Village Living August 2016

Village Living neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook

Volume 7 | Issue 5 | August 2016

2016 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Talent That Grows

IN THE Martine Sebbag, ‘the magician’ of Harper’s Salon, celebrates 50 years as hairstylist.

See page B1

Football Preview

RUNNING

L

By ANA GOOD

INSIDE

ater this month, Mountain Brook will have a change in leadership. The terms of three city leaders expire this year, and only one of them is seeking re-election.

Current Council President Virginia Smith, this election cycle’s lone incumbent, will have no opposition in the upcoming Aug. 23 municipal election. Smith, who has served as a council member since 2000 and council president since 2008, will therefore once again serve a 4-year term in Place 4.

The competition is a bit more crowded in this election cycle’s other city council race — Place 2. For the first time in nearly a decade, retired Judge Jack Carl will not seek reelection. When the qualifying period ended at 5 p.m. July 19, three Mountain Brook residents had qualified to run. Architect Phil Black and attorneys Vincent J.

► Candidate bios, A20. ► Key dates surrounding elections, plus how to register to vote and where to go on election day, A22.

See RUNNING | page A20

That’s right — high school football season is on the horizon, and these senior Spartans are determined to get back to the playoffs.

See page B14

INSIDE Sponsors ......... A4 City ................... A6 Business .......... A11 Community ....A12

STEWART WELCH III Running for mayor

Running for council, Seat 4

School House ... B6 Sports ..............B14 Faith ................. B21 Calendar ......... B22

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VIRGINIA CARRUTHERS SMITH (I)

VINCENT J. SCHILLECI III

Running for council, Seat 2

Running for council, Seat 2

TRIPP WATSON Running for council, Seat 2

Mountain Brook schools get face-lift during break

By ANA GOOD

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

PHILIP (PHIL) E. BLACK

When students return to Mountain Brook schools this month, a few things will look a little different. Over the summer, while kids played and teachers took some time to relax, the city schools’ facilities department was busy at work inside every school.

Throughout the summer break, Facilities Director Tommy Prewitt and his department helped carry out about $900,000 worth of work doing everything from carpet and paint jobs to HVAC and cabinet replacement at each

of the city’s public schools, Prewitt said.

He said the facilities department did as much of the work its eight-man crew could handle on its own and bid out larger projects — such as the 20-unit HVAC installation the Mountain Brook Board of Education awarded to Metro Mechanical and its $122,660 bid for carrier products. Each school was expected to receive at least some painting and flooring updates, Prewitt said.

“Our guys stay busy,” he said.

See SCHOOLS | page A23

Crews have been busy at work at Mountain Brook Elementary, equipping the school with a new playground over the summer.

Photo by Ana Good.

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Village Living

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Village Living

About Us Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray The end of summer vacation is always met with a mix of emotions from both kids and parents. Summer typically means more free time, no homework and lazy days — and that’s hard to give up. But the start of a new school year ushers in excitement and anticipation of new classes and teachers, start of sports seasons, fun after-school activities and catching up with friends.

As kids and adults get back into the swing of early alarms and places to be, we have all you’ll need to know to get you excited about the new school year.

First, get to know the new PTO presidents from each of the schools. Learn a little about their backgrounds and plans for the new year.

A big decision on that first day of

school is what are you going to wear? You want to feel good about your outfit that first day and you have to be ready for all the pictures that will be snapped, right? We have worked to put together some outfits from local retailers to show you the trends for that first day.

Many students will return to school to see that some things have changed.

Read all about the improvements that took place over the summer to some of our schools. The staffs at all the schools have been working hard to get everything ready for the students, including some exciting building projects.

We also have fall previews for football, volleyball and cross-country. Hear from the coaches and some of the players about their vision for the season, as

well as players to watch, and get excited for Spartan sports.

August is also the month for our city elections. Inside you will find a complete guide to the election. Learn about the candidates, their backgrounds and the issues they feel are important to address should they be elected. You’ll also find helpful information on voting locations, registering and times for voting.

Finally, we profile Martine Sebbag, owner and stylist of Harper’s Salon.

Martine has been styling hair for 50 years and in Mountain Brook Village for 37! Learn how she trained and worked in Paris before coming to Birmingham, what she loves best about her work and this community.

BEHIND THE LENS

By Frank Couch Runners, walkers and strollers are a common sight along Montevallo Road in Mountain Brook. Tucked nicely off the sidewalk is a water cooler offering a drink of fresh water for anyone who passes by. Small neighborly acts like this one illustrate the closeness and spirit of the community.

Technical data: NIKON D810, Lens (mm): 24, ISO: 500, Aperture: 13, Shutter: 1/125.

Got a question or have an idea for next month’s Behind the Lens? Email me at fcouch@starnespublishing.com.

Correction

On page A8 in the July edition of Village Living, the final date to register to vote in August’s municipal

elections was incorrect. The final day to register is Aug. 8. We regret the error.

Village Living Publisher: Editor: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Director of Digital Media: Sports Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters:

Staff Writers: Copy Editor: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution:

Dan Starnes Jennifer Gray Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Frank Couch Heather VacLav Kyle Parmley Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Tara Massouleh Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Louisa Jeffries Matthew Allen Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Jon Harrison Gail Kidd

Contributing Kari Kampakis Writers: Rachel Burchfield

Interns: Ali Renckens MaryEllen Newton

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

Published by: Village Living LLC Legals: Village Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or

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Village Living

City

Council dedicates more time to proposed smoke-free ordinance

By ANA GOOD The Mountain Brook City Council on July 11 discussed at length, but did not take any formal action on, a proposed ordinance that would expand the city’s current regulations on smoking. The ordinance, proposed by Dr. Kevin Alexander, speaking for a group of professionals who have been working on the proposal, would prohibit smoking in all workplaces and public places.

Speaking on behalf of the proposed ordinance, Dr. Kevin Alexander pointed out that Mountain Brook’s neighboring cities had recently enacted stricter ordinances in regard to smoking in businesses and public places.

“There is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure,” Alexander said. “One hundred percent smoke-free is the only way.”

The proposed ordinance, based on a model ordinance, would prohibit smoking at all businesses including bars, city owned or managed businesses, in enclosed public spaces and at some outdoor public places, to name a few.

Mountain Brook’s current SmokeFree Air Ordinance, enacted in 2005, regulates smoking to an extent, but includes exemptions such as: ► Allowing smoking in designated rooms in hotels. ► Allowing smoking in bars. ► Allowing smoking in retail tobacco stores. ► Allowing smoking in private functions in public places and in private clubs.

Dale Wisely, Ph.D., of Mountain Brook City Schools, discusses the most recent PRIDE Survey results indicating how Mountain Brook students compare to national averages regarding smoking and e-cigarette use. Photo by Ana Good.

► Allows for any business establishment to designate smoking areas.

The current ordinance also does not prohibit the use of e-cigarettes in public places and workplaces.

Though the council said it was in favor of strengthening the city’s ordinance, the consensus was that it needed to spend some more time looking it over, speaking with the city’s bar owners and residents.

Councilman Jack Carl said he believed the current ordinance should be changed to include regulations regarding e-cigarettes but was opposed to any laws that would be difficult to legally enforce.

“We need to take it real slow,” said Carl, “before we go about telling people what they can and can’t do.”

The council also discussed the proposed cellphone-free zone that would prohibit the use of

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cellphones while operating a motor vehicle in school zones between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m., and then again between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Cellphone use would only be prohibited while cars in and around carpool lines are in motion.

Findings from a recent study conducted to help draft the ordinance measured the instances where drivers at each of the city’s schools were using phones and how they were using them. The study found that the device use rate at Mountain Brook High School, Brookwood Forest Elementary, Cherokee Bend, Crestline and Mountain Brook Elementary was higher than the national average. On Monday night, the council agreed to have City Attorney Whit Colvin review the ordinance and have it ready for a vote at its next meeting.

On July 11, the council also: ► Approved the budgeted payment from the General Fund of $300,000 into the city’s retiree medical insurance trust for investment. ► Approved the conditional service use application for a tutoring provider at 81 Church Street in Crestline Corners. ► Authorized the extension of the cable franchise agreement between the city and Marcus Cable of Alabama, L.P. (Charter Communications) under the same terms and conditions until July 21, 2018. ► Held a public hearing on and then approved an ordinance amending Articles I, X, XI, XII of the City Code regarding office uses and medical clinics.

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August 2016 • A7

CRIME REPORT

By ERICA TECHO Mountain Brook police reported multiple instances of identity and property theft in its late June and early July community updates. ► One victim reported on June 16 that someone tried to open a line of credit and enter a change of address for them. Multiple victims also reported their debit cards were used without permission, including one whose debit card number was used for a purchase in Utah and an attempted purchase in Arkansas. Another victim reported his business debit card was used at the Pelham and Alabaster Wal-Marts to make unauthorized purchases. ► Another victim reported an unauthorized loan was taken out in his name between Jan. 1 and June 13. ► In the June 23 update, two thefts were reported at businesses, and one was reported at a residence. ► Between May 1 and June 18, several household items were stolen from a residence in Cross Creek, according to the update. ► On June 20, a purse that had money and credit cards inside was reportedly stolen in the 3100 block of Cahaba Village Plaza.

The purse was taken out of a shopping cart, according to the report. ► On June 21, a suspect stole a battery charger from a business in the 2100 block of Cahaba Road. The suspect was an unknown white male in his 30s or 40s, and his car was possibly a black Nissan Altima, according to the report. ► In the July 7 update, police reported property thefts including the theft of prescription drugs and cash from a home on Springhill Road between June 22 and 26 and the theft of cash and jewelry from a residence on Overton Road sometime between May 25 and June 30. ► A burglary, during which the suspect was reportedly attempting to steal a gun,

was reported on July 9. An officer arrived on the scene and arrested the individual, who reportedly forced entry into the Montevallo Road home. ► Multiple hit and runs were also reported, including two at Cahaba Village Plaza, one on Church Street and one on Montevallo Road. ► During a hit and run on July 7 at Cahaba Village Plaza, the victim reported a white woman in her 60s, with short gray hair reportedly hit their car and drove away.

The woman was driving a small black car, possibly a Honda. ► A car break-in was reported on July 7, during which a handgun and other items were reportedly taken out of an unlocked car. The incident occurred on July 7. ► Police also reported three drug-related incidents in the updates. On July 1, officers pulled over a person on U.S. 280 for a traffic violation and reportedly found illegal narcotics in that person’s possession. ► On July 5, officers stopped a driver for a traffic violation and found marijuana in their possession. On July 7, officers found another driver in possession of marijuana after pulling them over for a traffic violation. ► On July 11, police reportedly pulled a driver over on U.S. 280. The driver gave officers a fake name in order to avoid being arrested for an outstanding felony warrant, according to the report. This incident was reported as obstructing justice in the update. ► A house party was also reported in the update. Police responded to a call about a party on Dexter Avenue on Friday, July 8. There were multiple minors drinking alcohol, and the adult homeowners were home, according to the report. ► An instance of criminal mischief was also reported the weekend of July 8.

Between that Friday and Monday, July 11, columns and a wrought iron fence on Dolly Ridge Road were reportedly damaged.

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Board members Richard Barlow, Brad Sklar and Elizabeth Dunn listen to proposed policy changes. Photo by Ali Renckens.

BOE passes policy change, field restroom placement

By ALI RENCKENS Proving that a teacher’s work is never really done, even in the summer, the Mountain Brook Board of Education met July 11 to discuss policy updates and a new restroom facility.

The board approved the placement of a new field restroom for Mountain Brook Elementary School. A survey crew has staked the four corners of the facility, the planning commission has approved the location and residents within 500 feet of the project have been informed of upcoming construction.

The board also approved a change in the Family and Medical Leave Act policy, as

required by the U.S. Department of Labor.

This change will allow employees who are related or married to a service member to take up to 26 weeks of FMLA leave in a calendar year, consecutive or intermittent, to care for the service member in the case of a serious injury or illness.

The board also approved a beverage products bid, which is the same as previous years, categorized several items, including electronics, furniture and instruments, from Mountain Brook High School as surplus and approved the renewal membership into the Alabama Association of School Boards.

The next board meeting will be Aug. 8 at 3:30 p.m. in the PLC.

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A8 • August 2016

Village Living

Mayor Terry Oden leaves big shoes to fill, city leaders say

By ANA GOOD Later this year, Mountain Brook Mayor Terry Oden will bring a lifetime of public service to a close. When he walks out of the mayor’s office for the last time this fall, Oden will leave behind a legacy of monumental changes to the city and, according to several city employees, a huge hole that will not be easy to fill. It’s his commitment to the city, they agreed, combined with his sense of humor and simultaneous seriousness on the job, which will be hard to replace.

Oden’s legacy begins long before he began serving the people of this city. More than 50 years ago, Oden first began by serving presidents, dignitaries and was among the very first Air Marshals in what was then a top-secret operation. As a Secret Service agent for 25 years, Oden provided personal protection for the likes of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and President Lyndon B. Johnson.

When he finally settled in “Mayberry,” as he calls it, Oden helped steer Mountain Brook and its residents through some of the city’s biggest changes, including the construction of the new City Hall, the total transformation of Lane Parke and the opening of the Grand Bohemian hotel.

This year, Oden decided it was enough.

“After 24 years of elected office in Mountain Brook,” said Oden, some of which he served on the Mountain Brook Council, “I have decided not to run again.”

His absence will surely be felt, said City

Terry Oden has served as Mountain Brook’s mayor for 20 years, but before that he had a long career in the Secret Service. Photo by Frank Couch.

Manager Sam Gaston, who himself celebrated 20 years with the city back in 2013.

“The mayor will have several things to leave to his legacy,” said Gaston. “First, he is the longest serving mayor in Mountain Brook history.

While mayor, the city has strengthened its financial base and standing, renovated the commercial

villages, secured the old Shades Valley High School property for public use, added many additional miles of sidewalks in the community, built a new municipal complex and several other municipal buildings.”

It’s Oden’s “love and dedication” to the community that Gaston said he will miss most.

Council President Virginia Smith said Oden is an outstanding gentleman, one who she will miss working with.

“Mayor Oden is very straightforward and levelheaded,” said Smith. “He enjoys serving as spokesperson of the city. He also has a great sense of humor — though perhaps not always appropriate!”

Smith said Oden, like Councilman Jack Carl, who is also retiring, is always “willing to listen to others and explore new ideas. Both, she said, are also always willing to “put in the extra time that our political life calls for.” In terms of his legacy, Smith said the community should remember his involvement in the completion of the municipal center and for having “the most interesting mayor’s office anywhere.”

Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce Director Suzan Doidge said Oden’s advice, which she said he isn’t afraid to give, has always been “spot on.”

“Mayor Oden may have had many titles in his life,” she said, “but the one that I have had the pleasure to work with has been mayor of his beloved city of Mountain Brook.”

Oden, she said, has been a “pleasure to work with.

“He is someone I have learned a lot from,” said Doidge. “As an analytical thinker he always approaches an issue with a lot of research and is very thorough. He is a passionate person and a very loyal friend.”

Above all, Doidge said she will miss that “wicked personality and sense of humor.”

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • A9

Jack Carl reflects on 8 years with City Council

By ANA GOOD Retired Judge Jack Carl was mostly content back in 2008 when a former Mountain Brook City Councilman, Tom Clark, approached him with the idea to run for his seat.

“I was mostly playing golf,” said Carl with a laugh. “But then my brother-in-law got ahold of me, and then my wife.”

Before he knew it, Carl entered the race.

“I thought it would be fun and interesting,” he said.

Eight years later, Carl looks back fondly at his time on the council, yet, for the first time in nearly a decade, he will not seek reelection to Place 2.

In remembering his service to the city, Carl said it was his experience as a Jefferson County circuit judge for 21 years that helped guide him in the decisions involved in being a councilman.

Now 78, Carl retired in 2002 from the bench where he presided on the equity division of the court and occasionally helped out with the criminal docket.

“I enjoyed knowing what was going on,” said Carl. “I enjoy making decisions.”

Carl said though he was singly responsible for making decisions on the bench, making decisions as a group on the council has been “fantastic.”

“Probably one of the greatest things about the council is that we don’t get paid anything. We do it because we want to. The council is homogeneous in that we run at large and represent the whole city. Everyone who has served on the council truly had the best interest of the whole city at heart.”

Carl said serving as a liaison between the council and the planning commission helped him be well versed in some of the biggest decisions

Retired Judge Jack Carl has served on the Mountain Brook City Council since 2008. Courtesy of Jack Carl.

the council made.

“I’d hear some things twice,” he said, and though it sometimes meant sitting in meetings until 10 or 11 p.m., Carl said he is pleased with the decisions he helped make.

Among those, he said, are the decisions to bring the Piggly Wiggly back to Crestline Village and the approval of the Lane Parke development.

“Some people still dislike our decisions,” said Carl, “but we did what we thought was best for the city.”

Carl said he is especially glad to have the

Pig back in Crestline because now that he lives on Dexter Avenue, walking to the Pig is more convenient than ever. In speaking about Lane Parke, Carl said although the ingress and egress into the parking area is still “a little difficult,” both the hotel and the new retailers are “a real fine thing” and a “good addition” to the community.

On his decision not to run again, Carl had a simple answer.

“It’s time,” he said, “to let someone else have a shot at it.”

Asked how he’d like the council and the city to remember his time on the council, Carl began laughing.

“They probably see me as the curmudgeon of the group,” he said. “I do read most of the material so they will probably be glad I’m not there to nitpick.”

City leaders, however, disagree.

“Jack will leave a legacy on his legal expertise,” said City Manager Sam Gaston, “work on the Planning Commission, including the Lane Parke project and his keen review of our minutes, contracts and other documents.”

Council President Virginia Smith said Carl is “an outstanding gentleman” who she will miss working with.

“Jack Carl is one the most meticulous and hardest working members of the council,” said Smith. “He is thoughtful and deliberate in his readings and questions how a certain contract or other document might affect the city. He is also quite funny!”

Even when there is a disagreement among the council and he is on “the losing side of the vote,” Carl, explained Smith, is always the first to say “I will vote no, but I will not hold up the vote.”

As far as what he will do once his time on the council comes to a close, Carl said he will indulge in reading what he affectionately refers to as “junk” from his favorite writers including James Patterson, W.E.B. Griffin and John Grisham.

“I did so much serious reading on the bench,” said Carl, “this stuff is just for fun.”

Along with also picking up some Mark Twain and books about Thomas Jefferson, Carl said he’ll continue playing multiple rounds on the golf course.

“At least four days a week,” he said.

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Village Living

Council hears Lane Parke update, phone ordinance recommendations

By ANA GOOD John Evans of Evson, Inc. updated the Mountain Brook City Council on the status of the Lane Parke Project at the council’s June 27 meeting.

Kinnucan’s Specialty Outfitters, said Evans, which carries brands for an active lifestyle, is working to be open by the time the back-toschool rush begins. From there, other stores will follow, he said, with all stores and restaurants open by October.

The “shells” of the tenants’ spaces were turned over to the shop owners April 11, said Evans, and since then, tenants have been busy building out their storefronts.

“The ribbon-cuttings will start happening at a good pace once the first one is held,” said Evans.

Once Western Supermarket moves into its new space, Phase 2 of the project will get underway and will primarily consist of women’s fashion and boutiques. The current development will be demolished to the edge of the current Western, where a few retailers with non-expired leases will remain. Evans said negotiations are currently underway with some of those retailers in an effort to help speed up the complete demolition project.

The fully functional Jemison Lane, which will connect Montevallo to Lane Park Road, will ease access into the area and should be complete by Christmas 2017.

At the meeting, the council also heard recommendations for the ordinance regarding cellphone usage in school zones.

Findings from a recent study conducted to

John Evans of Evson, Inc. on June 27 updated the Mountain Brook City Council on the status of the Lane Parke project. Photo by Ana Good.

help draft the ordinance measured the instances where drivers at each of the city’s schools were using phones and how they were using them.

The study found that the device use rate at Mountain Brook High School, Brookwood Forest Elementary, Cherokee Bend, Crestline and Mountain Brook Elementary was higher than the national average.

The ordinance, which was not voted on, would

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prohibit the use of cellphones while operating a motor vehicle in school zones between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m., and then again between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Cellphone use would only be prohibited while cars in and around carpool lines are in motion.

Asked about the enforceability of such an ordinance, Police Chief Ted Cook said it could be done now but may be difficult due to the amount

of manpower and manpower hours required.

“Still, said Cook, “having rules in place is better than not having anything in place.”

Council President Virginia Smith said although the council took no action on the matter, it would need to pass an ordinance on the matter before school starts should it choose to do so in order to allow parents enough time to become familiar with the new rules.

In other news, the council also: ► Authorized the mayor or city manager to apply for funding from the Metropolitan Planning Organization for engineering design to replace one bridge and rehab another in Mountain Brook. ► Approved a resolution to continue to allow Western Supermarkets the ability to sell alcohol at its new location following its relocation from 2717 Culver Road to 1000 Jemison Lane in early to mid-October 2016. ► Authorized the purchase of two ambulances through the HGAC Cooperative Purchasing Agreement, declared two 2009 model ambulances surplus and authorized their trade. ► Ratified the bid award for the purchase and installation of two HVAC units for Emmet O’Neal Library. ► Established the compensation for municipal court justices. ►Authorized the execution of three service and facility use agreements between the city and Mountain Brook Athletics, Mountain Brook Soccer Association and Mountain Brook Lacrosse. ► Amended a portion of the city code with respect to the time and place of holding court.

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Mountain Brook Business Happenings

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Now Open dinner. is now open in Crestline at 73 Church Street. The eatery, opened by longtime chef Carey Thomasson, offers a variety of fresh foods that can be picked up ready to be reheated at home, including grilled meats, roasted vegetables, roasted pork, salads and “decadent” macaroni and cheese.

637-3007, facebook.com/dinnerperiod

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Coming Soon Local Taco will open its first Birmingham-area location at 920 Lane Parke Court. The tentative opening date is September 3. localtaco.com

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A12 • August 2016

Village Living

Community Boiling ‘n Bragging offers tailgating, low country boil for football fans

By RACHEL BURCHFIELD The official kickoff of the college football season may be Aug. 27, but for football fans who can’t wait to start bragging about their teams, the fun can start a week earlier.

Fans can chalk up their first tailgate of the season at the eighth annual Boiling ’n Bragging event, at Otey’s Tavern in Crestline Village on Aug. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m.

“The eighth annual Boiling ’n Bragging event is a great kickoff to football season,” said Shelly McCarty, community development coordinator for Children’s of Alabama, the organiza- Teams prepare shrimp and other dishes at Boiling ‘n tion the event benefits. “This year’s Bragging. Photo courtesy of Children’s of Alabama. event will feature wonderful silent auction items, a delicious shrimp boil, younger are free. The party benefits the critical and cornhole boards. We invite everyone to attend care transport program at Children’s of Alabama, wearing their team colors.” which works to meet the specific need of transBoiling ’n Bragging features a shrimp boil and porting more than 1,000 critically ill and injured the opportunity for fans to brag about their favorite children each year. It serves as a mobile extension teams. McCarty said she expects more than 600 of the hospital. Team members include registered to attend. Schools participating include Auburn nurses and respiratory therapists.

University, Florida State University, Georgia Tech, “We are thrilled about this partnership and Louisiana State University, Texas A&M Univer- couldn’t be more excited about this event,” said sity, Troy University, the University of Alabama, transport coordinator and registered nurse Jason the University of Georgia and the University of Peterson. “It’s a great opportunity for people in the Missouri, with more expected, McCarty said. community to not only come together to celebrate Entertainment will feature Lance Taylor and the start of football season but to also make a great Rockstar from WJOX’s Roundtable. One-dollar impact on our program and the children we serve.” drink specials will be available for the adults, and For information about sponsor opportunities, activities will be available for the kids. Attendees contact McCarty at shelly.mccarty@childrensal. should sport their team’s colors. Tickets are $25 org or 638-7478. Guests can register online at boilin advance or $30 at the door. Children 10 and ingnbragging.org.

Swoop carries toys, clothes and school items. Photo by Frank Couch.

Tax-free weekend begins Aug. 5

By MARYELLEN NEWTON Beginning Friday, Aug. 5, at 12:01 a.m. and ending Sunday, Aug. 7, at midnight, participating cities in Alabama will hold their 11th annual tax-free holiday weekend. Certain school supplies, computers and clothing under $100 can be purchased free of state sales tax.

Some stores prepare to experience a rush similar to Black Friday. This isn’t necessary for Mountain Brook boutique Swoop. Manager Katherine Puckett stated this weekend is one of Swoop’s busiest times, but it’s never crazy.

Puckett says the hardest aspect of the tax-free weekend is not the crowds, but the fact that not everything is exempt from the sales tax.

Swoop sells toys in addition to clothes,

so the toys do not qualify to be tax-free.

The best part about the tax-free weekend, according to Puckett, is moving through the summer line of clothing to focus on backto-school essentials. “I think [the weekend] is great because it gives people a chance to buy what they need for school,” Puckett said. She also added that one of Swoop’s goals for this year is to sell most of the remaining summer line, if not all of it.

Swoop is a toy and clothing boutique located in the heart of Mountain Brook Village. They sell items such as dresses, T-shirts and even a giant rubber duck for the pool. For more information about Swoop, visit facebook.com/wherefunbegins/. For more information about Alabama’s tax-free holiday and a list of exemptions, visit revenue.alabama.gov/ salestax/salestaxhol.cfm.

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • A13

Sophomores presented at ball Sophomore girls from Mountain Brook were presented at the 2016 Starlight Ball this spring at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center.

Prior to the presentation, the girls and their escorts enjoyed a seated dinner. The escorts’ boutonnieres included purple and gold ribbons to honor the memory of Sidney “Sid” Fitzgerald Ortis.

Emcee for the evening was Zach Skipper.

Following the presentation, the honorees, their dates and guests danced to the music of 24/7.

The chairman of this year’s ball was Carol de la Torre. Co-chairs were Jenny Beall, Ann Holman and Joanna Hufham.

Those presented at the 2016 Starlight Ball: Campbell Bowman Aiken, Sarah Katherine Anderson, Mary Allison Anderson, Vivian Carlisle Ballard, Hannah Davis Bartels, Kathleen Mckenney Beall, Katy Leigh Benck, Celia Addison Benedict, Lane Margaret Berry, Carolanne Hodge Berte, Adele Tydings Bloodworth, Lena Rae Bluestein, Frances Candler Brown, Lilla Marisa Burns, Adelaide Cassell Burton, Fredda Claire Cardwell, Sydney Marie Carlson, Shalini Kay Chatterji, Frances Eleanor Cheatham, Lucille Grace Christian, Sophia Drew Clark, Madison Elizabeth Clark, Reagan Summer Clark, Mary Coleman Coats, Anne Callaway Coker, Anne Clayton Cole, Catherine Anne Conner, Abbigail Garner Cooney, Grace Mason Cope, Elizabeth Ann Corcoran, Hannah Frances Cox, Lauren Elizabeth Crabtree, Alice Elizabeth Crane, Sally Reed Creveling, Naomi Ann Cunningham, Eleanor Frances Curtis, Anne Carroll Davis, Elizabeth Ryan Davis, Kathryn Landrum Davis, Anna Cristina de la Torre, Alexandria Ann Dean, Amelia Catherine Debruge, Isabella Loring DeGaris, Caroline Chappell Dickens, Margaret Jean Dodson, Laura Elizabeth Doody, Mary Stewart Drummond, Margaret Perkins Duggan, Kate Gorman Dyleski, Hanna

From left, back row: Carolanne Hodge Berte, Mary Anastasia Hufham and Joy Louise Holman. Front row: Kathleen McKenney Beall, Sarah Anne Mitchell Welch and Anna Cristina de la Torre.

Photo courtesy of Ann Holman.

Elizabeth Eckert, Kathryn Aline Edmonds, Olivia Dolores Elam, Lauren Kinsey Elgin, Madeline Ennis Everette, Meredith Hope Findley, Mary Tynes Flake, Lillian Ashley Fowler, Hayden Elyse Gandler, Libby Grace Gann, Lauren Ann Gilbert, Sarah Hamilton Gladney, Caroline Henderson Goings, Emily Katherine Griffin, Mary Carrington Gullage, Mary Inzer Hagan, Elizabeth Alline Vogtle Hale, Martha Wright Haley, Emilyn Hughes Hamn, Ann Lucy Harrison, Kate Phillips Hinson, Joy Louise Holman, Sarah Kathryn Horsley, Grace Najim Howe, Caroline Grace Howell, Mary Louise Howland, Mary Anastasia Hufham, Mary Kathleen Hughes, Sarah Randall Hydinger, Madeline Strong

Ingram, Elizabeth Lacey Jeffcoat,, Hayden Laura Latham Jones, Lindsay Michelle Kahn, Olivia Grace Keating, Alexis Esther Kennedy, Elizabeth Moore Kinsaul, Caroline Judith Knight, Caroline Cassidy Kohn, Elizabeth Lunden Leitner, Elizabeth Rose Lipp, Ann Douglas Lott, Mary Hannah Mackin,Elliott Lindsey Martin, Evelyn June Matsos, Mary Claire Mauro, Holly Louise McDaniel, Katherine Grace McMinn, Madeline Carey Meadows, Macey Virginia Miller, Caroline Scott Monaghan and Farley Southland Morris.

Also presented were Carly Rayne Nadler, Margot Grace Naff, Nancy Katharine Nicrosi, Margaret Shea O'Neill, Ann Catherine O'Neill, Marian Mead Oliver, Elizabeth Christian Parker, Bailey Grace Peacock, Mary Arden Pennington, Allison Parish Petro, Caroline Lee Pope, Katherine Grace Price, Caroline Noel Pugh, Anna Grace Putman, Natalie Edith Read, Emma Gaines Reaves, Molly Ann Regan, Leanna Morgan Ritchie, Mary Frances Robertson, Maria de Jesus Rodriguez, Margaret Mills Rose, Leigh Taylor Russell, Mary Rose Rutledge, Anne Heaton Dearborn Sanders, Katherine Lee Seibels, Hannah Ashton Sellers, Simona Naumescu Shirley, Mary Margaret Kirkland Shoe, Margaret Crosby Shufflebarger, Sallie Evans Simpson, Mary Emery Skelton, Catherine Anne Skinner, Hayden Sinkler Sledge, Lucy Jordan Smith, Lacy Caroline Smith, Layne Frances Stone, Hannah Lara Strickland, Sadie Elizabeth Tauxe, Jacelynn Brianna Tidmore, Elizabeth Jeffers Toranto, Mary McLaurine Trammell, Mary Alison Turner, Caroline Belle Underwood, Kaitlyn Nicole Vise, Elizabeth Church Walker, Sarah Anne Mitchell Welch, Mari-Helen Young White, Rebecca Fairbanks Hart White, Kathleen Connolly Wilson, Anna Davis Windle, Natalie Dalton Womack and Sarah Shepard Yates.

– Submitted by Ann Holman.

Shoppers check out the sale at Town & Country Clothes during the Crestline Tent Sale on Aug. 22, 2015. Photo by Erica Techo.

Crestline to host 4th annual Tent Sale

By ANA GOOD Crestline Village is gearing up to bring the community outdoors for its annual Tent Sale.

As part of the Aug. 6 event, now in its fourth year, the tent sale will feature trunk shows and an assortment of other special activities.

The event will be in and around the shops and restaurants of Crestline Village from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Suzan Doidge said the event started four years ago as a way to help the community increase its summertime sales. Retailers, Doidge said, tend to find that summertime is a tough time for business.

Like Mountain Brook Village’s Market Day, the Crestline Village Market Day showcases the area’s businesses, restaurants and artists through street sales and provides an opportunity for merchants to clear their warm-weather inventory.

Past year’s tent sales have included musical performances, including one by the Mountain Brook High School band. Last year, the high school’s football team helped create a “pep-rally-like” atmosphere. The event also will come in time to welcome the new school year. Doidge said.

For more information on what stores and restaurants are in Crestline Village, visit welcometomountainbrook.com.

A14 • August 2016

Village Living

Three Mountain Brook alumni hike and hitchhike their way through the Mississippi Delta

Jack Fitzpatrick and Peyton Alexander rest during their hiking trip. Photo courtesy of Allan White.

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • A15

Above: The setting sun provides a scenic view in the Mississippi Delta in March.

Left: Friends and MBHS graduates Allan White, Jack Fitzpatrick and Peyton Alexander spend their spring break hiking the delta area of Mississippi.

Photos courtesy of Allan White.

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By SYDNEY CROMWELL hen three Mountain Brook High School graduates traded a spring break beach trip for a hike through Mississippi, they added something surprising to their list of life experiences: hitchhiking.

“Hitchhiking is awesome. Everyone should try it. The feeling of riding in a truck bed after hiking for hours is amazing,” said 2014 MBHS alumnus Jack Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick and fellow 2014 graduates Allan White and Peyton Alexander are longtime friends now going to college in different areas — University of Mississippi, University of Alabama and Auburn University, respectively. All three are Eagle Scouts and decided to use their spring break in late March as a chance to explore the Mississippi Delta and enjoy time together.

Originally, Fitzpatrick planned to hike through the Delta alone, which he now concedes wasn’t a great idea. He wanted to see the area up close, meet interesting people and hike the Delta’s forests.

“I wanted to see how it felt to be a vagabond.

Walking on highways all day, people looking at you funny,” he said.

Alexander and White joined him, and they plotted a path through the Delta National Forest, Panther Swamp Wildlife Refuge, Theodore Roosevelt Wildlife Refuge and ending at the Mississippi River over the course of a week. Due to bad weather, the trio only hiked about 40 miles of the trip and drove to see the Mississippi River instead, but their spring break was still full of new experiences.

“It is truly an adventure in all senses of the word. Although Jack may have driven on some of the roads previous to our walk through them, Peyton and I knew nothing about the area other than it was flat, hot, humid farmland,” White said.

Their trail led them through forests, where they saw alligators, deer, herons and other wildlife, as well as miles of highways.

“We thought hiking on flat highways would be a breeze compared to going up and down mountains. That was not the case. Your feet and calves get destroyed with the lack of incline. There is also a psychological part of walking with little

change in scenery,” Fitzpatrick said.

While their phones sat mostly unused in their pockets, Fitzpatrick, Alexander and White passed the time by catching up on each other’s lives.

They also got to see small towns and farms as well as a few historic places, such as the Vicksburg National Military Park and the site where former President Theodore Roosevelt famously refused to kill a captured bear.

All three agreed that the people they met were surprisingly friendly. They met the owner of Lee Hong’s Grocery, known for its famous Hoover Sauce, in Louise, Mississippi. Drivers would pause on the highway to ask what they were doing, and in one case came back to check on Fitzpatrick, Alexander and White at the end of their first day.

“Every motorist who cared enough to slow down and chat with us seemed confused as to why we had chosen to walk around the area,” White said.

“It was cool to see how much the people from around there wanted to know what we were doing and genuinely cared for our safety while on the trip and offered us any help if we ever needed it,” Alexander said.

Twice, the trio decided to hitch rides from passing cars. One of those rides came in the middle of a particularly hot and difficult portion of highway, and they said that climbing into the truck was a sweet relief.

“The ride to the end of the [West Levee Road] was a glorious, wind-in-the-hair experience and lifted our spirits for the rest of the day,” White said. “I had never actually hitch-hiked before, and do not know of very many, if any, people that have. I now know that it is not only possible, but can and should be enjoyable.”

Though flooding and bad weather changed their route and shortened the trip, Fitzpatrick said hiking through the Delta was an opportunity to learn about small towns, many of which were shrinking, and push their own personal boundaries.

“Walking through the lower Delta, people thought we were insane. Everyone thought we would get shot or robbed or just not be able to walk it. We are real people, ordinary people, and we did this. People can do more than they think they are capable of,” Fitzpatrick said.

It also changed his point of view once he got back into a car.

“On my way back to school I picked up a hitchhiker. I felt like I owed the world something in return,” Fitzpatrick said.

A16 • August 2016

Village Living

Southern barbecue becomes hit in Seoul thanks to Linus Kim

By SYDNEY CROMWELL As a child, Linus Kim was a picky eater. He recalls rejecting his parents’ traditional Korean food in favor of the American food his friends ate. But one fateful day, some children rang the doorbell of Kim’s Mountain Brook home.

“Some kids showed up at my doorstep doing some kind of fundraiser. I was really, really young. And they were selling barbecue dinners, like plate dinners, in the Styrofoam packaging.

So my mom bought a few of those, not knowing what it was, and it turned out to be pulled pork, you know, swimming in the sauce,” Kim said.

“It was the first time my mother had ever seen me lick the plate clean. I wouldn’t eat anything, but I would eat that.”

That was the first step leading Kim to open Linus’ Barbecue, one of the most popular American barbecue restaurants in Seoul, South Korea.

Barbecue would be a staple of Kim’s life as he grew up in Mountain Brook, where he lived from second grade until his graduation from the Altamont School.

“Pulled pork was king, right? You had pulled pork everywhere, and I just couldn’t get enough of it,” Kim said.

When he moved out of the South, Kim said the absence of pulled pork and sauce was sorely felt. Finally, in 2006, Kim landed in Los Angeles, working in post-production for 20th Century Fox. There, Kim set up a grill on his rooftop and tried his hand at his favorite food.

“I remember the first batches I made were

Linus’ BBQ is how Linus Kim brings the barbecue he loved as a child to people who have never tried it in South Korea, as well as traveling Americans who miss the tastes of home. Photos courtesy of Linus Kim.

awful,” he said.

But he got better. Kim kept making barbecue — it was often his go-to dish to bring to parties — as a hobby, slowly getting more serious about it. Finally, he decided he needed a career he could “really sink my teeth into.”

With no restaurant experience, he decided to try his hand in the food industry.

“Funny things happen when you’re back against a wall and you’ve got nothing to lose,” Kim said.

First, Kim traveled to South Korea to help a friend make a series of “food consultant” videos in 2011. They weren’t a success, but it gave him the chance to make pulled pork for an event. He had to get a bit creative to do it.

Mountain Brook native Linus Kim poses outside his American barbecue restaurant, Linus’ Barbecue, in Seoul, South Korea.

“But they don’t have smokers in Korea, right?

They have mini hibachi grills, and I had a hotel pan, and I had some charcoal. I rigged a smoker.

I didn’t even have a thermometer, which is the No. 1 tool anybody, [any] pit-master should have. I just eyeballed it and cooked it until I could stick my finger in it,” Kim said.

Americans at the event loved the familiar food. Kim said the locals were a bit more hesitant, but liked it as well. With no one nearby in Seoul doing barbecue, Kim saw an opportunity.

He started with wholesale barbecue meats, then began pop-ups at local bars. For the first one, Kim said he emailed everyone he knew, which was only a handful of people. The list of interested people grew to 800 in a matter

of days. The line at the first pop-up wrapped around the block, and Kim said he had trouble keeping up.

“The pop-ups were a sensation and completely unexpected,” he said.

Despite the pop-ups’ success, Kim wanted to keep improving. He returned to the U.S. in 2013 to make a “barbecue tour” of some of the best-known pit masters in the country. Along the way, he learned how to cook a whole hog, competed in his first barbecue competition and became a certified judge of Memphis-style barbecue.

Kim said he was amazed that everywhere he went — from Decatur to Tulsa, Oklahoma — everyone opened their doors to him and invited

“

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • A17

I’ve had people tell me that they’re very homesick, and they come to the restaurant, and they feel like they’re not in Korea. They’re transported to another place, and that makes me feel good.

”

LINUS KIM

One of the most popular meals at Linus’ BBQ is this platter, made for two people to share.

him to learn. He said the experience cemented his passion for barbecue, adding it was the first thing he was willing to stay up all night for.

But Kim also had a decision to make when he returned to South Korea. He could continue the successful pop-ups, or attempt to open a brickand-mortar restaurant. There was a lot more risk and labor involved in a restaurant, but it also would give him the chance to try a lot of new things.

“Honestly, I had been resisting the idea of a restaurant,” Kim said. “But at the same time I was very conflicted because the only way to serve all the food that I wanted is to have a full operation.”

He decided to stop the pop-ups and develop his restaurant in secret. With help from friends, Kim opened Linus’ Barbecue in 2014. With a following already developed from the pop-ups, Kim didn’t have to wait for people to notice him.

“We opened the doors, and it was full from Day 1,” Kim said.

Linus’ Barbecue started with a mostly American crowd, especially soldiers stationed nearby.

Since then, Kim said the percentage of local diners has increased significantly.

“I knew if my name was on it, there was no way I’d let the place burn to the ground. I’d put everything into it,” Kim said.

His restaurant sells classic American barbecue

along with bourbon, craft beer and cocktails.

From the menu to the Old West saloon theme, Kim said Linus’ is meant to be an American experience.

“I’ve had people tell me that they’re very homesick, and they come to the restaurant, and they feel like they’re not in Korea. They’re transported to another place, and that makes me feel good,” Kim said.

Barbecue aficionados, however, might find the look of Kim’s food a little unfamiliar. While he does classic sandwiches and individual meals, Kim said his most popular dish is a platter with multiple types of meat, sides and slider buns. The platters can feed two or three people, matching

the South Korean cultural norm of sharing meals.

Kim said locals often combine the ingredients on their platters in ways Americans would never think of, but they enjoy it just as much.

In the two years since Linus’ Barbecue opened, Kim said he knows of at least seven other barbecue restaurants that have opened in his area. However, he said his restaurant continues to draw crowds because of the heart put into it, and the willingness to be creative in a country that doesn’t have many of the ingredients and tools a barbecue restaurant needs.

“There’s no such thing as push-button barbecue. It really takes a lot of technique and some knowledge to know when something’s perfectly done,” Kim said.

Kim said he loves the opportunity to bring barbecue to people who miss it, as well as to introduce his favorite food to Koreans who have never had something like it.

Kim returns to the U.S. once a year to participate in barbecue competitions and hone his skills, as well as to visit parents David and Young Kim, who still live in Mountain Brook.

Linus Kim said he is looking to expand Linus’ Barbecue in Seoul and beyond South Korea. In the distant future, he said he’s even considered bringing the restaurant to the U.S., perhaps to his hometown.

“It’s a pipe dream, but I’ve made pipe dreams happen before,” Kim said.

A18 • August 2016

Village Living

Loosening up while getting fit

By EMILY FEATHERSTON Most fitness classes don’t require an ID check, but Linda Dobbins’ new dance class is not most fitness classes.

Sips N Steps, a dance-fitness class and cocktail hour combination, is Dobbins’ solution to a problem she said she is seeing more and more.

“Everyone’s just so busy with their job or family life,” she said. “Really, Sips N Steps was made in thinking of people who really aren’t out there making a lot of friends or meeting new people or networking.”

Dobbins said she got the idea from watching her daughter, 25, and her daughter-in-law, 29, who both moved to large cities and found it hard to get out and meet people. In Los Angeles, where her daughter lives and works as an actress and dancer, Dobbins said dance classes with wine and cheese are common, and she wanted to bring something similar to the Birmingham area.

Dobbins has had a dance studio for about 20 years, and she said she has always had people ask her about adult dance classes.

“We’ve had so many phone calls for adult classes, and we just thought bringing in the wine and just having everyone kind of relax and chill would help the classes be more entertaining and fun for everyone,” she said.

The class itself is a low-impact dance fitness class, with a warmup and 30-minute combination taught by a Dance Fit Instructor.

Dobbins said she didn’t want to hold the class to a single genre of dance in order to keep the class accessible to everyone, and the class already has seen a variety of participants.

In the first class, Dobbins said they had a range of ages from a woman in her mid 20s to one who is 72. “That’s what’s so great about it, because any age can do it,” she said.

Before and after the dance instruction, participants are offered wine, cheese and crackers and a chance to mingle and get to know one another.

“When you have the wine and cheese option

Sips N Steps participants can enjoy a glass of wine before learning a fun and fitness-based dance combination. Photo by Emily Featherston.

to begin with, it just breaks the ice,” she said.

While it may be a new concept for some to have a mini cocktail party before a fitness class, Dobbins said her goal is more about getting people connected.

“I feel like when people go to just a fitness class, where there is just aerobics or Zumba, they walk in; they’re focused; they’re not talking to anyone, and then they leave,” she said. “We don’t want that; we want people to take time to

talk to each other, to make conversation.”

Dobbins said she hopes to grow Sips N Steps to where it can offer multiple classes a week and eventually have a dedicated space.

She said she also has additional fun aspects planned, but wanted those to stay a surprise.

Participants can come on a per-class basis, or they can sign up for an entire month. Classes are $15 each or $55 a month, and Dobbins said they are going to be offering sales and specials

on their social media pages.

Sips N Steps also has options for groups, with a pre-booked Saturday morning class featuring a dance class and a mimosa theme.

Dobbins said those who want to take a class should come in athletic attire and tennis shoes, but that they need not bring anything else — water, wine and cheese are provided.

“And we do card,” she said.

For more information, go to sipsnsteps.com.

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • A19

Bringing happiness on a big truck Drivers ‘take the extra mile’ to stoke Crestline toddler’s excitement

By SYDNEY CROMWELL Will Barnes gets excited about garbage day.

It’s a chance for the Crestline resident, who is almost 2 years old, to see what he calls the “big cruck.”

“You would think it was a five-alarm fire … the way he scrambles and starts running [outside],” said William Barnes on his son’s response to garbage day. “He absolutely fell in love with that garbage truck.”

A lot of Will’s excitement is due to the two men who drive the truck. Greg James and Don Ray drive the Waste Management truck that picks up garbage throughout Mountain Brook.

Having gotten to know them through his son’s interest, Barnes said it’s clear to see that James and Ray enjoy what they do.

“In my opinion, they take the extra mile to help the citizens of Mountain Brook especially,” Barnes said. “They are the nicest gentlemen you’ll ever meet, anywhere. Very kindhearted, very good-spirited. I’ve never once heard them complain about anything.”

James, who came to Birmingham from California in February, said his route through Mountain Brook includes quite a few kids like Will.

James and Ray start at 6 a.m., but by mid-morning there are usually children and parents coming out of their homes to watch the garbage truck in action.

“The kids just love these trucks,” James said.

Since the kids’ excitement is one of his favorite parts of the job, James said he and Ray try to let them see how the “big monster eating trash” works as they watch from their porch or front yard. Even when young kids aren’t around, James said several residents on their

Will Barnes with Waste Management’s garbage collectors in Mountain Brook. Will loves the “big crush” that picks up the garbage in his neighborhood. He likes to ride a wagon or tricycle and follow the truck on its route. Photos courtesy of William Barnes.

route will give them cold drinks to express their appreciation.

“Everybody is real, real, real nice to us when we’re out there,” he said.

Will is one of the most enthusiastic children on James and Ray’s route. Now, he doesn’t just watch from his own home. Instead, Barnes pulls his son in a wagon or pushes him on a tricycle to follow the garbage truck for about a block.

“He just loves what we do. And when he sees

the truck… he’ll yell out, ‘Crush!’” James said.

“This has been such a big part of his life,” Barnes said.

Barnes, who grew up in Mountain Brook and has lived in his home on Carla Circle since 2005, said he has noticed the quality of work from Crestline’s garbage collectors for years.

Since he began following the truck with Will each week, Barnes said he has noticed not only how challenging James and Ray’s jobs are, but

also the little things they do to help the residents on their route.

From picking up trash in the street to hunting for items residents accidentally threw out, Barnes said Will isn’t the only one who benefits from James and Ray’s work.

“That’s really when I absorbed just how difficult their job is, No. 1, and No. 2 just how far above and beyond the call of duty these guys go to make residents here happy,” he said.

A20 • August 2016

Village Living

2016 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

RUNNING

CONTINUED from page A1 Schilleci, III and Tripp Watson are all vying for the Place 2 position.

Black, president and CEO of Simonton Swaika Black Architects, has been a Mountain Brook resident for 32 years.

Asked what his main campaign issues are, Black said he is particularly interested in “supporting our excellent school system in its mission of providing a high quality and engaging education for our children.”

Schilleci, who first moved to Mountain Brook in 2007, is currently a shareholder with Dominick Feld Hyde, PC, where he focuses on advising privately held and family owned businesses in corporate law, tax law, real estate and estate planning matters.

Asked why he is running, Schilleci said the quote “To lead is to serve” has always shaped his professional and civic career.

Watson, who opened his own law practice — The Watson Firm — five years ago, provides legal advice and business consulting to people who started their own businesses.

Tripp said he believes Mountain Brook is a “pretty well-run town” already.

“I just want to do my small part to help this city remain successful,” he said.

In June, Mayor Terry Oden announced he would not seek re-election after serving for 24 years in elected office. Stewart Welch III, a local wealth management and certified financial planner, is running unopposed this election cycle in the city’s mayoral race.

Welch, who was born and raised in Mountain Brook, said he is confident Mountain Brook’s team of leaders will guide the city through any challenges.

Voters must register by Aug. 8 and regular absentee ballots must be applied for

by Aug. 18. Contact the Jefferson County Board of Registrars at 325-5550 for voter registration information.

IN THE

o h W

RUNNING

STEWART WELCH III ► Office/place you are seeking: Mayor, City of Mountain Brook ► Why are you running?

My goal: Keep Mountain Brook great! By virtually any metric: quality of our city leaders, city finances, school system, police

and fire departments, library, Chamber of Commerce, quality of city employees, businesses located within the city limits and the residents, the city of Mountain Brook would receive tops scores!

My job is, “Don’t mess it up!” while focusing on “continuous improvement.”

With my background as a business owner, I hope to work closely with our business community to help each business excel.

Having been born and raised in Mountain Brook, I know a lot of its citizens and the ones I don’t know, I look forward to meeting! ► Political experience: Never. ► Contact: None.

VIRGINIA CARRUTHERS SMITH (I) ► Office/place you are seeking: City Council, Seat 4 ► Why are you running? I am running again because I enjoy working for the City and the residents of it.

► Main campaign issues: To continue to make sure the city is run in a manner that furthers the goals of its residents: safe, beautiful, thriving businesses, excellent school system, wonderful park space, debt free and backdoor garbage! Traffic is always an issue and parking can be also.

We will continue to adjust to make sure both traffic and parking problems do not increase to a level that deters residents and visitors. Continue to improve our green spaces and all five villages. Continue to expand out sidewalk system. ► Political experience: I have held this Council Member position since 2000 and been President of the City Council since 2008. ► Contact: None.

VillageLivingOnline.com

PHILIP (PHIL) E. BLACK

VINCENT J. SCHILLECI III ► Office/place you are seeking: Mountain Brook City Council, Seat 2 ► Why are you running? To lead is to serve. I first read this quote when I was in high school, and it has shaped my professional and civic career. Mountain Brook is the benchmark by which all

► Office/place you are seeking: Mountain Brook City Council, Seat 2 ► Why are you running? I look forward to working with the other members of the council and our new Mayor to continue to improve the quality of living in Mountain Brook. I look forward to the completion of Lane Parke and the next phases of that development. I am particularly interested in supporting our excellent school system in its mission of providing a high quality and engaging education for our children. I believe our school system is truly the crown jewel of our city. ► Main campaign issues: Because Mountain Brook is essentially a land-locked municipality, with little available land for growth in either the commercial or residential areas, the focus of the city government should be to assist with the continued

other communities in the state, the Southeast, and the nation are measured. It would be an honor to serve our community on the City Council, and help our city continue to set the standard. ► Main campaign issues: Public Safety: We are blessed to have the top police force in the State of Alabama under Chief Ted Cook. Even with such a superb police force, our community is not immune from crime. I will work to make certain that Chief Cook has the resources needed to combat crime in our community, specifically to deter property crimes in our community (especially around the holiday season) and the growing number of cyber-crimes and identity thefts in our community (particularly with our senior neighbors).

Parks and Recreation: We are all proud of Mountain Brook’s amazing parks, trails and green spaces, including the Jemison Trail, the Irondale Furnace Trail, Overton Park, and the new Cahaba River Park.

In addition, we are fortunate that our fantastic city walkway and sidewalks connect many of the neighborhoods in our community. I will work to ensure that the city’s parks, green spaces, walkways and trails are maintained to the highest degree, and will work within our community to find other opportunities for new and unique public spaces. In addition, I will work with our city leaders, consultants, residents

August 2016 • A21 improvement of amenities and infrastructure in our commercial areas; attracting and retaining high quality businesses. Also, our beautifully livable neighborhoods should continue to be protected from speculative over-building and unwanted density by careful use of the existing developmental ordinances and by keeping the city’s carefully crafted village master plan updated and relevant.

Both of these efforts require a high level of public input, and the legacy of participation from our citizens will continue to be essential in creating a lasting vision for our city. ► Political experience: Although I have been active in public service, I have never run for a political office. ► Contact: facebook.com/Phil-Black-for-Mountain-Brook-City-Council-1770235649923230/

and business community to make sure that our city continues to move forward in completing its Walkway Master Plan.

Economic Development: Although we have a smaller commercial base then some of our neighboring communities, Mountain Brook’s businesses are special, unique and a real asset to the community. They provide much needed revenue to keep our city moving forward. I will work with our city’s businesses and listen to their issues and concerns to make sure they continue to be active members of our community. In addition, I will help our community to continue to attract new businesses that fit within Mountain Brook’s master plan.

Traffic: Like all cities of its size, Mountain Brook faces challenges when it comes to traffic issues. Traffic concerns such as traffic congestion and parking issues around Lane Park tend to stay at the top of most residents’ and business owners’ list of concerns.

I will work with our city leaders and consultants to look for efficient, realistic and sensible solutions to alleviate traffic concerns for all problem traffic areas in our community. ► Political experience: This is my first run for political office. ► Contact: Web: vinceschilleci.com; Facebook: facebook.com/vschilleci

TRIPP WATSON ► Office/place you are seeking: Mountain Brook City Council, Seat 2 ► Why are you running? Frankly, Mountain Brook is a pretty well-run town.

We don’t have the same issues other cities might experience, which is a good thing.

I’m not running to tout any big agenda, I just want to do my small part to help this city remain successful. ► Main campaign issues: The only issue that I am really passionate about is sidewalks. Mountain Brook remains a uniquely walkable city, but many of the city’s busiest roads still do not have a safe space to walk or jog along without dodging traffic. I would like to see more sidewalks. ► Political experience: Nope. As a matter of fact, I swore I’d never run for office after studying politics in college. I figured this was a great way for me to help my community without having to be a real politician. ► Contact: The official campaign website is on Facebook at facebook.com/ trippwatson4citycouncil/ More information about me can be found at birminghambusinesslaw.com/ about-the-watson-firm/tripp-watson/

A22 • August 2016

n e h W AUG. 8

Last day to register to vote for the municipal election.

AUG. 18

Last day to apply for a regular absentee ballot, available from the city clerk.

w o H REGISTERING TO VOTE ► FIRST TIME: Applicants who are registering to vote for the first time must complete a State of Alabama Voter Registration Form and submit it to the county where they live. The applicant must provide a physical address — not a P.O. box — as well as their date of birth and an original signature. A State of Alabama Voter Registration Card will be mailed to the voter, and that will show the voter’s polling location. ► FINDING FORMS: Voter registration forms can be found at the office of the Board of Registrars, satellite licensing offices and public libraries. ► VERIFYING INFORMATION: Voters

Last day to apply for an emergency absentee ballot.

Absentee ballots must be hand-delivered by end of business day Aug. 22, or postmarked Aug. 22 and received by noon Aug. 23.

AUG. 22

AUG. 23

Village Living

e r e Wh

► City Hall (Precinct 46, Box 9), 56 Church Street, 35213

► St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (Precinct 46, Box 8), 3736 Montrose Road, 35213

► Cherokee Bend Elementary (Precinct 45, Box 2), 4400 Fair Oaks Drive, 35223

Election day

who are already registered to vote should make sure their information, including name and address if there has been a recent change, is up to date. Voter registration does not transfer between counties even within the same state, and any voters who have moved into Jefferson County will have to complete a new registration. Name changes and changes of address within the county must be made in writing and forwarded to the board of registrars.

Voters can check that they are registered to vote by entering their last name, county and date of birth at alabamavotes.gov. ► QUALIFICATIONS: To vote in a municipal election, a voter must live in the city for 30 days before registering to vote.

Applications sent by mail should be postmarked before Aug. 8 and sent directly to the board of registrars.

► Mountain Brook Elementary (Precinct 46, Box 7), 3020 Cambridge Road, 35223

► Mountain Brook Community Church (Precinct 48, Box 4), 3001 U.S. Highway 280

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the locations marked above.

Beginning with the Aug. 23 general city election, the Locksley Fire Station polling location will be reassigned to Mountain Brook Community Church located at the intersection of U.S. 280 and Cahaba River Road. The Locksley polling location, according to the city’s newsletter, was less than ideal due to access,

► Brookwood Baptist Church (Precinct 48, Box 6), 3449 Overton Road, 35223

parking and exposure to the elements. Voters assigned to this precinct will vote at Mountain Brook Community Church, 3001 U.S. 280.

All registered and qualified electors of the state, according to the city’s election notice, who reside within the corporate limits of Mountain Brook and who are qualified to vote in the county precinct, will be authorized to participate in the election.

Voted

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August 2016 • A23

Work completed at city schools • BROOKWOOD FOREST ELEMENTARY: Interior painting needs.

• CHEROKEE BEND ELEMENTARY: New awnings across the front of the school.

• CRESTLINE ELEMENTARY: New cabinets in three classrooms, rooftop HVAC units replaced, new insulated windows inside eight classrooms along Church Street.

• MOUNTAIN BROOK ELEMENTARY: Complete playground renovation.

• MOUNTAIN BROOK JUNIOR HIGH: New HVAC rooftop units, new ceiling grid tile and lighting in several hallways.

• MOUNTAIN BROOK HIGH SCHOOL: Library renovation including new carpet, paint, shelving, furniture; some rooftop units replaced; field house improvements including the installation of operable partitions to help cordon off the main room into several smaller ones.

SOURCE: FACILITIES DIRECTOR TOMMY PREWITT

A rendering of the Mountain Brook Elementary playground constructed over the summer. In all, the project cost some $350,000. Staff photo.

SCHOOLS

CONTINUED from page A1 Prewitt said although the project was privately funded, the facilities department is still managing the project. All the work, including the work that is bid out, is handled through his office.

The $900,000 did not include the $350,000 raised privately by the Mountain Brook Elementary PTO for its new state-of-the-art outdoor playground, he said.

Crews cleared the old playground in early summer and site work began shortly after. The new playground installation began on July 11 to include all new equipment, rubber surfaces and landscaping, he said.

The Mountain Brook Elementary Lancer PTO began raising the $350,000 needed to equip the school with an upgraded, safer and ADA-compliant playground in February. A six-week

fundraiser, which began Feb. 9 and ended March 20 with a schoolwide fun run celebration, helped kick-start the fundraising efforts. The group set out from the very beginning to transform the playground over the summer, said Playground Chair Eleanor Estes.

“It’s a big goal,” she said, “but we are excited about the prospects.”

The idea for a new playground came about when the PTO realized how much it would cost to equip the current playground with a pouredin-place rubber surface, Estes said.

“It didn’t make sense, in our opinion, to spend $120,000 for the new surface, when we knew it would be used around a 20-year-old playground structure,” she said.

Although the new surface — now popular at many playgrounds for its safety and accessibility features — would be ADA-compliant, the structure itself would not be.

The cost, along with the fact that

approximately 8 to 10 percent of the Mountain Brook Elementary student community has special needs, forced the group to think bigger, said PTO President Emily Lassiter.

“If we were going to take on something of this magnitude, we wanted to make sure we built more than just a new playground. We want to ensure everyone will be included in the final product,” she said.

Mountain Brook Elementary’s new playground includes ADA-compliant playground equipment appropriate for ages 3 to 12, wheelchair-accessible surfacing, play pieces designed for children on the autism spectrum, wheelchair ramps, two foursquare courts, an updated basketball court and additional benches.

As part of efforts to keep up with science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) trends, the new playground also would feature a refurbished outdoor amphitheater that can be used as an outdoor classroom and a revitalized

nature trail that also would promote outdoor learning. New fencing, graded landscaping and a commemorative brick pathway would round out the space.

MBE’s PTO worked with playground equipment supplier Kompan to design the new equipment.

In addition to the new surfacing costs of about $120,000, the new equipment cost about $150,000. Site work preparation and landscaping cost an additional $75,000.

The PTO collected most of the money through donations from MBE families, alumni and the surrounding community, businesses and area leaders.

Donors received a commemorative playground plaque at the different play structures, as well as commemorative bricks to be used in the playground’s walkway. The PTO also applied for grants designed to help schools achieve a more ADA-compliant play area.

Village Living

School House B6 Sports B14 Faith B21 Calendar B22

SECTION

B AUGUST 2016

A talent that grows Martine Sebbag, ‘the magician’ of Harper’s Salon, celebrates 50 years as hairstylist

By ANA GOOD The appointment book at Harper’s Salon in Mountain Brook Village is practically booked through the end of the year.

Most of those appointments, from the time the salon opens to when it closes, belong to owner Martine Sebbag.

The “magician,” as she is affectionately called by her staff, has been standing in the same corner of the salon at the helm of the same chair for 37 years. This June, Sebbag celebrated her 50th year as a stylist.

Born in Israel to parents of Moroccan and Spanish descent, Sebbag said she and her family moved to Paris when she was 7. By the time she was a young teenager, Sebbag said she became bored with the daily routine of school.

“My dad asked what I wanted to do,” she said. “And when I didn’t have an answer, he decided for me.”

At 15, Sebbag began a three-year training regime in Paris, working at multiple salons with an apprenticeship

See SEBBAG | page B20

In June, Mountain Brook’s Martine Sebbag celebrated her 50th year as a stylist. Photos by Ana Good.

B2 • August 2016

Village Living

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August 2016 • B3

B4 • August 2016

Village Living

Providing jobs with a purpose Founder inspired to hire those with special needs

By ALI RENCKENS Purpose Place Thrift Market was born out of love and panic, said founder and manager Tracey Martin.

Martin said she is not interested in hiring the most qualified employees, but to be a welcoming workplace.

Just that morning, screaming and hitting ensued as the Mountain Brook resident struggled to pull one of her workers out of the car. The employee was her son, who has severe autism.

The mother of five has two 15-year-old children with different degrees of autism. As they entered high school, Martin said she began to worry about their future, realizing that it would be difficult for them to find a job.

That spurred her to start Purpose Place Thrift Market, located in Irondale. The purpose of the store is to hire people with special needs and offer them a welcoming workplace that will allow them to gain work experience that may help them get a better job in the future.

“I wanted to make a place that would be community friendly, that would be low pressure for them, where they could learn vocational skills and social skills and just be incorporated into the community,” Martin said. “A place where they felt loved and welcomed and that they could be proud to come in and have a job … with a view to empower them.”

She said she sees the store as not only helping people with special needs, but also serving the community, as people can buy high-quality, secondhand goods or handmade crafts for

Caitlin Campbell works on pricing items in the store. The Purpose Place Thrift Market, recently opened by Tracey Martin in Irondale, provides jobs for people with special needs. Photos by Frank Couch.

a low price. In addition, one of the volunteers is starting an online store for higher-end items, and Seeds Coffee in Homewood will be opening a coffee bar in the store.

Tammi Trawick, a member of the Purpose

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Place volunteer team, experienced many of the same thoughts and emotions as Martin while raising her own autistic son.

“Part of what we experience in our life is wanting [him] to feel at peace and to belong

and to be fulfilled as a person the same way our younger son will as he goes through his life,” Trawick said. “Especially as he becomes an adult, you want him to feel complete and feel like he is a part of the world and a part of life,

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • B5

Martin said she hopes the thrift market will expand and envisions a Purpose Place Café and other businesses that can work with people with special needs.

just the same as all of us.”

Before the official interview and hiring process, potential employees meet with a job coach who can assess their strengths and assign them a job, which can include placing price stickers on items, working at the coffee bar or running the online store.

Currently, an employee confined to a wheelchair works as a greeter. The amount of time the individuals work will be flexible, depending on what they can handle, probably an average of two or three hours. A “chill room” will also be provided for employees or family members who need a break from being at work.

Martin recalls times when her son insisted on wearing Superman pajamas and pink flip-flops to church. She wants to create a work environment that accommodates those quirks.

“You’re meeting the person,” Trawick said.

“You can draw out their skills … give them a job that they can do and a place where they can actually do it and succeed at it and that’s what places like Purpose Place will give to the community.”

After brainstorming a few names for the store, Martin placed a vote on Facebook. The choice of “Purpose Place” was unanimous.

“Someone mentioned to me not too long ago

that a person’s self-esteem is entirely based on them having a purpose in life, feeling like they have a place,” Trawick said. “Even as a volunteer, I feel like a have a purpose ... I can come, and I can contribute. I can be a part of helping these people feel like they’ve got a place.”

“Normally, we pull into the parking lot, and he comes straight in,” Martin said, referring to her son. “He’s happiest when he has something to do … These individuals with special needs or disabilities, they have a place. They deserve to be recognized.”

She said she hopes that the thrift market will expand, envisioning Purpose Place Café and

other businesses that can work with people with special needs.

“With our kids, there’s always an angst there … what if something happens to us? What about their future?” Martin said. “Now, we’re raising the flag …We’re going to make mistakes, but we want people to know that there is hope. Don’t despair if your kid gets a diagnosis. There are others out there who understand what you’re going through. We’re all in it together … We’re doing this for our kids.”

Purpose Place Thrift Market is at 1630 Crestwood Blvd. in Irondale. For more information, go to purposeplacemarket.com.

B6 • August 2016

Village Living

School House BWF’s Genius Hour sparks curiosity BWF students in grades K, 2, 3 and 5 displayed their interests and projects at the Genius Hour Fair on May 20, in the BWF auditorium.

Genius Hour is time set aside in class for students to study a new idea or skill that they choose and are passionate about once a week for a set amount of time. Students usually want to work on their project at home, too.

Genius Hour is important because it allows students to take ownership in their own

learning. They learn about something they want to learn about. Genius Hour sparks curiosity, and students have an opportunity to become their own genius.

Genius Hour encourages lifelong learning, imagination, perseverance, self-awareness, adaptability, as well as other life lessons. The project is not graded and allows students to explore their passions with only learning in mind.

– Submitted by Kathleen Woodry.

Right: BWF fourth-graders during the Genius Hour Fair. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Woodry.

Crestline honors pair of 6th-graders for character, citizenship

Mountain Brook students earn 1st place finish s at state Special Olympics

Character and citizenship are highly esteemed at Crestline School. Each year, two exemplary sixth-graders are awarded for these qualities at the Sixth Grade Recognition Program.

The Elizabeth Howard Award is named after a former assistant principal at Crestline who was known for placing an emphasis on citizenship. Fifth- and sixth-grade teachers nominate and vote for students according to the following criteria: a positive attitude, school spirit, a willingness to help others, cooperation, dependability, persistence and consideration of others. This year’s 43rd winner of the Elizabeth Howard Award was Crawford McDuffie.

Crestline added another prestigious award in 2014 in honor of David H. Key, a man of exemplary character who retired after 40 years of service to Crestline Elementary School. The

This past spring, Mountain Brook Junior High’s Drew Lewis and Cherokee Bend’s Christopher Alexander qualified and competed in the Alabama Special Olympics State Games.

Drew and Christopher were among hundreds of athletes from across the state who traveled to Troy University to compete in the games. Jane Mosakowski, a physical education teacher from Mountain Brook Junior High, accompanied the students to the games.

The competitors were welcomed to Troy University by the Special Olympics State Committee in a wonderful opening ceremony including a lighting of the Olympic flame by the Olympic torch, which had traveled across the state.

Drew Lewis competed in both the 100-meter and 200-meter runs and finished in first place in his division in both events. Drew also set a personal record in the 200-meter run. Christopher

Winners Nora Morosini and Crawford McDuffie show off their awards May 27 at Crestline’s Sixth Grade Recognition Program. Photo courtesy of Mary Evans.

sixth-grade teachers look for a student who is trustworthy, a person of integrity, loyal, fair and honest. The winner of the David H. Key Character Award was Nora Morosini.

– Submitted by Mary Evans.

Drew Lewis and Christopher Alexander qualified and competed in the Alabama Special Olympics State Games. Photo courtesy of Monica Sargent.

Alexander competed in the 800-meter run and the javelin throw and also finished in first place in both of his events. Both Drew and Christopher are state champions and did a wonderful job representing Mountain Brook at the Alabama Special Olympics State Games.

– Submitted by Monica Sargent.

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Dorians qualify for UDA Nationals The Mountain Brook High School Dorians participated in UDA camp in Panama City Beach in June. All dancers received a blue ribbon in their evaluated routines, qualifying the team for Nationals in Orlando this winter.

The Dorians placed fourth in the home routine presentation and received a Superior Trophy. The following senior Dorians tried out and made All American: Delia Vandevelde (captain), Emily Barber (co-captain), Kate Childs (co-captain), Caroline Cross (co-captain), Peyton Billingsley, Charlotte Farrar, Katie Foy, Lee Knight, Mary Robins Miller and Mary Fletcher Snow.

The Dorians were thrilled to receive the final super spirit stick for the camp session. The Dorians are coached by Lindsey Hull, and the team sponsor is Heather Fitch.

– Submitted by Heather Fitch.

August 2016 • B7

MBJH freshman cheer squad attends UCA camp The new classroom design. Photo courtesy of Mary Evans.

2 Crestline classrooms get state-of-the-art overhauls In the spring of 2016, Crestline administrators challenged their teaching staff to a Classroom Transformation Contest. Teachers were asked to submit written answers to questions about their vision of an optimum learning environment and why their classroom needed to be transformed. The winners were chosen by a committee at the central office, and the PTO-funded makeovers have taken place over the summer.

The classrooms chosen to be transformed belong to third-grade teacher

Laura Ferguson Rives and sixth-grade teacher Bill Garner. The new, state-of-the art classroom designs will impact classroom practice, teacher planning and student learning.

When students return to school, they will find these two 21st-century classrooms completely updated. Rives’ and Garner’s rooms are the first to convert to “Imagine Classrooms,” in hopes to be models for all classes at Crestline in the future.

– Submitted by Mary Evans.

The Mountain Brook Junior High Freshman Cheer Squad had a successful week at UCA cheer camp this year. This was Mountain Brook’s 11th year to attend camp at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi.

The squad came away with multiple awards including The Top Banana, winning the Iron Quad competition, daily Spirit Stick winners, and second place JV division in Extreme Routine.

In the Junior High/JV division, they earned the Leadership Award. Cece Kelly received the “Pin It Forward” award. Jules Campbell, Marilyn Joyce, Katie Ramsbacher and Georgia Stewart were selected as All-American Cheerleaders.

Helen Pruet has coached the freshman cheerleaders for 23 years. She has served them well and is a huge reason for their success. When asked about the camp, she said Mountain Brook cheer items were popular among the UCA cheer staff, including one instructor who took the hat right off Pruet’s head.

– Submitted by Hayley Young.

MBHS juniors, seniors sought for Mentoring Education Program Crestline Elementary School and Mountain Brook High School have a distinctive partnership called the Mentoring Education (ME) Program, which finished its second successful year in May. The ME program is facilitated by MBHS’s

Cooperation Education Program, which provides work-based experiences in fields related to students’ career objectives.

MBHS students Molly Bloomston, Brooke Holloway and Michael Matsos applied and were chosen to be positive role models to a select

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group of eight fourth-grade CES students. They mentored students three days a week and met with CES administrators, teachers and counselors and their MBHS sponsor the other two days for training and accountability. Mentoring naturally flowed out of playing board games, group

discussions and Fun Fridays that included walking field trips in the village.

The two schools are currently looking for MBHS juniors and seniors to participate in the 2016-17 Mentoring Education Program.

– Submitted by Mary Evans.

B8 • August 2016

Village Living

BWF dining porch earns design award

Students eating lunch in the space behind new roll-up doors separating the existing cafeteria and new porch. Photo courtesy of Richard Simonton.

Each year, the Birmingham Chapter of the American Institute of Architects presents Design Awards for the best-designed projects by local architects. This month, Brookwood Forest Elementary’s new screened-in dining porch received a Merit Award. The project was funded by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization and designed by Simonton Swaika Black Architects. The school system’s facilities department served as the general contractor and did much of the work with their own employees.

The porch seats up to 50 children and has a 15-foot ceiling. It is connected

to the existing cafeteria by three new garage doors that are opened during fair weather, and an industrial fan makes the space comfortable when conditions are hot and humid. The porch was used every month during this past school year with classes taking turns at every opportunity to eat al fresco.

The primary project goal was to heighten the experience of being outdoors by making the structure as light, airy and transparent as possible. The design challenge was to resolve the conflict between boisterous elementary school students and the fragile nature of

a screened-in porch. The solution incorporated a stainless steel cable rail system that almost disappears while still protecting the screen. The cable rail also serves as a comfortable back for the built-in perimeter benches. Locally fabricated rolling tables and movable benches were an economical and durable alternative to institutional, off-the-shelf furnishings.

The Brookwood Forest porch also received a Design Award from AIA Alabama for best-designed projects in Alabama.

– Submitted by Richard Simonton.

MBE Lancers learning to lead At the conclusion of the third year with implementation of the Leader in Me process, the Lancers continue to exhibit incredible leadership. A Lighthouse Team consisting of administrators, coaches and teachers acts as an advisory group that supports others in their efforts to develop personally and professionally with a focus on continuous improvement. Student-generated mission statements hang outside every classroom. Leadership quotes adorn the hallways. Every student holds a leadership role. At the start of this school year, 100 percent of students and teachers began goal-setting and collecting evidence of learning in leadership notebooks. The first of many schoolwide assemblies was held last fall where students were recognized for exemplary leadership. Each month, grade level teams come together to share a Morning Meeting experience and strengthen social interactions among peers.

Doors opened wide in January for parents to join their children in

Morning Meetings where leadership principles and habits were reinforced.

February brought with it an opportunity for every student and teacher to be involved in a club experience.

Over 34 options were presented to students, from which they selected an area of interest ranging from Lego design to a 5K run. This kindergarten through sixth-grade event served as a chance to foster schoolwide community. Based on positive feedback from all involved, buzz about another club day is already in the air. MBE wants to empower students by highlighting individual talents and strengths in a way that develops the whole child.

As flowers began to bloom in March, so did our outreach efforts. MBE hosted a day of Community Coaching where over 25 affiliates from other Leader in Me schools around the state shared in action planning, evidence analysis, reflection and coaching simulations. As visitors entered the school building, they were greeted by Squires

who serve on a student leadership team called the Lancer League. These students introduce guest speakers for special events and showcase MBE when giving tours to prospective families.

Jennifer Jones, MBE speech/language pathologist noted, “I have enjoyed working with the Squires these past few years. These student leaders are the “voice” of our school when others come to visit. They are excited to share how MBE is unique!”

PTO representatives were also greeted by kindergarten through second-grade students during their March meeting. Attendees were invited to preview a sampling of leadership notebooks and hear from students about Club Day experiences. We are working at MBE to share our learning with a broader audience. Allyson Martin, a second-grade teacher at MBE and member of the school's Lighthouse Team, points out, “Leader in Me and its impact on all members of the MBE community continues to

MBE Squires, one component of the Lancer League, are responsible for providing tours to prospective families and introducing guest speakers at special events. Photo courtesy of Shaun Flynn.

amaze me every day. This process gives all individuals an opportunity to be leaders and empowers students and staff with the techniques to be a positive force. Change is happening here!”

The MBE community is full of leaders and learners, each adding unique value that enriches the lives of others.

– Submitted by Principal Ashley E. McCombs.

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • B9

Meet this year’s PTO presidents

By ANA GOOD ► Ensley Darnall: PTO President, Cherokee Bend Elementary I am a mother to Steele and Mary Jackson, who are rising fourth-graders at Cherokee Bend. I am an Auburn building science graduate who is actually from Tuscaloosa! I have been active in our community and the Birmingham area for many years, and once I had kids, focusing on their school seemed to be the natural fit. This year as Chief PTO president will be my third year to sit on our school board.

Our Chief PTO has done a good job over the last few years making sure we were able to meet our school’s requests.

My personal vision for next year, knowing that needs will be taken care of, will be a little more global. Myself and committee chairs are working on adding community programs to the fabric of our school. We plan to have nine months of giving and teach our kids about how our community will be a better place if we all work together, helping our friends in need. ► Kristy Parrott: PTO President, Mountain Brook Elementary I grew up in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas.

Our family moved to Alabama in 2008 when my husband, Keith, accepted a job here in Birmingham.

Our two older children, Reid and Mary Kathryn, attended the junior high and graduated from MBHS in 2014 and 2015. Our youngest son, Benjamin, will be

a sixth-grader at MBE this year.

MBE’s PTO had an amazing year in 2015-16 with a successful playground campaign, and we are excited to build on that success. For this year, we will continue with our regular fundraising events with Boosterthon and Lancer Sponsors being our largest. We will have a Fall Festival and a Spring Fun Run, as well.

We have a new leadership team with Ashley McCombs as our new principal and Brannon Aaron as the assistant principal. We’ve been working together on ways to help bring our MBE community together to celebrate all the great things that happen at the school every day.

We have an amazing new playground that our students will be able to enjoy for many years to come, and we’ll celebrate this with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the beginning of school. ► Meg Kerr: PTO President, Mountain Brook Junior High School I grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. I attended Vanderbilt University for undergrad and received a M.Ed. from Emory University. I taught elementary school for seven years in Atlanta before having children of my own. My husband, David, and I have four daughters, Eleanor, Libby, Lucy and Annie. I will have children this year at Cherokee Bend, plus the junior and high schools.

Last year, we were able to buy classroom furniture and give the auditorium a new sound system and curtains. In addition to fundraising, we oversee committees such as Spartan Day, Teacher hospitality, school dances and many more.

As the MBJH PTO president, my vision is to help parents, students and staff feel positive about the junior high experience. Through fundraising I hope to provide the school with

resources needed to improve the learning environment. Mainly, I hope to encourage collaboration by parents and staff members. ► Morgan Cook: PTO President, Crestline Elementary I grew up in Atlanta and attended Davidson College. I moved here after marrying my husband, Philip Cook, a Birmingham native.

We have two children, Philip, 10, and Juliette, 7.

Our two fundraisers, Boosterthon and Cougar Contributors, fund projects that enhance instruction and learning. Other important PTO sponsored events include Fall Festival, Celebrate Writing, Book Fair, Circle of Friends Week and Teacher Appreciation Week.

Last year, Crestline experienced a year of accolades capped off by the recognition of our dear friend, Jerome Lewis, as CINTAS National Janitor of the Year. As the Crestline family faces our first year without Jerome’s daily presence in our midst, I hope that his spirit will inspire us to listen to each other a little more closely and care for each other a little more deeply.

As a PTO we will continue to provide our students and teachers with the highest level volunteer and funding resources possible. ► Tona Hitson: PTO President, Brookwood Forest Elementary I graduated from the University of Georgia and Cumberland School of Law, where I met my husband, Brent. We moved to Mountain Brook in 2002. We have four children, all of whom are in the Mountain Brook schools.

Ranger PTO is an important part of the

Brookwood Forest Elementary family. It serves BWF students and faculty with a helping hand as often as it can, both financially and by providing volunteers.

So many new ideas were implemented under the previous presidents and I hope to continue the growth mindset. We look forward to continuing the traditions that we’ve grown to love but welcome new ideas to make BWF the best it can be. ► Tracy Bragg: PTO President, Mountain Brook High School Birmingham has been my home since I graduated from Auburn, which means I’ve lived here many, many years and love it. My husband, John, and I both enjoyed growing up in small towns — Fayette, Alabama, and Mandeville, Louisiana — and we appreciate the sense of community in Mountain Brook.

High school parents are busy folks, but our children are our priority. As an MBHS parent, I’ve been impressed by how efficiently the Spartan PTO uses our time and money. For example, last year the PTO spent just over 20 percent of its budget to provide numerous events for MBHS families and teachers like the College Admissions Workshop, timely speakers for parents, study breaks during exams and so many other programs.

The remaining 78 percent of PTO dues and donations were returned to the school for classroom instruction or improvements in the library.

Many duties give us parents a chance to connect with one another or, if we choose to, to work with students or teachers. Lastly, we parents find value in the programs and speakers. In recent years, we’ve had excellent speakers and positive parent participation and feedback. For more information, visit spartan.my-pto.org to sign up or email me at thebraggfamily@hotmail.com to find a committee that interests you.

B10 • August 2016

Village Living

Kids share their thoughts on school Mae Busby: Fourth grade, Mountain Brook Elementary School

By ALI RENCKENS Excited for a new school year, local students share their thoughts on what makes school great.

“When you learn something new, you can tell your parents and friends.”

Jackson Skinner: Fourth grade, Mountain Brook Elementary School “I’m excited for science. This is the fi st year we’re really doing science...I don’t really know what to expect.”

Ada Dapkus: Third grade, Crestline Elementary “I like that there are nice teachers and it’s fun.”

Virginia Loveman: First grade, St. Rose Academy “I like reading. My favorite book was ‘Treasure Island.’”

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • B11

Ashby Russell: Fourth grade, Cherokee Bend Elementary School

Henry Elliott: Third grade, Crestline Elementary School

“I love seeing my teacher.

She teaches me things I never knew before.”

“I’ve heard that there’s a lot of fun projects in 3rd grade.

There’s a play about going around the world.”

Julia Mather: Second grade, Mountain Brook Elementary School

Thomas Watson: Second grade, Brookwood Forest Elementary School

“I like to draw sharks.”

“I’m excited to meet new friends.”

B12 • August 2016

Village Living

fashion

By ALI RENCKENS The first day of school. It’s a new year with new classes, new teachers and new friends. But while you’re tossing notebooks, folders and pencils in the shopping cart, don’t forget to gear up with a new outfit. Local boutiques offer a great selection of backto-school clothes.

Fashionable sunglasses ($172)

Little Lavender: 200 Country Club Park

Vibrant top ($40)

Summer lovin’ Neutral, high-waisted skort ($40)

Simply sweet While Lilla offers chic and sophisticated clothing for older students, its sister store, Little Lavender, presents an adorable back-to-school look for younger kids. This outfit has enough frills to look cute but is still surprisingly functional for romping on the playground.

Pants Store: 233 Country Club Park At Pants Store, you can get an outfit that strikes the perfect balance between summery and classy.

Adorable white top ($16)

Cute jean skort ($15)

Trendy wedges ($80)

Colorful sandals ($19)

VillageLivingOnline.com

Chic rockstar Village Sportswear: 2417 Montevallo Road

August 2016 • B13

Gold hoop earrings ($73)

Village Sportswear presents an edgy back-to-school look.

Choker ($85)

Fringe backpack ($395)

Clean-cut denim dress ($98)

White tank ($33) Stylishly torn gray tee ($106)

Black shorts ($119)

Handmade leather purse ($165)

Ankle-wrapped heels ($320)

Southern class Monkee’s of Mountain Brook: 2006 Cahaba Road At Monkee’s, you can purchase a sweet, Southern look.

B14 • August 2016

Village Living

Sports

MOUNTAIN BROOK

PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW: 2016

Spartan seniors determined to get back to playoffs in class where numbers matter

M

By KYLE PARMLEY ountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager called last year the perfect storm, but did not mean it in a positive tone.

The Spartans came into the 2015 season with a small senior class, and right off the bat, they experienced a rash of injuries to make matters more difficult. They started the season with a hard-fought win over Huntsville, but lost four straight as the season unraveled quickly.

“In our classification — 7A — numbers matter, because it’s about depth,” Yeager said. “Football is a sport of attrition.”

Senior offensive lineman Price Delk is looking for the team to be tougher, as he enters his senior campaign with high hopes.

“The leaderships has kind of shifted and the mentality is shifting and we’re trying to bring the culture up to have a better enthusiasm and more excitement going into the season,” he said.

If the Spartans are to rebound from back-to-back 3-7 seasons, they will face a tough road in Region 3. Spain Park and Hoover each won double digit games, and Hewitt-Trussville and Vestavia Hills each made the postseason.

Huffman replaces Hewitt-Trussville in the region this year, after reclassification, and Mountain Brook will also deal with the likes of Oak Mountain, Thompson and Tuscaloosa County.

Senior wide receiver Sims Herron said the team has to emphasize the “little things” in order to make a push for the postseason in 2016. Three of the Spartans’ seven losses last year were by one possession, meaning a play here or there could have gone a long way in changing the outcome.

But the team feels good about what it has returning, with 15 of 22 starters back on both sides of the ball, along with the special teams unit remaining intact.

“People have to step up,” senior defensive back Zachary Carroll said. “Younger guys have to step up. We have a lot of older guys, but the missing pieces are where the younger guys have to step in. They can do it.”

OFFENSE

First and foremost on Yeager’s agenda on the offensive side of the football is finding depth behind junior running back Harold Joiner.

“Everybody says, ‘You’ve got to find a running back.’ But I promise you, in this region, one running back is never enough,” Yeager said.

HAMP SISSON, QB Photo courtesy of Ben Breland.

MOUNTAIN BROOK’S SCHEDULE AUG. 19: @ Gulf Shores AUG. 26: Helena SEPT. 2: @ Hoover SEPT. 9: Thompson SEPT. 16: @ Spain Park SEPT. 23: Open SEPT. 30: Tuscaloosa County OCT. 7: @ Vestavia Hills OCT. 14: @ Oak Mountain OCT. 21: Huffman OCT. 27: Ramsay Yeager would like to find an additional tail back or two that he can consistently rely on to feel good about the run game for the duration of the season.

Hamp Sisson takes over as the full-time signal caller for the offense, after splitting time at the quarterback position as a sophomore a season ago.

“Our passing game is going to be really good,” receiver Sims Herron said. “He’s got a year under his belt.”

Sean Elmore returns to bolster the receiving corps, after going down with an injury early last season. Along with Herron and the likes of Wilson Higgins, Aubrey Hart, Hunter Hartley and others, the receiver

group should provide a strength of the offense.

JP Darnall played receiver last season and is making the transition to tight end, a position that Yeager feels the need to develop another player or two.

On the offensive line, Price Delk returns as a starter on the line, as well as contributors Christian Johnston and Johnny Leara. Some other guys will have to step up and fill the remaining holes on the line, but Yeager and Delk are positive about the group as a whole.

“We have a lot of promising juniors coming up and a lot of sophomores,” Delk said.

DEFENSE

Yeager called senior free safety Zachary Carroll the anchor of the Spartan defense, which is odd for him to be able to say that in the preseason.

“This is one of the first times I can remember in a long time where we’ve got the shell of our defense, and we’re looking for the interior,” Yeager said.

Mountain Brook has three to four seniors in the secondary that will contribute in a big way, with the likes of Carroll, Reid Hogue, Chandler Cox and Joey Keating, as the secondary should be pretty stout.

The defensive line and the linebackers have left holes to fill. Will Wetzler at linebacker and Sam Colvin along the defensive line are a pair of returning starters that will look to make some noise as the Spartans plug holes to find the right combination.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Mountain Brook’s special teams unit remains fully intact from a season ago, with Mason Dillard doubling as the place-kicker and punter and Alex Pankey as the deep snapper. Dillard lifted the Spartans to victory over Tuscaloosa County with a last-second field goal in last year’s matchup.

Yeager “feels great” about Dillard, and loves the fact that he plays soccer in the spring, allowing him to kick year-round.

VillageLivingOnline.com

20% OFF

August 2016 • B15

Back to School Dorm Room Items

Owner/ Interior Designer, Debbie Bearden Mouyal.

B16 • August 2016

Village Living

Spartans’ solid setup Pieces fall in place for a Mountain Brook three-peat

By KYLE PARMLEY

Libero Lacey Jeffcoat, who’s going into her junior year, is the “best in the state, hands down,” according to Mountain Brook volleyball coach Haven O’Quinn. Photos by Frank Couch.

“

Mountain Brook High I’ve told her that School has done something twice no other school has done the rules don’t once: win a Class 7A state apply to her. ... If volleyball championship.

The 7A classification has Lacey is near you existed for two years, and the and she can touch Spartans have won the title the ball, it’s her both times. There will be both old and new faces as they ball, get out of the strive for the three-peat, but way. She’s the real they are the only group who knows the feeling of leaving deal, full package the Birmingham CrossPlex as of what a libero 7A champs.

“Any playoff experishould be. ence you have does nothing HAVEN O’QUINN but help you,” said Haven O’Quinn, who enters her fifth season coaching the Spartans.

She reminded her team during last year’s run to the blue map that her group was the only one who knew what it was like to win it all, and used that as motivation to achieve back-to-back triumphs.

Sara Carr and Sara Chandler Mitchell have graduated, but Mountain Brook has the pieces to replace them and takes a strong group into

”

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • B17

Mountain Brook is the only school that knows the feeling of winning a Class 7A volleyball state title because they’re the only school that has won the championship since the class was created two years ago.

competition in the 2016 season.

O’Quinn’s rundown of the team immediately begins with Lacey Jeffcoat, “the best libero in the state, hands down.”

“We’ve got her coming back. She started as a freshman and a sophomore on the court; now she’s just a junior. She’s still got two years.

She’s phenomenal,” O’Quinn said.

As the libero, Jeffcoat will run the Spartan defense. She is so strong she breaks the mold of how her team would normally play, O’Quinn said.

“I’ve told her that the rules don’t apply to her,” O’Quinn said. “The typical rules in serve-receive, if the ball is splitting, then the person on the left gets it. No. If Lacey is near you and she can touch the ball, it’s her ball, get out of the way. She’s the real deal, full package of what a libero should be.”

On the offensive side of things, Libby Grace Gann will run the show, as she moves to setter after playing left back the past two seasons, O’Quinn said.

“She’s a lefty, and she’s offensive,” she said.

“She can hit the ball, too. She’ll get up there and hit. I’m real excited to watch what she can do.”

Gann is part of an experienced bunch with a championship pedigree. Caroline Davies, Mimi Meadows, Ellie Ritter and Emmy Kilgore also will be relied upon to lead the team.

Kilgore will be tasked with replacing Carr on the outside, and will move over to the left side, after starting on the right side since her freshman season.

“She’s going to be the terminator,” O’Quinn said. “She’s always been second in kills behind Sara.”

Davies and Ritter will anchor the middle and run the Spartans’ fast-tempo offense. If the Spartans are to succeed, they will have to get the ball to the middle hitters.

“More so than ever, because we are so experienced in the middle, our first contact has to be the best, because we have to be able to run our middle,” O’Quinn said.

If a three-peat is to be achieved, or any championship for that matter, teams must acquire certain characteristics and habits.

Those begin at the daily grind of practice.

“Every single practice, we’re going to go in knowing that we’re going to put everything out there and try as hard as we can every practice,” Davies said.

The Spartans are also known for filling the gym with a buzz.

“When people walk in the gym, people have no idea if we’re losing or winning. We have so much energy on the court, and it carries us through and keeps us pushing,” Kilgore said.

Another factor is how well the team gets along with each other, important in a team sport such as volleyball, where each player on the court is reliant upon the rest of the team at all times.

“We all get along well, and I think it helps with our energy and the way we play,” Ritter said.

The Spartans must stay focused on each task at hand in O’Quinn’s eyes, and she said it is her job to ensure the team is able to do that. Aiming for a third title in a row is not easy, after all.

“We have all these stepping stones before we can even think about a state championship,” she said.

A big stepping stone will be Area 6, as the Spartans are joined by Spain Park, Oak Mountain and Huffman. Spain Park and Oak Mountain appear to be the main challengers, but only the top two teams will make it past the area tournament.

“Our area’s going to be stronger this year than it’s been in the past. We have to focus on that, and we can’t be thinking about that [a state championship] until that part is done,” O’Quinn said.

Whether they can do it is not a question in the team’s mind.

“I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people this year,” Ritter said.

The Spartans begin the season at home Aug. 25, hosting a tri-match with Hoover and McGill-Toolen.

Alumna earns academic honors

By KYLE PARMLEY Mountain Brook High School alumna Tatum Jackson is just as talented in the classroom as she is on the golf course.

On July 6, Jackson was one of 72 Rutgers University athletes to be presented with the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award.

To be a Distinguished Scholar, student-athletes were required to maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.7 or higher. Using that standard, 917 students across the Big Ten were selected.

Jackson was one of at least 147 student-athletes across the conference to achieve a perfect 4.0 GPA, and is majoring in pre-business.

In each of her years at Rutgers, the Women’s Golf Coaches Association has also named her a Division I All-America Scholar. She was one of three Scarlet Knights to earn the honor, along with Emily Mills and Astrid Aneman.

“The team had an outstanding year athletically and academically, and we are pleased to have three of our student-athletes named All-America Scholars,” said head coach Kari Williams in a release. “Astrid Aneman, Tatum and Emily Mills committed themselves to excelling in the classroom, while competing in one of the nation’s toughest conferences. This honor is a testament to their hard work and I am very proud of them.”

On the course, she compiled a 79.43 scoring average last spring to complete her sophomore year. She fired a career-best 72 and finished in the top 20 at the Diane Thomason Invitational, September 12-13.

While at Mountain Brook, Jackson played on the varsity team starting in seventh grade, and held the No. 1 position on the team each of her final five years. During that span, the Spartans won three consecutive state championships in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

LANEPARKE.INFO

B18 • August 2016

Village Living

GRACEFUL

GAIT Mountain Brook cross-country runner Anna Grace Morgan will lead the Spartans in 2016

By SAM CHANDLER

Anna Grace Morgan said she has been putting in quality summer training in preparation for the upcoming crosscountry season. Photos by Sam Chandler.

Anna Grace Morgan had always been a good cross-country runner. That’s why Mountain Brook High School head cross-country coach Michael McGovern said he pulled her up to join the varsity squad full time as an eighth-grader in 2012.

But last fall, Morgan took her cross-country game from good to great. As a junior in 2015, she lowered her 5K personal best by well over a minute. She also garnered AllState recognition with a fifth-place finish at the state meet.

“It’s just something that’s got to click; it’s so mental,” Morgan said in regard to running cross-country. “You can be in perfect shape, but if you don’t know how to push yourself and survive the second and third mile, you’re not going to be good.”

This fall, Morgan will aim to build upon her individual success as she leads the Mountain Brook girls in their pursuit of a 14th-consecutive state championship. Entering her final year in the Spartan program, she’ll have the chance to cement a legacy that’s been more than 12 years in the making.

It all started in 2004.

That’s when Morgan’s older sister, Madeline Morgan, placed among the top 10 at the state cross-country meet

VillageLivingOnline.com as an eighth-grader. From there, she would go on to become one of the most accomplished athletes in Mountain Brook history. Madeline Morgan set a handful of school records and won multiple state championships in distance events on the track.

She also helped thrust into motion the cross-country title streak her younger sister is striving to carry on.

“For a long a part of her career, I guess I was too young to understand it, but then when I came into the program, I was like realizing, ‘Wow, she’s incredible,’” Anna Grace Morgan said of her older sister. “She’s been a really big motivation for me, and she’s always there to give me advice and set an example.”

Madeline Morgan went on to run collegiately at Duke University after graduating from Mountain Brook in 2009, but the family’s athletic impact at MBHS didn’t skip a beat.

Jack Morgan, Anna Grace Morgan’s older brother, played a key role in the Spartan boys’ run of consecutive state cross-country championships from 2008 to 2010. He finished runner-up as a senior before continuing his career at Furman University.

The season after her brother’s high school graduation, in fall 2011, Anna Grace Morgan made her initial cameo appearance on the Mountain Brook varsity girls squad while in seventh grade.

Having coached all three siblings, McGovern said the family of runners shares a distinguishing trait.

“The Morgans’ work ethic is unbelievable, and I think their parents have really instilled that into them that if you work hard, you will be successful, and that’s in everything they do,” McGovern said. “They’re all very good students and very good runners.”

Despite the vast achievements of her older siblings, Anna Grace Morgan still has a chance to do something that her sister and brother never did: win an individual state cross-country title.

Madeline Morgan came close — she placed third three times — and Jack Morgan came closer, but neither sealed the deal.

While Anna Grace Morgan stressed that her focus will be on bringing home a team

August 2016 • B19 Anna Grace Morgan and Frances Patrick embraced after they placed first and second in the 1,600 meters at the state indoor meet in February.

Morgan will step into the lead role vacated by her former teammate’s graduation.

championship, McGovern said his top runner has the capability of turning in a gold-medal performance at the state meet in mid-November.

“I think top-three, top-five finisher in cross-country is an easy goal for her,” McGovern said. “And you know, if the cards fall right, a state championship is certainly a possibility.”

Prior to last October, Anna Grace Morgan’s name would have seldom arisen in championship chatter. In 2014, she placed 36th at state and did not once break 20 minutes for 5K. But during the 2015 cross-country season, she said something began to click.

“I guess it was just like looking up in the race and only seeing Frances [Patrick] ahead of me and thinking, ‘If I’m the second Mountain Brook person, I need to be up at the front because our team needs to do well,’” Anna Grace Morgan said.

Like the flip of a switch, her realization yielded immediate results.

Anna Grace Morgan opened the 2015 season with a 41-second personal best at the Chickasaw Trails Invitational in mid-September. One month later, she dropped her time by another 46 seconds, crossing the line at the Dew It On the Trails Invitational in 18 minutes, 29.10 seconds.

Her blistering mark went down as the state’s

sixth-fastest girls time of the season, regardless of classification.

“I just feel like I had to step up, so I just did,” Anna Grace Morgan said.

With Patrick, who won last year’s state championship, now graduated, Anna Grace Morgan will be the Spartan to chase. While it may be a new role, McGovern said it’s one that she is ready for.

“It’s one of those things that she has come in and she has brought an effort and an attitude, and it’s been a consistent effort and attitude for five years,” McGovern said. “It’s one of those things that you can’t replicate.”

B20 • August 2016

Village Living

SEBBAG

CONTINUED from page B1 at first and then eventually with an assistantship.

“I learned to love it,” she said. “I’ve been at it ever since.”

Back then, Sebbag went to school three days a week and worked at salons the rest of the time earning just $1 a week, but it was the connections she formed with people, along with the ability to create, that kept her in the profession, she said.

When she was 27, Sebbag moved from Paris to Birmingham after a family member had secured a job for her. She said she remembers the exact day she walked into the Mountain Brook salon more than three decades ago.

“I started working here at Harper’s on Jan. 7, 1979,” Sebbag said.

At the time, the salon’s owner was Tony Buy, and though she was grateful for the opportunity to work, she was also lonely. Sebbag said she was used to having her entire family close by, and it was a difficult adjustment to make, even with her brother and an aunt nearby.

“I cried for a whole year,” she said.

“I stayed because I needed the $125 I made a week.”

Slowly, the charm of the South took over, Sebbag said.

“I started building a life here,” she said, “connecting with customers, meeting families, creating my own family.”

Over the years, Sebbag has styled parents, their children, grandparents and great-grandparents. Eventually, Sebbag bought both the building and the salon.

“That’s the beauty of what I do,” she said. “The community has, in turn, helped me raise my daughter and

Harper’s Salon has been a Mountain Brook Village staple for decades. Photo by Ana Good.

grandchildren.”

Styling also allows her to create, Sebbag said.

“I want everyone to feel beautiful when they get out of my chair,” she said.

Whether she’s blow drying and styling a grandmother’s twice-weekly look or transforming a young girl’s hair from blond to purple, Sebbag said she enjoys it all. She’ll do weddings, proms and everything in between.

“There’s a certain trust that exists between a stylist and a client,” she said of her clients who stop in every time they are in town from places as far away as California, New York and Florida.

That trust, said Harper’s receptionist Christy Tumlin, is what keeps Sebbag’s daily appointment log booked.

“She can do anything from a complete transformation to a weekly styling,” Tumlin said. “It’s why we call her the magician.”

Tumlin said a big part of what has helped keep Harper’s successful is Sebbag’s careful selection of stylists. Combined with Sebbag’s experience, in all, the stylists at Harper’s — including Carol Stokes-Reed, Glen Conn, Ricki Owen, Mary Helen-Harris, Karen Glass and Pam Packer — have more than 227 years of experience, Tumlin said.

“We are constantly busy,” she said.

Harper’s stylists have between eight and 52 years of experience, said stylist Pam Packer.

“But without Martine, those statistics wouldn’t be possible,” she said.

“She’s trained so many of us.”

As for the salon and its staff, which also includes hair tech Jamika Harris, Sebbag said she aims to constantly improve both the salon and the staff’s skills.

“I want them to constantly be learning,” she said. “New trends come and go, and we have to adjust with them.”

Recently, Harper’s added a blow dry bar on the bottom floor where

customers can come in for a complete blow dry without an appointment for $35.

Asked what the future holds for her now that she has 50 years of styling under her belt, Sebbag said she will be happy doing more of the same.

“As long as I feel great coming to work, I’ll be here,” she said.

And from there, only time will tell.

“I’m a good adventurer,” she said, “an entrepreneur.”

Harper’s Salon is at 2810 Petticoat Lane in Mountain Brook Village. For more information, go to Harper’s Salon on Facebook at facebook.com/ HarpersSalon.

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • B21

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

12 back-to-school prayers It’s that time of year again, time to pull out the backpacks, get haircuts, set up alarm clocks, and make 20 trips to Target because school is about to start, and Mom is on a mission.

Wherever your heart is this season — whether you’re jumping for joy because you’re ready for some space, or crying on the sofa because you aren’t ready to let your kids go — you probably have mixed emotions about the school year ahead. You hope it will be a great one, but what if it’s not? You want your kids to excel and be happy, but what if they fall and struggle in ways you never saw coming?

We moms like control, and not having control over the next nine months can make us a little, well, anxious. And since my favorite cure for anxiety is prayer, I’d like to share some prayers that might calm an anxious heart.

Here goes: Dear Lord, Thank you for the gift of a new school year.

Thank you for our school community and the great education our kids enjoy. With gratitude I pray for the following: 1. Confidence. Help my children see themselves through your eyes and draw strength from their confidence in you. (“God is within her, she will not fall.” Psalm 46:5) 2. Kindness. Enable my children to be a blessing and a light to those they encounter (“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians

5:11) 3. Wisdom. Open my children’s hearts and minds to your ways, and enlighten them with insight into your will. (“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5) 4. Self-control. Give my children the discipline to work hard, control negative impulses, and grow in the virtues that draw them to you. (“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11) 5. Strong relationships. Surround my children with positive influences and godly friends who help them grow in your image and become the best version of themselves. (“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’”

1 Corinthians 15:33) 6. Courage. Instill in my children the courage to be true to themselves and faithful to you, even if it means standing alone. (“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8) 7. Faith. Fix my children’s eyes on the big picture and keep their minds in awe of your ability to create, control, and sustain the universe. (“The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and

the waves obey him.’” Matthew 8:27) 8. Peace. Calm my children’s hearts when they feel stressed, worried, or lost. Remind them you are the God of peace, not confusion.

Make your presence known as you carry them through trials and challenges. (“I am leaving you with a gift; peace of mind and of heart.

And the peace I give you is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

John 14:27) 9. Clarity. Help my children hear your voice and see you at work in their lives. Make it clear what you want them to do. (“For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.” Job 33:14) 10. Fortitude. Give my children strength and grit when they get tested, and help them recognize any escapes that you provide. (“And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13) 11. Protection. Armor my children physically, mentally, and spiritually. Surround them with angels to guard them and guide them.

Cultivate sharp instincts in each of them that allow them to be gentle yet smart. (“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”

Matthew 10:16) 12. Hope. Equip my children to bounce back quickly from daily disappointments. Keep them

anchored in the hope of heaven, the joy of Jesus, and the security of your promises. (“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11) In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Moms, I’m thinking of you and your families as this new school year begins. Whether you’re sending your baby off to kindergarten, your oldest child to college, or something in between, I pray that God watches over your children and blesses them with positive growth as they start new adventures and spread their wings wide.

It’s all good, and it’s all going to be okay.

Our kids have lessons to learn and so do we, and if we can settle our fears and anxieties, we can get excited about what’s in store and maybe even anticipate the thrill of the unknown and the pleasant surprises that await.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her newest book, “LIKED: Whose Approval Are You Living For?”, releases Nov. 15 and is available for pre-order on Amazon. Her first book, “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” is available everywhere books are sold. Join Kari’s Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.

Let us help spread the news! Email sydney@starnespublishing.com to submit your announcement.

B22 • August 2016

Village Living

Calendar Mountain Brook Events Aug. 1-5: Mason Music Camp for Beginners. Mason Music Cahaba Heights. For students 6-9 years old to help find which instrument is right for them.

Half-day camp. $175. Visit masonmusicstudios.com.

Aug. 5-7 & 12-14: Smoke on the Mountain.

Steeple Arts Academy in Crestline Village. Presented

by Central Alabama Theater. The story of a Saturday Night Gospel Sing at a country church in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1938 featuring two dozen bluegrass songs. 7:30 p.m. nightly and 2:30 p.m. Saturday matinee. Visit CentralAlabamaTheater. eventbrite.com.

ham Zoo. Half-price admission, rides, discounted gift shop merchandise and $1 hot dogs. Visit birminghamzoo.com.

Aug. 7: Kick MS kickball tournament. 1:30 p.m.

Recreational baseball fields at Mountain Brook High School.

Aug. 20: Boiling N’ Bragging. Otey’s Tavern. Benefiting the Children’s Critical Care Transport Program. $25 advance/ $30 at door. Kids 10 and under, free.

Visit boilingnbragging.org.

Emmet O’Neal Library Mondays: Toddler Tales Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Tuesdays: Library Out Loud. Go! 3:30 p.m.

Wednesdays: Mother Goose Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Wednesdays: Movers & Makers. 1:30 p.m.

Thursdays: Patty Cake Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Thursdays: SNaP. 3:30 p.m.

Aug. 6-7: Half-Price Summer Fun Days. Birming-

Saturdays: Family Story Time with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m.

Adults

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Events Aug. 2: Thyme to Read Book Club. 6 p.m. Discussing “The Gardener of Versailles: My Life in the World’s Grandest Garden,” by Alain Baraton.

Aug. 13: Photography Class- What’s This Button Do? 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Learn to use a digital camera. $50 members/$60 non-members.

Aug. 10: Lunch & Learn: How Succulent. 11:30 a.m. Learn which plants thrive in the native dry garden with very little care. Free.

Aug. 24: Lunch & Learn: Yard Art. 11:30 a.m.

Discover fun alternatives to plants in your landscape.

Free.

Aug. 13: Family Yoga in the Gardens. 9 a.m. $15 drop-in (child and 1 adult, $5 for additional family members).

Aug. 27: Flora Photography. 9 a.m. Teaching students how to capture images of plants specific to the gardens. $60 members/ $75 non-members.

LJCC Aug. 1-5: Summer Tennis Camp. For children ages 6 and up. Full Day Camp (9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) $270/$180 LJCC members; Half Day Camp (9 a.m.

– 12 p.m.) $220/$150 LJCC members. Children will learn to play the game of tennis through activities, drills and games.

Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. Doors open at noon and programs begin at 12:30 p.m.

Bring a sack lunch; beverages and dessert provided.

Aug. 2: Adult Summer Reading Finale: Bad Art Night. 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 8: Great Books discussion group. 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 9: The Bookies book group. 10 a.m.

Aug. 16: Documentaries After Dark. Film about the LA Times newspaper. 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 17: EOL presents a French film series.

Truffaut Night. 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 30: Genre Reading Group. Authors’ first novels. 6:30 p.m.

Jewish Community Center. Examining decisions planning for later years. Visit olli.ua.edu.

Aug. 7: Big Wheels & Brews. 2 p.m. Fundraiser for the Cohn Early Childhood Learning Center featuring a big wheel race at Cahaba Brewery raising funds for the ECLC’s Healthy Lifestyle Initiative.

Contact Beth Lovett at blovett@bhamjcc.org.

Aug. 18: Bingo, Prizes and Fun. 10 a.m. Free.

Aug. 3: Lunch & Learn with the Rabbi. With Robbie Aug. 21: Hawaiian Luau Tennis Mixer. 2 p.m. – 5 Medwed from SOJOURN. Bring lunch and come learn p.m. Fee: $20/$25 non-member. with the Rabbi. Open discussion for all to share and Aug. 29-Sept. 2: Scholastic Book Fair. LJCC learn. Free and open to the community.

Main Lobby. All proceeds benefit the Cohn Early Aug. 5: OLLI of Greater Birmingham presents: Liv- Childhood Learning Center, and provide new books ing Decisions in the Golden Years. 10:30 a.m. Levite for the preschool classrooms.

VillageLivingOnline.com

August 2016 • B23

Area Events Saturdays through Dec. 10: Pepper Place Market. 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Visit pepperplacemarket.com.

Aug. 1: BAO Bingo. Birmingham AIDS Outreach. 7 p.m. $15 for 5 games. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org.

Aug. 1-4: Birmingham Barons v. Tennessee Smokies. Regions Field. $7-$14. 7:05 p.m. nightly. Visit barons.com.

Aug. 4: Meta Fitness New Year, New You Reveal Party. 6 p.m. Benefiting the Children s Center for Weight Management at Children’s of Alabama. Featuring food, fun and silent auction.

Tickets $20 advance, $25 at the door. Visit metafitstudio.com/ yny16.

Aug. 4: WWE Presents: NXT Live. BJCC Concert Hall. 7:30 p.m. $20-$75. Visit wwe. com/events.

Aug. 4-6: A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

South City Theatre, Pelham. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. $13 students/ seniors, $16 general admission. Visit southcitytheatre.com.

Aug. 4-6: Disney’s Beauty & The Beast Jr. Virginia Samford Theatre. Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 4 p.m. $15 students, $25 reserved seating. Visit virginiasamfordtheatre. org.

Aug. 5-6: Three on a String: 45 Year Reunion Show. Lyric Theatre. $22-$40. 7:30 p.m.

Friday, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Visit lyricbham.com/events.

Aug. 5-6: Secret Stages Music Discovery Festival. Downtown Birmingham Loft District. $15-$75. Friday, 6 p.m.-12 a.m. and 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. Visit secretstages.net.

Aug. 5-6: Magic City Reggae Festival. Boutwell Auditorium. $35 and up. Visit magiccityreggaefestival.com.

Aug. 6: Southeastern Outings Beach Party (Not on the Gulf Coast). Near Marion, AL. Depart 9 a.m. from McDonalds Galleria location. Contact seoutings@bellsouth.net.

Aug. 6: Ignite Birmingham 2016. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Conference about social advocacy, social entrepreneurship, and special needs issues in the world today. Visit kulturecity.org.

Aug. 6: Pup Crawl. Avondale Brewing Company. 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Benefiting the Gre ter Birmingham Humane Society. $10 donation.

Visit avondalebrewing.com.

Aug. 6: The Oak Ridge Boys. 7:30 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. $29.95-$59.95. Visit ticketmaster. com.

Aug. 6: KultureBall 2016. Events at Haven.

Celebrity and philanthropy walk hand in hand to promote acceptance, foster awareness and raise funds for programs benefiting children & families with autism. Visit kulturecity.org.

Aug. 11-15: Birmingham Barons v. Chattanooga Lookouts. Regions Field. $7-$14.

Thursday-Friday, 7:05 p.m.; Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m.; Monday, 7:05 p.m. Visit barons.com.

Aug. 13: Babypalooza Baby & Maternity Expo. BJCC Exhibition Halls. Free, registration required. Visit birminghambabypalooza2016. eventbrite.com.

Aug. 13: SCAC Story Teller Night. 7:30 p.m.

Shelby County Arts Council, 104 Mildred St., Columbiana. $25. Visit shelbycountyartscouncil. com.

Aug. 13: Baby Steps Memorial 5K and 1 Mile

Fun Run. 7 a.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. Proceeds benefit the Amelia Center at Children’s of Alabama. Registration $15-$30.

Visit babystepsal.org.

Aug. 13: Beer, Bands & Bullies 2016. Avondale Brewing Company. Benefiting Bama Bul y Rescue. $10 donation. Visit avondalebrewing. com.

Aug. 17: Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon and Tesla. 7 p.m. Oak Mountain Amphitheater. $25$125. Visit livenation.com.

Aug. 17-21: Birmingham Barons v. Jackson Generals. Regions Field. $7-$14. 7:05 p.m.

Wednesday-Friday, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m.

Sunday. Visit barons.com.

Aug. 18: Vino & Van Gogh. 6 p.m. Iron City Birmingham. Silent auction, music, wine tasting and more. $35/person or $60/couple. Visit ucpbham.presencehost.net/events.

Aug. 19-21: Cirque du Soleil Presents: “Toruk- The First Flight.” Legacy Arena. 7:30 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. Visit cirquedusoleil.com/ toruk.

Aug. 20: Alabama Tour de Cure + Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. 6:30 a.m. Railroad Park. $25 for cyclists, free for walkers. Visit diabetes. org/Birmingham.

Aug. 20-21: Tannehill Trade Days. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. $3-$5. Visit tannehill.org.

Aug. 20: Just A Call Away 5K & 1 Mile Run. 8 a.m. Uptown Birmingham. Presented by Crisis Center. $15-30. Visit runsignup.com.

Aug. 20: 3rd Annual EAB Heart+Sole 5K and Kids Run. 8 a.m. Campus Green $20-$30. Visit active.com.

Aug. 20: Autism Shines Gala. 6 p.m. Birmingham Marriott Hotel. Complimentary cocktails, seated dinner and live and silent auction. $65.

Visit eventbrite.com.

Aug. 20: GoodFellas Jazz Duo. 7:30 p.m.

Shelby County Arts Council, 104 Mildred St., Columbiana. $20. Visit shelbycountyartscouncil. com.

Aug. 21: Southern Bridal Show. BJCC Exhibition Hall. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. $12 advance/$15 at the door. Visit eliteevents.com.

Aug. 21: Family Bible Records Preservation Workshop. Birmingham Public Library. Offered by the Lily of the Cahaba Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Registration is encouraged, but not required, with an email to lilyofthecahaba@gmail.com.

Aug. 25: Live at the Lyric: Lewis Black. Lyric Theatre. $39.50-$54.50. Visit lyricbham.com/ events.

Aug. 26-28: 18th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival. Downtown Birmingham. Visit sidewalkfest. com for information.

Aug. 26-28: Rick and Bubba Outdoor Expo.

BJCC Exhibition Halls. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $10 adults, 12 and under free. Visit rickandbubbaoutdoorexpo.com.

Aug. 27: Southeastern Outings Creek Wade in Collier Creek, Bankhead National Forest. 8 a.m.

Meet at Hayden/Corner Park and Ride, exit 284 off I-65 North. For information, email seoutings@ bellsouth.net.

Aug. 27-28: Sports Car Club of America.

Barber Motorsports Park. 8 am.-5 p.m. Visit scca.com/events.

REDUCED

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