Shelby Living March 2014

A day Tennis starts with love Pelham Racquet Club offers opportunities for players of all ages and skills

One-track mind Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum President brings passion to his job

life

in the

Families share joys, challenges of raising children with autism

Irish Soda Bread Try this classic recipe on St. Patrick’s Day

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FROM THE EDITOR

I

am ready for spring, especially after the bizarre winter weather we experienced in January and February.

As I write this note, we are two weeks out of the Jan. 28 snow storm, which saw Shelby County and much of the Birmingham area crippled by snow and icy conditions. Many people were stranded by the storm, including myself, but I was heartened by our residents’ response. People went out of their way to help each other, offering food, shelter, transportation and other assistance. It warmed my heart, even though it was freezing outside.

Luckily, spring is right around the corner, and this month’s issue of Shelby Living offers a hint of the fun that warmer days will bring.

This month, we visit with Jim Garnett, president of the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, which offers train rides beginning in mid-March. Garnett

has a fascinating history, including a long stint in the aerospace business.

We also feature the Pelham Racquet Club this month. While you can play tennis year round, I bet those courts are most enjoyable when warm weather returns. Tennis offers a great workout, and the club is welcoming to people of all ages and skill levels.

Storyteller Dolores Hydock returns to Shelby County in March for a performance with Bobby Horton.

Together, they will share the story of Sallie Independence Foster, who was a teenager during the Civil War. Hydock and Horton rely on Foster’s journals, letters and schools essays to share her story through word and song.

Finally, do not forget we want to hear from you! Please send any story suggestions, comments or questions to Katie.mcdowell@shelbyliving.com.

Have a happy spring! l

SHELBY Living EDITORIAL Ginny Cooper Drew Granthum Katie McDowell Cassandra Mickens Neal Wagner CONTRIBUTORS Grace Thornton Laura Brookhart Lauren Heartsill Dowdle Lisa Phillips PRODUCTION Jamie Dawkins Amanda Porter Jon Goering MARKETING Jessie Bell Jody Ellis Daniel Holmes Nicole Loggins Rhett McCreight Meagan Mims Kim McCulla Kari Yoder ADMINISTRATION Tim Prince Jan Griffey Mary Jo Eskridge Jennifer Arias Hailey Dolbare Christine Roberts Laurel Cousins

Katie McDowell, Editor

Katie.McDowell@ShelbyLiving.com

ON THE COVER Scarlet and John Thompson with their children, Keeley, Kaela and Cade

Cover design: Jamie Dawkins Photography: Jon Goering

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

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

Shelby Living is mailed to select households throughout Shelby County, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit Shelbyliving.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $12 for one year by emailing subscribe@shelbyliving. com, or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 21.

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

4 | ShelbyLiving.com

WHAT’S INSIDE

Home 40

ASIAN INSPIRATION Bill and Cheryl Scheu’s home features décor collected during their travels

40 March 2014 | 5

WHAT’S INSIDE

22

14 in every issue 8

THE SIMPLE LIFE

9

SHORT STORIES

51

VIEWPOINTS

59

SHELBY SPOTTED

80

OUT & ABOUT

82

WHY I LOVE SHELBY COUNTY

6 | ShelbyLiving.com

art & culture 13

14

A SWEET STRANGE HISTORY Dolores Hydock and Bobby Horton will bring Sallie Independence Foster’s journals to life in a performance ARTISTIC LICENSE Bev Mabry uses art to inspire and delight others

home & food 40

ASIAN INSPIRATION Bill and Cheryl Scheu’s home features décor collected during their travels

48

IRISH SODA BREAD Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this Irish staple

34 features 16

CHANGING EXPECTATIONS A day in the life of families with autistic children

22

ONE-TRACK MIND Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum President brings passion to his job

28

FOR THE DOGS Roverchase, an indoor dog park, opens in Pelham

34

TENNIS STARTS WITH LOVE Pelham Racquet Club offers opportunities for players of all ages and skills

THE SIMPLE LIFE

Rethinking spring cleaning

O

ne thing that is guaranteed to us is we’ll never have more than 24 hours each day! Okay, death and taxes, too, but that’s for another month. We can put things off that keeps our homes organized until later or we can embrace the “powerful pockets of time” we have Lisa Phillips, owner of SimpleWorks, and choose activities that we can do Simpleworksmtsp.com every day to keep our home from lisa@simpleworksmtsp.com reaching the “point of no return.”

205.981.7733 Keep in mind we are focusing on 13, not 50. Don’t feel you have to do all of these by yourself. Assign and delegate. By doing so, you are instilling good habits for everyone.

• Take out the trash. Nothing clutters a room faster than the sight of overflowing trash. Have a wastebasket for every room.

• Fall in love with “wipes.” Windows, countertops, bathroom counters … sanitized and smelling good. Fast, convenient, and simple to use.

• Empty the dishwasher.

• Establish one place to go through the mail. Deal with it every day and make one of five decisions: Discard, Delegate, Do It Now, File For Follow-up or File For Reference.

• Make the “swiffer” your best friend. Especially if you have animals.

• Pillows arranged on furniture and blankets folded. Tidy up each night before bed.

• Put things back where they belong the first time.

• Delegate. A good chore chart never goes out of style.

• Make the bed as soon as you get up.

• Close cabinet doors. Simple, but easily overlooked.

• Get hooked on hooks. Hang towels, backpacks, robes, etc. Get things off the floor.

• Designate a “left-over” shelf in the refrigerator, ideally at eye level so it is the first thing you see. This helps the take-out boxes and leftover spaghetti from getting lost. On the night of leftovers, tell your family you are having “mustgo,” as in everything must go before something starts growing on it.

• Don’t make any trip empty-handed. Make sure you always take something with you when you get out of the car, go up the stairs, or down to the basement. Everyone can pitch in on this one.

For the majority of us, long gone are the days of perfection, white glove inspections and “hand and knees” scrubbing. Who has time for that! When you do a little bit every day, the all day cleaning doesn’t come around as often. It’s that simple. l

When you do a little bit every day, the all day cleaning doesn’t come around as often.

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8 | ShelbyLiving.com

SHORT STORIES

Chelsea art student wins state flag competition Kristen Hamby, a 10th grade student at Chelsea High School, has been selected as the overall state winner in the Youth Art Month Flag Design Competition. Her artwork will be made into an actual flag and will now represent the state of Alabama at the National Art Association’s annual conference March 29 – 31 in San Diego, Calif., during Youth Art Month.

Students in grades K-12 from across the country participate in the national Youth Art Month flag design program, with each participating state selecting one design that represents their state and the creative spirit of YAM. Hamby’s prize for winning the contest is an all-expense paid trip to visit New York City’s art museums, compliments of Sargent Art.

Author to discuss self-sustaining farming Author Gwen Roland will speak at the Calera Public Library March 25 at 6 p.m.

Roland, author of “Atchafalaya Houseboat” and the documentary of the same name, will give a presentation on self-sustaining farming/agriculture and how to implement certain ideas into your life from minor to major.

A Louisiana native, Roland has been featured in a PBS documentary, on NPR’s All Things Considered and twice in National Geographic magazine. She also has been editor of numerous publications, including Naples Now, the city magazine of Naples, Fla.; Nautilog, the alumni magazine for University of West Florida; Scuba Times, an international magazine with editorial offices in Pensacola, Fla. From 1993 until 2011 she was the

communications specialist for a USDAfunded sustainable agriculture research program.

Tickets cost a donation of $5 per ticket.

Ozment named to AHF board University of Montevallo Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Suzanne Ozment has been elected to the board of directors for Alabama Humanities Foundation.

The AHF is the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It strives to create and foster opportunities for scholars and the public to interact and explore human values and meanings through the humanities.

Ozment has been extensively involved in community service, especially with humanities and arts organizations. She served for eight years on the Board of the South Carolina Humanities Council. She has been invited to serve on a half dozen National Endowment for the Humanities panels to review grants for public humanities programs.

She has been actively engaged in Let’s Talk About It, a National Endowment for the Humanities and American Library Association reading and discussion series.

Ozment received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from East Carolina University and her Ph.D. in 19-century British literature from the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

March 2014 | 9

SHORT STORIES

Saints star Ingram visits Calera High Former University of Alabama and current New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram made a stop at Calera High School Jan. 24 to announce the launch of Financial Football, an educational video game and classroom curriculum created to help junior high and high school students learn the value of money management skills.

Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy Winner, in a partnership with Regions

Bank, Visa Inc., the National Football League and Alabama State Treasurer Young Boozer, appeared at Calera to debut the game to a group of students made up of football players, cheerleaders and the top-10 in GPA, all from the junior and senior classes.

“I think financial education is very important, especially at a young age,” Ingram said.

“The younger you are, the better. It’s like football; the more you practice at it, the better you get.”

Helena student honored for art work Helena Middle School student Sam Knight was awarded a $100 Best Buy gift card as a winner in the Artistic Expressions of Dyslexia contest, which was sponsored by the Alabama Branch of The International Dyslexia Association.

Knight, a sixth grade student at HMS, was one of the winners in the third-seventh category of the contest.

Knight’s artwork, along with the other winners, is 10 | ShelbyLiving.com

also featured on the website for the Alabama Branch of the International Dyslexia Association: Idaalabama.org/ artcontest2013.html.

SHORT STORIES

Natural and Holistic Pet Food

ISS club collects 500-plus signatures at Write-A-Thon More than 50 students from Indian Springs School and Montgomery Academy turned out on Dec. 13 to take part in a Write for Rights Global Write-A-Thon hosted by the ISS Amnesty International Club in honor of International Human Rights Day. The club collected 521

student signatures on letters prepared by Amnesty International or written by participating students seeking to protect human rights around the world. The signed letters were sent to the Amnesty International Southern Regional Office and then on to appropriate officials and individuals.

Beringer to serve as visiting scholar at Cambridge University University of Montevallo assistant professor Alex Beringer is slated to serve as a visiting scholar for the Conspiracy and Democracy Project based at the University of Cambridge and funded by The Leverhulme Trust.

The Conspiracy and Democracy Project is a five-year, interdisciplinary research project that aims to explore questions related to conspiracy theories.

Beringer will serve as scholar-inresidence at Cambridge for two weeks in October.

Beringer Beringer will deliver a public lecture based on his book project “The Pleasures of Conspiracy in American Literature and Culture 1865-1910.�

March 2014 | 11

SHORT STORIES

Taylor crowned Miss OMHS

Purple Side wins UM’s College Night Purple Side ended Gold’s three-year winning streak Saturday, Feb. 8, at the University of Montevallo’s College Night.

College Night is the culmination of UM’s Homecoming, a week-long event in which students divide into two teams, Purple and Gold. The teams compete in athletic events and

College Night productions.

The Purple performance, “Greek,” is a romantic comedy about a nerdy boy who falls in love with a girl. The Greek gods wake up from a long slumber to help the hero win the girl, and hilarity ensues as Hades tries to thwart their plan and Dionysus aids them.

Myrah Elizabeth Taylor was crowned Miss Oak Mountain High School Jan. 18 at OMHS. Taylor is an honor roll, dualenrollment student. She has served as vice president of the Oak Mountain Masters and has served as a peer assistant for three years. She also supports Owens House, Shelby County’s child advocacy center.

Taylor is a Girl Scout and a member of Troop 2280 and recently received her Gold Award.

She has been a member of the Starlette dance team, UDA All Stars, and is a part of the competition team at the Pointe Dance Arts studio.

Taylor was presented as a 2013 Starlight debutante and

a top 10 finalist in the Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen pageant. She was a finalist, talent and self-expression winner and overall second alternate in the 2014 Shelby County Distinguished Young Woman program.

Taylor plans to attend The University of South Alabama following graduation to study speech language pathology.

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ARTS COUNCIL CORNER

A sweet strange history comes to Shelby County Story by MANDY STEADMAN Photograph by CONTRIBUTED

“T

he only thing new in the world is the history you do not know.” This quote by former President Harry S. Truman summarizes exactly what Dolores Hydock and Bobby Horton are trying to bring to audiences all throughout Alabama.

Hydock and Horton have been friends for six years and have been working together to bring the spirit of people from history to life. This doesn’t mean a history lecture on famous people who did such and such at the great battle of a certain place.

They both are working toward bringing the real and normal people of history to life on stage by telling their stories to audiences across the state.

Their newest collaborative project is called, “A Sweet Strangeness Thrills My Heart: The Journals of Sallie Independence Foster.”

Foster was a young girl who lived through the Civil War and grew up during a time of uncertainty in Florence, Alabama.

“It’s a really personal and unusual look at the war,” Hydock said.

She said the whole project began when she found an article in The Birmingham News about Foster’s great-grandson donating her journals, school essays and letters to the University of North Alabama.

Hydock’s eyes lit up in excitement as she recalled flipping through the pages of the journal for the first time in UNA’s archives and reading Foster’s “loopy and gorgeous” handwriting.

“I was looking for something we could do together on Civil War because Bobby is like this master of Civil War history and Civil War music,” Hydock said. “I wanted something Alabama, something that was a woman and something that nobody knew.”

On March 22 and 23 Hydock will tell Foster’s story through her journals, letters and school essays as Horton performs music of the time period to accompany the emotions of Foster and the events that took place.

“The joy of that particular period of music is you can find tunes that do exactly what you want because music was that huge,” said Horton. This includes specific songs that are mentioned in the journals that Horton learned how to play.

The performances will take place at the Shelby County Arts Council Performance Space March 22 at 7 p.m. and March 23 at 2 p.m. Seating is limited to 100 chairs. Buy tickets in advance at Shelbycountyartscouncil.com or call 205-669-0044.l

ABOVE: Dolores Hydock and Bobby Horton will present “A Sweet Strangeness Thrills My Heart: The Journals of Sallie Independence Foster” March 22-23 at the Shelby County Arts Council Performance Space in Columbiana.

March 2014 | 13

ARTS & CULTURE

Artistic license

Bev Mabry uses art to inspire and delight others Story and photos by LAURA BROOKHART

“A

rt should make you feel delight,” said Bev Mabry as she strolled through her home, passing some of her mixed media creations illuminated by the incoming sunlight.

Mabry’s manifest might be summed up by her words, “Be a very big observer of things and then put them together.”

“I just like putting things together that are unrelated; to re-make them new and fun— baubles, words, colors. If I find stuff on the road, I grab it—I know I’ll use it.”

14 | ShelbyLiving.com

She also likes to incorporate type and make word play. “I like people to look at my work and smile.”

Mabry is the visual arts instructor two days weekly at the Joseph Bruno Montessori Academy in Shelby County. A great deal of importance is placed on art and music in the Montessori learning style, and she has taught here almost 20 years.

“We learn the principles and practices of art— we build as the children go from grade to grade.

What I teach is not crafts; it’s art and its process; it is technique; it is art history,” she said. “One parent told me while on vacation, their son chose

to go to the art museum rather than zip-lining. As they viewed together, he knew all the artist names and the stories behind their work.”

Mabry said the Montessori method is very hands-on.

“Teachers promote a love of learning and inner curiosity and children learn from free choice and play,” she said. “Children from multiple grades are grouped—younger children learn by watching the older, who in turn teach and model for the younger ones.”

Mabry never thought she would move to Alabama from her native Boston, but after meeting her future husband, Andy, playing the piano on the Staten Island Ferry, she eventually found herself well below the Mason-Dixon line in Pelham.

“When my family asked, ‘What do you want to take when you move to the South?’ I chose to take my jar of buttons,” she said. “My dad was a tailor and I always try to use buttons in my mixed media creations.”

Mabry worked as an art director and freelance designer in the 1980s-90s, then painted murals

for business and home, and showed her work at Maralyn Wilson and Clary Sage Galleries and also participated in the Magic City Art Connection.

In her “cocoon studio” Mabry paints.

“I just really like doing it so I hone my craft a lot. I always have paint on me somewhere,” she said. “As a child I lived in the city in a 3-story (now vintage) house with lots of character. I was drawn to the butler’s pantry and used the bottom drawer there to keep my cornflower blue crayons. I would stay in there for hours; so that was my first little cocoon.”

Mabry admits she has “done the gamut” and frequently finds herself on a roll about a new playful tact.

Wooden sculptures, such as those seen at Ice and Coal Gallery, came about when a neighbor put up a new fence and cropped off top bits; she added ceramic surface decorations. And buttons. Far from static and wooden, these figures dance and frolic about in multi-color exuberance.

Mabry’s work is available at Alabama Goods in Homewood and Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy in Tuscaloosa, and Ice & Coal Gallery in Helena. l

PAGE 14: Pelham-based artist Bev Mabry teaches visual arts at Joseph Bruno Montessori Academy. ABOVE LEFT: Mabry is known for her murals and and mixed media creations. ABOVE RIGHT: Portrait of Southern Rebel Renegades. They are sisters, perhaps modeled on her two daughters

March 2014 | 15

Changing

expectations

16 | ShelbyLiving.com

A day in the life of families with autistic children Story by LAUREN HEARTSILL DOWDLE Photographs by JON GOERING

A

quiet baby who doesn’t respond to her name, a toddler who repeatedly lines up all of his toys or a child who has a meltdown in the store could all be showing signs of a developmental disorder.

These are symptoms that Scarlet Thompson knows all too well because her son, Cade, has autism.

“At first, it’s devastating,” says Thompson, assistant director of development at the Arc of Jefferson County, about hearing the diagnosis.

“You go through denial and depression.

Expectations for the child’s life change, and you’re not sure how it’s all going to turn out. There’s a period of mourning for what those expectations were for that child.”

One of the things that Thompson had to adjust to early on was how developmental milestones were different for children with autism, like

how Cade, now 11, didn’t say “mama” until he was 4 years old. “I didn’t take that for granted,” Thompson says. “I longed to hear that word, and when I did, it was so sweet.

“It’s just a blessing to see him grow and talk,” Thompson continues. “God is always providing for us.”

Therapy helped the family learn how to better control his behavior, and they also adjusted his diet to cut out gluten. Changing what he ate helped Cade focus and start to communicate, she says, and it also reduced his self-stimulatory behavior, a common symptom of autism.

“The journey is different for every family; the children are different; how autism has affected them is different,” Thompson says. “You have to learn what works for your child and go with it.”

Because Cade is also prone to wandering, he wears a bracelet transmitter from Project Lifesaver (projectlifesaver.com), which is offered by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. This device is provided at no charge to families and can be

LEFT: Scarlet and John Thompson with their children, Keeley, Kaela and Cade. ABOVE: Will Ross, 11, was diagnosed with autism.

March 2014 | 17

18 | ShelbyLiving.com

used to locate someone who disappears – such as those with Alzheimer’s disease or autism.

“A lot of kids with autism like to wander and don’t have a fear of danger,” Thompson says. “It’s a wonderful, free service the sheriff’s department provides to families like ours. It’s a little bit of a security blanket for us.”

Another community program that has helped the Thompsons is a group of parents at The Church of Brook Hills.

Thompson leads a class for mothers of special needs children at the church every Wednesday night. The women share accomplishments and struggles from the past week, pray for each other and study lessons.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to talk to another parent with typical children because they don’t get how big of a deal it is for your child to make an A on a test or tie his shoe,” she says. These parents understand it.”

Another couple who attends the weekly meetings at Brook Hills is Todd and Tracy Ross. Todd teaches the fathers’ group where he’s able to talk with the men for advice and support.

“It’s been helpful to be with other men who are — Todd Ross dealing with autism or other special needs issues,” he says. “We can give and get advice, talk through things and realize we aren’t alone. Most dads of special needs kids end up leaving their families, so we’re a rare breed.”

Tracy also appreciates being able to relate to other mothers in the group. “When you say they have a meltdown, it’s totally different with a kid with autism,” Tracy says. “Unless you have a child with it, you don’t understand. It helps to be around other moms and dads who understand the daily struggles. All of our children are different, but the other parents in the group understand the stress and hardships you go through.”

Todd and Tracy have two sons with autism: Will, 11, and Andrew, 7. While both have the same diagnosis, the brothers have very different personalities and temperaments. Will is quieter and laid back, while Andrew is more aggressive and active, Tracy says.

“It’s been a totally different process with them,” she says.

“We want the same things for our kids as any parent: college, a job, independence.”

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Tracy and Todd Ross with their children, Will, 11, and Andrew, 7. Andrew Ross.

Tracy says Andrew, pictured playing in his Chelsea home, is more active, while Will, shown reading, is more laidback.

20 | ShelbyLiving.com

“Andrew needs to be hugged when he’s having a bad day, and Will doesn’t like to be touched.”

But there is one thing they both need: a strict schedule.

“If we get off of the routine – maybe to pick up medicine or run an errand – we have to explain why we need to stop and exactly what we are going to do,” Tracy says. “It throws them off. It’s a time thing. If we know we’ll be out late, we have to plan those times in the beginning of the day with them.”

Regular tasks can also be an issue for the brothers, Todd says. “We basically have to reprogram what they need to do just to get out of the house,” he says. “We have to tell them, ‘Go to the bathroom, brush your hair, wash your hands and brush your teeth,’ every day.”

Another challenge is the lack of conversation

between the parents and children, he says. “Most kids will talk your ears off,” Todd says. “With ours, it’s like pulling teeth to get some sort of comment or what they’re thinking out of them.”

Having autistic children can put strain on a marriage, but it can also bring the couple closer.

Staying on guard at all times is also important, he says. “One of the biggest things with autistic children is that there’s no situation you can take for granted,” Todd says.

But issues caused from the autism aren’t confined to their household.

“Some people believe autism isn’t a condition,” Tracy says. “I’ve heard that all my kids need is a good spanking. It isn’t that they aren’t getting their way; it’s that they’re trying to process things. Their brain doesn’t connect like it does for other people.”

Thompson also remembers a time a couple told her she needed to spank her son because he was having a meltdown.

“That’s hard because people judge your parenting skills,” she says. “There’s the misconception that he’s a bad kid with parents who can’t handle him. Cade looks like a typical child, so you have no idea he has autism.”

Since the first time this happened, Thompson and her husband, John, carry cards with them that explain autism in case Cade has a breakdown. “They have meltdowns because they can’t properly communicate what they’re feeling,” Thompson says.

While these parents have all had to alter their expectations, not everything has altered because of an autism diagnosis.

“We want the same things for our kids as any parent: college, a job, independence,” Todd says. “That hasn’t changed any with an autism diagnosis. Nothing limits them except for what others put on them.” l March 2014 | 21

ABOVE: Jim Garnett is the president of the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.

22 | ShelbyLiving.com

One-track

mind

Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum President Jim Garnett brings passion to his job Story by GRACE THORNTON Photographs by JON GOERING t one point, Jim Garnett’s job was putting people deep in space.

“When I was working in the aerospace business, I worked on the rocket that went to the moon, then on the space shuttle,” he said.

Then he found himself deep in the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina.

“We were wiped out,” Garnett said of his family’s home in Louisiana.

“We had to do something because our house was destroyed.”

So he set his sights on his home state — Alabama — where he and his wife, Linda, would be near his daughters and son.

And that’s when everything changed gears.

He bought a house in Helena.

And he became a train conductor.

“I went from high tech to obsolete tech,” Garnett said with a laugh.

It started one day when he and Linda went for a drive looking for something to do.

“Before I retired, I became interested in steam locomotives,” he said. “So one day I said, ‘Let’s look around and see what we can find.’”

They ended up at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera.

“They weren’t too busy that particular day, but the gift shop was open, and there was a really nice lady there,” Garnett said. “I introduced myself, and we started talking.”

They talked for an hour about trains, and the next thing he knew, Garnett had become a member of the museum, then a member of the board — then president.

“I’ve been here seven or eight years — I forget how long it’s been now,” he said with a laugh. “I have enjoyed every day of it very, very much. I intend to do it until they get tired of me.”

His role brings something different March 2014 | 23

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The museum is typically open MarchDecember of each year. The museum houses a collection of railroad artifacts and memorabilia. Garnett worked in the aerospace industry before he joined the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.

Vintage railroad lanterns are on display at the museum.

“Even surrounded by old trains and locomotives, I learn something every day.”

— Jim Garnett on a daily basis, from administrative to repair work, he said. It’s not the same as putting shuttles in low earth orbit, he said, but he’s challenged on a daily basis, and that’s how he prefers for it to be.

“I like this kind of work. I don’t get put in a hole,” Garnett said.

“What I like about it is that I can learn something. Even surrounded by old trains and locomotives, I learn something every day. If I don’t do that, I’m not progressing.”

But the thing he likes best of all is driving the train.

“Ultimately I like climbing in the cab of a locomotive and driving. I would be fibbing if I said I didn’t 24 | ShelbyLiving.com

really like that,” said Garnett, who learned how to drive a train and became certified as a locomotive engineer after joining the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, which is located at 1919 Ninth Street in Calera.

He likes the feeling of a locomotive chugging through the woods of Shelby County, and he said children love it, too.

“They love it especially if it’s in the summer time when they can ride in the open air and feel the wind in their face and hear the whistles,” Garnett said. “We get a kick out of it.”

For most children who visit Heart of Dixie — which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013 — it’s the first

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March 2014 | 25

time they’ve ever been on a train.

“Except for Amtrak and freight trains, kids don’t know much about it today,” Garnett said, noting that there’s an educational component to the ride.

“They often don’t know that years ago this was the primary way of getting around.”

He said the kids especially love the seasonal rides — the fall ride to the pumpkin patch, and the North Pole Express at Christmas, which is a sellout event.

“The kids love visiting with Santa Claus,” Garnett said.

Schools are also encouraged to bring children to the museum on field trips.

And rides are offered every Saturday starting in March through the end of the year. They do what Garnett calls a “runaround” — “it’s an hour and 15 minute trip out in the woods through a lot of trees and greenery.”

It’s nice, he said. Soothing. And for Garnett, it never gets old.

“I like it all,” he said. “I don’t have one single favorite — I like it all.”

For more information about the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, visit hodrrm.org or call 205668-3435. l CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Museum tour are offered on Saturdays. The museum also has an outdoor collection of railroad cars, locomotives, and cabooses.

26 | ShelbyLiving.com

2014 EVENTS The Railroad: Heart of Dixie Museum features operating trains, two restored depots, an indoor collection of railroad artifacts and memorabilia and an outdoor collection of railroad car, locomotives and cabooses.

The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum is typically open March-December from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays.

DAY OUT WITH THOMAS Day Out With Thomas is a family event that offers aspiring engineers and their families the unique opportunity to take a ride with the classic storybook engine, Thomas the Tank Engine. Dates: March 28-30, April 5-6.

COTTONTAIL EXPRESS Ride to Peter Cottontail’s meadow and enjoy an Easter egg hunt and children’s activities. Bring a camera to take photos with Peter Cottontail. Dates: April 12, 13 and 19.

WILD WEST DAY Travel back to the 1800s and experience life in the Wild West! Enjoy a train ride through Shelby County, but watch out. The Black Hat Gang is known to hold up this train. Bring a camera for photos with the outlaws. Dates: July 26.

PUMPKIN PATCH EXPRESS Hop aboard the Pumpkin Patch Express. Children can visit the Great Pumpkin, take a hayride and participate in other kid-friendly activities. Pick a pumpkin to make the perfect jack o’lantern. Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday in October.

SANTA SPECIAL Santa rides the train during this excursion. Children can take photos with him and share their Christmas wish list.

Dates: Nov. 29, Dec. 6,13, 20.

NORTH POLE EXPRESS Kids wear their pajamas for this magical night ride to the North Pole. Upon arrival, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and elves board the train to visit and take pictures. Tickets go on sale in mid-summer, and this event sells out every year. Dates: Nov. 21-23, 28-30, Dec. 5-7 12-24, 19-20.

You love that

he loves you.

Now love what he gives you.

INTRODUCING PANDORA’S 2014 VALENTINE’S DAY COLLECTION.

SATURDAY EXCURSIONS The Heart of Dixie Railroad offers Saturday excursions through the forests of Shelby County. Dates: Mid-MarchNovember.

Information from Hodrrm.org. Visit the website for excursion times and more information about the Heart of Dixie Railroad.

5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 Birmingham, AL 35242 205.980.9030 southeasternjewelers.net

March 2014 | 27

All about the dogs Indoor dog park opens in Pelham

Story by LAUREN HEARTSILL DOWDLE Photographs by JON GOERING LEFT: Roverchase co-owners Abigail Witthauer and her father, Norman Witthauer.

ABOVE: Two dogs pose for a picture on a dog bed.

W

agging tails, wet kisses and the occasional playful bark are just a few ways dogs at Abigail Witthauer’s Roverchase share

their excitement.

Billed as the only indoor dog park in Birmingham, Roverchase has been a dream of Witthauer’s since she was a child. With numerous animal behavior accreditations, memberships to several training/behavior organizations and being the only trainer in Alabama to be hand selected, endorsed and sponsored by Victoria Stillwell – the Animal Planet celebrity trainer from “It’s Me Or the Dog” – under her belt, she decided to open the park this past September.

The 10,000-square-foot facility is located on Commerce Parkway off of Highway 31 and offers boarding, grooming, daycare, training, adoption consoles and a cozy, clean place for dogs to run free with their owners.

The entire concept for Roverchase is based on what is best for the dogs. These four-legged animals are greeted by calming classical music, a soothing pheromone scent and a friendly staff. The kennels have a closed-off design, instead of glass walls, because “dogs like to have a closed interior,” Witthauer says. Each dog’s room is equipped with a web cam, and their owners are given web access so they can watch their pooch while they are apart.

The dog-only facility has a good mix of small March 2014 | 29

LEFT: Roverchase employee Samantha Steedley plays with a dog at Roverchase. RIGHT The dog park offers rooms for overnight boarding.

30 | ShelbyLiving.com

and large canines, and there are separate rooms for both sizes. About 225 canines come to Roverchase, and Witthauer knows their names, ages and what they do/don’t like. She works one-on-one with the dogs during daycare each day, when they aren’t snuggled up in a staff member’s lap, playing in groups or napping.

“Our goal at the daycare is for dogs to go home mentally and physically tired,” she says.

But maybe what most sets this dog-focused center apart is the training method used there.

“Positive reinforcement is what we’re founded on,” Witthauer says, referring to their force-free

“I want people to have a place to come and play with their dogs.”

— Abigail Witthauer’s techniques. “Not only is this the right way to train, but it works – and it works better.” Classes include Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Obedience,

Intermediate Obedience, Out and About Class, private lessons and Reactive Rover, which helps dogs with social skills issues.

For owners and their furry friends who just want to let loose and play, the indoor dog park is open from 6 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 12 to 6 p.m. on weekends. The leash-free area costs $5 per visit or $25 for a 10-visit punch card. “I want people to have a place to come and play with their dogs,� Witthauer says.

But before heading to the park, dogs must have their vaccines and undergo a temperament evaluation, which helps Witthauer determine where the animal will be most comfortable at Roverchase.

The process, which last four hours, starts with the dog being March 2014 | 31

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Abigail and Norman play with dogs, which are required to undergo a temperament evaluation. Abigail works with the dogs one-on-one during the day. Roverchase has about 225 canine clients. A pup plays fetch at the park.

placed in an isolation room. Then, a trained professional visits with the pup and later introduces them to a well-behaved dog to see how they react. After the evaluation is complete, Witthauer gives the owner a detailed report stating her findings, which are then used to pick the dog’s playgroup.

“The goal isn’t to pass or fail the dog,” she says. “It was developed so the dogs aren’t so stressed out when they come for daycare and for us to get to know them.”

So whether a dog needs a place to play for a few hours, spend the night, hone his behavior skills or run free with his owner, Roverchase has it all for man’s best friend.

“It’s a peaceful, soothing, home-like environment,” Witthauer says.

To learn more about Roverchase, visit roverchase.com, email info@roverchase.com or call 205-332-0203. l March 2014 | 33

Tennis starts with

love

Pelham Racquet Club offers opportunities for players of all ages and skills Story by GRACE THORNTON Photographs by JON GOERING CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Christie Williamson practices at the Pelham Racquet Club.

Club Pro Omar Alcaino.

Pelham Racquet Club has 20 clay courts and five hard courts.

34 | ShelbyLiving.com

ynn Wilkins ran three marathons last year.

And she was happy to keep going.

“I have kind of an obsessive personality, but my husband was afraid I was becoming antisocial,” Wilkins, a stay-at-home mom, said with a laugh.

Her husband, Scott, suggested she try something new — tennis.

She thought about it — and decided to enroll her seventh grade daughter, Alex, in lessons at Pelham Racquet Club instead.

“I hadn’t held a racquet in 20 years,” said Wilkins, who said she had played for a year while in high school. “But then I watched my daughter’s lesson, and I immediately signed up for a lesson, too.”

That was this past spring. By the end of 2013, she and her husband had competed together nationally on a mixed doubles team from Pelham Racquet Club, thanks to club pro Omar Alcaino, who served as her coach.

“We’re the best of the worst, but it’s been a winwin for me and my family,” Wilkins said, noting that Scott had also been “bitten by the bug.”

“There are not many forums for adults to compete, and this is one way to do that — and do it cost effectively,” Wilkins said. “It’s also been a hobby Scott and I could share — something we could do together.”

Even if someone has no desire to compete in tournaments, “why would you not play?” Wilkins said. “Anyone of all shapes and sizes can play, and you can be as intense or casual about it as you want.

March 2014 | 35

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Alcaino with some of his students. The club has a twostory clubhouse with locker rooms and showers. The entrance to the clubhouse.

36 | ShelbyLiving.com

I saw someone recently with a cane taking lessons.”

Pelham Racquet Club, a public facility, makes it easy for folks to get started — and stick with it, she said.

“It’s a cool place,” Wilkins said. “It has an upper class feel, and it’s friendly and welcoming. It makes you want to keep coming back.”

The club, located just off I-65 at exit 242, boasts a two-story clubhouse with locker rooms and showers — even event space with a large kitchen and fireplace.

And with 25 courts, you never have to wait to play, Alcaino said.

“We have one of the most beautiful tennis facilities in the country,” he said.

Alcaino and four other pros at the club give tennis lessons to 4-year-olds, 80-year-olds and

“It’s a fun game — a game for a lifetime.”

— Omar Alcaino anyone in between.

“It’s been very overwhelming to be able to get involved and teach and be part of people’s lives the way I have,” said Alcaino, who said anyone can learn to play.

And there are a lot of good reasons why they should, he added.

“It’s a fun game — a game for a lifetime, and for health reasons it’s probably the best thing you can

do,” he said. “It’s an easier game to learn, and it’s something you can start as an adult.”

Do you want to be competitive? Great. Do you just want to play with your husband and kids? That’s great too.

“There are different goals for everybody,” Alcaino said.

For Elizabeth Harkins, the goal was to meet people.

She had picked up tennis after law school, and when she moved to the area from Anniston, she joined Pelham Racquet Club.

“I made a lot of friends out there, mostly through Omar,” said Harkins, who has competed in tournaments on Alcaino’s teams. “I love it. I absolutely love it. I wish I got paid to do this.”

Alcaino — who has built his teams in recent years “from scratch” — said players who have been swinging a racquet for less than a year have made it to state, sectional and national tournaments because of their “enthusiasm, involvement and March 2014 | 37

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The club offers tournaments, lessons, league play and socials year round. Salim Varani returns the ball to his opponent. Alcaino gives Sharon Putman some pointers.

38 | ShelbyLiving.com

commitment.”

But Wilkins said it’s because of Alcaino’s coaching and the Pelham Racquet Club’s courts that make it convenient to play.

Alcaino got his start in Chile working at a racquet club as a teenager. He learned to play by listening to what the pros were teaching others.

Because of that, the tennis pro has a soft spot for beginners.

“I love working with them,” he said. “I love working with the juniors, or with men and women

who are in their 30s and 40s and have never picked up a racquet in their lives.”

Alcaino said he loves to work with people at the club and watch them fall in love with tennis.

“I think everyone’s hesitant about learning to play. It’s a little challenging at first, but once you learn the basics and get a taste of what it’s like, you don’t want to stop,” he said. “It’s a wonderful game.”

For more information, visit pelhamracquetclub. com. l

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March 2014 | 39

HOME & FOOD

40 | ShelbyLiving.com

Asian

inspiration Bill and Cheryl Scheu’s home features décor collected during their travels Story by KATIE MCDOWELL Photographs by JON GOERING

S

ABOVE: Cheryl and Bill Scheu’s two-story home is located in Mountain Crest Estates.

tep through the double steel doors into Bill and Cheryl’s Scheu’s two-story home and you’re struck immediately by the Asian influence.

To the left, water runs down a glass wall overlooking a staircase to the basement. To the right is a powder room painted a deep red and above is a bamboo ceiling.

The Asian décor tells a story about the Scheus’ history, as does every other element in the meticulously planned house in Mountain Crest Estates overlooking Oak Mountain State Park.

“There’s a story behind almost everything in our house,” Cheryl said.

The stories start with the steel front doors, a nod to the decade Bill spent working with U.S. Steel.

Although they lived in Chicago for more than two decades, both Bill and Cheryl have Alabama roots. She is a Birmingham native, while he spent some of his childhood in the state and graduated from Auburn University.

They moved to Birmingham from Chicago in 2007 after traveling the world with Bill’s job with D.A. Stuart Company.

“We bought some property at the beach, and we were going to retire there,” Cheryl said. “Then we began to have grandchildren, and we thought it over.”

Their oldest daughter found the lot, located on a steep hill overlooking Oak Mountain State Park. Bill and Cheryl were sold after seeing the view.

“I said, ‘What do you think?’ He March 2014 | 41

said, ‘It’s a million dollar view.’ And here we are,” Cheryl recalled.

With the lot decided, Cheryl began planning the house. She had never designed a house before, but that didn’t slow her down.

Cheryl kept three goals in mind when planning the house. She wanted to maximize the view, incorporate elements of Universal Design and use all of their furniture and décor.

They built the house around the lot and around their current furniture and needs.

“To design the house, I measured all of my furniture and planned it from the inside out,” Cheryl said.

After creating the basic floor plan and layout, she took her designs to Becky Noland of Noland Designs, who created architectural plans. Wesley Wyatt of Initial Builders built the foundation and served as a consultant throughout the process.

The house features an open floor plan with the foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen and an office open to each other.

42 | ShelbyLiving.com

The Universal Design elements are most obvious in the kitchen, which features wide aisles and easy-to-reach appliances and cabinets. In Universal Design, buildings are designed to be accessible and safe for everyone, including older people and those with disabilities.

In the Scheus’ home, the dishwasher is raised off the floor, and the microwave is located in a drawer below counter height.

“This is a retirement home for us,” Cheryl said.

Cheryl also worked with a Chicago-based craftsman to create the cabinets, which were designed around her bakeware and kitchen tools. A large, walk-in pantry stores dishes and glassware.

Adjacent to the kitchen is a large porch – a favorite room for Bill, Cheryl and their guests.

The screened windows also have custom vinyl windows, so the room is enjoyable throughout the year even though it is not heated or cooled.

“Originally we got it because we wanted to put some decent furniture out here and we wanted to

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The dining room features several Asian elements, including bamboo and a deep red accent wall. Some of the paintings in the dining room are by Bill Hill, one of the Scheus’ favorite artists. The master bedroom features red accents. “Vargas girls” prints from 1940s Esquire magazines adorn the walls in the entertainment room downstairs.

March 2014 | 43

44 | ShelbyLiving.com

avoid the pollen,” Bill said.

The porch overlooks a stunning view of Oak Mountain State Park, and Bill said they often see wildlife in their backyard.

“Our property runs right up to (the park), so the nice thing is there won’t be a housing development out there,” he said.

The master bedroom and bathroom are also located on the main floor, and both take advantage of the beautiful views. In the shower, a window overlooks the park.

“The treat here is to shower by moonlight,” Cheryl said. “It’s like being outside. It’s all about the view. The whole house is about the view.”

When friends and family visit, they stay in the basement, which is home to two en suite bedrooms, an office and — Cheryl Scheu an entertainment room with a pool table, bar and dart board.

The entertainment room is decorated with many more of their stories. A collection of chaste “Vargas girls” prints from 1940s Esquire magazine, which belonged to Bill’s father, hang on the walls. The bar is covered with the “losers from the Flora-Bama” – losing lottery tickets the Scheus bought at the famous bar in Florida. To prevent wear and tear, they covered

“There’s a story behind almost everything in our house”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: xCheryl said she and Bill collaborated with a plumber and others to create the water feature in the foyer. The powder room is open to the foyer. Bamboo is also used in the foyer ceiling. Buddha sculptures decorate a bookshelf in the Scheus’ bedroom. The entertainment room features a bar, pool table and dart board.

If you

ours. don’t ha ve a smile, we’ll give you one of

Jeffrey D. Backus, D.M.D., P.C.

425 Emery Drive, Suite A | Hoover, AL 35244 P: (205) 987-0040 | F: (205) 987-0123 Access our website

www.backusorthodontics.com via your smartphone.

March 2014 | 45

the base of the bar with more than 3,000 wine corks.

“We drank every bottle of wine … and we have enough to do it twice more,” Cheryl said.

“We’re really kind of proud of it,” Bill said.

Paintings and prints can be found throughout the house – some picked up during their travels and others bought in the U.S. A favorite artist is Bill Hill, whose art can be found in almost every room.

The backyard can be accessed from the ground floor. Most of the yard isn’t accessible because of the steep incline, but they do have a good-sized lawn for entertaining guests or grandchildren.

46 | ShelbyLiving.com

t hBRENDA ebl owout !

LADUN CONQUER CANCER RUN

A B I RT H D AY C E L E B R AT I O N F O R CANCER SURVIVORS

Presented by:

5K/1 Mile Fun Run

The yard has artificial grass – “The grandkids can play out here, and they don’t get dirty,” Cheryl said – but in the spring and summer, it blooms with clematis, lilies, Confederate jasmine and more.

Almost five years have passed since the Scheus moved into their home, but they still love it. Although it is their retirement home, they Scheus have not slowed down too much. They are still creating stories, which, of course, they incorporate into their home.

“We built this house for us,” she said. “We didn’t worry about who has it next. It is exactly what we wanted.” l CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Silver tile serves as the backsplash in the kitchen. The home features an open floor plan and utilizes elements of Universal Design. The kitchen features black custom cabinets and tile floor.

Event Details: 10th Annual Brenda Ladun Conquer Cancer Run Saturday, March 1, 2014 8 a.m.

St. Vincent's One Nineteen To register or for more information, visit conquercancerrun.org or email Kristin.Berney@cancer.org.

March 2014 | 47

HOME & FOOD

Luck of the Irish

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Irish Soda Bread Recipe by BIRMINGHAM BAKE AND COOK Photographs by JON GOERING

T

he Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread at Sodabread.info points out strenuously that real soda bread was plain day-to-day food and had no embellishments at all.

Common variations of soda bread containing 48 | ShelbyLiving.com

sugar, butter or any fat, eggs or dried fruit, they say, do not qualify as soda bread but are more properly referred to as fruit bread, spotted dog or railway cake.

The “X” in the soda bread allows for expansion while baking, but, of course it’s not an X, but a cross, which is supposed to keep the devil away.

Irish Soda Bread Ingredients: 4 cups All-purpose flour 3 Tbsp.

Sugar 1 tsp.

Baking soda 1 tsp.

Kosher salt 4 Tbsp.

Unsalted butter, cold, ½-inch dice 1 ¾ cups Buttermilk, cold 1 each Egg, large, cold ½ tsp.

Vanilla extract 1 tsp.

Orange zest, grated (optional) 1 ½ cups Dried currants (raisins or golden raisins may be substituted) CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: This recipe for Irish Soda Bread features dried currants. Susan Green, owner of Birmingham Bake and Cook, tries the finished recipe.

March 2014 | 49

IRISH SODA BREAD HOW-TO

1

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium to large size bowl and whisk to combine. Add the butter and work it in to the flour using a pastry blender or a fork, until the butter is the size of peas or smaller. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1

Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla and orange zest.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well of the flour mixture.

Add the currants and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined and the flour is incorporated. Do not overmix. It will appear wet.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and gently work it into a round, sort of shaggy loaf.

2

3

4

5

7

8

Place the loaf on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. With a serrated knife, cut an X into the top of the bread.

Bake for 45 minutes or so in a preheated 375 degree conventional oven, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.

Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 1 round loaf

6 50 | ShelbyLiving.com

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

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

Business Connections

Chamber’s 2014 Montgomery Drive-In To Be Held March 19 Sponsored by:

$40 for Chamber members and $80 for “Future” members. ShelbyOne investors receive one complimentary registration.

For additional information on this event, or ShelbyOne investment opportunities,

Newsletter

The Drive-In event sponsored by AT&T Alabama is a product of the Chamber’s ShelbyOne initiative and will include: transportation to and from Montgomery, a luncheon at the Capitol City Club, presentations from various Alabama state departmental heads and agency directors and a legislative reception in conjunction with the Business Council of Alabama.

The cost for participants is

please contact Kirk Mancer at the Chamber via e-mail at

kirk@shelbychamber.org or by phone at 663-4542.

Quarterly Industry Tour at AGC Automotive Americas The Greater Shelby Chamber will host its first quarter Industry Tour sponsored by Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon on Thursday, March 27th at AGC Automotive Sponsored by:

Americas (AGC).

AGC is a Tier 1 Automotive supplier of auto glass and is a part of the Asahi Glass Company Headquartered in Tokyo Japan. AGC’s products produced at the Alabaster facilities are: windshields, rear windows, side windows, quarter windows, side vents, sunroofs and panoramic roof panels.

Chamber members

are invited to attend this tour from 1:00PM until 3:00PM and will feature an opportunity to see two plant facilities demonstrating all encapsulation and assembly processes for windshields, rear windows, truck rear slider window, front and rear door glass, side windows and quarter windows.

Participants will arrive on-site at AGC, 101 Total Solutions Way, Alabaster, AL

35007. Recommended attire is preferably long sleeve shirts or jacket and no open toe shoes. Safety glasses will be provided.

There is no cost to attend. RSVP is required by Monday, March 24. Please contact Brooke Story at 663-4542, email brooke@ shelbychamber.org or register online at www. shelbychamber.org. Space is limited to the first 30 guests.

March 2014 | 51 Shelbychamber.org

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

Health Focus: Protecting Yourself from the Summer Sun As we head into spring, it’s time to starting thinking about preparing to protect ourselves from the intense Alabama summer sun.

Below are statistics on skin cancer that should make everyone want to apply daily moisturizer with sun protection factor (SPF) 30-50 on a daily basis, seek shade when possible and wear protective clothing.

More than 3.5 million skin cancers in more than 2 million people are diagnosed in the United States annually.

Current estimates are that one in five Americans will

Newsletter 52 | ShelbyLiving.com Shelbychamber.org

develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

Basal cell (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are the two most common forms of skin cancer, but are easily treated if detected early with 95% cure rates.

By 2015, it is estimated that one in 50 Americans will develop melanoma in their lifetime.

Caucasians and men older than 50 are at a higher risk of developing melanoma than the general population.

Melanoma is the most

common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15-24 years old.

Exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma, especially in women aged 45 years or younger.

On average, one American dies from melanoma every hour - or 9,480 deaths in 2013.

Other skin cancers (BCC, SCC and others) will cause approximately 3,070 deaths

in the United States in 2013.

The most important risk factor for BCC and SCC is exposure to ultraviolet light.

Risk factors for melanoma include: More than 50 moles Atypical moles Light skin Freckles A history of sunburn Family history of melanoma Individuals with a history of skin cancer, family history of skin cancer or multiple risk factors should have a full-body skin exam by a board-certified dermatologist at least annually and perform regular self-exams for new and changing moles.

Article Submitted by: Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD Skin Wellness Center of Alabama

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber’s Education Work Group and volunteers held “Keeping It Real” at Thompson High School in January. Students were given a “real life” scenario and asked to make choices based on variables such as marital status, job type, annual income, and expenses.

Thank you to Legacy Community Federal Credit Union and The UPS Store Caldwell Mill Road for co-sponsoring this program.

The Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Group hosted a meeting featuring the Shelby County state legislative delegation in January. The meeting provided more than 70 area businesses and residents an opportunity to meet with the county’s state legislative delegation prior to the State Legislature’s convening in Montgomery.

Pure Faith Salon, Alabaster is now doing business as Shear Grace Salon & Spa and held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new name, new look and beauty services provided for a new you! Call to book your appointment with the design team today 664-9888.

Congratulations to H&H Accounting on its recent expansion of offices. To mark the event, they held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the recent move to 108 Plaza Circle, Ste B, Alabaster.

Chamber Public Policy Agenda Developed & Approved Throughout the 2013 program year, the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Work Group worked on developing a process by which the organizations could establish a Public Policy Agenda on issues important to Shelby County businesses.

That process – along with an initial Public Policy Agenda – has been approved by the Chamber’s Board of

Directors.

The purpose of the Agenda is to provide clear and concise information on the Chamber’s stance on key business matters which impact our 1,000+ member organizations and Shelby County businesses.

As other business issues arise, the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Work

Group will review the issue and apply the approved process before presenting to the Board of Directors for discussion.

The Chamber’s Board of Directors will have final say on whether a position or statement is added to the Agenda.

The 2014 Public Policy Statement is available on www.shelbychamber.org in the “About Us” section.

March 2014 | 53 Shelbychamber.org

Newsletter

Snapshots

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

Newsletter 54 | ShelbyLiving.com Shelbychamber.org

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

Welcome New Members (As of January 31, 2014)

AARP

Anna Pritchett

201 Monroe St, Ste 1880

Montgomery

(334) 954-3065

aarp.org

Service Organization

Alfa Insurance - Northam Agency

Kathy Northam

2304 John Hawkins Pkwy, Ste 104 Birmingham

988-8898

Apex Valet & Rare Transportation

Joyce Dabbs

4525 Valleydale Rd

Birmingham

991-0532

apexvalet.com

Changing Spaces Moving, Inc.

Lori Planson

130 Inverness Plaza #243

Birmingham

972-0744

changingspacesmoving.com

Consigned Design

Wendy Bailey

72 Fulton Springs Rd, Ste A

Alabaster

664-7540

H&H Accounting, Inc.

Kathy Talley

108 Plaza Circle, Ste B

Alabaster

664-5187

Accounting

Oak Mountain Lodge

Sukru Icimsoy

1902 Hwy 31 South

Birmingham

985-9117

oakmountainlodge.com Lodging

Rebecca Smith State Farm

Rebecca Smith

3443 Pelham Parkway, Ste B

Pelham

663-3276

ridingwithrebecca.com Insurance

Sassy Sisters Boutique, LLC

JoEllen Ramsey

4290 Highway 52 West

Helena

664-3023

sassysistersboutiqueal.com Retail

ShutterLuxe, Inc.

Valerie Leonard

133 Kings Crest Ln

Pelham

413-5921

shutterluxe.com

Insurance Transportation & Valet Services

Moving Services Consignment/ Retail

Window Treatments

668-1942

Chiropractic Care

Functional Athletic Rehab Medicine Sloan Burdick

Cameron Strouss

13521 Old Highway 280, Ste 125 Birmingham

419-1595

chirofarm.com Health & Wellness

Tougie Baby

4035 Helena Rd

207-7974

tougiebaby.com

Kim McCoy

10456 Highway 25

Calera

Helena

Retail

Join the Chamber for “Coffee Net” at Verizon Wireless 280 Be sure to mark your calendar for Tuesday, March 4 and join us at Verizon Wireless 280 from 8:30AM until 9:30AM for Coffee Net! The morning meeting is designed for members to enjoy networking, coffee, and light refreshments — all before heading

to the office.

Coffee Net events are a great way to make new business contacts so bring plenty of business cards. There is no cost to attend. Reservations are requested by Thursday, February 27 to assist in preparation for the event.

Please contact the

Chamber by phone at 663-4542, via e-mail at info@shelbychamber. org or register online at www. shelbychamber.org.

Chamber Members Headed To Ice & Coal Gallery For March Business After Hours!

Be sure to mark your calendar for Thursday, March 20 and join us at Ice & Coal Gallery in Helena from 5:30PM until 7:00PM for Shelby County’s best business networking event!

The Chamber’s quarterly Business After Hours presented

by Shelby County

Reporter are a great way to make new business contacts — and have a little fun while you’re doing it!

The cost to attend is affordable — only $10 for Chamber members ($20 for “Future” members) — and that includes hot, heavy hors d’oeuvres and

two complimentary beverages of your choice.

Reservations are requested by noon, March 17, so please contact the Chamber by phone at 663-4542, via e-mail at info@ shelbychamber.org or register online at www. shelbychamber.org.

Presenting Sponsor:

March 2014 | 55 Shelbychamber.org

Newsletter

The Chiropractic Center

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

Ambassador of the month Congratulations to Rhett McCreight for earning Ambassador of the Month. Rhett is an account executive with the Shelby County Reporter, Hoover’s Magazine and Shelby Living Magazine. He is involved with the American Diabetes Association serving on the Executive Board and President of the Junior Board of The Arc of Shelby County.

He was born and raised in Alexander City and attended Jacksonville State University. In his free time, Rhett enjoys coaching his

GSCCC Board of Directors (as of 1/24/14))

Officers Bill Keller Regions Bank (Chair) Lisa McMahon Warren, Averett, LLC (Chair-Elect) Paul Rogers Aliant Bank (Vice Chair, Business Development)

oldest nephew in baseball and volunteering his time to help colleagues and friends with their charities.

Newsletter

If you are interested in discussing advertising opportunities contact Rhett at 669-3131 or email rhett.mccreight@ shelbycoutyreporter.com.

John D. Browning Cahaba Valley Computer Services, LLC (Vice Chair, Communications) April Weaver Shelby Baptist Medical Center (Vice Chair, Community & Workforce Development) Keith Barfield Barfield, Murphy, Shank & Smith (Vice Chair, Finance & Administration) Keith Brown Jefferson State Community College (Vice Chair, Membership & Marketing) David L. Nolen Renasant Bank (Immediate Past Chair)

Joe Sullivan (2014) Sullivan Communications, Inc. Tim Bowen (2015) Alabama Power Company David Platt (2015) Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama James E. Purvis (2015) A.C. Legg, Inc. Charlie Stevens (2015) Thompson Tractor, Inc. Tim Benefield (2016) Buffalo Rock Company Linda Cencula (2016) Alabama Telco Credit Union Steve Chapman (2016) Alabama Gas Corporation Kathy Copeland (2016) White Rock Quarries — Vincent Hills Bruce Fryer (2016) Lhoist North America Gregg Maercker (2016) First Commercial Bank Chris Grace (*) Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon, Inc.

Directors Tim Prince (2014) Shelby County Newspapers, Inc.

SMILE OUT LOUD. BRACES + INVISALIGN + INVISALIGN TEEN

David Schlueter (2014) Buck Creek Stained Glass Michael Smith (2014) The Great, The Good, and The Gone

as low as

Brandon Boggan, DMD, MS 205.664.4140 OrthoSouth.com PELHAM + CALERA

56 | ShelbyLiving.com Shelbychamber.org

$99 A MONTH

No down payment options available.

Amanda Mundy (*) Cardiovascular Associates Sam Tucker (*) Charter Business (*) Serving a one-year term in 2014.

2014 CONTINUAL SPONSORS

280 Living A.C. Legg, Inc. America’s First Federal Credit Union AT&T of Alabama Business Telephones, Inc. FastSigns Graham & Associates, CPA’s HealthSouth Lakeshore Rehabilitation Jefferson State Community College

Legacy Community Federal Credit Union MetLife Financial Group of the South Shelby Baptist Medical Center Shelby County Newspapers, Inc. The UPS Store - Hoover The GREAT The GOOD and The GONE

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

Entrepreneur Roundtable Informational Meeting Are you a small business owner that owns more than 50% of your business and are looking for a way to interact with other entrepreneurs to exchange advice on fundamental business issues?

Then join us on Tuesday, March 18 for an informational meeting as we discuss starting the Chamber’s first Entrepreneur Roundtable.

Ken Jackson, president of Dudley C. Jackson, Inc., has served on more than a dozen non-profit boards and frequently donates his time

as a speaker, emcee and auctioneer to various nonprofit organizations.

Once the Entrepreneur Roundtable has been formed, discussion topics will be determined by the needs of the group. Topics may include business plan development, hiring, financing, marketing, customer service, business resources, profitability and more. Participants in the roundtable will benefit from the advice and mentoring of other members around the

table, the business topics pursued by the group and the business relationships that provide continuing opportunities to advance their business goals. If this sounds like a good fit for you then mark your calendar for March 18 and plan to be a part of the initial meeting as we discuss in more detail the

benefits of being part of an Entrepreneur Roundtable.

The Entrepreneur Roundtable Informational Meeting will be held in large community room at the Greater Shelby Chamber starting at 8:30AM and concluding at 9:30AM. There is no cost to attend but reservations are requested to assist us with room preparation. Call the Chamber at 663-4542, email info@shelbychamber.org or register online at www. shelbychamber.org.

The Chamber’s March Membership Program will feature a presentation by Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD, Skin Wellness Center of Alabama. Dr. Corey L. Hartman is the founder and medical director of the Skin Wellness Center of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. He is Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. A native of New Orleans, Dr. Hartman attended Emory University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. After earning a

a residency in Dermatology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham. Dr. Hartman is certified by the American Board of Dermatology and is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

The meeting will be held on March 26 in the banquet hall at the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena. Doors Doctorate of Medicine from will open at 11:00AM for Meharry Medical College, he business networking and the completed an internship in program will begin promptly Internal Medicine at Tulane University Medical Center and at 11:30AM. Businesses in

the healthcare industry are invited to participate in the Showcase Feature. Call or email Keyla Handley for details at 663-4542 or keyla@ shelbychamber.org.

The investment is $20 per person for Chamber members and $30 per person for “Future” Members and includes a luncheon buffet.

For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact the Chamber at info@shelbychamber.org, by telephone at 663-4542 or register online at www. shelbychamber.org.

Contact Us

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce 1301 County Services Drive, Pelham, Alabama 35124 Office: (205) 663-4542 Fax: (205) 663-4524 RSVP Line: (205) 663-8923 info@shelbychamber.org www.shelbychamber.org March 2014 | 57 Shelbychamber.org

Newsletter

March Membership Program to Feature Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD, Skin Wellness Center of Alabama

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce

GSCC Events Find more details of what you can expect about any event listed by visiting the Greater Shelby County Chamber’s website at: www.shelbychamber.org. Register for events online at www.shelbychamber.org, call the RSVP Line 663-8923, or the Chamber office 663-4542.

March 2014

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Coffee Net 8:30AM - 9:30PM Verizon Wireless 280, 5363 Highway 280 S, Suite 100B No cost. RSVP required by Thursday, February 27.

Ambassadors Work Group 11:30AM - 1:00PM Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Dr., Pelham Small Business Work Group 4:00PM - 5:00PM Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Dr., Pelham Existing Business & Industry Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon, Inc., 3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite 500, Birmingham

19 19 20 26

Keeping It Real Program Held at Chelsea High School.

Volunteers welcome.

Health Services Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM Cardiovascular Associates, 3890 Colonnade Parkway, Birmingham Education Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM Shelby County Instructional Services Center, 601 First Street South, Alabaster Entrepreneur Roundtable Informational Meeting 8:30AM - 9:30AM Greater Shelby Chamber 1301 County Services Dr., Pelham

58 | ShelbyLiving.com Shelbychamber.org

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Board of Directors Meeting 8:15AM - 9:30AM Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Dr., Pelham Montgomery Drive-In 11:00AM - 7:00PM Sponsored by AT&T - Alabama Cost: $40 Chamber Members, $80 Future Members RSVP required by March 12.

Business After Hours 5:30PM - 7:00PM Ice & Coal Gallery, 4089 Helena Rd., Helena Cost: Members $10, Future Members $20 RSVP required by noon, Monday, March 17th Membership Program - Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD Doors open at 11:00AM. Program 11:30AM - 1:00PM Hosted by: Health Services Work Group Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena, 500 Amphitheater Rd., Pelham RSVP required by noon, Monday, March 24.

Investment: Members $20, Future-members $30.

Governmental Affairs Work Group 8:30AM - 9:30AM Sain Associates, Two Perimeter Park South, Ste 500 East, Birmingham Industry Tour 1:00PM - 3:00PM AGC Automotive Americas 101 Total Total Solutions Way, Alabaster No cost. RSVP required by Monday, March 24.

CANCELLATION POLICY REMINDER: If a reservation is made for a paying event and you are unable to attend, you will be charged for the event unless a cancellation request is made at least TWO business days prior to the event.

SHELBY SPOTTED

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Fine Folk Art Gallery Opening

The Fine Folk Art gallery opening took place at the Shelby County Arts Council on Jan. 16 from 6-8 p.m.

1. Teresa Wamble, Rene Day, Marty and Helon Everse and Mary Afton Day 2. Becky Rodgers-Cox, Judy and Jim Jones and Suzanne S. Hurst 3. Anthony and Melissa Tavis 4. Candye Lundy, Aprille Hayes and Teri Sullivan 5. Mayor Stancil and Ann Handley and Mark Frey 6. Beverly Klamer, Edna Sealy, Scott Owens and Teresa Wamble 7. Andrew Stokes and Morgan Bearden 8. Judy Quick and Esther Cook 9. Delores Jones, Peggy Wood and Carol Hill

March 2014 | 59

SHELBY SPOTTED

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Greystone New Year’s Eve Party

Greystone Golf and Country Club hosted a New Year’s Eve Countdown Party on Dec. 31, 2013 at the Founders Clubhouse.

1. Frank Battle and Janice Battle with Angie and Jason Beaubien 2. Loyce and Rich Bares 3. Melissa Cicero Kendall and Chris Kendall 4. Jeffrey McKay Fields and LeeAnn Hoffman Fields 5. Ann and Steve Vanderburg 6. Suzanne and J. Wes Wildmon 7. Denise and Scott Shephard 8. Cristine and Scott Ferguson 9. Julie and Robert Kim

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10. Robert and Julie Kim with Frank and Kim Paduch and Ann and Mike Henson 11. Kelley Shea and Larry Brown 12. Erich and Dana Walchek 13. Chris and Sandra Battles 14. Kelly Shea, LeeAnn Fields and D’Anne Bounds

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March 2014 | 61

SHELBY SPOTTED

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UM College Night Sign Raising

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The University of Montevallo College Night Sign Raising was held on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. and was followed by a pep rally.

1. Rachel Reynolds, Hannah Delashaw, David Pohler and Lane Russell 2. Ashelyn Morrison, Rachel Anderson, Christen Oswald and Emilee Richards 3. Michael Cleary and Dillon Owens 4. Heather Bowden and Morgan Marr 5. Michael Harrison and Brittany Chavaria 6. Dagny Mullins and Eliah McCutchen 7. Kevin Britt with the Gold side flag 8. Clarke Stackhouse and Shelby Mays 9. Rebecca Atkinson, Maggie Spiller, Morgan McGowan and Cori Clark

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ROAR

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ROAR of the Southeast Cancer Foundation met in December at the Hoover home of Julie Kim.

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1. Maria Schaffer, Sherry Tatom, Heather Strauss and Hollis Traylor 2. Rhonda Pyatt, Martha Thompson, Dr. Anne Bishop, Lynn Yeager and Julie Kim 3. Chantal Kottmeyer, Yvonne Albaugh, Lynn Yeager, Julie Kim, Sarah Moseley and Noralyn Goddard 4. Pam Ausley and Juli Narz

March 2014 | 63

SHELBY SPOTTED

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Ice Iron Cup

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The Ice Iron Cup was held at the Pelham Ice Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18.

1. Randy and Jan Adams 2. David Noble, Jeff Harris and Gary Waters 3. Alexa Hightower and Sharon Johnson 4. Lacey, Bryce and Joy Mazzei with Kirsten and Andrew Radnoti 5. Kim and Taylor Vernon 6. DeAnne, Erin and Kaleb Glass 7. Lauren and Rayden with Kim and Braxton 8. Michayla and Courtney Moody with David Buckelew 9. Sara and Hadley Bates

64 | ShelbyLiving.com

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10 OPEN MON-SAT 7AM-6PM • (888) 693-9020

HOME OF THE 30 MINUTE OIL CHANGE PLEDGE Expires April 15, 2014

11

Expires April 15, 2014

$10.00 OFF

10% OFF

ANY OIL CHANGE

ANY ACCESSORY OR OVER THE COUNTER SALE

Expires April 15, 2014

$25.00 OFF ANY SERVICE OR REPAIR

Must spend over $50. Choose any service available in our dealership. This exclusive offer not valid for insurance work, warranty, over the counter sales, other offers or service specials. Must be redeemed at one visit. Has no cash surrender value.

12

10. Hollen Crim, Charlotte Richey, Jeremy Wood, Mike and Connie Palmer 11. Valerie and Brandon Orso, Carly and Aiden Jackson, Tyler and Olivia Sage with Colby Malott 12. Gus Morard 13. Joseph, Jared, Jacob, and Jeremiah

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March 2014 | 65

SHELBY SPOTTED

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MSCC Reception

The Montevallo Sister City Commission welcomed Echizen artists Naomi Hashimoto and Yuki Kihara Hirose to Montevallo with a reception Jan. 11 at Perry Hall.

1. Kelli Bennitt, Cindy Holsembeck and Meg Moore 2. Janice Seaman, Herschel Hale and Sharon Gilbert 3. Andrew Cost and Vinny Chiaramonte 4. Steve Gilbert and Terry Bruno 5. Larry Caine and Johnny Holsembeck 6. Chloe Bertschinger, Cebastian Cardozo and Frances Pope 7. Julie Caine and John Stewart 8. Brent Murrill and Kelly Wacker 9. Robin Metz, Ted Metz and Meg Moore

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10. James Bennitt, Amy Feger and Kelly Wacker 11. Yuki Hirose, Naomi Hashimoto, Hollie Cost and Julie Caine 12. Misty Bennett and Tamara Moriya (Japanese American Society of Alabama) 13. Peggy Tyler, Don Hughes, Will Hare and Marilyn Hare

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SSCC Luncheon

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The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce held its monthly luncheon Jan. 9 at the Columbiana United Methodist Church.

1. Sheriff Chris Curry, Carl Orso and John Samaniego 2. Bobby Joe Seales and Carol Bruser 3. Trina Stogner and Kim King 4. John D. Browning and Jennifer Chappell 5. Karen Stamps and Mary DeLoach 6. April Stone, Ann Handley, Lynn Ray and Anne Senft 7. Lisa Berry and Dawn Carden 8. Ben Smith and Kathy Copeland

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9. Kari Wilson and Samantha Smith 10. Nandi Stokely, Diane Seales and Anita Davis 11. Kim King and Rux Bentley 12. Donald Shirley, Pat McDanal, Jim Thornton and Bill Robertson

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March 2014 | 69

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GSCC Business After Hours

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The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce held a Business After Hours Dec. 17 at Timberline Golf Club in Calera.

1. Josh Turner and Susan Miller 2. Jada Hilyer 3. April Stone 4. Stephanie Wesson 5. David Roper 6. Cheryl Ciamarra 7. Samantha Hall 8. Rachel Hawkins and Morgan Place 9. Jann Smith

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10. Jeff Brown 11. Rachel Hawkins, Morgan Place and Jada Hilyer 12. Bruce Koppenhoefer 13. Gail and Harold Blankenship

Get spotted in

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SHELBY Living

Contact us if you’d like to have your event featured in the Spotted section of Shelby Living! Whether it’s a community event, parties or meetings — we'd love to get photos for our Spotted pages! Email katie.mcdowell@shelbycountyreporter. com with event details.

Azia Skin Cancer Fundraiser

Relay fo

r Life

Specia Equestrl Gala ians March 2014 | 71

SHELBY SPOTTED

Santa Claus at the Columbiana Public Library

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Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance at the Columbiana Public Library on Dec. 21 from 10 am-noon.

1. Faythe, Cassidee and CJ Moore 2. Amy, Will and Emily Dixon 3. Howard Family 4. Brooke and Tommy Grigsby

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Welcome to the good life.

Welcome to Shelby Living!

Janu ary 2011

- shelb ylivin

SHELLBivinYg March 2011 - shelbyl

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Shelbyliving.com 1

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Most E liss gible gla Singles

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summer Ex otpsic Pe cam rare breeds

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Happy trails Experience the

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to receive a copy in your mailbox monthly!

• • • •

0 $o2r o1ne.4years,

Arts & Culture f sue 12 is Local Fashions Unique Home Features Monthly calendar of events and happenings

72 | ShelbyLiving.com

SHELBY Living To Subscribe visit ShelbyLiving.com or call 669-3131

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Montevallo Mayor’s Breakfast

Montevallo Quarterly Business Breakfast was held, Jan. 24 at City Hall.

1. Cathy Bearden and Lonny Bearden 2. Randy Boswell and David Pope 3. Amy Moore and John Butler 4. Paula Fanchen and Melanie Murphy 5. Michael Anderson and Nathan Stamps 6. Carol Bruser and Jamie Bessette 7. Courtney Bennett and Dee Wordham 8. John Kirby and Kevin Thornthwaite 9. Debra Payne and Cheryl Patton

March 2014 | 73

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Shelby County 196th Anniversary

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The Shelby County 196th Birthday Celebration and Shelby County Historical Society 40th Anniversary were Sunday, Feb. 2 at the Shelby County Museum and Archives in Columbiana.

1. Alyssa Criswell, Becky Holcombe Bolton and Becky Bolton Criswell 2. Rob Robinson and Bobby Joe Seales 3. Emcee Dollar Bill Lawson and Chief Deputy John Samaniego 4. Sandy and Bill Carter 5. Lucas, Connie Grund and Diane Seales 6. Rachel Clinkscale and Beverly Hall 7. Ken Penhale, Nancy Butler Davis and Bobby Joe Seales 8. Mel and Ann Shinholster 9. Diane Seales and Sandy Crumpton 10. Capt. Chris and Lisa George with Dr. Tim Nettles 74 | ShelbyLiving.com

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11. Scott Martin, Bill Justice, Jim Day and Fred Olive 12. Corp. Whit Myers, Carol Crowley, Tyrone Crowley and 1st Sgt. Scotty Myers 13. State Rep. Paul DeMarco and Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister 14. Dollar Bill Lawson, Tyrone Crowley and Bobby Joe Seales

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March 2014 | 75

SHELBY SPOTTED

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Robert Inman Book Signing and “Welcome to Mitford” The Shelby County Arts Council hosted Robert Inman signing his book “The Governor’s Lady” at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan 25.

The book signing was followed by a performance of “Welcome to Mitford,” from the script written by Inman, at the Shelby County High School at 7 p.m.

1. Jennifer and Craft Maier with Lauren Ruston 2.Lindsey, Aniston, and Wayne Cothran 3. Danielle Daly and Kelcy Williams 4. Marc and Salena Stalker 5. Tom Edwards and Robert Inman 6. Bruce and Lois Cooper, Faye Rich with Joyce and Bill Smith 7. Jackie and Jay Cochran 8. Bruce, Twyla, Billy and Bobby Fryer 76 | ShelbyLiving.com

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9. Betty Holcombe, Betty Broome and Marrene Wilson 10. Logan Tucker, Jeffery Martin Hatcher and Mason Blythe 11. Danny and Mary Jean Sanspree 12. Lexi, Brittany, Jerri and Colt Defoor with Anna Carter

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March 2014 | 77

CLASSIFIEDS

SHELBY Living ACCEPTANCE LOANS $300 - $20,000 Home, Auto, Consumer, Refinance, Vacations.

205-663-5821 Drivers: Don’t get hypnotized by the highway, come to a place where there’s a higher standard!

Up to $2K sign on, Avg $65K/ yr + bonuses! CDL-A, 1 yr exp.

A&R Transport 888-202-0004 $2,500 SIGN - ON LOCAL CDL-A DRIVERS Florida Rock & Tank Lines, Inc.Is hiring DRIVERS to haul locally for our Birmingham and Montgomery terminals!

Great Benefits Include: * Home Daily *Health/Dental/Vision * 401K w/co match *Safety Bonuses * Paid Training Applicants Must Have: * Class A CDL * Ability to obtain Hazmat & Tanker endorsements * 2 Yrs T/T exp. Or 1 Yr T/T w/ CDL School Cert. * 25 Yrs or Older Apply Online at www.floridarockand tanklines.com or call 1-866-FLA ROCK Advantage Electric is Growing Again! We need one Journeyman and one Helper.

Must have3 yrs experience. Call 205-876-4269.

AL PICK N’ TRADE 3985 Hwy 25 NEW VENDOR PROMOTION! First 3 months 1/2 off!!!

205-672-2022 (formerly Dixieland) Utility Meter Reader Immediate Opening with Alabaster Water Board. Exp. Pref. HS Diploma or GED req’d.

Go to alabasterwater.com or apply in person at Alabama Career Center, 109 Plaza Circle, Alabaster Always There, In-Home Care Seeks CAREGIVERS In the Shelby County - Pelham,

78 | ShelbyLiving.com

Alabaster & Montevallo area.

Flexible schedules, Benefits & training available. Call for more information. (205)824-0224 Clinic Openings American Family Care has full time openings.

Apply now at www. americanfamilycare.com.

AFC is a smoke free, drug free, EOE Professionally Installed, Energy Efficient Windows for Less than you think!

Single Hung Tilt-In from $179 Installed! Air Tight Windows 205-941-1888 Automation Personnel Services. We are still taking applications @ JCI plant in Clanton for production and assembly positions. Prev. exp a plus. We are also Looking for Exp Forklift Drivers! Able to pass Drug Test/ Background check. Able to lift up to 50Lbs and stand for 8 hrs. We are paying a 25.00 referral bonus for qualified Applicants. Please call 205-280-0002 Or come and apply 8/2:30 @ 2541 7th Ave S Clanton Al 35045 Beelman Truck Co. Hiring!

EXPERIENCED TERMINAL MANAGER For Calera, AL Terminal. Sales & Operations Exp.Req. Excellent Pay/Benefits Call: 618-646-5384 Toyota, Lexus, Scion Complete Service. Now servicing mostJapanese models.

Towing. Detailing.

205-668-0105 billystoyotaparts.com Piano Tuning / Repair, Refinishing, Moving & Storage Trained by The School for the Blind. Buddy Gray Music.

822-0482 800-593-2462 CDL Skills And Test Training, LLC Day & Evening Classes Hoover Pelham Area 205-253-5960 QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR Central Alabama Fab in

Classifieds To place an ad in Shelby Living, call 205.669.3131

Columbiana. Plate & structural steel exp. a MUST. C.W.I. pref.

Call 205-669-6120 ext. 23 Journeyman and 3 year Apprentice Electricians needed for commercial and service work. Birmingham area. jcason@brifutelectric.com Part-time Pre-school Worker 2-6 PM$8/hour - 5 days/week Great for college students!

Pelham, AL. 205-620-1616 $99.00 MOVE IN SPECIAL Cobblestone Cove is now leasing 1-2-3- bedroom apartments for more info call 205-665-3988 Mon-Fri 8-5 Cobblestone Creek is now leasing 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments 1000 Cobblestone Ln. Montevallo 205 665-3988 PRN LPN 12 Hour Shifts Apply in person to Columbiana Health and Rehab 22969 Hwy 25 Columbiana, AL Contact Lisa Roberson, D.O.N. at 205-669-1712 Curtis White Companies We are a full-service building company that can help you with all phases of new home construction or remodeling.

No Down Payment On Your Lot. Call for a FREE Brochure. (205) 699-2283 www.curtiswhitecompanies.com TARGET AUCTION Advanced Real Estate Marketing 800-476-3939 www.targetauction.com Brand New Queen Pillow Top Mattress and Box Springs Still in plastic, never used, factory warranty! Will sacrifice and will go fast! $195 205-200-4523 Lead Fitter/Welder Must be certified. Needs own hand tools. Able to read blueprints.

Download application at dunnbuildingcompany.com No Phone Calls!!

COMMERCIAL DRIVERS Dunn Construction has immediate openings for experienced Drivers for our Calera/Alabaster area. Class B CDL & HAZMAT Endorsement required. Excellent benefits.

Include BC/BS insurance / vacation/holidays, & 401K. Please call 205-592-3866 extension 259 to inquire.

EOE A/A Commercial / Industrial HVAC Is Looking To Fill the Following Positions in the Montgomery Area: Senior Level HVACTechnician Qualified candidates must have a min of 10 yrs exp. in service & repair. Air Cooled Chiller experience a strong plus.

ECS offers an outstanding salary & benefits pkg to include, company paid profit sharing, 401K, medical and dental insurance. Email Resume: chrisfrench@engineeredcooling. com www.engineeredcooling.com Commercial/Industrial HVAC Centrifugal Service Tech in the Montgomery, AL Area: Qualifications: 5 yrs exp in svc/rpr of Centrifugal and Screw Chiller sys. ECS offers outstanding salary & benifits pkg, 401K, medical & dental ins.

Email Resume: chrisfrench@engineeredcooling. com Evergreen Transport, LLC has immediate openings for both Tractor AND Trailer Mechanics at its terminal in Calera, Alabama.

Positions open for day shift and night shift. Job duties include repairing, maintaining and overhauling of heavy duty fleet truck/trailers. If interested, please contact Shane Jones @ 205-668-3316 or apply in person @ 8278 Hwy 25 South in Calera, AL. Flooring Service Hardwood (1.25ft) Ceramic Tile (1.25ft) Laminate (.85ft) Carpet (.45ft) New Carpet Pad (.30) Carpet Cleaning & Repair 383-5958 or 209-9635

Driver Class A CDL, 2yrs exp, Flatbed/Stepdeck OVER THE ROAD, Health Benefits/Paper Logs/Home Time, Avg 2700 mls wkly, Call 334864-7456 Wanted Junk Cars & Trucks call 205-275-4213 One Stop Shop for home additions and remodeling, retaining walls, concrete work, and masonry.

Gemmill Contracting 965-6300 Need Cash??? $25 Bonus for selling $100 of precious metals. $50 for $250 worth.

We buy gift cards!

Gold and Silver Buyers 1934 Hwy 31 S, Pelham 547-6063 Sales Rep WZZN-FM ESPN Prospecting/cold calls 1 yr sales experience Media Sales Preferred See Qualifications on 977thezone.com. EOE RECEPTIONIST: #1 TAX OFFICE IN CHELSEA SEEKING RECEPTIONIST. TEMP FULL TIME OR PART TIME AVAILABLE. SEND RESUME TO TAXPROCHELSEA@ YAHOO.COM CLASS A CDL OTR DRIVERS $2500 Sign on Bonus 1 yr. recent minimum exp Great Benefits! APPLY NOW! 866-759-9204 ext. 176 www. iws-trucking.com DRIVERS Hanna Truck Lines is hiring OTR Drivers for our Northport & Fairfield AL Terminals. Minimum weekly pay & benefits. Willing to Train. Prefer Flatbed Exp. Veterans Welcome Contact Dwayne 800-634-7315 E.O.E. CNA’s, LPN’s, RN’s FT and PT positions available for 2nd & 3rd Shift. New pay scale. Please apply in person at Hatley Health Care, Inc. 300 Medical Ctr Dr Clanton, AL 35045

The HomeCare Connection Leading homecare provider that lets seniors do their favorite activities in the comfort of their own homes. Services include: housekeeping, meal prep, companionship, transportation, massages, computer training, med reminders, online billing, Wii console, hair styling, plus much more! 453-4285 hcneeds. comm

Production Team Members in Vance, AL HS Diploma or GED, 2 yr Manufacturing exp. Must be 18+, pass background check, 2 yr AL resident, $14.50 per hour. http://naonsite.com/Job/

J.H. Berry & GilbertMultiFamily, Inc. 205-226-8666 leasing@jhberry. combirmingham-apartment.com South / Highland area apartments available.

NOW HIRING Class A CDL Drivers Only Pelham Food Distributors has immediate openings for commercial drivers with a Class A CDL. All loads have a co-driver or helper and return home each day.

All applicants must be able to pass a complete DOT physical, drug screen and road test.

Candidates must have good customer service skills. Average gross pay $55,000-$65,000 annually. • Weekly bonuses • Premium pay for holidays • Paid vacation • Medical and dental insurance • Company funded life, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, life and short term/ long term disability insurance • A company matching 401[k] plan. Please apply in person at: Southeastern Food Merchandisers 201 Parker Drive Pelham, AL 35124 1-800-749-9808 Ext. 4548

Local Construction Co. 2-5 yrs exp in construction.

Must have a well rounded skill set, reliable transportation for hauling materials and own tools. Drug test req.

Shelby Co. Call 205-337-6139” LAWN CARE For Complete Lawn Care Service Call Kevin 296-2037 Stylists Wanted Busy Salon in Chelsea 205-966-7254 Owner Operators Wanting Dedicated Year RoundAnniston, AL www.pull4klb.com Montgomery Stockyard Drop Station at Gray & Son’s in Clanton. Call Lane at 205389-4530. For other hauling arrangements, contact Wes in Harpersville 205-965-8657 MORRISON PLUMBING Master Plumber & Repair Specialists Clear sewer lines. Install water & gas lines, water heaters. Service ALL of Shelby County since 1972!

205-678-8084 Landscaping & Maintenance Commercial or Residential • Landscape Installation • Mulch/ Pine Straw • Leaf Removal • Flower Beds • Hedge Trimming MTZ Landscaping 205-914-4196 MATTRESS SETS - 100% New w/ Warranty. Furniture, too! We Deliver and Finance!

TWIN Sets From $99 FULL Sets From $129 QUEEN Sets From $149 KING Sets From $295 (205)912-7177 MyUltimateMattress.com

OXFORD HEALTHCARE LPN’s, RN’s & CNA’sFull Time/Part Time Please apply @helpathome.com 205-608-1612

Dependable, compassionate people needed to provide care for individuals with intellectual disabilities in a residential setting. Candidate will be responsible for providing support with all activities of daily living and daily documentation regarding the care of the individuals served. Part-time, full-time and weekend positions available in the Alabaster area.

Must possess high school diploma/GED and valid drivers license. Must be 21years of age, pass background check and drug screening.

Apply in person at 2352 Centerpoint Parkway, Birmingham, AL 35215.

Contact Moenique Phillips at 205-854-7272.

Right at Home Homecare services available in your area.

Please call 205-460-1062 Immediate Job Openings for Caregiver/CNAs in Shelby County. Apply at www.rahbhm.com.

MECHANIC NEEDED: Afternoon Shift SOUTHERN HAULERS, LLC, 2157 Hwy 16

Calera, Alabama 35040 Tractor, Trailer & Welding Repairs.

Must have own tools. A clear drivers license is needed. CDL a plus. 401k, Health, Dental, Rx options. For information,call Carson or Tim @( 800 ) 5374621 x 715, e-mail to: cvick@ southernhaulersllc.com or tjohnsonjr@southernhaulersllc. com

• Lift 60 lbs. repetitively.

• Work in 90+ Temp. & -10 freezers • Walking majority of day.

• Reading & math skills required.

Apply 10:30AM-5:00PM Mo-Fr. Southeastern Food Pelham, Alabama 35124 201 Parker Drive 205-685-4551

Ridgeview & Clearspring Apartments 100 Egg & Butter Rd Columbiana Open Sat. 10am-4pm Leasing 1, 2 & 3 BR WOW! $50 off move-in special!

205-669-7999

Rag Quilts for Sale All sizes. Made to order.

Matching Pillowcases monogrammed. Quick return. Southern Belle Handmade Gifts bwilliams1581@gmail (205)670-0191

APPLIANCE TECHS Put your experience and skills to work! Signing bonus! Excellent pay & benefits + vehicle Call 205-949-1785 or email careers@servicecare.net

PLUMBERS NEEDED Call 682-2828, fax resume to 682-2827 or email to resume@ sps9.com

Fire & Water Techs Needed For Restoration Company.

Must pass background check and drug test, have reliable transportation and good driving record. F/T & P/T position available, willing to train.

Serious Inquiries.

Call 424-4211 btw 9-11.

Electricians Needed Birmingham & Tuscaloosa Call 682-2828, fax resume to 682-2827 or email to resume@ sps9.com S & B CLEANING Experienced in Residential & Comm.

Cleaning.

205-603-1553 Reasonable w Ref. INSURED & BONDED

Prime Hwy 31 Space Across from Wal-Mart.

1500 sq ft. Office or retail.

205-789-3475 Next to Sharp Carpet.

CLOCK REPAIR SVS. • Setup • Repair • Maintenance I can fix your Mother’s clock. Alabaster/ Pelham Call Stephen (205)6632822

Immediate Openings For Full Time Positions ** Comprehensive ** ** Benefits Package ** Machine Operators Must have 2 plus years of experience as a manufacturing Machine Operator. Machine setup experience is a major plus!

Pay DOE. Industrial Maintenance Minimum of 2 yrs. exp.Must be able to weld. Apply in person: Smith Companies 100 Pardue Road Pelham, AL 35124 205-620-4455

Steel Building. Allocated Bargains. 40x60 on up. We do deals. gosteelbuildings.com Source# 18X 251-241-4250

PT Laundry Attendant Weekends a must, customer service skills, dependable trans.

Soap Box Laundry Mat Lorna Rd in Hoover Call 205-401-9084 Order Selectors Food Dist. Center in Pelham Al. Day Shift: Mon-Fri. 40+ hrs./ week. 10 AM until finished (varies). $10.50-$14.00/ hour.

Benefits: medical, vision, dental, vacation & 401k.

Requirements

General Warehouse Forklift Drivers Forklift Mechanic Q.A. Tech Needed Swift Staffing 205-942-6556 The View Apartments Alabaster 1, 2, & 3 BRs Good Credit Required 205-663-6650 Immediate Positions Available! Looking for five motivated people to replace five lazy ones. $150-400 cash daily.

Flexible with the hours. Hiring immediately. Will train. Call Drew (205) 490-1003 or (404) 723-1322 Tidy Spaces $160 for 2 people for 4 hrs organizing any home/ office space. Supplies additional cost. 908-0267 or 243-0677 designfortidyspaces@gmail.com

GUN & KNIFE EXPO Events in Central and North Alabama.

Check www.vpigunshows.com/ Valley Productions for shows near you! 256-335-8474 MANUFACTURED HOMES MOBILE HOMES with land.

Ready to move in. Owner financing with approved credit. 3 bdrm., 2 bath. No renters.1-205-289-8899 LandHomesExpress.com Become a Dental Asst. in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstonedentalassisting. com or call (205) 561-8118 and your career started!

TANK DRIVERS NEEDED NOW! Min. age 23 and a good MVR required. Most Nights at home. We will train for tank if you have 2 yrs. verifiable Tractor/Trailer Exp. Delivery & Return type carrier. SE States.

Dump Trailer Drivers Must have verifiable dump trailer exp.

Excellent benefits including Blue Cross & furnished uniforms with a boot allowance. Contact Carl or Valerie 800-749-5552 or 205-322-5552 or apply online at www.walpoleinc.com Patience is a virtue.

Senior and housecleaning servicesavailable ASAP. Help with companionship andhomecare. Please call (205)745-1794 Wiregrass Construction Company is seeking experienced asphalt equipment operators (Pavers, Rollers, Backhoes, etc.) Must be dependable. Excellent benefits.

Interested applicants may apply 951 Dow Street, Pelham, AL 35124. 8AM to 5PM, M-F. (205)620-4132. WCC is an EqualOpportunity Employer.

Xpress Concierge Services inc. elderly help, pet help, corporate & personal asst, errands, appt wait services, appt scheduling, organizing & research.

(888)660-5504 xpressconcierge. org Zaxby’s of Clanton seeking reliable, motivated, and experienced individuals for Management positions. To apply email resume, earning expectations and references to ZaxbysCareer@gmail.com. No phone calls, faxes or walk-ins.

Qualified applicants will be contacted directly for interviews.

EOE

March 2014 | 79

OUT & ABOUT Calera & Shelby Train Ride

Spring Wildflowers

Fairy Tale Ball and Princess Tea

March 1

The Fairy Tale Ball and Princess Tea The Fairy Tale Ball will be held at the Calera Library on March 1. The preschool ball is from 10 a.m.-noon and the evening ball is from 6-8 p.m. Young princes and princesses come meet your favorite fairy tale characters.

Free event, no tickets are necessary for the Fairty Tale Ball. Tickets are required for the Princess Tea at 1 p.m. Young princesses can enjoy snacks, tea and an etiquette lesson. Tickets can be purchased at the Calera Library; 668-7200.

March 1

The Legendary Dill Pickers’ “Old Time Radio Show” Come out to the Shelby County Arts Council on March 1 at 7 p.m. for The Legendary Dill Pickers’ “Old Time Radio Show.” Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $25. The show includes music, radio drama, comedy, news and radio commercials in the style of the pre-television radio shows of long ago. This show always sells out! Visit Shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

March 2

UM Honor Band Festival Concerts The University of Montevallo Department of Music presents 80 | ShelbyLiving.com

the UM Honor Band Festival Concerts on March 2 from 3:304:30 p.m. Visit Montevallo.edu for more information.

March 5

Visiting Writers Series The Shelby County Arts Council hosts author Skip Tucker on March 5 at 7 p.m. for the Eat, Drink, Read! Visiting Writers Series. Tucker’s novel, “Pale Blue Light,” is an espionage thriller set in the Civil War. No admission.

March 6

Dirty Thursdee Dirty Thursdee, a co-ed group mountain bike ride at Oak Mountain, meets every Thursday from 5:15-8 p.m.

Intermediate to advanced skill levels are recommended. The ride departs from the south trailhead parking lot at 5:30 and will last for 2-2.5 hours. Lights are strongly recommended.

Follow-up trail discussion and trash-talk at a local Mexican restaurant after the ride. No ride in rain.

March 8

JBMA Fundraiser The Joseph Bruno Montessori Academy Parent-Teacher Organization will host a fundraiser benefitting the school on Saturday, March 8

on the JBMA campus at 5509 Timber Hill Road, Birmingham.

The event will feature dinner, silent and live auctions, All JBMA families and community members are welcome.

Proceeds will fund projects to support the school’s mission to provide the opportunity for all students to grow to their fullest potential cognitively, socially and emotionally. Tickets are $25 each. Visit jbma.org or call 205995-8709.

March 9

Spring Wildflowers The Alabama Wildlife Center’s Audubon Teaches Nature Lecture Series presents Spring Wildflowers on March 9 at 2 p.m. with guest speakers, Larry Davenport and Mike Howell, Samford University biologists.

This seminar will help you to learn which species to expect and where to find them.

March 9

“My Name is Julia” performance The Seasoned Performers will perform “My Name is Julia,” which chronicles the life of education and prison reformer Julia Tutwiler and is based on the book by Kathryn Tucker Windham.

The Seasoned Performers is a nonprofit company that celebrates the

contributions of older adults by producing both original and well-known material, providing performance opportunities for seniors, and bringing live theatre to special and often underserved audiences. Tickets are $15. Visit Shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

March 15

Rescue 1 5K Run This 5K race will take place March 15 at Veterans Park in Alabaster. It is sponsored by Amazing Grace Worship Center benefiting Rescue 1 Global Missions. 5K and Fun Run entry fees are $30 or you can pay a $15 “sleep in” fee. Registrations begin at 7 a.m. 5K begins at 8 a.m. Fun Run begins at 8:30 a.m. Rescue 1 Global Missions combats human trafficking both locally and abroad. Register online at Amazinggracewc.org.

March 15

Sacred Sounds of Alabama Join the Alabama Folklife Association for the preview of a new exhibit, Sacred Sounds of Alabama, and a day of programs dedicated to Alabama’s Sacred Harp heritage. “We’ll all Sing Hallelujah” is funded in part by the Alabama Humanities Foundation. All facilities are in walking distance in Columbiana.

Visit Gospel4al.com.

March 15

Calera & Shelby Train Ride Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum presents the Calera & Shelby Train Ride to be held March 15 and March 22 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visit HODRRM.org.

March 18-22

Spring Break Camp Spring Break is almost here!

Don’t feel like going on a trip just yet? Enroll the kids into Camp 119 to keep them moving and cure spring fever with a week of games and activities including swimming, Zumba and hula hoop. Camp will be March 18-22. Print form at Onenineteen.com or fill one out at the fitness desk.

March 22-23

“A Sweet Strangeness Thrills My Heart” Bobby Horton and Dolores Hydock are bringing Sallie Independence Foster into the 21st century with performances March 22-23 at the Shelby County Arts Council Performance Space in Columbiana. Hydock and Horton have made a recording of the story of Foster, who was 12 years old and living in Florence in 1861 when the War Between the States began. Foster was keeping a diary at the time, and continued the diary for 26 years. Hydock uses Foster’s journals and letters to tell her story, and Horton adds camp songs, original tunes and music of the time to create a picture of a world of innocence turned upside-down. Tickets are $25.

Visit Shelbycountyartscouncil. com.

March 25

Author Gwen Roland The Calera Library is excited to host Gwen Roland, author of “Atchafalaya Houseboat” and the documentary of the same name, on March 25 at 6 p.m. for a presentation on self-sustaining farming/agriculture and how to implement certain ideas into

your life from minor to major.

Gwen has been featured in a PBS documentary, on NPR’s All Things Considered and twice in National Geographic magazine.

Donation of $5 per ticket.

March 28-30

Day Out With Thomas Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum presents Day Out With Thomas to be held March 28, 29 and 30 several times throughout the day. Visit HODRRM.org for more information.

March 30

Alabama Symphony Orchestra The University of Montevallo Department of Music presents the Alabama Symphony Orchestra on March 30 from 3-4 p.m. Visit Montevallo.edu for more information.

March 31

BFA Exhibition The University of Montevallo hosts the BFA Exhibition in The Gallery at Bloch Hall on March 31. Exhibition ends April 3. Visit Montevallo.edu for more information.

April 5

Little Warrior Fun Run 5K Come out to The Little Warrior Fun Run 5K on April 5 starting at Westwood Baptist Church and going around the Alabaster promenade.

Proceeds from the run will go to support the Family Support Unit at Brookwood Hospital, which assists families after the loss of a child. Registration ends in mid-March. Visit Thelittlewarriorrun.org.

For info, email: Littlewarriorrun@ yahoo.com.

Shelby Living is happy to feature community events in its monthly calendar. The event must take place in Shelby County or be sponsored by a Shelby Countybased group. Email details to Katie.mcdowell@shelbyliving. com. l

SHELBY Living

Send us photos of your community events, parties or meetings — we love to get photos for our Spotted section!

Brenda Ladun Run

inter nt UM W enceme Comm

Email Katie.mcdowell@ shelbyliving.com with event details

March 2014 | 81

WHY I LOVE SHELBY COUNTY

Wayne Vickers “One of the greatest strengths of our school district is our student body” r. Wayne Vickers is the superintendent of the newly formed Alabaster City Schools, which is in its first year of operation. Vickers has more than 23 years’ experience as a teacher and educator in public school districts throughout Alabama.

He has served as principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels in a variety of diverse settings, with additional experience at the district and state level. Vickers has numerous post-secondary degrees in education, including a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. Vickers is a native of Fultondale, and currently resides in Alabaster with his wife, Pam, a College and Career Counselor at Thompson High School, and two sons, Jordan and Will.

Photograph CONTRIBUTED What do you love about Shelby County?

Over the years, I have enjoyed following the growth and success of Shelby County.

It is a thriving county with outstanding municipalities that offer affordable living and numerous amenities to its residents.

What do you love most about your job?

Very few educators have the opportunity to build a new school district from infancy to one that is fully operational. I have been fortunate to have this unique experience twice in my career—in Saraland and now in Alabaster. It is exciting to see how local government and an extremely strong financial base can benefit students, right here in our community.

What are ACS’ greatest strengths?

One of the greatest strengths of our school district is our student body. Spend time with our students and you will see that they possess the talent and determination to compete in any situation. Our academic and extracurricular offerings provide opportunities for our students to be successful in and out of the classroom, and our athletic teams are competitive, while building character and teamwork on and off the field. A strong local government and 82 | ShelbyLiving.com

board of education are also key strengths to the success of our school system. Members of the Alabaster City Board of Education make decisions with our students’ best interests in mind. Their commitment has been a catalyst for the success of our system thus far.

was able to shadow Dr. Riddle on many occasions, and she encouraged me to pursue administration as a career. To this day, I keep a photograph on my desk of the outstanding team from William J. Christian.

Every time I see it, I am thankful for the advice and direction they gave to me.

Why did you decide to go into education?

I felt a calling to be an educator while in college pursuing a history degree. I was afforded many opportunities in my own community and at The University of Alabama to work with young people. Their enthusiasm was contagious and I knew I wanted to be a part of making young people more successful.

What are your hobbies?

Hunting, fishing, travel.

Who is your role model?

My role model is my paternal grandmother, Mrs. Stella Vickers. She instilled a sense of tradition in our family, encouraging us to come together as often as possible and making holiday celebrations special. Sunday meals at her house were Why did you want to go into administration? quite memorable, and she always had a kind or encouraging word to share. My I spent the first five years of my career grandmother had a son born with special teaching social studies and coaching needs, at a time when special education basketball at William J. Christian services were not readily available. I recall Alternative School, in the Birmingham that she drove her son (my uncle) across Public School System. As the youngest member of the faculty, I had the opportunity town every day so that he could get the education and work experience he needed to to learn from many outstanding veteran adapt to society. She supported legislation teachers and a remarkable principal, Dr. that later became law regarding special Linda (Houghton) Riddle. They always education. She would be so pleased to see had the students’ best interests at heart, the progress that has been made in this and created a collaborative environment critical area. l in which learning took place every day. I

Where do you see yourself?

No one can predict what the market will do in the next five years. But judging by the last five, there’s only one thing we know is certain: change. That’s why we don’t simply prepare you for today’s business issues - we teach you to think critically, adapt, create, solve and lead others to do the same. Because these aren’t simply the skills you’ll need to get a diploma, they are the traits that tomorrow’s leaders will need to run their own businesses, too.

Monica Ratchford Relationships Manager

www.montevallo.edu