Homewood Life, Winter 2022

Local nonprofit Christopher Kids is redesigning homes to be more accessible and aesthetically pleasing for children with special needs.

Of all the times to travel to New Orleans – early spring for Mardi Gras, late spring for Jazz Fest –winter might become your new favorite time.

What should you buy for friends and loved ones this season? Look no further than the shops right around you.

PHOTO BY LAUREN USTAD

PHOTO BY BLAIR RAMSEY

contributors

EDITORIAL

Lizzie Bowen

Alec Etheredge

Meg Herndon

Anna Grace Moore

Lauren Sexton

Noah Wortham

CONTRIBUTORS

Carmen Brown

James Culver

Rachel Culver

Lily Prince

Blair Ramsey

Christiana Roussel

Heather Skaggs

Ashley Tiedt

Lauren Ustad

DESIGN

Jamie Dawkins

Connor Martin-Lively Briana Sansom

MARKETING

Sydney Allen Octavia Campbell

Evann Campbell

Jessica Caudill

Kari George Michaela Hancock

Rachel Henderson

Rhett McCreight

Lauren Morris

Viridiana Romero

Tori Montjoy Smith

ADMINISTRATION

Mary Jo Eskridge

Madison King

Stacey Meadows

Tim Prince

Brittany Schofield

Savana Tarwater

Anna Willis

Carmen Brown, Writer

Carmen earned her master’s degree in communication and information sciences from the University of Alabama. She has worked as a magazine feature writer for the last 15 years and also works as a writing coach and copy editor. Her work has been published in HomeCare, Tuscaloosa Magazine, The Executive and more. She enjoys writing articles on a variety of topics but especially health and wellness and inspirational articles on human resilience. Check out her website at carmensheabrown.com.

Lily Prince, Writer

Hailing from Hayden, Alabama, Lily is a Birmingham Southern University student who’s currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in English. She enjoys writing, whether it be academic or creative, and has ever since she was a kid. Lily recently finished interning with Hoover’s Magazine this past summer and hopes to begin a career in media when she graduates next fall.

Blair Ramsey, Photographer

Blair is a Vestavia Hills-based photographer whose company, Southern Intrigue Photography, specializes in sports action, portrait and commercial images. Blair and her husband, John, have two sons, Cooper and Cameron, who have both had the privilege of being Auburn cheerleaders. Blair’s work can be found at southernintriguephotography. com, on Instagram @southernintriguephotography and Facebook @southernintrigue.

Lauren Ustad, Photographer

Lauren lives in Birmingham with her husband, Joe, their four children and their two-pound Yorkie they refer to as “Boobie.” She spends her professional time posing itty bitties and chasing little munchkins. In her free time you can probably find her slaving away at their most current renovation project or building Legos with her self-proclaimed super heroes.

Homewood Life is published quarterly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Homewood Life 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, Homewood Life , P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

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ON THE COVER

Cutting Edge

TTo mark an end of an era is to often say goodbye and part ways with tradition and loved ones. Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas should be joyous occasions, right? Everyone sings Christmas carols and decorates their trees in fluorescent splendor. For some, however, holidays can be a drag to trudge through. I am one of those who dred yuletide cheer.

Now, don’t get me wrong, readers. I enjoy turkey on Thanksgiving Day and watching the Thanksgiving Day parade that only until this year did my uncle inform me was not actually called, “The Macy’s Day Parade.” I look forward to Samford, my alma mater’s “Lighting of the Way,” in which the university celebrates the season’s festivities with live music and the lighting of an enormous tree. Though, festivities, I’d argue, are just the perks that holidays often bring. It is the people we share those holidays with that make such moments worthwhile.

For those that have lost, holidays often leave a void unfulfilled in their hearts. My father passed away from a brainstem stroke on October 10, 2020, completely out of the blue. My mother, my sister and I spent what felt like an eternity in the ICU, waiting for him to wake up. He never did. Finally, after grieving a life cut short, my mother decided to send my father home to Heaven in time for the holidays. Being one of the most remarkable RN’s that Birmingham has to offer, she actually was the one to “pull the plug,” literally. She didn’t want anyone else to send him home because she took “till death do us part” quite seriously, and she wanted to ensure his care.

My mother is the strongest woman I know. I remember that first Christmas without my father, we three sat around the Christmas tree just staring into the emerald abyss, wondering how so much decor could yet feel still so empty.

My message to you, readers, (for those that share my faith) is that as the dreaded “joyful occasions embark,” remember that our loved ones are probably celebrating one of the best festivities holidays have to offer in Heaven. Heaven is a place without pain or sorrow. Oh, to hear the angels sing on Christmas morning, rejoicing our Savior’s birth! Won’t that be a sight to see?

I cannot promise holidays will get any easier for anyone with a void, but I can successfully say that new traditions will be made. When one era ends, another begins. So, I wish you all comfort during your grief, joy at the end of your sorrows and above all, to remember to cling fast to those you call dear. Happy holidays!

Love

and cheer,

annagrace.moore@homewoodlife.com

Edgewood Knives founder Andy Flage is recycling products to create beautiful and sustainable knives whose proceeds benefit Alabama waterways.

Photo by Wes Frazer Design by Jamie Dawkins

@homewoodlife

@imagesbyalvaro

The college football season started this week on campuses all accross the nation. The professional league has wrapped up their preseason and will debut next weekend. Earlier last month, another sort of sporting spectacle has been entertaining the locals on Friday nights, “high school ball”. While the level of athleticism, tactics and strength improve as players go “up the ranks”, one thing that always seems to be a crowd pleaser is the school band. Dressed in their best and ready to impress…

holiday traditions

An early morning run Thanksgiving Day!

-Jayne Pool

Witches ride, fall festival, Christmas parade and lighting of the trees and the star. The holidays are so magical in Homewood.

-Stephanie Wood

Thanksgiving not just for all the traditional foods, but in my family we have three birthdays in a row (back to back to back!) right at Thanksgiving.

-Michael Krall

“As the co-chair of the Homewood Witches Ride, I am especially fond of Halloween! I love to see all these girlfriends coming together having so much fun!”

-Daphne Dickinson

“I always look forward to setting aside quality time to bake holiday treats with my kids. We do this for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas!”

-Savannah McAlpine Calvert

Seeing the Homewood Star, enjoying Peppermint Mochas, and helping our wonderful customers gather over food, friends and family.

-Homewood Bagel Company

“I love seeing all the sweet babies’ faces as the witches of the Homewood Witches Ride line up at the start line and fly all the way down eighteenth street!”

-Janie Mayer

Shopping local at the Holiday Open House!

-Homewood Chamber of Commerce

What

are you looking forward to this year?

2022 CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR PRESENTED BY THE SAMFORD LEGACY LEAGUE DEC. 8

VIEWINGS FROM 10 A.M.-2 P.M. & 4-8 P.M. Appointed Homes in Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills

Tour homes in all their festive glory at this annual event to benefit the Samford Legacy League’s scholarships. Patrons can enjoy treats at the Samford President’s home, too! The Samford Legacy League is a service organization that is dedicated to funding scholarships for Samford students in challenging circumstances and/or in financial need. Tickets go on sale in early November. Visit samford.edu/ legacyleague/ for more information.

THE GUIDE

NOV. 3

2022 Holiday Open House

5-8 P.M. Downtown Homewood

Kick off the holiday shopping season with the Homewood Chamber of Commerce at its annual Holiday Open House. Shop at downtown businesses, enjoy refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, a trolley, shopping discounts and much more! Learn more at business.homewoodchamber. org/events.

MONDAYS THROUGH THE WINTER

Ashtanga Yoga

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens

NOV. 16

Kate Bush’s “The Dreaming” Listening Party O’Neal Library

NOV. 17

MercyMe Presented by Legacy Arena

NOV. 12-13

Alabama Designer Craftsmen Fine Arts Crafts Show Birmingham Botanical Gardens

NOV. 13

Mac and Cheese Festival Back Forty Beer Company

NOV. 15

Homewood Chamber of Commerce’s November Luncheon The Club

NOV. 16-19

Market Noel Hosted by the Junior League of Birmingham The Finley Center

BEGINNING NOV. 16

Glow Wild 2022: An Animal Lantern Celebration The Birmingham Zoo

NOV. 18

Thanksgiving Brown Bag & Film Homewood Public Library

NOV. 18

DEC. 3-4, 10-11 & 17-18

Pictures with Santa

SIMS GARDEN, 913 IRVING

ROAD

Time to get your photo made with Saint Nick—plus a toy, cookies and hot drinks! Photo shoot availabilities are set for weekends until Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with limited professional photos

timeslots on Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain check backup dates are set for Dec. 19-20. Reservations open on Nov. 1. Reserve your spot at sims-garden.square. site. Find updates at @SimsGardens on Facebook.

West Side Story Symphonic Dances Presented by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and the Homewood Public Library Alys Stephens Center

NOV. 21

The Eagles Presented by Legacy Arena

NOV. 25-DEC. 24

Christmas Tree Farm Old Baker Farm

NOV. 25

Live Musical Performances by Allen Barlow

Brock’s Gap Brewing Company

NOV. 28

Knight School Chess Tournament Homewood Public Library

NOV. 29

Christmas Tree Lighting Hoover City Hall

DEC. 1

Mountain Brook Holiday Open Houses English Village and Mountain Brook Village

DEC. 1

Mistletoe & Mimosas Lane Parke

DEC. 6

2022 Lighting of the Star and Homewood Christmas Parade

6:30 P.M. Downtown Homewood

Join the Homewood Chamber of Commerce as they light the historic Homewood Star at the top of 18th Street

as the official beginning of the Downtown Homewood Christmas Parade! The lighting of the Christmas tree will immediately follow the parade at City Hall. Visit homewoodparks.com/specialevents for more information.

DEC. 13

The Birmingham Boys Choir’s Annual Christmas Concert

7-8:30 P.M.

The Wright Center at Samford University

Join the Birmingham Boys Choir for its 45th Annual Christmas Concert! The choir will serenade the audience with musical delight, emphasis on paying homage to traditional carols and choral music honoring the birth of Christ. The event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome to come and worship the Savior through song. For more information, visit birminghamboyschoir.org.

DEC. 1

Hanging of the Green

4-5 P.M.

Reid Chapel at Samford University

Samford University will host its annual tradition, Hanging of the Green, which is a service ushering in Advent and the Christmas season that dates back to 1980. There will be scriptural readings, worship and symbolic action, as attendees reflect on Christ’s birth. The Samford University A Cappella Choir will perform, too. Learn more at samford.edu/ events/university/Hanging-of-the-Green.

DEC. 2

All is Bright Lane Parke

DEC. 1-18

Holiday Spectacular Presented by Red Mountain Theatre Company

DEC. 3

Thomas Andrew Art Studio and Gallery Holiday Open House

DEC. 4

Deep South Cheer Competition

The Hoover Metropolitan Complex

DEC. 4

Mountain Brook Holiday Parade Mountain Brook Village

DEC. 9-22

2022 Holiday Film Series Presented by the Alabama Theatre

DEC. 9

White Christmas Viewing Presented by the Alabama Theatre

DEC. 10

Independent Presbyterian Church’s Virtual Holiday Home Tour Virtual Event DEC. 10 Avondale’s Holiday Market Avondale Brewing Company

DEC. 13

Homewood Chamber of Commerce’s December Luncheon The Club

DEC. 15

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Presented by Legacy Arena

DEC. 16

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party Hoover Public Library

DEC. 17-18

CASC Gun Show

The Hoover Metropolitan Complex

DEC. 18

Sounds of the Season

Presented by Birmingham Opera

Brock Recital Hall at Samford University

DEC. 21

Holiday Concert with the Samford University String Quartet O’Neal Library

DEC. 20-22

Living Nativity Mountain Brook Baptist Church

DEC. 31

Run Undead, Ultra Trail Party Oak Mountain State Park

DEC. 8-31

It’s a Wonderful Life

Homewood Theatre

Visit the Homewood Theatre’s new location at 1831 28th Avenue South, which is on the corner of 19th Street and 29th Avenue South in Soho Square. The new location has opened up across the street from Demetri’s just in time for a wonderful season of theatrical delight. Join them for their holiday show, It’s a Wonderful Life Live, any Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday except Christmas Day at select showtimes: matinees at 2:30 p.m., evening shows at 7:30 p.m. Purchase tickets at ci. ovationtix.com/35375/production/1128125. Tickets are $25, including fees. For general information, donations, seasonal shows or auditions, visit homewoodtheatre.com.

ARTS CULTURE&

BY HEATHER JONES SKAGGS PHOTOS BY WES FRAZER, KYLE CARPENTER & PATRICK TRAGESSER

IIf you explore local creeks and streams with Andy Flage, he will show you how two of his hobbies, fly fishing and bladesmithing, are forged into one art to benefit our local waterways.

When Andy and his wife, Dominique, moved to Homewood in 2018 with their children, Henry and Amelia, it did not take long for them to fall in love with the city and the greater Birmingham area. Dominique was finishing up college while Andy was working a day job as a welding inspector when the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down.

It was during this time that Andy, who is an Athens, Georgia, native, began spending time in local waterways, fly fishing and discovering various local species of fish such as sunfish, bluegill and redeye bass.

When he wasn’t fishing, he continued to hone his blacksmithing skills, which led him to bladesmithing (knife making). With a background in fine arts and an emphasis in sculpture from the University of Georgia, Andy used that skill to create and sell knives, benefiting local riverkeeper organizations that work to protect the waterways he came to love.

“I know the moment I combined the knife hobby with my fly fishing hobby,” Andy explains. “I was at Watkins Brook picking up trash with

my son when I discovered an aluminum hunk of metal. I thought to myself, I could make a knife blade out of this.”

From a hunk of metal to a finely crafted blade, the idea took off, and Edgewood Knives was born.

Each knife Andy designs starts with specific steels. “I choose a few to use that aren’t as common in mass-produced knives. I use CPM154, 01 tool steel, Elmax, Magnacut, 440c, [52100] and various Damascus steel blends (folded steel).

Alabama Damascus is a company that provides some Damascus patterns. I make other patterns myself like San Mai 416ss/nickel/52100/ nickel/416ss.”

The process of forging, grinding, heat-treating and polishing are extremely tedious. Once the knife blade is complete, the handle is designed.

“I consider each knife and the environment it will be used in. My handle material is sourced from recycled or repurposed materials I find

locally: fallen trees in the neighborhood, old leather from boots and belts and various other collected materials,” Andy says.

Once the knife is completed, it gets a “birth card” that records the materials used, where they were sourced and its Rockwell Scale hardness - a scale based on the indentation hardness of a material. There are multiple scales to measure hardness. Rockwell (HC or HRC) also has Rockwell scales A, B and C. It is common practice to use Rockwell C when dealing with knife hardness due to the range of hardnesses that bladesmiths encounter and the materials used.

On custom commissioned knives, Andy says he likes to work with clients to meet their needs by using materials they provide or his own. It can take anywhere from 15 to 30 or more hours to create the blade.

On a recent commission for Chef Charlie Layton of Charleston, South Carolina, Andy used black locust from

Edgewood Knives’s namesake, Edgewood Boulevard, for the main handle. “Black locust was a lucky find,” he says. “It is a wood known for its durability and resistance to rot.”

Chef Layton found Edgewood Knives through a mutual friend and immediately contacted Andy for his custom set. “Charlie is passionate about his food and craft while also very conscious and considerate about culture and the environment around him,” Andy says. “This was a good match,

and we nailed down the blade steel he desired and general knife design.”

Fitting for a chef, the aluminum spacers in the creation are fashioned from parts of a road sign and a cookie sheet some fly fishermen found in the Cahaba River. “In all, I feel this knife set reflects Edgewood Knives’s sentimental approach while also meeting the client’s need with a truly unique knife with a soul,” he explains.

Each knife made is a handcrafted tool and an

heirloom at the same time. The creations range anywhere from $150-$900, depending on design and materials. The knives are made to be used and also to stand the test of time, so they can be passed down from generation to generation. To date, Andy says he has raised around $1,075 through his knives for organizations that help preserve local waterways such as Friends of

“

”

I consider each knife and the environment it will be used in. My handle material is sourced from recycled or repurposed materials I find locally: fallen trees in the neighborhood, old leather from boots and belts and various other collected materials.

- Andy Flage

Shades Creek, Cahaba River Society, Cahaba Riverkeeper, Alabama River Alliance, Coosa Riverkeeper and Native Fish Coalition.

“I hope we as a community can do the same to preserve the unique and beautiful natural resources right in our own backyards,” he says.

NEED SOME GOOD KNIVES?

Follow Edgewood Knives on Instagram @ewkusa, Facebook @Edgewood Knives and visit ewkusa.com to contact Andy and order your custom set today.

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SCHOOL SPORTS&

RAISING LEADERS

Homewood City Schools and Samford University adopt a new character initiative program.

BY CARMEN BROWN PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

HHomewood schools have long held a reputation for excellence. With the mission “to educate and empower all students to maximize their unique potential,” Homewood schools have consistently ranked as some of the top schools in the entire nation and in the state.

Continuously raising the bar, this year marks the beginning of a new united purpose designed to have far-reaching effects in the Homewood community.

This is the first year all five schools in the Homewood City School System—Shades Cahaba Elementary, Edgewood Elementary, Hall-Kent Elementary, Homewood Middle School and Homewood High School — will be implementing character-building skills into the daily lives of their students through a new partnership with Hope Leadership Academy’s Character Education Program.

The Hope Leadership Academy is a cutting-edge, three-year educational training and enrichment program where leaders from Alabama schools gather to learn the latest research and strategies on instilling positive character traits in their young students. The curriculum was developed by Kara

Chism, assistant professor of educational leadership at Samford. Over the three-year period, participants from schools across the state receive professional development, book studies, site visits and onsite consulting. They can also learn how their schools can apply to be named a National School of Character, an award given by the Character Education Partnership in Washington, D.C., and honors schools that promote good character through academic achievement, student behavior and school climate.

The Hope Leadership Academy is part of The Hope Institute, which is an independent nonprofit organization housed at Samford University’s Orlean Beeson School of Education. The Hope Institute was founded in 2016 by local attorney and child advocate Liz Huntley and Drayton Nabers Jr., former CEO of Protective Life Corporation and Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.

Homewood City Schools Director of Academic Programs and Services John Lowry says Homewood schools have a history of working with the Hope Institute.

“Last year, Homewood High School sent a team

Seniors in the Orlean Beeson School of Education participated in the 11 Principles Training as part of Hope Leadership Academy. Two student leadership groups, one made up of students majoring in elementary education and another made up of students majoring in secondary education, were able to attend and network with leaders from schools in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.

to the Hope Leadership Academy to help enhance the programs in place that support the school’s values,” John says. “This year we are excited to have all of our schools partnering with their Character Education Program.”

The Hope Leadership Academy uses several sources as the framework for training educators: the Building Blocks of Character by the University of Birmingham’s Jubilee Centre in Birmingham, England; Character.org’s Eleven Principles of Character Education and the book “PRIMED for Character Education: Six Design Principles for School Improvement” by Marvin Berkowitz. The six principles are Priority, Relationship Building, Intrinsic Motivation, Modeling Goodness, Empowering Students and Developmental Pedagogy.

Dr. Jodi Newton, professor of educational leadership at Samford University and executive director of the Hope Leadership Academy, says the Character Education Program started five years ago with a vision of every child having a flourishing life of good character. She says approximately 25 teams from across the state attend the annual Hope Leadership Academy training sessions. Since 2017, 101 schools have participated in character education training. All of the teams are assigned facilitators, who are recently retired educators who have already led character education in their schools.

“The teams consist of one administrator, and the rest can be whatever they choose--counselors, coaches, teachers,” Jodi says. “We don’t have students attend the training conferences, but the schools do have student meetings.”

Jodi says the purpose of the Leadership Academy training conference is not to sell a product, although some schools do use specific programs like the Chic-fil-A Leader Academy, where students go to monthly Leader Labs to learn about servant leadership in their communities.

“We’re more about working with the schools and working with the community. The most important element is establishing a caring community where adults serve as role models for students,” she says. “The question we ask them is, ‘What do you want your school to look like?’ The schools tell us what we need, and we help them with that.”

Homewood High School Assistant Principal for Instruction Mindy McBride says the Homewood High School faculty and staff work to create a culture of kindness, respect and the Six Attributes of the Homewood Way:

Respect yourself, others, and the environment.

Make good choices, even when no one is watching.

• Celebrate uniqueness; everyone is different.

• Words matter; think before you speak.

• Seek ways to serve others.

• Be your personal best in all you do.

“The Hope Leadership Academy has helped us look at how we infuse character education into the classroom. As we learned at the Hope Institute, we aren’t putting something extra on the plate; instead, we are making it the plate,” Mindy says. “We want our students to master our academic learning targets, but we also want our students to learn valuable life skills such as kindness and empathy. We have found ways to incorporate this in everything we do in the classrooms of Homewood High School.”

Mindy says that during the school’s morning announcements, Principal Joel Henneke or an SGA officer reminds the student body of the Six Attributes of the Homewood Way.

“Posters of the Homewood Way can be found throughout the hallways and classrooms of the high school, and students often will remind one another if an action does not reflect the Homewood Way,” Mindy says.

Last year, a team of teachers created videos to

Orlean Beeson School of Education, in partnership with the Hope Institute, welcomed 10 esteemed educators into the inaugural class of Hope Fellows. The Hope Fellows program brings together school leaders that are passionate about character development to advocate, lead and inspire others to cultivate communities of character in educational settings.

Students gave presentations to demonstrate their findings.

show students examples of each attribute and how they can model them at school every day. In the videos, students, teachers and club sponsors presented ideas about how each person at Homewood High School can embody the six attributes.

This year, Homewood High School will utilize more frequent study talks, during which grade levels meet with school leaders during their study time. These talks will allow for more interactive discussion between students and administrators.

A LIFELONG IMPACT

Homewood Life recognizes the life of Dr. Jodi Newton, who passed away on Sunday, Sept. 4, as one dedicated to enriching and empowering students’ lives. After 36 years as an educator, 10 years as the superintendent to Homewood City Schools and 14 years as a Samford faculty member, Jodi was called home to Heaven, but not before she made the lives of all who knew her better.

Jodi believed in students and their ability to accomplish anything. She was known to instill in students a courage bound by hope and a fervent belief that good character paves the way for success. In 2020, Jodi and her husband, Bob, founded the Bob and Jodi Newton Endowment for Character Education, which funds resources for character education initiatives practiced by students and teachers within the Orlean Beeson School of Education. Because of their efforts, hundreds have gone on to better their school systems by living out the principles that were first taught to them. Because she believed, her students believed in themselves, too, and have gone on to teach other students the same.

Jodi’s legacy will carry on in the hearts of rising educators everywhere. Our hearts go out to her loved ones as her life, though gone too soon, impacted far more than we can ever imagine.

“The goal is to continue building a school culture that emphasizes kindness, empathy and the common values expressed in the Homewood Way,” Mindy says. “In the first study talk of the year, students were reminded of behavioral and academic expectations and were encouraged to be their best selves in all they do. Future study talks will include topics such as advocating for yourself, respecting the viewpoints of others and using social media in a positive and responsible manner.”

Reba Hudson, Homewood Middle School assistant principal for instruction, says the school is also working with all of its stakeholders to identify the school’s core values.

“Throughout the year, faculty and staff members, students and parents will get to participate in different activities to help identify what HMS means to each group and what they hope HMS means to everyone in the future,” Reba says. “Once these activities are completed by all of our stakeholders, HMS will select the school’s core values.”

Reba says this year Homewood Middle School

students will also be able to sign up for a school club hosted by a faculty and staff member. Once a month the clubs will meet during the school day to engage in activities that they are interested in while building and strengthening their leadership skills within their club. Jodi says one Homewood elementary school had already received accolades for teaching character skills years before the Character Education Program began. Shades Cahaba Elementary was named the first National School of Character in Alabama in 2006 and again in 2012 out of only 24 schools nationwide (it was also the only school in Alabama to receive the award that year).

Now, John says all Homewood elementary schools are participating in “Nest Groups” or the “House System,” in which students, faculty and staff divide into groups to find ways to build a culture of character and community at their school.

“The students, teachers and staff remain in the same house/nest for their entire time at that elementary school to promote student and faculty relationships that will follow them throughout their days at the elementary school,” John says. “The house and nest groups frequently participate in activities to show kindness to their classmates and

Dean of Orlean Beeson School of Education Anna McEwan spoke to attendees at the 3rd annual Character Convening in Higher Education Conference at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama.

community through various projects throughout the year.”

The purpose of all of these programs is to allow every student to form positive relationships with faculty or staff members outside the classroom. It also provides a safe and structured environment for this to take place.

John says he looks forward to seeing how the Hope Leadership Academy will continue to support and enhance Homewood City Schools’ “culture of character development,” so students will have the knowledge and tools they need to become strong leaders in the future.

“The research validates that what we’re doing is working, that we’re on track with the training and support we’ve provided schools, administrators and teachers,” Kara says. “It shows that it’s needed, and it’s something that can really make a difference in schools.”

Jodi says she is looking forward to seeing the farreaching impact this program is going to have on Homewood’s students and the surrounding community in the next few years.

“I don’t think we ever envisioned doing what we’re doing now,” she adds. “People are really hungry for this.”

Jennifer Clark Technology Coordinator at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School

BY LILY PRINCE PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Why do you find it important for STEM to be incorporated in a classroom?

“As technology has changed and adapted, so has the need for schools to do the same thing.” Because of STEM, children are able to look at real-world problems and come up with solutions for them, using a design process and collaborating with other people. One of the things that Jennifer finds most useful about STEM is that it teaches children to readjust if they do not find the right solution the first time.

How did the STEM program at OLS begin?

OLS decided to phase out the computer labs at the school around three years ago. With a plan in mind to start small, then expand the program, the school was ready to begin a STEM program. Then, COVID happened, and the original idea behind how the program would progress changed because of space restrictions. Despite the challenge, Jennifer says the school continued to work on the program. “We just kept trying to perfect the ideas behind what we wanted to do and worked within the classrooms as best we could.” The school revisited fundraising once everything started reopening. The school

Jennifer Clark is the Technology Coordinator at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School (OLS) in Homewood. Recently, she, alongside Dr. Jennifer Ray and Dr. Cassie Raulston, presented at the Alabama Educational Technology Conference (AETC). Here, Jennifer talks about the success of the STEM program at OLS and the presentation at the AETC.

transformed the computer lab by replacing desktops with laptops, introducing 3D printers and bringing in collaborative tables.

What made you decide to do the presentation at the AETC?

Jennifer says that when she first took on her role at OLS, she was contacted by Dr. Jennifer Ray, who educates teachers at the University of Montevallo on instructional technology. The next year, Jennifer worked with the fourth grade science teacher at OLS to take a group of girls to an event known as Girls Engaged in Math and Science (GEMS). The girls got an excellent experience with GEMS. Jennifer and the other teachers knew that all of the girls who wanted to go to GEMS would not be able to because of the travel restrictions, so they decided to have a day of their own for the girls called Girls Actively Learning the Sciences (GALS). At GALS, Dr. Ray and Dr. Cassie Raulston, who also teaches at the University of Montevallo, came in and spoke with the girls. The two women later asked Jennifer to do a presentation with them at the AETC about the day she had organized for the girls.

Do you think learning has changed at

OLS since the STEM program began?

“Rather than a lot of lectures and that type of thing, our teachers are starting to provide more opportunities for students to research inquiry-based things and come up with solutions to problems.” Although the teachers still teach, they function as a support system for kids who are doing their own research and learning. STEM has changed the classroom approach at OLS by incorporating things other than basic textbooks and limited digital materials.

Do you think there are any misconceptions about technology in classrooms?

Some people worry about the amount time students are spending in front of a screen, and Jennifer understands their concern. She says that the last thing the school wants is for the kids to be stuck in front of a screen all day. She says that the principal at OLS “stresses that we find a very balanced approach.” The school ensures that the technology being used is there for the sole purpose of learning enhancement. “I would love for parents and even just the community to know that technology has a lot of positives that contribute to student learning.”

A DIFFERENT WAY TO EDUCATE

Evangel Classical Christian School (ECCS), a ministry of Evangel Presbyterian Church (PCA) and located in Alabaster, Alabama, provides a unique approach to education that seeks to develop leaders who are equipped to transform the culture for Christ. All ECCS classes are taught through the lens of Scripture to support an integrated Christian worldview and to shape students’ minds as well as hearts. Students are not expected only to memorize facts for tests, but they are also encouraged and taught to think critically and logically about the world around them and to apply what they are learning to benefit themselves and others.

Evangel seeks to partner with parents to prepare students for their lives through a unique, three-

phased approach to their education that includes the schools of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. Designed with a child’s developmental stages in mind, Grammar School is grades K3 through 5th, Logic is 6th through 8th, and Rhetoric is 9th through 12th. Subjects are not approached as individual disciplines, but rather as a holistic way to look for God, His work, His purpose, and His glory in all creation and through all that they are studying. The classical approach to learning helps build the foundation for students to express themselves thoughtfully to reflect truth with precision, conviction, and clarity.

Parents who are looking for an educational option where their children are nurtured spiritually

and intellectually can find a perfect fit at ECCS. “Classical education is, I think, the only educational system that really gives kids something beautiful to want,” Julie McGuffey, a Rhetoric school faculty member said, “because I want them to love the God who created them and who created all of these subjects.” The “something beautiful” that Mrs. McGuffey speaks about is a love of learning that is fostered by a sincere love of God, His creation, and His will for their lives, for “in Christ, all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

Students are not only prepared to have a successful career in college and in the workforce, but they are also guided as a whole person, educated to pursue a life glorifying to God. The school aims for each child to flourish in wisdom, courage,

justice, self-control, faith, hope, and love. Bible classes at every grade level and chapel services further promote spiritual maturity. Student life is also an integral part of ECCS. With clubs like drama and scholar’s bowl, athletics, and a unique house system, students have many options to be involved in various activities.

Ultimately, ECCS seeks to glorify God by shaping the hearts and minds of covenant children through a distinctively classical and unapologetically Christian education with the goal of raising up ambassadors for Christ. If you value a partnership with a school that provides a classical Christian education, then you should consider Evangel Classical Christian School. For more information, please visit the school’s website at evangelclassical.com.

“Classical education is, I think, the only educational system that really gives kids something beautiful to want.”

-Julie McGuffey, faculty

BY ASHLEY WHITTLE TIEDT PHOTOS BY BLAIR RAMSEY

DDowntown Homewood is sporting a new upscale sports bar. The Battery is not only a place where you can catch the game; it’s a place to feed your foodie appetite.

The Battery, like many businesses, was a victim of the supply chain crisis, but Chef Jeffrey Compton persevered, transforming the former Little Donkey location into a spot you need to visit. The opening was originally planned for November 2021, but the doors didn’t open to the public until July 2022. But good things come to those who wait, and in Homewood, the wait is over.

This American sports bar is ready to welcome you with arms wide open, delight your taste buds and watch you leave happy. “We have fantastic food and a great atmosphere. We want you to come twice a week and not once a month. We want to serve food that makes you say, ‘I can’t wait to try that,’” Jeffrey says.

The atmosphere is an aspect of the restaurant that he feels passionate about. There is a sense of ease and comfort felt by the staff that is passed on to the patron. The Battery isn’t your average sports bar. The marble bar top and sleek aesthetic are second only to the menu. Southern charm and flavors flow throughout the menus and are complimented with American classics like a fancy grilled cheese.

Jeffrey didn’t attend culinary school, so his rise to executive chef is a testament to his raw talent, experience and grit. He was born and raised in Destin, Florida, and joined the hospitality business thanks to a healthy fear of being grounded.

“When I was 14, my parents told me that if I didn’t have a job, I was grounded. I gravitated to the hospitality scene because it is a tourist area,” Jeffrey says. He started at the front of the house, mingling with patrons, but soon he discovered the experience that is the back of the house. “The back of the house has so much fun. I saw that, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” he says.

He worked at several restaurants, including the famous Red Bar, before deciding to go to college at Auburn University to study accounting. He

started to work at Acre shortly after moving to Auburn.

“I started working there part-time while I was in school and realized I really hated school. I started working full-time with David Bancroft at Acre in Auburn,” he says. When Jeffrey decided that college wasn’t for him, he secured a job back in Destin, but David wasn’t ready to let him go. “I told David that I was going back to Florida to become a manager and he said, ‘Why don’t you just become a manager here?’ I was a Sous Chef there for a while and became a Chef de Cuisine,” he says.

Chef de Cuisine is the chef of the restaurant. While the executive chef is running all the restaurants within the group, the Chef de Cuisine oversees the kitchen of his restaurant.

While working at Acre, Jeffrey met his fiancée, who was a member of the wait staff. Around the time that she graduated, Jeffrey felt like he had reached his peak at Acre and was ready for a new challenge. “My fiancée is from Birmingham, so we decided to move here. Shortly after, I was contacted by Ben Chapel at the recommendation of David Bancroft about becoming the chef at The Battery,” he says.

year and a half, researching food and atmospheres.

“Ben was saying he wanted a place where people felt comfortable at the bar to sit and order a ribeye steak and watch the game. I was all about it and set out to make his vision a reality,” he says. In the name of research and development, Jeffrey and Jeremy visited cities like Chicago, Charleston and Asheville, sampling different restaurants, trying different styles of food and defining the

type of restaurant they wanted to run.

The result? The menu is full of traditional Southern food that Jeffrey has taken to a new level by adding his own flair. From fried okra to collard greens, they are serving up something special. He says that serving good food is all in the attitude: “Good attitudes serve good food. Food is love. So, if you are cooking with love then there is no way it’s going to turn out bad. It really does transfer. If you’re mad [while] making a dish compared to when you’re happy, it’s going to turn out differently,” he says.

So, how do they keep spirits high? “It’s almost

Owner Ben Chapel and Jeffrey worked with Jeremy Stephens, who is The Battery’s General Manager, to prepare the location and the menu. They worked for a

WHAT TO EAT

SHORT RIB POUTINE

*CROWD FAVORITE

Seasoned fries, cabernet-braised short rib, Thumann’s cheddar gravy and horseradish gremolata.

KOREAN BBQ BRISKET TACOS

*CHEF

FAVORITE

Two flour tortillas, smoked brisket, Korean BBQ sauce, carrot and kimchi slaw, peanut togarashi and cilantro.

THE SMASH BURGER

Two 3 oz fresh ground beef patties, white American cheese, dijoniase, griddled onion and fries.

THE RED HEADED ITALIAN

*INSPIRED BY CHEF COMPTON’S FIANCÉE

Soppressata, mortadella, capicola, goat cheese, arugula, pickled peppers, red onion, lemon aioli and sourdough.

OLENE’S FRIED CHICKEN

Sawmill gravy, sautéed green beans and mashed red potatoes.

SEARED SALMON

Dill roasted potatoes, lemon-bay aioli, sautéed green beans, capers and grilled lemon.

impossible to be mad when you’re blaring Queen,” Jeffrey says. In the kitchen there is a time for fun and a time to get down to business. When the patrons come in, “Don’t Stop Me Now” is turned down, and the staff begin to make the magic happen.

The kitchen staff is a collaboration of recent culinary school graduates and folks who fell into the hospitality business and realized that all they wanted to do is cook. Jeffrey says that he sees himself as a friend and mentor to his staff.

“The main thing I look for is someone who is eager to learn because then they’re mine. They haven’t picked up any bad habits from other chefs. The only bad habits they have, they learned from me. So, I’m responsible for molding them into awesome employees and future management,” he says. One of the most important

things he teaches his staff is that everything has its place. “I don’t care how big you blow it up, but at the end of the night, it needs to shrink back down, and everything needs to go back to its place, clean and tidy. The worst thing to come into is a dirty kitchen from the night before,” he says.

The clean and tidy kitchen is serving up your game day favorites six days a week. It’s closed on Tuesday. Whether you’re looking for a place to spend time with friends, celebrating the win of your favorite sports team or just a place to eat on a random Wednesday, The Battery has created a culture and an atmosphere that will welcome you and invite you back for a meal tomorrow.

“Good attitudes serve good food. Food is love. So, if you are cooking with love then there is no way it’s going to turn out bad. It really does transfer.”

-Chef Jeffrey Compton

HOME STYLE&

ONE STEP FURTHER

Homewood local Ragan Wesson is taking business one step further by turning clients into lifelong friends.

BY ANNA GRACE MOORE PHOTOS BY LAUREN USTAD

IIf there ever were sunshine in human form, it’d be Ragan Wesson. Ragan is redefining the interior design industry by proving talent is often cultivated through a love of the intrinsically innate and a desire to create.

When Ragan and her husband tied the knot, she jokes that they were quite poor, so she’d journey to her local thrift store to find treasures to spruce up their humble abode. This “taught me how to be creative,” she says.

Soon, they purchased their first home, and Ragan took on every project, completely flipping the home all by herself. People started noticing how beautiful her projects were and began contacting her to help design their homes, too. Her first project was for a lady who was remodeling a historic home in downtown Trussville.

Ragan Wesson Interiors, she says, just “fell into my lap…I had all these creative skills but no business sense. I was a true artist in the sense that I could really see things, but I had a really hard time figuring out the logistics.”

Ragan launched Ragan Wesson Interiors first on Instagram and then built her website. Now, customers are lining up to have just an hour of her time.

Although, she makes it clear that her customers not only keep her in business, but also bless her so

that she can do what she loves and provide for her family. Good relationships with her customers often turn clients into friends, she explains.

One such friend had a bond with Ragan before becoming a client, herself. Ragan and Brandy Johnson, whose home is featured, are good friends who actually met through a Church of the Highlands small group in 2014. Brandy says Ragan “has made me love my home. She’s made it a place that feels cozy to my children. It’s beautiful, but it can be lived in.”

“I feel a lot of purpose in my business,” Ragan says. “I felt like I had a gift that God had given me. People sought me out and wanted to pay me for my gift. I just have felt so much sense of purpose in that.”

Purpose to inspire, to create and above all, to make others feel just as warm and loving as she does is her goal.

“She’ll be your new best friend,” Brandy says, recalling her experience with Ragan.

To others who’re looking to redesign their homes, Ragan says to give her a call. If anything, an hour of her time is also an hour she gets to spend forming a friendship with you.

To start a conversation about redesigning your home, visit raganwessoninteriors.com. Follow Ragan on Instagram @raganwessoninteriors for inspiration and aesthetically pleasing photos.

Kitchen

Ragan values “moody,” and Brandy trusts Ragan’s design choices. The kitchen light fixtures add visual comfort and are sold by Circa Lighting. Notice the subway tile on the backsplash. Not only is the tile not flush, meaning it’s not smooth all the way across, but it is also arranged in a herringbone design above the stove to create a more “textured look.” Why? Because this unique design draws attention to a clean, fluorescent space that lets off a lot of light. “Natural lighting is always in,” Ragan says.

Athens 225 West Clayton Street 706.850.2244

@dukesclothier

Birmingham 53 Church Street 205.739.2244

Tuscaloosa 1904 University Blvd. 205.394.1365

Fairhope 51 S Section Street 205.901.8198

Living Room

This home was built by KADCO as a spec home. Brandy was able to pick out the finishes. She chose contrasting red and blues to play on a more “English traditionalist” aesthetic by utilizing a crimson rug from Turkish Man and furniture through At Home and Stock and Trade Design Co. The vintage feed sacks, Ragan says, were inspired by her growing up at her grandparents’ farmhouse. She often draws upon her childhood for her design choices. The custom bookshelves were built by Southern Grain Woodworks and were designed by Brandy’s sister-in-law, Alli Simmons Roberts, of Nashville, Tennessee. This ethereal landscape by Susan Walker is a beauty! Susan actually paints tiny crosses in each of her paintings for “protection of guardian angels.” She wants each of her customers to not only love her artwork, but also feel “loved” by it, too.

Dining Room

To create a consistent mood through hues, Ragan found similar blue shades in the dining room’s rug to the living room’s “Wetherburns Blue,” which is a Benjamin Moore “original.” The portraits of Brandy’s children are by Lindsay Gowland Photography.

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom’s bedding is from Brock Custom Interiors, and specific fabrics are from King Cotton. The nightstands are from At Home. “Green is always in,” Ragan says. Olive green, especially, pairs nicely with neutral tones, which can help create any “timeless” design.

Focal Points

If one doesn’t know where to start when trying to redesign their homes, Ragan recommends finding a statement piece such as artwork or a certain piece of furniture and building the room’s colors and styles off of that one piece a homeowner particularly loves. Greenery, for example, is a great focal point in any room.

KINDLING BONDS

While our 16 beach neighborhoods offer beyond-the-beach activities to please everyone in your circle, the focus keeps coming around to our sugar-white sand. Find your perfect beach at VisitSouthWalton.com.

WALTON

A LEGACY OF LEISURE

South Walton’s 26 miles of sugar-white sand beaches in Northwest Florida offer an all-natural escape, yet perfectly blend modern amenities, worldclass cuisine and small town charm into an unforgettable experience.

The days move a bit slower here, and it’s this simplicity – a day spent creating memories at the beach – that draws generations of families back to South Walton.

By Anna Grace Moore | Photos by Lauren Ustad

Local nonprofit Christopher Kids is transforming homes to be accessible and wholesome for children with special needs.

his own A WORLD OF

OOne in 41,000. JohnWesley Holley just happened to be that one among thousands. This beautiful nine year old will charm you with his heart of gold. One can’t help but smile thanks to his infectious laughter, especially when he bounces on his trampoline. He may be nonverbal, but he communicates in other ways.

His happiness exudes as he swings back and forth in his new hammock swing, pointing his toes to the sky. His curiosity takes over him as he gently presses his palms to his cowhide rug- one silky enough that it feels gracious against his skin. Looking around his bedroom, JohnWesley has a world all to his own. One made possible by Christopher Kids.

PITT HOPKINS SYNDROME

Nearly a decade ago, JohnWesley’s mother, Stephanie Holley, noticed her son displayed some developmental delays when he was just seven months old. After numerous pleas for medical

professionals to diagnose her son, she finally found one who recommended genetic testing for an array of conditions that normal checkups wouldn’t identify. Thus, the culprit, Pitt Hopkins syndrome, officially had a name known to the family.

Pitt Hopkins syndrome is a genetic disorder that can be characterized with developmental and intellectual delays, epilepsy, vision problems, breathing difficulties and more. It is considered so rare that today there are only 5,000 known cases in the world. When JohnWesley was diagnosed, there were only 500 cases known.

“At UAB, before a child has an MRI, the hospital recommends genetic testing because recent studies have shown that studying genome frequencies can reveal rare disorders otherwise unknown to the patient or unseen in tests such as MRI’s,” Stephanie explains. “[Pitt Hopkins] is super rare, but doctors also think perhaps the disorder isn’t rare and that some who are affected may not know they have it because it can only be accurately diagnosed through

genetic testing, which is expensive and [only recently made available].”

Once JohnWesley was diagnosed, Stephanie immediately looked to the community for help. What was she going to do with a 13-month-old baby who has a condition that not many know how to help with, she thought? A friend referred her to The Bell Center, which is a nonprofit that helps children with special needs up to three years of age progress developmentally.

Stephanie recalls feeling isolated before moving to Homewood. She says they would “move anywhere. We just [wanted] to know where we need to live for this child to have the best services. We can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Miracles, she says, never cease. While most who have Pitt Hopkins never walk, JohnWesley can, much to the dedication of specialists at The Bell Center. Although he is limited physically, as in he cannot feed himself or dress or use the bathroom, one can easily overlook those setbacks because of his exuberant personality.

THE NEED FOR A DIAGNOSIS

Learning to live, not just survive, with any condition can be difficult. Pitt Hopkins is classified on the autism spectrum, but it is not to be associated simply with the more commonly known socialization struggles often those with autism deal with on a daily basis.

“A lot of times children with autism are diagnosed based on subjective testing,” Stephanie says. Nowadays, scientists are discovering some forms of

autism can be revealed through genetic testing. “Even children with Down syndrome may have Pitt Hopkins syndrome, but they may have never received testing for it.”

Because this syndrome is often misdiagnosed, affected children more likely than not will not receive the help they need to live long, prosperous lives.

“Autism is so misunderstood because a lot of the children that you would see with autism are going to be less severe because it’s feasible for them to be out in the community,” Stephanie explains. “The ones that are nonverbal and that have such sensory issues, [where] the brightness of light can put them in a full-on rage where they’re throwing chairs at their parent, you’re not going to see those individuals [in public as often]. So, those parents kind of suffer in silence. A lot of times you don’t see how severe it can be.”

She also notes that children who are nonverbal cannot communicate pain or discomfort as effectively as children who talk can.

“Sometimes when you think your child has autism, and they’re nonverbal, they can’t tell you, ‘my stomach hurts,’” she says. “You don’t know to be on the lookout for seizures. But if you know they have Pitt Hopkins syndrome, and that they most likely also have these things that they can’t communicate to you, you as a parent can better serve them.”

This is why recent strides in genetic testing are so significant in providing children with resources to live normal lives. Stephanie wanted to advance

such resources and founded Undefined, which is a nonprofit that connects families of children with special needs to businesses in the community who can help. One of her friends referred JohnWesley to Christopher Kids, who was one such business, looking to make a difference in the lives of others.

CHRISTOPHER KIDS

After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in architecture, Chris Reebals set out on a journey to find his calling. While he enjoyed making the functional also beautifully aesthetic, he often thought his purpose was to do more. To do what, exactly, was the question.

Chris worked in ministry at Briarwood Presbyterian Church before developing Christopher Architects that has now grown to Christopher Architecture and Interiors. In 2020, he decided to form a nonprofit, Christopher Kids, whose sole purpose is to reinvent and redesign living spaces to be more accessible for children with severe conditions.

According to its website, Christopher Kids is “dedicated to serving children ages 2-12 in the Southeast [who’re] facing chronic or critical illness,

physical and intellectual disabilities and other lifealtering challenges by creating a retreat designed to fit each recipient’s unique accessibility needs.”

Chris hired Caroline Thomas, who is Christopher Kids’s executive director, and Hallie North, who is the organization’s development director, to spearhead the mission to create for kids in need.

“It makes me so incredibly happy to provide a space for children, who are facing different challenges in their own home,” Hallie says. Hallie feels especially connected to the organization’s mission through her niece that has Down syndrome. “I saw the process my sister went through, struggling to find the right ‘everything.’ There are always little details that she needed at home that she was having a hard time finding.”

Caroline worked previously with Make-A-Wish Foundation in New York City and was thrilled at the opportunity to give back to such a diverse community. Her first day at Christopher Kids was actually the first day employees were allowed to return to the workplace after the pandemic’s onset.

Caroline says one thing she appreciates most about Christopher Kids is that while some organizations are limited to work only with children who have terminal illnesses, Christopher Kids

serves a more diverse population, including those with chronic illness, cognitive delays and other life altering challenges.

The nonprofit can bless so many because of its wonderful community support. Although the firm’s architects may draw up plans for redesign and the designers may make the rooms “pop,” tons of Birmingham businesses will without question donate their time and efforts to blessing these children.

The best part, however, is that the families who are blessed never pay a dime.

“We pay for the room out of the funds that we raise,” Caroline explains. “We’re very lucky to have vendors donate their time and products to our projects.”

And, nothing is ever done half-way. “We want to grow, but we’re careful to grow sustainably where our families are receiving the time and the attention they deserve,” Caroline says. “We’re proud to conduct a small number of projects each year to the best of our ability. We want to have the appropriate time and energy to pour over every detail and go back and forth with the parents.”

Because each room will be perfect, personalized and pretty, too, Christopher Kids’s work is much

(7472) 205- 638 - PIRC

Helping navigate the mental health system for teens and children.

Services are FREE and confidential. Services provided by phone are not medical advice and should not be considered as such.

Services are provided via telephone by licensed mental health professionals who recommend the most appropriate mental health resources.

PIRC is available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

PIRC is NOT a crisis or suicide hotline. Call for mental health resources.

more than slapping some paint on the walls. During each project, the team works closely with the family and even reaches out to local nonprofits to see how to best create a room fit to each child’s unique needs.

“We did a project for a little boy receiving therapy at Mitchell’s Place, and we were able to collaborate with their team for personalized recommendations. We asked, ‘What’s working? What’s not? What does he like? How can we make this space the best room for him?’ Those are the conversations and partnerships we want to continue moving forward,” Caroline says.

A WORLD OF HIS OWN

Once JohnWesley was referred to Christopher Kids, the team set off on a mission to create not just a habitable abode, but also a place where he could thrive.

“They gave him a place where he can have joy,” Stephanie says, tearfully. “It’s a place where he can feel comfortable, safe and happy. He has his own trampoline. It’s so nice because it can fold down, and you can push it under the bed. It’s never gone under the bed because it’s just used 24/7. He’s really into movies and music. Now, he has the

The PIRC is generously supported by funding from the Anne B. LaRussa Foundation of Hope, United Way of Central Alabama, the Daniel Foundation of Alabama, and the Walker Area Community Foundation.

projector facing this whole big wall. So, he jumps on the trampoline while watching a movie. They put up these amazing speakers way up high in the corners, so we could play music through those.”

Other amenities in JohnWesley’s new room include a light-up, indestructible disco-cube and new bookshelves. Everything “fits like a puzzle.”

“We want [the rooms] to grow with them and be aesthetically pleasing because medical equipment a lot of times is scary looking,” Caroline explains. “We want it to be a kid’s space and a retreat and function for them in that way. We want it to be about everything you’re not really looking at first.”

She also notes that through Christopher Kids, the talent of making the functional beautiful is one that is repaid over and over again.

“I mean there aren’t words,” Stephanie says. “You’re just so thankful that somebody saw the value in doing something like this for kids and for families. As a parent, that’s all you hope is that somebody sees your child, even though he can’t talk and he’s so limited in all these things. [There’s hope] that he’s still seen as a person with interests and preferences and opinions. He needs a space, too.”

Because of Chris’ dream to “do more,” children and their families are being served in the

Birmingham community. Children, who like JohnWesley, just need someone to go the extra mile to help create a place where he can be himself.

Perhaps if everyone with a dream can be inspired to do something more, blessings, as Stephanie says, will never run dry.

To refer a child to Christopher Kids, learn more information or become a partner, visit Christopherkid.org.

If a child is exhibiting developmental or intellectual delays, his family can contact The Bell Center, which can be reached at 205-879-3417. The Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation, too, is founded to help affected children progress to live long, prosperous lives. If one thinks someone needs to be tested for Pitt Hopkins syndrome, he can visit pitthopkins.org for more information and to receive help.

M Y L A G O S M Y W A Y

Classic Crescent City

By Christiana Roussel | Photos Contributed

Of all the times to travel to New Orleans – early spring for Mardi Gras, late spring for Jazz Fest – winter might become your new favorite time. As with every season, the Crescent City loves a celebration and a party. Winter holidays are no different, so plan your getaway now to enjoy all the city has to offer, without breaking a sweat.

Photo by Jeff Anding.

Songwriters for generations have tried to distill the essence of New Orleans into their lyrics. From Fats Domino’s “I’m Walking to New Orleans” where he croons, “And I’ve got no time for talkin’ I’ve got to keep on walkin’ ‘Cause New Orleans is my home That’s the reason why I’m goin’ Yes, I’m walkin’ to New Orleans,” this is a city that gets down into your soul.

5 hrs., 4 min. 344 Miles

Alabama

Photo courtesy of New Orleans & Company.

WHERE TO STAY

While there are myriad hotel options in New Orleans, we offer these three which are, quite honestly, destinations in and of themselves. Each offers more than a place to lay your head at night. Just as any host here would do, they want to provide more than a cozy bed and a hot shower. They want to embrace and engage you, they want you to experience their version of New Orleans, they want you to fall head-over-heels in love with the city the way they have. Also, traveling at the holidays will ensure each is gussied up for your visual delight.

Windsor Court

The epitome of old-world style and grace, the Windsor Court Hotel sets the standard for European-level travel in New Orleans. The stately downtown hotel has undergone extensive renovations and upgrades in recent years, which only adds to her charm. From the moment you enter the cloistered walls of the motor court, you will feel wellcared for. Rooms are large and sumptuous. Make time for high tea on the club level; it might become your new favorite tradition. windsorcourthotel.com

Hotel Peter & Paul

New Orleans is a city which revels in rebirth, at every turn. You will find that here in this former school, church and convent that has been given new life as an intimate hotel in the heart of the Marigny. Within a 10-min ute walk of the hotel’s front doors, you can explore the entire neighborhood. Bring your camera: the zippy, brightly-painted Creole cottages deserve to have their pictures taken. hotelpeterandpaul.com

Hotel Saint Vincent

Located in the Lower Garden District, Hotel Saint Vincent is as funky as it is elegant. The building itself dates back to 1861 but was renovated and completely updated in 2021. Save time for a pre-prandial nibble at the hotel’s all-day restaurant, San Lorenzo, which is named for the patron saint of cooks. Set aside some of your travel budget for a little pop in to By George, the hotel’s lifestyle boutique, which has the most covetable cu rated selection of things you never knew you needed but somehow cannot live without. saintvincentnola.com

Pictured is one of Windsor Court’s signature cocktails. Photo courtesy of The Mayfield Group.

Photo by Douglas Friedman.

WHAT TO DO

There’s simply no way to do all you’ll want to do in New Orleans in one visit. Then again, that is kind of the beauty of travel – we get to come back again and again to the places we love.

Vue New Orleans

Start your visit with a visit to Vue New Orleans. From 34-stories up, you’ll get a fantastic 360-degree overview of the city, literally and historically. Whether this is your first or 50th visit to the Crescent City, you will come away, learning something new about the city. vueorleans.com

The Roosevelt Hotel, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel

No holiday visit to New Orleans is complete without visiting the show-stopping display at the Roo sevelt Hotel. This year’s display will be revealed on Tuesday, Nov. 29 and promises to feature more than 112,000 lights, 1,600 feet of garland and 4,000 glass ornaments. The hotel lobby spans an entire city block and is truly breath-taking. While the little ones take in the Roosevelt Teddy Bear Tea, perhaps the grown-ups can pop in to the Sazerac Bar for a libation. therooseveltneworleans.com

Christmas at the Waldorf Lobby in the Roosevelt Hotel. Photo by Teg Folks.

Photo by Christian Horan Photography.

New Orleans City Park

New Orleans does so many things well and an abundance of public green spaces is certainly one of those. City Park offers more than 1,400 acres of space to picnic, walk or bike. At the holidays, the largest grove of live oaks in the world get dolled up in thousands of lights for the Celebration in the Oaks. This annual tradition has been going strong since the 1980s with hol iday-themed displays, which are practically guaranteed to inspire more than a few sugarplum-filled dreams.

neworleanscitypark.com

Tour the city by bike

Winter months are ideal for being outside and New Orleans’s flat terrain makes bike riding a breeze. There are scads of itiner aries on-line, so be sure to pick one or two before you go and make a day of it.

neworleanscitypark.com

Photo by Zack Smith.

Photo courtesy of New Orleans & Company.

Alexa Pulitzer

To meet Alexa Pulitzer, acclaimed paper and leath er-goods designer, is to meet New Orleans. The woman is clearly besotted with her hometown, and her daily work girds that passion. From her ceaseless support of Preserva tion Hall, to the custom goods she’s created for the National World War II Museum, to the whimsical royal alligator that is synonymous with her affec tion for this place, Alexa is a New Orleanian through-andthrough.

As Hurricane Katrina bore down on her beloved city, a very pregnant Alexa and her husband fled to Birmingham to literally ride out the storm. Friends housed them, found her an OB/GYN and a printer, so that she could continue to operate her business. Alexa adds, “To this day, I am forever grateful to the incredible people of Birmingham, who opened their arms and hearts to me. They left a magical impression on me and showed me the true meaning of gen erosity, hospitality and ‘Bless Your Heart!’”

So, before you hit I-59 South, you simply MUST visit Alexa’s eponymous website, alexapu litzer.com, and read what is basically her love letter to New Orleans entitled “Guide to NOLA” at the bottom of the homepage. She updates the listings quarterly to reflect new additions and closings. Learn more about Alexa and check out her work at alexapulitzer.com

Mardi Gras World

For many, New Orleans is synony mous with Mardi Gras. To be sure, the annual celebration between Kings’ Day and the start of Lent is a sight to behold and experience. Per haps responsible for more than $1 billion in revenue for the city, Mardi Gras is serious business. Go behind the scenes at Mardi Gras World to learn the history of Mardi Gras, see how floats are made and maybe take more than a few Instagram-wor thy photos. mardigrasworld.com

Take a cooking class

In a city that is renowned for its mul titude of represented cuisines, why not take a cooking class and bring the flavors home with you? Explore more at the New Orleans School of Cooking neworleansschoolofcook ing.com or do a deeper dive at the Southern Food and Beverage Muse um southernfood.org/events-1 or book a private class at New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute nochi.org

Photo courtesy of Alexa Pulitzer.

Photo courtesy of New Orleans & Company.

Photo courtesy of NOCHI.

Photo courtesy of NOCHI.

uAlex Beard Studio – Equal parts work space and studio, travel gallery and wanderlust zone, Alex Beard’s studio is a must-visit. His work is inspired by a love of animals and travels to Africa and is teeming with what he calls “abstract natu ralism.” Kids will marvel at the intricacies, and adults will feel a yearning to own a piece. Do it. You’ll never regret buying the art you love. alexbeardstudio.com

uHome Malone – New Orleans gets down in your soul, and you’ll find yourself wanting to bring that bonhomie and joie de vivre back to Birmingham with you. Pop into locally-owned Home Malone for fun door décor or yard art that will remind you of this holiday trip, anytime of year. homemalonenola.com

Stroll Magazine Street

Spend an afternoon bouncing between the fantastic retail emporiums that line this beloved street. You are bound to knock out your entire holiday shopping list in an afternoon – that is, if you don’t get distracted by all the pretty things you want for yourself. Not to be missed:

uDunn & Sonnier – More than a florist, more than an antiques shop, more than you can imagine on every surface and wall. These are the folks respon sible for the famed rose display in the lobby of the Windsor Court Hotel – go see them in person and bring home a treasure for your own home. dunnandsonnier.com

uPerlis – Located way uptown, Perlis is the go-to clothing shop here, carrying such brands as Barbour, Peter Millar and local brand TASC. But what you might also know them for is their signa ture crawfish logo, which will put you in a New Orleans state of mind wherever you are. perlis.com.

Photo by Richard Nowitz.

Pictured is Alex doing what he loves: painting. Photo by Bryan Tarnowski.

WHERE TO EAT

You could close your eyes and throw a Mardi Gras doubloon and hit some place great to eat in New Orleans. Be it tables clothed in white linen or weathered wooden high-tops flanked by worn barstools, the same love and pride goes into all the food this town serves up. Make reservations where you can, pack extra patience when you must wait in line. This is by no means an exhaustive list but just a great place to start.

Chemin à la Mer

This sexy and sophisticated spot atop the Four Seasons in downtown New Orleans offers a beautiful river view, with a menu featuring so much of what chef Donald Link and his team do best: take the freshest local ingredients and simply elevate them. Think blue crab boulettes, duck confit, oysters. cheminalamer.com/neworleans.

Frankie & Johnny’s

This uptown neighborhood joint bears the patina of decades of pitchers of local beer, discarded oyster shells and more than a few tall-tales told. Grab a seat and order a couple dozen chargrilled oysters to start – you can look at the rest of the menu later. frankieandjohnnys.net.

Photo by Zack Smith.

Try some oysters at Chemin à la Mer on your next trip! They won’t disappoint.

Photo by Paul Broussard.

Seafood is one thing New Orleans gets right everytime.

Domilise’s Po-Boy and Bar

There are as many iterations of poboys in New Orleans as there are Mardi Gras krewes. You just have to find the kind you like. But the basics must include the freshest bread (usually from Leidenheimer’s bakery) and something good stuffed in between – it could be fried shrimp or oysters but might also be alligator sausage or roast beef. Grab a stack of po-boys at Domilise’s Po-Boy and Bar and head to Audubon Park for a make shift picnic. domilisespoboys.com.

La Boulangerie

During Mardi Gras season, La Bou langerie turns out some of the most fantastic King Cakes you’ve ever seen (ask them about The Elvis). But this Magazine Street bakery and sandwich shop is renowned year round for the caliber of their fare, which includes croissants, turnovers, bread pudding, savory biscuits, quiche, sandwiches with Butcher ham and Comté cheese, tarts, pies and really great coffee. laboulangerienola.com

Mosquito Supper Club

Founded to celebrate the bounty of the seafaring community that surrounds the Crescent City, the Mosquito Supper Club menu mir rors those waters, with an ebb and flow of what the fishermen haul in. Go hungry and curious; you won’t be disappointed. Reservations through Tock and via email only. mosquitosupperclub.com

Make This at Home

Even if you can’t get to New Orleans for the holidays, you can still have a bit of that Big Easy feeling at home, with this boozy egg nog from Cochon Butcher. Go ahead and double (or triple) the recipe. Jars of this holiday treat will be exact ly what your friends and neigh bors hope you’ll gift them when you come a-calling.

Cochon Butcher’s Boozy Butcher Eggnog

Ingredients: u 12 eggs u 2 cups sugar u 2 cups milk u 2 cups half-and-half u 2 cups heavy whipping cream u 2 ½ cups spiced rum u ½ cup bourbon u 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1) Separate the egg whites and yolks into two clean mix ing bowls. There can be no yolks in the white mixture, or they won’t mix correctly.

2) Whip the yolks until light, then add sugar and salt and whip until thick and white and form soft peaks.

3) Fold the whites into the yolks.

4) Add all the dairy and alco hol. Mix thoroughly. Pour into mason jars and seal; label and share, share, share!

Photo by Todd Coleman.

Photo by Joyce Bracey.

La Boulangerie's "King's Cake" is fit for a king, himself. Photo courtesy of New Orleans & Company.

Photo courtesy of Cochon.

GIFT GUIDE holiday

1

1. Handmade Stoneware Tree

These handmade, hand-painted stoneware trees will add to any holiday decor throughout the holiday season and into the new year! Available individually or as a pair. $40-$72. Crestline Pharmacy. 60 Church St, Mountain Brook, AL 35213. (205) 871-0317. facebook.com/ crestlinepharmacy

2. Hale Bob Perfume

Wildflowers Touched Softly by Freshness and Warmth, a Truly Sweet Escape. Floral/ Fruity/Powdery. $50. ShoeFly. 2823 18th St S, Birmingham, AL 35209

3. 14k Yellow Gold 2 Stone Oval and Pear

Shape Ruby w/ Diamond Halo Ring

Dazziling Holiday Eye Candy. This beautiful 2 stone oval and pear shape ruby with diamond halo ring is sure to make this holiday one of a kind. Tis the season to sparkle, shine and shop local. Follow us @southeasternjewelers. $1,265. Southeastern Jewelers. 5299 Valleydale Rd, Birmingham, AL 35242. (205) 980-9030. southeasternjewelers.net

4. Bellemonde Men’s Travel Bags

This brand’s name comes from the French words “belle,” meaning beautiful, and “monde,” meaning world, which is where you can go with these faux suede bags. Whether traveling across town or an ocean, these durable, stain resistant bags will go with you. $20-$32. Rocky Ridge Drug Co. 3346 Morgan Dr, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. (205) 259-7100. rockyridgedrugco.com

5. Fritsy drinking glasses

With their multi-purpose shape, Fritsy drinking glasses by Saban Glass effortlessly transition from a good-looking durable workhorse to dinner party conversation piece. Best of all, they are available in a jewel box of colors to complement your style. Whether you’re serving up a G&T or water with citrus, our Fritsy drinking glass makes everything look artful. $58. Table Matters. 2402 Montevallo Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 879-0125. table-matters.com

6.

Julie Vos Charlotte Necklace

Our necklace features glittering marquise-cut stones and delicate freshwater pearls set in a lovely cluster design and suspended from a 17” adjustable rope chain. $135. Bromberg’s. 2800 Cahaba Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 871-3276. brombergs.com

7.

Velvet Blazer, Inspired Necklace, Gold Purse, & BudDha girl Bracelets

Step 1 add BuDhaGirl Bracelets to any outfit $35.00- $135.00. Step 2 Pick out a Velvet Blazer $109 with inspired necklace $139. Step 3 Complete your outfit a beautiful Gold satchel to carry all your essentials. $35-$139.00. Hami Boutique. 300 Carlow Ln Suite 101, Birmingham, AL 35242. (205) 834-8833. shophamiboutique.com

8. Oak Street Hair Products

Our detangling spray creates shine without weight. This revolutionary leave-in conditioner strengthens, smooths and detangles. Daily restoring shampoo heals damage caused by daily stresses and styling. Smoothing balm will make the most curly hair soft and straight. All made in the USA, cruelty-free, paraben-free and color-safe. $15.50-$25. Oak Street Hair Group. 125 Oak St, Birmingham, AL 35213. (205) 879-3222. oakstreethairgroup.com

9. Gift Box

Delightfully scented plant-based soaps and skincare products that are handmade daily in our local shops/makeries make wonderful gifts! Our artisan soap bars, bath bombs, shower oils, body butters, body scrubs, laundry soaps & scent boosters all SMELL WONDERFUL! $5 to $59. Buff City Soaps. 3 location stores. See ad for details. buffcitysoap.com

10. 14K Yellow & White Gold Stackable Diamond Bracelets

We have many stackable diamond bracelet styles in stock now, so shop early for the holidays! Diamond stack bracelet prices start around ~$1,300.00, before sales tax. Start around $1,300.00. Shay’s Jewelry. 1678 Montgomery Hwy 103C, Hoover Al 35216. (205) 978-5880. shaysjewelers.com

11. Russel Quilted Crossbody with Fringe Beige

Fringe is in! This quilted crossbody has a suede feel texture with accent fringe on the front magnetic flap. The bag is separated into two compartments by a center zippered section. The chain crossbody strap is removable and pairs perfectly for any occasion! $60. High Cotton Boutique. 415 Chelsea Crossroads, Chelsea, AL 35043. (205) 677-2200. highcottonboutique.com

12. Jordan Skirt

Crafted with vegan leather, this SHUG miniskirt with a bias cut fringe detail and a concealed black zipper closure is the fashion statement of this season. $330. Dukes Clothier. 53 Church St, Mountain Brook, AL 35213. (205) 739-2244. dukesclothier.com

13. Barefoot Dreams Blanket

Wrap yourself in the irresistable softness of Barefoot Dreams. This fabulous throw is a celebrity favorite and a conversation piece to add to any home decor. Pair with a spa gift card for ultimate luxury and relaxation! $180. La Bella Skin & Wellness. 8000 Liberty Pkwy Suite 120, Vestavia Hills, AL 35242. (205) 994-8906. labellabirmingham.com

14. The Pooley Vase

The Pooley vase is a fully glazed ceramic bud vase and it takes all the work and thought out of flower arranging. Simply pop a stem in all or a few of the tubes and voila! Each tube is attached to the base and is individually separated so you can fill just one or fill them all. $33.95. Sweet Pea Garden.

15.

Vintage Turkish Yastiks

They are 100% wool and handmade. Extremely durable and easily cleaned. Perfect for bathrooms, doorways, laundry room or mudrooms. Hazel House. 1816 28th Ave S, Homewood, AL 35209. (205) 908-7755. hazel-house.com

16.

Necklace

The perfect statement necklace for the Holidays is this vegan leather fringe necklace that is made in Italy by Lelya Gans. $175. Effie’s

17. All About the Eyes Holiday Gift Set

Give your eyes a boost this season with this limited-edition eye essentials kit featuring Obagi’s Elastiderm Eye Cream, Nu-Cil Eyelash Serum and Nu-Cil Eyebrow Serum. Your eye area will experience a firmer, more resilient look while your lashes and brows become more luscious, thicker and more defined. $300 for $450 value.

Rousso Adams Facial Plastic Surgery. 2700 US Hwy 280 Suite No- 300 W, Birmingham, AL 35223. (205) 930-9595. drrousso.com

18.

Cookie Fix Tins

Cookie Fix tins make great gifts for friends, neighbors, and clients. Prices start at $27 for a tin of eight cookies to $128 for a triple stack of 40 cookies. $27- $128. Cookie Fix. 2854 18th Street South, Homewood, AL 35209. (205) 582-2623. cookiefix.com

19. Holiday Travel Mugs

While you’re shopping for Christmas decor, grab a few gifts too! These 17 oz. cermaic cups with a decorative box will be the perfect little something for someone on your list this year! $19.99. Home Accents. 2750 Pelham Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124. (205) 621-2039. homeaccentsonline.com

20. Claude Dozorme

Claude Dozorme bottle openers, pizza knives and cheese knife sets make the perfect holiday gift. They are handcrafted in France and made of stainless steel with an acrylic handle. $25-$100. A’Mano. 281 Rele St, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 871-9093. amanogifts.com

21. Gift Basket

Customize a gift basket for your friends and family from your favorite Columbiana Shops! Your favorite bottle of wine from Just a Tish paired with special gift items from The Farm Company will make the sweetest gift this Holiday Season. Give us a call for more details! Just a Tish & The Farm Company. 113 West College St. Suite B Columbiana, AL - 105 A S Main Street #132, Columbiana, AL. (205) 6715267 and (205) 671-5477. justatishwine.com and thefarmcompany.net

22. Melatonik

Give the gift of glowing skin with Melatonik. It repairs, restores and brightens the skin. This non-irritating retinol-alternative stimulates natural antioxidant defenses and restores elasticity. Melatonik is a great pick for all skin types, even sensitive skin. $165. Gunn Dermatology. (205) 4157536. gunndermatology.com

23. Field Guide Whiskey

The dos and don’ts for whisky-food pairings. How to discern complex flavor pattersn to get the most ouf of your glass. How to conduct a tasting. $25. Antique Market on Linden. 2828 Linden Ave, Homewood, AL 35209. (205) 490-1162

24. Inside Out Hoop Earrings

These gorgeous earrings are available from one carat up to...the sky is the limit! They come with patented Core Lock to keep the earrings safely on your ear. Pick one out today for any of the beautiful women in your life! Starting at $2,750. Cummings Jewelry Design. Heights Village, 3166, Birmingham, AL 35243. (205) 298-9144. cummingsjewelrydesign.com

25. Personalized Wooden Tray

These round, wooden trays make great gifts for the holidays, weddings or any other occasion! The 18-inch circle with handles creates endless possibilities for its use. Personalization is included and can say anything you want. Available in 2-3 days. $69. Fun Stuff. 3370 Morgan Dr, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. (205) 823-3688. funstuffgifts.com

26. Best of Doctor Babor Set

Our Best Of DOCTOR BABOR Set was curated by experts to promote healthy, glowing skin. Everything you need to lift, firm, even skin tone & texture. Cost is $179 with a $412 value. $179. Woodhouse Spa. 125 Summit Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35243. (205) 905-7676. birmingham. woodhousespas.com

27. Cosabella Allure Sleep Set

This cami/boxer sleep set features luxurious and soft lace fro Cosabella’s Allure collection. Color shown is Odisha Gray. $140. The Lingerie Shoppe. 2403 Montevallo Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 871-8994. thelingerieshoppemtb.com

28.

The Laundress New York

Luxury laundry and fabric care products, scented with sophisticated fragrances that extend the lifespan of clothing. The Laundress has partnered with high-end perfumeries and even musicians, to create the best-in-class fabric care and home solutions. $6.50-$50. Heezie’s. 81 Church St, Suite 101, Mountain Brook, AL 35213. 205-874-6278. heezies.com

29. Holiday Earrings

These lightweight, trending, seed bead earrings are perfect for any holiday gathering. We offer a huge variety of jewlery for all styles and personalities including formal, bridal and everyday wear. $16. Consigned Design. 72 Fulton Springs Rd, Alabaster, AL 3500. (205) 664-7540. consigned.design

30. Casserole Dish Set

This woven cassrole holder with included Pyrex is great for very recipe in your file. It is a 9x13, 3qt dish. $110. The Cook Store. 2841 Cahaba Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223. (205) 879-5277. thecookstoremtnbrook.com

31. Assorted Gift Boxes

The box features Pearl of my Heart, Rome and wide inner beauty bracelets in Gold Angelina from faith-based jewelry designer, Ronaldo. The box also includes an all-natural olive oil, Italian dip seasoning, a Whitco Bar Mixer and Prosecco bubble bath. Perfect for girls’ night or solo relaxation session! Prices vary depending on bracelet & size of oil. The Mountain Brook Olive Co. 261 Rele St, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 703-9003. mountainbrookolive.com

32. Squishable Massive Hamburger

This 32 squishy inches of human-sized hamburger might look good enough to eat but is much better at cuddles! Not into meat? We offer many Squishable products in a variety of shapes and sizes. $250. Swoop. 251 Rele St, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 803-0886. swoopisfun.com

33. Viking Toys Play Pirate Ship

Viking Toys has made award-winning, high quality toys for kids to explore their world with all their senses. With timeless Scandinavian design where form reflects function in a minimalist and stylish way, these are toys that engage, entice, excite and entertain. And there are no batteries required, it’s kid-powered play. $28. Homewood Toy and Hobby. 2830 18th St S, Birmingham, AL 35209. (205) 879-3986. homewoodtoy-hobby.com

34.

Pajama Shorts

GiGi’s carries fun printed soft fleece pajama shorts that all girls adore! Each style of shorts have different vibrant patterns and are the perfect gift for any occasion. Starting at $23. Gigi’s. 3140 Heights Village, Birmingham, AL 35243. (205) 593-4586. gigisbham.com

35.

Beaded Purses

Help them take their outfit to the next level this holiday season with our selection of beaded coin purses and crossbody bags! $20-$70. Village Dermatology. 2900 Cahaba Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 877-9773. villagedermatology.net

36. Bogg Bag Half Brrr Ombré Collection

Bogg® Brrr and a Half - Fills 1/2 of the Original Bogg® Bag (leaving room for towels, dry snacks and anything else you’d like to bring along). Has a shoulder strap for use with our without the Original Bogg® Bag. Also, has one exterior pocket for keys, a cell phone or other small goods. $35. Village Drug. 300 Carlow Ln #116, Birmingham, AL 35242. (205) 713-8393. villagedrugco.com

37. Tahiti

“America’s Largest Outdoor Kitchen Manufacturer.” Luxury Grill Islands and Bar Islands Your Way. Delivered in 5-10 business days with same day assembly. Visit our showroom for more details. Paradise Grills. 5413 US-280 Suite 104, Hoover, AL 35242. (205) 885-8161. paradisegrillsdirect.com/ showroom/hoover-outdoor-kitchens

PHOTOS BY JAMES AND RACHEL CULVER

The Homewood Public Library held its 7th annual block party on Saturday, Aug. 20 to celebrate the start of another wonderful school year. The party featured live music, book-themed carnival games, a climbing wall and more.

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH

The City of Homewood’s Back to School Bash kicked off the school year with rides, bouncy houses, carnival games, live music and more. The event, which happened on Saturday, Aug. 27, had a great crowd. The event’s proceeds benefitted the Homewood High School marching band.

Rolling in the Hay: Phil Proctor, Stan Foster and Rick Carter

Zoe Richards, Sullie Serota and Rachel Holley

Tessa Wilson and Lydia Driskill

PHOTOS BY JAMES AND RACHEL CULVER

BELL CENTER TAILGATE CHALLENGE

PHOTOS BY JAMES AND RACHEL CULVER

On Saturday, Aug. 27, Homewood residents and sponsors of The Bell Center participated in The 14th annual Bell Center Tailgate Challenge, which featured teams squaring off to see who could create the best tailgating experience. The event featured a family fun zone, delicious food and fun games, too.

Kailyn Mory, Reagan Gray and Grace Pilgrim

Grayson and Mary Hayden Ard; Bobby Dawson; with Avery Ruth Davis

Ivy Odom Aponte and Luis Aponte

Lara, Ellis, Sawyer and Jacob Johnsey; Lauren and Joshua Johnsey; with Jessica Hinshaw

Phillip and Mike Madonia with Leslie Maniscalco

Craig, Meg, Emily and Margaret Krawczyk

Charlie, Wells and Harrison Carden

JIMMIE HALE MISSION RESCUE RUN

PHOTOS BY JAMES AND RACHEL CULVER

On Saturday, Oct. 8 runners from all over the city joined together to participate in the Jimmie Hale Mission Rescue Run, which included a 5K race and a 10K race, in efforts to raise money and awareness for the organization’s programs.

THE EVENING OF DREAMS

PHOTOS BY JAMES AND RACHEL CULVER

On Thursday, Sept. 29 Sozo Children International hosted its annual fundraising gala at The Club. The gala, which is dubbed, “The Evening of Dreams,” featured a silent auction, dinner and a live auction.

Peyton Calhoun, Jeff and Sheri Culton, Brody Carreker, Jordan Boozer, Todd Boozer, Carson Culton and Mary Carson Collins

Marketplace

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HomewoodLife.com

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O-FLEX METAL FINISHING Rack Mover 1st & 2nd Shift Responsible for the movement of all product & strip racks to and from the anodizing system per the “Cell Flow Process” and “Operational Lay out”. Responsible for 5S of all individual trash cans on the production floor as determined by supervision or other. Starting pay $10.50, $1 shift differential. 725 Keystone Drive Clanton, Al 35044

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#1 Gelato in the world straight from Italy and a way of life where work is more than just another job. On Hwy 280 by Cowboy ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Full & Part Time * Baristas * Cashies * Management Offering Competitive Pay Closed on Sundays Call for an Interview: 205-593-4221

NOW HIRING Custodian/Event

Set-up Performs various duties, Including cleaning and maintaining Civic Center and set-up/ breakdown of events. Pay begins at $14.75/hour, with BCBS insurance, and retirement included in the benefits package. Applicants must have reliable transportation and drug test required. Please contact: 205.978.0166 for application and additional details.

Rusty’s Pool Tech, LLC Rusty offers swimming pool equipment diagnostics, repairs, replacements, programming, add ons and/or upgrades on the following…• Filters • Pumps • Heaters • Lighting • Automation and Variable speed pumps • Automation systems • Timer systems • PVC plumbing issues • Chlorinators • Salt systems • Salt/chlorine conversions • Filtration systems Rusty also offers Pool School for those who would just like to understand their pool equipment better. www.rustyspooltech.com 205.718.2898 (call or text) info@rustyspooltech.com

Now Hiring! Entry Level Field Maintenance Position Benefits include: BCBS Insurance 401K. PTO. Apply in person Bethel Water System 6485 Hwy 61 Wilsonville, Al. 35186

MACHINIST NEEDED

Competitive pay. Benefits. Please call 205-337-2140

WINDER NEEDED Competitive pay. Benefits. Please call 205-337-2140

ELECTRO-MECHANIC NEEDED Competitive pay. Benefits. Please call 205-337-2140

Call Wolf Furniture today! Great Prices! 205-224-3847

Flooring, Vinyl, & Carpet Free Consultation Anthony Best Flooring Consultant We also carry...Samsung, LG, GE and Frigidaire. Furniture Electronics, Tvs, Gaming Systems, Computers, Stoves, Wshers & Dryers, Refrigerators, Exercise Equipment, and Flooring. Tell (205)224-3847 anthonybestms@gmail.com Referral code # 11064 Birmingham, AL 35080

Familial Pride

Hill Jones receiving Eagle Scout Rank

One fond memory of mine was watching my son, Hill, attain his Eagle Scout rank at Troop 79 at All Saints Episcopal Church. I know when my council term is up in 2025, I will look back with fondness in serving Homewood and all those who have invested in my children. We love Homewood!

MY HOMEWOOD

WALTER JONES

Hometown Specialties

Gianmarco’s

I would say my favorite item to order is the Boom Boom Chicken at Gianmarco’s, which is not always on the menu. Pictured is my wife, Sharon, and my son, Winston.

The Legacy Continues On

Emma Grace Jones’s

Graduation

Watching my children graduate and go on to achieve their dreams is like a pat on the back and a “job well done.”

Enjoying Nature

Home Sweet Home

My favorite place to get outdoors is actually my front yard. I have watched my children grow up, playing wiffle ball in the yard and playing basketball on the street. I have enjoyed sitting around the fire pit in the winter and meeting neighbors for drinks at the end of the day and on weekends. This was such a refreshing place to spend time during COVID. It continues to be a relaxing space for the entire family.

City Spirit

We Love Homewood Day & The Exceptional Foundation’s Chili Cookoff

One favorite event of mine is “We Love Homewood Day.” How many cities are there that have a festival that highlights the love its people have for their city? I enjoy being on the city council float every year, and I enjoy other community gatherings such as the Exceptional Foundation’s chili cookoff, too.

Homewood City Council Ward 3 Space 2 Representative

SIENA COLLECTION