Shelby Living, May/June 2024

Tim Webster

Email: tim@shelbylands.com

Phone: (205) 789-3301

Abby Webster

Email: abby.webster@shelbylands.com

Phone: (205) 393-1423

Fresh Air Family’s Gross Out Camps are prioritizing children’s happiness and innocence by teaching an appreciation of the outdoors.

You voted. We tallied. Now see who you said Shelby County’s best retailers, restaurants, community events and more are.

HIGH ON BUENA VISTA 76

Make tracks this summer for someplace a little off the beaten path: Buena Vista, Colorado.

PHOTO BY ANNA GRACE MOORE

PHOTO BY UNTOLD IMAGERY

EDITORIAL

Anna Grace Moore

Donald Mottern

Mackenzee Simms

Andrew Simonson

Noah Wortham

CONTRIBUTORS

Jennifer Combs

James Culver

Rachel Culver

Daniel Dennis

Lauren Dowdle

Lindsay Dyess

Jason Homan

Christiana Roussel

Kelsea Schafer

DESIGN

Sydney Allen

Jamie Dawkins

Rowan Futrell

Connor Martin-Lively

MARKETING

Michaela Bankston

Octavia Campbell

Evann Campbell

Rachel Henderson

Rhett McCreight

Lauren Morris

Viridiana Romero

ADMINISTRATION

Mary Jo Eskridge

Alec Etheredge

Stacey Meadows

Kayla Reeves

Brittany Schofield

Savana Tarwater

James Culver, Photographer

James lives in the Birmingham area with his wife, Rachel, a native of Homewood, and their three children, Callie, James III and John Michael. James is a graduate of Auburn University and spent years in Atlanta working as a graphic designer, creative director and photographer. He specializes in event, real estate and portrait photography, and he can be found on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @jculvercreative and at jculver.com.

Daniel Dennis, Photographer

Daniel is the co-founder and co-owner of Untold Imagery. He’s been practicing photography for many years, but he started pursuing it professionally in 2020. Daniel enjoys being able to compose an image in his mind and seeing it come to fruition through perfect lighting and composition. His primary focuses with photography are travel, food and branding. To learn more about Untold Imagery, follow the business on Instagram at @untold_imagery or visit untoldimagery.com.

Lauren Dowdle, Writer

An award-winning writer, Lauren lives in Hoover with her husband, daughter and four fur-babies. She writes for a variety of local, national and international publications. A graduate from the University of Alabama, Lauren played the tuba in the Million Dollar Band, which is how she met her husband. When she isn’t writing or chasing around a toddler, she loves to bake for friends and family.

Christiana Roussel, Writer

Christiana Roussel is a Birmingham-based, award-winning food, travel and lifestyle writer. Naturally curious, she relishes any opportunity to meet new people and explore new places. She is a proud member of the Birmingham chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier as well as the Industry Advisory Board of Auburn University’s Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management. Her other interests include bourbon, bacon, a great wardrobe capsule, upland hunting, pork rinds, pilates and power walks that include four-leaf clovers and feathers. Follow her online at @christiana.roussel.

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

Shelby Living Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Shelby County, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit ShelbyLiving.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $14.95 plus tax for one year by visiting ShelbyLiving.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.

Advertising inquiries may be

or by

(205) 669-3131, ext. 536.

ON THE COVER

FFounded in 2006, Fresh Air Family is a nonprofit organization dedicated to science education for children and their families. The nonprofit’s award-winning Gross Out Camps are held throughout 22 different locations across the state of Alabama each June and July.

Gross Out Camps nurture children by reintroducing them to the outdoors–not only teaching them about Alabama biodiversity, but also reinforcing technology-free camaraderie. Why? As the world grows more digitally dependent–a striking correlation between rising depression rates and increased screen time–children younger and younger each year are being exposed to dangerous outlets.

Fresh Air Family Founder Verna Gates has seen the dangers of unpoliced internet access and lack of parental figures present for children, who are at their most impressionable when they are the most vulnerable. Verna, who was one of the first 50 founders of CNN, has traveled all over the world, covering some of the biggest breaking news stories in history.

Having interviewed international powerhouses such as both of the “dollies”–Dolly Parton and the Dalai Lama–Verna says her journalistic resume spans decades worth of interesting figures. Out of everyone she has interviewed, the 12 and 13-year-old ex-prostitutes she met from the underage sex trade left the biggest impact on her heart.

Their depression and thoughts of suicide were so gut-wrenching, prompting Verna to intervene in her own way by creating Fresh Air Family. Verna found it fitting to return to nature–to “reintroduce” kids to the joys of playing outside, wading through creeks and catching fish. With the proper guidance, her campers are having fun in a safe environment–safe from the social pressures of today’s society.

I encourage you all, readers, to read up on the founding of Fresh Air Family on page 47. While adults often take for granted the beauty of nature, children see these aspects with wonder–ever so curiously exploring to their heart’s content. Perhaps by reading Verna’s story, you all will be encouraged to get outside and view the world through a child’s lens, remembering how fun it is to be a kid in a new world full of possibilities.

Cheers,

annagrace.moore@shelbyliving.com

Ready, Set, Dash

Calera High School senior Jordon Bray defies all odds on the track.

Photo by Kelsea Schafer Design by Connor Martin-Lively

” “THE QUESTION

What do you hope to cross off your bucket list this year?

Complete my PhD

-Christina England Arriagada

Another national park to check off our list! Heading to Rocky Mountain National Park!

-Laura Willis Myers

Scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and seeing the Aurora Borealis

-Michael Oglesby

Seeing the Rolling Stones in concert -Ann Bishop

Girls trip to St. Augustine to tour the city, relax and visit the Fountain of Youth.

-Kitty Karr Whitworth

Skydiving for my birthday

-Naimah Elmore

Cherry Blossom Festival in DC

-Tahme Hunter Cox

Chincoteague Island

-Candra Kay Shockley

@shelbylivingmagazine

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

@plantcalera

Who caught our main girl, Andrea Huff, on Good Day Alabama this morning?? It’s fresh cut Friday!!! Drop in and brighten up your rainy day with some fresh flowers! Interested in ordering flowers, booking an event or group?

Contact us at 205-319-7071

Shop online at www. plantcalera. com

Follow us on Instagram @plantcalera

@douglasmanor

Reminiscing on Cade + Kate Wilson’s beautiful wedding! Their wedding was so special. The details from the ceremony to the reception were stunning, and we loved their custom coffee bar. We are so honored to have been a part of their day!

@slicemontevallo

Lunch plans? We think The Lakeview is just the ticket:

•Braised Beef Short Rib

• Caramalized Onions

• Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

• Asiago Cheese

• Shaved Red Onion

• Arugula

And topped off with Horseradish Sauce. We will see you at 11am. And don’t forget it’s #TinCanTuesday and we will have $3 canned beer all day long! @slicemontevallo

Thank you all so much for your nominations for SoCal Smoothie Company to compete for Shelby County’s Annual Best of the Best!!!

ALABASTER CITYFEST

JUNE 1

ALL DAY

Thompson High School

Hosted by the Alabaster Arts Council, the 22nd annual Alabaster CityFest is back! Last year CityFest’s turnout was one of the largest in history with thousands in attendance. Inflatables, games, exhibitors and more than 20 food vendors will be available. There will also be a return of the “KidsFest” zone with hands-on activities for children of all ages. This event is free and open to the public, but parking is limited. So, get there early! For more information and to stay tuned on the music festival’s lineup, visit alabastercityfest.com.

THE GUIDE

MAY 8-12

Regions Tradition

Greystone Golf and Country Club

This annual golfing tradition brings together some of the best PGA Tour Champion players and World Golf Hall of Fame members to compete for the gold and raise money for the Regions Tradition’s primary beneficiary, Children’s of Alabama, among its other charities. Since 2011, this tournament has raised more than $5.5 million for local charities and more than $21 million since its inception in 1992. For more information or to buy tickets, visit regionstradition.com.

MAY 3 & JUNE 7

Calera Main Street’s First Friday Festival

5 p.m. 1120 17th Avenue

AROUND TOWN

FRIDAYS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER Storytime in the Gardens Birmingham Botanical Gardens

SATURDAYS IN MAY-AUG. Helena Market Days 815 Highway 52 East

SATURDAYS IN MAY-AUG. Marketplace at Lee Branch 611 Doug Baker Boulevard

SATURDAYS IN MAY-SEPT.

Valleydale Farmers Market 4601 Valleydale Road

SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE & JULY

Kids’ Art Camp

Thomas Andrew Art, Home & Faith 2856 18th Street South

SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE & JULY

Gross Out Science Camp Camp Fletcher 5150 Fletcher Road

SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE & JULY

Summer Art Camp Birmingham Museum of Art 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Boulevard

SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE & JULY

Gross Out Science Camp Vulcan Park 1701 Valley View Drive

Sponsored by Sav Mor Food Outlet, Calera Main Street’s May First Friday Festival will feature the third annual Calera Cornhole Tournament, which benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The June First Friday Festival will feature a food truck slider showdown, as well as a dunking booth where guests can dunk their favorite local celebrity. With music, family-friendly games and activities and more, these festivals are the perfect family outing. Visit downtowncalera.org/events for updates.

MAY 3

Shelby County Arts Council Student Music Recital

Shelby County Arts Council 105 West College Street

MAY 4 Art in the Village Mountain Brook City Hall

MAY 4

We Love Homewood Day Homewood Central Park

MAY 4

Art in the Lot

Trinity United Methodist Church

MAY 5

Hozier

Presented by Oak Mountain Amphitheatre

MAY 5

Spring Scramble 5K 2839 18th Street South

MAY 10

‘Tails in the Trails Birmingham Zoo

MAY 10

Allie B. Gorrie and Friends

Presented by the Shelby County Arts Council

MAY 11

Motherwalk & Run 5K Homewood Central Park

MAY 11

Magic City Wine Fest Railroad Park 1600 1st Avenue South

MAY 18

Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue Meow-A-Thon Veterans Park 4800 Valleydale Road

MAY 28-31

Enchanted Forest Morning Camp

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

JUNE 8

Run, Ride & Rumble for PTSD Awareness 4500 5th Avenue South

JUNE 8

The Molly Ringwalds Presented by Avondale Brewing Company

JUNE 10-14

Around the World Morning Camp

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

MAY 10-11

Runk the Gap

All Day

Oak Mountain State Park

Runk the Gap is a 12-hour relay race benefiting the nonprofit, Designs for Hope. Beginning at the Redbud Pavilion (BMX track), teams will start racing at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 10 and will continue the 12-hour race until 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 11. The number of loops competed in the timeframe will determine the winners. This course is rugged with six miles of singletrack and some elevation. This is not a beginner’s race. Participants should be adequately trained and prepared for running throughout the night. All runners are required to carry a headlight no less than 300 lumens. There will be two aid stations, including one on the course and one at the staging area stocked with water and supplies. To learn more about this event and to register, visit runsignup.com.

MAY 18 & JUNE 15

Helena Old Town Live

4:30-10 p.m. Helena Amphitheater

Helena Old Town Live’s season will feature some of the best music in the industry, including live performances by the Allman Betts Band and Taylor Hunnicutt on Saturday, May 18, and Lauren Alaina and Chase Wright on Saturday, June 15. Stay up to date on these concerts and more at explorehelenaoldtown.com.

STUDENTS’ CORNER

Tell your story to our communities.

Shelby Living wants to feature Shelby County students’ stories–especially graduating seniors. Tag @shelbylivingmagazine in your graduation photos on Facebook and Instagram, and we will repost our favorites and publish a select few in our upcoming issue, too. Email annagrace.moore@shelbyliving.com for more information on how to submit your story to our magazine, and let your voice be heard. Congratulations Class of 2024!

MAY 18

Kitty Kat Haven and Rescue 5K Meow-AThon and One-Mile Whisker Walk

8 a.m.

Veterans Park

4800 Valleydale Rd

This 5K and whisker walk benefits Kitty Kat Haven and Rescue, which is a no-kill, cage-free animal shelter for cats. This race course has a varied terrain, including fields, trails and pavement. This race will be held rain or shine, and everyone is invited to participate. The entry fee for the 5K is $25 for adults or $15 for children ages 10 and under. The entry fee for the whisker walk is $15 for adults or $5 for children ages 10 and under. To learn more, visit runsignup.com.

MAY 19 & JUNE 9

Sean

of the South “On the Air” Series

4-6 p.m.

The Shelby County Arts Council’s Song Theater

Everyone is invited to attend this fun-filled summer series of livebroadcast performances by Sean Dietrich and friends–both respected and ill famed. Every show will host different guests. Performances will be recorded in the Song Theater for future broadcasts and will consist of storytelling, comedy, musical numbers and more. Tickets are $30 plus taxes and fees. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

ARTS CULTURE&

TRUTH AT THE ROOT

Helena native LaDarrion Williams’s debut novel, “Blood at the Root,” celebrates African American heroes.

BY ANNA GRACE MOORE PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

IIn order to change the narrative, one must first pick up a pen and write it himself. Playwright and author LaDarrion Williams believes the biggest enemy to a dreamer is not the stereotypes often afflicted onto him; rather, it is his inability to see past the lies and recognize the power rooted within himself.

Hailing from Helena, Alabama, LaDarrion’s testimony began as a theater student at Thompson High School–where he honed his love for playwriting. During his senior year, he won first place in the state of Alabama for playwriting at the Alabama Thespians Festival.

After graduating in 2011, LaDarrion attended Lee

University as a theater major but later left school due to a lack of creative opportunities. When he returned home, he started working at a Taco Bell and used his downtime at work to write his playscripts while working the drive-thru.

“My purpose is to be a storyteller–to be a writer,” LaDarrion says. “On May 9, 2015, I packed up three suitcases and a dream and moved to LA. I moved across the country to become a writer, actor and a playwright out here in Hollywood, California. I’ve been out here ever since.”

Moving from a small, “one-stop-light” town to one of the biggest commercial cities in the world

Pictured is LaDarrion Williams. (Photos by Jamaal)

My purpose is to be a storyteller–to be a writer.

-LaDarrion Williams

proved difficult but not impossible for LaDarrion. He started writing and producing short films–three of which are now on YouTube. When he was in high school, LaDarrion says he remembers the young adult fantasy genre booming–“Harry Potter” and “The Twilight Saga” took the world by storm and were soon followed by the “Percy Jackson” series and “The Hunger Games.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, LaDarrion focused on renewing his love for reading. While he loved watching the action-packed stories he enjoyed reading play out on the big screen, he saw so little representation of heroes who looked like him.

“I just didn’t really see myself in those types of stories,” LaDarrion says. “That’s when I made the decision to start writing this story, ‘Blood at the Root.’”

Bored one day during lockdown, LaDarrion tweeted about how cool it would be for a 17-year-old boy from Alabama to get accepted into a magical HBCU. The tweet ended up going viral, prompting LaDarrion to write a TV script about this young boy’s journey.

In October 2020, LaDarrion and several of his friends began working on a short film of his idea, releasing the product on YouTube on Dec. 3, 2020. Unfortunately, none of the producers LaDarrion pitched his idea to took him up on the project, dwindling but not diminishing his faith.

After some encouragement from his loved ones, LaDarrion decided to turn his short film into a novel. He locked himself in his apartment, spending a mere 12 days writing the entire story from start to finish as the story just poured out of his pen.

While he originally intended on self-publishing “Blood at the Root,” LaDarrion says his editor encouraged him to take the traditional publishing route because “more kids needed to see this story.”

LaDarrion says he connected with his now literary agent, Peter Knapp, in August 2021, and together, they spent months in the query trenches, receiving one rejection letter after another from some of the biggest publishers in the industry.

“On Jan. 19, 2023, I was working as a Lyft driver in LA, and my agent called,” LaDarrion says. “I had to pull over on the side of the street. He told me we sold ‘Blood at the Root’ in a three-book deal to Penguin Random House [under the publishing imprint, Labyrinth Road].”

Set to release on May 7, 2024, “Blood at the Root”–the first in its young adult fantasy trilogy–tells the story of Helena native Malik Baron, who

was born into a family blessed with ancestral magic. On the night Malik discovers his magical abilities, his mother goes missing, forcing the devastated and orphaned Malik into the foster care system.

As he comes of age, Malik emancipates himself from his foster family, graduates high school early and sets out into the world to investigate his mother’s disappearance. Along the way, he discovers he has an estranged grandmother, who might have the key in understanding what happened to his mother and how his family’s magic will help him find her.

“His story is about connecting to his ancestors,” LaDarrion says. “We are all rooted in something. We have to be careful not to plant seeds that are going to grow bitterness inside of us. There’s something rooted inside of Malik that’s good, and he’s going to have to take time to make it grow.”

Pictured is Oliver Smith-Perrin as Malik Baron in the short film, “Blood at the Root.” (Elesha Barnett)

One of LaDarrion’s non-negotiables with Penguin Random House was that while the main character, Malik, would be African American, his story would not be one rooted in police brutality, racism or slavery. LaDarrion believes while these stories do deserve to be told, young, African American men also deserve to see heroes who look like them be praised in the media.

Drawing inspiration from African American singer Billie Holiday’s famous song, “Strange Fruit,”

ALABASTER BOOK LAUNCH PARTY FOR “BLOOD AT THE ROOT”

While “Blood at the Root” officially releases on Tuesday, May 7, LaDarrion Williams will join community members for a launch party of his debut novel on Friday, May 31 at 6 p.m. at Books-A-Million in Alabaster.

“It’s going to be a full-circle moment,” LaDarrion says. “I used to go there as a kid to buy books, so it’s going to be really cool to be in Alabaster and bring this book to my community. I’m excited for this.”

LaDarrion adapted one of the song’s lines, “blood on the leaves and blood at the root,” to become his novel’s title. According to the PBS article, “The Story behind Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit,’” the song–originally a poem called “Bitter Fruit”–was written by a Jewish American poet, Abel Meeropol, who wrote under the pen name Lewis Allan.

The song sorrowfully depicts the lynching of two African American teenagers in the 1930s. Billie first heard the song while she was working at Cafe

Society–New York’s first integrated night club located in Greenwich Village.

Although she was apprehensive about performing such a politically poignant piece, she took a chance and eventually closed out every show with “Strange Fruit,” silencing every audience and commanding

all attention to the power-packed lyrics.

“‘Blood at the Root’ definitely has a negative connotation when it comes to the history of the country,” LaDarrion says. “I wanted to take that line and remake it. Malik is going to learn there’s a resilience inside of him that he doesn’t know he has. That resilience of magic is in his blood–he’ll learn not to let anyone take that from him.”

LaDarrion hopes “Blood at the Root” not only serves as a reminder of the sacrifices African American heroes have made for future generations, but also as a beacon of hope for future generations that the courage to pursue their dreams is rooted inside each of them.

True trailblazers are those who wield truth as their weapon. If all it takes for a child to believe in himself is reading the truth, LaDarrion says he will never stop writing the testimonies of African American heroes.

“Blood at the Root” will be available for purchase at Wal-Mart, Target, Barnes and Noble, Books-AMillion and more beginning on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. To learn more, follow @bloodattherootseries and @itsladarrion on Instagram.

THURSDAY - MAY 23, 2024 - 11:00 AM |

Shelby

Summer

Texas Roadhouse

Eyster Properties

Greystone Tire and Auto

WayFM

Art by Julie Lockridge

SPLASH INTO SUMMER

There will be a fun lineup of shows, camps and art gallery events that everyone will love this summer at the Shelby County Arts Council.

BY LINDSAY DYESS

PHOTO BY WILLIAM A. YARBROUGH

The Shelby County Arts Council (SCAC) music student recital will kick off on Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. Talented music students and teachers will showcase their talents on the stage of the Song Theater. These students work tirelessly to practice their songs and music to show off to their friends and family each year. Check it out! This event is free and open to the public.

At the end of 2023, the SCAC was chosen as one of 10 recipients for the 2023-24 Stand for The Arts Awards—presented by Ovation TV and Charter. These awards recognize local arts, cultural and educational organizations and programs, too. On Friday, May 10, the SCAC will hold a special awards presentation along with a performance by Alabama native and musical theater performer, Allie B. Gorrie, with SCAC musical theater students opening the show. The doors open at 7 p.m. with a light reception, and the presentation will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Song Theater. Tickets are $20 (plus tax) and can be purchased at shelbycountyartscouncil. com.

On Sunday, May 19, Sean of the South will return as part of his 2024 “On the Air” music series. This is the second of six shows this year, where Sean performs his stories and songs with special guests. Don’t wait to grab your tickets because each show will be a sell-out! Visit the event calendar at shelbycountyartscouncil.com to purchase tickets.

Returning to the SCAC’s EBSCO Fine Art Gallery for another year is the Liberty Day Quilt Exhibit. Curated by local quilter Agnes Pool, this exhibit features the work of quilters from across Shelby County. This quilt exhibition coincides with Columbiana’s annual Liberty Day celebration. It celebrates the history and traditions of quilting in our county. Featured in this show will be Columbiana’s chapter of Quilts for Kids, Shelby Shores Divas and other local quilters. Join us on Thursday, May 16, from 6-8 p.m. for the opening reception of “From Sea to Shining Sea: Quilts from

the Southland.” This reception is free and open to the public. This exhibit will be on display from May 16-June 29, 2024.

Parents, be on the lookout for this fun summer camp for the kids! Check out the Missoula Children’s Theater camp from June 10-15. The big red truck from Missoula, Montana, will pull into Columbiana in June, ready to put on a full musical theater production in just one week complete with songs, costumes and scenery. This year’s show will be “Gulliver’s Travels.” Students entering first grade12th grade are encouraged to register for this fun camp. Camp cost is $150 per student, and they will need to bring lunch each day. Play practice will be Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. with the performance on Saturday, June 15. For more information, email leslie@shelbycountyartscouncil. com or visit shelbycountyartscouncil.com to register. Don’t forget to check out our fine art camps happening in July (see website for details).

Celebrate all things creative this summer with the SCAC. Spend some time in the gallery, check out a show in the Song Theater or flex those creative muscles in a class. Visit shelbycountyartscouncil. com to see a full list of events and classes, or call 205-669-0044 for more information.

THIS BOOK

Summer Reading

Recommendations from Jennifer Combs

Library Director at the Columbiana Public Library

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

By Rebecca Skloot | Nonfiction

Jennifer Combs developed a passion for libraries at the age of 10, when she received her first library card. She has been an integral part of the Shelby County Library system since 2009. In 2020, she earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Alabama. Since fall 2022, she has served as the director of the Columbiana Public Library. Here, Jennifer recommends her five favorite reading selections adults will love this summer.

Henrietta Lacks underwent cancer treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s, where her cells were taken from her without her consent. Her cells were the only ones to survive and multiply outside of a body, and they became known as HeLa cells. These cells were groundbreaking for medical research, enabling experiments and treatments; yet, Lacks and her family never got compensated. This raised ethical concerns about patient consent and the commercialization of biological materials. This informative story will engage readers from cover to cover.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

By Mitch Albom | Fiction

Eddie, an uninspired war veteran turned amusement park ride fixer, dies tragically on his 83rd birthday while saving a little girl. In the afterlife, he discovers that heaven isn’t a place but an experience, where five people–some familiar and some strangers–explain his life’s significance. Through their stories, from childhood to old age, Eddie unravels the mysteries of his supposedly “meaningless” existence, uncovering the haunting truth behind his purpose on Earth. This poignant story will remind readers of both the fragility and importance of life.

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women

By Kate Moore | Nonfiction

During 1917 in factories across the nation, women were employed to paint watch faces for soldiers to use on the battlefield. Unbeknownst to them, the paint they were using contained a deadly element: radium. They worked tirelessly, day after day, for hours on end, exposed to this hazardous substance. Tragically, this prolonged exposure led to their untimely deaths, despite being led to believe that the work was safe. This read deep-dives into the history women created for the American war effort.

The Rescue

By Nicholas Sparks | Fiction

Volunteer firefighter Taylor McAden is known for taking extreme risks to save lives, but he struggles to let love in–until he meets Denise Holton, who is a single mother whose son goes missing in a storm. As they search for him together, Taylor realizes this rescue is unlike any other, pushing him to confront his past and open his heart to love. This heartwarming story will have romance enthusiasts swooning.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

By Vicki Myron | Nonfiction

On the coldest night of the year in a small library in Iowa, a helpless kitten was unexpectedly dropped in the book return. Vicki Myron, the librarian, faced a dilemma of what to do with him. Instantly, the staff fell in love with the kitten and collectively decided to keep him as the library mascot. As time passed, Dewey the Kitten’s fame grew, first locally, then spreading from town to town, eventually spanning across states. Astonishingly, news reached a worldwide audience. Dewey transcended his role as just a beloved pet to a source of comfort in his small town. Pet lovers will appreciate this animal adoption story.

SCHOOL SPORTS&

READY, SET, DASH

Eight-time state champion Jordon Bray proves to be a force to be reckoned with on the track.

BY ANNA GRACE MOORE

KELSEA SCHAFER & CONTRIBUTED

PHOTOS BY

TThe healthiest version of oneself is the one who chases her dreams relentlessly, hurdling over life’s obstacles in a never-ending pursuit of happiness. Happiness for Calera High School senior Jordon Bray is best found on the track, where she is able to do what she does best–defy all odds faster than the speed of light.

Jordon’s innate athletic ability proved true on the softball field, when she first dipped her toe into the world of sports at just 6 years old, flying like a bullet around the bases. Jordon’s father, Jayson Bray, noticed his daughter’s athleticism–especially her speed–and decided to sign her up to run track.

“My husband works with her every day,” Marketta Bray, Jordon’s mother, says. “We told her that if she

stuck with it, one day she would be able to go to college with it. We are so lucky that she has been able to take her talents to the next level.”

Jordon’s first hurdle, she says, was finding a team that would coach someone so young. Enter stage right, Alabama Heat Head Coach Jeff Jackson.

At the time, Alabama Heat’s athletes would practice at Spain Park High School, training for local meets. Jordon began practicing with Jeff twice a week from the time she was 6 to age 11.

In her time with Alabama Heat, Jordon competed in the Junior Olympics and became a seven-time Junior Olympian, and now, a 26-time All American. Student-athletes under 18 years old from all over the world compete in these events, so for Jordon to

take home the gold seven times is incredible.

“Making it to the Junior Olympics for the first time in 2013 was really when I knew this was something that I would want to continue to do,”

Jordon says. “Being on the big stage at such a young age made me realize just how cool track was in general. With it being an individual sport, no one can say they did it for me.”

Jordon was eventually recruited to run for Athletic Maximum Performance in Atlanta, Georgia, which she competed with until she was yet again recruited to run varsity track and field for Calera High School in her seventh-grade year at Calera Middle School.

“Jeff still reaches out daily,” Marketta says. “He wants to make sure she is on track and is doing what she should be doing.”

Even if Jeff does not have any athletes competing, if he knows Jordon will be competing in a local meet, he will come to support her, Marketta says.

The Bray family credits Jeff for helping build Jordon’s foundation in her athletic career.

Jordon says having wonderful supporters such as Jeff and her parents in her corner is why she has been able to be so successful.

When Jordon was 8, Marketta registered her to compete for an Under Armour ambassadorship through Hibbett Sports in Alabaster. Not only was Jordon selected from her audition videos, but she was also the youngest-ever Under Armour ambassador selected at that time and has gone on to film three commercials for the company.

With as much success as Jordon had as a child athlete, it would be miniscule compared to the milestones she would hurdle over in her high school career. Jordon won her first-ever AHSAA 6A state championship in the four-by-four relay as a seventh grader–the only one competing on the varsity level for her school.

While the COVID-19 pandemic postponed all of

A TIMELINE OF JORDON BRAY’S HIGH SCHOOL TRACK CAREER

May 2019

Feb. 2021

May 2021

Jordon wins her first 6A state championship in the four-by-four relay as a seventh grader for Calera High School’s varsity outdoor track and field team.

Jordon wins her second 6A state championship and her first individual title in the 400-meter dash in indoor track as a freshman.

Jordon wins her third 6A state championship and second individual title in the 400-meter dash in outdoor track as a freshman.

Oct. 16, 2021

Jordon tears her right hamstring two months before starting her sophomore track season.

Feb. 2022

Four months after tearing her hamstring, Jordon wins her fourth 6A state championship and third individual title in the 400-meter dash in indoor track as a sophomore.

the athletic events during her eighth-grade year, Jordon returned unwavered as a freshman and won her second 6A state championship in the 400-meter dash.

This event would become her niche, prompting her to win this event nearly every year in both indoor and outdoor track. As of March 2024, Jordon has won eight 6A state championships (six of which are in the 400-meter dash) and has earned seven individual state titles.

With college on the horizon, it is no surprise that some of the most elite track and field schools in the nation scouted Jordon–beginning when she was just a freshman. Jordon toured the University of Alabama, Auburn University, the University of Tennessee, Louisiana State University, the University of Kentucky and more before eventually

May 2022

Jordon wins her fifth 6A state championship and fourth individual title in the 400-meter dash in outdoor track as a sophomore.

Feb. 2023

In the 2022-23 6A state championship, which is the only state championship Jordon has not won in the 400-meter dash, Jordon takes second-place due to another runner coming over into her lane, causing them to crash.

May 2023

Jordon wins her sixth and seventh 6A state championships in both the 400-meter dash and 800-meter dash in outdoor track as a junior, earning her fifth and sixth individual titles.

Feb. 2024

Jordon wins her eighth 6A state championship and seventh individual title in the 400-meter dash in indoor track as a senior.

deciding to run for the Crimson Tide–the school, she says, which was the most intentional in recruiting her.

“No matter what time of day, whether it was a text or a call, Coach Nick [Stenuf] himself was making sure that he reached out to me unlike a few others,” Jordon says. “They were really consistent, and I really like that.”

Jordon plans to study kinesiology, in order to attend physical therapy school after college. Despite what she may pursue career-wise, the Olympics is her endgame.

While she may never have been an underdog, Jordon says there was a time when she thought her track career may be over. On Oct. 16, 2021, while training in the off-season with friends, Jordon collapsed during a sprint, resulting in a grade-2 tear

every child takes center stage.

At Children’s of Alabama, kids are the center of our world and our mission is to provide the very best care available to every child. It’s why we are here.

in her right hamstring.

“It felt like a little mouse trap closed over me,” Jordon says. “I felt something pop and immediately hit the ground. I started laughing because I just fell in front of everyone, but when I tried to get up, I couldn’t move. I knew it could possibly be over.”

Jordon was a sophomore at the time. Having such an injury postponed her ability to train for the winter 2021 and spring 2022 events, but Jayson and Marketta never gave up on her.

Jordon and Jayson spent four months doing aerobic exercises, focusing on strengthening her hamstring. Jordon never ran, much less put too much weight on her right leg, before her comeback season in February 2022.

A mere four months after having torn her hamstring, Jordon came back with a vengeance and won her fourth 6A state championship in the 400-meter dash for indoor track.

“That was my toughest one because I knew things could go really wrong,” Jordon says. “The main reason I was scared was because you can’t get an X-ray to see if it’s healed or not. You just have to assume by how you feel if it’s okay enough to run on. It was really nerve-wracking, not knowing if I was 100-percent or not. I was just going off of what I could do at practice.”

What altered her mentality, however, was Jayson’s persistence in helping her shift mind over matter–enabling her to believe in the innate ability she has always had.

1600 7TH AVENUE SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233

“She went to physical therapy twice a week, and my husband took her to the gym,” Marketta says. “They did pool workouts. She got massages a lot. We were trying to help get her back on that track. The worst thing we had to deal with was mentality because she was afraid, and she didn’t want to be in that pain again.”

Cleverly, Jayson suggested she shift from running her

additional event, the 200-meter, to the 800-meter, when she returned for the spring 2022 season. Jordon never enjoyed running the 800-meter because two laps around the track is a lot for a sprinter, she says.

Nonetheless, she trusted her father’s intuition and gave it her all when she was cleared to run again.

“After I tore my hamstring, I had to lean on a little longer event, and it ended up being my strong suit,” Jordon says. “After I embraced the 800, it was straight downhill from there.”

Jordon went on to slowly improve in this event, eventually taking home the gold for both the 400-meter and 800-meter dashes at the 2022-23 6A outdoor state championship.

Now approaching the spring 2024 outdoor track season, Jordon is a strong candidate to win the 400-meter and 800-meter dashes in the 2023-24 6A state championship, having come off a nearperfect season. Whether she wins, Jordon says she will be a different athlete going into these events.

“[Running track] has taught me discipline and how to sacrifice over that 12-year span,” Jordon says of her athletic career so far. “Track is a lifestyle, and this is just the beginning.”

5 FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Spain Park High School Wrestling Coach

Spain Park High School senior Kyle Oliveira and sophomore Bradley Williams completed their 2023-24 wrestling seasons undefeated, continuing each of their winning streaks. Here, their coach, Ryan Thompson, offers his thoughts on why these student-athletes remain so successful.

What would you like to say to Kyle and Bradley as one of their coaches?

They’ve had coaches and instructors as dads their whole lives. That’s given them a leg up and a lot of opportunities. Despite their advantage, they’re both very wellmannered kids, who are humble, respectful and hardworking. They came in with a high expectation level as far as goals are concerned, so as a coach, that makes it easy to help them succeed. They’re also respected by their peers as leaders. Being able to have them in the practice room every day with all the other kids is like having two more coaches in the ring.

How have their attitudes helped shape the character of the team?

They’re always really competitive. When one of them pins everybody in the tournament and the other one doesn’t, they (playfully) rag each other about it. Their brotherly relationship sets the tone for the rest of the team, joking with their teammates in the wrestling room. They practice with each other every day, and often, they probably see each other more than they see their families. Their personalities make competing fun for everyone.

What disciplines did both Kyle and Bradley implement to improve their skill sets and maintain a standard of excellence needed to succeed throughout the year?

Bradley ended up going down a weight class, so he practiced weight management, making sure he was weighing in the right way each time we had a competition. Both athletes were generally on the mat seven days a week throughout the season. Kyle kind of changed his style up a little bit, and I would say he began to control the pace of each of his matches. This was Bradley’s fourth finals appearance. He was in the finals round in seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade and finished in second place each year. Then, he won this year as a 10th grader. Kyle was in the finals round last year. He has been to the state championship three times. He was in the finals round last year and lost, but he came back and won this year. So, they both had that experience of coming up short and realizing what needed to change to be able to win from past experience.

What were everyone’s reactions to Kyle and Bradley completing their seasons undefeated?

I wasn’t surprised when they won. I was just happy that their journeys had come to

fruition. I was not nervous in the matches. I was confident they would succeed. They were excited but also relieved. They were more relieved because both of them had been to finals before–Bradley three times and Kyle one time. Bradley lost by one point last year at the very end of the match. During his seventh grade year, he was undefeated, and that was the only match he lost–state finals. Their accolades are going to help them succeed onto the next level.

What makes the Spain Park wrestling program a force to be reckoned with?

We’re a good family. The studentathletes have a lot of support. When you have kids that come in with a strong support system and high expectations, the team will succeed. Kyle and Bradley have got a certain work ethic, where they understand the sacrifices that are required of them. I’ve coached at a lot of different places, and not every kid understands what they do. This is one strength that is often the result of the good job that the parents do for their children. It makes it easier for us as coaches. It makes it easier to become a team because the kids already come in with selfless attitudes and great work ethics. All together, this is why we are successful as a team.

Ryan Thompson

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN THOMPSON

FOOD DRINK&

ON A ROLL

Unique dishes and dining experience bring customers to Ginza Sushi and Korean BBQ.

BY LAUREN H. DOWDLE

PHOTOS BY UNTOLD IMAGERY

FFrom its decorative trees and artwork to the authentic ingredients used in every dish, Ginza Sushi and Korean BBQ has been serving up a unique atmosphere and meals for nearly two decades.

Owner Don Shin brings his background and culinary skills to the table, but it’s the relationships he builds with customers that truly creates the family-like atmosphere.

“We get a lot of compliments from customers about the atmosphere and what it offers,” Don says. “It’s a pretty natural tone that helps create a calming and relaxing environment.”

When Don moved to Birmingham more than 30

years ago, he says he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do as a career. A Korean native, Don studied at UAB and had the opportunity to work at Ichiban, a Japanese restaurant, which is when he discovered his calling to become a chef.

He went on to work at other restaurants across the city, and in 2006, he became the chef for Ginza when it opened. In November 2017, Don took over the restaurant from the previous owner and continued to bring the tastes of Korea and Japan to Inverness.

Whether he’s preparing Korean barbecue or sushi, Don uses authentic ingredients to create

CUSTOMERS-TURNED-COOKS

Though Ginza’s menu has mostly stayed the same through the years, how some of the food is prepared has changed. As Korean barbecue has become more mainstream across the country, people have become more familiar with this style of cooking and what to expect, says owner Don Shin.

“When we first opened, we used to cook everything for them,” Don says. “The server would stand by them and cook the food, but over the years, customers said they wanted to cook it by themselves.”

Now, guests can cook their own marinated meat at the table just the way they like it. Part of the reason for that shift is because they like to try different portions and cook at their own pace, he says.

“They enjoy coming in with groups to talk and try and share different meats,” Don says. “The tables can fit four to six people at them.”

Even the way customers view sushi has changed and evolved, he says.

“People have become more open-minded about trying new things and learning new things,” Don says. “As a chef, that’s a big plus.”

unique dishes that are sure to wow customers and their taste buds. The restaurant offers an array of menu items including sushi, bento boxes, Korean barbecue, teriyaki entrees, salads, noodle entrees and more. The restaurant also offers a children’s menu for less adventurous little eaters, ensuring there’s something for the whole family.

For sushi, they have classics such as the California, Philly, spicy tuna, yellowtail, crunch shrimp and spider rolls. Their specialty rolls include ones such

as the panko roll that’s tempura fried with panko and has eel, crab, avocado, cream cheese and roe. They also have a Ginza special roll, which features Korean bulgogi, lettuce, pickled daikon, cucumber and Korean hot sauce.

One of their most popular sushi rolls is the yummy yummy roll, which is tempura fried and features tuna, salmon, crab, cream cheese, avocado and has a sauce on top. The volcano roll is another one of their top sellers and includes a baked spicy

crab and scallop mix on top of a California roll.

“Customers always say we make our volcano rolls differently than any place else,” Don says.

Another way they stand out is with the ingredients they use. In addition to well-known ingredients like salmon, tuna and yellowtail, Ginza also incorporates rarer menu items.

Ginza is one of the only restaurants that offers ingredients such as sea urchin, Japanese snapper, young yellowtail and other specialty options. The edible part of the sea urchin, known as uni, is one of Don’s favorite items on the menu.

“It’s unique by itself in that you don’t get the same type of flavor from any other type of food,” he says.

Ginza’s Korean barbecue menu includes meat options such as marinated beef short ribs, ribeye, marinated chicken, pork belly and shrimp. The chefs marinate the meat with ingredients such as a soy-sauce base, kiwi and Asian pear, which helps tenderize the meat to give it a unique flavor. There’s also a spicy option customers can choose with Korean red pepper flakes and ground-up jalapeños for those who want to ramp up the heat.

It’s not only the food that sets Ginza apart, however. Some of the tables in the restaurant feature a built-in grill, providing the perfect space for customers to relax and engage with friends and family while preparing their own food.

Guests are given marinated meat such as short rib and chicken to cook over the gas grill to their liking, and servers are also available to help. An exhaust under the table ensures guests don’t take home the smell of cooked meat.

In addition to providing them with a special cooking experience, Don says it’s also important to him and his team to create a welcoming environment. Building those relationships with customers has been the most special part about working at the restaurant through the years, he says.

“I’ve gotten to know a lot of people and their friends and family members, and I like serving people,” Don says. “Our servers also make them feel

like they’re at home and being welcomed. We treat them like family.”

While the restaurant has been a staple in the community for years, there are still residents who have yet to hear about Ginza, Don says. He encourages both new and existing customers to come give their food a taste and experience all this unique spot has to offer.

“Over the years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of customers, and I want to create a family-like experience for them,” Don says. “Now, they’re bringing their kids and grandkids in. I’ve been through a lot of graduations and weddings through our customers. That’s the best part.”

Don says they want to keep adding special menu items and continue serving the favorites that customers have grown to love to keep their doors open for many years to come.

“We don’t want to get too comfortable, and we want to continue getting better about preparing for what’s coming ahead,” Don says.

Ginza Sushi and Korean BBQ is located at 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 101. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit ginzabham.com.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Rebecca Dickey Co-Owner of Crumbl Cookies in Alabaster and Greystone

PHOTO BY JASON HOMAN

Jason and Rebecca Dickey are originally from Tennessee, having met in high school and married in their college years. They have four children, whose names all start with “A,” hence the family nickname–the “A-Team.” They have strong family ties to Birmingham, and over the years, they visited and thought the communities would provide the perfect place to run their businesses–the Crumbl Cookies Alabaster and Greystone locations. Here, Rebecca shares her thoughts about Crumbl Cookies “favorites” and the community’s support of her family’s business endeavors.

What makes the menu so unique at Crumbl?

Crumbl Cookies is a “from-scratch” bakery with an open-style concept kitchen. You can come in and watch the cookies being made! We have a rotating menu of more than 250 flavors. We offer six flavors of the week, which customers can learn more about by downloading the Crumbl Cookies app and checking on Sunday nights at 7 p.m. for the newly released flavors. Many days, we will have bonus flavors to pick from that you can find by coming into the store, too. We will be unveiling our “hometown picks” soon, where the public can vote on the app for their favorite flavors.

What are your favorite menu items?

I personally love so many flavors as I have always been a cookie girl. I like brownie batter, carrot cake, key lime pie, cookies and cream milkshake, Kentucky butter cake and anything lemon. Two of my very favorites are the tres leches cake

and the cinnamon square–both of which were new offerings that took Shelby County by storm.

Which flavors do you think newcomers should try first?

We will always have a warm chocolate chip cookie–the heartbeat of our cookie lineup! We alternate weeks with the original milk chocolate chip cookie that Crumbl Cookies was founded on along with our semi-sweet chocolate with sea salt. You can’t go wrong with either option.

What is the most interesting aspect of being in the cookie business?

A typical day for us is a lot of behindthe-scenes work. We love engaging with customers and crew members. There are a lot of details to run such a unique brand of a from-scratch bakery, bringing the community a fun assortment of flavors from everyone’s favorite desserts. We truly work from sun-up to sun-down to be the best we can be for our stores. When I get to

work on the floor with the team and meet our customers, it is always the highlight of my day!

How has the support of the community made opening up shop in Alabaster and Greystone even sweeter?

The support of the Alabaster and Greystone communities has been wonderful! We get to know our regulars that know our flavors change each week and have reason to keep coming back. We love engaging with our communities and sponsoring the local high school events, as well partnering with them to support our students.

Crumbl Cookies Alabaster is located at 100 Colonial Promenade Parkway, and Crumbl Cookies Greystone is located at 5403 Highway 280, Suite 101. Both locations are open every day from 8 a.m.10 p.m. For more information, visit crumblcookies.com.

HOME STYLE&

A PATCH OF PARADISE

Clifton and Christy Rutledge’s Stonegate Farms estate boasts beauty enough to take one’s breath away.

BY ANNA GRACE MOORE

PHOTOS BY KELSEA SCHAFER

NNestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Clifton and Christy Rutledge’s estate spans nearly 10 acres in a secluded, lake-front oasis.

The 8,312 square-foot home, which was built in 2006, boasts six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and includes a fully functional carriage house for guests.

Over their 37 years of joyful union, Clifton and Christy moved 17 times for Clifton’s career in the restaurant industry. Upon moving to Birmingham in 2019, Clifton was recruited to work as the Chief Operating Officer for Jack’s Family Restaurants, having worked as the president and CEO of Bojangles’ Restaurants and the COO of Whataburger in years past.

Finally, Clifton made the decision to retire, and he and Christy decided to renovate their beautiful home. They became connected with Ben Tamburello of ARC Realty, who helped them partner with Robert S. Grant Construction and Carol Smeraglia of Howorth Haddock Design for their home’s

projects.

Renovations began in the kitchen as the cabinetry was painted, and the countertops, backsplash and appliances were all replaced. In the master bathroom, the built-in jacuzzi tub was replaced with a free-standing tub, and the adjacent walk-in closets were expanded for more space.

The most impressive renovation, however, was the addition of the carriage house, which includes a bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, dining room and living room. The main house and carriage house are connected by a stone walkway opening up into the back patio, which offers priceless views of the private lake behind the Rutledges’ estate.

Strolling through the home, one is immersed in “rustic elegance,” a culmination of Clifton’s love for hunting and fishing and Christy’s passion for traditional design. Rooted in warm hues with farmhouse elements, this stunning estate is a patch of paradise in Shelby County.

The Face of the Home

The subtle balance between the alabaster and charcoal brick tones are eloquently accentuated by the rich, brown hues of the cedar shakes.

The Entryway

Carol–one of the founders and designers of Howarth Haddock Design–cleverly blended Clifton’s passion for fowling and Christy’s desire for upscale decor to create a rather grand entryway.

The Office

Clifton’s office houses an authentic barber shop chair, which was made in 1898, next to the display case of his antique razors collection. The Zebra hide rug is from one of his recent hunting expeditions to Africa.

The Bar

The wet bar, which is made of live-edge countertops, pairs nicely with the barrel-top table and bar stools. Not pictured is Clifton’s cigar collection, featuring a box of Padrón cigars with labels saying, “It’s Padrón Time.” The friendly moniker references Bojangles’ Restaurants’ slogan, “It’s Bo Time,” paying tribute to Clifton’s time working as the restaurant’s CEO. These cigars were gifted to Clifton by the cigar mogul himself, José Orlando Padrón.

Hunting Memorabilia

Clifton’s impressive collection includes more than 30 different animals. From his latest hunting expedition to Africa, Clifton’s prized game includes a 13-footlong crocodile, a leopard, a cape buffalo and a hippopotamus, which were being taxidermized as of press time.

The Living Room

The hand-selected furniture and the rich, Earth-tone color palette creates a welcoming presence for this central hub of community.

Clifton loves how the rustic elements in the home accentuate its Southern authentic design.

The stone fireplace stretches from floor to ceiling, reaching more than 10-feet-tall.

The Kitchen

Sourced from Surface One of Birmingham in Pelham, the countertops are a leathered Taj Mahal Quartzite. Paired with the gold finishes, the hand-laid mosaic tile backsplash and the coffered-style ceiling, the kitchen is a beautiful balance between contemporary and rustic design.

The Master Bedroom

Carol incorporated pops of orange and blue in the throw pillows to brighten the neutral bedding.

The Master Bathroom

The bathroom’s ceiling’s wood was added to the borders of each window for a consistent design.

The vanity’s countertops are also Taj Mahal Quartzite but have a smooth finish unlike the kitchen’s countertops.

The Garage

This two-story garage was also one of the Rutledges’ additional renovations. It houses Clifton’s car collection, which includes a 1957 Pontiac Chieftain.

The Back Patio

Clifton enjoys being able to work from home in the shade of his back patio, which offers scenic views of his estate’s landscape.

Return to Nature

Fresh Air Family’s Gross Out Camps are prioritizing children’s happiness and innocence by teaching an appreciation of the outdoors.

By Anna Grace Moore | Photos by James Culver

AAs society is becoming more politically polarizing–entangled with the devastations of this world–a tried and true remedy is returning to nature–symbolic of appreciating life’s little pleasures that are too often taken for granted.

A veteran of breaking news, Verna Gates–whose journalistic accolades include writing for CNN, The Guardian, TIME Magazine, Reuters International and more–has interviewed some of the world’s most influential figures such as President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton and the Dalai Lama to name a few. While she started as one of the first 50 founding employees of CNN, Verna’s career took her all over the world, enabling her to cover some of the biggest news stories in history.

With numerous awards, including the 2009 Communicator of Achievement Award from the

National Association of Press Women, under her belt, Verna covered breaking stories from the 1996 Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. None, however, gripped Verna’s heart quite like her interviews with ex-prostitutes from the underage sex trade.

“I saw so much horrible stuff–the underage sex trade–the 12 and 13-year-old girls,” Verna says of her 35-year-long career. “The stats are that if any one person believes in a kid, they’ll make it. If you could just teach a child and change a couple of decisions they make, you can change everything.”

Verna says her journalistic vendetta was born that day. The interviews, although heart-wrenching, yielded her fervent passion to fight for children, protecting and preserving their innocence.

Twenty years ago, Verna found herself as the

president of the Birmingham Wildflower Society. She served in this role for 12 years before leaving to pursue the call of all journalists: To shine a light into the darkness.

At the time, Verna wanted to expand the state wildflower society to include family programs, but she was heavily discouraged. Where life presented a seemingly immovable road block, Verna hurdled over it effortlessly and created what is now known as Fresh Air Family.

Founded in 2006, Fresh Air Family is a nonprofit that provides science education to children and families throughout the state of Alabama and beyond. The organization is most known for its award-winning Gross Out Camps, which are summer camps for children entering first through fourth grade.

With 64 camps across 22 locations, Gross Out Camps served 1,527 children in 2023 alone. Since its inception, the camps have served more than 10,000 children and their families, providing often scholarship-funded opportunities for children to get outdoors, enjoy nature and learn about Alabama biodiversity.

“I enjoy seeing kids come alive, realizing that a whole new world is out there that they’ve never been exposed to,” Verna says. “We’ve got a beautiful world. They will never love what they never see.”

Verna says one of the reasons she started Fresh Air Family is because families quit communicating with one another at the dinner table. Coincidentally, children spend more time today on electronics than they do outside, breathing fresh air.

This correlation between the nuclear family

foundation’s silent crumbling and upcoming generations’ lack of environmental awareness proved cause enough for Verna to act. Children are so impressionable, and it alarms Verna that too often are parents not policing their children’s gateway internet access.

With as much childhood devastation as she has seen, Verna says it became her mission to serve families by helping raise children–technology free–in nature. Over the last 16 years of camp, Verna has seen her campers blossom and grow up to become ecologists, veterinarians, biology teachers and more.

Held in June and July, Gross Out Camps take place from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5

p.m., but parents can drop off as early as 8 a.m. and pick up by 6 p.m. if in need of extra child care. In 2023, more than $50,000 was awarded in scholarships for kids to attend Gross Out Camps–no kid is ever turned away because of money.

“We have one kid who has been with us since he was 8, and he was a foster child, who came from a very violent household,” Verna says. “He was adopted by an older couple, and our programs helped raise him. His father always tells us how much Fresh Air Family has meant to him because he considers us his family. He is 17 now, and he works for us every summer.”

Verna says she has seen children who struggle with social skills leave camp excited, having made

Sign Up for Gross Out Camps

Check out these Shelby County camp locations and which weeks your children can attend. Register at grossoutcamp.org.

Oak Mountain State Park (Pelham) uJune 3-7

uJune 17-21

uJune 24-28

uJuly 8-12

Living River Day Camp (Montevallo) uJuly 15-19

new friends. She has received phone calls from parents crying, thanking her for taking care of their children during some of the hardest times in their lives.

“[Lola] has absolutely loved it, and it has helped her gain confidence,” camper parent Michelle Stallworth says. “She is always outside, looking for things. They learn about the environment, different animals, all these things. She’s become a little junior aficionado when it comes to being outside.”

Lola Smith—Michelle’s daughter—will be attending four weeks of Gross Out Camp this summer. She says she loves camp because she is encouraged to be herself and to enjoy the simple pleasures of being a kid outdoors.

One of Lola’s favorite memories last summer was when she and her fellow conservationists learned to catch tadpoles with their bare hands.

“Gross Out Camp is an amazing camp, and we get to do all sorts of fun, outside things,” Lola says. “We get to go outside in the creek. We get to learn about science and plants and animals. We get to see animals in the real world, not just in pictures or movies. We get to build stuff.”

Salmon, salamanders and snakes–oh, my! Lola has seen–and probably held–them all at camp. Amazingly, each Gross Out Camp is entirely different from the next because each camp is located in such diverse parts of the state.

Gross Out Camps at Oak Mountain State Park typically fill up the quickest as campers spend their days fishing, bird watching, building dams, conducting science experiments and participating in animal shows. Not only are campers having fun outdoors, but they are also learning about advanced topics such as polymers, non-newtonian fluids, creek ecology and more.

Verna says a favorite game campers play every year is the food chain game, which is the most competitive game of freeze tag between “carnivores, omnivores and herbivores” one will ever witness. Depending on which camps children want to attend, they will receive some history lessons, too.

The Jasper-based “fossil hunt” is located at one of the top three, coal-age fossil sites in the world. Verna says children may never have the opportunity to dig up fossils if not given the

opportunity to explore outdoors.

“It’s been really great for Lola in the sense that she looks forward to it every year, and it’s not just one thing about Gross Out Camp that she loves,” Michelle says. “The camp is structured enough that they get to learn things, and they’re going to be safe. It’s also unstructured enough that it gives them the opportunity to explore all the things that they find that they’re interested in.”

Looking back, Verna says she is incredibly proud to have played a part in enriching the lives of so many children. The success of Gross Out Camps, she says, is due to the motto that every living thing–whether big or small–must be respected.

By teaching children to love what many take for granted such as fresh air and picturesque views, their innocence is nurtured by the peaceful, steady stream of a creek or wind in the leaves.

“Nature is the greatest teacher—it nurtured the ‘Greatest Generation’—and now is sharing its secrets with a new crop of children,” Verna says. “Parents can breathe easy, too, knowing kids are enjoying a wholesome childhood experience.”

If children are to grow up in the world their parents have left broken, then it should be the

responsibility of every parent to ensure their children can at least enjoy their childhoods for as long as they can.

The best childhood memories–one can bet–will take place outdoors in the company of friends. If there’s one thing Gross Out Camps guarantee, it’s tired, dirty and very happy children.

To learn more information about Fresh Air Family, visit freshairfamily.org. Those interested in registering for Gross Out Camps can do so at grossoutcamp.org.

SHELBY LIVING’S

BEST OF THE BEST WINNERS 2024

Who’s the best? We asked, and you answered. Thousands of votes were cast in Shelby Living Magazine’s annual Best of the Best contest. Read on to find out our readers’ favorites in Shelby County.

Photos by Anna Grace Moore & Contributed

BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT, BEST PIZZA & BEST UPSCALE RESTAURANT

Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant

FOOD & DRINK

BEST BAKERY

Creations Galore & Moore

8261 U.S. 31 Calera, AL 35040 205-690-8399

Runners Up: The Copper Train, Chula’s Bakery

BEST BARBECUE

Creekside BBQ 1020 Oak Mountain Park Rd. Pelham, AL 35124 205-358-7103

Runners Up: Tin Top Bar-B-Que 2, Full Moon Bar-B-Que

BEST BARTENDER

Main Street Tavern 710 North Boundary St. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-665-0336

Runners Up: Station 31 Kitchen, Oak Mountain Brewing Company

BEST BEER SELECTION

The Beer Hog 2408 Pelham Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124

Runners Up: Main Street Tavern, Station 31 Kitchen

BEST BREWERY

Ivy League Brew 633 11th Ave SW Alabaster, AL 35007 205-725-1524

Runners Up: Oak Mountain Brewing Company, Oversoul Brewing

BEST BRUNCH

The Copper Train 224 1st St. S Suite 200 Alabaster, AL 35007 205-358-8179

Runners Up: Leaders’ Corner Coffee & Tea, Adventurer’s Coffee Co.

BEST BURGER

Tony’s Hot Dogs 1922 Montgomery Hwy. Birmingham, AL 35244 205-988-3236

Runners Up: Momo’s Cajun Eatz, Main Street Tavern

BEST CASUAL RESTAURANT

Main Street Tavern 710 North Boundary St. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-665-0336

Runners Up: Tony’s Hot Dogs, Smiley Brothers Specialty Foods

BEST CATERER

Home Plate Cooking 5129 Hwy. 17 Helena, AL 35080 205-621-6502

Runners Up: Copper + Clover Company Charcuterie & Catering, Smiley Brothers Specialty Foods

BEST CHEF

Joan Henderson – Momo’s

Cajun Eatz 633 11th Ave SW Alabaster, AL 35007 205-725-1524

Runners Up: Jon Green – Smiley Brothers Specialty Foods, Mike Lee – Mikey’s Grill

BEST CHEF, BEST ETHNIC DINING & BEST KID-FRIENDLY DINING

Momo’s Cajun Eatz

BEST COCKTAILS

Ivy League Brew 633 11th Ave SW Alabaster, AL 35007 205-725-1524

Runners Up: Main Street Tavern, Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant

BEST COFFEE

Leaders’ Corner Coffee & Tea 100 South Main St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-620-1700

Runners Up: Alicia’s Coffee LLC, Adventurer’s Coffee Co.

BEST DATE NIGHT

RESTAURANT

Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant 209 Supercenter Dr. Calera, AL 35040 205-644-8780

Runners Up: Main Street Tavern, Half Shell Oyster House

BEST ETHNIC DINING

Momo’s Cajun Eatz 633 11th Ave SW Alabaster, AL 35007 205-725-1524

Runners Up: Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant, Mama Coco Cantina

BEST KID-FRIENDLY DINING

Momo’s Cajun Eatz 633 11th Ave SW Alabaster, AL 35007 205-725-1524

Runners Up: Main Street Tavern, Station 31 Kitchen

BEST LUNCH SPOT

Tony’s Hot Dogs 1922 Montgomery Hwy. Birmingham, AL 35244 205-988-3236

Runners Up: Main Street Tavern, Mama Coco Cantina

BEST MARGARITA

Taco Mama - Hwy 119 6801 Cahaba Valley Rd. Suite 124 Birmingham, AL 35242 205-705-3333

Runners Up: Mama Coco Cantina, Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant

BEST MILKSHAKE

Davis Drug Company 111 South Main St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-669-6713

Runners Up: Creations Galore and Moore, Freezy’s Creamery, SoCal Smoothie Company

BEST PATIO DINING

Station 31 Kitchen 104 Chesser Dr. Chelsea, AL 35043 205-677-2158

Runners Up: Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Creekside BBQ

BEST PIZZA

Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant

209 Supercenter Dr. Calera, AL 35040 205-644-8780

Runners Up: Slice Pizza and Brew, Area 41 Pizza Co.

BEST SWEET TREATS

Creations Galore and Moore 8261 U.S. 31 Calera, AL 35040 205-690-8399

Runners Up: Chula’s Bakery, Cookie Fix

BEST UPSCALE RESTAURANT

Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant

209 Supercenter Dr. Calera, AL 35040 205-644-8780

Runners Up: Half Shell Oyster House, Mikey’s Grill

BEST BARBECUE

Creekside BBQ

BEST WINE SELECTION

Cat-n-Bird Winery 11661 Old Hwy. 280 Chelsea, AL 35043 205-610-9463

Runners Up: Bertolone’s Classic Italian Restaurant, Just a Tish Wine & More

HEALTH & FITNESS

BEST CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Chelsea Chiropractic 398 Chesser Dr., Suite 2 Chelsea, AL 35043 205-678-1000

Runners Up: The FARM: Functional Athletic Rehabilitation & Movement, Shelby Family Chiropractic

BEST NEW BUSINESS (OPEN ONE YEAR OR LESS) & BEST BOUTIQUE

Salt Clothing Co.

BEST DENTAL PRACTICE

Pelham Dental Care

1973 Chandalar Dr. Pelham, AL 35124 205-663-6246

Runners Up: Boohaker Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Luma Dentistry Columbiana

BEST DERMATOLOGY PRACTICE

Cahaba Dermatology & Skin

Health Center 2279 Valleydale Rd. Birmingham, AL 35244 205-214-7546

Runners Up: Inverness Dermatology & Laser, Shelby Dermatology

BEST DOCTOR

Dr. Melanie Chwalek –VisionFirst Eye Center 300 1st St. North Alabaster, AL. 35007 205-949-2020

Runners Up: Dr. Vlada Groysman – Cahaba Dermatology, Dr. Josh Everts – Shelby Community Oral Facial Surgery

BEST ESTHETICIAN

Hannah Ayers – Spa Cahaba 2279 Valleydale Rd. Birmingham, AL 35244 205-214-7546

Runners Up: Azia Medical Spa, Skin Care Solutions of Alabama LLC

BEST EYE CARE PRACTICE

Inverness Eye Care

258 Inverness Center Dr. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-991-0020

Runners Up: VisionFirst Eye Center, Pelham Eye Center

BEST FAMILY MEDICINE PRACTICE

Southern Wellness LLC 321 1st St. North Alabaster, AL 35007 205-624-4325

Runners Up: Brookwood Baptist Medical The Narrows, Columbiana Clinic

BEST FITNESS CENTER

Burn Boot Camp 1801 Doug Baker Blvd. Hoover, AL 35242 205-903-8154

Runners Up: Body by Brii, The Garage Kickboxing Alabaster

BEST MASSAGE THERAPY

Massage 119

1249 5th St. Southwest Alabaster, AL 35007 205-624-3388

Runners Up: Serene Step Massage, Designs Salon & Spa

BEST MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Soul Story Therapy 511 Creekside Ct. Helena, AL 35080 205-202-9685

Runners Up: McClendon Counseling and Consulting, Shelby Psychological Services, Inc.

BEST ORTHODONTICS PRACTICE

Calera Orthodontics 101 County Rd. 87 Calera, AL 35040 205-620-4611

Runners Up: Chelsea Orthodontics, Edwards Orthodontics

BEST PEDIATRIC PRACTICE

Greenvale Pediatrics of Brook

Highland 101 Eagle Ridge Dr. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-994-1004

Runners Up: Pathway Pediatrics, Inc., Premier Family Dentistry of Alabaster

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER

Annie Veal – Burn Boot Camp in Meadowbrook 1801 Doug Baker Blvd. Hoover, AL 35242 205-903-8154

Runners Up: Brii Wykoff – Body by Brii, The Garage Kickboxing Alabaster

BEST PHARMACY

Cowart Drug Company 8320 Hwy. 31 Calera, AL 35040 205-668-1723

Runners Up: Snider’s Discount Pharmacy, Helena Drugs

BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY

Southlake Orthopaedics 4517 Southlake Pkwy. Hoover, AL 35244 205-985-4111

Runners Up: Uncommon Physical Therapy, LLC, Shelby County Physical Therapy

BEST SPA

Charmed Salon and Spa 1123 1st Ave. North Alabaster, AL 35007 205-940-5702

Runners Up: Massage 119, Spa Cahaba

BEST BUSINESS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Southern Wellness, LLC 321 1st St. North Alabaster, AL 35007 205-624-4325

Runners Up: The Garage Kickboxing Alabaster, The Garage Kickboxing Calera

ARTS & CULTURE

BEST ART GALLERY

Shelby County Arts Council 105 West College St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-669-0044

Runners Up: Blue Phrog Gallery, Griffith Art Gallery

BEST FESTIVAL

Helena’s Buck Creek Festival 4151 Helena Rd. Helena, AL 35080

Runners Up: Alabaster CityFest, Montevallo’s Day of the Dead Festival

BEST LOCAL CAUSE

Alabama Wildlife Center at Oak Mountain State Park 100 Terrace Dr. Pelham, AL 35124 205-663-7930

Runners Up: Shelby Emergency Assistance, Vineyard Family Services

BEST LOCAL PERSONALITY

James Spann, Chief Meteorologist ABC 33/40 800 Concourse Pkwy. Suite 200 Hoover, AL 35244 205-403-3340

Runners Up: The Country Clauses, Bruce Andrews – Executive Director Shelby County Arts Council

BEST STORE FOR HOME FURNISHINGS/DÉCOR

The Mercantile by Miller

BEST MUSEUM

American Village 3727 Hwy. 119 Montevallo, AL 35115 205-665-3535

Runners Up: Shelby County Museum and Archives, Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington

BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL

Briarwood Christian School 6255 Cahaba Valley Rd. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-776-5900

Runners Up: Coosa Valley Academy, Westminster School at Oak Mountain

BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL

Forest Oaks Elementary School 1000 Hornet Pkwy. Chelsea, AL 35043 205-682-7220

Runners Up: Mt Laurel Elementary School, Thompson High School

BEST TEACHER

Meredith Fitzpatrick, Briarwood Christian School 6255 Cahaba Valley Rd. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-776-5900

Runners Up: Nicole Long – Forest Oaks Elementary School, Arthur Herbert – Montevallo Elementary School

AUTO SERVICES

BEST AUTO SERVICE

Express Oil Change & Tire

Engineers Helena 5046 Hwy. 17 Helena, AL 35080 205-620-3175

Runners Up: Christian Brothers Automotive Tattersall Park, Howard Tire Service

BEST AUTOMOTIVE DETAILING

COMPANY

Apex Pro Detailing Helena, AL 35080 205-440-1722

Runners Up: Nathan’s Car Makeovers, Insane Paint Auto Detailing

BEST BOATING CENTER

Skier’s Marine Westover 10171 U.S. 280 Westover, AL 35147 205-678-9099

Runner Up: Airport Marine

BEST OIL CHANGE

Express Oil Change & Tire

Engineers Helena 5046 Hwy. 17 Helena, AL 35080 205-620-3175

Runners Up: Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers Alabaster, Christian Brothers Automotive Tattersall Park

BEST RV CENTER

Burton Campers–Exclusive

Jayco Dealer 320 County Rd. 304 Calera, AL 35040 205-668-6267

Runners Up: Camping World, RV Roadway of Calera

BEST TIRE SERVICE

Howard Tire Service 102 Hwy. 47 Columbiana, AL 35051 205-669-4509

Runners Up: Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers Helena, Christian Brothers Automotive Tattersall Park

BEST USED CAR DEALER

Donohoo Auto 8122 Helena Rd. Pelham, AL 35124 205-536-9814

Runners Up: DriveTime, 1837 Trading Company

COMMUNITY

BEST CITY PARK

Orr Park 277 Park Dr. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-665-2555

Runners Up: Pelham Park, Shoal Creek Park

BEST COMMUNITY CENTER

Shelby County Arts Council 105 West College St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-669-0044

Runners Up: Parnell Memorial Library, Chelsea Community Center

BEST GOLF COURSE

Ballantrae Golf Club 1300 Ballantrae Club Dr. Pelham, AL 35124 205-620-4653

Runners Up: Timberline Golf Club, Greystone Golf & Country Club

BEST PLACE FOR A FAMILY OUTING

Parnell Memorial Library 277 Park Dr. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-667-3052

Runners Up: Shelby County Arts Council, Creations Galore and Moore

BEST PLACE FOR A KIDS’ BIRTHDAY PARTY

Sara Beth’s Gymnasts 10699 Old Hwy. 280 Bldg. 2, Suite 2 Chelsea, AL 35043 205-910-3668

Runners Up: Party Art, NXS Gym

BEST PLACE TO WORSHIP

Life Church/Moore Prayer Life 2947 Pelham Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124 205-335-5961

Runners Up: Collectivus Church, Double Oak Community Church Mt Laurel

BEST PASTOR

Pastor Tamane Moore – Life Church/Moore Prayer Life 2947 Pelham Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124 205-335-5961

Runners Up: Pastor Ben Nelson – Collectivus Church, Pastor Adam Robinson –Double Oak Community Church Mt Laurel

BEST PUBLIC LIBRARY

Parnell Memorial Library 277 Park Dr. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-667-3052

Runners Up: Pelham Public Library, Columbiana Public Library

BEST SENIOR LIVING FACILITY

Danberry at Inverness 235 Inverness Center Dr. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-443-9500

Runners Up: Chelsea Hidden Acres Assisted Living, Premier Assisted Living

SHOPPING & SERVICES

BEST NEW BUSINESS (OPEN ONE YEAR OR LESS)

Salt Clothing Co. 1801 Doug Baker Blvd. Suite 113 Hoover, AL 35242 205-238-5926

Runners Up: Lorena Beauty Bar, The Prickly Pear

BEST BOUTIQUE

Salt Clothing Co. 1801 Doug Baker Blvd. Suite 113 Hoover, AL 35242 205-238-5926

Runners Up: High Cotton Boutique, Oh My Sole

BEST CONSIGNMENT STORE

Consigned Design 72 Fulton Springs Rd. Alabaster, AL 35007 205-664-7540

Runner Up: The Royal Market

BEST FLORIST

Amazing Flowers & Occasions 102 South Main St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-669-7061

Runners Up: Main Street Florist, Helena Florist

BEST GIFT SHOP

The Farm Company

105 A South Main St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-671-5477

Runners Up: Gifted Handmade Gifts and More, The Prickly Pear

BEST HAIR SALON

Studio Chic Salon 263 Village Pkwy. Helena, AL 35080 205-358-8784

Runners Up: T. Fox SalonSpa Aveda, Studio V Salon

BEST NAIL SALON

Lorena Beauty Bar 632 11th Ave. Southwest Alabaster, AL 35007 205-974-0603

Runners Up: The Nail Spot, Polished 31 NailSpa

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE

High Cotton Boutique 415 Chelsea Xrds Chelsea, AL 35043 205-451-3686

Runners Up: America’s First Federal Credit Union, Fuzzy Buttz Pet Supply

BEST ACCOUNTANT

Essential Solutions, LLC 138 5th Ave. Northeast Alabaster, AL 35007 205-663-8686

Runners Up: Graham and Associates, Benefield and Hamner, CPA’s

BEST ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Calera Animal Hospital 9370 AL 25 Calera, AL 35040 205-668-2300

Runners Up: MAC Animal Hospital, Caldwell Mill Animal Clinic

BEST BOARDER/TRAINING

Helena Dog House 97 Ace Pl. Helena, AL 35080 205-624-3425

Runners Up: Boarding the MAC, World Class Kennels

BEST PET GROOMER

Southern Paw Pet Parlor 204 Mildred St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-671-5485

Runners Up: Shear Paradise Grooming, Lucky Dog Grooming & Boutique

BEST PET STORE

Whiskers & Wags Pet Boutique 16618 U.S. 280 Suite 200 Chelsea, AL 35043 205-703-2129

Runners Up: Sweet Tweets Bird Supply LLC, Fuzzy Buttz Pet Supply

BEST ATTORNEY

Law Office of Charles D. Stewart, Jr. 4898 Valleydale Rd. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-437-1279

Runners Up: Phillip Bahakel & Associates, Rush Law Firm LLC

BEST LAW FIRM

Scozzaro Law LLC 600 Creekside Ct. Helena, AL 35080 205-624-3367

Runners Up: Law Office of Charles D. Stewart Jr., Phillip Bahakel & Associates

BEST BANK

Central State Bank of Calera 11025 Hwy. 25 Calera, AL 35040 205-668-0711

Runners Up: Regions Bank of Columbiana, SouthPoint Bank of Wilsonville

BEST CREDIT UNION

America’s First Federal Credit Union 10 Racquet Club Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124 205-663-1945

Runners Up: Avadian Credit Union, Coosa Pines Federal Credit Union

BEST FINANCIAL ADVISING GROUP

Jeff Foose – Edward Jones Financial Advisor

1235 1st St. North Suite A Alabaster, AL 35007 205-663-0236

Runners Up: America’s First Federal Credit Union, Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor

BEST FINANCIAL ADVISOR

Jeff Foose – Edward Jones Financial Advisor 1235 1st St. North Suite A Alabaster, AL 35007 205-663-0236

Runners Up: Daniel L Logan –Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Aimee Barnes – Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor

BEST LOCAL INSURANCE AGENCY

Alfa Insurance of Montevallo 740 Main Street Montevallo, AL 35115 205-665-2323

Runners Up: Ray Pevy State Farm Insurance, Rux Carter Insurance

BEST LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT

Candace Byers – Alfa Insurance 740 Main Street Montevallo, AL 35115 205-665-2323

Runners Up: Ray Pevy – State Farm Insurance, Torie Rinehart Nix – The Rinehart Agency

BEST MORTGAGE GROUP MortgageBanc/Fairway

Independent Mortgage Corp 2007 Eagle Rdg. Dr. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-986-4220

Runners Up: Central State Mortgage, Kristy Redford Movement Mortgage

cat-n-bird winery

AL cat-n-bird winery

Chelsea,

Chelsea, AL

Thank you for naming Cat-n-Bird Winery as Shelby County's

Best Event and Wedding Venue + Best Wine Selection

BEST BARBER SHOP

Old Town Barber Shop 3989 Helena Rd. Helena, AL 35080 205-624-2299

Runners Up: Studio Chic Salon, Pelham Barber Shop

BEST CHILDCARE

Ardent Preschool & Daycare 25 Southlake Lane Birmingham, AL 35244 205-444-5437

Runners Up: School for Amazing Kids, Vinehouse Nursery

BEST DANCE/GYMNASTICS STUDIO

Sara Beth’s Gymnasts 10699 Old Hwy. 280 Bldg. 2, Suite 2 Chelsea, AL 35043 205-910-3668

Runners Up: Calera Dance Academy, NXS Gym

BEST DRY CLEANER

Champion Cleaners 4204 U.S. 31 Calera, AL 35040 205-668-4727

Runners Up: W&S Cleaners, Pure Clean Co.

BEST ELECTRICIAN

Quinn Electrical Helena, AL 35080 205-881-9200

Runners Up: Shepherd Electric Company, Sentry Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical

BEST EVENT/WEDDING VENUE

Cat-n-Bird Winery 11661 Old Hwy. 280 Chelsea, AL 35043 205-610-9463

Runners Up: Ivy League Brew, The Barn at Henley

BEST FARMERS MARKET

See why we were named Best of the Best by coming to visit us on Saturdays from 12-6 + follow us on the socials!

Interested in having a wedding or event? Check out the details at www.cat-n-bird.com

Cat-n-Bird Winery 205-610-WINE 11661 Old Hwy 280 Chelsea, AL 35043

Montevallo Farmers’ Market 660 Main St. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-665-1519

Runners Up: Helena Market Days, Burnette Farms Market

BEST GUN STORE

Family Pawn 873 1st St. North Alabaster, AL 35007 205-664-4032

Runners Up: HDC HuntStore and Gunsmithing, Pee Wee’s Pawn Shop

BEST HVAC SERVICE

Carden Heating & Cooling

1152 U.S. 31 Calera, AL 35040

Runners Up: Country Boys Heating & Cooling, 3D Air Services, LLC

BEST HOME BUILDER

Kash & Co Construction 1025 Columbia Circle Birmingham, AL 35242 205-902-5795

Runners Up: HG Homes LLC, Winford Homecrafters, LLC

BEST HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE

Helena Hardware 101 Ace Pl. Helena, AL 35080 205-605-0600

Runners Up: Lowe’s Home Improvement Alabaster, Ace Hardware Dunnavant Valley

BEST REMODELER

Alabama Decks & Exteriors

275 Scotland Dr. Alabaster, AL 35007 205-492-3325

Runners Up: Alex Foreman EV Contracting LLC, Flex Services LLC

BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER

The Prickly Pear 2645 Pelham Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124 205-757-7590

Runners Up: The White House Interiors, Ashley White Interiors

BEST STORE FOR HOME FURNISHINGS/DÉCOR

The Mercantile by Miller 5287 U.S. 280, Suite 249 Birmingham, AL 35242 205-769-6986

Runners Up: Alabama Furniture Market, The Prickly Pear

Experience senior living that fills your cup. Our all-inclusive, worry-free lifestyle without an entrance fee provides a refreshing outlook on the future. Find:

» Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care

» First-class services and amenities, including modern wellness classes and a heated indoor saltwater pool

» Personalized care whenever you need it

» Exceptional dining options

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Southeastern Jewelers Inc. 5299 Valleydale Rd. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-980-9030

Runners Up: Hughes Jewelers, M&M Jewelers

BEST KIDS CLOTHING STORE

Gifted Handmade Gifts and More

2643 Pelham Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124 205-533-2335

Runner Up: Consigned Design

BEST LANDSCAPING COMPANY

Alabama Outdoor Professionals Chelsea, AL 35043 205-677-7698

Runners Up: Crown Landscaping and Lawn Services, Big Time Lawn and Home LLC

BEST NURSERY

Myers Plants & Pottery 2935 Pelham Pkwy. Pelham, AL 35124 205-663-6597

Runners Up: Cedar Creek Nursery, Inc., plant Gifts and Decor

BEST LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Cat Elliott Photography Alabaster, AL 35007 205-422-7394

Runners Up: Stephanie Fisher Photography, Kaitie Rickels Photography

BEST LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENCY

ARC Realty 110 Inverness Corners Birmingham, AL 35242 205-527-9318

Runners Up: Chelsea RealtySouth, Alabaster Keller Williams

BEST LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT

Susan Lehman – Team Lehman

Keller Williams Metro South 620 Valley St. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-542-4011

Runners Up: Donna Gaskins – ARC Realty, Alicia Anders – Realtor ERA King

BEST LOCAL REAL ESTATE TEAM

Team Lehman – Keller Williams Metro South 620 Valley St. Montevallo, AL 35115 205-542-4011

Runners Up: The Pinnacle Group ARC, The Daley Group Keller Williams

BEST MARTIAL ARTS/BOXING

GYM

The Garage Kickboxing Alabaster 239 1st St. South Alabaster, AL 35007 205-624-3123

Runners Up: The Garage Kickboxing Calera, Gracie Barra

BEST PLUMBER

Capstone Plumbing 633 Stuart Ln. Pelham, AL 35142 205-434-7224

Runners Up: Sentry Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical, Cahaba Valley Plumbing

BEST SPECIALTY STORE

Sweet Tweets Bird Supply LLC 101 South Main St. Columbiana, AL 35051 205-672-5204

Runners Up: The Prickly Pear, Whiskers & Wags Pet Boutique

HIGH ON BUENA VISTA

By Christiana Roussel | Photos Contributed

Photo

by

Scott Peterson

Make tracks this summer for someplace a little off-the-beaten path: Buena Vista, Colorado.

Pack your sense of adventure and prepare to have fun exploring all this area has to offer.

Just a two-plus-hour drive from Denver is the small, charming mountain town of Buena Vista, Colorado. You’ll soon learn how picturesque and engaging this town is. First, let’s start by discussing the pronunciation. Locals say, “BEW-na VIS-ta,” “Bewnie” or “BV” for short. Legend has it that the townspeople adopted this moniker because of the “bew” sound in ‘beautiful.’ To be sure, whatever nickname you give the place, we know you’ll have a fantastic Western adventure here.

Where to Eat & Drink

House Rock Kitchen—This spot boasts some of the best lunches, salads and creative bowls.

houserockkitchen.com

IG: @houserockkitchenbv

Wesley & Rose Lobby Bar (at The Surf Hotel)—Think upscale dinner options that are served Western casual. Wesley & Rose Lobby Bar is open evenings and Sundays for brunch. surfhotel.com/wesley-rose/

IG: @wesleyandrose

Eddyline Taproom & Brewery—Come here to hang with locals and enjoy some amazing area brews.

eddylinebrewing.com

IG: @eddylinebrewing

Deerhammer Distillery— Riffing on traditional whiskey distilling, the team at Deerhammer puts their own twist on the process, producing single malts, four-grain bourbons and limited-run single barrel spirits. deerhammer.com

IG: @deerhammer

The Lariat—Refuel here after a morning hike, or come for dinner and stay for the live music. thelariatbv.com

IG: @thelariatbv

Cool River—Start your day here for hearty breakfast options that will fuel you for the day. coolriverbv.com

IG: @coolriverbv

Buena Viking—In their newly revamped brickand-mortar spot, the Viking offers up some of the best burgers in town. buenaviking.com

IG: @thebuenaviking

Where to Stay

The Inn: Railroad + Main—Located in the heart of downtown Buena Vista, the nine-room inn has been lovingly updated with all the modern amenities we appreciate in travel. The well-maintained exposed brick and reclaimed hardwood floors give this place charm on top of charm. High ceilings and fantastic views of the mountains are a total bonus.

theinnbv.com

IG: @theinnbv

The Surf Hotel & Surf Chateau—Wraparound balconies line this four-star boutique hotel, which is located in the South Main part of town on the banks of the Arkansas River. surfhotel.com

IG: @surfhotelbv

Mt. Princeton Resort—Just outside of downtown Buena Vista, Mt. Princeton Resort is home to some of the area’s famed hot springs. Guests can stay in resort rooms, suites and private cabins to enjoy full access to the variety of hot springs options on site. mtprinceton.com

IG: @mtprinceton

Camping—There are plenty of sites available in the Chaffee County area; Cottonwood Lake is closest to town. Check out colorado.com/ articles/your-guide-to-camping-in-buena-vistasalida for the entire list to find your backcountry, RV or camp site.

IG: @visitcolorado

Even Keel Lodge—If you’re keen to stay in the heart of it all, check out one of the three “Hygge-Centric apartments” Buena Viking restaurant owners Evan and Anna Winger have outfitted above their new location. evenkeelbv.com

IG: @evenkeelbv

The Surf Hotel & Surf Chateau

Mt. Princeton Resort

Wesley & Rose Lobby Bar

Deerhammer Distillery

What Locals Love about Buena Vista

A quick poll of local residents turned up a long list of their favorite things they’d recommend visitors not miss while in town. Here are just a few:

• Don’t miss Gold Rush Days (Aug. 10-11, 2024) and the annual Gem & Mineral Show.

• Swing by Crooked Cauldron Company for handcrafted teas— we’re partial to the ones with Blue Lotus, which some say helps with relaxation, muscle pain and anxiety.

• Make plans to be a part of the Land Rover National Rally (Aug. 19-23, 2024), when the group traverses mountain passes and visits old mining towns. Last year’s event had vehicles from more than 20 states.

• Pop in to Buena Vista Shell/ Stedman’s Sodas, Sweets & Treats for house-made fudge and popcorn, Blue Bell ice cream and more.

• A favorite easy hike in the Arkansas Valley is Clinton’s Gulch, just past the Climax Mine—hike around the lake for spectacular views.

• Little Engine Eatery—This 501©(3) social enterprise food truck operation provides paid work experience and job training for neurodivergent people.

• Check out the Drone Training Park by the Rodeo Grounds: mountainwestuas.org

• Chocolatte is a must visit—There is a play area for kids, while the adults can relax with a cappuccino. Everyone will want one of their milkshakes or sundaes.

• We love visitors but really want everyone to respect the natural beauty of this area by following the Leave No Trace guidelines posted lnt.org (several residents mentioned this one)!

WHAT TO DO

Hiking/Biking/Rafting—Summer in Colorado is synonymous with being outside.

For a complete list of area trails, stop in to The Trailhead downtown and chat with a local, or check out alltrails.com/us/colorado/buena-vista to plan your trip in advance. thetrailheadco.com

IG: @thetrailheadco

Rent a bike from BV Bikes (bvebikes.com), and hit the trails. Want to off-road even more? Check out BV Jeeps to rent a jeep, ATV or Razor (bvjeeps.com).

IG: @BV_jeeps and @biv.bike.co

Go whitewater rafting with one of the local outfitters such as The Adventure Company (theadventurecompany.com) or Noah’s Ark Rafting. IG: @adventurecompany and @noahsarkrafting

Buena Vista Whitewater Park—This phenomenal public park area boasts water features for everyone from beginner to expert. You just need a SUP or small kayak to ride the waves. outdoorproject.com/united-states/colorado/buena-vistawhitewater-park

Other Things to Do

Pack Burro Racing—In 2012, Colorado designated pack burro racing as the official state Summer Heritage Sport. To the uninitiated, these events feature runners competing in races with a donkey on a lead rope. Thousands of runners from across the state participate in these events with the top three races taking place in Leadville, Fair Play and Buena Vista. This year’s 13.1 miles-race takes place on Aug. 11, 2024, but to be sure, there will be people training for the event all summer long. buenavistapackburrorace.itsyourrace.com

Comanche Drive-In—Movies start at dusk at the highest elevation drive-in in the United States, which is one of only 305 drive-in movie theaters left in the country! comanchedrivein.com

Hot springs—Yes, hot springs are a must-do, even in summer as the temps here are cool in mornings and afternoons. The Mt. Princeton Hot Springs were first visited by Native Americans who relished the healing warm waters. Miners chasing gold in the area soon discovered these springs, and in 1879, a group of them built a three-story hotel. The resort thrived until mining operations dried up and the Great Depression hit. However, the allure of these natural springs remains, and the newest iteration of the resort is an ideal spot to spend an afternoon and take in a spa treatment and dinner. mtprinceton.com

Historic St. Elmo—One of the best-preserved ghost towns in the West, this former mining town has stories to tell. Pack a lunch and tack on a hike in the area to make a day of it. IG: @stelmocolorado

Mt. Princeton Hot Springs

travel tips

At almost 8,000 feet in elevation, it is important to remember that your body may react differently to the change in environment. To avoid any discomfort, you are encouraged to follow these few guidelines:

• Drink lots of water —Don’t wait until you are thirsty before you hydrate. Consider adding sports drinks with extra electrolytes to your daily fluid consumption.

• Take your time —If your schedule allows, spend a night in Denver to start

Shop Downtown Buena Vista

Sundog Colorado—Some of the best vintage and new-to-you Western finds (think Native American artifacts, clothes, books, boots and more).

The Mercantile—A bit of everything from home décor to candles, art, frames and inspired gifts.

Little Elk Trading Company—A curated collection of Western furniture, Pendleton blankets, art and more.

Peace Love Dirt—Handcrafted, feel-good gifts imbued with the healing spirits of the area. Jewelry-making classes offered here by River Wilding.

BV Art & Photo—Showcases the work of local artists and photographers and is the perfect place to bring home a memory from your time in Buena Vista.

your acclimation process. This one step can reduce your chances of altitude sickness by 50-percent. Don’t want to wait to get to BV? Spend your first day doing something leisurely, such as taking in the shops downtown and enjoying the stunning vistas.

• Monitor your alcohol intake —It is easy to get tipsy quickly at higher elevations. While you are enjoying local breweries, distilleries and wineries, just be aware of how your body is reacting.

• Sunscreen & Layers —You are closer to the sun at this altitude, and the weather can change in an instant. Use plenty of sunscreen, reapply often and pack clothes you can layer easily.

Peace Love Dirt

Little Elk Trading Company

The Shelby County Chamber

BUSINES S CONNECTI ONS

May ‘24

Chamber

Events

May 1

Career Readiness Work Group

8:30AM-9:30AM

The Shelby County Chamber

May 1

Chelsea Business Alliance Luncheon

11:30AM-1:00PM

Chelsea Communtiy Center

May 1

Small Business Work Group

4:00PM-5:00PM

The Shelby County Chamber

May 7

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

The Shelby County Chamber

May 8

Women’s Business Council 11:30AM-1:00PM Monark

May 9

Governmental Affairs Work Group

8:30AM-9:30AM

Sain Associates - HWY280

May 9

Tackle Difficult Situations Virtual Session with Sandler Training

1:30PM-3:00PM Virtual

May 21

Legislative Wrap Up Reception

4:30PM-6:00PM

Inverness Country Club

May 22

Small Business Awards Luncheon

11:30AM-1:00PM

Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena

The “12th Annual Shelby County Small Business Awards” Luncheon

On May 22, the Chamber’s Small Business Work Group—in collaboration with five other business organizations—will host the 2024 Shelby County Small Business of the Year Awards Luncheon. The program, which is presented this year by Regions, will celebrate the positive economic impact small businesses have on Shelby County. Nominees for the Shelby County 2024 Small Business of the Year awards in five categories will be recognized, and the recipients in each category will be announced.

Joining the Chamber’s Small Business Work Group in co-hosting the awards luncheon are Calera Main Street, Chelsea Business Alliance, Columbiana Main Street, Montevallo Main Street and the Montevallo Chamber.

The cost to attend is $25 per person for Chamber investors or $35 per person for “future” investors. To assist with planning, reservations are requested by Monday, May 20. Call 205-663-4542 or visit shelbychamber.org to register.

Shelby County Leadership Skills 3 Class

Central Six Alabama Works is offering a series of leadership classes focused on skills that all leaders, supervisors or managers need to be more effective. Training areas include leadership, communication, teamwork and leading multiple generations. Companies in Jefferson County, St. Clair County and Shelby County are invited to register personnel for this training course. Spots are limited to the first 25 participants, so make your reservations early.

Attendees must be able to attend the

class in person and pass a written exam at the end of the course to receive the Central Six Alabama Works Certified Leaders Certificate. There is a $25 fee for food each day.

Leadership 3 (LS3) will be held on May 8 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Shelby County Chamber Community Room, (1301 County Services Drive, Pelham, AL 35124). LS1 is a prerequisite for LS2, and LS1 and LS2 are a prerequisite for LS3. Register at: http://centralsix.org/events/.

Co-Hosts

One-on-One Business

Consulting available

If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur with a “can’t miss” idea, the Chamber’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence is available to meet with you on June 15 for a one-on-one, sit-down meeting to discuss your idea.

This opportunity, coordinated through the Chamber’s Business Resource Center, provides small business owners a confidential opportunity to seek some outside advice on their business or idea.

There are currently two remaining

June 13

timeslots (roughly 30 minutes) for this complimentary business consulting with Michael Smith—the Chamber’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence. These one-on-one sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis by appointment only. Please understand there are no walk-ins for these sessions. Contact Karen Williams, the Chamber’s Manager of Business & Workforce Development, at karen@shelbychamber.org for availability on June 13.

June 13 Go & Grow Workshop

Sponsored by Valley Bank

Whether you’ve started your own business or are thinking about it, this Go & Grow Workshop featuring a panel of entrepreneurs will provide attendees with information they can use.

The workshop, which is sponsored by Valley Bank and facilitated by Michael Smith—the Chamber’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence—is on Thursday, June 13 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Shelby County Chamber. The investment for this

workshop, which includes lunch, is $10 per person for Shelby County Chamber investors or $20 per person for “future” investors.

Seating is limited for this event, so don’t delay in registering. To assist with proper planning, reservations are requested by Tuesday, June 11. Register by contacting Karen Williams at karen@shelbychamber. org, calling 205-663-4542 or visiting online.

Chelsea Business Alliance Quarterly Luncheon Meeting

Join us for the second quarterly meeting of the Chelsea Business Alliance—an affiliate of the Shelby County Chamber—on Wednesday, June 5 from 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. at the Chelsea

Community Center. To help us prepare properly for the event, please be sure to RSVP by noon on Monday, June 4 to Kirk Mancer at kirk@shelbychamber.org.

The Shelby County Chamber offers a variety of opportunities for organizations to promote their products and services to 1,100+ investor organizations and the entire community through a number of events and programs throughout the year.

Benefits usually include logo visibility, table-top displays, exclusive opportunity to hand out materials, reserved tickets for the event or program, logo on invitations and fliers and more!

For more information, contact the Chamber by calling 205-663-4542 or visit shelbychamber.org to learn more about these opportunities available through the remainder of this year.

Ambassador of the Month

Presenting Sponsors

Melissa Dixon is CDI Janitorial’s vice president. Melissa has a master’s degree in education and is a retired educator. She chose to retire from teaching after more than 25 years and put her abilities to their business. Melissa is very handson, ensuring that every detail with clients is satisfied. It wouldn’t be unexpected to find her in a uniform with a mop in hand, ready to assist whenever required. Melissa is frequently present on facility tours, first cleanings and quality assurance inspections.

Celebrating Growth

Presenting Sponsor

Hodgens Estates - Chelsea

McDonalds - Alabaster

Find Us Online

Sign up for our weekly newsletter | Access our member directory

2024 Board of Directors

New Investors

(Feb. 10-March 15, 2024)

uJoffrion Art + Design

uAdvanced Landscape Services (Re-Investor)

uElizabeth Grandy Photography

uThe UPS Store Calera (Re-Investor)

uFirstBank (New Forward Shelby County investor)

uJWD Services LLC

uLumpkin Development (Re-Investor)

uMetro Mini Storage

uMetro Trailer Leasing, Inc.

u Metro Truck Rental, Inc.

uSTA DRY Roofing & Construction

Your Chamber at work

(February 10 - March 15, 2024)

- Responded to 51 requests for business and community information.

- Promoting Chamber investors as well as Chamber and community events through the following social media outlets:

- Chamber Facebook: 30 “new follows,” 6,500 “post reaches” and 7,101 “total followers”

- X (Twitter): 16 “tweets,” 583 “tweet impressions,” 48 “profile visits” and 2,950 “followers”

- Instagram: 1,713 “followers,” 400 “post reaches”and 7 “new follows”

- LinkedIn: 997 (11 new) “followers,” 55 “unique visitors” and 1,996 “post impressions”

- WBC Facebook: 516 “followers” and 601 “post reaches”

OFFICERS

(Executive Committee)

Chamber Chair

April Harry Warren, Averett, LLC

Chair-Elect

Kevin Morris America’s First Federal Credit Union

Vice Chair, Business Development & Support

Rux Bentley

Rux Carter Insurance

Vice Chair, Communications & Marketing

Jeff Purvis

A. C. Legg, Inc.

Vice Chair, Community & Career Development Amiee Mellon University of Montevallo

Vice Chair, Finance & Administration

John Collier United Community Bank

Vice Chair, Governmental Affairs

Melissa Dixon CDI Janitorial Services

Vice Chair, Investor Relations

Keith Brown Jefferson State Community College

As of 4/15/24

Immediate Past Chair

Mechelle Wilder ARC Realty

DIRECTORS

Traci Fox T Fox SalonSpa

Kimberly L. Jackson Alabama Power Company

William Norwood People’s Bank of Alabama

Benji Sawyer Sawyer Solutions, LLC

Chad Scroggins Shelby County

Teresa Vick Regions

Holly Dean Shelby Baptist Medical Center

Meribeth Gilbert McLeod Software

Bruce Gouin Express Employment Professionals

Nedra Moore Creations Galore and Moore

Chris Stricklin Dunn Companies

Chris Wilder Sealing Equipment Products Company

Josh Coker Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

Julie Godfrey Shelby County Schools

Scott Gossett Spire Alabama

Wade Kallaher Birmingham Coca Cola Bottling Company

Keith Strickland Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood

Terri Williams A T & T - Alabama

Tampia Anderson

The Arc of Shelby County

Ken Delgreco Urban Home Market

Alec Etheredge Shelby County Newspapers, Inc.

Micah McLaughlin Irons Media Group

The Hon. Brian Puckett (Ex-Officio, SCMA) City of Helena

Amy Sturdivant (ExOfficio) 58 INC

KITES AND BITES

PHOTOS BY DONALD MOTTERN

On Sunday, March 10, patrons flocked to Pelham City Park for the annual Kites and Bites event, which featured hundreds of kites flying through the air; food and beverages from local food trucks and live music.

1. Kenneth Paschal

2. Rick and Jan Knight with Katie and Addie Jo Hollis

3. Melinda Richardson

4. Brittany, Thane and Delilah Elliott

5. Ken, Alicia and Knox Walters

6. David and Wendy Torbert

7. Sue Makinoski and Johnie Paterson

8. Jonathan, Ayana and Brent Gordan

9. Julian and Jaziel Anguiano

10. Brian Cooper and Tabitha Dudley

TASTE OF HELENA

PHOTOS BY MACKENZEE SIMMS

The city of Helena celebrated the local food scene with its first Taste of Helena event on Thursday, March 14 from 6-8 p.m. in the Helena Sports Complex. With cupcakes, jambalaya, freeze-dried Skittles and wings, Taste of Helena had a little something for everyone.

1. Tine Hoffmeister and Valerie Jones

2. Rebecca Robinson and Carlos Crum

3. Dan and Katherine Dearing

4. Glory Strickland and Hannah Stokes

5. Rick and Judy Alvis

6. Kay Brashier and Autumn Keller

7. Cathy and Joe Lange

8. James and Rekiya Washington with Kevin Townes

9. Amy Burnett, Shannon Porter, Chrissie and Scott Yunke with Joe Edmondson

EASTER BUNNY TEA PARTY

On Saturday, March 16, roughly 100 guests turned out in their Saturday best at the Shelby County Arts Council’s Grande Hall for the seventh annual Easter Bunny Tea Party, which was organized by the Columbiana Beautification Board.

1. The Davidson family

2. Rosie, Shelia, Taylor and Codie

3. Addison Judge with Kelsey Baldwin

4. Kim King, Emily Gravitt, Beth Strickland and Lisa Davis with Stephanie Roulier

5. Lisa Sallas with Emma and Meghan Echols

6. Kathryn and Khloe Merritt

7. John and Ponyo Tilton with Pamela Raines

8. Krysten and Sawyer Gunn with Mandi Mangham

PHOTOS BY DONALD MOTTERN

JUDY MERRITT MEMORIAL 5K

Jefferson State Community College held the 10th edition of its annual Judy M. Merritt Memorial 5K on Saturday, March 16 at Hoover’s Veterans Park.

1. Dairyn Bravo, Michael Calvin, Eli Love, Alex Turner and Jordan Singer

2. Bella Wilbanks, Alana Calvert and Brianna Guadagno

3. Mackenzie Smith and Caleb Champion

4. Yvonne Wanyoike and Amelia Rettig

5. Kaitlyn Williams, Alex Morrison and Ayannah Turner

6. RJ White and Austin Freeman

7. Ximena Guerrero-Trejo, Estefania Miguel and Crystal Mondragon

8. Kandis Sanders and Kristin Miller

PHOTOS BY NOAH WORTHAM

ST. PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL

PHOTOS BY MACKENZEE SIMMS

Featuring live music, food and green beer, Helena’s Beef ‘O’ Brady’s held a two-day celebration for St. Patrick’s Day from March 16-17. The live music line-up boasted seven different acts as Helena residents, decked in green, enjoyed the luck of the Irish.

1. John Simpson and Glenn Roteuberry

2. Cheyenne Lawrence with Corey and Baker Thomas

3. Cara Bayley, Calvin Mackey, Matt Motes, Andrew Boyd with Justin and Hope Barrett

4. Evaka Sims and Ronnie Brown

5. Celina Defnall with Lilly and Ryan Fansler

6. Tassia, Panilo, Brian, Carrie and Baby Isabel

7. Martha Carroll and Dovis Cobb

HELENA BELLES’ TEA PARTY

PHOTOS BY MACKENZEE SIMMS

The Helena Belles hosted their fifth annual tea party on Sunday, March 17 from 2:30-4 p.m. Featuring dancing, crafts and conversation, children from pre-K to fifth grade spent an afternoon with the Belles. A portion of all ticket sales were donated to Vineyard Family Services.

1. Abigail Parsons, Adrian Lloyd, Maycie Lewis, Anna Shuford and Halle Morris

2. Hannah Holeman and Abby Puckett

3. Belles Amber Powell, Katelyn Smith and Kathryn Whited with their princesses

4. Audrey Kate and Lizzie Stokes

5. Mallory Puckett and Frankie Bushell

6. Blakely Sarris and Jordin Winbush

7. Maddie White and Abbey Massey

ALABASTER CHURCH OF GOD EASTER EGG DROP

PHOTOS BY NOAH WORTHAM

Kids excitedly rushed across the field to gather colorful Easter eggs that were dropped from a helicopter during the Alabaster Church of God’s annual Easter egg drop on March 30.

1. Sherry, Mallory, Abbi, David, Michelle and Vivica

2. Rhett, River and Leanne Ragland with Ruth Bliss

3. Araceli, Jessica, Nancy and Alejandra

4. Sydney and Brent Strickland

5. Oliver, Jade, Erandi and Emmanuel Monterrubio

6. Kamden, Kason and Todd Ledbetter

7. The Salima family

Marketplace

HOST AN EXCHANGE STUDENT TODAY! (for 3,5, 0r 10 months) Make a lifelong friend from abroad. Enrich your family with another culture. Select an exchange student from over 70 different countries. All families are welcome to apply. CALL PAMELA AT (205)577-9323 host.asse.com or email info@ asse.com

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

B&B FARM/FLEA MARKET $5 Set Up Fee 7am-3pm 41981 HWY 25 Vincent, AL 35178 FIRST & THIRD SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH Animals, baked goods, food trucks, boiled peanuts, and more!! Bring whatever you want to sale and come hang out!!

Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience. CDL Preferred. Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007

Now Hiring For Utility Positions Starting pay $15.14/ hour Must be able to pass background screen. Please apply at: www.bc.com

BRIAN’S TREE SERVICE•TREES CUT FROM THE TOP DOWN!•SAFE TREE REMOVAL IN CONFINED AREAS!•STUMP GRINDING!•GENERAL LIABILITY•WORKERS COMP WWW.BRIANSTREE.COM 205281-2427 Central Alabma Wellness Mental Health Services Office locations in Calera, Clanton, Pelham, and 280! 205-6510077 Visit our website to learn more centralalbamawellness. org

$$$ WANTED $$$ PRIVATE COLLECTOR Buying Watchmaker Items! Buying Parts, Tools, Broken Watches and All Related Items! 30 Yr Member NAWCC Please Call Dave 314-779-7380 References Available Upon Request

DONAVAN LAKES

FISHING CLUB & INN Marion, Perry Co. AL 2131 Eagle Grove Church Rd. Marion, Alabama 36756 •8 Lakes •17 Piers •Bass, Bream, Crappie, Catfish. •Camping, Nature Trails, Birding. Membership $1000 for 2024

Contact Thomas Wilson 334-247-2101 wils5789@bellsouth.net www.donavanlakes.org

Outstanding adventure for the entire family!

SENIOR L2/L3

AUTOMATION SPECIALIST

Danieli Taranis LLC (Chelsea, AL) to be rspnsbl for anlzng user needs & sftwr reqs. to dtrmne fsibilty of dsgn w/ in time & cost constraints, dscssng & evltng potential situations that can arise insde the plant & correlating them w/fnctnlts of the MES or flat prdct cntrl app. to produce fnctnl reqs. for each prjct, obtnng & evltng info on factors such as rprting frmts req., costs, or secrity needs to dtrmne hrdwr cnfgrtn. HS diploma w/3 yrs of prior work exp. in the pos. off. or rel. dvlpng, tstng & comsng Lvl 2 Automation Systms & Lvl 3 MES Syst. Send resumes to r.woods@danieli.com

Property Real Estate Manager (live out). Sought by commercial real estate company. Worksite: Birmingham, AL. 36 months exp. req. in same job or, Private Household Management or, any other closely related. Supervise other service workers $28.82 per. hour. 40 hrs. weekly. No walk in’s. Mail resume with cover letter to: The Founder. The Hazelrig Companies. 3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite # 315, Birmingham, AL 34243.

AUTOMATION L1 PLC

DEVELOPER

Danieli Taranis (Chelsea, AL) to be rspnsble for dvlpng sftwr prjct for autmtn sys.; intnl tstng of sftwr app on autmtn sys; drawing up ad prep. of oprtr manuals; field check, assurance that all field elctrcl eqpmnt is cnctd to autmtn sys; motor mvments accrdng to data sheet; mach. automatic mvmnts according to cycle diagram; monitor plant prdctvt. Bachelor’s in Cmptr

Scnce or IT w/5 yrs of progress resp. prior wrk exp in the pstn offrd. or reltd. Mst knw (thru acad training or wrk exp) dvlpng MES autmtn sftwre using DELPHI XE2 & SQL ORACLE PL/SQL for bcknd dvlpmnt; dvlpng autmtn sftwre for steel indstry; SQL dtbse, Vsl Stdio Cde, Delphi 2005, Orcle dtbse, incl. Orcle ADF, Orcle SOA, & Orcle BPM. Resumes to r.woods@danieli. com.

Marble Valley Manor. Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. Many on-site services! 2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga. 256-245-6500

•TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) •800-548-2546(T/A). Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer

O-FLEX METAL FINISHING

Production Supervisor

$50,000.00-$70,000.00/ year 10hr shifts Mon-Thurs Oversees production operations. Sets objectives, organizes workflow, prepares schedules, assigns responsibilities, trains employees, ensures safety, schedules maintenance, submits performance reports. Skills:-Automotive Plant Experience -Experience as Production Supervisor or similar role -Experience with manufacturing machinery and tools -Advanced skills in MS Office -High School Diploma; Degree in a technical, engineering or relevant field will be an advantage Benefits: PTO, 401k w/match, Health/ Dental/Vision insurance, employee assistance, referral program, tuition reimbursement 725 Keystone Drive Clanton, Al 35044

O-FLEX METAL FINISHING

2nd Shift Supervisor

$50,000.00-$70,000.00

2nd shift 2:30p.m.1:00a.m. Monday–Thursday Responsibilities: •Be an effective Supervisor in a participative work environment •Ensure all Finishing Dept. goals and improvement objectives are accomplished per our commitments •Ability to optimize utilization of personnel, equipment, material, and space to meet OMF’s daily, monthly and annual targets. Will be evaluated regularly on ability

to continuously improve in all areas of responsibility. 725 Keystone Drive Clanton, Al 35044

O-FLEX METAL FINISHING

Maintenance Technicians: Friday–Sunday 12 hour shifts 6:00a.m.-6:00p.m. Responsible for maintenance of O-Flex facilities & equipment across all lines & departments. Oversight of preventative maintenance programs. Coordinates continuous improvement activities with Maintenance Team Leader.

Starting pay $19-$28 BOE 725 Keystone Drive Clanton, Al 35044

Quantum Logistics Hiring

Class A Driver. Montgomery, AL. Full or part time. $.48-$.55 per mile. Paid weekly. BCBS Insurance. Home weekend EZ Pass and prepass. Safety & Fuel Bonus. Apply online www.qtmlog.com Call (334)2888106.

Nursing Assistant to help care for an elderly gentleman in Jemison requiring total assistance. PT-FT. To apply, call Ms. Peoples (205)688-1992 or (205)447-3005

Security Guard for Gated Community in North Shelby County Full-time or Part-time. Must have pistol permit. Call Brittany 205-991-4653

Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS!

Please visit our website capstonedentalassisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!

Tax Advisor, International Tax and Transaction Tax Services

(International Corporate Tax Advisory) (Senior) (Multiple Positions), Ernst & Young U.S. LLP, Birmingham, AL. Apply online, go to:ey.com/ en_us/careers and click on “Careers - Job Search”, then “SearchJobs”(Job Number1472113).

Caliza LLC d/b/a Landing seeks a Senior Software Engineer in Birmingham, AL to contribute to the company’s core product platforms, building APIs and systems. Req. MS + 2 yrs exp or BS + 5 yrs exp. Salary range for position: $170,000.00 - $200,000.00. 100%

telecommuting role. Reports to company headquarters in Birmingham, AL. Can work remotely or telecommute. To apply, mail resume to:Caliza LLC d/b/a Landing, Attn: HR, 17 20TH Street North, Suite 100, Birmingham, AL 35203. Must Reference Job Title: & Code: 000012. EOE.

LEAD ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

Danieli Taranis LLC (Chelsea, AL) to be rspnsble for dsgng, dvlpng, & tsting automtn sys for y steel mnfctrng eqpmnt & mchnry, Q-HEAT, Q-DRIVE, & Q-ONE tech, & dvlpng logic & parmetrs; inspctng exstng hrdwre w/in the plnt to prpre for installtn of drives & automtn sftwre; creatng elctrcl diagrms of autmtn sys, motor/ sensr lsts for plnts, autmtn blck diagrms of plnt ntwrks, motor wrkng cycls sensr or transltr data sheets, plnt lyout & dtails of areas in AutoCAD frmt; creatng I/O lst for hrdwre dsgn & dvlpng autmtn sftwre; creatng opertor mnuals. Master’s in Elctrcl Engnrng or rel field w/2 yrs prev wrk exp in pos off or rel. Mst know (thru acdmc trainng or wrk exp) Ethrnet Confgurator & Profibus/Profinet; Codesys; Target Monitor; Q-Drive Configurator parmtrztion; & indction heatng & Q-One tech. Wrks at clients’ manfctrng wrksites acrss contnntl U.S. Resumes to C.Hegarty@ danieli.com

South Pointe Development 203 Shiloh Creek Drive Calera, AL 35040Updating Waiting List:3 BDR 2 Bath Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30 Multi-Family No Pets Allowed 205-6681196.

Experienced Termite Technician or someone experienced in route-service work and wants to learn new profession. Work-vehicle/ equipment provided. Must drive straight-shift, have clean driving record/be 21/pass background/drug test. Training provided. Insurance/401K offered. M-F 7:00-4:30 + 1 Saturday/month. Pay $13hr. Send resume to facsmith@ charter.net

MY SHELBY COUNTY

JEFF NORRIS

Alabama Teacher of the Year

Impact Education

Teaching in Shelby County Schools

I love making learning fun. I’m not afraid of dressing up, transforming my classroom or finding other ways to engage my students. My ultimate goal is to engage them in the content of the class, but who doesn’t love a great learning environment? The leaders in our district support innovative ideas and are always studentfocused in their decisions. Their support is invaluable!

Taking in Fresh Air

Goat Yoga Bham

My family had the chance to visit Goat Yoga Bham in Helena, Alabama, and had such a great experience–definitely not what we expected–but so much fun! We’d love to go back again.

Eat Local Kobe Japanese Steak House

We have a tradition to go to Kobe Japanese Steak House at the end of the first week of school each year. We all love hibachi and the experience. This picture is from one of our first visits.

The Power of a Moment

Alabama Teacher of the Year

I continue to be humbled as I realize just how much of an impact the teachers in our state are making on their students. I love being a “hype man” and celebrating these teachers and the awesome things they do each day. I’m also grateful to my wife, Sarah, and children, Maggie and Miller, for their support and patience as I have traveled more than 16,000 miles this year around the state of Alabama!

Making Memories

Raising My Family in Shelby County

When my kids were younger, we took pictures of them against a brick building next to the railroad tracks in Chelsea, Alabama. The kids and I recreated some of these pictures as a Christmas gift for my wife in December 2021. We’ll need to take them one more time as both kids are getting closer to graduation!