280 Living December 2015

280 Living

December 2015 | Volume 9 | Issue 4

neighborly news & entertainment

OUR VERY OWN

SECRET SANTA

By ERICA TECHO

T

o the world he’s Santa Claus, but those who know him best call him Bill Kinnebrew.

Kinnebrew is one of Santa’s helpers, meaning he dresses up around the holidays to help out the big guy at the North Pole. And when he’s not helping Santa, Kinnebrew works on the Shelby County Planning Commission and builds houses with Homes by Indianwood, Inc. A few years ago, even though his beard was a lot shorter, he would still get recognized as Santa Claus.

“For several years before this started, probably half a dozen years, we’d just be out somewhere,” he said. “It would just happen two or three times a season, someone would say something about Santa.”

Christmas has always

See SANTA | page A31 Bill Kinnebrew and his wife Laurie. Photo courtesy of Bill and Laurie Kinnebrew.

By JON ANDERSON Signature Homes is moving forward with plans for a new 97-home subdivision off Shelby County 41 next to Greystone and Shoal Creek.

The city of Hoover annexed the 103-acre parcel in early November.

The subdivision, to be called Brock Point, would be just east of The Cove at Greystone and The Crest at Greystone. Shoal Creek is directly across Shelby County 41 from the site.

Signature Homes President Jonathan Belcher said the housing Inside market in north Shelby County off Map of U.S. 280 is ripe planned for a new highsubdivision, end development A30 such as this.

Signature plans to build homes between 3,000 and 5,000 square feet that would sell for between $500,000 to $800,000, with an average price of $600,000, Belcher said.

That price range is underserved right now from a new construction standpoint, Belcher said.

Kyle Murphy, president of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders, agreed.

There are still some new homes being built in the Village at Highland Lakes, Shoal Creek and Mt Laurel, but most of those are $350,000 or below, Murphy said.

And for anyone wanting to get in the Hoover school system on the

See SUBDIVISION | page A30

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

97-house subdivision in works by Greystone

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Coming Clean Hoover man shares his story of heroin addiction, recovery, and how he’s helping others to follow in his footsteps.

See page C1

Hoops Hype With basketball season upon us, we preview the 2015-16 season for Spain Park, Oak Mountain, Chelsea and Briarwood Christian.

See page C6

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A2 • December 2015

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December 2015 • A3

280 Living

A4 • December 2015

About Us

BEHIND THE LENS

Bellini’s recently hired chef Bryan Cates, who has added to its menu of favorite dishes.

Food shots are not as easy as they look. It can be hard to convey how good a dish smells and tastes in a photograph.

With that being said, there are several basic photography rules that can make food shots stand out.

In this case, Chef Cates used colorful vegetables against an earth-toned plate that made the dish pop. Next, there were black tablecloths that provided a clean

background to allow the eye to focus on the food. Finally, I used just some natural window light with a silver reflec or to soften the shadows and add a bit of a highlight to the roasted veggies.

I used a 70 mm lens with an ISO set at 2000 on a Nikon D810 camera. I used a slow shutter speed of 1/8 of a second and an aperture f8.

Behind the Lens highlights the inspiration and execution of a photographer’s assignment. Got a question? Email Frank Couch at fcouch@starnespublishing.com.

Publisher’s Note By Dan Starnes Everyone wants to live to be 100, right? 280 Living is celebrating its 100th issue with the one you are reading now. And we are thrilled about it.

When I first walked into the Brook Highland Books-A-Million for an interview with Patti Henderson in February of 2008, I was looking for a job that I could easily leave if I found something better. The job I’d seen listed was the advertising sales rep for a 6-month-old monthly community newspaper.

I didn’t have any experience in media sales, or media at all for that matter. But I thought that I could do it, and it would be fun to give it a try.

Three months later, I owned 280 Living.

Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Video Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters: Staff Writer: Associate Editor: Copy Editor: Graphic Design: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution:

Contributing Writers:

Contributing Photographer: Intern:

Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Cherie Olivier Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Elizabeth Chick Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Emily Featherston Lucy Ridolphi Louisa Jeffries Shweta Gamble Andrew Anderson Matthew Allen Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett David Knox Kari Kampakis Rick Watson Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Steve Irvine Rachel Burchfiel Chris Megginson Jesse Chambers Grace Thornton Frank Couch Sam Chandler

Since that time, we’ve told thousands of stories of people, news and events along the 280 corridor.

So many wonderful people have been involved with the paper at one level or another, and I am grateful to each and every one of them. I’m especially grateful to you, our readers.

Of course we couldn’t do any of this without our sponsors. They are listed on this page. So if you value this paper, please show them your appreciation.

Our 100th issue is a neat milestone, but more than anything, I’m excited about what’s to come.

We’ve got a great foundation now, and I’m looking forward to the next 100. Thanks for reading.

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

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

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: sydney@ starnespublishing.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253

Published by : Starnes Publishing LLC

For advertising contact: dan@starnespublishing.com Legals: 280 Living is published monthly. Reproduction

or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. 280 Living is designed to inform the 280 community of area school, family and community events. Information in 280 Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

All articles/photos submitted become the property of 280 Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

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280Living.com

December 2015 • A5

Located on Hwy 280, east of I-459

GrandviewHealth.com

280 Living

A6 • December 2015

280 News

Commission OKs 2 alcohol licenses; shelter picks Shelby

By ERICA TECHO The Shelby County Commission approved two alcohol licenses to local businesses at its Oct. 26 meeting.

One alcohol license was for Blowfish Sushi Bar, a new sushi restaurant set to open on U.S. 280. The restaurant will be located in the former City Vineyard location.

The other license was for Spring Creek Package Store off Alabama 71.

Commissioner Robbie Hayes said both businesses had all of their paperwork in order, and both licenses were approved.

Three candidates running for District 4 Commissioner also spoke at the meeting. The District 4 Commissioner spot will open up next year, as Commissioner Dan Acker decided not to seek re-election, citing health concerns. He has served on the commission for 23 years.

The candidates include Alabaster residents Gene Rowley, Ward Williams and Ron Griggs.

Each candidate gave a short introductory speech at the meeting, detailing his connection to Shelby County. The qualifying deadline for candidates in the March primaries was Nov. 6.

“To all three of you, I want to say, obviously this is not a political forum, but I’m really glad you came out tonight and joined us,” said Commission Chairman Rick Shepherd. “It just gives us an idea of who we’re working with.

We govern as one body; we work very closely together. We’re a very cohesive body, so it’s important to us to keep that cohesiveness.”

Laura Hartin, CEO of Blanket Fort Hope, also spoke at the commission meeting. Blanket Fort Hope is an organization geared toward helping child victims of human trafficking by providing housing, education and support services.

After researching several areas, Hartin said Blanket Fort Hope has decided to build an intake facility in Shelby County that would help with the immediate needs of children. Hartin said they hope to eventually have a long-term facility, as well.

Hartin said she hoped to work with the commission to build the facility and also work with the community during the process.

“We really want to be intentional about considering the needs of the community,” Hartin said. “This is a difficult issue. These kids have been through a lot of trauma, but we want to respect the community, and we’re going to need a lot of help with that if we want to transition our intake facility here into Shelby County.”

Commissioner Corley Ellis had invited Hartin to speak at the commission meeting and said he looks forward to seeing the work Blanket Fort Hope does in the county.

“I view them as the Safe House of human trafficking. They do on the human trafficking side what Safe House does for abused children,” Ellis said.

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Above: Candidates for the District 4 Commissioner seat, from left, Ward Williams, Ron Griggs and Gene Rowley, spoke during the Oct. 26 meeting. Below: Laura Hartin discusses Blanket Fort Hope with the Shelby County Commission. Photos by Erica Techo.

280Living.com

December 2015 • A7

A view from Smyer Ridge, which was recently bought by the Freshwater Land Trust. Photo courtesy of Freshwater Land Trust.

Trust purchases 2 miles of Double Oak Mountain property

By ERICA TECHO A 2-mile stretch of property along Double Oak Mountain will now be owned and managed by the Freshwater Land Trust.

The property, called Smyer Ridge, was recently purchased from Billy Smyer and his family. Freshwater Land Trust Executive Director Wendy Jackson announced the purchase at the Nov. 9 Shelby County Commission meeting.

Appraisal of the property showed the land was worth around $1.4 million with another $100,000 of cost going toward due diligence.

“This project would not have happened without the generosity of the Smyer family,” Jackson said.

The Smyer family gifted $565,000 to the Freshwater Land Trust, bringing the cost of the campaign down to around $1 million. A challenge grant from an anonymous donor in North Carolina brought that cost down by another $350,000.

“We are very pleased to say that we have been successful in raising the majority of the remaining funds,” Jackson said. “We are $200,000 from having the full funding for closing out this project, to fully fund this campaign.”

Jackson said the Freshwater Land Trust’s board was confident it will be able to raise the remaining $200,000, and they recently closed on the transaction.

“We are very, very excited to be here in Shelby County,” Jackson said.

The decision to purchase the land at Double Oak Mountain came from community feedback.

Double Oak Mountain rose to be a high priority for conservation based off of citizen input, Jackson said.

“We had meetings here in Shelby County,” Jackson said. “We talked to your local citizens.

We asked them, where are the places that matter?

Because at Freshwater Land Trust, we like to preserve the places that matter.”

County Development Services Manager Chad Scroggins said the Freshwater Land Trust’s project fits in with the community’s goals.

“This project does exactly that. It preserves the ridgetop from development and allows a very unique area to be kept up for years to come,” Scroggins said.

Preservation of the ridgetop will help with future storm water management as well, Scroggins said. Double Oak Mountain helps conserve Shoal Creek, a tributary to the Cahaba River, and divides the Cahaba River and Coosa River basins, Jackson said, which also contributes to its environmental significance in the area.

The property includes 225 acres of land and is not large enough for open public use, Jackson said. However, it will be open for educational research purposes and guided field trips for members of the community.

“We are very proud to now be a land owner in your community, and we understand from our partnership with Alex [Dudchock, county manager for Shelby County] that this was a very important area for Shelby County through your own planning processes,” Jackson said.

County Manager Alex Dudchock noted the potential for a partnership with the Freshwater Land Trust on future projects, and Jackson said there is a chance for future projects in Shelby County.

“We’re very respectful of other land owners, and if they wish to have a conversation with us concerning their property we would be happy to have those conversations,” Jackson said. “And I can say that in Shelby County this is not the only conversation we’re having.”

Freshwater Land Trust Executive Director Wendy Jackson discusses the purchase of Smyer Ridge at the Nov. 9 Shelby County Commission meeting. Photo by Erica Techo.

280 Living

A8 • December 2015

Shelby commission OKs grocery store site plan

By ERICA TECHO The site plan for a neighborhood grocery across the street from Mt Laurel was approved by the Shelby County Planning Commission.

Bill Thornton with Dunnavant Commercial LLC submitted the request. The site plan includes plans for a 2,400-square-foot convenience store with three gas pumps and a 24,550-square-foot boutique-style grocery store. There is no confirmed tenant for the grocery store at this time.

The Dunnavant Square development was last discussed at the Aug. 3 Shelby County Planning Commission meeting, when the commission approved a change in orientation of the three gas pumps.

At the Aug. 3 meeting, some residents requested removing one of the planned roads, which currently connects the neighborhood behind the development to Dunnavant Valley Road.

There were no changes to the road in the site plan at the Nov. 16 meeting.

After principal planner Kristine Goddard presented the site plan and request, commissioners had questions regarding the barrier between residents and the proposed grocery store and service station.

At this time, the plan includes a fence and landscaped barrier between the service station and residential area, and there is a berm and landscaped barrier behind the grocery store.

Commissioner Rachel Garrett said she was concerned the noise 18-wheelers making deliveries early in the morning might disturb residents.

“That noise, yeah that could impact people on the other side if there’s not more of a buffer,” Garrett said.

Garrett said she would like to see a privacy fence similar to the one at the service station behind the grocery store. David Stovall with Engineering Design Group spoke for Dunnavant Commercial and said there will be an 8- to 10-foot berm with dense landscaping behind the development.

“On top, there’s just very dense vegetation that

would be on top of that berm which we think will be more substantial than a fence, especially with the noise side of things,” Stovall said.

Goddard also noted the backs of the houses face the grocery store.

The commission also discussed requiring a sidewalk connection on both sides of the grocery store.

Plans included a sidewalk on the left side from the building, looking from Dunnavant Valley Road, but not on the right side.

Following discussion, commissioner Bob Land made a motion to approve the request, noting the developer has complied with several of the commission’s past requests for alterations. Commissioner Amy Smith asked for an amendment to the motion, adding the requirement of a sidewalk and a privacy fence in the grocery store’s plans.

Land asked for the staff’s opinion on the amendment, and Goddard said she was “halfway” on whether it was needed or not. One issue with requiring a sidewalk, Goddard said, was that when the proposed bank is developed next door, the sidewalk would be torn up.

Land decided not to amend the motion and repeated his former motion for approval as is. The commission voted five to one, approving the request. Smith voted against approval.

In other news, the commission: ► Approved the request to divide 67.07 acres at the end of Highland Lakes Court into 48 residential lots. The lots will house single family homes, and the property includes an 11.6 acre lake. The development will be known as Highland Lakes Sector One, Phase 6. ► Approved the request from Colt Reese for conditional use approval to allow a Little Bit of R & R BBQ sales location outside of the Raceway at 5349 U.S. 280, near Wal-Mart. The commission approved the request five to one, with Smith voting against approval. ► Approved the 2016 Planning Commission meeting schedule.

Members of the Chelsea City Council listen to a speaker during their Nov. 3 meeting. Photo by Ana Good.

$5K for Chelsea High special projects to be disbursed early

By ANA GOOD The Chelsea City Council on Nov. 3 approved a motion that would accelerate the release of up to $5,000 for special projects at Chelsea High School.

Councilwoman Juanita Champion made the initial motion, which was seconded by Councilwoman Alison Nichols. Principal Wayne Trucks will be responsible for distributing the funds, should the school accept the motion from the council.

The money will come out of the total $20,000 already budgeted for special projects at the school, typically distributed at the end of the school year.

In his report, Mayor Earl Niven proclaimed November as “National Diabetes Month” in the city of Chelsea after asking the audience how many had been affected by the disease.

During the community forum,

Councilwoman Nichols congratulated the Chelsea High School football team for making it to the AHSAA state playoffs.

The City Council also: ► Approved a resolution to assume responsibility for certain streets in the Polo Crossings subdivision. Councilman Tony Picklesimer commended the developers for the recently completed paving job in the subdivision, calling it “exemplary.” ► Approved a first reading of a proposed ordinance to grant a non-exclusive right-of-way use agreement to Southern Light, LLC. Should it be approved at the next council meeting, Southern Light would be granted the rightof-way for the construction and maintenance of a fiber-optic transmission line within certain public rights-of-way within Chelsea. ► Approved the city of Chelsea bills to be paid.

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280Living.com

December 2015 • A9

Ready for the worst

EMA Supervisor Hub Harvey works at the county headquarters for emergency management.

Photo by Erica Techo.

Shelby County EMA stresses importance of plans for unpredictable winter weather

By ERICA TECHO Winter hazards in Alabama are not limited to snow and ice.

Hub Harvey, supervisor for the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), said Alabama’s weather makes it difficult to predict what natural hazards might come their way in the cooler months.

“Honestly, winter keeps us on our toes,” Harvey said.

While many people are aware of potential snowstorms, including 2014’s “snowmageddon,” Harvey said few people realize December is the third-highest month for tornadoes.

Other parts of the country benefit from predictable, seasonal weather patterns. The Southeast, however, is not so lucky.

“Other parts of the country have that luxury,” Harvey said. “If you’re in Minnesota, you’re not going to get a tornado in November or December. We could have freezing weather the first week in January, [and] two weeks later we could have a warm front come through and we could have tornadoes.”

Harvey said the unpredictable nature of weather, coupled with the holidays, means residents should work to be more prepared for emergency situations. While everyone should have an emergency kit with food, water and other supplies in their car and house, Harvey said they should keep extra supplies around the holidays — when there may be more people than usual in your house and car.

“Consider a plan,” Harvey said.

“What are you going to do if you’re stuck inside for, say, three days?”

Holiday traffic also presents the potential for more accidents, Harvey said. If the interstate shuts down for a few hours and hazardous weather rolls through, drivers should be prepared.

To remain prepared for any hazard — whether it’s man-made, technological or natural — Shelby County EMA maintains a Hazards Mitigation Plan and Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). The Hazards Mitigation Plan looks at any type of disaster Shelby County could face, Harvey said, while the EOP details how the county will deal with those events.

“We review the Emergency

Operations Plan, we try and look at some part of it every quarter, so it’s a living document, an ongoing thing,” Harvey said. “But then we do the big rewrite based upon incidents that we’ve had, such as snowmaggedon and things like that.”

When snowmageddon hit last year, Harvey said, Shelby County fared well — no students had to sleep on school buses, and lines of communication were kept open.

“There’s some tweaks that we made to the Emergency Operations Plan for winter storm events, but predominantly we feel like given the circumstances and how quickly it hit us, we believe that Shelby County, we actually handled it very well,” Harvey said.

The storms have also improved the lines of communication between emergency managers, news stations, the National Weather Service and other cites in the Southeast. While Shelby County EMA and the National Weather Service would normally meet

To prepare for an emergency situation, you should have 72 hours worth of supplies on hand. The following are recommended items for a basic emergency supply kit: • One gallon of water per person per day for at least three days • A three-day supply of nonperishable food • Battery-powered or hand crank radio • Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries • Flashlight, extra batteries annually, they have met several additional times since February 2014.

“One big thing with snowmaggedon is it wasn’t just that we have been reviewing it on a local basis,” Harvey said. “We’ve also been going over it multiple times with how can we better communicate it.”

In general, Harvey said the

• First aid kit • Whistle to signal for help • Dust mask • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties • Wrench or pliers • Can opener • Local maps Harvey also suggests keeping helpful apps on your phone, just in case. He recommends the American Red Cross, Baron SAF-T-Net and WeatherBug apps, which are all free.

goal is to have a plan in place and to stay weather aware through the National Weather Service, weather radios or even cell phone apps.

For more tips to keeping safe and developing communication and safety plans, visit ready.gov or shelbyal.com and search “Emergency Management Agency.”

280 Living

A10 • December 2015

Shelby County landfill receives ADEM award Shelby County Commission members stand with county employees who work at the landfill.

The county landfill was recently recognized by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Photo

by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO

The Shelby County landfill was recently selected as the No. 1 landfill relative to municipal solid waste by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

“A significant feat,” County Manager Alex Dudchock said. “And I had very little to do with it.”

The Shelby County Commission recognized and thanked several people who work at the landfill at its Nov. 9 meeting. County Development Services Manager Chad Scroggins said the team that works at the landfill is responsible for the recognition. He thanked them for their dedication to the county and to their job.

“Our newest employee at the landfill has been there seven years, so that tells you about the strength and the camaraderie of the men there,” Scroggins said. “If they didn’t enjoy their job in a tough environment, they wouldn’t be there.”

Sue Johnson, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, was also at the meeting to thank the commission for its dedication to the organization. Commissioner Mike Vest approached Johnson about bringing Big Brothers Big Sisters to Shelby County three years ago, and Johnson said Vest’s help in connecting her

with Shelby County Manager of Community Services Reggie Holloway helped open a lot of doors.

“We worked hard. We worked hard for three years, and Reggie also provided some funding from the Shelby County Commission, which I want to thank you all for,” Johnson said. “We have 200 children right now who are matched with positive role models.”

More than $50,000 in grants and commission funding is now being funded into Shelby County, Johnson said, and she expects Big Brothers Big Sisters to grow even more. Johnson also formally

thanked Holloway for his help at the meeting.

Without him, she said, they would not have seen the same amount of success in the program. “[He] just went way above and beyond the call of duty to help the children of Shelby County,” Johnson said. “…This is because you cared about the children of Shelby County, and you helped us pull this together and make it happen.

It’s hard to establish a new program in a community, and you are the one, you were the ringleader that made it happen.”

Holloway also thanked the commission and Dudchock for their help in building and

supporting the program. Vest thanked Johnson for coming to the commission meeting and noted he is a product of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

“Today, I’m just proud of you, Reggie and Alex, for taking the time to believe in me …

Thank you, commission, for doing that for those 200 kids,” Vest said.

Also at the commission meeting: ►Montevallo Mayor Dr. Hollie Cost discussed recent changes and improvements in the City of Montevallo. She thanked the commission for their partnership during the city’s many projects. ► Cynthia Green from the Liberty Learning Foundation discussed the Foundation’s goals of creating inspired American citizens. She asked the commission to consider the Foundation in the future and said she hoped to be able to submit another proposal for Shelby County Schools. ► Freshwater Land Trust Executive Director Wendy Jackson announced the purchase of Smyer Ridge. The property will now be preserved by the Freshwater Land Trust. ► Approved commission and committee board appointments. ► Approved the appointment of William T. Harrison to the library board.

Care center plans for mid-December opening

By SYDNEY CROMWELL St. Vincent’s One Nineteen will soon add outpatient surgery and urgent care to its collection of health and wellness services.

Construction has been underway for several months on the 40,000-square-foot expansion, which will include multi-specialty surgery rooms and an urgent care center on its first floor and private practice offices on the second floor. Stephanie Holderby, the executive director of St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, said the grand opening will be

held Dec. 8 at 10:30 a.m. and will include a blessing of the building, ribbon-cutting and tours of the facility.

Holderby said staff are training on new equipment and preparing to begin receiving patients. The campus currently has about 2,000 visitors per day, and the expansion will likely cause that number to grow.

“St. Vincent’s saw a need for greater access to outpatient surgery, urgent care and specialty offerings within the communities we serve, and we’re excited to meet those needs with this expansion,” Holderby said.

With Grandview Medical Center and Brookwood freestanding emergency department recently opened, Holderby said the integration of many types of healthcare in one facility is what will make St. Vincent’s One Nineteen distinctive.

The urgent care center will operate during hours when private practice offices are closed, providing a destination for people who need immediate but not emergency care.

The expansion will see its first patient before the end of 2015.

Work is almost complete on the expansion at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. The grand opening will be Dec. 8. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

280Living.com

December 2015 • A11

Chelsea fi e chief: Community is No. 1 priority

By ERICA TECHO Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley first worked with the Chelsea fire department when he was a teenager.

“I kind of grew up going on calls with my dad even before I was old enough to be a member,” Shirley said. “I would be riding with him to go help folks. I just have always enjoyed it and never thought of doing anything else.”

Shirley never had a doubt that he wanted to go into fire service, and he has been in the field for 34 years. Part of his career decision came from his family’s involvement in Chelsea’s volunteer fire department, and part came from a desire to help the community.

“I love helping folks, and this is the way I feel, like I was blessed with the opportunity to serve in my community helping folks,” he said. “It’s great when you really love what you’re doing because it’s not a job then.”

He expects the same “servant’s heart” in his fire and rescue staff as well. Whenever someone comes to work at the fire department, Shirley said he asks why they want to be in Chelsea.

“Whether it’s volunteers or paid staff, I always ask them why they want to be here because I’m looking for people who have a true servant’s heart,” he said. “If you don’t like getting out and going to public activities, this isn’t the place for you.”

As a lifelong Chelsea resident, Shirley saw the city grow from 1,000 residents to more than 11,000. The fire department will grow along with the community, he said, and two more fire stations are on the drawing board. But no matter how large the community grows, Shirley

“

I love helping folks, and this is the way I feel, like I was blessed with the opportunity to serve in my community helping folks.

”

WAYNE SHIRLEY

maintains the importance of staying involved.

Keeping up with the community means residents are informed about the department’s equipment and capabilities, Shirley said, and they know what resources are available.

“We also like to be the place where if you don’t know who else to call, call us and we’ll either help you or find someone who can, because public service is what it’s about,” Shirley said.

The fire department connects with the community through events and fundraisers such as the MDA boot drive, Firefighter for a Day contests and the Fire at the Foothills BBQ and Chili Cook-Off. They also visit elementary and middle schools to teach students about fire safety and work with Chelsea High School to put on Every 15 Minutes, a program that shows students the impact of distracted or drunk driving.

“It’s important to us because I believe our primary role is public service, not just public safety,” Shirley said. “You can’t do that if you’re not staying plugged into the community; you don’t know what the community’s needs are.”

Chelsea Fire & Rescue Chief Wayne Shirley is the city’s first paid fire chief and has held the job for 34 years. Photo by Erica Techo.

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280Living.com

Now Open Brookwood Medical Center’s freestanding emergency department opened in November at 7131 Cahaba Valley Road. It is the state’s second freestanding ED. 877-1000, bwmc.com

1

Style Encore is now open at 640 Inverness Corners. The store carries women’s casual and business clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories, and buys items from customers on the spot to be sold in the store.

582-9049, style-encoreinverness.com

2

Birmingham Orthopedics, Sports & Spine has opened a new clinic at 4600 U.S. 280, Suite 200, in the MedHelp building.

971-5000

3

Coming Soon Revolve Kitchen and Brew will be opening in the Village at Lee Branch, 611 Doug 4 Baker Blvd., Suite 103, in the space formerly occupied by Bella at Lee Branch.

The restaurant, owned by Doug Hovanec, who also owns Bellini’s, will feature more than 120 beers with about 16 beers on tap, and the menu will change with the season. Plans are for the restaurant to be open six days per week for lunch and dinner.

New Ownership Stonecrest at Double Oak Mountain, 1 Stonecrest Drive, has been sold to At5 lanta-based Waypoint Residential. The property has 315 apartment units.

981-3005

News and Accomplishments Blaine Reams, a pharmacy technician with Pharmacy, 264 Inverness 6 Beaumont Center Drive, passed his pharmacy

December 2015 • A13 technician certification exam (PTCE) in October. He has been employed at Beaumont for a year and a half.

991-7171, beaumontpharmacy.com Alabama Outdoors, 108 Inverness Plaza, has launched a new website. The 7 redesigned site features real-time inventory, a mobile optimized display allowing easier shopping on any device, and simplified navigation.

980-3303, alabamaoutdoors.com

“When it rains, we drain!”

Hirings and Promotions ARC Realty, 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 133, has hired Haley May, Laurance Washington, Ben Fikes and Donna Triantos as new Realtors.

969-8910, arcrealtyco.com

8

Anniversaries Salon 12, 8000 Liberty Parkway, Suite 110, celebrated its second anniversary on November 1.

977-3812, thesalon12.com

9

Skin Wellness Center of Alabama, 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 3, Chelsea, is celebrating its third anniversary in business in December.

678-7518, skinwellness.com

10

Danberry at Inverness, 235 Inverness Center Drive, celebrated its sixth anniversary on October 6.

443-9500, danberryatinverness.com

11

Closings 12

Dixie Fish Co., 101 Resource Center Parkway, has closed.

13

Chubb’s Grub Station, 16634 U.S. 280, Chelsea, has closed.

244-1114 Heavy Runoff ?

Standing Water?

Erosion Problems?

Storm Drainage Clogged?

WaterDrainageSolutions.com

280 Living

A14 • December 2015

Chamber County manager gives state-of-the-county speech

By ERICA TECHO County Manager Alex Dudchock discussed Shelby County’s progress at the Greater Shelby Chamber October luncheon.

“Today is about looking at 2015 and looking forward, but if you’ve been here for the 21 other times I’ve been in front of you and done this, you know I try to make it a little interesting for you,” Dudchock said.

Financially, Dudchock said, the county has been improving since the 2008 recession. In the last fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, the general fund had $53.8 million in revenue. This was about $150,000 less than revenue before the recession.

“When the recession hit, we were at $54 million. We immediately went down 2 [million], 4 million. We had to make quick decisions — that’s a lot of money,” Dudchock said. “We can proudly say we closed the fiscal year of 2015 just recently, and we’re only $156,000 below where we were in 2008. And those foolish people, me being one of them, are celebrating.”

Dudchock said he expects the general fund to continue improving in the current fiscal year, FY2016. He said the county is expected to reach almost $55 million in the general fund in FY2016, bringing it $900,000 above where it was in 2008.

“Those are conservative numbers, and they’re not far off,” Dudchock said.

During his presentation, Dudchock also noted the Shelby County Commission’s funding priorities — the sheriff’s office and jail and the highway department.

“They put their money in public safety, they put their money into roads,” Dudchock said.

County manager Alex Dudchock gives the state-of-the-county address at the Greater Shelby County Chamber luncheon. Photo

by Erica Techo.

“They’d like to see them doing more, but they’re living within their means.”

The county has been able to receive $22 million in state and federal funds for highway and bridge initiatives, Dudchock said. With that funding, seven bridges were replaced, two intersections were improved and 13 resurfacing projects were completed.

The county has also taken on several projects in the past few years, Dudchock said, including several changes to Oak Mountain State Park.

“We have treated Oak Mountain State Park like a county park for the last seven, eight years,” Dudchock said. “Why? Because the facilities were not being maintained at how I want them,

at how our citizens expect them to be. Oak Mountain State Park is also an economic engine for our county.”

In 2015, the Treetop boardwalk and large bird of prey enclosures at the Alabama Wildlife Center were restored, cable wakeboarding was implemented, a new playground was added, an archery park opened and several restrooms were added or updated. Planning for other amenities is also in the works, Dudchock said.

The county also partnered with cities on community projects, including the Chelsea Community Center. Shelby County helped fund a portion of the Senior Center in the community center, paying for furniture and other amenities.

Looking toward the future, Dudchock discussed two upcoming events that should boost tourism in Shelby County. He said the 2016 USA Track and Field National Junior Olympics, which will take place at Veterans Park on Valleydale Road in December 2016, could draw around 10,000 attendees who will then stay for two to three nights. Oak Mountain State Park is also hosting the 2017 National Senior Games in June 2017, which could bring in 12,000 competitors and their families.

Dudchock said in addition to new projects and improvements, he hopes to see the county’s unemployment numbers continue to improve.

Unemployment is still double what it was before the recession, he said, and it’s up to small businesses to fix that.

“We’re still the leader in the state, and we’re the tops in the Southeast, but we don’t measure ourselves that way,” Dudchock said. “We measure ourselves by, we know we have people that are still unemployed.”

Preview of

GREATER SHELBY COUNTY

luncheon

Instead of its regular luncheon, the Greater Shelby Chamber will host a holiday Business After Hours on Dec. 17.

The networking event is a chance to make contacts and enter to win prizes.

The December meeting is at Vizzini Farms Winery, 800 County Road 87 in Calera, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The registration is $10 for members and $20 for non-members, which includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and two beverage coupons.

Reservations required

by Dec. 15. Register via email at info@shelbychamber.org, by phone at 663-4542 or online at shelbychamber.org.

280Living.com

December 2015 • A15

Chamber

Jimmie Hale Mission Executive Director Tony Cooper addresses the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce. “Just remember, we have something to be thankful for,” Cooper said. “We are a blessed people.” Photo by Erica Techo.

Director discusses success, giving thanks

By ERICA TECHO Success is derived from many qualities, said Jimmie Hale Mission Executive Director Tony Cooper.

As he addressed the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce at its November luncheon, Cooper listed the characteristics of a successful individual. The goal of success, Cooper said, pertains to all business owners.

“Whether it’s personal success, whether it’s business success, we all have an interest in being successful, to be good at what we do,” Cooper said.

Being successful comes from being trustworthy, loyal and consistent, Cooper said. Those qualities, he added, help customers relate to business owners and build a better bond.

Cooper also said it is important to have good character and integrity. Things have changed over the years, he said, and sometimes someone’s word is not worth what it used to be worth.

As he discussed integrity, Cooper commended the state’s representatives and senators in Washington, D.C. “We are blessed in Washington,” Cooper said. “… We just have some good representatives there.”

Learning and the willingness to learn are also important. Both of those qualities contribute to problem solving, he said, as well as help build relationships.

“None of us are exempt from the problems and adversities and the obstacles and challenges of life,” Cooper said. “The sooner we get that, the more ahead of the game we’re going to be.”

Cooper closed his speech by discussing the importance of being thankful. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, he said recognizing the positive aspects of your life is an important step. It takes someone to give thanks to, something to give thanks for and someone to give thanks, Cooper said. He also encouraged everyone to reflect on what they can be thankful for in the holiday season, even if they are going through a difficult time. Taking the time to do so is healthy, he said, and can help brighten your mood.

“Just remember, we have something to be thankful for,” Cooper said. “We are a blessed people.”

After Cooper spoke, South Shelby Chamber of Commerce Executive Director April Stone discussed the upcoming Diamond Awards. Nominations for Business of the Year, New Business of

Preview of

SOUTH SHELBY COUNTY

luncheon

In December, the South Shelby Chamber will recognize its annual Diamond Award winners.

The 10th annual awards recognize businesses that grow and impact their community in three categories: New Business of the Year, Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year.

The luncheon will be Dec. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Columbiana United Methodist Church. Bellini’s will cater the luncheon, and Lew Burdette, executive director of the King’s Home, is the guest speaker.

Reservations are required and the luncheon cost is $15. RSVP to April Stone at director@southshelbychamber.com. the Year and Citizen of the Year will be accepted through Nov. 20. Applications are available online.

280 Living

A16 • December 2015

Business

READY

Huy Nguyen is the chef of Blowfish Sushi, which will open this month in Lee Branch.

Photo

by Frank Couch.

TO

ROLL Blowfish ushi to offer ‘totally different style’

By JESSE CHAMBERS There are about 50 restaurants serving sushi in the Birmingham area, including a dozen or so near Highway 280.

But Huy Nguyen, the owner and head chef of Blowfish Sushi — a new eatery set to open in early December near Lee Branch — believes his place will stand out from the crowd.

“I’ve been trying some of the [sushi] restaurants here [and] we have a style that is totally different,” Nguyen said. “Most of the places here are very basic.”

Blowfish Sushi will offer “more of an America-mix sushi,” Nguyen said. “That is how [it’s done in] South Florida, where I am from. It’s not like the really Japanese sushi.”

“The taste will be different, with more fusion,”

he said. “We have cooked sushi… and we have more toppings on the roll.”

“We’re excited to open a restaurant here, because we think we’re going to bring new food for people in Birmingham,” said Nguyen’s wife, Oanh Kim Tran, who will serve as manager.

Blowfish will prepare more than just the sashimi and nigiri that many restaurants have, according to Tran.

“We’ll have a lot of special rolls,” she said, citing such examples as baked sushi and sushi rolls without rice.

Tran and Nguyen are excited about presenting those rolls to their new customers. “We think they’re our feature foods,” Tran said.

And for those customers who don’t want sushi — still an acquired taste for some less adventurous diners — Blowfish will offer a wide variety

of other Asian dishes, including Thai food, Japanese food and Korean barbecue, according to Tran.

Blowfish will offer, among other dishes, pad Thai, tempura shrimp, salmon teriyaki and steak teriyaki made with rib eye, according to Nguyen.

And the veteran chef said that he enjoys “a little fusion in the kitchen,” making such dishes as snapper with ginger sauce or baked salmon with teriyaki sauce.

Nguyen lived in Mississippi for seven years and was co-owner of Chef Scott’s restaurant and sushi bar in Ocean Springs, located near Biloxi on the Gulf Coast. About six months ago, Nguyen and Tran moved to Birmingham, where Nguyen has other family members.

The couple hopes to make Blowfish Sushi a fun, friendly place, according to Tran.

Blowfish ushi • 479 U.S. 280, Suite. 102, in the old City Vineyard space.

• Price range: Entrees $15 to $25; sushi $7 to $15 per roll; lunch specials $10 to $15.

• Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.–10 p.m.

“We’re trying to make our restaurant not just a place to eat, but a place that family and friends can enjoy time together by the atmosphere and our services,” she said.

280Living.com

December 2015 • A17

ROOFER'S CORNER

Lisa Ann Muir-Taylor, far left, started Nations Outfitters and recently opened a warehouse for the company on Highway 119. She runs the business with, from left, Casey Snipes, Talaya Champion, Amy Brennan and Julia Kate Mase (not pictured). Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.

More than fashion

“

Faith inspires, sustains Nations Outfitters

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Lisa Ann Muir-Taylor can’t explain how she began a clothing company with no background in fashion, but after listening to the eulogy at Bronner Burgess’ funeral service online in 2008, she was inspired.

“I read where 93 percent of Christians never share their faith,” Muir-Taylor said. “I became a believer later in life, and I was praying God would give me something to impact his kingdom.”

Soon after hearing the eulogy, she came across a book in her closet titled “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper. Muir-Taylor said the book had been there for five years, and she opened it up to page 126, to a section on “Consumed With Clothes.” It talked about how so many young people were obsessed with what they wear and how they look. Piper’s words inspired Muir-Taylor and she felt led in the direction of a clothing company.

At the time, Muir-Taylor, who has a background in nursing, had four children, ages 10 to 16. She was working as a full-time mom and leading Bible studies at the Lovelady Center.

She prayed about it for a year and then began to research and design. In 2010, she launched Nations Outfitters, choosing the name based on the verse of Matthew 28:19 “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Once it was launched, the company quickly became successful. It wasn’t long until it had customers in 43 states. But the company was about more than just the clothes. Muir-Taylor wanted to provide an alternative line of clothing that was fashionable but also promoted modesty and inner beauty.

“Our slogan is: It’s what you do in your clothes that makes you beautiful,” Muir-Taylor said. “As we grew, we could represent different nations and tell their stories. We are showing fashion, while also showing service. That’s what sets us apart.”

A Bible verse, taken from Colossians 3:12, is placed into each garment. It reminds the wearer to “clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” She has received positive feedback on how the verse is impacting people, and it appears people are receiving it in the way she hoped they would.

In addition to fashion, Muir-Taylor also wanted to support those who are making the world a more beautiful place. Nations Outfitters’ website and social media platforms showcase photos of young women involved in mission work around the world, “caught in the act” of serving others. The company supports many mission organizations both locally and abroad.

At the end of each season, a portion of the

As we grew, we could represent different nations and tell their stories. We are showing fashion, while also showing service. That’s what sets us apart.

”

LISA ANN MUIR-TAYLOR

company’s proceeds are contributed to a ministry. The first one featured is UTK (Until They Know), which helps people in the Dominican Republic.

When orders are shipped, the package includes information about the charity. The Nations Outfitters website also has an area where charities can be submitted.

After nearly four years, the success of the business became too much. Muir-Taylor was physically, spiritually and emotionally spent.

Her family and marriage were suffering, and the company was consuming her time. Muir-Taylor made the difficult decision to shut down the business in 2013.

“I knew where the business was, was not honoring to God,” she said. “I was very depressed about it and wondering why God would call me to something and it be so successful and then put it down.”

During that time, Muir-Taylor rested and spent time with her family. She said that even while the business wasn’t operating, it never left her heart.

After a two-year break, Nations Outfitters relaunched in August 2015 and has a new warehouse facility on Highway 119 next to the Shell station and Morgan Ashley Salon near Greystone. This time, Muir-Taylor is no longer trying to do it all on her own and is taking a more streamlined approach.

She has four part-time staff, including a social media person, buyers, photographers and customer service. Her staff and daughters, along with their friends, are frequent models.

While the company is an online boutique, the new warehouse will have open house dates during December for shopping. Dates and times will be listed on Nations Outfitters social media platforms.

“We need, as a community, to reclaim the fashion industry, and not allow the culture we live in to tell us what makes us beautiful,” Muir-Taylor said.

WINTER TIME ROOFING

As winter approaches, I am always asked the same question – Should shingles be installed in cold weather? The short answer is yes.

However, with some precautions and a lot of experience. Here’s why.

The asphalt material in the shingle loses its flexibility and resistance in colder temperatures. The shingles become harder to bend and more difficult to cut. Because the shingles are more brittle, using the same roofing techniques one would use during the warmer months will be detrimental. If your roofer uses the same nail gun pressure he uses during the summer months, the nails will be overdriven into the shingles. As the temperature drops, the “sweet spot” pressure point becomes smaller and smaller. Only an experienced roofer will know how to adjust for this in the colder months, to avoid damaging your shingles, and to insure proper installation.

Installing a roof during colder months also increases the chance of shingles blowing off or not sealing properly.

However, by hiring a roofing company with knowledge of the manufacturer’s guidelines and proper installation methods, there are ways to ensure a successful installation year-round. All shingles are equipped with a self-sealant strip- a line of glue that activates with the heat of the sun and holds the shingles together, preventing blow off in high winds. This glue activates at different temperatures depending on the manufacturer. As a general rule, we can see bonding happening between 45°F and 60°F, and a full bond when temperatures exceed 75°F for 48 hours.

The manufacturer specifies that if the shingles are NOT bonding properly because of temperature, they should be hand-sealed. That means the crew should apply four dabs (quarter size) of roofing cement underneath each shingle with a caulking gun and then press the shingles into the cement. This will prevent the wind from lifting them before there is sufficient heat for them to self-seal.

My best advice for your winter roofing project is to hire an experienced contractor. Ask questions. Make sure he can tell you HOW he can successfully install a roof in colder temperatures. You do not have to delay your home improvement; just do your research.

Call for a FREE QUOTE today

205-968-1034

280 Living

A18 • December 2015

Family bonds inspire Wind Charmer clothing

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE To say that Wind Charmer clothing is a family affair would be an understatement. Three Meeks brothers from Vestavia Hills married women with different talents and now have eight daughters among them, ranging from ages 1 to 10. The family recently launched their online children’s clothing boutique.

The families live in the greater Birmingham area, two in Vestavia Hills and one in Chelsea.

Mary Beth, the designer, lives in Chelsea with her husband and three daughters. The Vestavia residents are Jamie, who oversees marketing and has three daughters, and Sandi, who handles the finances and has two girls of her own.

The company started out as just an idea, then quickly evolved into a family business.

“It was really just our genuine love for our family and the connectivity we have with trying to raise this bounty of girls together,” Sandi said. “As sisters-in-law, we would talk about clothes, and ask each other what the girls would be wearing for Christmas, and have you seen this collection?”

Once the ladies combined their talents and backgrounds, they fit together like a puzzle. They were the perfect combination to design, manage and market a business.

The inspiration for the line came from Mary Beth, who grew up in Jasper. Her styles came from her love of the outdoors and her Southern roots. She had started a book of drawings, and when she showed it to her sisters-in-law, they were blown away.

Jamie, Sandi and Mary Beth Meeks are sisters-in-law who recently started Wind Charmer, a business selling clothing for children. Jamie and Sandi live in Vestavia Hills and Mary Beth lives in Chelsea. They were inspired by their experiences with their collective eight daughters. Photo courtesy of Jamie Meeks.

“I want these dresses to emphasize the child’s beauty, not distract from it,” said Mary Beth.

“I want them to be able to look back at these dresses and remember the special things they were doing when they were being worn.”

The three started researching what it would

take to build a company. The idea was born in February and launched just seven months later.

The fall 2015 line debuted in September and features seven different styles for girls ages 1 to 6 years.

Three collections are planned each year:

spring, summer and fall. The styles are modeled after classic and vintage designs of the past.

The dresses for the fall line, which range from $48-$58, were produced in Chicago, and the spring collection, named after the ladies’ great-grandmothers, will be made in Georgia.

Since the company started, the family has grown even closer than before. The women are in communication every day, and their kids are able to enjoy time playing together while they work. The extended family is also very involved in the business and help when needed.

“They are all involved, from watching the kids, folding dresses, picking things up or mailing things,” Sandi said. “It’s really been this amazing support group of encouragement and cheerleaders.”

The ladies took Wind Charmer to the Mt Laurel Fall Festival and the Southern Women’s Show in October, and they plan to be at the Vestavia UMC Magical Marketplace in November.

“We want people to see and touch the dresses and their quality and get a feel of them,” Jamie said. “Seeing them is when you really realize how pretty and well-made they are. We are excited about getting out in the community.”

Future plans include expanding sizes, offering a bubble in the spring line and options for coordinating sister sets.

“Right now I’d say the sky is the limit,” Jamie said. “We started off what we thought was manageable, but not saying we will limit ourselves.

We are open to anything.”

To learn more, visit windcharmer.net.

280Living.com

December 2015 • A19

Above: Speed skating is just one of several exercises Hannakah Rubin includes in her routine when working out at Reformu Reformer Training. Left: Frankie Romano, a certified trainer, demonstrates the use of one of the three machines at Reformu Reformer Training.

Photos courtesy of Ainslie McLean.

Personal trials lead to personal training

By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE Ainslie McLean had been an athlete all her life. But after the birth of her second child, she began experiencing severe back and hip pain, the source of which doctors could not pinpoint.

“I was 31 and seeing more and more doctors, having MRIs, pain blocks and X-rays,” McLean said. “Nothing seemed visibly wrong to the professionals, but the pain just worsened so I stopped all my exercise activities, which was devastating.”

In 2003, a friend convinced McLean to try Pilates using the reformer machine that, she said, gave her instant relief.

“It improved my quality of life to the point that I wish every medical professional knew about its benefits,” she said. “All back pain is not the same, but I found that pain from muscle

tightness and imbalance really improved using this method.”

The Pilates program helped McLean’s condition so much that she became a certified Reformer instructor through Balanced Body University. She has been the owner of Reformu Reformer Training for the past 10 years and recently opened a studio at Inverness Highlands, 5209 Valleydale Road.

There, she and trainer Frankie Romano conduct private classes for individuals or up to three participants by appointment only. The studio features three Reformer machines and, choosing from more than 400 Reformer exercises, McLean develops exercise programs tailored to the needs of each client.

According to McLean, the Reformer is a clinical rehabilitation machine that takes gravity

away from the body and allows resistance training without stress on joints.

“The jump board attachment turns a full body workout program into cardio and calorie burning exercise, as well,” she said.

Hannakah Rubin, 33 and a resident of the Greystone area, has been a client of McLean’s for 2 1/2 years and works with the instructor three times a week.

According to Rubin, she worked out regularly but had hit a plateau and hadn’t been successful targeting certain areas.

“I found that on the Reformer that I was strengthening the muscles in my lower back, targeting my abs and improving the back of my legs, plus I’m much more flexible, my core is stronger and I have better balance,” Rubin said.

“As opposed to going to a gym, this is unique

and varied and the focus is on you. And I’ve done cycling and boot camps but had never seen this type of improvement.”

McLean suffered a heart attack at age 39 and was diagnosed with lupus. But today, at 46, she credits Reformer training for the symptom control and high quality of life she has enjoyed for several years.

“When you don’t feel good and have physical issues, it is not easy to exercise, and this method allows you to have a complete workout including cardio, with modifications to make it safe for people of most any age,” she said. “It’s really a lifestyle choice.”

For more information about Reformu Reformer Training, call 249-0043 or 936-4348 or email Ainsliepilates@gmail.com or Frankieromanotraining@gmail.com.

Experiencing Changes in Your Vaginal Health?

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For more information or to schedule your free consultation, call OB/GYN Associates of Alabama at 205.271.1600 or visit MonaLisaTouchAlabama.com.

A20 • December 2015

280 Living

Local woman takes over at A La Mode

BY LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Sara Calhoun knew for a long time she wanted to own her own business. She graduated from the University of Alabama last May with a degree in restaurant and hospitality management and a concentration on event planning. After working at her dad’s company for a year and a half, an unexpected opportunity came along.

The original owner of A La Mode, located on Doug Baker Boulevard, decided to sell the business just a few weeks after it opened. Calhoun knew the owner from her other business, The Urban Barn, and saw the sale posted on social media. She bought it and took over the business on Nov. 3, just a month after it opened.

“Growing up, I wanted my own place,” said Calhoun, 24. “My dad owns his own business [Fast Signs in Hoover], and I learned from him and saw what he did. I decided I wanted my own business, something small, not a chain. I couldn’t pass it up, it was a perfect opportunity.”

Calhoun is a local product, growing up in Eagle Point and graduating from Oak Mountain High School.

She and her husband, John, were married in June and they live in Chelsea with their golden retriever.

On her first day at the store, Calhoun said she knew most of the people that came in to shop and looks forward to getting to know her customers.

“I grew up going to Asbury, and now we go to Double Oak Community Church,” she said. “Most of the people that come in, hopefully I’ll recognize, since I’ve lived my whole life here.”

Walking into A La Mode, it seems more like a bakery than a gift shop. The smell of various fragrances fills the air and many of the products look like desserts. The store’s inventory includes bath bombs, organic handmade soaps and scrubs, candles, baby and bridesmaid’s gifts, cards and more.

One of the biggest sellers is the bath fizzy milkshake.

A La Mode owner, Sara Calhoun, stands beside some of the products in her store. A La Mode opened in October and sells bath products, candles and gifts.

Photos by Leah Ingram Eagle.

A La Mode

It comes packaged in a plastic cup with a straw, with a loofa on top. Calhoun said many of her products, which she gets from Market in Atlanta and Etsy Wholesale, are organic, handmade and local. She says A La Mode has something for everyone.

“The store appeals to all ages. People buy for themselves, co-workers and family members. You can really shop for anyone,” she said.

Calhoun will have ornaments for sale during the holidays and hopes to incorporate more faith-based items in the store. She plans to be at the store every

• Where: 1401 Doug Baker Blvd Ste. 110 (next to Marco’s Pizza) • Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• More information: facebook.com/alamodebathandbody

day, so she can form relationships with her customers. She has a suggestion box at the checkout to accommodate requests of items she doesn’t have in stock. She will also use Facebook and Instagram to promote her store on social media, and hopes to offer online shopping in the future.

Calhoun is looking forward to this new

adventure, and hopes A La Mode will become a one-stop shop for people in the market for gifts.

“I want this to be place people come when they need a gift,” she said. “It’s a breath of fresh air to sell candles and soaps,” she said. “It’s a change of pace, but I’m excited about it.”

280Living.com

December 2015 • A21

A Blue Lake Christmas Residents in 2 houses on Blue Lake Drive bring smiles to area with creative Christmas decorations

By ERICA TECHO Blue Lake Drive is a popular cut-through to avoid traffic on U.S. 280, but around the holidays, drivers have another reason to stop by.

Around Christmas time, one house on Blue Lake Drive is covered in Christmas lights and decorations. The house next door, on the other hand, only has one outdoor decoration — a sign that says “Ditto” with an arrow pointing to their neighbors.

Kathy McWilliams lives in the “Ditto house” on Blue Lake Drive, and her friend, Nancy McCay, moved in about three years ago and built the ditto sign.

“We came up with the idea like three years before [we put it up],” McCay said. “Because of the busyness of our lives, we didn’t get it done until I moved in.”

After deciding to build the sign, McCay said the whole process took a few weeks.

“It was a challenge because I was trying to use scrap lumber and string lights to make this sign,” she said.

Even after the sign was complete, the slope of McWilliams’ front lawn presented another problem. McCay said she had to wrap an extension cord around a tree and herself for stability while she installed the sign. After that first year, they started putting the sign in an easier place, closer to the road.

Their neighbor, Mike Arbo, first started his extensive Christmas decorations for his daughter. Over the years, they have remodeled their porch and he now has a greater canvas to work with, he said.

Two houses on Blue Lake Drive attract attention around the holidays, one for its elaborate decorations and the other for its “Ditto” sign. Photo courtesy of Nancy McCay.

“I enjoy doing it, and I’m glad people enjoy looking at it,” Arbo said. “Every year I try to do something a little different.”

Arbo said people should feel welcome to drive by and see the decorations, including a surprise he is adding this year. He said he hopes they enjoy seeing the decorations but also remember Christmas is about more than lights.

“I hope everybody has a blessed Christmas

and actually knows the real reason for the season,” Arbo said. “It’s not just all about the decorations.”

McCay said when people find out they live on Blue Lake Drive, people will ask if they know the people in the “ditto house.” She and McWilliams each have a daughter at Vestavia Hills High School, and McCay said both girls enjoy this sort of attention their house gets

around the holidays.

“They just think it’s great,” McCay said. “It tickles them when someone asks if they know the people [with the ditto sign].”

Arbo’s extensive Christmas decorations have also attracted attention before, he said, and he even has families occasionally stop by to comment on them.

“One day there was a family that pulled up in the driveway, and this little boy got out and he gave me a Hershey’s chocolate bar,” Arbo said.

The chocolate bar, Arbo said, was his prize for having the best decorations the family had seen when they drove around town.

When McCay added the sign around the holidays, it was initially a surprise to Arbo and his family, he said, and they enjoyed the joke.

“It thought it was funny as they could be,” Arbo said. “It’s really quite creative.”

While the outside of their house might not show it, McCay said McWilliams goes all out for Christmas. McWilliams makes sure the inside of the house is fully decorated for the holidays, McCay said, and after they set up about half of the decorations, they already have too many. But they choose to leave the exterior decorations to the Arbos, she said.

“Everything we do is just so minute compared to the Arbos that we don’t even attempt the outside,” McCay said.

Despite the different levels of decorating, both Arbo and McCay said they enjoy bringing a little joy to passersby.

“A lot of people come by and blow their horn, and it just thrills us that it makes people happy,” McCay said.

280 Living

A22 • December 2015

A blend of old and new at Bellini’s

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE

Bellini’s new executive chef, Bryan Cates, said he plans for the restaurant menu to focus on fresh, local ingredients. Photos by Frank Couch.

Most chefs focus on the main course when preparing an entrée, but Bryan Cates enjoys cooking the vegetables that complement a dish.

The new executive chef of Bellini’s has a “huge green thumb” and prefers to grow and carefully prepare the greens that land on a customer’s plate.

“After going through school and seeing all these different perspectives of food, there has to be a balance of flavors. You can only taste sweet, sour, salty and bitter. If you have all those flavors, and if there’s balance, things usually taste good,” Cates said.

Cooking was an instrumental part of Cates’ childhood. By the time he was 8 years old, he was learning his way around the kitchen and cooking Southern recipes with his grandmother.

Cates earned the executive chef position at Bellini’s Ristorante on Cahaba Valley Road at only 25 years old.

A North Carolina native, Cates attended college at the International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Charleston and gained experience cooking many different types of food.

“While going to school, I worked in a bunch of different kitchens and cooked Italian, Mediterranean, Southeast Indian street food, French Southern, Mexican, Latin, then back to Italian.”

Shortly after finishing college, he and his wife and their 2-year-old daughter moved to Birmingham. Cates worked alongside chef Chris Hastings at Hot and Hot Fish Club. He started off making salads, then moved his way up the ranks to the wood-burning oven and mastered the art of live fire cooking.

Cates also worked at Basico in Charleston, South Carolina, and the James Beard Foundation at Chelsea Market in New York City. He returned to Birmingham in October. Cates said that in all of his culinary

“

When you have ingredients that are naturally good, you don’t have to manipulate them too much. That’s my philosophy behind food: Don’t fix omething that’s not broken.

”

BRYAN CATES

experience, everything is based on the same principles.

Bellini’s original owners, Doug and Niki Hovanec, were looking for a chef to train under former executive chef Matthew Lagace, and then take over at the new restaurant they’re opening at Lee Branch. When Lagace left to pursue another opportunity, they knew that Cates was exactly what they were looking for.

“As soon as I talked to him on the phone, we clicked,” Hovanec said of Cates. “We share the same ideas within the restaurant. During his time here for his interview, we were sold.

Bryan had all the components we needed in one person.”

Hovanec recalled some particularly flavorful tomatoes and beets that showed Cates’ talent with vegetables.

Cates’ daughters are ages 4 and 1, and he and his wife were happy to be moving back close to family. He said returning to Birmingham was a natural choice, and they will be living in Pelham.

“Here we have help with the kids, the best

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280Living.com

December 2015 • A23

Beef carpaccio with horseradish cream, pesto, rye chips and micro basil.

cost of living and family here, so it was natural to come back here to lay down roots and stay,” he said.

Knowing Bellini’s reputation, Cates said their standard is in line with the top restaurants in town. While he isn’t here to overhaul the menu, he plans to make improvements to current dishes and introduce new ones over time.

“Everyone was a little fearful of me coming

in that I was here to change everything,” he said.

“New chefs get in a new restaurant and clean house and start over. This place has an established client base. People come here and know what they want to get. We are always going to stick to Italian here.”

Cates plans to focus on fresh local ingredients and says Alabama has so much to offer in produce and seafood coming out of the Gulf.

Bellini’s is also home to one of only three wood-burning grills in the city, and he is looking forward to using it.

“I feel like having components of dishes that have something crossed over fire or through smoke gives it that extra elevated nature to a dish,” he said. “When you have ingredients that are naturally good, you don’t have to manipulate them too much. That’s my philosophy behind

food: Don’t fix something that’s not broken.”

Hovanec is looking forward to seeing what Cates brings to Bellini’s.

“He has way too much talent to come in and replicate the same old menu. We are on the same page. Next year we will start to infuse his features. We will work to educate our guests to explain what was changed and why. All the pieces will be working together.”

“

280 Living

A24 • December 2015

” MARLOW

It [this project] was feeling like I could do something that I thought I couldn’t. I could reach my goal and participate in the community and actually have a say.

HANNAH MARLOW

ON A MISSION Briarwood Christian Girl Scout earns prestigious Gold Award for project

By ERICA TECHO

For Hannah Marlow’s leadership project, called “Blessings Both,” she collected soccer equipment donations — including cleats, water bottles, clothes, books and other equipment — and distributed them to NorthStar Youth Ministries in Birmingham and a community in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Photo courtesy of Ginger Marlow.

PHARMACY&Gift

Boutique

Hannah Marlow has looked forward to reaching the senior level of Girl Scouts since she was a Brownie.

Now a senior at Briarwood Christian School, Marlow has received the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve: the Girl Scout Gold Award. To receive the Gold Award, Marlow had to plan and execute a community service project.

“By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, Hannah has become a community leader,” said Mary Charles, interim CEO of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.”

For her leadership project, called “Blessings Both,” Marlow collected soccer equipment donations — including cleats, water bottles, clothes, books and other equipment — and distributed them to NorthStar Youth Ministries in Birmingham and a community in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She started the project in January 2014, went to Brazil that July and received her award in April 2015.

“It [this project] was feeling like I could do something that I thought I couldn’t,” Marlow said. “I could reach my goal and participate in the community and actually have a say.”

Marlow also developed a sustainability plan for the project. The donation drive will be

“

280 Living

A24 • December 2015

” MARLOW

It [this project] was feeling like I could do something that I thought I couldn’t. I could reach my goal and participate in the community and actually have a say.

HANNAH MARLOW

ON A MISSION Briarwood Christian Girl Scout earns prestigious Gold Award for project

By ERICA TECHO

For Hannah Marlow’s leadership project, called “Blessings Both,” she collected soccer equipment donations — including cleats, water bottles, clothes, books and other equipment — and distributed them to NorthStar Youth Ministries in Birmingham and a community in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Photo courtesy of Ginger Marlow.

PHARMACY&Gift

Boutique

Hannah Marlow has looked forward to reaching the senior level of Girl Scouts since she was a Brownie.

Now a senior at Briarwood Christian School, Marlow has received the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve: the Girl Scout Gold Award. To receive the Gold Award, Marlow had to plan and execute a community service project.

“By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, Hannah has become a community leader,” said Mary Charles, interim CEO of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.”

For her leadership project, called “Blessings Both,” Marlow collected soccer equipment donations — including cleats, water bottles, clothes, books and other equipment — and distributed them to NorthStar Youth Ministries in Birmingham and a community in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She started the project in January 2014, went to Brazil that July and received her award in April 2015.

“It [this project] was feeling like I could do something that I thought I couldn’t,” Marlow said. “I could reach my goal and participate in the community and actually have a say.”

Marlow also developed a sustainability plan for the project. The donation drive will be

280 Living

A26 • December 2015

Calls for caution

Fatal wreck at 280 intersection highlights danger Crosses have been placed at the intersection of Dunnavant Valley Road and U.S. 280, which has been the site of multiple fatal accidents.

Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL Shari Hyde can attest to how dangerous the intersection of U.S. 280 and Dunnavant Valley Road is for drivers. As the clinic director of OnMark Physical Therapy in the Narrows, Hyde said she and her staff hear the sounds of an accident outside their office about once every other week.

“That’s not uncommon. We hear wrecks in this area frequently,” Hyde said.

On Oct. 20, however, the collision they heard was no fender bender. An 18-wheeler struck an SUV, pushing it off the road and into the grass in front of OnMark’s office. Hyde said she felt compelled to run to the vehicles, worried that the impact on the SUV’s gas tank would cause a fire.

“I wanted to get any of the survivors to safety,” Hyde said.

Hyde removed an infant from the SUV and handed him to nurse Brandi Hickman from the neighboring office of Dr. Brent McLarty.

She remembers checking on the driver of the 18-wheeler, who looked “very devastated,” as they waited for the paramedics. The crash tragically took the life of the infant’s mother, 25-yearold Jordan Alexa Matson.

It’s difficult for Hyde to talk about the day of that wreck without choking up. It was another unfortunate confirmation of her belief that the Dunnavant Valley Road intersection is unsafe for drivers. According to the most recent ALDOT traffic counts, between 35,000 and 40,000 drivers commute through that area on 280 every day.

With so many vehicles, Hyde said rush hour and the incline on the south side of the intersection make it a prime spot for mistakes.

“It’s a dangerous intersection,” Hyde said.

“Sometimes people are not alert… I believe Highway 280 is not a very safe highway. A lot of it is due to how heavy the traffic is.”

Drivers racing to beat yellow lights, she said,

only compound the problem. Hyde said she would like to see a campaign reminding people to slow down and prepare to stop for yellow lights.

Hyde herself has been rear-ended on 280 before and recalls being summoned to Shelby County jury duty once for a court case about a traffic accident on U.S. 280. The 100 potential jurors in the pool were asked if they had been in a similar wreck, and Hyde said she counted 35 people who raised their hands.

Capt. David Rushton is a member of the Pelham Police Department and heads the county’s multijurisdictional traffic homicide unit. He said he knows of at least three other fatal wrecks

in the area of that intersection since April 2012.

Four miles away from OnMark, Rushton said another fatal accident occurred on U.S. 280 near the Chelsea Publix on Oct. 20, as well.

Rushton said his record of crashes in the area is limited, as his unit is only called to respond to fatal accidents involving multiple vehicles.

Single-car wrecks and those that only cause injuries or vehicle damage are the jurisdiction of the Alabama State Troopers. Attempts to get accident statistics from the Birmingham Troopers Post, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and ALDOT were unsuccessful.

The Oct. 20 accident is still under investigation by state troopers. A GoFundMe for Matson’s

family has raised nearly $32,000 as of press time.

Hyde and her staff decided they wanted to do something to help. All OnMark locations are accepting donations for the families, and they have already delivered their first batch of items.

Hyde recommended donations of gift cards to grocery stores or gas stations, size 6 diapers and wipes, clothing with receipts or checks made out to Nathan Matson. She intends to keep delivering donations as long as people continue dropping them off.

“Anytime someone wants to bless the family, we will deliver to Nathan,” she said.

OnMark has locations in the Narrows, Hoover, Altadena, Helena and Moody.

5

280Living.com

December 2015 • A27

Hidden gems in Oak Mountain’s woods Lake Tranquility cabins a popular destination at area state park

By ROY L. WILLIAMS Hidden in Oak Mountain State Park is an oasis in the woods.

The cabins at Oak Mountain, 10 two-bedroom units surrounding a pool of water appropriately named Tranquility Lake, are hard to find but remain a popular destination, said Kelly Ezell, superintendent of Oak Mountain State Park.

Though the busiest time of the year is the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Ezell said the cabins are also full during October when the leaves in the park are changing colors for the fall season.

“We are booked a year in advance for the holidays,” Ezell said, adding the 10 cabins are completely rented out for the Fourth of July 2016 weekend.

The amenities of Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest public park, are the key to the cabins’ appeal, Ezell said. Lake Tranquility is reserved exclusively for use by cabin guests. Each cabin has life jackets, and there are canoes and fishing boats that can be used for fishing or fun on the lake, she said.

“We appeal to a wide range of people—families, family reunions,

church retreats and youth groups,” Ezell said.

Large groups can reserve the Tranquility Room adjacent to the cabins to hold meetings, and there are picnic tables next to Lake Tranquility. The 10 cabins all have the same floor plan— two bedrooms (one with double beds), a full kitchen and den area. One of the 10 cabins is handicap-accessible, while two of them are pet-friendly.

At 500,000 visitors a year, Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s second most visited public state park.

It is only surpassed by Gulf State Park, which has the plus of being near the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

While most of Alabama’s state parks average 50 percent of visitors from out of state, about 75 percent of Oak Mountain State Park’s visitors are what Ezell called “local traffic” within a few hours away.

“The key to our appeal is that there is so much to do here,” Ezell said. “We have hiking trails that come near the cabins, boats available, a golf course.

A lot of people come to use our bike trails. We have one of the best mountain bike trails in the world.”

Oak Mountain State Park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours are

Oak Mountain’s cabins are located on Lake Tranquility, which is reserved for the private use of cabin guests.

The cabins come with access to boating equipment. Photo by Roy L. Williams.

seasonal and change as the daylight shortens. Typically the park closes one hour before sundown throughout the

year. Daily admission is $4 for adults 12 and older, $1 for children ages 6 to 11, and free for kids ages 5 and under.

Visit alapark.com or call 620-2520 for more information about Oak Mountain’s cabins and other facilities.

280 Living

A28 • December 2015

Minor league memories

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE When Larry “Andy” Andersen signed a baseball contract with the Yankees organization in the fall of 1947, the article in the New York Post overshadowed the signing of another draftee named Whitey Ford.

“Before we signed, I was a bigger prospect than him,” the Cahaba Heights resident said jokingly. “But he went on to the major leagues.”

A New York native, Andersen was offered full athletic scholarships to Florida, Holy Cross and Manhattan colleges when he graduated high school. However, he couldn’t turn down the lure of the big leagues.

Signing a contract at age 19 instead of going to college remains one of Andersen’s biggest regrets.

Looking back, he realizes how much he could have improved his game in college and may have made it all the way to the major leagues.

In February 1948, Andersen headed to Florida for spring training. When he arrived, he saw just how many other talented players were out there.

Playing at the catcher position, Andersen said he could throw a ball through a car wash and make it come out dry.

“You don’t know how good you have to be to play professionally,” Andersen said. “You have to be very, very good. Better than anyone in your town and six towns around you. You’ve got to be special if you’re going to play pro ball.”

Andersen would spend the next 11 years playing in the minor leagues before his career ended in 1958.

Part of that time was spent serving in the military. In joining the Marine Corps, Andersen said it wasn’t until he began training at Parris Island that he realized what he had done. He continued to play on baseball teams at Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton. All the military branches had teams with major league players on them.

“All services are big on athletics,” he said. “We were recruiting Marines in every city we went to.

Larry Andersen was drafted by the Yankees and had a minor league baseball career, including playing on military teams. Photo courtesy of Patricia Rice.

It’s publicity. Sports in the military was awesome.”

Andersen spent his eight months of service in Korea. He drove a truck and remembers having mortars shot at him.

“I was in combat for eight months, 250 days, and was never scared,” he said. “When you’re 22, you’re invincible.”

Andersen has memories of playing against major leaguers including Harry Agganis, Art Houtteman, Sam Calderone and Bob Skinner.

While playing for Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, he was hit in the eye by a pitch from Johnny Antonelli, a left-handed pitcher who later played for the New York and San Francisco Giants and the Cleveland Indians. Andersen would lose that

Now living in Cahaba Heights, Larry Andersen is working on a book about his experiences in baseball and the military.

Photo courtesy of Larry Andersen.

eye to glaucoma 51 years later.

After the armistice was signed in August 1953, Andersen had to stay until December. He arrived back in California on the same boat on which he left: the General Hays. After receiving his discharge on January 8, 1954, Andersen and two buddies were going to take a several week road trip across the country, but his father told him to get home in a week or not to bother coming back.

“One of my other greatest regrets in life is what would’ve happened if I’d gone on that trip,” Andersen said. “But I wasn’t going to disobey my dad, even at 24 years old.”

In late February of 1954, Andersen drove to

Ocala, Florida, to join up with the Birmingham Barons at spring training. Several months later, he was sold to Montgomery where he caught 111 games and hit .262.

After leaving the world of baseball, Andersen worked in insurance until his retirement in 1995.

Andersen and his wife Faye were married for 59 years. They had four children and seven grandchildren. Faye passed away in September 2013 from colon cancer.

These days, Andersen enjoys driving his 17-year-old Lincoln around Cahaba Heights while listening to the “Paul Finebaum Show.”

Andersen said he is also working on a book about his life.

280 Living

A29 • December 2015

An unexpected restoration

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE What started as a project to move an old gristmill from Clanton to Chelsea soon turned into a restoration project that has become one of the area’s newest wedding venues.

David Brogdon, president and CEO of the Brogdon Group, based in Meadow Brook, had begun a development project in North Shelby County.

He wanted to find an old gristmill to move onto the property for the aesthetic novelty of the spinning water wheel.

When a friend told Brogdon the historic Shannon Mill in Clanton was for sale, he went to see it the next day. He made an offer onsite and closed within a week. After the purchase, Brogdon decided the mill would not survive a move, and instead made plans for a restoration of the entire property, which included 2.5 acres of land and a waterfall, along with the mill and all of its contents.

The original structure, built in the 1850s, was destroyed by a flood, rebuilt in 1934, and then bought in 1945 by H. H. Miller, whose family would own it for the next 60 years.

Still containing much of the original equipment dating back to before the Civil War, the mill could once produce 4,500 pounds of cornmeal, flour or grits daily. The products were sold in over 200 stores in seven surrounding counties. Today, the historic mill is only one of a few still standing across the state, and one of the only, if not the

The Brogdon Group in Meadow Brook originally bought the Shannon Mill to move it to Chelsea. Instead, they decided to restore it and use it as an event venue in its original Clanton location. Photo courtesy of David Brogdon.

only, still operational water-powered mills in Alabama.

“We left all the working stuff in place and built the bridal suite around the working components,” Brogdon said. “We put about $40,000 worth of windows in this building, and you can see all the belts and pulleys, as the bridal suite overlooks the waterfall.”

Chris Reebals from Christopher Architects in Birmingham oversaw the design of the renovation, while

workers from the community showed up in droves to play a role in bringing the beloved property back to life. A landmark of Chilton County, Brogdon said the community was thrilled about the prospect of the mill being restored.

“We had people stop and want to help work on it, or have their pictures made in front of it,” he said. “The mill went through generations of people in Chilton County, but no one around [Birmingham] had heard of it or seen it.”

The project was extensive and included providing indoor plumbing and grading the land to make a parking lot. Brogdon, however, kept the rustic charm of the mill, including its 16-foot waterwheel.

The full renovation only took about four months and was completed last November, in time for the Brogdon family’s Thanksgiving celebration, followed in December by the Brogdon Group’s corporate Christmas party.

To make some of the money back, Brogdon came up with the idea of turning it into an event venue for weddings, parties, corporate day retreats and even football game-watching parties. The working boardroom includes a 120-inch screen, 3-D projectors and plenty of speakers. As word about the venue spreads, inquiries for events are rolling in.

“Weddings are booking up, and we have a whole calendar full of things coming up in the next few months,” Brogdon said.

Brogdon has a passion for Alabama history, and said it was an honor to give the mill new life to be a place for others to enjoy. The Miller family was also grateful for the restoration of the property that was in their family for generations.

“The Millers came to the open house and were all smiles,” Brogdon said. “Chilton County has been all behind us. We see the mill it as a revenue producer, and for them, it’s a new business to bring more people into their county.”

Details • Yellowleaf Creek Mill, 1321 Chilton County 249, Clanton • Phone: 280-0903 • Email: info@yellowleafcreekmill.com • brogdonproperties.com/ yellowleafcreekmill

280 Living

A30 • December 2015 41

SUBDIVISION

CO UN T LB Y SH E

THE CREST AT GREYSTONE

CR ES T

BROCK POINT

E

THE COVE AT GREYSTONE

GR EY ST ON

eastern side of Hoover, “there’s been nothing really new there,” Murphy said. Those people have had to look for an existing home rather than a new one, he said.

Murphy said he has talked to Belcher and Signature Homes CEO Dwight Sandlin about their plans, and said, knowing them, they have probably done a lot of homework about the market demand before moving forward with this project.

When Signature came to the Hoover City Council for annexation, a couple of residents expressed concerns about the impact such a development might have on the Hoover school system.

Councilman John Lyda said he analyzed numbers with Hoover Finance Director Robert Yeager and determined Hoover schools would receive more in property taxes from the proposed subdivision than it would cost to educate the number of students expected from it.

History has shown that 97 homes in that price range would produce 32 students at most, Belcher said. Yeager, who formerly was chief financial officer for the Hoover school system, confirmed those numbers are historically accurate.

Lyda and Yeager estimated Hoover City Schools would receive $2,032 per home in Brock Point on average, for a total of about $197,000.

The Hoover school system pays $4,184 of its own money to educate each student on average, so 32 students would cost Hoover about $134,000, Lyda said. That would mean a $63,000 surplus for Hoover City Schools.

Hoover schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy said Belcher informed her about Signature’s plans for Brock Point. While every new home development does have an impact on the school system, Murphy said she feels comfortable that Hoover City Schools can handle 20 to 30 more children on that side of town.

“That’s not a deal-breaker for us,” she said.

Councilman Gene Smith, chairman of the council’s Annexation Committee, said the land in question is on the eastern side of Hoover and “there are no overcrowding issues when it comes to the education system out there.”

Smith said he would be surprised if Brock Point

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A map, top, of Brock Point’s location, and, above, the proposed lot layout. Courtesy photo.

produces 30 children for Hoover schools. Most people who can afford a home at that price are older and don’t have children in K-12 schools, he said.

Plus, police and fire services already are in

place, Smith said.

“We wouldn’t have to add anything,” he said.

Councilman Jack Natter said he saw no reason not to annex the property.

Lyda said the city stands to gain $660,000 in sales tax revenues from construction of the homes, as well.

Bluff Park resident Dan Fulton questioned the reliability of the numbers provided by Lyda and Yeager, saying they are only estimates. He believes the city of Hoover has not been giving enough money to Hoover schools, limiting its contribution to the school system to $2 million a year since fiscal 2009.

“I consider that unacceptable. I think you can do better,” Fulton said.

A 1 percentage point increase in the city’s sales tax could bring in an extra $20 million, which could be used to help the school system address budget deficits and build more schools, Fulton said.

“They’ve done it in Trussville very successfully. They’ve done it in Gardendale very successfully,” he said.

Lyda said Fulton is the only Hoover resident he knows who is in favor of a sales tax increase.

Bluff Park resident Robin Schultz said he is concerned that Hoover would need to build another fire station to serve Brock Point. Getting a fire truck from Hoover Fire Station No. 8 in Greystone up and over Double Oak Mountain to Brock Point is quite a haul, he said.

Lyda said it’s only about three miles and the fire chief isn’t concerned about the annexation.

“We trust our experts,” he said.

Belcher said the late Compass Bank founder Harry Brock formerly owned the property and donated it to Samford University, and now Signature Homes is working with Samford to develop it.

The 103 acres includes a 13-acre lake that Signature Homes plans to leave in place, Belcher said. Plans call for 33 houses to be on the lake.

At the planned price point, Signature Homes expects to build two to three homes per month and complete the subdivision in three to four years, Belcher said.

Lot sizes would be comparable to The Cove at Greystone next door, he said. He described the average lot size as being 120-140 feet in width and 200 feet deep.

The developer’s zoning petition estimates initial land disturbance to be 9 acres, with homes sites designed to preserve the natural features of the property.

280Living.com

December 2015 • A31 Bill and Laurie Kinnebrew are two of Santa’s helpers.

They attend events and take photos to help out the big guy at the North Pole. Photo courtesy of Bill and Laurie Kinnebrew.

SANTA

CONTINUED from page A1 been a fun holiday to celebrate, he said, because it’s also his birthday, his mother’s birthday and his younger brother’s birthday.

“Christmas was always gigantic around our house,” he said.

But it wasn’t until five years ago when he was at dinner with his wife, Laurie Kinnebrew — also a helper to Mrs. Claus — that he decided to start making appearances as Santa Claus.

“We just made him a suit and put him out in the world, and he liked it,” she said. “We didn’t know what we were doing when we started this.”

Now that his beard is a little longer, he is recognized even more. As the holidays get closer, more and more people will ask him to take photos around town.

“Most of the pictures I get are at gas stations,” he said. “I won’t even stop to get gas if there’s a lot of people there if I have to go somewhere.”

Even though being recognized means daily tasks take a little longer, some fun stories come out of it. One of his favorites is about a time he got to perform with Rick Carter from the band Telluride. Over the years, he became friends with Carter, who does weekly performances at a local church.

“He goes every week of the year and does sing-alongs, and he picks up his phone [to show a picture] and says, ‘I’ve got this guy who said he’s going to come along and sing with us,” Kinnebrew said. “He’s going to do Jingle Bells with us.”

The woman Carter was talking to was an old family friend and said, “Sure, I know Bill Kinnebrew,” taking Carter by surprise.

Another time he was recognized at a University of Alabama football game.

“Bill and his mother were walking [in Tuscaloosa] and he hears this little girl say, ‘Mommy, even Santa Claus likes Alabama,” Laurie said.

As Santa, he does a little bit of everything.

Sometimes he’ll stop by people’s houses before Christmas to chat and take a few photos. Other times he will meet with large groups of families to take photos.

Over the years, he said, he has learned a lot

about taking photos and getting the best shot with Santa. He said he encourages families to take their time rather than rushing their children during photos. When kids are given time to walk around, it is sometimes easier for them to approach Santa. Older siblings can also set an example for younger siblings.

“If they’re doing family pictures, if they will let all the big kids that want to kid around with me, if you’ll let them do it, all the little ones are like, ‘Oh, I want to do that,’” he said.

Laurie also helps out during photos because kids don’t always recognize her. Sometimes this means Santa can sneak in for a photo while she’s talking to a child.

Most of his weekends are occupied as one of Santa’s helpers, but each year a few opportunities and visits will stick out.

“Every year, you’ll have a lot of kids, and they’re all fun,” Laurie said. “… But every year, we’ll have one that really just captures your heart.”

One year, they were able to visit a little girl on her one and only Christmas. She was born with a genetic disease and her parents knew she wouldn’t live for more than a year. Santa went to visit the little girl so her parents could preserve the memories.

“That was a very special trip,” she said. “They

wanted to do everything they could. They knew she was not going to survive.”

Kinnebrew has also visited hospitals and doctors offices around Christmas time. One year, he met a little boy recovering from severe burns at Children’s of Alabama. The boy was riding around the hospital in a little red wagon, and his demeanor stuck out.

“He was just so happy,” he said.

He will also visit youth groups at churches around the holidays and open the floor to questions.

“That is the most fun to get up in front of 300 or 400 people, and you’re his … strike man,” he said. “He’s always got this story, and they scare you to death about what he’s going to talk about.”

Sometimes it’s intimidating, he said, because there is no way to know what questions people will ask. Other times, some of the audience members will help answer their peers’ questions. “[One time] one little boy looked up and said, ‘Santa Claus, where’s your reindeer?’ And another little kid went, ‘Dummy, they’re on the roof,’” Laurie said.

This year, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the Chelsea Christmas Parade on Dec. 19. For more information on him, visit Santa Claus – Birmingham, Al on Facebook.

HOLIDAY PHOTO TIPS

from Mr. and Mrs. Claus

1

Don’t rush the photo.

Sometimes meeting Santa can be intimidating, and once one child starts crying, it could set off a similar reaction in other children.

2

Let the big kids talk to Santa fi st. They will have the chance to chat and joke around with Santa, and their younger siblings will be more comfortable.

3

Start with Mrs. Claus.

She can be less intimidating because children don’t see her around everywhere. She’s also less busy than Santa sometimes and can chat with kids before they take their photo.

WANT TO SEE HIM? This year, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the Chelsea Christmas Parade on Dec. 19. For more information on him, visit Santa Claus – Birmingham, Al on Facebook.

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280 Living

SECTION

B From humble to huge neighborly news & entertainment

Events B7 Gift Guide B10 Opinion B22 Faith B23

DECEMBER 2015

Chelsea readies for 16th annual Christmas parade

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Gerri Roberts remembers the first time Chelsea had a Christmas parade. The little procession got some accidental help to lengthen it.

“It was small, but it was fun,” she said. “Two trains went through during it, or else it would have been over in 10 minutes.”

Roberts is the GIS coordinator for the city of Chelsea. In 1999, she told her husband, Keith, that the Chelsea community needed a Christmas parade similar to the one in their former hometown of Grapevine, Texas. After he spoke with the mayor, the annual event began, and continues to grow and be a tradition for many families.

For the past nine years, Roberts has been the one planning it.

Now in its 16th year, the Chelsea Christmas Parade has 70 to 80 entrants each year. This year’s parade and Christmas Village will be on Saturday, Dec. 19, starting at 10 a.m.

The newly completed Chelsea Community Center will serve as the parade’s starting point and the floats will follow Highway 49 to

See PARADE | page B20

Riders on the Chelsea Orthodontics float throw gifts to parade watchers in the 2014 parade. Staff photo.

B2 • December 2015

280 Living

280Living.com

December 2015 • B3

280 Living

B4 • December 2015

Entering the history books Hoover Historical Society looking ahead to city’s 50th anniversary

Left: Pamela King, left, and Carolyn Kolar hold an aerial photo of the early development of Hoover inside the Hoover Historical Society’s archives. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.

Above: This map, painted by the founder of the Hoover Historical Society, shows the growth of Hoover, with different colors indicating different years of expansion.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL When Hoover celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017, it won’t be just another milestone. UAB history professor and author Pamela King said most historians consider a place historic once it reaches that 50-year marker.

In advance of this important date, the Hoover Historical Society is beginning work on its 50th anniversary book about the city. The society has hired King to dig through the archives and piece

together the story of the city that grew out of a Birmingham suburb.

“When people think of Hoover, they think new, and they think suburb and they think ‘What is Hoover?’ That’s my perception being out in the community,” King said. “So one thing that fascinates me about Hoover is trying to understand what it is … what drives it, what holds it together.”

The book is going to focus particularly on the past 25 years, since the HHS created a book

celebrating the city’s first 25 years, but King said the entire history will be included.

Carolyn Kolar, the HHS president, said they are finding old maps and articles to write the book, but they also have a unique opportunity to interview some of the earliest residents.

King and the society have talked to former mayors, early developers and the city’s first fire chief, among others.

“You can ask them what they were thinking, what they did, what the biggest controversies

were – obstacles, successes, regrets – from the people who have actually been on the ground doing it,” King said.

As they research, King said she is particularly interested in the personality of Hoover and how it quickly distinguished itself from the city of Birmingham. Within a diverse city, King said she has discovered a consistent sense of pragmatism and a desire to provide the best quality of life for its residents. And, Kolar added, community involvement.

280Living.com

December 2015 • B5

Top right: An aerial shot of Hoover in 1957, before the city incorporated. Photo courtesy of Hoover Historical Society.

Hoover’s first fire department started with six paid firefighters in 1972. Photo courtesy of Hoover Historical Society.

“[Hoover] doesn’t seem to let itself get commerce. So development is its story,” King derailed by newness, change. It’s really adapt- said.

When Hoover became large enough to begin able,” King said. “From what I can gather, the people that live here love it here.” experiencing “big city problems” such as trafThe paths of interstates and highways out of fic, commerce and immigration, King said her Birmingham shaped the expansion of Hoover research shows the city adapted well. from the beginning. King said Hoover is unique “It seems to me that Hoover has moved because, unlike many cities, it does not have a through all of those things pretty sanely,” King definable town center. said.

“Hoover doesn’t exist without transportation.

As King and historical society members It is a childW2W of interstates, basically, and of course explore their archives, they’re not just looking vestavia half page 1215.pdf 1 11/11/2015 11:52:40 PM

for information from the early years. Recent changes, such as Hoover’s adoption of highly planned neighborhoods such as the Preserve and Greystone, are just as much part of the city’s story.

“Hoover keeps up,” King said.

The book is planned to come out in 2017, and King said there will be pictures and maps to accompany the narrative. Kolar said celebration plans have not been made yet, but the 25th anniversary was a big deal, and she expects the

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Bottom right: The first Hoover City Hall as seen in 1972. Photo courtesy of Hoover Historical Society.

same for Hoover’s 50th year.

Kolar said she wants this book and the 50th anniversary to bring new members to the HHS and new contributions to their archives, as readers “will realize that we’re making history, it’s important to preserve the history.”

“Just because they’re recent doesn’t mean they have no value,” Kolar said.

Keep up with the historical society’s activities at hooverhistoricalsociety.org.

B6 • December 2015

280 Living

Your Health Today

By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer

W

e are entering into the frenzy of the holiday season and although there is the anticipation of Christmas festivities and family traditions, we all know that stress is looming on the horizon. Outside of this isolated holiday season, stress is everywhere!

Traffic, work, to do lists, poor health, chronic pain, depressing news reports …the reasons for stress are endless and all of them take a toll on two tiny hardworking organs called your adrenal glands. James Wilson, in his book Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, says “it is their job to enable your body to deal with stress from every possible source, ranging from injury and disease to work and relationship problems. Your resiliency, energy, endurance and your very life all depend on their proper functioning.”

These walnut sized glands sit atop the kidneys, towards the back of your body, and secrete more than 50 different hormones.

The center of the adrenal glands is called the medulla, and it releases hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline. The medulla plays a crucial role but it does not release any hormones necessary for life. It increases heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen and temporarily

improves your eyesight. The cortex, outer layer of the adrenals, controls a wide variety of vital functions with the heart, GI tract, genitalia, bones, and immune system. These two tiny glands regulate the hydration and electrolytes, control our response to stress, maintain pregnancy, initiate and balance sexual maturation and puberty, and produce sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.

It is obvious that the adrenal glands play exceedingly important roles, both in the vital and non-vital functions of our bodies, so ensuring their health is crucial. When the adrenals are fatigued, hormone levels begin to decline and a host of symptoms begin to arise such as: depression, tiredness even after sleeping, skin issues, allergies, severe cravings, poor memory, low sex drive, and autoimmune disorders. Those who struggle with adrenal fatigue often feel fluctuation of sleepiness and bursts of energy in the evening.

In our caffeine addicted society where most people are leading 90mph lifestyles, exhaustion seems completely normal and is often ignored. Furthermore, most adults are juggling high stress careers with their kids’ rigorous extracurricular schedules and the invisible social requirements to keep up with

Don’t stress, glide through the holidays the Jones’s. We are simply doing too much!

So very few people would ever think twice about waking up in the morning and still feeling groggy, because their lifestyle warrants such issues.

Along with a more wholesome diet, rest, water, to mention a few, chiropractic care can help your body adapt to the stress in a more balanced manner. Additionally, we carry nutritional support products to rehab poor adrenal function. Reaching the point of adrenal burnout took time, therefore repair and recovery takes time as well. Some situations can take anywhere from 6 to 24 months for mild to severe adrenal symptoms to dissipate.

At Chiropractic Today, we provide liquid herbal tonics and whole food supplements in the office to counteract fatigue symptoms and begin the process of restoring the health of your adrenal glands. Most of our practice members feel relieving changes within days of giving their tired adrenals some tender loving care.

If you feel as though you have any level of adrenal fatigue or burnout, reducing stress is key. Also, you will want to incorporate a nutrient-dense diet that maintains balanced blood sugar levels, regular exercise to burn

off the negative effects of stress hormones, and consider adding an enjoyable hobby or spiritual practice to bring emotional equilibrium.

A good starting point to determine the status of your adrenal health is simple. At Chiropractic Today, we look at the symptomology and lifestyle, evaluate your stress questionnaire, among other factors to determine a strategy to coach you forward toward living and being 100% balanced, healthy and well.

We are committed to being the place you can regain and enhance your health through the most natural way possible.

Come January, many in our community participate in a 21 day fast in conjunction with one of our local churches. People often give up coffee, sugar, junk foods or social media just to name a few. For those considering new healthy habits in January, whether through a church event or personal health goals, we provide a 21 Day Cleanse and Purification System which is a great tool to cleanse the liver, adrenals, intestines, lose weight and ultimately transition smoothly into a wheat and sugar free healthy way of life. Give us a call or visit our website for more information!

280Living.com

December 2015 • B7

Events

Student talent on display in holiday programs

This year’s fundraiser will feature free refreshments, crafting activities for kids and a visit from Santa Claus, who is scheduled to make a guest appearance. Staff photo.

AWC gears up for bake sale fundraiser The Alabama Wildlife Center (AWC) will host its annual Holiday Craft and Bake Sale Fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Veterans Park on Valleydale Road. A variety of items will be sold at the event, including homemade baked goods, original wildlife artwork, jewelry and handmade quilts and throws.

The event will also feature free refreshments, crafting activities for kids and a visit from Santa Claus, who is scheduled to make a guest appearance and will be available for pictures from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“We are able to provide a great venue and forum for people in our community to come do their holiday shopping and take care of their holiday entertainment needs, all while helping out a wonderful cause,” AWC

Executive Director Doug Adair said.

Those who attend will also have the opportunity to meet glove-trained birds from the wildlife center, as they will be showcased in a Birds of Prey show that will take place during the event.

Serving as a primary fundraiser for the AWC, Adair said, the holiday sale will be a great opportunity for fellowship and fun, enabling the center to continue its impactful work.

“We depend on the support of the people who believe in what we do in order to fulfill our mission,” Adair said, “so opportunities to generate that support, such as the holiday craft and bake sale, are very important.”

For more information, call 663-7930.

While they may be counting down to Christmas break, area students are also getting ready to present their holiday programs and concerts.

Be sure to mark these events down on your calendar to watch students share their holiday cheer. ► Dec. 3 – Chelsea Park “Season’s Greetings!” Second graders and the fourth and fifth grade Harmony Hornets will perform Christmas songs. Chelsea Park lunchroom, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 3 – Oak Mountain Intermediate Christmas Program. OMHS Performing Arts Center, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 4 – OMHS Christmas Dinner at the Oak. Oak Mountain High School jazz and ensemble band performance. OMHS Cafeteria, 6:30 p.m. ► Dec. 7 – Chelsea Middle Choir Show. Chelsea Middle School cafeteria, 6:30 p.m. ► Dec. 8 – OMHS Winter Choral Concert. Meadowbrook Baptist Church, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 8 – Forest Oaks Choir. The Overtones show choir will perform.

Forest Oaks Elementary, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 8 – Chelsea Middle Bands Concert. Chelsea High School auditorium, 6:30 p.m. ► Dec. 10 – Chelsea High’s Holiday Extravaganza. The band, choir and theater students will perform.

Chelsea High School, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 10 – OMHS Christmas Band Concert. Oak Mountain High School, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 10 – OMES Bluebird Choir. Third grade students will perform. Oak Mountain Elementary, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 11 – Inverness Christmas Program. Second graders will perform. Inverness Elementary, 9 a.m. ► Dec. 14-15 – OMHS Christmas Drama Shows. Oak Mountain High School, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 15 – OMES Christmas Program. First graders will perform. Oak Mountain Elementary, 6 p.m. ► Dec. 15 – Mt Laurel Elementary Christmas Program. The Knightingales and first, third and fifth graders will perform. Metro Church of God, 6:30 p.m.

Morningstar UMC to host ‘Blue Christmas’ Morningstar United Methodist Church is hosting a new type of Christmas worship called “Blue Christmas,” and it will be Sunday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m.

“We really felt led to address the fact that the Christmas season is not all bright lights, joy and tinsel for many people who find this as one of

the darkest and loneliest seasons in life,” Morningstar UMC Pastor Mark Puckett said.

The night is geared toward finding hope and overcoming life-changing events such as death and loss.

Morningstar UMC is located at 11072 County Road 11 in Chelsea.

280 Living

B8 • December 2015

Hoover Library Theatre puts on ‘Scrooge – The Musical’ with a twist

By JON ANDERSON Most people likely have seen some version of Charles Dickens’ famous “A Christmas Carol” story before, but probably not quite like the version to be presented Dec. 3-5 at the Hoover Library Theatre.

Director Jack Mann and a cast of 21 actors will be putting on a stage version of “Scrooge – The Musical,” with a twist.

Theatergoers who come to the show will get to see the story of Ebenezer Scrooge as he transforms from a miserly, bitter businessman into a person with a more generous spirit, with the help of some apparitions.

But this production is a bit unusual, Mann said.

“We’re actually letting the audience see how the show is put together,” he said.

When the audience first arrives, they’ll pretty much see a blank stage instead of an elaborate set, Mann said. As the show progresses, the set is put together scene by scene, he said.

The set, being created by Hoover Public Library employees Greg Patterson and Scott Littleton, will be rather minimal on purpose, Mann said. The audience will get to use their imagination to envision what the surroundings look like, based on the dialogue and actions of the actors, he said.

“It’s a great experience for the actors and I expect will be a pleasant one for everyone involved,” he said.

Plus, the audience will get to see the actors working backstage to some extent, Mann said.

Instead of exiting the stage for costume changes, someone will bring some of the actors their

Cast members in “Scrooge -- The Musical” rehearse a song at the Hoover Library Theatre.

Photo by Jon Anderson.

clothes for a change on the stage, he said.

“A Christmas Carol” was adapted into a screen musical in 1970 by writer-composer-lyricist Leslie Bricusse. It then began making the rounds as a stage musical, including new songs not included in the movie.

The show has about 25 songs, including some instrumentals, and lasts a little more than two hours with an intermission, Mann said.

“It’s got some great music and some wonderful children playing the Cratchit children,” the offspring of Scrooge’s employee, Bob Cratchit.

There are 45 characters in the musical, played by 21 actors, Mann said. “Almost everybody in the show will be playing more than one character,” he said.

The cast includes many names that are familiar in the Birmingham area theater community,

including: Howard Green as the old Scrooge, Kyle Holman as the ghost of Scrooge’s former partner Jacob Marley, Ben Burford as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Mr. Fezziwig (the proprietor of a warehouse business), Suzanne Mann (Mann’s wife) as the Ghost of Christmas Past, and Julia Hixson as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

Mann said he has worked with everyone in the cast in previous productions.

Casting began about six months ago, and rehearsals started in the last week of October and are going well, he said.

Matina Johnson, fine arts coordinator for the Hoover Library Theatre, said she chose Mann to direct the musical because he’s such a well-respected director in the Birmingham area and has worked well with the Library Theatre before.

“We wanted to do a high-quality Christmas production to bring in the families,” Johnson said. “He has connections with incredible cast members, and we knew it would be a top-quality production.”

Ticket sales have been going strong, and Johnson said she expects to sell all 250 seats for each of the three shows.

“It’s a great family show to be able to bring the kids and grandkids,” she said. “We’re really excited about it.”

The show is scheduled for Dec. 3-5 at 7:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are $25 plus a $2.50 processing fee per ticket and can be purchased online at thelibrarytheatre.com or by calling the Library Theatre box office at 444-7888 or visiting the box office at 200 Municipal Drive between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

1493 Montgomery Highway Vestavia, AL 35216 • 205-874-9586

280Living.com

December 2015 • B9

Race to the Heights back for 6th year

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The Church of the Highlands Grants Mill campus will have the sixth Annual Race to the Heights 5K on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015.

The race will offer two different course options: road and trail. The scenic trail course is for advanced runners and is carved out through the woods behind the church.

The road race goes down Overton Road and

is stroller and pet friendly.

Registration is $30, and the primary purpose of this race is to raise funds for Trafficking Hope, a local organization whose mission is to end human trafficking.

For more information, visit traffickinghope. com.

The race will start at 8 a.m. To register for the race, visit active.com and search “Race to the Heights 5K.”

Meadow Brook Runs returns to 280

An entire shift of police officers rush into the lake for the 2014 Polar Plunge.

Photo courtesy of Deputy Debbie Sumrall.

By ERICA TECHO

Registration open for annual Polar Plunge

By ERICA TECHO It’s almost time to take the plunge for Special Olympics Alabama.

This year’s Polar Plunge, a fundraiser where community members run into the lake at Oak Mountain State Park for charity, is set for Jan. 30.

All donations and funds raised from the event go to Special Olympics Alabama, an organization that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

The event includes a costume contest before the plunge, a bonfire and time for people to buy food

Runners take off during the 2014 Meadow Brook Runs. Photo courtesy of MRuns.com

and drinks in addition to the actual plunge.

To take the plunge, there is a minimum $50 donation. Individuals are encouraged to donate as much as they can, and while $50 includes a shirt for the plunger, participants can receive more swag as they donate more. There’s also a chance for those who don’t want to go in the water to participate.

“Even if you don’t want to plunge — if you’re too chicken to plunge — you can purchase a “Too chicken to plunge” T-shirt and laugh at the fools running into the water,” Sumrall said.

For more information about the event or to register, visit specialolympicsalabama.com.

Meadow Brook Runs is returning to north Shelby County for its 21st year.

The 5K and 1-mile fun run, which starts at Aliant Bank and winds through Meadow Brook Corporate Park, is set for Sunday, Dec. 19.

The event, which benefits The Jesus Video Project of Alabama, will have a few differences from past years, said event organizer Bob Cosby. One difference is that Race Krewe, a company out of Auburn, is handling the registration and timing of the 5K. “He has a pretty fancy system, and we’re looking forward to having them do the timing for us,” Cosby said.

The Game Truck, an 18-wheeler filled with family-friendly video games, also is stopping by the event, Cosby said.

Other than those changes, the event will remain the same. In addition to the 5K and fun run, there will be a dove release and the Taste of 280, where attendees can sample foods from local and nearby restaurants.

Through the past 21 years, Cosby said, it has been interesting to see how the area and businesses around the event have changed.

Meadow Brook Runs • When: Dec. 19 • 7:30-8:45 a.m.: Registration and packet pickup • 9 a.m.: 5K race • 10 a.m.: 1-mile fun run • 10:30 a.m.: Awards ceremony

“To survive all of those changes is really a miracle, and I don’t take credit for it,” he said.

The event is rain or shine, Cosby said, and it will only be canceled if the roads ice over.

“I try to make it so worthwhile that people can’t stay home,” Cosby said. “We’ve got the running, which is the healthy thing, and then we have food and the huge prize drawing.”

Pre-registration is by mail, and the entry form is available on line at meadowbrookruns.org. The entry fee is a suggested $15-25 minimum donation. There will also be on-site registration at the Aliant Bank at 1100 Corporate Parkway, starting at 7:30 a.m.

B10 • December 2015 For the

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280 Living For the

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Highland Shoe Company 250 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 200 999-8849

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Vietri Old St. Nick 2015 Limited Square Platter $189 This 15.75” festive platter is a collector’s item with each platter signed and number by the artisan.

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280Living.com

December 2015 • B11

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280 Living

B12 • December 2015

JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies owner shares go-to holiday recipe

WHAT’S COOKING

By SYDNEY CROMWELL We’ve all wished at one point or another – especially around the holidays – that we possessed a new, showstopping recipe, particularly one that chefs and restaurant owners rely on to wow their customers or families.

Well, wish no longer.

In this new series, we ask local culinary professionals to dish out the details on some of their favorite creations. Today, we talk with JaWanda Jackson of JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies, 5291 Valleydale Road Suite 111.

Q: How long have you been cooking?

A: Since I was 9 years old.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job?

A: Oh that people enjoy them [pies]! That’s one of the greatest satisfactions.

Q: If you have to bring a dish to a Christmas party, what’s your go-to recipe?

A: Rice and corn casserole.

Q: Why do you like this recipe?

A: Because it’s quick and easy. And it tastes good.

RECIPE

► 1½ cups cooked rice ► 1 can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed ► 1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup ► 1 cup water ► 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese ► Seasoning salt and pepper (to taste) Combine rice, corn, soup and water in bowl and stir in ½ cup of cheese. Season to taste. Pour into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

ALTERNATIVES

You can use a half can of cream of chicken and a half can of cream of mushroom instead of one can of either. You can also replace the corn with up to 1 pound of ground beef chuck.

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JaWanda Jackson presents a dish of rice and corn casserole, one of her favorite easy and fast recipes.

Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

280Living.com

December 2015 • B13

Patriotism by the truckload Logistics, support make National Wreaths Across America Day possible

McLeod Software employees and their families help lay wreaths in a Hoover cemetery during the 2014 National Wreaths Across America Day.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL National Wreaths Across America Day will be a time of reflection, as people lay Christmas wreaths on military veterans’ graves across the country Dec. 12. Behind this act of service and honor are hundreds of truckers who will make the day possible.

Mark Cubine, the vice president of marketing for McLeod Software, said that Wreaths Across America has strong support from the trucking industry, including the Truckload Carriers Association and the American Trucking Associations.

McLeod, which is located on Acton Road, provides business software for national trucking and logistics companies. These clients first told

them about the annual December project.

“We literally have hundreds of customers involved in this project,” Cubine said. “There’s a strong sense of patriotism in the trucking industry and a desire to honor the service members.”

The trucking industry’s support isn’t just financial. Every year, truck drivers volunteer to transport thousands of wreaths for free so local chapters can lay their wreaths. Marynell Winslow, who heads the Hoover chapter of Wreaths Across America, said their wreaths are made in Maine each year and transported to Birmingham by willing drivers.

Cubine said without this support, the transportation would be a “very big expense” for Wreaths Across America to shoulder. McLeod has been

Wreaths Across America Day is a national event to lay Christmas wreaths on the graves of military veterans. The trucking industry nationwide is a big supporter of the event, including transporting the wreaths for free each year.

Photos courtesy of McLeod Software.

involved with Wreaths Across America for a few years. Cubine said the company promotes the project to its software customers and provides financial support for Winslow’s Hoover chapter.

In addition, several of the company employees volunteer in the wreath-laying ceremony each year.

“As soon as we became aware of it, we got involved,” Cubine said. “This is a way we can show our appreciation for the service members.”

Employees often participate in the ceremony not only to recognize veterans who served their country, but also to teach their children about respecting that sacrifice.

“It’s very emotional for people,” Cubine said.

“A lot of employees appreciate the opportunity

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to involve their families more.”

Winslow said her chapter plans to lay about 640 wreaths at the Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Hoover on Dec. 12, one for every veteran interred there. Capt. Robert Newsome is leading another participating group, which plans to lay wreaths at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo. He said the group is trying to raise enough money to place wreaths on nearly 4,000 graves, and they typically get a few thousand volunteers on the day of the ceremony.

The national website, wreathsacrossamerica. org, has more information about the project, as well as ways to get involved in the project in Hoover, Montevallo or any of the 15 other Alabama locations.

280 Living

B14 • December 2015

Dashing for diabetes research

Photos by Frank Couch

Racers and volunteers gather around the finish line for a group picture after the Diabetes Dash.

Sarah Guilaume and Kristin Toms make their way to the finish line in the Diabetes Dash at Veterans Park on Oct. 24, 2015.

Walkers pushing strollers make their way along the course.

December 31, 2015.

December 31, 2015.

Runners came to Veterans Park on Oct. 24 to participate in the Diabetes Dash. The race was sponsored by the Key Clubs of Vestavia Hills, Oak Mountain and Spain Park to raise money for diabetes research. The

race included 1-mile, 2-mile and 5K distances.

Kaylee Dressback took the top female spot with a 5K time of 18:49, and Albert Dasher took the top male spot with a time of 21:55.

280Living.com

December 2015 • B15

BIKES on the BEACH Photos by Patty Bradley

Clockwise from top left: Pelham Mayor Gary Waters at Bikes on the Beach.

Oak Mountain State Park welcomed motorcycle enthusiasts in late October with a new event called Bikes on the Beach.

Mike Napoli shows off his Harley-Davidson Road King Classic.

Army Staff Sgt. David Lee sits on his Harley and enjoys the view in front of Double Oak Lake.

B16 • December 2015

280 Living

HOOVER HAYRIDE &

FAMILY NIGHT

The Shoemaker family, above, enjoys games at Veterans Park. Right: A child uses all his might to inflate a balloon.

An estimated 10,000 people showed up for the seventh annual Hoover Hayride and Family Night at Veterans Park on Oct. 29. Food vendors included Papa John’s Pizza, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Chick-fil-A, Urban Pops and Repicci’s Italian Ice. Photos by Patty Bradley.

280Living.com

December 2015 • B17

The night’s activities included hayrides, seen above, face painting, balloon twisters, a photo booth and a disc jockey, plus lots of free candy. Photos by Patty Bradley

280 Living

B18 • December 2015

280 LIVING

Pelham deputies and firefighters brave the cold waters during the annual Polar Plunge at Oak Mountain State Park in January. Staff photo.

A person hula-hoops during the 11th annual Brenda Ladun Conquer Cancer event in March. Photo by Madison Miller.

Kim Scott is overcome with emotion when her husband surprises her at her graduation. Photo by Jessa Pease.

280Living.com

December 2015 • B19

Clockwise, from bottom right: Grandview Medical Center CEO Keith Granger (left) tours the hospital location in January, prior to its October opening. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

Chelsea’s firehouse dog Hero was placed in “jail” to raise money for Children’s of Alabama in June. Photo by Erica Techo.

Ralph Vicens, left, and his wife, Susan, embrace his son, Koa, who gives the “hang loose” sign after his early graduation ceremony at Chelsea High School in May. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

A child enjoys shaved ice during the town of Mt Laurel’s annual Spring Festival in April. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

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280 Living

B20 • December 2015

The Chelsea High School Marching Band performs a medley of holiday songs. Staff photo.

Above left: Little Miss Chelsea participants wave during the 2014 Christmas parade. Above right: Forest Oaks cheerleaders bring holiday spirit to the parade. Staff photos.

PARADE

CONTINUED from page B1

Hero the Firehouse Dog rides a float in the parade. Staff photo.

Highway 47 and end at the Winn-Dixie shopping center. If the weather cooperates, a large turnout is expected.

“It’s rained the past two years, so we’re hoping for better weather this year,” Roberts said.

The parade will feature 12 large professional floats, which are rented from a company in Georgia. The fire department, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts lead the parade and carry the flags. Tiffany Bittner of WBRC will serve as the emcee. Also participating in the parade will be beauty queens, dance studios, the Chelsea High School Band and more.

“The band loves to be a part of the parade. We’ve been in it every year. We don’t wear our uniforms, we wear special Chelsea blue band hoodies. Everyone has a good time,” said Chelsea High School Band Director Dane Lawley. “It’s really good, because the Chelsea parade is the Saturday after we get out of school. It’s such a big deal and the kids are all excited about it.”

Lawley said about 220 students will march with the band – 184 from the high school and the remainder from the seventhand eighth-grade bands at Chelsea Middle.

They will continue their yearly performance of “Christmas Carols on Parade,” a medley of holiday songs.

Things will kick off before the parade begins at the entertainment stage, located

280Living.com

December 2015 • B21

Above: Santa and Mrs. Claus always make time for the Chelsea Christmas Parade. Right: Kids throw candy from the Chelsea Chiropractic and Farmers Insurance float. Staff photos.

The 2015 Christmas Parade route.

behind the Winn-Dixie shopping center. Performances will begin at 9 a.m.

Before, during or after the parade, guests can shop the Christmas Village. Located at the end of the parade route, across from the grandstands in the acreage behind Dairy Queen, the booths will be open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Held in conjunction with the parade, the open air village will feature sweets, arts and crafts, gifts, a silent auction and more.

Started in 2012, the first Christmas Village featured 77 booths. This event is sponsored by the

Yellowleaf Ridge Estates Homeowners Association, and money raised will benefit the Yellowleaf HOA in their building and expanding of Dogwood Creek Park, an area located in the subdivision.

Brenda Mellen, who serves as Yellowleaf HOA president, is heading up the event again this year. She coordinates the vendors and booths and the fees they pay are what benefits the HOA. “Everything we make from Christmas Village goes directly into the park,” she said. “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. We are still building the infrastructure of one big bridge, and need

a second one. We want to make it where you can do a complete loop around the park without getting muddy.”

The vendors in Christmas Village will be selling everything from wreaths, jewelry, wood carvings and food.

“I always tell people to bring a variety of different priced items,” Mellen said. “We usually have a little bit of everything.”

One of the new vendors this year will be selling chocolates, Mellen said. Other fair type food, such as kettle corn and funnel cakes will

be available.

Following the parade, Santa Claus will tour surrounding neighborhoods with a Chelsea Fire Department engine serving as his “sleigh.”

Shelby County Commissioner Bill Kinnebrew will be wearing the red suit again this year.

For more on the parade or in the event of inclement weather, visit cityofchelsea.com or call 678-8455. For more on the Christmas Village or to find a vendor application, visit yellowleafhoa.com and click on “Christmas Village 2015.”

280 Living

B22 • December 2015

Opinion

A month of reflectio December is a month of reflection for me. It’s the time of year when I think back at everything that has happened. It seems to me with all things considered, the good times usually outweigh the bad.

When viewed in this way, it allows me to put things into perspective.

Most people don’t keep journals, so trying to remember how their year went is difficult in December. If they had a job setback in the fall, they lose sight of the fact that they had an incredible vacation in the mountains in the spring and found a long lost friend during the summer.

My bookshelf has a special section for my leather-bound journals that date back to the 1970s. They are filled with life experiences I can revisit and relive anytime I choose.

At the end of each year, I look back over my journal to see where I’ve been, who I’ve seen, what I’ve eaten, the victories I’ve celebrated, things that made me laugh and also see what lessons the losses can teach me.

I’m often surprised at how much I’ve done, and left undone. It’s easy to beat myself up when I dwell on the latter too much.

My wife Jilda and I do a vision board each January, and we begin collecting pictures for our board in December. A vision board is a piece of thick poster board with pictures clipped from newspapers, magazines and other sources that depict things we want in our life for the coming year.

Our friends figure big on our boards. Mine is filled with group photos with our smiling-faced friends. I’m not sure it’s possible to spend too much time with your true friends.

I have pictures of a CD, of famous music producers and a gold record hanging on a wall. Each morning when I look at the board, I imagine how great it would feel when we have one of those hanging on our wall. We didn’t meet a famous producer this year, and we don’t have that gold

record on the wall yet, but we recorded our first CD as a duo. As the old joke goes, you can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket.

My vision board also has a picture of a cruise ship. In the 40 years we’ve been married, we’d never taken a cruise until this year. A vision board keeps the things I want fresh in my mind, and like most people, I tend to do the things I think about.

Some people I’ve shared this idea with call it a bunch of hooey. I thought about the naysayers this past spring as I basked in the warm sunshine with a tropical breeze blowing on my face as I lounged on the bow of a ship in the Gulf, sipping on a frou-frou drink with a colorful umbrella in it.

Vision boards might be a bunch of hooey, but they work for us.

December is not a month of reflection for everyone. As I sit here writing today, I think of people who’d rather rip December right off the calendar and start the New Year with a clean slate.

There are many reasons for this. Stress over finances, or family gatherings that for some, are more painful than a stone bruise.

I think that another reason is that when people suffer loss in December, the holidays tend to amplify the sadness. I know first hand that when you dwell on sadness, the burden weighs more during the holidays.

But The Good Lord, for the most part, is an excellent accountant and, over the long haul the balance sheet will show if judged by an impartial witness, that the good things in life usually outweigh the bad.

Happy December.

Rick Watson is a columnist and author. His latest book, Life Changes, is available on Amazon.com. You can contact him via email at rick@homefolkmedia.com.

My South

By Rick Watson

Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell Sometimes things just seem meant to be.

Bill Kinnebrew, the Santa Claus in our cover story, seems like he was just born for the role. In addition to looking like our beloved holiday icon, Kinnebrew was born on Christmas and shares the birthday with two family members. I may be a little too old for Santa to bring me presents, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy some Christmas magic.

Kinnebrew will be donning his red suit for the Chelsea Christmas parade this year, as well as his visit to area neighborhoods.

Aside from the parade, there are several holiday events for your family to enjoy prior to Christmas day. You can run off some winter calories at Race to the Heights or Meadow Brook Runs. You can also visit Blue Lake Drive to see some great Christmas lights, or participate in the Wreaths Across America ceremony to honor veterans on Dec. 12.

I have to give a special recommendation to attend the Alabama Wildlife Center’s craft and bake sale, as I have been a volunteer in their clinic. Not only is the sale a great chance to buy locally-made Christmas gifts, but it supports the great work the center does to keep Alabama’s wild birds and environment healthy.

I hope the holidays are a time of happiness and safety for you and your family, whether you take part in these events or prefer to celebrate at home. As we prepare for a new year, I also hope you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on 2015, its highs and lows, and make plans for where you want to be when I’m writing this note in December 2016. I wish you confidence and peace in these final days of the year.

280Living.com

December 2015 • B23

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

When life gets dark and we need light When I worked for an electric utility, we had a joke inside the company that nobody thinks about their electricity until the lights go out.

Only then, when you’re stuck in the darkness, do you realize how desperately dependent you are on your power source.

Electricity is easy to take for granted. Most people don’t think about all the systems and employees working hard behind the scenes to keep homes and communities running. You don’t realize how many conveniences electricity provides until you’re suddenly without them.

One minute you’re happily engaged in an activity, and then out of the blue ... bam!

You hear a snap and your entire house shuts down. Now, you can’t do anything.

You can’t make coffee. Or work on the computer. Or charge your cellphone. Or cook dinner.

Or blow-dry your hair.

Or perform a thousand other activities you normally enjoy without a second thought.

Five seconds earlier, you felt so capable. Now, you just feel helpless. All the plans you hoped to accomplish have flown out the window.

Your first move, typically, is to look for light.

You find something — a candle, a flashlight, a lantern — to help you make sense of the

darkness. And as you fumble in the darkness, you realize how powerless you are. It comes to your attention that ultimately, you’re at the mercy of a force greater than yourself.

This relationship many of us have with electricity reminds of the relationship we have with God. Because when everything is good, and the lights turn on at the flip of a switch, we take God for granted. We forget how He’s the power source making our lives smooth and easy.

Every good thing is a gift from God. Eyes that see, legs that walk, lungs that breathe, minds that think, hearts that love and feel — they’re all products of grace. Only by His grace do we wake up alive each morning. Only by His work behind the scenes can we enjoy the freedoms and abilities we have.

Nobody likes to be stuck in darkness, but the truth is, that’s where we learn to appreciate God. When our hearts are humbled and we’re crying out for help, we notice His little gifts. We see His magnificent power. We call on Him to restore us, because He’s the only One who can.

Of course, darkness can also bring out our worst. It leaves us irritated and on edge. Just as irate customers call electric utilities to blame them for the storms that knock down power

lines, we often blame God for the hardships and inconveniences we face due to evil forces or sin.

Why would a loving God allow us to suffer?

Why would we face a major life power outage when our neighbor across the street is basking in light?

In our dark moments, the whys add up. We want answers to His mysteries. And if we believe our situation is hopeless, or God has deserted us, we’ll be miserable. We’ll sit passively in the darkness, dwelling in self-pity.

But there’s a better option, and that is to look for light, to get up and find a flashlight of faith.

Flashlights can’t illuminate an entire room, but they do project a beam. And that beam is just enough to reveal our next step.

John 16:33 says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

This verse tells us in advance that hard times and troubles are inevitable. We’ll all face times of darkness.

But if we plant our hope in God and accept the light He sends into the darkness through his son Jesus, we can survive. Even if our life gets ripped out of the socket, and we’re lost in a once familiar place, Jesus walks with us. He points our

flashlight toward the path of God, directing us to move closer to Him. It’s natural to be scared of the dark. It’s understandable why we get disheartened and discouraged by the darkness we witness in real life and on TV. But the bigger news is, there’s hope. There’s a breaking story called Christmas. Because the baby born in a manger is the light of the world. He came to conquer darkness and offer eternal life.

It’s always a joyful moment when the lights come on after a dark spell. With praise and gratitude, our hearts instinctively sing. This Christmas season, I wish you a similar celebration.

I pray you rejoice in the gift of light and feel empowered by the light of Jesus, who will defeat darkness in the end and reminds us in the meantime that when we walk with Him, we can be strong and brave.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, a columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

SECTION

C

Sports C4 School House C12 Real Estate C16 Calendar C17

DECEMBER 2015

COMING CLEAN Hoover man shares his story of heroin addiction and recovery

By ERICA TECHO

D

alton Smith has an addictive personality. He started drinking in his early teens. As a student at Spain Park, he smoked and sold marijuana, eventually progressing to psychedelic drugs. He was addicted to heroin before he graduated from high school.

“A lot of kids, they get drunk, they feel miserable, they don’t want to do it ever again — they’re done,” said Smith, who is now 21 years old. “But I remember thinking, when can I do it again?”

That desire for getting high and feeling high didn’t stem from a major tragedy, Smith said. His parents got divorced when he was 10 years old, but he said he wouldn’t consider that a tragic turning point in his life.

“I grew up in a great family,” Smith said. “I had anything that I wanted. I had nothing wrong with my childhood. I didn’t have a traumatic childhood like a lot of people like myself. I didn’t really have that.”

While some kids could drink alcohol or smoke marijuana once and never go back, Smith said he couldn’t do that. He would want to be drunk or high again as soon as he could.

“A lot of kids won’t even think about it,” he said. “They’re like, ‘That’s not for me.’ But for me, I’m all or nothing. I didn’t care; it sounded fun to me.”

At first, addiction did not have a large impact on his life. He still played sports and did well in school. He was still the guy other

See HEROIN | page C15

Dalton Smith poses while sharing his experience with drugs, including heroin, and how he was able to break his addiction to what he calls the “devil drug.” Photo by Frank Couch.

C2 • December 2015

280 Living

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280Living.com

December 2015 • C3

280 Living

C4 • December 2015

Sports

Stidfole takes second in state meet OMHS varsity boys place 4th

By SAM CHANDLER By nearly all accounts, Oak Mountain junior cross-country runner Cole Stidfole should love the 5K course at Oakville Indian Mounds Park.

In each of his first three high school seasons, the Eagles’ standout posted personal-best performances on the firmly packed and relatively flat course, blasting through the elite 16-minute mark as a sophomore and recording the fastest time (15:20.45) of any Alabama prep runner earlier this season.

But no matter how fast he traversed the terrain, Stidfole had never been first to the finish, placing third at last year’s state meet and second at two previous races this fall.

For 3.09 miles of the 3.1-mile Class 7A race at the AHSAA State Cross Country Championships on Nov. 14, it looked like his championship moment had finally come.

Then, history repeated itself.

After leading for almost the entire race, Stidfole was passed by the 2014 state champion and familiar foe, Auburn’s Paul Barlow, in the closing meters, getting edged just strides before the line.

“I was leading the whole race because nobody else will lead,” Stidfole said, “and I just got passed at the very end, which is usually what Barlow does, sits and passes everybody at the end, but it’s all right, he ran a good race.”

The two fastest times at the state meet, Barlow’s 15:30.52 was less than two seconds ahead of Stidfole’s 15:32.48.

“It’s a repeat of what happened last year.

Above left: Oak Mountain’s Cole Stidfole runs stride for stride with Hoover’s Tommy McDonough approaching the two-mile mark in the Class 7A boys race at the state meet Nov. 14. Stidfole would go on to finish second and McDonough sixth in the championship race. Above right: Oak Mountain’s Nicole Payne hangs with the lead pack near the end of the first mile in the Class 7A girls race. Payne, a state champion on the track, finished sixth overall. Photos by Sam Chandler.

It’s the same guy that, he was leading for the majority of the race and just got outkicked,” Oak Mountain coach Kyle Dudley said. “I hate it for him, he’s such a competitor. He’s such a good kid, works so hard and you know he wants to be first, and any good competitor would.”

Behind Stidfole’s runner-up showing and an All-State, 11th-place performance from junior Caleb Van Geffen (16:09.51), the Oak Mountain boys totaled 102 points and secured a fourthplace finish.

“My hat’s off to the other teams because we had some really, really outstanding races today,” Dudley said. “I know you always want to go for that state title, it didn’t happen this year, but I think we’ve laid a good foundation by making it here this year and hopefully in the future we’ll be contending again.”

Nicole Payne, the lone female qualifier from Oak Mountain who won the 7A 400-meter state title on the track last spring, also garnered AllState honors, rolling to a sixth-place finish in

18:47.24.

“I’m happy with how she did,” Dudley said.

“An elite performer in anything from the 200 to the 5K, that’s a special athlete.”

In the 1A-2A division, the girls from the Westminster School at Oak Mountain narrowly missed winning a state team title. Maddie Hoaglund (4th), Sarah Kate Lipperd (5th), Camryn Neal (10th) and Hannah Richburg (13th) earned All-State recognition, leading the team to a onepoint runner-up finish behind St. Bernard.

280Living.com

December 2015 • C5

Former Oak Mountain star, MLS standout Chandler Hoffman gives back with soccer camp

Chandler Hoffman kisses the 2014 MLS Cup. Photo courtesy Chandler Hoffman.

By DAVID KNOX Major League Soccer’s Chandler Hoffman wants to give kids an opportunity to see that someone who grew up in Alabama can make it to the highest level of American soccer.

He wants to provide an opportunity to learn drills and skills that will improve their individual performance.

More than anything, the former Oak Mountain standout wants to help them have fun, and enjoy “the beautiful game.”

He will be doing just that in December when he holds a pair of camps for aspiring soccer players at SportsBlast. The boys camp for ages 8-16 will be Dec. 21 from 9-11 a.m. The girls camp will be Dec. 22 at the same times. The camp is $50.

Born in Birmingham, Hoffman played high school soccer at Oak Mountain High from 2006-2009. He led Oak Mountain to two state championships and was a two-time Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year and NSCAA High School All-American.

Hoffman became the first player from the state to play at UCLA, where he starred from 2009-2011. Hoffman was a M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist, NSCAA Third-team All-American, First-team NSCAA All-Far West

selection, First-team All-Pac-12 honoree, Second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American, First-team Academic All-District and Pac-12 All-Academic.

After his outstanding junior season at UCLA, Hoffman was offered a Generation Adidas contract by Major League Soccer, which he accepted. He attended the MLS Player Combine, January 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, then headed to Kansas City, Missouri, for the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. He was selected in the first round (as the 13th overall pick) by the Philadelphia Union, becoming the first player from Alabama ever selected in the MLS SuperDraft.

Hoffman made his professional debut on March 31, 2012, when he started for the Philadelphia Union in a regular season home game at PPL Park against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Hoffman scored the game-winning goal in a friendly on May 9, 2012 vs. the popular European club FC Schalke 04.

On the eve of the 2013 season, Hoffman was traded to Los Angeles Galaxy for a conditional 2014 MLS SuperDraft pick. He played two seasons with the LA Galaxy and won the 2014 MLS Cup while there. He was picked by Houston Dynamo in the 2014 re-entry draft and spent the 2015 season with Houston.

Indian Springs’ Yeager signs with Lipscomb University

By DAVID KNOX There is a reason Indian Springs School won the Class 3A, Section 8 softball championship last season and a reason to expect them to be good again this upcoming spring.

That reason, senior Chloe Yeager, signed with Lipscomb University in Nashville on Nov. 12 at the school’s library.

Yeager is the first Division I softball signee in the school’s history. Lipscomb plays in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Coached by Kristin Ryman, the program has won 30 or more games for seven straight seasons.

Yeager, who is a right-handed pitcher/first baseman, plays softball both for Indian Springs School and for the Birmingham Vipers, a girls’ fast-pitch travel team.

“Chloe is not only our best softball player, she is also a delight to work with,” said Indian Springs School coach Richard Theibert. “She helps the other players and always brings up their level of play. We know she’ll be a great asset to Lipscomb.”

Vipers coach Ryan Parks has coached Yeager in more than 450 games. He pointed to her strong character as the secret to her success.

“She has competed in 10 national championships. She has had two top 10 finishes [for ASA Nationals], two [ASA] state championships, and multiple national top 25 [ASA and PGF] finishes. She has sacrificed, and through it all she has stayed super-dedicated, with focus and discipline and her desire to be a great player.

That’s why she is where she is. She gives 100 percent.”

Yeager, who pitched the Indian Springs School Softball Team to the 2015 Area Championship in May, has been named a USFA World Series Champion in 2011, an ASA State Champion in 2011 and 2015, and an AHSAA All-South All-Star in 2015.

“My experience at Springs has been life-changing,” says Yeager. “Not only have I grown academically, but being able to serve in a mentoring role on the softball field has allowed me to grow as an athlete as well.

Springs has prepared me for my next chapter at Lipscomb University, and I could not be more excited.”

Yeager was 14-3 last season, throwing two no-hitters, with a 0.25 ERA. She struck out 127 batters, and she also batted .675. She projects as a pitcher for the Lady Bison.

280 Living

C6 • December 2015

PREP HOOPS

JAGS

By SAM CHANDLER Spain Park junior guard Jamal Johnson hasn’t forgotten the fluke play that abruptly ended his sophomore season and unexpectedly dashed the Jags’ hopes of competing for the inaugural Class 7A state title.

In the opening round of the 7A, Area 6 tournament facing a sub-.500 Vestavia Hills team, the Jags, who were missing star sophomore center Austin Wiley due to a stomach illness, experienced a stinging defeat when Rebels guard Spencer Haynes converted an improbable four-point play with just over three seconds remaining in regulation, draining a second-chance turnaround 3-pointer and ensuing free throw.

For Spain Park, which had just earned the No. 2 ranking in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll prior to the tournament, a season on the brink turned instantly into disappointment.

“We’ve been thinking about that play ever since it happened, and it just motivates us to work harder and just never be in that opportunity again,” Johnson said, “and just become a better basketball team, love on each other and just work harder every day.”

As an immensely talented player and emerging leader on a Jags’ squad with a new, although familiar, head coach in former boys and girls lead assistant Donnie Quinn, Johnson enters the 2015-2016 season ready to help carry Spain

Spain Park hungry for run at state championship

Park far past the first round of the area tournament.

“We just have to come out every game focused, like everybody wants to beat us,” Johnson said, “and we’ve just got to have the mindset to work hard and always not take anybody for granted and just come out with full intensity against every opponent.”

Committed to bringing an intense focus to each game, a lesson learned through the heartbreaking area defeat, Johnson’s season approach directly mirrors that of his head coach.

At the Birmingham metro-area high school media days Nov. 4, Quinn made it resoundingly clear that the key to Spain Park’s success will be its ability to give maximal effort and attention to each team it faces.

“We try to take one, you know you hate to say it, one game at a time, but really that’s all you can do,” Quinn said, “because if you start looking ahead, you’re definitely going to trip over somebody and then lose a game somewhere.”

Although they lost only six contests last season, the Jags look fully capable of lowering that number even more this winter, especially if Johnson can improve on his sophomore statistics.

An ASWA All-State Second Team selection, the 6-foot-4 Johnson, son of former Alabama standout and NBA veteran Buck Johnson, posted 17.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 2014-15.

Add in Wiley, who recently committed to Auburn, along with senior

Justin Brown, and the Jags boast a trio that will be difficult to contain.

To reach its peak, however, Quinn knows his team will need to depend on more than just three players.

Competing in a perpetually tough area against fellow title contenders Hoover and Mountain Brook, which regularly have the personnel to limit opposing stars, Quinn’s emphasis is on developing a solid supporting cast.

“For us to be able to win each game that we play, we’re going to have to find a way of bridging that gap between high talent and just regular, good high school players,” Quinn said, “but it’s the good high school players that are going to make us win.”

Despite being limited by a preseason groin injury that sidelined him for nearly two months, Johnson, currently ranked the No. 51 recruit in the Class of 2017 by Rivals.com, made leaps of progress that should help foster that concept.

Unable to fully physically participate, Johnson viewed the injury’s silver lining, shifting his attention to maturing as a team leader on and off the court while building tighter relationships with his teammates.

Now healthy and eager to dive into the season, he is prepared to set the tone, bringing his team closer together as it begins its collective quest to the top, one day at a time.

“I think that’s what I’m most excited about,” Johnson said, “getting everybody to work together and reaching for our potential.”

Spain Park’s Jamal Johnson stuffs home a bucket against Vestavia Hills last season. Photo by Ted Melton/ActionSportsPix/SmugMug.com.

NOT WELCOME HERE.

Oak Mountain Middle School Cahaba Valley Rd. (North Shelb Library)

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5600 Cahaba Valley Rd.

Turning away unwanted houseguests since 1965 663-4200 | www.vulcantermite.com

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December 2015 • C7

Oak Mountain aims to improve

By SAM CHANDLER On paper, the Oak Mountain boys basketball team had a dismal 2014-2015 season.

Over the course of the winter, the Eagles accumulated an 8-20 overall record, collecting only one win, a 62-51 defeat of Thompson, in Class 7A, Area 5 play.

What goes overlooked, however, is the number of games the Eagles had a plausible shot of winning. Despite racking up a staggering amount of losses, more than a few of those could have ended up in the win column, as the team lost seven games by five points or less.

Although other intangibles certainly factor in, the simple math suggests the team had the

PREP HOOPS

EAGLES

potential of going 15-13 instead of 8-20.

This year, the Eagles will aim to reverse their fate, converting those could-have-beens into momentous wins.

Led by 6-foot-4 senior Thomas Youngblood, a dual-sport athlete who also starred in the Eagles’ secondary during football season, the team will look for improvement in perhaps the most talent-laden hoops pocket in the state.

Junior guard Joe Lanzi is returning for the 2015-16 season, bringing with him the perimeter game. Photo by Cari Dean.

Chelsea rebuilding after Sweet 16 season

By DAVID KNOX Nick Baumbaugh, in his first season as Chelsea head coach, impressed Class 6A, Area 10, taking the Hornets all the way to the Sweet 16.

Now, with seven seniors gone, he’ll need some of his talented young players to mature quickly to come anywhere close to matching that.

Chelsea 16-16 in 2015, does return some experienced and outstanding guards. Matt Marquet, Aaron Washington and Joe Lanzi are back to provide the perimeter game. Lanzi will run the point while Marquet, the outstanding football quarterback, and Washington will be the go-to scorers.

There’s no one inside to replace Darrell

PREP HOOPS

HORNETS Foster, so it will have to be done by committee.

Baumbaugh still thinks he has the talent to win back-to-back area titles, something Chelsea has never done. Oxford and Pell City are the other teams in the area.

Chelsea will participate in the UMS-Wright Christmas Tournament in Mobile and the Shelby County tournament in mid-December, as well as hosting its North Shelby Tipoff tourney around Thanksgiving.

Briarwood will look to big man inside

By DAVID KNOX When you lose a player like Justin Brown – one of the area’s top players, who averaged 20 points a game – you’ve got some adjustments to make. Briarwood Christian coach Bobby Kerley hopes to do that by leaning on his big man inside.

Brown transferred to Spain Park, which is good news for the Jaguars. Not so good for the Lions.

But Kerley has 6-foot-8 center Thomas Collier.

“Thomas Collier will be the centerpiece of the team,” Kerley said. “His ability to score around the rim, rebound at a high level and defend our rim [is] critical to our success.”

Kerley also has an outstanding perimeter threat.

“Senior Jeffrey Travis, a 5-8 shooting guard, is one of the best shooters in the county and will start,” Kerley said. Senior David Corbin, 6-4, 185, will start at power forward. “He is a terrific athlete, rebounder and defensive player,” the coach said.

There are six seniors on the team. Guards Luke Dyson and Drew Bonner and center RJ Jennings will provide much-needed experience and depth.

PREP HOOPS

LIONS

Even with all of that senior leadership, two sophomores will play critical roles for the Lions.

Carson Donnelly will start at point guard and Brayden Blythe will be a key piece of the puzzle as he plays multiple positions, Kerley said.

The fifth starter had yet to be determined heading into the season.

There are three juniors on the team. Forward Luke Miskelley and guards Barrett Tindall and Tripp Burns will contribute off the bench.

Some key players – about half the roster – were still on the football field until the Nov. 13 playoff loss to Austin, so they’ll take a while to round into round-ball shape. They’ll need to do it quickly, because the schedule started off fast and furious with six games in eight days just a week after the football season ended.

The Lions, 14-14 last season, do look to be a decent shooting team, but not the most athletic in the area, which includes Final Four participant Homewood, Pelham with star big man Alex Reese and John Carroll Catholic in Class 6A, Area 9.

280 Living

C8 • December 2015

Oak Mountain football recap

By DAVID KNOX

Game 9, 10/23 OAK MOUNTAIN 41, THOMPSON 37

Oak Mountain closed Class 7A, Region 3 play with a thrilling comeback win over Thompson 41-37.

Senior quarterback Warren Shader went out in style in his final home game at Heardmont Park, rushing for four touchdowns and passing for another as the Eagles improved to 4-5, 3-4.

Shader rallied his team from a 24-7 halftime deficit and a 31-7 third quarter margin. Shader and Coleman Reeves each ran for short touchdowns to trim the margin to 31-20 after three quarters.

Shader’s second touchdown run pulled the Eagles within 31-26 with 7:35 to play, but the Eagles’ try for a two-point conversion failed.

Thompson answered on Walker Lott’s 1-yard TD run for a 37-26 lead with 6:10 to play.

Shader scored the final two touchdowns of the game, both from a yard out, in the final three minutes. Reeves also had a two-point conversion run late.

Shader also passed for 297 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown to Payton Youngblood. Youngblood had seven catches for 105 yards. Daniel Salchert rushed for 119 yards on 19 carries.

Game 10, 10/30 OAK MOUNTAIN 20, PELL CITY 14

At Pell City, the Oak Mountain Eagles closed out their season with a

20-14 win over Pell City, locking up a 5-5 season.

Quarterback Warren Shader wrapped up a stellar career by throwing for a touchdown to Preston Christopher, and Coleman Reeves scored on a 9-yard run in his final game. Junior running back Daniel Salchert added a touchdown.

Shader found Christopher for a 23-yard touchdown pass with just over six minutes to go in the first quarter to put the Eagles on top 7-0, a lead they held through the end of the quarter.

Pell City tied the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter, and were within striking distance again late in the quarter before Thomas Pechman picked off an errant pass deep in Oak Mountain territory with under a minute to go in the half to preserve the tie game going into the half.

The Eagles came out firing in the third quarter, and posted 13 points in the quarter, which proved to be the difference in the game. Reeves found the end zone on a 9-yard run with less than five minutes to go in the quarter. On the next Oak Mountain possession, on the first play from scrimmage Shader found Reid Golson for a 53-yard completion to the Pell City 26. Daniel Salchert then found the back of the end zone with just 23 seconds left in the quarter to give Oak Mountain a 20-7 lead.

Pell City added a touchdown to cut it to 20-14, but the Eagles defense stiffened and held off the Panthers.

Shader was 12-for-28 passing for 154 yards. Reeves rushed the ball 13 times for 124 yards.

Hall Morton had nine tackles on the night while Josh Jones finished with 8.5 as well.

Oak Mountain’s Reid Golson takes off after catching a pass from Warren Shader against Pell City. The 53yard gain set up a Daniel Salchert touchdown in the Eagles’ season-ending win over the Panthers. Photo by Barry Clemmons.

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December 2015 • C9

Chelsea football recap

By DAVID KNOX

Game 9, 10/23

CHELSEA 38, OXFORD 17 Chelsea never trailed in beating Oxford 38-17 in Oxford, locking up the No. 3 spot in Class 6A, Region 3.

The Hornets (7-2, 4-2) led just 14-9 at halftime, but pulled away in the third quarter with two touchdowns and a field goal to post a commanding 31-9 heading into the fourth quarter.

Matthew Marquet and AJ Jones each ran for a pair of touchdowns and Zalon Reynolds added one. Tyler Thomas kicked a field goal.

The Hornets’ powerful running game was too much for Oxford. Jones led the Hornets with 126 yards rushing, and Reynolds added 120. Marquet rushed for 71 yards and was 5 of 9 passing for 92 yards. Chelsea had 403 yards of total offense.

Michael Waller led the defense with seven tackles.

Game 10, 10/29

THOMPSON 56, CHELSEA 21 Chelsea closed the regular season with a visit from Class 7A Thompson, and Warriors running back Carlos Stephens and quarterback Walker Lott were too much to handle.

Stephens rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries and Lott connected on 9 of 12 passes for 233 yards and four touchdowns as Thompson beat the Hornets 56-21.

The Warriors (5-5) racked up 631 yards of total offense. They led 33-14 at the half.

Quarterback Matthew Marquet scored two Chelsea touchdowns, a 10-yard run in the first quarter and a 2-yard rush in the third quarter.

He rushed for 69 yards on 13 carries and went 8 of 17 passing for 136 yards. AJ Jones added an 8-yard TD run in the second quarter.

Chelsea’s Zalon Reynolds charges down the field in a game against Blount County. Photo by Cari Dean.

AHSAA playoffs, First Round, 11/6 BLOUNT 41, CHELSEA 28

Chelsea was a prohibitive underdog, traveling to Prichard to face Blount, but the Hornets almost pulled off the upset, losing a 41-28 decision n the first round of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A playoffs.

The Hornets forced six turnovers and led 28-21 at halftime.

Blount (10-1) took to the air to pull out the

win. Kadarius Toney passed for 303 yards and four touchdowns.

With Blount leading 35-28 with 1:15 to play, the Hornets drove into the red zone with a chance to tie, but Matthew Marquet was sacked on fourth down.

AJ Jones scored two touchdowns, finishing with 67 yards. Zalon Reynolds led with 125 yards and a score. Marquet threw for one score and ran for another.

Chelsea coach Chris Elmore was disappointed in the outcome but not his team’s performance or effort.

“I couldn’t ask more of these players. They

played well and did all we asked. We played as hard as we could, but just weren’t able to finish it.

“Our goal tonight was to come down here and play the absolute best we could play, and I think we got pretty close to doing that. It wasn’t for lack of effort or trying.”

Chelsea finished 7-4. It’s the most wins in a season since 2011, which was the last time the Hornets made the playoffs.

In Elmore’s third season, it marked continual improvement. Chelsea was 4-6 in his first year, 6-4 last year, and 7-4 this year with a playoff appearance.

280 Living

C10 • December 2015

Briarwood football recap

By DAVID KNOX

Game 9, 10/23

BRIARWOOD CHRISTIAN 34, JOHN CARROLL CATHOLIC 12 The Briarwood Lions clinched a playoff berth for the 23rd straight season when they knocked off John Carroll Catholic 34-12.

Lions quarterback William Gray accounted for three touchdowns, and Carson Eddy caught one TD pass and ran for another. Gray racked up 106 yards, and Eddy collected 109 yards.

Carter Bankston returned an interception for a touchdown.

Briarwood finished Class 6A, Region 5 play with a 4-3 record, and 4-5 overall.

Game 10, 10/30

MADISON ACADEMY 27, BRIARWOOD CHRISTIAN 22 At Madison, Briarwood Christian closed the regular season with a 27-22 loss to Madison Academy.

Briarwood led the home team 22-21 when Madison Academy’s Malik Miller scored on a 1-yard run with 3:16 to play.

The Lions had rallied from a 21-9 deficit with 13 fourth-quarter points.

Josh Browder kicked three field goals for Briarwood, and then William Gray scored on a 1-yard run and connected with David Lowry for a 49-yard touchdown pass with 5:46 to go to give the Lions the 22-21 lead.

After the Mustangs regained the lead, the Lions had one last shot, taking over on their own 20. Gray drove the Lions downfield, but the drive ended at the Mustangs’ 30 when Gray’s pass was picked off with 44 seconds to play.

Gray went 9-of-12 passing for 199 yards.

Briarwood dropped to 4-6, but was still headed to the 6A playoffs. Madison Academy (9-1) advanced to the Class 3A playoffs.

AHSAA State Class 6A Playoffs, First Round, 11/6

BRIARWOOD CHRISTIAN 30, FORT PAYNE 26 At Fort Payne, Briarwood Christian shocked the host Fort Payne Wildcats 30-26 in the opening round of the AHSAA Class 6A playoffs. Briarwood, the No. 4 team from Region 5 took down the Region 7 champion with one of its best offensive outings of the year.

There were seven lead changes in the game. Briarwood took the opening possession 80 yards and scored on a 2-yard run by William Gray. Fort Payne tied the game on the next possession on Desmond Turner’s 9-yard run.

Fort Payne took the lead when a Gray pass was deflected and intercepted and returned to the Lions 1, leading to a short TD run.

But Briarwood answered with a fiveplay drive. Gray connected on a long pass to Carson Eddy and a couple of throws to Kolby Kwarcinski led to a Gray 1-yard touchdown run. The Lions went for two, and Gray connected with Luke Dyson for a 15-14 lead.

Fort Payne regained the lead just before the half on an Evan McPherson field goal to take a 17-15 margin to intermission. Halfback pass keyed the scoring opportunity.

McPherson added a field goal in the third period for a 20-15 lead, but Briarwood’s special teams made a big play when a bad snap on a punt was recovered

by Sam Sherrod for a touchdown. The Lions again converted a two-point play for a 23-20 lead.

Fort Payne answered Briarwood’s score – a flea-flicker converted a third down

play to the Briarwood 6 – but the Lions’ special teams rose to the occasion again, blocking the PAT, leaving Fort Payne ahead 26-23.

The Lions took the kick and marched 80 yards to take the lead early in the fourth quarter on Carson Eddy’s 2-yard run. Josh Brower’s PAT made it 30-26.

Briarwood turned it over to the defense from there, the final big play a sack on fourth down at the 36 with 2:17 to play.

The Lions then ran out the clock on the biggest win of the season. Briarwood improved to 5-6 and advanced to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.

AHSAA State Class 6A Playoffs, Second Round, 11/13

AUSTIN 27, BRIARWOOD CHRISTIAN 0 The Briarwood Christian Lions’ remarkable season ended with a loss to visiting Austin 27-0 in the second round of the AHSAA Class 6A playoffs.

The Lions finished 5-7, but after losing their first three games of the year and making it to round two of the playoffs, it was a successful year.

Austin, which owns wins over 7A powerhouses Spain Park and Bob Jones, was just too much.

Quarterback Victor Garth threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth.

He rushed for 105 yards and passed for 153 for the Black Bears (9-3).

Briarwood’s only offensive threat of the night came in the fourth quarter, but ended on downs at the Austin 11. William Gray passed for 103 yards to lead Briarwood, but the Lions managed only 29 rushing yards.

Spain Park football recap

By SAM CHANDLER AND STEVE IRVINE

Game 9, 10/23

SPAIN PARK 21, MOUNTAIN BROOK 7 Even when they don’t play their best, good teams find a way to win games.

In their Class 7A, Region 3 matchup against Mountain Brook, that’s exactly what the Spain Park Jaguars did.

Although the Jags’ offense played sluggishly for most of the game, Spain Park (8-1, 7-0) relied on a 21-point scoring outburst in the second quarter to secure a 21-7 victory over the visiting Spartans, sealing an undefeated record in region play for the first time in program history.

“I’m happy, I’m just a little disappointed tonight,” Spain Park coach Shawn Raney said, “but I’ll take a win now. I’ll take a win anytime.”

Raney’s disappointment stemmed from its struggling offense. Apart from the Jags’ three second-quarter touchdowns, seven of the team’s eight possessions resulted in stalled drives that led to punts. The team’s other possession lasted only 12 seconds, as quarterback Joey Beatty took a knee at the end of regulation.

Luckily for the Jags, they have a field-flipping punter who can significantly influence the battle for field position. When Spain Park didn’t have to call senior Tyler Sumpter, its prodigious punter, out on the field, it relied heavily on another pair of consistent players, running backs Larry Wooden and Wade Streeter.

The dynamic backfield duo combined for 167 rushing yards, pounding the ball against a stout Spartan defense.

Wooden tallied 103 rushing yards and 30 receiving, both team highs, and two touchdowns.

Game 10, 10/30

SPAIN PARK 24, BESSEMER CITY 6 Spain Park High’s recipe for football success has rarely wavered this season. It calls for a ton of solid defense, the running game to fuel the offense and some timely plays in the passing game.

Why change now?

The Jaguars defense shut down the Bessemer City

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December 2015 • C11

offense, Larry Wooden and Wade Streeter moved the chains with the running game and Joey Beatty threw a pair of touchdown passes.

Add it all together and the result was a 24-6 victory that completed a special regular season for the Class 7A, Region 3 champion Jaguars.

“I believe you've got to play great defense, run the football this time of year,” said Spain Park coach Shawn Raney, whose team won for the ninth consecutive time. “That’s what we’ve done all year and been successful. We’ve limited the turnovers – I don’t think we had one tonight. I think we’ve got four all year in 10 games.”

Before the Jaguars could think about the playoffs, they had to finish off Bessemer City (6-4). The Spain Park defense had a big hand in the victory, actually outscoring the Bessemer City offense thanks to a 20-yard fumble return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Perry Young.

Raney wasn't surprised that Young, who is receiving attention from major college recruiters, stepped up with the big play at a crucial time.

“He’s done it for three years, since I’ve been here,” Raney said. “He’s a kid who’s had a great senior year. Sometimes kids will start to tail off but he’s carried this defense, basically, for the three years I’ve been here.”

Game 11, AHSAA Class 7A Playoffs First Round, 11/6

SPAIN PARK 31, HAZEL GREEN 7 Spain Park showed why it deserved to be Class 7A’s top-ranked team against Hazel Green.

Playing on home turf, the Jaguars (10-1) jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead behind a near-flawless performance from quarterback Joey Beatty before cruising to an eventual 31-7 victory over the visiting Trojans (5-6), handing coach Shawn Raney his first postseason win at Spain Park.

“I was hoping to get that monkey off my back,” Raney said. “That was a good win for us. We came out the first half, I thought we jumped on them quick and played well in all phases of the game.”

Larry Wooden breaks away from Bessemer City defenders in the Jaguars’ win. Photo by Ted Melton/ ActionSportsPix.SmugMug.com.

Spain Park scored on four of its first five possessions while holding Hazel Green to only two first downs in the same span, forcing four punts and a fumble.

Meanwhile, Beatty threw touchdown strikes of 44, 31, and 20 yards to three different receivers, completing 9 of 10 first-half passes for 150 yards.

“Joey’s been solid all year,” Raney said. “We hadn’t asked him to do much in the passing game, but when we ask him, I think he’s comfortable enough with what we’re doing that he can make plays for us.”

Kicker Crosby Gray blasted his 13th field goal of the season from 26 yards out late in the

third quarter to wrap up the Spain Park scoring.

Game 12, AHSAA Class 7A Playoffs, Quarterfinal Round, 11/13

SPAIN PARK 13, JAMES CLEMENS 10 In a true battle of attrition between 7A No. 1 and No. 2, Spain Park (11-1) outlasted visiting James Clemens (10-2) 13-10, charging back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter of the state quarterfinal to clinch a dramatic, season-extending victory on Crosby Gray’s booming 41-yard field goal.

“It was a street fight. We talked about that all week,” Jags coach Shawn Raney said. “That’s a very good football team we just beat, especially defensively. We watched them all week on tape. They’ve got really good players, really well coached, and I knew it was going to be this type of game.”

Until the final 17 minutes, however, the Jags didn’t look like they knew what hit them.

A pair of uncharacteristic first half turnovers, fumbles by running backs Larry Wooden and Wade Streeter, cost the team both field position and points, sending Spain Park to the halftime locker room trailing 10-0.

“I saw some bad looks going into halftime, and I didn’t like the way they looked,” Raney said. “We just got them up in a circle, and I said, ‘All the work that we’ve done, we can’t let it go like this.’”

Taking heed of their coach’s advice, the Jags came out in the second half and showed what they were made of.

With just under five minutes to play in the third quarter and still trailing 10-0, Spain Park constructed a relentless, 11-play drive characterized by forceful, bruising runs from Wooden and Streeter.

Jags defensive back Chase Young made the play of the game, turning the tide with a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown.

“I saw the ball coming. I saw so much field to the right, I just took off running, man,” Young said. “The whole time, all I was thinking about was my teammates, all my fellow seniors, and I just knew that our season can’t end tonight.”

With the score knotted at 10-10 and just over 10 minutes of game time remaining, the Spain Park defense stood as stout as it had all year.

A failed fake punt attempt by the Jets gave the Jags possession on the Jets’ 38-yard line and, after moving the ball 14 yards, set up Crosby Gray’s game-winning 41-yard field goal with 6:42 to play.

“It feels great just to help out my team again,” Gray said. “Tonight was exactly the same as every other kick in my opinion. My dad always tells me, ‘every kick is the same, every kick is the same,’ so that’s what I was thinking.”

C12 • December 2015

280 Living

Focusing on future Health academy helps Spain Park students get early grasp of careers

By JON ANDERSON Marisa Gray knew as a young child she wanted to work in the medical field someday, but she didn’t know exactly the type of job she wanted to pursue.

With help from the Health Science Academy at Hoover’s Spain Park High School, Gray is now well on her way to a career in nursing. During her senior year at Spain Park two years ago, she was able to jobshadow a nurse anesthetist, and now she’s studying nursing at Jefferson State Community College.

The Health Science Academy helped Gray discover what she wanted to do and gave her skills to get started along the path, she said.

Gray was one of three students who recently shared their experiences at the academy with members of the medical community who visited Spain Park to see what the academy has to offer.

The Health Science Academy at Spain Park focuses on nursing, patient care, emergency medicine, sports medicine and pharmacology. It is one of many career academies at the school.

By the end of their senior year, students have the opportunity to become certified as a patient care technician or a nurse assistant, said Jason Zajac, the academy director.

Muhammed Jan and Marisa Gray, two 2014 Spain Park High School graduates who were part of the school’s Health Science Academy, check out the new $60,000 mannequin that can simulate a variety of body functions. Photo by Jon Anderson.

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December 2015 • C13

From our families to yours…

With joyful spirits and the spark of hope

Wendy Kendrick, a certified nurse who teaches at the Health Science Academy at Spain Park High School, talks with members of the medical community about the academy’s programs during a fall visit. Photo by Jon Anderson.

For those interested in emergency medicine, they’re able to take a dual enrollment course at the Jefferson State campus next door and take the certification test for basic emergency medical technicians.

There is the potential to prepare students for other certification tests, such as those for pharmacy technicians and veterinary technicians, Zajac said.

“It’s a great opportunity for the kids,” Zajac said. “They get a chance to have, at 18, certification that makes them employable right off the bat.”

Twenty-three Spain Park students are on schedule to take the nursing assistant or patient care technician exam in April, said Wendy Kendrick, a certified nurse with a doctorate in education who joined the Health Sciences Academy team this year.

The same course would cost $900 to $1,000 at a college, but at Spain Park, it’s part of their free public education, and the state pays for the book and the $150 certification test, said Kendrick, who formerly taught nursing at Samford University.

When the Health Science Academy began at Spain Park in 2011, it had 46 students, according to Zajac. Now in its fifth year, there are 220 students in the program, he said.

The program began with one classroom and one practice mannequin, but it has expanded to several more rooms, including a mock emergency room, patient exam rooms, nursing station and a pharmacy lab. A $227,000 state grant helped them add additional equipment: four high-tech simulation mannequins, a CPR training mannequin and a standard baby mannequin.

One mannequin costs $60,000, and students can do virtually anything with it they could do with a real patient, Zajac said.

The mannequin simulates breathing and has heart sounds, lung sounds and a pulse in multiple locations. It can cough and talk to you to tell you if it is hurting. It even produces simulated urine, Zajac said.

An instructor in another room controls the mannequin and can watch to see if the student asks appropriate questions while assessing the kind of care given. Video cameras capture the simulated patient encounters, and the students can review the footage to see how they performed, Zajac said.

“

we extend to all glad tidings

It’s a great opportunity for the kids. They get a chance to have, at 18, certifi ation that makes them employable right off the bat.

”

and warm wishes for the many blessings of the season,

JASON ZAJAC

“A lot of universities don’t have a setup this nice,” he said.

Dr. Bill Christenberry of the Caldwell Mill Animal Clinic said it’s amazing to see what the Health Sciences Academy is doing to prepare students for career decisions ahead of them.

“They can go ahead and have this under their belt and understand what they’re dealing with,” he said.

Christenberry already has been working with Spain Park. Four students came to his office to see what veterinary medicine is all about, and he helped prepare some students for the veterinary portion of the state competition for future health professionals.

Spain Park first participated in the state competition two years ago and had nine students qualify to go to the national competition in Orlando, Zajac said. Last year, 19 students qualified for the national competition in Anaheim, California, and one of them placed sixth in the nation in the physical therapy competition, he said.

Zajac said he hopes to continue strengthening partnerships between the academy and the medical community and look for more job-shadowing opportunities for students.

Avi Vaidya, a senior at Spain Park this year, said he took the pharmacology course last year as a junior. He is now registered as a pharmacy technician in Alabama and waiting to take his certification test when he turns 18, he said.

He likes that his instructors have real-world experience, he said.

“They kind of know what they’re talking about,” he said.

today and every day throughout the coming year.

at

St. Vincent’s

200 One Nineteen Boulevard Hoover, AL 35242 (888) 214-6487

www.Somerbyat StVincents.com Independent Living | Assisted Living Memory Care

280 Living

C14 • December 2015

School House OMHS robotics team makes it to regional competition

Students prepare for yoga during the Hilltop Health Club. Photo courtesy of Michele Wilensky.

Montessori students kick off Hilltop Health Club With a grant from the Healthy Kids Initiative, Hilltop Montessori School has kicked off another new health initiative this year in the form of a Hilltop Health Club, which is an opportunity for students to celebrate being healthy in mind, body and spirit.

The first Hilltop Health Club meeting had 27 students from kindergarten through eighth grade in attendance. These students opted to stay after school for the meeting.

The first guest speaker was Jennifer Dunbar, who led the students in a yoga class. Afterward, the students dined on healthy snacks and discussed their favorite healthy snacks. The

students were also told how all of their snacks were supplemented by the Action for Healthy Kids grant and in particular, CRX Corp.

The Hilltop Health Club include also provided students with Halloween snacks and a Halloween fun run in costume. Guest speakers will include Crossfit for kids, Hula Hooping, dance and track. Each time the Hilltop Health Club meets, the students will start with a physical activity that is outside of their regular PE class curriculum and then conclude with a short lesson and healthy snack.

- Submitted by Michele Wilensky, head of School

The drivers on the OMHS robotics team pose with their robot. Photo courtesy of Mariah Schley.

Oak Mountain High School’s robotics team, which is composed of 21 students, participated in a BEST robotics competition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Oct. 11 with other area schools.

They took third place overall, placing second in spirit and sportsmanship, third for their marketing booth, fourth for their robot and fourth for their engineering design notebook.

The OMHS team will go up against the top regional teams in December at Auburn University for the South’s BEST competition. Spain Park, Homewood High School, Homewood Middle School and Evangel Home School will also be going to Auburn.

The main competition involves driving the robot through an obstacle course with a remote control, and the robot also must complete simple tasks. The competition includes activities by the team’s mock company to promote and “sell” the robot, such as creating a trade show booth, a marketing presentation and spirit and sportsmanship.

The Oak Mountain team spent six weeks building the robot and practicing with six different drivers. This year’s competition theme involved mining, so there were pieces of hardware that represented different ores on the obstacle course and the team’s goal was to collect all the ores in a timely manner.

- Submitted by Mariah Schley

280Living.com

HEROIN ON THE RISE

December 2015 • C15 Coming Clean is part of a three part series for 280 Living. The next installment of the series, focused on community efforts toward addiction prevention, will be in the January edition of 280 Living.

HEROIN

CONTINUED from page C1 parents wanted their kids to hang out with, Smith said, until he got into a crowd that only cared about one thing — getting high.

Then he started selling drugs and trading for pills. He first snorted heroin when he was 16 or 17.

“I remember the first time just really loving it,” he said. “It gave me this euphoria that I had never felt in my entire life, and that’s why, in my opinion, heroin is the devil drug. That’s why I think it’s such an epidemic, is because it’s such a powerful drug.”

In Shelby County, there were 32 overdose deaths in 2014 and 13 deaths between January and May this year. Of those deaths, 11 were believed to be heroin-related. Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force Commander Lt. Clay Hammac estimates that 25 percent of overdoses in the county can be attributed to heroin.

“Shelby County, we categorize it as a consumer county,” Hammac said. “This is not a county where drug dealers are prevalent, but this is a county where drug use and abuse are on the rise.”

In 2014, 27 heroin overdoses were reported in the city of Hoover. Ten of those overdoses resulted in death. As of October 2015, Hoover already had 27 overdoses.

“In my 30-plus years as a policeman, I’ve never seen a drug hit like heroin has,” Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said. “We’ve been keeping stats for probably five years, and our overdose deaths continue to rise.”

Hoover PD’s first encounter with heroin was in 2003, said Hoover PD Captain Gregg Rector, and the city’s first heroin overdose death was in October 2008.

“We’ve gone from seven years ago, we really weren’t seeing it at all. It was really just sporadic what we were seeing,” Rector said. “Fast-forward three years to 2011 and 2012, and we had five deaths each of those two years.”

The heroin epidemic comes from a combination of the drug’s addictiveness and its relatively low cost, Rector said. A $15 or $20 bag of heroin could be enough to get two people high. Those bags, however, are unpredictable. Rector said users cannot know what their heroin is cut with or how potent the drug is.

Hammac said the heroin problem in Shelby County derives from addiction to prescription medications. While these situations often start with a legitimate cause for the prescription drug — often an opiate-based medication — some patients become dependent. When the prescription becomes harder to obtain or more expensive to purchase, they may transition to heroin.

Sometimes heroin is cut to make it less potent, but the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has confirmed instances of fentanyl-cut heroin, Rector said. Fentanyl, a prescription opiate used to treat severe chronic pain, is also a highly addictive substance and increases the high of heroin.

“It doesn’t say 80 milligrams on a sack of heroin,” Smith said. “You don’t know what the hell you’re getting.”

Smith said he overdosed twice while he was using. The first time he injected heroin, rather than snorting it, it almost killed him.

“I remember the first time I got shot up, it was by a guy who had just done a 13-year sentence,” Smith said, “and he looked me in the eyes and he said, ‘You’ll never stop, and you’ll never go back.’”

While prescription drug addiction affects multiple age groups in Shelby County, Hammac said most of the time, young adults are the ones transitioning from prescription drug use to heroin.

Sometimes this comes from a more open attitude toward drug use, he said.

“Older adults know the stigma that surrounds heroin from decades ago,” Hammac said, “and that stigma probably does not exist with younger adults.”

Hammac said prevention is a goal for the Sheriff’s Office, which seeks to inform students, families and educators about the danger of drug

use and addiction to prevent overdose deaths.

When someone transitions to injecting heroin, they will overdose within the first minute after using. Some police and fire departments have access to Narcan or Naloxone, a medication that reverses the effect of heroin. Responders can administer it on scene and potentially prevent an overdose death, but Rector said a lack of options following that step prevents some people from getting treatment.

“I wish there were more places that were readily available,” Rector said. “I wish there were a place that I knew today that if I had someone who walked into my office and said, ‘Hey, I’m a heroin addict, I need help, I need to go to rehab and I need to go today.’ I don’t know that there’s any place that I could call up for a person who didn’t have insurance.”

Even with help from his parents, Smith tried to quit using several times and would manage to stay clean for a few months, but he kept going back to drugs. He dropped out of Spain Park and was placed into an alternative school, and he spent his last week in high school in treatment and didn’t know if he would graduate.

“It was just this vicious, dark cycle,” he said.

“I could not find my way out.”

Smith just celebrated being clean for two and a half years. He said he still doesn’t smoke or drink because he doesn’t want to potentially open the floodgates. “I might be able to, I might get away with it,” he said, “but eventually it’s not going to fit my cup of tea, and I’m going to want to go back to heroin.”

Smith now has a job and is back in school working on a degree. He also speaks to student groups and sponsors individuals recovering from addiction. His goal, he said, is that they know they can beat their addiction.

“There is a way out. That’s what I try to do,” he said. “If I’m talking to kids who have never gotten high before or kids that have full, active addiction, I always want it to be known that there is a way out.”

BY THE NUMBERS: SHELBY COUNTY Overdose deaths by year (total), with heroin (dark blue) cited

49 20

50

42 10

40

35 2

32 8

30

23 7

20

13* 3

10

0

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

*2015 data through May SOURCE: SHELBY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Treatment was an important part of his recovery process, Smith said. While different strategies work for different people, he said it seems impossible to stop using heroin without treatment. He also advocates treatment, he said, because of the life skills he learned while going through it. Before those 10 months in an intensive in-patient treatment center in Atlanta, he said he didn’t have coping skills or the ability to make a life for himself.

“It completely turned my life around,” he said.

“I learned how to live again. I learned how to see the beauty in life again. I learned how to be a responsible adult.”

Smith said he believes it’s almost impossible to stop every teenager from ever trying drugs, and he knows he might not be able to reach people until they are at their breaking point. But being able to help at least one person, he said, is what keeps him going.

“Sponsoring guys, they think I’m helping them and I’m saving their life and all that, but they’re helping me save my life,” he said.

“People did it for me, and I’m going to do it for other people.”

280 Living

C16 • December 2015

280

Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

734076

35242

1608 Hardwood Park Circle

New

$494,900

733880

35242

1245 Hunters Gate Drive #0018

New

$360,790

733862

35242

1457 Portobello Road #57

New

$225,000

733859

35242

2537 Inverness Point Drive

New

$539,900

733856

35242

2105 Eagle Ridge Drive

New

$239,900

733833

35242

6115 Eagle Point Circle

New

$339,900

734041

35242

4604 Guilford Cove

New

$250,000

734038

35242

107 Cambrian Way #107

New

$124,000

734009

35242

255 Swann Drive

New

$499,000

733995

35242

6204 Foxwood Trail #26

New

$274,900

734044

35242

2372 Ridge Trail

New

$495,000

733937

35242

1061 Belvedere Cove #16A

New

$314,900

733803

35242

3885 Oxford Manor Court

New

$249,900

733800

35242

184 Thornberry Drive

New

$259,900

733787

35242

4840 Shady Waters Lane

New

$1,490,000

733700

35242

1080 Somerset Lane

New

$439,900

733674

35242

316 Olmsted St.

New

$490,000

733665

35242

4920 Sussex Road

New

$264,500

733891

35043

217 Chelsea Station Drive

New

$284,900

733743

35043

271 Fairbank Way

New

$169,900

Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on Nov. 16.

Visit birminghamrealtors.com.

1608 Hardwood Park Circle

1061 Belvedere Cove #16A

280Living.com

December 2015 • C17

Calendar 280 Community Events Dec. 2: Greater Shelby Chamber Ambassadors Meeting. 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m.

Greater Shelby Chamber Office 1301 Co. Services Drive, Pelham. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 2: Greater Shelby Chamber Small Business Work Group. 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office 1301 Co. Services Drive, Pelham. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 2: Christmas Tree Lighting. 6 p.m.

Greystone Golf & Country Club, Founders Clubhouse.

Lighting at 7 p.m. Visit greystonecc.com.

Dec. 3: 10th Annual Diamond Awards.

11:30 a.m. Columbiana First United Methodist Church, 200 N. Main St. $15. RSVP to director@ southshelbychamber.com. Visit southshelbychamber. com.

Dec. 3 & 10: GriefShare. 7-8:45 p.m. Faith Presbyterian Church (Room A103), 4601 Valleydale Road. Trained facilitators who have experienced grief just like you will guide you through one of life’s most difficult experiences and provide you with the tools to move forward. $20 registration fee. Visit griefshare. org/groups/58606.

Dec. 3 & 17: Intro to Business Golf For Men. 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Innovation Depot. 90 minute workshop for those beginning to learn the basic fundamentals of golf. Visit sistergolf.com.

Dec. 5: 8th Annual Artist Market. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Shelby County Arts Council, 104 Mildred St., Columbiana. Free admission. Visit shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

Dec. 6: Blue Christmas. 5 p.m. Morningstar United Methodist Church, 11072 Co. Rd. 11, Chelsea.

A time for hope and healing. Visit mstarumc.com.

Dec. 8: Greater Shelby Chamber Entrepreneur & Small Business Mentorship Program. 8 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office 1301 Co. Services Drive, Pelham. Visit business. shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 8: Greater Shelby Chamber Education Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Shelby County Instructional Services Center. Visit business. shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 8: Oak Mountain High School Choir Winter Concert. 7 p.m. Meadow Brook Baptist Church, 4984 Meadow Brook Rd. Dec. 9: Greater Shelby Chamber Existing Business & Industry Work Group.

8:30 a.m. Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Canon, 3535 Grandview Pkwy. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 10 & 24: Drinks on the Links. 5:30 p.m. Highland Park Golf Course. $35-$40. Visit sistergolf.com.

Dec. 11: Greater Shelby Chamber Health Services Work Group. 8:30 a.m.

Greater Shelby Chamber Office 1301 Co. Services

Drive, Pelham. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 11: South Shelby Chamber: Social Media Seminars. 8:30 a.m. Hampton Inn Eagle Point. $10. Visit southshelbychamber.com.

Dec. 12 & 19: Breakfast with Santa. 9 a.m. Greystone Golf & Country Club, Founders Main Dining Room. $10.95 children 5-12, $18.95 adults.

Visit greystonecc.com.

Dec. 12: Three on a String. 7:30 p.m. Shelby County Arts Council Theatre, 104 Mildred Street, Columbiana. $25. Visit shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

Dec. 12: Wreaths Across America. 11 a.m. Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo and Jefferson Memorial Gardens South in Hoover.

Volunteers will lay wreaths on veterans’ graves. Visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.

Dec. 13: Southeastern Outings Dayhike.

1 p.m. Oak Mountain State Park. Four-mile walk.

Park entrance fee $4. Call 240-4681 or email David Shepherd at davidshep2@netscape.net.

Dec. 13: Jingle all the Way with Dolores Hydock and Bobby Horton. 2 p.m. Shelby County Arts Council. $25. Visit shelbycountyarts council.com.

Dec. 15: Greater Shelby Chamber Entrepreneur Roundtable I. 8 a.m. Location varies. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 15: Easybridge Classes. 1 p.m.

Beginning bridge lessons. Birmingham Duplicate Bridge Club, 144 Business Center Drive. $8. Visit bridgewebs.com/birmingham.

Dec. 19: 21st Annual Meadow Brook Runs. 9 a.m. US AmeriBank, Meadowbrook Branch, 1100 Corporate Parkway. 5K, 10K and 1 mile fun run. Contact Bob Cosby at 991-6054. Visit meadowbrookruns.org.

Dec. 21: Kids Christmas Workshop: A Present for your Pet. 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Greystone Golf & Country Club. Founders Trophy Room. Visit greystonecc.com.

Dec. 23: Dickens Dinner. 6 p.m. Greystone Golf & Country Club, Founders Clubhouse. $17 children 5-12, $31 adults. Visit greystonecc.com.

Dec. 24: Greater Shelby Chamber Governmental Affairs Work Group. 8:30 a.m.

Sain Associates, Two Perimeter Park South, Suite 500. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Brunch. 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Greystone Golf & Country Club, Founders Clubhouse. Children 5-12 $17, adults $29. Visit greystonecc.com.

Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Party: Breakfast at Tiffany’s. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Greystone Golf & Country Club, Founders Clubhouse. Visit greystonecc. com.

Chelsea Library Wednesdays- The Tot Spot. 10:30 a.m. A 30-minute story time for Preschoolers. We read, sing, dance and sometimes craft.

Dec. 5: Gingerbread Workshop for Kids.

10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pre-registration and $5 donation requested to cover material costs.

Fridays- BYOC- Bring your own crochet (craft). 10 a.m. Audio/Reading room.

Dec. 12: Lego Club. 9:30 a.m. For ages 5 and up.

Dec. 5: ACT Prep Bootcamp. 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Chelsea City Hall. Open to any high school student preparing to take the ACT exam.

Dec. 16: Lego Free Play. 2 p.m. Kid’s space.

Drop in and build with Legos.

280 Living

C18 • December 2015

North Shelby Library Dec. 5: Breakfast with Santa. 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Breakfast will be from 9-9:30. Pictures with Santa and a Christmas craft will be 9:30-10:30.

Registration required. A $5.00 fee per person is due at the time of registration. All ages welcome.

Holidays, this month’s Homeschool Hangout will feature North Shelby Library’s very own Origami aficionado Ms Michelyn, who will be teaching our kids how to make origami ornaments. Registration is required. Ages 7-13 welcome.

Wednesdays: Mr. Mac (Storyteller Extraordinaire). 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets and lots of music for every member of the family. All ages.

No registration required.

Dec. 8: Picture Book Club featuring Biscuit the Puppy. 4 p.m. Stories, games, crafts and snacks featuring a different favorite book character each month. All ages welcome. Registration required.

Nov. 18-Dec. 18: December Canned Food Drive.

Bring canned food and other nonperishable food items to the Children’s Department to spread holiday cheer. Donate and take home a thank-you prize. All donations will benefit Shel y Emergency Assistance.

Thursdays (Dec. 3, 10 and 17): PJ Story Time. Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies and hear bedtime tales. All ages. No registration required.

Dec. 9: Newberry Pie Book Club. 1 p.m.

Talking about Newberry books and eating pie. All ages welcome. Registration required.

TEENS

Dec. 1-23: Elves in the Shelves. The library is being overrun by elves, and we will be giving some away. To win an elf, stop by the library or check the library’s Facebook page each Monday to see clues to help you figure out which book the elves h ve been reading over the weekend. Submit a guess in person or on the Facebook page. Winners will be drawn each Tuesday morning.

Dec. 12: Lego Club. 10-11:30 a.m. The library provides the Legos, the kids provide the imagination and creativity. Creations will then go on display in the Children’s Department. All ages welcome. No registration required.

The library will be closed Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan 1 for holidays.

9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, finger pl ys and crafts. Registration required. Ages 19-36 months.

Dec. 1: Origami Ornaments. 6 p.m. Light refreshments served. Registration required.

Tuesdays (Dec. 1 and 15): Baby Tales. 9:30 a.m. Story time designed for babies and their caregivers.

Ages birth to 18 months. Registration required.

Dec. 3: 3D Ornaments. 6 p.m. Use the library’s new 3D printer to create an ornament.

Dec. 5: Teen Volunteer Day. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Earn community service hours by volunteering at the library. Limited to five volunteers grades 6-12, for 1-2 hour shifts. Register for a spot ahead of time.

Dec. 17: NSL Book Club. 10:30 a.m. Library Meeting Room.

Dec. 21: Patron Appreciation Day. 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Holiday treats, hot cider and door prizes. Sponsored by The Friends of North Shelby Library.

KIDS Mondays (Dec. 7 and 14): Toddler Tales.

Dec. 16: Homeschool Hangout-Origami Ornaments. 1 p.m. Just in time for the December

Dec. 4, 11 and 18: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m.

Board games, card games, Wii, XBOX ONE and Minecraft. Teens need a parent permission slip on file to attend. For more information, call 439-5512 or email nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org.

Dec. 14: Anime Night. 6 p.m. Treats will be served. Costumes welcome. For more information, call 439-5512 or email nsyouth@shelbycounty-al. org.

Mt Laurel Library Dec. 3: Book Club. 7 p.m. Library Meeting Room. This month, the club will discuss The Wright Brothers by David McCullough.

Dec. 6: Tree Lighting Treats. 6:30 p.m. Stop by after the tree lighting in the town center for treats and a craft.

Dec. 4: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. A story program for children 19-36 months and a caregiver. Stories, songs, finger pl y, and crafts make up a lively 30 minute program designed especially for short attention spans.

Dec. 7: Novel Wreaths. 6 p.m. Bring an old novel or pick one of ours to create this whimsical wreath.

Dec. 4: Storytime with Ms Kristy. 11 a.m.

Stories, music and more for every member of the family.

Dec. 12: Crafty Saturday. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Drop in to make a craft at the library. All ages with parent help. Registration is not required but supplies are limited.

This Christmas, give the gift that every BODY loves – a St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Spa gift card!

Purchase a $150 gift card and receive a $25 gift card free!

Call, click, or come by to purchase gift cards starting at $25.

7191 Cahaba Valley Road 408.6510 | onenineteen.com This offers ends December 31, 2015

Dec. 18: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. A story program for children 19-36 months and a caregiver.

Stories, songs, finger pl y, and crafts make up a lively 30 minute program designed especially for short attention spans.

Dec. 18: Storytime with Ms Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music and more for every member of the family.

Dec. 19: Lego Club. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The library provides the Legos, the kids provide the imagination and creativity. Families are welcome to drop in to

build spectacular creations which will be displayed in the library.

KIDS Nov. 30-26: Elves in the Shelves. The library is being overrun by elves and reindeer. To win an elf, stop by the library or check the library’s Facebook page each Monday to see clues to help you figure out which book the elves h ve been reading over the weekend. Submit a guess in person or on the Facebook page. Winners will be announced each Saturday.

Every BODY Loves Gift Cards

280Living.com Fridays (Dec. 4 and 18): Toddler Tales.

10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerpl ys and more. Ages 36 months and younger. Registration required. Call 991-1660 or email mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information or to register. Register online using the Calendar on mtlaurellibrary.org.

Fridays (Dec. 4 and 18): Storytime with Ms. Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music and more. All ages. No registration required. Call 991-1660 for more information.

Dec. 6: Holiday Tree Lighting Treats.

6:30-8 p.m. Come to the library after the tree lighting in the town center for treats, crafts and more.

Dec. 13: Crafty Saturday. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Drop in to make a craft at the library. All ages with parent help. Registration not required. Supplies are limited. Call 991-1660 or email mtlaurel library@gmail.com for more information.

Dec. 15: Picture Book Club—Holiday.

4 p.m. Stories, games, crafts and snacks featuring a different favorite book character each month. All ages welcome. Registration required.

December 2015 • C19 Dec. 19: Lego Club. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The library provides the Legos, the kids provide the imagination and creativity. Families are welcome to drop in anytime between 11 and 1 to build spectacular creations which will be displayed in the library. Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information.

ADULTS Dec. 3: Mt Laurel Book Club. 7 p.m. The Book Club will meet at the library to discuss The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. Contact Sara at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information.

Dec. 7: Novel Wreaths. 6 p.m. Create a holiday wreath out of an old book. Bring your own or use one provided by the library. Registration and a $5 supply fee required. Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information.

Dec. 25, 26 and 31, Jan. 1: Library Closed.

All day. The library will be closed for Christmas and the New Year. It will reopen the Saturday after each holiday at 10 a.m.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Mondays: Next Chapter Book Club, Greystone Chapter. 4:30-5:30 p.m. The current book is Divergent by Veronica Roth. Visit facebook.com/nextchapterbookclubgreystonechapter.com for more information.

Expansion Grand Opening Event. 10:30 a.m. Blessing and ribbon cutting for expansion of campus that includes an outpatient surgery center, and urgent care center and additional physician specialties.

Wednesdays: Baby Café. 10 a.m.-noon.

Lactation support group meetings. Free, no registration required.

Dec. 11: Wellness Screenings. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference screenings by appointment. $20. Call 408-6550 to register.

Dec. 3: St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Spa Annual Holiday Open House. 5-7 p.m.

This event will feature holiday tastings, wine, live music, door prizes, tours and more. Discounts and specials throughout the evening.

Dec. 5: Lupus Support Group. 10 a.m.noon. This month members and guests will enjoy a Christmas party. Free, sponsored by the Lupus Foundation of America, Mid-South Chapter. Call 1-877-865-8787.

Dec. 5: Sjogren’s Support Group. 12-2 p.m. Support group for Sjogrens patients and their families. This month’s meeting will include a Christmas lunch. Free event.

Dec. 8: Blood Pressure/Body Mass Index Screening. 8-11:30 a.m. A representative from St. Vincent’s Wellness Services will be screening for blood pressure and BMI in the front entrance. Free.

Dec. 8: St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

Dec. 11: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. A seminar for those with diabetes or those at risk. Physician’s referral required, pre-assessments given preceding the class. Call 939-7248 to register.

Thanksgiving Week-New Year’s: Holiday Challenge. Weigh-in Nov. 23-25 during normal operating hours, weigh-out Jan. 4-6 during normal operating hours. The Holiday Challenge is designed to help you maintain your weight during the holidays. If you haven’t gained any weight during the challenge period, you will qualify for one of four $50 One Nineteen gift certific tes. Free challenge, no registration required.

Dec. 30: Girl Power. 6-7 p.m. For girls ages 8-12 to understand and accept the natural changes that occur with early adolescence. The program addresses developing a positive self-image, while accepting the physical changes that accompany puberty. $5 per girl. Call 939-7878 to register.

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