Gardendale Magazine - September 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021

Roots

Remembering HIS

Grammy-winning artist never forgets where he is from PAGE 18

Serving UPSOUL Home cooking is always on the menu

Field of Dreams

New complex will serve local youth, attract visitors

Come Grow With Us!

Mayor Stan Hogeland Greg Colvert District IV

Alvin Currington

Adam Berendt

Council President, District III

District II

Will Hardman District V

Bryan Knox District I

Discover Gardendale

We're Here To Protect & Serve Our Citizens

Add, Find, or Post Your Next Local Event at MyGardendale.com

Looking for answers? Need to report an issue? @ 205-635-4445 to quickly connect via text with the City of Gardendale

Visit CityOfGardendale.com (205) 631-8789 [ 12 ]] Gardendale Gardendale magazine magazine

925 Main St, Gardendale, AL 35071

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Gardendale magazine [ 3 ]

/ Table of Contents /

9/

Nonprofit of the Month: The Outdoor Ability Foundation gives independence and mobility to kids with special needs.

14/

Play Ball! Gardendale commits $27 million to create a park system that will be second to none in the southeast.

[ 4 ] Gardendale magazine

10/

Home Run Queen: Sara Beth Brake heads off to college after record shattering senior year on the Rockets’ field.

18/

Remembering his Roots: Chris Fryar reflects on his path to fame, God’s direction in his life and why Gardendale is home.

/ Table of Contents /

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MyGardendale.com: Visit the Chamber of Commerce’s new tool for connecting businesses and residents.

23/

Calendar: Things around town you don’t want to miss

24/

Dining Out: Da Rib & Chicken Shack serves up home cooking

27/

Everyday Folks: Kathleen Phillips gives culinary shortcuts for Southern cuisine with a pinch of gourmet

29/

Food Truck Thursdays have been drawing crowds all summer for good food and live entertainment

Gardendale magazine [ 5 ]

/ About Us / On The Cover / Who We Are Gardendale Magazine is published monthly by JBMC Media, a Birmingham-based publishing company.

The magazine is mailed directly to 9,300+ homes and businesses within the city of Gardendale, and it is solely supported by advertisers within the pages of this magazine.

Gardendale Magazine is 100% local; the stories and photos are all about the city of Gardendale, its residents, its businesses, its schools, and its cultural institutions.

It’s our promise to you that we will always keep it this way, so that the content and stories are relevant to everyone who calls Gardendale home.

About the Cover Chris Fryar, a native of Gardendale, followed his dreams of playing in a band, and his path eventually led him to be the drummer for the Zac Brown Band, a multi-platinum band with multiple Emmy, Grammy, CMT, Academy of Country Music, and British Country Music Association awards to their name. Chris returned to Gardendale this summer to play for his hometown during the Magnolia Festival. We had the good fortune to catch up with him and talk about his roots, how his path led to success, and why Gardendale will always be home.

Cover photograph by Ron Burkett

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[ 6 ] Gardendale magazine

Matthew Allen Publisher (205) 617-9609, matthew@jbmcmedia.com Rachel Davis Karr Content Director (205) 613-7850, rachel@jbmcmedia.com Anthony Bratina Shweta Gamble Graphic Design

/ Publisher’s Note / Helen Keller is quoted as saying, “Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” The Tuscumbia, Ala. native knew what she spoke of, being both deaf and blind. She lived a remarkable life, one that required taking risks.

I want to welcome you to the inaugural issue of Gardendale Magazine, the product of many months of work and the result of a risk taken – launching a magazine during some of the most tumultuous months many of us have endured. I don’t need to remind you what the last 18 months have been like.

As we began mapping out the first issue of this monthly publication, a common theme emerged – we all have hopes and dreams, and most of the time realizing those dreams involves taking a leap of faith. Belief in oneself is the key to taking those risks.

There are two stories in particular in this issue that embody what it means to take a risk. The first is our cover feature, a story about Chris Fryar, a local boy made good. His story is one that took him the traditional route of college, where he met a professor who knew he had bigger dreams, and he encouraged Fryar to do what it took to realize those dreams.

Read the entire story starting on page 18.

The second story is one that many of you will be able to relate to. Robert and Tiwanna Horn absolutely love to cook, and for many years they’ve dreamt of opening a restaurant to share their love of food with others. Their prayers and plans led to securing a building, and after preparing the space for their restaurant, a global pandemic cropped up. Many of us would have cut our losses right there, but the Horns decided to see their hard work through and opened in June of 2020.

The risk has paid off, and Da Rib and Chicken Shack serves a crowd of hungry patrons every day.

It’s my hope that you enjoy reading this magazine, and that it gives you a break from the craziness all around us. We are excited and ready to bring you stories about your hometown each and every month. If you have ideas for a story (or if you’d like to help make sure we can pay the bills by advertising...wink, wink), email me at matthew@jbmcmedia.com or our content director, Rachel Karr, at rachel@jbmcmedia.com.

Happy reading!

Matthew Allen Publisher

Gardendale magazine [ 7 ]

/ Mayor’s Corner / To the Gardendale community, I am so excited to be a part of the new Gardendale Magazine’s inaugural edition. The city council and I welcome this to our community and look forward to the success of this publication. There is a void in getting information out to our citizens and this will help fill this void in announcing news and upcoming events. The “Mayor’s Corner” will be a regular part of this magazine and I’m thankful for the opportunity to communicate with the public.

The last 17 months have been a very difficult time for everyone going through the pandemic. We have all been impacted either through sickness or death of a friend or loved one. Uncertainties still remain, but we continue to work hard as we seek to get back to normal.

I am so proud of all of our employees who have worked through this serving our residents. One thing is certain, all of our employees are essential! They have persevered and done an excellent job with a great attitude and very few complaints.

To these dedicated 188 workers, on behalf of the city council and every citizen of Gardendale, I extend my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude.

When the pandemic first hit, I can’t deny it, I was scared. How are we, the city, going to be impacted financially? What do we do? How do we prepare? There was no playbook to go by. But everyone pitched in, we all put our heads together and got back to work. Initially, we cut back, put freezes in place and were very cautious. But, to the credit of our citizens and all of the residents of North Jefferson County, our revenue has increased rather than decreased. In 2020, our sales tax revenue was up 3.59% and for the first seven months of 2021, revenue is up 12.25%. How did this happen? Our community shopped local! Thank you for supporting our local business community!

As we continue to move forward, I’ve never been more excited than I am today about our future. New businesses have been added and more our coming soon. Tazikis will open later this summer and will offer an incredible addition to our restaurant lineup. Soon, excavation will begin along the interstate near Odum Road with major announcements forthcoming.

In education, I am so proud of our teachers, administrators and students for their perseverance during the pandemic. Thank you also to Dr. Walter Gonsoulin and the leadership of JEFCOED for your leadership during this crisis. Also, we are thankful that we could contribute over $250,000 to our local schools, enhancing opportunities for our students. In addition to this, work has begun on the renovation of the field at Driver Stadium and through our partnership with JEFCOEd, we will have a new synthetic turf field that will be completed by the start of football season.

Our next big project will begin at the end of 2021. Plans are being drawn now for a new recreational complex at Bill Noble Park on Moncrief Road. The current park will be completely demoed, and the new facility will have 9 baseball/softball fields, a football field, 8 tennis courts, 11 pickleball courts, playground, pavilions and much more.

All playing fields will be synthetic turf and upon completion, this park will be the nicest park that is along I-65 in the entire state. Our children deserve a new place to play and our boys and girls will now be able to play within the same park. Then, on the weekends, the new park will serve as an economic development engine to increase revenue not only in our city, but the entire county. The new park will be marketed across the southeast as a premier destination for baseball and softball tournament play. Completion date will be March of 2023.

In closing, we all have so much to be thankful for and God has blessed our community. The city council and I are here to serve and as I’ve said many times over the last few years, “Greater things have yet to be done in this city!”

Sincerely, Mayor Stan Hogeland, City of Gardendale

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/ Nonprofit /

Foundation helps keeps the outdoors accessible PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OUTDOOR ABILITY FOUNDATION

Scott Phillips, Weslei Harper and Grayson Phillips celebrated Weslei’s independence with his new Track Chair, provided by the Outdoor Ability Foundation.

This marks the 13th chair the Foundation has given to enable kids to be more active in the outdoors.

Story by Rachel Davis Karr Grayson Phillips was born with spina bifida, but he and his parents were determined to not let that diagnosis slow him down.

Grayson was an active Boy Scout, played wheelchair basketball and was an avid hunter and fisherman. Grayson also loves water and snow skiing and has even played hockey.

As Grayson grew, he needed tools to enable him to continue his outdoor activities.

That was when the family realized how cost prohibitive these tools were for many families. The Outdoor Ability Foundation was born from the family’s desire to make the outdoors more accessible for anyone who wanted to be outside.

They do that by providing grants to purchase adaptive equipment like crossbow cocking devices, portable hunting blinds, fishing

equipment, skiing equipment and more for individuals or groups who want to provide outdoor experiences to those who need it.

One of those expensive tools needed to be active outdoors is the all-terrain Track Chair—a rugged wheelchair that allows the user to go over uneven terrain, including water, sand, rocks and more. The Outdoor Ability Foundation gave away its 13th Track Chair on July 4, 2021—giving independence to a child on Independence Day. These Track Chairs have enabled the children who received them to go hunting and fishing and enjoy beach and lake vacations with their families—things many children and families take for granted. These children have a variety of conditions that have necessitated the use of a chair—not just spina bifida.

The Foundation also benefits from the

annual Holiday Cooking Show, hosted by Grayson’s mother, Kathleen Phillips, at the Gardendale Civic Center. This year, the event is scheduled for November 1. Tickets will be on sale later this year and all profits go to the Outdoor Ability Foundation.

For more information, contact Scott Phillips at sphillips2282@gmail.com or Grayson Phillips at graysonphillips308@gmail.com.

Visit the website at outdoorabilityfoundation. com to make a donation or buy tickets to a fundraising raffle or event. The Outdoor Ability Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit so all donations are tax deductible.

Editor’s Note: Each month, we will donate a portion of the issue’s profits to a nonprofit in the city. This month, Outdoor Ability Foundation is our chosen nonprofit.

Gardendale magazine [ 9 ]

/ Student Athlete /

Home Run Queen Senior Sarah Beth Brake slugs into Gardendale record books Story by Erik Harris She’s played a leading role in, perhaps, the winningest era of Gardendale High School softball history, and she graduated as one of the most accomplished players to suit up for the Maroon and White.

Senior catcher Sarah Beth Brake, the daughter of longtime Rockets head coach Barry Brake, first took the field for her father four years ago as a middle schooler. She remains the only GHS player to homer in a varsity game as an eighth-grader. And the dingers didn’t stop there.

Brake became Gardendale’s all-time home runs leader in early 2021, breaking Chaney Phillips’ mark of 29 during the Cullman PreState Blowout. The record-setter, her 14th shot of the season and 30th overall, carried the left-field wall at Heritage Park and led off a 3-0 victory over Tuscaloosa County on April 17, 2021.

Brake then added eight more to push the record to 38. Even with the home run numbers, Brake says the joy of rounding the bases has never diminished over the years.

“It’s like butterflies through my body,” she said.

Following an Area 12 victory over ClayChalkville in early April, three homers shy of Phillips’ mark at the time, Brake said she wasn’t worried about the record. She was focused on having quality at-bats and collecting wins.

Mission accomplished. Through her plate appearances, she holds a .514 batting average with 76 hits, including 19 doubles and 22 home runs. Brake has also drawn 17 walks, scored 70 runs and driven in 66 more from the leadoff position. // Continued on Page 12 // [ 10 ] Gardendale magazine

PHOTOS BY VICKIE UNLAP (FODACTION.COM)

Through her plate appearances, Gardendale High School senior catcher Sarah Beth Brake holds a .514 batting average with 76 hits, including 19 doubles and 22 home runs. Brake has also drawn 17 walks, scored 70 runs and driven in 66 more from the leadoff position.

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“I was ready to get back, because people kept talking about how everyone graduated and how we lost a lot of girls and I was just ready to get out here and prove that just because we’re young, that doesn’t mean we can’t play ball.”

After contributing to three state tournament appearances (2017, 2018, 2019) as an underclassman for the Rockets, Brake says she embraced her role as a senior leader in 2021, especially after last season was cut short due to COVID-19.

“I knew it was going to be different because I’ve always played with the older girls and I knew that not having them here meant we were going to have a young team,” said Brake. “I was ready to get back, because people kept talking about how everyone graduated and how we lost a lot of girls and I was just ready to get out here and prove that just because we’re young, that doesn’t mean we can’t play ball.”

Brake has caught her final game for the Rockets. And with her // Continued on Page 13 //

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“I don’t really have a dream school. I just want to go play for someone that wants me to play for them.”

// Continued from Page 12 // prep career, she’ll shift her focus to Wallace State Community College where she signed a scholarship earlier this year.

“I’ve always felt at home there and Coach (A.J.) Daugherty has always made me feel like a priority,” said Brake. “And I just want to go somewhere and play and they have a good program. I would like to win a championship.”

The move to Hanceville will reunite Brake with former Gardendale teammate Abbie Water.

Both played integral roles on the 2019 club that won 48 games and finished as the Class 6A state runner-up.

After her WSCC run is over, Brake says she hopes to sign with a four-year college. It doesn’t really matter where. As long as she keeps rounding those bases and getting those butterflies.

“I don’t really have a dream school,” said Brake. “I just want to go play for someone that wants me to play for them.”

Gardendale magazine [ 13 ]

/ New Parks /

Recreational Facelift Bill Noble Park set for extensive expansion Story by Rachel Davis Karr It’s no secret the Parks and Recreation Department in Gardendale has a special place in Mayor Stan Hogeland’s heart. Before running for council and, eventually, mayor, Hogeland started in the Parks Department as an employee when he was 18 and rose to Park Director, where he served until his retirement.

Most of the city’s parks have seen growth and updates over the last few years, with new trails, soccer fields and a disc golf course at Kenneth Clemons park and the inclusive Miracle League field and playground at Luman Harris Park. But Bill Noble Park (commonly called Moncrief Park) has remained largely unchanged over the years, with six baseball fields, a football field and eight tennis courts. .

PHOTOS/RENDERINGS COURTESY OF CITY OF GARDENDALE

“This park was built in the 60s,” Hogeland said. “The fields these kids are playing on are the same ones I played on when I was a little boy. It’s a nice park, but it’s old.”

That’s all about to change. The city has approved a $27 million park renovation plan that will create an extensive facility with football, soccer and lacrosse fields boasting synthetic turf, 11 pickle ball courts, 10 tennis courts and nine baseball fields. The city // Continued on Page 15 //

The city has approved a $27 million park renovation plan that will create an extensive facility with football, soccer and lacrosse fields boasting synthetic turf, 11 pickle ball courts, 10 tennis courts and nine baseball fields.

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// Continued from Page 14 // now owns more than 40 acres at the location, which will also house another inclusive playground, pavilions and a multipurpose building that could be used for events.

The facility will be home to the city’s expansive park and recreation sports through the week and will serve the city as an economic development tool on weekends, playing host to tournaments and attracting teams from all over the southeast. With that multi-use goal in mind, the plan includes ample parking and will also provide more visibility for the park by extending its borders out to Highway 31. The large marker and entrance at a main road will make it easier when

teams travel into the city for the tournaments city leaders anticipate will be held there.

The extensive project has a team of people behind it, determining the best use of the park properties and how to best design the project to maximize usage. This team included city officials, engineers, landscapers, architects and more. Every aspect of the planned park has been considered.

“This facility, once completed, will be the nicest facility along the I65 Corridor in the state,” Hogeland said.

// Continued on Page 16 //

Gardendale magazine [ 15 ]

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// Continued from Page 15 // These extensive renovations on Bill Noble Park are expected to start later this year or early 2022 and be completed in 2023.

In addition to the Bill Noble Park project, Kenny Clemons Park will be getting the parking lots paved, one additional field and an entrance. That work is expected to be completed in 2022. This, along with the Bill Noble Park project are phase one of the larger project with an estimated cost of $31 million total.

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RENDERING Scale: 1" = 70'-0"

Later phases will include an expansion of Luman Harris Park and the creation of an aquatic park at the Gardendale Civic Center. The city has acquired 35 additional acres adjacent to Luman Harris Park’s existing 9.4 acres. The city also acquired 5.2 acres adjacent to the Civic Center’s existing 10.1 acres.

The city hopes to model that facility after Cullman’s Wellness Center, according to Hogeland. No start date has been set for those projects.

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/ Feature /

‘Gardendale is home’ Amid success, Zac Brown Band drummer stays true to his roots Story by Rachel Davis Karr As a student at Roy G. Bragg Middle School in Gardendale, Chris Fryar had his life all figured out. He met the woman who was his best friend and future wife at 12 and had dreams of playing baseball.

Then he broke his leg at baseball practice and spent a long, boring summer in a cast.

Fryar had gotten his first guitar at the age of six and had recently picked up the drums in the middle school band. So without anything else to do, he spent much of that summer playing music and practicing drums on a pillow so he wouldn’t drive everyone else in the house crazy.

“God has a way of letting you know what His plans are for you,” Fryar said with a laugh.

“That was His way of letting me know His divine plan for me was not baseball, but drums.” // Continued on Page 19 //

PHOTO BY ANDY SAPP

Hometown values and a deep belief in God’s plan keep Zac Brown Band drummer Chris Fryar down to earth. [ 18 ] Gardendale magazine

PHOTO BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR

When Magnolia Festival organizers asked Chris Fryar about playing at the festival in 2020, he jumped at the chance to play live after a year in quarantine. // Continued from Page 18 // After graduating from Gardendale High School, Fryar headed to Denton, Texas to attend North Texas State University. He was one of 500 students studying percussion.

After a year, he said the school just wasn’t the right place for him.

He came home and was working with some band guys in Birmingham. Once again, God directed his path without him realizing it. He met a bandmate’s brother who was a professor at Mississippi University for Women.

“Things you don’t even understand you need to be doing get put in your path,” Fryar said.

The program was totally different than his previous school. This school had no percussion department and he was the only drummer. He said it forced him to look at things in a different way.

Every weekday Fryar would drive to Columbus, Mississippi, attend school from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., then drive the two hours back to Birmingham where he played a house gig seven nights a week. The grueling schedule didn’t stop Fryar from making the grades he needed, but it caught the attention of one of his professors. Fryar remembers the professor at the school asked him why he was doing all that if he wanted to be a musician.

Fryar said he wanted something to fall back

on if being a musician didn’t work out. He still remembers his professor’s advice: “If you have a Plan B, you will always fall back on it.

You will never use your Plan A.” He advised Fryar to leave school and instead chase the experiences that he could only get working with a band on the road. So that’s what he did.

Back home in Birmingham, he found a small, local blues band and a small record label, Kudzu Records.

“There were really, really cool musical things happening in BIrmingham at the time,” Fryar remembers.

// Continued from Page 20// Gardendale magazine [ 19 ]

PHOTO BY ANDY SAPP

// Continued from Page 19 // The band was usually three guys in a 15 passenger van with limited or no air conditioning, playing anywhere they could.

It was less than ideal, but it was exactly what his professor had told him to do.

“I got a wealth of experience playing bars, dives, and festivals all over the southeast,” Fryar laughed.

Once that band ran its course, he kept playing locally and making connections. One of those connections was Otiel Burbridge, who had played bass for the Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead. His band, Oteil and the Peacemakers, would be Fryar’s new home for a while. He also continued to freelance // Continued from Page 21// [ 20 ] Gardendale magazine

and play in any establishment that would let him make music. There was one standing gig—a BBQ joint in Decatur, Georgia that they played every Wednesday night. The job paid $40 a night and a meal. Fryar said he would usually grab a cheeseburger to eat on the drive back. It seemed like the kind of job every musician takes while paying their dues. But it would change the course of his life. That was where he met a man that had worked with the Zac Brown Band and he knew they were looking for a drummer.

He asked Fryar if he could pass his number along. When Fryar agreed, his friend said “good, because I already did.”

Fryar had forgotten about the conversation

when his phone rang some time later. He got a call from Zac Brown asking him to come audition along with several other candidates to be the group’s new drummer. After the audition, the next call was that it was down to him and one other person. The band decided to take each candidate on the road with them and see who meshed with the band. A few weeks later, the job was Fryar’s.

The band then began a grueling radio promotion, driving from station to station and performing anywhere they were allowed.

Often playing one station in the morning, driving a few hours, playing a station at midday and then driving to a night gig set up by another station, before getting up and

PHOTO BY ANDY SAPP

// Continued from Page 20 // doing it all again the next day.

“Back then, we grossly outnumbered the audience,” Fryar said.

But the radio push was working, Fryar said by the end of the summer, the band was seeing more and more fans come to the events they were playing. Even though the band didn’t yet have a recording label, radio requests were up and their song, “Chicken Fried” was climbing charts. The song would climb into the Top Ten in late 2008 and only then did the record labels start coming around.

“Once things started taking off it was like this weird rocketship ride,” Fryar remembers.

“Everything got really big.”

The band continued to tour extensively, this time performing at awards shows and other large arenas as their popularity grew. Because they were so accustomed to the exhausting touring schedule, they kept pushing and working—recording, releasing albums and touring until 2013, when they decided to take a month or two off to relax and enjoy their families. In 2018 and 2019, the band

purposely scaled back their show numbers to be home more.

another album. They hope to release it in late 2021 and be able to tour and promote it.

In late 2019, the band released a new album, “The Owl,” and Zac Brown had released his solo album, “The Controversy,” and they began plans for a new tour, unaware the world was about to come to a complete halt.

They had even rented an arena to rehearse in as they prepared for the tour.

“After sitting around the house banging on drums and making a lot of noise, my wife is probably ready for me to be away from home for some time,” Fryar laughed.

As the pandemic began, Fryar said the group thought they would take April off, they had already planned to be off the month of May to be with their families and thought they would be back on the road in June.

“Zac was one of the first ones to make a decision to cancel shows,” Fryar said. “That meant a lot of our fans got their money back.”

As the quarantine wore on, it became clear that it wouldn’t be just a matter of months before the group was playing arenas again.

“The entire music industry died,” Fryar said.

“There were no shows.”

In early 2021, the group got together to record

For the 2020 Magnolia Festival, Fryar was asked to play so he put together a group of friends he liked to play with and regaled the attendees. What many people didn’t know was that the group had never all played together.

“It felt so good just to be able to play music again,” Fryar said.

With the band’s popularity skyrocketing, Fryar has been asked many times when he would move to a larger city like L.A., New York or even Nashville or Atlanta, but he said that has never been on the table.

“I never really gave it a thought,” Fryar said.

“Gardendale is home for me. It’s always fun to go visit New York or LA or Nashville, but Gardendale is home.”

Gardendale magazine [ 21 ]

/ MyGardendale.com /

Chamber website expands Site a hub for dining, retail, community and medical resources The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce launched MyGardendale.com a few years ago, but the site is adding new items all the time.

The site features dining and shopping options around town as well as information about the city’s business offerings and other community news.

The Dine tab lists the city’s variety of food options, as well as offering resources for those needing catering, delivery or grocery options.

The Shop tab is ideal for those looking for a specific product or type of product to find those businesses in the city.

The “Community” section of the website gives news and information about the city’s park and recreation department, municipal news as well as school, church and park news. That tab also gives information about charities and organizations. For those new to the area or looking for information on services or contacts, this is the tab with

[ 22 ] Gardendale magazine

resource links for residents of the city.

The Events tab serves as a calendar for city events, civic events and events hosted by local businesses. Organizations and civic clubs are also encouraged to submit their events to the site for inclusion in the ongoing calendar listings.

Although the chamber hopes groups will join the chamber, they are not required to be members to use the calendar services.

The Medical Mile tab provides links for the city’s various medical offices to help anyone who is looking for those resources.

Anyone interested in a listing or wanting more information on the site can use the Contact Us tab to reach out to the Chamber.

The main page of the website also has an easy search bar for someone who is just looking for a quick answer about a business or service.

/ Calendar /

// Farmers Market Every Thursday through September Gardendale Farmers Market at the Gardendale Civic Center 1-5 p.m. Local farmers and vendors are on hand each week selling fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and more.

// September 21 Gardendale City Council Meeting 6 p.m. at Gardendale City Hall.

// September 25 Crafting With the Chamber Sponsored by Chick-Fil-A 10 a.m. at the Kiddie Park on Moncrief Road. Little Miss United States Caroline Dowdy will be there to read to the kids and have pictures made with them and the Gardendale Library will also be there celebrating National Library Card Sign-Up Month.

// October 4-8 City Wide Fall Clean Up: The City of Gardendale Public Works Department will offer curbside pickup of household discards. Please call 205.631.3394 by noon on Wednesday, October 6 to schedule pickup.

• All items must be placed at the curb.

Elderly or disabled citizens who need assistance should call the number above and the city will attempt to assist them in getting the items out, as available.

• Household appliances, grills, televisions, old furniture, etc. will be accepted.

• Hazardous materials will not be accepted. This includes chemicals, tires, paint, etc.

• Building supplies will not be accepted.

// October 5 Gardendale City Council Meeting 6 p.m. at Gardendale City Hall.

// October 14 Gardendale Chamber of Commerce Monthly Luncheon 11:30 a.m. Gardendale Civic Center.

Each month the luncheon features a different speaker and sponsors as well as lunch catered by local restaurants.

// October 14 Food Truck Night at the Gardendale Civic Center 5-8 p.m. The event features live entertainment and a variety of food truck options from around the area. Bring your

own blanket or folding chair and enjoy!

// October 19 Gardendale City Council Meeting 6 p.m. at Gardendale City Hall.

// October 28 Net90 5-6:30 p.m. at Buffalo Wild Wings. The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce hosts a 90-minute networking event.

// November 1 Holiday Cooking Show at the Gardendale CIvic Center. Kathleen Phillips hosts her annual cooking show to teach attendees her shortcuts for holiday cooking. The event and live auction benefits the Outdoor Ability Foundation

// Gardendale Library The Gardendale Library is currently taking donations for its food pantry. Commonly needed items include: tooth brushes, toothpaste, deodorant, socks, canned foods and dry goods. Donations can be dropped off at the library during regular business hours.

To have your event or item added to the calendar, email it to rachel@jbmcmedia.com.

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/ Feature /

Serving up soul Da Rib & Chicken Shack brings cooking back home

Story by Rachel Davis Karr Robert and Tiwanna Horn love to cook for their family and friends. They dreamed of one day owning a restaurant and serving their recipes— many taken from Tiwanna’s mom, who died in 2017. Tiwanna’s mom had taught her the importance of making everything from scratch and using quality ingredients and they wanted to share that with the community.

“We cook at home and we always say ‘oh that // Continued on Page 25//

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would be good on a plate’ or ‘that would be good in a restaurant.’” Tiwanna said.

They already owned a car wash on Highway 31 and she had her eye on the empty restaurant across the street. Over the years, the interest in the restaurant grew and eventually the Horns decided it was time to try to turn that empty building into a place they could serve the community with their food.

With the location squared away, it was time

PHOTO BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR

Tiwanna and Robert Horn want their customers and employees to feel like family.

// Continued from Page 24// to work on the menu. Robert wanted to cook his special ribs and Tiwanna wanted chicken. So their compromise also became their name.

After renovating the building, they were finally able to open in June of 2020. Starting a business during a global pandemic isn’t for the faint of heart, but the Horn’s said they have felt an incredible sense of support from the local community. After the new wore off of the restaurant, the Horns said they saw business decrease. After realizing that no one wants to eat ribs and chicken every day, an employee suggested they try a meat and vegetable plate to give customers a daily food option.

“We really do everything from scratch, we do nothing out of a can,” Tiwanna said. “Even our mashed potatoes are made by hand. We mash them every morning, peel them every evening so they are ready.

Our candied yams are made from scratch. Even the hamburgers and hamburger steaks are pattied out fresh every day.”

The cornbread is made fresh, from-scratch daily too—Tiwanna’s mom’s recipe. The other recipes are mostly recipes from her family, but staff members have added their family recipes too.

The most popular order? The ribs, of course. But also regulars are always coming back for country fried steak, hamburger steak, mashed potatoes, collard greens, squash casserole and broccoli casserole, meatloaf and chicken and dressing. The desserts draw a crowd too.

The cheesecake and banana pudding are made from scratch by employees, while cakes and bread pudding are made by a church member who is also a caterer.

“Every morning I look forward to coming here,” Tiwanna said. “We’re like a big family. Everybody loves to work around each other.”

The family feel extends to the customers. Her regulars look forward to the special soul food menu she serves on Wednesday and some even come by daily for the meat and two or meat and three plates.

The restaurant is open for lunch and early dinner Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday. The menu and hours are posted each day on the Facebook page and Wednesday feature a special soul food menu that often sells out, so plan to get there early.

The restaurant is located at 617 Decatur Highway in Gardendale.

“We just want to serve the community and support the school and community here,” Tiwanna said. “We hope they will support us too.”

Gardendale magazine [ 25 ]

/ Everyday Folks /

[ 26 ] Gardendale magazine

/ Everyday Folks /

Southern with a Pinch of Gourmet

Story by Rachel Davis Karr Kathleen Phillips is a busy lady. In addition to organizing the annual Magnolia Festival, she works as an independent food stylist and manages her blog, Grits and Gouda.

Growing up in Evening Shade, Arkansas, Kathleen had no idea she would end up in Gardendale, Alabama, much less end up in charge of its biggest annual event.

In college, Kathleen started working behind the scenes at the Southern Living traveling cooking show and was immediately smitten with it. She loved to cook, but she also loved teaching others to cook so the shows were her dream job. Shortly after graduating, she applied for the job she wanted and was passed over for it, however, the interviewer was so impressed that they passed her resume on to someone in the cookbook division of the publishing house. Kathleen quickly landed a job in the test kitchen and became a food stylist.

After her son was born, Kathleen decided to go out on her own as a freelance food stylist and caterer so she would have more flexibility and time with her family. But she kept cooking and adjusting recipes to better fit her cooking style.

Eventually she wrote a cookbook called “Magic Cakes,” full of simple, but tasty and impressive cake recipes. When the book publisher asked for her website to direct // Continued on Page 28 //

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRITS AND GOUDA BLOG

Kathleen Phillips stays busy running her blog, working as a food stylist and organizing her annual cooking show, but always finds time to give back to the city.

Gardendale magazine [ 27 ]

// Continued from Page 27 // people to, Kathleen realized she needed a virtual presence. That led her to create a blog, Grits and Gouda, which, like Kathleen, is “Southern with a pinch of gourmet.”

Kathleen immediately loved the interactive nature of the blog and being able to interact with other cooks who were looking for tips, tricks and new recipes. She said it became obvious to her very quickly that her niche was going to be shortcuts to more traditional recipes.

“That really is how I cook,”Kathleen said. “My recipes are Southern through and through, but with shortcuts.”

Kathleen may not have gotten her “dream job” doing cooking shows all those years ago, but she is now the host of her very own holiday cooking show each year at the Gardendale Civic Center. And, as the event enters its fourth year, it has become an annual tradition for many to attend and begin planning Thanksgiving and Christmas

dinners using her recipes. And the best part? The cooking show is organized and executed each year with Kathleen’s “girl squad” and benefits her son’s nonprofit, The Outdoor Ability Foundation. She also hosts regular sessions at the Gardendale Library and other area libraries related to cooking tips and provides recipes and cooking articles to several publications.

Regardless of which project she is working on—her blog, her cooking classes, her publications or annual show—the main thing Kathleen wants to do is encourage people to get in their kitchen and cook. She has also entertained herself and her readers through the pandemic with gardening updates and tips and recipes for using items that were coming from the garden at the time.

This year’s annual cooking show will feature Janice Rogers as a guest, and will be held on November 1. TIckets will go on sale prior to the event. The Magnolia Festival is always held the third weekend in April.

SHORTCUT CARAMEL APPLE PIE (GALETTE)

will make it look homemade.

(It starts out as an 11-inch circle. Fold the crust in half and gently move over a large baking pan or pizza pan.

(You can line this with foil or parchment, if you like.)

All the yummy flavor and tender crust of a homemade double crust apple pie in half the time. The shortcut is using a refrigerated, rolled up pie crust. The edges of the crust are simply folded over the piled up apples instead of fitting into a pie plate.

Prep Time: 20 minutes / Cook Time: 30 minutes / Total Time: 50 minutes Servings: 8 servings, Calories: 229 cal 1 refrigerated, rolled-up pie crust 1/2 of a 15-oz pkg 3 large or 5 small Granny Smith apples 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons salted butter melted 1 medium or large egg lightly beaten with a fork 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar sugar in the raw 1/4 cup caramel dip or ice cream topping I prefer Marzetti dip or Smuckers Salted Caramel topping Vanilla ice cream optional

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove rolled pie crust from the box and place it on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes. The box directions say to do this but many overlook it-like I did for many years!

Meanwhile, peel and slice apples into 1/8-inch thick slices. Toss the apple slices in lemon juice in a large bowl to prevent browning.

Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle it over the apples, tossing gently to coat the apples.

Unroll the pie crust and gently roll out into a 12-inch circle with a rolling pin. Tip: Roll the edges slightly thinner for a delicate edge. It

[ 28 ] Gardendale magazine

Pile the apples up in the middle leaving about a 2 to 2 1/2 inch border on the pie crust. These will cook down considerably. You can arrange the apples in a concentric circle or leave them alone. I arrange the ones on the very top that will show and leave the ones underneath alone.

Drizzle the butter over the apples.

For the rustic folded edge, pull about a 2 inch section of the edge toward the middle and lay it down about 3 inches from the middle, take the next 2 to 3 inch section of edge and repeat, overlapping each section until all edges are folded in.

Brush the pie crust edges with the beaten egg and sprinkle the pie crust and apples with turbinado sugar. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and apples are bubbly.

Place caramel dip in a small bowl and microwave it 20 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Ice cream topping will drizzle without heating. Drizzle it over the crust and apples and top with vanilla ice cream, if you like.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to let the pie crust stand 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature according to the package directions. This step is in the package directions but many people skip it or didn’t know to do it. If you make this recipe, tag Kathleen on social media with #gritsandgouda or @gritsandgouda.

/ Family Fun /

Food and fun Mark your calendars for the last food truck event this year One of the highlights of summer in Gardendale has been the monthly Food Truck Events at the Gardendale Civic Center. Each month, on the second Thursday (weather permitting), food trucks from around the area gather on the lawn at the Civic Center. Residents have flocked to the event for the food, fellowship and live entertainment provided each month.

The last event this year is October 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Gardendale Civic Center Facebook page announces the food trucks just prior to the event.

Gardendale magazine [ 29 ]

[ 30 ] Gardendale magazine

/ Public Safety /

City works to add safety device to city vehicles, buildings and parks The City of Gardendale announced in August that it will partner with Cardiac Solutions by purchasing 41 automated external defibrillators that will place an AED in every police vehicle, municipal building and city park. This will provide the residents of Gardendale with a city-wide public access AED program. This new program will also include device training and education for police officers and other city employees.

“I am so excited to begin this process as we provide this program for our employees and citizens. Not only will this place an AED device in all municipal buildings, but every Gardendale police vehicle will also be equipped with one as well,” said Mayor Stan Hogeland. “The Cardiac Solutions team has been great to work with and have helped guide us down this path. I couldn’t be happier with their commitment and service. I’d like to thank our city council for recognizing the importance of the AED program and providing the necessary funding. If we can save just one life, the cost will be well worth it.”

“The City of Gardendale is taking a big step for community safety,” said Jon Seale, CEO of Cardiac Solutions. “Creating a Heartsafe Environment in the community is a top priority for the mayor. These lifesaving devices will now be placed all throughout the city along with having AEDs readily available within the police department.”

The benefits of this new partnership include:

• Putting life-saving AEDs in accessible locations across the city • Giving first responders the lifesaving technology they need on the scene • Creating awareness for the community and city employees

About Cardiac Solutions: The mission of Cardiac Solutions, a world leader in public access defibrillator programs, is to advance the deployment of life-saving defibrillation therapy for the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest in non†traditional areas of care.

Cardiac Solutions offers a comprehensive portfolio of AED program solutions that include planning, design, implementation, administration, medical oversight, training, and management through a single point of contact. To learn more, visit www.cardiacsolutions.net.

“The City of Gardendale is taking a big step for community safety.”

JON SEALE, CEO OF CARDIAC SOLUTIONS

Gardendale magazine [ 31 ]

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Bariatric and Robotic General Surgery Dr. Andrew DeWitt (205) 502-4400 2660 10th Ave. S., POB I, Ste. 222 Brookwood Clinic Dr. Mark Adams Dr. Walter Dunn Jenna Bosch, CRNP (205) 250-8100 513 Brookwood Blvd., Medical Office D, Ste. 200 General Surgery Dr. Raleigh Kent III (205) 250-6068 513 Brookwood Blvd., Medical Office D, Ste. 200 Ophthalmology Dr. John Owen (205) 250-6042 One Independence Dr., Ste. 700 Pulmonology Dr. Karl Schroeder (205) 250-8910 3570 Grandview Pkwy., Ste. 100

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