSIDE After walking through the home’s front door, which is decorated with a cluster of freshly cut flowers, the entryway leads directly to a staircase to a second floor. The top floor consists of three bedrooms, two of which belonged to the Pawliks’ now-grown children, Matt, an artist, and Sarah, an Atlanta lawyer, and the third allows Michele’s parents to have their own space when visiting their daughter and son-in-law.

To the right of the first-floor entryway is the home’s more formal sitting room, complete with a fireplace.

A vintage window rests on top of the mantel, a birthday gift for Michele from her son.

A dining room sits to the left of the entryway. The walls hold a watercolor painting by Michele and other artwork from friends.

The kitchen is more than a place to prepare meals, as Michele furnished the space typically used for a breakfast table with overstuffed couches and a television.

“A friend said, ‘Why not put a sofa in your kitchen?’” Michele said.

The sitting area allows friends, family and party guests to sit comfortably in the kitchen as Michele prepares food.

“It’s functional, but not real fancy,” she said, laughing.

Freshly cut hydrangeas rest in an arrangement on the kitchen’s island, which is split-level. The higher, bar level hosts two barstools, while the lower level allows Michele to prepare food and utilize her stovetop.

THE OUTSIDE A large back deck overlooks an inground pool surrounded by a goldfish pond, a wall of hydrangeas, a wooden swing and other “rooms,” as Michele called them.

“Five years ago, this was real wooded. It morphed into this,” she said.

Michele ran her hand across different plants as she described how each one came to be in her backyard.

She received an aucuba plant from her friend and mentor, Ann Parker, who taught her to arrange flowers.

“She taught me to love natural, nonfixed, more of a natural arrangement or flow rather than a more static kind of form,” Michele said of Parker.

Michele gestured to an azalea plant, saying she rescued the plant from the curb of a friend’s house when the friend August 2012

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Dave and Michele Pawlik fill their home and yards with memories, both old and new.

moved away and the new owners pulled up the azaleas for new landscaping.

The Pawliks planted a gingko tree for their daughter’s graduation from law school, and Michele’s yard has a crepe myrtle that was clipped originally from her great aunt’s farmstead.

“It would be really hard to go off and leave this stuff because

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you could never recreate this,” Michele said. “It has to do with relationships between people.”

A Japanese maple tree in the backyard was planted by Dave’s father and his son, Matt, and his father has since passed away.

Michele said she began with a grand plan, but that plan has evolved over the years.

She saved some of the mature trees when she landscaped the

Counter clockwise, from left: The formal dining room sits to the left of the entryway. Its walls are covered with artwork from friends, family and Michele Pawlik herself.

Michele Pawlik keeps freshly cut flowers from her yard to decorate her home. The Southern Living floor plan gives the Montevallo home a cozy, welcoming feel.

area five years ago.

“You can’t, in our lifetime, replace mature trees like that,” she said.

She also planted new trees from past Arbor Days.

Michele said she does all of the mowing, planting and digging, and when a plant isn’t “happy,” she simply moves it to another location.

“Dave looked at me a few years ago when I was moving an unhappy plant yet again and said with hands on hips, ‘When is this (garden) going to be finished?’” Michele said. “ I said, ‘Dave, it is a garden, ever changing, growing, evolving. There is no finish. It’s a life journey.’ He has since come to appreciate that sentiment and has grown to enjoy the differences and new sights every season brings.” l August 2012

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A bloom in every hue Local garden features 1,000 varieties of daylilies Written by katie mcdowell Photographs by jon goering

A

few times a year, Becky and Morris Parr’s lawn explodes into color.

Thousands of daylilies blossom in a rainbow of hues from the familiar yellows and oranges to reds, pinks and purples.

Several years ago, the Parrs decided to create a business out of their shared passion.

They founded Dancing Daylily Garden – named for the flowers and their love of ballroom dancing – and began shipping daylilies from their two-acre garden across the country.

While the peak bloom for 2012 passed in May and June of this year, the Parrs, who live just inside the county line near Bessemer, are gearing up for their second season of blooms in September.

“I have over 1,000 variants,” Becky said. “But there are over 70,000 registered variants. This is just a drop in the bucket.”

While the Parrs’ garden may be a small sampling, it is impressive, especially at peak bloom.

The daylilies flower overnight with blooms that last only for a day. Each night, the Parrs pick the wilted blooms, and new buds flower at night to repeat the process.

The daylily’s scientific name, Hemerocallis, alludes to this process, according to the website for the American Hemerocallis Society. The scientific name is derived from two Greek words that mean “beauty” and “day.”

Because daylily stalks have numerous blooms, the flowering process typically lasts several weeks in each season.

“They’re easy,” Becky said. “They’re called the perfect perennial.”

In addition to their hardy nature – the flowers need little care and can grow in a range of climates – daylilies are highly adaptable. They are also available in a wide range of colors and forms, which makes collecting fun for novice or professional

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King’s Favor

This daylily features “ruffles” around the edge of its petals.

The Dancing Daylily Garden covers two acres of property in Shelby County.

Laughing Feather Roberts

Becky Parr

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horticulturalists.

Some of the unusual forms that can be seen in the Parrs’ garden include double, which has a second layer of petals, and spider, which have longer, thinner petals.

Even the edges of the petals have unusual characteristics. Rather than a smooth edge, some petals jagged or scalloped edges, known as teeth or ruffles, while others appear to shimmer or glitter in the sun.

Daylilies’ names are almost as colorful as the actual flowers. The Parrs’ garden includes “Alabama Jubilee,” “Wild Irish,” “Ambulance Chaser,” “Bama Belle,” Forbidden Desires” and “Homewrecker.”

“There’s really a lot of humor in the names,” Becky said.

The Parrs’ lawn is divided into different beds of lilies, often by theme. There’s the church bed, which is filled with daylilies with religious name. Other beds are dedicated to candy, the University of Alabama or types of flowers, including spiders and miniature daylilies.

For the Parrs, the garden is a full-time job, as well as a passion. The couple met several years ago at a Cajun dance in Birmingham.

While chatting, they realized they both enjoyed daylilies, although Morris was not quite as immersed in the culture at the time.

“He told me he had both colors – orange and yellow,” Becky recalled with a laugh.

She invited Morris to see her daylily garden at her home, which is located on the border of Shelby County – her neighbor is a Jefferson County resident. He was astounded by the collection, which Becky began about 15 years ago when her aunt shared some of her daylilies. The couple’s relationship developed and they married in December 2008. However, the couple did not find the courage to make their love of flowers a business until Becky lost her job the following spring. After some thought, the couple started Dancing Daylily Garden, and the business has grown with the garden.

“I started my website last year, and it’s really helped,” Becky said. “I ship all over the country.”

Becky and Morris split the duties of the business. Becky takes photos of the flowers that are available for sale each morning and posts them to the website. Each evening the couple picks the wilted blooms, and it takes two days to water all of the beds using a well on the property. “We estimate we may have 15-20,000 plants,” Becky said.

Daylily prices vary widely. While Becky once had a daylily sell for $7,500 at an auction, most of Dancing Daylily Garden’s plants fall in the $10-$50 range, with some as low as $5.

The Parrs can be found at the Helena Farmers Market many Saturdays. Dancing Daylily Garden is also open on Fridays and Saturdays and by appointment during the week.

Dancing Daylily Garden is located at 4353 South Shades Crest Road, Bessemer. For more information, visit Dancingdaylily.com.

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Many of Parr’s flowers have unusual forms, including spider daylilies, which features longer petals.

Courting Trouble

Pearl Harbor

Services

Plumbing • Heating • Cooling

August 2012

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Home & Food

Vizzini Farms Winery, which opened in 2005, is located in Calera near the Shelby County Airport.The winery held Wine and Jazz events throughout the summer, which included foods not typically served on the bistro’s menu.

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Old-world

Flavor

Written by christine boatwright | Photographs by jon goering

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The June Wine and Jazz event offered an evening of Mexican dishes and live music.The winery offers discounts through Groupon, which can include a wine tasting for two. Visit Vizzinifarmswinery.com for more information.

hat began as a hobby for Tom Vizzina quickly turned into a passion.

Vizzina, who opened Vizzini Farms Winery in November 2005 with partners Michael Cash and Teal Dick, has family roots in the winemaking business.

“Both of my grandfathers were winemakers in Sicily,” he said. “My mother was a great cook, as she had nine children, so that’s where I learned to cook.”

And cook he does, as Vizzina’s homemade cooking fills the menu for everyday meals in the winery’s bistro and special events such as weddings and parties, which can be catered by the winery.

According to Vizzina, his winery is the only one in the state with a restaurant. Vizzina said his son, who is a chef, helped him put together a menu.

“This just came natural to me,” Vizzina said. “With my son here, I was cooking with him, and I continued on.”

Tabatha Lawley, the winery’s event planner, said they make all of the wines at the winery, and all of the food is homemade except for desserts.

“Chicken salad is our most popular,” Lawley said.

“It’s Tom’s recipe.”

Lawley also recommended eggplant lasagna, in which “everything is fresh,” and Tom’s own version of bread pudding.

“People rave about the eggplant lasagna,” she said, “and they’re upset if we’re out of it.”

Vizzina said the bistro is noted for its chicken salad, which he has to make two to three times a day to keep up with demand.

“We make tomato-basil soup from scratch, even during the summer time,” Lawley said. “People come in looking for that.”

As for wines, Vizzina said he recently planted about 100 vines of muscadines, as the plant grows easily in the Alabama soil, and the fruit will be ripe in late summer.

Vizzini’s carries a collegiate collection series, which features wine labels celebrating both the University of Alabama and Auburn University.

The winery also created award-winning wines in an international wine competition, where a handful of his entries won gold. Paulina, a black raspberry merlot, won silver in the competition.

“I named it after my mother,” Vizzina said. “My grandfather made it on the farm.”

Vizzina said he plans to visit Vizzini, Sicily in the future, though he isn’t positive which came first, his family’s name or the name of the town. His ancestors also had slightly different reason for making wine.

“They did it for drinking and giving to friends,” Vizzina said with a laugh.

Vizzina said his Riesling is his best-selling wine.

Vizzini Farms Winery is located at 800 Shelby County 87 in Calera, which is near the Shelby County Airport exit off Interstate 65. The bistro starts serving lunch at 11 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m., or 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The winery itself is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 685-0655 or visit Vizzinifarmswinery. com. l

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Home & Food

Chock full of good stuff

Written by CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT Photographs by JON GOERING

T

erri Sullivan’s stepmother invented a cookie recipe that Sullivan has continued to bake for the past 20 years.

“She died two years ago, so I guess I’m carrying the cranberry cookie recipe on for the next generation,” Sullivan said. More than 18 years ago, when Sullivan and her husband began Sullivan Communications “on a shoe string,” the couple wanted to give her customers a Christmas gift.

“We still have customers who talk about the Christmas cookies,” she said, laughing.

The cookies are primarily nuts - almonds in this case - dried cranberries and white chocolate chips and a bit of cookie dough to hold the goodness together.

“This cookie stands out because there’s so much good stuff in it,” she said. “Have you ever gotten a cookie with like three chocolate chips? I don’t like that.”

Sullivan uses two bags of white chocolate chips and two bags of dried cranberries in her recipe to make sure the finished product is “chock full of good stuff.”

“There’s hardly any dough left in each cookie,” she said.

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Sullivan said her two young sons don’t like the cookies because they don’t like nuts.

“They’re as crazy about chocolate as I am,” she said.

Sullivan said she will only alter the recipe on special occasions, such as Father’s Day. “My husband prefers white chocolate and macadamia nuts, and so does my father,” she said.

To ensure every cookie has equal ingredients, Sullivan said it is important to mix the white chocolate chips, cranberries and nuts before mixing them with the dough.

“Otherwise,” she said, “you’ll have a cookie that’s all cranberry and a cookie that’s all white chocolate.”

Sullivan only makes the cookies for special occasions.

“It’s because I like them too much and eat them too much, so I have to limit,” she said.

The cookies will last for a few days in a sealed container, Sullivan said.

“My stepmother would freeze them, but mine never last that long,” she said with a smile. l

Your vision is

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Cranberry Cookies

Directions: 1. Beat first three ingredients.

2. Add next four ingredients, through almond extract, to sugar mixture and beat.

3. In a separate bowl,

stir together flour, baking soda and salt.

Add gradually to sugar mixture and mix.

4. Mix together white chocolate chips, Craisins and almonds, then add mixture to dough. Stir well.

5. Drop dough by teaspoonful on cookie sheet.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for exactly nine minutes.

Tip: Terri uses parchment paper on the cookie sheets and lets the cookies cool two to three minutes before removing from cookie sheets.

Recipe created by Sylvia Magri (stepmother) and passed down to Terri Magri Sullivan.

best best of the

Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. almond extract 21/4 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 2 (12-ounce) bags of white chocolate chips 2 (12-ounce) bags of Craisins 11/2 cups slivered almonds

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August 2012

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Home & Food

$7.2 5 Cour tyard 280 4683 U Birm .S. 280 ingh am 205-9 80-98 91

Purple Dragon Written by KATIE MCDOWELL Photographs by JON GOERING

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The Purple Dragon is one of the more popular drinks at Courtyard 280 Oyster Bar and Grill in Inverness.

Hannah Adcock of Courtyard 280 said the concoction was created by a former employee named Eddie and it is typically requested as a shot.

To make the Asian-inspired mixture, mix a count each of Bacardi Dragon Berry, DeKuyper Grape Pucker and cranberry juice. Shake well before adding a splash of Red Bull.

For full drinks, Adcock said to simply add more cranberry juice.

“It’s really got a good flavor,” she said. “It’s definitely fruity.” l

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Regions Tradition Golf Tournament

The PGA Champions Tour’s Regions Tradition took place June 6-10 at Shoal Creek.

1. Wayne Gillis, William Silsbee, Ehney Camp 2. Bryan Burroughs and Steve Hawk 3. Ron and Shirley Evans 4. Hunter and Terry Franks 5. Jennfer and Jeff Ray 6. Martin Bailey and Tom Agricolo 7. The Browns 8. Kimberly Capizzi and Nick Kendall 9. Ginny Butts and Haden Taylor

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10. Matthew and David Wilkinson 11. Chris Johnson, Ron Clifton and Matt Scarpulla 12. Bob Hodo 13. Darleen and David Hyatt 14. Kat and Jeff Parker 15. Erin McCurdy, Corey McCurdy, Jaxon McCurdy and Connie Deuoe 16. Lugenia Reynolds and Ray Gamble 17. Tim and Kathi Lyons 18. Nick Franklin and Ryan Killingsworth

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Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce luncheon

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The Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce held its monthly luncheon May 30 at the Pelham Civic Complex.

1. Lynn Robertson, Reanna Swinford and Paula Holly 2. Sheriff Chris Curry and Chelsea Mayor Earl Niven 3. Laura Luker-Doe and Courtney Colegrove 4. Jennifer Braxton and Rebecca Bradford 5. Julie Chancellor and Mary Kay Olive 6. Chris Taylor and Phillip Heard 7. Rob Garchow and Wayne Junghens 8. Kenneth Paschal, Krissie Masters and Bridget Jefferson 9. Wayne Morris and Lynn Ray 62

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10. Adam and Audra Bidner 11. Megan McKelvey, Jeff Huff, Melanie Slappey, Tara Howard and Russell White 12. Michele Guthrie and Kayla Jones 13. Randy Fuller and Jamie Bessette 14. Summer Carter and Gina Cannady 15. Kirk Mancer and David Nolen 16. Gabriela Glassco and Ray Joiner 17. Teresa Nichols and Kathryn Acree 18. April Elliott, Ginger Martin, Julie Thomason and Bryan Morrow

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South Shelby Chamber of Commerce luncheon

The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce held a luncheon June 7 at the First United Methodist Church in Columbiana.

1. Derek Daniels and Ladon Emerson 2. Amanda Smith, Enoree Patterson and Jennifer Chappell 3. Donna McDaniel, Reid Spivey and Barbara Jane Bailey 4. Peg Hill and Scarlott Lowe 5. Rev. Green Calhoun and Vicki Everett 6. Ann Armstrong and Mark Armstrong 7. Brandi Galloway and Sandra Hubbert 8. Helen Dean and Linda Cook 9. Suzie Smart and Jaime Adams 64

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10. Katie Taylor and Treadwell Davis 11. Ricky King, Robin King, Becky King and Chelsea Mayor Earl Nivens 12. Jerry and Martha Coffey 13. Dr. Robert Hayes and Jennifer Craig 14. Bonnie Atchison and Johnny Jones 15. Kelsie Knight and Kim King 16. Bria Burns and Bridgette Smith 17. Marvin Copes and Casey Bentley

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Calera Farmers Market

The Calera Farmers Market is held every Tuesday from 3-6 p.m.

1. Patsy and King Thautenhurst with Cyndi and Keith Roddam 2. Chuck, Micah and Noah Douglas 3. Raymond and Hannah Rivers 4. Robert and Sandra Armstrong 5. Debbie Mahon and Rebecca Krueger 6. Diane Caver and Linda Wright 7. Melissa Hare, Bobbi Goodwin and Anna Goodwin 8. Jennifer Vines and Missi Burgess 9. Matt and Sonya Boozer 10. Dorothy and Kelly Knight

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Pelham High School’s Ned Bearden Stadium hosted the Relay for Life of North Shelby on May 18.

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1. Carli Sanders, Amber Blackerby, DeeDee Sanders, Alexis Gregory, Mary Kathryn Miller, Natalie Layton, Christine Blackerby, Kaile Silmer, Madison Morris and Jessica Garrett 2. Robyn, Joe, Eden and Anna Steele 3. Mary Lamb, Savanna Cambron and Barkley Bullard 4. Jenny and Henry Warram 5. Emily Taylor, Joey Crain, Makenna Downs and Kayla Dubberly 6. Katie May, Warren Williams and Wes May 7. Hannah, Davis, Mark and Susan Hurst 8. Maria Lee, Lisa Henderson, Linda Self, Robyn White, Kris Lauterbach and Cathy Schauer 9. Andrew Ham, Tricia Bianco, Ryan Tapley, Stasia Tapley and Kandis Harris

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alabaster pediatric dentistry

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Blue Star Salute

The Blue Star Salute was held May 28 at the American Village in Montevallo.

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1. Frances and Jimmy Skelton 2. Marcella Gooch and Sally Holland 3. Frank and Sharon Grenato 4. Casey and Catherine Lucas 5. Kirk and Liles Walker 6. Bob, Matthew and Rita Schwarz 7. John and Sharon Gaydon 8. Terry Davis, Jamie Davis, Carolyn Goza and Elaine Mitchem 9. Bob and Kathy Griffitts

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5K Orphan Run at Veterans Park

The Orphan Run, which raises awareness about international adoption, was held May 26.

1. Serennah Harding and Mike Nelson 2. Lee and Chase Warner 3. Chelsea and Matt Quick 4. Heather Pike and Kristen Jackson 5. Carli and Larry Biddle 6. Marie Martin and Kimberly Oehrelin 7. Luke Culpepper and Lisa Abbott 8. Niki Busby, Deb Sims and Amber Brittain 9. Lisa Gaither and Beth Paris 10. Drake Philyaw and Mike Domeny 70

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11. Michele Beasley and Joanie Moody 12. Kinette Salter and Kimberly Robinson 13. Katie and Stephanie Howell 14. Heather Puvey and Ashleigh McIntosh 15. Sarah Myers and Benji Wilson 16. Jayde Delocier and Adam Keller 17. Jeannie Jackson, Heather Vines and Christa Collins 18. Jordan and Krista Wood 19. Brad McGuffey, Allen Huguley and Keith Akins August 2012

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The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce held a golf tournament May 18 at Magnolia Meadows in Columbiana.

1. Scott Edwards, Jeff Armstrong, Joey Roberto and Phil Roberto 2. Bill Childers, Bill Holmes and Chris Cano 3. Lesa Deloach and Kristina Young 4. Cathy Clayton, Casey Bently and Mary Blankenship 5. Mercedes Stewart and Kathy Copeland 6. Olan Shirey and Pete French 7. Kevin Walkup and Ben Smith 8. Laurie Totten and Martha Wilson 9. Jon and Janice Falkner 10. Eric Jeffries, Darby Oliver and David Glass

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Welcome to the good life. Welcome to Shelby Living!

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yea e Arts & Culture n o for sues s i Local Fashions 2 1 Unique Home Features Monthly calendar of events and happenings

To subscribe visit ShelbyLiving.com or call 669-3131 August 2012

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American Red Cross

The American Red Cross Alabama and Gulf Coast region opened a new headquarters May 23 in Indian Springs.

1. Lee Eshenbaugh and Debbie McDonald 2. Wally Turner, Chuck Moore, Isaac McDow and Ryan Sherman 3. Marigny Smith and Libbie Beddingfield 4. Natalya Boleware and Katisha Bennett 5. Amy Schmidt and Rawlins McKinney 6. Mario Jackson, Tad Roose and John Blakney 7. Mary Hollingsworth and Beverly Webster 8. Alonna, Rebekah, Elijah and Daniel Henderson 9. Reggie Martin, Katrina Bell and Valerie Jackson 10. Tony DeVera and Bob Eaton 74

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Swing Fore Achievement golf tournament The Arc of Shelby County held its Swing Fore Achievement golf tournament May 17 at Timberline Golf Course in Calera.

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1. Susanne, Mary Carolyn, Bryce, Michael and Davis Napp 2. Scott Walden, Bruce Koppenhoefer, Kristin Webb and Andy Wilkes 3. Stephanie Driver, Jeannine Lyons, Arricka Gilliard, Julie Slanovits, Brooke LeGrand and Jenny Epperson 4. Mary Colgan and Marilyn Norris 5. Gene LaPlante and Tim Neehan 6. Allison and Weylan Wilkes 7. Bryan Foxworthy, Jason Kagel and Alma Braun 8. Ben and Robert Baker August 2012

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Ride for 65 Roses

The CF Riders for 65 Roses, which benefits cystic fibrosis research, was held May 26 at the Heart of Dixie Harley Davidson in Pelham.

1. Danny and Beverly St. Vgine 2. Joy Andrews, Katharyn Gambill and Amber Youngblood 3. Hayden, Christie and Brian Johnson 4. Mary Blessing and Ginger Byrd 5. Brett and William Vebber 6. Dyke and Vanessa Whyard 7. Paul and Ruby Johnson 8. Jim and Gayle Falls 9. Mary Blessing and Brian Johnson

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Shelby County Senior Picnic

The Shelby County Senior Picnic was held May 24 at the American Village.

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1. Ashley McGee, Ashley Lemsky, Christina Doege, Diana White and Debbie Battles 2. DiAnna Wilson, Sarah Loyd, Jessica Lambert, Patricia Bradberry and Dana Boykin 3. Sandra and Lytle Hyde 4. Billy Roper and Thomas Goens 5. George Stinson and Dan Trammel 6. Carolyn Morris, Douglas Morris and Paul LeSueur 7. Dean and Jimmy Black 8. Genice Mahand, Ricky Colquitt, Laurie Rogers, Enoree Patterson and Marvin Cobes 9. Nina Shields, Mara Tierce and Bo Robertson August 2012

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GSCC Golf Classic

The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf classic was held May 22 at Eagle Point Golf Club in Birmingham.

1. Gary Goff, Bill Porter, Blake Goff and Ben Harmon 2. Doug Smith, Joe Kacmarynski, Jeffrey Reach and Tyler Dawson 3. Kelli Holmes and Jenn Chappell 4. Lamar Bradley, Bill Hughes, Calvin Gunn and Wes Jeffcoat 5. Amanda Smith and Lisa Shapiro 6. Lynn Ray and Anne Semft 7. Dennis Donnelly, Brad O’Rear, Bobby Fabris and Rich Merkel

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8. David Shoupe, David Williams, Terri Williams and Stephen Black 9. Billy Martin, Jerry Carter, Keith Cummings and Dennis Hulsey 10. Stan Faulkner, Jay Dennis, Jeff DeArman and Clint Lovette 11. Shelby Whitten and Nicole Rodriguez 12. David Wilson and Mike Patterson 13. Kendall Williams and Rhett McCreight 14. Michelle Johnston and Jamie Bessette 15. Joann Davis, Nathan Brown, John Brady and Sherry Ford August 2012

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Out & About

Blueberry Farm

Ongoing

Calera farmers market: The Calera Farmers Market, Oliver Park, 9758 Highway 25, is held on Tuesdays from 3-6 p.m. from June through August. Contact Rebecca Krueger at 281-1975 or visit Calerafarmersmarket.com.

Columbiana farmers market: The Columbiana Farmers Market will kick off in April.

It will be held every Saturday from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on West College Street. Contact Randy Glenn at 305-8632 for more information. helena market days: Helena Market Days is held every Saturday from 8 a.m.noon June 3-Aug. 25 at 4151 Helena Road. Upcoming guests include Chef Robert Camp, Ross Bridge Resort, Aug. 4; Chef Hamric, Rio’s Bar and Grill, Aug. 11; Chef Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Aug. 18; Chef George Reis, Ocean, Aug. 25. For more information, contact Cris Nelson at 2966153 or Ron Holly at 410-4496. mt laurel farmers market: The Mt Laurel Farmers Market, 38 Manning Place,

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Antiques, Arts and Crafts show

is held on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon beginning in June.

Contact Kelly Burley at 4082717.

July 28 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Shelby County High School, 101 Washington Street, Columbiana. Call 669-9073.

The montevallo farmers market: Located on Middle Street behind the First Baptist Church, is held Mondays from 3-6 p.m. from June through August. Contact Mary Lou Williams at 205-665-1519.

Aug. 4

Valleydale farmers market: The Valleydale Farmers Market will be held on Saturday beginning May 15 through August from 8 a.m.noon at 4601 Valleydale Road in Birmingham. Contact Jed Park at 868-4575. blueberry farm: Bob and Joyce Balch’s Blueberry U-Pick Farm, 361 Lakeview Drive in Sterett, is open Wednesday-Saturday from 7 a.m. until dark.

Blueberries $8 per gallon U-pick. Info: 678-2526 or Jbalch9828@att.net.

July 28

Antiques, Arts and Crafts show: The Novella Club of Columbiana will hold its 17th annual Antique, Arts and Crafts Show Saturday,

Garbage pizza: Let’s take a look at how much we waste and use those materials to make a garbage pizza. Come to Garbage Pizza: What a Waste, a program by Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Drive, Pelham. Meet at 10 a.m. at the campground pavilion on the B-Side. Small donation requested to cover costs. Email Oakmountain. naturalist@dcnr.alabama.gov or call 620-2520.

Aug. 7

Chapter one Nineteen: Head to St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 7191 Cahaba Valley Road in Birmingham, for the monthly book club meeting, where the discussion will focus on The Leisure Seeker

by Michael Zandoorian. The meeting is scheduled for Aug. 7 from 7-8 p.m. To order the book at a 20 percent discount, call 939-7766. The book club is free. To register, call 4086550.

Quick and healthy meals:

This four-week class series will help participants plan a month of healthy meals. Each week you will receive a “Week at a Glance” with set calories, a shopping list and 15 or more recipes with easy instructions.

The classes are scheduled for Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 6-7:30 p.m. at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 7191 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham.

The cost is $130/person with a five-person minimum. Call 408-6550 to register by Aug. 3.

Aug. 9

fenders & fireflies: Easter Seals is hosting its summer event Aug. 9 from 6-10 p.m. at Old Car Heaven in Birmingham. Tickets: $35 individuals, $60 couples.

Featuring music by Rollin in the Hay, silent auction, raffle and signature Firefly cocktails. Info: 314-2187.

Aug. 10

dixon-ballog reception: Dixon-Ballog Glass Gallery and Studio, 2040 Old Montgomery Highway in Pelham, will host a gallery opening reception featuring work from student artists on Friday Aug. 10 from 5-8 p.m.

Call 402-2333.

Out & About Aug. 18

Greystone 5k: Join the race against ovarian cancer in the eighth annual Greystone 5k and Lori Johnson 1 Mile Fun Run benefiting the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation. The race begins at 8 a.m. on Aug. 18.

Food and family fun activities available at the Greystone pool complex after the race, so bring your swimsuit! Register at raceit.com.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: Walk a Mile in Her Shoes with SafeHouse to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence and the need for men to send strong messages to other men and boys that violence against women must be stopped. The second annual event will be held Saturday, Aug. 18 at 8 a.m. at Veterans Park in Hoover. Registration is $40 per person. Visit Safehouse.org.

Cars by the Creek: The 11th annual Cars by the Creek will be held Aug. 18 at Orr Park, 460 Spring Creek Road, in Montevallo. The event typically features restored classics, hot rods, muscle cars, trucks, customs and more, as well as a children’s area, music and vendors. Visit Montevallocc.com.

OMSP After Dark: Have you ever wondered about what the animals do after we go to sleep? Here’s your chance to find out. Come take a look at listen to what the animals are doing at night at “Things that go bump in the night,” a program at Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Drive, Pelham. Meet at the campground pavilion (B-side) and bring a flashlight for the hike. Email oakmountain. naturalist@dcnr.alabama.gov or call 620-2520.

Aug. 22

American Cancer Society study: The American Cancer Society is asking Shelby County residents to enroll in a cancer prevention study this August. Enrollment in the Birmingham metro area will be held Aug. 22-29 at various locations, including the Pelham YMCA, 2610 Pelham Parkway, and the Greystone YMCA, 5414 Highway 280.

Visit Cps3birmingham.org.

Aug. 23

French Cuisine Bistro: Join Chef Gray Byrum at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen as he demonstrates several unique culinary delights, and offers

tips and recipes. Enjoy dinner following the presentation.

Nursery is available with advanced notice. Class is scheduled for Aug. 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $25/person. Call 408-6550 to register by Aug. 21.

Aug. 25

Family Connection 5k: The Family Connection 5k Run for Shelter will be held Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7:30 a.m. at Westwood Baptist Church, 1155 Alabaster Blvd., Alabaster.

Registration closes Wednesday, Aug. 22.

Registration costs $20 for the 5K and $15 for the fun run.

Visit Familyconnection-inc. org.

Aug. 26

Women’s Self Defense 101 Seminar: This free seminar for women will introduce the ABC concept of self defense: Avoidance and Awareness, Boundaries and Contact.

Master Justin Scarsella from World Class Taekwondo will teach the class participants various techniques to protect themselves on Aug. 26 from 2-3 p.m. Location: St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 7191 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham. Call 408-6550 to

register by Aug. 22.

Aug. 28

Dinner with the Dietitian: Enjoy a light dinner prepared

by Donna Sibley, registered dietitian, as she discusses the most important aspects of sports nutrition for the athlete.

Class date is Aug. 30, 6-7 p.m.

The class is free. Call 408-6550 to register by Aug. 28.

Aug. 29

CPR for Family and Friends: Head to St. Vincent’s One Nineteen to learn the basic skills of CPR in adults, children and infants. Class date is Wednesday, Aug. 29 from 6-8:30 p.m. Call 939-7878 to register. The cost is $20/ person.

Aug. 30

Ruth Barnes Memorial Golf Tournament: The Shelby County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 41 will host the eighth annual Ruth Barnes Memorial Golf Tournament on Thursday, Aug. 30 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Ballentrae Golf Club in Pelham. The event benefits Owens House and Easter Seals. Registration is $100 per player and $400 per team.

Visit Shelbyfop.com.

OMSP after Dark

Cars by the Creek August 2012

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Why I LOVE Shelby County

Steve Lowery: ‘This was always home’ Written by Wesley hAllmAN | Photograph by joN GoeRiNG

Steve Lowery made the transition from a successful collegiate golf career at the University of Alabama to his first stop as a professional on the Nationwide Tour in 1992, winning the Ben Hogan Tulsa Open in his first season on the tour.

Lowery, a Berry High School graduate and Hoover native who was named the 1995 Singleton Award winner as Outstanding Professional Athlete in the state of Alabama, earned a regular spot on the PGA Tour after finishing in the top 10 eight times in 29 Nationwide events.

Lowery made his presence known early on the PGA Tour with a victory in the Sprint Invitational in 1994. Lowery also won the 2000 Southern Farm Bureau Classic and the 2008 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Lowery, a 51-year-old who joined the PGA Champions Tour in 2010, has seen plenty of success professionally with 10 top-three finishes and 63 finishes in the top 10, while posting a career earnings of more than $13 million. However, Lowery and his family suffered tragedy away from the golf course when their home in Orlando, Fla., burned to the ground in February 1999.

Lowery, along with his wife Kathryn and three children, Kristen, Lauren and Stephen, decided to return to his childhood home following the adversity. Lowery, who is the grandson of “Smokey” Harper, a former Alabama assistant football coach under Paul “Bear” Bryant, and his family now make their home at Greystone Golf and Country Club.

Lowery competed in the Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek in June.

Lowery carded a tournament total 6-over par 294 and finished in a tie for 47th in the standings. Lowery posted an even par 72 in each of the final two rounds in the major championship.

Lowery, who was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, spent a few moments with us about his affinity for his Shelby County home following his pro-am round in advance of the secondannual Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek in early June. l

Q: Why did you and your family decide to make Shelby County a permanent home?

A:“I was born and raised at Green Valley Country Club, which is now Hoover Country Club. We lived in Florida for a while, but my parents lived here. This was always home.

We got involved with the Daniel Corporation during its development of the property and made the decision to move

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to Greystone. We love living there.”

Q: Do you have any favorite restaurants in the Birmingham area?

A: “We have a couple, although a few of them have gone out of business. We like to go to Chuck’s Fish. We also like to eat at Bellini’s. We ate at Crazy Cajun’s recently. It was really good. We like to stay out

on (U.S.) 280. A lot of people like to go to Southside, but we like to stay pretty close to home.”

Q: Which local golf course is your favorite?

A: “Obviously Shoal Creek is a very special place. I also like to play at Greystone. It’s a really nice course. I played a lot of local courses growing up, but I don’t get the chance to play

many courses around here.”

Q: What is the highlight of your professional golf career?

A: “My last win at Pebble Beach in 2008 (in the AT&T Pebble Beach National ProAm, which marked Lowery’s first win in eight years and his third career win.) I won a playoff over Vijah Singh.

Pebble Beach is probably my biggest win on the PGA Tour.”

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August 2012

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