Shelby Living, June 2018

CLUTCHES FOR GOLF GREATS • SMILEY BROTHERS SPECIALTY FOODS • CUTTING THROUGH CLUTTER

LABOR OF LOVE

A COUPLE’S RESTORED MT LAUREL HOME

CREATIVE WITH CLAY

GIDGE BLACK POTTERY

montevallo’s

MAVEN JUNE 2018 ShelbyLiving.com Volume 9 | Issue 6 $4.95

MARCUS MOORE’S WORK HONORED ShelbyLiving.com

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FEATURES

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CONQUERING CLUTTER Space Cadets owner Kim McBrayer is using her past challenges with organization to help others overcome their messes.

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HEARTS OF SERVICE A couple with local ties has relocated to Ecuador to serve in the Peace Corps.

UNIQUE AND SET APART The clutches Carrie Pittman painted for the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open competitors are as distinctive as their recipients.

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PHOTO BY JEFF REASE

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PHOTO BY LAUREN WINTER

arts & culture

15 Gidge Black: Rekindling Her Creativity Through Pottery 21 Arts Council Corner: Kevin Wayne’s Summer Acting Classes 22 American Village: Celebrating America This Summer

schools & sports

23 Marcus Moore: University of Montevallo Senior’s Accolade 28 Book Picks: Shelia Gallups’s Selections for Adults This Summer

food & drink

29 Smiley Brothers Specialty Foods: Pelham’s New Butcher Shop

home & style

35 Welcome Home: A Couple’s Renovated Retreat in Mt Laurel

in every issue 4 Contributors 5 From the Editor 6 ShelbyLiving.com 7 The Simple Life 8 #ShelbyLivingMagazine 9 The Guide 59 Business Connections

SL 67 Out & About 78 Marketplace

80 Why I Love Shelby County

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contributors EDITORIAL

Graham Brooks Caroline Carmichael Stephen Dawkins Alec Etheredge Briana Harris Amalia Kortright Madoline Markham Keith McCoy Emily Sparacino Neal Wagner

CONTRIBUTORS Carmen Brown Lauren Dowdle Lindsay Dyess Shelia Gallups Dawn Harrison Lisa Phillips Melanie Poole Jeremy Raines Jeffrey Rease Lauren Winter

DESIGN

Connor Bucy Jamie Dawkins Kate Sullivan

MARKETING

Kristy Brown Kari George Rachel Henderson Daniel Holmes Rhett McCreight Kim McCulla Kathy Leonard Viridiana Romero Kerrie Thompson

ADMINISTRATION Hailey Dolbare Mary Jo Eskridge Katie McDowell Stacey Meadows Tim Prince

Carmen Brown, Writer Carmen Shea Brown is a freelance writer and copy editor originally from Ozark, Ala. She received her bachelor’s degree in public relations and her master’s in journalism at the University of Alabama, where she also taught writing courses for two years. She has written for several publications including Hoover’s Magazine, Birmingham Business Journal, Tuscaloosa Magazine and the Executive. She loves writing about health, fitness and music.

Lauren Dowdle, Writer The former editor of Hoover’s Magazine and Shelby Living, Lauren now lives in Nashville, Tenn., with her husband and four spoiled pets — but you’ll still spot her around Hoover visiting friends and family. She writes for a variety of local and national magazines, along with a few international publications. But when she isn’t staring down a deadline, you’ll find her obsessing over her dogs and cats (or really any animal), decorating a cake or adding more freckles by the pool.

Jeffrey Rease, Photographer Jeffrey Rease is a full time commercial, landscape, portrait and wedding photographer. His work has been featured in B-Metro, Outdoor Alabama and other local publications. Born and raised in Birmingham, he loves the South, but enjoys mixing in some photographic travel opportunities in the Colorado Rockies and wherever his dreams and camera can take him.

His awesome, talented wife Lesa often assists on his photo shoots. And he has three amazing kids.

Lauren Winter, Photographer Southern to the core, Lauren Winter grew up in Birmingham and now lives in Bluff Park. She is mama to two little girls, and owner of Fresh Grace Photography, which specializes in lifestyle family photography and weddings. In addition to her girls, Lauren’s favorites include sweet tea, camping, football, bluebirds, thunderstorms and puppy breath.

Shelby Living Magazine is published monthly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Shelby Living Magazine 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 Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Shelby Living Magazine 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 $20.59 for one year by visiting ShelbyLiving.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@ShelbyLiving.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 536.

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from the editor

M ON THE COVER

Marcus Moore

This University of Montevallo senior was surprised to learn he had won the UM Student Employee of the Year award for his work as a campus tour guide.

Photo by Jeremy Raines Designed by Kate Sullivan

My team and I have met some inspiring people in Shelby County lately, and I’m delighted that you’re about to meet them in the pages that follow. This is a busy time of the year with athletic events, high school and college graduations, festivals and beginning-of-summer activities. But through the busyness we found local individuals who are blazing trails of greatness. They’re working hard to reach their goals, and they’re inspiring the rest of us to do the same.

Take Marcus Moore, for example. When I met Marcus in the University of Montevallo’s Farmer Hall, he was chatting with friends after taking his last final of the spring semester. I hadn’t met Marcus in person prior to our interview, but he immediately greeted me with a smile warmer than a June afternoon in Alabama. And that was just the start. As I asked him questions about his time at Montevallo and … not to give too much away … a prestigious award he received recently, he impressed me with his enthusiasm, his commitment to serving others, his talents (the man can sing, and he can sing well), his post-graduation plans and everything in between. In his young life, Marcus has already checked off his to-do list many things 30- and 40-year-olds can’t even claim. Marcus will excel at any career or project he commits himself to, and I will tip my hat to him when he does.

Contributor Lauren Dowdle talked to Shelby County native Nathaniel Sawyer and his wife, Rachael, about their preparations for joining the Peace Corps this summer. They left for Ecuador last month to start their work in youth and development. Relocating to a different country, far away from the home you’ve known, and your family and friends, takes courage and faith. This couple seems to have tons of both, along with compassion. Their work in Ecuador could have a domino effect of positive change that spans generations of the people they come into contact with there. Leaving your comfort zone to serve others? That’s a picture of selflessness we can hang in our hearts.

Can you think of a local person or family who has inspired you by something they’ve done lately? Maybe they’ve started a non-profit, volunteered with an organization to fight poverty or overcome challenges to start a business. Whatever it might be, I would love to hear about them so we can consider their story for a future issue.

Happy summer to you,

emily.sparacino@shelbyliving.com

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ShelbyLiving.com

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Taco Mama: New Shelby County Location Unveiled

Want to know more about this popular taco bar that just opened a location here?

Go to shelbyliving.com/taco-mama for the details!

facebook.com/shelbylivingmagazine

Subscribe to our newsletter Get the latest on Shelby County events and happenings—plus our favorite pieces of local inspiration—delivered to your inbox biweekly. Sign up at ShelbyLiving.com.

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@shelbylivingmagazine

@shelbylivingmag

Best picture!! @anukriti_anuu in response to Katie Jewell’s father of the bride photo on Instagram (page 8)

THE SIMPLE LIFE

Your Best Self In a world of daily reports of negativity, isn’t it refreshing to hear about some good news for a change? The good news is you have more control over you than you might have thought. You have a world of support all around you. Everywhere you go, everything you turn on, listen to or read, your brain is peppered with people and resources to help you be your “best self.” Has it been so long that you’ve forgotten what exactly is your best self? Was your peak when you were in school, before saying “I do,” before a family of four or at your retirement party? Reflect on what’s missing in seven areas of your life in order to get back on track. uCareer. If you aren’t at your best at your job, ask yourself what’s missing. Mentorship, motivation or skill level. Asking for help is a sign of Owner of SimpleWorks, strength.

Simpleworks.guru uFinancial. What’s missing? lisa@simpleworks.guru Lack of budget, too much debt.

205.981.7733 Identifying the problem is the biggest step forward in turning it around. uSpiritual. What’s missing? Good church home? Loss of belief or spiritual advisor? Bible study or small group. Chances are you already know the problem and solution. Maybe what’s missing is courage to change. uPhysical. The list is long in this area. Exercise, diet, stress and lack of sleep are common, yet doable to overcome. Not easy, yet with discipline and willpower, you’ll feel better almost immediately. uIntellectual. Who are you letting into your head and heart? Who and what are you listening to, reading and interacting with? Change the station. Pretend you’re surrounded by a picket fence. You can still interact with people, just guard who you’re allowing to come into your space. Protect yourself from outside influences and choose your friends wisely. uFamily. This area is complicated because you’re dealing with people and no two situations are alike. What’s missing could be counseling, letting go of the past or forgiveness. Ask yourself, “What can I do to make this part of my life better?”

Trust your gut. uSocial. This area is the most ignored. When our plates are overflowing, we have a tendency to ignore friendships, fun activities because of finances, and we forget to recharge our own batteries. Think about the airplane and oxygen mask. Adding an element of fun and social interaction is an important piece of your overall health.

Lisa Phillips

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#ShelbyLivingMagazine

Tag us in your Shelby County photos on Instagram, and we’ll pick our favorites to regram and publish on this page in each issue.

@thelocalkitchenandale The Local Kitchen & Ale is now serving BRUNCH on Sundays from 10 am – 2 pm! #waffles #eggsandwich #biscuitsandgravy #bloodymary #mimosa #brunchtime

@bcstennis The Lions are bringing back hardware! Our boys are back to back state champs and our girls grabbed a runner up! Boys also set an all-time State record for most total points! These trophies are evidence of hours of hard work, sweat, and tears! Congrats to both of our teams!! #statechamps

@sameheresisterfriend @katie_jewell Another one of my photos that was a finalist in the @shootandshare contest this year! It placed 106th out of 8,800 photos entered in the Emotion & Excitement category which makes sense, because I mean yeah…a dad bawling his eyes out at the sight of his baby girl on her wedding day will get you in the feels every time

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Thanks for the kindness @harenhodge1 and @christinarfox and can I deflect a sec and say OHMYGOSH THATS CHRISTINA IN THE PAGES OF BYFAITH magazine!! #iknowher You can still pick up a copy, and on your way you could listen to me being awkward on the enCourage podcast. At least I’m reliably awkward?? That’s a thing right? Reliably awkward. #sameheresisterfriend

THE GUIDE

ALABASTER CITYFEST JUNE 2 ALL DAY THOMPSON HIGH SCHOOL The Alabaster Arts Council’s annual outdoor event is once again welcoming big-name music acts, but at a new venue.

The 2018 CityFest will take place on the grounds of the new Thompson High School and will feature Gin Blossoms, 38 Special and DeltaRae as headlining acts on the main stage. Kids’ activities, vendors and food are also part of the festivities.

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THE GUIDE WHAT TO DO IN SHELBY COUNTY JUNE 1-3 Importance of Being Earnest South City Theatre Times Vary JUNE 2 Summer Reading Kickoff North Shelby Library 10 a.m.

JUNE 2 Summer Reading Kickoff Mt Laurel Library 4-6 p.m.

JUNE 4 Skin & Bones Comedy Circus Albert L. Scott Library 10:30 a.m.

JUNE 1

Helena First Friday 5 P.M.

OLD TOWN HELENA ‘Tis the season for some outdoor shopping, food and live music in Old

JUNE 4

Town Helena. The whole family is invited to Helena First Friday this month. Support local vendors and relax on a Friday night in a friendly environment.

Golf Tournament ‘Fore’ Homeless Youth

TIMBERLINE GOLF CLUB This golf tournament benefiting Family Connection will unfold on the scenic Timberline golf course in Calera. The entry fee is $175 per golfer. Sponsorships are also available. A silent auction will be held. For more details about this fair way to spend a day, go to familyconnectioninc.org or email susan@ familyconnection-inc.org.

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JUNE 4-29 Shelby County Schools Summer Food Service Program Calera Intermediate, Montevallo Elementary and Oak Mountain Intermediate JUNE 5 Drama Workshop Albert L. Scott Library 5:30 p.m.+6:30 p.m.

JUNE 5 Paint & Pour North Shelby Library 6 p.m.

JUNE 7 Tweens & Teens Rock ‘n’ Roll Music & Food Workshop Albert L. Scott Library 4 p.m.

JUNE 11 Mt Laurel Summer Cocktails Mt Laurel Library 6 p.m.

JUNE 13 Chess Meetup North Shelby Library 2 p.m.

THE GUIDE JUNE 14 Mt Laurel Tween Brushes and Slushes Mt Laurel Library 4 p.m.

JUNE 14 Birmingham Zoo to You Albert L. Scott Library 10:30 a.m.

JUNE 21 Mt Laurel Gene Cordova Ventriloquist Mt Laurel Library 2 p.m.

JUNE 21 11th Annual Fear Factor Food North Shelby Library 6 p.m.

JUNE 23 Teen Writing Workshop with Ash Parsons North Shelby Library 10 a.m.

JUNE 24 Cocktail Sunday North Shelby Library 4 p.m.

JUNE 25 Mt Laurel Animal Tales Born to be Wild Mt Laurel Library 2 p.m.

JUNE 26 Block Party Albert L. Scott Library 3:30 p.m.

JUNE 28 Mt Laurel Simply Infused Mt Laurel Library 6:30 p.m.

JUNE 28 Food Fun: Jam Making Albert L. Scott Library 10:30 a.m.

JUNE 30 Introduction to Wine North Shelby Library 6 p.m.

JUNE 18

Summer Theatre Camp 10 A.M.-2:30 P.M.

SHELBY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL King Arthur, of legend and song, strode across medieval England with courage and confidence…or did he? What if the troubles of his kingdom threatened to overwhelm him? Watch the damsels in distress sound the warning of trouble and witness the Lady of the Lake as she produces the sword in the stone. Hide with the Camelotians when the ghost of Arthur’s Father visits the castle and see the giant tower over the questing knights.

Cheer for the king when he makes friends with the terrible dragon and listen in as Morgan le Fey and Mordred propose a better plan. Join the knights and squires of the Round Table as they try to do the right thing. Hope for the best outcome as your favorite characters of Camelot – Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Taleisin, The

Raven and Lancelot wrestle with the challenges faced by their people. The Shelby County Arts Council’s Summer Theatre Camp: Missoula Children’s Theater at SCHS will be held June 18-23 (camp fee: $100 per student). Times are 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday with a performance on Saturday at 4 p.m. (tickets are $5).

JUNE 23

Corbin Farms Winery Grand Re-Opening Celebration 2-5 P.M. CORBIN FARMS WINERY, CALERA Corbin Farms Winery will host a Grand Re-Opening Celebration with live music and fun for the entire family.

Corbin Farms Winery is located at 800 Highway 87 in Calera, right off Interstate 65. Call (205) 685-0655 or visit Corbinfarmswinery.com for more information.

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THE GUIDE AROUND TOWN JUNE 1+2 Birmingham Barons vs.

Chattanooga Lookouts Regions Field

JUNE FRIDAYS & SUNDAYS Various Movies Alabama Theatre alabamatheatre.com for listings

SATURDAYS The Market at Pepper Place 8 a.m.-noon JUNE 3 Kid Lit Coffee Break Hoover Public Library 3-4 p.m.

JUNE 4-7 Birmingham Barons vs.

Jackson Generals Regions Field

CHELSEA

Firing up the Grill for Funds Chelsea’s Kiwanis Club and Fire Department raised thousands of dollars through its eighth Fire at the Foothills BBQ and Chili Cook-off on April 21. Proceeds were donated to several nonprofit organizations that serve local children and the fire department’s public education division. The Wright on Q barbecue team took home first place for its chicken. Lee-La Q won in the ribs division, and Cookin’ with Wood placed first in the pork category. The People’s Choice Award, which is determined by which team raises the most money through donations, was given to Team Spirit BBQ. The Reserve Grand Champion was Lee-La Q, and Wright on Q was named the overall Fire at the Foothills Grand Champion. Of the 13 entries in the chili cook-off, the chili prepared by Chelsea City Council member Cody Sumners was chosen as the best.

SERVICE

A Project with Lasting Results J.T. Matthews, a 16-year-old from Vestavia, completed an Eagle Scout project that will benefit for years to come the Support Committee for the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo. J.T. constructed massive wooden shelves for the Support Committee’s storage facility, culminating 214 total “man hours” in thorough, detailed planning and final construction. The project was a challenge issued after four years in Boy Scouts Troop 83, chartered by Dawson Baptist Church, and upon its completion has become J.T.’s crowning glory as an aspiring Eagle Scout. The shelves now store 11,000 gravesite flags, 250 artificial wreaths, parade float materials and more.

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JUNE 5 Page Turner Adventures Hoover Public Library 10:30 a.m.+2 p.m.+6:30 p.m.

JUNE 7 Opening Reception and Lecture – Bob Shelton Hoover Public Library 5:30-9 p.m.

JUNE 8-JULY 1 Beauty & The Beast Presented by Red Mountain Theatre Company Dorothy Day Jemison Theatre Alabama School of Fine Arts JUNE 8 Friday Night Flicks – Wonder Veterans Park 7-9 p.m.

JUNE 9 AHA Heart Walk Railroad Park 8 a.m.

JUNE 10 Young Artist Reception Hoover Public Library 3-4 p.m.

THE GUIDE JUNE 12 Freedom from Addiction Coalition Community Breakfast Canterbury United Methodist Church 8 a.m.

JUNE 13-17 Birmingham Barons vs.

Chattanooga Lookouts Regions Field JUNE 15 Friday Night Flicks – Beauty and the Beast (2017) Veterans Park 7-9 p.m.

JUNE 15-24 Sand Mountain Saturday Nite Virginia Samford Theatre JUNE 22 Friday Night Flicks – Peter Rabbit Veterans Park 7-9 p.m.

JUNE 25 The Science Lady presents: Hogwarts Academy Hoover Public Library 6:30-7:30 p.m.

JUNE 26 David Lee: The Ultimate Elvis BJCC JUNE 26 Rolie Polie Guacamole Hoover Public Library 10:30 a.m.+2 p.m.+6:30 p.m.

JUNE 28-JULY 3 Birmingham Barons vs. Jackson Generals Regions Field JUNE 30 Write Club Hoover Public Library 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

JUNE 30-JULY 1 Great Southern Gun & Knife Expo BJCC Exhibition Hall

COMMUNITY

Catching up with Girls on the Run As girls crossed the finish line of the 2018 Girls on the Run Birmingham 5K, they reached a goal they set months earlier as part of a program that is expanding its reach in Shelby County. Girls on the Run is a national organization that serves girls in grades 3-8 through teams at their schools to help build self-confidence and achieve set goals.

Girls on the Run Birmingham supports 27 teams in Shelby, Jefferson and St. Clair counties. Local teams this spring were based at Oak Mountain Intermediate School and Calera Intermediate School, with plans to add a team at Oak Mountain Elementary School for the fall.

HELENA

Beauty in Bloom Helena welcomed spring in mid-April as more than 30 volunteers spruced up the Old Town area during the Helena Beautification Board’s Spring Planting Day. New plants were installed around the refurbished Welcome Center Pergola. Seventy-five Drift Roses were planted during the event along with eight climbing roses that will, over the next couple of years, become one with the pergola.

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THE GUIDE

COMMUNITY

Perfect Day for a Picnic More than 500 senior residents attended the 16th annual Shelby County Senior Picnic in April. The event offered free food, free entertainment and fellowship. For the first time, the University of Montevallo’s musical theater and music departments were involved. The excitment infolded at the Shelby County Exhibition Center in Columbiana.

EDUCATION

Safe and Sound at CVA Coosa Valley Academy has received the Attorney General’s Safe School Initiative Award of Excellence for the third consecutive year. Attorney General Steve Marshall presented the award during a ceremony in the school gymnasium. Chosen as the private school in Central Alabama to be honored, CVA was one of 10 winners statewide of the award this year. Winners were selected from seven Alabama State School Board of Education districts as well as private schools in three regions of the state.

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&CULTURE

ARTS

CALLED TO CLAY

After years of focusing on her children’s needs, Gidge Black has found time to reconnect with her creative side through pottery.

BY CARMEN BROWN PHOTOS BY DAWN HARRISON ShelbyLiving.com

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Just 10 short years ago, Gidge Black was driving to Red Dot Gallery in Homewood. It was her first visit, and making something was not even on her radar screen.

“I told myself, you need to do this. You need to just go play.”

She fell in love with it instantly.

“I called my husband and said I felt like I had danced all night with a prince,” she says.

It wasn’t a metaphor that was too fantastic. It was the culmination of several twists and turns in Black’s life over the last 20 years. She has since turned pottery into a successful local business, one that has reunited her with her first love.

A native of Athens, Black, 48, attended the University of North Alabama as a psychology major, but a car accident led to a compound

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fracture in her ankle that forced her to move back home with her parents.

“I spent a lot of quiet time by myself, and that’s when I realized that my first true love was writing,” she says.

She saw an ad for a correspondence course in children’s literature, and she signed up and began writing short stories. She went back to school and earned her degree in professional writing in 1992.

“I don’t know that I would have made that decision had I not been in that accident,” she said.

“I thought, oh my God, this is awesome. This is what really makes me happy.”

After graduating and marrying her husband, Brody, Black abandoned writing and took a job in sales. A few years later, she had her first child, John Thomas (now 19), who was diagnosed with a

MEMORIAL DAY

AT

AMERICAN VILLAGE

Open to the public with FREE ADMISSION for all on this day of remembrance for those who served and sacrificed for liberty.

• Drill with the Continental Army • Meet Patrick Henry, Martha Washington and other patriots of the past • Visit the Oval Office and Concord Bridge

Family Friendly Ga Vete tes open rans a Salu t 10 Activ te at 11 it until ies 3

HWY. 119 MONTEVALLO, AL

Include the veterans in your family in the Register of Honor:

WWW.VETERANSREGISTEROFHONOR.COM WWW.AMERICANVILLAGE.ORG

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serious medical condition at eight weeks old.

“He had what is called a neuronal migration defect, which caused a developmental delay,” she said. “He had to have the right hemisphere of his brain removed when he was 2. We were trying everything, from drugs to alternative treatments.

So my whole world was immersed in that.”

Black went on to have her second son, Baylor (now 16) and daughter Barker (now 12). As her kids grew older and John’s condition greatly 20 ShelbyLiving.com

improved, her creative longing resurfaced.

“I started missing my creative side, the part that wanted to play,” she says.

Black began looking up pottery classes online.

Any time she had seen people work with clay, she says, she was mesmerized.

“I felt like this would take me there,” she says.

“Pottery was like a bridge that would take me back to my first love.”

The class was three hours, once a week. Black

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says as her skills improved, she wanted to share them with everyone. Within a year, she was doing shows such as the Alabama Clay Market and selling to the Cook Store in Mountain Brook and Alabama Goods in Homewood. She most recently began selling Image of God necklaces and pendants, inspired by a spiritual retreat she attended, at the Neighborhood Brew in Indian Springs. She also maintains a website, Gidgeblackpottery.com, as well as a Gidge Black Pottery Facebook page.

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Black now looks to the future with confidence, as she sees herself selling to more stores and spending more time with her writing. She has joined a local writing group and plans to eventually publish a spiritual memoir on motherhood, particularly on her journey with John.

“I’m going to keep writing and sharing my words and experiences,” she says. “Writing has always been my little secret. Pottery is what people know me by. But now I’m feeling less and less afraid.”

ARTS COUNCIL CORNER

GETTING INTO CHARACTER Actor Kevin Wayne will share his stage smarts with local children this summer.

BY LINDSAY DYESS PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED The film industry is on the rise in Alabama, and people from across the state are taking chances for a spot in the limelight. Alabama native Kevin Wayne has spent his life pursuing his dreams and making his mark on the film industry as a full-time working actor. The Shelby County Arts Council welcomes Wayne as its newest acting instructor.

Wayne’s career started when he began modeling at 19 years old. He started taking acting classes through the modeling agency and began to realize he might have a shot at acting with the encouragement from acting coach Tom Barnes.

“His words to me were, ‘You are incredibly awkward and raw at this, but there is something there,’” Wayne says. “His words inspired me.”

Wayne’s first role was as an extra in the film Under Siege filmed in Mobile.

After that first movie he was hooked.

“I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. This was my passion.”

Since that first movie role Wayne has gone on to work on projects such as Eastbound and Down, The Magnificent Seven, Sinkhole and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. Recently, Wayne was a cast member in the TBS series Miracle Workers working alongside Hollywood stars Steve Buscemi and Daniel Radcliff. Not only has Wayne acted, but he has spent time behind the camera directing projects as well.

The Shelby County Arts Council hosted the red carpet premiere of

SETTING THE STAGE Alabama native Kevin Wayne will share his acting expertise with the next generation of actors and actresses this month. Here are the details: • Kevin Wayne Kids Summer Acting Camp • June 11-15 from 9 a.m.-

an in-depth back story,” Wayne says.

“Ultimately, I become the character.”

• Shelby County Arts This summer Wayne will share his Council talents with young up-and-coming • Cost is $250 per camper stars. The Kevin Wayne Kids Summer • More information at Acting Camp will be held on June 1115 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Wayne will Shelbycountyartscouncil. teach campers acting skills necessary com or (205) 669-0044 to be a successful actor in the movie business, all in a fun and creative Wayne’s mini web series Blood Type environment. Help your child get a – a futuristic tale in which a deadly head start in the film industry with a age-warping virus infects a peaceful working actor. Parents are also race of vampires, who have existed invited to stick around for camp to get secretly alongside humans, only to an in-depth look at the business side of the industry. The cost is $250 per create a deadly master-race.

Wayne has worked on a variety of camper.

His advice for any aspiring actors projects and invests in his character.

He takes his time and digs into who and actresses? “Put on a coat of armor his character is to bring that roll to and a really thick skin. The industry is life. “I ask myself, ‘Is the character a tough. And lastly, train, train, train.”

For more information on summer dynamic or a static character? Do and classes, visit they undergo an important change in camps the story, or do they remain the Shelbycountyartscouncil.com or call same?’ After I uncover that, I create (205) 669-0044.

12 p.m.

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THE AMERICAN VILLAGE

CELEBRATING AMERICA The American Village’s summer season opens June 5.

BY MELANIE POOLE PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED Enjoy red, white and blue all-American family fun this summer at the American Village in Montevallo.

The signature summer program “Celebrate America” features “Pirates, Spies and Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride.”

Step back in time and learn how colonial spies passed secret messages.

Take part in the trial of Blackbeard’s pirates.

Join Paul Revere on his midnight ride to warn the colonists that the British are coming.

Meet people of the past and enjoy colonial games on the green.

You may even be conscripted into the Continental 24 ShelbyLiving.com

Army.

Read the Village Gazette upon your arrival at the Visitors Center to find out each day’s revolutionary events.

Choose one or all from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. TuesdaysSaturdays, June 5-July 28 (excluding July 4-5).

Take your family on a Revolutionary journey this summer.

The American Village is the ideal place.

A trip to the American Village is also a great outing for Scouts, vacation Bible schools, and community boys and girls clubs.

For a complete schedule of events for Celebrate America, visit the American Village website: Americanvillage.org.

SCHOOL

&SPORTS

LEADING THE WAY Marcus Moore’s work as a University of Montevallo tour guide has earned him a prestigious award.

BY EMILY SPARACINO PHOTOS BY JEREMY RAINES, ALYSSA LUNA GREEN AND COREY NOLEN

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M

PHOTO BY JEREMY RAINES

Marcus Moore thrives on telling people why he loves the University of Montevallo.

“I’m just really happy to be here,” he says, a smile spreading across his face. “I love being here. I love what it has to offer.”

The upbeat, 23-year-old senior communication studies major had an extra dose of enthusiasm on a sunny spring morning in May, after his last exam of the semester was completed. Even without the endof-finals euphoria, however, Marcus’s penchant for putting into words his appreciation for the place he’s called home since 2012 is one reason the Irondale native excels at making the new students he leads on campus tours feel like they’re at home, too.

His work as a Montevallo Maven – an official campus tour guide – led to Marcus being named the 2018 UM Student Employee of the Year, an honor

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bestowed upon those who display exceptional work ethic and professionalism. He didn’t know about the award or that he was nominated for it by the UM Admissions Office until Manager of Student Employment Mark Bolton made the announcement at what Marcus thought was just another Maven pretour meeting.

“I was very thrilled and shocked at the same time,” Marcus says. “Ultimately, I’m very glad and grateful for it. It made me just appreciate working with the Admissions Office even more, knowing they appreciate me.”

He received a plaque and $500 check at a celebratory luncheon. But aside from the award and its perks, Marcus has gained something else from being a Maven: a clearer understanding of his talents and interests, along with the realization he could

PHOTO BY ALYSSA LUNA GREEN

PHOTO BY ALYSSA LUNA GREEN

flourish in a different area of study.

“Being a Maven helped spark an interest in changing my major to communications studies last spring,” he says. “I feel like it has prepared me to do a lot of things as far as career interests. My dream job is to work for GQ magazine. I want a position where I can do something I like and make the most positive impact as possible.”

Marcus has been singing and performing since the fourth grade, so his initial college plans were a natural fit. He started out as a music major, interning at Montevallo First Baptist Church and leading worship. He received a scholarship to sing with the University of Montevallo Concert Choir.

His first time on an airplane was travelling overseas with the choir for the European Choir Tour, an experience both “beautiful and breathtaking” for him. “I felt very honored that I was able to go. The fact

that I got to do something that I love doing with people that I love in such a foreign place was spectacular and something I will never forget. Being in choir is an experience I will forever be grateful for.”

After college, he plans to help with leading worship at his home church, the Church of the Highlands Grants Mill location. “I am a very spiritual person, I’m a Christian, and I love worshipping. It is my passion. Sharing that passion with other people brings me so much joy, that I can do it and represent Christ as I do it.”

As a proud Gold at Montevallo, Marcus has been a cast member of the Gold Side’s College Night shows and has held various cabinet positions. He plans to complete his senior seminar this fall and walk at graduation in May 2019 so he can be at Montevallo for the centennial celebration of College Night in February.

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PHOTO BY COREY NOLEN

PHOTO BY JEREMY RAINES

PHOTO BY JEREMY RAINES

In addition to College Night and Montevallo Mavens, Marcus has served as a campus orientation leader and a drama leader at Baptist Christian Ministries. He’s preparing to start a campus organization in the fall called the Esquire Club, a faith-based character development club for young men at Montevallo. “I feel like it’s important to stick together as men on campus,” he says. “It’s important for us to learn how to work with people with different 28 ShelbyLiving.com

backgrounds, how to network, be professional and focus on building character. I think that can truly make a difference here on campus and beyond.”

Whether he goes on to work for GQ, works for his college alma mater or lands a position somewhere else, Marcus wants to collaborate with others, which he has done in a professional capacity since he became a student employee his sophomore year.

“Wherever I end up, I look forward to working

“

with people. I love working with people,” he says. “I just want to thank God for this award and the opportunity to be at such a beautiful institution where I can learn so much about myself and pick up so much knowledge in general.”

Plenty of people at Montevallo will vouch for Marcus’s ability to lead with kindness, sincerity and compassion.

“Marcus has worked for the Admissions Office at the University of Montevallo as a student worker and campus tour guide for five years,” Director of Admissions Audrey Crawford says. “From giving impromptu campus tours on holidays to spending all summer in our office giving tours in the Alabama heat, he always goes above and beyond what is asked of him. Last year, our staff selected him to be our head tour guide, giving him some added responsibility. Marcus is one of those students who you will always remember as making a difference in the lives of prospective UM students. He truly is one of a kind.”

Admissions Counselor Haley Smith called Marcus an “amazing asset” to Montevallo. “He offers a premier college experience to our prospective students when giving a tour and is constantly praised by the families for his outstanding knowledge of our university. I couldn’t be more proud to have him as a

I believe that everyone is made differently in unique ways to stand out to help other people.

Never trade who you are for the approval of others.

-Marcus Moore

student worker and a member of our team.”

If anything speaks most to his character and heart for others, it’s Marcus’s admission that if he ever became extremely wealthy, he would open an orphanage or a community school for children of lower income families who might not have stable home environments.

Marcus credits his parents with teaching him how to work hard and do his best. As a soon-to-be college graduate, he operates by a “life philosophy” that’s applicable to everyone: “Never trade your authenticity for approval, and stay true to who you are. I believe that everyone is made differently in unique ways to stand out to help other people. Never trade who you are for the approval of others.”

”

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READ THIS BOOK

5 Summer Books for Adults Recommendations from

Shelia Gallups

Columbiana Public Library Director

Whether you enjoy a well-written romance or an edge-of-your-seat mystery, this month’s book picks from Columbiana Public Library Director Shelia Gallups have you covered. Throw one – or all – in your beach bag before you leave for vacation and enjoy each story as it unfolds.

These books can be checked out from the Columbiana Public Library with a Shelby County library card.

The Perfect Couple

By Elin Hilderbrand | Romance The Otis-Winbury wedding promises to be an event to remember, but it’s going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons after tragedy strikes. A body is discovered in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony—and everyone in the wedding party is suddenly a suspect. As Chief of Police Ed Kapenash interviews the bride, the groom, the groom’s famous mystery-novelist mother, and even a member of his own family, he discovers that every wedding is a minefield— and no couple is perfect.

Cocoa Beach

By Beatriz Williams | Historical Romance Five years later, in the early days of Prohibition, the newly widowed Virginia Fitzwilliam arrives in the tropical boomtown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, to settle her husband’s estate. Despite the evidence, Virginia does not believe Simon perished in the fire that destroyed the seaside home being built for her and their young daughter. Separated from her husband since the early days of their marriage, the headstrong Virginia plans to uncover the truth, for the sake of the daughter Simon never met.

Tangerine

By Christine Mangan | Historical Mystery The last person Alice Shipley expected to see since arriving in Tangier with her new husband was Lucy Mason. After the accident at Bennington, the two friends—once inseparable roommates—haven’t spoken in over a year. She has not adjusted to life in Morocco, and Lucy—always fearless and independent—helps Alice emerge from her flat and explore the country. But soon a familiar feeling starts to overtake Alice. She feels controlled and stifled by Lucy at every turn. Then Alice’s husband, John, goes missing, and Alice starts to question everything around her: her relationship with her enigmatic friend, her decision to ever come to Tangier, and her very own state of mind.

Sisters Like Us

By Susan Mallery | Fiction Divorce left Harper Szymanski with a name no one can spell, a house she can’t afford and a teenage daughter who’s pulling away. With her fledgling virtual-assistant business, she’s scrambling to maintain her overbearing mother’s standards and still pay the bills, thanks to clients like Lucas, the annoying playboy cop who claims he hangs around for Harper’s fresh-baked cookies. Spending half her life in school hasn’t prepared Dr. Stacey Bloom for her most daunting challenge: motherhood. She didn’t inherit the nurturing gene like Harper and is in deep denial that a baby is coming. Worse, her mother will be horrified to learn that Stacey’s husband plans to be a stay-at-home dad … assuming Stacey can first find the courage to tell Mom she’s already six months pregnant.

The Wife Between Us

By Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen | Mystery When you read this book, you will make many assumptions. You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife. You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love. You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle. Assume nothing.

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&DRINK

FOOD

BUTCHER ON THE BLOCK

At Smiley Brothers Specialty Foods in Pelham, the meat of Criss Smiley’s work is serving the neighborhood.

BY EMILY SPARACINO PHOTOS BY JEFF REASE ShelbyLiving.com

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Trips to the corner butcher shop in his Uniontown, Pennsylvania neighborhood were a regular part of Criss Smiley’s childhood in the Pittsburgh suburb.

His family, like many others, bought the meats that dominated their dinner tables from the local butcher, not from a grocery store.

“You’d go to the butcher to get your meat,” Criss says. “It was in your neighborhood, on the corner.”

Criss’s great-grandfather, James V. Brothers, started out as a butcher before he ran Union Supply for freight coal.

His family bought the butcher block from their neighborhood shop, a memento well worth the damage it did to Criss’s wagon on the walk back to their house. That bulky butcher block, with all its dents and dings from decades of chopping, now sits in Criss’s meat shop in Pelham, a reminder of the days when the best cuts of meat came from a small building on the corner of your street.

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In a sense, that’s exactly why Criss and his wife, Jennifer, opened Smiley Brothers Specialty Foods in October 2017: to preserve the practice of buying your food from a trusted merchant, a friend. That and a dash of nostalgia for home, Criss says, the place of “coal and Coke.”

“It’s something Criss has always wanted to do and had a passion for,” Jennifer says. “We wanted to fit into the community.”

Criss and Jennifer met while working in the hospitality industry in Birmingham in the 1990s.

After more than 30 years in the industry, Criss retired from his job as an executive chef and director of food and beverage at a downtown hotel to open his shop.

What started as a hunt for rental spaces ended in Criss and Jennifer partnering with the accounting firm she works for to build an 8,000-square-foot facility on Huntley Parkway. Criss’s shop comprises

roughly 2,000 square feet of the building, the accounting firm occupies another space, and the remaining space is vacant for future tenants.

“The goals were initially to bring to the community this food and express my passion,” Criss says, “And at the same time, have fun in retirement. We’re members of this community, we know this community and this is unique to this community.”

Designed by Hendon & Huckestein Architects, the building resembles an old train station on the outside and an old-company-store-meets-corner-butchershop on the inside. According to Jennifer, more than 1,000 people followed the facility’s construction process and Smiley Brothers’ opening plans on YouTube.

“We wanted to be one of the best-looking buildings

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on the block. We needed to be something that was eye-catching and very attractive.”

Inside the shop, Criss and Jennifer have incorporated special family pieces like the butcher block and vintage items they’ve found at antique markets. One of Jennifer’s favorite finds has been an old hotel mail cubby, a piece that reminds her of hers and Criss’s years in hospitality and ties in with the vintage company store theme. The tin near the ceiling was salvaged from one of the oldest houses on the Pelham-Chelsea line. The brick work was done by the couple’s son, Ben. The shop’s name is as much about family as the interior. The names Smiley and Brothers are family names for Criss (his middle name is Brothers, too), and Criss’s brother has helped with the business side of the shop.

Smiley Brothers offers corned beef pickled in34 ShelbyLiving.com

house; house-cured and smoked pastrami and bacon; deli ham and roast beef; custom cuts of prime-grade beef with an in-house meat grinder; a special blend of brisket; dry-age steaks; and other fresh cuts of meat.

“We do deli platters and catering,” Criss says. “We do prepared meals ready to heat to-go. All that is made from our beef, pork and chicken.”

At the cheese counter, customers can choose from a wide range of local and international cheeses made with sheep milk, goat milk and cow milk. Criss also tries to keep raw, pasteurized, soft and hard varieties to appeal to different palates.

“We go from 50 miles away to 10,000,” he says.

“We make sure it’s well-rounded and unique. If you don’t know what it is you like, we’re going to help you with it.”

Jennifer and her coworkers are regular taste-

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2017

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testers for Criss, especially for the cheeses.

In addition to made-to-order deli sandwiches (Criss recommends the hoagie, muffuletta, pastrami or club) Smiley Brothers offers pre-made meals to go for families in need of an easy dinner. Meals such as the twice-baked potato, filet tips and kabobs are popular, and the meatballs marinara meal recently won best entrée at Taste of Pelham. Customized meal packages for small or large groups of people are available. The shop carries regional products including TruBee Honey from Tennessee, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Simply Infused in Birmingham.

“We try to make sure we’re more than just the Saturday afternoon cookout,” Criss says.

Smiley Brothers is not a typical restaurant with indoor seating, but hungry customers can sit at a picnic table outside the shop if they just can’t wait to bite into their sandwiches.

“It’s more of an experience to come in than a 36 ShelbyLiving.com

shopping trip,” Jennifer says. “The staff will tell you as much or as little as you want to know about the food, about the store, about the décor. It’s more like a place to come and visit with people you know. We love that. Both of us being from the hospitality industry, that’s what we love the most. I’m just glad we can do it in Shelby County. We have roots in this community.”

The shop’s proximity to Interstate 65 allows people from different areas to access it more easily. And customers can call in their orders and pick them up at a drive-through window.

Criss’s motto is: “I don’t tell you it’s good; you tell me it’s good. It’s only good if you say it is.”

“We try to let everybody know that we’re here for everybody. We’re not just the fancy or expensive butcher at the end of the street,” Criss says. “We handle it with care and love and respect, and we buy the best product we can buy. It’s the best combination.”

&STYLE

HOME

SET IN STONE

With renovations nearly complete, Melanie and Don Lewis are in love with their charming Mt Laurel home.

BY EMILY SPARACINO PHOTOS BY JEFF REASE ShelbyLiving.com

37

M

Melanie and Don Lewis bought their house in Mt Laurel 18 months ago with an understanding of how much work they would need to pour into it to freshen it up and make it undeniably theirs.

“It needed some love and attention,” Melanie says.

“The lot is what sold us on the house. We wanted a livable, comfortable house.” And, Don adds, “We liked the neighborhood.”

Built in 2007 by the late Faye and Jerry Burt – a couple loved by the Mt Laurel community, according to Melanie – the house backs up to a swath of trees, and just beyond that, a lake, meaning new construction isn’t likely to encroach on the land behind the house in Melanie’s and Don’s lifetimes.

The couple had to come to terms with was the home’s unusual floorplan Melanie describes as a bit “choppy,” but after some creative furniture

38 ShelbyLiving.com

configurations and room conversions, they’ve grown accustomed to the layout and character of each room.

“Painting the house made a huge difference,” Melanie says. “It’s a work in progress.”

She also knew she would incorporate art throughout the house, mixing eclectic with rustic and traditional style elements. “I love art, and I like to incorporate art wherever I can.”

When the Lewises bought the house in 2016, they received with it a “true community,” a mixture of young families and retirees happy to call each other neighbors. With most of their renovations complete, Melanie, Don and their dog, Aspen, can enjoy the fruits of their labor in quiet comfort.

“It’s our house now, and we love it,” Melanie says.

“This house was my gift from God. We plan to be here for the long haul.”

Foyer After taking in the house’s front stonework and landscaping, a step across the threshold takes you into the foyer, a charming space accentuated with a rustic chest, an ornate mirror and a round metal light fixture overhead.

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Dining Room To the left of the foyer is the dining room, just large enough to hold Melanie’s grandmother’s table.

Back Porch Right off the master bedroom is one of Melanie’s favorite places in the whole house: a screened-in back porch that faces the woods behind the house. “This is really why we bought the house,” she says of the cozy space with its swing bed and rustic décor.

40 ShelbyLiving.com

Living Room The living room’s dimensions required Melanie to get creative on how to configure the furniture, and what was once a breakfast area became a sitting area. A stone fireplace on the front wall brings a touch of the home’s exterior inside. Melanie selected the rug because “it looked like a Monet painting to me.”

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Kitchen The large metal light fixture hanging above the island draws the eye to it, but the room’s light, clean finishes bring your focus back down. The couple removed the original green-colored granite and installed new countertops, a honed marble tile backsplash, a new sink and new hardware. They repainted and glazed the kitchen cabinets.

Master Bedroom The bedroom Melanie and Don chose as the master (the home technically has two master bedrooms) is washed in neutrals, with dashes of dark brown in the furniture’s wood, and pinks and blues on the bedspread and throw pillows.

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TV Room Melanie and Don turned one of the home’s two master bedrooms into a TV room, a space where they can watch a football game or relax with family and friends.

BEHIND THE SCENES Renovations: Colten Miller, Yellowhammer Construction Mt Laurel Neighborhood Expert: Della Pender Interior Design: Renee Connell

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Deck Just off the dining room is a screened-in side porch with seating in case guests migrate out of the house.

Just off the porch is small deck, and next to the deck is an area the Lewises made into a small, stonelined courtyard that can also be seen and accessed from the front porch.

Guest Room Up the stairs is a large space the Lewises use as a guest bedroom. “Our goal is to move up here and make it into a master suite,” Melanie says. The home’s heart pine floors are especially visible in this space.

44 ShelbyLiving.com

Sunroom Also upstairs is the sunroom, which houses a desk, sitting area and wet bar, all in one rectangular space. A large window overlooks the woods, allowing Melanie and Don to enjoy the beauty outside their home year-round. “He wanted it to be nature, and I wanted it to feel like a library,� Melanie says.

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Conquering Clutter Space Cadets owner Kim McBrayer is using her former challenges with organization to help others.

K

BY EMILY SPARACINO | PHOTOS BY DAWN HARRISON

Kim McBrayer is honest about her past struggles with organization.

“I was a very messy person. I just felt like I was a terrible failure at all that, and I was the only one with that problem.”

Kim, 47, remembers waiting in the car line at her son’s school, looking at the other moms balancing their checkbooks or arriving from the gym to pick up their children, and thinking, “What’s wrong with

46 ShelbyLiving.com

me? Why can’t I do this?”

“I just felt like this big fumbling mess,” she says. “I saw my son struggling because of it, and it impacting him.”

Kim’s feelings of inadequacy and shame came to a head one day when she sent Carson to school in a tiedyed shirt instead of the green shirt he was supposed to wear for a field trip.

“I looked at him and thought, ‘What kind of mother

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2017

am I?’ I felt like I was failing my son. It bothered him. It was a turning point for me that I’ve got to do something better.”

Kim started to read books about how to be organized. The Messies Manual by Sandra Felton was transformative. Sandra’s explanations helped Kim understand what she needed to do to overcome her challenges, starting with keeping her house clean.

“I did everything she said. I broke apart my house, analyzed everything, developed a lot of systems that work and I began sharing those with other people. They worked for them, too. It’s really about behavior modification for me.

“My husband started telling people, ‘Kim’s been organizing our house.’ They would ask me about it, and I began to realize I’m not the only one that suffers from this. I started taking off my mask and being real with people. Maybe I could help other people with my own struggles.”

The years leading up to Kim’s turning point were filled with emotional highs and lows that ultimately were connected to her difficulties with organization. She got married between her junior and senior years at the University of Alabama. She and her thenhusband moved to Birmingham and had two children, Carson and Cassidy. Kim says she supported him in his career and taught piano lessons on the side of her duties as a stay-at-home mom.

“As much as I enjoyed it, staying home is not what I planned to do forever,” she says. She had majored in advertising and marketing at UA and knew she would own a business someday.

Once her husband was established in his career, Kim felt it was her turn to pursue her goals. In 2001, she opened an organization business in Pelham called All Spaced Out. It was a new industry ShelbyLiving.com

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concept in Alabama, and Kim saw it take hold quickly. She collaborated with others to develop one of the first organizing firms in the country.

“We expanded and began offering closet design and installation as a component,” she says. “At that point, we went big. I had a full staff. We were running multiple teams on jobs. It blew my mind how quickly it grew.”

Then, a “crazy season of life” unfolded. Almost as quickly as the business had flourished, its foundation began to crumble, and Kim had to close.

Around the same time, she and her husband divorced, and her 17-year-old son was diagnosed with bone cancer.

“He battled one week shy of a year,” Kim says of Carson, who had stage 4 osteosarcoma. “It had spread. We just began to look at treasuring every moment and trying to pursue pain relief.” Carson died in 2011.

As she processed her grief, Kim wrestled with whether she wanted to get back to the business. She had shut down All Spaced Out, but she still helped 48 ShelbyLiving.com

clients who called on her. She went into isolation to “deal with myself and find God and make sense of it all.”

Kim’s daughter, Cassidy, was a light in the darkness after Carson’s death. “She is my smiley face on the darkest of days. She can brighten any room,” Kim says of Cassidy, now 13 years old.

Another bright spot in Kim’s life was reuniting with and marrying Brett, her high school sweetheart.

“I felt like there was this incredible sadness in my life, and then I was blessed with some happiness,” she says. “After that season, I realized (the organization business) is my passion, and I couldn’t imagine my life without it.”

In 2013, Kim launched Space Cadets. “I just played with it for a little while. In 2016, I decided this is really what I want to do, so I began pursuing it eagerly and aggressively to regrow the business.”

She operated from a space in Birmingham’s Pepper Place district, but Inverness’s retail area off Valleydale Road, near U.S. 280, was closer to home.

“I drive by this place every day, and it just kept

calling my name. It’s right here in my community.”

Space Cadets’ grand opening at 5291 Valleydale Road took place on Dec. 5, 2017. Having a retail shop allows Kim to have a showroom and space for client meetings, and to sell organizational components to clients who want to handle projects themselves.

Helping people pinpoint what’s causing their disorganization, and then working through it to reverse it and put a permanent system in place, is at the core of Kim’s mission. In the years since she first read The Messies Manual and started sharing her personal success with other people, Kim has realized how many people—even those who are hesitant to admit it—experience some degree of difficulty with organization as emotional issues manifest themselves in physical clutter and disarray at home. “As I was authentic with people and shared my struggles, people were looking for that, too. Life is really, really messy, and we all deal with obstacles we have to overcome. It takes a toll on our homes.”

According to Kim’s research, the top five stressors in life are divorce, death of a loved one, moving, job changes and health issues. As a result, disorganization and clutter happen. Kim describes these events as train wrecks that halt forward progress and throw people off their tracks. “I never anticipated in 2010 I would have a train wreck of massive proportions. All

five of those (stressors) hit me in one year, and my life fell apart. It gave me new appreciation for my clients. My job is to come in as the cleanup crew would and pick up the cars, put them back on the tracks, turn the power back over to them and they can start chugging along again. To me, it’s about getting people back on track.”

That’s what Kim did in her own life. It took awhile, she admits, but she is back on track now and moving forward again. On the other side of her train wreck, she can better relate to what her clients are going through and help them restore order. And for Kim, her faith also strengthened.

“I’ve got a completely different perspective,” she says. “I survived by the grace of God. Through that process of losing my son and marriage and business and home and community and health, all of that brought me closer to God. There was beauty in the brokenness. It’s brought a new awareness that’s made me better at what I do – purpose in the pain.”

Kim keeps her colleague Barbara Hemphill’s summation of disorganization close for reference: “Clutter is nothing more than procrastinated decisions.”

Another quote that guides her is from Tony Robbins: “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.”

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“

hands-on as a client “I look at that process prefers. Kim emphasizes of making decisions,” Kim says. “If something her judgment-free attaches emotionally for approach to all of her us, we don’t want to deal clients’ situations with the with it.” paradox of someone Enter Kim and her tidying up before their Space Cadets crew. They housekeeper arrives to try to make the process clean their home. “I’m more efficient and going to show up looking enjoyable for clients by for someone who needs handling all the physical help. I’m a recovering labor so people can focus messy as well. That’s my on the mental part of the passion: to help them decision-making. What overcome that shame, step might be a three-month out of the isolation and set -Kim McBrayer process may only take them free from the three days. bondage of clutter.”

“We have such a great team. I’m blessed by amazing Kim is planning to do more speaking engagements to ‘Cadets’ that make this a beautiful process. Our clients share her message in hopes of inspiring others. She wants become friends. They’re honoring us with their trust, with people to know they’re not alone or without resolution. spaces of their home they would typically close off. We hold “We all live with clutter at some level. When it becomes so that in high regard and confidentiality.” painful of staying that way, that’s when we look around and Space Cadets can work with clients during new say, ‘What can I do differently?’ That’s when they call us. construction, remodeling or moving, as remotely or as Help is available. You don’t have to live like this.”

We all live with clutter at some level. When it becomes so painful of staying that way, that’s when we look around and say, ‘What can I do differently?’

”

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Hearts of Service

A couple with local ties has relocated to Ecuador to serve in the Peace Corps.

V

BY LAUREN DOWDLE | PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Volunteering two years of your life in another country might seem like an impossible task for most. But for Nathaniel and Rachael Sawyer, sharing their time, passion for people and love of other cultures came naturally.

After Nathaniel graduated from Southwest Baptist University in May, he and his wife, Rachael, left to serve in the Peace Corps. The couple will be focusing on youth and development work in Quito, Ecuador.

They will have the opportunity to mentor to children and build up youth programs while in the Peace Corps for the next two years. They’ll also work with various school systems and implement programs.

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While they didn’t know all of the specifics of their roles before going to Ecuador, Rachael says the job wasn’t as important as the impact they will make.

“Our main job is to build relationships, be role models, share our skills and passions and encourage others to pursue their dreams and make a difference for their own communities,” she says.

Volunteering and giving back are important to both of them and things they’ve been doing their whole lives.

“My mother has always made it her life to help others any way she could and has instilled that in me,” Nathaniel says. “Everything I have done in my life and do is because I genuinely want to serve

2017

people and be a great leader.”

Rachael shares that same passion for people and hopes to make a difference in others’ lives.

“Volunteering and giving back are important because people are important. Every person has so much potential, but not every person always has the environment to help them achieve their dreams,” Rachael says. “I think that the most valuable act of service anyone can volunteer is to be a friend and mentor to another.”

Before joining the Peace Corps, they were students at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri — which is where they met. Nathaniel is originally from Shelby, Alabama, and graduated from Cornerstone Christian School, and Rachael is from Carrier Mills, Illinois, which is about two hours from St. Louis.

“We were friends for a long time before we dated, which was good because we had pretty different priorities when we met,” says Rachael, who majored in intercultural studies and English.

“But as time went by, we both changed.”

The pair dated pretty seriously for several months before Rachael spent a semester abroad, which was required for her degree program. “The time apart was hard, but I think it helped solidify us and show us that we can make things work, despite what life throws at us,” she says.

Traveling internationally was nothing new for the couple.

Nathaniel, who majored in criminal justice and Spanish, has been to the Philippines, where he taught English to elementary, high schools and colleges — and also spoke at a prison.

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Rachael went on mission trips to Canada, Jamaica and Nicaragua during high school. They also got engaged in Costa Rica and spent their honeymoon in Cartagena, Colombia.

“Even though we’ve been blessed to travel to lots of places, I think that the thing that is really special about travel is how it teaches you,” Rachael says.

“You realize how people are different, but you also realize how they are the same. No matter where you live, people still work, care for their families, try to make the best out of the hard situations that life throws at them. People are still people, and we’re all doing our best with what we’re given.”

Their love for people was one of the things that helped lead them to the Peace Corps. “I have always wanted to serve my country and make an impact in the world, and the Peace Corps allows me to do that,” Nathaniel says.

He shared his idea to join with Rachael, and it seemed like the perfect fit for her adventurous spirit and passion for different people and cultures, as well.

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“We were looking for things to do after he graduates, and the Peace Corps was the perfect place for us to combine our interests in community service and culture, to build up important skills and to use our previous experience for something that will truly make a difference,” she says.

While their pasts are quite different, both of their experiences helped prepare them for the next chapter of their journeys. Nathaniel’s father died before he was born and was raised by his mother, along with three siblings. He says he’s always been involved with his community and was seen as a hard worker, holding jobs since he was 15.

Rachael, a self-proclaimed book nerd, grew up knowing there was more out there than her small town. She became active in her church and started going on mission trips during high school.

“I always wanted to move somewhere else,” she says. “How and where were never planned, but God has a funny way of working things out.”

Now that those plans are a reality, the couple

says they’re excited about enjoying the experience together and growing their relationship. They’ll also get the chance to take in the slower pace of life in Ecuador.

“Here in the States, it’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life,” Rachael says. “I want to use this opportunity to really slow down and enjoy life.”

After their two years of service are complete, Nathaniel says he hopes to go to law school and become a district attorney. One day, he’d even like to run for governor of Alabama.

Rachael, on the other hand, doesn’t have a set plan for when they get back to the states — -Rachael something that goes against her personality.

She’s normally the one with plenty of plans and goals, but she says she wants to leave her options open right now as she works and build skills that will help her in the future.

“It’s important to be working toward goals and to know what you want, but it’s also important to give yourself the freedom to be open to new possibilities and

“

opportunities as they come along,” she says. “Right now, I’m trying to find that balance.”

For others who are considering joining the Peace Corps or want more information, the couple says the experience can be life-changing.

“If you are interested in serving not just your country but others and you have built up your resume where you have helped communities in your own backyard or worked and have leadership skills, compassion and the ability to be humble, apply to the Peace Corps,” Nathaniel says.

Rachael agrees and Sawyer says while it’s not for everyone, it can be a meaningful experience for those who are interested in serving.

“I think that it is worth learning more to see if the Peace Corps is a good option for you,” she says. “I think it is a unique experience that will teach you a lot about yourself, about the world and about life. There is so much you can learn by living in another country.”

I think that the most valuable act of service anyone can volunteer is to be a friend and mentor to another.

”

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Unique and Set Apart

The clutches Carrie Pittman painted for the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open competitors are as distinctive as their recipients.

BY EMILY SPARACINO | PHOTOS BY LAUREN WINTER AND FILE 56 ShelbyLiving.com

I

If you look closely at the canvas clutches Carrie Pittman painted by hand for the competitors of the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, you can see the message she incorporated into each one.

Not a message in the sense of words and sentences, but of individuality conveyed in the layers of metallic and neutral-toned paint clinging to the clutches’ cloth surfaces.

“I took a lot of time with each one for each person, and that’s very important to me as an artist,” Carrie says. “That’s part of my creation and the significance of it. No two are alike.”

As a newer member of the art-as-a-full-timecareer club, Carrie was thrilled to be selected to create something for the women competing in the prestigious golf tournament, which is being held at Shoal Creek May 31-June 3. Her clutches were to be included in the gift packages for each golfer.

Using a paintbrush, Carrie painted a neutral watercolor-style background on each of the clutches. Then, she layered them with gold, silver and bronze metallic paint. Even though she used the same color palette for all 160 clutches, each one emerged with a distinctive look, a slightly different configuration of color constellations with shiny flecks that move in the sunlight.

“All my work is very layered in color and texture,”

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PHOTO BY LAUREN WINTER

“

I took a lot of time with each one for each person, and that’s very important to me as an artist.

-Carrie Pittman

Carrie says. “I wanted to make each bag like a canvas for each golfer.”

The clutches fit into what Carrie, who lives in Homewood, was already doing in her art business.

She recently launched Carrie Pittman Collection, which consists of these and other “affordable and wearable art” pieces like tote bags, pillows and curtains.

But three years ago, painting was only a hobby for Carrie. She was a financial advisor for 10 58 ShelbyLiving.com

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years, following in the footsteps of two generations in her family’s business. “I tried, but I was miserable. I couldn’t give up artwork and painting. I left the company and went out on my own as an artist.”

Original paintings on canvas were Carrie’s initial focus. Now, her fabric pieces – and commissions like the Carrie Pittman clutches for the U.S. Women’s Open golfers – are what reinforce the decision she made three years ago to

PHOTO BY LAUREN WINTER

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devote her full attention and energy to artwork.

With the trunk of her SUV full of clutches bound for Shoal Creek on May 1, Carrie was excited to deliver her personal messages to the site where a group of women as unique as the paint patterns on the clutches would gather to compete for one of the most coveted titles in women’s professional golf.

“In a world where everyone compares themselves all the time, I just think it’s important 60 ShelbyLiving.com

for all of us to remember we’re all unique and set apart,” she says. “If these bags could symbolize that, that would make me happy. It’s so rewarding that you can create beauty for someone else.”

Visit Carriepittman.com or follow Carrie Pittman Art on Facebook and Instagram to see what else this lively artist is up to in her studio.

For more details about the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, go to Usga.org.

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce C o m m u n i t y • C o m m e rc e • C o l l a b o r a t i o n

JUNE 2018 BUSINESS CONNECTIONS

i n f o r m a t i v e Mark your Presenting Sponsor: message on the calendars for an economic benefit of i n f o r m a t i v e tourism in Shelby presentation by County and his Alabama Tourism thoughts on Deputy Director possible ways to Grey Brennan at the Grey increase tourism in Chamber’s June Brennan our county.

As a “ C o m m u n i t y special incentive to Luncheon” which is hosted by the Tourism & attend, Mr. Brennan will be The Chamber is also Lisa Shapiro at the Chamber Recreation Work Group and bringing more than 100 presented by Starnes copies of latest copy of the offering up to 10 businesses in at 663-4542, ext. 103 or lisa@ Publishing/ 280 Living. Mr. Alabama Visitor Guide as a the Tourism and Recreation shelbychamber.org.

The luncheon will be held sector to participate in the Brennan will give a short free handout.

Showcase Feature from 11:00AM until 1:00PM Program during on June 27 at the Pelham networking. The Showcase Civic Complex & Ice Arena, Feature Program is a mini- 500 Amphitheater Road, expo that offers those Pelham. Investment is $20 businesses that participate for investors, $30 for “Future” Reservations the opportunity to investors. showcase their products requested by Noon Monday, and services to attendees. June 25. Register by calling Showcase Tables are the Chamber at 663-4542 or offered on a first-come, register online at www. first-served basis. Contact shelbychamber.org.

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Newsletter

June “Community Luncheon” to feature Alabama Tourism Deputy Director Grey Brennan

Chamber Investors Earn Green Business Designation The Chamber’s Existing Business & Industry work group is excited to congratulate the following investors -- Ensley Fairfield Mattress Company, Mobile Fleet Specialists of Birmingham, SouthWest Water Company and Vinehouse Nursery -- on earning and being designated a Chamber “Certified Green Business.” The Green Business Program, presented by SouthWest Water Company, is an application process based on a point system

Presenting Sponsor:

“Certified Chamber Green Business.”

The purpose of this program is to recognize Shelby County businesses that are committed and engaged in environmentally in the categories of Waste Prevention, Recycling, responsible operations and Purchasing, Energy practices, also known as “green” Conservation, Transportation, business practices. The program Water Conservation, and recognizes these companies each Pollution. Each applicant has to year at the Chamber’s annual receive a minimum of 20 points Industry Appreciation Event.

If your company is engaged in total to be designated as a

green practices and is interested in applying for the Chamber’s Green Program Certification, the application can be found on the website www.shelbychamber. org/business-support-center/ green-business-program.

For more information or questions please contact Jackson Pruett, Director, Business Development & Support via email jackson@ shelbychamber.org or call 6634542, ext. 104.

Newsletter

Congratulations to our Chamber "Certified Green Businesses":

Chamber’s Entrepreneur Roundtables Accepting Applications The Chamber’s Entrepreneur Roundtable program is part problemsolving, part informationgathering and contact building.

Participating business owners from noncompeting companies meet for a confidential, peer-to-peer forum each month to gain valuable insights into others’ successes and achievements,

Presenting Sponsor:

and learn how to avoid the pitfalls of their mistakes. The Roundtable program is exclusive for the single

individual responsible for the direction of the company and with the authority to make final decisions.

There are currently two groups that meet -Entrepreneur Roundtable I which meets in Pelham and Entrepreneur Roundtable 280 which meets on Highway 280 - each month to discuss opportunities, challenges and

YOUR CHAMBER AT WORK

more. Both Roundtables are currently accepting applications.

For additional information on the Chamber’s Entrepreneur Roundtable program - or an application to join one of the groups - please contact Chamber President Kirk Mancer by phone at 6634542 ext. 101 or via e-mail at kirk@shelbychamber.org.

(April 2 - May 11, 2018) Facebook: 52 New Likes, 471 Visits and 12,996 Post Reaches, Total Likes 3,171.

Twitter: 2,986 Followers, 199 Tweets, 19.3K Tweet impressions, 354 Profile Visits and 28 Mentions Instagram: 950 Posts, 721 Followers.

Responded to 134 requests for business & community information.

Notarized 21 ‘Certificates of Origin’ for Shelby County companies shipping to 6 different countries.

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GO & GROW WORKSHOP:

“Next Level Leadership with April Benetollo” Presenting Sponsor:

Co-Sponsor:

for Chamber investors ($20 and busines l e a d e r s h i p for “Future” investors). development.

To ensure we have a proper d e v e l o p m e n t April will be sharing please make curriculum with headcount, a program titled “Next reservations by noon on practical advice and Level Leadership”. activities to put it into Wednesday, June 13 for this Whether you’re an workshop by contacting practice. emerging leader or an The Go & Grow Jackson Pruett, Director of established leader, Development & Workshop will be Business April there’s always room to Benetollo from 11:30AM- Support via e-mail at jackson@ take it to the next level.

1:00PM on Friday shelbychamber.org, call 663That’s what Momentum is all June 15 at the Chamber. There 4542, ext. 104 or register about! April will share top-line is no cost to attend, but lunch online at www.shelbychamber. concepts from Momentum’s is available for $10 per person org.

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Newsletter

On Friday June 15, the Chamber’s Go & Grow Workshop -- presented by Valley National Bank (formerly USAmeriBank) and cosponsored by Cahaba Valley Computer Services -- will be an interactive program featuring April Benetollo, CEO of Momentum. Momentum is Alabama’s premier women’s leadership program which empowers a diverse group of promising women to develop leadership skills that positively impact business, culture and politics in Alabama. April became CEO of Momentum in November 2017. Prior to joining the organization, she enjoyed a career in technology, public relations, marketing,

GSCCC Board of Directors (as of 3/5/2018)

Officers Joe Meads Sain Associates (Chair) Bill Connor America’s First Federal Credit Union (Chair-elect) Keith Brown Jefferson State Community College (Immediate Past Chair)

Newsletter

Terri Williams, AT&T (Vice Chair, Business Development & Support)

Ambassador of the Month

Congratulations to Tiffany Chandler with Legacy Community Federal Credit Union for earning Ambassador of the Month. Tiffany is the branch manager of Legacy Community FCU Alabaster location. She has been with Legacy since 2010 and in the credit union industry for 22 years.

Originally from Pleasant Grove Alabama, she currently lives in Pelham with her husband

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of four years, Adam, and daughter, Abigail, who is 2 ½ years old. Family is the most important part of her life and she loves spending time with them.

Her position at the credit union gives her the opportunity to help others from opening a new savings account or helping them buy their first auto/home.

Contact Tiffany if you have any financial needs at 205-9334792 or tchandler@ legacycreditunion.com

Katie McDowell Shelby County Newspapers (Vice Chair, Communications & Marketing)

Alison Howell (2018) Alabama Power Company Brian Massey (2018) St. Vincent’s Health System Bruce King (2019) Lhoist North America Jay Dennis (2019) Regions Bank Charles Hall (2019) Grandview Medical Center Bill Keller (2019) Renasant Bank Mike Rickman (2019) Shelby Baptist Medical Center Mitt Schroeder (2019) Central State Bank

Chris Grace Barge Design Solutions (Vice Chair, Community & Career Development)

Tim Benefield (2020) Buffalo Rock Company

Jim Purvis A.C. Legg, Inc. (Vice Chair, Finance & Administration)

Jeff McDowell (2020) McDowell Security Services, LLC

Kathy Copeland White Rock Quarries – Vincent Hills (Vice Chair, Governmental Affairs)

April Harry (2020) Warren, Averett LLC

Keith Richards (2020) Taziki’s Mediterranean Café Mike Swinson (2020) Spire Alabama, Inc. Mechelle Wilder (2020) ARC Realty

John Browning Cahaba Valley Computer Services, Inc. (Vice Chair, Investor Relations)

Matthew Hogan (*) Bama Budweiser of Shelby County

Board of Directors Paul Barber (2018) S. S. Nesbit and Company

Brittani Braden (*) State Farm Insurance, Brittani Braden Agency

Jeff Brown (2018) Brownstone Marketing Solutions

Casey Morris (*) Ground Up Coffee & Smoothies in Snider’s Pharmacy

William Carroll (2018) Armstrong Relocation Companies

Rocky Patel (*) Hampton Inn & Suites-Pelham / Fairfield Inn & Suites-Pelham

Alex Dudchock (2018) Shelby County

Fred Smith (*) Vulcan Termite & Pest Control (*) Serving a one-year term in 2018

HEALTH FOCUS OF THE MONTH:

Hazards of Ultraviolet Radiation to the Ocular System

nations is susceptible to ocular damage from UV radiation.

UV Radiation is reflected off surfaces such as snow, water, or white sand. Risk is particularly high at the beach, while boating or on ski slopes.

Individuals whose work or recreation involves lengthy exposure to sunlight are at greatest risk. Risk is greatest during mid-day hours (10:00AM-3:00PM) and during summer months. UV levels increase nearer the equator so individuals in the

southern U.S. are at a greater risk than other parts of the Country. UV levels are also greater at h i g h e r altitudes.

Protection from sunlight can be obtained by using a brimmed hat or cap and UV absorbing eyewear. For outdoor use in the bright sun, sunglasses that absorb 99-100% of the full UV spectrum are recommended.

Individuals who also wear clear

prescription eyewear outdoors should consider using lenses that absorb the same spectrum.

Labels should be examined carefully on over the counter sunglasses to ensure they absorb at least 99-100% of both UV-B and UV-A. Consumers beware of claims that sunglasses “block harmful UV” without saying how much.

Dr. Stancil Handley (Mayor of Columbiana) has practiced optometry in Alabaster and Columbiana for 34 years.

Submitted to the Chamber’s Health Services Work Group

Presenting Sponsor:

Inaugural Shelby County Gran Prix

Presenting Sponsor Gran Prix: Columbiana on July Silver Sponsors of 14-15.

The Gran Prix Chamber will be combining this event with the 4th The Greater Shelby County Annual Healthy Chamber of Commerce is Lifestyles Expo. The excited to announce its Shelby County Art’s inaugural “Shelby County Council will also be Grand Prix” coming in July to hosting the Shelby Columbiana. The Chamber is County Shin Dig excited to host two road races, (BBQ Cook Off) and one time trail bike race in that weekend in Columbiana. Director

Be sure and mark Presenting Sponsor Healthy your calendars to Lifestyle Expo: come out and see some great bike racing, visit with great healthcare organizations, and even have some BBQ! For more information contact Keyla Career Development by email H a n d l e y , keyla@shelbychamber.org or of Community & phone 205.419.3357.

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Newsletter

Ultraviolet Radiation, commonly known as UV, is made up of invisible high energy rays from the sun that lie just beyond the violet/blue end of the visible spectrum.

The anterior structures of the eye absorb more than 99% of UV radiation that is absorbed by the eye, small amounts reach the retina.

There is good scientific data that leads us to believe UV absorption contributes to age related changes in the eye, such as cataract and other serious eye diseases such as pterygium, cancer of the skin around the eye, photokeratitis and corneal degenerative changes, and it may contribute to age related macular degeneration.

Everyone is at risk. No one is immune to the UV related eye disorders. Every person in every ethnic group in both developed and developing

Welcome New Investors (as of 4/2/2018 - 5/17/2018)

ActiKare of Birmingham BB&T of Meadow Brook CityVision, Inc. Greystone YMCA Indian Springs Pediatric Dentistry Magnolia Wealth Strategies, PNC Bank of Meadowbrook Senior Legacy Care Van Gogh Window Fashions Weight Loss Dr. By Phone!

Home Health Care - Non-Medical Financial Institutions Advertising & Marketing Services Associations & Organizations Dental Financial Products & Services Financial Institutions Home Health Care - Non-Medical Window Treatments Health & Wellness

Leeds Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham Pelham Birmingham Birmingham Pelham Birmingham Montgomery

Newsletter

For a complete listing of all current Chamber investors please visit our Online Business Directory at business.shelbychamber.org/list.

Entrepreneur-in-Residence Offers Complimentary Guidance & Support to Small Business

The Chamber’s Entrepreneurin-Residence/ Mentorship Program, presented by Valley National Bank (formerly USAmeriBank), continues to provide much needed assistance to small business owners - and entrepreneurs. Participants have received guidance on starting a new business, expanding an existing business, launching a new product, downsizing and dealing with a difficult employee.

The next Mentorship

Presenting Sponsor:

opportunities, facilitated by Michael Smith the Chamber’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, will be held Friday, June 15 from 8:00AM - 11:00AM. As the

Chamber’s “Entrepreneur-inResidence”, Smith is available for a one-on-one confidential meeting with any small business owner or entrepreneur to discuss

any topic.

Appointments are required and usually last 30-45 minutes.

Please contact Michael Smith J a c k s o n Pruett, the Chamber’s Director of Business Development & Support via e-mail at jackson@ shelbychamber.org or by calling 663-4542, ext. 104.

Liberty Day Parade Set for June 30 The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce is assisting the City of Columbiana with its 32nd Annual Liberty Day Parade on June 30. The City of Columbiana began its annual Liberty Day festival in 1986 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Statue of

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Liberty. There will be an evening of fun lined up Friday evening on June 29 beginning at 6:30PM and Saturday, June 30 Mayor Stancil Handley will provide a welcome at 9:00AM to kick off the Liberty Day activities. There will be vendors, tons of activities for children of

all ages. At 3:00PM the Liberty Day Parade will begin. That night there will be live music, fireworks and the announcement of the Parade winners.

If you would like to have a float in the parade please contact Keyla Handley at 663-

4542 ext. 106 or E-mail keyla@ shelbychamber.org for a registration form and details about parade line-up, time and location. If you are interested in participating as a food or arts and crafts vendor call Elizabeth Smith at 669-6800 for more information.

CELEBRATING GROWTH

2018 Ribbon Sponsor

Thank you Pelham Flowers by Desiree’ for providing the ribbon and bows for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies.

Congratulations to Blair Pharmacy on its Ribbon Cutting Celebration on location at 81 Weatherly Drive, Alabaster. Owners, Daniel and Kim Blair were joined by family, friends, Alabaster City Manager Brian Binzer, other City Officials and Chamber Ambassadors.

Congratulations to Greystone Tire & Auto on its Ribbon Cutting Celebration on location at 5465 Highway 280. Owner, Doug Phillips was joined by family, friends, 58 INC. and Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.

Congratulations to CE Workforce d.b.a. as T-Mobile located in the Propst Shopping Center in Alabaster. District Manager Kevin Whitehead was joined in support by City Administrator Brian Binzer, City Officials, the T-Mobile team and Chamber Ambassadors.

Congratulations to Helena Dog House on its Grand Opening at 97 Ace Place, Helena. The facility is a “one-stop-shop” for grooming, boarding, doggie day care and more. Owner, Nicole Barnes was joined by Mayor Mark Hall, City and County Officials and Chamber Ambassadors.

Congratulations to Southeast Gastro on its Grand Opening at its new location, 1022 1st Street N, Suite 220, Alabaster. Dr. Robert D. Loudon, MD and Dr. Robert D. Marks, MD, MPH were joined by Mayor Marty Handlon, Senator Cam Ward, City and County Officials, Nurse Practitioners and Chamber Ambassadors.

Newsletter

Congratulations to the Columbiana Public Library on the opening of it’s new Children’s Library! Shelia Gallups, Director cut the celebratory ribbon while Columbiana Mayor Stancil Handley, Mrs. Handley, City Officials and Chamber Ambassadors joined in support.

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CHAMBER Events

Read more details or register for events online at www.shelbychamber.org or the Chamber office 663-4542. Unless otherwise noted events listed will be held at 1301 County Services Dr., Pelham 35124. CANCELLATION POLICY REMINDER: Cancellation for a paying event must be made TWO days prior to the event.

June 2018

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Tourism & Recreation Work Group 9:00AM - 10:00AM Locations vary.

Election Day All Day

Career Readiness Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM

Ambassadors Work Group 11:30AM - 1:00PM

Small Business Work Group 4:00PM - 5:00PM

South Shelby Chamber Luncheon 11:30AM - 1:00PM/ Columbiana First Baptist Church 208 North Main Street, Columbiana Investment: $15. No reservations required.

Health Services Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM

Existing Business & Industry Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM iBERIABANK, 2695 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham Governmental Affairs Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM Sain Associates, Two Perimeter Park South, Ste 500 East, Birmingham

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Entrepreneur Roundtable I 7:30PM - 8:30PM Sponsor: The UPS Store Caldwell Mill Rd./ Valleydale

Small Business Mentorship Appointments 8:00AM - 11:00AM Facilitated by Michael Smith, Entrepreneur-in-Residence By appointment. Contact Jackson Pruett at 663-4542, ext. 104.

Sponsors: Valley National Bank (formerly USAmeriBank) & Cahaba Valley Computer Services Go & Grow Workshop “Next Level Leadership” 11:30AM - 1:00PM Facilitated by April Benetollo, CEO of Momentum Reservations requested by noon, June 13.

Investment: No cost for workshop but lunch is available for $10 investors, $20 “Future” investors.

Sponsors: Valley National Bank (formerly USAmeriBank) & Cahaba Valley Computer Services Entrepreneur Roundtable 280 11:30AM - 12:30PM Sponsor: The UPS Store Caldwell Mill Rd./ Valleydale Montevallo Chamber Monthly Luncheon 11:30AM - 1:30PM Parnell Memorial Library, 377 Park Dr, Montevallo Investment: $12. No reservation required.

GSCC “Community Luncheon” - Tourism & Recreation featuring Alabama Tourism Deputy Director Grey Brennan Doors open at 11:00 AM. Program 11:45 AM- 1:00 PM Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena 500 Amphitheater Rd, Pelham Reservations requested by noon, Monday, June 25.

Investment: $20 investors, $30 “Future” investors.

Presenting Sponsor: Starnes/ 280 Living

OUT & ABOUT

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HELICOPTER EGG DROP PHOTOS BY NEAL WAGNER

Cultivate Church hosted its annual helicopter egg drop at Alabaster’s Veterans Park on March 31.

1. Anthony and Sam Albritton 2. Klissia Angeles, Jewel Davis, Jaxon Martinez and Kataleya Angeles

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3. Charli Lindley-Hamlin and Gray Hamlin 4. Gary and Grayson Cunningham 5. Heather Rodriguez, Harper Rodriguez and Emily Durocher 6. Jessica Smith and Lorelei Moore 7. Richard, Christina, Della and Trey Perry 8. Buster, Stefanie, Tristan, Ella and Teyah Yates 9. Cameron Knight, Megan Thompson, Cooper Thompson and Michael Shiflett

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OUT & ABOUT

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KHSA TABLESCAPES

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PHOTOS BY EMILY SPARACINO

Beautiful table decorations were on display once again at the King’s Home Shelby Auxiliary’s annual Tablescapes fundraiser on Wednesday, April 18 at Metro Church of God in Hoover.

1. Rita Wilson and Hiltrud Hollibaugh 2. Janice Chancey and Evelyn Criswell 3. Phyllis Tinsley, Callie Hines and Joyce Largin 4. LaVerne Reese and Gloria Hall 5. Suzy Sanders and Patti Stahlhut 6. Joyce Watts and Julie Schweer 7. Cameron Schenker and Tricia Schenker 8. Janice Shows and Jeannie Green 9. Connie Ponder and Sandy Fuqua 10. Deeondra Johnson, Tosha Lyles, Temika Henley and Jamie Ankenbrandt 11. Renèe Kennedy and Paula Carlile 12. Allison Oswald and Susie Gaston 13. Susan Groves, Pep Johnson and Pat Coshatt 14. Diana McMichen, Karen Liles, Bonnie Goetz, Katy Maddox and Lin Berry

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OUT & ABOUT

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Therapy with Rehab Select can speed your recovery and help you regain your strength.

Rehab Select at Shelby Ridge is more than a typical rehab inpatient facility. We feature a physician-led, adaptive program that keeps patients with us only as long as they need, and treats every person like an individual, not a diagnosis or a length of stay. You’ll receive personalized one-onone therapy.

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at Shelby Ridge

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OUT & ABOUT

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SHOWCASE OF SCHOOLS

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PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAWKINS

Shelby County Schools held its annual Showcase of Schools on Thursday, April 19, at Valleydale Church.

Students, teachers and administrators demonstrated programs and talked about how the system works to educate children.

1. Andrew Gunn, April Brand, Kathy Paiml, Kara Burleson and Jeff Norris

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2. Allison Campbell, Liam Mitchell and Shannon Montgomery 3. Jason Begg, Caleb Mills and Hudson Tate 4. Lela Harris, Dana Jacks and Kim Falkner 5. Caroline Obert and Brandon Vincent 6. Abby Snyder, Natalie Doerfler and Emma Carstensen 7. Athena David, Aubri McClendon and Kelli Drolet 8. Tonya Borden-Hudson, Starla Lollar, Josh Thomas and Matthew Edwards 9. Barbara Snyder, Kerry Rush, Patsy Casella, Stacy Aderholt and Melody Byrne 10. Mandy Roberts and Jared Roberts

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Hours: Open Monday • Saturday 9am - 6pm • Closed on Sunday

2750 Pelham Parkway • 205-621-2039

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OUT & ABOUT

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APRIL FIRST FRIDAY

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PHOTOS BY GRAHAM BROOKS

Helena First Friday returned for the first time in 2018 on Friday, April 6, as Old Town Helena was packed with vendors, food trucks, live music and more.

1. Alex Chuang, Elle Roberts and Hannah Macon 2. Kimberly Chancey, Bianca Bingham and Peyton Benefield 3. Brayden George and Jordan Intal

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4. Ashleigh Franklin and Kaitlyn McGairty 5. Sarah Drexler 6. Beth Merchant, Sandra Szilagyi and Kirsten Steele 7. Ashley Driver and Hamid Mashayekh 8. Katherine and Dan Dearing

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OUT & ABOUT

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MT LAUREL SPRING FESTIVAL PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAWKINS

The 18th Mt Laurel Spring Festival was held on Saturday, April 7, featuring food, music, shopping and more.

1. Amanda Graves, Adah Graves, Ava King and Lily Graves 2. Alana Gunn, McKenzie Gunn and Cameron Gunn

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3. Amy, Cooper, Maddie Grace and Todd Stein 4. Ryan, Ethan James and Angela Pierce 5. Tim Witherington, Christine Shores, Stephen Gaither and John Yancey 6. Benji Wood, Tammy Simonetti and Carol Smith 7. Amy Graham 8. Mary Caroline Gray, Dawn Evans and Kristy Gray

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OUT & ABOUT

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HELENA BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S CRAWFISH BOIL

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PHOTOS BY GRAHAM BROOKS

The Helena Beef ‘O’ Brady’s celebrated it’s one-year anniversary with a crawfish boil on Saturday, April 21, at the restaurant. The event featured food, drinks, live music and plenty of crawfish.

1. Troup Graham and Reed Walker

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2. Fraser Putley and Lauren Webber 3. Ty Davidson and Olivia Downey 4. Brian and Tammy Hare 5. Brianna Downey and Jana Morrow 6. Vanessa Bankston, Ryan Russo, Josh Kervin and Eric Newsom 7. Joey and Renee Nall 8. Nicole Parker, Christine Bell, Leighann Armstrong and Chris Romero

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OUT & ABOUT

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COLUMBIANA CARNIVAL PHOTOS BY AMALIA KORTRIGHT

Thousands of people attended the Columbiana Kiwanis Club’s second consecutive carnival, which was held from Tuesday, April 17 to Sunday, April 21.

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1. Sal Ciambrone, Pamela Ciambrone and Calleigh Cascaddan 2. Tyreek Torbert and Xzavier Torbert 3. Centauri, Alexis, Akiyah, Anna and Kingston Calhoun 4. Lucretia Renfroe, Selena Enriquez, Austin Renfroe and James Renfroe 5. Carol Pardue 6. George “Paw Paw”Cash and Christian Jett 7. Jaquarious Kelow, Denadria Jones and D’Shonda Taylor

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OUT & ABOUT

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TOUCH A TRUCK

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PHOTOS BY AMALIA KORTRIGHT

Children of all ages had the opportunity to interact with a variety of vehicles and equipment during the second annual Touch a Truck event on Saturday, April 21 in Columbiana.

1. Brenda and Brayden Sands 2. Donna Sesson, Jadavien Baker and Dutchess 3. Mark Lucas, Kyle Koons and Jason Koons

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4. Kyle Mims, Kristin Mims, Debra Hayes and Bobby Hayes 5. Lisa, Colton, Justin and Layla Peake 6. Corbin Palmer 7. David and Twyla Clina 8. Ricky Howard and Shane Seale 9. Jeff Hall

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OUT & ABOUT

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SOUTH SHELBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE APRIL LUNCHEON PHOTOS BY AMALIA KORTRIGHT

Local business leaders heard updates from Shelby County Schools Superintendent Randy Fuller at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon on Friday, April 6.

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1. Jane Ann Mueller and Cherie Brewer 2. Jacqueline Gardner and Sharon Alexander 3. Kim Aldridge 4. Michelle Grogan and Kala Peters

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MARKETPLACE

Marketplace Shelby Living Magazine • 205.669.3131

LAWN CARE •Large Properties •Lake Properties •Property Cleanups - Great Rates! Free Estimates! -Shelby and Chilton Counties- 10% DISCOUNT for Military & Senior Citizens. Call Alex 205955-3439 INDUSTRIAL ATHLETES $17.68 hour + production & safety $$$ incentives.

Grocery order selection using electric pallet jacks & voice activated headsets.

PART-TIME TRUCK DRIVERCLASS A Average $0.53 per mile deliver palletized loads to grocery stores within 300 mile radius. Work available 7 days/week. Can lead to full-time employment. Clean MVR and 2 years minimum tractor-trailer experience required. Paid vacation & holidays. Blue Cross health & dental insurance. Matching 401k plan. Apply online at AGSOUTH.COM or call Charlie Seagle at (205) 8084833 Pre-employment drug test required.

Automation Personnel Services Hiring IMMEDIATELY For: Automotive Assembly, General Labor, Production, Clerical, Machine Operator, Quality, Carpentry, Welder, Foundry. Positions In: Calera, Clanton, Pelham, Bessemer, McCalla. Walk-in applications accepted. Clanton (205)2800002. Pelham (205)444-9774.

B & J Metal Fabricators Offering more than roofing!

•Metal roofing •Portable metal buildings •Custom sizes available Customize your own!! Montevallo (205)6654687 (205)296-9988 Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience.

CDL Preferred. Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007 Bent Creek Apartments.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom.

On-site Manager. On-site Maintenance. 3001 7th Street.

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North Clanton, AL 35045.

TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) 800548-2546(T/A) bentcreek@ morrowapts.com Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm.

Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer BEST CARS, INC in Clanton, AL. Double your Tax Refund • Up to $1,000 on purchase of select vehicles. Offer good through February 28, 2018. 1674 7th Street South, Clanton AL 35045 205-7553737 **Bring in this ad to qualify for Tax Refund offer!** Class-A CDL Truck Driver needed. Great pay with health benefits, holiday and vacation pay. Home every night. Contact Cahaba Veneer office at 205-926-9797.

Birmingham Hide & Tallow Immediate position for CLASS-B ROUTE DRIVERS FOR LOCAL ROUTE. WELLESTABLISHED 100+ YEAR COMPANY NOW HIRING ROUTE DRIVERS. HOME NIGHTS/WEEKENDS. LOOKING FOR HARD WORKING DRIVERS TO JOIN OUR TEAM. CLEAN MVR/BG CHECK REQUIRED. COMPETITIVE PAY & BENEFITS: BCBC, 401K, PAID HOLIDAYS/VACATION, COMPANY FURNISHED UNIFORMS. CALL 205425-1711 OR EMAIL: adria. lupien@bhtonline.com Boise Cascade Now Hiring for Utility Positions. Starting pay $13/hour. Must be able to pass background screen.

Please apply at www.bc.com BRIARWOOD APARTMENTS Now Leasing! Beautiful 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments. Mon & Wed 8:30am-4pm. 535-A Hicks St. Montevallo • 205665-2257 • TDD #’s: (V)1800-548-2547 • (T/A)1-800548-2546. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Carroll Fulmer Now Hiring Class-A CDL Drivers. Overthe-road positions available.

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Dry vans. No hazmat. Must have one year over-the-road.

Experience and a clean MVR. Competitive pay and bonus package. Good home time.

Call 800-633-9710 ext. 2 Chase Learning Center & Day Care is Pelham is Now Hiring • PT Nursery • PT After-school. $8/hr. 5 days/ week. Great for college students! 205-620-1616 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Seeking two qualified individuals to fill two part time driver vacancies for Chilton County Transit.

Applicants must meet the following qualifications: must possess a valid Alabama driver’s license, a high school diploma, extensive knowledge of Chilton County Roads, clean driving record, and good math skills.

No phone calls, please.

Applications are available at the Transit office at 508 Enterprise Road, Clanton between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Applicants should send application or resume to: Employment Opportunity P. O. Box 1245 Clanton, AL 35046 Coosa Valley Medical Center NOW HIRING! •RN Med/Surg, 7am-7pm •RN Labor & Delivery, 11pm-7am 7-on/7-off •LPN CVMC Nursing Home, 3pm-11pm, 11pm-7am •RN ICU, 7am-7pm Email resume to: Blaine.Green@cvhealth.net or to apply, go to www. cvhealth.net Full Time and Part Time RN’s Needed for home health in Bibb, Shelby and Chilton counties. Excellent Salary and Benefits. Please send resumes to jobs@rubic.com or call 866-273-3984

DCH Health System Caring.

For Life. $5,000 *Sign-on Bonus for full time RNs *For More Info Contact Annie.

Miller@dchsystem.com. Apply online at: www.dchsystem. com Homewood Area Package Store. Day Shift (10am-6pm) Clerk/Stocker. Must be 21, have retail experience, be able to multi-task, able to work any shift. Good pay. Call (205)585-8900 Edgar’s Bakery Interviewing candidates for cake decorators, front counter associates, bakery production workers, packagers, and drivers. Apply online: edgarsbakery.com or at your nearest Edgar’s location.

Job Posting: Human Resource Manager FullTime File Clerk/Data Entry Clerk Part-Time Please email resume: Oacinc5@yahoo.com Or mail to: Post Office Drawer 559 Clanton, Alabama 35045 Certified Welders & Tank Fitters needed for field erected tanks. Work done in Southeast. Good pay and benefits. Call 800-728-8265 ext 224 Email resume to c.bradley@esptank.com ERP Compliant Coke is now accepting applications for experienced BOILER / POWER PLANT OPERATOR $20.56/hr +excellent benefits Apply at local Career Center or email resume to pmay@ erpcoke.com EOE/M/F/VET/ DIS Welder Training. Short Term Licensing . Call for Details .

866-432-0430 ESDschool. com $2000 SIGN ON BONUS NEW PAY SCALE TO QUALIFYING DRIVERS EVERGREEN TRANSPORT, is accepting applications for local drivers in the Calera and Leeds, AL, area. Must have Class A CDL, good driving record, 1 yr verifiable tractor

trailer experience. Good pay and benefits. Apply in person at 8278 Hwy 25 South, Calera, AL, or call for info 205-6683316.

Evergreen Transport, LLC has immediate openings in the Maintenance Department at its Calera Terminal for the following positions: Diesel Mechanics (Both day and night shifts): Repairing, maintaining, overhauling of heavy duty fleet trucks and any other duties as requested.

Tire Technician: Repairing/ replacing flat, leaking, mismatched or damaged tires. Finding and replacing missing lugs and damaged rims and any other duties requested. If interested, please call Jason Bentley @ 205-668-3316 or apply in person at 8278 Hwy 25, Calera, AL 35040.

Taking applications for experienced part-time bartender for growing business in Clanton. Call Teresa: 334-235-0228 or call the restaurant between 4-10pm: 205-280-4949 ONLINE AUCTIONS www.GTAOnlineAuctions.com 205-326-0833 Granger, Thagard & Assoc.

Jack F. Granger #873 DRIVERS Hanna Truck Lines is seeking Professional Flatbed Drivers. 53 cpm No surprises: Starting pay (all miles): 51 cpm, 52 cpm at 6 months, 53 cpm at 1 year.

100% Outbounds loads Pre-loaded & Tarped. 75% Inbound No Tarp. Late Model Peterbilt Trucks. Air Ride Trailers. Home weekends.

Low cost BCBS Health & Dental Ins. Matching 401K. Qualifications: 18 months Class A CDL driving experience with 6 months flatbed; Applicants must meet all D.O.T. requirements.

Contact recruiting at 1-800634-7315 or come by HTL office at 1700 Boone Blvd, Northport. EOE

MARKETPLACE LPN’s, RN’s, CNA’s Full-time & part-time • 2nd & 3rd Shift Apply in person: Hatley Health Care 300 Medical Ctr Dr Clanton, AL 35045 Looking for a wonderful place to live? NEW Meadow View Village Apartments.

Columbiana, AL. Now Preleasing 2&3 Bedrooms. Great Amenities Provided. Call 256-560-0821. 99 Eagle Lane. info@hollyhand.com. Equal Housing Opportunity.

CDL TRUCK DRIVER For Tree Service. Also hiring for other full-time and part-time jobs. Drug Test Required.

205-836-2038 or 205-2297144 Kelly Educational Staffing® We’re hiring! •Substitute teachers •Aides •Cafeteria •Clerical •Custodial positions Shelby County School District & Alabaster City Schools.

Please call 205-870-7154 -Equal Opportunity EmployerOwner Operators Wanting Dedicated Year Round Anniston, AL www.pull4klb.com Service Technician. Top Pay, Benefits & Commission!

Mainline Heating & Air. 400 Hillwood Park S, Alabaster, AL. Or email resume to: ashley@mainlineheating.com (205)664-4751 Marble Valley Manor.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. Many on-site services! 2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga. 256-245-6500 •TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) •800-548-2546(T/A). Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm.

Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer Are you a motivated professional? Are you looking for a dynamic career?

Are you ready to control your own level of success? See why McKinnons’ is an exciting place to work and grow.

Now accepting applications for Sales, Service, and Detail Shop. Apply with the receptionist. 205-755-3430 Shake up your career!!! Are you looking for something new and FUN? Milo’s is

always looking for great managers to come join our growing and dynamic team. Apply online at miloshamburgers.com 280 Location Opening Now Hiring 3 shift Managers.

Pay Rate $9-$11. 20-25 Employees. Pay Rate $7.75-$8.50. Must have own transportation and flexible schedule. Apply at recruiting. talentreef.com/mommagoldbergs-deli (205)503-6190 Montgomery Stockyard Drop Station at Gray & Son’s in Clanton. Call Lane at 205389-4530. For other hauling arrangements, contact Wes in Harpersville 205-965-8657 Production Jobs. Willing to Train. AAM in Columbiana is HIRING for multiple shifts.

Email resume to dcurtis@ grede.com or apply in person: 130 Industrial Pkwy, Columbiana, AL 35051 NOW HIRING Class-A CDL Driver Must have clean driving record, two years experience Will train drivers on tank Drivers home nightly Contact Keith at: 205-438-4959 INDUSTRIAL CLEANING IN VANCE Requirements: •18 Years Old •HS Diploma/GED •Able to work variable shifts/ weekends/holidays •Able to lift up to 50lbs constantly, stand on your feet for 8hrs •Able to pass drug screen/ background check Complete your application on line at www.naonsite.com Production / Manufacturing Vance, Alabama Starting pay: $12.00 – $14.50 /hr. • Have 2 years+ Production/ Manufacturing experience.

• Have Recently Lived in Alabama at least 2 years. • Have A High School Diploma or GED. • Are at least 18 years old. Complete your application on line at www. naonsite.com Odyssey Early Schools.

Birmingham’s Best Daycare/ Preschool is Seeking Experienced Teachers. 4 Year Degree Preferred. Full-Time.

BEST Pay. FULL Benefits (Insurance, Leave, Holidays).

Call Annie Fine 205-9910039.

Oxford Healthcare in Montgomery currently hiring certified CNA’s and/or Home Health aides in the Clanton, Marbury and Maplesville areas. Must be able to pass complete background check, have reliable transportation and have a strong work ethic.

Serious inquires only. Call 334-409-0035 or apply on-line at www.Oxfordhealthcare.com Class A CDL Drivers Needed Immediately for Dump Trailer Hauling • $2000 Retention Bonus • Local Hauling • Home Nights APPLY ONLINE: www.perdidotrucking.com Perdido Trucking Service, LLC 251-470-0355

CLOCK REPAIR SVS. * Setup * Repair * Maintenance. I can fix your Mother’s clock.

Alabaster/Pelham. Call Stephen (205)663-2822 Electrician - FT Supreme Electric, local-based company in Pelham. Must be willing to learn & work hard. Go to: supremeelectric-al.com Print employment application under Contact Us. Mail to: Supreme Electric 231 Commerce Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124 or call 205-453-9327.

TARGET AUCTION Advanced Real Estate Marketing 800-476-3939 www.targetauction.com

Move in Special! 3/2 Garden Home w/garage. Dishwasher, Fenced backyard, Great Room w/vaulted Ceiling.

Calera Schools. Rent $1150.

FLAT SCREEN TV!! (205)4339811

TaylorMade Transportation Hiring CDL Drivers for Flatbed Regional Division! BCBS Insurance After 30 Days. To apply call: (334)366-2269 or email: s.smith@taylormadeinc. com

The Salvation Army, Alabaster, is hiring (Seasonal) Angel Tree Coordinator • Kettle Coordinator • Required Skills: Driver, databases, computer, physical abilities.

Email resumes to: Rufus.

McDowell@uss.salvationarmy. org 205-663-7105

Learn a Skill & Begin your Career! Earn $50,000 & More First Year. Hiring Hard Working Insulation & Afterpaint Installers!

•Immediate Openings •We Train you to Succeed.

Requirements: •Valid DL •Drug Test •MVR •Background Check. www. truteam.com/careers or 205.428.9381

Soon the Mark of the Beast Will Be Enforced. Free Book & Bible Study. PO Box 171 • Samantha, AL 35482 205339-4837 Order Selectors Food Dist.

Center in Pelham Day-Shift: Mon-Fri. 40+ hours/week 10:00AM until finished (varies). Salary: $16-20/hr after training. Benefits: Medical, vision, dental, vacation & 401k. Requirements: •Reading & math skills •Lift 40 lbs. repetitively •Work in -10 Temperature Apply in person: 8:30AM-5:00PM Southeastern Food 201 Parker Drive Pelham, Alabama 35124 resume@southeasternfood. com Immediate Positions!!!!

Positions needed: Warehouse • Sales Reps • Assistant Manager • Delivery Drivers • Customer Service. Laid back atmosphere, good pay, plenty of hours available!

Company vehicles to qualified individuals! Call Andrew 9am7pm • Mon-Sat at (205)4901003 or (205)243-6337

The Painting Company of Birmingham Immediate openings for professional residential and commercial painters. Must be able to speak English. Call 205-995-5559 Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstonedentalassisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!

WCA • Roll Off Drivers needed for our Alpine, AL location. Class A or B CDL is required along with one (1) year of verifiable equivalent commercial truck driving experience. Must have a valid and safe driving record. We offer competitive wages & a comprehensive benefits package which includes: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k, Life Insurance, Short & Long Term Disability, Paid Holidays and PTO. Please apply through our website at www.wcawaste.com EOE M/F/D/V WARRIOR MET COAL NOW HIRING Located in Brookwood, AL Immediate need for experienced: •Underground Miners •Electricians •Maintenance Foreman •Supervisors Apply online: www.warriormetcoal.com NOW HIRING: •Master Plumber •Experienced Plumber’s Helper •Experienced Plumber Call 205-755-8555 Tree Nursery Worker Needed Responsible w/ mechanical skills, to operate forklift/farm tractors/ equipment/welding/ ground maintenance/service equipment/check fluid levels/ clean after use. Maintain safe/ clean area. Requires valid-DL/ reliable transportation. 334365-2488 Wiregrass Construction Company is seeking experienced asphalt CDL TRUCK DRIVERS. Must be dependable. Excellent benefits. Interested applicants may apply: 951 Dow Street.

Pelham, AL 35124.(205)6204132 or 151 Piper Lane.

Alabaster, AL 35007 (205)6050753. 8AM to 5PM, M-F. WCC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Opies Transport, Inc. NOW HIRING Class A Truck Drivers.

Needing to find a home? We are it. Apply today! 800-3419963 or opiestransport.com

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WHY I LOVE SHELBY COUNTY

Yvonne Murray

Economic Development Director of 58 Inc. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Yvonne Murray, 33, is a product of the county for which she’s now leading economic development initiatives. She grew up in the Oak Mountain area of unincorporated Shelby County and lives in Helena with her husband and daughter.

She most recently spent the last decade at the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham in economic development before joining 58 Inc. this fall.

She and her husband have had a lot of automotive hobbies. Fun fact: They met while working at automotive performance shops in the region.

How did you become economic development director of 58 Inc.?

It was a tough move to make! I still consider many of my former coworkers at the RPCGB as family and miss them dearly.

When this opportunity came up, I knew that I had to at least give it a shot. I’m close to my home and back in the area that I grew up in.

It just felt right. My career background in economic development finance, entrepreneurship, and organizational 82 ShelbyLiving.com

management are what helped me get the position.

What projects or initiatives have you worked on since joining the organization?

We spent those initial months getting to know the lay of the land and making sure that people know who we are and what we are here for. It was no accident that we share space with the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce as we have partnered with them heavily on so much already. As I was coming on board, McLeod Software was looking to relocate to a larger headquarters to consolidate its 300+ employees into one location. The county plunged me into that right away, and we are thrilled that they are moving to Meadowbrook this year. We’re partnering with Greg Knighton, Hoover’s economic developer that came on in December, to plan ways to bring attention to that park and re-invigorate it. Next, we really wanted to tackle the existing business community by establishing a schedule of Business Retention and Expansion visits.

We go in and meet with on average three businesses each week to discuss what they’ve got going on and what they need. We use that information collected to drive what programming and responsive activity we implement. From those visits we successfully partnered with the City of Columbiana on a Hiring Fair, and we’ve helped establish an apprenticeship program (the first of many) with employers ready to hire and train needed workforce. This model is really exciting because it allows a recent high school graduate, unemployed person, or existing employee looking to grow to work and go to school at no cost. The company gets to train an employee while they’re learning and scale the wage as their skills increase.

What would you like to see happen in Shelby County in the next 5-10 years?

I would love for us to grow our population/ workforce and do so in a prepared and intentional way. I want to see our college graduates come back to live here, and I want them to bring their friends. I want to see people start new businesses here and further

diversify our economy. I want us to bring new jobs to the region and put them closer to where our people live, so that we don’t have high commute times and heavy traffic.

However, when I say in an “intentional way,” I mean that I want us to do all of these things while preserving the beauty and character of our county.

What’s your favorite local spot?

That is a tough choice! My family moved to Helena because of the trails and parks, so we love the waterfall in Old Town. I love taking business breakfasts to Pelham Diner.

Did you know that they have pancakes the size of hubcaps?! And lately, I’ve been gathering a list of local goods for gift baskets, and I’m obsessed with the bath bombs from Buff City Soaps on 280. Seriously, they’re the best bath bombs I’ve ever used.

What’s some advice you would give your 15-year-old self?

Just listen. The most valuable life/work skill is to be able to listen – whether that means listening to the world around you to understand and collect information for what you are doing, listening to the person in front of you to feel what they are feeling and better communicate, or listening to your body when it is time to rest.

What is something interesting people might not know about you?

I love most things automotive. I have had lifted trucks and Jeeps that are heavily modified and taken off-road/”rock crawling.”

I have had motorcycles and four-wheelers, and I’ve had a variety of modified cars. Right now my focus is on my 1983 Jeep Wagoneer.

It’s an antique technically, but it will soon have some modern twists.

Why do you love Shelby County?

It’s that “local” character and beautiful landscape. Having grown up in this area, I love being close to my family and raising our daughter here. And I love that my friends have come back and are raising their kids here. I love the outdoors options that we have and am super excited that the County is working on Cahaba River Park in Helena!

ADMISSION

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84 ShelbyLiving.com

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