280 Living February 2010 by Starnes Media

280 Living

www.280living.com

Volume 3, Issue 6

h ip m S w e N

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February2010

Longworth F i n e F u r n i t u re

Chandeliers Accessories & Gifts Fine Furniture, Carpet & Rugs Free Personal Design Service ◆

5426 Highway 280, Suite 6• The Terrace @ Greystone

2 0 5 . 4 3 7. 9 8 8 7

neighborly news & entertainment

February Features

Tie a Double Knot by Patti Henderson Once in a lifetime, people are lucky if they ﬁnd and marry their one true love ~ even luckier to remain married long enough to fulﬁll the vow “until death do us part.” But to meet someone special late in life and get married a second time around is truly a blessing. Here are two such stories.

Restaurant Showcase | pg 6 • Editor’s Note

• Facebook Fan Giveaway

• Kyle Nix wins award

• OMES Marathoners

• Wild About Chocolate

• Irma Palmer

• Varsity Athlete

• Sports

• Mt. Laurel Dog Park

• Feld Hyde

• YMCA

• Fredd Kapp

• Rick Watson

• Snowman Contest

• Paul Johnson

• Calendar of Events

• Live Music

Become a fan on Follow us on WIN PRIZES Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #889

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Shirley and Orbie Meet Shirley Johnson Mays. Shirley is 74 years old. She was born and raised in Kentucky until moving to Birmingham when she was 16 years old. She graduated from Ramsay High School, and married her ﬁrst love Douglas when she was just 20. They were married for 44 years until he passed away. Shirley has 3 daughters, 5 grandchildren, and 2 great grand children. All live fairly close by. Meet Orbie. Orbie is 89 years old. He was born and raised in Hamilton, Alabama where he graduated from Hamilton High School. He later attended UAB. Orbie spent 43 years working for Birmingham Water Works and then retired. He then spent most

of his retired years in Niceville, Florida where he was able to enjoy his favorite pastime, golf. Orbie was married to his wife Helen for 56 years until she passed away. He has 4 daughters, 6 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. All but one live here in Birmingham. Now meet Mr. and Mrs. Orbie Mays. “Together we’ve been married 100 years!” said Orbie. (In case, like me, you didn’t

St.VincentÕ s Health System Heart Day On February 20, St. Vincent’s Health System will host its annual Heart Day. This event will take place at St. Vincent’s Birmingham, St. Vincent’s Blount, St. Vincent’s East, St. Vincent’s One Nineteen and St. Vincent’s St. Clair campuses from 6 am – 11 am. Heart Day is designed for adults ages 18 and older, including both cardiac patients and others. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and the number one killer of women. Symptoms of heart disease may be different for men and women and can be difficult to classify or detect. Heart Day is an opportunity for adults to be screened and become educated about heart disease. St. Vincent’s Heart Day gives the public an opportunity to be screened by St. Vincent’s medical staff in an efficient and affordable manner. A few simple tests can offer reassurance or identify areas of concern before they become emergencies. For $40, participants receive an EKG, lipid profile, blood pressure screening, basic metabolic profile, and a t-shirt. The usual cost for these services is $350.

“There are a lot of people out there with undetected coronary or vascular disease,” says Byron Jones, MD of Alabama Cardiovascular Group and the medical staff at St. Vincent’s Health System. “Heart Day can play an important role in detecting problems early. Family history is very important. Adults in their late 30s or early 40s should absolutely be screened if they have parents, siblings, or even children, who have had heart disease.” Register for Heart Day by calling St. Vincent’s Dial-A-Nurse at 939.7878 or 800.331.6777. St. Vincent’s Health System is comprised of St. Vincent’s Birmingham, St. Vincent’s Blount, St. Vincent’s East, St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, and St. Vincent’s St. Clair. Together, they are dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care that sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities. St. Vincent’s Health System is a health ministry of Ascension Health. For more information about St. Vincent’s Health System, please log onto: www.stvhs.com.

Orbie, Shirley, Walt, Mary grasp that equation: 44 for Shirley plus 56 for Orbie makes 100 years!) And they can each add 7 more years of marital bliss on top of that! For in January of 2003, Shirley and Orbie both agreed to say “I do,” again. As Shirley admits, after a person loses his/her spouse, it can be quite lonely. But the two of them made the choice to See KNOT | pg 14

Students Compete in Shelby County Spelling Bee

Marieclare Shirey a sixth–grader from Briarwood Christian School and Matteo Macaluso an eighth–grader from Oak Mountain Middle School spelled their way to the top of the Shelby County Spelling Bee Jan. 22. Shirey placed ﬁrst with Macaluso coming in second. Middle school students from local private schools and the Shelby County school district participated in the 2010 Shelby County See BEE | pg 4 Spelling Bee on

February 2010

What will you find at Somerby? Friendships that last a lifetime. Most likely, you’ll find Myra in the creative arts studio. Missy will be in the pool, and Jolene is probably holding court in the Somerby Room. But come lunchtime, you bet the sparks will fly. These ladies met here at Somerby, and it looks like friendship for life. Somerby is more than a smart, comfortable residence at rates that make sense. It’s the key to leading a life you want, a life you’d enjoy. Including health care if you ever need it. Discover your true spark. Somerby is the place.

Call today to learn more about our satisfaction-guaranteed Confident Move program. 200 One Nineteen Boulevard | Hoover, AL 35242 | (205) 745-4608 | www.SomerbySpark.com

Give us a call at (205) 745-4608, or visit us at www.SomerbySpark.com.

www.280living.com

February 2010

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5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 133 (1/2 mile off Hwy. 280) Phone 205-949-1680

Wow! Just look at the Calendar of Events! There’s so much fun happening in February, not to mention Valentine’s Day! Gentlemen, play close attention to Paul Johnson’s article this month…. I just couldn’t wait to share it with you. Don’t get mad at him, he told me he would address our women readers in a future issue. I also want to thank Shirley and Orbie Mays, and Mary and Walt Novak for sharing their special love stories with us. I mean – we’ve got Brad Paisley, John Mayer, Three Dog Night, Black Eyed Peas, Eric Clapton, and Bucky Covington ~ all coming to Birmingham in February ~ way to go Bham! In addition, we’ve got the Mercedes marathon with over 130 students from Oak Mountain Elementary participating in this

great Birmingham event! Congratulations Coach McGowan! What else? We’ve got the Super Bowl, Lent begins, the Boy Scouts 100th Birthday, World of Wheels…and more. And there’s a call to build your best snowman for a special 280 Living contest. Meteorologist Mark Prater “promises” my readers at least one more snow event! So grab your hot chocolate, your brand new snuggies, and settle in for a cover to cover read of your favorite local newspaper: 280 Living!

Patti Henderson Editor

Reader Comments

BEE

| cover story

January 22 at the Shelby County Board of Education Central Ofﬁce in Columbiana. Marieclare Shirey, a sixth grade student from Briarwood Christian School was the winner. Matteo Macaluso, an eighth grade student from Oak Mountain Middle School took second place. Other students who competed were Stephanie Ponte, Calera High School (seventh grade); Drew Nesbitt, Calera Middle (sixth grade); Evelyn Ann Fox, Chelsea Middle (eighth grade); Shaina

Cid, Columbiana Middle (eighth grade); Blake Odgers, Cornerstone Christian (eighth grade); Heather Thompson, Evangel Classical Christian (sixth grade); Will Jones, Joseph Bruno Montessori Academy (seventh grade); Lucas Panzica, Our Lady of the Valley (eighth grade); Logan Burnett, Riverchase Middle (eighth grade); Cooper Vise, Thompson Middle (seventh grade); Jensen Burnett, Thompson Sixth Grade Center (sixth grade); Spenser Matthews, Vincent Middle (eighth grade); and Robert Mann, Westminster at Oak Mountain (seventh grade).

Facebook Fan Giveaway Congratulations to the winner of the January Facebook fan giveaway:

Tiffany C. Talbot $50 to Birmingham Bake & Cook Co.

Remember only Fans of our Facebook page are eligible for the monthly giveaway. The winner for this month will be chosen Feb 18th. This month’s winner will recieve,

$50 to Mt Fuji

Thanks for reading and being fans of 280 Living. Baker Lamps Bellinis Beyond Wellness Birmingham Bake & Cook Co. Birmingham Medical Alliance Brentwood Properties Chelsea Orthodontics Chic Boutique Chili’s Chiropractic Today Chunky Monkey Comfort Keepers Danberry at Inverness

Thanks for publishing your papers. It is the best source of news for our ‘280 community’.

-Joy Lucas We love your paper and read it every month!! Good job!!! Have a great 2010!!

-Martha and Rob Langford Inverness

coverage of our area.

-Donna Crouch

280 Living Staff & Friends

Contact Information: 280 Living P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205)-370-0732 dan@280living.com

Contributing Writers

Contributing Photographers

Editor

Theresa Newton, Oak Mountain | Cari Dean, Chelsea

Patti Henderson

Legals: 280 Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. 280 Living is designed to inform the communities along Highway 280 of area school, faith, family and community events. Information in 280 Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/ photos submitted become the property of 280 Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/ photos as deemed necessary. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 370-0732 or by email. Submission instructions:

Creative Director Keith McCoy

Published by Starnes Publishing LLC

Sales and Distribution Dan Starnes Angela Morris

Please submit all articles, information and photos to:

dan@280living.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253

Please Support Our Sponsors Diana’s Salon Europa Salon Fancy Fur Gates of Pearl Greystone Antique & Marketplace Greystone Internal Medicine Huckabay’s Johnny Ray’s Kenneth Clayton Salon Longworth Collection

“Neighborly News and Entertainment” is a great subtitle for 280 Living! This is a local publication that lives up to its name, spotlighting area businesses and restaurants, and featuring individuals who contribute to our community. Your communication is positive, and topics are timely. Thanks for continuing your

Massage Envy Michael’s Fine Flowers Mudtown Narrows Family Eye Care Outdoor Living Areas Pak Mail Paper Dolls Past Perfect Plain Jane Renaissance Consignment

Contributing Graphic Designers Jenifer McCormick Codie Hoyle

Rosegate Design Inc. Seniors Helping Seniors Somerby St Vincent’s Stray Art Gallery The Haven Salon The Maids The Market The UPS Store Trinity Medical Center Tutoring Club Varsity Sports Your Good Neighbor

www.280living.com

February 2010

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Foods & Flavors

February 2010

Bi-Annual Sidewalk Sale One Day Only!

Saturday, February 20th 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

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Phone: 205-980-3661 www.bakeandcookco.com

FLIP

burger boutique

220 Summit Blvd: Suite 140

by staff writer

Restaurant Showcase

205.968.2000

www.flipburgerboutique.com Close your eyes and picture a restaurant that specializes in burgers. Did you think about that old 1950’s style burger joint with waitresses in roller skates? Did you think about standing in line at a counter and receiving a number? What did you picture? Well, erase whatever came to your mind because this is not your average burger restaurant. Flip has come to town. As we sat at the bar eating dinner, my friend jokingly said, “Flip burger… you could call this hip burger,” To this I responded, “You may think that you are in L.A. or New York, but surprise, you are in Birmingham, Alabama.” His next response, “I think I just saw Jon Gosselin in the corner, and did you hear that Lindsay Lohan was here last night.” Our jokes and our laughter is the best way to describe the high-class atmosphere of Flip. The decorative concept is chic, suave, and fun; the booths are “flipped,” the tables down the middle aisle are connected as if a New York style seating, and the bar is great for eating or drinking and conviviality. We sat at the bar to avoid a wait, but the service at the bar was great, and because of the restaurant’s design, sitting at the bar did not take away from the overall experience. Who would imagine that I would be able to write about a burger restaurant? When we first entered, I really didn’t plan on writing a review. Because what would one possibly say about a burger restaurant? Well, the ambiance and the food proved me wrong. We started with the wedge and fried pickles. The dressing on the wedge had an ingredient that I still cannot place, but I loved it, and the fried pickles—well, I am a southern girl, so we appreciate fried anything. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries, and my friend ordered the ossobucco burger with onion rings. Well, we ended up sharing everything. The burgers were wonderful and we weren’t quite sure who had done a better job at ordering. The ossobucco burger had a tenderness about it that is hard to describe in words. The menu described the burger as being decorated with gremolata mayo, braised ketchup, and crispy fried onions. Well, I am still not sure gremolata mayo or braised ketchup are, but I do know that I kept begging for another bite. The sweet potato fries were long and thick, lightly tempura fried, and topped

with a chocolate salt. They came with a dipping sauce and they, alone, are worth returning for. I can honestly say that this will not be my only visit to Flip. The onion rings are vodka battered and come with a beer honey mustard dip. Upon reflection, though the bacon cheeseburger was great, it was a “safe” order on my part. It didn’t have any wild combinations, but it was still unique in its own rite. As far as dessert, the milkshakes are something special. We had both a smores milkshake and a krispy kreme milkshake, each of which I still yearn for as I type out this article. They are exactly what they promise to be. The krispy kreme milkshake seems like they dissolved multiple krispy kreme doughnuts, mixed them with whipping cream and came out with a smooth milkshake that has all of the taste of a krispy kreme doughnut with all of the consistency of a milkshake. And the smores milkshake tasted exactly like a camping trip with a blender. The rich chocolate and the generous supply of marshmallows were to die for. My promise for next time is to get wild and try something outside of the box. They have a southern burger, which is described as a chicken fried beef patty, house-made pimento cheese, b & b pickles, and sausage gravy. The steak tartare burger is hanger steak, garlic, chilli, capers, Worcestershire, pickled onion, frisee salad, smoked mayo, and sousvide egg yolk. Those are just the beginning of a list of ten types of beef burgers. But, that’s not all; they have eight flip burgers that contain no beef. These include choices such as, wild turkey burger, crab burger, sausage burger, and many others. 280 living proudly welcomes flip burger to the summit, and some of us look forward to many visits to this new establishment.

(Truly) Decadent Chocolate “Bread” Pudding

For this chocolatey rich bread pudding we used chocolate glazed raised donuts from our neighbor, Daylight Donuts and brownies from a leftover batch of Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownies, but any brownies will do! You can use dayold brioche bread, but it won’t be nearly as chocolatey. Yield: 1 each, 9” x 13” Baking Pan Ingredients Butter ‐ for buttering the baking pan 10 C Chocolate Glazed Raised Donuts, cubed* 2 C chocolate brownies, cubed (optional) 1 T Granulated Sugar 12 Egg Yolks, large 4 C Half & Half 3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder, unsweetened 6 oz Semisweet Chocolate, finely chopped (we used Scharffen Berger) 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1⁄4 tsp Salt Place the cubed donuts and brownies in the buttered baking pan. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a large bowl. Combine the half & half and cocoa powder and bring to a boil, and then gradually whisk this mixture into the eggs. Combine and stir in the chopped chocolate, vanilla and salt – keep stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour this chocolate custard over

the donut/ brownie mix. Place parchment paper (or plastic wrap) over the pan and weight the top down to immerse the mixture. Let it stand for 30 – 60 minutes. Remove the weights, cover the custard with foil, and then vent holes through the parchment (or plastic) and foil. Bake in a 325oF degree conventional oven in a hot water bath for 75 – 90 minutes or until the custard is set and all of the liquid is absorbed. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm! * If you use brioche bread, dry it slightly on a sheet pan first in a low (200o – 300oF) oven.

www.280living.com

February 2010

Shop Talk

280 THE UPS STORES WELCOME AAA MEMBERS TO ‘SHOW YOUR CARD & SAVE’ Great Savings Offered to More than 51 Million AAA Members in North America

“Today, consumers are more conscious of how they’re spending their money and they’re placing a greater importance on saving,” said The UPS Store owner Jeff Fabian. ”We understand, so The UPS Store is pleased to have this opportunity to provide affordable shipping and business services rates to AAA members.“ The UPS Store offers domestic and international shipping; full-service packing; digital printing; black-and-white and color duplications; document ﬁnishing (binding, laminating, etc.); wide format printing; notary; printing services (business cards,

Contact: Jeff or Myra Fabian The UPS Store 205-408-9399 / 205-991-9999

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letterhead, rubber stamps, etc.); custom crating and shipping for large items (e.g., grandfather clocks, motorcycles); mailbox and postal services; office and packaging supplies; and more. The UPS Stores on 280 are open from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm (M-F) and 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on Saturdays. For more information, call 205-408-9399 or 205-991-9999. About The UPS Store With approximately 4,800 locations, The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc.® network comprises the world’s largest franchise system of retail shipping, postal, document and business service centers throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. In the United States, The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of Mail Boxes Etc., Inc., a UPS subsidiary. In Canada, locations are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of master licensee MBEC Canada. For additional information, please visit www.theupsstore.com or www.mbe.com. About AAA As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.

We’re the print experts. • Full-color digital printing and copying • Flyers, newsletters, brochures and manuals • Binding, laminating and collating • E-mail your files or bring them in • UPS® shipping to over 215 countries Inverness Plaza (behind Compass Bank) 205.991.9999 Tel (email store 0255@theupsstore.com) The Village at Lee Branch (near Academy Sports) 205.408.9399 Tel (email store 4648@theupsstore.com)

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School House

February 2010

Kyle Nix wins art award

a New ls iva Arr ily! Da

Fantastic Florals

Westminster School at Oak Mountain holds spelling bee

fabulous Fabrics

Rosegate Design, Inc. fabrics, florals &

Kyle Nix, 9th grader at Briarwood Christian School, recently won the Southeastern Division Junior American Citizen Art Contest for Daughters of the American Revolution. Briarwood School Art Teacher Barrie Downs had this to say about Kyle: “Kyle did a detail pencil drawing of Abraham Lincoln for his award winning picture. This extremely talented young artist loves to explore as many mediums as he can. God has gifted him and great things can be expected!”

fine furnishings

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Circuitous. Adjudicate. Latitudinarian.

Pronouncer Lori Jill Keeler, Lower School Principal at The Westminster School at Oak Mountain, advanced through a litany of suggested Scripps-Howard spelling bee words, offering parts of speech, word origins, deﬁnitions, and using words in sentences as requested. After an hour, two ﬁnalists emerged from nineteen sixth through eighth grade students contestants, sparring over words like crocodilian, mosquitoey, and analgesia. After 15 rounds, seventh-grader Robert Mann and eighth-grader Daniel Condrey contended for ten minutes until Mann won the title, correctly spelling the word “reconcilable.” “I’m so proud of all the students who participated,” beamed Mrs. Keeler. “I think that our Latin instruction has

Robert Mann, Winner of Westminster School at Oak Mountain Spelling Bee been beneﬁcial to all of our students.” Indeed, a 1989 study published in The Journal of Reading and Writing suggested that the study of Latin improves spelling proﬁciency. According to the study, the study of other foreign languages did not have the same effect on students’ mastery of spelling. All Westminster students in grades 3-12 take Latin. The next step for Mann will be to compete in the Shelby County spelling bee on January 22.

Michael O’Malley Wins Highlands School Spelling Bee

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On Tuesday, December 15, Highlands School, a participant in Scripps National Spelling Bee, held its annual school spelling bee. Students ﬁrst participated in homeroom spelling bees to qualify for the school bee, and the winner and runner-up from each homeroom competed in front of 4th-8th graders in the Spencer Center. The school bee enables students to practice spelling skills, expand their vocabulary, and gain experience in competing in front of an audience. The following students competed in the school bee: Fifth Graders: Gordie Stewart, Andrew Williams, Lincoln Sorscher, and Connor Walker Sixth Graders: Michael O’Malley, Mitch Hungerpiller, Molly Kauper, and Eli Nafziger Seventh Graders: Dakotah Murphree, Eli Cohen, Fletcher Hare, and Wesley Madden Eighth Graders: Leila Haikala and Maddie Seidel

After eight intense rounds, which included words of Asian, Dutch, Latin, Greek, German, and Italian origin, Michael O’Malley emerged as the winner by spelling embroider. Leila Haikala was the runnerup. Michael will advance to compete in the District Spelling Bee in January. Congratulations to all of our participants, and we look forward to Michael’s next competition! Michael O’Malley is the son of Dr. Sean and Dr. Janis O’Malley.

Samford students visit OMES Three student observers from Samford University recently visited Oak Mountain Elementary School. The students are music majors who have spent the past three weeks observing at Oak Mountain Elementary. As a culminating activity, they brought their personal instruments and provided the students with an impromptu performance of music and song.

Taylor Sparks - French horn, Sarah Cottingham – voice, and Kaitlyn Crocker – harp.

www.280living.com

February 2010

School House

OMES gets ready to run in Mercedes Marthon! By Patti Henderson Runners take your mark! Over 130 students at Oak Mountain Elementary School and 23 teachers, staff or faculty are lacing up and getting prepared to run in the upcoming Mercedes Marathon the weekend of February 12-14th. Touted as on of the most hospitable and enjoyable marathons in the country, The Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend welcomes athletes of all ages and running ability. As part of its “Wellness” campaign, OMES students and staff are encouraged to stay active, eat right, sleep right and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. “We’re really starting to get a staff full of people who love to run,” says PE Teacher, Allen McGowan. Mr. McGowan encourages his students to participate and then makes it easy for them, as well as their parents. Students are required to log in 25.2 miles prior to marathon weekend. Together they run the last ofﬁcial mile at the race. OMES begins tracking each student’s progress in September. “We will track it for them – that’s one less thing on the parents’ plate,” says Mr. McGowan. So how does he do it? Well, he doesn’t set them on a track and run them in circles. Rather he keeps them moving. “We do a lot of locomotor skill activities within each lesson. So students warm up by skipping, galloping, sliding, running, walking, hopping and jumping. We also incorporate short runs (2min) during station days. This adds up quickly and the students always are moving to music during these activities,” says Mr.

Sophia King 3rd grader, will participate in her fourth Kid’s Mercedes Marathon and Turner Youngblood, 3rd grader, in his third. McGowan. Throughout the training period, he is teaching his students to pace themselves ~ how to use their effort and energy wisely. He wants to impart on them his love for ﬁtness and running. In fact, this will be Mr. McGowan’s third time to participate in the race. He’s run the full marathon twice, and this year he will be part of a 5-man relay team where he will anchor the last 7+ miles. If you’ve ever had the chance to visit the marathon, you know the atmosphere is simply electric. The event is so well planned and organized. The kids’ portion takes place on Saturday, and their safety and security is a top-notch priority. The full marathon and half marathon take place on Sunday. It’s easy to see why the website touts, “Greater Birmingham and the state of Alabama welcome you with the best that southern hospitality has to offer. It’s the biggest party of the winter.” Visit www. mercedesmarathon.com. And good luck OMES!0794: Part of the OMES students and staff set to run in the Mercedes Marathon.

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Part of the OMES students and staff set to run in the Mercedes Marathon.

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Honored

Birmingham’s newest Italian Steakhouse. Featuring classic Tuscan Italian dishes, organic black angus beef, veal and seafood

Oak Mountain Elementary School Principal Jeanette Darby (R), and Assistant Principal Jennifer Galloway (L) honor Eagle Scout Kevin Jenkins (middle). To complete his Eagle Scout project, Kevin built benches in front of the school for car riders, he repainted the map of the 50 states in one of the school courtyards, and he completed landscape clean-up all around the building.

OMMS Dance Team

has talent!

In January, the Oak Mountain Middle School Dance Team competed in the Universal Dance Association Alabama State Championship held at Spain Park High School. The girls placed 1st in junior high jazz category, and 2nd in junior high hip-hop. Individual recognition goes out to Brooklyn Holt who earned 1st place, Maya Johnson for 2nd place, Aubrey Duncan for

8th place, and Kacie Moran for 10th place. In addition the OMMS Dance Team competed in the Alabama State Dance Championship at Samford University on January 16th. Again, they took 1st place in jazz, 1st place in kick, and 3rd place in hip-hop, and they were named Alabama State Dance Champions in the Junior High Division! Individual recognition includes Brooklyn Holt who placed 5th in the Solo category, Maya Johnson and Myrah Taylor who placed 3rd in the ensemble category, and Morgan York and Sarah Newton for placing 2nd in the ensemble category. The OMMS Dance Team is lead by Mrs. Leslie A. Wheeler, 6th grade American History Teacher.

Reservations Recommended 205.981.5380 www.ourbellinis.com

Lunch Served M-F 11am-2pm Bar opens at 4 pm daily

Monday - Thursday 4 to 9 Friday & Saturday 4 to 10

6801 CAHABA VALLEY ROAD, SUITE 106 BIRMINGHAM, AL 35242

February 2010

Giggles & Grace Consignment Giggles & Grace Spring Consignment Sale will be held on Friday, February 19, from 8 AM to 7 PM and Saturday, February 20, from 8 AM to 1 PM (select items will be 50% off on February 20th) at Asbury United

Methodist Church. Find great deals on clothing (sizes infant-junior), baby items, furniture, toys, books and much more! Visit www.asburyonline.org for more information.

Alabama Wildlife Center Announces

Sixth Annual Wild About Chocolate Valentine Gala

WHO: Alabama Wildlife Center, a 501(c) (3) nonproﬁt organization, located in Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham, AL. Mission: To provide medical & rehabilitative care for Alabama’s injured and orphaned native wildlife to permit their return to the wild and to educate people to heighten awareness and appreciation of Alabama’s native wildlife. WHAT: Wild About Chocolate, the sixth annual Valentine Gala beneﬁting the Alabama Wildlife Center featuring chocolate desserts from at least 19 of Birmingham’s best restaurants, bakeries and caterers. Guests are free to wander from table to table, sampling a wide variety of chocolate concoctions and can also enjoy fruits, cheeses, wines and coffees, dance to the music of The Neo Jazz Collective, bid on live and silent auction items, participate in our wine pull and take pictures in the openair photo booth. Complimentary Food. Champagne and Wine Cash Bar. Estimated attendees: 500-700 Attire: Cocktail Corporate Sponsors: AlabamaPower, Merrill Lynch, Southern Company Corporate Partners: EBSCO Industries, Inc., International Expeditions, The Gingerbread Lady Honorary Chair: Melissa Riopka of ABC 33/40’s “Good Morning Alabama” Live and Silent Auctions: feature getaways that include a small ship voyage for two to the Amazon courtesy of International Expeditions, original artwork by local

artists, sports memorabilia, jewelry, and much more. Wine Pull: From a basket, participants pull a cork which correlates with a bottle of wine. Entertainment/Music by: The Neo Jazz Collective Desserts, Savory Appetizers and Beverages by: All Around Town Catering, Angels Cake & Confections, Beanhole Coffee Shop, Bottega/Highland/Chez Fon Fon, Cabot Cheese, Catering by LaNetta LLC, Five Star Event Catering, Franklin’s Homewood Gourmet, Full Moon BBQ-Downtown, Good People Brewing Company, H.C. Valentine Coffee, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Iz Catering, Little Savannah, Louise’s Cakes & Things, Max’s Delicatessen, Ocean/26, Pastry Art Bake Shoppe, The Happy Catering Company, The J. Clyde. WHEN: Saturday, February 13, 2010, from 7:00p.m. – 10:00p.m. WHERE: The Harbert Center, 2019 4th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203 PARKING INFORMATION: Complimentary parking is located in the Birmingham Parking Authority Deck #3. The entrance is located directly across from the entrance to The Harbert Center on 4th Avenue North TICKETS: $75 per person in advance (thru 5pm Friday, 2/12/09: 205-663-7930); $100 at the door*

The Ò Big ReadÓ Program at North Shelby Library The North Shelby Library will be hosting many events in honor of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Alabama’s 2010 Big Read. To participate, grab a copy of the book at your local library and start reading! The Big Read is made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Big Read is presented by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Monday, February 15th- 6:30 p.m. First Page Event: Join us for our Big Read kickoff event and listen to the thrilling ﬁrst pages of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer read aloud by our own State Representative Mary Sue McClurkin. Also, enjoy the delicious snacks that Tom himself would have gobbled up if he wasn’t too busy ﬁnding trouble! Thursday, March 1st- 6:30 p.m. Darrel Revel as Mark Twain!!! Enjoy an evening of entertainment with Darrel Revel as he embodies the spirit of Mark Twain, one of America’s most beloved storytellers. Full of family friendly fun, this is a program for all ages! Monday, March 8th- NSL Teen Book Club: Join us as we discuss Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Discussion guide will be available in the Teen Department or on the website. Snacks served. Thursday, April 1st - 7:00 p.m. NSL Mt. Laurel Book Club: Join the Mt. Laurel Book

Club as we celebrate The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Join us for an evening celebrating all things all things “Tom”. Refreshments will be available. Thursday, April 8th - 4:00 p.m. NSL Intermediate Book Club: In celebration of the Big Read the ﬁrst choice for our new book club will be Tom Sawyer. We will eat the same foods that Tom would have eaten, play games and try some reader’s theater! Open to ages 9-12. Thursday, April 15th- 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. NSL Bluestocking Book Club: The NSL Bluestocking Book Club will discuss The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Discussion guide will be available at Reference Desk or on website. Thursday, April 22nd- 7:00 p.m. - PJ Storytime: The Mississippi River is full of excitement, danger and fun - and not just for Tom Sawyer and pirates! Why, the carefree animals that live there will tell you they have the best time of all. Come on over to the North Shelby Library for a special PJ Storytime adventure! We’ll take a ride down the river and share tales of critters great and small who live along the banks of the Mississippi. But be careful: if your not looking, one of these crafty critters may ﬁnd a way to follow you home and start up a new adventure there... For more information, contact: Lori Skinner, Adult Services Coordinator, North Shelby Library, 205.439.5512 Web: www.northshelbylibrary.org

www.280living.com

February 2010

ChiropracticToday

Experience the Diﬀerence of Chiropractic Today

Choices Dictate Direction by Dr. Irma Palmer

Where are we now? It’s been four weeks since the start of this New Year. Many start with the list of habits and things to improve on, how is that working for you? This Dr. Irma Palmer past month in private practice I started gathering the goals and dreams of our practice members. They all had a similar theme, improve how they eat and move. However, before any habit change will stick some basics must occur. Determine where you are on the health continuum and what does the destination you are interested in look like to you and your family? What positive impact would the effort yield? Knowing the desired outcome is easy; changing our habits that got us where we are at is completely a different story. To begin there are three things that have to happen to successfully change a habit. The ﬁrst is to “make the decision” to change. When you make a decision, you are afﬁrming to yourself that you are willing to go to any lengths to make your wishes come true. This means that you will need to completely eliminate the word “try” from your vocabulary. When you say “I’ll try to do my exercises,” you are leaving an open door to not doing them. Then in your mind, if you don’t do your exercises, it’s okay because you only said you would “try” to do them. If you want

to successfully change your habits to live a healthier life, you cannot leave an open door to your old habits. You need to just do it, just make a decision and not look back. The second thing is to act “as if” your new life is normal. Whenever you change what you are doing, it will feel unnatural. It may feel like you are doing something wrong, funny, or something that is just not you. In a way you are right. When you change a habit, you are by deﬁnition acting in a way that is ‘just not you.’ But in a very short time, it will feel normal and it will seem strange that you ever acted any different. Changing habits is like starting a new job, the ﬁrst couple of weeks are stressful and disorienting, but if you just hang in there, you will feel at home before you know it. The third is to work on “you” every day. The highest demonstration of a healthy and growing self-image and self-esteem is the commitment to work on you each and every day. You experience an elevated consciousness when you realize your inner power and strength to step up to your greatness or you can default to your weakness with every challenge, distraction and decision. Working on yourself with consistency and persistence connects you to your inner

wisdom and inner strength to become unstoppable. As part of your unstoppable game plan, a wellness oriented Chiropractor is essential. A wellness oriented lifestyle focuses on developing those habits which promote a healthier version of you. With Chiropractic, the initial focus is always improving the connection and performance of your nervous system. The spinal column either enhances or inhibits our ability to be our very best. If your spinal health has been neglected, your lack of correct spinal movement will impede the proper function and communication of the nervous system and absolutely impact your direction on the Health Continuum. Our health is like a ﬂowing river, it’s always moving, never standing still. For many, a spinal examination and check up has not even been a thought much less actually occurred. Just imagine if you had not been to a dentist for a dental check up by now, what would your teeth and gums look like??? Too many individuals walk into a Chiropractic ofﬁce in severe pain or a health crisis. It’s similar to

Energy Drinks plus Alcohol: A Deadly Mix What happens when you mix the depressant in alcohol and the stimulant in energy drinks? You get “wide-awake drunk.” Where once energy drinks were a fad among our youth, it has now become a staple in their lives. Energy drinks became a $4.8 billion industry in the US last year. Most energy drinks contain large doses of caffeine, ephedrine, guarana, taurine, ginseng and now, alcohol. The newest trend of energy drinks are referred to as “speedball in a can.” Alcoholic Energy Drinks (AED’s) are prepackaged beverages that contain alcohol, caffeine and other stimulants. Turns out, teens and even pre-teens are being allowed to purchase energy drinks containing alcohol. Why? It is hard to see a difference in the labels. Alabama has no law regarding placement of alcoholic drinks separate from nonalcoholic drinks, so these AED’s are often stocked with their nonalcoholic cousins. Without scanners that alert a store clerk to a product containing alcohol, it is left up to her/him to know the difference between each product her store sells. Because these cans have similar graphics, store clerks as well as consumers are mistaking them for regular energy drinks. Rock Star 21 has 6% alcohol. Sparks contains 7% alcohol. There are 8 products that contain 200% more of the alcohol found in a typical can of beer. (www.kvu. com) Thirty-one percent of 12-17 year olds

ChiropracticToday

and 34% of 18-24 year olds report regular consumption of energy drinks. Producers are focusing not on television and radio, but on sporting events, text messaging and internet forums such as Facebook and MySpace to channel their products. Alcohol producers, who spend $4.5 billion marketing their products, have built on the popularity of these drinks by blurring the line between alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. One company’s goal: “create brand confusion with nonalcoholic versions and provide a cheap alternative to buying both the energy drink and alcohol separately.” The drinks cost up to a dollar less than their counterparts without alcohol. A marketing strategist from “Agwa,” a drink that was billed as the ﬁrst alcoholic energy drink, was quoted: “We cannot bottle cocaine. But certainly people who have tried it have enjoyed amazing effects with it.” Another producer states: ”Young people want to get a buzz and stay up all night. We make no pretense that this is a health drink. This is the party market.” InFUUZ™ states on its website that it is “The Ultimate Party Drink” and boasts “12.5% Alcohol Energy Drink” while young nurses hold up IV bags of the product. Are teens purchasing these “alcopops” by mistake or on purpose? For those that are already mixing energy drinks with alcohol at local parties, this is a “cheap-quick-ﬁx.” For the person simply seeking energy, it’s a mistake, placing them

Experience the Diﬀerence of Chiropractic Today

in a situation they didn’t intend to be. For both, it could be deadly. The question, then, is why are teens and college students mixing? A webbased survey of more than 4,000 students revealed that of the students who drank in the last 30 days, 24% mixed energy drinks with alcohol in order to “drink more and drink longer.” A separate survey showed that 54% of those drinking an energy drink do so to improve the taste of alcohol. Yet, a drinker of a popular brand of AED had this to say about it: “...people aren’t knocking back for the ﬂavor. It tastes like carbonated cough syrup, sickly sweet, with a winceinducing, orange-lemon ﬂavor that takes a few sips to stomach.” We all know that alcohol and youth do not mix. It’s illegal for many reasons, one of them being that alcohol is the leading cause of death among youth. Also, research has shown that alcohol consumption, even in modest amounts, can result in permanent brain damage because the brain continues to develop into a person’s mid-twenties. In addition, about 70,000 teens are sexually assaulted and more than 600,000 are physically assaulted each year as a result of drinking or being with someone who is drinking. 400,000 students a year have unprotected sex as a result of alcohol consumption, which puts them at higher risk for pregnancy, STDs and HIV/AIDS. Does adding alcohol to energy drinks create more risks than alcohol alone? Marin Institute performed an in-

420 Inverness Corners Birmingham, AL 35242 (205) 991-3511 walking into your dentist office on a verge of a root canal. It’s doesn’t make good sense to wait until then to schedule your first dental appointment. The same common sense should be utilized when it comes to your spinal care. Wellness Chiropractic care is about actively pursuing and maximizing your body’s God given potential of being healthy and well. Our society has been led to believe that one visits a chiropractor when neck and lower back pain occurs. Unfortunately, this narrow scope and false reality of what chiropractic has to offer has caused needless suffering, spinal neglect and kept many from reaching their fullest potential of health. This year, be wellness minded and proactive. Evaluate your current position and realize your choices dictate your direction. Schedule an appointment for a spinal check up and examination. If there are spinal areas which need attention then that will be explained to you. If all areas are well, fantastic, a follow up check up is scheduled 6 months out. Just like dental preventative care. If you are interested in learning more about Chiropractic or have any questions about the direction you have chosen, please visit our website at www. ChiropracticToday.com or call my office at 205-991-3511.

depth study on the effects of mixing energy drinks with alcohol. Public Health and Safety Officials have become alarmed by their findings. Researchers found in this study that “The subjects’ performance was significantly worse after ingesting the AED despite their perception of increased alertness and reduced intoxication.” The caffeine, a stimulant, disguises the intoxicating effects of alcohol. Fatigue is the body’s way of saying it’s had enough to drink. High doses of caffeine mask your body’s natural way of alerting you to stop. In other words you get “wide-awake drunk.” But a drunk person is still a drunk person. As this study suggests, alcohol and energy drinks create a dangerous mix. Two industry giants have already responded to the criticism. Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors agreed to remove their products off the market, amounting to an admission that alcoholic energy drinks fuel underage drinking. Yet, the alcoholic industry as a whole fails to alert users to the potential for misjudging one’s intoxication and, instead, suggests that the beverages will enhance alertness and energy. They are simply viewed by producers as having great potential for increasing sales and profits. It is predicted that companies will gross $10 billion yearly by 2010. We need to ask the question: do the earnings of these companies pay the price for lives that are lost due to their lack of educating consumers to the side-effects of their product? Source: ParentTalk, a publication of The Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs and The Alabama Parent Network

420 Inverness Corners Birmingham, AL 35242 (205) 991-3511

| Sports |

February 2010

157 Resource Center Parkway, Suite 102 Behind Logan’s Roadhouse on 280 Your source for teams sports

205-981-0291

Jake Ganus

Varsity Basketball/Football Chelsea High School Jake was born in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. His family moved to Birmingham the summer of 2008 and settled into the Chelsea community. Jake is now a sophomore at Chelsea High School. Since Jake was 5 years old, he’s been involved with team sports including football, basketball and baseball. He played in several World Series baseball tournaments, and several of his youth basketball teams went on to play in national tournaments as well. When Jake reached 6th grade he decided to drop baseball in order to focus more heavily on football and basketball. Now as a sophomore at CHS, Jake has been named Offensive Team MVP and Overall Team MVP by his football team. According to Wade Waldrop, CHS Athletic Director and Head Football Coach, “Jake is a great competitor. He played quarterback, running back, and linebacker in football. He was selected to the Birmingham news All-Shelby Football team. He is a very good athlete with a bright future at Chelsea High School.” Jake’s stats speak for themself!

As a running back, he rushed for 797 yards, scored 10 touchdowns and completed 13 receptions for another 113 yards. He played quarterback the last two games of the season and threw for 445 yards, and scored 3 touchdowns. As linebacker, he made 92 tackles with one interception that he ran back for a touchdown. “Jake is also a starter at guard and the leading scorer on the varsity basketball team,” adds Mr. Waldrop. Jake was named part of the All Tournament Team in the CHS Thanksgiving tournament. And with ﬁve games to go in regular season, Jake leads the team in scoring with an average of 11.1 points per game. He also leads the team in assists, steals, and holds the second spot in rebounds averaging 6.5 rebounds per game. “Jake has been an outstanding addition to our varsity team this year. “Only a sophomore, he has excelled on the court. He is an intense competitor, and his infectious personality and wit make him a pleasure to coach. I look forward to the next two years and all of the great things that Jake will accomplish,” says Michael Napp, Boys Head Basketball Coach. When asked to compare the competition in Georgia versus Alabama,

Jakes said, “It’s about the same in all sports, but Alabama seems to take football more seriously. And here I have really great coaches and really great teammates!” Jake also shines in the classroom as he maintains a 3.8 GPA. His favorite subject is history. Jake’s family attends Church of the Highlands. This past summer Jake volunteered with his church’s “Dreamteam” performing community service projects in the Woodlawn community. When Jake isn’t playing his favorite sports, he’s watching his favorite college teams play them. Another favorite pastime: just hanging out with friends! Jake has two older siblings ~ his brother, Calvin, currently attends the University of Alabama, and his sister, Riley, is a senior at Chelsea and will be attending UofA this fall. Jake is the son of Janene and Greg Ganus of Chelsea. Jake says his parents and his grandparents are his four biggest fans. “They attend every single game, every scrimmage, every sport. I get really good support from them.”

by Teresa Newton

Oak Mtn junior, Lay Watts, dribbles past two Hoover defenders to move in close for a shot at the goal. Oak Mtn’s Chris Pegg lays the ball up to the goal in a game against Hoover.

Senior Andrew Hackney brings the ball up court for the Oak Mtn Eagles.

Drew Rosenberg (#5) falls to the court as Hoover’s Roderick Booker presses for a goal while Cary Baxter (#21) and Chris Pegg defend for the Eagles.

www.280living.com

February 2010

CHS

The SEC:

PHOTOS

looking back and looking forward

courtesy of Cari Dean

by Brent Watson

Chelsea High School’s Amanda Mock passes the ball in the last few minutes of the game to secure the win over Shelby County.

Julius McCall

John Calhoun Lauren Swee

Jeremy Bowling

So football season is over. The Crimson Tide has collected another national championship, and Auburn is picking up steam in rebuilding their program to where it once was. However, a lot is still happening around the Southeastern Conference. The other two- thirds of the football season are now in full motion as recruiting picks up and the coaching carousel starts spinning. The SEC had a good showing in the postseason, for the most part. The conference placed 10 of its 12 teams in a bowl game. Two of them played in BCS games with Florida in the Sugar Bowl and Alabama in the championship clash. Overall, the SEC flexed its muscle with seven teams coming out victorious in their respective bowl games. Four came up on the losing end of the stick in bowl games. They were LSU, who lost to Penn State in the Capital One Bowl and somehow still ended up 17th in the final rankings. Imagine if Les “the hat” Miles had real head-coaching ability. They could lose two games a year and still be a top 10 team. Kentucky lost to Clemson in the Music City bowl, which turned out to be Wildcat’s head coach Rich Brooks’ final game. Tennessee was slammed by Virginia Tech in the Peach Bowl. South Carolina took it on the chin here in Birmingham January 2nd as Big East foe Connecticut beat the ‘Cocks 20-7 in the PapaJohns.com bowl. The winners included Ole Miss’ win over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl, Auburn got past Northwestern in the Outback Bowl, Georgia outmanned Texas A&M in the Independence, Arkansas snuck past East Carolina in the Liberty. Now let’s look at the future of the conference and what schools look to be surfacing as consistent winners and those that may be inconsistent. Alabama looks very strong and has talented depth to keep things rolling. Auburn looks like they are also heading in the right direction as their coaching staff has held together and

is bringing in a top 10 recruiting class. Florida will have somewhat of a facelift now that their poster child, Tim Tebow, has graduated. I expect the Gators to still be winners though with the talent they stockpile. Ole Miss looks to be a team that will smooth out and win consistently now that they have a proven coach with a vision at the helm. I believe Georgia will get things right and the extra work the Dawgs got in during bowl prep will go a long way with them. LSU should keep winning, but with Miles steering the ship it could sink at any time. The “unknown’s” are South Carolina, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Once Steve Spurier calls it quits, I think the Gamecocks will hire a young coach who can take them places. Until then, they’ll be up and down with their winning ways. With Arkansas, I think they can win with Bobby Petrino. The thing I’m not sold on is whether he’ll be there very much longer. Therefore, I have to put them in the “inconsistent” paragraph of this piece. Kentucky? Who knows? They have built talent and they have gathered a nice fan base for their football program. My prediction is they’ll keep hitting six to seven wins per season, with a nine win season thrown in once every decade or so. Same goes for Ol’ Rocky Top now that Lane Kiffin has bolted for Southern Cal. I’m glad that youngster is out of the SEC. Tennessee will bounce back eventually, but they might want to look into hiring a genuine guy who is mature and dedicated. From what I’m seeing, the teams that will continue to scratch and claw are Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. MSU made a great hire when they landed Dan Mullen. Problem is, the writing seems to be on the wall that Mullen is looking for a way out as five of his assistants have jumped ship already. They will probably get in a winning season before he leaves, but either way, he and his family are looking for greener grass. Speaking of green, money is what ultimately brings in wins. Vanderbilt has it, but chooses to use it academically. Nothing wrong with that, but we’re talking football. It won’t happen in the two “Villes” of the SEC, that being Nashville and Starkville. Besides being an avid sports enthusiast, Brent Watson dedicates much of his time to running his business in Chelsea: Comfort Keepers – a non-medical in-home care company. You can reach him at (205) 981-1800 or visit centralalabama@comfortkeepers.com.

7th Grade Oak Mountain Middle School Basketball Team Tournament Champions by Pam Holton The Oak Mountain Middle School 7th grade boys’ basketball team defeated three area teams to win the 2010 Helena Middle School Invitational Basketball Tournament January 15-16. The 8th grade boys’ team took second place in the Eighth grade Division. Congratulations to all the players and coaches!

Thomas Blottin

Thomas Blottin Curtis Crooks

Justin Medler

Curtis Crooks

Seventh grade OMMS Basketball Team: (front, l-r) Charlie-Mack Roberson, Hudson Everhardt, Riley Fowler, Garrison Banks, Kirk McClenden, Joseph McCormick. (back, l-r) Zack Holton, Edward Day, Coach Ron Tomlinson, Kris Williams, Adam Pflaum, Chris Lamb, Jonah Harrington, Russell Dudchock, Jonathon Bradford, Daniel Langan, and Coach Chase Tomlinson.

| February 2010

KNOT

FebruaryÊ 25Ê -Ê 27 10Ê amÊ -Ê 8Ê pmÊ daily

BrookÊ HighlandÊ Plaza Formerly Regal 10 Movie Theater & Circuit City. Located at the intersection of Hwy 280 & Brook Highland Pkwy in the Inverness area. Between Hooters Restaurant & Ulta Beauty, & across from Dick’s Sporting Goods

Register online today as a consignor, volunteer or vendor! Easy online registration, quick computerized tagging, fast bar code scanning at check out, and you can even track your sales online! Consigning Volunteers are eligible to enter a drawing to receive 100% of their sales! All Volunteers will receive a free The Market t-shirt! In Addition to the many consignors, there will be lots of VENDORS showcasing fine art, crafts and unique gifts! For more information visit

TheMarketConsignment.com

Conveniently Located at Benson Plaza in Chelsea

place themselves among friends, remain active, and voilå!, they found new cover story love they probably never thought possible. “Most couples are afraid to take a chance,” says Shirley. “But don’t be. The companionship is important and good.” Shirley and Orbie met at the Heardmont Senior Center while line dancing. A friend of Orbie’s named Chris Morgan who lead the dance classes encouraged Orbie to attend. Later that evening Chris asked Shirley what she thought of Orbie. Her response was “Well, he can’t twinkle.” (Which was the name of the step they were learning at the time.) That gave Orbie a good chuckle. Chris later told Shirley “that’s the first time I’ve heard him laugh like that since Helen died.” According to Orbie, “She was after me.” According to Shirley, “He didn’t stand a chance.” The rest is history. Shirley and Orbie chose to tie the knot again right there at the Senior Center where they met. A Baptist minister married the couple, and about 75 family members and close friends attended the service. Orbie’s grandson Chris was his best man, and Shirley’s daughter Cindy was her Maid of Honor. A touching twist to the wedding is Shirley wore Cindy’s wedding dress and in exchange, Cindy wore Shirley’s Motherof-the-Bride dress that she wore in Cindy’s wedding. In essence, they swapped dresses! Since the wedding, Shirley and Orbie have taken many trips together including their honeymoon cruise to the Panama Canal, and another cruise along the California coast. They still dance together almost every weekend, and this Valentine’s Day they plan to enjoy dinner with their daughters at The Club. Mary and Walt Now let me introduce you to Mary Gilmore Novak. Mary is in her eighties, was born and raised in Birmingham. She was married to her husband Robert for 43 years until he passed away. Mary graduated from Woodlawn High School and spent most of her career working for the federal government. She has 3 sons and 7 grandchildren. All live here in Birmingham. And Walt. Walt is also in his eighties. He was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. After graduating from Michigan State, he went into the Army and worked in Missile Intelligence until he retired. Walt lived in many places including Michigan, Florida, Huntsville, and California before moving to Birmingham. Walt has 3 children and 4 grandchildren. All live here in Birmingham. Mary and Walt also met at the Heardmont Senior Center. “Almost everyone here has lost their spouse,” says Mary. “Time is their best ally (when it comes to healing.)” Although her eyes are failing, Mary’s mind is sharp as a tack. “I can remember the day I met Walt like it happened just a few minutes ago,” she said.

Orbie and Shirley Mays Mary was at the center participating in square dancing. There weren’t many men dancing, and Walt had been in a square dance club in California prior to coming to Alabama. “A man who could dance was a hot commodity,” admits Mary. They danced some, talked some and shut the place down with a few others. But Mary didn’t think much of it. Later one Saturday evening at the Saginaw community dance center, she walked up to the door to enter. There stood Walt with another couple Mary knew. In her greeting, she hugged all of them, including Walt. The rest is history. They sat together the entire evening, talking and dancing. He called her the next morning and they agreed to start dating. A few months later Walt took a trip with his sons to the beach. He called Mary every day and they missed each other greatly. As soon as he got back to Birmingham he picked up the phone and without even saying hello he told Mary, “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” When he got to her door he told her “I’m telling you right now, I’m not leaving this town ever again without you.” Mary responded, “I’m telling you right now, you’re not leaving this town ever again without me!” They were married a few months later at Bluff Park United Methodist Church. The funny twist to this story is it took Mary several tries before she found a minister who would marry them right away. Most wanted them to go through the required 6 to 8 week marriage prep course. Mary said, “we might not live that long!” To date they have been happily married 7 years and 5 months. “He’s been a wonderful husband and I love him dearly,” says Mary. “She’s been a very good wife,” says Walt. And together they agree they “feel very blessed.” So could it be that some people are blessed with two soul mates in one lifetime? Could it be that just when you think your heart won’t mend, God sends someone into your life that actually makes it grow? According to Shirley, “It’s different. It’s something that can never be replaced. But I could never replace Orbie either. You just can’t compare the two.” Mary adds, “They are just so different. They have different personalities. My first husband was more outgoing, but he’s the father of my children. Walt is more reserved and such a good man. I’m just so blessed. I really am.” So here’s to tying a “double knot.” Here’s to finding new love and new companionship. May God fill your hearts with abundant and overflowing love. And may you have a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Mt Laurel Dog Park now open for sniffing Valentine’s Day Special Shampoo, Cut and Style with a Classic Facial

$75

Expires February 28th

thehavensalon.net

Thanks to the consistent efforts of Ted Kluz, and the financial support of a handful of dog lovers, Mt Laurel is now home to its very own residential dog park. Mr. Kluz, a retired American History professor, was on a trip with his wife to Nashville when they first Mt Laurel dog park supporters celebrate opening spotted a dog park. He thought to himself how much his own dog “Maverick” donated by Ebsco, Inc. and the location would love to romp and roam in such a was designated. Now, all the park needed place. Later when he was on a business was a fenced-in perimeter, a few aesthetics, trip to Kansas, he actually had his canine and the ever-so-important pooper-scooper companion with him. However, this time trash bin. And you know how the saying when he came upon a dog park, he let his goes, “If you build it, they will come.” dog have at it! Apparently both dog and Mt Laurel canines are now the lucky owner had a great time, because it was then recipients of their very own mingling spot! that he thought to himself, “we got to have Hours of operation are dawn to dusk. Dogs this at home.” must be up to date on shots, and obviously, So after much persuading, well-mannered. Owners are responsible for landowners and developers of Mt. Laurel leaving the park “present-free.” finally agreed with Ted. The land was

www.280living.com

February 2010

Estate Planning Red Flag

DHL

FedEx

UPS

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Your Child is on the Title to Your Home or Other Assets by L.B. Feld, Esq. One of the most common, and costly, estate planning mistakes is to own property jointly with your child. Many people hold property – such as homes, bank L.B. Feld accounts and investments – with their children as joint tenants with right of survivorship. Their goal is to avoid probate and to ensure that when they die the property is transferred to their child automatically without the need for a Will or other estate planning vehicle. There are several potential problems with this approach! • Unless you purchase real estate together with your child, adding his or her name to the title is considered an immediate taxable gift of half of the property’s value. This gift may necessitate the ﬁling of a Federal Gift Tax return and have future consequences for both estate and gift tax purposes.

• As soon as your child becomes a joint owner, the property is exposed to claims by his or her creditors or could be “caughtup” in a messy divorce. • While joint cash accounts with your child are not considered a gift, your child may gain access to such bank accounts, and can dispose of them without your consent or knowledge. • For other assets, such as real estate, you may not be able to sell or borrow against that property without your child’s consent and signature. • Your one child receives the property immediately when you die, even if he or she lacks the maturity to manage it, or may be one of several children. • When you die, 100% of the property’s value will be included in your taxable estate even though probate is avoided. • Your child can step up the basis on 100% of

the property that is included in your estate. If any portion of the property is deemed to be your child’s share, there would be no step-up in basis for that portion of the property. Another potential problem with joint tenancy is that you may unintentionally disinherit a family member. Suppose, for example, that you and your spouse each have one child and several grandchildren from previous marriages. After you die, your spouse adds both children to the title to the family home as joint tenants with right of survivorship. If your child dies before your spouse’s child, the latter will become sole owner of the home when your spouse dies, effectively disinheriting your grandchildren. All of the problems previously discussed can be avoided with one or more common estate planning techniques. The distribution of investment accounts and cash deposits can avoid probate through the use of carefully drafted Transfer on Death (“TOD”) or Pay on Death (“POD”) designations. A Revocable Management Trust (i.e., a “living trust”) can avoid probate while acting as a Will substitute directing the distribution of assets, etc. You must carefully weigh the pros and cons of joint ownership with a child.

Nick Saban Head Football Coach, University of Alabama by Steve Pryor

Second Quarter For April, get your investments straight. What do you own? Why do you own it? How are you doing? May is about insurance. Do a full review. What do you own? Why do you own it? Is there a better way? In June, read a book. Knowledge is power. Understanding gives insight and perspective to every decision.

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The information contained herein should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion with respect to any speciﬁc facts or circumstances, and is not to be used as a substitute for the advice of counsel

“It’s a process.“

First Quarter In January, set goals and priorities. What keeps you worried about money? What changes in your ﬁnances would make you happy? For February, ﬁnd a trusted advisor. Everyone needs help. Trusted means trusted (not smartest, richest or most impressive). The job in March is to plan for taxes. Uncle Sam will be trying very hard to take more of your money.

The Love Experts at Pakmail can help!

L.B. Feld is a shareholder at Feld, Hyde, Wertheimer, Bryant and Stone P.C. L.B’s practice focuses on the representation of closely-held businesses and their owners, assisting with their individual estate, wealth transfer and business succession planning. For questions or comments you may contact him at: lbfeld@feldhyde.com. To learn more about Feld Hyde, visit its website at www.feldhyde.com.

4 Quarters Process When you look at the challenges in today’s ﬁnancial world, do you feel like an underdog? What would it take to make you a winner? Recruiting the best, coming up with the right schemes and ﬁnishing everything you do with a purpose could put you into a whole different league. But you must buy into the process:

Need to send a little LOVE for Valentine’s?

Third Quarter Establish or update your will in July. Pass your life savings efﬁciently to those you love. In August, establish or update a durable power of attorney. Modern advances in medicine create complicated choices. Use September to take care of any special family needs. Every family is the same, every family is different. Fourth Quarter Get serious in October. Plan to get rid of all debt. The borrower shall be slave to the lender. November’s job is to have a review meeting with your advisor. What do you own? Why do you own it? How are you doing? December: Develop a giving plan before Christmas. Giving can pay dividends that saving and investing cannot. Your family and friends are watching. Following this process over the next four quarters could make you feel like a ﬁnancial champion. And it should not take three years. TAX/LEGAL ADVICE Neither NEXT Financial Group, Inc. nor its representatives offer tax or legal advice. Please consult your tax or legal professional before taking any action.

Pryor McCormick, 3000 Riverchase Galleria, Suite 750, Birmingham, AL 35244, (205) 986-0060. Securities offered through NEXT Financial Group, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Pryor McCormick is not an afﬁliate of NEXT Financial Group, Inc

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| Young At Heart

February 2010

Director of Engineering named at Somerby Mark Shoemaker has been named director of engineering for Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen according to Michael Mays, president and chief operating ofﬁcer of Dominion Properties’ Somerby Senior Living division. Shoemaker was formerly with Dominion’s Somerby at Mobile. He has more than 29 years of residential maintenance engineering experience in apartments, condominiums and senior living communities. The active retirement community is in partnership with St. Vincent’s Health System and shares a campus with St.

FEBRUARY 2010 HEARDMONT PARK SENIOR CENTER CALENDAR

SPECIAL FEBRUARY EVENTS:

FebÊ 4Ê Ð Ê KickÊ OffÊ toÊ AlabamaÊ BigÊ ReadÊ withÊ BeckyÊ ofÊ HarrisonÊ Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê RegionalÊ LibraryÊ Ð Ê TomÊ Sawyer FebÊ 9Ê Ð Ê NewÊ BeaconÊ BloodÊ PressureÊ &Ê BloodÊ SugarÊ Clinic FebÊ 10Ê Ð Ê BearÊ BryantÊ MuseumÊ /Ê CityÊ CafŽ Ê OutingÊ (100Ê thingsÊ toÊ Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê eatÊ inÊ Alabama) FebÊ 11Ê Ð Ê SweetsÊ ForÊ MyÊ Sweets FebÊ 17Ê Ð Ê ComputerÊ ClassÊ -Ê Ê QuestionsÊ &Ê Answers FebÊ 18Ê Ð Ê KmartÊ /Ê FiveÊ GuysÊ Outing FebÊ 23Ê Ð Ê AmericanÊ DiabeticÊ SupplyÊ Ð Ê FreeÊ Monitors NOTE:Ê *ItemsÊ indicateÊ aÊ nominalÊ fee.Ê $2Ê perÊ personÊ suggestedÊ mealÊ donationÊ Ð Ê pleaseÊ reserveÊ mealsÊ inÊ advance.Ê OutingsÊ areÊ limitedÊ toÊ 12Ê people,Ê soÊ signÊ upÊ early. NOTE:Ê ThisÊ monthÊ youÊ canÊ callÊ toÊ makeÊ yourÊ appointmentÊ forÊ AARPÊ taxÊ assistance.Ê HelpÊ isÊ availableÊ startingÊ FebruaryÊ 9thÊ onÊ TuesdaysÊ &Ê Thursdays.Ê YouÊ mustÊ beÊ aÊ seniorÊ adultÊ andÊ makeÊ anÊ appointment. CenterÊ Manager:Ê TheresaÊ Green Hours:Ê Mon-Fri,Ê 9am-3pm PhoneÊ (205)Ê 991-5742 FaxÊ (205)Ê 991-5657 Email:Ê heardmontpark@hotmail.comÊ

(every) MONDAY 9:30Ê -Ê 10:30Ê Ê TaiÊ Chi 9:30Ê -Ê 12:00Ê Ê MahÊ Jongg 10:30Ê -Ê 12:00Ê Ê Dominoes 11:30Ê -Ê 3:00Ê Ê Canasta 12:00Ê Ê Lunch

(every) TUESDAY

10:00Ê -Ê 11:00Ê Ê ChairÊ AerobicsÊ &Ê YogaÊ StretchÊ withÊ Janice 11:00Ê -Ê 12:00Ê Ê BibleÊ Study 11:00Ê Ê LaughterÊ YogaÊ withÊ BeckyÊ (3rdÊ Tuesday) 12:00Ê Ê LunchÊ (withÊ TomÊ SawyerÊ readingÊ startingÊ 2ndÊ Tuesday) 1:00 - 3:00 Letʼs Wii

(every) WEDNESDAY

9:00Ê -Ê 12:00Ê Ê BridgeÊ Club 11:00Ê Ê -Ê 11:45Ê Ê PilatesÊ Ê 12:00Ê Ê Lunch 1:00Ê Ð Ê 2:00Ê Ê *BallroomÊ Dancing

(every) THURSDAY

10:00Ê -Ê 11:00Ê Ê ExerciseÊ withÊ DonnaÊ 12:00Ê Ê Lunch 1:00Ê Ê -Ê Ê 3:00Ê Ê *AcrylicÊ PaintÊ ClassÊ (1stÊ &Ê 3rdÊ Thursday)

(every) FRIDAY

9:30Ê -Ê 10:30Ê Ê IntermediateÊ LineÊ DancingÊ 10:30Ê Ê -Ê Ê 11:30Ê Ê BeginnerÊ LineÊ Dancing

Listen to Music by Marlene Buckler, MD FACEP

I have loved music for as long as I can remember. My earliest recollections are from a time when I was very small and I used to sing “Good Night, Irene” to anyone who would ask. And apparently people asked because my mother has told me that one day when her good friend called on the phone I said, “If that is that Marge Randall again, I am not singing “Good Night, Irene!” I was three. Though I do not remember that particular incident, I do remember, from that time, riding my little tricycle through the neighborhood singing, to the delight of the folks in the various houses. Alas, though I was a neighborhood celebrity and later an enthusiastic participant in school music concerts and the church choir, and my mother insisted on piano lessons long past the time I was having fun at it, I never became a music star. It was the sheer enjoyment of music, not any ambition to make a career of it that engaged me. My tastes are eclectic, everything from classics to easy listening, Broadway, new age, big band and country. I love it all. Music has been shown to diminish stress levels, lower blood pressure and pulse rate and improve mood. It is as effective as, and much healthier for you than drugs designed for those purposes. Any time I have felt particularly stressed, angry, sad, or otherwise negative in any way, I have been easily changed to a calm and content state after listening to some

of my favorite music for a few minutes. I have also found that music can get me going in the mornings, inspire me to walk a little faster and longer and do resistance workouts when I put on some upbeat tunes through my Walkman or IPOD. So many people today say they are under stress. Modern life does have its moments and types of stress unknown a century ago. But music can ease stress and help return physiological parameters back to normal. Depending on the situation, upbeat music can bring a smile to the face and a spring to the step, and soft soothing music can calm the savage beast. Music is the cheap man’s tranquilizer and, for my money, it beats anything else on the market. So the next time you are feeling down, the next time life throws you a curve ball and you feel like the universe is conspiring against you, listen to some music, preferably your favorite type. Allow the melody to permeate your soul, let it transport your mind to a different place, let the beauty of the notes and the instruments infuse into your very cells and feel the healing power of music. About the author: Marlene Buckler, MD, FACEP is an emergency room doctor, and a Fellow in the American College of Emergency Physicians (ECEP). She has been practicing emergency medicine for ﬁfteen years. www.StayOutofMyER.com 2009 Marlene Buckler, MD, FACEP. (Reprinted with permission from Steve Van Gilder’s Lifestyles Newsletter. For questions regarding long term care insurance, contact Steve at 205-243-4417.)

Grey Power

By Frank Holden In the US, a person who lives to be sixty-ﬁve years old is almost twice as likely to see ninety as his or her parents. In 1965 14% of those who lived to 65 years old, lived to be 90 years old or older. Today, that percentage has jumped to 25%. By 2050 it is estimated that forty percent of adults reaching age sixty-ﬁve will live to ninety or older. No wonder lawmakers and policy makers are confused about how to plan for health care, retirement housing, and senior services. Today seniors make up 21% of the American population. By 2030 seniors will constitute nearly one-third of all American adults! One major shift in attitude among this aging group of citizens is that either by choice or necessity they do not want to be inactive. More and more seniors have opted to continue working past historical retirement age. More and more are volunteering their time and expertise to the community. In fact, nearly half of seniors over the age of 55 volunteered for at least one project last year. Even among the 75 and older crowd, at least 43% volunteered for a church, community, or club project.

Mind Control by Marlene Buckler, MD FACEP

I often see patients in the ER who have gotten into trouble because of consequences of their own actions. It seems in some cases that if they had simply taken another approach, thought different thoughts, felt different thoughts, felt different feelings, they could have avoided ending up in the ER. In that sense, much of the misery I see is because of the mind. So, if you could control your mind, could you control your life? What controls your mind? Is it your environment, genetics, personal relationships, where you live, what job you have, your family, your boss? What? Your thoughts can be inﬂuenced by all of the above, but they can be controlled by only you. No one else can control your thoughts. Isn’t that a good thing to know! Your thoughts can be changed. You, and no one else, can choose to change them. If negative feelings occur you can change those feelings by changing your thoughts. Feelings are your guide to the kind of thoughts you’re having.

Vincent’s One Nineteen Health & Wellness Center in Hoover. Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen exclusively incorporates Masterpiece Living® into its culture by providing residents an opportunity to create their own plan for aging. About Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen The rental community is owned and managed by Somerby Senior Living, the senior living services subsidiary of Dominion Partners, headquartered in Birmingham. The principals of Dominion Partners have been actively involved in the ownership and development of senior living communities for more than 20 years, including communities located in Alpharetta, Ga.; Mount Pleasant, S.C.; and Mobile, Ala.

A staggering 1.1 billion hours were contributed by those 75 and older last year alone! According to AARP, seniors view being active as a way to stay healthy. And, they are right. The Hart Research Associates firm reports that less than a quarter of retirement-age adults want retirement to be focused on leisure activities. The AARP publication “Staying Ahead of the Curve” cites this phenomenon as “the third age”…a new life-stage between adulthood and old age. Alabama reflects similar statistics as the rest of the country. Alabama seniors are more active and more actively engaged in the community than ever before. In a time when unemployment rates are peaking and economic opportunity seems to be stagnant, even many employers are reaching out to the senior community for educated and experienced help. And, these seniors seem more than willing to oblige in both paid and volunteer capacities. Maybe grey hair is finally getting the respect it deserves! For information regarding resources for seniors and opportunities to serve the community, contact Frank Holden at the Assisted Living Association of Alabama. www.alaaweb.org Sometimes you’re unaware of your thoughts. If you’re feeling angry, frustrated, sad, depressed, etc. it is because you are thinking thoughts that result in those feelings. Your feelings let you know what kind of thoughts you are having, so that’s good. If you are aware that you are having bad thoughts you can change them. How can you always know? Well, bad thoughts make you feel bad, and good thoughts make you feel good. It is impossible to feel bad while having good thoughts, such as love, gratitude, generosity, appreciation for nature, compassion and tolerance for others, etc. Changing your environment by listening to music, reading or watching motivational videos on YouTube, going for a walk or run, looking at flowers, etc. can all be useful in changing from bad thoughts to good ones. Ultimately you can learn to change your thoughts without any outside influence, by changing the internal “environment”. You always have a choice to feel bad, or to feel good. Which one do you want? About the author: Marlene Buckler, MD, FACEP is an emergency room doctor, and a Fellow in the ACEP. Learn more about a healthy lifestyle at www. StayOutofMyER.co (Reprinted with permission from Steve Van Gilder’s Lifestyles Newsletter. For questions regarding long term care insurance, contact Steve at 205-243-4417.)

Ò Keeping You in the Independence & Comfort of Your Own HomeÓ 205-981-1800 13521 Old Hwy 280 Suite 153 • Birmingham, AL. 35242

Email: centralalabama@comfortkeepers.com • www.comfortkeepers.com

www.280living.com

Greystone YMCA making Strong Kids!

Each year thousands of local YMCA branches across North America provide positive, healthy activities for children, young people, adults and entire families – even if they can’t afford to pay the full associated fees. Investment in your local YMCA not only helps kids and their families but also leads to a more productive and safe community for everyone. Outreach and ﬁnancial assistance provided by YMCA requires additional funds each year, and this is the reason for the “Strong Kids & Communities Annual Support Program.” Individual YMCA branches set a goal to raise money to offset this valuable program. This year, the Greystone YMCA branch goal is $25,000. According to Pat Tate, Executive Director YMCA Greystone Branch, “The actual campaign begins February 1st and ends March 15th. I am proud to say that our Board of Directors and staff have already raised over $16,000 towards our 2010 goal. We don’t ‘fundraise,’ we ‘friendraise!’ Our campaigners are storytellers – people who actually tell the YMCA story and the importance of why we raise these needed funds.” “We are blessed to live in an afﬂuent area, but there are still many needs among the families that reside along the 280 corridor,” says board member Glen Andrew. He adds, “unlike many other fund raising efforts, 100% of all donations

CPR, etc.) •Weekly Summer Camp •Membership (financial assistance) •Single parents with kid(s) Mr. Andrew states, “Our goal is that ‘No one will ever be turned away due to the inability to pay.’ In fulfilling our mission to put Judeo-Christian principles into practice that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all, Greystone YMCA actively seeks to involve those in need.” Last year the Greystone branch assisted over 444 kids and families in our area. “If we can provide kids with the positive experiences they need to grow into successful adults then we are all winners! The YMCA program has been proven time and time again to do just that!” states Mr. Andrew. In addition, the APSO (Alabama Power Service Organization) is sponsoring a “Power Run” on March 6th that will benefit the Greystone and Trussville branches. The run will feature an 8k, 5k, 1 mile fun run, and a half-mile “Strong Kids” run. The event will take place at Trussville Mall. To register, contact Shane Powell at (205) 2261263, or email ropowell@southernco.com, or visit http://apso.southernco.com. If you do not already enjoy a YMCA membership, you are invited to stop by and discover all the exciting things happening at your local branch. You can see firsthand your donation(s) at work. To make a donation toward this worthy cause, or to apply for a YMCA membership, please contact Kristin Harris at (205) 981-0144 or log onto www. ymcabham.org.

Boy Scouts of America

(The above wording was taken from a letter written by Judge Mal Street/Chairman of the Board, Fran Buchan/Council Commissioner, and Tim Cooper/Scout Executive written to all the Scouting units serving the greater Birmingham area in preparation of the 100th Year Anniversary celebration.)

Some special events taking place include: • A contest for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts to produce a photo or video (or both) celebrating Scouting’s 100th birthday. Winning videos will be placed on YouTube. • Scouts will participate in the Good Turn/ Scouting for Food Campaign titled “100 Tons for 100 Years” where the Greater Alabama Council is partnering with the Salvation Army Food Bank to collect canned and non-perishable food items. • Scout Sunday/Scout Sabbath – on or around February 7th, Scouts are asked to attend their church service, help with ushering and greeting, display their ﬂags,

| Young At Heart

comes here, stays here and works here!” The YMCA (Greystone Branch) meets many of these local needs every day through various programs such as: •After School Care •Swimming Lessons •Summer Day Camp •Youth Sports •Teen Training (babysitting,

February marks 100th Anniversary for “In 1916, the US Congress chartered the Boy Scouts of America as a youth development. Since that time, over two million scouts have earned their Eagle Scout status nation-wide. This year will mark 100 years of Boys Scouts of America carrying out its mission of serving the public of this great country with Scouting values. These are also American values that stand ﬁrm behind a healthy and strong republic – the United States of America! The Boy Scout mission is to make better adults, husbands, wives, mothers and fathers for the next generation.”

February 2010

stand to be recognized, and help collect the weekly offerings. • Throughout the year, Boy Scout Troops can compete in a marketing excellence contest. Categories include Best Media Scrapbook, Best Unit WebPages, and Best Unit Newsletter. The contest is designed to promote scouting during the 100th Anniversary year. In addition the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will receive an incredible honor from the United States Postal Service in the form of a “Celebrate Scouting” stamp. A tribute to the impact of a century of Scouting on the American landscape, the stamp will become widely available during the summer of 2010. Continuing the BSA’s long tradition of service and good turns, the Celebrate Scouting stamp will be used to send letters and care packages to the military men and women serving our country overseas and to the many veterans who have honorably served our country throughout the years. The Scout Oath states: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. And the Scout Law is: A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Who wouldn’t want to help celebrate 100 years of such an honorable American institution? There are all sorts of ways to get involved. Simply visit www.1bsa.

David B. Wilhelm, M.D. and

Karin B. Rock, M.D.

of Greystone Internal Medicine, P.C. welcome

Shanon R. Jernigan, M.D. to their practice.

Now accepting new patients

Greystone Internal Medicine, P.C. 101 Missionary Ridge, Suite 200 995-2260

Huckabay’s Fine Things

Spring is blooming at Huckabay's

We have many new Spring and Summer items arriving daily 5520 Hwy 280 Suite 3 Just up the hill from Greystone Center

205-437-8470

Huckabays@hotmail.com

open Tues-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-4

| February 2010

THE NEW FINE ART DESTINATION ON 280 February Events:

Feb 13 Saturday Valentine Salon

1-5 PM, featuring Deb Paradise and Nancy Burleson with Valentine oriented creations.

Feb 28 Sunday Salon Art

Bring this ad for a FREE gift.

Interlude 1-5 PM, featuring Don Estes and John Shadrick, Realism and Various f-stops. Village at Lee Branch 701 Doug Baker Blvd Suite 111

(205) 991- 5151 Arton280.com

Diana’s Salon

Valentine Special - Chi Flatiron - Only $140.00!! Pureology and Redken Gift Sets Gift Certificates 5291 Valleydale Rd, Suite 137

205.995.7147

See our website for current special offers:

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Looking For the Perfect Piece?

Lawn and Landscape Projects You Can Implement Now by Fred Kapp, Educational Liaison The Alabama Green Industry Training Center Though we still have a good deal of cold weather in front of us this year, this is a great time to begin lots of projects in your lawn and landscape. If you need to add a few plants, February is a really good month to do so as roots will have a time to grow in before hot weather arrives. Contact your County Extension Agent, a licensed landscape designer or spend some time at your local nursery to find out what will do well in this area. One key to remember is that plant performance is greatly influenced by soil preparation. In short, dig wide planting beds and pulverize the soil thoroughly. Plants should be planted slightly above ground level to allow for proper root development. Most research indicates that peat moss and composts don’t do much to help the soil and fertilizer is not needed at planting. Any organic matter should be reserved for several inches of pine straw or bark as mulch. Recent rainy weather has reemphasized how poorly drained our clay soils are, so either pick plants that will handle excess water or work to raise the beds and increase drainage. If areas are very wet at times, you will have more luck with iteas and buckeyes than junipers and azaleas. One way to increase drainage near the foundation is to tie your downspouts in to plastic pipe and have the water go to a rain garden. Rain gardens, if installed properly, help alleviate area flooding and recharge the ground water. To help more in that arena, plant some trees! Trees help increase water penetration into the soil over thirty times as much as a lawn. There are so many great trees for our area, but consider an Overcup or Nuttall Oak, a Chinese elm, southern magnolia or one of the many red maple cultivars available from a landscaper or nursery. Consider carefully how large trees may get and place them at least 15’ from your home’s foundation. If you live in a one-story home, ‘Natchez’ crape myrtles produce a great canopy and rarely cause damage after storms. Trees also help cut cooling bills in the summer, filter the air and produce lots of oxygen.

This is also a very good time to take a soil sample and mail it to the Soil Testing Lab in Auburn. Soil test kits are available at the County Extension Service offices along with directions and mailer boxes. When your results are returned you will know how much lime, phosphorous and potassium the soil needs to grow a proper lawn, vegetable garden or flowering shrub. Liming and fertilization, without a soil test, is more guess work than science and leads to over application, plant death and environmental concerns. Studies indicate that some urban landscapes receive dozens of times more fertilizer than highly productive farmland. This “luxury consumption” causes plants to have more pest problems, become cold damaged and usually pollute our streams and groundwater. If you plan to have new flower or vegetable beds next year, this is a good time to break the soil up, pulverize it with the shovel and allow it to be exposed to the effects of freezing and thawing. Doing this prep work now is so much easier as the ground is moist and the temperatures cooler. As long as the ground is not wet, your preparation now will be much more thorough and have great results. In this case, you probably want to add composted leaves, manures or any organic matter you can find. Both annual and vegetable plantings respond well to increased organic matter in the soil. Clean up. Pick up and compost leaves and small stems, prune your deciduous trees like crape myrtles and Japanese maples. Maybe add a thin layer of pine bark or straw to neaten and define your planting beds. Although we mainly think of sanitation in terms of esthetics, cleaning up dead leaves and stems is a good way to help break the disease cycle in plants like roses and Indian hawthorn. As a final effort, try to apply light horticultural oil to all your shrubs and trees anytime the temperatures are not forecast to be below forty degrees for the next twenty-four hours. Oil sprays, when applied according to the label do a very good job of killing insect eggs such as lace bugs, aphids and scales. Plants like maples, oaks, azalea, crape myrtle and gardenia really respond well to oil sprays. Spraying now, with less toxic oils, will lessen the need for more toxic options during the growing season. For more information, email fkapp@bellsouth.net.

Vestavia Country Club serves Debutantes 900 Fabrics and leather to choose from

Accessories on Wheels Our decorators love helping you complete your space and transform your home. Drop by the store and ask about our “Accessories on Wheels” program. Located at The Village at Lee Branch

980-1898

Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am -6pm

www.pastperfectstore.com

After the Poinsettia Ball on December 29th, 2009, a breakfast was given at Vestavia Country Club for all the Poinsettia Debutantes, their dates and for guests of those hosting the party. The Debs sponsoring the breakfast were Tatum Henley, Kathryn Davis, Katie Moses, Jill Spratlin, Rebekah Steelman, Amanda Moreland, Melissa Howell, Alex Fey, and Allie Looney. An old fashioned Southern breakfast was served at midnight and was enjoyed by all after a night of festivities and dancing.

www.280living.com

February 2010

God Came As One of Us By Pastor Edd Spencer

Winter has really come to Alabama this year. In the past several weeks all of us have felt the cold winds and low freezing Edd Spencer temperatures. In fact, all of God’s creation has experienced this winter weather. A few days ago a group of birds were hitting against our kitchen window. They were uncomfortable outside and trying to find relief in our warm home. This experience reminded me of a story. There was a man on a cold winter night who made himself comfortable in his easy chair to read a favorite book. After a while he began to hear strange sounds hitting his house. He put down his book and started to explore. He looked outside and discovered it was birds trying to come into his living room through the large picture window. They were being drawn by the light and must have thought that they could come in. He tried to tap on the window and encourage them to go away. It did not help. Next, he attempted to make a noise and flay his arms, suggesting that they fly away. It was no use. The birds obviously wanted to come into the warmth of the house and away from the cold of the night. Then he had an idea. He would go out into the barn and open the door. Then he would turn on the light and surely they would go into the barn and stay the night? So he bundled himself up, put on his boots, and made his way out into the cold night toward the barn. He opened both doors as wide as they would go, turned on the light, and began to call the birds. He was hoping that the birds would see the light and make their way into the warm and cozy barn.

But they refused to come in and continued to hit themselves up against the picture window. In an attempt to get their attention, he started calling them. This frightened the birds and they would not come. He thought to himself, “Don’t they know that I am trying to help them? Don’t they know that I am not going to hurt them?” He called out, “It is okay, it is safe and warm in here. I am not going to hurt you.” The birds still would not come. With a sigh he said, “If only I were a bird. I would be able to communicate with them. I would be able to share with the birds that I am trying to help them to be safe. If I became a bird, I could tell them about the warm barn and show them the way.” At that moment, the church bells rang in the distance. The man paused for a second and listened to the music of the bells lifting up the joy of Jesus. And for the very ﬁrst time in his life he ﬁnally understood what God did. God came to earth as one of us, so that He could communicate with us. God came in the form of Jesus to show us the way of the light and warmth of His love. He came to help us and show us how to be safe from the cold storms of life. We need to hear this message again and again. The message that God cares enough to come and be one of us. To enter the place where we live and bring light to the dark spots of our lives that we cannot seem to light on our own. To bring the warmth of His Spirit anywhere and everywhere we go. So God is here now in the Spirit of Jesus. Let us receive Him daily so that we can stay warm in His love.

About the author: You can reach Pastor Edd Spencer at First Christian Church, 4954 Valleydale Road, Birmingham, AL 35242. www.fcc-bhm.org, 205-9915000.

North Shelby Children’s/Teen Department February Happenings 2010

Special Programming Mondays, February 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd – 3:15-4:15pm: “Sit, Stay, Read!” A nonproﬁt organization through Hand-in-Paw dedicated to providing volunteer services to children. Sit, Stay, Read! brings children together with specially trained dogs to help them gain more conﬁdence in their reading abilities in an individual setting at the North Shelby library that is supportive, relaxed, and furry! Thursday, February 11th – 4:00 p.m.: Fancy Nancy Valentine’s Party – Ladies and Gentlemen, you are cordially invited to a Fancy Nancy Valentine’s Party, where we will have special treats, read some stories, make a craft, and learn some resplendent French words. Ages 2 and up welcome. Registration Required. Registration begins January 19th. Limit 20. Tuesday, February 16th – 4 p.m.: Craft – Mardi Gras Tambourine - Come to the library and make a little noise with this fabulous Mardi Gras craft. Registration begins Tuesday, February 2nd. All Ages. Registration Required. – 1 p.m.: Wednesday, February 17th “Homeschool Hangout: PSI: Ancient Egypt” Help uncover secrets from the past. Ages 8-12. Registration Required. Saturday, February 27th – 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Family Movie Day – G-Force Join Darwin, Blaster, Juarez and Hurley – highly trained guinea pigs – as they race against the clock to save the world. All Ages. Snacks served.

Story-Time Programming Toddler Tales Mondays, February 1st, 8th, and 15th - 10:30 & 11:30 a.m.: Stories, songs, ﬁngerplays and crafts make up a lively 30 minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration will begin one week prior to each storytime. Ages 18-36 months. Registration Required. Baby Tales Story Time Tuesdays, February 9th and 23rd – 10:3011:00 a.m.

A story time designed especially for babies and their caregivers. Stories and music provide interaction for the babies and time for caregivers to talk and share with each other. No siblings please. Ages: Birth to 18 months. Registration Required. Registration begins two weeks prior to program date. Mr. Mac (Storyteller Extraordinaire!) Wednesdays, February 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th at 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets, and lots of music for every member of the family. All Ages. No Registration Required. P. J. Story Time Thursdays, February 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th at 7 p.m. Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies, and hear some wonderful bedtime tales. All Ages. No Registration Required. Call or email the Children’s Department at 439-5504 or NorthShelbyYouth@gmail.com for more information.

Teen Scene @NSL Teen Book Club - February 8th @ 6pm The Teen Book Club will meet to discuss what members are currently reading. Be sure to stop by and let us know what you’ve read lately and your opinion! To participate, grab a book and start reading! Snacks served. Teen Writer’s Club/Teen Advisory Group - February 22nd @ 6pm This group is for aspiring writers and people who want to improve their writing skills. Bring what you are working on to share with fellow members and offer suggestions for other works. Also, you can earn community service credit by participating with our Teen Advisory Group. Pizza and drinks served. Teen Book Pick of the Month - Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook The Month of February – Online Book Club Want to ﬁnd another teen book to read? Sign up at www.northshelbylibrary. org to get started. Call or email Katie or Lori at 439-5512 or nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org for more information about teen events.

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February 2010

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280 Living “Best

Snowman”

Southern

Photo Contest

Gather your mittens, your toboggans, your scarves, your corncob pipes, and your button noses – it’s time to make a snowman! That’s right! According to Mark Prater, Chief Meteorologist at CBS 42, “We’re in for a longer winter than usual. The chance of more snow is certainly reasonable for this year! January through March are our best months for any snow in Alabama. I think a couple of light accumulating snows are possible in Central Alabama before we warm up for Spring.” So, chances are, you’ll have the opportunity to play in the snow this winter! To enter the contest email a photo of your snowman to mailbox@280Living. com within a week of our next snow event. Give your snowman a name, and

be sure to include your name and contact information. You can put yourself in the photo too if you’d like. We’ll publish the photo of the best- looking, most creative snowman in the next available issue of 280 Living! This is, of course, all dependent upon our next snowfall… and Mark Prater was careful to add, “But, then again, don’t trust me...I’m a weatherman! :) hahahaha.” Keep your fingers crossed!

Toys for Tots Shopping Spree By Pam Holton Oak Mountain Middle School capped off its annual “Toys for Tots” charity drive in a spectacular shopping trip at Toys-R-Us on December 17. The OMMS National Junior Honor Society spent over $27,000 in a matter of hours to benefit the US Marine Corps Christmas charity. The students shopped for electronics, toys, stuffed animals and games at “Toys R Us” and the “New Latitude” moving company supplied the large moving van for transporting the goodies to the school. An afternoon assembly followed with the toys on display for the whole school to see. The US Marine Corp was on hand to accept the truckload of toys for their “Toys for Tots” program. Lauren Gingras, Amy Grimes and Chad Burdett are sponsors of the OMMS National Junior Honor Society.

Pictured: (l-r) Sponsors Amy Grimes and Lauren Gingras, Peyton Lee, Zach Barton, Sponsor Chad Burdett, David Hill, Paige Dunton, Lisa Guraya, Kayla Smith, Gemma Garcia, and Lauren Jones.

My South |

by Rick Watson

Miss my brothers

February is always a little sad for me. My baby brother, who died in 2000, was born on February 15 and my older brother Neil died February 13, 1994. Both died way too young and I’ve never really gotten over losing them. My baby brother Darrin was fourteen years younger than me, and I left home a few years after he was born. So due to the age difference, we didn’t have as much history as I had with my older brother Neil. Neil was about seven years older than me, which was just the right age to keep me in line. Neil was a good kid but he had a mean streak that came out now and then. My parents bought him a Benjamin Franklin pellet gun when he was about 16, and he immediately proclaimed himself god over the other kids in the neighborhood. Not THE God, but in those days he was the god of firepower, and anyone who didn’t like it could talk to Mr. Franklin. When he pumped that thing up five or six times, he probably could have brought down an elk. But when he pumped it once or twice, it only left a nasty whelp on your the rear end. I know this from experience. He used this mode for behavior management. One spring day after he got Ol’ Ben, I was being a total pain and Neil decided it was time for a little attitude adjustment. He pumped a little air in the chamber and popped me on my left thigh. It felt like I had just been stung by a hornet! I headed straight for the house to rat him out to mother. Mother was judge and jury in such matters, and while she often fought back the urge to choke me herself, I knew she would take a dim view of his approach to

behavior modification. She would make him pay dearly, and I smiled to myself at the thought. Neil headed me off at the pass and tried to derail my mission. “Come on you little baby! That didn’t hurt!” he sneered. I could often be swayed when my maturity was questioned, but this time I was undeterred. My mom was on the back porch feeding blue jeans through the wringer of the old Maytag washer. Washing clothes always made her irritable for some reason. I knew when I delivered the news about the shooting, she would serve up a fresh helping of hickory tea for Neil. “If you tell mama, she’ll hit the roof,” he said with a little desperation in his voice. “You got that right bubba,” I agreed, knowing that justice was about to be served. He changed tactics and said with a hint of malice, “If I get a whuppin, I’ll catch you sleeping one night and put a grub worm in your ear. It will eat out your brains and all your wiring and you’ll spend the rest of your life walking around like a zombie.” Now I had seen my share of Saturday morning zombies on the old black & white TV and I felt an involuntary shiver race up my spine when I thought about that grub worm munching on my medulla. I was pretty sure he was bluffing, but that threat put a nasty picture in my head. I decided to give him another chance. This evening I felt a little melancholy when I sat down to write. But as I looked through some old photographs, I came across one of Neil that brought this story to mind. The memory put a smile on my face. Even though it’s been several years since they passed on, I still miss my brothers.

Cents of Style | Smoke and Mirrors by

Linda Noel

You are probably wondering how the title “Smoke and Mirrors” works in a style column. Well, it’s a mantra of mine ~ dress to minimize your flaws and maximize your assets. The first step is to pinpoint your assets and flaws. Look at yourself in a fulllength mirror. Decide where you want a person’s eyes to go (or not to go.) You can use fashion tricks to make your legs appear longer, make your waist seem slimmer, or your hips less curvy. One simple trick everyone should use: color. Use it to your advantage. To minimize, use dark colors. To lengthen, wear the same color from top to bottom. Another trick is the use of styles. For example, if you are shorter in stature, a short, cropped pant is not the answer. Or if you feel heavy in the torso, a big loose fitting dark top will not slim you. In fact, it will do just the opposite. Just remember, not every style is meant for every body type. Find the one(s) that work for you. Another factor to look at when dressing for a slimmer silhouette is the fabric. Thinner, clingy fabrics are a definite no when trying to appear slimmer. Opt for heavier fabrics on bottom. Heavier pants drape better and elongate your lines. Lighter, flowy fabrics are better used up top as they will pull the focus away from the body, and hide any extra “bumps.” Another tip: don’t shy away from patterns because you think they add pounds. Instead, use patterns wisely. The right small print, vertical lines or zigzag designs can fool the eye and give you a slimmer appearance. Wear more v-neck tops or dresses. This simple style will draw the eye up and is always slimming. This line holds true in

skirt and pants waistlines as well. A v-line detail at the waist will slim you. As far as shoes, wear heels and a more pointed toe! I know that may be hard for many women, but even the slightest heel will add height and the more slender the toe - the longer the line. Just make sure they fit well, are sturdy, and are well made. Better to invest in one or two expensive pairs you can wear all day pain-free than to have dozens of poor fitting shoes that hurt your feet after 30 minutes! Elongate with accessories. A long necklace or scarf will elongate your look which will make you seem taller and slimmer. But keep the scarf lightweight or it could add volume where you don’t want it. But perhaps the most important trick to remember is the FIT. How a pair of pants or how a jacket fits is far more important than the color, or even the style. Do not obsess about the size on the tag ~ obsess about the fit! Baggy, loose clothing does not hide extra pounds. In fact, it has the opposite effect. Buy the size that FITS YOU, not the size you want to fit! Now obviously there are exceptions to every rule, and we don’t want to look like clones. Add personality to your wardrobe with how you put things together. And don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you struggle with pulling your look together, ask one of your fashion savvy friends to shop with you. Or treat yourself to an hour or two with a stylist. It would be money and time very well spent! About the Author: Linda Noel currently helps clients reinvent their wardrobe at Renaissance Consignment Boutique on Cahaba Valley Road where she works as Store Manager.

www.280living.com

February 2010

That’s Life |

Paul Johnson

Romance 101:

Helping the Romantically Challenged Guy Paul Johnson, Samaritan Counseling Center Guys, remember when your mother would bring home the box of Valentines for you to sign to take to school and distribute into the decorated paper bags of your classmates? No thinking, no planning, just sign and stuff, sign and stuff. When you finished, no further thought was needed, just off to play. Well, those days are gone—long gone; that is, if you want to connect with your Valentine. Now, there’s a little bit more to it, especially if you want to do something “special”; especially if your heart yearns to tell her how grateful you are that she puts up with someone like you. You rack your brain, and the only things that come to mind are flowers and candy or dinner and a movie. That seems too trivial; you want to make a bigger splash. Surely there’s more. Wait a second; what’s that word she’s always throwing around? What is it that she is always saying she wants more of? Romance? Was that it? Is there a catalog you can order that from? It’s not at Home Depot or Wal-Mart. What exactly is romance? If you’re like me romance is often hard to figure out. Either, you can lay down $70.00 for a meal or $35.00 for a movie and snacks and have her say, “I want more romance.” Or you can lock your keys in your car and have to walk together two miles to the restaurant in the pouring rain and she’ll say, “That was so romantic.” How’s a guy to know? It was my good friend Jon’s 10th Anniversary. He and his wife had just bought a new house, and he had been

painting the inside in preparation for their move-in. He knew he had to do something special for “the big ten” but he was clueless. One day, as he was painting on the ladder, an idea came to him (I personally think he fell off the ladder and hit his head to get such a good idea). He picked up his wife that evening to take her out to eat. On their way to the restaurant, he casually said, “Are there sandwich fixin’s (Jon’s from the south) at the new house?” Pam, his wife, said she thought there was. Jon suggested they eat simple in order to spend a little time together at the house. Pam, with a little disappointment in her voice, said okay. He walked her to the door, opened it, and there, spread out on the floor of their empty house, was a tablecloth with a candlelight dinner. Pillows were thrown all around the edges of the tablecloth and soft music was playing on the paint-covered radio in the corner. She cried softly and said it was the most romantic thing he had ever done. Now I know personally they have been on cruises and taken exotic vacations together, so what made a simple homemade meal in an unfinished house on a stained tablecloth with Michael Buble’ in the background so romantic? Rather than be jealous of Jon, what can we learn from this encounter about romance? Here are four easy tips: 1. Put on the mind of your wife (or significant other) Most guys make a huge tactical error here: they start thinking. They plan or plot according to what they would like to do. They come up with an evening at the tractor pull or a nice, quiet, intimate Jerry

Bruckheimer movie. Time to back up and try to get inside your mate’s head. What does she like? This is especially hard for us because we are so used to talking her out of what she likes. But just try it. Try to remember the times she has pointed to a picture and said, “Isn’t this beautiful?” Or turned to you and said, “Wouldn’t it be fun to do that?” This will be difficult because those are usually the times we weren’t paying attention, but give it a shot. Much like how electricity travels better through water than peanut butter, women feel more connected to us when there is romance in the air. 2. Pay attention to the details Women possess an uncanny ability to remember details. If you doubt this, just ask your wife when the last stupid thing you did was. Then ask her to tell you what you were wearing when you did it. Trust me, women have the corner on the market of details. So when it comes to planning an evening of romance, it speaks volumes when you demonstrate the details, especially her details (see tip #1, putting on her mind). For example, if the average husband is going to try to cook a surprise dinner for his wife, he thinks he’s doing great if remembers the meat and a vegetable, never mind silverware or anything to drink. But guys, if you want to add a real spark of romance to your relationship, think details: candles, matching napkins, or a single fresh flower will add more than you think. 3. Keep it personal All of the romance in the world will not mean a thing to your significant other if it is not from you. That may sound arrogant, but for most women, that is the way they feel, strange as it is. She would rather have a rough three-lined poem from you than a beautiful frilly card that says “all the right things.” Often the greatest romance happens when you seek to give of yourself to her in a personal way. Sometimes a homemade meal with the burnt parts

4. Be willing to take a risk This is where all the men out there think I must be joking. “Willing to take a risk? I take risks all the time! Just last week I risked life and limb to take down the outside Christmas lights.” Yeah, we are used to risking, but not when it comes to intimacy. I am talking about the risking of your self to love and be loved deeply. You can be in a relationship by ﬁnancially providing, or spending one night a week of quality time, or regularly taking your family out for ice cream, yet withholding the giving of yourself emotionally, risking the vulnerability of being known. Many of us are so uncomfortable with our emotions and allowing our spouses to really know us. And that risk is exercised by talking (GASP!). Yes, talking, choosing to reveal, to expose your thoughts, your feelings, your self. For real romance to be present, we must begin to take that risk. What made my friend Jon’s encounter with his wife so romantic? All the elements were there: he chose something she would like, he paid attention to the details like candles and pillows, he made the evening very personal with dinner and the kind of music she liked, and Jon discussed with his wife his perspective (his thoughts and feelings) of the ten years of their marriage. They shared openly and personally about what they were happy with and where they wanted to go in the future. As they shared their hopes and dreams, their disappointments and joys, the one thing his wife Pam did not say they needed more of, was romance. To talk further about your romantic or relational challenges, please consider Samaritan Counseling Center for your counseling or consultant needs. You may reach us at 205-967-3660, or visit the website at www.samaritancc.org. Paul Johnson is the executive director as well as an associate licensed marriage and family therapist and associate licensed counselor at Samaritan.

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| Calendar of Events | February 2010

American Heart Month 1-28

Black History Month Celebration Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (205) 328-9696 www.bcri.org

5-6

Tchaikovsky “Pathétique” Alabama Symphony Orchestra 8 p.m. (205) 251-7727 www.alabamasymphony.org

“Have a Heart for the Arts” Fashion Show/Luncheon First Baptist Church of Columbiana 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Bonnie Atchison (205) 669-9001 Peggy Wood (205) 669-9073 Diane Moore (205) 669-1450 McWane Goes Hollywood Beaker Bash 9 McWane Center Fundraiser 6 pm – 9pm (205) 714-8414 www.mcwane.org

John Mayer BJCC (205) 458-8400 www.ticketmaster.com

10-14

Valentine’s Sound, Light, and Water Show Desoto Caverns (800) 933-2283 www.desotocavernspark.com

12-14

Mercedes- Benz Marathon Weekend 205-870-7771 www.Active.com www.mercedesmarathon.com

Michael Feinstein Alabama Symphony Orchestra BJCC 8 pm www.bjcc.org Three Dog Night Alys Stephens Center 8 pm (205) 975-2787 www.AlysStephens.uab.edu

Calendar of Events: FEBRUARY 2010 12-14

World of Wheels BJCC Advanced Tickets: O’Reilly Auto Parts www.bjcc.org Mercedes- Benz Marathon Weekend 205-870-7771 www.Active.com www.mercedesmarathon.com

12-21

The Laramie Project Magic City Actors Theatre Virginia Samford Theatre (205) 251-1206 www.virginiasamfordtheatre.org

13 & 20

The Three Billy Goats Gruff Birmingham Children’s Theatre BJCC Shows at 10 am and Noon (205) 458-8181 www.bct123.org

Black Eyed Peas BJCC (800) 745-3000 www.bjcc.org

Valentine’s Day

President’s Day

9th Annual Mardi Gras Celebration Birmingham Civil Rights Institute 7 pm -10 pm (205) 328-9696 www.bcri.org

Skate Night Skates 280 Oak Mountain Elementary Class with highest attendance wins 6 pm – 7:30 pm Literacy Tutor Training The Literacy Council (205) 326-1925 / 888-448-7323

Winter Concert- High School Band Chelsea High School 6 pm -8 pm 7th and 8th Grade Band Concert Chelsea Middle School 7pm

19-20

Giggles and Grace Spring Consignment Sale Asbury United Methodist Church www.asburyonline.org

19-21

Eric Clapton w/ Roger Daltry BJCC (800) 745-3000 www.ticketmaster.com

Bassmaster Classic Lay Lake and BJCC (877) BASS USA

Autism Night Benifitting Alabama Autism Assistance Program iJump 280 www.ijumpinc.com www.helpaaap.org (205)-733-0976

25-27

The Market Consignment Sale Brook Highland Plaza Karen Ingram (205) 790-8730 Leane Randle (205) 531-4245 www.themarketconsignment.com

26-27

Schumann “Rhenish” Alabama Symphony Orchestra 8 p.m. (205) 251-7727 www.alabamasymphony.org “Life’s a Trip” Women’s Conference Asbury United Methodist Church www.asburyonline.org (205) 995-1700

26-28

Don Quixote Alabama Ballet (205) 975-2787 www.alabamaballet.org

It is also worth noting that all items that do not sell can be designated for charity. This year recipient are the foster families serving the Shelby County Department of Human Resources. We’ve all seen the baby and toddler consignment shows. The Market is a great way for teens, tweens and college kids to pick up a few great finds of their own! If you have any questions, please contact Karen Ingram at (205) 790-8730 / Karen@TheMarketConsignment.com, or Leane Randle at (205) 531-4245 / Leane@ TheMarketConsignment.com.

Student Art Work Chosen for Superintendent’s Art Show Congratulations to the following students and teachers (who live in our circulation area) for being selected as winners in the 2010 Shelby County Superintendent’s Art Show. A selection of these winners as well as other pieces will be sent to the State Superintendent’s Art Show in Montgomery. All Shelby County Superintendent’s Show artwork will be on display during the month of March at the Central Office in Columbiana. First

place winners in each category and all state winners will be recognized at the March board meeting. Category I (all media, mixed media) 2nd place -- Katelyn Bearden, Oak Mountain Middle School, 6th grade -Diane Epperson, teacher 1st place -- Anna Ospina, Oak Mountain Middle School, 8th grade -- Diane Epperson, teacher 2nd place -- Noor Jarrar, Chelsea Middle

27-28

GRC students’ Kid’s Convention Oak Mountain Intermediate 5 pm -8:30 pm (205) 682-5220

Finally, a seasonal consignment sale just for Teens, Tweens and College-Age Kids! given a bar code. You print your bar codes on card stock paper, and tag each item. This way, your sales can be tracked not only at the site, but also on line. You set the price of each item and you earn 65% of your total sales. Drop off date is February 22nd. Secondly, you can volunteer to work at The Market. Say you volunteer to work three hours for all three days, this ups your earning percentage to 70%, and you get to shop in the first hour of the sneak preview. Thirdly, perhaps you are a vendor of another nature. There will also be a section for fine art, crafts, and unique gifts.

Ladies night out with a purpose Jungle Smoothie-Chelsea To Benefit Leukemia and Lymphoma Enjoy Painting, Wine, and good company with artist Vanessa Stroud. e-mail: gnatfay@gmail.com for more info.

Peter Pan Birmingham Ballet BJCC (205) 979-9492 www.bjcc.org

ÒT he MarketÓ coming to Brook Highland When: February 25 - 27 Time: 10:00am – 8:00pm Where: 5291 Hwy 280 South, Birmingham, AL 35242 (Brook Highland Plaza, in the space between ULTA and Hooters.) What: Gently used, youthful, fashionable, trendy looking clothing, shoes, accessories, and formals. Also, bedroom décor, bedding, furniture, sporting equipment, and ageappropriate video games, books and toys. There are several ways to get involved: First, if you are looking to sell items, simply go to www.TheMarketConsignment.com to register. You will be given a “Consignor” number and each item you enter will be

Spring Into Art Oak Mountain Elementary Food, games, crafts, and silent auction 10 am – 4 pm

School, 8th grade -- Jill Tolbert, teacher 1st place -- Mia Badham, Oak Mountain High School, 11th grade -- Nicole McKinney, teacher Category II (digital artwork, photography) K-6 -- Matthew Gilchrist, Chelsea Middle School, 6th grade -- Jill Tolbert, teacher 7-8 -- Savannah Bayer, Chelsea Middle School, 8th grade -- Jill Tolbert, teacher

Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour Kenny Barron Trio, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, Russell Malone, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, and Johnathan Blake Alys Stephens Center (205) 975-2787 www.AlysStephens.uab.edu

MARCH 2010 4-6

Spring Fine Arts Production Briarwood Christian School

Shawn Colvin Alys Stephens (205) 975-8858 www.alysstephens.uab.edu

Indigo Girls Work Play 9 p.m. (205) 380-4082 www.workplay.com

9-14

Wizard of Oz Broadway Across America BJCC (800) 214-7469 (800) 745-3000 www.broadwayacrossamerica.com

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

FEBRUARY Calendar of Events Thursday, February 18th – Grow & Go workshop – “Avoid Making the Top 10 HR Mistakes – 2010 Legal Changes” – presented by SourcePointe HR – Chamber office – 11am to 1pm – contact april@ shelbychamber.org for information ($10 for Chamber members; $15 for non-members – includes lunch). Register online at www. shelbychamber.org or call 663-4542. Wednesday, February 24th – “Creating a Performance-based Best Place2Work” – Chamber luncheon – sponsored by Cartridge World and presented by John Cotton of BestBIZ LLC – 11am to 1pm – Pelham Civic Complex – contact info@ shelbychamber.org for information ($17 for Greater Shelby County Chamber members / $20 for non-members). Register online at www.shelbychamber.org or call 663-4542. For information about Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce events, go online to www.shelbychamber.org or call 663-4542

www.280living.com

February 2010

280 Live Music Listings

280 Living neighborly entertainment

CAFE FIRENZE 110 Inverness Plaza (205) 980-1315 2/5 - Gentlemen Zero 2/6 - Buddy Love Band 2/10 - Deputy 5 2/11 - T.C. & Louie Bluz 2/12 - 17th Floor 2/13 - With In Reason 2/17 - Buckwild Band 2/19 - Deputy 5 2/20 - Centerfold 2/24 - BBB 2/25 - Another Hero 2/26 - Livestock 2/27 - The Ugli Stick MondaysProgressive Pitchers TuesdaysLive Team Trivia SundaysAll you can eat crab Service Industry Night

Classifieds HOGANS Irish Pub & Grill 507 Cahaba Park Circle (205) 995-0533

5426 Highway 280 (205) 874-6361

www.greybarbham.com 2/6 Red Halo 2/8 Open Mic Night 2/ 9 Live Music with Cordy 2/10 J-Ko 2/ 11 Devon & Thomas 2/12 Matt Hill Band 2/13 Pharmhand 2/15 Open Mic Night 2/ 16 Live Music with Cordy 2/ 17 Danny and Randy 2/ 18 Devon & Thomas 2/ 19 Altamont 2/ 20 TBD 2/ 22 Open Mic Night 2/ 23 Live Music with Cordy 2/ 24 J-Ko 2/ 25 Devon & Thomas 2/26 Erica and The Soulshine Band 2/ 27 4 on The Floor

Every Wednesday / Thursday 8pm Live Music by Razz Ma Tazz Every Friday / Saturday 9pm - Until Live Music by Razz Ma Tazz

UNCLE MONK’S CAFE 16688 Highway 280 Chelsea, AL 35043 (205) 678-7300

Every Monday Night - Bring your dog to dinner on the deck - 10% of proceeds benefit Shelby Humane Society Every Tuesday Night - Family Night Every Wednesday Night - Acoustical with Dwayne Beasley, 6-9pm Every Friday Night - Karaoke with Chelsea native Kenneth Shirley, 8-12pm

Anxious to Achieve Healthy, Sustainable and Rapid Weight-Loss? Please contact: Jim Nardecchia Birmingham, AL Email: jimnar@ymail.com Mobile: 614.774.8872

Now Hiring License stylists Both rental or comission Europa Salon

437-3538

Now Hiring

ROGERS TRADING COMPANY HWY 280 BEHIND LOGANS ROADHOUSE part time retail sales associate. up to 30 hours avail. good hourly rate plus commission. employee discount. apply with shannon:

408-9378

Carpet Van For Sale $7,500 OBO Loaded with Truck Mount 1999 Dodge, 67,000 +/- Miles Call (205) 401-3322

Her medical training: family medicine. Her specialty: care with compassion, dignity and respect. Katherine “Katie” A. Moore, M.D. Dr. Moore is a family practitioner who believes in preventive medicine, not just treating symptoms. She strives to empower patients to be advocates for their own health. Dr. Moore offers school physicals, employee physicals, athletic physicals, child and adult vaccinations, and treatment for minor emergencies. Call 205-968-5988 today for your appointment. Adults, children and walk-ins welcomed.

Katherine “Katie” A. Moore, M.D. 8000 Liberty Parkway, Suite 120 (Prominence Shops) Vestavia Hills, AL 35242

205-968-5988

Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. – Noon Member of the Medical Staff at Trinity Medical Center

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February 2010

Imagine everything you could ever want in senior living. Open Your Eyes. Danberry at Inverness is Here!

Now Open! Danberry at Inverness offers seniors

independent living unlike anywhere else. Amenities designed to move the body. Every day conveniences for easy living and a breathtaking natural setting designed to stir the soul. Danberry at Inverness is everything you want and more. Brought to life by Daniel Corporation, with extraordinary apartment rental and on-site assisted living. d Living e t s i s s A & t n Independe modations Accom le! Now Availab Call today!

Call (205) 443-9500 for upComing speCial events or to arrange a tour.

www.DanberryAtInverness.com 235 Inverness Center Drive â&#x20AC;˘ Hoover, AL 35242 CORPORATION