Vestavia Hills Magazine, October/November 2019

MISS MYRA’S BAR-B-Q • LEADERSHIP VESTAVIA HILLS PROJECT LEGACIES • ILLUSTRATIONS BY HOLLY HOLLON

BEADED WITH PURPOSE EMPOWERING UGANDAN WOMEN

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019 VestaviaHillsMagazine.com Volume Three | Issue Five $4.95

FULL HOUSE A STORY OF ADOPTION

Karen Watson has two guiding principles for providing great customer service.

Can you guess what they are?

In eight years of helping customers with everything from billing questions to establishing new service, Customer Service Representative Karen Watson has applied two basic principles.

“It’s all about treating people the way you would want to be treated and being knowledgeable about the company’s policies,” Karen said.

“When I’m the customer, I want and expect great service. So, I’m always determined to give that to our customers.”

In fact, even if you’re not a SouthWest Water Company customer, Karen can be helpful. She keeps a current list of the customer service lines for all of the major utilities in the area, to help make certain any caller gets the help they need.

Karen says, “The company invests in us, to make sure we have the training and skills we need to be effective in dealing with whatever issue a customer may have. So, call me. If I can’t assist you, I will find someone who can.”

SouthWest Water Company is committed to providing every customer with the best possible service—every day and in every way. Karen Watson and her guiding principles help us make good on that commitment.

To learn more, visit CleanerCahaba.info.

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At the University of Montevallo, you will enjoy small classes, personalized attention, engaging student activities and abundant opportunities for real-world experience.

You will emerge a well-rounded, highly educated individual who isn’t just ready for the world — you’re ready to change it.

Here, students don’t merely fit in, they find a place to call home. You will discover a new family where you belong. So, schedule a tour — come see for yourself why You belong at the University of Montevallo.

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FEATURES 54

PARTY PIZZAZZ Step up your fall or holiday parties with a little DIY. Here are some tips to style your own grazing boards and floral arrangements.

62

120 AFRICAN WOMEN & THEIR FRIEND CHELSIE How one Vestavia Hills resident brought an industry to a village in Uganda.

70

CHANGE AGENTS

PHOTO BY KAREN ASKINS

These Leadership Vestavia Hills projects are transforming the community years after their inception.

4 October/November 2019

41

54

PHOTO BY MARY FEHR

arts & culture

17 Whimsy in Writing: The Heart Behind Holly Hollon’s Illustrations 24 Read This Book: Titles to Read with Elementary Children

schools & sports

25 Mrs. P’s Class of Fun: Audrey Pharo’s Kindergarten Years 32 Five Questions For: Liberty Park Principal Abbie Freeman

food

& drink

33 Smokehouse Standard: Miss Myra’s Beloved Barbecue Joint

in every issue 6 Contributors 7 From the Editor 8 #VestaviaHillsMag 10 The Question 11 The Guide 78 Out & About 86 Marketplace 88 My Vestavia Hills

40 Five Questions For: Baumhower’s Victory Grill

home

& style

41 Party of Eight: The Waltchacks’ Modern Farmhouse Design 51 At Home: Fall Blues 52 In Style: Snazzy in Snakeskin

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 5

contributors EDITORIAL

Graham Brooks Stephen Dawkins Alec Etheredge Briana Harris Madoline Markham Keith McCoy Scott Mims Emily Sparacino

CONTRIBUTORS

Abby Adams Karen Askins Mallory Barry Christina Brockman Jessica Clement James Culver Mary Fehr Melanie Peeples Katie Roth Emma Simmons Elizabeth Sturgeon Lauren Ustad Courtney Wright

DESIGN

Jamie Dawkins Kate Green Connor Martin-Lively

MARKETING

Darniqua Bowen Kristy Brown Kari George Caroline Hairston Rachel Henderson Daniel Holmes Rhett McCreight Kim McCulla Jordan Price Viridiana Romero Briana Sanders Jessica Steelman Kerrie Thompson

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

6 October/November 2019

Karen Askins, Photographer

Karen received her first 35mm camera at 21. Once a hobby, photography has grown into a second career. She and her husband, David, have called Vestavia home for 33 years. They have two daughters and sons-in-law: Jordan and Christopher Lawrence and baby Mary Elle, and Devon and Tristan Hughes, students at University of South Alabama Medical School and Harrison School of Pharmacy.

Christina Brockman, Floral Designer & Stylist

Based in Cahaba Heights, Huckleberry Collective is a lifestyle brand focused on hosting, styling, florals, recipes and everyday life. Christina is the food and flower enthusiast and the face behind Huckleberry Collective.

Christina’s passion for all things creative fuels the business. Her love of food and flowers thrives through combining ingredients to carefully create a delicious or beautifully curated finished product!

Emma Simmons, Writer & Photographer

As a wanderluster with a serious addiction to her parents’ cooking, Emma is thrilled to be in the ‘Ham, only a short drive away from their dinner table in Vestavia Hills. When she’s not plugging away as the digital executive producer at CBS 42, she’s probably scheming up ways to turn her black thumb green or make her dog Mazzy Insta-famous. Some of her favorite things include: sunshine, long baths, fuzzy socks and conversations with strangers.

Courtney Wright, Stylist

Courtney Wright (@savor_style) combines her love of food and entertaining by creating custom grazing boards and styled spreads for a variety of events. At the heart of Savor Style is her desire to encourage people to gather and connect, and the belief that no occasion is too small to celebrate. Courtney is also mom to 2-year-old triplets (@southernsoiree), who constantly remind her what it means to savor each moment in the midst of chaos.

Vestavia Hills Magazine is published bimonthly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Vestavia Hills 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, Vestavia Hills Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Vestavia Hills Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Vestavia Hills, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit VestaviaHillsMagazine.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $16.30 for one year by visiting VestaviaHillsMagazine.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.

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

from the editor

I

ON THE COVER

The Waltchack Home

Derek and Rushton Waltchack’s home will be part of an open house to raise money and awareness for adoption this fall.

Photo by Lauren Ustad Design by Connor Martin-Lively

I rewatched one of my favorite movies as we were wrapping up this issue. About Time is about time travel, but not like you think. The quintessentially British Tim Lake can go back to different scenes in his life and relive them, altering the course of what’s to come or simply savoring a particularly delightful memory. At first he uses it to assist in his love life, to go in for the New Year’s kiss instead of chickening out and to perfect the art of talking to the opposite sex when attraction is involved. But the more he progresses through marriage and parenthood, beauty and loss, the less he travels. “I just try to live everyday as if I have deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy it…” he says in the film, “as if it was the full, final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life.”

In some ways the stories in this issue are indeed extraordinary. With the women she had met in Uganda tugging at her heart, Chelsie Hanna quit her corporate job and got on a plane with a vision of growing a sense of community and enterprise for them. Derek and Rushton Waltchack travelled to China three separate times to bring home three of their daughters to join their family. Myra Grissom Harper, a longtime barber, started playing around in a barbecue pit in 1985, and today her craft has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal and Food Network.

But in other ways these folks’ stories are steeped in the ordinary too.

Chelsie spends most of her days working to benefit the women of Uganda from her home office/jewelry storage display and storage space near Vestavia Country Club. Much of the Waltchacks’ time looks like making breakfasts and lunches and dinners and watching as their kids play in the backyard. Myra is now enjoying retirement while her daughter and son-in-law run her Cahaba Heights restaurant these days.

Just as I hope to savor the simplest of the extraordinary, ordinary moments in the day-to-day of life—the good conversation with a friend, the morning porch sitting with a crispness hinting at fall weather to come, the gooeyness of the chocolate chip cookie that’s just come out of my oven, even just resting as my head hits the pillow at night—I hope these pages remind you to do the same. After all, it was countless days starting in a room with kindergartners that led us to write about Audrey Pharo. It was brainstorming meetings in ordinary rooms that led to the Leadership Vestavia Hills projects we are highlighting in this issue. It’s in her home office with her two young daughters nearby that Holly Hollon brings her illustrations to life. And it’s goods we can easily find in the stores around us in Vestavia that we used to make food and florals a bit extraordinary for a fall styled shoot at Leaf & Petal.

Cheers to our extraordinary, ordinary lives, and the particular moments we get to relish in this fall!

madoline.markham@vestaviahillsmagazine.com VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 7

#VestaviaHillsMag

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

@1rebelbaseball Rebel baseball alum and current @hcdiamondhawks player @josh_ stevens14 recently spent time in the Dominican Republic teaching the game to some local kiddos. We love to see our guys spreading the love of baseball and giving back to the community...it’s truly the #rebeledge!

@cradleandbee Getting game day ready at the new Cradle + Bee || Grand Opening is August 2nd

@eatbendys We are so blessed to be a part of the Cahaba Heights community! We truly are encouraged by all the people who have stopped by and left us notes. We can’t thank you enough for your love and support! See you tomorrow! #scoopeatrepeat #cahabaheights #beyondblessed

8 October/November 2019

@swlee15 Hard to believe next week my sweet Charlotte will be heading to kindergarten. She was excited to wake up to this sign in our yard.

M O D E R N N E W B O R N + C H I L D + FA M I LY P O R T R A I T U R E INFOAPEPPERMINTPHOTO.COM | 205.807.6431 H E I R LO O M A L B U M S | A R C H I VA L Q UA L I T Y P O R T R A I T S

W W W . A P E P P E R M I N T P H O T O . C O M VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 9

“ ” THE QUESTION

What’s the best part of fall in Vestavia Hills?

Friday night football at Thompson Reynolds Stadium!

-Martha Manley

-Erin Labrato

The trees on Grants Mill Road

St. Mark pumpkin patch!

Dinners with family and friends on the outside patio of Diplomat Deli! Eating my favorite Reuben sandwich with hot chili, while also drinking an Angry Orchard.

Being able to shop at an empty Publix during Alabama football games.

The mannequin’s costume on Canyon Road

The excitement in the air as Pizitz and Vestavia High play football games.

Streets lined with pumpkins and mums as neighborhoods fly their college flags.

-Heather Kelly Allegrezza

-Karla Johnson Thomas

-Katherine Sloan Kren

10 October/November 2019

West Carnival! The bounce house, the cake walk, the costumes. Such a happy time in my life as a child, I wish I could go back!

-Ashley Hunt Gentry

-Lisa Stout Booher

-Steve Bendall

THE GUIDE

REBELS VARSITY FOOTBALL Here’s to hoping the Rebels have some playoff games scheduled come November.

Don your red and blue, and we’ll see you at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. All games start at 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: at Hewitt-Trussville Oct. 11: vs. Thompson Oct. 18: at Hoover Oct. 25: vs. Oak Mountain Nov. 1: at Huffman Photo by Karen Askins VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 11

THE GUIDE

WHAT TO DO IN VESTAVIA

OCT. 26

OCT. 8 Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Luncheon State of the City Vestavia Country Club 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

OCT. 9 + 16 + 23 Beginner Zumba Series Library in the Forest 6:30-7:30 p.m.

OCT. 12 Brazil Day Festival Horizon Church Parking Lot 2345 Columbiana Road 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Heights Hero 5K and Fun Run The Heights Village Cahaba Heights 8 a.m. 5K, 9:30 a.m. Heroes Challenge Run through the neighborhood streets of

Cahaba Heights while benefitting the Vestavia Elementary Cahaba Heights PTO. The fun run will have age-based divisions.

Registration is $20 for the 5K until Oct. 8 and $30 afterward.

NOV. 14

Bid ‘n Buy Luncheon Vestavia Country Club Did you know there’s a Sybil Temple Foundation that maintains the grounds at the entrance of our city, and that a great way to support it is coming up at a Vestavia Hills Garden Club luncheon at auction? You can bid on auction items including dinners for a week, Thanksgiving dinner for eight, cakes, pies, candies, soups, casseroles and more made by garden club members, as well as Sybil Treasures with vintage items and garden jewelry and more. The silent auction will also feature packages like “A Night on The Town,” “Holiday Help” and “For My Garden.” For reservations call 205-222-1817.

12 October/November 2019

OCT. 15 Family Night- Cap’n Dave Library in the Forest 6 p.m. Dinner 6:30-7:15 p.m. Program OCT. 24 Friends of the Library Presents The Titanic Library in the Forest 10-11:30 a.m.

OCT. 25 Spooktacular Library in the Forest 6:30-8 p.m.

NOV. 7 Salute to Veterans Celebration Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church 1:30-4 p.m.

NOV. 7 OLLI: History of Theatre Through the Ages Part 1 Library in the Forest 1:30-3 p.m.

NOV. 11 Veterans Day Vestavia Hills City Schools Closed NOV. 12 Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Vestavia Country Club

THE GUIDE 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

NOV. 15 Friends of the Library Presents The Southern Museum of Flight Library in the Forest 10-11:30 a.m.

NOV. 19 Family Night- Animal Tales “Holiday Safari” Library in the Forest 6 p.m. Dinner 6:30-7:15 p.m. Program NOV. 21 OLLI: The History of Theatre Through the Ages Part 2 Library in the Forest 1:30-3 p.m.

DEC. 3 Tree Lighting Festival Vestavia Hills City Hall 1032 Montgomery Highway 6 p.m.

CHURCHES

Holiday Markets Already dreading what to buy that impossible-to-buy-for special someone in your life? Not to fear.

Stop by one of these markets full of hand-crafted items, and have it ready to wrap before Thanksgiving hits.

Magical Marketplace Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church Friday, Nov. 15 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Holiday Market Saint Mark United Methodist Church Saturday, Nov. 9 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

More than 80 vendors will be selling arts and crafts, clothes, candles and scents, housewares, wooden items, toys, jewelry and more. You’ll also find a decadent array of baked goods for sale.

Find handmade items and all kinds of gift items and baked goods for sale, plus a coffee shop, and all proceeds go toward missions at the church and in the community.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 13

THE GUIDE OCT. 17

AROUND TOWN OCT. 3-5 Greek Food Festival Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral OCT. 4-6 Southern Women’s Show BJCC OCT. 4-6 Barber Vintage Motorcycle Festival Barber Motorsports Festival OCT. 5 Bluff Park Art Show Bluff Park Community Center

Dunn Golf Tournament

Center in Coach Dunn’s memory. This year anyone in the community, particularly alumni of the Rebel Baseball Program, are invited In his 27 years as a coach at Vestavia Hills to participate in the tournament along with High School from 1978-2004, Sammy a ladies’ luncheon and silent auction will be Dunn’s baseball teams won nine state titles and a national championship, with an overall Thursday, Oct. 17 at Greystone Legacy.

Registration forms will be available on record of 647-146. Now the Vestavia Hills 1rebelathletics.com/baseball, and you can High School Baseball program hosts a golf contact Martha Manley (manleyme@ tournament to honor Coach Dunn and the impact he made on VHHS. Last year it raised vestavia.k12.al.us) or Head Coach Jamie Harris (harrisje@vestavia.k12.al.us) with any close to $90,000, with a portion of them going to the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer questions.

Greystone Legacy

NOV. 14

Deck the Heights Shops of Cahaba Heights 5-8 p.m.

Get a head start on holiday shopping when businesses stay open late throughout Cahaba Heights. Plus, there will be refreshments, arts and crafts, pop-up shops, sales and more festivities. A trolley will make for easy transport between shops in the area, and you can fill a Heights Passport for a chance to win prizes and free Doodles.

14 October/November 2019

OCT. 6 Cahaba River Fry-Down Benefits Cahaba River Society Railroad Park OCT. 6 Magic City Mac + Cheese Festival Brookwood Village Macy’s Upper Parking Lot 1-4 p.m.

OCT. 6 Vulcan AfterTunes: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram Vulcan Park and Museum 3 p.m.

OCT. 12 Susan G. Komen North Central Alabama Race for the Cure Regions Field OCT. 20 Breakin’ Bread Pepper Place OCT. 29 Hocus Pocus Tonight at the Wright Movie Night Samford University Wright Center NOV. 1-10 You Can’t Take It With You Virginia Samford Theatre

THE GUIDE NOV. 2 Dia de los Muertos Pepper Place NOV. 2-3 Moss Rock Festival The Preserve, Hoover NOV. 12 National Veterans Day Parade Downtown Birmingham NOV. 20-23 Market Noel Presented by the Junior League of Birmingham The Finley Center Hoover Metropolitan Complex NOV. 21-24 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical Virginia Samford Theatre NOV. 23-24 Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!

BJCC Concert Hall

BUSINESSES

Now Open In Cahaba Heights, new boutique Cradle & Bee has opened in Heights Village, and The Retreat Day Spa, 3920 Crosshaven Drive, Suite 100, now offers massage therapy, facials, manicures and pedicures, waxing, spa parties and more from its new home. Over at 2114 Columbiana Road, two sisters have stocked new boutique The Sassy Peacock with Earth Creation clothing, market furniture and consignment items. There are also two new DIY workshops open in the Highway 31 area: Makers (makersbham.com) behind Bruster’s at 720 Old Town Road and Board & Brush Creative Studio at 2017 Canyon Road.

OCT. 2-13

Shop Save & Share Shops Throughout Vestavia Hills and Birmingham

We’re all about an excuse to shop for a good cause, and you can’t beat the Junior League of Birmingham’s Shop Save & Share fundraiser. A digital or printed Shop Save & Share card costs $40, and then you receive a 20 percent discount at more than 500 participating businesses—including at least 50 in Vestavia Hills alone. You can purchase and download a card at ShopSaveandShare.net or on the Planet Fundraiser app.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 15

16 October/November 2019

&CULTURE

ARTS

WHIMSY IN WRITING

There’s a heart and a story behind every detail in Holly Hollon’s illustrations.

BY ELIZABETH STURGEON PHOTOS BY MARY MARGARET SMITH | STYLING BY CASEY SNIPES VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 17

H

Holly Hollon remembers begging for a Gourmet magazine. She was with her mom at the grocery store when it first caught her eye. Sure, the pink frosted cake resonates with her “unapologetically feminine” side, but it was really the words on the cover that struck her—twirling and stunningly handwritten.

She remembers studying the text and imitating the style over and over, a fascination that paralleled her love for Fanny McFancy children’s books and their whimsical script. Although she didn’t always want to pursue illustration, these childhood sparks mark her first attachment to calligraphy.

After graduating from Auburn University with a

18 October/November 2019

degree in graphic design, Holly began a career in advertising before transitioning to be a full-time illustrator. Her freelance work picked up in 2011 after investing in her calligraphy skillset, and she’s since expanded from wedding invitations and stationery into small business branding.

Departing from the tightness of traditional calligraphy, Holly’s work is whimsical in a way she’s grown to love. “I just dove in rather than waiting for it to be perfect. It was personal (and) real, and didn’t feel like it was made on a computer,” she says. Although she tried to perfect her letters in the beginning, she sees how her style has emerged through the distinctly handwritten qualities. “I

Holly Hollon designed this logo for her neighbor’s business.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 19

DIXIE DESIGN COLLECTIVE Along with her own business and her past advertising experience, Holly also helped direct and launch Dixie Design Collective, an online stationery company where she still serves as a creative consultant. Like beautiful script, Holly has always loved stationery, ever since she would design and color her own greeting cards as a child. “The tangible has always been important to me and my work,” she says. embrace the imperfection of the hand. Not all of my letters look exactly the same.”

Her inked marks curl lightly, and they’re often paired with soft color inspired by decorative Chinoiserie style. Light pours into her studio, nested inside her Cahaba Heights mid-century ranch. Among prints, papers and inks is a small apprentice’s station for Biscuit, her 3-year-old daughter who’s taken up quite the confidence in design, told by her watercolors displayed along the walls.

Holly uses a modern method of calligraphy in her looser style, but she has not lost any of the decorative qualities. She calls herself a maximalist, using ample intimate detail that brings elegance to 20 October/November 2019

invitations, crests, illustrations and logos.

Right now, one of her favorite parts of her job is creating packages for small business owners, including a logo and other branding materials. “So many women are starting their own businesses, and the corporate look is not what they all need.

They want something that feels personal, elegant and unique to them,” she says. Her specific interest in calligraphy, her background in graphic design and her feminine taste come together on these projects.

Though all of her work is united by her use of line, color and type, Holly relies on the meaning and heart behind each individual story. “Every project easily becomes my favorite,” she says. She

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8/29/2019 8:49:15 AM

learns the story behind a business or studies the destination of a wedding, leading to illustrations tied so tightly to those concepts.

For example, Holly created a package for the lifestyle brand Huckleberry Collective that reflects both the business itself and founder Christina Brockman (who’s also Holly’s neighbor.) The logo takes the form of a crest, decked with fruits and vegetables, flowers, and a rolling pin, topped with a hot-air balloon at the crest’s point and Christina’s dachshund Basil resting under the arch. Holly incorporated each element carefully to demonstrate Huckleberry Collective’s work to elevate the everyday and Christina’s own personality.

The intricate weaving of details exudes the depth of each business. “My work is conceptual. Every element has a purpose, and nothing is fluff,” Holly says. The same dedication to individuality and heart bleeds into all that she does.

Often, Holly digs into the sense of place behind each project, bringing out the unique traditions and textures. For a destination wedding in Portugal, her 22 October/November 2019

designs resemble the pink marble columns, blue flowers, and vivid tiles that fell right in with Holly’s go-to color palette. “I love to be inspired by the couple and the things that are important to them,” she says.

For best-selling author Martha Hall Kelly, Holly too dove into place and story, only with fictional characters. The novels Lilac Girls and Lost Roses both include character maps that Holly illustrated, with winding lines connecting each landmark. She created Sofya’s Paris and Caroline’s New York, tying the cities themselves to each character’s personal journey.

The soulful story behind anyone is what drives Holly’s work to be what it is. “Even if I’m working on something of my own, I have to imagine a client,” she says. The core of her designs is the individual, and the artistic background she has allows her to perfectly tell each story.

Learn more about Holly’s work at hollyhollon. com or follow her on Instagram @hollychollon.

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READ THIS BOOK

Titles to Read with Elementary Children Recommendations from

Leslie Sharbel

Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights Teacher Librarian

Every day I get to read great children’s literature to my students in the hopes of inspiring a love of reading. I think it is important to let children select their own books to read for fun, and I encourage parents to read with or to your child as much as possible, and for as many years as you can. Just because they can read themselves does not mean they are too old to be read to! That being said, here are a few books that I think everyone should read at some point in their lives.

Because of Winn Dixie

by Kate DiCamillo Kate DiCamillo is one of the finest writers of our time. She writes with thoughtfulness and compassion, and is a master at noticing and writing about the small details that describe a character or setting. She writes chapter books, picture books and series books for early readers. I recommend reading all of her books; they are guaranteed to stick with you!

Frindle

by Andrew Clements Clements has written many books that focus on young people and how creative they can be in solving their own problems. This particular book is one that will get you thinking on a deeper level. It’s all about words and language and why we call things a “pencil” or a “flower.” Who says we have to abide by those rules?

The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate A hands-down favorite of just about every student, Ivan is told from the point of view of an ape who is caged and on display in a mall for decades, based on a true story. Through a free verse style of writing, the story evolves slowly and thoughtfully, and is profound in the way it portrays the thoughts and ideas of this mighty ruler of the jungle.

Thank you, Mr. Falker

by Patricia Polacco Polacco, my favorite author of picture books, draws on her own experiences and family history to create truly memorable stories. In this particular book, she tells of the experience of a young girl suffering from dyslexia.

Books like this are a great way to develop compassion in children, and help them see problems and situations from a different point-of-view. Read all of her books too.

The Book with No Pictures

by B.J. Novak If you want to see a child laugh like crazy, read this book. But I warn you, they will ask you to read it again, and again and again! This book is a great segway into books with no words: David Wiesner books (The Three Pigs, Flotsam, Hurricane, Free Fall to name a few), Zoom (by I. Banyai), and books by Bill Thomsom (Chalk and The Typewriter). With these books, you can create a different story each time you read the book!

24 October/November 2019

SCHOOL

&SPORTS

MRS. P’S CLASS OF FUN Audrey Pharo forged unforgettable bonds in her kindergarten classroom at West.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 25

A

Audrey Mize Daniel spotted a familiar site at a real estate open house this summer: a painting full of cartoon mice. To the outside eye, it would come across a bit random and bizarre. But Audrey knew exactly what it was. At the center stood the Number 1 Mouse and surrounding it the Alabama Mouse, Auburn Mouse and so on—all names any former kindergarten student in Audrey Pharo’s class at Vestavia Hills Elementary West from 1977 to 2008 would know.

To some Mrs. Pharo’s classroom looked like Disney World. To others it looked like chaos. Letter people hung from the ceiling, mannequins dressed for the current season or theme were scattered around the room, an old-fashioned bathtub was filled with stuffed animals. Over the years the Statue of Liberty, Aladdin’s flying carpet and other pieces of sets from the annual play Mrs. Pharo directed ended up in the room to stay too. Over on her door, class photos from 1976 on were posted for her former students to find. “I am not sure it could have physically held any more stuff,” recalls Casey O’Dell,

26 October/November 2019

Audrey Mize Daniel’s kindergarten classmate from 1987-88 and lifelong friend.

And then there were the mice. Mrs. Pharo had saved a plastic mouse penny bank from when she was a child in the 1950s, and when she started teaching, she named him the Number 1 mouse and filled his suitcase with clothes. Each Friday she rewarded one student for their behavior that week with the star mouse to take home for the weekend.

Then a parent found another mouse bank just like it at a garage sale, and then another parent did, and the collection grew and grew as parents sewed different costumes for each mouse. By the early 1990s the classroom mice were a part of Mrs. Pharo’s kindergarten class photo each year.

“Eventually we would line up the mice before we lined up the kids,” Mrs. Pharo recalls.

Kindergarten with Mrs. Pharo meant celebrations galore and magical moments, but it was more than that too. “I don’t remember any other grade (in elementary school) or who was in my class, but I can tell you almost everyone who was in our

Mrs. Pharo, in costume and out, with her students Audrey Mize Daniel and Casey O’Dell in the late 1980s.

kindergarten class and we’re almost all still friends,” Casey says.

“She pushed friendship and being nice to one another,” Audrey echoes. There’s no doubt a year in Mrs. Pharo’s room was memorable, even for 5-year-olds.

“Sad, sad, very sad, Mrs. Pharo is very sad,” Mrs. Pharo would say in a sing-song way when she was disappointed in a student and Casey can still recite it. “And everyone would just melt,” Audrey says of those moments. They also remember the Auburn rug at the front of the classroom that Mrs. Pharo said would turn anyone who touched it into an Auburn fan. “The Alabama fans would jump over it, and if you accidentally stepped on it, you’d say ‘Oh no I am an Auburn fan now!’” Casey recalls.

After teaching kindergarten for 10 years in upstate New York in a town called Vestal at the start of her career, Mrs. Pharo (then Ms. Sanders) moved South and taught one year at Vestavia Hills Elementary East before becoming the first kindergarten teacher at West when it opened in 1977. With her she brought her letter people, a set of 26 balloons each with a different character to represent a different letter to help teach phonics.

Mr M had a munching mouth, Mr. T had tall teeth, Mr. Q married Mary Ms. U to make a “qu” sound, and parents made VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 27

costumes for them accordingly over the years, including wedding clothes for Mr. Q and Ms. U of course.

Another hallmark of a year with Mrs. Pharo was the annual musical that started with the Wizard of Oz and went on to cover the Disney classics: Snow White, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Annie, Beauty and the Beast, An American Tale. Her kindergarteners always played a chorus role—mice, fittingly, in An American Tale, and Arabian dancers in Aladdin— while the third graders auditioned for speaking roles. Each year with assistance from parents the sets and costumes were elaborate, and no detail was spared. “I stayed up til midnight every night (working on the plays), but I don’t regret a minute of it,” Mrs. Pharo recalls.

As you might have guessed to be a parent in Mrs. Pharo’s class was no small task either. They setup decorations, sewed costumes, built play sets, and each year they got a taste of what was to come leading up to open house. The parents were asked to make life-sized 3D models of their children topped with wigs and clothed with selections from 28 October/November 2019

their likeness’s wardrobe to be displayed that night.

At Christmas Mrs. Pharo dressed as Mrs. Claus and at Halloween she dressed as a mouse, but that night, Mrs. Pharo bought two sets of the same outfit so she could match her own double. Audrey Mize Daniel still has her dummy, nicknamed “Maudrey,” and she makes the occasional appearance at parties.

Cherlyn Murdock Grissett had certainly heard about Mrs. Pharo by the time she found out the youngest of her four children, Stephen Thomley, now age 25, would be in her class. “I was curious,” she says. “I always wanted to have her just once to see myself what it would be like, and we had an amazing year that we will never forget.”

She says there’s no way she’ll ever get rid of Stephen’s open house model or a memory book Mrs. Pharo had the parents make at the end of the year. “At the time I thought, ‘I don’t have time for this,’” she says about the book, “and we still have it and Stephen still treasures it.”

Cherlyn echoes a lot of what Casey and Audrey remember too. “If there was a holiday on the calendar, she was going to celebrate it in some way,

even the most minute holiday,” she says of Mrs. Pharo. “I think the rule was you were supposed to only have two recognized parties a year, but something happened for every holiday.”

But above all she remembers how Mrs. Pharo was a cheerleader for each and every student, in kindergarten and in the years to come, and how all her projects forged unforgettable bonds between the parents and kids that continue to today. “I still run into her, and I think she just remembers everybody,” Cherlyn says.

Mrs. Pharo retired from West in 2008 after her husband passed away, but her role as an educator was far from over.

Today you’ll find her tutoring office at Vestavia Bowl filled with the letter people and a few remaining mice—just as full of personality as her classroom.

Mrs. Pharo would tell you it’s just as full of magic too.

Back in her classroom days, parents would redecorate the classroom for a new holiday or season

once a month, and the kids would think the letter people did it. Another day Mr. M would bring them M&Ms. “I think they are magic,” she would tell her students. And to them they were—just as they are to the kids who learn about the letter people with sounds of rolling bowling balls and arcade games in the background today.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 29

SCHOOL & SPORTS

5

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Abbie Freeman

New Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park Principal PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Abbie Freeman is starting her 20th year in education, and Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park is starting its 20th year as a school. Freeman’s career has led her everywhere from Talladega County to the Florida Keys while Liberty Park was growing from a tiny population in a newly developed community to this year’s 610 students, as you can see in the faculty group pictures in the school office from over the years. Now that their journeys are converging with Freeman starting her first year as principal and second year as an administrator at the school, we chatted with her about where she’s come from and where the school is heading.

How did you get into education?

My major was originally pre-med and I was thinking pediatrics, but my parents were educators and I realized I was led into education. I started teaching fifth and fourth grade in Talladega County in a rural school that was grades 4-12. Then I was a reading coach and taught seniors who were having trouble passing the grad exam.

Eventually I got my master’s in instructional leadership and became National Board Certified in English language arts, and I became their assistant principal.

How did you get from Talladega to Liberty Park?

After 12 years in Talladega County, I became an assistant principal and later a principal at Hall-Kent Elementary in Homewood. Then my husband had an opportunity in the Florida Keys, and I got a principal job down there in the rural upper Keys. My husband loved the water, but I 30 October/November 2019

in a group with a student who maybe didn’t feel as wanted or needed before.

With our Leader in Me process at Liberty Park, we will focus on students’ You have been in a lot of different individual learning goals and in their schools. In light of that, what makes passions for their own gifts and being able to know what those gifts are at a Liberty Park unique?

This is a very high achieving school. You young age and being able to use them. are rarely in a school that has received a 100 We’re working on student leadership percent on any exam, and this school has. and shared leadership and looking at There’s amazing community and parent what our students at Liberty Park need support. If you dream it, you can make it from their individual perspectives with a happen. You don’t get that everywhere to high percentage of students who are put what you think will be powerful for gifted. children in place. It’s “learning without What’s something people might not limits.” know about you?

I love to cook with Hallmark on the What you are you looking forward to TV. My daughters really love my Chicken this school year?

In Talladega I also got to do innovative Wontons. My oldest daughter thinks instructional design in classrooms of all French Macarons don’t get any better ages. Once students discovered what than the ones I make. I also like to make their gifts were, others would want to be my grandmother’s sugar cookie recipe. missed home. I applied for assistant principal at Liberty Park and was so excited for my family to come back.

&DRINK

FOOD

SMOKEHOUSE STANDARD

There ain’t no bones to pick at Miss Myra’s beloved barbecue joint in Cahaba Heights.

BY EMMA SIMMONS PHOTOS BY EMMA SIMMONS VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 31

A

At Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q, “you can either eat good or smell good,” depending on your definition of a pleasant scent. The fatty fumes from the barbecue joint’s indoor, custom brick pit latch onto anything and everything that passes through the front door. The inescapable odor drove one smokeaverse Yelper to lodge the sole online complaint against the beloved mom-and-pop restaurant.

Unfazed, the staff offered a refund. In Miss Myra Grissom Harper’s eyes, a smokehouse could have worse problems. When it comes to the quality of the barbecue, no one’s had a bone to pick in three decades.

Since opening its doors in Cahaba Heights in 1985, Miss Myra’s hasn’t changed a thing about its slow-cooked, hickory-smoked barbecue.

“Our food is always going to taste the same. At McDonald’s, you’d expect it to taste like cardboard, every time. Our standards are no lower,” Myra jests.

32 October/November 2019

Landing on Andrew Zimmern’s (of the Food Network) bucket list of must-try restaurants, gracing Raymond Sokolov’s “Eating Out” column in the Wall Street Journal, becoming a swine sculpture sanctuary—these are things Myra’s just had to learn how to deal with over the years. The humble cook never aspired to appeal to food critics or famous chefs, yet she’s made an indelible impression on quite a few of them.

“God puts things in your lap, and you have to decide what to do with them,” she says with a pensive expression. “I had no intentions of ever being in the food business.”

Raised on a farm in Mississippi, Myra was a burly girl—the youngest of 10—who didn’t spend much time in the kitchen. Instead, she was milking cows and plowing fields. Despite raising hogs, barbecue was never on the menu.

“Farmers don’t barbecue unless they have some

Left: Miss Myra’s son-in-law Buck Wheat prepares to smoke a new batch of chicken.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 33

TOP-SELLING DISHES uPork uChicken, drenched with Miss Myra’s legendary white sauce uBanana Pudding uAll of the pies: Chocolate Chess, Lemon Ice Box, Coconut, Pecan, Peanut Butter, Key Lime and Chocolate Cream

money they can buy stuff with. Our pork was cooked on the stove, along with everything else,” Myra recalls.

It wasn’t until decades later, after Myra had married her second husband, Clark, that she started poking around in the pit. The couple, who’d been living in Thibodaux, Louisiana, moved to Birmingham in 1985 after Clark purchased a convenience store in Cahaba Heights boasting selfserve gas, cigarettes and a thousand kinds of candy.

Myra, a barber, swapped her styling scissors for some kitchen shears and started “playing around” in the shop’s 5-foot barbecue pit. The hairdresserturned-pitmaster whipped up three dishes that eventually attracted the attention of a Birmingham food critic, who’d stopped by on the way to his 34 October/November 2019

favorite fishing hole. The next time Myra saw him, he was in a suit, and he brought friends.

“He said, ‘Look, I never do this, but you obviously have not been in the food business for long. I want you to know I’m a food critic with The Birmingham News, and we’re gonna have an article on you tomorrow evening,’” Myra recounts.

Hours after the newspaper hit the streets, and over the next several days, high demand overwhelmed the small convenience store kitchen.

Myra and Clark soon decided they were in the wrong business, so they invested in a bigger barbecue pit.

Over the past 34 years, Miss Myra’s has been tantalizing taste buds with a marketing budget of zero.

Community gossip, free aromatic

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 35

Miss Myra (left) has now retired, and her daughter Rennae Wheat (right) and her husband, Buck, now run the restaurant.

36 October/November 2019

“

God puts things in your lap, and you have to decide what to do with them.

– Myra Grissom Harper

”

advertisement and hard work have been enough to sustain the long lines at the counter.

There’s a new Myra behind the register now too. In the 10 years since Miss Myra’s retirement, her daughter Rennae Wheat, son-in-law Buck Wheat and their daughter Myra have been cultivating their own loyal habitués. “There’s never been anybody to have a better daughter,” Myra says of Rennae, who’s been her right-hand woman since she was a little girl.

“Always followed her around. Still do,” Rennae says, smiling at Myra.

The Wheats get by with the help of their long-serving staff, who couldn’t be closer if they were blood relatives. Pearl, who’s worked with the family for two decades, is a stand-in for Miss Myra herself.

“Pearl loves the customers, and they love her. She tells me about when people come through, wanting to know if she’s Miss Myra. So I asked her, ‘What do you tell them?’ And she said, VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 37

38 October/November 2019

‘Sometimes I tell them yes if I’m real busy,” Myra says, chuckling.

Miss Myra knows her namesakes—the restaurant and the granddaughter—are in good hands. A pit stop for celebrities and creatures of habit alike, the family-run, Cahaba Heights staple is the kind of place where everything is made with a pinch of love. Where new grandmas show off baby photo albums. Where deceptive hosts bring in their own glassware. Where lovebirds first meet. And where barbecue aficionados can enjoy the best smoked chicken of their lives—don’t forget the white sauce.

Miss Myra’s is located at 3278 Cahaba Heights Road and can be reached at 205-967-6004.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 39

FOOD & DRINK

5

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Nic Johnson

Baumhower’s Director of Marketing PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

More than 75 new TV screens are broadcasting football games on Highway 31 this fall, all in one spot. Oh, and there are wings and beer, and other food and drinks too with the September opening of the new Baumhower’s Victory Grill next to the soon-to-be-renovated Wald Park (and a new Dunkin’ Donuts). We chatted with the folks behind the Alabama restaurant chain about what you’ll find inside their 11th location, and they also told us that kids eat free on Tuesday and you can catch “halftime” specials with some of their most popular dishes half off weekdays 2-6 p.m.

What will we see when we walk inside?

It will feature an open floor plan, along with modern wood, stone and metal finishes and open kitchens with food bars that guests can dine at. Our signature sports memorabilia and artifacts will still adorn the walls, but we’re also planning to incorporate some new design elements on the walls as well. Plus, there will be a state-of the-art sound system and of course TVs—lots of them! We expect to have at least 75 screens, so you’ll definitely be able to catch every game from every seat in the house.

He’s still actively involved in the daily operations. Now, after many years of working in the restaurants and then transitioning to the support side of the company, Bob’s oldest son Spencer Baumhower was recently named vice president of operations.

The Hot Bama Brown was featured on 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die. What is it exactly?

The Hot Brown was created by a hotel owner in Louisville, Kentucky, named Fred Schmidt who needed a hearty and unique dish for late night patrons who Can you talk about Bob Baumhower ventured into the restaurant at the hotel. and the family’s role in the restaurant He came up with an open-faced turkey sandwich topped with a Mornay sauce. chain?

Bob grew the chain from a single, We build the Hot Bama Brown on Texas counter-service restaurant on the toast and top it with roasted turkey breast, University of Alabama campus back in applewood-smoked bacon, vine-ripened 1981—running it every day himself, with tomatoes, our signature gooey Blanco his wife, Leslie, to nearly 40 years later we cheese, Parmesan and our scratch-made have restaurants all throughout the state mushroom and beef gravy. Then we give of Alabama and are continuing to grow. you a side of our garlic mashed potatoes Bob is the self-proclaimed “head fry cook” topped with more of that savory because he’s not afraid to roll up his mushroom and beef gravy. It’s a must try! sleeves and help out in the kitchen or buss tables, just like he did in the old days. What are a few of your most popular 40 October/November 2019

menu items?

Definitely the wings! Bob introduced Buffalo wings to the state of Alabama back in 1981, and it’s what we’ve been known for ever since. People also love our Black and White Chicken: char-grilled Mojo-marinated, lemon-pepper chicken breast served with our white barbecue sauce, broccoli and wild rice. We have 100 percent USDA choice custom grind burgers that are always fresh, never frozen. Spencer’s Gooey Fries is definitely one of our most popular dishes, too. We top our curly-q fries with our gooey Blanco cheese and bacon, and then serve it with a side of our scratch-made buttermilk ranch. It’s hard to beat!

Can you give us an overview of what the bar will offer?

We will have a great draft list that will highlight some of the area’s most popular local breweries. We’ll have twists on some legendary cocktails like margaritas, Moscow mules and mojitos, as well as an over-the-top Bloody Mary that will be great for NFL Sundays and a lot more.

We’ll even have a whole series of nonalcoholic craft beverages.

&STYLE

HOME

PARTY OF EIGHT This modern farmhouse was designed specifically with the Waltchacks in mind.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LESLEE MITCHELL VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 41

PHOTO BY LAUREN USTAD

42 October/November 2019

Family is clearly at the heart of Derek and Rushton Waltchack’s home.

Its bright white canvas is accented by bright, youthful decorative elements that exude a happy vibe. Rushton, an emerging artist who comes from a family of artists, has peppered the rooms with local artwork as well as family photos and space for her kids (and herself) to create new pieces. And there’s plenty of room for their six children—ages 14, 12, 9, 8, 6 and 6—to play too. But their home, and their family, didn’t appear overnight.

Rewinding back in time, Rushton lived in China for a year after college and fell in love with the people and culture there. “China was always woven into my life,” she says. “Once Derek and I were married, the idea of adoption was always part of the discussion for our family.”

Their family started with the blessing of three biological children, Rollins, Anne Rainey and Henry, but they knew their family wasn’t complete the moment their third child was born. The first day they were in the hospital, Rushton told Derek they also had a daughter in China. Unbeknownst to them, their daughter Mei Sims was born in China nine months later and came home in 2012.

A year later, Rushton felt another nudging. “I remember what road I was driving down when I felt a voice saying there’s one more (child) out there,” she recalls. “I thought that’s great, but I’m not going to tell Derek because he’s going to think I’m crazy.

So I told God that if I was hearing Him correctly, I needed Him to tell Derek, not me. Two days later Derek said, ‘Hey, I think we’re not done.’” Not too long later, Colley came to Birmingham at age 2 from China to join their family.

But their family was still not complete. “A couple of years later, after declaring we were finished having children over and over again, we saw a photo of a precious child in China and knew that she was our daughter,” Rushton recalls. Mimi came home a year ago. She and Colley were actually born only two days apart, so they are more like twins in many ways. And when she joined her sister and family in Birmingham, Mimi came home with a new physical home almost ready for move-in to join too.

The Waltchacks had lived in their 1950s ranch home for eight years, but with three bedrooms, the time had come to create more space. They enlisted Chris Reebals, a friend of theirs, and his architecture

and design firm to dream up a new house for the corner lot whose yard they didn’t want to leave.

Using the same footprint of the previous L-shaped house, Christopher Architecture & Interiors designed a new two-story modern farmhouse with the Waltchacks specifically in mind, right down to the space for two sets of washers and dryers in the laundry room. From the outside, the structure beneath the Alaskan cypress roof boasts Texas limestone and other rustic elements. It also engages both sides of the corner lot with a large porch with custom-cut cedar brackets on one side and a glassboxed family room on the other.

Inside the whole family can gather together at the oversized kitchen island, at the large pine dining table, in the comfy family room or in the more formal living room. Upstairs, the two boys share a dorm-style setup, and the three youngest girls share a room that is connected to the oldest daughter’s room through a small Hobbit-style door.

The family’s vision was to have a happy home where friends and family can come and fellowship and leave refreshed—and not be concerned about messing up furniture or decor. Rushton also got to put her finger on her own style and bring it to life too. In past houses, she’d just picked the same color scheme her sister had or let her mom decorate. “But this forced me to figure out what I like,” she says.

The best way to sum it up is the word happy, and that’s just what you’ll see in the fun punches of color on patterned rugs, pillow fabrics and the occasional accent wall with wallpaper.

Now the house gets to be part of even more adoption stories when the Waltchacks open it up for a Christopher Showhouse in October. The event will benefit Lifeline Children’s Services, which handled the family’s first two adoptions, and specifically go to offsetting the cost of adoption for families since they can run $30,000-$45,000. “A lot of times the cost hinders people from pursuing adoption,” Rushton says, noting that they have raised money for the 10 families who have adopted at their annual Alpine Farms pumpkin sale in the past.

These days it’s not uncommon to see 10 kids playing in the yard of the Waltchacks’ corner house, and filling every bit of the inside too—all within the walls that tell the story of their family of eight.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 43

Living Room Above all Rushton wanted this slightly more formal space with an antiqued brushed silver leaf chandelier by Currey & Company to feel peaceful. Art by Rushton’s sister Katherine Trammell hangs above the limestone fireplace, and a three-canvas piece by local artist Sally Boyd hangs on the right wall.

44 October/November 2019

Kitchen Rushton knew when she saw this light green (Halcycon

by Benjamin Moore) cabinet color on Pinterest that she wanted it for her kitchen. The space is accented by unlacquered brass hardware and glossy white pendant lights by Visual Comfort.

Laundry Room The Waltchacks outfitted their spacious laundry room with two sets of washers and dryers, dark painted cabinets and a retro linoleum pattern Rushton ordered from England.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 45

Boys’ Bedrooms The two Waltchack boys share a common area separated from their individual sleeping nooks by barn doors. They also have access to a bonus loft space via a ladder built

by Derek. Each of the areas is decorated with masculine neutrals that can grow up with them.

46 October/November 2019

Family Room This comfortable space surrounded by walls of windows sits in the footprint of the screened-in porch on the original house, and its reclaimed wood ceiling slopes on all four sides. The fireplace matches the stone on the home’s exterior to give it a more casual feel. Rushton sewed the pillows with blush accents that tie in to the fabrics used in the adjacent dining room.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 47

Little Girls Room Soft, white and fluffy, this bedroom is home to the Waltchacks’ three youngest daughters.

The green barn door leads to a feminine bathroom with scalloped vanities, and coordinates with the headboards Rushton made from trifold screens. Art by Tricia Robinson, a local artist, brightens up the walls, and pillows with each girl’s name made by a family friend personalize each bed.

SEE THE HOUSE YOURSELF Christopher Showhouse Benefitting Lifeline Children’s Services October 10-13 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

2445 Chestnut Road Tickets: $25 Available on eventbrite.com 48 October/November 2019

Guest Bedroom Baby blue barn doors lead into the guest bedroom, where Rushton layered whimsical colors and fabrics on top of a bed that belonged to her Aunt Mary. They plan to use this bedroom for one of their daughters as she gets older. The craft nook carries the baby blue through with an aviary pattern wallpaper on the ceiling and a painted light fixture that was previously in their dining room.

Vintage Interiors

for all your chalk paint needs.

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1471 Montgomery Hwy VestaviaAnimalClinic.com

2838 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham, AL 35124 205.620.1900

(205) 823-7485

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 49

BEHIND THE SCENES Architecture: Chris Reebals &

Madeline Hoisington, Christopher Architecture & Interiors

Interior Design: Lydia Smith,

Christopher Architecture & Interiors Builder: Narnia Construction

Showhouse Sponsors: Auburn

Millwork, AVX, Barnett Furniture, Brandino Brass Co., Central Alabama Insulation, Champion Electric, D & N Plumbing, Inc., Environmental Design Studio, Falkner Gardens, Ferguson, FireRock, Hinkle Roofing, Kingdom Woodworks, King’s House Rugs, MES, Inc., Over the Mountain Glass, Skelton’s Heating & Air, Summer Classics/Gabby, Surface One, Triton Stone, White Gutter Company

50 October/November 2019

Mud Room The six Waltchack children can leave their school bags and shoes in this hardworking space off the garage entry. Its pine walls are painted the same cement grey as the kitchen island as a change-up from the bright white in the rest of the house.

AT HOME

FALL BLUES Blue is not just a trend for spring! Achieve this fresh look by mixing deep shades of blue with rich charcoals, metals and citrusy greens. Cozy up with a pair of plush navy pillows and a soft blue tassel throw, and use silver ottomans to create a fun, yet functional, aspect to the room. Bright green crabapple branches give a burst of color that compliment the muted metals and berry blues. Better yet, style your home with these hues year-round!

Jessica Clement is an interior designer and stylist who believes that well-designed interiors should tell the story about the people who live there.

7

6 3

5 4

1 2

1. Bronze Urn- Leaf & Petal - $35. 2. Silver Ottomans - Interiors by Kathy - $405. 3. Navy Pillows with Linen Border - Interiors by Kathy $275. 4. Embroidered Hide Lumbar Pillow - Interiors by Kathy - $89. 5. Blue Tasseled Alpaca Throw - Interiors by Kathy - $1,315.

6. Antique Glass Jar - Interiors by Kathy - $95. 7. Crab Apple Branches - Interiors by Kathy - $19/each.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 51

IN STYLE

Snazzy in Snakeskin

BY ABBY ADAMS PHOTOS BY LAUREN USTAD

LOOK 1

1. WHITE CROSSBACK SWEATER A white cozy sweater a must for fall!

Cradle + Bee | $89

2. RAMSEY SKIRT

1

Make snakeskin your new neutral with this long skirt.

Cradle + Bee | $59

3

3. ROSE PINK + GOLD NECKLACE This simple but elegant piece is a perfect addition to any outfit.

Cradle + Bee | $20

4. WEATHER BANGLES CHARCOAL

2 5 4

These come in several colors, but charcoal and gold are just right with this pairing.

Cradle + Bee | $20

5. BLACK WOVEN CLUTCH This bag will come in CLUTCH this season.

Serendipity | $54

6. FRENCH MULE These nude calve hair mules come with a reasonable price tag too.

Cradle + Bee | $39

6

Abby Adams is a fashion and lifestyle blogger at peeptoesandpineapples. com who loves all things fashion and has a slight obsession with pineapples.

52 October/November 2019

LOOK 2

1

1. BLACK + WHITE SWEATER Every girl needs a black sweater, and this one is lightweight and perfect for school.

Gigi’s Teen | $48

2. SNAKESKIN JEANS These statement-making jeans are fun and edgy.

Gigi’s Teen | $56

3

3. SILVER STAR NECKLACE This necklace will have you seeing stars, literally.

Gigi’s Teen | $16

4. CLEAR CROSSBODY PURSE This clear bag is just big enough for the essentials and perfect to take into the stadium.

Gigi’s Teen | $18

4 2

5. HARLAN SNAKE SNEAKERS Give your casual look an edge with these high-top fashion sneakers.

Little Soles | $49

5

ACCESSORIZE 1. BLACK FLOWER EARRINGS

1

3

Cradle + Bee | $12

2. SILVER SAND VANESSA LEONE HAT Manhattan South | $220

3. TAT2 COIN NECKLACE

2

Manhattan South | $170

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 53

Party Pizzazz 54 October/November 2019

Step up your fall or holiday parties with a little DIY. Here are some tips to style your own grazing boards and floral arrangements.

Produced & Styled by Christina Brockman & Courtney Wright | Photos by Mary Fehr | Photographed at Leaf & Petal VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 55

Fall Floral Arranging WHAT TO BUY: Be sure to get a variety of texture and types of blooms in each of these categories: uLine Flowers: Varieties with longer stems uFace Flowers: Large statement-making florals uFiller Flowers: Varieties with more delicate stems uGreenery

How to arrange: u1. Always start with your longer stemmed line flowers and greenery.

This will help you begin to shape the arrangement and create movement. u2. Once your arrangement begins to take shape, you will add in your face flowers to create focal points for your design. Spread them throughout the arrangement, placing them at different angles and lengths. u3. Next, you will add in filler flowers to create highlights in the arrangement. u4. Lastly, you will begin filling in any holes in the arrangement with leftover greenery or foliage.

56 October/November 2019

Fall Color The arrangement you see here features Feather Celosia, Pampas Grass, Ranunculus, Spray Roses, Variegated Pittosporum, Yarrow, Allium and Broom Corn, all purchased through Davis Wholesale.

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 57

Grazing Board Building u1. Start with at least three cheeses: something soft like a creamy brie, an aged cheddar (always a crowd pleaser), and something interesting like a truffled gouda or black pepper pecorino. u2. After your cheeses are “anchoring” the board, add anything that will be served in a small bowl or jar. Think honey, olives or even a spread like pimiento cheese or hummus. u3. Next, it’s time to fill in with the other goodies: a mix of cured meats (faves include prosciutto and capicola), fresh and dried fruit, nuts, olives, pickles, preserves, honey, a variety of crackers and fresh bread. u4. Finish it off with fresh herbs and flower buds for color and texture.

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Ladies Who Lunch Grazing Board uCustom Monogrammed Serving Board & Wine Glasses from Monograms Plus uCheese Straws from Marta’s Bakery uPimiento Cheese & Chicken Salad from Iz Cafe

A Locally Sourced Board uMacarons from Lette Macarons uCustom Monogrammed Serving Board from Monograms Plus uAssorted Cheese & Cured Meats from New York Butcher Shoppe

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Party Planning Resources Grazing Board Workshops Floral Workshops Cahaba Heights resident Christina Brockman offers Huckleberry Bloom Classes where she comes to your home or event space with all of the supplies and instruction you’ll need. For a basic cube arrangement, the cost is $55 per person, and for a small oasis compote, the cost is $80. All require a minimum of 10 people. Visit huckleberrycollective.com to reach out to Christina for more information.

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Courtney Wright offers styling workshops that are designed to be casual, informative and fun.

She will provide all of the ingredients you need to build your own grazing board, share tips and sourcing notes, and provide completed boards for guests to snack on while they learn and create. Visit savorstyleco.com for more information and grazing inspiration.Â

Leaf & Petal Event Space The Cahaba Heights garden shop’s greenhouse area, pictured in this photo shoot, is available for rental for rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, engagement parties and events of any kind.

The space, which is heated and cooled, can seat up to 65 people at sit-down parties (chairs and tables come with the rental) or hold up to 120 for a cocktail party, and caterers and other vendors can be brought in. For more information or a quote, call Caroline Dove at the store at 205-967-3232.

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120 African Women & Their Friend Chelsie

How one Vestavia Hills resident brought an industry to a village in Uganda.

By Melanie Peeples | Photos by Karen Askins & Contributed

62 October/November 2019

Sitting in her living room in Vestavia Hills, a long, long, way from Uganda, Chelsie Hanna says she always felt the pull, always “had a heart for the continent of Africa, for the people.” But she just hadn’t had the chance to make it there. And then, five years ago, an opportunity fell in her lap. Some friends were going on a summer mission trip to Uganda. She’d been open to the idea of visiting any country in Africa, so she figured why not?

She liked the organization and was stable enough in her job to be able to take the time off, so she did.

She went for 10 days to the village of Ngongolo, which sits between the larger cities of Kampala and Entebbee in the east central African country. She and her friends went door to door with the missionaries to the mud huts of the village, just praying and talking to the women. “I just saw all different kinds of things,” she says. “We obviously saw deep poverty. We saw a lot of women and a lot of children, but hardly any men.”

And these women were spending all day just trying to gather and cook enough food for themselves and their children. Electricity is almost non-existent there, and all the cooking has to be done over an open fire, three times a day.

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But first, they need water. Each day they send children as young as 3 and 4 years old to the nearest watering hole, sometimes miles away. There’s not even a well, and these small children have to bring back all the water their family will need that day for cooking, cleaning and drinking.

Food comes from the root vegetables in their tiny gardens, and they have to make a fire in order to cook each meal. This digging in their gardens, and tending fires, and waiting for water to boil take so much of their time, Chelsie says, that there just wasn’t much left for anything else. The women spent their days tied to their huts, with only their children for company. And many have six to 10 children to provide for, since many women are also raising someone else’s child.

As she spent time with the women, Chelsie felt something important was missing. “The greatest thing that stood out for me was I didn’t see any sort 64 October/November 2019

of community or fellowship, like nothing that was bringing them together as a community or just getting together with friends. This is all they did all day long every day.”

There were no jobs in the community, and nothing outside a weekly church service to bring them together. Chelsie says some of the women felt something was missing, too. “Humans are humans and we’re designed to need that interaction with others, and I immediately started to think, ‘What if a week goes by and I don’t get together?’ Like we wouldn’t survive here if you don’t see other people, and you’re just sitting inside or outside cooking all day long.”

At the end of Chelsie’s 10-day stay, the women stayed on her mind, but she went back to her job as a corporate recruiter in Birmingham and tried to return to the life she’d had before. She tried to push the idea of doing more out of her head. But it just

“

(Making jewelry) has made (these women) so much more proud. Some had never done anything but dig in their garden for money or a living. – Chelsie Hanna

�

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 65

didn’t work. By autumn, she says she stopped trying.

“Around September of 2014, I really started to talk to God about it. ‘What would this look like?

What are you calling me to do? I don’t have the answers. I don’t know how to do anything. I’m just a job recruiter. How does that relate to women and children in Africa?’”

Still, she could not ignore the voice. She started raising money, and by December she had quit her job and bought a plane ticket to Uganda. “I knew that, definitely, it was going to be a women’s ministry, and that was about all,” she says. She bought Bibles in their native language, Lugandan, and off she went. In January of 2015, she held their first Bible study under a mango tree in the middle of the village’s town center. Twenty-five women showed up. Two days later 48 women came. Next, it was 55. It grew in the first four months to 120 women, some of them walking several miles just to 66 October/November 2019

get there. “They found the time,” Chelsie says. “They might have left a daughter or granddaughter back home cooking for lunch or dinner, but they made a way.”

The meetings began to satisfy the women’s emotional and spiritual needs, but Chelsie looked around and wanted to do more. She noticed how in other villages and on the sides of the roads she’d see women selling jewelry—paper beads, mostly—and Chelsie got an idea. So, she got the materials, and the women started making necklaces. They shredded paper, rolled it into little beads, then painted and varnished them, finally running strings through them.

She brought the necklaces back to Alabama that summer and sold out immediately. When she returned in the fall, she had a new idea. They started using seeds from a plant that grows wild there, called Job’s Tears. It has little seeds that are very hard and hollow in the middle. They’re pearly white,

Chelsie works with the women of Ngongolo, Uganda, to create jewelry and baskets that are sold in the U.S.

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Chelsie and a few of her friends wear Two for One Purpose necklaces and bracelets that are displayed in her home office before they are sold.

68 October/November 2019

perfect for making necklaces. Chelsie started adding gemstones and pieces that look like tiny antlers to the jewelry to keep pace with current jewelry fashions in the U.S. These necklaces and bracelets could also be sold for more than the paper beads.

So, four years later, Chelsie continues making trips to Ngongolo, visiting with the women and bringing the jewelry home to sell, which she does mostly in trunk shows. The Bible studies and jewelry-making sessions are so popular that Chelsie added a kids club to give them something to do while the women work and study. The kids club is led by Ugandan women, and they also do arts and crafts, jump rope, and play with soccer balls to keep the children busy.

In those four years, Chelsie has seen life in the village change. “They feel empowered by group gatherings that they’ve never had before (and) relationships with other women (and) work that they’ve never had the opportunity to do before. It has made them so much more proud. Some had never done anything but dig in their garden for money or a living.”

But they’re also benefitting in another way.

Now, when the women and children get sick, they have money to buy the IVs and antibiotics to treat malaria and typhoid fever—two illnesses that always accompany mosquitoes and dirty water.

The money from the jewelry-making also helps pay for the things they can’t grow: salt, sugar, and fuel to be burned for lights. And for some, it pays for their kids to go to school. That is a major goal for the women of Uganda. They want their children to have an easier life, and they believe getting an education is the only way to do that.

“They love their kids and adore them and will do anything for them to have a better life,” Chelsie says.

Paydays are always a celebration in Ngongolo, and when the women try to thank Chelsie she has to remind them, “This is not me giving you money!

This is you receiving your money for your hard work. Don’t thank me, thank yourself!”

Ultimately, Chelsie would like to see the women’s jewelry sold in retail stores all over the U.S., but she has to remind herself, “It’s not a huge operation.

This is just 120 African women and their friend Chelsie.”

Support Two for One Purpose Host a Trunk Show While Chelsie exhibits the jewelry at as many festivals and art shows as she can, she says trunk shows are the easiest. All it takes is for a woman to invite a bunch of her friends over, and Chelsie will bring the jewelry. Contact Chelsie at chelsie@twoforonepurpose.org for more information.

Stay In Touch The best way to keep up with Chelsie (and the women of Ngongolo) is by visiting twoforonepurpose.org or by following her on Instagram at @twoforonepurpose.

Buy Jewelry Designs by the women of Ngongolo can also be purchased on twoforonepurpose.org.

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Change Agents

70 October/November 2019

These Leadership Vestavia Hills projects are transforming the community years after their inception.

By Madoline Markham | Photos Contributed

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WING DING

YEAR LAUNCHED: 2011 ORIGINAL PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS: J. DENNIS, JULIE HARPER, JONATHAN NELSON, LINDY WALKER, KIM HAUSER, KRISTI MCHALE, WITH RICK RICE, REBECCA OLSEN AND KAREN ODLE AS ADVISORS Come April 4, 2020, Roger Stuer will round up 150 pounds of chicken wings to take to Vestavia Hills City Hall. He and his team will arrive around 6 a.m. to start frying them and dipping them in honey bourbon barbecue sauce. They’ll be sure to follow the rules—no added meat—but for a crowd pleaser they’ll wrap some wings in bacon, securing the fatty strips with toothpicks before the frying. After all, “You could put bacon on a flip flop and it would taste pretty good,” Roger jokes.

For some of the past nine years Roger and his team from Method Mortgage’s wings have placed first per the judges of the annual Wing Ding event and taken home the People’s Choice award. And when they are lucky, they have taken a break from the fryer to taste the other 20-plus teams’ flavorings 72 October/November 2019

of everything from garlic Asian to pineapple habanero. “It’s pretty fun to see different varieties and no two are alike,” Roger says.

Since its start as a Leadership Vestavia Hills project in 2011, Wing Ding has, of course, been about the wings—grilled, smoked or fried. But that’s not all. Last year the event raised $12,837 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, an organization whose mission ties closely with the founding organizers’ friends in the community, and since it started it’s raised $56,644 for the foundation. It’s also raised money for Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills.

But the event’s original mission as a Leadership Vestavia Hills project was principally to bring the entire Vestavia Hills community out to celebrate

Leadership Vestavia Hills volunteers at Wing Ding in 2019

together. Unlike an event like the Exceptional Foundation Chili Cookoff with teams from all over Birmingham, Wing Ding was to be focused on its own neighborhood. “We try to make it a very Vestavia centric event in the heart of the city on 31,” says Donnie Winningham, who has volunteered with the event since 2013.

Wing Ding has evolved too, moving from the Vestavia City Center to the new City Hall, from lunch time to evening time, from June to May to April. But it’s still focused on Vestavia, still

organized by Leadership Vestavia Hills with a large team working behind the scenes and still full of mouthwatering wings.

“There’s always the fun of local community people coming together to have competition with each other, seeing your neighbors and meeting new people,” says Ann Hamiter, who helped organize the event for several years. “It’s a great example of citizens forming a community event.”

Which team’s wings will place first this year?

You’ll have to come out on April 4 to find out.

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Help the Hills Student Team visits Pizitz Middle School.

HELP THE HILLS YEAR LAUNCHED: 2014

ORIGINAL PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS: DAN PAHOS, DAVID MARTIN, SHERA GRANT, TRACY DAVIS, SHANTA OWENS, JENNIFER PHILPOT & CHARLES SHAH Brad Blount was an all-star Vestavia athlete. He played football, baseball and wrestling. But his life took a dramatic turn in 2008 after a shoulder injury crushed his dream of playing college sports. To address the pain, he took a Lortab and felt relief, a relief that would lead him to a heroin addiction.

By 2015, though, Brad had come clean, and he wasn’t silent about it. That year he shared his story on a panel of other former Vestavia students held by Help the Hills. The event was one of many that came out of a Leadership Vestavia Hills project that would eventually morph into its own being.

By the end of its inception year in Leadership Vestavia Hills, the Help the Hills team had a plan ready to go, and so most of the team stayed on board to kick the program off. “We found a breakdown between parents who were permissive of (drugs or alcohol) or who were naïve about it,” says Jennifer Philpot. “What we wanted was a no-judgement zone where we were in this together.”

The first event was flooded with parents. In the years to come they’d host speakers on drug and alcohol abuse, teen stress and anxiety, marijuana, heroin and more. But what stood out to the original team members the most was small group meetings parents hosted in their homes. A trained leader would talk about the signs of drug use to detect and ways to talk to your teenagers when you suspect 74 October/November 2019

something could be happening.

“It opened a dialogue and let (parents) be able to talk about things and be open and honest in a judgement-free zone,” team member Shera Grant says. “Before then I think it was common to be quiet about it if (parents) had kids who were suffering, and they felt isolated and embarrassed.”

“I think people were ready to talk about it but nobody was,” Jennifer echoes. “The intention of the entire program was not sweeping (these things) under the rug.”

In 2016 the LVH initiative merged with the Vestavia Hills City Schools Drug Awareness Team under the Help the Hills name to seek to be a community drug prevention coalition. Today Help the Hills continues to offer resources to parents and students as well as parent awareness meetings.

But its most significant change comes in the 80 VHHS juniors and seniors who pledge to be drugand alcohol-free in their high school years and mentor eighth graders. Most recently they have been addressing the dangers of vaping in addition to other topics. “They talk about everything from class schedules to peer pressure to drugs and alcohol,” current Help the Hills co-chair Tracy Lemak says. “It gives (younger students) friends to encourage them to go through high school with.”

To learn more, visit helpthehills.org.

CAHABA HEIGHTS TREE CANOPY PROJECT YEAR LAUNCHED: 2018 ORIGINAL PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS: BRIAN BURNS, MERRYL COOPER, ASHLEY GANN, DON SIMMONS & RUSTY WEAVER Snap! Snap! Snap! Susan Ray vividly remembers the sound she heard outside her home on April 27, 2011, as winds up to 120 mph swept through. “It sounded like trees were landing on our house,” she recalls of the night a Category 2 tornado came through Cahaba Heights, but fortunately they weren’t, at least at her house. “When we went outside, it looked like a war zone. Next door a tree had split the house in half, and two houses on our street had to be torn down and rebuilt.”

In the weeks and month that followed, each time Susan and her kids drove back across 280 to their neighborhood they saw the barrenness along the streets that were once heavily forested with hardwoods and pine trees. “It literally looked like a different neighborhood,” Susan explains.

Six years later Susan got a flier about someone giving away free trees to help reforest the neighborhood. She thought it was a scam at first, but as it turns out it wasn’t. Leadership Vestavia Hills was sponsoring a free tree-planting program, and residents could request a tree for their yard.

That February in 2018 the group planted 14 trees.

The next Leadership Vestavia Hills class to take on the project set out to up that number, and that’s what they did, planting another 30 Nuttall Oaks and Red Maples this spring thanks to a set of businesses who joined the effort. Leaf & Petal sold them trees at cost, which cut the price tag in half. Fig Tree Café provided breakfast for the volunteers, Martin’s Bar-B-Que provided lunch, the Chevron station provided water and Gatorade, and Cahaba Heights Hardware donated mulch and soil conditioner. And among the ranks of the tree planters were Vestavia Hills High School football players.

“It was cool to see how the businesses in Cahaba Heights came together,” says Katherine McRee, a member of the 2019 LVH team. “When you see the visual of how many trees were lost, it makes perfect sense to keep the project going further. ” Today every time Susan crosses 280 back into Cahaba Heights what she notices is the newly planted trees in her neighbors’ yards and her own too. “(It was encouraging) just to know the community cared and it wasn’t just us disheartened by the barren landscape,” she says.

2019 tree planting volunteers

BEFORE the 2011 tornado

AFTER the 2011 tornado

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 75

The Rebel Run is organized by Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP VESTAVIA HILLS YEAR LAUNCHED: 2005 ORIGINAL PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS: GARRY ATKINS, KELLY BOTTCHER, CINDY BROWN, BRYAN GUNN, ANN JONES, KYM PREWITT & SALLY YOUNG When Kym Prewitt graduated from VHHS in 1982, she had 310 classmates, but today the school has grown to around 2,000 students total. “You have to be more intentional in a big sea,” Kym says.

“It’s harder to navigate those waters.” And that’s exactly why Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills exists, thanks to facilitators like Kym, Emily Erwood, Kelly Bottcher and Lindy Walker.

The original idea as a Leadership Vestavia Hills project 15 years ago was to create a leadership program for youth similar to LVH, but since then it has evolved to best fit the needs of the students and sprung from a LVH project to become part of the high school’s curriculum. The team behind Youth Leadership didn’t want to just work with the top 20 to 30 students who were already in leadership positions. “We wanted to include as many students as possible because we believe every student is a leader and we wanted to teach them skills to be an effective positive leader,” Kym explains. “We 76 October/November 2019

wanted this big growing school to have a small school feel by teaching students to better connect with one another.”

The first year around 40 students were involved, the second year around 120, and now they work with around 240 students each year and more than 700 total—all who are working to change the culture of the school for the better. Often that looks like small acts of kindness no adult ever sees, like a student inviting someone who is alone to sit at the lunch table with him or her. “We want (our students) to walk into a room and recognize a need and take the initiative to meet that need, especially when it comes to peers needing to feel connected and feel valued,” Kym says.

Other efforts are more organized. A New Student Committee pairs Youth Leadership students with new students to tour them around the school, answer their questions and keep in touch. Other students mentor with elementary students through

a Big Brothers Big A RISE event last Sisters program, and spring at VHHS around 80 students each year participate in Youth Leadership classes in two different levels during the school day.

Through the Bridges program, high school students visit sixthgrade classes to share stories about their struggles in middle school and what they learned from them.

“They are sharing real stories and letting these students know they Youth Leadership, RISE (Rebels Impact are not the only one who has ever felt alone through Service and Engagement) raises money for the UAB Comprehensive Cancer or like you are invisible,” Kym says.

Like their adult counterpart, the Youth Center each spring through a Rebel Run, Leadership students are always incubating Concert for a Cure and their flagship RISE new ideas too. As just one example, in 2017 Day full of fun and festivities. Last year they developed an award-winning Student more than 220 students served on Life app to provide access to all the school- committees for RISE, and more than 1,000 related information they need. This was the were on service teams.

And all of that, we’d say, is certainly first app of its kind in the country.

Perhaps the most public-facing part of intentionality in a big sea.

LEADERSHIP VESTAVIA HILLS BASICS Leadership Vestavia Hills began in 1996 to bring together potential city leaders and assist them in becoming more aware of the social and economic issues that impact the community. Each annual LVH class works on projects aimed to improve the lives of Vestavia Hills and its citizens.

Some are completed in the year, while others, like those featured in this article, span multiple years and/or go on to birth independent programs. A new LVH class begins each fall. Learn more at leadershipvestaviahills.com.

Lumadentistry.com McCalla / Hoover / Centerville / Montevallo VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 77

OUT & ABOUT

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GLOBAL ROCKET LAUNCH VESTAVIA

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PHOTOS BY KATIE ROTH

Families gathered for a free event at the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex on July 16 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11 by launching their own model rockets.

The event was held by Vestavia Hills and Trail Life USA. 1. Sarah Eddington, and Hailey and Marc Jackson

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2. James, Jim, Deena and Mary Callison 3. Emily and Emma Ruth Bennett 4. Rocket launch action 5. Olivia Timmons, Alex Lloyd and Celest Timmons 6. Charlie and Rick Dries 7. Claudia, Henry and Jared Vance 8. Attendees at the Global Rocket Launch 9. Sarah White and Aleena Roy 10. James Junkin 11. SHAC fields hosted rocket launches.

12. Clara, Joseph and Samp Austin

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OUT & ABOUT

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OUT & ABOUT

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BACK 2 SCHOOL IN THE HILLS

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PHOTOS BY JAMES CULVER

The new school year kicked off with inflatables, games, music and merriment at Philadelphia Baptist Church on Aug. 9.

1. Vestavia Hills High School RISE Volunteers 2. Mindi, Marci and Duke Norris 3. Crystal and Rhett Dew 4. Israr, Ahmad, Iqra and Fatima Zuhoirah 5. Robert, Tessa and Clementine Schindler 6. Julia Crigler and Erin Turner 7. Casey, Leslie, Sawyer, Ellie and Wilder Lance 8. Perron, Courtney, Henry and Charlie Tucker 9. VHHS City Youth Connection volunteers Claire Christie, Carter Dewees and Riely Nix 10. Ashley, Jeff, Ollie and Rory Fucich 11. Heather, Brian, Lexie and Bailey Irvin

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OUT & ABOUT

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2

NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZEN DAY CELEBRATION

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PHOTOS BY MADOLINE MARKHAM

Steve Flowers, a former legislator and radio host, spoke at this 7th annual event at Vestavia Hills City Hall on Aug. 21.

1. Wally and Gloria Womack 2. Priscilla Drummond, Anna Alfano and Anna Robicheux

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3. Margaret Ferrelll and Jonnie Venglik 4. Janice and Lawayne Fleming 5. Sheila Kimbrough, Dianna Murphree, Tom Laggy and Vicki Smith 6. Patsy and Helayne Kanter 7. Ann Alley, Jean Sleage and Joy Larsen 8. Mary Ann Wolter, Joan Snow and Mary Havill 9. Rhoda and Bob Holbrook r

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OUT & ABOUT

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VHHS JAMBOREE GAME

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PHOTOS BY MALLORY BARRY

Vestavia Hills High School Varsity Football defeated Briarwood Christian School 38-3 in a jamboree game on Aug. 23.

1. Harper White, Patyon Viso, Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Gannon 2. Diane Snoddy and Josh Norris 3. Emma Leggett, Mallory Meads, Caroline Gilroy and Gracie Harris 4. Kellyn Murch and Sarah Katherine Gray 5. Stevie Diaz, Ruby Goodman, Hannah Beth Smith, Claire Pappalardo and Kate Mcginnis 6. Anne Lauren Ermert and Virginia Fox 7. Izzy Passman, Emily Glaze and Aimie Perino 8. Meghan Meadows and Sarah Kaye Carpenter 9. Walt Phillips, Jack Hoppenjans and Ethan Wavera 10. Gabe Baldone, Mary Clark Webb and Jacob Moore 11. Luke Talley, Whitt Sheumaker and Ben Swearingen

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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. North Clanton, AL 35045.

TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) 800-548-2546(T/A) bentcreek@morrowapts.com Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer Boise Cascade Now Hiring for Utility Positions.

Starting pay $13.33/hour.

Must be able to pass background screen.

Please apply at www.bc.com Carroll Fulmer Now Hiring Class-A CDL Drivers.

Over-the-road positions available. 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 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 NOW HIRING!!! • CDL DRIVERS • ASPHALT EQUIPMENT OPERATORS Apply Online Today! www.dunnconstruction. com • Bright Future •

VestaviaHillsMagazine.com

Great Pay • Unheard of Benefits • HOME EVERY DAY! #DunnTheRightWay EOE/Minorities/Females/ Disabled/Veterans $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 205-668-3316.

Now Hiring Heavy Equipment Operators and CDL Drivers Competitive pay and benefits. Pre-employment drug test required Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Call: 205-298-6799 or email us at: jtate@forestryenv.com Franklin Iron Works Now Hiring. Grinders & Laborers.

Must apply in person: 146 Tommie Drive, Thorsby.

Mon-Fri. 10am-3pm.

Housing Authority of the Birmingham District Hiring: Homeownership LeasePurchase Facilitator Resident Services Coordinator-ROSS Human Resources Specialist Compliance Data Analysis Application Data Entry Clerk Assistant Vice President of Housing Operations Director of Public Safety Custodian View complete description and apply at www.habd.org or 1826 3rdAvenueSouth Birmingham, Al 35233

NOW AVAILABLE LPN’s, RN’s 12 HOUR SHIFTS CN A’s Full-time & part-time Apply in person: Hatley Health Care 300 Medical Center Drive Clanton, AL 35045

Now Hiring!!

• Caregivers-ADL’s, assist with medications and some lifting 7am-3pm, 3pm11pm, 11pm-7pm • Activity Director Part-Time • Cookssome 12/hr shifts Call Shay McNeal 205-620-2905

Helping Hands Estate Sales Serving clients over 7yrs Professional & Experienced We can help sell the contents of your home!

Contact for information: 256-283-5549 tbob56. wixsite.com/helping-hands

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

Industrial Coatings Group, Inc. is hiring experienced -Sandblasters -Industrial Painters - Helpers. Must be able to pass drug test and e-verify check. Must be willing to travel. Professional references required.

Please send resume to: icgsecretary@hotmail.com or call (205)688-9004 Owner Operators Wanting Dedicated Year Round Anniston, AL www.pull4klb.com SHEETMETAL & MANUFACTURING HELP WANTED • Sheetmetal/ Layout, • Manufacturing Helpers, • Sheetmetal Machinery Operators, Multiple positions Paid holidays, typical shifts are 6:00am-2:30pm Must be reliable & on-time Call RICK: 205-761-3975 Need FREE help with your Medicare? Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) today at (800)AGE-LINE (800)-243-5463.

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 Montgomery Stockyard Drop Station at Gray & Son’s in Clanton. Call Lane at 205-389-4530. For other hauling arrangements, contact Wes in Harpersville 205-965-8657 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 inquiries only.

Call 334-409-0035 or apply on-line at www.Oxfordhealthcare.com

MARKETPLACE 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 Southeastern Food Merchandisers NOW HIRING Class-A CDL Food Service Delivery Drivers with 1 year experience!!!

Pay & Benefits • Home daily • Schedules allow you to depart and return to same terminal daily • Dispatches are single day routes, nothing runs overnight or multi-day! • Paid by weight delivered, miles, and stops • Drivers running single driver routes are earning $75,000-$100,000 yearly!

• Team and Helper routes are earning $65,000+ yearly What we offer in addition to route pay! • Attendance/ Accuracy bonuses • Wklypay w/direct deposit • 401(k) w/company match, eligible after 6-months with quarterly enrollment • Blue Cross of AL health & dental insurance, company subsidized • Two different medical plans for Blue Cross depending on your needs • Vision Insurance, company subsidized • Basic Life and AD&D 100% employer paid • Company paid Short-Term Disability • Voluntary Life & AD&D also provided on post-tax basis for you, and your family Email resume: ofrye@southeasternfood. com Call:205-685-4534 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.

Looking for a house to rent in Shelby County?

We can help. Call for available rentals and specials (205)433-9811 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 Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstonedentalassisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!

White Oak Transportation is hiring CDL-A drivers in your area. Great Pay! Excellent Benefits! Visit our website www.whiteoaktrans. com for more information EOE-M/F/D/V DRYWALL REPAIRS SAME DAY SERVICE Offering: • Plastering • Stucco • Water Damage Repair $$FREE ESTIMATES$$ Please Call: 205-502-6023 Heritage Christian Academy is now accepting enrollment for K3-12th Grades. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity! Call 205-978-6001, to schedule a Campus Tour!

NOW-HIRING CLASS-A CDL DRIVERS IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA •Clean driving record and drug test required •Piggyback lift exp.a plus •Benefits offered.

Contact Information: april@blairblock.com 256-378-3345

HIBBETT SPORTS Conveyor Mechanic • Great Benefits • Monday, Thursday, Friday 10:00am-9:00pm • Saturday 8:00am-7:00pm Call: 205-912-7204 www.hibbett.com Help Wanted - full time/ part time available!

Warehouse enviroment assisting with painting, building, designing props and scenes. Visit www.phobiafactory.com to submit your application.

ETS RESTORATIONS • Retaining Walls • Concrete Work •Demolition • Landscaping • Construction • Tree Removal • Tree Trimming • Bobcat Work • Hardscapes • Hauling Residential & Commercial FREE ESTIMATES!!!

CALL NOW (205)209-7787 A Dry Waterproofing • Basement/Crawlspace Waterproofing • Install Sump Pumps • Repair Wet Basement • Mold Remediation • French Drains • Foundation Repairs *Also providing electrical work!

Emergency Service 6-Days/ Week Serving Jefferson/ Shelby Counties Call Van:205-230-3972 F&S CONSTRUCTION “Quality work you can count on” • Decks • Windows • Painting • Siding of All Types • Baths • Flooring • Kitchens • Foundation Specialist • And Much More!! Free Estimates!! Licensed/ Insured & 50yrs Combined Experience Call:205-641-1148 $Cash Paid For Used RV’s!$ Motor Homes, Travel/Enclosed trailers, consignment welcome, Cars and Trucks, Pick up available, Mccluskey Auto and RV Sales, LLC 205-833-4575

1st Heritage Credit, LLC 8919 Hwy-119, Alabaster Branch Mgr:Brook Morris 205-620-0664 “Excellence is our Standard” Loan Available: • Personal • Consolidation • Auto • Consumer Retail Call/Apply: 1stheritagecredit.com Loans are subject to normal credit criteria!

Alabama Position located in Birmingham, AL Contact: Allison.Sizemore@ childrensal.org

WASTE PRO IS NOW HIRING CDL DRIVERS & MECHANICS Go online to WWW.WASTEPROUSA. COM to fill out an application today!

Small Engine Technician Full-Time Must have knowledge of: -Lawn Mowers -Pressure Washers -Chainsaws -2-Cycle/4-Cycle Weed Eaters MUST BE DEPENDABLE! Call: (205)281-0565 Email: qtr@mindspring.com

HOME REPAIR/ REMODELING SST Properties, INC. Home Repair & Remodeling.

Licensed & Insured!

Call: 205-808-2482

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HEAT & FROST INSULATORS & ALLIED WORKERS BIRMINGHAM AREA HEAT & FROST INSULATORS LOCAL 78 Accepting applications for a 4-year Apprenticeship Program. Applications accepted in person July 1-July 31, Monday-Friday 8:30am-2:00pm at: 2653 Ruffner Road Birmingham, AL 35210. 205-956-2866 or craig@insulators78.org Applicants must be 18+ and furnish proof of age.

High school diploma/GED & reliable transportation required. Applicants will be required to take a simple math test and an English comprehension test. The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee is registered with the Department of Labor Bureau of Apprenticeship Training and is an equal opportunity employer.

Manager Language Services (MedicalInterpreter) • BS Degree Healthcare Management, 3yrs exp in medical interpreting/ translating healthcare/ pediatric setting • Medical Interpreter Certification or ability to become certified • Bilingual(EnglishSpanish) Children’s of

DREAMER’S SCHOOL OF COSMETOLOGY GRAND OPENING SEPTEMBER 2019 NOW ENROLLING NEW STUDENTS! Now Hiring: • Secretary with Computer Skills • Licensed Cosmetology Instructor -Serious Inquiries Only844 Highway 31, Suite E Alabaster, AL 35007 Call 205-624-4676 GRACE COMMUNITY SCHOOL Christian Preschool hiring full-time teacher assistants.

Must be dependable & flexible with a passion for children. Experience with Abeka a plus. MondayFriday, Shifts may vary.

Apply at: 8777 Helena Road Pelham, AL 35124.

Shelby County Openings: Loaders: • 1st shift 7am4pm, Monday-Friday • 2nd Shift- 4:30pm Finish, Sunday–Thursday $11.00/hr Packers-1st shift 7am-4pm, Monday-Friday $11.00/hr Replenisher-1st Shift 6am3:30pm $12.00/hr Standup Forklift Operators 1st Shift-6am-3:30pm $12.00/hr Apply online: www.mystaffmark.com

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MY VESTAVIA HILLS Hannah Benak Blogger at @LooksandMerit

Trail Training

Byrd Park My husband Matt and I love walking over to Byrd Park after work or on the weekends with our dog and our 1-year-old, Teddy. We actually prepped for a hiking trip to Canada earlier this year by walking around the park with Teddy in our hiking backpack.

Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea Specialty The Steak Bomb The Steak Bomb sandwich from Land & Sea is one of my favorite lunches in town, period. It’s a really top-notch take on a Philly cheesesteak, and if you’re looking for an indulgent lunch, this could not be more worth it.

Style Finds

Manhattan South Lesley who owns Manhattan South has impeccable taste, and it’s amazing that we have a boutique like hers right in Vestavia. Need a high-fashion pants suit for work? She’ll have one, from an under-theradar international brand to boot. Need a stunning faux fur, dress for a big night out, great jeans or something for an island vacation like in this photo? Manhattan South has that too.

Quaint Details

A Neighborhood Walk From my street, Granada, to the homes all around the Biltmore Estates community, it’s so awesome to walk around and see all of the beautiful homes that brilliant homeowners, architects, designers, builders and families have come together to create. I know the work that goes into it and truly appreciate the gifted people that make dream homes come to life!

Lobster Please

Bistro V Ravioli I literally cannot live without this dish. I love having dinner at Bistro V itself, but it’s also the perfect to-go spot for when my husband and I want to have a dinner that feels like a date night but hang out on our own patio.

88 October/November 2019

URGENT CARE from

Open 365 DAYS A YEAR Weekdays 2 – 10PM Weekends 10AM – 8PM WALK-INS WELCOME or SAVE YOUR SPOT ONLINE childrensurgent.com

LOCATIONS BIRMINGHAM 500 Cahaba Park Circle Suite 100 TRUSSVILLE 117 North Chalkville Road (205) 848-CARE (2273)

WE TREAT MINOR ILLNESSES AND INJURES INCLUDING: • Fever • Allergies • Coughs, colds • Acute asthma attack • Flu • Sprains/strains • Earaches • Bruises and lacerations

• Sore throat • Insect bites/stings • Vomiting and upset stomach • Minor burns • Diarrhea • Rashes • Other non-life-threating conditions

New locations opening in Fall 2019 Madison, Huntsville Northport, Tuscaloosa Vestavia Hills, Birmingham.

Comfortable Medical Waiting

Dedicated Spa Check-in Area

Private Spa Lounge

Birmingham’s Only Float Pool