Fall is here, and all things pumpkins have begun working on their takeover of the world.
For this month’s letter, I want to focus on water usage and why your water bill may be higher.
But first, I want to congratulate the football teams, band, cheerleaders, dancers and support staff on such a great start to the season this year for both Helena Middle School and Helena High School.
To sit back and think about it, it’s the students and teachers who are the strong driving force within the
community we all know and love.
The city’s new comprehensive plan has fully been approved by the Planning and Zoning Committee with an endorsement by the City Council.
The comprehensive plan will be used as a blueprint and rails on how Helena continues to move forward in smart ways that not only benefit us today, but will make sure that when we make decisions, it will not hinder us as a city in the future.
I have always preached and the actions back it up,
that we must have smart, calculated and actionable plans in place as we move forward, and I intend to continue in that direction.
Now, on to what I said would be the focus of this month: Water bills and why they may be higher in current times.
First, I want to encourage each of you to call the Utility Department at (205) 663-1670 to sign up for e-Bill that gives you a 13-month trends report ahead of when your bill gets mailed out and provides an easy way to pay your bill each month. Here are some common issues we see every month at the Utility Board.
Has the amount of water you have been using changed? Have you had house guests for an extended period of time? On average, a person uses 40-80 gallons of water per day. During the summer months, watering your lawn more is the most common reason a bill can be high. Running your sprinkler for one hour can use 400 gallons of water. If you use a hose to water, did you forget to go back out and turn it off?
One of the costliest household wastes of water is a leaky toilet. According to the American Water Works Association, toilets account for 45 percent of all indoor water uses in a typical home. It is estimated that 20 percent of all toilets leak.
An irrigation system with pressure set at 60 pounds per square inch that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
Check your garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot. If it leaks while you run your hose, replace the nylon, or rubber hose washer.
Each month we receive about 60 calls from our almost 7,000 customers requesting a recheck of their meter due to a high bill. The team is always there to make those rechecks and we have an average of four customers per month who have been billed in error. The team tries to get it right before anyone ever sees a bill hit the email or mailbox.
There could be a leaking faucet or a running toilet in your home.
Did you fill a swimming pool with a garden hose? Or use a pressure washer to clean the deck and
To wrap it up, I hope that everyone has an amazing October and enjoys the Trick or Treating in the city on Monday, Oct. 31. Until next month, be safe, and as always, thank you for allowing me to serve our community each day.
During the summer months, watering your lawn more is the most common reason a bill can be high. Running your sprinkler for one hour can use 400 gallons of water.
Two by Two founder and Executive Director Sonya King shares why every animal deserves
and
Meet the minds behind Hillsboro’s Sunbury Cemetery House of Horror
The history behind Helena’s Pumpkin House
a bunch of hocus pocus
Cable, Internet and Phone
uAT&T Uverse – 1-888-708-0934 att.com
uSpectrum 1-855-707-7328 spectrum.com
uC-Spire, Fiber Internet – 1-855-277-4735 cspire.com
uSpire – 1-800-292-4008 spireenergy.com
uAlabama Power Company – 1-800-245-2244 alabamapower.com
uRepublic Services – (205) 631-1313 republicservices.com
uHelena Utilities City Water Service (205) 663-1670
uShelby County Board of Education – (205) 682-7000 shelbyed.k12.al.us/
uHelena Elementary School (205) 682-5540 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/hes/index.htm
uHelena Intermediate School – (205) 682-5520 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/his/index.htm
uHelena Middle School – (205) 682-5300 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/hlms/index.htm
uHelena High School – (205) 682-3650 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/hhs/index.html
uHillsboro School - (205) 864-7330 thehillsboroschool.org
Do you have an issue that City Hall needs to know about?
Please use the City Action Center at cityofhelena.org to get a resolution to your neighborhood issue.
Leigh Hulsey Christopher VanCleave Alice Lobell
Place 3, Council President
Laura Joseph Hewy Woodman
Place 4 Place 5
City Hall (205) 663-2161
Fire Department (205) 663-5809
Sports Complex (205) 620-2877
Library (205) 664-8308
Police (205) 663-6499 Utilities (205) 663-1670
OCTOBER 23 3 P.M.
The Church at Old Town
The Church at Old Town will be hosting its second annual Trunk-R-Treat on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. Members of the Helena community and residents across Shelby County are welcome to come in their best costumes, grab some candy and play fun games. The Trunk-RTreat event is designed to get people excited about the church, community involvement and get everyone in the Halloween spirit.
OCTOBER 30
6 P.M.
Helena Amphitheater Park
Celebrate your four-legged friends with the return of Two by Two Animal Rescue’s annual Barktoberfest. This event is open to families and individuals of all ages. Come enjoy live music, local food trucks and some beautiful fall weather as we bring attention to the animals that love us unconditionally.
OCTOBER 1 | ALL MONTH Global Diversity Awareness Month begins
OCTOBER 3 | 4:30 P.M. Teen-tober begins at the library
OCTOBER 4 | 11 A.M. Storytime at the library
OCTOBER 4 | 5:45 P.M. Friends of the Library Meeting
OCTOBER 6 | 11 A.M. Storytime at the library
OCTOBER 10 | 6 P.M. City Council meeting at City Hall OCTOBER 10 Columbus Day
OCTOBER 13 | 6-10 P.M. Arthritis Foundation Annual Bone Bash
OCTOBER 13 | 7 P.M. Old Cahaba Witches Ride
OCTOBER
OCTOBER
Red Caboose
Autumn has arrived in Helena. That means, football, scarecrows, mums and Helena’s annual Pumpkin House. Located at the Caboose Welcome Center, it is a focal point for families to gather for photos and to enjoy all Helena has to offer.
Throughout the month of October, the Jane B. Holmes Public Library will feature teen events that are scheduled with the goal of encouraging teens and tweens to visit the library. Special dates for Teen-tober include Mosaic Craft Day on Monday, Oct. 3 at 4:30 p.m., Board Game Day on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., an all-day extravaganza on Wednesday, Oct. 12 where any teen who checks out one or more books receives a special prize, and Teen-tober Crafting Day on Monday, Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 14 | 6 P.M. Helena football at Calera
OCTOBER 18 | 11 A.M. Storytime at the library
OCTOBER 20 | 10 A.M. BINGO at the Helena Sports Complex
OCTOBER 20 | 11 A.M. Storytime at the library
OCTOBER 21 | 6 P.M. Helena football vs. Benjamin Russell
OCTOBER 22 Helena Pumpkin House premieres
OCTOBER 23 | 3 P.M. The Church at Old Town Trunk-R-Treat
OCTOBER 28 | 6 P.M.
Sunbury Cemetery Haunted House opens in Hillsboro
OCTOBER 28 | 6 P.M. Helena vs. Vestavia Hills
OCTOBER 29 | 6 P.M.
Hillsboro Witches Ride
OCTOBER 30 | 6 P.M.
Barktoberfest at Helena Amphitheater Park
NOVEMBER 3 | 11 A.M. Storytime at the Library
NOVEMBER 10 | 11 A.M. Storytime at the Library
NOVEMBER 14 | 6 P.M. City Council meeting at City Hall
Old Cahaba, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. Hillsboro Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.
Everyone’s favorite wickedly fun Halloween event is back in Helena! Several subdivisions host annual Witches Rides, and this year is no exception. The Old Cahaba Witches Ride will take place Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m., and Hillsboro’s Witches Ride will take place Saturday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. Come watch members of the Helena community dress in quirky witch’s garb and ride through neighborhoods on decorated Halloween floats tossing candy to children young and old along the route.
Helena’s Kim Edwards has lived in Alabama for the past 21 years of her life, but she didn’t move to Helena until nine years ago. Originally from Weirton, West Virginia, Kim moved to Helena from Alabaster after falling in love with the city’s charm. She says it was all of the little things like Buck Creek running through the town, the single grade school and even the train tracks that made her feel like Helena was home. Since moving here, Kim has become heavily involved in the community, volunteering for various events around town and becoming active in local churches. You may know her most prominently as the chairwoman for Helena’s Beautification Board, where she has helped organize clean-up events, the Fall Pumpkin House, the Christmas tree lighting and the hanging baskets planting day in Old Town. Kim said she inherited her love of planting from her father, and her yard was even nominated for Yard of the Month through the Beautification Board. When she isn’t volunteering, Kim says she loves to frequent the walking trail at Hillsboro, enjoy dinner at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s or The Depot, and she also loves to attend the various sports events at Helena High School, several of which her youngest child is involved in. When asked to pick her favorite thing about Helena, she had a simple answer: all of the above. She says it’s the first town she’s lived in where she wanted to take active participation in watching and helping it grow. “There’s that little spark in this town, and you can just sense that so many others feel it, too,” she says. “I’ve developed more friendships living my nine years in Helena than all of my 21 living in Alabama. I feel like I have a network of people here that I can call on if I have a problem or just if I want to get a bite to eat. You just don’t find that in every place I’ve lived. Helena has become home to me, and I’m incredibly grateful for it.”
The Helena Huskies ran out of the gate—literally—to start the 2022 high school football season on Friday night, Aug. 18 inside Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl. Taking on county rival Chelsea, the Huskies got an 85-yard kickoff return from Jordan Washington on the opening kick to set up first-andgoal from the 2-yard line, eventually leading to a 7-0 advantage.
Chelsea and Helena officially entered into the league in January, rounding out the northern and southern divisions to seven teams respectively. The league has a positive reputation as 16 of the last 24 state championships from the highest division, and seven of the last 27 state championships from the secondhighest division have come from these programs.
Shelby County children interested in trying lacrosse before signing up for the spring season are welcome to take part in Buck Creek Lacrosse this November. Buck Creek Lacrosse takes place every Monday in November, and sign-ups will take place throughout the month of October. Those interested should visit the Buck Creek Lacrosse Facebook page.
The Helena City Council voted yes on a request from Councilmember Chris VanCleave to provide new computers to Helena High School’s marketing program at its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Aug. 22.
Helena’s Refined To Go officially opened to the public in its new location on Friday, July 22. The restaurant moved next door to its old location in what used to be the Beignets & Lattes spot.
The students of Helena Elementary School filed out of the carpool lines and rushed into the school in anticipation of the new school year. This year marks a particularly special year as it’s the first time since 2020 that students in Shelby County Schools are able to have all students back in person for the first day of school.
Helena Middle School celebrated a return to the school year with its Back to School Bash Celebration on Friday, Sept. 9. Students played cornhole and basketball while dancing to music supplied by a DJ and even taking part in some karaoke.
The Shelby County Board of Education approved a new administrator for Helena High School at a meeting on Aug. 11. Bianca McGrew, formerly a school counselor at Montevallo Middle School, was named the new assistant principal at the high school.
For the second week in a row, junior running back Jordan Washington set the tone early for the Helena Huskies on Friday, Aug. 26, but he was one of many storylines for the Huskies en route to a dominant 55-17 victory against Buckhorn. On the road for the second week in a row, Helena was able to earn an early 14-10 lead on the heels of another strong start on the ground, but that was just the beginning.
Helena High School graduate Kaitlyn Glawson is hosting a countywide wide food drive for food insecure children. Glawson said she wants to make awareness of food insecurity a major part of her platform as Miss Teen Alabama USA.
It was bittersweet fun at Helena’s final Old Town Live of 2022 on Saturday, Aug. 20. The concert was held at Helena Amphitheater Park, and despite the rain, hundreds of Shelby County residents came out to enjoy the final installment of the concert series.
State Rep. Arnold Mooney presented a check for $6,000 to local nonprofit Owens House on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The funds will be poured into the program to help continue its work counseling and fighting for children who have been sexually, physically and emotionally abused.
At UAB Callahan Eye, we’re focused on providing vision-saving care at every level — from the only 24/7 eye emergency room in Alabama to daily eye care from exper t physicians.
See the di erence at uabcallahaneye.org.
Physical Education teacher and
I’m beginning my second year at HMS.
I was a three-sport athlete for almost half of my life. The lessons I learned from athletics were very instrumental in preparing me for life’s challenges. It’s hard to imagine not being a part of athletics and being part of a team. “Pride of belonging” is very important to me. I love spending time with my students and athletes. They keep me young. I do this job because I want to help kids grow into adults who can handle life’s ups and downs, especially the downs. As adults, we can look back in hindsight and say, “Man, I wish I would’ve been better prepared for that,” or “I wish someone would’ve tried to tell me how hard ________________ would be.” That’s what I try to do with my students and athletes on a daily basis.
What’s not to love about Helena? I love building relationships with the kids and parents in this community. I love being a Husky. I live in Alabaster, but I wear my blue and black no matter where I go. I have great pride in what we’re about in this town.
I just always try to lighten the mood. To be honest, once we get to that point, “the hay is in the barn” as the saying goes. I try to make them realize how proud I am of them for all of the work they’ve put in up to that point, and then I make a joke about something to try to get them to laugh so they’ll relax and have fun. I try to help them manage the pre-fight jitters.
What is a moment in your career with Helena that stands out to you the most?
That’s a tough question to answer because I’m just getting started. I’d have to say during last year’s state qualifying tournament in Montgomery. Our 120 pounder (Joseph Bratina) was going up against the 3-seed in the second round. Joey was seeded quite low (I think 12th or 13th) so he was by far the underdog. He went out and absolutely dominated. He crushed his opponent, pinning him in the first period of the match. It was a moment of validation for me. It helped me realize that I am giving them what they need in order to be prepared for tough matches. The seniors that have stopped by since we returned to training during the summer really means a lot to me, too. A couple of those guys have stopped by just to say hey and see how the team is doing. It warms my heart to see them, and they’ll give me grief for saying that if they see this, but I don’t care. They know they mean a lot to me, and I love getting to see them every time they stop by.
TThings at the library are busy with lots of new books and movies on the shelves and some great upcoming programs.
available for checkout. This works great for busy parents who need to get something quickly. Kids love these Book Bundles.
The library will have a fun Scarecrow Craft event for kids on Oct. 24 at 5:30 p.m. This craft is designed for kids ages 4 and older.
For adults and teens, the library has a unique program courtesy of the Alabama Humanities Foundation Road Scholar lecture series. Breakfast of Champions: A History of America’s Morning Meal is a program presented by Robin O’Sullivan, Ph.D. from Troy University. Come learn about the history of something almost everyone has in common: Breakfast! The program is on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.
We will once again be hosting “Teen-tober” this year for our teen and tween visitors. “Teentober” is a nationwide teen celebration hosted by libraries every October. The program promotes the innovative ways teen services help students and families learn new skills and pursue their interests. Helena Library events include a Mosaic Art Craft on Monday, Oct. 3 at 4:30 p.m., an all ages Board Game Fun event on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and a Crinkle Paper Craft for teens and tweens on Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
If you are a parent in Helena, bring your teen or youngster into the library soon and sign them up for a library card. Applications for minors who are younger than the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian’s signature. A library card can open up a world of possibilities.
For parents with younger children, Storytime is every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. with Mrs. Erin. This program is a great way to get familiar and introduce your family to the library. Book Bundles are a recent addition to the Children’s Department. Library staff bundles three to five books together on popular topics, and they are
The library would like to thank Sen. April Weaver, Rep. Arnold Mooney and Rep. Kenneth Paschal for their continued support. Books, programs, technology and educational opportunities for all residents will be greatly enhanced from the grants provided by these state leaders.
The library is looking forward to seeing you as fall approaches. Stop in today and visit us, your hometown public library!
230 Tucker Road Helena, AL 35080
Phone:
Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a 17-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for that world or ours. Described by critics as a love letter to The Brothers Grimm, King’s latest novel thrills and chills in the best ways.
Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ is an uplifting story that speaks to how hope, hard work, and a whole lot of optimism built a rich celebration of his heritage—and of unforgettable barbecue.
A new action thriller series for fans of the bestselling Gray Man Series. He’s one man with a team to protect, a secret to keep, and a mission to complete.
By Jennifer Lynn Barnes | Young Adult
This book is the first in a trilogy and is a thrilling blend of family secrets, romance and a high-stakes treasure hunt.
Soar into a breathtaking world of heroes and unicorns as you’ve never seen them before in this fantastical middle grade debut!
By Aimee Sicuro | Easy/Picture
Celebrate the fall season and encourage children to see the colorful leaves around them in an entirely new way. The artist uses real leaves of vibrant hues to make her oh-so-charming illustrations.
October 2022 is a very special time for Helena’s Amanda Traywick – it marks her 25th anniversary working for the city of Helena. Originally from Rehobeth, Traywick moved to Helena in 1996 and began working for the city a year later. In 2008, she was appointed to the position of city lerk/treasurer, and since then she has served as president of the Shelby County City Clerk’s Association, been nominated for the Municipal Clerk of the Year award for the state of Alabama, and other monumental achievements. When she isn’t at work, Traywick enjoys spending time with her family, including her two daughters, Peyton and Piper. Both her daughters are involved in numerous activities inside and outside school, so she attends those as much as she can. She said she loves to travel, especially to the beach and the Chattahoochee River, and she said she also loves all things Auburn football and NFL. Traywick said her favorite thing about her job is while it is challenging, she loves how it enables her to connect with employees and make a difference in the community she loves so much. “Helena is a wonderful place, and I have been blessed to watch it grow from about what seemed to be 5,000 residences to over 22,000 now and going from one school to four,” she said. “[I love] being able to see the city grow like it has but always remaining to stay a true small-town feel.”
Lamb of God Church
Head Pastor: Caron Glenn Davis 5140 Hwy 17 (205) 919-7932
Lambofgodcec.org
The Church at Old Town
Head Pastor: Josh Knierim 815 Highway 52 E (205) 663-7879
Thechurchatoldtown.org
Gospel Light Baptist Church
Lead Pastor: Gary Bohman 5781 Roy Drive (205) 685-0772
Glbcbham.com
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church
Head Pastor: Edwin Dinkles 5320 Helena Road (205) 624-3323
Mpbchelena.com
Riverside Baptist Church
Senior Pastor: Chris Wilson
Worship Pastor: Kyle Ziglar 1919 Highway 52 West (205) 426-1910
Rbchelena.org
Crossbridge Community Church
Lead Pastor: Cody Brister 1455 Starkey Street (205) 358-3500
Crossbridgehelena.com
Church of Christ at Helena 2499 Highway 58 (205) 620-4575
Helenachurch.com
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
Grace Christian Church
Lead Pastor: Rev. Brad Henderson 869 County Road 52 (205) 426-1233
Gracechristianchurch.org
Helena United Methodist
Head Pastor: Rev. Rusty Tate 2035 Highway 58 (205) 663-0111 Helenaumc.org
Church at Cahaba Bend
Lead Pastor: Rev. Patrick Friday 3721 Hwy 52 West (205) 621-8060
Cahababend.org
Open Door Independent Church 120 Laurel Woods Drive (205) 482-5963 Opendooral.com
Cornerstone Church Life Christian Fellowship
Lead Pastor: Rev. Tim Trimble 2694 Highway 58 (205) 663-9332 Cornerstonechurchhelena.org
New Vision Christian Church
Senior Pastor: Van C. Houser 2383 Highway 95 (205) 919-6678
Nvcc4god.org
The Rock Church
Head Pastor: Bryan Van Gieson 501 2nd Avenue West (205) 358-7625
Rockofbirmingham.org
The Voice of Faith International Ministries
Head Pastor: Franklin Kirksey 1560 Cunningham Drive (205) 663-7396
Helena Pentecostal Worship Center
Head Pastor: Rev. Joel Wayne Pate 2nd Ave. & Branch St. (205) 663-1697
Harmony Church of Helena
Head Pastor: Mike Ensminger 3396 Helena Road (205) 663-2174
Helenacpchurch.com
Christ Community Church
Pastors: Phil Chambers and David Cunningham 2222 Highway 52 (205) 881-4222
ChristCommunity.net
This year will be my fourth year of teaching kindergarten at HES.
While on my journey of pursuing a degree in Elementary Education, I had the privilege of being mentored by some pretty incredible educators and administrators at Helena Intermediate School. There, I completed my student teaching where I was placed in two fifth grade classrooms. This experience left a place in my heart that was unforgettable. I loved the school, the students, and the community. My hopes were to earn a teaching position at one of the Helena schools where I knew my daughter and I would be surrounded by positive, caring, and supportive people. After a last minute call from a friend, letting me know there was an opening at Helena Elementary School, teaching kindergarten, I took a leap of faith and applied for the position. I was a nervous wreck at first, thinking about the transition from teaching fifth graders to teaching kindergarteners, but I felt led to go for it. I am so glad that I did because I got the job, and I have been there ever since, loving what I do.
What are some things your students do that make you smile?
As a kindergarten teacher, there are unlimited amounts of things that my students do that make me smile. From their sweet little faces, to their hilarious stories they share, to the numerous compliments they give me throughout our day, or the trinkets they bring me from home, they always put a smile on my face. On top of that, seeing my students get excited about school and eager to learn will forever put the biggest smile on my face. That is what is so rewarding about what I do!
I love how our school is not just a school. We strive to involve the Helena community as much as possible. With the help of our PTO and community volunteers, we host various activities and events for our students to enjoy with their family such as a “Back to School Bash,” a “Spring Fling,” a “Boosterthon Fun Run,” as well as a few others. It is all for the kids; seeing them light up and get excited about our school events is what makes it all worth it and memorable.
This is what makes everyone come together as one big Husky family, and what makes teaching at a Helena school so great.
Kindergarten is a year that is so important for children. It is one of the most critical years for a child’s early developments. It provides many opportunities to build on their social and emotional learning skills as well as their language and cognitive skills. It is the foundation, the building blocks of a child’s education experience. In my kindergarten classroom, I feel that it is important to provide my students with opportunities of exploration and play-based learning with their peers.
Two by Two founder and Executive Director Sonya King shares why every animal deserves love and respect
BY MICHELLE LOVE PHOTOS BY JEREMY RAINES
HHelena’s Sonya King, the founder and executive director of Two by Two Animal Rescue, did not plan on starting an animal rescue nonprofit when she moved to Helena 21 years ago, but, according to her, she should have seen it coming.
“At [the age of] 7 I brought home my first stray,” she said, laughing. “I’ve got a picture of myself with buck teeth wearing terrycloth pants, and I’m grinning from ear-to-ear holding onto my dog Blackie. I’m grinning so big, and I’m as happy as can be. So, it’s been a pattern my whole life.”
The organization aims to provide foster homes for rescued animals so they can experience a loving and nurturing home in lieu of being in a shelter before they’re adopted. Since its inception, Two by Two has spread across the county and the state, with more than 200 foster parents and families
taking in dogs and cats to give them the love that so many of them have never experienced.
King said Two by Two’s growth happened organically, beginning when King moved to Helena to practice law and found the stray dog population almost overwhelming.
“Literally all throughout the area, like in the mornings people couldn’t drive to work without dodging dogs,” King said. “They were either hit on the side of the road or people were slamming on their breaks to avoid hitting them.”
King began putting bowls of dog food out in various parking lots to keep the animals from going into the street. One day, she saw another bowl of food that got her thinking. She taped a note to the bottom asking the mysterious helper if they would be interested in combining their efforts. Eventually,
the woman, whose name was Andrea, reached out to King and said she thought it was a great idea.
Once they got started, they realized how large a task they were undertaking.
“It was just out of naivety, I didn’t realize how it was such a prolific problem in our state,” King said of the stray dog population. “I just thought it was a couple of dogs that needed help. Jokes on me, I guess.”
She volunteered for years to handle the dogs that wandered around Helena, taking care of their medical needs and giving them a loving home until they could find people to adopt them. Little did King know that while she was gathering dogs to foster, she had an audience that was noticing her work. Then-Mayor of Helena Sonny Penhale was watching her efforts closely, and one day he approached her and offered to pay her for her efforts.
“I basically became the unofficial animal control person, and I really just did it out of my house,” she said. “Penhale was a lovely man, an animal lover. He didn’t get bogged down with telling me how to do things, he said he was appreciative of what I was doing, and he said I could do it however I wanted. So, I was like, ‘Okay, everybody lives.’”
King decided Two by Two would be a no-kill, foster-based animal rescue where every animal would be safe from euthanasia and would find a loving home. As word spread of the woman in Helena who was trying to find homes for stray animals, Two by Two was born.
“Once I started doing it for the city of Helena, other people started paying attention and being like, ‘Well, what about these dogs here in Vestavia or Hoover?’” she said. “So, that’s why I started the organization – to cover the whole umbrella of animals, not just for the city of Helena.”
Currently, King said Two by Two has 400 animals in their foster system with “a couple hundred” foster families. Fosters are matched with their ideal animals, whether that be puppies, nursing dogs who have just given birth, or animals in hospice. Two by Two pays for medical expenses, food and other nurturing items needed to foster an animal. They also take care of the pet’s marketing and the administrative side of things. They frequently hold adoption events at pet stores, and they do meetand-greets any time during the week for those interested in adopting a dog or cat.
King said as long as they have the funds to take care of the animal’s medical expenses, they will never turn down an animal.
“One thing that I want the community to be aware
of is we are a nonprofit rescue,” King said. “We don’t get government funding, but we are absolutely trying to take as many animals in the community as possible.”
One of King’s goals is spreading awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering pets for population control, as the high number of stray animals breeding is a direct factor in the number of animals put down in shelters. She also emphasizes the options outside of euthanasia and why fostering is so important.
“If people really saw the travesty of the number of animals that have to be put down in shelters because we aren’t taking care of our own in our state, I really believe somehow then people would start caring and scream to make a change in our state,” she said.
King said that once an animal becomes part of the Two by Two family, they’re in that family for life, even after they’re adopted. Recently, Two by Two posted on their Facebook page asking for help involving a rescue mission: a Two by Two dog named Xylo, who had been adopted, was surrendered at a shelter in Baton Rouge. The shelter reached out to King, who immediately took to Facebook to see if anyone could pick Xylo up and bring him back. King praised the woman who dropped everything to drive to another state to bring the dog back.
King said it’s all part of the Two by Two motto: “No more bad days.”
“Something that slipped out of my mouth one day, I had finally caught a mama dog that I had been trying to catch forever, and she was a little bit feral, but she finally let me get her, and I told her, ‘No more bad days,’” King recalled. “It just came out and it’s always stuck. That’s our promise to them when we rescue them: No more bad days, and we mean that for life. Even after you’re adopted, even if that person gives up on you, we’re here for you still.”
While instances like Xylo’s aren’t everyday occurrences, Sonya said the kindness she sees from strangers willing to help is constant.
“We were notified by Midfield Vet Clinic that there was a couple there whose dog had been shot, and they couldn’t afford surgery,” King said, tears forming in her eyes. “We posted their story on our Facebook page with like, ‘Please donate so we can get this poor baby some help,’ and these people were weeping with gratitude that we were able to raise the money to save their dog because there was no way without help it would have happened. The community was like, ‘We got this.’”
King said she shares stories like those, and some
Two by Two Animal Rescue is a foster-based organization dedicated to helping all dogs and cats in need of a supportive, loving home. Fosters are located all across the state of Alabama, and Executive Director Sonya King said anyone willing to open their home and their heart is welcome to foster. Two by Two pays for all of the animal’s medical bills, provides food and even some toys. If you’re interested in fostering for Two by Two, reach out on their Facebook page or through their website Twobytworescue.com.
not-so-happy endings, so people can be aware of what’s going on around them. To King, knowing the bad along with the good can inspire people to fight for change. She said without the community’s support, Two by Two would not be able to accomplish all that it has.
“I see a lot of people write comments on the sad things like, ‘Oh, I hate people, people are the worst,’” she said. “The truth about it, though, is while I do see some terrible things, and there are some awful people, we really do live in a community of good people. And it chokes me up because I see the very worst that people are capable of, but I also see the best. Like the community coming together to help pay for that dog’s surgery, a dog they have never
met before and a couple they’ve never met before. It was just so beautiful and so meaningful, and those are the things we need to remember.”
King also praised the Two by Two volunteers and fosters, many of whom she said she has actually never met. She said the Two by Two family is a “connected web of beautiful hearts who volunteer their time to help these animals.”
While Two by Two has events year-round to celebrate their foster animals, it’s the annual Barktoberfest every October that gets everyone particularly excited. Aside from the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barktoberfest is held every year at Helena Amphitheater Park for the sole purpose of celebrating current fosters and
Two by Two “alumni.” King said they even have an Alumni Tent where they ask people to bring their Two by Two adopted dogs so King and the volunteers can see how happy they are.
“The things that animals do for us that each individual person can talk about, a lot of it’s the same, but a lot of it is different,” King said. “Like it ranges from their physical health, mental health, emotional health, memories, laughter, companionship, the beauty of a community that gets that is phenomenal. Life is better with animals, and we need to respect what they do for us.”
For more information on Two by Two Animal Rescue, visit Twobytworescue.com, or visit their Facebook page.
Meet the minds behind Hillsboro’s Sunbury Cemetery House of Horror
BY MICHELLE LOVE PHOTOS BY JEREMY RAINES AND CONTRIBUTED BY AUSTIN HOOD
AAustin Hood and Vincent Ciccazzo sit on Hood’s back porch overlooking the two neighbors’ shared back yard. At the time of this interview, it’s a very muggy Tuesday in August, and Hood and Ciccazzo are discussing when they’ll be able to start construction on a very important project.
“We have to start in late August or early September with the buildout,” Hood said. “We can’t do this upcoming weekend, so realistically we’ll probably end up getting started near the very end of August.”
The project under discussion is the return of Hood’s and Ciccazzo’s annual haunted house, known as Sunbury Cemetery House of Horrors, which they’ve put on for the past eight years in the shared backyard of their Hillsboro Subdivision homes.
The story began when Ciccazzo and his family moved next door to Hood in 2013. The two men became friends, and in 2014, Hood approached Ciccazzo with the idea to turn their joint backyard
area into something fun for Halloween. What began as three 10-by-10-foot tents that created a walkthrough has morphed over the years into one of the most successful haunted houses in Shelby County.
“We’ve only missed two years in the whole time we’ve done this,” Hood said. “One year was because we tried to do something different and then, ultimately, we realized too late that it wasn’t possible, and the other year was the hurricane about two years ago that literally the night before destroyed everything. But both of those times, we saw how much people love the house because they were so disappointed that we couldn’t do it.”
The house has continuously evolved over the years through trial and error processes and new ideas. Originally, Hood and Ciccazzo constructed the house out of scrap wood and pallets they collected from the newbuild sites of the subdivision. Now, the structure is more of a greenhouse outline with tubing and piping where the layout of the house wraps from the front porch of Ciccazzo’s
house to a walk-through around the property.
Since both men have to balance work and family life during the day, construction on the house takes place on weekends where they are both available and at night.
“We can typically get the build done between the course of two weekends,” Hood said. “We’ll get together on a Saturday morning with two or three other people and usually get the framework done in like two weekends. We also have to watch the weather and make sure it’s not going to storm, and we also have to wait until night time to set up the lights because we want to be able to see it how other people would see it.”
The haunted house is an immersive experience with special lighting and other visual and sound effects. There are animatronics, decorations and live actors, which Hood and Ciccazzo credit with the validity of the experience. Some are paid actors, some are friends who just want to be part of the experience. Even Hood’s and Ciccazzo’s daughters have dressed up for the occasion.
Their audience has grown every year to the point that in 2021, the line of people wrapped down the neighborhood, and people were waiting for an hour to get inside. The support from the community has been tremendous, according to Ciccazzo.
“A lot of people know about us, but there are still some people who are learning about us,” Ciccazzo said. “They’re always so supportive and so excited. We have people that come from outside Helena, too. People from like Alabaster and Pelham.”
Hood said every year they ask for donations on the Sunbury Cemetery Facebook page, and people are always happy to help.
“We don’t make money from it,” Hood said. “All of the donations, we reinvest back into buying new decorations or PVC pipe, because you can imagine every year things wear down or something breaks or we get a new idea about something to try, so all of the donations go towards making sure we can create something worthy of everyone coming out.”
The haunted aspects of the house change every year, as Ciccazzo and Hood said they want to make
sure people can’t pinpoint where exactly they’ll be scared.
“We have people who come every year, so we always want to add things that they aren’t expecting,” Hood said. “There’s no fun to a haunted house if you know what’s happening every year.”
Ciccazzo said roughly 10 percent of items in the haunted house are hand-built, but the majority are animatronics and store-bought decorations.
“I’ve got motion sensors in here that trigger stuff, there’s stuff in there for the kids to see,” he said. “On my front yard every year, I have talking pumpkins that I can project stuff on them, and the kids love that. People will come up and listen to the pumpkins for five or 10 minutes. We used to do more videos inside, but we don’t want to slow down the experience.“
The house takes roughly seven or eight minutes to go through in its entirety, according to Ciccazzo. Group numbers cap out at six people to make sure the flow of the house stays consistent. Smaller children are encouraged to have a parent go through with them to ensure the kids are acting appropriately.
“We’ve had kids go through kicking and screaming, and then 10 minutes later they’re coming back through without their parents,” Hood said, laughing.
We’ve had kids go through kicking and screaming, and then 10 minutes later they’re coming back through without their parents.
A lot goes into monitoring the haunted house: making sure everything is working properly, nobody is messing with anything inside the house, making sure the groups are going through in a timely pace. All of these things play a role in making sure the house goes off without a hitch. Ciccazzo said he is usually in the front managing the line of people, and he likes knowing that their team is all on the same page.
“When we get busy, it gets crazy, and the actors play a huge role in that, too,” Ciccazzo said. “Like, if one group is going too fast and catching up to the group before them, the actors can do something to hold them up for a minute so the groups just aren’t on top of each other. If you get big clusters of people, the scares can only scare one or two of them because the others have seen it, and then the actors have to get back in place before the next crew comes in.”
The house usually runs for a few days depending on what night Halloween falls. This year, the house runs on Friday, Oct. 28, Saturday, Oct. 29, skip Sunday, then the last night will be Monday on Halloween night.
They encourage people outside of the neighborhood to come on Fridays and Saturdays because the lines are shorter than on Halloween
night. They also allow members of the City Council to do a preview tour before it opens to the public.
“We enjoy it, and we like seeing other people enjoy it,” Ciccazzo said. “We’re always happy to hear people ask about it and say how much they like it. We put a lot of work into it.”
“This has been eight years of our life,” Hood said. “You know, you’d think eight years of something we might get tired of it, but no, we’re still having fun with it.”
Sunbury Cemetery House of Horror is located at 105/109 Sunbury Terrace in Hillsboro Subdivision. For nightly run times, visit their Facebook page.
BY MICHELLE LOVE PHOTOS BY CHRIS VANCLEAVE AND JEREMY RAINES
OOctober signals the arrival of many things in Helena: the changing of the leaves, the various neighborhood Witches Rides and especially the return of the Helena Pumpkin House.
Helena residents should be very familiar with the Pumpkin House. For the past three years, members and volunteers of the Helena Beautification Board transform the pergola in the center of Old Town into a structure that screams of all things fall: Approximately 400 pumpkins from the Finley Ave. Farmers Market with twinkling string lights, scarecrows and more. Residents of the city are welcome to walk around and through the pergola, take photos, videos and make fun fall memories in the house’s month-long duration.
Three years ago, City Councilmember and thenBeautification Board Chairman Chris VanCleave was working with his fellow Board members on coming up with ideas for what to do for fall. VanCleave had been in Little Rock, Arkansas filming segments for P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home Retreat Show when he saw that Smith had a pumpkin house structure on his farm. VanCleave said Smith showed him how to build the house, and VanCleave presented the idea to the Board when he returned to Helena.
VanCleave said the pergola was the perfect choice for the house as it is “a natural gathering spot.”
Year one, VanCleave worked alongside Public Works Director Jason Poe on how they could properly execute the plan. Together, VanCleave, Poe and his team worked to get the house going. To this day, we could do this without the partnership and support of Jason and his team, said VanCleave. It premiered and they came and helped me set it up and get it going. The Pumpkin House was an instant success, and the next year, VanCleave worked with Kim Edwards, who took over the Beautification Board, to improve the house.
“We are constantly looking for ways to continuously improve things, so we figured out a better way to stage the pumpkins,” he said. “They wanted to add scarecrows and hay and kind of beef it up a little more, so we did that. This time, the Board had a hands-on experience building the house, but the Public Works team continues to play an integral part in how we make the house happen every year.”
They begin planning the house around early August,
When I think about fall in Helena, I think about the falling leaves, the Pumpkin House and football.
- CHRIS VANCLEAVEand VanCleave said the actual assembly of the house takes a whole day. Excitement around the house grows with each year, and VanCleave said the house represents all the good things about fall in Helena.
“When I think about fall in Helena, I think about the falling leaves, the Pumpkin House and football,” he said. “I have heard people say that it signals a change of season in Helena. It’s something kids of all ages enjoy. I’ve seen small children just pitch a fit over it and also grandmas. You know, it just makes everybody smile, and to have started that during a period of time when we all needed to smile, it was a good thing for us to do. It still means a lot to people.”
The debut date for this year’s Pumpkin House is Saturday, Oct. 22. The house will be up through Thanksgiving before the Board begins decorating for the Christmas season. How Helena celebrates holidays in general is just another aspect that makes Helena unique, according to VanCleave.
“We try very hard to maintain that small town feel,” he said. “Even though we’ve seen a lot of growth in the last 10 years, these fun holiday things help bring us together and keep us close and focused on our families and being together.”
Helena High School Track
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University Baptist CDC Pre-K
In Montevallo NOW HIRING Auxiliary teachers for First Class 4-year-old Pre-K programs. School year positions with competitive pay. Auxiliary teachers must have Child Development Associate (CDA) or 9hrs Early Childhood Education/Development. Experience in First Class program & bilingual skills a plus. Also looking for substitute teachers. For questions or resumes, contact Lorrie Ozley: universitybaptistcdc@gmail.com 205-665-4039
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My Zen and happy place in Helena is at the end of Amphitheater Park. This spot is a hidden gem in Helena and I find it to be very serene. My husband and I love to grab a book and a chair to spend an afternoon in this spot year round. Tip: Bring bug spray.
My favorite memory of Helena is when I met and married Joe May. Oddly, we both moved to Helena from Vestavia but it took Helena to bring us together. We both chose Helena to be our hometown prior to meeting each other so we decided to celebrate our wedding day with pictures in Helena.
There are so many wonderful events in Helena and too many to choose from! My favorite has become the Holiday Festival and Christmas Tree lighting at the Caboose. I love the small town feel this event brings. Another event I love is the Buck Creek Festival with ducks everywhere, food, vendors, and amazing bands! It’s so hard to choose just one event.
The first time I drove through Helena, it was the charm of Old Town when I cross over the bridge. It was late spring and the flowers were blooming in an abundance! Helena never disappoints with seasonal flowers and the new tradition of the pumpkins at the pergola. Helena is very photogenic and we can’t wait to take pictures next to the new clock with the pumpkins behind us for our Thanksgiving cards. Thank you Helena!
Brown Sugar Desserts by Renea is the best! Have you tried one of their Cinnamon Rolls? Man! You will never go back to Cinnabon!!!! El Patrons and Osaka are our favorite date night restaurants. I recommend Tacos el Carbon at El Patron and the YumYum roll at Osaka.
