The Homewood Star September 2012 by Starnes Media

The Homewood Star | September 2012 |

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

neighborly news & entertainment for Homewood

Volume 2 | Issue 6 | September 2012

Summer Fun Photo Contest winners- pg 16

Homewood Music-

Swim team- pg 21

pg 11

A bright end to a rough road Rosedale native Shelley Stewart’s journey to CEO By RICK WATSON A few years ago when o2ideas needed more office space, a real estate agent found a building across the road from Samford University and invited CEO Shelley Stewart to visit the property. When Stewart reached the second floor of the office space, he stepped to the window. As he peered through the blinds, he began to weep. The realtor thought he’d done something wrong, but Stewart called him over to the window and pointed to Edgewood Lake. “This is where it all began,” he said. “Not many people know my story, but this soil is special to me.” Stewart was born in a 12-by-15-foot room in the cellar of 25 Edgehill Road in 1934. His mother, Mattie, was a housekeeper for the Morgan family, who owned the house, and lived in the servant’s quarters until the family moved to a house on 18th Place in the Rosedale community. At age six, Stewart and his older brother, Huell “Bubba,” who was not yet eight years old, watched their father murder their mother with an ax.

See STEWART | page 22

o2ideas CEO Shelley Stewart sits in front of the house at 25 Edgehill Road where he was born. Photo by Rick Watson.

City election results

September Features Mayor’s Minute

City news

Upcoming events

Glenn Feldman

Lauren Denton

Homewood Happenings

Business Spotlight

Gary Asher

Sports

Rebecca Riley

Restaurant Showcase

Calendar of Events

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Check TheHomewoodStar.com following the August 28 Homewood city elections for results and further council coverage.

The Bell Center family By CRAIG KLEIMEYER

The Bell Center is located in the heart of Homewood, and many Homewood residents are at the heart of the Bell Center. There, teenagers, Service Guild members and other volunteers dedicate two hours of their weeks to one-on-one time with children at-risk for physical and mental delays from ages birth to three. Miles Braden, who lives in Homewood, first started the “Bright Beginnings” class at The Bell Center when he was six weeks old. The Bell Center employees have given Miles the one-on-one attention he needs, and the family atmosphere has been impressive, his mom Leah said. The Bradens are one of about 100 families each year who receive early intervention services for their children at The Bell Center. “The Bell Center is a good family of friends and support,” said the Homewood

See BELL CENTER | page 25

Pedestrian bridge to Mountain Brook under discussion By ASHLEY BERKERY

Homewood resident Patricia Weaver works with Emma twice a week in the “All about Me” class at The Bell Center. Photo by Craig Kleimeyer.

WE CLEAN.

you shine

A pedestrian bridge is under discussion among the cities of Homewood, Mountain Brook and Birmingham. The bridge would cross Hollywood Boulevard over U.S. 280 from Homewood into Mountain Brook. The Homewood City Council approved the project to move forward at the August 13 meeting. “The opportunity to build this pedestrian bridge will provide a safe route for runners and walkers who daily cross over Highway 280 coming and going from Homewood and Mountain Brook,” said State Representative Paul DeMarco. DeMarco has recently worked with officials in all three cities to coordinate collaboration with the state to get the

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| September 2012 | The Homewood Star

Editor’s Note

Staff & Friends

Will and Mary Eliza Beaumont prepare to ride the waves at Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. Photo courtesy of Emily Beaumont.

Contact Information: The Homewood Star #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 dan@thehomewoodstar.com

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

Legals: The Homewood Star is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. The Homewood Star is designed to inform the Homewood community of area school, family and community events. Information in The Homewood Star is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of The Homewood Star. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email. Please recycle this paper

It is still hard to believe that the summer is officially over on the 22nd of this month and we are now approaching fall in full force. Seasons come and go, and as sad as I am to leave a great summer behind, I am looking forward to all that this fall season has to offer. Have you noticed the “cool” breezes lately? In the deep South, where we are privileged to live, “cool” in late August may be defined as “high 80s.” Nonetheless, there is that feeling in the air that makes me realize change is approaching. Football season is upon us with college games kicking off September 1. High schools have already played their opening games. Regardless of your preference on the field, you might want to check out what Tiffany Davis, Homewood resident and co-owner of In Good Taste catering, has to offer in the way of perfect tailgating recipes for you to enjoy. Check them out on page 25. One of our cover stories this month highlights Shelley Stewart, CEO of o2ideas in Homewood, and his truly inspiring rags to riches story that took place right here in our own community. Here’s a sneak preview – Shelley can rightfully claim to have been one of if not the most successful radio disc jockeys in America in 1963. His was the on-air voice of the civil rights demonstrations that rocked Birmingham in 1963. And while those aren’t the most pleasant memories for any of us, his passion for that cause led to significant change in

our communities—and ultimately to a better world. You’ll enjoy reading about his life challenges, his determination to overcome them and his ultimate successes. There are quite a few events and fundraisers this month; read about how to participate in them starting on page 6. We also have included spotlights on a few unique Homewood men: Gary Asher (18), Bob Tedrow (11) and Glen Feldman (10). Homewood resident Cheryl Bourn, recipient of the 2012 American Cancer Society’s Life Inspiration Award, has provided an exclusive interview to The Homewood Star on her battle with ovarian cancer and how women can recognize signs that may help early detection. September is National GYN awareness month, and on September 7 you can support this worthy cause by wearing anything colored teal on National Wear Teal Day. Please feel free to email me at ashley@ thehomewoodstar.com if you have any story ideas or feedback. We appreciate you reading and we hope that you enjoy the fall! War Tide and Roll Eagle!!! (I just can’t say one of them right out and my Dad can’t say the other!) And go Samford Bulldogs!

Find more Homewood news online any day, any time

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Please Support Our Sponsors A Touch of Whimsy (18) Aikido of Homewood (24) Alabama Allergy & Asthma (18) Birmingham Botanical Gardens (17, 22) Brandino Brass (23) Briarcliff Shop (17) Brookdale Place (7) Brookwood Medical Center (2) D1 Sports (21) Hallman Hill Condos (3) Harmony Landing (19) Homewood Antiques (21) Homewood Family Dentistry (16) Homewood Music (6) Homewood Parks & Rec (20) Hunter’s Cleaners (10) iJump 280 (23) Iron Tribe (28) Issis & Sons (15) Jacqueline DeMarco (10) Jo Jo’s Diner (24) LAH (2)

MedHelp (19) New York Pizza (8) Oxmoor Valley Orthodontics (12) Piggly Wiggly (12) Plastic Surgery Specialists (5) Red Mountain Espresso (14) Respiratory Sleep Associates (15) Salem’s Diner (6) Salsarita’s (11) Second Hand Rose (7) Sharp Carpet (22) Skin Wellness Center of Alabama (15) Southern Womens Show (9) The Maids (1) The Pink Tulip (9) The Wade Team (8) Thimbles (10) Traci Vella (13) Trinity Medical Center (14) United Way (13) Vulcan After Tunes (15)

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Mayor’s Minute Dear friends and neighbors, The start of the school year serves as a reminder to talk about a few things we all know. Please be careful while driving in Homewood as our children go to and from school. They are excited and thinking about so many things other than safety, and it is our responsibility to help watch for them. Our Traffic Department has worked hard getting crosswalks painted and refreshed, so please make sure we are especially careful in these areas. Parents, always volunteer to help in the mornings and afternoons, and I want to thank all of you for investing your time in our future. I also want to take a moment and thank all of our teachers, administrators, and support staff for our school system. I know you have worked hard through the summer months preparing lessons and getting ready for the new year to begin. Our city and schools have always worked very well together, and I look forward to another year of prosperity for both. Several years ago the residents of Homewood passed a tax devoting one cent of our sales tax to go directly to the schools, and we have never looked back or regretted that decision. That one cent equates to roughly $7 million per year. The City of Homewood continues to be in a unique position to support our schools and support our children. I am so proud of the fact that our city and our council still understand the value and benefits that

one cent provides. Each time we cut a check to the school system, we see it as making another investment in our future. I also want to thank our library and library board for the many activities they provided in the summer months to our children. Our library continues to be ranked number one in Jefferson County and to be ranked number one in the State of Alabama based on circulation and size in our population grouping. Debbie Fout and her board put a tremendous amount of time and energy to continue this tradition, and it is a testament to those who serve and give of themselves without pay as our Library Board members. We are so fortunate in Homewood to have the best facilities and the best neighbors serving on various boards and the City Council to continue the strong relationships needed to maintain our standard of expectations and quality of life. As mayor, it is a pleasure serving with them. With kindest regards I remain Sincerely,

Scott McBrayer Mayor City of Homewood

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Rec Center plans sent to Financial Committee

By KATEY COURTNEY

The Park and Recreation Board put the plans for the proposed recreation center in the hands of the City Council at the regularly scheduled council meeting on August 13. “The total cost before contingency is $15,846,085 and the overall total cost is $16,536,739,” said City Council member Jackie Langlow. “The pool is estimated at $2 million, the building itself at $9.8 million. The other costs are related to site abatement, demolition, testing, construction management, design fees, fixtures, furnishings and equipment.”

The Park Board’s new plans incorporated solutions to concerns that were brought to their attention at the public hearing on July 23. “I am very supportive of this project,” said City Council member Fred Hawkins. “I believe it will significantly improve property values and encourage more citizens to choose to stay in Homewood and for others to choose Homewood for their home.” If adopted and funds are secured, the center is projected to take 14 months to complete.

New Shades Creek Greenway plans By MADOLINE MARKHAM Newly revised plans for Phases II and III of the Shades Creek Greenway were unveiled at an open house at the Homewood Senior Center on August 14. Citizens were able to review the new drawings and talk with representatives of the city as well as architects and engineers from Macknally Land Design and Goodwin, Mills, & Cawood. Phase II will extend the greenway along Shades Creek under I-65 behind Wildwood and terminate across from John Carroll Catholic High School. Phase III will cross Lakeshore Parkway and extend to West Homewood Park. The construction on Phase II is estimated to begin in 2014, said Keith Strickland of Goodwin, Mills, & Cawood. The latest plan revised Phase III to

cross Lakeshore Parkway with an elevated bridge in the Wildwood area. The greenway will run adjacent to Hooter’s restaurant then across Lakeshore behind Lowe’s. From there it will enter West Homewood Park from the south by the soccer field, instead of from the west like in previous plans. Engineers are currently working with federal guidelines to get the details of the greenway plan approved. Federal funding will cover 80 percent of the project and local funds 20 percent. When the greenway is completed, you will be able to walk, run or bike from Colonial Brookwood Village to West Homewood Park. To see a map of the greenway plans, visit TheHomewoodStar.com.

| September 2012 | The Homewood Star

The Magic City Mile returns

Runners compete in last year’s Bell Center Magic City Mile along 18th Street in downtown Homewood. Photo courtesy of Scott Ford.

Run through our favorite part of the Magic City—downtown Homewood—in the Second Annual Magic City Mile on Sunday, September 30. The event runs 2-4 p.m.

All proceeds from the run will fund The Bell Center, located in downtown Homewood. The Center offers early intervention services to children ages birth to three years who are at risk for delay, and

it also provides support to parents. Registration fees are as follows: Family Registration-$30, race entry with no T-shirt-$10, race entry with T-shirt- $20, timing chip- $5, and Sunday afternoon nap

donation- $15. T-shirts will be available for purchase for $15. For more information, contact The Bell Center at 879-3417.

9/11 Remembrance Camp Smile-A-Mile’s Monkey C Monkey Run Ceremony The City of Homewood is hosting an annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony with the cities of Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills on Tuesday, September 11 at Homewood City Hall. The event is open to the public and will begin at 9 a.m. with bell ringers ringing the first bell at the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center. The Homewood City Schools choir will perform, bagpipes will be played and there will be a dove release signifying peace. In the event of rain, the ceremony will take place inside Rosewood Hall. For more information please contact Sgt. Andrew Didcoct at 332-6204 or the Homewood Chamber of

The Camp Smile-A-Mile monkey sprints to start last year’s run. Photo courtesy of Meredith Stutts.

Camp Smile-A-Mile is holding the Monkey C Monkey Run at Homewood Central Park on September 8. All proceeds will benefit Camp Smile A Mile at Lake Martin for children with cancer. Camp SAM’s mission is to provide year round challenging, unforgettable recreational and educational experiences for young cancer patients, their families and young adult survivors from Alabama at no cost. Individual registration for the race is $30 after August 20. Packet pick-up and late registration will be at Trak Shak in Homewood,

Commerce at 871-5631. The American ﬂag raised in front of Homewood City Hall. Photo courtesy Sgt. Andrew Didcoct

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Thursday, September 6 and Friday, September 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The race will start at 8 a.m., and day-of registration will be open at the park from 6:30 a.m.- 7:45 a.m. The course will be USATF-certified and chip timing is included in registration costs. Participants are encouraged to join in awards, entertainment and refreshments in Homewood Park following the race. Monkey C Monkey Run’s title sponsor is Cellular Sales Authorized Verizon Retailer. To register online, visit imathlete.com or www.campsam.org.

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Homewood Rotary installs new ofﬁcers Paul Scholl, Jr., has been installed as 2012-13 president of the Homewood Rotary Club. He succeeds 2011-12 President Jim Ceyte. Scholl, a retired large telephone equipment sales representative, has been a member of Homewood Rotary for 15 years. Other newly elected Homewood Rotary officers are Josh Carnes, presidentelect; Nick Nesmith, secretary; and Janice Scholl, treasurer. Board members are Jim Ceyte, Mike Hathorne, Darwin Metcalf, Al Murray, Mike O’Kelley, Merrick Wilson and Mary Wimberley. Homewood club projects include a popular Chalk Art Festival and bake sale held during I Love Homewood Day each May, a Job Shadow Day for high school students, an annual presentation of dictionaries to area third grade students, and on-going financial support of the

“ This is

my home ... and I

love it! ” Homewood Rotary officers Josh Carnes, Nick Nesmith and Janice Scholl; Paul Scholl, Jr., front.

Homewood Library. Since 1984, the club has annually awarded about $12,000 in scholarships to deserving Homewood High School graduates.

Senior Center news

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Bill Taylor and Joan Whitacker

This summer, Dr. William H. “Bill” Taylor of Homewood participated in UAB School of Medicine’s Inaugural Path of Honor. This procession of medical alumni was a new inclusion to the university’s commencement ceremony. Originally from Mobile, Bill Taylor graduated first from Spring Hill College with a triple major in biology, philosophy and chemistry.

Afterward, he was accepted to UAB School of Medicine. His professional career began as a physician and surgeon in the US Army, and he retired from private practice in Birmingham. Dr. Taylor recently celebrated his 80th birthday with family and friends at the Homewood Senior Center.

Homewood Citizens Police Academy The next session of the Homewood Citizens Police Academy will begin on September 4 and run for seven consecutive Tuesday nights. Food will be provided each night by some of Homewood’s finest restaurants. Through presentations and demonstrations by the officers themselves, you’ll learn some of the techniques and resources officers use to train for duty, from traffic stops to drug enforcement.

Topics covered include budget, officer selection, a tour of headquarters, patrol, communications, corrections, jail, traffic stops, arrests, investigations, narcotics, tactical team demonstration and a range day where participants will be able to shoot various police department weapons. For an application and class schedule, contact Sergeant Greg Brundage at 332-6864 or www.greg.brundage@homewoodal.org

Homewood Fire announces retirements Homewood Fire & Rescue Service recognizes Apparatus Operator Patrick Eskew and Lieutenant Johnny West for their many years of dedicated service to

the citizens of Homewood as firefighters and paramedics. Eskew retired in June, and West retired in July.

Johnny West

Patrick Eskew

| September 2012 | The Homewood Star

“The Wade Team”

Trinity’s Fall Lil’ Lambs Sale Trinity United Methodist Church will hold its fall Lil’ Lambs consignment sale on Friday, September 7 and Saturday, September 8 in the church’s gym. Hours on Friday are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday’s hours are 9 a.m.-noon. Most items are halfpriced on Saturday. Lil’ Lambs is a sale of gently used

infant and children’s clothing, accessories, toys and nursery items. Sellers receive 70 percent of their proceeds and the remaining 30 percent helps support Trinity’s children’s ministries. Everyone is welcome. Trinity is located at 1400 Oxmoor Road and can be reached at 879-1737. For information, visit trinitybirmingham.com.

Exceptional Foundation Art Show

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Last year’s Exceptional Foundation Art Show. Photo by Madoline Markham.

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The Alabama Society of CPAs Birmingham Young CPA Chapter will present The Exceptional Foundation Art Show on Thursday, September 20 from 6 to 9 p.m at The Exceptional Foundation in Homewood. The Exceptional Foundation is a non-profit organization where mentally challenged individuals are given the chance to engage in social and recreational activities once they reach age 21 and are no longer able to interact with others within a school system. The Exceptional Foundation also provides activities for school-age individuals during after school and summer hours. The Exceptional Foundation Art show

features art created by participants in the program. The proceeds of the art show will go towards participants’ program fees, which will make the program more affordable for families. There will be music, wine and beer and a variety of food donated from local restaurants. There will also be a silent auction, which will include Exceptional Foundation artwork, local artists’ work, items donated by local businesses and several unusual “experience opportunities.” Tickets are $35 and may be purchased online. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.exceptionalfoundation. org.

Shades Creek Cleanup The Friends of Shades Creek will hold their annual creek cleanup on Saturday, September 29 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. “This is a good opportunity for scout groups and other civic groups to help clean up Shades Creek, which is a valuable resource in our own community,” said Michelle Blackwood, president of the Friends of Shades Creek. Those interested in helping should bring gloves and old clothes and meet at Samford’s West Gate, just across Lakeshore Drive from the bridge that goes to Homewood High School. There will be a tent set up for the event just to the right of the entrance gate. Groups will also divide up along Shades Creek to clean up different sections. Some will get in Shades Creek and will need to wear water shoes. Others will pick up trash along the banks and in the stream. Some groups will focus on the areas of the creek at Broadway and Greensprings and on Shades Creek behind the BP station.

Volunteers help clean out Shades Creek during last year’s event. Photo courtesy of Michelle Blackwood.

For more information on the event, call 541-7244.

CDF to host annual Bargain Costume Closet The Children’s Dance Foundation will hold its annual Bargain Costume Closet on September 16 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 1715 27th Court South. There will be an array of costumes, dancewear, dress-up clothes, shoes and accessories available at bargain prices. All items have been donated by

individuals, dance studios and groups from across the country. There is no entry fee to shop, and donations to the Closet are always accepted. For more information, contact Children’s Dance Foundation at 870-0073 or visit www.childrensdancefoundation. org.

The Homewood Star | September 2012 |

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Scars on 45 perform at last year’s Vulcan AfterTunes. Photo courtesy of Vulcan Park and Museum.

Vulcan Park and Museum will host its series of Sunday afternoon concerts this fall. This three-part series features local and national singer/songwriter acts often heard on Reg’s Coffee House and Birmingham Mountain Radio. New this year is a Kid Zone that will feature face painting, coloring page and other activities. The September 23 AfterTunes headliner is The Secret Sisters. This pair of Alabama sisters dare to cover the Sinatra untouchable “Something Stupid,” one minute and deliver their own self-penned, soon-to-be signature anthem “Tennessee Me” the next. Hailing from the legendary musical hamlet of Muscle Shoals, they refer to their ‘accidental discovery’ as “one of those things that happens when you’re not looking. You just embrace it and be grateful.” Their song “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder,” which was originally inspired by Alabama’s April 27, 2011 tornadoes, was featured on The Hunger Games movie soundtrack. The October 21 concert headliner is Jason Isbell. Isbell’s home in Greenhill, Alabama plays a prominent role in the songs on his most recent album Here We Rest. Spending more time around his hometown this year, he could reacquaint himself with the locale and immerse himself with the rhythms of life in northern Alabama. “Being able to sit on my stool at D.P.’s, a bar in the building I live in, talk to my friends, and hear the problems that

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they have helped inform some of these songs,” he said. The October 7 concert artist will be announced soon. Concerts start at 3 p.m. Admission is $15 for general admission and $7.50 for Vulcan members. Children 12 and under are free. A VIP package for two is available for $75. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to visitvulcan.com.

Raising Sjögren’s awareness By MADOLINE MARKHAM Rachael Paden did not plan to retire from teaching sixth grade at Homewood Middle School at age 56. But three years ago, suffering from auto-immune disease Sjögren’s Syndrome forced her to do so. This month Paden is helping raise awareness about the condition at Alabama’s first ever Sjögren’s Awareness Walkabout on Saturday, September 8 at Colonial Brookwood Village. “If I had been treated earlier, it would not be so difficult,” Paden said. “That’s why it’s so important to educate people.” Paden said that the medical community in Birmingham has not been educated in Sjögren’s. Even her internist asks Paden to bring back information on the syndrome she gets at conferences that she attends. With the disease, white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands, so hallmark symptoms are dry eyes and dry mouth. Sjögren’s can also cause muscle and joint pain and numbness; it is often misdiagnosed as Multiple Sclerosis or

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AfterTunes offers views of the city, views of Vulcan, brews and live music. Photo courtesy of Vulcan Park and Museum.

Lupus. Paden was diagnosed in 2007, but one doctor told her she had had it for a couple of decades by that point. In addition to dryness and pain, she suffers from fatigue, sensitivity to light and dental issues. “It’s not something that you can look at a person and know,” she said. Through the walk, Paden hopes to raise community awareness and get Birmingham on the map for future Sjögren’s events. Sjögren’s Walkabout registration starts at 9 a.m. in the Colonial Brookwood Village food court, and the walk starts at 10 a.m. Event attendees are encouraged to bring any auto-immune related questions to enter in the Question & Answer session with a leading area rheumatologist. Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation CEO Steven Taylor will also be in attendance to meet area members and patients. To learn more about Sjögren’s Syndrome, visit sjogrens.org.

10 |

September 2012 |

The Homewood Star

Brock McGuire The evolution of Dixie red Band concert Book traces history of party alliances South Homewood Music is once again bringing Irish group Brock McGuire Band to Birmingham on October 3. The band, voted Ireland’s number one instrumental band, has performed to sold out audiences in Birmingham every two years for the last 10 years. Only 100 seats are available. The concert will be held at Moonlight on the Mountain, located at 585 Shades Crest Road in Hoover. Tickets are $25 and available through Homewood Music online at hmi. homewood.net or at the store, 3027 Central Avenue, 879-4868. For more information on the band, visit BrockMcGuireBand.com.

Senior center speaker

Glenn Feldman is the author of Painting Dixie Red: When, Where, Why, and How the South Became Republican. Photo by Madoline Markham.

By RICK WATSON

Alabama State Representative Paul DeMarco hosted Commissioner of Alabama Department of Senior Services Neal Morrison to speak at The Homewood Senior Center this summer. Commissioner Morrison spoke to the seniors about the services his department can provide, as well as took a tour of the center. Photo courtesy of Paul DeMarco.

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In 1964, the South turned red. That was the year when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by Lyndon Johnson. Southern voters had supported John F. Kennedy in 1960, but by 1964, all the southern states except Florida voted for Republican Barry Goldwater, changing their pattern of voting Democratic in national elections since just before the Civil War. Homewood resident and UAB professor Glenn Feldman has traced this historic change in his new book, Painting Dixie Red: When, Where, Why, and How the South Became Republican, published by the University Press of Florida. The reason for the shift was clearly race, and Feldman said there’s only been one election since 1964 in which the South did not vote Republican. In 1976, southern voters helped Jimmy Carter win the White House. Feldman said southerners these days don’t tend to think of themselves as being racists, and yet the South continues to vote along racial lines, with 90 percent of blacks voting Democratic and some 85 percent of whites voting Republican. Ever since Reconstruction after the Civil War, Feldman writes, affluent, business-oriented white people have tried hard to influence elections. “In the South, there’s a situation where it’s ‘politics by emotion,’” he said. “During the unrest of the 60s, it was all about race. But in more recent times, it’s been wedge issues such as religion, abortion, homosexuality, prayer in school, the Ten Commandments, tax rates, and other hotbutton issues, that sway how people will vote.” By contrast, he said, the main factor that had kept voters from swaying on wedge issues in the past was labor unions: “Union leaders tended to focus on

what was best for workers. And since about 37 percent of the working population were union members after World War II, the unions were really a force to be reckoned with. “But over the last 30 years there’s been a concerted and well-organized effort by businesses to crush unions and make them irrelevant. To a large extent, it’s succeeded. They’ve managed to demonize unions, equating union membership as somehow being un-American, un-patriotic and unChristian.” As a result, Feldman said, membership in labor unions has fallen to less than 10 percent. The decline of labor unions, the professor said, has adversely affected the living standard of the middle class: “The benefits enjoyed today by workers— weekends, holidays, vacations, sick pay, pensions and disability—were all hardfought issues at the bargaining table. Businesses would never have provided those benefits if they hadn’t been won by unions.” In Feldman’s view, the economic “golden years” for America were from around 1947 to 1973, due in large part to the achievements of organized labor: “People earned a decent wage and were able to buy homes, cars, boats and other consumer goods. These days, wages are either stagnant or declining, and the middle class can’t afford to buy the products they’re producing. It’s really kind of sad.” Feldman said he’s gratified by the success so far of Painting Dixie Red. In the meantime, he’s doing research on a new project that’s an overview of the politics of the South during the last century. Painting Dixie Red is available through bookstores around Birmingham, and also online from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

We Love Homewood A Father and Sons Operation Mon-Thur: 7-7 Fri: 7-6:30, Sat: 9-4 1915 Oxmoor Rd. • 871.6131 hunterscleaners@gmail.com

Hunter Payne and sons Winston and Collier.

The Homewood Star | September 2012 |

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

Bob Tedrow: Maestro of ‘Antique Noise’ By DALE SHORT In these days of technology, there aren’t many businesses that proudly proclaim themselves “150 years behind the times.” But when you walk into the brick storefront at 3027 Central Avenue, time instantly becomes a more fluid commodity. The background music transitions seamlessly from Django Reinhardt to 1950s rockabilly, and to points even further afield. Out the front window, at the edge of the parking lot, a 1928 Model-A Ford has the shop’s logo painted on its doors. Bob Tedrow, proprietor for some 25 years of Homewood Musical Instrument Company, acknowledges that neither his family name nor his chief fascination (antique concertinas) are especially familiar in Alabama: “The Tedrows crawled out from a hole in the bank of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and Ohio during the early 1700s,” he said. “Two brothers had migrated here from a little town named Teterow, Germany, and changed their name to Tedrow.” Although he vividly remembers the hot jazz piano his grandmother, Belle, played during his childhood (coincidentally, she drove an MG TD sports car—“My behavior is clearly her fault,” Tedrow observed), his first hands-on experience with music was the banjo he bought when he was 16 years old. “Since I didn’t know how to play the banjo, the obvious thing to do was take it apart,” he said. “It had all these little nuts and bolts and screws. So I cleaned it up and put it back together—incorrectly, as it turned out. And played it out-of-tune for the next five or six years, without realizing it. Which apparently didn’t say a lot in favor of my musical abilities.” But Tedrow says his most formative musical education came during what he

Homewoood Musical Instrument Co. is located across from Homewood Park. Photos by Dale Short.

calls “The Great Folk Scare of the 1960s, when I played protest music but didn’t know what I was protesting against. My friends liked rock-and-roll, but I enjoyed playing the banjo. And as a result, the whole Sexual Revolution passed right by me.” Nowadays, Tedrow and his fellow craftsman Jason Burns face a constant stream of ailing instruments that arrive on their doorstep via FedEx and UPS from around the world. Apart from the mechanical challenges of repairing them, Tedrow said he’s simultaneously intrigued by the instruments as works of art: “I think almost all musical instruments have a beautiful artistic component. I like vintage banjos, especially. They have a unique cachet to them because they weren’t necessarily built on a pattern, whereas violins are mostly based on the same model, with subtle differences. The same goes, usually, for guitars. “But banjos are just wild, because

Bob Tedrow owns Homewood Musical Instrument Co.

their builders typically had a vision of their design that was particular to that individual. So they can be anything. They’re works of visual art, as well as of sound. “In addition, I think almost everybody likes to feel that connection with the past that you get when you play a vintage instrument. It just feels ‘right.’ And when you play old music on an old instrument, you’re actually creating antique noise.” Among the links on the store’s website is a shout-out from the Wall Street Journal with the headline, “The sweet sound of a Concertina warms the soul.” In addition to repairing old ones, Tedrow also produces new ones for clients. The benefits of the concertina, he told the WSJ blogger, are obvious: “What other instrument combines reeds, springs, levers, fancy woodwork and leatherwork, beautiful tone, and lovely old-time appeal with the portability of a six-pack of beer?” In between his career of selling and

repairing, Tedrow creates opportunities to play music as often as he can. “I haven’t gone many days in my adult life without playing music of some kind,” he said. “I enjoy playing with my neighbors, my wife, my kids, with Jason. I don’t play in clubs any more, though. Four-set nights in smoky bars with a 10-pound banjo around your neck gets old after a while. Actually, a pretty short while.” When a visitor points out a discrepancy between the shop’s display sign and its website—one says “150 years behind the times,” the other “83 years behind the times” —Tedrow takes it in stride. “We’re still trying to pin that down, so we’re flexible,” he said, pointing to the antique car out front. “This week, we’re gauging our behind-ness on the age of my car.” Dale Short is producer of the weekly radio show “Music from Home,” which is archived on carrolldaleshort.com.

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September 2012 | The Homewood Star

Ordinary Days Hurricane season By Lauren Denton

DEBORAH A. SEMA, D.M.D., M.S. SPECIALIST IN ORTHODONTICS

205-942-2270 www.ovortho.com

Braces for All Ages

Hardly a September goes by without my parents bringing up September of 1979. Up here in Birmingham, Hurricane Frederic probably isn’t in many people’s memories, but in Mobile, it was another story. Down there, hurricanes were (and still are) a fairly common occurrence, especially around August and September, but this one was different. Frederic washed ashore in Mobile a scant three months after I was born. My dad was at a medical conference in New Orleans in the days before the storm, and when he heard that it was headed for Mobile, he drove back home to pick up my mom and me from my grandparents’ house just outside Mobile. He arrived the day the storm hit, and needless to say, my grandmother was not too excited about her son-in-law driving her daughter and granddaughter through 50 mph winds and torrential rain. We arrived at my other grandparents’ house closer into town just as things were really starting to deteriorate. The winds howled all night and at some point, their house lost power—power that would stay gone for almost three weeks. Three weeks of AC-less days with an infant, steamy hot Mobile air outside, and nothing to break the monotony but the sound of generators powering chainsaws to cut through fallen trees. In fact, my grandfather, in an attempt to get to the hospital to check on patients, had to ride his bike to work due to all the trees down in the neighborhood. No cars could pass through, and it was weeks before things got back to some semblance of normal. Fast forward to September 2004, and we have Ivan. Poor Gulf Shores wore a bulls eye for this one, and the areas just to the east of Gulf Shores got the worst of it, including Perdido Key, where my family has a condo.

I remember sitting in my apartment here, listening to the wind whipping the trees around outside my window, praying God would spare our little haven at the beach. He did for the most part, although it was years before all the damage was repaired. (The damage that remained on the beach in March 2005 did little to dampen my excitement as my then boyfriend Matt proposed to me on that beach.) The very next year, Katrina hit, and everyone knows about that one. Technically, it was the very end of August, but by September, people around the world were glued to their TV sets, watching people standing on their roofs in New Orleans. Mobile was hit hard and had substantial damage from Katrina. I was living in Birmingham and preparing for our wedding, which was planned for October 1 in Mobile. As I watched the news stories, it didn’t cross my mind that Katrina could affect our wedding plans. Everything was fine until the quaint, historic hotel where we were going to stay the night of the wedding before flying out for our honeymoon called to cancel our reservation—two weeks before the wedding. We shouldn’t have complained (although we did just a little) because they were housing Red Cross workers who were in town to help storm victims. In the grand scheme of things, one couple’s wedding night just wasn’t on the top of their list of priorities! Suffice it to say, September has proved to be a busy time of year for hurricanes, especially for those of us with ties to the Gulf. Hopefully this September, the only whirlwind I’ll be dealing with will be sleepless nights with a newborn (our new baby Sela)—with the AC pumping and trees standing tall as they should. Lauren can be reached at laurenkdenton@ gmail.com.

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HHS graduate Olivia Benfield was one of ten local Alabama students to receive a college scholarship by the Mid-South Division of the American Cancer Society. Scholarships were awarded based on financial need, leadership, academic achievement and community service. Candidates must be under 25, have had a cancer diagnosis before age 19 and be a Mid-South resident. Students must also have a GPA of at least 2.5 and be accepted to an accredited school. “We were thrilled to award Olivia with this scholarship,” said Kristen McDonald Bernery, ACS Associate Executive Director. “Olivia showed outstanding leadership in our Relay for Life events with her fundraising and publicity efforts.” Olivia, who was diagnosed at age 11

ACS scholarship recipient Olivia Benfield

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Miller Williams, a junior at HHS, served as Senator Shelby’s Senate Page in June. Photo courtesy of Laura Williams.

The Homewood Star

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

Cheryl Bourn: Ovarian cancer survivor

| September 2012 |

THE LAW OFFICE OF TRACI VELLA FAMILY LAW

Certiﬁed Family Law Specialist by the National board of Trial Advocacy.

Ovarian cancer survivor Cheryl Bourn wears teal in support of the fight against the cancer. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Bourn.

Cheryl Bourn is a Homewood resident and seven-year survivor of stage 3 ovarian cancer. A wife, mother, former medical technologist and former high school science teacher, she is the president of the CanSurvive GYN Cancer Support Group and one recipient of the 2012 American Cancer Society’s Life Inspiration Award. You seem passionate about letting women know about gyn cancer. What were your symptoms? I had no idea that I had symptoms of ovarian cancer in 2005. I had extreme fatigue that I thought was due to getting older and having family caregiver duties. Problems with digestion were dismissed as a “stomach bug.” I had persistent bloating that I explained away. However, all my symptoms persisted, and the bloating became very severe. I was very sick by the time I was diagnosed. Most of these symptoms happened in a period of two months. Why did you not know these were symptoms of ovarian cancer? At the time I was diagnosed, ovarian cancer was referred to as the “silent killer.” There were no identified symptoms. A couple years later, Dr. Barbara Goff examined charts of many ovarian cancer patients and found that it wasn’t silent after all. Most women had at least one, if not all, of these four symptoms: persistent

bloating, eating and feeling full quickly, abdominal or pelvic pain, and increased urinary urgency or frequency. There are other symptoms, too. It is important for women to recognize these symptoms. It is all we have right now until an early screening test is developed. Tell me two things I might not hear about ovarian cancer. Although it is mostly middle-aged women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, children and young women can also have it. About 15 percent of ovarian cancers are hereditary. If breast, ovarian, or colon cancer runs in your family, you may be at an increased risk for ovarian cancer.

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What will be going on in September to promote GYN Awareness Month? Mayor McBrayer will proclaim this to be GYN awareness month. Our awareness color is teal, so you will see teal in many forms. The Capitol building in Montgomery will be lit in teal on Sept. 4 and three buildings at UAB will be lit in teal all month. Friday, September 7 is national Wear Teal Day. You’ll also see more fingernails and toenails painted teal! Camille Ponseti, a Homewood teenager, is inspiring many to sport teal nails this month. You may also see public service announcements, TV spots and signage.

Samford Legacy League’s Sunset 5K By MADISON MILLER Samford Legacy League will host a Sunset 5K at Samford Track and Soccer Stadium on September 29. The event will raise money for scholarships for deserving Samford students with financial need. The 5K will proceed along Lakeshore Greenway. It is a flat, fast course. Time splits at each mile, and there are refreshments at start and finish. Runners of all ages and skill levels are welcome. Participants may register online before September 26 or in person on September 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Trak Shak as well as on the day of the run at 3 p.m. at the location of the 5K. Those who register before September 21 are guaranteed a T-shirt. Those who register after will receive T-shirts while supplies last. The run will begin at 5 p.m. At 5:45 p.m., there will be a one-mile Fun Run. At 6:30 p.m., awards will be held. The prices are $15 with a Samford ID, $20 for other 5K participants who register before September 21. The price will go up to $25 after September 21. Fees for Fun Run participants are $10. For more information on the event, visit www.samford.edu/ legacyleague.

When you give to United Way, you’re not just doing a good deed — you’re creating opportunities for a better life for all. Your donations go directly to our partners and initiatives in our community to help those who need it most. The truth is undeniable: doing good feels good. And nothing feels better than making good things happen with a partner like United Way.

Fundraising chair Lisbeth Cease meets with Sunset 5K chair Beth Steed and her children Ella and William at the Samford stadium. Photo courtesy of Kathryn Woodruff.

14 |

September 2012 | Business

Homewood Happenings Artist Thomas Andrew

Jolly Rogers Tavern Jolly Rogers Tavern is now open on 367 Valley Avenue in Homewood. The oyster bar and grill offers 26 handcrafted beers, large screen TVs, a large patio, pool tables and a live music venue. They have karaoke on Wednesday and Sunday

at 8 p.m. as well as live music Thursday at 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. Jolly Rogers Tavern is open from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. For more information, visit jollyrogerstavern.com or call 290SHIP(7447).

College and Career Coaching now open Dr. Lindsay Aycock opened College and Career Coaching in Homewood this summer. College and Career Coaching assists high school students with all aspects regarding the college search process, from creating a list of colleges and universities that match their interests to narrowing their choices and preparing applications. The business also advises recent college graduates and career changers on the job

search process. Aycock assists with career topics such as cover letter development, networking, informational interviewing and customized job search strategies. College and Career Coaching operates from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and after hours by appointment. For more information, visit collegeandcareercoaching.com or call 4209372.

Johnny’s restaurant to open Johnny’s restaurant is scheduled to open on 18th Street by the first of September, pending inspections. Owner Timothy Hontzas remodeled the old DiGiorgio’s Out Takes location and plans to specialize in southern cuisine with a Greek influence. Johnny’s is open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The third week of operations, Johnny’s plans to start serving breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. from Tuesday to Saturday. Also, Johnny’s will provide curbside service and dinner pick-up from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 802-2711 or visit johnnysrestaurantbirmingham.com. They are located at 2902 18th Street South, Suite 200.

commissioned by Republican party Homewood artist Thomas Andrew Findlay has been commissioned to create four elephant paintings as a fundraiser for the Republican party. A Limited Edition print from one of Findlay’s elephants will be given to each delegate as a thank you for their service. Two of the elephants painted by Findlay have the Alabama state flag in the background, and the other two display the American flag as their backgrounds. Findlay videoed the process of each painting being painted from start to finish and included beautiful music performed by musicians from the state of Alabama. “Everyone who knows my work knows that I hide an Alabama ‘A’ in every painting,” Andrew said. “For the GOP auction, I have included a new surprise for the audience to search for.” The models for his pantings live at the Birmingham Zoo. “We have an amazing zoo and something that no other zoo in America has: four male elephants. They are truly majestic creatures and I love to paint them,” said Andrew. Andrew is honored to represent his community and his state. “I‘ve never done anything political before, so I enjoyed having the opportunity to try something new,” said Andrew. “I will be attending the convention to witness the live auction at the Southern States Party.

Artist Thomas Andrew with his elephant paintings.

All proceeds will benefit the GOP. I can honestly say that I am honored to represent my state and my country,” said Andrew. For more information, contact Andrew at www.thomasandrewart.com. Andrew’s studio is located in downtown Homewood.

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Business | September 2012 |

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

Business Spotlight 3040 Independence Drive (800) 321-3524

Tidmore Flags

BY MADISON MILLER

www.tidmoreflags.com Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. After purchasing Tidmore Flags in 2010, owner Eric Pfieffer discovered that the business was not what he had expected. “I learned that there are a lot more to flags than what I originally thought,” he said. Of course they have flags for all 50 states and 220 U.N. countries. Customers can also find everything from a traditional American flag to the flag that Christopher Columbus sailed with on his way to the New World. Historical, religious, military, collegiate, sports—Tidmore has a flag in stock for everything in at least three sizes. “If it’s a flag, we probably have it,” Pfieffer said. Before his ownership, Tidmore Flags was mostly a mail-order business. While it still does most of its business that way, Pfieffer has added merchandise that is more appealing to walk-in customers, including decorative and garden flags for homeowners. “We are constantly getting new designs for our decorative flags throughout the year,” he said. The flag headquarters began in 1963 when Montgomery native Anne Tidmore started the business out of her home. About 20 years ago, her daughter, Marianne Wofford, and her husband Ed bought the business and moved it to Birmingham. It has been at its location on Independence Drive for about 15 years. Pfieffer, originally from South Dakota, is a fourth generation commercial printer. After four years of business in Iowa, the floods of 2008 damaged the building so

Tidmore Flags owner Eric Pfieffer sells thousands of different ﬂags through their retail and online stores. Photo by Madison Miller.

much that he was forced to close. Pfieffer moved back home but not for long. “I went through one really bad winter up there and decided that I had to move south,” he said. Along with his changes in merchandise after purchasing the business, Pfieffer also decided to re-do Tidmore’s website. The project took about a year to complete.

“It took a lot of man hours. It was our biggest hurdle,” he said. Although the quality of the flags makes them last for a long time, Pfieffer enjoys when customers come back for more. He and his employees also appreciate their location. The traffic, they said, helps to bring in customers. “We love Homewood,” said Ashley

Gervais, customer service and sales specialist at Tidmore Flags. Pfieffer has enjoyed continuing the legacy of this once family-owned business. Helping the customers and community find what they need is his favorite part of the business. “When the customers come by and say their flag lasted a long time, that’s great.”

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16 |

September 2012 |

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Contest Runners Up

| September 2012 |

Live and Laugh. Photo by Susan Mullins

(Top) Hollie Huey and her niece Hillary Horton show their love of the beach. Photo by Hollie Huey.

(Top) Harper Campbell... beach babe. Photo by Beth Campbell

(Middle) Fun in the beach.

(Bottom) Marc Beaumont and his daughter, Mary Eliza, enjoy a parasailing excursion in Destin, Florida. Photo by Emily Beaumont

Jules Horne windsurﬁng in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Photo by Gaylyn Horne- Ballard.

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September 2012 |

The Homewood Star

Gary Asher: Drum connoisseur By KATIE STEWART Walking into Gary Asher’s “man cave” basement, the words of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody immediately come to mind: “Is this real life? Is this just fantasy?” There are drums literally from floor to ceiling. Big drums, small drums, colorful drums, signed drums and multiple famous drums. By adding one set a month for 35 years, Asher’s collection now contains 300 sets and 600 snares, including drums from Heatwave, KISS, Fleetwood Mac, Lenny Kravitz, Santana and many more well known acts. He even has a set signed by Ringo Starr. His drums have also appeared in movies such as That Thing You Do and Drumline. Asher’s life devotion as collector, teacher and drummer started at age 10 when he wanted to be in the Homewood band. “I had worked all summer in order to buy my first set of drums,” Asher said. “I literally bought a set directly out of the paper because I wanted to be a part of Homewood High’s band when I was older, and I knew I needed to start learning. I got to be a drummer in the fourth grade band after I got that set.” Almost 40 years later, Asher still has the beat of the drum in his heart. As a drum collector, he has traveled all over the world in order to continue to add to his already impressive collection. William F. Ludwig II, son of the founder of the famous drum company, has been to visit Asher’s home six times. Asher said the manufacturer’s are some of his most prized drums. “The William F. Ludwig Suite is the room that Mr. Ludwig would always stay in when he came to visit,” Asher said. “After the third visit, I wanted to honor The Chief and thought giving his room a nameplate

Gary Asher’s drum sets collection includes this piece from Van Halen. Photo by Katie Stewart.

was a great way to do so. He was one of the kindest men. One day he just sat down and shared the entire history of his business. It was unbelievable, and meant so much to an avid drum lover.” Although Asher is proud of his extensive and unique collection, what really gets him talking is his teaching. In 1982 he founded the Drum School, where he began instructing more than 3,000 students from ages four to 87. In the three-month course he encourages everyone to give drumming a shot, not matter how rhythm-challenged the student may be. (He even convinced a certain reporter to give drumming a try.) “Teaching is what I’m passionate about,” Asher said. “I was blessed with such phenomenal music teachers in Homewood that I wanted to give that to other generations as well. The love of music is hard to understand, but I do my best to tell students about it every chance I get.” Somehow, amidst collecting and

teaching, Asher still finds time to play with his wife, Fay Asher, in the Canterbury United Methodist Church Crossroads band. “My most important gig is playing with her at church,” Asher said. “She is so incredibly talented and has traveled the globe with me. She truly is an amazing individual.” Along with playing with his wife, he also is a member of five bands. He performs frequently with them, and even has had a gig at Workplay. However, he believes he would not be the same person if it weren’t for the community he grew up in, Homewood. “All of my success, the past 30 years of teaching, playing, traveling and collecting is all due to the Homewood Band,” Asher said. “Since the fourth grade I have been encouraged by multiple teachers to keep going after my dreams. Without them, who knows where I’d be?”

Gary Asher’s drums tower over everything in his home. His “man cave” holds drums as far as the eye can see. Photo by Katie Stewart.

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The Homewood Star

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

| September 2012 |

Technology to simplify life These days with so many advances in technology it is possible to get confused or overwhelmed when in actuality, technology is available to help simplify your life – whether at home or at the office. We sat down with 38pages CEO Wes Thompson with some questions on the latest about the Google cloud. What exactly is the “cloud” I keep hearing about and what does it mean for me and my family? The cloud consists of web-based applications such as file storage and data that is stored and served in a distributed web environment. More importantly is what the cloud can do. It allows you to synchronize files between multiple computers and devices, allows you to share information more easily and provides a more accessible environment for real time collaboration. Google is a great example of the power of the cloud. You can create a calendar for your son’s soccer team and share it with friends and relatives. You can create a family budget in Google Docs (a spreadsheet document) and share that with your husband so that you both stay on the same page regarding your finances without having to keep a local file on a computer. These files are always backed up in the cloud. If your computer becomes infected with a virus or the hard drive fails, you still can access your calendar and your budget from anywhere with an internet connection. I have all of my children’s photos on my cell phone. How can I upload and share these with our family and friends? I recommend Google Picasa – picasa. google.com. You can easily create albums, add photos, share photos, apply simple edits to photos such as rotate, red eye removal, cropping and color balancing. Picasa also has a feature where it recognizes faces within the photos that you add. You can name all the people in your photos and before you know it, you have a library of photos categorized by names. Also, many apps for smart phones allow you to upload directly from your phone to Picasa and bypass connecting your phone to your computer altogether.

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City Council election forum

Bruce Limbaugh

Jackie Langlow

On August 21, The Homewood Star hosted a forum for City Council president candidates followed by a meet and greet with all ward candidates.

Velvet Pumpkins as seen in the current issue of Southern Lady 2925 18th Street South • Homewood 205-871-0585 • www.harmonylanding.com Mayor Scott McBrayer presents the 2012 Outstanding Community Member Award to Stanley Virciglio. His daughter, Kim Virciglio, accepted the award on his behalf.

Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

20 |

September 2012 | The Homewood Star

HOMEWOOD PARKS & RECREATION

Homewood Community Center Activities Zumba

ZUMBA is the new craze sweeping America! It is Latin inspired aerobic dance and every class feels like a party. ZUMBA is for all ages, and both sexes! You can burn 500 to 1000 calories in one fun hour! Instructor: Camille Scruggs Contact Info: 256-452-2500 or camillescruggs@gmail.com Days & Times: Homewood Community Center Auditorium Tuesday 5:30-6:30pm Thursday 5:30-6:30pm Saturday 9:00-10:00am

Children’s Ballet with Claire Goodhew

Your child can be a fairy, a princess or a butterfly while keeping ballet traditions alive and having fun with classical music. The beginning ballet moves taught are the important foundation for many types of dance. The French names for steps will be introduced. Students will work on coordination, balance, rhythm and flexibility while developing listening skills and strengthening muscles. The environment provided is a happy and age appropriate one. Claire has been teaching ballet since starting as a teenager in Montgomery. Then, after moving to Birmingham, she started teaching with Birmingham Ballet. She has taught preschoolers Classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays at the in Mother’s Day Out and Day Care as well. Homewood Community Center from 4:00-5:00 pm in the Girls may wear any color leotard and tights for class, with pink Auditorium. Monthly tuition is $55 - $65. Classes are for children and teenagers ages 4 and up. For more information ballet shoes. Classes meet once a week on Mondays at The Homewood Community Center. please contact Master Joe at 966-4244 Times & Location: Monday 3:45pm-4:30pm / Homewood Community Center Room 100. Classes begin Monday, September 17, 2012 Homewood Community Center Auditorium Please contact Claire to enroll or for additional Information: Class fee: $60 cash only (205) 879-8780 For more information contact Aziza at 879-0701 or azizaofbirmingham@att.net Learn the ancient art of Middle Eastern belly dance (classic Egyptian style) with Aziza, award winning dancer, with Gymnastics promotes coordination, flexibility and balance. 36 years of experience in performance and instruction. We teach gymnastics at your child’s individual level in a fun, Women only, ages 13 and up are welcome; with no dance creative and positive environment, therefore developing selfexperience necessary to enroll. Each session is 5-weeks confidence, a love for fitness and a sense of achievement. long on: Tuesday night for beginners, Wednesday night Skills are taught on the Swing Bar, Balance Beam, Trampoline, for intermediates and Thursday night for advanced. Times Springboard, Tumbling apparatus, and other fun props! are 7:00-8:30pm for beginners and 7:00-8:45pm for Location: Homewood Community Center Auditorium intermediates and advanced. Beginners start with the Day: Thursdays basic steps, isolations and shimmies and progress to the Times: 3:30 – 4:15 pm for Ages 3-5 (Preschool) intermediate class where you will learn to put the dance 4:15 - 5:00 pm for Ages 6 & up (Elementary) together with more advanced steps and combinations plus Fee: $80.00 for Homewood residents, $85 for nondancing with the veil; advanced classes include performing residents with zills, cane, veil with more advanced and longer For More Information: performances. The classes are for anyone who wants to (205) 981-2720 or visit www.headoverheelsgyms.com dance for fun and fitness, as well as those who wish to perform. Aziza has trained dancers to perform for many events in the Southeastern area in addition to dancers who perform regularly at Ali Baba Persian Restaurant in Hoover. www.azizaofbirmingham.com

Karate

Belly Dancing with Aziza

Head Over Heels Gymnastics!

Kindermusik

As the world’s recognized leader in early childhood music and movement, Kindermusik oﬀers a musical learning adventure that will impact your child now and for years to come! This is accomplished through our extraordinary classroom experience and unsurpassed At Home materials. There’s simply no better way to foster your child’s love of music and love of learning. Classes are available for ages 0 to 5 years. Classes Oﬀered & Schedule: Wednesdays – Classes Begin August 29th 10:30am - Our Time (18 months to 3 years) 11:30am - Village (infant to 18 months) 1:30pm – Family Time (0-7 years multi-age class) Thursdays – Classes Begin August 30th 9:30am - Our Time (18 months to 3 years) 10:30am - Our Time (18 months to 3 years) 11:30am - Village (infant to 18 months) 1:30pm – Imagine That (3-5 years of age) Classes are held August through December; Homewood Community Center Room 100. You can enroll for classes at anytime! For more information call or email Kelly at: (205) 552-6129 (or) Kelly.alligood@charter.net Please visit http://kellyalligood.yourvirtuoso.com for more information or to enroll

Homewood Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon Do is a great way to get in shape, build selfesteem, learn a great self-defense, and earn your stripes… Literally! Tae Kwon Do is great discipline for any age and any ﬁtness level. New Class starting in September at Homewood Community Center; oﬀering fusion Tae Kwon Do/Hapkido training. Instructor: Bradley Wells Contact Info: 334-714-1021 or homewoodtkd@gmail.com Days & Times: Monday & Wednesday: 6:30pm - 7:30pm (Homewood Community Center – Room 100) Thursday: 6:30pm – 7:30pm (Homewood Central Park)

@homewoodparks

Head Over Heels: Ready – Set – Cheer!

New Class to Homewood Community Center Info: Ready - Set - Cheer! Our ﬁrst class for Cheerleaders! Class includes instruction on cheer motions, jumps and basic tumbling. Flexibility and cheer conditioning will also be covered. Tumbling skills: handstands, cartwheels, backbends, splits, backbend-kickovers, power hurdles, and drills for round-oﬀs. Location: Homewood Community Center Auditorium Day: Tuesdays Times: 4:15 - 5:00 pm For More Information about Ready, Set, Cheer! (205) 981-2720 www.headoverheelsgyms.com

Young Rembrandts

Draw amazing things with Young Rembrandts! We believe that drawing is a skill that can, and should be learned by all children. Young Rembrandts classes are both fun and educational, and our step-by-step curriculum is developed to teach fundamental art skills in a nurturing environment that gives children an academic advantage. Our weekly classes are for boys and girls 5 to 12 years of age. Class will be held in Room 100 oﬀ the basketball court at the Homewood Community Center. If construction on a new Community Center begins, we will provide an alternate location until construction is complete. All new lessons monthly and each year! Please contact Chris Roberson at (205) 943-1923 for more information and to register or visit www.youngrembrandts. com to enroll anytime. WEDNESDAYS, 3:30 – 4:30 PM September 5th - May 15th Enroll anytime! $40 monthly

Homewood Senior Center

Banana Split Social with Live Dance Band

The Wayne Alexander Band Date & Time: Friday, September 21, 1:00-3:00pm Free to Senior Center members; $5 for non-members/guests Dancers & Non-dancers welcome, age 55 & up. Reservation deadline: Sept 18th (call 332-6500)

Casino Day at Homewood Senior Center

Date: Tuesday, September 25th Time: 10:15-10:30am Check-in, 10:45 Gaming, Noon Lunch, 1:00pm Auction Cost: $12 admission for Senior Center Members; $15 Nonmembers Casino Day is for seniors only (Admission fee includes ‘play-money’ for gaming, plus catered luncheon) Reservations: 332-6500 (payment deadline: Sept 17th)

Senior Nutrition Program for Citizens age 60+

In-house congregate lunch, Mon-Fri; Meals-on-Wheels* lunch, Mon-Fri. *must meet certain government-specified criteria for meal delivery Homewood Senior Center is a host site for the program. Lunch is served at Noon. Must be registered to participate Eligible participants are asked to make a voluntary donation of $1.50 per meal. For registration form & information, call Eloise Smith at 3326503 or stop by the Senior Center before 3:00pm. Administered through the Jefferson County Office of Senior Citizen Services

Athletics

Youth Wrestling

Registration Begins: Monday, September 10, 2012 Homewood Community Center Main Oﬃce (Monday – Friday / 8:00am-5:30pm) Practice Information: Mondays and Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 6th grade team will practice just after school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday till 5:30. Ages: 6-13 Program Fees: Homewood Resident Fee: $100 Non-Resident: $150 Fee includes 5 tournaments including the STATE tournament. For additional information contact: Jakob Stephens at 332-6709 (or) Jakob.stephens@ homewoodal.org Linda Sellers at 332-6706 (or) Linda.sellers@ homewoodal.org

Youth Basketball

Registration: Begins: Monday, October 1, 2012 Ends: Friday, October 26, 2012 – Will not accept late registrations Monday thru Friday 8:00am – 5:30pm Homewood Community Center Main Oﬃce Program Fee: $60 Homewood Residents / $50 per additional children (Homewood Residents Only) $100 Non-residents for each child Age Groups: Coed: 5 – 6 year olds Boys: 8 & Under / 10 & Under / 12 & Under Girls: 8 & Under / 10 & Under / 12 & Under Age groups are determined by the player’s age on or before September 1st of the current school year. Jakob Stephens at 332-6709 (or) jakob.stephens@ homewoodal.org

www.Homewoodparks.com

Homewood Sports

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

Homewood Sports HHS girls golf

| September 2012 |

The Power to Perform

ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS MEDICINE

Geoffrey Connor, MD 205.803.3700

HHS girls golf team members Jessica Mize, Sarah Blake, Aubrey Harris, Megan Spade and Annabeth Brewton. Megan Spade qualified for the 6A substate tournament last spring. The team is coached by Dani Felty. Photo courtesy of Keat Litton.

HHS golf places in sectionals The 2012 Homewood High School boys’ golf team went 6-4 in their matches and placed fifth in the Sectional Tournament. The team consisted of three freshmen, three sophomores and one junior. “This was a great accomplishment to compete as a team at that level,” said Coach Keat Litton. “The future looks bright with all the guys returning with experience and competing at high levels. Next year we’ll be moving down to 5A, so we’ll be competing against different teams, which is exciting.”

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Crawford Flach tees off in a tournament. Photo courtesy of Keat Litton.

Homewood swimming

Second Anniversary Sale Saturday September 15th!

Door Prizes!

In his first year on the Homewood Swim Team, Benjamin Kovakas, 8, received the “Swimmer of the Meet” award at the meet held at the LJCC. Photo courtesy of Sherwood Cox Photography

antiques, furniture, artwork, gifts, children’s items, custom nursery bedding, area rugs, jewelry, home accessories, lamps, monogramming, upholstery service, custom slip covers, and so much more!!!

Homewood swim team guppies practice at Homewood Central Pool. Photo courtesy of Alissa Thurmond

The 2012 Homewood Park & Rec lifeguard staff. Photo courtesy of Alissa Thurmond

930 Oxmoor Road www.homewoodantiques.com (205)414-9945

| September 2012 |

The Homewood Star

STEWART

CONTINUED from page 1 Alcohol and illiteracy were at the root of an anger that ran deep in his father. As one might expect, life was unkind to Stewart in those early years after the death of his mother. His life story could have turned out tragically, but simple words uttered by a teacher in the Rosedale community resonated with young Shelley. “If you learn to read, you can do anything,” Mamie L. Foster told him. It was those words that encouraged Shelley to journey on a path to become the president and CEO of o2ideas, a multi-million dollar branding and advertising company off Lakeshore Drive in Homewood. His road from rags to riches is a long one with many curves and bumps along the way. Stewart and Bubba ran away from abuse at home and foraged for food together. Some of the best meals Stewart can remember were when the two boys caught catfish in Edgewood Lake. They would fry the fish and eat them on the bank. Stewart did well scholastically and eventually got a chance to get into radio as a teen disc-jockey. During his time at Parker High School, Stewart had the opportunity to work in radio as a teen reporter for WBCO in Bessemer. That exposure to radio laid the foundation for his career in broadcasting that lasted more than five decades. Stewart graduated from Rosedale High School. No members of his family were there to see him get his diploma, but his teacher Mamie L. Foster was. “She stood up and said, ‘That’s my boy; I’m so proud of him!’” Stewart recalled. He went on to work for radio stations across the South and in the Midwest with the on-air persona “Shelley the Playboy.” During the 60s, he was in Birmingham and involved with the struggles for civil rights. “I prefer to say human rights,” he added.

Homeowner Jay Reed and o2ideas CEO Shelley Stewart stand outside the house on Edgehill Road where Stewart was born to the home’s housekeeper in 1934. Photo by Rick Watson.

Being a voice for blacks during those years came at a price. He was harassed and threatened by the segregationist opposition. Stewart said it would have been easy to let the hate destroy him, but he learned that he had to let it go. The 70s brought a new opportunity for Stewart. He would help launch the careers of several black entertainers, and he worked in promotions with Otis Redding’s organization, where he broadened his broadcasting skills. Cy Steiner, an old friend who had started an advertising agency, began growing a silent partnership with Stewart, which began in 1967. Race was a factor in those days, so the partnership was not made public. This relationship continued until Steiner’s death. The company changed

names to o2ideas in 1997. Today the company’s clients include Honda, Verizon Wireless and other national and regional companies. In addition to his corporate work, Stewart spends a great deal of time and money fighting illiteracy and encouraging young people to stay in school. Stewart’s face becomes animated when he talks about The Mattie C. Stewart Foundation, which was named in honor of his beloved mother. The national non-profit organization creates tools and resources to help reduce the dropout rate and increase the graduation rate in communities across America. Stewart is also involved in The Birmingham Kitchen Table. “I think it’s important to leave this a better place,” he said.

WHERE DID

It wasn’t until he renewed his passport recently and was required to get a copy of his birth certificate that he realized his birthplace was different than where he’d always thought it was. The house on Edgehill Road, which is recognized by the Jefferson County Historical Commission, now belongs to Jay Reed, president of Alabama Associated Builders & Contractors. Indeed, it is on that soil where his journey began. Stewart is a nationally recognized speaker for groups throughout the country. You can read Stewart’s life story in his autobiography, The Road South, published in 2002 by Warner Books. To learn more about his work, visit www. o2ideas.com and www.mattiecstewart.org.

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The Homewood Star | September 2012 |

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

HHS’s Riley leads international organization Decorative Hardware & Lighting

New LocatioN, Next Door, Same Great Service! Key Club International President Rebecca Riley, a Homewood High School senior, volunteers at Children’s of Alabama. Photo courtesy of Cayleigh Cummings.

By TOM WARD The world’s largest high school organization has chosen one of our own as its leader. Rebecca Riley, a senior at Homewood High School, was elected president of Key Club International this summer in Orlando at its international convention. Riley had previously served as a Key Club international trustee, and before that as a lieutenant governor on the state level. Rebecca spoke with The Homewood Star after returning from Indianapolis, where she presided over her first international board meeting as president. “Leading this organization is such a great honor,” she said. “Key Club has taught me so much about the value of service and the impact we can have on the lives of others.” Rebecca’s dad, Homewood attorney Rob Riley, watched with joy in Orlando as students from the U.S. and other nations chose his daughter as their leader. “Rebecca has great energy and a heart for service,” he said. “As parents, we’ll always see Rebecca as our little girl, so it’s amazing to watch an international organization choose her as its president.” 2012-2013 promises to be even busier for Rebecca than for most Key Club International presidents, as she will continue her weekly duties as drum major for the Homewood High School band. “It’s going to be busy, especially during football season,” she said with a laugh. “It’s just fun to do both, and I want to enjoy my senior year of high school at Homewood. The administration, my teachers and our Key Club faculty advisors have made this possible because of their great support.” Also in Orlando were Riley’s grandparents, Bob and Patsy Riley, who also understand a few things about

elections. Bob Riley served as Governor of Alabama from 2003 to 2009 and as a U.S. Congressman for three terms. Many in Alabama, and some in the national media, had urged Governor Riley to run for President in 2012. “We had a laugh when I told him I was running,” Rebecca said of her grandfather. “I told him I was running for president rather than his telling me he was running for president.” Rebecca is the oldest of Rob and Leslie Riley’s four children and has enjoyed sharing the joy with her mom, two sisters and brother. “They all want to join Key Club now,” she said of her siblings. “They don’t want to wait. We have enjoyed this as a family.” Founded in 1925, Key Club International brings service to the world through the efforts of over a quarter of a million high school students. Each local Key Club is founded and sponsored by a Kiwanis Club and performs service projects and fundraising activities to help people and groups in their own area, and beyond. One of Riley’s goals as president is bringing more students from around the world to the international convention. “We’re working with corporate sponsors to provide scholarships allowing members to attend the convention,” she said. Because next year’s convention will be held in Washington, D.C., Riley has already made her first choice for its keynote speaker. “We’re inviting the President of the United States,” she said. “There is no reason not to start at the top.” Starting at the top is the way Riley does everything, and Homewood High School can celebrate the success of one of its own.

BRIDGE

CONTINUED from page 1 bridge built. He is also requesting a grant where the state matches federal dollars with local dollars. “This is an opportunity for regional cooperation between not only Homewood and Mountain Brook but also the City of Birmingham where the property connects,” DeMarco said. Homewood city council member Jackie Langlow is also working with the surrounding communities to bring about a product that increases walkability and provides for pedestrians’ safety. “I have had meetings with the Mountain Brook City Council, mayor, planners and Birmingham City Council representatives, and everyone is very positive about this project moving forward,” Langlow said. Jennifer Andress, president of the

Birmingham Track Club, was authorized by the 900-member club to wholeheartedly campaign and lend support for the pedestrian bridge. Andress said the current bridge is used by hundreds of runners each week. The low barrier safety rail and the amount of cars passing over the bridge jeopardize runners’ safety, Andress said. Langlow said that although the total costs are not determined at this time, the preliminary estimates to Homewood and Mountain Brook range from $100,000 to $150,000 from each city depending on the scope of work done on the project and if cities choose to do their own sidewalk work. DeMarco and Homewood city government are continuing to work toward this end. “This bridge would be a needed benefit for our community,” DeMarco said.

978-8900 2824 Central Avenue, Suite 100 Homewood www.brandinobrass.com

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24 |

September 2012 | Food

Restaurant Showcase 801 Green Springs Highway 916-0401

the Baskits

By BROOKE BOUCEK

Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

With its distinct homemade batter and fresh sauce, the fried chicken tenders at the Baskits are unlike any others. “I was never satisfied with chicken tenders at other restaurants. I ate at numerous fried chicken restaurants and knew I could come up with a way to make them better,” owner Paul Shunnarah said. After spending endless hours in the kitchen, Shunnarah was finally able to satisfy his taste buds with the perfect marinade and sauce. In a 2009 competition with various local eateries, The Birmingham News awarded the restaurant “Favorite Chicken Tenders.” Although the Baskits offers breakfast and dinner, lunch makes up about 45 percent of their sales, with the chicken tenders being their number one seller. “The restaurant is fast casual and everything is flavored,” Shunnarah said. Shunnarah remembers the restaurant really taking off as soon as the doors opened. With people coming in and out of the doors constantly those first two weeks, the staff hardly got any sleep. He even said he lost about 25 pounds during these exciting opening weeks. Shunnarah is proud of his freestanding restaurant on Green Springs, which was originally located next door to Chop Suey Inn. It shows through his passionate gleam as he tells first timers what to order. “If you’re looking for something on the healthy side, I’d definitely go with the chicken kabob special,” Shunnarah said. “Otherwise the chicken tenders and Philly cheese steak hoagies are the best choice.” Having a love for food is like second nature for Shunnarah. His cooks have been with him for almost a decade and know everything should be cooked how Shunnarah likes it. And that’s how it’s always been. Shunnarah describes his father and mother as great cooks when he was growing up. His mother’s knack for baking even helps provide some of the various cakes and deep fried pies sold in the restaurant. His father, Fred Shunnarah, immigrated to the United States from Bethlehem at the age of 16 and worked his way up the business ladder in meat markets. Shunnarah worked for his father from a young age and learned all about food business. Fred and Paul Shunnarah initially began their restaurant with a Mediterranean cuisine. The family owned and operated restaurant Pita World Grill starting in 2000. While the menu offered various options, the customers tended to go for chicken tenders, fries and burgers. “With so many other Mediterranean

The Baskits’ signature chicken fingers, which can be ordered with a side salad in place of fries. Photo by Madoline Markham.

restaurants in the area, I thought we should change to more of a fast casual restaurant with American menu items,” Shunnarah said. With that idea in mind, the father-son duo teamed up to open their new business, the Baskits. After a lot of brainstorming, the two came up with a variety of menu options for customers. Before they knew it, their restaurant became a reality. “Other restaurants may have similar menu items, but our food stands apart with its marinades and loaded flavors,” Shunnarah said.

The Baskits owner Paul Shunnarah.

For all your Catering and Tailgating needs.

the REUBEN house made corned beef brisket

We have Wi-Fi

Breakfast all day Mon. - Sat. 7am-3pm 903 Broadway St. Homewood 877-8058 Joe Resha, Owner

Best Reuben in Town

Food | September 2012 |

www.TheHomewoodStar.com

Game day dips Homewood resident Tiffany Davis is a co-owner of local catering business, In Good Taste. She and her business partner, Mary Drennen, share their favorite game day recipes with The Homewood Star. Caramelized Onion, Swiss and Bacon Dip 2 large onions, chopped Vegetable cooking spray 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream 4 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray; add onions to pan. Cook 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; cook 35 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. 2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 3. Stir together cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, bacon, salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir in caramelized onions. Spoon into a shallow gratin dish or 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until browned on top. Sprinkle top with parsley. Serve with pita chips.

Orange Avocado Salsa. Photo by Madoline Markham.

Orange Avocado Salsa 4 oranges, sectioned and chopped 2 large pink grapefruit, sectioned and chopped 2 large avocados, diced 1/4 cup minced red onion 3 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno 2 teaspoons lime juice 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve with dippers. To learn more about In Good Taste, visit www.ingoodtastebham.com or contact Ingoodtaste99@gmail.com or 563-8909.

SU NDAYS T HIS FALL

BELL CENTER

CONTINUED from page 1 mom. “It’s like an exclusive club. The employees do a great job of teaching moms and dads how to work on goals at home too.” The center offers early intervention services to children, often within a few weeks after birth. Programs are designed to promote growth in gross and fine motor skills, as well as language, cognition, selfhelp and play skills. Each child is evaluated annually, and goals are tailored specifically to the child’s needs. “It’s a small place that does so much, and the kids are just incredible,” said Patricia Weaver, a Homewood resident since 1999. “It’s so rewarding. It’s also so important to help, and it is close by.” The family-like bonds that staff, volunteers, parents and children form at the Bell Center don’t end when its students enter their public school system at age four. “You get to know the kids so well, and even though they’ve left The Bell Center, I still see some of them because they are in Homewood,” Weaver said. Weaver, a volunteer since 2006, works with a girl named Emma who travels all the way from Auburn twice a week for the “All About Me” class. Weaver and Emma participate in circle time with stories and songs, snack time, group art projects and spend time working on Emma’s gross and fine motor skills. . “It’s so easy to take a couple of hours a week to volunteer for people who come that far,” Weaver said. After her son grew up, Weaver started looking for something flexible to do. When she was on staff at the center, she was able to form close relationships with children, which got her interested in volunteering. “I love working one-on-one with the children,” she said. “You get to see their progression, and you also don’t need any special training. They train you here.” The Bell Center’s employees work together as a team with volunteers like Weaver and treat their students like family. The staff are all highly qualified professionals, including three physical and three occupational therapists, three speech/language pathologists and three early childhood special education teachers. The center started in Homewood with five children in a Sunday school classroom in the basement of Trinity United Methodist Church in 1984. Ann Holloway, a member of Service Guild, and Betty Bell, who

worked with the Center for Developing Learning Disabilities, spearheaded its start. The Center moved to its current location on 29th Court South in 1994. Learning for both kids and parents together is the staff’s focus as well. “If your child is not hitting developmental milestones, we would like everybody to know we are here,” program director Andi Gillen said. Early childhood special education teacher Amy Fisher, a Homewood resident of 10 years, said that her experience on staff has been life-changing and that she has been blessed to have worked directly with families and young children. “You will think you are coming to help the kids, but you will realize after working here that it will change your own life,” Fisher said. The Service Guild of Birmingham provides volunteers for The Bell Center and also raises a large percentage of its budget, which they raised through the Guild Gala and The Bell Runners program. “We work with all different kinds of kids, but we are just one organization, which makes it very unique,” presidentelect for the Service Guild Nancy Ferren said. “It’s all about the kids at The Bell Center.” The Bell Center has created a program that families need, and the staff puts a lot of time and research into every action and decision. “When we make a change, it’s not done unless it’s a research-based practice,” Gillen said. “We’re holding true to that through the years with our premier early intervention services.”

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How You Can Help The Bell Center is completely privately funded—no state or federal grant money is provided.