280 Living November 2014 by Starnes Media

280 Living

November 2014 | Volume 8 | Issue 3

DISCOVER THE MANY REASONS HOMEOWNERS ARE GIVING THANKS THIS holiday season. AV

Proudly keeping homes cleaner and healthier since 1987

871-9338

neighborly news & entertainment

Singing sensation

www.MAIDS.com

Referred for a reason.

‘Express’ 280

In this issue, read about the singer from Spain Park High School. Jessie Pitts joined Team Gwen on The Voice after her blind audition.

See page A27

Shooting hoops

Bus route moves forward By SYDNEY CROMWELL Basketball season is back, so find out how your high school teams rank in our basketball previews. Read the details inside.

See page B18

INSIDE Sponsors ............. A4 280 News ............ A6 Business...........A11 Food...................A14 Faith...............A30

Opinion..............A31 Community.........B6 School House .. .B10 Sports ................B13 Calendar ...........B28

Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830

facebook.com/280Living

A proposed bus route for U.S. Highway 280 could save commuters from high gas prices and traffic stresses beginning Nov. 17. The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) is piloting a new bus

program called Route 201, which would run four times per day between the Walmart located at 5335 U.S. 280 and downtown Birmingham. Walmart has agreed to let riders use its parking lot as a “park-and-ride.” Two inbound buses will run at 5:45 and 6:30 a.m., and the outbound buses will run at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Along the

The MAX bus system allows commuters an alternative form of transportation to places like the Walmart on U.S. 280. Photo by Jessa Pease.

way, the bus will make stops at The Summit, St. Vincent’s Hospital, UAB, the central business district and the downtown business district. BJCTA Chief of Staff Barbara Murdock said the bus route is being created because the

See BUS ROUTE | page A29

Delivering hope Area family to serve meals for Thanksgiving

By JESSA PEASE Delivering meals to shut-ins and the elderly isn’t something new for Tad Hill. He still vividly remembers one particular Thanksgiving when he visited an elderly woman with his mother, a social worker who also led a Meals on Wheels program. As a 10-year-old, Tad said seeing a person dependent on an oxygen tank was a little scary, but her gratitude made an impression on him. He remembers her

hugging him and telling him how wonderful it was to have him and his mother there. “The thing that I took from that experience is that it feels good to help other people,” Tad said. “The Bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive, and when you are a kid you are like, ‘What? That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard.’ Then you get older and you realize life isn’t about your stuff, it is about the

See SERVES | page A29

280 residents Tad and Toni Hill believe it is their duty, pleasure and honor to help other people. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

280 Living

A2 • November 2014

SAVE 20% ON PURCHASES AT MORE THAN 500 BIRMINGHAM RETAILERS

All proceeds and projects of the Junior League of Birmingham.

Purchase your card for $40 to help improve the lives of women and children across Birmingham. Buy now at ShopSaveShare.net. Scan the code (right) for a complete listing of participating retailers.

FIND US ON

Alabama Outdoors • A'Mano • Ashley Mac's • Butler's Grooming • Diamonds Direct Escape Day Spa • Hollywood Feed • Levy's Fine Jewelry • Pure Barre (Hoover) Smith's Variety • St. Vincent's Spa One Nineteen

280Living.com

November 2014 • A3

Trunk Shows Wednesday, November 12 9:30am – 5:30pm Mountain Brook Mountain Brook • 205.871.3276

10:00am – 6:00pm

A4 • November 2014

280 Living

About Us Please Support our Community Partners

Photo of the month

Berry Middle School’s drama and chorus departments performed Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. at Spain Park High School in October. Photo by Jessa Pease.

Send your submissions for Photo of the Month to

jessa@starnespublishing.com

Editor’s Note By JESSA PEASE Looking at the calendar, I cannot believe November is here already. I’m certainly not prepared for the peak of the holiday season, which always includes chaotic Black Friday shopping that I continue to force myself into. With so much to do — buying gifts, preparing for family gatherings and worrying about the Iron Bowl — it’s hard to remember what Thanksgiving is really about. While I cannot wait to feast on turkey, my mom’s special stuffing, cranberry sauce shaped like a can and acorn squash, I want to make an effort to be more thankful this holiday season.

Publisher: Creative Director: Managing Editor: Community Editor: Sports Editor: Staff Writers: Editorial Assistant: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution:

Graphic Designer: Contributing Writers:

Photographer:

This issue gives so many examples of people giving back to those less fortunate and giving thanks for what they have. You’ll find essays written by area third-graders on all the things they are grateful to have and the story of a Chelsea High School student who is surviving cancer. Our cover story this month is about a family who is taking time out of their own Thanksgiving celebration to deliver dinners with the Jimmie Hale Mission. From Veterans Day celebrations to food banks like Heavenly Smile, Inc., the U.S. 280 corridor has so many

Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Madoline Markham Jessa Pease David Knox Katie Turpen Sydney Cromwell Madison Miller Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Nathan Pearman Morgan Robinson Emily VanderMey Rick Watson Kari Kampakis Doug Demmons Karim Shamsi-Basha

For advertising contact: dan@280living.com

opportunities for you to show appreciation for the good things in your life, and to give back. With all those stories as motivation, I’ll definitely remember to be thankful through all the Christmas shopping, football watching and holiday decorating. It may be a hectic time, but at least we get to spend it with family. It’s about two months until Christmas, so cheers to having more time to procrastinate. As always, I welcome you to email me with any questions, comments or concerns at jessa@starnespublishing.com. Happy Thanksgiving, 280 corridor!

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

Contact Information: 280 Living PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@280living.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: editor@280living.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 Published by : Starnes Publishing LLC

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 280 community of area school, 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 and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

Please recycle this paper.

Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (A11) Alabama Art Supply (A23) Alabama Outdoors (A2) Alabama Power (B30) America's Thrift Store (B1) ARC Realty (A26) Asbury United Methodist Church (B27) Aura Salon Spa (A15) AUX Mechanical (A24) Backyard Adventures (B31) Batts' Chimney Services (B10) Bedzzz Express (B32) Bellini's (A23) Birmingham Jefferson County Transit (B29) Birmingham Marriott (A6) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (A29) Brava Rotisserie Grill (A18) Bromberg & Company, Inc. (A3, B10) Cahaba Dermatology and Skin Care Center (B20) Cahaba Glass (B24) Chic Boutique (B12) Chiropractic Today (A22) Christmas Village (B5) Cowboy's (A18) Cutting Edge Salon (B5) Danberry at Inverness (B21) Decorating Dens Interiors (B8) Dixie Fish Company (B28) Dreamscape Landscape Development, LLC (B26) Ecoview (B12) ENT for Kids Alabama (B6) Everly's Boutique (A5) Expedia CruisShipCenters (A7) Fancy Fur- Paws and Claws (A28) Fitness Together Greystone (B18) GeGe's Salon (A11) Granite Transformations (B14) Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce (B29) Greystone Antiques & Marketplace (B6) Hall Cosmetic and Family Dentistry (B23) Hanna's Garden Shop (B5) Healthy Smiles of Birmingham (A30) Henderson & Walton (A19) Hendrick Hoover Auto Mall (A27, B12) Home Care Associates (B14) In Shape MD Wellnes Clinic (A13) Jamieson and Hirschfield, LLC (B16) Jimmie Hale Mission (B13) Junior League of Birmingham (A2, B2) Kimberlee King (B19) Kumon – Greystone (B18) Lawncrafters (A21) Leaf & Petal (A27) Learning Express (B13) Levy's Fine Jewelry (A1) Monkey Toes (B16) Morningside at Riverchase (A25) NAPA Auto Parts (A22) Odyssey Early Schools (A5) On Time Service (A6) Pak Mail (A15) Pastry Art (B11) Plain Jane Children & Gift Shop (A15) Postnet (B23) Re/MAX Advantage - Terry Crutchfield (B19) Retreat at Greystone Apartments (A10) Rosegate Design (B22) Royal Automotive (A32) Salon de Amici (B31) Skin Wellness Center of Alabama (A12) Somerby at St. Vincent's One Nineteen (A31) Southeastern Jewelers and Engravers (B17) St. Vincent's One Nineteen (A9, B25) Steak n Shake of Central Alabama (B7) Tae Kwon Do (B4) Target Auction Company (B25) The Cuckoo's Nest (A14) The Ditsy Daisy (A8) The Gingerbread Lady (A21) The Lice Place (A8) The Maids (A1) The Pam Ausley Team Re/Max (A20) The Sewing Room (B24) The UPS Store - Cahaba Heights (A19) The Urban Barn (B17) Therapy South Greystone (A17) Tony Ray's Pizza (A21) Trinity Medical Center (B9) Uptown Nail Spa (B20) Village Dermatology (B15) Vision Gymnastics (B11) Vitalogy Wellness Center (A16, B3) Wee Peat Boutique (A29) Your Good Neighbor (B17)

280Living.com

November 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ A5

280 Living

A6 • November 2014

280 News Pride Survey shows high substance use rates in Shelby County By SYDNEY CROMWELL The recent Pride survey administered in Shelby County Schools showed that while a minority of students are using cigarettes, alcohol and other addictive substances, their usage rates are at or above the national average. The Pride Survey is an anonymous questionnaire given to students across the country. In Shelby County, it was given to seventh, ninth and 11th-graders. The survey covers not only substance abuse over the past year, but also bullying and student attitudes toward addictive substances. Shelby County student services coordinator David Calhoun provided the data from the latest survey. This year’s results found that 38 percent of students used alcohol within the past year, and 10 percent of alcohol-using students had their ﬁrst drink at or before the age of 10. The national average of reported alcohol use for 2013-2014 was 30.9 percent. More than half of Shelby County students said they did not consider it dangerous to have ﬁve or more drinks at one time. The students’ cigarette use was also above the national average. Nineteen percent of Shelby County students reported cigarette use, compared to 16.6 percent nationwide. Another 11 percent said they had used smokeless tobacco, but

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen to expand

Results of Pride Survey 38% Alcohol 19% Cigarettes 16% Marijuana 11% Smokeless tobacco

6% Over-the-counter medication

St. Vincent’s Health System announced a 40,000-square-foot expansion of its St. Vincent’s One Nineteen campus. The new space will boast an ambulatory surgery center, an urgent care center and additional professional ofﬁce space. Photo courtesy of Lauren Thomason.

37 percent did not consider it to be risky behavior. About 16 percent of students reported marijuana use, just under the national average of 16.8 percent. Most of these students said their use began between the ages of 13 and 16, and 57 percent did not perceive marijuana to be dangerous. The survey also showed that prescription medication abuse, while less frequent than alcohol abuse, was still above the national average. Nine percent of Shelby County students used prescription medications within the last year, as opposed to 5.3 percent nationwide.

St. Vincent’s Health System has announced a 40,000-square-foot, $15.6 million expansion of its St. Vincent’s One Nineteen campus. This expansion will create room for an ambulatory surgery center, an urgent care center and additional professional ofﬁce space. The project is expected to begin this fall with completion slated for early fall of 2015. It has been in the planning stages since the original $35 million One Nineteen facility was built about 10 years ago. “We are excited about the opportunity to continue serving this community in a very accessible way,” said STVHS President and Chief Executive Ofﬁcer John O’Neil. “When we built our St. Vincent’s One Nineteen facility almost 10 years ago, we were dedicated to

9% Prescription drugs

creating person-centered, quality care through the first health and wellness center of its kind in our community. The latest expansion builds on this unwavering mission to deliver the right care, at the right time, in the best way possible.” St. Vincent’s One Nineteen provides an integrated approach to health. It has 35 physicians in 14 medical specialties, a comprehensive outpatient diagnostic imaging center, rehabilitation services, GI lab and wellness services and classes. These services are in addition to the spa and fitness center. For more information about St. Vincent’s Health System, visit stvhs.com or find them on Facebook.

280Living.com

November 2014 • A7

Chelsea community center, sports complex gain new property

The concrete walls of the new Chelsea Community Center were ﬁnished in October, and Wanninger said the building’s trusses were next to be completed. Photo by Jessa Pease.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL Despite what he described as “some bumps in the road,” architect Bob Wanninger said the Chelsea community center is progressing well toward its summer 2015 completion date. Its concrete walls were ﬁnished in October, and Wanninger said the 29,000-square-foot building’s trusses were next on the list. The Chelsea City Council is already looking at future expansion possibilities for the community center and the sports complex by Chelsea High School. At its Oct. 7 meeting, the council approved $390,000 for the purchase of several properties neighboring both sites. In October, the city purchased two properties, totaling about 3.75 acres, and a

right-of-way next to the sports complex on Highway 47. In July 2015, when the community center opens, Chelsea will buy a 5.68-acre property that could become a second entrance to the center, but plans have not yet been made for anything specific. The final purchase will be made in March 2016 and will consist of 26 acres of land behind the sports complex for future use. When finished, the community center will include a gymnasium, walking track, meeting rooms, nursery, senior center and exercise facilities. The sports complex currently includes several baseball fields and tennis courts, with plans to create soccer and football fields in the future.

280-119 Chick-fil-A approved but construction delayed By SYDNEY CROMWELL A building permit has been approved for the new Chick-fil-A location at the corner of U.S. 280 and Highway 119, but Shelby County Planner Kristine Goddard said the future restaurant’s owners have not yet picked it up. There is not yet a timeline for when construction will begin. The building site is the former home of a BP gas station and just over two miles away from another Chik-fil-A on 280 near Target. The new Chick-fil-A is intended to cut down

crowds and wait times at its sister store. Goddard said the delay in construction is most likely due to ALDOT work at the intersection. The gas station had multiple entrance points, but these must be closed to make room for parking and a drive-through lane. The Chick-ﬁl-A will be accessible through an entry that it will share with the Bazaar 280 shopping center. “They [the owners] are probably working with ALDOT to coordinate utilities and entrances before they move forward with construction,” Goddard said.

Upscale furniture store Urban Home Market to open at Lee Branch By JESSA PEASE About 17,000 square feet of “fresh, lovely, unexpected home furnishings” is scheduled to open in the Village at Lee Branch in time for the holidays. Kathy McMahon, owner of Renaissance Consignment and Marketplace, recently signed a lease on the four open spaces in Lee Branch between Hobby Lobby and Baumhower’s. Construction for the new store, Urban Home Market, began in September. “I think there is a real need out there for the upscale decorating services and furniture that we are going to offer,” McMahon said. “One thing we really pride ourselves with is uncommon customer service, which is really important.” McMahon said the store will be designed with an industrial setting in mind to create an inspiring atmosphere. She plans to have a tree growing out of the front desk with chandeliers hanging from it. If you have ever been to Renaissance, she said the environment will

be similar. The furniture, McMahon said, will be like that found at Restoration Hardware but with lower prices. Along with the aesthetically pleasing setting, McMahon said she will have spaces for designers to rent out to show off what kind of decorating they do. “So it gives people a chance to run a business without having to go into full-ﬂedged business,” McMahon said. The designers will also have a workshop center where they can bring their clients to check out the styles, and they will be able to special order items. Another unique service Urban Home Market will offer is a program where staff will visit clients’ homes to do a makeover in an afternoon. Clients will be able to live with the designs overnight and decide if they like it before buying it. McMahon said the store should be open just in time for the holidays.

280 Living

A8 • November 2014

Shelby County’s economy outshines state stats Shelby County annual unemployment rate

Top 10 Shelby County employers University of Montevallo

Mspark

Shelby County Government Shelby County Board of Education

Publix Supermarkets Southern Company

2.4%

2.7%

3.2%

2.6%

2.3%

2.2%

3.3%

6.9%

6.7%

5.9%

4.9%

4.4%

Shelby Baptist Medical Center

2000

2001

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Source: Alabama Department of Labor

By DOUG DEMMONS As the national economy continues to recover, job growth in Alabama has lagged far behind. The state was 49th in job growth for 2013, and the August 2014 unemployment rate of 6.9 percent was higher than the 6.5 percent rate of August 2013. But amid those weak numbers there is a bright spot in the state – Shelby County. Unemployment in Shelby County in August was just 5.1 percent, or

C: 100 M: 0 Y: 84 K: 33 C: 12 M: 100 Y: 100 K: 0 Regions Bank

EBSCO Industries Walmart Source: Shelby County Goverment, 2011

5,263 people. That’s up from the 4.4 percent rate for 2013 but signiﬁcantly lower than the 2009 rate of 6.9 percent during the height of the recession. How is Shelby County able to outshine the rest of the state? Kirk Mancer, president and CEO of the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, attributes it to a stout workforce and a quality of life that is attractive to new businesses. “It’s a testament to the strong quality workforce we have in Shelby County,” Mancer said, pointing out that Chelsea and Calera are among

the fastest growing cities in the state. And continued growth is expected. A report by Washington-based Woods and Poole Economics in 2011 projected Shelby County as one of the nation’s hot spots for job creation over the next ﬁve years. They estimated the county’s employment will expand at an average rate of 2.61 percent between 2011-2015. That’s more than double the U.S. rate of 1.15 percent. The ﬁrm ranked Shelby County No. 8 among 3,000 counties across the nation for job growth. But part of the answer also lies

in demographics and geography. Figures are not available from the state Department of Labor, but many Shelby County residents actually work in Jefferson County. The county’s median household income is more than 50 percent higher than the state’s. The poverty level is less than half the state’s. Population growth has far outstripped the state’s since 2010. Home ownership is higher and the value of homes is more than 50 percent higher than the state average. Shelby County also has one of

the best-educated workforces in Alabama. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 40 percent of Shelby County adults age 25 and older have at least a bachelor’s degree, and 12.6 percent have a graduate or professional degree. Shelby County’s strong economic base helped it weather the recession better than the rest of the state, but employment has not yet fully rebounded from 2007 when the unemployment rate was an impressive 2.2 percent.

280Living.com

November 2014 • A9

Chamber

Preview of

November Luncheon

City Manager Alex Dudchock addressed the South Shelby Chamber and touched on some of the major projects going on in Shelby County.

Wilsonville businesses and organizations were highlighted at the Oct. 2 South Shelby Chamber of Commerce gathering. Photos by Jessa Pease.

Ongoing projects in Shelby County Alex Dudchock addresses the South Shelby Chamber By JESSA PEASE You might be surprised at all the projects going on in Shelby County. When County Manager Alex Dudchock spoke at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 2, he shed some light on plans involving water services, the Shelby County Airport, Shelby West Corporate Park and the county’s parks and recreation. “If you were in Alabaster and Pelham this morning and you woke up, you likely drank water from the Coosa River produced and treated in Shelby County at a 74-year-old plant,” Dudchock said. This 74-year-old plant needed some updates, Dudchock said. So the county completed a major treatment enhancement at the Talladega/Shelby Water Treatment Plant

aligning the granular carbon and chlorine dioxide to address the new EPA standard. He said he also takes pride in the new renovations to the water services ofﬁce, which is a modest building. When people walk in to pay their bill, they know their money didn’t go to fund an expensive building. Shelby County Airport also built a new 16-plane aircraft hangar building, and although they haven’t opened it yet, it’s already booked 100 percent. Dudchock said that’s because they beat everyone on the fuel price per gallon, so people use it for the fuel rate and the grand conference room they built. “Now I want some available open spaces because we are in the business of economic development and recruitment, and I want your plane there,” Dudchock said. “I want you to ﬁrst see that you have a free conference room,

Every BODY loves – a St. Vincent’s Spa One Nineteen

Choose the spa that’s been voted best! Call, at $25.

7191 Cahaba Valley Road 408.6510 | onenineteen.com

and we don’t charge you landing fees.” Hibbett Sports Inc. also constructed a 360,000-square-foot facility on a 59-acre Shelby West Corporate Park. It created 170 new jobs in Shelby County, and the funds made a new park-and-ride lot, with 132 available spaces. Other projects include a new park in Sterrett, several Oak Mountain State Park projects and 10-year repairs for Cahaba Lily Park, Veterans Park, Heardmont Park, Forest Park, Fun Go Holler Park and Beeswax Creek Park. Projects such as the renovated BMX racecourse, the large equestrian camper area and the pedestrian bridge over the dam spillway on the main lake have already been completed at OMSP.

Chris George

Chris George with the Shelby County Sheriff’s ofﬁce will address the South Shelby Chamber on Nov. 6. The November luncheon will spotlight nonproﬁt organizations. The next meeting will take place at 11:30 a.m. at Columbiana First United Methodist Church, 200 N. Main St., Columbiana.

280 Living

A10 • November 2014

Living healthy Williamson addresses health at the Greater Shelby Chamber

The health of Alabama was the theme for the Sept. 24 Greater Shelby County Chamber luncheon, which featured Dr. Donald Williamson as the speaker. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

By JESSA PEASE The economy and education have more to do with overall health than you might think. Dr. Donald Williamson, M.D., the state health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, presented this information to the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at its Sept. 24 luncheon and gave its members some ideas for how to make Alabama a healthier state. He offered statistics concerning infant mortality and personal lifestyle as major points, and he explained the link between poverty, education and health. Infant mortality The infant mortality rate in Alabama is currently at 8.6 per 1,000 live births, which is better than it has been in the past and is far ahead of the national average.

Dr. Donald Williamson said that the economy and education have more to do with overall health than you might think. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

Williamson said it is typical for the birth rate to decline when the economy goes bad, and it especially declines in teenage births. This also decreases the infant mortality rate because the infant mortality rate in teens is 50 percent higher than in other births. The amount of time given between births is also a factor. “We know that if you space babies out, they do better than when you have them too close together,” Williamson said. “Two years seems to be the magic time.” The infant mortality rate is 11.4 percent in births less than two years apart and 6.9 percent in births two to four years apart, almost a 50 percent difference. It is almost equal to the risk added to those women who smoke while pregnant. “Smoking in pregnancy is probably the single highest-risk thing you can do for your child,” Williamson said. “It increases the infant

mortality rate from 7.9 to 13 percent.” Lifestyle About 8,600 people die from tobacco use in Alabama and about 10,000 Alabamians start smoking every year. Williamson said this problem could be avoided by increasing the smoke-free laws in Alabama, which has some of the most lenient smoke-free laws. Obesity is another area where Alabama is behind the national average. Only Mississippi and West Virginia have obesity rates higher than Alabama. A projection of the obesity rate states that about 60 percent of Alabamians will be obese by 2030. “Obesity is a much harder thing to deal with,” Williamson said. “[With obesity] we are where we were with tobacco in the ’60s. Clearly, fundamentally it is individual responsibility, but the

October Luncheon The Oct. 29 luncheon will feature the Annual Safety Awards, which are sponsored by 280 Living. It will honor public safety officials throughout Shelby County and recognize individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence in public safety. The luncheon will be held at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena at 500 Amphitheater Road.

truth is if you look at the social models, most of us need some sort of social support to get us to do what we ought to do.” Williamson said that incentives such as building more sidewalks and possibly decreasing the sales tax on nutritional foods could be a way to help decrease the obesity rate. He said money really affects the foods people buy, and healthy foods are often more expensive than other foods. This all leads to the unifying concept for health in Alabama — the economy. Williamson said that the better educated a person is, the more likely they are to better support themselves and be healthier individuals. This is also related to how well the economy is in Alabama. “I don’t have the answer for what this means, but what it gets at is you can’t fix the health of Alabama until you fix the economy of Alabama,” Williamson said.

280Living.com

November 2014 • A11

Business Spotlight

Brunswick Riverview Lanes

Read past Business Spotlights at 280Living.com

38 w ie

w Pk

280

v er iv

By JESSA PEASE Three strikes and… it’s a turkey. Unlike in baseball, strikes are a good thing in bowling, even if you have to use the bumpers. And Mathew Deutsch should know. He has been in the industry for 27 years. He started working at Brunswick Riverview Lanes part-time when he was 18 as a puller and pin chaser. From 1991 to 1999 he managed bowling alleys with Brunswick, and he came back in 2009 after a 10-year break. Deutsch said in this business you take openings where you can, which is why he has worked in the bowling industry in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut and Alabama. He also does a bit of bowling himself. “I enjoy the camaraderie of league bowling,” Deutsch said. “It helps, businesswise, to get to know your league bowler base, but the camaraderie is really what makes it more fun than anything. The competition, for me, is more with myself than it is against anybody else.” That’s not how all people feel, though. Deutsch said that with bowling today, he notices a dichotomy in

er nv

w Pk er t en sC

Matthew Deutsch has been in the bowling industry for about 27 years, and he loves the camaraderie of league bowling. Photo by Jessa Pease.

the bowlers who come to Brunswick — the competitive league bowlers and the ones bowling for fun.

Bowling used to be covered every Saturday afternoon on ABC Sports, but now instead of just being a

rice 1/2 p ondays M r colo & r colo rice om 2-6 p 2 / 1 s fr rday st Satu ect styli sel

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE November 18th 4-6pm

Food, Drinks, Specials, Gifts, and prizes

5426 Hwy 280 East • 980-7444 www.gegessalon.com

competitive sport, Deutsch said it is a very popular activity for everyone. He has league bowlers from ages 10 to 98.

2908 Riverview Road 991-3900 Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. bowlbrunswick.com

Brunswick sees the entire spectrum of guests consisting of kids, teens, college students, family reunions, adult parties and even businesses, which hold events and meetings at Brunswick. “We run cosmic as much as we can,” Deutsch said. “That is really a driver for the kids. They love the flashing lights in the dark.” Teens frequent the bowling alley at night when Brunswick has discounted prices. Deutsch described the alley as a high-volume facility. “Bowling has been around for so long that everybody knows what it is,” Deutsch said. “It’s not complicated. It is still challenging, but it’s a fun activity. You add a full-line food and beverage department to that, and really it satisfies everything as a night out.” Brunswick supplies just that, and the food isn’t just the old circular hot dog and pretzel machines. The bowling alley offers a menu of American fare with hot dogs and pizza, and the event menu even extends to pulled pork, beef brisket, egg rolls, wraps and fried ravioli. The full-service bar provides liquor, wine and draft and bottled beer, including specialty beers such as Good People and Angry Orchard.

Ov er

280 Living

280 Business Happenings Val ley R

280

Liberty Pkwy Colonade Pkwy aba Cah

Bl ue L

ak eR

Ov er to

Cahaba Heights Rd

r Rd

w Pk er t n Ce

i kH

e Riv

459

w Pk nd

459

Cah a

A12 • November 2014

Ov ert on R

119

oo Br

d ey R

ab aV all Ca h

aV all ab

12 22

0 Old Highway 28 26

280

1 wy

Be ar

Cr ee kR

av an tV all

ey R

119

Chelsea Rd

d ey R

d kR Ca h

do w

Br oo

ey da Va ll

y Pk w ss

Br oo

33 d

18 24

119

Cr ee

oo Br

e nt Ce

kw rP

lan

gh Hi

119

av an tV all ey R

280

kw dP

aba Cah

er R Riv

38 5

Cah a

280 Colonade Pkwy

0 Old Highway 28

y Hw

DERMATOLOGY

Chelsea Rd

Val ley Rd Mead

Va ll

d ke R La

In ve rn

es s

ey da le

Pk w

Cahaba Heights Rd

In ve r

Overton Rd

Medical

•

Pediatric

•

Cosmetic

For appointments, call 205.871.7332 or visit us at skinwellnessAL.com HOMEWOOD 1920 Huntington Road, Homewood, AL 35209 I CHELSEA 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 3, Chelsea, AL 35043

280Living.com

Now Open Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen is now open at 3500 Grandview Parkway. Its hours are Tuesday-Thursday from 5-10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 5-11 p.m. 582-5083. pappadeaux.com.

Everly’s Boutique, 5479 Highway 280, Suite 108, is now open. The store carries unique women’s clothing and accessories. 769-6808.

Chicken Salad Chick opened its ﬁrst 3 Birmingham-area location at 210 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 200, on Sept. 30. 995-2525. chickensaladchick.com/ birmingham. Kumon of Birmingham-Greystone, 270 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 400, is now open. Kumon is the world’s largest math and reading after-school program. The center is owned and operated by Animeeta Patel. 994-7200. kumon.com/birminghamgreystone.

Dunkin’ Donuts, 400 Cahaba Park Circle, Suite 1, is now open. 502-7311. dunkindonuts.com.

Coming Soon Sprouts Farmers Market, a grocery chain focusing on fresh foods, organic foods, produce and dietary supplements, will open in the Brook Highland Plaza shopping center at 5291 U.S. 280, Suite 130. No opening date has been announced. sprouts.com.

Urban Home Market, a store specializing in home design services and upscale furniture and home décor, will open in time for the holidays at 1001 Doug Baker Blvd. The store is owned by Kathy McMahon, owner of Renaissance Consignment & Marketplace. 980-4663. urbanhomemarket.com.

Chick-ﬁl-A will open a new restaurant at 5375 U.S. 280, at the intersection of Highway 119. The site was formerly a BP gas station and Circle K convenience store. chick-ﬁl-a.com.

Fuji Sushi Bar will open soon at 4647 U.S. 280, Suite L, in the Riverhills Shopping Center. This will be the second location for the sushi restaurant, its ﬁrst location being in Auburn. fujisushiauburn.com.

Walmart Neighborhood Market has announced it will open a new store at 2653 Valleydale Road, in the space formerly occupied by Winn-Dixie. The store is expected to open by the end of 2014. walmart.com.

Chubb’s Grub Station, a popular 11 Alabaster restaurant, has announced their second location at 16634 U.S. 280 in Chelsea. The restaurant is expected to be open by the end of 2014. 664-8696. chubbsgrub.com.

Relocations and Renovations Fitness Xpress has moved to 701 Doug Baker Blvd., Suites 101-103. 995-5505. ﬁtnessxpress280.net.

Total Care 280 has moved to the former Don’s Carpet One location at 2827 Greystone Commercial Blvd. 547-2323.

American Family Care has announced that it will move its headquarters to 3700 Cahaba Beach Road, from 2147 Riverchase Ofﬁce Road in Hoover. The move is expected to be complete by early 2015. 403-8902. americanfamilycare.com.

News and Accomplishments Birmingham Internal Medicine Associates, P.C., 7191 Cahaba Valley Road, Suite 300, has announced several initiatives to improve patient/doctor interactions, including a new and improved website, an e-clinic to facilitate virtual ofﬁce visits, and more. 930-2060. bimapc.com.

November 2014 • A13 Kiki’s Kickin’ Cakes, 5479 Highway 280, Suite 122, is now open on Sundays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 991-5006. kikiskickincakes.com.

Taziki’s, 601 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 108, recently hosted a Make-A-Wish party for wish child Nathaniel, a 9-year-old battling cancer, who traveled to Disney World in October. 980-6063. tazikiscafe.com.

The Alabama Retail Association recognized Carla Hamilton, chief executive ofﬁcer of Four Corners Gallery, as a Retailer of the Year on Sept. 23. It received a Bronze Award for the Annual Sales Less Than $1 Million category. The gallery is located at 4700 U.S. 280. 980-2600. fourcornersgalleryonline.com.

The Alabama Retail Association recognized Frederick W. “Ricky” Bromberg, president of Bromberg & Co. Inc., as a Retailer of the Year on Sept. 23. It received a Gold Award for the Annual Sales $5 Million to $20 Million category. Bromberg’s Summit location is 131 Summit Blvd. 969-1776. brombergs.com.

20 Rainbow Paint & Decorating, 5479

U.S. 280, Suite 116, is now carrying Pratt & Lambert paints. 991-9692. rainbow-paint.com.

Hirings and Promotions ARC Realty, 5291 Valleydale Road, has hired several new agents, including Holt Rast IV, Julie Meggs and Charline Wu. 657-4570. arcrealtyco.com.

Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center has added Dr. Kathleen McKeon to their staff as a hand surgeon. They have a satellite ofﬁce at 201 Doug Baker Blvd. in the Village at Lee Branch. 939-3699. andrewssportsmedicine.com.

Salon de Amici, 201 Cahaba Park Circle, Suite 300, has hired Sara Cashio Mills. She is a licensed cosmetologist specializing in color, highlights, cuts and perms. 980-7474.

Anniversaries The Sewing Room, 1040 Inverness Corners, celebrated its third anniversary in October. The store is owned by Patsy Porter Smith. 980-1112. patsyssewingroom.net.

Cuckoo’s Nest, 4222 Old 25 The Highway 280, Westover, is celebrating

its second anniversary in November. 678-7220.

Ground Up Coffee & Smoothies, 15582 Highway 280, Suite 100, Chelsea, is celebrating its second anniversary in November. 678-3899.

The Urban Barn, 601 Doug Baker Blvd., is celebrating its second anniversary in November. 451-8888.

Sur la Table, 115 Summit Blvd., is celebrating its second anniversary this

month. 968-7664. surlatable.com.

Willpower Fitness Gym, 16233 U.S. 280, Suite A, Chelsea, is celebrating its ﬁrst anniversary this month. 903-8591.

Greystone Shell Gas Station, 5408 U.S. 280, is celebrating its ﬁrst anniversary this month. 802-7500. mcphersonoil.com.

The Neighborhood Brew, 5184 Caldwell Mill Road, Suite 206, is celebrating its ﬁrst anniversary this month. 980-7445. theneighborhoodbrew.com.

Closings 32

Richard Joseph SalonSpa, 4700 U.S. 280, has closed.

Hooters, 5267 U.S. 280, Suite 100, has closed.

280 Living

A14 • November 2014

Inver ness

r ve In

280 Va lle yd ale

s ne

Cente r Pkw

On Tap

kw sP

Restaurant Showcase

Read all the past Restaurant Showcases at 280Living.com

810 Inverness Corners 437-1999 Sunday–Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.-midnight Thursday–Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-2 a.m.

By JESSA PEASE Craig Beegle always wanted to own his own business. As a former executive with Lockheed Martin, Beegle knew two things: he liked beer — as most Germans do — and he liked sports. So after his daughter graduated from the University of Georgia, he opened the door when opportunity knocked. Now Beegle and his wife, Elaine, own four locations of On Tap, a local sports pub featuring a lengthy list of American craft beers. “It was one opportunity we stumbled across,” Craig Beegle said. “It’s a place that meets all of our desires. Sports have always been in what we do, and we ﬁgured this wouldn’t be a bad thing to do. So far it has been great.” The Beegles purchased the Inverness location as well as two others in 2006. The wide-open atmosphere and party room allows for sports teams and soccer moms to enjoy the sporty environment, and Beegle said they also get crowds of small business parties. The Inverness location features 62 different brews on tap. With such an extensive list, On Tap provides a

The Cowboy Burger is one of On Tap’s half-pound Angus beef burgers made with homemade barbecue sauce, onion straws and cheddar cheese. Photo by Jessa Pease.

simple guide to beer selection with ratings, percentages and general beer information. Manager James Vance, a brewer himself, helps make decisions about what to put on the wall of taps by keeping track of what the next big thing is in the beer industry. “Right now the popular trend is

On Tap’s bartender Kristen Peoples pours a Fat Tire on draft. Photo by Jessa Pease.

IPAs,” Vance said. “They have been growing in popularity as people are getting more into craft beers, especially in Alabama where the craft laws have changed so much. The beer industry is getting a little bit more experimental in some ways. We are adventurous. We always have been with beer.”

Craig Beegle, Vance and other staff members try all of the beers they put on the wall, and if they don’t like the taste, the beer won’t make it. Beegle said he also wants all of his beers to have a story to make him care about them being in his sports bar. On Tap also features beers from about eight breweries located in

Alabama, which Elaine Beegle said are popular because people enjoy tasting local brews. In fact, On Tap is the biggest seller of Birmingham’s Good People in the state. No pub would be complete without pub fare, and Elaine said On Tap is famous for its wings, burgers, Philly cheesesteaks and wraps. “When we started out to do the food aspect of what we do,” Craig Beegle said, “we wanted to buy the best food we could buy, and also we make all our own sauces, breading and hamburgers by hand.” On Tap is even serving up extra large wings they get from nine-pound birds in North Carolina. Elaine said the competition serves a pound of wings with about 13 on the plate. Six of On Tap’s wings are a pound. The restaurant also dishes different gourmet burgers on pretzel buns. Everything on the menu, from the Hot Dog Fries to the piled-high sandwiches, is fresh and made-to-order with no pre-cooking. “We want to be that craft house, and be that place where you go to get individual beers that are crafted in Alabama,” Craig Beegle said. “That is what we are trying to do here.”

280Living.com

November 2014 • A15

A house divided can still stand Forty-year rivalry going strong By JESSA PEASE Debby Shepherd still remembers riding to church in that green Dodge Charger. It was 1972, the night of the famous 17-16 Iron Bowl. She was an Alabama fan, and Hal Shepherd was an Auburn fan. “I can vividly remember still sitting there, not with him, and then at the last minute [Auburn] blocked two punts and beat us,” Debby said. “Auburn rarely beat Alabama at that point of time. Right? Wouldn’t you say that is true?” Hal shook his head. “I wouldn’t say that.” He was at that game, too. He called her afterward, but he didn’t mention Auburn’s victory. He just asked if he could take her to church the next morning. Debby said she thought that was very nice of him to not rub it in, so she agreed. “The next morning when he picked me up, his car was totally decorated — painted all over orange and blue, ‘Auburn beat Bama! 17-16!’” Debby said. “I thought I’d die when I walked out of my house, and that is so him. He’s so subtle.”

DHL

Debby Shepherd gave her husband, Hal, a hard time over his giant Gus Malzahn head, which Hal keeps in the window of his office. She joked that she knew it was his office the moment she saw it. Photo by Jessa Pease.

Flash forward to now, and Hal and Debby have been married for 40 years. They have three children — one Auburn fan and two Alabama fans — and they find a way to make football season work in their household. Hal refuses to cheer for Alabama,

FedEx

UPS

even when they aren’t playing Auburn, and Debby feels the same way about Auburn. For that reason, they don’t watch or go to the games together. Hal wakes up on Saturday morning and dresses head-to-toe in Auburn fan gear, not forgetting his lucky socks and

USPS

at Lee Branch

980.8879

www.pakmailleebranch.com

Gobble Gobble!! GOBBLE!! That’s ‘turkey’ for Bring in this ad for 25% OFF Packing ‘n Shipping of one item.*

And Happy Thanksgiving, of course! * Good for the month of November 2014- UPS, FedEx and DHL only

DHL

FedEx

UPS

USPS

boxers. From there, he usually leaves to watch the game with his brother or friends who are also Auburn fans. If they are together in the house, Hal said they have to watch on different TVs. He will go up to his office so he can watch the game without

Debby’s Alabama friends around. “Of course, I’m cheering for whoever it is that Alabama is playing,” Hal said. “I don’t care who it is.” It wasn’t always like that, though. The first nine years of their marriage, when the Auburn-Alabama game was still played at Legion Field, Hal and Debby went to the games together. Those nine years, Alabama consecutively beat Auburn. “As long as Auburn is in ‘their place’ as the second-rate cow college, then the world is all good, but if Auburn is equal to or better than Alabama, the world is not good,” Hal said. At those games the couple would sit together and try to be polite to one another, but one of them was always stuck in the opposing team’s fan section. It wasn’t even fun, Debby said, because they couldn’t cheer or be excited out of consideration for each other. “We would go out there, pretend that we were nice and sit together,” Hal said, giving Debby the eye. “Then after she bit me….” “I didn’t bite you,” Debby said. “I hit you with the umbrella.” That was the last game they went to together. From then on, they would split up early in the day and enjoy it without upsetting the other. To this day, it’s just the best way. “We have mellowed in our age a little bit, but see every time there is a little spurt of hope — like when you have the seasons where [Auburn] wins in the last three seconds — it gets bad all over again,” Debby said.

280 Living

A16 • November 2014

What are you thankful for? Area third graders share the things they are thankful for this Thanksgiving LORI LANCASTER’S THIRD GRADE CLASS OAK MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

I’m mostly thankful for my family because they are most kindest people I’ve ever met in my whole life. They love me no matter what, even when I’m going through hard problems, like when I can’t figure out math problems. My two brothers are nice, funny, and really fun. I can just keep going on and on about them. My parents give me food, love, and a roof over my head. My two cats and my one dog will not bite, scratch, or be mean to me. They will lick me, let me pet them and they will love on me. That is why I am thankful for my family.

My name is Ethan and I am thankful for my family, God, Jesus, my house, my friends, my teacher, my school, my car, trees, my bed, water, and food. I am thankful for my family because they care about me, and they are nice to me. I am thankful for God because he always answers my prayers. I am thankful for Jesus because he died on the cross for me. I am thankful for my house because I know that if I didn’t have a house I wouldn’t have anywhere to live. I am thankful for my friends because they stand up for me, and they are nice to me. I am thankful for my teacher because she is nice to me and teaches me new things. I am thankful for my school because I know if there wasn’t a school I wouldn’t be as sharp as a toothpick like I am now. I am thankful for my car because it helps me get to places faster. I am thankful for trees because they give us oxygen so that we can breathe. I am thankful for my bed because I know that if I didn’t have a bed, I would have to sleep on the floor. I am thankful for food and water because they help me stay alive. I am so thankful for all of these things!

Hi, I am Ella and the thing that I am thankful for is my loving family. When I am sad, they cheer me up and make me laugh. When I feel left out, my brothers, Mitchell and Jacob, come and play with me. It takes so much to take care of a family and my parents work so hard to earn money, buy groceries, cook, and wash clothes. Sometimes it’s my favorite food they cook that reminds me that I am loved. Other times it’s a family game of kickball that reminds me that this is my team. When times are hard for us, my parents, brothers, and I get through it together. Even when I am not looking, they always have my back. That’s what families are all about!

My name is Lauren and I am thankful for freedom. I am thankful for freedom because I don’t want orders all of the time. Who does? I am glad that so many people fight for freedom for our country and nation. Just think of the many people who fight in the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marines. It isn’t a piece of cake for them. That’s why I am so thankful for freedom. There are so many things I am thankful for! Some of the things I am thankful for are my mom, Jesus, and school. These things are important to me because I love them!

Drowdy Hackbarth

Ethan Vines

Ella Pierce

Lauren Cole

280Living.com

November 2014 • A17

BETH ANSLEY’S THIRD GRADE CLASS MT LAUREL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

God has given me so many things to be thankful for. I am thankful for so many things. My family, sports, and friends are very important to me. I am thankful for my family because when I play sports they are cheering me on. I’m grateful for my mom because she makes food for me and supports me in sports. I am grateful for my dad because he supports me in sports and always wants to throw with me. I’m also thankful for my brother and sister because they are nice to me. I’m also thankful for sports. Without sports, my life would be boring. If there were no sports there would be no competition. I wouldn’t be as healthy as I am if it wasn’t for sports. Another thing I’m thankful for is my friends. My friends are nice to me. For example, my friend Kevin pats me on the back after I hit a homerun. I’m glad I have friends because if I didn’t have friends then I would have no one to play with. I’m glad I am who I am! I would not want to be anyone else. I’m thankful for a lot of things!

I have so many things to be thankful for. Some things I am thankful for are my dog, my family, and my friends. These are all the things I am most thankful for! First, I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for my family because they take care of me. When I feel sad, they’ll always be there for me. Even when I say something, they listen. Next, I am even thankful for my dog because he never bites. He is always nice to me. My dog never gives up. When we call his name, he always comes to us. Last, I am thankful for my friends because they always stick up for me. They are excellent. They are very smart. My friends are like family to me. These are all the fun things I am thankful for!

God has given me so many things to be thankful for. These things are the most important to me. Some of the things I am thankful for are my friends, family, and school. I am so thankful for my friends because they keep me company. They also are so fun and they love Jesus. I always treat them the way I want to be treated. Another thing I am thankful for is my family. My family is very important to me because my parents wash my clothes, drive me to places, and cook my meals. I love my brother because he is very kind and humble. Plus, he does me favors and he loves me too! The last thing I am thankful for is my school. I am so thankful that I get to go to school. I am also thankful for my teacher because she teaches me something new every day. These are some of the most important things in my life and I am so thankful!

There are so many things I am thankful for! Some of the things I am thankful for are my mom, Jesus, and school. These things are important to me because I love them! I am thankful for my mom because she buys me clothes so I will be warm. I am also thankful for her because she cooks me food, and she loves me. Also, my mom helps me have a healthy life. I am so thankful for Jesus because he died on the cross for our sins. Whenever I am scared or sad, Jesus helps me with everything. Jesus always and will forever take care of me! I am thankful for school because if you didn’t have school, nobody would know anything that I know now. Also, the things that we learn help us so we will be smart when we grow up. It also gives us a very good education. These things are the most important things in my life and I will always love them!

Jackson Bradley

Loren Jackson

Mia Eiler

Ava Scorggins

Hands on Care, Close to Home.

! k or w d

TherapySouth is an outpatient physical therapy practice specializing in personalized, hands on care. Our experienced physical therapists provide comprehensive, individualized treatment allowing our patients to attain their maximum physical capacity. • Orthopaedic physical therapy • Manual therapy • Injury prevention • Wellness and exercise prescriptions • Sports therapy (injuries, rehab and performance enhancement)

www.therapysouth.com

GREYSTONE | 205.408.1713

CHELSEA | 205.678.7272

2807 Greystone Commercial Blvd., Suite 32 Birmingham, AL 35242 Cathie Bonner | Service Director

100 Chelsea Corners Way, Suite 100 Chelsea, AL 35043 Robby Head | Service Director

Two locations on Hwy 280 to serve you! Open Monday – Friday 7:00am–5:00pm

280 Living

A18 • November 2014

Giving away smiles By SYDNEY CROMWELL As a young girl, Kimberly Bradley wanted more than anything to be a missionary. That dream lay dormant in Bradley’s adult life until Hurricane Katrina shocked her into action. Bradley felt a divine calling to travel to the ravaged Gulf Coast and help rebuild people’s lives. Her service became the inspiration to start a charity of her own. Bradley started Heavenly Smile in 2006 to provide low-cost budgeting classes to people in Chelsea. The name was inspired by a poem written by her grandfather. As she partnered with small churches in the area to help the nonproﬁt grow, Heavenly Smile began offering assistance with utility bills and food for families in need. Eight years later, Bradley’s food pantry gives away between 125 and 200 pounds of food each month to residents throughout Shelby County. “I enjoy seeing us come together to do something,” Bradley said. “Whether it’s Chelsea or Shelby County it doesn’t matter. I think that’s the way communities are supposed to be.” The food pantry is the core of Heavenly Smile, but Bradley said the charity is involved in many aspects of the community. Heavenly Smile hosts a Christmas sponsorship program to provide gifts to children whose parents cannot afford them, and a “bread ministry” was just started this summer for senior citizens who need food assistance. This generosity is not possible without signiﬁcant community support. Bradley said the Chelsea Intermediate

Bradley holds a bag of donated food at the Heavenly Smile food pantry. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

School band has a food donation drive at its concerts, and nearby churches will ﬁll the pantry every time it starts to run low. Churches and local Girl and Boy Scout troops also provide volunteers to prepare food and toiletry packages or help with Open Pantry

Days during the summer. “It’s really a community-based organization, with the schools and the churches and just anyone who hears about us,” Bradley said. “When things pull together and several organizations come together as one unit, sometimes

you can better serve that way.” Bradley described the mission of Heavenly Smile as providing a “hand up, not just a handout.” She said many people do not realize short-term help is available as they deal with illnesses, injuries, job loss or any of the other

unexpected challenges of life. “It’s just help when you need it, and just realize it’s OK to ask if you need something,” Bradley said. Some families’ stories stick with Bradley for years. She remembers a couple who went through one of the

280Living.com

November 2014 • A19

Heavenly Smile food pantry needs list }} Canned and nonperishable food }} Bagged rice and pasta }} Cereal }} Jelly }} Baby food and formula }} Juice }} Snack crackers }} Resealable zip-close bags }} Notecards and envelopes }} Diapers }} Toiletries – deodorant, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste (left) Canned goods and other nonperishable goods are bagged by volunteers to distribute to families in need. Photo by Jessa Pease. (above) Varieties of baked goods are donated to Heavenly Smile, Inc., and are labeled by volunteers before being distributed to families in need. Photo by Jessa Pease. early financial planning classes that has now gotten out of debt, bought a house and had a child. A family that received food assistance two years ago while their 3-year-old went through cancer treatments now sends updates to Bradley about their child’s cancer-free life. Recently, she heard

from a mother who needed help with groceries for her children when chemotherapy took its toll. “She said, ‘You don’t know what it meant to go through all my cancer treatments and know at least that was coming in. I didn’t have to get up and go shopping when I didn’t feel good,’”

Bradley said. Bradley admits that her vision for Heavenly Smile has often been bigger than reality, and she has had to scale back her plans to make them work. In spite of these limitations, she hopes to roughly triple the food pantry’s size by spring and regain the funding to

}} Towels and dishcloths }} Bedsheets }} Cleaning supplies

help families with utility bills again. Eventually, Bradley wants to offer classes on job and interview skills to help people get back on their feet. In the meantime, everyday donations still make a world of difference. “Beans and rice still go a long way,” Bradley said.

While people must apply to receive food assistance, Bradley said she has yet to turn anyone away. To make a donation or apply for aid, contact Heavenly Smile at 678-6603. Applications can be filled out by appointment on Tuesday or Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. at 1800 County Road 39.

280 Living

A20 • November 2014

‘Tis the season to By JESSA PEASE

Sequined and sophisticated

Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, which also means it’s almost time for family gatherings, holiday parties and dozens of opportunities to show off fall and winter styles. Get inspiration for this season right at your ﬁngertips with 280 Living’s fashion guide.

Chic crochet

When the holiday cocktail parties start ﬂooding your calendar, try this Collection silk halter dress ($35.50). Add a pair of Dyeables silver sandals ($15.30) and some simple jewelry. Get the look at Renaissance Consignment and Market.

Everyone should have a dress to pair with boots in their wardrobe. Give this rust color, crochet trimmed dress ($52) and taupe riding boots ($62) a try. Add ﬂair with handmade beaded bracelets ($34). Find the look at The Urban Barn.

Lovely in layers

Santa’s little helper

Anything fur is popular this holiday season. Try layering this sweater/fur combo vest ($79) over a solid white tunic ($36). Paired these with skinny jeans ($69) and OTBT booties ($159), and top the whole thing off with Hobo cross body purse ($108). Get the look at The Ditsy Daisy.

Reindeer, pine trees and snowﬂakes make this Viva la Fete smocked, long-sleeve shirt ($32) great for any holiday get together. Complete the festive look with a pair of red Beehave pants ($19). Find the outﬁt at Sew Precious.

280Living.com

November 2014 • A21

update your wardrobe Get these looks

Cute and classy

Palazzo pizzazz

A gold tint is the color for any holiday party. Give this elegant Kay Unger dress ($131.10) a try at your next get together. Pair it with a pair of Paker Sequin Too pointed, black heels ($25.50) and some jewelry with bling. Get the outﬁt at Renaissance Consignment and Market.

Popping colors and patterns are trending, so why not try on these Batik print palazzo pants ($42)? Add a sheer maroon top ($36) and handmade beaded jewelry for a party-ready outﬁt. Find it at The Urban Barn.

The Ditsy Daisy 16618 U.S. 280, Suite 100 Renaissance Consignment and Marketplace 6801 Cahaba Valley Road Sew Precious 16161 U.S. 280, Chelsea 180 Main Street, Hoover The Urban Barn 601 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 105

Festive in red Pretty as a present Nothing quite says Christmas like this red Mom&Me dress ($42) with smocked Christmas trees. Add a bow and some cute ballet ﬂats to complete the look. Buy the dress at Sew Precious.

Add a holiday color with this red tunic top ($36) that can be worn on or off the shoulder. Layer up some multi-chain necklaces with clip charms ($22), and complete the look with these dark wash skinny jeans. Don’t forget to add a pair of OTBT booties ($118). Find the outﬁt at The Ditsy Daisy.

280 Living

A22 • November 2014

Your Health Today By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer

Cancer is the #2 cause of death in America and the developed nations of the world. Currently, one out of four individuals are dying from cancer. Statistically, 38% of women and 43% of men are projected to develop cancer over their lifetime. According to Patrick Quillin, Ph.D., R.D., C.N.S., a director of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Okla., and author of Beating Cancer With Nutrition (Nutrition Times Press, 1998). According to Wikipedia, “The great majority of cancers, some 90–95% of cases, are due to environmental factors, such as lifestyle, economic and behavioral factors, and not merely pollution”. The major factors that contribute to cancer death are tobacco (25–30%), diet and obesity (30–35%), stress, lack of physical activity, and environmental pollutants. More than half of the effect from diet is due to over nutrition (eating too much), rather than from eating too few vegetables or other healthful foods” While the overall death rate from cancer has not appreciably declined since the start of the multi-trillion dollar “war on cancer” in 1971. There is good news from the nutrition arena. “Optimal nutrition (and changes

in lifestyle) can reduce the risks of developing cancer by up to 90%, hence it is a strong preventative tool for everyone” according to Patrick Quillin Ph.D. and author of Beating Cancer With Nutrition. Specifically, slow cancer by limiting the amount of sugar available in the blood and gut for the glucose-dependent cancer cells. This however is not new thinking, there’s just better technology available. In 1931 Nobel laureate in medicine, German Otto Warburg, Ph.D., first discovered that cancer cells have a fundamentally different energy metabolism compared to healthy cells. The crux of his Nobel thesis was that malignant tumors frequently exhibit an increase in anaerobic glycolysis -- a process whereby glucose (sugar) is used as a fuel by cancer cells with lactic acid as an anaerobic byproduct -- compared to normal tissues. The large amount of lactic acid produced by this fermentation of glucose from cancer cells is then transported to the liver. This conversion of glucose to lactate generates a lower, more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical fatigue from lactic acid buildup. It’s obvious that today’s high-sugar diets are having an unhealthy effects on our waistline,

Sugar Feeds Cancer health and blood sugar. Excess blood glucose may initiate yeast overgrowth, blood vessel deterioration, heart disease and other health conditions including cancer. In 1997, American Diabetes Association blood-glucose standards consider 126 mg glucose/dL blood or greater to be diabetic; 126 mg/dL is impaired glucose tolerance and less than 110 mg/dL is considered normal. Meanwhile, the Paleo diet of our ancestors which consisted of lean meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits and small amounts (if any) of whole grains, is estimated to have generated blood glucose levels between 60 and 90 mg/dL. Obviously, there’s a difference. We as a society are moving in the wrong direction. At the turn of the 19th century 1 in 10 (10%) would be inflicted with cancer. By 2010, this number has increase 3 to 5 times. What has changed in the last 100 years? I think most of seniors know. The food we consume today is vastly different. Many foods are processed and loaded up with sugar. They may taste great but they are literally killing us over time. If we can reduce our cancer risk by 90% by mierly changing our diet, why would we not embrace such a change. As I interpret the research, it seems cancer

needs certain conditions to grow. To use an analogy, when we are gardening we know certain plants want certain soil conditions in order to grow and thrive. We as a society are creating the perfect environment within our bodies for cancer to flourish hence the rise in statistics. So, if we know what cancer needs to live and thrive, we can also make changes to restrict the necessary components. Using foods and nutrition supplements to assist the body’s built-in mechanism for regaining health is not a new approach. There are many scientifically supported nutrition factors that can slow or discourage cancer cells, including fish oil, phytoallexins (from red and green fruits and vegetables), vitamin D, and much, much more. Making these lifestyle changes can greatly decrease the possibility of being another cancer statistic. This month we are promoting another Detox program at Chiropractic Today on November 18th at 6:15 pm. It is the first step in a life long journey to regaining health. Click, call or stop by today to find out more about the Standard Process 21 day cleanse and purification program.

280Living.com

November 2014 • A23

How to eat healthy this holiday season

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen hosts a healthy living program

By MADISON MILLER At the ﬁrst of the year, people often adopt a new outlook on life. With excitement, they make New Year’s resolutions for healthy eating and rigorous exercise, but these are sometimes just as quickly forgotten or abandoned. The reason for this breakdown of goals is often because people are trying to make too many changes at once, Donna Sibley said. Sibley, a registered dietician at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, is now teaching a class called Countdown to the Holidays Living Healthy Challenge. The goal is to provide students with simple health and wellness information on a weekly basis and give them goals to reach each week. In its ﬁrst week, the class focused on the importance of drinking water throughout each day. In its second, Sibley showed attendants how to make creative vegetable snacks for tailgates. At the end of each class, students are challenged to incorporate Sibley’s tips into their day-to-day routines. At the next meeting, they discuss their progress. “Coming to class will make me more accountable for healthy living,” student Donna Swalley said. As holidays approach in the fall, family members visit, shopping trips are made and cold weather can make cravings for comfort food overpowering. “When the weather changes, everybody wants to do mac and cheese,

Donna Sibley, RDN, LDN prepares a veggie snack option for tailgate parties. Photo by Madison Miller.

potatoes and gravy and chili,” Sibley said. “Tailgate parties and holiday parties start, and it’s just one thing after another. Some people can gain

as much as ﬁve to 10 pounds over the holidays.” The program is not necessarily for weight loss, but to show how to

This year why not let Bellinis host your holiday party?

We have two private dining rooms and our full service staff will turn your holiday party into a festive celebration. Voted

BEST OF

280 280 Living 2013

Best Italian food

maintain a healthy lifestyle permanently. By the ﬁrst of the year, students will have already formed healthier habits and will not feel overwhelmed

with so many new goals at once. For students to make a true change, however, they must remember their commitment to their goal of a healthy lifestyle, which can be tricky at holiday get-togethers. When heavy casseroles and pumpkin pie are skewing one’s better judgment, Sibley has some advice to help stay on track: 1. Don’t keep tempting foods in the house. During the holidays, it can be easy to pick up or prepare less nutritious foods for family gatherings. Sibley warns that this can lead to overeating of these kinds of foods, even if they are meant for other members of the family. Replace less nutritious recipes with a healthier option whenever possible. 2. Take 10. If food is brought to the house or if family members or friends cannot live without a certain unhealthy holiday dish, Sibley suggests a time delay of 10 minutes. Once a craving has struck, thinking about the option for 10 minutes might help you refocus on healthy goals. 3. Keep busy. Finding an alternate activity can often make cravings go away, Sibley said, whether it’s exercising or even taking a bubble bath. Countdown to the Holidays Living Healthy Challenge meets each Thursday from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. The class is free for members and $10 per week for nonmembers. To learn more, visit onenineteen.com or call 408-6550.

A24 • November 2014

Never stop

280 Living

chasing the dream Actor shares a realistic look at making it in Hollywood By JESSA PEASE

Matt Godfrey has been chasing his dream in L.A. for about five years now. Photo courtesy of Mary Rosenbaum Photography.

Los Angeles is the most populated city in California, and everyone is there trying to do the same thing — act. It’s a thought that can be both encouraging and discouraging for 28-year-old Matt Godfrey, and it’s made clear as he sits in an audition room with hundreds of other people. Each actor dreams that this will be his break into the industry. At the same time, as the man next to Godfrey starts another set of pushups meant to intimidate the competition, each actor is also trying to beat out the others. Many, like Godfrey, quickly find that L.A. more closely resembles the boulevard of broken dreams than the city of angels. “It’s super hard to find an agent, super hard to get auditions at all, and I think I thought [that] coming from theater, you just rolled into town and went to an audition,” Godfrey said. “It’s hard to get in there. You have to have somebody submit you for it, and it’s going to take two auditions — it’s just hard.” Unlike the people who leave after a year or two of not making it, Godfrey, a 2004 Briarwood Christian School

graduate, has lived in L.A. for about 5 years with his wife, Ellen. Although she wasn’t involved in theater in any way, she’s been Godfrey’s support system ever since they moved to L.A. shorty after they graduated from Samford University and got married. He said the first year was just learning how the city works. The layout is tough, the city is rough and Godfrey said it takes an hour to drive five miles. Although it’s difficult and completely different than what he was used to in stage theatre, he has had some success getting his name out there, even if he doesn’t think so himself. “Success looks different here than it does there,” he said. “I feel very much like I’m just sitting around all day and nothing is happening.” His IMBd profile might suggest otherwise. Godfrey has been featured in multiple commercials for companies such as Food Lion, Old Navy and Chevrolet, and he is currently in a nationally running Progresso Soup Commercial. He also has credits in short films such as Blue Like Jazz, The Darkest Game and Mush, and he wrote and performed in titles such as Cane Creek, First Day and The Gospel of Quinn.

Blue Like Jazz was his first movie gig in his first several years in L.A., and it was based on a book that both he and his wife really liked. When his wife told him they were making a movie, he started doing some research. “I ended up coming across the director of photography, which is not the normal ‘in’ for a movie,” Godfrey said. “I emailed that guy, and he was super cool. I went to Nashville to audition, and it was amazing — I mean it never works like that.” The film was shot in Nashville in 2012, and soon after he had another chance to work with Ben Pearson, the director of photography, in Godfrey’s own short film Cane Creek. Godfrey was tired of waiting for someone to call him in for an audition, so he took to heart what people often say “if you aren’t making your own work, you are no good to the industry.” He started to produce his own work, which led to Cane Creek. “When I do audition, it is few and far between and it might not be for a role that I love,” Godfrey said. “It’s just whatever comes along. You want to grab at it, but writing it, I can sit down and say ‘I want to play the guy

280Living.com

November 2014 • A25

Matt Godfrey playing Knox in his short film Cane Creek. Photo courtesy of Matt Godfrey.

who seems super nice but turns out to be a serial killer or something.’ I can create that for myself.” Writing might have started as a means to an end, but Godfrey said it has grown into an interest in itself. He admits that writing is hard and

acting still comes easier to him, but it’s inspiring to write the roles he is passionate about. He’s still on the track of writing his own shorts, auditioning for the roles that come his way and continuing to pursue his dreams. He’d love to be

in a science-fiction/drama television series, and he’d love to write and act in a feature film. Even in the harder moments, when he’s working hard without much reward, he believes there is a lot of merit in not quitting because most

people do. Through all of those darker times he remembers why he is in L.A. in the first place. “Simply — I just really like it,” Godfrey said. “My wife and I talk a lot, and if we didn’t enjoy it anymore, we would stop. I think before

I thought, ‘I’m not going to quit because I don’t want to have to say that I quit,’ but I think I’m passed that. If I stop liking it, then I stop liking it and that’s fine.” To learn more about Godfrey’s career, visit mattgodfrey.net.

280 Living

A26 • November 2014

Bound for Nashville Local 10th-graders follow dream By JESSA PEASE They may only be in 10th grade, but don’t let their age fool you — these girls are performers. Madibeth Morgan, an Oak Mountain High School student, and Anna Tamburello, who attends Spain Park High School, are part of the Nashville Bound Academy of Country Music, and they do gigs all over the South. The duo, influenced by singers like Jason Isbell and Kasey Musgraves, describes their sound as chill and smooth with a country and bluegrass feeling, and their on-stage presence as one of close siblings. “Have you ever seen Supernatural?” Morgan asked. “Anna is Sam, and I’m Dean. That pretty much describes it.” The country-singing team has performed in venues such as The Temple Theatre in Mississippi, and local joints in Nashville such as Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. Madibeth has also been featured at Tin Roof, Tannehill Opry, Lakefest, Workplay and Sucarnochee Review. Along with performing covers of popular artists like Reba McEntire and Eddy Arnold, the girls also write their own music. Tamburello said she enjoys writing songs about certain emotions she is feeling or about people. Her first and favorite song she wrote is called “Assateague” after an island off of Maryland. The song was

Use your favorite QR Reader to listen to “Make the World Go Away” performed by Morgan and Tamburello.

Veterans Day Concert Nov. 11, 2 p.m. The Urban Barn Parking Lot The Village at Lee Branch Tenth-graders Madibeth Morgan and Anna Tamburello are singers and songwriters. Photo by Jessa Pease.

written for her one of her brother’s friends who passed away at the island during his stint in the Navy. The song compares the friend to the horses that run wild on island. “And no one knows how the horses got there,” Morgan added. “It’s pretty cool.” “Just a Kiss Away” is Morgan’s

favorite composition so far. She said she wrote the song the second weekend in October with songwriters Laurel Taylor and Don Goodman in Nashville. The song is about a crush, but Morgan said she can gain inspiration for songs from anything, even an interesting sign on the road. Although the pair performs in

part to pursue their dream, they said being famous isn’t what it is all about for them. “Anyone can sing, but I think it’s says something for someone to actually pursue it,” Morgan said. “I think it’s something special.” They will both be performing this Veterans Day, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. at The

Village at Lee Branch parking lot in front of The Urban Barn. Morgan said visitors can expect a chill vibe from them at the concert with tunes similar to Jason Isbell. “Jason Isbell started writing music when he was 21,” Tamburello said. “We are already doing that, and I can’t wait to see what we are going to be

280Living.com

November 2014 • A27

The voice

from Spain Park Jessie Pitts moves forward on Team Blake By JESSA PEASE One line into the song, Gwen Stefani turned her chair around. It only took seven words of Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” for The Voice judge to indicate she wanted Spain Park High School graduate Jessie Pitts on her team. Nineteen-year-old Pitts is now on Team Gwen, continuing on the show’s battles in the upcoming weeks. “Wow, I loved your voice,” Stefani told Pitts after her audition. “It was like an angel — so pretty. I love how you can wiggle your way up into these other little notes.” Stefani was able to sway Pitts to her side, but Pitts already had an idea of her own singing style. She started singing in her church choir at a young age and continued singing in her high school choir and show choir. Pitts said her father was one of her biggest influences. In addition to singing with her, he raised her on classic Beatles and country music, and he built a wooden stage for her to perform on. Under this influence, she was able to create her own style. “I would say I have an indie kind of voice, but I love taking pop songs and making really unique transitions to make it sound like a song you have never heard before,” Pitts said. The influence of singers like Regina Spektor and Ellie Goulding can be heard in Pitts’ soft voice, but she said she always wants her own personal edge to shine through. If you

have ever seen one of her gigs, she said you have probably heard her cover of “Love Me Tender.” Elvis originally recorded the song, but she said the cover by Norah Jones inspired her own version. Her take on pop songs made more than Stefani react during the blind auditions. Blake Shelton pressed his button almost immediately after Pitts took the stage. He said her voice “is like a bowl of Lucky Charms, marshmallows only” when she started singing. The day leading up to the audition, Pitts said she was a nervous wreck. She first auditioned two years ago and was told that she should come back when she had more experience and when she was a little older. She took that as a sign that The Voice wasn’t the path for her, but went to the auditions again when a friend begged her to go. The morning of the audition, however, Pitts said she woke up with the most peaceful feeling. Being on the stage was nothing less than incredible, she said. “I was working the crowd, waving to the people, and it just felt right,” Pitts said. “It felt like it was what I was meant to do. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be, and that was a very pleasant surprise. I could really just enjoy the moment and give it everything I had.” For Pitts, listening to the judges, some of the world’s top artists, talk about her voice was an out-of-body experience. She said she was humbled and grateful to have the opportunity

Jessie Pitts owned the stage during The Voice’s blind auditions. She said she waved to the crowd, worked the audience and felt like she was where she was meant to be. Photo by Tyler Golden/NBC.

to sing in front of them, and she felt even more blessed to be able to perform for them again. Pitts took the stage with Ryan Sill Oct. 20 for the next round. The pair battled their vocal talents by singing to Ellie Goulding’s “I Need Your Love,” and Stefani chose Sill as the

night’s winner. Although Pitts lost the battle, Shelton saved her from going home. He used his last “steal” to make Pitts a member of Team Blake, the winning team from last year’s season with singer Danielle Bradbery.

280 Living

A28 • November 2014

‘Fight for all you’ve got’ By SYDNEY CROMWELL Ally Nelson should be doing normal 14-year-old things: playing sports, going to school and enjoying time with her friends. She shouldn’t be waiting and praying for that fateful word – remission. The Chelsea High School freshman was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in March 2012, when a tumor was found wrapped around her left femur bone. She handled months of chemo and the replacement of her femur with a prosthetic, which made her legs different lengths and gave her a limp. Her mother, Christina Nelson, said Ally, then 12, went through everything with the maturity of an adult. “She took it better than all of us. She was more concerned about other people than she was with herself,” Christina said. Ally was declared cancer-free in November 2012, enabling her to return to school and her hobbies of singing in the choir, sketching clothing designs and hanging out with her friends. In February 2014, however, the doctors at Children’s of Alabama found that she was no longer in remission, and the cancer had moved to her lungs. Two more surgeries followed to attempt to remove the cancer again. The Nelsons have been waiting since June to hear if they were successful. Christina said they couldn’t have gotten through the ordeal without prayer and help from their friends and church, The Connection. In September, the church held a “Go Gold for Ally” fundraiser, which included a baked goods and craft sale. Kim Parmley, a self-described “crafty person,” organized the event after working with Christina in the church nursery. The event included around 20 vendors and more than 50 silent auction items. Parmley said the church raised $5,500 for Ally’s medical bills. On the day of the sale, Christina said she was “just in awe” of everyone’s willingness to lend a hand. “I absolutely adore the family,” Parmley said. “Any way I can help them, I would do it in a heartbeat.” The fundraisers are not over yet. Parmley said

The Nelsons consider their friends and church to be like family. At the craft and bake sale fundraiser, Christina and Ally Nelson play with a friend’s dog. Photo by Sydney Cromwell. several vendors, including local Pampered Chef and Jamberry sales representatives, have been donating portions of their proceeds to the Nelson family, and more fundraisers are in the works. “We’ve had the best community support; our friends, our church are amazing,” Christina said. “Our

family’s all up in Ohio, so having our people here – we don’t call them friends, they are family to us.” Ally went to the doctor in October and found that two of three tumors had disappeared, but the other one had increased slightly. As her family tries to decide between another round of chemo, surgery or waiting it

out, Ally is continuing to stay strong and keep praying. Her experience fighting cancer has given her wisdom about her young life. “I just don’t take life for granted and don’t have regrets. Everything happens for a reason,” Ally said. “Fight for all you’ve got.”

280Living.com

November 2014 • A29

to n Ov er 18 Street S.

Overton Rd

149

Ov ert on R

Inde

rin

eD shor

Liberty Pkwy

459

Cahaba Heights Rd

149

est es Cr

Rd yS

or Rd

Oxmo

Lake

ak eR

sh ke

Ave

280 Rd Ridge

Colonnade Pkwy

Rocky

459

biana

kw rP

119

current 280 route includes several stops at different businesses and it isn’t practical for commuters trying to get downtown. “It stops all along the corridor and it takes about an hour or more to get through the corridor,” Murdock said. The planned route will bypass every stop except The Summit so it could travel to and from downtown Birmingham more quickly. Murdock said the buses would hold between 26 and 30 people and have Wi-Fi access. Murdock said bus riders will arrive at work in a “much more pleasant frame of mind” because they will be working or enjoying leisure activities instead of fighting traffic. The buses will fill on a firstcome, first-serve basis, and bus fares have not been determined yet. With a maximum load of 30 people per bus, Route 201 won’t do much to fix traffic congestion on 280. However, the buses would have a positive environmental impact and make the commute easier for its

d ey R

aV all

Ca h

Br oo

ey da

riders. Murdock said that the BJCTA will use this new route as a way to introduce commuters to public transit. “We don’t anticipate any major impact on trafﬁc, but our goal is to take a few cars off the road,” Murdock said. The buses were purchased through grant money and matching funds from the city of Hoover. There are two other routes in the planning phase: a commuter route between Bessemer and Hoover and a shuttle from the airport to multiple downtown locations. The Birmingham shuttle is an immediate priority for the BJCTA and the Bessemer-Hoover route is planned for January 2015. The BJCTA held public meetings in October to get public feedback on the route. The meeting at the Perimeter Park Hilton drew fewer than 10 people, but Murdock said overall public response was positive. If demand for the buses exceeds their capacity, she said the BJCTA will make changes to the route to accommodate more riders. “We’re just trying to meet the needs of our service area,” Murdock said. ad

CONTINUED from page A1

dge

y Ri

Rock

Va ll

BUS ROUTE

oo Br

gh Hi

e nt Ce

Pk w

a Cah

kw dP

lan

d er R Riv

Inv er ne ss

ord Alf

ba Vall ey R

ue L

Cah a

w Pk

Mon tgom

ery

Shad

ore

Colum

people you surround yourself with.” Now, as an adult, Tad and his wife, Toni, and their three daughters will spend their Thanksgiving delivering meals through the Jimmie Hale Mission. “Those to whom much is given, much is expected,” Tad said. “We are blessed, and we feel like it is our duty, pleasure and honor to help other people when we can.” Tad said he thinks God built people to enjoy giving more than receiving, and that’s why he and his family will deliver between four and six meals on Thanksgiving with about 80 other volunteers who will be doing the same. Toni went on to explain that their daughters are the other reason they enjoy giving back to their community. They want their children to know that not everyone lives the way they do. Tad added that it’s more beneficial to create an environment for children where they appreciate what they have. “You can view the world in one of two ways: You can look at all the stuff you wish you had and you didn’t, or you can look at all the stuff you do have and appreciate what you’ve got,” Tad said. “I don’t care what [stuff] you have, if you have the first attitude you are going to live your entire life unhappy, and if you have the second attitude you are going to live your life being happy and fulfilled.” That’s why the Hills participate in all kinds of charitable projects, including sponsoring events

280 280

oor Rd

Oxm

Ave ley Val

CONTINUED from page A1

280

SERVES

like the Light the Night Walk and adopting families for Christmas. “This thing that we are doing here [on Thanksgiving], in my opinion, is totally giving thanks and giving people something they can’t do or provide for themselves,” Toni said. “I like that, but there is also another side of me that likes to give a hand up, not just a handout.” The Hills are also involved with serving others outside of Birmingham. Through the Freedom Financial branch they own off Valleydale Road, they support Freedom Financial Bank of Esperanza in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The bank offers loans to people who want to start their own small business involving anything from hair and makeup, making ﬁsh stew, owning a small deli and even doing small engine repair. Tad said the payback on these loans is always 100 percent. “They are paying it back because they know, ‘Once I pay my loan back, somebody else can start a business down here,’ and that’s an amazing thing,” Toni said. It all goes back to the Hills’ words: “Do anything. Do something.” They said it’s important to get involved in anything because once you begin, you realize what a reward it is. All of a sudden, lending a hand doesn’t feel like an obligation, it feels great — almost like something you are doing for yourself, Tad said. “I encourage anybody really to get involved in anything,” Toni said. “Just start somewhere. Pick up something, and don’t wait for a perfect opportunity, because once you get involved people start going, ‘They’re willing to help.’ Then people will start bringing more opportunities to you.”

Rosedale Dr

28th Ave S

Gre

Tad and Toni Hill speak with Jimmie Hale Mission Director Demetrius Vines. Photo by Karim ShamsiBasha.

Ove

rton

280 Living

A30 • November 2014

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

The kindness challenge By KARI KAMPAKIS Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post about kind girls that went crazy viral. While I was very grateful for the response, I secretly wondered if maybe, just maybe, it shouldn’t have been such a sensation. I wrote “Raising a Kind Daughter” because I get so tired sometimes of hearing mean girl stories. Don’t get me wrong; I know mean girls exist, and the problem undoubtedly needs to be addressed. All the venom in the girl world today truly frightens me for my daughters. But there are also a lot of really sweet girls out there, girls who love their friends and understand what friendship means. But since their stories hold no shock factor, they tend to not make headline news. So in my article, I talked about the kindness my daughter’s friend showed her when they competed for a class election, and my daughter won. I then noted the correlation I’ve seen, time and time again, as the mom of four girls: That the kind friends my girls bring home always have kind mothers. Kindness among girls doesn’t start on the playground or in the locker room — it starts at home. It starts with mothers showing their daughters how to love other

females like sisters, not threats and competitors. I believed in my story and felt good about publishing it. However, I never expected it to be shared 165,000 times on Facebook and pinned 85,000 times on Pinterest. I had no idea it would make The Huffington Post, become a top trending story and lead to a live interview. The whole thing was exhilarating and nerve-wracking, and while I couldn’t thank God enough for the opportunity, I felt a little sad when I thought about why people found this story so special. Because a story about kind girls should be normal, not exceptional. It should make us smile and feel good as we move onto the next story. One thing I learned from this story’s success is how rare kindness must be among young friends. There’s so much meanness among kids today (adults, too) that we’re hungry for hope that things can be different and thus eagerly share reminders that kindness does exist. This month I release my first book for teen and tween girls. 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know covers all the relevant issues, and in the first chapter, I kick off with one of the most important truths: Kindness is more important than popularity. The quest for popularity often leads

girls to meanness. It’s the desire to impress others — particularly the cool crowd — that can make a girl compromise her values and what she knows is right to achieve social status. If we, as parents, really want kind daughters, we need think long and hard about how important popularity is to our daughters and how important our child’s popularity is to us, because our attitude shapes their attitude. Chapter 1 of my book ends with The Kindness Challenge: Every morning when you wake up, you have a choice. You can use your day to spread kindness or chase popularity. You can either ask, “How can others help me?” or “How can I help others?” Because here is the deal: You can’t choose both. It really is one or the other. If your motive is popularity, you’ll only have eyes for the cool crowd. Only their circle will do. If you’re rejected, it will devastate you because there is no Plan B. But if your motive is kindness, your options open up. You have eyes for everyone and will go wherever you’re needed. Some people think you can’t get ahead by being kind, that the only way to achieve your dreams is to connect with movers and shakers, but that’s wrong. When you are kind, people try extra-hard to help

you. They want you to succeed and somehow, they’ll lead you to the connections and opportunities you need. In the end, love reigns. The most popular girls now may be mean and brave, but ultimately, it’s the kind and brave girls who rise to the top and make a real difference in this world. Make it your goal to love everyone, then surround yourself with those who do the same. Despite the mean girl stories flooding the news, I know many girls on the right track. Already they’re living lives that honor God and practicing virtues like kindness, compassion, humility and forgiveness. They may be young, but they understand how the quality of one’s heart matters more than the quantity of one’s friends. What our world needs is more of this mindset. We need kindness to be more popular, not some antiquated concept that some people believe is gone forever. Kindness doesn’t catch on overnight. And it won’t be because of me or anyone else that real change occurs because only God can open hearts and orchestrate movements. But what all of us can do is notice the kindness around us — and then talk about it. We can encourage kindness at home, applauding our kids louder for their beautiful heart than

we do for a perfect report card or extracurricular success because these things, while certainly worthy of celebration, will not determine the fate of their soul. One of my most popular blog posts should not have been so popular. It should have been yet another example of how kids today “get it” and can follow the golden rule. I know I’m dreaming big and that we have a long way to go, but I hope that one day, stories about kindness and true friendship will be common and normal, something that makes us smile and lifts our spirits as we move onto the next story about what’s right in our world and what miracles can take place when we point our lives to God. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Birmingham mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis. com. Kari’s first book, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, releases this month through Thomas Nelson. Find it everywhere books are sold and online at Amazon, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble and Christianbook. com.

280Living.com

November 2014 • A31

Opinion My South By Rick Watson

Thanksgiving I was in the Army in fetched us some German beer to November of 1971. My duty get things rolling. station was just outside New They scheduled the meal for York City, which was about a mid-afternoon, so the guys sat million miles from home, or in the living room and watched so it seemed. football. Back then, the military She’d prepared rouladen, hadn’t gone all volunteer and which is a kind of beef rollup; still paid slave wages to pria chicken dish; some wiener vates, and I couldn’t afford a schnitzel; sauerkraut; and sevplane ticket home. eral other dishes I couldn’t For the ﬁrst time in my life, name. I couldn’t spend Thanksgiving I’d never want to hurt anyWatson with my family. one’s feeling, so I tried a little I’d dreaded the phone call home to my of everything. The rouladen was good and I mom. Holidays were a big deal to her, espe- loved the pastries, but I didn’t eat some of cially Thanksgiving and Christmas. the stuff and left it hidden under my napkin I heard her voice crack when I told her when we ﬁnished. I couldn’t come home. She put up a good I was grateful to my friend for inviting front, but she could not hide the sadness in me so that I didn’t have to spend a homesick her voice. Thanksgiving alone. She’d spend weeks cooking pecan pies, Since our parents died, Thanksgiving has banana-nut bread and enough sweets to send changed for my wife, Jilda, and me. In years blood-sugar levels of the entire community past, we helped serve the needy. through the stratosphere. There was something about serving those Even now when I close my eyes, I can less fortunate that took our minds off how smell the aroma her kitchen during holidays. much we missed our parents. It was heaven’s kitchen. This year we decided to stay home and I’m usually the one lifting the spirits of cook dinner. Jilda’s a great cook, and it will those around me, but I can tell you the week be fun sharing that special day with loved of Thanksgiving in 1971, my spirits were ones. sagging. This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for the We had a married guy in our unit, and many blessings in my life. he invited several of us to his house for the I’m grateful for our family and friends, holiday. who are actually people we chose to be in Most of the other guys in my unit who our extended family. lived across the country couldn’t go home I’m grateful that even though Jilda has either because they were as broke as the Ten to take monthly treatments to maintain her Commandments too, so we accepted the health, we still manage to play music, travel, invitation. and do the things we love. I have so much to be thankful for this He came from German roots, so his wife’s idea of a Thanksgiving feast was a lot differ- Thanksgiving, but I would give anything to have a piece of my mama’s pecan pie. ent from that of my family. Most of my culinary choices up to that Rick Watson is a columnist and author. point were between butter beans and corn- His latest book Life Happens is available bread, or pinto beans and biscuits, but I was on Amazon.com. You can contact at rick@ willing to try German food. homefolkmedia.com. His wife welcomed us into their home and

Sticking to the essentials By MADISON MILLER I’m often overwhelmed then? However, I don’t need by stuff. As a recent college the most expensive item on the graduate, I can recall moving menu. I don’t need a new outfit from my dorm to a house and when I have plenty of clothes then from a house to an apartto wear at home. My apartment ment throughout the years. doesn’t need brand new furnishThe memory of the stress it ings. Those are all things that brought brings on floods of I might want at times, but can anxiety as I write this. While definitely live without. I think I am young and I do not own it’s important to be aware that many things, I still feel like I there are other people who live have excess. with much less than I do. When I know that there is a possiI step back and look at my life, Miller bility of amassing more stuff yes, I have stuff, but I also have in my life, as I get older. A new home, hobby a home, a job, an education, and most imporor having a family can make that necessary, tantly, family and friends. Too much stuff can but I hope to keep it to a limit. People of all get in the way of all of those things that really ages saw the devastation that the recent reces- matter. sion caused in many forms. Personally, I keep Nothing in life is guaranteed. Given the those examples as a reminder. While I know choice between spending time with material the importance of supporting businesses by items or with family and friends, I like to buying things that I need, I am aware that believe that most people would choose family need and want are two different things. and friends. With less stuff comes less worI would be lying if I said that I never went rying about stuff and more time spent at ease out and bought unnecessary items. Who with what is most important. doesn’t like to treat themselves now and

Royal Print Ad copy.indd 1

10/21/14 10:14 AM

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

SECTION

Events B2 Community B6 School House B10 Sports B13 Calendar B28

Trainer to the stars Former UAB, NFL player makes a difference as personal trainer, mentor By DAVID KNOX Jameis Winston and Ameer Abdullah have a few things in common. They were local high school stars. They each left the state to play college football. They are now all-Americans and Heisman Trophy candidates — Winston already has one. And they each trained from an early age with Otis Leverette. The 37-year-old Leverette, who owns and operates Modernday Fitness out of Sports Blast Shelby County, has trained more than 80 current college athletes. Two of the more famous ones are Winston and Abdullah. “Otis Leverette changed my life,” Abdullah said in a phone interview recently. “I can confidently say I would not be where I am today without Otis Leverette.” But, the Nebraska running back and Homewood High graduate added, “He won’t take

any credit.” Leverette indeed deflected the praise. “I wouldn’t be where I am without him,” the former UAB and NFL defensive lineman said. “A trainer without trainees is no trainer.” Leverette said players like Abdullah and Winston, the Hueytown High and Florida State quarterback, are the ones with the skills — and the fact that their families “bought in” to allow Leverette the free rein to improve their skills is a key factor. “The family has to be willing to do that” for the process to work, Leverette said. That means tough training, tough love, if you will. “The reason lots of kids, even ‘five-star’ kinds of kids, don’t make it is because the toughness and competitive nature is bred out of them. They’re too nice. You’ve got to have mental and physical toughness. The eye of the tiger.” Leverette didn’t jump on the bandwagon

Otis Leverett, right, with University of Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah, the former Homewood High star who trained with Leverette while in high school. Photo courtesy Modernday Fitness.

once these players seemed star-bound, either. He started working with Winston as a ninth-grader and Abdullah as a 10th-grader. Leverette attended a Homewood High game to watch a couple of his pupils, the Patriots’ Houston

Walker and Cameron Broadnax. “I see this kid with a jersey down to his knees and he had a 5-yard punt return — but it was the

See OTIS | page B26

280 Living

B2 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Ready to run?

Find a race the right length and location for you

A runner hits the trails at the Race to the Heights 5K.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL

The Race to the Heights 5K includes a road course perfect for a relaxing run or walk. Photos courtesy of Church of the Highlands.

280Living.com

Dirty Spokes Duathlon

November 2014 • B3

XTERRA Alabama Trail Run

Race to the Heights 5K

3.1-mile run, 11-mile bike

3.1, 6.2 or 13.1 miles

3.1 miles

Nov. 9 • 9 a.m.

Nov. 9 • 8:30 a.m.

Nov. 22 • 7 a.m.

Oak Mountain State Park

Church of the Highlands Grants Mill campus

Individuals: $40 before race day, $45

5K: $30 preregister, $35 day-of

4700 Highlands Way

day-of

10K: $35 preregister, $40 day-of

Preregistration: $30

Teams: $65 before race day, $75 day-of

21K: $40 preregister, $45 day-of

Day-of registration: $35

*Race day registrations include $10 late fee

entry at dirtyspokes.com/alabama-duathlon

Grab your running shoes and bike helmet for the fifth annual Dirty Spokes Duathlon at Oak Mountain State Park. Runners will start at the south trailhead and follow a 3.1-mile path through the woods and along the park roads before crossing the finish line and hopping on their bikes. The 11-mile bike route makes two loops through the Lake Trail, Rattlesnake Ridge and the Family Trail. Participants who register before race day are guaranteed a Dri-Fit T-shirt with their entry. A portion of the race proceeds will benefit the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers (BUMP), a group that has built and maintained bike trails in Oak Mountain State Park since 1994. The race starts at 9 a.m., but participants should check in by 8 a.m. so they can attend the pre-race meeting and set their bikes up in the transition area. All participants will be given official time-keeping chips. The overall top three male and female finishers will receive prizes, and medals will be given to the top three male and female finishers in each age group. To learn more, visit dirtyspokes.com/ alabama-duathlon.

Don’t let distance get in the way of a good run. The XTERRA Trail Run at Oak Mountain State Park gives runners and walkers the option to compete in the 5K, 10K or 21K race. The XTERRA run starts on Terrace Drive, and the three races share a few parts of the trail. However, each race quickly leaves the road and gets its own unique view of Oak Mountain in the winter, including woods, lakes, ridges and hills. The trails will include challenging climbs and some technical sections. Alabama Outdoors will be sponsoring the race, which is hosted by Dirty Spokes. Dri-Fit T-shirts will be handed out, but there is no guarantee of a shirt for late registrants. Part of the proceeds will be given to BUMP for their work in creating the running trails. Participants should arrive between 7 and 8 a.m. to pick up their race packets. Medals and prizes will be given to the overall top three male and female finishers in each distance. The top male and female finishers in each of the 13 age groups will also receive medals. To learn more, visit dirtyspokes.com/ oak-mountain-state-park.

How do you like to run? At the Race to the Heights 5K, you get to choose your terrain. The Race to the Heights offers both a road and trail course. They have the same start and finish lines in the Church of the Highlands parking lot, but the road course takes runners down Overton Road while the trail course loops around the church property so runners can enjoy the trees and a nearby creek. Stephen Bischoff, the Church of the Highlands event project manager, said the road course offers a more relaxed run while the trail is more challenging. “The race coordinators will have fruit, water, bagels and other refreshments available, and vendors will also be on site. Runners will receive a T-shirt if they preregister, and prizes will be given to the top three male and female finishers. Proceeds will benefit the A21 Campaign, an international charity dedicated to fighting human trafficking. The A21 Campaign works to create global awareness while also providing shelters and medical, legal and vocational help for victims of trafficking. Bischoff said supporting this organization should remind runners and church members that the effects of human trafficking hit close to home.

280 Living

B4 • November 2014

Trot like a turkey

8th Annual Turkey Trot Fun Run Mt Laurel Elementary School Nov. 15, 9 a.m.

Mt Laurel Elementary hosts Thanksgiving-themed fun run

Every child will receive a turkey bead for their track club necklace and a ribbon for participating.

By JESSA PEASE Why run for gold when you can run for turkey? Not many racers can say they were presented with a frozen turkey for crossing the finish line first, but those who run in Mt Laurel Elementary School’s annual Turkey Trot can say just that. “It was something that I had wanted to do, and then just decided one year to go for it,” said Allison Gulock, MLES physical education teacher. “It pretty much runs itself now, we’ve done it for so long.” This marks the eighth annual Turkey Trot, and Gulock said they are hoping to beat last year’s participation, 250 people, this year. The 1-mile fun run kicks off Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. at MLES. Runners will race through Mt Laurel and make their way back to the school

to cross the finish line. “We just wanted to do something with the community and fitness,” Gulock said. “Everyone looks forward to it. Our teachers participate really well and come out and help us.” By cheering on students, handing out water bottles and announcing awards at the end of the race, Gulock said the teachers at Mt Laurel really get involved with the run. And for good reason, because all proceeds from the run go right back to the P.E. program, providing gym equipment and track club incentives. Every Tuesday, Gulock said Mt Laurel students work hard in a track club program at the school, and this race is another opportunity for kids to show off and run. Every child will also receive a turkey bead for their track club necklace and a ribbon for participating. For more information, contact Allison Gulock or Lisa Bagley at Mt Laurel Elementary.

Top participants in the 1-mile fun run are awarded with frozen turkeys to take home for Thanksgiving. Photos courtesy of Allison Gulock.

280Living.com

November 2014 • B5

Warblers to perform patriotic concert By MADOLINE MARKHAM The Warblers are back. Deriving their name from that of a songbird, the group dates back to the 1929 Woodlawn High School men’s chorus. The group was active at the school through 1977, but that wasn’t the end for them. In 1988, 150 members from over the years came back together for a reunion show at the Alabama Theatre. Since then, the Warblers have performed a mix of spirituals, patriotic songs and traditional songs — many of which they sang in high school — every other year. This year, about 30 members, who are mostly in their 60s and 70s, are also putting on a special show in honor of veterans. The concert will be held Friday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. at Union the Church at Chelsea Park. There is no charge for admission, but donations will be accepted. The show will last about an hour and a half and focus on patriotic tunes to pay tribute to veterans. “If you like the type of music we sing and want good, clean entertainment designed for families, there is not another group I know of who does what we do,” said Terry Kelso, a Warblers member, 1957 Woodlawn graduate and current Union member. “We have the EMT standing by just in case.” Most of the songs, including “Down in the River to Pray,” “Climbing Up the Mountain” and “Heaven Medley” are original arrangements by former director Joe Turner or other members. Kelso said the group’s specialty is entertaining an audience with “good harmony and good, clean music.”

Warblers Concert Friday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m. Union the Church at Chelsea Park 4321 Highway 32 (left) The Warblers perform on stage. (below) The Warblers rehearse for an upcoming choral performance. Photos courtesy of Jim Martin.

The group’s most recent performance in June sold out, with 750 people packing in to see them and Three on a String at the Mountain Brook High School Fine Arts Center. Leading up to a show, the Warblers rehearse every Tuesday at Huffman

OVER 700 BOOTHS! November 6-9, - 2014 Public Shopping Convention Complex (205) 836 -7173

(205) 836-7173

CallCall forfor Ticket TicketInfo Infoor or visit visit www.christmasvillagefestival.com www.christmasvillagefestival.com

United Methodist Church, where their director, Bob Parker, is also the church choir director. Kelso said he hopes to see the Union sanctuary filled up for the show on Nov. 7. “I like seeing the people in the

audience listen and appreciate what we do,” he said. “That’s what gives me the best thrill.” Union the Church at Chelsea Park is located on Highway 51 South, just past the Chelsea Park Clock Tower on U.S. 280. For more information

on the church, call 678-6677 or visit unionccp.org. To learn more about the Warblers, visit warblersclub.org.

280 Living

B6 • November 2014

Veterans Day celebrations Serving in the military takes bravery and willingness to put your life on the line for your country. Show the military veterans in your life that you remember and appreciate their sacrifice by attending these local celebrations.

Thank a Vet From Nov. 2 to 11, the city of Hoover will be hosting a series of events for its tenth annual Thank a Vet Week. The celebration begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2, with a reception for veterans at the Hoover Public Library. It will be followed at 3:30 p.m. by storyteller Dolores Hydock presenting a show called “Soldiers in Greasepaint: USO Camp Show Entertainers of World War II.” The day will end at the library flagpole with a flag-folding ceremony at 4:45 p.m. Public Information Officer Lori Salter-Schommer said the city plans to present the flag to a local veteran. On Monday, Nov. 3, retired Air Force Master Sgt. Dickie Drake will present a Veterans Day program at 10 a.m. in the library’s theatre-level meeting rooms. The theatre will host showings of a documentary about the Medal of Honor at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Throughout the week, there will be more flag-folding ceremonies and activities at the library, including a Red Cross holiday card project, newsreels from WWII and an art show by the Exceptional Foundation. There will also be prisoner of war/missing in action (POW/MIA) flag, uniform and Wall of Honor displays. Children can make crafts for veterans, compete in a poster contest and receive a flag during story time programs. For more, call 444-7810 or visit hooverlibrary. org/veterans.

American Village After all of Hoover’s events, cap off the week by spending Veterans Day at the American

The city of Hoover is hosting a series of events at the Hoover Public Library to celebrate Veterans Day. Throughout the week there will be flag-folding ceremonies, Wall of Honor displays and documentary viewings. Photo courtesy of the Hoover Public Library.

Village. The Village will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for visitors to see the National Veterans Shrine and Register of Honor. The shrine is modeled after Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia and was dedicated in February. Visitors can view historical displays and toll a

bell in honor of veterans. Marketing and Communications Officer Melanie Poole said that volunteers will be on hand to help visitors add veterans’ names to the Register of Honor. At noon, a wreath will be laid in front of the shrine to honor area veterans.

The Village’s other activities will also be open that day, and admission is free every day for veterans and active service members. Call 665-3535 for more information.

280Living.com

November 2014 • B7

Community Football memorabilia coming to holiday market

Prince Wimbley holds memorabilia from his Prince Wimbley Productions line that will be on sale at Market Noel.

Chelsea-based Prince Wimbley Productions will be selling their autographed football memorabilia again this year at Market Noel. The annual Junior League of Birmingham (JLB) holiday market will return to the Cahaba Grand for the sixth year the weekend before Thanksgiving, Nov. 20-22. The event features more than 100 vendors. All proceeds from Market Noel support more than 30 community projects of the JLB. Football fans will remember Prince Wimbley as the 1992 captain and wide receiver of the Alabama national championship team. He and his wife, Rhea, now run Prince Wimbley Productions, offering Auburn memorabilia in addition to Alabama. “It’s great because Market Noel provides a great way to interact with our customers,” Rhea said.

The festivities begin Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. with the Preview Noel party. General admission shopping takes place Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Highlights of the week include a book signing by John Croyle of the Big Oak Ranch, a holiday ﬂoral arranging class by Lindsay Kessler Designs, a cooking demonstration with Whitney Wright of Southern Living, a book signing and cooking demonstration by the Cake Mix Doctor Anne Byrn, as well as photos with Santa. The ﬁrst-ever Market Bliss, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 21, from 6-8 p.m., will feature a beauty bar, live music from Trey Lewis and giveaways. Visit marketnoel.net to purchase tickets and to view a complete listing of participating merchants.

Taste of Shelby County event doubles fundraising amount for education

Taziki’s Mediterranean Grill employees pose at the seventh annual Taste of Shelby County.

The seventh annual Taste of Shelby County held on Sept. 11 at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center raised more than $10,000 to help provide resources and services for creative and innovative programs for the Shelby County Schools district. With close to 30 different vendors ranging from local restaurants, caterers, bakeries, wineries and breweries, more than 400 attendees sampled signature dishes from some of Shelby County’s establishments. The Duke School of

Music along with local high school student singers and musicians provided live entertainment for the event. “This year’s Taste of Shelby County was outstanding,” Shelby County Board of Education member Jane Hampton said. “There was so much good food that I couldn’t try all of it. I loved meeting so many of the wonderful people who made this event such a success for our schools and students.” -Submitted by Kendall Williams

280 Living

B8 • November 2014

Shelby County celebrates annual National Night Out Children explored firetrucks, the sheriff department’s motorboat and even a helicopter at Oct. 7’s National Night Out. The parking lot at the Chelsea Walmart on U.S. 280 was filled with parents and children as they interacted with the specialized equipment and resources used by local police, fire departments and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. First responders, crime prevention organizations and victim resource organizations all gathered to educate residents and promote involvement in crime prevention

activities, police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Also as a part of National Night Out, an Alabaster location provided safety/car seat inspections by certified child passenger safety technicians (CPST’s) from the Alabaster Fire Department. Children were able to try on helicopter equipment at this year’s National Night Out in Shelby County. Photo by Jessa Pease.

Highland Lakes Garden Club’s yard of the month The October Yard of the Month is the home of David and Laurie Harres. These gardeners are ready for the season with new plants and decorations. Mums are ready to burst open and pumpkins are brightly orange. Even the hanging basket in the corner is orange. Trick-or-Treaters must walk past the spooky witch and the scarecrow in order to get their treats on Halloween. It’s time for fall in Highland Lakes. ~Submitted by Liz Jones, Chair of the Yard of the Month Committee The October Yard of the Month. Photo courtesy of Liz Jones.

Glory Cottage Gifts and Market After 26 years, the Briarwood Christmas Shop has a new name — Glory Cottage Gifts and Market. The event will take place Friday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a variety of vendors including food, boutique clothing, jewelry, stationery, woodwork, door prizes and more. The market will be held at Briarwood Presbyterian Church at 2204 Briarwood Way in the Fellowship Hall. Admission is free. The event benefits various departments at Briarwood High School. For more information on the market, visit Glory Cottage on Facebook or email briarwoodglorycottage@gmail.com.

280Living.com

November 2014 • B9

Celebrating

50 years of education

Superintendent Mosbacker addresses the growth of Briarwood Christian School By JESSA PEASE Briarwood Christian School started in 1964 as a ministry of Briarwood Presbyterian Church. Over the course of 50 years, the school has grown from a couple of joint classes to two campuses with about 2,000 students. To get a better idea of how the school has developed, 280 Living sat down with Dr. Barrett Mosbacker, the superintendent of Briarwood Christian School.

Q A

How is Briarwood Christian School celebrating its 50th year?

We had a special 50th anniversary convocation service that included videos and special alumni who came back to both speak and provide some levels of entertainment. We have a history book being put together. We have a brand-new website themed on our 50th anniversary. We have a major event coming up this spring, don’t have the exact date to give quite yet, but that will be an effort to get a group of our parents together to talk about not only what’s happened in the past but also our vision for the future.

What are some of the greatest accomplishments that have changed Briarwood over the past 50 years?

Well, in no particular order here, initially the school would have started as an elementary program, so adding a junior high and high school would have been a major development for the school. That would have included the acquisition of the property that we currently sit on. Sometime after that would have been the starting of varsity athletics — football obviously is a major investment and a great contribution to what the school’s doing. In 2004, we opened up two brand-new facilities on this campus, which included the new auditorium and the new high school gymnasium. About that same time, we purchased an additional 30 acres of land adjacent here, which is undeveloped. We are moving toward the development of that land, here, shortly. We are about to break ground, in January, on a new academic building with six new science labs, a new library, collaborative learning spaces, a new choir room, and we are also putting in new tennis courts.

Briarwood Christian School Superintendent Dr. Barrett Mosbacker.

Q A

What student programs have developed over those years?

What are your goals for the future?

The start of the Briarwood Student Missions program where we send staff, students and parents to Central America to operate medical clinics, to work with schools down there and things like that. That was a major milestone. Most recently, I would say the launch of our One-to-One iPad Program where all of our students on this campus, [grades] seven through 12, have iPads.

There are several. We continue to pursue excellence in what we are doing because everyone says that, but we are committed to that deeply. There are a couple things. The development of our master plan — a new master plan that we have that will include remodeling significantly our football stadium, our track areas, tennis court areas, super field area, a new cross-country course and a number of things concerning our master plan. We are also implementing the beginning stages of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) kindergarten through the 12th grade, and that follows our technology integration program we have in place as well.

280 Living

B10 • November 2014

School House CMS cheerleaders travel to Auburn

Students of Oak Mountain Intermediate School enjoy a waterslide at the 2014 Back to School Splash. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Sandidge.

The Chelsea Middle School cheerleaders helped spell out tigers on the field at the Auburn vs. San Jose State game. Photo courtesy of Michelle Nivens.

Back to School Splash held at OMIS

The Chelsea Middle School cheerleaders, dance team and majorettes were part of a group of 1,100 girls from Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia that participated in the halftime show at the Auburn vs. San Jose

Oak Mountain Intermediate School sponsored a Back to School Splash community and fundraising event. On a day that reached 100 degrees, area students and their families cooled off on water slides and enjoyed amusement park-style rides, crafts and refreshments during the eighth annual event. Splash provided families with the opportunity to meet as Inverness Elementary and Oak Mountain Elementary students merged into the intermediate school. Faculty members and their families enjoyed the day’s festivities as well including

School Resource Officer, “Officer Mel” Janousek and his children. Oak Mountain Middle School National Junior Honor Society members and Oak Mountain High School students volunteered to earn community service hours while local businesses showcased their products and services. “It truly was a day of communal involvement and lasting relationships were built working and playing together,” said Rebecca Sandidge, a parent of two Oak Mountain students. -Submitted by Rebecca Sandidge

State game on Sept. 6. They performed a routine and then spelled out the word tigers. This is Chelsea Middle School’s seventh year to participate. -Submitted by Michelle Nivens

OMES hosts fall festival The Oak Mountain Elementary School’s Parent-Teacher Organization hosted its 2014 Fall Fun Fest event on Oct. 18. The annual fundraiser featured family-friendly entertainment, food, activities and crafts. Attendees enjoyed inflatable structures and seasonal crafts. The Oak

Mountain High School baseball team hosted a dunking booth, a pumpkin patch and a hayride. Proceeds from the events benefits education improvements at Oak Mountain Elementary School. -Submitted by Kate Agliata

280Living.com

November 2014 • B11

Forest Oaks hosts ’50s-themed night

Shelby County Schools names new program area specialist Rhonda Mack has been named as the new middle school/secondary program area specialist by the Shelby County Board of Education. Mack has over 21 years experience in public education and currently serves as a math teacher at Vincent Middle/High School.

Mack earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from Winthrop University and a master’s degree in instructional technology from American Instructional Technology. -Submitted by Cindy Warner

Rhonda Mack. Photo courtesy of Cindy Warner.

Hilltop Montessori School hosts annual farm-to-table beneﬁt, presents project Attendees wore poodle skirts and other traditional ’50s attire to Forest Oaks Elementary School’s Back to School Bash.

Forest Oaks Elementary School hosted a Rockin in the Forest ’50s Back to School Bash on Sept. 11. Students, teachers and parents wore poodle skirts and leather jackets for the fun family night.

The event featured an old-fashioned sock hop dance, dinner, family costume contest, grafﬁti wall and other activities. -Submitted by Resia Brooks

LPMS discusses suicide prevention Liberty Park Middle School’s eighthgrade counselor Stephanie Holcomb invited Abby Litovsky from the Crisis Center to speak to all eighth graders about suicide prevention. The Lifelines Suicide Prevention curriculum teaches students how to help a friend if he or she is considering suicide. Students learned the warning signs of suicide as well as three steps in

how to help a friend. The curriculum consists of four sections: “When is a Friend in Trouble?”, “How Do I Help a Friend?”, “Where Can I Go to Get Help?” and “How Can I Use What I’ve Learned?” Students watched two videos, acted in role-plays and engaged in multiple discussions. -Submitted by Linda Rummell

The holidays are almost here!

It's not too early to order your holiday baby bites, cupcakes, and cakes at Pastry Art Bake Shoppe. Baked fresh daily. 940 Inverness Corners

205.995.5855 1927 29th Ave S | Homewood

205.877.3852

C R E AT I V E B A K E D G O O D S

Order your holiday cakes and desserts early

Hilltop Montessori School will host its annual farm-to-tablethemed dinner beneﬁt Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. at Stone’s Throw Bar and Grill in Mt Laurel. The event will include dinner supplemented from the school’s gardens and prepared by Chef Chris Harrigan, a live auction hosted by Jack Granger, and the unveiling of phase three in Hilltop Montessori School’s

expansion project. Phase Three includes a teaching kitchen, additional classroom space, a media center, gymnasium, science lab and a community area to be used by the North Shelby County area. The estimated cost of the expansion will be between $2.5 and 3 million and will allow the current student body of about 200 students to increase to about 280 students.

The live auction will feature beach condos and homes, artwork, jewelry and personal chef experiences including a wine dinner at FoodBar in Cahaba Heights and a private dinner party for 10 hosted by Chef Chris Harrigan. Tickets to the event will be $75. For more information, contact the Hilltop Montessori School development office at 437-9343.

Westminster School announces National Merit semi-ﬁnalists Jack Stein, Thomas Williams, Ethan Shaw and Joey Gissendaner of Westminster School at

Oak Mountain have qualiﬁed as National Merit Scholar semi-ﬁnalists. The students represent

four of the school’s 25 students in its senior class. -Submitted by Karen Eddins

280 Living

B12 • November 2014

LPMS seventh graders publish book The seventh grade students at Liberty Park Middle School are digitally publishing their own children’s book using storybird.com. Students in Lindsay Corley and Leigh Mathew’s language arts classes started this process by analyzing children’s books such as How I Became a Pirate by Melinda

Long, Otis and the Tornado by Loren Long and Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. Through this narrative writing project the students are studying theme, dialogue, speaker tags and elements of a story as well as characterization. -Submitted by Linda Rummell

MLES teddy bear hunt helps students navigate school

The students enjoyed a picnic with their teddy bears. Photo courtesy of Sarah Rhodes.

Kindergarteners at Mt Laurel Elementary were recently surprised to ﬁnd teddy bears missing from their classroom after P.E. To ﬁnd them, their students participated in a school-wide scavenger hunt. The hunt included clues that led them to the gym, art room, music classroom, lunchroom, school

nurse’s office and the front office. Their last clue led them outside, where they found that their bears were having a picnic. This activity helped insure new students could independently find their way around their new school. -Submitted by Sarah Rhodes

FALL

W I N D OW S A L E BEST VALUE Replacement Windows Starting at

199

INSTALLED*

205-490-6045

www.ecoviewwindows.com

*Some restrictions apply

280Living.com

November 2014 • B13

Sports Spain Park, Oak Mountain honored for athletic training programs By DAVID KNOX Keeping our high school athletes on the ﬁeld is important. Keeping them safe while doing so is even more important. Spain Park High and Oak Mountain High are recipients of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School Award for their athletics programs. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student-athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment. “With the sharp increase in the number of sports injuries in youth today, we as athletic trainers are playing a pivotal role in raising awareness and providing education on how to reduce injuries,” said Spain Park athletic trainer John Hardin. “We at Spain Park High School have a comprehensive sports medicine program that was recognized by the NATA as one of the Safe Sports School 1st Team recipients. Our mission as a sports medicine team is to enhance and extend the student-athletes’ playing careers and create a love for exercise and healthy activity. This award validates our efforts toward this goal.” “Oak Mountain High School is

Spain Park football player Grey Best gets looked over after leaving the game with an injury. Spain Park and Oak Mountain high schools were each honored for their athletic training programs by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Photo by Dan Starnes.

honored to receive this 1st Team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student-athletes safe during physical education classes, team practices and games so they can accomplish their own goals of great competition, winning records,

fair sportsmanship and good health,” said Dexter LeBlanc, OMHS athletic director. “Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players.” Physical activity is very important for youth, according to NATA

President Jim Thornton. “There has been an increase in competitive sports, which are, unfortunately, not without risk,” Thornton said. “Brain injury/concussion, cardiac arrest, heat illness, exertional sickling, cervical spine fractures and

other injuries and illnesses are potentially life-threatening.” Proper planning with proper equipment and personnel is vital to the safety of student-athletes today, he noted. In order to achieve Safe Sports School status, athletic programs must do the following: ê Create a positive athletic healthcare administrative system ê Provide or coordinate pre-participation physical examinations ê Promote safe and appropriate practice and competition facilities ê Plan for selection, fit, function and proper maintenance of athletic equipment ê Provide a permanent, appropriately equipped area to evaluate and treat injured athletes ê Develop injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions ê Provide or facilitate injury intervention ê Create and rehearse a venue-specific Emergency Action Plan ê Provide or facilitate psychosocial consultation and nutritional counseling/education ê Be sure athletes and parents are educated of the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities

B14 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

280 Living

Briarwood Christian Football Recap Hueytown 12 - 7 Walker Lott found Jake Morris for a 25-yard touchdown pass, and Lott also scored on an 88-yard run as the Lions built a 14-0 lead and held off region foe Hueytown. Briarwood improved to 2-2, 2-1 in Class 6A, Region 5.

Oak Mountain 12 - 42 Briarwood (2-3) made the short trip down 119 to Heardmont Park, but it was a long night just the same as the surprise team of Class 7A, Region 3 had no problems with the Lions. Walker Lott was the bright spot for Briarwood on offense, going 10-for-22 and 92 yards and a touchdown, a 28-yarder to Whit Pittman. Lott also rushed 18 times for 59 yards and a 7-yard touchdown run.

Walker 19 - 18 The Lions gambled on a trick-play two-point conversion with 1:23 left and came up short at Jasper. The opportunity cam after Briarwood blocked a Vikings punt for a touchdown. Briarwood Christian recovered an onside kick but Walker Lottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pass was picked off. Lott led the Lions with 82 yards rushing on 25 carries. The Lions dropped to 2-4, 2-2 in Class 6A, Region 5.

Pelham 31 - 19 The Lions (3-4, 3-2 Class 6A, Region 5) jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead and cruised in to a victory in a game delayed by lightning. Walker Lott passed 34 yards to Luke Dyson for a touchdown and added a 30-yard TD run. Carson Eddy had a big game as the freshman rushed for over 133 yards on 16 carries and scored on a 30-yard run.

Minor 30 - 12 In a game tied at 12 heading into the fourth quarter, Minor exploded for three touchdowns to pull away from the Lions. Walker Lott rushed for 82 yards on 20 carries for the Lions, who lost freshman Carson Eddy to a broken collarbone. Briarwood (3-5, 3-3 Class 6A, Region5) still was in position for a playoff berth, needing to beat John Carroll Catholic and for Homewood to beat Jackson-Olin.

Quarterback Walker Lott (7) was the bright spot for Briarwood on offense, going 10-for-22, 92 yards and a touchdown. Photo by Scott Butler.

280Living.com

Chilton County

November 2014 • B15

Chelsea Football Recap

42 - 7 The Hornets (4-0, 2-0 Class 6A, Region 3) continued to roll, scoring 42 unanswered points in handling the visitors. Zalon Reynolds rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Chase Wilson threw TD passes of 45 and 58 yards, to Josh Pugh and Tyler Blackburn, respectively. Blackburn added a 19-yard run for a score and Mason Moore scored twice – on an 80-yard interception return and a blocked punt for a touchdown.

Helena 64 - 35 Zalon Reynolds rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries to lead a host of Hornets who buzzed into the end zone at Helena. Quarterback Matthew Marquet ran for a couple of touchdowns and passed to Darrell Foster for another. The defense added a score on an interception return by Casey Foshee and a safety. Tyler Blackburn and William Rowser ripped off scoring runs to keep the Hornets (5-0) safely ahead of the pass-happy Huskies.

Opelika 60 - 14 Chelsea got on the board ﬁrst on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Marquet to Tyler Blackburn, but that was the Hornets’ only lead of the game as powerful Opelika poured it on in a Class 6A. Region 3 game. Marquet also connected with Blackburn for a 64-yard scoring pass. Chelsea (5-1, 2-1) dropped its ﬁrst game of the season.

Ben Russell 42 - 13 In a game halted with just under eight minutes left due to lightning, the Hornets dropped their second straight game. Matthew Marquet and Chase Wilson each ran for touchdowns, but the Wildcats offense proved too much. The Hornets dropped to 5-2, 2-2 in Class 6A, Region 3.

Pell City 35 - 33 The Hornets couldn’t convert a two-point conversion and fell short at Pell City as the Hornets’ playoff hopes took a big hit. Chelsea trailed 21-0 early but rallied to trail just 28-27 at the half. Chase Wilson scored on a 1-yard run with 5:09 left but failed on the conversion that would have tied the game. Matthew Marquet hooked up with Tyler Blackburn on touchdown passes of 77, 35 and 18 yards and Marquet also found Jay Vickers for an 11-yard TD. Chelsea (5-3, 2-3) next was to face Oxford in a game that would decide the ﬁnal playoff spot in the region.

Eleventh grade running back AJ Jones (33) rushes down the ﬁeld. Photo by Cari Dean.

R.S.V.P. 205-877-9773 13521 Old Highway 280, Suite 201B at the Narrows

280 Living

B16 • November 2014

Oak Mountain Football Recap Tuscaloosa County 27 - 6 The Eagles (3-1, 2-1 Class 7A, Region 3) continued to assert themselves as a surprise playoff contender by handing the Wildcats (3-1, 2-1) their ﬁrst loss of the season. Quarterback Warren Shader rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns and connected on just one pass – but it was an 80-yarder to Evan Benison. DJ Garver booted ﬁeld goals of 42 and 31 yards. The win propelled the Eagles in the Alabama Sports Writers Assocation Top 10 at No. 8.

Briarwood Christian 42 - 12 The Eagles stepped out of region play to tangle with their North Shelby rivals and easily handled the Lions. Oak Mountain (4-1) used its usual formula of physical defense and powerful running game but mixed in a little more passing than usual in coasting to the win. Quarterback Warren Shader was 8-of-9 passing for 101 yards and added 86 yards rushing. Sophomore Daniel Salchert, who picked up the slack after Josh Gaines was lost for the season with a torn ACL, rushed for three touchdowns on seven carries. Harold Shader added 134 yards rushing and a pair of TD runs as Oak Mountain piled up 387 yards rushing.

Hewitt-Trussville 45 - 38 The Eagles broke a 17-17 tie with three straight touchdowns and then fended off a Huskies comeback to improve to 5-1, 3-1 Class 7A, Region 3. The seventh-ranked Eagles used their powerful

ground game, led by Harold Shader (126 yards, 22 carries, two touchdowns) and Daniel Salchert (107, 17 carries) and mixed in some effective passing from Warren Shader (9-of-10, 182 yards, two touchdowns) to win the battle at Trussville. Quarterback Shader added 69 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Mountain Brook 27 - 24 The Eagles’ Harold Shader scored from a yard out with 34 seconds left as sixth-ranked Oak Mountain pulled out a crucial Class 7A, Region 3 win. Oak Mountain (6-1, 4-1) locked up the second spot in the region and will host a ﬁrst-round playoff game. Shader rushed for 59 yards on 19 carries. Mountain Brook dropped to 3-4, 3-2. The game was delayed for 80 minutes with lightning and storms in the area. After Mountain Brook’s Jacob Carroll scored a TD with 5:59 to play to give the Spartans a 24-20 lead, the Eagles took over on their 43 with three minutes to play. Warren Shader connected with tight end Rob Piper for a 30 yard pickup to the MB 14 to set up Harold Shader’s run. Warren Shader rushed for 72 yards on 19 carries and went 8-of-13 for 89 yards passing.

Spain Park 34 - 27 Warren Shader scored two touchdowns and passed for another as the Eagles (7-1, 5-1 Class 7A, Region 3) continued their march into the playoffs. The Eagles piled up 407 yards of total offense. Shader rushed for 197 yards on 27 carries and went 8-of-12 for 91 yards passing. Harold Shader added 94 yards rushing on 12 carries and sophomore Daniel Salchert added a touchdown run. The eagles moved up to No. 5 in class 7A with the win. Wide reciever Evan Benison scores on an 80-yard pass. Photo by Barry W. Clemmons.

280Living.com

November 2014 • B17

Spain Park Football Recap Hewitt-Trussville 63 - 64 (4OT) The visiting Huskies stunned the eighth-ranked Jaguars in four overtimes. Regulation ended 35-35 and the two teams matched scores through four overtimes, but the Jags couldn’t convert the ﬁnal extra point. Spain Park (3-2, 2-1 Class 7A, Region 3) rode the back of workhorse runner Wade Streeter, who rushed for 195 yards and ﬁve touchdowns on 46 carries. Quarterback Mason Duke went 14-of-21 passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for two more scores.

Hoover 14 - 42 Early on, the Jaguars defense kept the Bucs at bay, but breakdowns in the secondary, and a pick-6 by Hoover’s Jeremy Williams quickly turned it into a 21-0 deﬁcit in the ﬁrst half. For Spain Park, Mason Duke hit Trent Harper on a 29-yard TD pass, and Larry Wooden plowed in for a 2-yard score. Anthony Smiley and Michael Jackson each picked off a pass for the Jags (3-3, 2-2 Class 7A, Region 3).

Vestavia 14 - 13 In a game postponed until Saturday due to weather, Spain Park star defensive back Michael Jackson made two huge plays on special teams to save the day for the Jaguars (4-3, 2-3 Class 7A, Region 3) and beat Vestavia Hills. With the Jags leading 14-7, Jackson blocked Jack Hatcher’s 20-yard ﬁeld goal attempt that would have cut the lead to three points. Then after Carter Jacobs’ touchdown run with 8:25 left, Jackson blocked the extra-point attempt that would have tied the score. Wade Streeter rushed for 189 yards on 33 carries and scored a touchdown, and quarterback Mason Duke also ran for a TD.

Oak Mountain 27 - 34 The Jaguars couldn’t shut down Oak Mountain’s relentless ground game and fell to 4-4, 2-4 in Class 7A, Region 3. Spain Park quarterback Mason Duke had a big game, connecting of 24-of-39 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns, one each to Trent Harper, Owen Carr and Bridge Suber. Trey Sumpter kicked a pair of field goals. Oak Mountain continued its fine season, improving to 7-1, 5-1. The Eagles will finish as the No. 2 team in the region.

Sophomore running back Larry Wooden (25) plows down the ﬁeld for a 2-yard score. Photo by Ted Melton.

Take us with you. Award-winning community journalism on your mobile phone.

quality pet care & home sitting Insured. Bonded Based out of Highland Lakes

Custom, Unique, Yours

280Living.com ph: 205.408.0349 cell:910.280.3067

5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 Birmingham, AL 35242 (two blocks from 280) www.southeasternjewelers.net • 980-9030

280 Living

B18 • November 2014

Briarwood Lions Basketball Preview Briarwood girls likely to be perimeter-oriented BRIARWOOD BOYS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/6 11/10 11/11 11/13 11/20 11/21 11/22-11/26

Opponent Location Clay-Chalkville Home Northridge Home Shelby County Home Dora Away St. James Home Shelby County Away Chelsea Thanksgiving Tour Away

By DAVID KNOX Briarwood Christian School is celebrating its 50-year history. Coach Jim Brown hasn’t been at the school that long, but you’d be excused if you thought he had. In his 33 years at the school, Brown has held a variety of positions, but it’s as girls basketball coach he’s served the longest. Brown begins his 22nd as head coach of the girls varsity, posting a 387-212 record. If his Lady Lions come together, Brown might get to celebrate that milestone 400th win this season. “We’ve got a nice little core of players coming back,” Brown said of the returnees from a 10-16 season. “A couple of pretty good seniors come back, and we’ve got a nice class

Time 7:30 p.m. TBD 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. TBA

of juniors.” Seniors Abby Parks and Lindy Sumerford bring back some starting experience. Parks, who played the “two” position and Sumerford, who played the “three” in Brown’s offense are joined by the team’s leading returning scorer, Molly McKenzie. Brown said last year’s team didn’t score a lot of points, but he’ seen improvement. He also thinks this year’s team might be more athletic than last year’s. There are several junior varsity players moving up who would aid in that, but it will take time for that to develop. What the Lady Lions don’t have is size. Only one girl on the roster tops 6 feet. “We’re going to be half the size of almost everybody we play. We’re not as big or as physical as

Becca Self drives against Lauren Smith during a preseason practice. Photo by Jessa Pease.

everybody we’ll play against. “We’re going to need to be a pretty good perimeter team,” Brown said. “If we are, it changes the complexion of our team. We need to improve our 3-point percentage and also our free-throw percentage. Our most experience is on the perimeter, so I believe right now we’ll be a perimeter-oriented team.” Last year’s 10-16 record wasn’t what Brown wanted, but he said the record is a little deceiving.

“We were competitive most of the time. Little things would beat us.” Going into this season, Brown is optimistic, and he is looking forward to working with them through the season to get better. “I like the chemistry of this team and the way they like each other. They play really hard. I like their work habits and work ethic. We want to be competitive and get after you. If we do that, I think everything else will fall into place. “I expect pretty good things out of them.”

280Living.com

November 2014 • B19

Familiar face steps forward to lead Briarwood boys By DAVID KNOX When longtime Briarwood Christian boys basketball coach Chris Laatsch left the school to become the first coach at Helena High School, the Lions didn’t have to look far to find their new coach. He was one seat over. Varsity boys assistant coach Bobby Kerley moves from the second chair to the hot seat, taking his first head varsity coaching position. He’s not a stranger to most of the youngsters on his team. He coached his current seniors as the junior high basketball and football head coach. He’s starting his 15th year overall at Briarwood. “I’m excited,” Kerley said. “I think we’ve got a team that has an opportunity to have a good season.” Kerley has five seniors on the team and three returning starters plus others with experience from a 14-13 ballclub. Senior Sam Cargo moves over from the “two” position to run the point in Briarwood’s four-out, one-in dribble-drive motion offense. “We wanted to put the ball in his hands,” Kerley said. “He’s 6-3, so we think he can be a matchup problem for other teams, and he can play in the post. He sees the floor well, with his height he can see over people when they trap us, and fullcourt

BRIARWOOD BOYS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/6 11/10 11/11 11/13 11/20 11/21 11/22-11/26

Opponent Location Clay-Chalkville Home Northridge Home Shelby County Home Dora Away St. James Home Shelby County Away Chelsea Thanksgiving Tour Away

presses have been a problem for us. He’s so tall and rangy, we feel like having the ball in his hands will help us. And he may be our best shooter.” The Lions also return their leading scorer. Junior Justin Brown returns at the “three” after averaging about 17 points a game a year ago. Center Forrest Collier, a physical 6-4 senior, returns inside. “With these three guys coming back, we should be a good team. Both Sam and Justin have improved from last year, had great summers. And at the ‘four’ is Will Roden and he’s the unsung guy on our team. He didn’t play a whole lot last year but he had a great summer. He’s a great shooter, but really he’s just a great kid. He cares so much about his

Time 7:30 p.m. TBD 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. TBA

teammates. Really a hard worker and the kind of guy you say you’re glad he’s on our team.” Collier’s brother Thomas, a 6-7 junior, will help inside and two transfers, Pierce Merry from Christian Academy in Knoxville, Tenn., and David Corbin from Huntsville’s Whitesburg Christian Academy, join in to provide great depth. “We’re excited about the overall depth of our team,” Kerley said. “I think it will really help us as the year goes on.” Kerley believes the Lions will be improved, but they’re in a tough 6A area with John Carroll, Homewood and Pelham. “Those are all great teams with great coaches. But we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Coach Bobby Kerley gives instruction to Jake Morgan during a practice. Photo by Jessa Pease.

280 Living

B20 • November 2014

Chelsea Hornets Basketball Preview Baumbaugh excited about Hornets’ chances CHELSEA BOYS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/11 11/13 11/17 11/18 11/20 11/24-11/26

Opponent Calera Vestavia Tuscaloosa County John Carroll Thompson North Shelby Tip-Off Tournament

By DAVID KNOX Nick Baumbaugh is from Indiana, but he feels right at home at Chelsea. “I’ve wanted to be a head coach, and I’m just thrilled it’s Chelsea High School,” the ﬁrst-year boys coach said. “My wife’s from Sylacauga, and I wanted to be at Chelsea. We live here, it’s a great place to make a home.” Baumbaugh is beginning his sixth year at the school, working his way up the ranks as junior varsity coach. He replaced Michael Napp, who moved to UMS-Wright. “Whatever we do this year will be a reﬂection on what Coach Napp did. He’s laid the foundation.” He’s excited about the players coming back and the ones moving up from junior varsity with him. The varsity was a competitive 7-18 team, and Baumbaugh’s JV

Location Home Home Away Home Away Home

Time 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. TBD

team went 15-3. “I’m really excited to have that strong JV group to go with the experience we have coming back.” Coming back is Darrell Foster, who averaged 13.8 points and 10.3 rebounds a game. Josh Pugh comes back at a forward, and David Simpson brings back his 8.5 points a game rate as a junior back for his senior season. Will Welch returns as a post player, and he’s joined by Ben Haskins, up from the JV team. The Hornets will likely be a perimeter-oriented team, though. The four out, one in motion offense features Simpson, sophomore Joseph Lanzi and Aaron Washington. “David Simpson is a fantastic outside shooter for us. Our goal is for him to make three 3s a game. Lanzi can shoot the basketball. Aaron Washington, a

junior up from the JV, he can shoot some.” Washington averaged about 14 a game last year for the JV. Jeremy Wilson, Baumbaugh said, is maybe the only true point guard. But Grant Mitchell, Calen Russsell and Michael Towery are other guards in the mix. Coty Williams and Stephen Lanzi provide depth. Baumbaugh said his team will be a 3-point shooting team – “we want to put the ball in the hands of our shooters” – and then it’ll be up to the athletes inside such as Foster to hit the glass and get some putbacks. Mostly, the Hornets will play man defense and look for more full court pressure. The new coach feels excitement in town and at the school about the successful season the football team is having and believes winning breeds winning. He thinks that and the chemistry he believes his basketball will have are strengths. “It wasn’t like a new guy coming in,” Baumbaugh said. “I think the administration is excited, the kids are excited and I’m excited. “That was the best JV team I’ve had in six years, and I think they’ll mix right in. The seniors have set the tone to teach the younger guys what’s expected. “Our goal is to win the area and have a winning record. That may not sound like much, but Chelsea hasn’t won the area since 1986 and hasn’t had a winning season since 1986 either. “That’s too long. So those are our goals.”

Chelsea’s David Simpson launches a 3-pointer. Photo by Cari Dean.

280Living.com

November 2014 • B21

New coach, new enthusiasm for Lady Hornets By DAVID KNOX A new year and a new coach for the Chelsea Lady Hornets is not really unusual for the girls basketball program. For varying reasons, Chelsea has seen a revolving door at the head basketball position. That’s not a criticism, but continuity is usually a plus in any sports program. This time, however, there’s a twist: The new coach is actually a familiar face. Clarissa Clark steps up from Chelsea Middle School to take the reins at the high school. She has coached all but two of the girls likely to be on her roster at the middle school. Her last middle school team won its conference championship. Point guard Allie Miller was on that team, and she’s likely to be the starting point guard on the varsity as a freshman. She’s looking forward to continuing to play for her coach. “She’s really into it,” Miller said. “She makes it fun to play and practice.” This is Clark’s first high school varsity head coaching position. The former Samford player said she is looking forward to it. “I am excited,” Clark said. “Above all, really, I’m looking forward to mentoring these girls in their high school years as they get ready to go to college. I think it’s different from having them in seventh and eighth grade, and having them for four years is going to be exciting.”

CHELSEA GIRLS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/6 11/11 11/13 11/17 11/20

Opponent McAdory Calera McAdory John Carroll Thompson

Although she’s new to the high school, she thinks having a history with so many of the girls will be a big help. “I know them,” she laughed. “I know their parents, I know their dogs, their cats. I know them all.” One of the girls she didn’t know was senior Whitney Thorpe. Thorpe endured last year’s struggles when the team went 2-21 as the Lady Hornets played a lot of youngsters to build for the future. The 5-foot-10 post player was a little apprehensive at having a new coach. “At first I was nervous, not sure what it’s going to be like,” Thorpe said. “But having met her this summer, I’m excited. This is a fresh start and I believe we’re going to be much better. She really gets involved, gets out on the court and plays and makes it a fun environment. And when you’re having fun you’re so much more

Location Away Home Home Home Away

Time 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m.

comfortable.” Clark said the Lady Hornets are going to be hard to prepare for. “Everybody’s going to learn every position on the floor,” she said. “We’ll play some one in, four out, traditional three-two, mix it up. I do like my motion offense, but I like for the girls to see what happens on the floor and take advantage of what the defense gives us. We’ll fast break, press. I do think we have depth. We’re going to play man, zone and press on defense. That’s what we did at middle school.” She’s high on all her players, but really likes her freshmen coming up, saying they are more aggressive. The leader of that bunch is Miller. “She’s an all-star,” Clark said. “Plays softball, too. Great athlete. Her speed, ability to see the court and pass. Everything is fast, no slow down with her.”

Chelsea’s Whitney Thorpe takes a shot in a game last season. Photo by Cari Dean.

280 Living

B22 • November 2014

Oak Mountain Eagles Basketball Preview Father, daughter lead Lady Eagles OAK MOUNTAIN GIRLS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/10 11/14 11/18 11/20

Opponent Vestavia Homewood Pelham Stanhope Elmore

By DAVID KNOX It’s a special thing when you get your first head coaching job. It’s even more special when that job allows you to coach your daughter in her senior year of high school. That’s the position new Oak Mountain girls varsity basketball coach Allen McGowan finds himself in. “I’m really excited,” McGowan said. “I feel blessed to be able to coach Christian her senior year.” Christian McGowan is the team’s leading returning scorer at around 11 points per gamer and is the team’s point guard. “She shoots the 3 really well, sees the court and is a great leader,” her coach said. “She understands what we’re doing and does a good job of getting us into our offense.” She’s one of five seniors returning from last

Location Away Away Home Home

Time 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m.

year’s team and three returning starters, plus a couple of more players who started at times. Madison Pierce is a solid rebounder who can also score in the post. Amber Johnson, another post player, missed most of last season with a torn ACL, but she seems fully healed and McGowan expects her to have a big season. “Christian and Madison really complement each other,” McGowan said. There are also some youngsters stepping up. McGowan said he is looking forward to working again with so many of the athletes he coached at the middle school. He thinks his team will have depth eventually as the newcomers blend in with the veterans. Overall, he thinks the offense will be more balanced inside and outside, and that his team should be a pretty good shooting team. “Our goal is to hopefully get better as we go through the season. The longer we’re together the better we’ll be.

Oak Mountain point guard Christian McGowan dribbles past a defender in practice. She will get to play her senior season for her father as her head coach. Photo by Jessa Pease.

“The girls are very good girls, and they’ve worked so hard. They’ve made improvement through our strength and conditioning program. They’ve worked so hard in preseason, and it’s carried over to the first practices. The Lady Eagles are in a tough area in 7A with Hoover, Tuscaloosa County and Thompson. McGowan doesn’t want to put a goal of number

of wins as he and his team work together for the first year. He wants to se improvement from game to game and see what happens come area tournament time. “I hope that we’re really competitive. I think we’ll shoot it pretty well and be balanced and guard well.”

280Living.com

November 2014 • B23

Experience, tough defense Eagles’ strengths By DAVID KNOX You might look at an Oak Mountain boys basketball score on any given Saturday or Wednesday morning and from the low-scoring result figure the Eagles are playing a slow-down game. That’s not necessarily the case, said coach Chris Love, heading into his sixth season as head coach. “I think we are just a better defensive team more than a team that slows it down. We want to make the opposition work for a good shot. I think the low scores come because people may not realize how good we are defensively. We try to be really sound in the half court,” Love said. The Eagles were 14-13 a year ago and lost in the area tournament. They are in a difficult 7A area this year with Tuscaloosa County, Hoover and Thompson. The Wildcats and Buccaneers will likely be ranked in the top 10, and Thompson could be there as well before long. “It’s stacked,” Love said. Four seniors return, led by Chris Lamb (6-2, 235). Lamb was one of the leading scorers and rebounders on last year’s team. Point guard Garrison Banks, forward Harold Shader and guard CMack Roberson also return. Junior shooting guard Warren Shader, small forward Payton Youngblood (6-2) and

OAK MOUNTAIN BOYS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/10 11/14 11/18 11/20 11/22, 11/24 11/25

Opponent Vestavia Homewood Pelham Stanhope Elmore Hewitt Trussville Tournament

post player Tyler Chery (6-4, 200) are also key players. If he had to start today, Garrison, the Shader brothers, Youngblood and Lamb would be Love’s starting five. Of course, if he had to start today, he’d be without the Shader brothers, who are stars on the Eagles’ outstanding football team, so he will have to wait for them. “We’re not real big, but we do have some length,” Love said. “We expect big things from Payton Youngblood,” the coach said. “He’s up from the junior varsity and had a really good summer for us. We need him to play well for us. CMack Roberson has played very well in the early practices.” The Eagles will try to be a little more inside-out than last season. “Last year we were very much a

Location Away Away Home Home Away

Time 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. TBD

3-point shooting team,” Love said. “We feel better about our post play. We need to get it inside, but at the same time we’ve got some guys who can really shoot it,” Despite missing some football players, Love likes where his team is after early practices. “I was telling the kids, I think we’re further along at this point than where we’ve been the last several years. We’re not having to start from the ground up in teaching them. “These kids love basketball and have a great work ethic. We tell them we want to be relentless in how we play. They’ve bought in completely. We know we have to bring great effort every night.” “I think we’re going to a be a very solid team.”

CMack Roberson prepares to take a shot during an Eagles practice. Photo by Jessa Pease.

280 Living

B24 • November 2014

Spain Park Jaguars Basketball Preview

Lady Jags should be in hunt for 7A crown SPAIN PARK GIRLS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/6 11/10 11/13 11/18 11/21 11/24-11/26

Opponent Midfield Homewood Hoover Minor Wetumpka Madison Academy Thanksgiving Classic

By DAVID KNOX What’s not to love about the Spain Park Lady Jaguars basketball team? A veteran coach in Michael Chase, entering his sixth season at Spain Park, who’s been to the BJCC before as a head coach with Clay-Chalkville. An offensive style that many teams have a hard time matching up with. Five starters returning from a team that won a school-record 26 games and several youngsters good enough to press for playing time if any of those starters have assumed they have a job won. And a basketball team that should still be hungry because those 26 wins only got them to the regional finals and not back to Birmingham for the Final

Location Home Home Home Away Home Away

Time 6 p.m 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. TBD

48. This year comes the added goal of participating in the first State Finals and vying for the first Class 7A title. “We struggled some last year, but once the kids got settled into new roles, we were really playing our best basketball at the end of the year,” Chase said. “I’m pretty excited to see what we can do. I want to say we have high expectations. But really the regular-season record doesn’t matter to me – it’s where you finish in the playoffs.” Chase said the tough regular season schedule will prepare his girls for the regionals, saying he believes his team will have seen as good of a point guard or shooting guard or post player as any they’ll see at state. “We’ll be really tested in the regular

season.” After two seasons in an area that lumped Spain Park in the southern part of the state, the Lady Jags are in a more familiar jungle with Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and Hewitt-Trussville after reclassification and realignment. Returning starters include 5-foot-10 senior guard Victoria Baldwin, who averaged 18.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.4 assists per game. Also back are 5-11 senior forward Jemaiya Lee, 5-11 junior forward Elizabeth Philpot, 5-10 post Keyasha Gordon and 5-4 senior guard Amanda Gaston. Sophomore guard Maggie Baldwin played in 27 games as a freshman, and there are a host of other youngsters pressing for time. “Our strengths are we’re really big – all three of our post players are about 6-foot, and long; our point guard is 5’10. And the way we shoot the 3 gives teams match-up problems. Our style of play is hard to guard.” Some call it the Horns offense, or A-set, or something else, which starts with a point guard out front, two high post and two wings in the corners. Chase’s teams have always utilized the 3-point shot, but when he’s had slashers and inside scorers, he’s used them to his advantage, too. Opposing players, especially at the high school level, can be devastated when

Spain Park’s Victoria Baldwin goes up for a 3-pointer as coach Mike Chase, left, looks on during a game last season. Photo by Ted Melton.

they feel they’ve got the inside shut down only to see the ball kicked out to a wing or post player who knocks down a 3. However, X’s and O’s don’t take care of everything it takes to have a successful season. Chase emphasized that. “The biggest thing is how well the kids will handle the grind and the

adversity that comes with having high expectations from the students, the parents, the other teams, everybody,” he said. “Absolutely our goal is to get to Birmingham. We’ve worked hard in summer and fall, had no major setbacks. If our group can handle it, we have enough talent and basketball skill to have a really successful season.”

280Living.com

November 2014 • B25

Talented Jags spark championship chatter SPAIN PARK BOYS

2014SCHEDULE Date 11/6 11/10 11/14 11/17 11/20 11/21 11/25. 26. 28

Opponent Hueytown Homewood North Forsyth, Ga. Minor John Carroll Wetumpka Rebel Classic

By DAVID KNOX Spain Park High boys basketball coach Neal Barker always has high expectations for his team. But this season, those expectations have been ratcheted up a notch, and not just by Barker. “This summer when I’ve gone to clinics, other coaches are saying stuff about how good we’re going to be,” the 33-year-old Barker said. “So I guess that’s pressure, but nobody’s going to critique me more than me. With the experience we have coming back and the young talent, our expectations for ourselves are pretty high. I’m excited and anxious to get started.” The Jaguars, 20-11 a year ago, return eight seniors and three starters, including 6-foot-10, 220-pound sophomore center Austin Wiley, who averaged around 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks a game. But it’s a newcomer who’s been added to the mix that has drawn most of the attention, at least statewide and even nationally, who’s pushed the Jaguars from the expected solid season to a

Location Home Home Home Away Away Home Away

Time 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. TBD

state championship contender. Jamal Johnson, a 6-foot-4 transfer from Sparkman High, where he averaged around 16 points a game as a freshman, will now wear the black and blue of the Jags. He’s the son of former Alabama great Buck Johnson. He transferred in after the summer, so Barker hadn’t seen him play much prior to practice starting on Oct. 13. “From watching him play pickup ball, though, you can tell he’s a very skilled player with great vision on the court,” Barker said. “He’ll add to our ability to score, and I think he’ll make everybody else around him better.” Senior teammate Malik Blanchard, a returning starter and the team’s best perimeter defender, said although Johnson is clearly an outstanding scorer, there’s a lot more to his game from what he’s seen in pickup play. “He has pretty good ball control, and he’s explosive and he can see the court very well,” Blanchard said. “He has a scorer’s mentality but if you’re open he’ll get the ball to you. He’s not selfish. He just wants to win.” He should give a Spain Park a

Spain Park's Mailk Blanchard goes up for a shot in a game against Pelham last season. Photo by Ted Melton.

potent inside-outside punch with his fellow soph Wiley, who was invited to attend USA Basketball’s Junior National Team mini-camp, the only player from Alabama invited. “Over the summer, he’s gotten bigger and stronger, and I think he might have grown a couple of inches,” said Barker. “He’s a true center, plays with his back to the basket and scores in the post. For a big kid, he’s got great

hands. He mostly scores down low for us, but he’s got a great touch, though his stats from last year wouldn’t show it. By the time he’s done, he’s going to be a great shooter, maybe with range all the way out to the 3-point line. And he’s a big defensive presence in the middle.” Barker couldn’t name a starting five yet, but it likely will include Johnson, Wiley, Blanchard and AJ Smiley,

who plays safety on the football team. Smiley is another player with Alabama bloodlines — his father, Anthony, played football for the Crimson Tide. Wiley is the son of former Auburn basketball players Aubrey Wiley and Vicki Orr, a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. In the Jags’ four-out, one-in offense, Johnson could play the point or it could be senior Garrett McGuffie — or even eighth-grader Parker Boswell. “He’s just a gym rat,” Barker said of Boswell. “His parents will drive him anywhere he wants to go to find a game. He’s very skilled, handles the ball well and has great vision.” But Barker’s favorite player is the ringleader in the Jags’ man-to-man defense. “Malik is probably my favorite player,” Barker said of Blanchard. “That’s because he does exactly what you tell him to do exactly the way you tell him to do it. Works as hard as anybody we’ve ever had. In the weight room, he’s got perfect technique. “He’s just a nightmare on defense. He’s tough to get by, just has a knack for playing defense. Some players have a scorer’s mentality; he’s got a defender’s mentality.” Blanchard smiled when he heard his coach’s assessment. “I try to be hard-nosed. I think my footwork is my biggest asset and my ability to anticipate and make steals,” said Blanchard, who had nine steals in a game against Wetumpka. “I try to study a player’s strengths and weaknesses before the game or if I’m on the bench, and I make them play to their weakness. I always want to guard their best player, make him earn his baskets.”

B26 • November 2014

280 Living

OTIS

CONTINUED from page B1 most dynamic 5-yard punt return I’ve ever seen. I said, ‘That kid’s got it,’” Leverette said. That kid was Abdullah, and Leverette began training him and taking him to camps where coaches could see in person that the 5-9, 175-pounder could play running back with the big boys, showing up the nation’s No. 1 running back, James Wilder Jr., in a Nike camp in Tuscaloosa. Most schools still saw him as a defensive back. Abdullah was down, almost to the point of giving up his dream of being a running back, he said. “One thing Otis told me that always sticks with me was, ‘Ameer, you’ve got to be yourself. You’re a running back.’ I’ll never forget that.” Now Abdullah is on the cusp of setting career rushing records at Nebraska. As for Winston, the story goes that when he went to Alabama for a camp and ran a rather slow 4.8 40-yard dash, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban told him he needed to get his time down to ever play for him. A year later, after working with Leverette, he ran a 4.6. The coaches didn’t believe it and made him run again. Immediately, no break. Another 4.6. Although that might seem like a purely physical accomplishment, it’s not. It took understanding the fundamentals of how to run. Leverette said that’s a part of Winston’s gift. “He’s maybe the most intelligent kid I’ve ever been around because he can be taught something and then he can apply what he’s taught,” Leverette said. “I played with Drew Brees … all these quarterbacks that are labeled as ‘heady.’ Well, Jameis is just as intelligent. He learns quickly. He retains

Leverette, in orange T-shirt, says although he’s best known for his talented elite proteges, he likes to work with any player who has an elite attitude. Photo courtesy Modernday Fitness.

it and applies it. (FSU coach) Jimbo Fisher didn’t have to take one bell or whistle out of his offense for him. He’s just that intelligent. He could grasp that offense and run it.” So Leverette has those two alumni to brag about, but he‘s just as quick to mention the others he’s worked with, young athletes that dreamed of getting a free college education, and he’s been able to help them along that way with his tough love and a “holistic approach.” “I always say being a better man will make you a better running back, but being a better running back won’t make you a better man,” Leverette said. To that end, his program includes a mentorship approach, mixing the sport and positional training you’d expect

from a personal trainer with motivational speakers, courses on dealing with media, educating athletes on NCAA eligibility issues and taking them to camps to show off their abilities. He notes lots of youngsters think that because they’re the best on their team, or in their area, they’re the best anywhere. The camps open their eyes and push them. Leverette said recruiters really don’t beat the bushes and look under every rock like they used to. They’d much rather refer to databases and recruiting services and wait for top players to assert themselves at camps and put the stopwatch on them. Indeed, part of his service is making sure the right player gets the attention of the right schools.

“A lot of kids go to these camps as fans,” he said. “They love that school, so they go there with no realistic shot at playing there. If you want a free college education, why go to Alabama’s camp when you could have a real shot at Appalachian State? It’s a waste of time. So many kids are investing too much time in too many places they’ll never get an offer from.” Leverette runs off a list of players he’s worked with who went to schools like Brown and Rice and the Naval Academy, a women’s basketball player at Southern Miss. Among the more familiar names are Jake Ganus (Chelsea High, UAB), Destin Challenger (Homewood/Spain Park, UAB), Chris Rabb (Hueytown, UAB), Dwayne Orso (Homewood,

Oklahoma), C.J. Perry (Hoover/ Bessemer Academy, Southern Miss) and Kalvin Robinson (Vestavia Hills, Western Kentucky). “I tell those guys, you don’t owe me anything. Just come back and find the next kid and pull him up, push him. And they’ve been very consistent in doing that.” Although he takes on work as an independent contractor to work with a school’s athletes, he doesn’t want to be on a high school or even college coaching staff. He’s had offers, but he likes running his own program, his way. “This is the best way I can give back,” he said. “I’m content with what I do. I feel like I’m making a difference.”

280Living.com

November 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ B27

280 Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

612011

35242

4913 Appaloosa Trail

New

$625,000

611729

35242

1022 Narrows Point Drive

New

$189,000

611810

35242

116 Summer Circle

New

$339,900

611899

35242

1026 Highland Park Place

New

$364,500

611656

35242

116 Austin Circle

New

$365,000

611832

35242

7236 N Highfield Lane

New

$479,900

611752

35043

30 Sweetgum Lane

New

$169,900

611915

35043

112 Sweetgum Lane

New

$237,000

611726

35147

191 Linwood Road

New

$299,900

612270

35242

3684 Crossings Crest Drive

New

$315,000

612491

35242

323 Heath Drive Unit# 323

New

$136,999

612553

35242

134 Brook Highland Cove

New

$177,500

612522

35242

1936 Stone Brook Lane

New

$184,900

612510

35242

27 Portobello Road Unit# 7

New

$189,900

611648

35242

4037 Milner Way

New

$414,900

612651

35242

917 Narrows Point Drive

New

$199,900

612189

35242

894 Narrows Point Drive

New

$224,000

612134

35242

1080 Monaghan Drive Unit# 74

New

$285,154

612627

35242

2060 Cahaba Crest Drive

New

$319,000

612557

35242

1001 Barkley Drive

New

$379,900

612644

35242

1083 Baldwin Lane

New

$549,000

612154

35242

1070 Greystone Cove Drive

New

$589,000

612139

35242

307 North Lake Road

New

$599,900

612196

35242

267 Highland View Drive

New

$1,350,000

612442

35043

1100 Fairbank Lane

New

$142,000

612390

35043

3044 Springfield Circle

New

$184,900

612403

35043

109 Blackstone Court

New

$259,900

Real estate listings sent to 280 Living by Vinnie Alonzo of RE/MAX Advantage South between Oct. 14 and Oct. 21. Agents and agency vary by property.

4913 Appaloosa Trail

4037 Milner Way

B28 • November 2014

280 Living

Calendar 280 Events Nov. 1: Trespassers Book Launch. Barnes & Noble, The Summit. Author Andrea Miles will release her first novel, Trespassers.

Nov. 9: XTERRA Trail Run. 8:30 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. 5K, 10K or 21K. Visit dirtyspokes.com.

Nov. 15: 8th Annual Turkey Trot 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk. 9 a.m. Mt Laurel Elementary. Call 682-4230.

Nov. 2: Out of the Darkness Walk. 1-4:30 p.m. Heardmont Park. Walk will raise awareness of depression and suicide. Visit shelbychamber.org.

Nov. 9: Dirty Spokes Duathlon. 9 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. $40 for individual entry, $45 on race day. Visit dirtyspokes.com/ alabama-duathlon/.

Nov. 20-22: Market Noel. Thursday and Friday 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cahaba Grand Conference Center. Sponsored by the Junior League of Birmingham. $12 for general admission tickets. Visit marketnoel.net.

Nov. 6: Fifth Annual Sporting Clay Shoot. 8:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Selwood Farm, Inc, 706 Selwood Road. Team of four players $400, individual $100. Call 663-4542. Nov. 6: Hilltop Montessori School Farm to Table Dinner. 6 p.m. Stone’s Throw Bar and Grill. Dinner supplemented from the school’s gardens and prepared by Chef Chris Harrigan. $75. Call 437-9343. Nov. 7: Warblers Concert. 7 p.m. Union the Church at Chelsea Park. Visit warblersclub.org

Nov. 9: Third Annual Statewide High School Juried Art Show. 2:30-4:30 p.m. Shelby County Art Council, 104 Mildred St., Columbiana. Call 669-0044. Nov. 11: Veterans Day Concert. 2 p.m. The Urban Barn parking lot at The Village at Lee Branch. 280 musicians Madibeth Morgan and Anna Tamburello will perform. Call 451-8888.

Nov. 22: Race to the Heights 5K. 7 a.m. Church of the Highlands, Grants Mill Campus. Benefitting the A21 Campaign. $30 before the day of race, $35 on the day of race. Visit active.com. Nov. 24-28: Thanksgiving Holiday. Hoover City Schools and Shelby County Schools closed.

Nov. 14-15: Glory Cottage Gifts and Market. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Briarwood Presbyterian Church. Free admission. Email briarwoodglorycottage@gmail.com.

Heardmont Senior Center 5452 Cahaba Valley Road For more information, call 991-5742. Mondays: Tai Chi. 9:30-10:30 a.m.

a.m.-2 p.m.

Nov. 11: Center closed for Veterans Day.

Tuesdays: Bible Study. 11 a.m.

Wednesdays: Bridge. 9 a.m.-noon.

Nov. 13: Nutrition and Hydration with Jenny Lacy from Healthsouth.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: Lunch. Noon.

Fridays: Zumba Gold. 9-10 a.m.

Nov. 18: Lunch at Towne House Tea Room.

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Aerobics. 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. on Thursdays.

Fridays: Intermediate Line Dancing. 10-11 a.m.

Nov. 21: Canned Food Drive. Benefits Oak Mountain Missions.

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Bingo and Board Games. 10

Fridays: Beginning Line Dancing. 11 a.m.-noon.

Nov. 27-28: Center closed for Thanksgiving.

280Living.com

November 2014 • B29

Calendar North Shelby Library Adults Nov. 10: Author Talk and Signing. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jon McClure will discuss his book, Alabama’s Best Restaurants Cookbook. Nov. 17: Essential Oils Program. 6-7 p.m. Learn what essential oils are, how to use them and the therapeutic benefits. Nov. 20: Dr. Krystal Drwencke, DC. 6-7 p.m. Drwencke, a local chiropractor, will teach you how to prepare yourself for the upcoming cold and flu season by improving your immune system. Call 568-873-2490. Nov. 20: North Shelby Book Club. 10:30 a.m.-noon. Discussing The Kabul Beauty School: An American Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez. Nov. 26-28: Library Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday.

p.m. A member of the society will discuss fossils. Registration required. Ages 7-13. Nov. 3, 10, 17: Toddler Tales. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Thirty-minute program designed for short attention spans. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required. Nov. 4, 18: Baby Tales. 9:30 a.m. A storytime designed especially for babies and their caregivers. Ages 0-18 months. Registration required. Nov. 5, 12, 19: Mr. Mac Storyteller Extraordinaire. 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets and music. All ages. Nov. 6, 13, 20: PJ Story Time. 7 p.m. Come in your PJs , have milk and cookies and hear bedtime stories. All ages.

Teens Children

Call 439-5512 Visit northshelbylibrary.org Email nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org

Call 439-5504 Visit northshelbylibrary.org All month: Cornucopia Craft. Stop by the children’s department in November to make a craft.

Nov. 2: Volunteer Day. 1-5 p.m. Volunteers can work one to two hours on a variety of tasks and earn community service hours.

Nov. 1: Lego Club. 10-11:30 a.m. Build Lego creations. All ages.

Nov. 7, 14, 21: Gaming. 3:40-5:45 p.m. Play games on the Wii and with board and card games.

Nov. 10: Newbery Pie Book Club. Monday 6 p.m., Wednesday 1 p.m. Discussing Newbery winner and honor books. All ages.

Nov. 10: Anime Night. 6 p.m. An evening of anime.

Nov. 11: Dynamic Education’s Live Animal Show. 10:30 a.m. Learn about the world of bugs and reptiles. Registration required. Nov. 19: Homeschool Hangout: Birmingham Paleontological Society. 1

Nov. 15: Kaplan ACT Prep. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Take a free ACT practice test. Email ashley.streat@ kaplan.com. Nov. 17: Doctor Who? 6 p.m. All the Whovian activities we can fit into the teen department.

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce 1301 County Services Drive Call 663-4542 Nov. 4: Quarterly Industry Tour. 11 a.m.1 p.m. Stone Hollow Farmstead. $12 members, $20 non-members. Call 663-4542, ext. 105. Nov. 5: Ambassador Work Group. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 104. Nov. 5: Small Business Work Group. 4-5 p.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 105. Nov. 11: Entrepreneur Mentorship Program. 8-11 a.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. By appointment only. Call 663-4542, ext. 105. Nov. 11: Entrepreneur Roundtable I. 8-10 a.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 101.

Nov. 13: Membership Reception. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Lunch will be served. Free. Reservations requested by Nov. 11. Call 663-4542. Nov. 14: Health Services Work Group. 8:30-9:30 p.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 106. Nov. 18: Education Work Group. 8:309:30 a.m. Shelby County Instructional Services Center, 601 First Street South. Call 663-4542, ext. 106. Nov. 18: Existing Business and Industry Work Group. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon, Inc. 3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite 500. Call 298-6074.

280 Living

B30 • November 2014

Calendar St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

Mt Laurel Public Library

7191 Cahaba Valley Road Call 408-6600, Visit onenineteen.com Wednesdays: Breastfeeding Support Group. 10 a.m.-noon. Designed to give breastfeeding moms encouragement and support, as well as helpful information. Free. Thursdays: Countdown to the Holidays Living Healthy Challenge. 11:15-11:45 a.m. Open Studio. A once a week class designed to help you stay healthy through the holiday season. Call 408-6550. Nov. 1: Lupus Support Group. 10 a.m.noon. Free. Call 1-877-865-8787. Nov. 11: Blood Pressure/Body Mass Index Screening. 8-11:30 a.m. A representative will screen for blood pressure and BMI in the front entrance. Free. Nov. 11: Medicare Educational Meeting. 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Blue Cross/Blue Shield will hold a meeting to inform customers about senior products. Free, but registration required. Call 1-888346-1946. Nov. 13, 14: Pre-diabetes: What Does It Mean For Me? Thursday 6-7 p.m., Friday 8-9 a.m. This class will offer insight into what you can

Call 991-1660, Visit mtlaurellibrary.org Email mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com

do to prevent or delay diabetes. $25. Registration required. Call 408-6550. Nov. 15: Breastfeeding. 9-11 a.m. A class on the basics of breastfeeding for expectant mothers. $10. Registration required. Call 939-7878. Nov. 15: Coping Skills. 12:30-2:30 p.m. Pain management techniques for expectant mothers during delivery. $10 Registration required. Call 9397878.

Nov. 7, 21: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Thirty-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Ages 36 months and younger. Registration required. Nov. 7, 21: Storytime with Ms. Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music and more for every member of the family. All ages.

Nov. 17: Blood Cholesterol and Glucose Monitoring. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Screenings will be held by appointments. First screening free for members, $20 for non-members and repeat visits. Registration required. Call 408-6550.

Nov. 20: Alzheimer’s and Dementia in a Nutshell. 10-11 a.m. Ellen Marie Edmonds will share her experience as an expert practitioner and caregiver. Free. Registration required. Call 408-6550.

Nov. 26-28: Library Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday.

Area Events Nov. 1: Kenan’s Mill Festival. 9 a.m.-

Nov. 19: Dinner with the Coach. 6-7 p.m. Tom Melton will teach young athletes how to reach their full athletic abilities. Free. Registration required. Call 408-6550.

Nov. 15: Crafty Saturday. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Drop in to make a craft at the library. All ages.

3 p.m. Kenan’s Mill, Selma, Ala. Music, stoneground cornmeal, folk-life demonstrations, arts, crafts and more. Visit historicselma.org/

Nov. 1-2: St. Nicholas Russian/ Slavic Food Festival. Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday Noon-5 p.m. St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, Brookside, Ala. Visit stnicholasbrookside.org.

kenans-mill-festival.

Nov. 1-2: Moss Rock Festival. Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Moss Rock Preserve. Free admission. Visit mossrockfestival.com or call 595-6306.

Nov. 1-2: A Southern Christmas Bazaar. Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m.. Pelham Civic Complex. More than 50 merchants from Alabama and surrounding states will participate in this shopping event. Visit rotarysouthernchristmas.com.

280Living.com

November 2014 • B31

Calendar Area Events (continued)

Nov. 3: Arabesque. 8 p.m. Leslie Stephen Wright Center, Samford University. Arabesque is the only independent contemporary dance company based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Visit samford.edu.

6 p.m. Avondale Brewing Company, 2014 41st Street S. $15 at the door, $12 in advance. Presented by the Birmingham Canoe Club. Visit reelpaddlingfilmfestival.com.

Nov. 5-9: Christmas Village Festival. Wednesday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday-Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday Noon-5 p.m. BJCC. Wednesday is a private shopping event. Tickets must be purchased in advance. $12 adults, $5 ages 6-12, free for children under age 6. Visit christmasvillagefestival.com.

Nov. 12-15, 19-22: Women of War. 7:30 p.m. except Nov. 22 show at 2 p.m. UAB Alys Stephens Center Odess Theatre. General admission $15, students $6, UAB employees and senior citizens $10. Visit uab.edu/cas/theatre.

Nov. 6: A Night with Joe Ehrmann: Building Men and Women for Others. 7 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University. Students $21, adults $32. Visit tickets. samford.edu or call 726-2853. Nov. 6-22: Ghost-writer. 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Birmingham Festival Theatre, 1901 11th Ave. S. Novelist Franklin Woolsey dies mid-sentence, but his secretary Myra continues to take dictation. Visit bftonline.org.

Nov. 15: Straight No Chaser. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Ticket prices range. Visit alabamatheatre.com or call 252-2262. Nov. 20-23: Bridge Tournament. 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Birmingham Bridge Club, 144 Business Center Drive. Visit bridgewebs.com/ birmingham. Nov. 21: Fourth Annual Fall FestiveAle. 7-11 p.m. Regions Field. $29 in advance, $39 at the door. Local beer, food and more. Visit fallfestivale.com.

Nov. 10: Magic City Toastmasters Open House. 6 p.m. Trinity Medical Center, 820 Montclair Road. Call 913-8303 or visit 572. toastmastersclubs.org.

Nov. 21-23: Wiley and the Hairy Man. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 2:30 p.m. Virginia Samford Theatre Main Stage. Visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org.

Nov. 10: New Orleans Legends. 7:30 p.m. Leslie Stephen Wright Center, Samford University. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is joined in a double bill with Allen Touissant. Visit samford.edu.

Nov. 21: Old Crow Medicine Show. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Call 800-745-3000 or visit alabamatheatre.com

Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day Parade. 1:30 p.m. Starts on 18th Street and 8th Ave. S. in downtown Birmingham. Free. Visit nationalveteransday.org.

Nov. 20-22: Market Noel. Friday 9 a.m.- 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Grand Cahaba Conference Center. Benefits the programs of the Junior League of Birmingham. $12 general admission. Visit marketnoel.net.

Nov. 13: Reel Paddling Film Festival.

Holiday Open Houses A’Mano 2707 Culver Road, Mountain Brook Nov. 13, 5-8 p.m. Antiquities 2421 Canterbury Road, Mountain Brook Dec. 4, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Birmingham Bake & Cook Company 3112 Heights Village, Vestavia Hills Nov. 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cahaba Crawl Various merchants in Heights Village and Dolly Ridge Road, Cahaba Heights Nov. 13, 4-7 p.m. Collage Homewood 1802 29th Ave. South, Homewood Nov. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Collage Vestavia Hills 700 Montgomery Highway, Suite 106, Vestavia Hills Nov. 20, 6-8 p.m. Festivity 2852 18th St. South, Homewood Nov. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Greystone Antiques & Marketplace 5475 U.S. 280 Nov. 6, Noon shopping 5 p.m. food and live entertainment

Rosegate Design 6801 Cahaba Valley Road Wine and cheese, Nov. 6, 5-9 p.m. Chocolate and cookies with Santa, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sikes Children’s Shoes Jack n’ Jill Shop 2918 and 2920 18th St. South, Homewood Nov. 6, 5-8 p.m. Smith’s Variety 2715 Culver Road, Mountain Brook Nov. 13, 5-8 p.m. The Blue Willow 3930 Crosshaven Drive, Vestavia Hills Nov. 20, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The Cuckoo’s Nest 4222 Old Highway 280, Westover Nov. 1, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The Ditsy Daisy 16618 U.S. 280, Suite 100, Chelsea Dec. 4, 5-8 p.m. The Scribbler & Studio on Linden 2919 Linden Ave., Homewood Nov. 6, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Cocktails and crudités starting at 4:30 p.m. The Urban Barn 601 Doug Baker Blvd., Hoover/Greystone Dec. 1, 6-9 p.m.

Hoover Florist 1905 Hoover Court Nov. 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Village Dermatology 2900 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook Dec. 4, 6-8:30 p.m.

Monkee’s of Mountain Brook 2006 Cahaba Road Dec. 3, Evening

Vitalogy Wellness Center 2704 20th St. South, Homewood Nov. 20, 4-8 p.m.

Oli.O Specialty Oils & Balsamics 2411 Montevallo Road, Mountain Brook Dec. 4, 6-8 p.m.

Wrapsody 161 Main St., Suite 127, Hoover Nov. 6, 4-7 p.m.

造造