Village Living September 2010 by Starnes Media

Village Living

| September 2010 |

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook

Jay Barker and AL DelGreco

Lake Lovers Photo Contest

pg 10

pg 12

Volume 1 | Issue 6 | September 2010

Pritchard, Vogtle win re-election Carter and Tutwiler in Oct. 5 runoff By Jennifer Gray and Dan Starnes A robust election fueled by debate over development returned two incumbents who voted in favor of the Lane Parke project to the Mountain Brook City Council, besting vocal opponents of the project by fairly close margins. Incumbent Councilman William S. “Billy” Pritchard III beat Cornelia LaRussa by 2,828 votes (52.3 percent) to 2,582 votes (47.7 percent). Pritchard in June was among four city council members who voted to approve the plans by Evson Inc. to redevelop the Park Lane Apartments and Mountain Brook Shopping Center. LaRussa was a founding member of the Friends of Mountain Brook Villages, an avid opposition group to the project. Pritchard has served on the City Council for 10 years and voted in favor of the development. He has also has served as the Council liaison to the Board of Education and also on the Community Task Force on school funding. Incumbent Councilman Jesse Vogtle, who also voted in June to support the Evson project, defeated Rick Sprague and

September Features • Letter to the Editor

• Bios

• Crestline Seafood

• Greek Food Festival

• Little Hardware

• Chief Stanley

• Leadership Mtn. Brook

• Library News

8 10

• Kari Kampakis

• Rich Webster

• Portraits

• SchoolHouse

• Calendar of Ev ents

Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #656

• Sports

Billy Pritchard and Jesse Vogtle were both successful in an election where they had almost exactly the same number of votes.

Mark Roberts. Vogtle received 2,827 votes (52.2 percent) to Sprague’s 2,502 votes (46.2 percent), while Roberts collected 89 votes (1.6 percent). Sprague, an architect, also was afﬁliated with the Friends of Mountain Brook Villages. He had offered design changes and other suggestions to the proposed Lane Parke development during the City Council hearings that were

held on the project. Vogtle, an attorney, was seeking a second term on the council. During his term on the Council, Vogtle has served as President Pro Tempore, on the library committee, and the ﬁnance committee for the city. In the race for Place 1, formerly Bob Moody’s seat, candidates Amy Carter and Temple Tutwiler moved onto an Oct.

5 runoff . Tutwiler, President of Tutwiler Properties, received 2,301 votes (42.5 percent). Carter, a stay-at-home mom who has worked as an attorney received 1,927 votes (35.6 percent). Frank Galloway, the City Attorney for 18 years and recent member of the City’s board of Zoning Adjustments, received 1,190 votes (22 percent). A candidate must obtain at least 50 percent of the votes in order to win. While neither candidate in the runoff has served on the City Council before, Temple Tutwiler has served on several civic boards. He said that he looks forward to the continued race and having the opportunity to serve on the Council. Amy Carter continues to stress that she brings a new voice to the Council. “I am excited about the runoff,” Carter said. “I really want to serve. I feel that I am a new voice and fresh perspective.” Of the 14,433 registered voters in the city of Mountain Brook, 5418, or 37.5 percent, participated in the election. Steve Boone, the city’s Finance Director said that a turnout of around 25 percent is typical for city elections where there are no state or national elections being held.

See ELECTION, PAGE 9

Village Treasure: June Emory

By Rick Watson

Tapestries are sometimes used to describe the lives of interesting people. That metaphor seems fitting when describing June Emory’s life. A common thread that seems to course thorough her tapestry is service to her community. She was an air raid warden during World War II, she served on the board of the local chapter of the American Red Cross for twenty two years, she was the women’s chairman for the National Veteran’s Day Celebration for thirty two years, and she served as a volunteer for the Birmingham Art Museum for fifty one years. One might think at the age of ninety that Mrs. Emory would slow down, but she is still active in the community. She attends every Mountain Brook City Council meeting and pre-council meeting. It was service to the community that has allowed her to meet dignitaries in government, celebrities, military figures, astronauts, and veterans. In short, some of the most interesting people in the country. The path that led June Emory to Mountain Brook is an interesting story as well. Her father was a corporate attorney so the family lived all over the country. She first met her husband, Horton Emory, when her family lived in St. Louis.

June Emory has long been of service to her community.

It seems that Horton had been calling on June’s older sister and her best friend. One evening when Horton was coming over for a visit, June’s sister was upstairs getting dressed when Horton arrived. June

thought he sounded like a “stuffed shirt” and wanted no part of him. She asked her mother if she could be excused so that she

See JUNE EMORY, PAGE 18

Treadwell Barber Shop Serving the Mountain Brook Community Since 1962 2700 Culver Road • Mountain Brook Village (205) 870-9210

| September 2010 | Welcome Friends

Village Living Photo of the Month

Editor’s Note

On August 24, City Council elections were held. We have a great recap of the results. There will be a run off October 5 for Place 1 between Amy Carter and Temple Tutwiler. Look for an in depth look at the two candidates in our October issue. College football is here. We have a great interview with Mountain Brook’s Jay Barker and his partner Al Del Greco previewing Alabama and Auburn football. Spartan sports are in full swing too. There is a great preview of Cross Country track by Will Hightower, and a look at Junior High Volleyball. The Chamber launched a new program

for High School students called Leadership Mountain Brook. This program will give the selected students insight into what makes our City so great. We will be following them as they participate in this program over the course of the year. This fall, we are looking at some of the special people that have been part of the fabric of our city for some time. This month, we start with June Emory. Read all about this fascinating lady and look for others to be featured in upcoming issues. Our calendar is always a great place to ﬁnd out all that there is to do in and around Mountain Brook. Please send us your events to add to it each month. Submissions need to be received by the 15th of the month. As always, we welcome your feedback and appreciate your continued interest in Village Living.

Letter to the editor Schools should offer fresh, lunches with natural ingredients Sisters August and Alexandra Yearout with pets Gray and Cooper (photo courtesy of Kari Kampakis)

Contributing Photographers Image Arts | Alison Gault | Kari Kampakis

Publisher Dan Starnes

Editor Jennifer Gray

Creative Director Keith McCoy

Published by Village Living LLC

Sales and Distribution

Every school night after the kids have gone to bed, the first thought many of us have is “time to make school lunches”. Wouldn’t it be liberating to send our children to school knowing that in their own cafeteria they can eat the most fresh and nutritious meal possible? Recently I was fortunate enough to gain a meeting with the head nutrition coordinator for our school system to approach this topic of healthier school lunches. In talking with the coordinator, I was pleased to find out how far our school system has come from the days of using fryers in the kitchens. There have been some definite improvements: the chicken nuggets are now baked and are all breast meat; there is whole wheat pasta on the menu; and the white rolls are now wheat. One of the best improvements to come is the nutritional information for the elementary schools is expected to be posted for the first time this Fall. This information is a nice addition; however, there is still more change needed in order to provide healthier lunches for our children. Foremost, I would propose that artificial colors, preservatives and high fructose corn syrup be removed from all lunch items. High fructose corn syrup has been linked to obesity with 1 out of 3 children now being considered overweight or obese.

Dan Starnes Angela Morris Catherine Loveman

Journalism Intern

Alison Gault

Contact Information: Village Living #4 Office Park Circle, Suite 314-A Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 dan@VillageLivingOnline.com

Jennifer@VillageLivingOnline.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 Legals: Village Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Village Living is designed to inform the Mountain Brook community of area school, faith, family and community events. Information in Village Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Village 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) 370-0732 or by email.

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Artiﬁcial colors and preservatives have been linked to behavioral changes in children. We should also limit the amount of added sugars in the meals. While sugar is often dismissed as causing behavioral problems, a recent study has shown that excess sugar can cause rapid changes in blood glucose levels. These ﬂuctuations can affect children’s attention span and short-term memory. Furthermore, we need more fresh fruits and vegetables in the lunchroom. Instead of a pre-packaged fruit cup containing high fructose corn syrup and preservatives, how about serving a fresh fruit cup instead? Mountain Brook is a progressive community with healthy living quickly becoming many people’s top priority for themselves and their children. Our children eat 5 meals a week at school whether made at home or made by the school. I encourage you to pay attention to your children’s lunches. Become invested in what they eat at lunch time. Take an interest in what your children are being served in the lunchroom and what is actually in the food, not just the calories but the ingredients. It is up to us as parents to get involved. Talk to other parents. Talk to your administrators and faculty. Perhaps if the schools realize how interested we are in change, change can happen.

Rick Watson

Alison Gault was born in North Carolina and moved to Alabama when she was 10. She graduated from the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia School of Law, and worked both as a lawyer and in the insurance industry in Atlanta until moving to Birmingham to marry husband Chuck. After the birth of their ﬁrst child 10 years ago, Alison became a full-time mom, and has two sons at Cherokee Bend. She serves on several PTO committees, including the Media committee with the assistance of Theresa Gregory. She also has a photography business specializing in sports photography and children’s portraiture. Her web address is www.alisongault.com, and she can be reached by email at aligault@charter.net.

Rick lives on a small farm with his wife Jilda in Empire, Alabama. His columns appear in 280 Living, The Daily Mountain Eagle in Jasper, Alabama, and the Tri-City News in Mobile. His work has appeared in The Birmingham News, The Birmingham Post Herald, The Birmingham Arts Journal, Senior Living, and in several papers in North Carolina. He is the author of “Remembering Big” which is a compilation of his columns and photographs. Rick received his Masters Degree from Birmingham Southern College, and has recently retired from AT&T after thirty three years. Rick and Jilda are also singer/songwriters and he spends his spare time ﬂy ﬁshing.

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Village Living

| September 2010 |

| September 2010 | Village Flavor

Restaurant & Market

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Crestline Seafood Co | By Lauren Nix 63 Church Street Restaurant Showcase 637-7460

Crestline Seafood Company, located on Church Street in the heart of Crestline Village, offers a fresh seafood market, as well as a delicious lunch and dinner menu. Owner Chad Adams knew he wanted to bring fresh seafood to Mountain Brook and seized the opportunity when the space became available. Starting out as only a market, Crestline Seafood Company has blossomed into a booming restaurant and the most convenient place for Mountain Brook residents to purchase fresh fish. “Primarily we sell fresh Gulf fish, Gulf shrimp, those types of items,” Adams said. Menu items include fresh soups and salads, a variety of sandwiches, jumbo lump crab cakes and shrimp ‘n grits. Diners can also choose a fresh fish selection from the display case which will be grilled and served with two sides of their choice. “The grilled fish is really catching on because people appreciate the fact that they get to see the fish they’re about to eat. We cut it right here out of our fresh case and we take it to the grill,” Adams said. Other popular menu items include crab cakes and the shrimp po-boy. The restaurant/market has faced hard times due to the Gulf crisis, however. Adams says many customers are worried about the safety of Gulf fish and not interested in eating it. “June and July were awful. I had people come in and see that we primarily sell Gulf fish and salmon and literally walk out the door,” he said. Because of the crisis, Adams has been

expires 9-30-10

offering a fresh fish selection that is not from the Gulf for customers who are still unsure of the safety. “I think my customers still prefer Gulf fish, but I do have some that are worried about the safety of the fish in the Gulf,” Adams said. Adams said all of the feedback he’s been receiving about the safety of seafood in the Gulf assures him that all of the fish is safe and free of dispersants. “I would have to say the fish is safer than it’s ever been because of all the scrutiny that’s been put on it,” he said. Adams also believes people should be aware of the fact that BP is not doing all that they could in assisting those impacted by the oil spill. “We were impacted significantly by this Gulf crisis this summer, no question about it, and all this stuff about BP doing their part is untrue,” he said. “They are not assisting people who are impacted by the Gulf. They’re assisting some, but they’re not doing what they’re supposed to be doing.” Adams is doing his part, however, in providing fresh and healthy seafood to his customers. He said his goal for the restaurant is to “bring the beach to Crestline” and provide residents with a laid-back atmosphere where they can relax and enjoy their meal. “We want it to be a place where people who come in here feel they’re at any place that they would find at the beach,” Adams said. Crestline Seafood Company also offers affordable prices on a large selection of wine. The kids menu makes the restaurant a great spot for family meals. “We’re very kid-friendly,” Adams said. Adams says they will be adding a bar sometime after Labor Day and they will begin serving brunch in the fall.

Opa! Opa! It’s the Greek Food Festival By Kari Kampakis 9,000 pounds of chicken 3,000 pounds of ground beef 15,000 pastries 900 pans of pastichio 25,000 plates served over three days Add all this together and what do you get? The 38th Annual Birmingham Greek Food Festival. Yes, it’s that time of year again, so mark your calendar for Sept. 23 through 25 and come hungry to one of Birmingham’s most highly anticipated events. A true cultural experience, this festival is an act of love of Birmingham’s Greek community and more than 100 parish volunteers. Besides delicious Greek cuisine, you’ll enjoy live music, Greek dancing by the youth, and a warm, spirited atmosphere that embraces everyone as family. As thousands of returning patrons can attest, you will leave a devoted fan. If you work downtown and want to pick up lunch or dinner for the family, remember the take-out option. Take-out is now 40 percent of the festival’s business and offers both drive-thru and walk-up lines. Check out the festival’s website (www. bhamgreekfestival.org) for the menu, and call ahead for orders of 10 or more. The festival’s frozen food sale is another opportunity you don’t want to miss. Frozen pans of homemade pastichio

– in essence, a Greek lasagna – will be sold for $30 at take-out and with the pastries. Each pan feeds 9 to 12 people, perfect for large gatherings and holidays. Last year’s pastichio proceeds went to help the Bell Center and the UAB Civitan-Sparks Center. Below are details for the upcoming event. We look forward to seeing you! 38th Annual Greek Food Festival Dates and Time: September 23, 24, 25, 2010; 10:30am-10:00pm Place: Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral- 307 19th Street South Birmingham, Alabama 35233 205-7163088 www.bhamgreekfestival.org Price: Free Admission. Food items are individually priced. Featuring: Delicious Greek food favorites! The Greek Market Place has imported food, icons, ﬁne jewelry and much more. Take Out Orders Can be picked up between 10:30am and 7:00pm Thursday thru Saturday. Call Festival Take-Out 716-3086 or fax 716-3085. Go to www. bhamgreekfestival.com for take-out information. Cathedral Tours Birmingham is home to the seventh oldest Greek Orthodox parish in the United States. The Cathedral architecture is breathtaking so don’t miss the chance to take a guided tour on an ongoing basis.

Village Spotlight

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

Little Hardware 2703 Culver Rd

| by Erica Breen

Business Spotlight

871-4616

Little Hardware has expanded. It has moved next door into the space formerly occupied by Jonathon Benton Bookseller. “We thought this was a great opportunity when the lot next door became vacant,” co-owner Frank Davies III said. “We are very crowded right now, and we saw this as a chance to better our display and organization of the hardware and products we offer.” And indeed they are very crowded. Little Hardware currently has hardware, house-ware, gifts, grills, outdoor products and even a battery section crammed into one small space. Along with expanding the store with the products they already have, the hardware store will also be adding a new paint store and expanding their pet line. The paint store will carry house paint and all the painting supplies that are needed to paint a room. “There were no painting companies in Mountain Brook and it’s a common thing to see in hardware stores, so we decided to start it,” Davies III said. The paint store will carry Pratt & Lambert paint, which is a high quality brand of paint, and Mythic Paint, which is a specialty line that has zero toxins and no odors. They are also expanding their pet lines to carry all natural cat and dog foods. According to Davies, they expect to be in their new space for about two years. That is when their new store in the Lane Parke development should be ready. “This was an opportunity for us to get a feel for how much space might work

Heads Up!

Frank Davies III

well for us, “ Davies said, referring to their current expansion and the proposed new space in Lane Parke. Little Hardware first began in 1946 in Ensley. The owner, Mr. Little, moved the store to the Mountain Brook location in 1959. In 1963, the present owner, Frank Davies, Jr., bought the store from Mr. Little. It is now a family owned business with Frank Davies, Jr. and his son, Frank Davies III, being the full time owners. “I’m very excited and hopefully it will be well received by our customers,” Davies III said. “We are very appreciative of customer loyalty through the years and hope to continue it with the expanding of our store.”

Alabama Ballet holds auditions

Alabama Ballet welcomes children ages 8-16 to audition to be a part of this year’s holiday classic. Alabama Ballet is one only of six companies in the world licensed to perform Balanchine’s Nutcracker and it is truly an opportunity of a lifetime for area children to dance alongside Alabama Ballet’s professional dancers. “I was nervous before the curtain went up but when I started to dance it just felt natural. It was exciting,” Keira Mays, an 11-year-old from Vestavia, said about her experience. Community cast members will get to work under the ballet’s artistic director Tracey Alvey, as well as working with Darla Hoover, Repetiteur from the Balanchine Trust in New York. She will rehearse both the community cast and company to meet Balanchine’s standards. Alabama Ballet is the state’s premiere professional ballet company and boasts 35 company members for the 2010-2011 season. Balanchine’s version of The Nutcracker is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman’s tale with

| September 2010 |

music by Pytor Ilich Tchaikovsky. “Watching the Alabama Ballet perform the Nutcracker is a magnificent experience, but watching your child be a part of it creates joy and pride that only a parent can know. It’s the best Christmas gift you can receive,” Vestavia mother Therese Mays said. Auditions for the community cast will be held on Thursday September 16 at the Alabama Ballet Center for Dance. Registration for 8-12 years old will begin at 4pm and the audition at 5pm; 1316 years old will begin at 6:30pm and the audition at 7pm. For audition information call Libba Owen at 205-322-1874 or email libbaowen@ alabamaballet.org. The dates of the performance are December 10-19 with a total of nine performances including two school shows at 10am on December 14 and 15. Matinees start at 2:30pm and evening shows start at 7pm. For ticket information, call 205-975-2787 or visit www. alabamaballet.org.

Renasant Bank opens in Crestline

New Shipment 5299 Valleydale Road

dwellings

981-7779

between Baker Lamps & Linens and Southeastern Jewelers

Constance Longworth Collection

Now Open in Mountain Brook

ine Furniture. Unique Chandeliers. Decorator Rugs. Upscale Candles. Unique Gifts. Aside from the in-store selection, owner Constance Longworth is able to order items from many companies including Drexel Heritage, Lexington, American Drew, Lea Childrens, Bradburn, and Pulaski Furniture Companies, to name a few. A one stop shop for everything for the home, with a guarantee that you will love all you either buy from the store or order. If not, Constance will take it back and go back to the drawing board and ﬁnd the perfect item. “I want you to love everything you purchase,” says Constance. Constance has been designing for diplomats and royalty for over 30 years. Since retiring from international design this is the opening of her third store. Her daughter also has a shop in New York.

Constance Longworth Collection 2408 Canterbury Rd.

(Next to Charlotte Woodson Antiques)

803-4040

David Roth, Sue DeBrecht, ,Mike Ross, Vivian Terry, John Rucker, Mayor Oden

| September 2010 | Village Living

Keeping crime rates low in Mountain Brook By Erica Breen

It’s not easy being a police officer. You have to protect the lives and property of citizens, and maintain order, catch lawbreakers, and work to prevent crime 24/7. Talk about a busy, stressful life! But it’s a life police chief Johnny Stanley wouldn’t trade for the world. He joined the Mountain Brook police department in 1976 and was promoted officially to chief in 2003. “I love working for the Mountain Brook Police Department. The people are fantastic and such a pleasure to work with, as are the residents of Mountain Brook. Time has flown by for me and I couldn’t ask for a better place to work.” The Mountain Brook Police Department has 53 sworn in positions and is made up of 3 divisions - the Administrative, Detective, and Patrol Divisions. Every member of the department goes through training for Tasers®, firearms, emergency vehicle operations and even education on new laws being passed. They also go to various training sessions throughout the south. The department wants to make sure they are highly qualified and will do the best job possible in any situation. It is an impressive department with three members having graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Also, several supervisors are graduates of the FBI Southeastern Law Enforcement Executive Development Program. “One thing we pride ourselves on is keeping our crime rates low and the community happy and safe,” said Stanley. There are numerous ways the department does this for the community. One way is their house watch program or “residence watch” that they do free of charge. This service gives a resident the option of calling the department if they are going out of town for a few days. They will give their phone number, tell how many cars should be there or if any lights should be on so

Police Chief Johnny Stanley

police will know of any suspicious activity. The police department will then send out officers to check the home twice a day. Another reason they keep crimes so low is because they believe in educating the community and always being in the community. “Our crime is significantly lower than it has been because we always have officers patrolling the streets. No matter if you’re a tourist or a resident we want to be there and keep you safe, said Stanley.” This is true, anytime you are driving through the villages you are bound to see at least one police car. They also believe in educating the

community on preventing crime. As they say, “The best way to prevent crime is to remove the opportunity.” The department speaks at many community events and the Detective Lieutenant even sends out a mass email once a week listing safety tips and any crimes that happened that week. Property crime is the biggest type of crime in Mountain Brook so the department wants to make sure residents know how to protect their belongings. As Stanley explains, “We just want to remind people to lock their cars, and not to leave any visible valuables inside of it. Also, to use their burglar alarms, lock the doors on their

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house and keep lawn and sports equipment hidden when not in use, not visible in a carport or garage.” They remind residents to always report suspicious behavior. Residents are the ones most familiar with their neighborhood and the ones most likely to notice something wrong. So never forget that you are not alone as you drive or walk through Mountain Brook! As Stanley closes, “We are here to protect the quality and life of a person in Mountain Brook. We have provided several decades of quality service and we intend to deliver this level of service into the future.”

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RealtySouth Cahaba Road office tops in state

| September 2010 |

ONE CALL, BIG DIFFERENCE!

By Erica Breen RealtySouth’s Cahaba Road office in Mountain Brook has been declared the #1 office in sales volume for the state of Alabama. As Broker Manager John McGill says, “It is all due to the success of the 100 agents in the office.” “In the office there is a sense of team work, so everyone tries to succeed individually and also helps others because they want what is best for the team,” says McGill. “Real estate has a reputation as a lone wolf, but in our office we are supportive of teamwork and each other.” RealtySouth in Mountain Brook is a very diversified real estate agency, because it not only sells homes in Mountain Brook but agents also have expertise outside of this market. At RealtySouth you are able to look at properties of interest, apply for a mortgage online, title insurance and anything else you might need. RealtySouth allows you do your home buying and everything that entails all in one place. There are numerous tools that the agents have access to that help them when selling houses that has led to the office being the #1 in sales volume. Some websites that are used by agents are RealtySouth.com, Craigslist, Al.com, Linked in, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Yahoo, Trulia, Google, and FrontDoor. In addition each agent

completes fifteen hours of continuing education courses every two years. Many agents go beyond that requirement and earn additional designations. The agents at this brokerage are extremely knowledgeable about the houses for sale because of these websites. It is also through their experience and knowledge in real estate that they are great at customizing client service. Sales agents at this office know Mountain Brook’s real estate market inside and out. They are familiar with all the neighborhoods and can match them to their client’s needs and pocketbooks. They want to turn a “stressful buying experience” into something enjoyable, and an easy experience. “My favorite thing about my job is the people I get to work with, both clients and agents. Human interaction is what draws people to this business. We have happy people who are here and are willing to go above and beyond to make clients happy. It’s satisfying to see a happy person who wants a home and we are able to find them a home,” says McGill. So congratulations to RealtySouth in Mountain Brook! It is a tremendous achievement and a great honor to be called #1!

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Leadership Mountain Brook welcomes first class By Jennifer Gray This fall, the Chamber has launched a new and exciting program called Leadership Mountain Brook. The program, for High School students, is the first of its kind in the City. The faculty at the High School nominated students and the final selection was made by Chamber officials. Of the fifty applications submitted, sixteen were chosen to participate. The program will take place during the student’s last class period, meeting at the Board of Education building. “I haven’t known much about the community, and I think it’s a good chance to be involved and learn more about it. I think we’re going to learn skills that we wouldn’t necessarily learn in a classroom. And I think that we’re going to learn how to really interact with leaders and things like that,” student Betsy Webster said. Each student will receive a grade and class credit for participating in the program. Over the course of the school year, students will study four different themes centering around the main theme, “What’s great about Mountain Brook”.

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The first semester, students will learn about who’s behind the scenes making the city run. This will include lessons on the City Council, Board of Education, police, fire, Parks and Recreation, the library and other city services. Next, they will learn about who makes up the city of Mountain Brook including citizens and businesses. They will meet with small business owners and discuss topics such as what works well for the merchants and what could be better. Later in the year, the students will come up with a project that they feel will improve the City or help make Mountain Brook better. They will learn how to raise funds, write grants, get approval from the City Council or other entity by making a presentation to the appropriate group, and finally they will implement their project. When asked why she chose to apply to the program, Caroline Bell, said, “I think it will help a lot. I want to be a teacher so I think it will really help with my leadership skills.”

Students selected for the program are Caroline Bell, Caroline Bowness, Tommy Bruhn, Robert Byrne, L.C. Carmichael, James Cooper, Tara Creeden, Grace Friday, Will Fullington, Kendal Jaffe, Victoria Karagas, Kathleen McKee, Hailey McManus, Emily Meisler, Alex Sherman, and Betsy Webster.

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| September 2010 | Village Living

Symphony 30 Celebrates 13th Annual Symphony Picnic

On Sunday, September 26, 2010, at 4: p.m., the Symphony 30 nonprofit group of women will host its annual Symphony 30 Picnic. The event this year will be held once again at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, with the proceeds going to help the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and specifically their family and education programs. Brookwood Medical Center is the title sponsor to the 2010 event. Along with dinner provided by Jim ‘N Nicks and a symphony concert, activities will include an art table where children can make their own musical instruments. The Symphony 30 Group is comprised of approximately 80 young women, who are committed to the legacy and future of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. The Symphony 30 Group has raised more than $305,500 for education programs at the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Planning this year’s event are Paige Daniel, Symphony Picnic Chair and Morgan Cook, Symphony Picnic Co-Chair. Serving this year as President is Marilyn Dixon, Executive Vice President- Tracy Sproule, Publicity- Laura Canterbury, Treasurer- Betsy Byars, Assistant Treasurer- Mindi Keller, Membership Chair- Betsy Burkhart, Secretary- Jennifer Gray, Hospitality- Beth Little and Susanna Davis, and Parliamentarian- Charlotte Langley.

Morgan Cook, Marilyn Dixon, & Paige Daniel

Along with title sponsor Brookwood Medical Center and Jim ‘N Nicks, who donate all of the food, other local businesses supporting the event included Gold Sponsors: Huie Fernambucq, Royal Cup, Sterne Agee, Circa Marketing, Anonymous. Silver Sponsors: Kirke White Cater Family Fund, Canterbury Electric, and Baggett Transportation, RDS. Bronze Sponsors: Service Chemical, David Hufham, DDS, America’s First Credit Union, Witt Chiropractic, Anonymous. Friend Sponsors are: Crestline Pharmacy, Snoozy’s, and Dr. Linda Stone. For more information regarding the Symphony 30 Picnic, or to purchase tickets, please call 205-314-6936. Tickets are $60 per family or $25 for an individual ticket.

Fall kicks off at Emmet O’Neal By Holley Wesley

The Library has moved to extended Fall/Winter hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday – 9am to 9pm; Wednesday – 9am to 6pm; Friday & Saturday – 9am to 5pm; and Sunday – 1pm to 5pm. In addition to extended hours, Fall also brings Western’s annual Fall Wine & Food Festival! The Festival will take place September 30th, 5:30pm-8:30pm, at the Birmingham Zoo Pavilion. There will be over 700 wines to sample from growing regions around the world, plus wine experts will be on hand to answer questions. Foods for the evening will focus on Alabama products prepared by chefs from Jefferson State Culinary School with recipes and wine pairing suggestions available as well. Advance tickets are $45 and $55 at the door on the night of the event. Proceeds from the event benefit the Emmet O’Neal Library! Get your tickets today at any Western Supermarkets or here at EOL. Got a group? Discounts are available for group sales! Resources for Students The Children’s and Adult/Teen Departments have group study rooms available for small groups. Rooms are firstcome, first-served and no reservations are accepted. Paid tutors are prohibited from using the study rooms. Food and drinks are prohibited in the Children’s Department but small, dry snacks are allowed in the Adult/Teen Department. The Library also provides a free wi-fi network building-wide, access to a wide variety of online research tools courtesy of the Alabama Virtual Library and the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, an awardwinning reference book collection, and knowledgeable staff ready help you with your information needs. You might also find a cup of free coffee if you wander our way! Also, twice a year our teen visitors are treated to Exam Study Breaks! The Teen Librarian will be making the rounds at schools to let students know they have a place for exam study here at the Library! Computer Classes Offered Do you know someone who has never touched a computer? We have a class for that! For the true novice, our sixweek beginner’s computer class teaches vocabulary, the basic layout of a keyboard, how to use a mouse, and a very basic

understanding of how to get to websites, use search engines, and manage email. You may search all of the public libraries in Jefferson County for books, DVDs, audio books, reference materials and more, right from your home computer! Call 205/445-1117 to make a reservation for a hands-on tutorial or a beginner’s computer class today! Join a Book Club this Fall If you are looking for a book group, we have several of them to choose from, each with its own focus! The “Thyme to Read” book group, a joint venture with the library at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, meets first Tuesdays at 6:30pm at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. “Thyme to Read” selects books on a month-by-month basis, so call for more information. Our three other book groups meet here at Emmet O’Neal. The Great Books Reading and Discussion Group meets on second Mondays at 6:30pm. This group reads from an anthology available from the Great Books Foundation. Our daytime group, The Bookies, meets on second Tuesdays at 10am. The Bookies will be discussing The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery on September 14th and Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof on October 12th. The Genre Reading Group meets the last Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm. This group differs from a traditional group in that it picks topics instead of individual books. In celebration of Banned Books Week September 25-October 2, the group will meet September 28th to discussed banned books. Read any book that has been either banned or challenged and come share with the group! Lists of banned books are very easy to find on the Internet or visit the American Library Association’s webpage on banned books at www.ala.org/bbooks. Something for Everyone In addition to these, we also offer a wide variety of special events for every age group, including film series, guest speakers, demonstrations and more! As you can see, the Library is ALWAYS a great place to be! Visit us online at our webpage (www. eolib.org), our blog (www.eolib.blogspot. com), and Friend us on Facebook! For more information, call 205-879-0459 or stop by to pick up a monthly calendar of events!

Village Living | September 2010 |

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

ELECTION cover story

Several of the new candidates emphasized the need for change and diversity of background on the Council. Four of the current council members are attorneys--two of which were the incumbents seeking re-election. Galloway said he thought that the group campaigning between Tutwiler, Vogtle, and Pritchard and Carter, LaRussa, and Sprague helped those candidates. “If someone was interested in say Jesse Vogtle, then it seems that they tended to vote for the other two candidates -- Pritchard and Tutwiler -- as well,” Galloway said. “Enough did this to make a difference. If you look at the voting totals, there is only one vote difference between what Vogtle received (2,827 votes) and the number Pritchard received (2,828 votes).” Further examination of the election

results shows a similar close relationship between the number of votes received by Cornelia LaRussa (2,582 votes) and Rick Sprague (2,502 votes). Another interesting observation he noted was how each group of candidates seemed to represent a particular view on the Lane Parke development, whether they stated their view or not, simply by who they campaigned with and those candidates votes on the issue, or their outspoken opposition to the development. “It seems that with most voters, they were either voting for or against development based on the candidates they supported,” Galloway said. When asked who he would be endorsing in the runoff, he said that he endorses Amy Carter. “Amy Carter is the better qualiﬁed candidate to help lead Mountain Brook and deal with the matters with which the city will be confronted during the next several years.”

Antiques & Linens BR

Beverly Ruff

Annual September

Sale

Sept 20-25 Up to 40% Off (Some exclusions apply)

2417 Canterbury Road. Mountain Brook Village Mon - Fri 10 - 4 • Sat 11 - 4 • 871-7872

Open H

Mountain Brook Sports Corporation Helps Mountain Brook Athletes Stay on Top By Lauren Nix Mountain Brook Sports Corporation raises money each year for athletic improvements and athletic safety at Mountain Brook High School and Junior High School. “The Mountain Brook Sports Corporation was founded in 1998 with the sole purpose of facilitating the needs of the athletic departments at the Mountain Brook High School and Junior High School levels,” President Mike Morrison said. Since 1998, the charitable organization has raised approximately $3 million to help provide the Mountain Brook Athletic Department with the facilities and improvements they need. Sports Corp fills the gaps to provide the items that the School Board is unable to fund. Mountain Brook Sports Corporation has been involved in numerous projects over the years including resurfacing the track at Spartan Stadium, field improvements to the baseball field, the building of indoor hitting facilities for both softball and baseball and the construction of the football field house. “Of all the sports at the Mountain Brook Junior High and High School, we have contributed to their needs whether it is equipment, scoreboards, scoring tables or wrestling mats,” Morrison said. Mountain Brook Sports Corporation is a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization that depends on membership dues as well as outside donations to provide additional funding for the Athletic Department. The Corporation has fundraisers each

year including an annual golf tournament and a dove shoot which was started two years ago. Last year, the golf tournament raised over $60,000. Morrison said the dove shoot usually raises $5,000 to $7,000 each fall. “But for the most part, we count on our members yearly dues and also any support from outside the board that wants to contribute,” he said. Anyone wishing to contribute to Mountain Brook Sports Corporation can earmark their money for a speciﬁc sport at the High School or Junior High School. There is also a foundation account which people can contribute to. The money in this account is saved for future projects. In 2009, the Mountain Brook Athletic Program won the Downtown Kiwanis Club’s Athletic Program of the Year award for the second year in a row, and Mountain Brook Sports Corporation is doing all they can to keep Mountain Brook athletics at the top. “If you want to get involved, contribute or support Mountain Brook Sports Corp call Mike Morrison, Ron Fritze or Doug Centeno and we’d be glad to discuss Mountain Brook Sports Corporation or answer any questions you may have,” said Morrison. For more information on Mountain Brook Sports Corporation and how you can be involved contact President Mike Morrison at 870-3257, Treasurer Ron Fritze at 977-9781 or Vice President Doug Centeno at 278-8000.

Spartans Hit the Trails this Fall By Will Hightower “We think we have what it takes to be one of the best teams in Alabama.” Those were the words uttered by junior cross country runner Andrew Fix, one of the leaders on the Mountain Brook team that looks to repeat their sweep of the state championships last year. For this season, head coach Greg Echols made the decision to have cuts to make the team for the first time at Mountain Brook, due to an overflow of athletes signed up to run. Over 180 Spartan athletes were originally on the roster, but now, there is a smaller, more manageable group that was made faster and tougher in the process. The ones who made the team had been practicing consistently all summer, and were put through two-a-days during the first week of school. “Everyone sort of realized that there was a new level of intensity with the cuts and two-a-days. Everyone has been training harder,” said Fix. As for the boys, several seniors and a large group of talented juniors will try to replace last year’s graduates, two of which went on to run at Samford and UAH. Jack Morgan, Mitchell Lloyd, and Morgan Waterman will lead the senior class, while Fix, Jack Monaghan, Jack Miller, and Kyle

Sawyer are the fastest juniors. The girls’ team has a strong core of girls from each age group at the high school. Eugenia Watkins, Kendall Reed, Ann Sisson, Maggie Carey, Marie DeMedicis, and Annie Newton make up the lead pack of girls. Both boy’s and girl’s teams will be running through several states during the 2010 cross country season. The ﬁrst meet of the season, on September 4th, will be the Clara Bowl in Rome, Georgia. As the season progresses, the team will run in Stillwater, Oklahoma at the Cowboy Jamboree, and at Jesse Owens’ birthplace in Oakville, Alabama. The out of town meets bring another, more exciting component to cross country, said junior runner Hannah Mancer: “Spending time with friends on the team is the best part of running, so it is especially great when we travel and compete out of town together.” Mountain Brook cross country has been a power in the state for a long time. The members on this year’s team have just as much talent as any other, setting the Spartans up as likely candidates for a repeat sweep at state this fall.

Open House

Thursday, September 23rd

10 o'clock to 6 o'clock Be sure to order Christmas cards early to take advantage of all the specials. Lera Jean Roddam from 10 - 4 will be offering Complimentary Personalized Calligraphy Artwork to use for notecards, calling cards, etc. (limit 2 per person) When a Star Fell on Alabama - The Jack Kubiszyn Story by Lucy Stallworth Kubiszyn Book Signing from 10:30 - 12:30

Be sure to register for door prizes!

50 Vine Street • Crestline, 35213 870-4773 or please_reply@bellsouth.net

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September 2010 | Sports

Village Sports

Alabama & Auburn Preview With Jay Barker and AL DelGreco

By Dan Starnes and Will Hightower To mark the beginning of football season, we were fortunate to sit down with Jay Barker and AL DelGreco to preview the Alabama and Auburn seasons. Jay and

Alabama

Al can be heard along with Tony Kurre weekday mornings from 6 a.m.-10a.m. on The Opening Drive on JOX 94.5 FM. senior, the Heisman trophy winner returns, Trent Richardson returns, and this ﬁgures to be Julio Jones’ last year and he is one of the best receivers in the conference and country. Barker: Coach Saban wants them to be explosive. I think you will see them take more shots. Although, one school of thought is that with a less experienced defense, you would want them to have more sustained drives and keep the defense off the ﬁeld. Q: Do you see any similarities to this year’s team and the 93 team, besides being defending national champions? Barker: They are both run dominant, defensive dominant teams. Like the 93 team this team has a lot of players returning on offense.

Jay Barker Q: The Tide only returns a couple of starters on Defense for 2010. Can the defense be as dominant as they were the last two years? Barker: The key question is the secondary. Most of these guys are household names. They have played a lot, but they have not played together. What kind of chemistry they have as starters will go a long way toward determining their success. Q: Can Josh Chapman replace Terrance Cody at Nose tackle? Barker: He’s huge, not tall, but very big. While Cody was a mountain, Josh is a tump. He is experienced enough to make a big difference. The key to that position is to have a great push. He is very strong and is able to do that. Q: Will this year’s Alabama team be a team known for its offense? Greg McElroy is a

Auburn

Q: Are there any teams in the Western division that can provide a legitimate challenge to the Tide? Barker: The west is always a challenge every week. Arkansas looks to be good, with a great quarterback, Ole Miss with Jeremiah Masoli joining the team should be strong, Auburn could surprise a lot of people and challenge this year. Q: Can Alabama repeat? Barker: They have a great shot; they certainly have the talent. It should come down to chemistry and how the ball bounces for them. You always have to have a few breaks. Q: Are there any story lines we missed that you’d like to mention? Barker: Greg McElroy is undefeated as a starting quarterback. It is really amazing what he is accomplishing. He manages the game and makes big plays when necessary.

Al DelGreco Q: Many coaches have a big year in year two Do you see this as being a big year for Gene Chizik? DelGreco: I think we will certainly be better than we were last year for a number of reasons. Chizik just needs to keep doing what he’s doing, and keep winning games. A big part of determining whether this second season will be successful is if we have a few breakthrough wins – we are 0-8 vs. Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, and Alabama in the last two years. Chizik must go 2-2 or maybe just 1-3 in these games. Q: Last year Auburn had three losses by one touchdown or less. Will they be able to win a few of those games and improve on the win total this season? DelGreco: Yes. Most of last year’s issues in close games were depth issues. An SEC game is like a 15-round boxing match. You keep wearing on the other team, just pounding them to death, and whoever gets tired ﬁrst loses. I fully believe that we will have a better record because the wear and tear on our defense will be less.

Q: Last season was a big turnaround for the offense while the defense was somewhat of a weak link. Will Ted Roof’s defense be able to turn it around this year and allow the Tigers to put it all together? DelGreco: I don’t think it’s fair to put a grade on Ted Roof’s defense last year because of the lack of depth and the lack of talent. He had to play more walk-ons than any other SEC team last year. So yes, there will be drastic improvement this year now that the physical ability is there, along with some depth. Q: What are Auburn’s chances in the Iron Bowl? DelGreco: Well, obviously Alabama has superior talent. There’s no getting around that. But their style of offense, where they just try to pound it through, gives our defense a chance to succeed. And the biggest difference will be how our offensive style is different from any they will see all season. Now, it is the 12th game, but the Alabama defensive backs are still a little inexperienced. The styles of play could tilt the game in our favor. Q: Can Cameron Newton live up to expectations? DelGreco: From everything I’ve heard, yes. He is unlike anyone else out there physically. With his running ability, he brings an entirely new dimension to our offense that we haven’t had before. I really think he will be who the fans hope he will be. Q: What do you predict the ﬁnal record will be? DelGreco: Nine or ten wins is what I’ve been saying. My best prediction would be 9-3. Could they do better? Sure. Now that we have some more talent and depth, with a few lucky breaks, everything could go our way and we could have one of those magical seasons where we just can’t lose.

The Spartans come out Swinging By Will Hightower In an electrifying first game of the high school season, Mountain Brook beat Shades Valley 37-11. The outcome was never in doubt, with the Spartans gaining the lead on the first play and never relinquishing it, leading 30-3 at halftime. On the first play of the season, senior Walker Cox, one of the fastest players on the field Friday night, gathered the ball at the nine and danced and spun through the entire Mounties’ coverage to score a 91yard touchdown. After the kickoff, Shades Valley was immediately forced to punt deep in their own territory. After the first of many bad snaps to the punter, Cox’s twin brother, defensive back Crawford, tracked down the punter in the end zone for a 9-0 lead – all on special teams. After a few solid drives by both teams, the score was 23-3 with a few seconds remaining in the first half. Once again, the Mounties muffed the snap on a punt and, once again, Crawford Cox made the play. This time, he recovered a fumble in the end zone after much grabbing for it by both teams, stretching Mountain Brook’s lead to 27. Junior quarterback Edward Aldag completed one touchdown pass for 12

MBHS

Varsity Football Schedule Walker Cox races for the end zone

yards to John Beck, the Spartans’ senior running back who also scored on a short run in the ﬁrst half. A little rain at halftime seemed to cool off both teams, with only two touchdowns scored in the second half. Shades Valley’s Jordan Howard, a highly touted running back, ran for 84 yards on 11 carries, 58 of

those yards coming on a long touchdown run after the midway point. Showing a lot of conﬁdence in their ﬁrst outing, Mountain Brook will try to continue their good start with a tough game looming on the horizon - at Vestavia, a rival team who beat the Spartans last year.

Date 8/27 9/3 9/10 9/16 9/24 10/1 10/8 10/15 10/22 10/29

Result Opponent (w) 37-11 Shades Valley NA @ Vestavia NA @ Pelham NA Homewood NA Grissom NA Spain Park NA @ Oak Mountain NA Thompson NA @ Hoover NA @ Buckhorn

Sports

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Mountain Brook Swimmers Rule the Pool!

| September 2010 |

Softball team wins World Series The Birmingham Mustangs 11U Fastpitch Softball Team won the USSSA 11U World Series held in Akron, OH from 7/13/10 to 7/18/10. The team members

are made up of girls from several areas including Mountain Brook, Gardendale, and Pinson.

Mountain Brook Club 8 and under relay team celebrates- Walker Phillips, David Dixon, James Dixon and John Abele

By Hilary Ross Thousands of children throughout Jefferson and Shelby County participate in summer swimming at clubs, YMCA’s and community pools. Mountain Brook residents are no exception and many of our area children not only participated, but dominated the sport. This summer, there were twenty-two swim teams registered and divided over four divisions based on team size, skill, and participation level. Teams in each division had weekly dual meets, which is where two clubs swim against each other to earn points for 1st-3rd place individual finishes and 1st place relay finishes. Swimmers compete in the four strokes- freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly in girl or boy age groups of 6 and under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18. Many teams gave incentives for hard work and dedication to their swimmers through awarding stars, “swimmer of the week” jerseys, and ribbons. Swimmers competed throughout the summer, in dual meets, guppy meets and divisional meets. The guppy meets were designed for the younger, less experienced swimmers and gave these children an opportunity to improve their times and earn medals and ribbons. Divisional meets included teams within each particular division and awarded trophies for the 1st – 3rd place team finishes based on points earned by the swimmers. The last meet of the season was the highly anticipated Senior County Championships, which is eligible to swimmers from all twenty-two teams from Jefferson and Shelby County who have met qualifying times. Mountain Brook had several high point award winners from many area teams. These awards were given to the eight, best overall swimmers in each of the age groups based upon points

earned by their place finishes. In the 6 and under girls’ division, Sarah Petznick from Birmingham Country Club (BCC) was the high point winner, Ann Carlton Keller of the Mountain Brook Club (MBC) finished 3rd, Lucy Redden (BCC) was 4th overall, Grace Knight (MBC) was 5th, Nellie Bashinsky (BCC) finished 7th , and Frances Vandevelde (BCC) was 8th. In the 7-8 year old girls’ division, Ann Vandevelde (BCC) was the high point winner and established two, new Senior County meet records. Ann swam the 50 yard freestyle in a record time of 32.36 seconds and the 25 yard butterfly in a time of 15.52 seconds. Liz Vandevelde (BCC) finished third in overall points and Courtney Clark was the 4th place finisher. In the 7-8 year old boys’ division, Holt Bashinsky (BCC) was the high point winner, while David Dixon (MBC) was the 2nd place award. In 9-10 girls, Ryan Barlow of Pine Tree Country Club finished 6th overall and in 11-12 girls, Hannah Elliott (BCC) was the 5th place award. For 11-12 boys, Charles Hoyt (MBC) was the second place finisher and Jack Tucker of Vestavia Country Club was eighth. Mary Clay Carr from the Levite Jewish Community Center (LJCC) was the 13-14 girls high point runner up, while Tommy Thetford (BCC) finished sixth overall in the 13-14 boys’ division. Mallie Bromberg (LJCC) was the third place winner for the 15-18 girls. Swimming is a wonderful sport which builds confidence, endurance and allows participants to meet many other children from different area teams and establish new friendships. For more information about swimming, please visit the Jefferson – Shelby Swim Council website at www. swimjssc.org

Front row (lft to rt): McKinley Hamilton; Sabrina Russell(All Tournament Team); Allye Lott(All Tournament Team); Reagan Welch(All Tournament Team); Reilly Bryant; Katie Moore. Middle row(lft to rt): Sarah Winston Nathan(Tournament Most Valuable Player and Tournament Outstanding Pitcher); Adele Bird(All Tournament Team); Baleigh Moffett(All Tournament Team); Karlee Johnson; Leila Allen(All Tournament Team); Destinee Cole(Tournament Offensive Most Valuable Player). Back row-coaches (lft to rt): Alan Lott; Bill Allen; Jason Cole; Jeremy Manning; Brian Bryant(head coach).

MB National Wins Fourth Straight Metro Title The Mountain Brook National Baseball team won the 9U METRO tournament in June. The games were played at Hoover East. After losing to Oak Mountain, MB had to win 5 straight to win the title. In 3 days, they beat Pelham, Vestavia, Oak Mountain, and Shades Mountain twice to win the title. The class of 2019 has

now won 4 straight National Metro League titles: TBall, 7U Machine Pitch, 8U Machine Pitch, and now 9U KidPitch. Also, this year the class of 2019 had 2 teams in the Metro American league tournament: one team won pool play and the other team won the American League Metro title. (photo courtesy of Alison Gault)

The players on this year’s 9U National are pictured above: Sean Kirk, Champ Lyons, Robert Reed, Henry McPherson, Phillip Gaut, Bradley Pinson, Hayden Bruno, Brendan Brogan, Collin Bussman, Grant Griffin, Paul Tyson, and John Marks. The coaches were Ken McPherson, Steven Griffin, John Marks, Brett Bussman, and Marc Tyson.

Jr. High Volleyball off to great start By Hilary Ross Mountain Brook Junior High 7th and th 8 grade girls’ volleyball teams have been practicing and playing games since early August 2010. It is one of the first team sports that begin with the new school year at the junior high. Tryouts are held in the spring and teams are formed well before the beginning of the school year. Teams played in our area include the following middle schools: Oak Mountain, Liberty Park, Clay-Chalkville, Pizitz, Homewood, Hewitt, Berry, Thompson, Simmons and Bumpus.

Brook Gibbons is the 7th grade coach and named these girls to the 7th grade team: Meghan Beck, Sara Carr, Carolyn Crommelin, Helen Catherine Darby, Anne Raines Doidge, Catherine Fruin, Carly Glidewell, Evans Johnson, Allye Lott, Laine Meisler, Sara Chandler Mitchell, Sarah Winston Nathan, Margaret Pewitt, Cleary Gray Plosser, Caroline Shea, and Kathryn Wason. Bruce Henricks coaches the 8th grade team and his roster includes: Emma Abele, Cile Baker, Caroline Boone, Kendall Crumbaugh, Neely Francis, Abigail Garrett, Colee Harkins, Addison

Hoven, Lil Kilgore, True Knowles, Maggie Neal, Annie Reich, Madalyn Rosenthal, Suzie Sarcone, and Julia Smith. Last year, the 8th grade volleyball team finished 2nd in the Metro League while the 7th grade girls finished 3rd. In early August 2010, the 8th grade team scrimmaged five different teams in a Volleyball Jamboree. While no official scores were kept, the girls showed great potential. Come watch the girls in action at their remaining home games, which are played

at Mountain Brook Junior High in the gymnasium. The remaining home games in September are as follows: Wednesday, September 1, 2010 7th grade at 5:00 p.m. and 8th grade at 6:00 p.m. Monday, September 20, 2010 8th grade at 5:00 p.m. and 7th grade at 6:00 p.m. Don’t miss the metro tournaments that will be held October 1-2, 2010. The 8th grade tournament will be played at Berry Middle School and 7th grade tournament is to be held at Liberty Park Middle School.

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September 2010 | Lake Lovers Photo Contest

Village Living Lake Lovers Photo Contest Best Action Photo

Best Kid Photo

Lucy Catharine Byrne at Inland Lake submitted by Shaun Byrne

Will Rosenstiel’s 11th birthday party at Lake Martin with friends Raleigh Bruce and Peter Hartman submitted by Carol E Rosenstiel

Best Fishing Photo

Jackson Avery.. age 5 and dog gracie, submitted by Brandy Avery

Best Pet Photo

Aaron Vajda and Addie Mae Vajda(dog) jumping off dock at Lake Mitchell. submitted by Lisa Vajda

We want to thank everyone who submitted photos this year. Please visit our Facebook page to see all the great photos that were submitted. Here are a few more great photos we wanted to share with you. left to right are: Mary, Colin, Georgia, and Emmaline submitted by Julie & Colin Stewart

Hampton Walker with 25 1/2inch Walleye August 2010 at Oak Lake in Ontario,Canada submitted by Billy Walker

“I see the ﬁsh” - Catie Barron and Anna Brittain submitted by Billye Currie

Brandon Bartels executing a “scarecrow” on his wakeboard. submitted by Tom Bartels

Georgia, skiing on Lake Martin submitted by Julie & Colin Stewart

Joe Mullen on Lake Harding submitted by Margaret Mullen

James Roberts (10) catching air on the wakeboard at Lake Jordan! submitted by Amy Roberts

Charles Nicrosi submitted by Margaret Mullen

Kirk Thomas enjoying Lake Mitchell submitted by Ellen Thomas

Will Monroe loves spending time with his dog, Beaux, submitted by Ashley Monroe

Village Living | September 2010 |

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

LifeAct ually By Kari Kampakis

What’s Behind Your Storefront Window? Have you ever met someone who puts up a great front, but back behind the grandiose curtain, there’s a lot of empty space? My friend calls this “putting it all in the storefront window.” This friend—I’ll call him Dan—works at a private equity firm that invests in startup companies aiming to go public. Back when Dan was young and green, he was impressed at face value. He started work during the dot-com boom, and for hours on end, he watched presentations from new businesses courting his firm for seed money. As a rookie, Dan’s instinct was to allocate funds to the most polished entrepreneur, the dynamo in a power suit. “We’ve GOT to invest in this guy!” he’d declare, wowed by a killer sales pitch or charming demeanor. As for the soft-spoken old man with a ho-hum presentation, his gut reaction was typically, “No way.” What Dan didn’t realize, of course, was that bells and whistles don’t necessarily equate to substance. “Did you know,” the founding partners of his equity firm would then inform him, “that quiet old man is worth tens of millions of dollars? In the past five years, he’s started and sold two companies.” The dynamo, on the other hand, often had a sketchier track record, businesses gone bust and no assets to boot. Once you dug into his business model, the holes appeared. I’ve long been fascinated by the insight and perspective Dan has gleaned through his job. He’s learned to look beyond the surface in judging a business, to separate presentation from performance. And of all the themes he’s noticed among truly remarkable businessmen, one thing stands out: humility. I think about Dan’s experience when I look around at our image-driven society, a worldwide bazaar where everyone is selling something. Even I, as a writer, am selling words, my unique filter on this world. It’s a competitive marketplace, and with so much stuff competing for our attention, we skim storefront windows to narrow down points of interest. A catchy display….clever words…. captivating colors…these things draw us closer, suggest that someone is worth our precious time. We approach the most beautiful store with heart palpitations, eager to see what lies inside. By all appearances, it must be good. We open the door, cross the threshold, and….and what? What next? Well, sometimes the interior is even better than we imagined. It’s so gorgeous, in fact, we forget about the shell that caught our eye to begin with. Other

times, we enter the store with a sinking disappointment. The room is cold, barren, and neglected. The best merchandise is in the storefront window, and the stylish storeowner—freshening up her display for today’s passersby—ignores our presence. We pass her as we exit, saddened by her misdirection. If only she exerted that energy inward, maybe we’d stay. Meanwhile, there’s another store nearby—one we’ve never noticed before. The window display is bland, but as we glance through the glass and lock eyes with the owner, we’re taken by her friendly face. We stumble in curiously…and are blown away by the inventory. The layers! The richness! The depth! It’s a soulful atmosphere we never expected, and as the coziness envelops us, we breathe in fresh air. This, we decide, feels like home. Only one thing stumps us: There’s not much trafﬁc. Do people not realize what they’re missing out on? Consciously or not, we all put up a storefront display. We can make it bold and glamorous or humble and understated. It can cry out for attention or wait to be discovered. We can obsess over it daily, ignoring needs in our backroom, or strike a healthy balance. The choice is ours. One other choice we have relates to how we window shop. We can do it like we always have—mindlessly forming fast impressions—or look beyond visual cues. After all, rarely does a person’s exterior reﬂect their true interior. My daughter Ella recently grasped this point in her profound, seven-year-old way. Breaking away from my computer, I explained that mommy was writing a column about not judging a person based on their “storefront appearance.” As I rambled on, Ella started to nod. She knew exactly what I was talking about. “Yeah,” she said, her eyes wide and sparkly, “it’s just like the bank. Looking at it from the outside, you’d never know they have lollipops inside!” Lollipops and banks, I thought. Why didn’t I think of that? Sometimes it takes a child’s X-ray vision to glimpse the colorful candy inside a boring brick façade. Other times, it takes a peek behind the curtain to realize all that glitters is not gold. Either way, a person’s storefront window is merely a starting point in discovering who they are. It’s the area out of eyeshot that really counts in this world.

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Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls with a background in PR, writing, and photography. Contact her at kampakis@charter.net.

City to hold 9/11 commemoration By Lauren Nix

The cities of Mountain Brook, Vestavia and Homewood will come together to commemorate Patriot’s Day and Sept. 11, 2001. The ceremony, which rotates between the three cities each year, will be held in Mountain Brook on Friday, Sept. 10. “It’s a great way for us to get together and remember all those who serve our country,” Mountain Brook Fire Chief Robert Ezekiel said. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and is expected to last one hour. Listed on the itinerary for the event are a ﬂag ceremony, a military service honor roll, a bell ceremony and a speech from the key note speaker David Graves. “The great thing about David is he’s a citizen patriot,” Ezekiel said. Graves, a Mountain Brook native, had just completed his ﬁrst semester of law school when he was called back to active duty for service in Iraq. After 12 months

of serving, he returned home to Mountain Brook and completed law school this past May. “I think he brings a very unique perspective of someone who serves his country, both as a citizen and a soldier,” Ezekiel said. Abrielle Mullins, daughter of Battalion Chief Chris Mullins, will sing a song at the ceremony titled “Rain Down on Me.” Abrielle wrote the song in memory of those lost in the 9/11 tragedies. “It’s a very special song,” Ezekiel said. The ceremony will take place in Crestline Village across from city hall. Chief Ezekiel said two ladder trucks will have a large American flag draped across them to serve as the backdrop for the stage. The mayor of each city will be involved in the ceremony, as well as the police and fire departments. “We really hope to remember and thank all those who make sacrifices in their lives for our country,” Ezekiel said.

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September 2010 | Village Living

Musings of a Village Priest By The Reverend Richmond Webster

Early this summer I saw street musicians performing on Church Street in busy downtown Crestline. More speciﬁcally, they were street musicians of the Crestline variety, which is to say that they were two children with band instruments and an open case for tips. As best I could tell, their musical ability was age appropriate, but I’m also told that they made around seventy bucks... This street scene from our village, along with the money they raised, reminds me of another summer event, this time in front of our church. The children of Saint Luke’s Day School hosted a lemonade stand to raise money for two Episcopal churches damaged by tornado and ﬂood, and here we made well over a thousand dollars for emergency relief, which surprised me until I learned of their tactics. One neighbor told me that she handed one of our children, a four year old in a smocked collar, a twentydollar bill and asked for change. The child replied, “We don’t give change...” Both of these scenes point us to the joy of village living as well as the priorities of this very special place. That is to say that children are valued here, as well as the art of play. Generosity, kindness, and safety are all hallmarks of a small town, and these values all mark our little corner of Birmingham. When I arrived as the Rector of Saint Luke’s six years ago, I honestly thought this was my shot at becoming a city preacher,

having arrived from my last position as pastor of a small town church. But there was something decidedly “un city” about daily life here. I should have figured it out the morning I gently rolled through the stop sign behind the fire station; a police officer followed me all the way to the Piggly Wiggly (I didn’t know it as “the Pig” yet) before hitting his lights. As I jumped out of the car, I blurted out: “I’m the Rector of Saint Luke’s!” He laughed and said, “I hope you got something better than that!” I escaped with a warning, and since then we have worked many funerals together. In other words, I thought I was going to be a city preacher, but in no time at all I became immersed in a world much more special, and rare; this is a world where dogs ride in the front seat with the animal control officer, a world where chess pieces in front of City Hall entertain for hours, a world where you know the lady who puts chalk on your tires as you park to shop, a world where children become street musicians, where a cup of lemonade brings joy, and love, and relief beyond thirst on a hot day. This is village living, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Rich Webster lives in Mountain Brook with his family and serves as the Rector of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Crestline. He is the author of three books and enjoys jogging with his dog Buster.

Fifth annual Antiques at The Gardens

Seated, left to right: Amanda Pigue, Kathleen Doss, Wendy Barze, Mary Margaret Gullage, Elizabeth Jernigan, Kittie Buchanan, Kate Phillips, Standing, left to right: Jenny Reed, Cameron Crowe, Sheryl Kimerling, Tracey Anderson, Diana Slaughter, Susan Elliott, Clarissa Harms, Sally Lineberry, Mary Margaret Hendry, Anne Burke, Joy Grenier, Elizabeth Broughton

Antiques at The Gardens will be held Friday, Oct. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 3. American and Continental furniture, jewelry, antique silver, lighting, paintings, china, oriental rugs and more will be at the Garden Center at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Dealers from the show include Atlanta Silver and Antiques, Butler and Butler, Thomas M. Fortner Antiques, Trace Mayer Antiques, WhiteHall Antiques and more. Show hours are Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be several special events held in addition to the dealers which include: The Sterne Agee First Look Party, Flower Designer Preview and the Red Diamond Lecture Series featuring De Juan Stroud and Miles Redd. The Sterne Agee First Look party kicks off the weekend’s events on Thursday, Sept. 30 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. This exclusive black tie party gives guests a chance to shop before the sale opens to the public Friday morning. The ﬂower Designer Preview is an invitation-only event for interior designers, decorators and architects which allows them to enjoy brunch and shop with clients on Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. On Friday at 10:30 a.m., DeJuan Stroud, renowned event designer and native Alabamian, takes the stage. Born in Andalusia, Stroud was a stockbroker of Wall Street who eventually realized his love for ﬂowers and design and

turned himself into a well-known flower arranger and event planner. In 1996, he left Wall Street and started his own event design firm, DeJuan Stroud, Inc. in Tribeca in New York City. He has been featured as an entertaining expert in many well- known publications and television programs. Interior designer Miles Redd takes the stage at 1 p.m. on Friday. In 2003, Redd was named creative director of Oscar de la Renta Home Furniture and the decorative arts. He describes his style as “cozy grandeur,” a blend of Southern hospitality and modern flair. As a speaker, he is famous for his quick-wit and charm. His talk, titled “Decorating in a Cold Climate: A Field Guide for Showing Yankees How It’s Done,” draws on his Southern roots and his design experiences in New York. Proceeds from Antiques at The Gardens benefit the educational mission of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which includes programs such as Discovery Field Trips, Horticultural Therapy and family classes. Since 2006, Antiques at The Gardens has raised more than $1.3 million for The Gardens. General Admission is $10 and lectures $25 or $40 in advance for both. For more information about Antiques at The Gardens contact Shelly McCarty at 205.414.3965 or smccarty@bbgardens.org, or visit www.bbgardens.org/antiques.

Village Living | September 2010 |

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

Creating a Legacy Through Art By Jennifer Gray

In Mountain Brook, the tradition of commissioning portraits has always been popular. Southerners in general have a real spirit of family that expresses itself through having a portrait. “It is a tradition that has always been in style, most notably in the South. Some families have a tradition of portraits, and some may want to start that tradition,” said Kelly Moffatt of Portraits Inc. Many consider portraits to be the most dramatic form of artwork. Families have always wanted to preserve images of their loved ones and this art form has long been regarded as one of the most special and meaningful ways to do that. Kelly says that when you commission a portrait, “You are creating a legacy and a way to capture that something special about that person that you always want to remember.” The popularity of portraits as a form of art can be found throughout history. Portraits originally captured a person in the only way available since photography hasn’t always been an option. Some of the best-known pieces of artwork are portraits such as the Mona Lisa. Mountain Brook residents frequently turn to locally owned Portraits Inc. to help them with the process. Founded in 1986 by Beverly McNeil, they have over 60 representatives across the country and represent over 200 artists. Emily and Walter Dunn, of Mountain Brook, recently went through the process of commissioning a portrait. They knew that they wanted an oil portrait of their two children to grace their newly renovated home. “Children grow up so fast. You want to capture a moment in their childhood,” said Emily. Kelly Moffatt helped the Dunns with the entire process. That process starts with selecting the style portrait you want; oil painting, charcoal, casual, formal, outdoor setting, or indoor setting and the style of the portrait; contemporary or traditional. If you want multiple family members painted, you must determine if you going to have them painted together or separate. “It is an investment to enjoy for the rest of your life, so you want to take your time and make certain that you are going to love it,” said Moffatt. Next, you must determine your budget and select an artist. Prices vary from artist to artist and also by the medium that is chosen. Most portraits are priced by the number of people in the painting and the size of the piece- head and shoulders, three quarter, or full length. “We have a lot of artists in all price ranges,” she added. Kelly showed Emily multiple painters and some of their work. The Dunns settled on Carol Baxter Kirby of Atlanta. Emily said that what drew her to Carol’s work was that each portrait that she saw looked like a beautiful piece of art that happened

to include the children she was painting. She also said she liked that Carol’s style was not real tight, and that the focus was on the faces. “Carol is really artistic, but she also does a great job of capturing children in realistic life,” said Kelly. Emily knew what she wanted to achieve with this commission. “Families change so quickly. They (her children) were at the perfect age. I wanted a little picture of our lives at that moment,” she said. Brokers like Kelly Moffatt help make that dream come true. Using a portrait broker takes away a lot of the guesswork. Once the artist has been selected, there are photos taken of the subject, in this case two young children. The Dunns helped review the photos and weighed in on the ones they liked the best. Carol then starts by studying the photos and pulling anywhere from five to twenty to use to create her drawing. She then works on creating a sketch for the portrait that is the actual size she is recommending. The client then sees it and again can provide feedback to her on anything they would like to see drawn differently. “When a client loves the drawing, I know they will love the painting,” Carol said. Some artists do a color study that might be a small oil painting that represents the composition. Others do charcoal studies prior to the final oil painting. Some artists just start with the final product. “The process varies a little from artist to artist,” Moffatt said. “Most artists want the client’s input in helping chose the photographs and the feel of the portrait, but there are some that retain complete control of the process.” Kelly says she is often asked when is the best time in one’s life to have a portrait commissioned. “There is no perfect age. It’s all about when you want to capture

A MASTERFUL KEEPSAKE ADD TO YOUR FAMILIES LEGACY

what is a special time in that person’s life. There is no right or wrong time. Some people think that if they go past the age of six they have missed the right time,” she said. “But that’s not so.” Another popular type of portraits is Institutional or Corporate portraits. Becky Keyes, another Broker with Portraits, Inc. handles many of this type of client along with her individual clients. “Often times non profit businesses honor their donors. Sometimes they name a building after the donor and this might include a portrait. Commissioning a portrait is one of the big ways they honor them,” she said. Also, when someone retires from a key leadership position in a company, the company often honors them in this way. “Some companies or universities have a tradition of having a collection of portraits for a particular position that are displayed,” Keyes said. She said that she almost always sees the person making the decisions regarding the commission share the same level of respect and honor for the person being painted as if they were a family member. Most commissions, whether corporate or individual, take anywhere from three months to a year, depending on the artist, for the entire process- photos to finished portrait. When Kelly and Carol delivered the finished painting to the Dunns, everyone was excited. The painting was placed on an easel in the home and Emily and her children were brought in to see it. All were overwhelmed with the finished product. “Everyone has photos of their children in their home, but I also wanted something that was timeless. Even when they are grown and out of our home, Walter and I will enjoy looking at this painting of them,” Emily said. “There is also a lot more depth in a painting than a photo,” Carol added.

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September 2010 | School House

MBJH welcomes back students

Make this year DIFFERENT

Mountain Brook Junior High recently held several events to welcome its students back to school. The junior high consists of grades 7, 8 and 9 and has students coming from each of the four elementary schools. Registration was held over four days for returning students and new students. Parents were able to register their children, sign up for activities, purchase supplies and visit the library to receive textbooks. Several MBJH students assisted with the registration process by helping students gather supplies and pick up their textbooks. New 7th grade students were invited to participate in Spartan Day, which is a fun-filled day at MBJH to help make the transition from elementary school to junior high easier. 7th graders were divided into groups and paired with two 9th grade WEB (where everybody belongs) leaders to tour the school, play games, and learn important information about MBJH. WEB leaders are 9th grade MBJH students who are chosen by an application process. Throughout the year, they host several events to welcome and integrate these new 7th grade students. Open House was held at MBJH to give parents an opportunity to meet the

Seen here are some peer helpers students gather their supplies: Lindsay, Adele Smith, Lindsey Kendrick, Alex Jackson and Baker.

ready to assist Sarah Grace Kirk, Hannah Anne Peyton

teachers and visit the classrooms to learn more about the junior high. Peer Helpers, who are 8th and 9th grade students and function as ambassadors for the school, were positioned throughout MBJH for any parents who needed assistance finding the classrooms. By the first day of school, both students and parents are familiar with MBJH and are comfortable to start another great year as a Spartan.

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Mountain Brook Elementary welcomes a new school year! Mountain Brook Elementary (MBE) recently hosted its Newcomers Party which welcomed twenty new students in grades one through six to the school. Students and their families enjoyed good food and cool drinks while getting acquainted with each other and teachers. New students were paired with returning students of the same grade to greet them and present them with a welcome gift of an MBE water bottle. The students then participated in a school-wide scavenger hunt to learn their way around MBE. Also held prior to the first day of school was a Meet and Greet the Teacher for all students. Classrooms were visited and teachers were introduced to help students and families feel more comfortable to start the new school year. Students were excited to see friends and classmates after the summer break. Several new faces joined the MBE faculty and staff this year. Meghan Still was introduced as a new kindergarten teacher and Cassie Applegate was added to the second grade staff. Lane Walker and Alison Rush were named the new special

education assistants and Sharon Austin joined the lunchroom staff. The Extended Day Program also invited students and parents to a meeting prior to the first day of school where they were given an opportunity to register and meet the director of the program. Many smiling faces were seen during these fun events and helped transition the students from summer vacation to school.

Crestline Elementary is growing! With the addition of a seventh Kindergarten class as well as many other new students, these children and their parents met on Monday morning, August 16th for a Newcomers Celebration hosted by the PTO at Crestline. Students toured the school, met their teachers as well as other new students before school began on Tuesday.

Crestline Elementary newcomer, Rachael Wei is pictured with her parents, Peilin Wei and Qin Fang after meeting her new teacher. Rachel moved with her family from Arizona and is entering the third grade.

New softball coach at the High School At the June board meeting the Board of Education voted to accept the recommendation for a new softball coach for MBHS. Erin Wright is the new coach for MBHS. Vic Wilson, Principal of the High School, said that they are very excited to have her, and believe she will be able to lead the softball team to new heights. Erin played at Alabama for four years. She has coached at the college

level at Texas A&M Corpus Christi and at College of Charleston. She is a native of Jefferson County, Alabama. Vic Wilson and Coach Cooper asked one parent from each grade 9-12 to serve on the search committee that selected Coach Wright. Those representatives were Freshman – Russ Blitz, Sophomore – Jason Harkins, Junior – Sharon DiNicholas, Senior - Robert Crumbaugh.

Cherokee Bend welcomes students

2nd grade students Georgia Montgomery, Maddie Ross and Ellie Hamilton were excited to see each other at the MBE Meet and Greet.

Pictured here with Kindergarten teacher Trisha Humphries are new K students Braxton Dean, Abby Seton, Evelyn Berry, and Gri Cashio.

New teacher, Cassie Applegate, welcomed some of her 2nd grade students: Clark Smith, Miles Waldrop and Eleanor Roth.

These 5th grade boys cannot wait for school to begin: new MBE student Aubrey Hart, Andy Hanaway, new MBE student Connor Hart, Wills Taylor, Reese Scott and William Gullage.

Cherokee Bend Elementary School’s teachers, staff, and PTO welcomed students back to school to meet their teachers and find their classrooms on Monday, August 16. The annual “Meet and Greet” preceded the first official day of school. Students met their new teachers, found their tables and chairs, and, for the older grades, claimed their lockers. While some

students were feeling a little anxious about the end of the summer, most were excited about seeing their friends and beginning a new school year. All of the parents were impressed with the obvious hard work and preparation that Principal Betsy Bell and her dedicated teachers and staff had put into getting the classrooms ready for another school year.

School House

www.VillageLivingOnline.com

Ahoy, Kindergartners!

| September 2010 |

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Sixty-five Kindergartners walked the plank into BWF at the Pre-K Party on Monday, August 16th, which sported a Pirate Theme. Thank you to the following students for volunteering to dress as kindly pirates and help with the party: Hadley Hitson, Lee Knight, Alden Gibbs, Maggie Holloway, Eloise Cotton, Rose Levine, Mary Robins Miller, Hudson

Dorough, Cole Alexander, Trey Collat, John Freeman, Sterling DeRamus and Jack Grant. These students greeted our new friends and escorted them and their parents to their classrooms. These students did a terrific job â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they were attentive, polite and very helpful.

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High School welcomes Sophmores Prior to the first day of school, Brookwood Forest Elementary Teachers enjoyed a luncheon at the home of Ashley DeGaris. The luncheon honored Brookwood Forest faculty and staff and was hosted by the BWF PTO committee

chaired by Heather Brown. Delicious recipes from the BWF Cookbook were prepared and enjoyed. Teachers enjoyed the time to visit and have lunch before the exciting first day of school on August 17.

Registration was held for Sophmores at the High School on August 3. Students had the opportunity to learn more about the clubs at the High School. Clubs had tables with information about their organization

and gave students a chance to sign up. Some of the clubs represented were the Young Republicans, Young Democrats, the Thespian Club, Stage Crew, Marine Club, and the Spartan Club.

BWF newcomers welcomed

Marine club: Brooks McElveen, John Grizzle, Margaret Anne Price, Olivia Bailey, Lyons Durkee, and Connor Bynon.

Students attending the Brookwood Forest Elementary New Student Orientation and Party were: Front Row: Lourdes Rodriguez, Catherine Skinner and Aaron Sedlis. Back Row: Providing Doodles Shaved Ice for the event were Sandy and Paul Champion.

Brookwood Forest Elementary faculty, staff and PTO greeted newcomers to the school on Monday, August 16. New students were invited to visit the school, take a tour, meet current students, meet teachers, and enjoy a Doodles Shaved Ice. More than 30 new students and their families attended the event. Several current students served as BWF Ambassadors and led tours around the school. PTO chairperson, Kim Maddox

and her committee arranged meetings with teachers and provided families with school information. The event concluded with a gathering of all new students, ambassadors and PTO committee members. All attendees enjoyed Doodles Shaved Ice donated for the event by Paul and Sandy Champion. The first day of school for Mountain Brook Schools was August 17.

Thespian and Stage Crew members Michael Molay, Joe Chapman, Ann Terry, and Bryce Martinez man their table.

18|

September 2010 | Village Living

JUNE EMORY COVER STORY

could to go to her room and avoid meeting him. Her mother told her that since the servants had gone home, that June would have to answer the door and greet Horton. “I was so stubborn back then,” Mrs. Emory explained, “I was rude to Horton. I didn’t even invite him in.” But Horton made an immediate impression on the younger sister. “I realized looking at him through the plateglass window as he stood on our porch, that it was love at ﬁrst sight.” “You hear that a lot,” Mrs. Emory said, “but it was true for us.” Horton told June’s mother a few hours after he arrived that he would marry June one day and he was right. During the interview this week, June took pictures from a table in her living room. “This is my father and me on my sixteenth birthday,” she said. “It was taken in St. Louis at the Union League Club, which is an exclusive men’s club”. The second picture was of a dog tied to a bumper of a car. “I got this as a birthday present that year,” she said, “Not the dog, the car.” Upon examination, one could see the initials RR on the grillwork. “It’s a Rolls Royce convertible,” she said with a grin on her face. “I was really taking a picture of my dog, but he wouldn’t stand still so I tied him to the bumper of the car so that I could snap a picture. If I hadn’t taken a picture of the dog, I wouldn’t have a picture of the car,” she explained. “I loved that car, but I sold it not long after the picture was taken and used the money to run off and get married to Horton,” she said with a smile. When her father came home the next day, he was furious. He tried to buy the car back, but it was purchased by an emissary

from the British government. This was during a time when war with Germany was eminent, and the Brits were buying Rolls Royce’s and Bentley’s because they were the only cars with frames strong enough to support armor plating. “When my father went to buy the car back, he was told the car had already been shipped to port to be loaded on a ship to England,” she said. “My father was not happy,” Mrs. Emory said as a matter of fact. “Not only had she sold the Rolls, but she used the money to buy a train ticket and run off to get married.” The Emory’s were married shortly afterwards and lived in Mobile, Alabama. When Mrs. Emory was pregnant with her first child, doctors recommended that she move closer to relatives. “Horton’s family lived here,” she explained, “so we decided to move to Birmingham.” When Horton and June moved from Mobile to Mountain Brook in 1939, Dexter Ave. was a two-lane dirt road. Horton Emory had an opportunity to buy a huge parcel of farm land in Mountain Brook near where she currently lives for $500. His father thought it was a foolish investment, so instead, they bought three lots on Dexter where they built a small frame house set back from the road. They moved in the new house in 1940 and Mrs. Emory has been there ever since. Not long after they moved in, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and America went to war. Horton Emory volunteered as an air raid warden for Mountain Brook but as the war raged on, he volunteered for the Navy where he served in the Pacific, the Atlantic and the North Sea. “When Horton enlisted, I took over his duties as air raid warden,” Mrs. Emory said. “The sirens usually went off around 2 a.m. and I was always sleeping. When you heard the sirens, you didn’t have much time to get ready, so I had a floor-length

green cape trimmed with black velvet that I threw on over my nightgown,” she said. Mrs. Emory’s station was the corner of Euclid Avenue and Cherry Street. Most of the time when the sirens sounded, it was because American troops were being transported from Anniston Army Depot to Birmingham and on to the front lines. The air raid wardens managed cross traffic so the military convoy would not have to slow down. “I can still remember the whooshing sounds the trucks made as they passed through the streets of Mountain Brook,” she said. It was around that time that June volunteered for service with the American Red Cross. “I was a Gray Lady,” she said. “Nurses were in short supply because of the war, so I worked at Hillman Hospital in the operating room.” Mrs. Emory went on to serve with the Red Cross for a total of twenty-two years. She served two terms as chairman of volunteers. She also served as a chaperon at United Service Organization functions. USO provided morale and recreational services to members of the armed forces. June and Horton were also one of the founding families for Saint Luke’s Episcopal church in Mountain Brook. The original church began in a converted farmhouse where the Emmet O’Neal Library now stands. Her older children were two of the five children christened at the very first service on Easter Sunday. Later the church moved into the old Mountain Brook Methodist church, which currently serves as the Steeple Arts Academy of Dance. Mrs. Emory carried the chalice in the procession from the second building to the current building on Montrose Road. June Emory also served as the women’s chairman for the National Veteran’s Day Celebration for thirty-two years. “You know the Veteran’s Day

Celebration in Birmingham is the largest in the country,” she said. “Through the years I got a chance to meet some incredible people.” She met General Omar Bradley, General Alexander Haig who was Secretary of State under President Reagan; Casper Weinberger who was Secretary of Defense under Reagan; General Colin Powell, Secretary of State under George W. Bush. Powell had the added distinction of being the ﬁrst African-American appointed to that position. One other person Mrs. Emory met as a part of a Veteran’s Day Celebration was Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Charles Lindbergh. Mrs. Emory has a book that Mrs. Lindbergh, sent her after Horton passed away in 1973. The book, entitled “Hours of Gold, Hours of Lead”, was written by Anne and the inside cover has an inscription to June. There is also a personal note in the book expressing Anne’s condolences for the loss of Horton. Mrs. Emory was a volunteer for the Birmingham Museum of Art for over ﬁfty years. When asked if she has any advice for young people coming up today, she is quick to say, “Get involved. We live in a country where we can participate in the political process. It’s a shame that more young people are not taking part,” she says. “I go to all the council meetings and pre-council meetings which are all open to the public, and many times, I’m the only citizen there! It’s a mystery to me.” In closing, Mrs. Emory talked about her life in Mountain Brook. “I had the best marriage anyone could imagine. Our love just kept growing and I can truly say that I loved him more the day he died than on the day we were married.” She went on to say that she has four wonderful children and has had opportunities to serve in her community during a remarkable time. “My life here has been a gift.”

Six wonderful OBs. One wonderful place to have your baby. Just like you, we want the best for you and your baby. And the OBs at Trinity OB/GYN have devoted their lives to providing attentive, individualized care. They’re supported by leading-edge technology and dedicated professionals who care for new moms and babies in our beautiful Women’s Center. We even have a Level III NICU for babies who need a little extra help. For an appointment with an experienced OB, call 205-592-5499. We have satellite offices in Liberty Park, Pell City, Pinson, The Narrows and Trussville. trinitymedicalclinics.com

It’s Personal Traveling from I-20 West

Traveling from I-20/59 East

Traveling North on I-65 or Hwy. 280 North

Traveling South on I-65

• Take I-20 west to Montevello Road (exit 132), exit left

• Take I-20/59 east to I-20 east (exit 130 to Atlanta)

• Take I-459 and exit north to I-20 west (exit 29 to Birmingham)

• From I-65 south take the I-20/59 exit east

• Turn right onto Montclair Road

• Continue on I-20 east to Oporto-Madrid Blvd. (exit 132A), exit right

• Continue on I-20 west to Montevello Road (exit 132), exit left

• Turn right onto Montclair Road

• In 1.6 miles the main entrance of the hospital will be on the right

• In 2.3 miles the main entrance of the hospital will be on the right

49592_TRIN_OBdocs_10_25x7_5c.indd 1

• Continue on I-20 east to Oporto-Madrid Blvd. (exit 132A), exit right • Turn right onto Montclair Road • In 1.6 miles the main entrance of the hospital will be on the right

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www.VillageLivingOnline.com

Music & Arts

Village Living Calendar

| September 2010 |

Family Fun

9/3- 7 p.m., An Evening of Flavor, Botanical Gardens, Scholarship fundraiser for

9/4- 8 a.m., Ross Bridge 8K Run/Walk and Health Expo, Ross Bridge, $25 Early

9/3- 8:30 p.m., The Vespers, The Red Cat, $10, visit www.theredcatcoffeehouse.

9/5- 2 p.m., Scholastic Chess Club at Books-A-Million, Brookwood Village, All skill

AKA/Upsilon Eta Omega Service Foundation featuring music, food, wine tasting, art and a silent auction. $30 com

9/3,6- BurningHam Birmingham, Oak Mountain State Park, DIY Art, Music and Dance event, free all-day event

Registration & $15 for Kids Run, visit www.alabamateenchallenge.org/8k/ php levels beginner to advanced, ages K-12. Lessons, informal games and blitz chess, free to attend

9/11- 9 a.m., Harvest Day at the Birmingham Zoo, the zoo will have some old

9/6- 19th Annual Labor Day Celebration and Moon Pie Eatin’ Contest, Tannehill

fashioned fun with music, games, and animal demonstrations. $12 Adult/ $7 Child, www.birminghamzoo.com

9/9- 5:30 p.m., Cocktails in the Gardens, music, food, mixing and mingling,

9/15- 3:30 p.m., Pirates & Princesses After-School Special, Emmet O’Neal Library,

9/10- 5 p.m., Art on the Rocks, Birmingham Museum of Art, $25 for non-members,

9/18- 8 a.m., Basement 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run, East Mall in Trussville, $25 for 5K &

9/10,11- Birmingham ArtWalk 2010, downtown Birmingham, features the work

9/18- Morgan Creek Grape Stomp, Morgan Creek Vineyards, jump barefoot and

Ironworks Historical State Park, www.tannehill.org

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, $15, visit www.bbgardens.org/cocktails $15 for museum members, www.artsbma.org

of more than 100 visual artists, live musicians, street performers, food and drink vendors, and children’s activities. visit www.birminghamartwalk.org

9/16- 6 p.m., inter-ART-ive Has the Beat: Percussion Fest, Alys Stephens Center, live performances, prize giveaways, cash bar and food vendors. Free to the public, visit www.alysstephens.uab.edu

9/17- 11 a.m., Brown Conducts Schumann, Alys Stephens Center, $14- 24, visit www.alabamasymphony.org

9/18,19- Leeds Downtown Folk Festival and John Henry Celebration, fine/folk

artists showing, selling, demonstrating original art, live music, storyteller, children’s arts and crafts, regional and ethnic food, outdoor play about John Henry. Free admission, visit www.leedsfolkfestival.com

9/19- Vulcan AFterTunes with Mike Doughty, 3 p.m. at Vulcan $10 General

Admission; $5 Vulcan Members, $4 Ages 5-12, 5 and under free. Ticket price includes admission to observation balcony and museum. www.visitvulcan. com

9/23- 8 p.m., Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights, The Alabama Symphony Orchestra, led by Christopher Confessore, performs the musical score to Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights, Alys Stephens Center, $15-40, visit www.alabamasymphony.org

9/21,22,23- 12, 2 & 6 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center presents MASS Ensemble’s

Giant Outdoor Earth Harp, Free admission visit www.alysstephens.uab.edu/ events/?id=69

9/25- Artscape Festival, Lakeside Park in Pell City, Annual fine arts and crafts festival, visit www.councilofhearts.org

ages 3 & up

$15 for Fun Run, visit www.thebasementonline.com/run for more info

crush grapes while enjoying the outdoors and live music, wine tasting and winery tours will be given. $3 for each person, kid-friendly event, visit www. morgancreekwinery.com for more info

9/25- 10 a.m., Cahaba River Fry-Down, All day fish fry competition with live music, kids water play area, fly-fishing lessons, nature walks, and local vendors, $20 includes fish and sides, three 12 & under free with one adult admission, visit www.frydown.com for more info

Special Events Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama holds a support group for caregivers and family members of Alzheimer’s patients. The group meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, at Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama’s office, 300 Office Park Drive, Suite 225, 11 a.m. Call Miller Piggott or Vance Holder, 205-871-7970.

9/25- Walk for Midwives 2010 at Rojo- 2921 Highland Avenue South www. alabamabirthcoalition.org

9/11- 10:00 a.m. until noon AAUW (formerly known as The American

Association of University Women) annual membership coffeeIndependent Presbyterian Church Parlor, 3100 Highland Avenue in Birmingham. For more information contact either: Elizabeth Barker at zbethb@aol.com and 205-917-2111 OR Barbara Patterson at daisydog@ juno.com and 205-595-7740. Membership is open to anyone holding an associate or higher degree.

Theatre

9/25- 9 a.m, Art in the Park-Hoover Shelby Art Association, Heardmont Park,

annual fall juried art show and sale featuring 20-25 local artists, visit www. hoovershelbyart.com

9/25- 7 p.m., An Evening with Liza Minnelli, UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, visit www.alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=68 for ticket prices

9/30- Sugarland in Concert, Verizon Wireless Music Center, For admission visit www.ticketmaster.com

9/10-19- 2:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., Magic City Actors Theatre presents FAME,

Virginia Samford Theatre, Adults $25, Seniors $20 & Students $15, for tickets visit www.mcactorstheatre.com

9/16- 6:30 p.m., Extemporaneous Theatre Company presents Funny Pages:Hilarious Improv at the Library, Springville Road Library

Food & Wine

9/16-26- 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., Red Mountain Theatre Company presents Cabaret,

9/1- 3 p.m., Irondale Community Farmers Market, Irondale Cafe on 1906 First

9/24-26- Broadway in Birmingham presents Legally Blonde, Birmingham-

Avenue North

9/11- 7 a.m. - 12 p.m., Pepper Place Fall Market, a family-friendly outdoor farmers

market featuring locally grown produce from Alabama farmers, locally created art, food and music. Call 205-313-4120 or visit www.pepperplacemarket.com

Tickets $35, visit www.RedMountaintheatre.org for more info

Jefferson Convention Concert Hall. For tickets call 1-888-611-0964 or visit www.broadwayinbirmingham.com

9/24-26- 12th Annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, Alabama Theatre District, www.sidewalkfest.com

9/4,18- 8 a.m., Fresh Market on the Green at Ross Bridge, Fresh Alabama grown

SPORTS

fruits & vegetables, live music, arts and crafts

9/30- 5:30 p.m., Come read between the wines...for the Emmet O’Neal Library,

food and wine tasting sponsored by Western Supermarkets to benefit the Emmet O’Neal Library, Zoe Pavilion on Cahaba Road, $45 in advance, $55 day of the event

Gardening/Nature 9/1-15, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Baby Season at the Alabama Wildlife Center, observe

wildlife patients being cared for in the nurseries, solarium and raptor flight cages through one-way glass viewing windows. Oak Mountain State Park, Adults $3 and children/senior citizens $1, www.awrc.org

9/4- 10 a.m., Woodsy Stroll at DeSoto State Park, explore the trails of DeSoto State

Park with Dr. James Rayburn while learning about Toxicology, and Geology, $10 per person

9/11- 1 p.m., Bird of Prey Show, join Becky Collier for a fun & interesting program about federally protected birds, DeSoto State Park

9/17-9/19- 10 a.m .until 6 p.m. Fri and Sat, then Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.- Alabama

Orchid Society 26th Annual Sale. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. 2612 Lane Park Road

9/25- 8 am- 12 p.m., Aldridge Botanical Gardens Kids/Family Fishing Day, bring the kids out to try their hand at “catching the big one” in our 6-acre lake, Aldridge Gardens, www.aldridgegardens.com

Do you know of events in our community? We would love to include them. Please email Jennifer@villagelivingonline.com by the 15th of each month for the publication in the next month’s issue.

9/1,2,3,4,5,6- Birmingham Barons home games, Regions Park, game times vary, for tickets call 205-988-3200

Save the date Oct. 1 Homecoming Parade st

The Market set for Oct. 14-16 Looking for an early start on holiday shopping? The Junior League of Birmingham’s The Market announces its 2010 dates will be Oct. 14 through the 16 at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center. This three day shopping extravaganza features a wide variety of vendors from all across the country. Shoppers will be invited to browse and shop for unique items including house wares, gift items, clothing and art. Shoppers can also enjoy lunch in the Community Dish Café which offers recipes featured in the cookbooks of the Junior League of Birmingham. Special events at The Market begin Thursday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., with The Market Morning Brunch, an event that will feature Wildflower Design’s Sybil Sylvester and a light brunch. Later that evening, from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Southern Beauty Magazine and

Diamonds Direct will present the Beauty and Bauble Preview Party. This event includes a silent auction with Southern Beauty Magazine, the Diamond Drop presented by Diamonds Direct and gift bags for the first 200 party patrons. Troy Black, author of The Big Book of BBQ, will also be on hand to sign his book. Enjoy general shopping hours at The Market Friday, Oct. 15, 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 16, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tickets are available now at www. jlbonline.com. Market Morning Brunch Tickets are $32 and Beauty & Bauble Tickets are also $32. A three Day Market Must Have Pass is $24, while general admission tickets are $12. All Proceeds benefit the community projects of the Junior League of Birmingham.

| September 2010 |

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