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Thursday, june 16, 2016
The Five Fs of Fatherhood Dr. Ron Henderson Reflects on His Life in New Memoir
By Emily Williams
This month, Henderson released his memoir, “The Tenant Farmer’s Son,” which recounts his life story from his humble beginnings on his family farm in Prattville to his long list of accomplishments serving Birmingham and Alabama through various positions in health care. “I was born on a 116-acre farm with cotton, cattle and corn, and I helped my father work that land from sun up to sun down from the age of 5 until I started playing football in high school,” Henderson said. Probably forecasting his son’s future success, Henderson’s father was a bit of a brain, graduating high school with honors before the Great Depression halted any hopes of further education. Hardened by the state of the economy, he raised his family on a tenant farm for five years before he was given the opportunity to buy the land. “To put the dollars into perspective, after that five years, he was given a 40-year note at 3 percent interest for which he annually – and I mean annually – paid $164. That’s $164 for the entire year,” Henderson said. In his book, Henderson describes his parents’ struggling every year to make that payment, but somehow they did make it, and he is a product of
Journal photo by Emily Williams
You can call Dr. Ronald E. Henderson, better known as Ron, a lot of things. ¶ You can call him a doctor – an OBGYN to be exact. You can call him an entrepreneur, leading him to found the Southeast’s first stand-alone surgical center. You can call him an advocate, writing a book on how to cope with myasthenia gravis. ¶ But you also can call him a farmer, the first job he ever had.
Dr. Ronald E. Henderson released his memoir, “The Tenant Farmer’s Son,” this month.
See henderson, page 12
inside
Brush Strokes Southern Living Idea House’s landscape architect creates art with plants. home Page 30
indian wedding with a southern twist Mountain Brook jewelry designer weds in five-day ceremony. weddings Page 23
THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN Our annual guide to Fourth fun! about town Page 6
2 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
Opinion/Contents
Jimmie Hale’s Cooper Wins Lifetime Achievement Award
We’re on vacation! We’ll return with our next issue July 14.
in this issue About Town 3 people 8 news 10 life 12 social 16
Business 22 weddings 23 schools 28 home 30 sports 36
murphy’s law
M Photo special to the Journal
Tony Cooper, executive director of the Jimmie Hale Mission, has been presented the Russ Reid Lifetime Achievement award for his service as a pastor and as the mission director who led Jimmie Hale to become one of the most respected nonprofits in central Alabama. Cooper received the award June 9 during the annual Association of Gospel Rescue Missions conference in Jacksonville, Florida. “Awards are not the motivation for what we do, however it is an honor to be recognized by an organization of your peers,” Cooper stated in a news release. “God is indeed faithful and is the source of all that is good.” The award recognizes experienced mission leaders who have demonstrated leadership skills, advanced their missions, shown Christian character and mentored and encouraged younger rescue mission leaders. Since Cooper joined the Jimmie Hale Mission in 1990, the ministries have grown considerably to include Jessie’s Place for women and children, Royal Pines Recovery Center, the relocated Shepura Men’s Center, Stewart Learning Centers for education remediation and career readiness, and, most recently, after-school Bible clubs called Discovery Clubs. Cooper also is a leader in the Birmingham community. He is a trustee of the Birmingham Business Alliance, a member of the Alabama Rescue Services Association, an active member and former national board member of AGRM, and a member of Gardendale First Baptist Church, Alabama Association of Nonprofits, the Downtown Kiwanis Club and Leadership Birmingham. ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Always Be Closing — Camping
ing, two packages of hotdogs, all cooked over Quick Mart fireplace logs y first-grade grandson that turned the entire meal black. Did joined the Cub Scouts this this deter the fledgling Scouts? No. The year. Right now, he’s a Tiger, second weekend, my son-in-law introbut he’s planning to move steadily duced the cheese quesadilla and was up through the Wolf and Bear packs, pronounced a camping gourmet. You changing out his hat and neckerchief live and you learn. as needed, until he achieves the exalted The group has made a number of level of Webelo. Harold and I are very excursions since then, each time returnproud. ing home tired and dusty, their soap His dad will move up, too, because and toothbrushes untouched. Yep, just the man bravely took on the job of a bunch of guys out in the wilderness leading the Cubs. In his own hat and with their cell phones. neckerchief, he’s responsible for orgaThank goodness, before they first set nizing outings and activities for the out, my daughter, who made it through young Tigers and their older Tiger Sue Murphy the Brownie song/craft initiation to dads. I like to think of him as the become an experienced, though Scoutmeister. I was impressed with not enthusiastic, camper, asked her I’m big on scouting. My daughters started as snaggle-toothed their chutzpah, particu- Tiger leader husband for some of the particulars. Would there Brownies and made their way up to larly because my son- planning be bathrooms at the campsite? Was Senior Gold Status, the equivalent of in-law had never been there refrigeration available? No one the BSA Eagle Scout. During those first years, they would return home camping. Ever. Neither seemed to know, or care, for that a point that caused a flurry from each weekly meeting with a had a lot of the other matter, of worried phone calls among the new craft and song, some of which dads. Even the Big Tiger moms. Since no one wanted are still rattling around in my brain. to dampen the group’s enthusiasm, After meticulous lessons in fireKahuna, the leaderwas decided to simply tuck an building and campsite safety, their in-chief of the exalted itextra cell phone charger and a vat troops attended day camp and finally Webelos ... of bug repellant into the duffle bags (ta-da!) they went off on a big overand hope for the best. My daughter night adventure. later added the caveat that she not be texted about any Not so the little Tigers. The first thing they did hilarious camp hijinks, like the appearance of an alligator was go camping. Yep, the very first weekend, the dads 10 feet from Bobby Winslow’s tent, until everyone was loaded their young sons into their SUV’s and headed safely home. out into the Florida campground semi-wilderness. I was Fair enough. impressed with their chutzpah, particularly because my The Tigers are a greenhorn crew, to be sure, which son-in-law had never been camping. Ever. Neither had a is what makes the adventure so wonderful. The fact that lot of the other dads. Even the Big Kahuna, the leaderthese otherwise accomplished dads would voluntarily in-chief of the exalted Webelos, is an ER doctor who leap out of their comfort zones to make weekend memorecently moved to suburban Florida from New York. As ries with their sons makes me smile. Way to go, dads. otherwise talented as this group may be, they are not Oh, and don’t you worry about this group. They ran woodsmen, yet they bravely set out with their young rings around the other packs during the annual popcorn heirs carrying tents that had never been out of the box. sale. ABC: Always Be Closing – and Camping. ❖ Oh, and a package of hotdogs. Two nights of camp-
On otmj.com
There’s so much happening in the Over the Mountain area, we can’t fit it all in the paper! Visit www.otmj.com for more stories and photos.
over the Mountain Views
Who’s Your Favorite TV Dad?
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
June 16, 2016 JOU RNAL Publisher & Editor: Maury Wald Copy Editor: Virginia Martin Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Staff Writers: Sarah Kuper, Emily Williams Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Lee Davis Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, William C. Singleton III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls Jr., Bryan Bunch Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Vol. 26, No. 20
Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper delivered to Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas. Subscriptions for The Journal are available for $24 yearly. Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205) 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at mwald@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2016 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Journal is not responsible for return of photos, copy and other unsolicited materials submitted. To have materials returned, please specify when submitting and provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All materials submitted are subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification.
“Red Foreman from That 70s Show, because he reminds me so much of my dad. He’s very tough.” Amber Morris Birmingham
“Phil Dunphy (Modern Family), because he is so involved in his children’s lives and supportive. He’s always a part of any of their activities.” Kayman Strickland Homewood
“Avery Barkley from Nashville. His TV wife goes into a serious case of postpartum depression and he takes over. He becomes this ‘Mr. Mom’ and does everything by himself.”
“Andy Griffith is the man. I’d have to say Red Foreman (That 70s Show) is probably the best TV father because he’s just so funny. The way he talks to Kelso is just hilarious.”
Drew Davis Birmingham
Monte Ellis Hoover
June 16-July 14 Thurs., June 16 HOOVER
IT Charity Golf Tournament Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley Protective Life will host a tournament, benefitting First Light and the Firehouse Shelter, beginning with a putting contest from 10:45-noon with teeoff starting at 1 p.m. First Light and the Firehouse Shelter. The event will include a four-person scramble, boxed lunch and an awards reception following the tournament. Admission starts at $85. For more information, visit planmygolfevent.com. BIRMINGHAM
Magic City Chocolate Challenge Old Car Heaven Disability Rights & Resources will host a cooking competition centered around chocolate. Event activities include tastings, a silent auction, music, food trucks and dancing. The event will be held from 5-8 p.m. and benefits the organization’s mission to support individuals with disabilities. Tickets are $20. For more information, email Jean. petties@drradvocates.org or call 8156159.
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 3
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Vestavia Civic Center The Friendship Force of Birmingham will hold a meeting at 2 p.m. in the Vestavian Room. The club operates under the international non-profit organization that promotes cultural acceptance. For more information, visit the friendshipforceofbirminghamal.org. HOOVER
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Night Regions Field As the Baron’s take on the Mississippi Braves at 7:05 p.m., the team will host a fundraiser in conjunction with and benefitting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Players will wear
purple jerseys which will then be sold through a silent auction. Admission is $9 and the first 1,000 guests will receive a free t-shirt. Following the game, a fireworks show will take place synced to current country music hits. For more information, visit suelclements.website/ barons-tickets.html.
Sat., June 18 HOOVER
Community Yard Sale Beth Hallel The synagogue will host a yard sale, benefitting an outreach trip to the
Ukraine to bless Holocaust survivors, fellow Messianic Jewish congregations and orphans. The event will be held from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Kosher hot dogs and hamburgers, soft drinks and popcorn will be available for sale. Cash and credit cards are accepted. For more information, visit shalombirmingham. com. BIRMINGHAM
Zoo, Brews and Full Moon Bar-B-Que Birmingham Zoo The second annual Zoo, Brews and Full Moon Bar-B-Que will be held from 5-9 p.m. Food will be provided by Full Moon Bar-B-Que and Golden
Flake. In addition to beer selections, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. A Coca-Cola sampling table will be present for children. Activities include music by Park Band, a Talladega Superspeedway pace car and street team, Dino Discovery, animal encounters, train rides and more. For more information, visit birminghamzoo. com. HOMEWOOD
Art in the Lot Trinity United Methodist Church The inaugural Art in the Lot art show will be held from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and will feature fine art and handcrafts of all
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S’mores & Pours Avondale Brewing Co. Camp Fire Alabama will host a fundraiser from 6-9 p.m., featuring local beer and wine, food, a silent auction and music. Proceeds will benefit Camp Fletcher and the organization’s service initiative geared towards local children and families. Tickets are $25. Guests must be 21 to attend. For more information, visit campfire-al.org.
Fri., June 17 VESTAVIA HILLS
Friendship Force Meeting HOOVER
Lonnie Holley Concert Hoover Public Library Birmingham native Lonnie “The Sand Man” Holley will perform a concert June 18 at 7:30 p.m. Both a musician and an artist, he first gained recognition with his sandstone and found object sculptures. His work has been displayed in the White House and he has pieces included in permanent collections at The Smithsonian, American Folk Art Museum, High Museum of Art and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Tickets for the concert are $12.50. For more information, visit hooverlibrary.org/ lonnieholley. ❖
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4 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
mediums to benefit various missions of Trinity UMC. For more information, visit “Art in the Lot” Facebook page.
June 24-25 Homeshcool Convention and Curriculum Fair Metropolitan Church The 28th annual convention, hosted by CHEF of Alabama, will consist of informational programs, workshops, a vendor hall and a children’s program. Keynote speakers for the event include Kathy Lee, “The Homegrorwn Preschooler”; Monica Irvine, “The Etiquette Factory”; and Dr. Sharon L. Snider of “Snider Therapy Centers”. The event will be held Friday, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration is $35 for the full convention and $20 for the exhibit hall only. For more information, visit homeshcool-life.com.
Sat., June 25 VESTAVIA HILLS
Offering fine outdoor furniture, accessories and unique lifestyle products including:
Brown Jordan • Gloster • Lloyd Flanders • Summer Classics • Winston
Slide the City Birmingham Thompson Reynolds Stadium This family-friendly slip and slide water party is from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and features music, food, drinks and the biggest slip and slide to ever hit the asphalt. Admission begins at $35 and includes an entry wristband, a drawstring bag and a mouth guard. Participants are required to slide with an inflatable tube. Floats will be available for purchase. For more information, visit secure.slidethecity.com. VESTAVIA HILLS
Cinderella Father/Daughter Tea Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Fathers and daughters of all ages are invited for a tea party celebration. Refreshments will be provided and Sunday dress is encouraged. According to Library officials, princess dress is always appropriate. This free event is from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. For more information, visit vestavialibrary.org.
Journal photo by Emily Williams
VESTAVIA HILLS
Danielle Eggers of Homewood and Charlotte Clemmons of Vestavia Hills are in rehearsals for the Birmingham Children’s Theatre’s production of Aladdin Jr., showing July 7-18.
Magic Carpet Ride Theater Camp Prepares Kids for the Stage
By Emily Williams School is out for the summer and camps are in full swing, offering unoccupied students a chance to spend a few weeks learning something new just for fun. For kids who are looking to take to the stage and hone their acting craft, Birmingham Children’s Theatre offers a summer theater camp. For participants such as Homewood Middle School’s Danielle Eggers, a couple of weeks during the summer can lead to long-term involvement in BCT’s productions. Since she was about 10 years old, the theater has played a part in Danielle’s life. Her recent involvement includes a role in last October’s production of the original fairy tale “Dance of the Grizzle,” work as a stagehand and the role of Peter Pan at the theater’s annual fundraiser, the Curtain Call Ball.
To provide a camp-like option for kids at a higher level of ability, BCT auditions kids for professional summer productions. This year’s show, Aladdin Jr., will be directed by Autumn Brown, BCT director of education. Instead of having traditional rehearsals, the staff has created a schedule that combines professional acting experiences and a camp-like learning process. “We treat them like professional actors to teach them about equity, which is the actor’s labor union,” Brown said. “Just like the union requires, we give them scheduled breaks, but it’s all part of the educational process.” Not only do the students get a glimpse into the life of a professional stage actor, they make connections in the Birmingham theater community. Danielle’s involvement in BCT productions led to a close relationship with volunteer choreographer Jessie
BIRMINGHAM
Adults $20 / Children $15
Use the coupon code ‘MAGIC’ to recieve $5 off purchase price Offer valid through June 26th
Birmingham Children’s Theatre
bct123.org
Sat., July 23
Photo by Nik Layman.
July 8th -17th
Brews and Shoes Trim Tab Brewing Co. Special Equestrians’ junior board will host its inaugural fundraiser from 3-7 p.m. The event will feature horseshoes, Pin-the-Tail on a Donkey and music by the Steel City Jug Slammers. Proceeds will benefit the organizations mission to provide high quality therapeutic horseback riding and equine assisted activities to persons with disabilities. For more information, visit specialequest. org.
BIRMINGHAM
Bark &Wine Greystone Country Club Reservations must be made by July 1 for the Shelby Humane Society’s 7th annual fundraising event. The evening begins with drinks at 6 p.m., followed by a strolling dinner including a carving station, pasta station and more at 7 p.m. A program and live auction will follow. Admission is $150 per person. To register, email thersmit@southernco. com or call 216-3303. ❖
BIRMINGHAM
Art on the Rocks Birmingham Museum of Art The annual summer series will be hosted in three monthly installments on June 17, July 22 and Aug. 19. Each event features a different aspect of Birmingham culture. From 7-11 p.m., activities will be featured throughout the museum. The featured musical performance on June 17 is Amasa Hines, a seven-peice band from Arkansas. Tickets are $25 for non-members and $15 for members. For more information, visit artsbma.org or the event’s Facebook page. ❖
Kiser, who teaches choreography and dance instruction at the Jefferson County Academy of Theatre and Dance, at Shades Valley High School. “I’m auditioning to join the school,” Danielle said. “Jessie is the one who told me about the school and I’ve been looking for a way to get out of Homewood.” Danielle said she finds that she is more successful in a fine arts environment. “This is a community where I can totally be myself and I feel more accepted for being different, because everyone else is a little weird too,” she said. Some of Danielle’s favorite moments working with BCT aren’t on the stage, but in rehearsal. On her cell phone, she has photographic evidence of a brief moment in rehearsal when she caught Kiser lying across ballet bars in the studio, taking a nap. She said it displays everything great about the eccentricities of thespians. Brown said part of the reason she’s so passionate about working with children’s theater is that she wants to create a place where artistic children can feel comfortable. “It’s great if they learn something new, but it’s even more important that they have a place to come and
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 5
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
feel safe being totally themselves,” she said. That support extends to projects BCT does with other theater and companies around town. Charlotte Clemmons, a student at Liberty Park Middle School, balances a schedule with BCT as well as Alabama Ballet. Charlotte’s mother said the two organizations work together and make allowances for Charlotte if she has to skip a production to accommo-
‘Every time I walk into the room with (Brown), I always learn something new.” Charlotte Clemmons date other commitments. Charlotte forged a relationship with the theater after attending the Camp Spring Academy during the school year. “Every time I walk into the room with (Brown), I always learn something new,” she said. Danielle added that rehearsal time is spent wisely and run efficiently. “At some places, you are just standing around waiting for an hour and then you get to sing for two minutes and then it’s over,” she said.
“When we are here, there is always something to do.” As the cast prepares for the production, Brown said she hopes the two weeks of rehearsal will run as smoothly as any professional production, though she has made allowances for road blocks. “When people come to see this production, they are seeing it on our main stage in a 900-seat house,” Brown said. “The kids get to experience the weight of that.” The performance will use the same union stage hands who work on professional productions the company performs throughout the year, adding another layer to the educational opportunity for the young actors. “When people purchase tickets to Aladdin Jr., they are supporting so much more,” Brown said. “They are supporting our young actors’ theater in addition to all of our productions throughout the year, our outreach programs within the community, our educational programs, our master classes – everything.” Aladdin Jr. will show July 7-18 with Friday showings at 7 p.m., Saturday showings at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday showings at 2 p.m. For more information, visit bct123.org. ❖
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To: From: Date:
Nolen and Melissa Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax June 2016
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6 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Viridian offers all the charm of a vintage neighborhood with the latest energy-efficient green homebuilding technologies. These authentic, one-of-a-kind homes are tucked in the woods in a unique gated community off Tyler Road, with prices starting in the $600s. Two lush parks and an abundance of green space provide privacy and a sense of history for this significant property.
Fourth Fun
Thurs., June 30 VESTAVIA HILLS
Photo special to the Journal
Vestavia’s Premiere Green Home Community
Courtesy Stacey Jones Layman
Thunder on the Mountain
I Love America Presented by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce and Vestavia Hills Public Services. Enjoying last years event, from left, Angie McEwen, Katie Woodruff, Katie Geurin, Karen Odle and Lisa Christopher.
EJMB Estate Jewelers of Mountain Brook Purveyors of Fine Estate Jewelry, Diamonds, Designer & Vintage Pieces, Clara Williams Co.,.Fashion Jewelry and more...
Come See Our Grand Jewels
2016 I Love America Summer Celebration Wald Park This 35th annual celebration will feature free swimming from 6-7:30 p.m., a children’s area hosted by Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church from 6-8 p.m. and a Pops in the Park Concert by the Shades Mountain Baptist Church Orchestra at 7 p.m. It will also include a screening of a family friendly movie as well as a business expo. Admission is free. For more information, visit “I Love America Summer Celebration” Facebook page.
Mon., July 4 BIRMINGHAM
Thunder on the Mountain Vulcan Park Thunder on the Mountain 2016 will illuminate the skies above Birmingham’s Vulcan statue at 9 p.m. This year’s show will last approximately 20 minutes and feature a variety of fireworks choreographed to a musical soundtrack of patriotic favorites and popular music. For more information, visit visitvulcan. com. HOMEWOOD
www.wedgworth.net (205) 365-4344
aRoyal celebration in diamonds
July 4th Festival 2016 Downtown Homewood Two blocks of 18th Street South and one block from 29th Avenue South will be blocked for pedestrian traffic and a free holiday fair. The event will include inflatables, amusement rides and a view of the Thunder on the Mountain fireworks display. The event opens to the general public at 5 p.m. and concludes at 9 p.m. Unlimited access to event attractions can be purchased for $10. For more information and current updates, follow @homewoodparks on Twitter. HOOVER
At The Grand Bohemian Hotel 2655 Lane Park Road. Mountain Brook
Hours: Monday - Thursday 11 - 7 • Friday & Saturday 10 - 8
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Freedom Fest Hoover Met Freedom Fest is coming free to the Hoover met and will begin at 5 p.m. with a car show and end with a fireworks finale which kicks off at 9 p.m. Families
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 7
About Town
Photos special to the Journal
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Fourth of July Festival Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church members are preparing for the 68th annual holiday celebration featuring thousands of pounds of freshly smoked barbecue, games, kids activities and more. free. For more information, visit americanvillage.org.
are invited to come out and enjoy a kids zone packed with inflatables, face painting and more. There will be a wide variety of concessions available for purchase. Parking will be free and convenient. For more information, visit hooveralabama.gov.
HOMEWOOD
MONTEVALLO
Independence Day 1776 American Village American Village will celebrate the Fourth of July holiday with food, fireworks, costumed historical interpreters, Revolutionary Army drills, colonial games, an Independence Ball and more. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the festivities will start at 11:30 a.m., continuing through the evening and concluding with fireworks. Tickets are $5 for ages 5 and up. Veterans and active military personnel may enter for
independence Day 1776 American Village will celebrate the Fourth of July holiday with food, fireworks, costumed historical interpreters, Revolutionary Army drills, colonial games, an Independence Ball and more. Festivities will start at 11:30 a.m., continuing through the evening and concluding with fireworks.
July 4th Celebration Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church The church will host its 68th annual holiday celebration featuring thousands of pounds of freshly smoked barbecue, games, kids activities and more. Trash N’ Treasures, an annual community consignment sale, will take place in the gym and parking deck from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The sale will continue from 1-5 p.m. the next day with all merchandise 50 percent off. The last day to submit donations to the sale will be June 26. Proceeds from the sale benefit a deserving recipient to be announced. For more updates, visit ourladyofsorrows.com or the “OLS Trash and Treasure” Facebook page. ❖
Welcome home!
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8 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
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Attic Antiques Antiques • Vintage Industrial
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
OUR 118 YEAR TH
BIRMINGHAM TRUNK
Boy Scout Troop 76 Honors Three New Eagle Scouts
Boy Scout Troop 76, chartered by Liberty Crossing United Methodist Luggage Church in Vestavia Hills, held an Eagle Business Cases Scout Court of Honor on March 6 to recognize three young men. Leather goods William Tue.-Sat. 10-4:30 gifts 5620 Cahaba Valley Road Morhard joined Mon.-Sat. 10-5 Troop 76 in 991-6887 2712 19th Street South, hoMewood 2009 and 870-0971 has served in several leadership roles, including patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader and senior patrol William Morhard leader. He earned 28 merit badges and the Over 40 Years Eagle Bronze Barbara & Buzz Manning Palm, and he participated in High Adventure treks at Philmont Scout Ranch, Sea Base and Northern Tier, To: Ken earning the R Bring your From: Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 ain Da r o ir “triple crown” of a h c t n e : la July To:w Babara Michael Comas FAX: 205-824-1246 scouting. t 7 e k n * la From:b Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 Date: Jan. 2015 For his FAX: 205-824-1246 Eagle project, Morhard JOurNAl for the Date: January This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN Jan. 15, 2015 issue. Please fax approval constructed or changes to a824-1246. “run-in” shed for This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for the The Red Barn, January 14, 2016 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. a non-profit organization Please initial and fax back within 24 hours. if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date,that yourprovides ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday. equine-assisted Please initial and fax back within 24 hours. Thank you for your prompt attention. if we have heard take from youplace by 5 pmon of the Friday30 before press date,Mountain your ad will run Baptist as is. We printChurch the paper Monday. *In case of rain, Pops in the Park willnotstill June attheShades at 7:00 pm. activities to individuals of Thank you for your prompt attention. Will Newton all abilities and circumstances. He led teams of both scouts and adults Gold Sponsors to build the foundation, frame the shelter 365 Equipment & Parts Direct * Acton Road Daylight Donuts * Advanced Mower and roof and side the shed over the America’s First Federal Credit Union * Ascend Web Strategy * Kim Benos for City Council course of several weekends. Morhard recently graduated from Birmingham Speech & Hearing Associates * Committee to Elect Nakita Blocton, Circuit Judge Vestavia Hills High School. He is the Bradford Health Services * Brookdale University Park * Brown Heating & Cooling son of Allison and Chris Morhard of Bruster’s Real Ice Cream * Butler Snow LLP * Cahaba Heights Pediatric Dentistry Vestavia Hills. Cellular Sales of Verizon Wireless * Champion Cleaners * Judge Agnes Chappell Michael Comas joined Troop 76 in 2008 after crossing over from Cub Campaign to Elect Kimberly Cook * The Dermatology & Skin Care Center of Birmingham Scout Pack 776, where he earned Digital Trends * Donatos Pizza * Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers * First Partners Bank his Arrow of Light. He has served in Fleet Feet Sports * Judge Elisabeth French * Gold’s Gym * Marguerite Haynes~BRIK Realty several leadership roles during his Becky Hicks~RE/MAX Southern Homes * Hoar Program Management * Huntington Learning Center career, including patrol leader, troop quartermaster and senior patrol leader. Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAs * Jersey Mike’s Subs * Jimmie Hale Mission * Jimmy John’s He has earned 21 merit badges and has KADCO Homes * Levy’s Fine Jewelry * Liberty Park Joint Venture participated in a High Adventure trek at Lice Clinics of America-Birmingham * Life Labs * The Lili Pad * MassMutual Financial Group Philmont Scout Ranch. McDonald’s * Moe’s Southwest Grill * Norris Orthodontics * On Guard Security * OnTime Service Comas’ Eagle project involved building storage and restoring the Promotional Creations * Protection 1 * Pure Fitness * Regions Bank * Salon 12 * Seasons 52 lakefront beach at Glenwood Autism Sentry Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Generators * Shades Mountain Baptist Church and Behavioral Center. He led a team of Slate Barganier Building * Spectrum Reach * Standard Heating & Air Conditioning Company Scouts and adults in constructing canoe State Farm Insurance-John Henley Agency * Stein Mart racks and storage for paddles and life jackets, extending the roof and fencing Committee to Elect Michael Streety Circuit Judge * Summit Express Urgent Care of the existing storage facility. The team TransAmerica Printing * Vacation with Mickey * Vestavia Bowl then cleared and refurbished the sand Vestavia Hills Parks & Recreation Foundation * Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary on the lakefront. Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church * Vestavia Reserve * Vestavia Voice Comas is a recent graduate of Vestavia Hills High School. He is the Williams Blackstock Architects * Mayor Butch Zaragoza son of Tracy and Scott Comas of Vestavia Hills. Silver Sponsors Will Newton joined Troop 76 in 2008 Ashford Advisors * Children’s of Alabama & Vestavia Pediatrics after crossing over from Cub Scout Shelle Henderson Real Estate~Keller Williams Vestavia * Manda Luccasen~RE/MAX Southern Homes Pack 776, where he earned his Arrow of Natural Nail Spa * Roofing & Painting Contractor~Oswaldo Sialer Light. He has earned 25 merit badges Town Village Vestavia Hills Senior Living * Truitt Insurance & Bonding Inc. * Vestavia YMCA and served in several positions of
In Store Sale!
I Love America Thursday, June 30
responsibility during his career, including patrol leader and Troop scribe. For his project, Newton built and marketed a community garden on property provided by Liberty Crossings. He designed the garden, built a marketing program to lease the plots and then led a crew of Scouts and adults in the construction of the beds. Additionally, the team built a deer fence around the garden. He is the son of Kathy and Terry Newton.
Hoover Grad Receives POP Scholarship Alexis Turek, 2016 Hoover High School graduate and Prince of Peace parishioner, was recently awarded a $500 scholarship by the Alabama State Kouncil of Auxiliary Ladies of the Knights of Columbus. According to organization officials, this award is based on academic and community service achievements as well as recommendation letters. The recipient must be a resident of Alabama and a practicing member of the Catholic community. Turek’s high school awards and honors include a 4.0 GPA and community service awards all four years, in addition to receiving a Girl Scout Silver Award and a Alexis Turek debate speaker award. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Math Honor Society. She was a member of the Hoover High School band, the Scholars Bowl team, Key Club and the debate team. Her extracurricular activities included altar service, the Lady Knights Junior Auxiliary, vacation Bible school participant and volunteer and work with the Special Equestrians. Turek will attend Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, this fall. She is the daughter of Scott and Jackie Turek of Hoover.
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Local DAR Announces Good Citizen Award Recipients The Lily of the Cahaba Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently awarded the DAR Good Citizen Award to Holland Bayles of Hoover. According to chapter officials, the award recognizes a senior in high school who demonstrates an exemplary Holland Bayles display of patriotism, leadership, service and dependability. Bayles is a senior at Shades Mountain Christian School. She is the daughter of LaTanya Bayles and Ricky Bayles of Hoover.
It's Time to Grill!
Southern Proper Barbour
Sat., June 18 • 7am - noon Left off Lakeshore Parkway onto west oxmoor, waterford faLLs is on the right heading from homewood uP to BLuff Park. Look for signs! don't miss this one!!!!
Peter Millar
Southern Tide
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Elizabeth Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 p 205-824-1246, fax June 2016
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Peter Kirchikov of Vestavia Hills recently released his newest book,
Smathers & Branson
waterford falls annual neighborhood garage sale!
Southern Proper
Vestavia Hills Resident Releases New Book
Alabama Media Professionals’ communications contest and received honorable mention in 2012. He is a member of the Alabama Media Professionals, the Alabama Paralegal Association Inc., the New York Circle of Translators and the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club. For more information, visit peterkirchikov.com. ❖
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Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 June
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Prince of Peace Catholic Church recently presented graduating high school senior and parishioner Nathan Wall with the 2016 Caitlin SweeneyMcDaniel Award for Faith in Action. According to church officials, this award honors a graduating high school senior in the parish who exemplifies their faith, serves the community and maintains well-rounded academic excellence. The award was established 12 years ago in memory of Prince of Peace School student Caitlin Sweeney by her parents, Joe and Cindy Sweeney. “This was a difficult year to select a winner,” said Joe Sweeney. “All of the candidates were outstanding.” Wall, a 2016 graduate of Hoover High School, received his award along with $500. While in school, he served as senior class chaplain and homecoming king. He was a member of the Ten Bucs Worth acapella choir, chamber choir, senior honors choir, cross-country team, intramural Frisbee team and Hoover Ambassadors. Wall has served the community
through his volunteer efforts, which include teaching for the special education Sunday school, participating in the parish’s Christmas Nativity, participating in the POP high school youth group and volunteering with both the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Social Services. Wall will attend Auburn University in the fall, majoring in electrical engineering. He is the son of Darryl and Diana Wall of Hoover. Runners-up for the award were fellow Hoover High School grads Mariana Brewer and Caroline Keeney. Both received awards along with $250. Keeney will attend the University of Montevallo in the fall to study elementary and special education. She is the daughter of John and Felicia Brewer of Hoover. Brewer will begin her undergraduate education at Jefferson State Community College and then transfer to Montevallo to complete a degree in elementary and special education. She is the daughter of Mike and Marjie Keeney of Hoover.
“Consensus May Be Good, But You Need to Have a Common Sense,” a book of Soviet political humor and satire. This is his second published book, following his memoir “Walnuts on My Bookshelf: Memories of Living in Communist Russia, 1952-1991.” “I have been writing humor, satire, aphorisms, witticisms, epigrams since I was a teenager,” Kirchikov wrote in a released statement. “It was not safe to write satire in the USSR and I was not free to do it. It could have cost my career and even my life.” “Consensus May Be Good” is a collection of thoughts and Aesopianstyle fables that reflect on Kirchikov’s personal perception of the Soviet Communist regime. Through these thoughts, Kirchikov said, he seeks to provide humorous commentary on life, society, ideology, doctrines and the general system of communism Peter Kirchikov as enacted through the Soviet regime. “In Communist Russia we are all equal – equally poor, equally underprivileged, equally forgotten and verboten, equally abandoned and invisible,” Kirchikov writes in the book. In addition to being a Soviet Union expat, Kirchikov is also a paralegal, an accredited linguist and a multilingual translator and interpreter of languages including English, Russian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian. He is a certified U.S. immigration court interpreter. He served as the linguistic quality assurance editor for an international corporation and is a contributing lexicographer for Black’s Law Dictionary. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Izmail State Teachers’ Training College, in Ukraine, and paralegal certificate from the National Center for Paralegal Training in Atlanta. He was the 2008 winner of the
Southern Point
From left: Mariana Brewer, Nathan Wall and Caroline Keeney.
POP Presents Annual Faith in Action Awards
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 9
people
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
M ON – S AT 9 - 5:30 . S UN 1 - 5 . 2904 O LD R OCKY R IDGE R D .
10 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
News
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
A Splashing Success
it up.” He admits he does have one big worry about stepping into the role. “I’m very intimidated to step into Terry Oden’s footsteps. I don’t want to disappoint anyone.” Welch said the timing is right for him; he has faith in the leadership at his two businesses, which will give him time to dedicate to mayoral duties, and he has the support of his family. “At first my wife said, ‘Are you crazy?’ But I think she was worried about the nature of politics. From what I see, Mountain Brook isn’t really like other cities in that way. City Council seems very cohesive and everyone is on the same page.” Welch is involved in the Mountain Brook community as well as in the greater Jefferson County area as he shares his wealth management wisdom through a recurring segment on WBRC Fox 6 and in a column on AL.com. He said he has many close friends who are also involved in Mountain Brook and on whom he believes he can depend if he needs advice or information. Though no formal announcement has been made, Welch said his candidacy is no secret. The election is Aug. 23. ❖
‘I’m most excited to interact with the business community. I love meeting people who want to start something new, create jobs and grow the area.’ Stewart Welch III
By Sarah Kuper The Homewood Community Center on Oxmoor Road opened with much fanfare in May 2014. Now, parks and recreation officials are taking a look back at the growth of the facility’s membership and activities. “We are so thankful for the facility we have now. Our old building was built in the 50’s and was not suited to the needs of our community today,” said Rusty Holley, Homewood parks and recreation superintendent.
‘The median age here has gone down significantly. We have a lot more families with younger kids who need the services we have.’
Journal photo by Sarah Kuper
Rusty Holley, Homewood parks and recreation superintendent
Sarah Gunnells and daughter Hadley, 19 months, slide down one of the many slides on the water playscape at the Homewood Community Center on Oxmoor Road.
Wealth Management Entrepreneur Stewart Welch III to Run for Mountain Brook Mayor By Sarah Kuper When Stewart Welch III was approached by a City Council member about running for mayor of Mountain Brook, he went straight to the leading expert for advice – current Mayor Terry Oden. “I just said, ‘Let me talk to Terry.’ We had a long meeting where he filled me in on the state of the city and I left encouraged and excited,” Welch said. Oden has announced he will be retiring after serving as Mountain Brook’s mayor for 20 years. Welch was born and raised in Mountain Brook, and he remembers living in the “country” where his family rode horses through the woods for miles without running across another development. Since then, a lot has changed and Welch has
founded two Mountain Brook businesses, including The Welch Group – a fee-only wealth management service. Welch said he believes his finance management and entrepreneurial background are things that make him well suited for the mayor’s position. “I’m most excited to interact with the business community. I love meeting people who want to start something new, create jobs and grow the area.” Welch said the position is attractive to him because of the great work of city leaders who have gone before him. “The city is hitting on all cylinders. Mountain Brook is debt free, which is remarkable. Education, police and fire, libraries – everything is running smoothly. My job will be not to mess
Photo special to the Journal
Holley is referring in part to the way the demographics of Homewood have changed over the past few decades. “The median age here has gone down significantly. We have a lot more families with younger kids who need the services we have,” he said. The community center is particularly popular in the summertime with swim team, youth sports, camps and special programming for all age groups. The previous community center was demolished in 2013 to make way for the $16 million, 51,000-square-foot complex. As a measure of its success, Holley compared summertime pool attendance records. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the old pool attracted an estimated 20,000 swimmers. Last summer, the new pool had nearly 90,000 during
that period. Additionally, Holley said the year-round workout crowd has almost doubled in size. “I think some people were surprised at how membership and attendance exploded. But I think we all knew if we built it, people would come,” Holley said. That’s one reason officials decided before the center opened that membership would be open only to Homewood residents. Holley said planners knew the new center would be attractive and they wanted to avoid the potential of crowding. Programs at the center are routinely at max capacity. Registration for summer day camps filled within days and the center is adding more teams to the flag football program after its success and popularity last summer. But programs at the center don’t just revolve around fitness and summer fun. “We have everything: drawing classes, karate, line dancing, belly dancing, self defense. There is a vast array of things that can appeal to anyone,” Holley said. The community center draws members from all areas of Homewood, but Holley said the parks and recreation department eventually would love to see more opportunities for growth in West Homewood. “But that is something that (the) City Council needs to identify and get going,” Holley said. Other Over the Mountain area community centers are drawing large summer crowds. The Hoover Recreation center on Municipal Drive is more than 70,000 square feet and offers more than 50 fitness and recreation classes throughout the year. The Vestavia Hills Civic Center and Wald Park are home to five baseball fields, a walking track, swimming pool, picnic and playground areas plus a skatepark. As for Homewood’s community center, Holley said they already are looking toward fall activities. “Football and cheerleading signups are already full and other fall registrations will start soon,” Holley said. Organizers have already started working on the Back-to-School Bash on Aug. 27 in Central Park. ❖
Headed Into Its Third Summer, the Homewood Community Center Thrives
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Same Face, New Place
news
Crestline Piggly Wiggly Celebrates Grand Re-Opening Members of the Mountain Brook community gathered in Crestline just off of Church Street the morning of June 3 to welcome back the Crestline Piggly Wiggly. The much-anticipated grand opening was the culmination of more than two years of hard work. “This is a great day for the city,” said Mountain Brook City Manager Sam Gaston. “It is one of the most eagerly anticipated events, probably since the opening of Cahaba Village, and we are all very thankful that The Pig is back.” Mountain Brook Mayor Terry Oden began the ribbon-cutting program with a few words of support. “It’s been 2½ years since we were all standing in the old Pig’s parking lot, wailing and gnashing our teeth, thinking the world was coming to an end,” Oden said. “But, today, like a phoenix, it has risen out of the ashes.” Though the building is new, Oden assured the audience that the Pig’s familiar charms have been maintained. He took a moment to recognize a few returning staff members, among them “Miss Arrelia” on the register, former store manager Ron Mitchell and Sam, the “best bag man in town.” Oden said the return of the store is the result of a communitywide collaboration. “I don’t know of any other project
Journal photo by Emily Williamsr
By Emily Williams
Mountain Brook Mayor Terry Oden, left, and Piggly Wiggly’s Stanley Vircigilio celebrate the opening of the Crestline Piggly Wiggly June 3.
in the world like this where the city, owners, financiers, neighbors, school, architects and the community all came together to find a solution,” Oden said. While co-owners Basim and Naseem Ajlouny reside in Hoover and Andy Virciglio in Vestavia Hills, all three sang praises for the support Crestline residents give to local businesses. “This community is so especially supportive … We wouldn’t be back here and open again without all of you,” Virciglio said. Billy Pritchard, Mountain Brook City Council pro tem, gave a nod to a particularly involved member of the community, Miller Gorrie, chairman of Brasfield & Gorrie. “When a community need is identified, there are always a number of
remarkable citizens who come forward to try and find a solution,” Pritchard said. He commented that there were several people who went to work right away when the old Pig closed, and one of those people was Gorrie. When the city was faced with the difficult task of finding a new store location, Gorrie aided in the planning and his company took charge of the building process. Pritchard said that when they later hit a roadblock securing enough parking spaces, Gorrie acted as a liaison between the Pig and neighboring business, Regions Bank, to construct a compromise. Aiding in the cutting of the ribbon was Virciglio’s father, Stanley. “I remember telling my son that when I opened the old store 33 years ago, I wanted us to be an essential part of this community,” Stanley Virciglio said. “Crestline has been so good to our family and it fills me with joy to see us come back.” Though he steered clear of the microphone, following the program Gorrie received recognition from the crowd of well-wishers. As he spoke with one supporter, he relayed that the project was one he supported, not only as a representative of Brasfield & Gorrie, but as a resident of the Mountain Brook community and a frequent patron of the old Pig. Following the ceremony, guests shopped and made their first purchases at the new store. ❖
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 11
life
12 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
Dr. Ron Henderson Reflects on His Life in New Memoir
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
RememberDad! Father’s Day Gift Guide
Henderson from page one
his parents’ will to succeed. “My grandfather was very social, he loved to talk to people, but he made it through the Great Depression and it showed,” Henderson’s son, William, said. “He always had a shell around him or a rough exterior.” “My father instilled in me a strong work ethic,” Ron Henderson said. “My mother instilled in me the idea of opportunity and to dream of something bigger. I remember like it was yesterday her saying to me, ‘I don’t want you to be a farmer. I want you to be a doctor, a lawyer or a preacher.’” Lawyers didn’t have a very clean reputation at that point in time, and Henderson didn’t fancy himself a preacher, so medicine seemed the most viable option. When Prattville locals caught wind of Henderson’s plans to attend med school, local businesses gave him work and internships so he could save money to pay for school. “I have been blessed because of where I came from and the people that have helped me,” he said. “I truly believe that it is with divine intervention that I have accomplished all that I have.” Once he graduated medical school, Henderson, his wife, Beth, and their first daughter, Rhonda, moved to Gordo, where he spent his residency single-handedly running a medical practice. “I was working in an 800-square-foot clinic and it was the most incredible learning experience,” he said. “I saw it all, from gunshot wounds to midnight births.” That small clinic in a small town is where Henderson said he developed an appreciation for treating “the whole patient,” developing long-
“My father instilled in me a strong work ethic. My mother instilled in me the idea of opportunity and to dream of something bigger. I remember like it was yesterday her saying to me, ‘I don’t want you to be a farmer. I want you to be a doctor, a lawyer or a preacher.’” term relationships and providing continued care to his patients. This was the experience that led him into obstetrics and gynecology. “By the time I retired I was treating my second generation of patients and even my third generation,” he said. He spent 38 years practicing, founding the Henderson & Walton Women’s Center at St. Vincent’s Hospital before being sidelined by the effects of myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that affects general mobility. Ever an advocate for health, he overcame the illness. “The most productive habit that you can develop in your life is regular physical activity,” he said. “Just today I exercised for an hour and 15 minutes and there is nothing more beneficial. It energizes you and does amazing things for your mood and elevates your productivity.” Where many give up, according to Henderson, he used the illness as a platform to help others.
Journal photo by Emily Williams; Courtesy of Ron Henderson (family picture)
Work and Dream
Does dad love bacon? He’ll certainly love this bacon (and panini) press. Made in Athens, AL, $45. Exclusively available at Alabama Goods in Homewood, 803-3900.
When Ron Henderson decided to pen his life story, his original source of motivation was to pass the information on to his descendants – his daughters Rhonda and Ellen, his son, William, and his five grandchildren. Below, Ron with Rhonda, William and Ellen in 1967.
He wrote the book “Attacking Myasthenia Gravis: A Key in the Battle Against Autoimmune Diseases.” He also used his medical experience to contribute to the book “The Woman I Am: A Woman’s Guide to Health, Happiness and Success in the 1990s.” “Every year you need to write your goals down and add to them the things you need to gain in order to achieve each goal,” Henderson said. It’s a piece of advice that his daughter-in-law, Lyn Henderson, said he relays to his grandchildren constantly, along with his “Five F’s:” faith, family, friends, fitness and finance - in that order - for prioritizing your life for success. Once he recovered, he went right back to work and continued a life driven by health care, and he continues to act as a consultant for UAB and St. Vincent’s. “He has always instilled in all of his grandchildren a drive to do better,” Lyn Henderson said. “My sister-in-law has twins and he loves to ask them, ‘What’s your goal in life,’ and they are 9 years old. They tell him they’re just trying to get the fish on the hook.” The questions is often followed by the mantra: “The more often you think about your goals, the more likely you are to accomplish your goals.” When Ron decided to pen his life story, he said that his original source of motivation was to pass the information on to his descendants – his
ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4, full readings in only 2 to 3 seconds, makes this the world’s best in speed and accuracy, $109. Alabama Gaslight and Grill, 870-4060.
daughters Rhonda and Ellen, his son, William, and his six grandchildren. He said his career spent delivering babies and seeing men become fathers was not preparation for his own life as a father, it was the lessons he learned from his own dad and his life that did the job. As old colleagues and associates filtered into Henderson’s recent book signing, each spoke to him about the ways in which he changed their lives, commanding them to do the best they can. “I am an absolute workaholic and all of my associates know that,” he said. “My mantra is that if you believe you can, you won’t fail. I don’t like to call anybody my employee, I call them associates.” Henderson said his story is one that proves anyone can be successful if they work hard enough. William Henderson said his father’s devotion to the Golden Rule of treating others the way he would like to be treated is what carries his legacy forward through his family and friends. ❖
Collegiate Heritage Pewter Collection Alabama and Auburn fine drinkware with sculpted pewter castings. Available in old fashioned glasses, steins, decanters and sets, starting at $21.99. Alumni Hall, 972-9098.
Dad’s best friend, “Good Girl” oil on panel by Beverly Smith, $350. Arceneaux Gallery, 802-5800.
For the write Dad, Starwalker Extreme ballpoint pen by Montblanc, $460. Barton-Clay Fine Jewelers, 871-7060.
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 13
life
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Golden’s 4 in 1 cast iron cooker, grill, smoke, sear and bake, $1,395. AllSouth Appliance, 942-0408.
Brackish feather bow ties are a great accessory for Dad. Available in multiple styles and feathers, starting at $165. Bromberg’s, Mountain Brook Village, 871-3276 and The Summit, 969-1776.
Sunday, june 18, 2016
Dad, are we there yet? Handmade in the USA teak compass keychain, $25. Fancy Goods Variety, 978-1451.
$
219 per month for 36 months
Your choice of beef, chicken, pork or sausage. Four ears of corn, scalloped potatoes, four Brookies, and a growler of beer of your choice. Comes fully prepared and ready to cook! Serves 4-8 people. IZ Neighborhood Grocery, 414-0081.
lease the 2016 ILX 8-Speed dual-clutch
$2,499 Total Due At Signing
Includes down payment with no security deposit. Excludes tax, title, license and dealer fees. For well-qualified lessees.
For the Dad who enjoys (sitting in) the great outdoors, Lloyd Flanders Mesa recliner, $1,493. Blackjack Gardens, 836-2933.
OR
1.9%
APR financing for 36 months For well-qualified buyers. Example: 36 payments of $28.60/mo. per $1000 financed
King Acura Alabama Acura Dealers
1687 montgomery hwy hoover, al 35216 l (205) 979-8888
Closed-end lease for 2016 ILX 8-Speed Dual-Clutch vehicles subject to availability through 7/5/16 on approved credit through American Honda Finance Corp., DBA Acura Financial Services for well-qualified lessees. MSRP $28,840.00 (includes destination, excludes tax, license, title fees, registration, documentation fees, options, insurance and the like). Actual net capitalized cost $23,303.36. Total monthly payments $7,884.00. Option to purchase at lease end $15,573.60. Lessee responsible for maintenance, excessive wear/tear and 15¢/mile over 10,000 miles/year. APR offer valid on new and unregistered 2016 ILX Models subject to availability through 7/5/16, for well-qualified customers from Acura Financial Services through participating dealers. Must take new retail delivery on vehicle from dealer stock by 7/5/16. Not all buyers may qualify. Higher rates apply for buyers with lower credit ratings. Dealer sets actual prices. See dealer for details.
14 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
2933 18th Street South Homewood, AL 35209 Monday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
life
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Dad likes it cool. Bar sign, $45, Coca-Cola cooler, $165. Frontera, 320-1900.
First edition for Father, the new F-PACE SUV from Jaguar. Base MSRP from $40,990. Jaguar Birmingham, 934-7897.
Turn a beautiful photograph into a timeless sterling silver keepsake. Cufflinks, keychains, pendants and more available for personalization. Jewels by Rose, 979-5611.
An icon, remade. The Acura NSX. Build your own or request more info at KingAcura.com. King Acura in Hoover, 979-8888.
Bonsai Trees, $29- $100, and Joyce Chen Scissors, $42. Leaf & Petal, Mountain Brook Village, 871-3832, Botanical Gardens, 877-3030, The Summit, 967-3232.
Classic and timeless, just like Dad, the 2016 Tissot Tradition with rose gold overlay on a brown leather band, $335. Levy’s Fine Jewelry, 251-3381.
Yweti Rambler 10oz good for Fathers who like cold cocktails on the dock, $24.99. Little Hardware, 871-4616.
“How we Roll.” For the Dad who has everything, $899. Mantooth Interiors, 879-5474.
PocketMonkey® is a 12-in-1 multitool that fits in his wallet, so it’s always there when Dad needs it, $15. Marguerite’s Conceits, 879-2730.
Clean cut Dad, Jack Black advanced skin care products for men, starting at $15. Remon’s Clothier, 977-5512.
Keep Dad organized with a men’s leather catchall. Father’s Day special $19.99. Rosenberger’s Birmingham Trunk, 870-0971.
One giant step for Dad, the Bulova Moon Watch - Inspired from the original Bulova chronograph worn on the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. Southeastern Jewelers, 980-9030.
Cool Dads like freezable whiskey glasses that keep drinks cold for up to two hours. Set of 2, $25. The Cook Store, 879-5277.
Another trophy for Dad, antler picture frame, $44. Tricia’s Treasures, 871-9779.
For high performance Dads, Formula 1 watch by TAG Heuer. Swiss avant-garde since 1860, $895. John-William Jeweller, 870-4367.
205-803-3900 www.alabamagoods.com Find us on Facebook
Fancy, Handmade in the USA Gifts for Dad
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When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years. MARK TWAIN
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Full Moon BBQ Ultimate Flavor Pack, available for purchase in store and online for $30.99. Comes loaded with Full Moon’s award winning BBQ Sauce, famous Chow-Chow, Southern Seasoning and the highly sought after Alabama White Sauce. Full Moon Bar-B-Que, Homewood, 945-9997, Hoover, 822-6666, and Inverness, 991-7328.
Happy Father’s Day! June 19th father's day is sunday, june 19th
Give Dad the shirt on his back, Bravaro Plaid Harbor shirt in Harbor Cay, $125.00 vineyard vines, 970-9758.
Patriotic Dads will like the Classic Cambridge Silver 40 mm watch with red, white and blue strap by Daniel Wellington, $195. Steeds Jewelers, 870-4367.
Get a walking stick from Wild Birds Unlimited and take dad for a hike to the lake or pond to catch a fish and watch the birds. Wild Birds Unlimited, 823-6500.
Sweet Dads get it. Themed treats, hand-made from scratch, starting at $1.10. Savages Bakery & Deli, 871-4901.
Time for
Dad
2701 Cahaba Road • Mountain bRook Village • 871-7060
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Photos special to the Journal
From left: John, Lucy, LuLu and Liz Marks, Carole Ivy and Diane and Allen Weatherford.
Blooming Debs G
Ballet Guild Hosts Annual Ball of Roses Debut
uests gathered at the Country Club of Birmingham on June 4 for the 56th annual Ball of
Emma and Monteray Smith.
Roses. Guests entered the ballroom to be greeted by a colorful oasis of flowers in shades of coral pink and green that was designed by Carole Sullivan of Lagniappe Designs. The event was hosted by the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, led by President Mrs. Miller Beale Girvin. The festivities began with a private presentation of this year’s 68
presentees to the Men’s Committee during a seated dinner attended by private patrons of the guild. The dinner was designed by Mrs. Emory Richardson Ratliff, and Mrs. Frances Ellen Morris coordinated the gathering of the greenery. Following the dinner, the debutantes were presented to a crowd of relatives and friends before enjoying a celebration and live music. Ms. Mary Cox Brown served as the 2016 Ball of Roses chairwoman, aided by Mrs. Beverly Long
Crawford serving as co-chairwoman. Among those in attendance that evening were: Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sherard Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bentley III, Mrs. Sue Ann Cole Burt, Mrs. Davis Douglass Corey, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Dean Kipp, Mr. and Mrs. John Brent Peinhardt, Mr. and Mrs. Lathrop Smith Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Turner B. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Chase Raughley Wise, and Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wright. ❖
Clockwise, from above: Josh and Miller Girvin with Mary Cox Brown and James Farmer; Rita and Virginia Wright with Carol Sandner; Stephen, Margaret and Carolyn Greene.
Roger and Catherine Smith.
Fore the Cure
Team Merrill Lynch, left, took first place in the Drive-Out Breast Cancer golf tournament. From left, Leo Karpeles, Rhett Owens, Jeff Bissell and Lars Anderson. Below, Bert O’Neal Jr. prepares to tee off.
Annual Golf Tournament Raises Funds for Breast Cancer Research
porting local research, which in turn makes a national impact.” Following the tournament, an awards luncheon sponsored by Milo’s Tea Co. recognized the top teams. Winners included Team Merrill Lynch, first place gross; Team WBRC Fox 6, first place net; Team Tameron Honda, second place net; and Team Sirote & Permutt, third place net. “We are proud to be a partner with the BCRFA on this event, and throughout the year, to help fund the research that will save lives,” said Rob Gallik, general manager for Tameron Honda. ❖
selection of colors and patterns • selection of acrylic glasses and bowls
Photos special to the Journal
selection of colors and patterns
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selection of colors and patterns • selection of acrylic glasses and bowls
Golfers of all levels of aptitude gathered at Old Overton Club on May 16 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama’s 21st annual Drive-Out Breast Cancer golf tournament, presented by Tameron Honda/ Hyundai. The tournament was created through the efforts of BCRFA cofounders Dolly O’Neal and Bruce Sokol in 1996 with the goal of raising additional funding for the breast cancer research initiatives of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We’re excited to announce that this year’s Drive-Out Breast Cancer Golf Tournament raised over $106,000 for breast cancer research here in Alabama,” said Executive Director Beth Bradner Davis. “The BCRFA takes a comprehensive approach to battling breast cancer through support of collaborative and innovative research to help diagnose, treat, prevent and eradicate the disease. All of the funds raised throughout the year remain in Alabama, sup-
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Saint Mark United Methodist Church of Vestavia Hills is seeking new Director of Children's Ministry The Director of Children's Ministry (DCM) would have the following main responsibilities: provide leadership, equip children, families, and volunteers, and develop relationships.
For more information about this position please contact: Ron Gonia - 205.882.5980 • secruth@saintmarkumc.org
“Catch the Wave of God’s Amazing Love”
Photos special to the Journal
at Vacation Bible School at Saint Mark! This year’s theme is “Surf Shack”. Come along for amazing adventures and fun times as we explore God’s Word. June 26 -30 from 6pm to 8pm. All children who have completed 3k thru fifth grade are invited to attend. For more information please visit: http://www.saintmarkumc.org
Front, from left: Sadie Knox, Keith Parrott, Kristy Parrott, Joanna Stockard and Jenna Cassese. Back: Paula Gossett, Kerry Gossett, Jeanna Westmoreland and Andy Westmoreland.
Out On the Town
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Legacy League Hosts Annual Scholarship Gala
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Samford University was the site of Legacy League’s eighth annual Scholarship Gala Celebration on April 29. Nearly 250 guests enjoyed a gala dinner and the Broadway musical “On the Town” at the league’s culminating event of the year. This year’s efforts raised more than $133,000 to endow a new need-based scholarship to commemorate 100 years of Samford arts. Aided by nearly 30 volunteers, the Scholarship Gala Celebration Committee was chaired by Suzanne Hopkins and included Karen Bergquist, Lisbeth Cease, Jan Cobb, Monique Gannon, Caitlin Hammond, Melinda Mitchell, Tricia Naro, Lynn Parrish, Sharon Smith, Allison Strickland, Jeanna Westmoreland and Kathryn Woodruff. The evening began with a private reception in the Art Gallery and rose garden, where guests and “On the Town” cast members enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and viewed works of art by gifted Samford students. Instrumental music was provided by the Low Brass Trio, composed of students in the School of the Arts. Everyone then gathered on the stage of the Wright Center for a seated dinner. The stage was decorated with tables adorned with black linen tablecloths, nautical-inspired lanterns glowing with white lights and mercury glass vases of silk paper whites. A panoramic scene of the New York City skyline graced the back wall of the stage, as Legacy League President Kathryn Woodruff welcomed guests and gave the invocation. The evening’s dinner menu included a signature salad, a double entrée of grilled chicken breast with mushroom demi-glace and herb-crusted pork tenderloin, whipped sweet potatoes, sautéed green beans and caramel apple bread pudding. After dinner, Vice President for Student Scholarship and Support Paula Gossett introduced scholarship recipient Sadie Knox, a junior from San
11/10/15 10:16 AM
Above, Christy Vest, Andrea Lill and Bonny Baker. Below, Bobby Skelton, Betty and Malcolm Miller and Christopher Williams.
Diego, California. Suzanne Hopkins, scholarship celebration chair, introduced School of the Arts Executive Council Chair Malcolm Miller, who thanked the Legacy League for partnering with the School of the Arts. Executive Director Jeanna Westmoreland closed the program by acknowledging Legacy League sponsors, event committee members and volunteers. She left the audience with the inspirational words of Helen Keller, who said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with
the heart.” At the conclusion of the meal and program, guests made their way to Harrison Theatre for the presentation of the musical “On the Town,” by a cast of talented Samford students. School of the Arts Dean Joe Hopkins introduced Kristen Kenning, director of opera, who thanked the Legacy League for its support and attendance. She invited the audience to stand and sing “The Star Spangled Banner” before the show, as was customary on Broadway during World War II. ❖
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Andy’s
Farm Market and Garden Center
Photos special to the Journal
824.0233 • 3351 Morgan Drive 402.2639 • Hwy 150 Hoover Mon-Sat 8-6 • Sun 12-5
Society President Carolyn Satterfield and hostess Barbara Klyce.
Springtime in Paris
Antiquarians Close Fiscal Year With May Luncheon
From left: Nan Teninbaum, Charmion Hain, CeCe Dillard and Shirley Evans.
Members of the Antiquarian Society of Birmingham enjoyed a Springtime in Paris-themed luncheon held at the Mountain Brook home of Barbara Klyce. CeCe Dillard and Shirley Evans planned the event. Outgoing President Carolyn Satterfield presented gifts to members of the board of directors in appreciation of their service. On behalf of the
society, Kirke Cater acknowledged Satterfield’s service with a gift. Installation of the incoming officers for the 2016-17 year followed. Those serving include Cater, president; Marjorie Forney, first vice president; Lucy Richardson, second vice president; Meridith Peeples, treasurer; Angela Comfort, corresponding secretary; Kay Clark, recording secretary;
and Caroline Sparrow, historian. Membership Chairwoman Nan Teninbaum welcomed recently elected Antiquarians Anne Lamkin, Dottie Hoover, Diana Turnipseed, Janet Krueger and Terri Lyon. To close the meeting, Linda Stewart gave the invocation before the group adjourned for a luncheon served in the gardens. ❖
Chilton County Peaches!! www.AndysGardenCenter.com
Heart care in Birmingham has a new home. To: From:
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Andy’s LikePHONE: many of205-823-9646 the area’s notable physicians, Over The Mountain Journal, the Alabama Cardiovascular Group FAX: 205-824-1246 June has settled into their new offices in the
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Shore Enough
Annual Men’s Day Celebration! Everything is 20% OFF! Friday – 10am – 6pm! Saturday – 9am – 5pm!
Joe Perez • Owner/Operator
From left: Margaret Ritchie, Judy Feagin and Carolyn Featheringill.
Sidney Davis, Barbara and Bobby Klyce, Dana and Pete McCarn, Louise and Sharp Gillespy, Kathleen and George Petznick, Millie and John Curtis, Helen and Walter Gay Pittman, Barbara Stone, Cheryl Williams, Coquette and Bill Barnes, and June and John Eagan. Also attending were Beverly and John Goff, Gerry and Jim Gillespy, Joan and Carey Hollingsworth, Betsy and Bill Gresham, Doris and Jim Wilson, Martha and Tom Roberts, Helen and Richard Pardue,
Kimberly Freeman, Virginia and Tommy Tucker, Tootie and Ken Fash, Marlea and John Foster, Betty and Bill Phillips, Jeanie and Lee Walthall, Marjorie Forney and Henry Lynn, Brownie and Barry Evans, Lucy and Dan Allison, Ann and John Baker, Martha Bradford and Jack Powers, Joyce and Jim Lott, Janie and Jimbo Henderson, Nan and Buddy Carter, Mary Steiner, Sandra and Terry Oden, Lee and Catherine Styslinger, Sara and Rex Harris, and Kim Morgan Day with Corbin. ❖
Party Planning
Seated, from left: Helen Mills Pittman and Sahra Lee. Standing: Pattie Perry Finney, Sara Jane Ball, Bede Donnell, Peggy Marshall and Margie Williams.
Dance Club Holds Spring Tea The Carousels Dance Club recently met for a Spring Tea Party in the home of Bede Donnell. The dining table was set with a variety of cheeses, sandwiches and accompanying treats surrounding a large arrangement of daisies, ferns, petunias, verbena and ivy. After enjoying light refreshments, the meeting was convened to plan the coming year’s agenda and to install new
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officers. The gavel was passed to incoming club President Pattie Perry Finney, who thanked outgoing President Jo Anne Gaede for her year of service. Other installed officers include
Photo special to the Journal
Friday and Saturday – June 17 and 18!
Members of the Gaieties Dance Club were invited to “An Evening in Palm Beach,” conveniently held at Mountain Brook Club on April 29. Hibiscus-framed invitations announced “Lillys, Guccis and diamonds optional,” but many guests arrived clothed in tropical colors and Lilly Pulitzer prints, with men in white flannels and yachting attire. Large palms framed the entrance to the living room, where guests were greeted by club President Judy Feagin and her husband, John, and party chairman Carolyn Featheringill, with Ivan Rich. During cocktail hour, vintage pictures of Palm Beach landmarks were flashed on a large screen provided by A.G. Events. Entering the ballroom for dinner, guests passed through more palms and were transported to a scene worthy of a Palm Beach benefit. Fuchsia and lime cloth covered tables centered with tropical flowers, ferns and palms arranged by Jill Garmon of A.G. Events. The evening concluded with SK5 playing ‘50s and ‘60s tunes for dancing. New members dancing the night away included Patsy Dreher with Alan, Elsie Cothran with Bill, Susan Hammontree with Lee, Bettie Boyd Sullivan with Bruce, Cathy Echols with Jack, Maura Goodwyn with Will, and Judy Hill with Bert. Next year’s party chairman, Margaret Ritchie with Tommy, was joined by current club members, their husbands and guests, including Natasha and Richard Randolph, Doris White and Joe McCracken, Ann and Leland Hull, Margie and
Photo special to the Journal
Gaieties Hosts Palm Beach-Inspired Soiree
Helen Mills Pittman, party chairman; Sara Jane Ball, secretary; Peggy Marshall, treasurer; Bede Donnell, assistant treasurer; Sahra Lee, yearbook chairwoman; and Margie Williams, publicity chairwoman. ❖
The Korduroy Krocodile Wants You! Independence Day Sale
Homewood’s Unique Consignment Shop 2912 Linden Avenue • Homewood • 879-0030 Open Tues. thru Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 21
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Front, from left: Clayton Trotter and Blair Trotter. Back: Will Davis, Katherine Davis, Fran Nichols, Leo Karpeles, Marilyn Karpeles, Mary Chollet O’Neal, Camper O’Neal and Steven Nichols.
Photo special to the Journal
Creek Band of Indians, Spectrum Reach, Fox 6 WBRC, iHeartMedia, Lamar Advertising, United Johnson Brothers of Alabama, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., ALABev and many local individuals and community partners. ❖
Bac k By Po p u l a r De m a n d !
Diamonds & Denim
July 16th
BCRFA Gets Decked Out for Casino Night The 8th Annual Pink Palace Casino was Decked Out in Diamonds & Denim on April 16 at Iron City. Presented by Tameron Automotive, the event benefitted the work of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama, raising more than $40,000 for breast cancer research in Alabama. The BCRFA takes a comprehensive approach to battling breast cancer through support of collaborative and innovative research to help diagnose, treat, prevent and eradicate the disease. All of the funds raised remain in Alabama, supporting local research, which in turn makes a national impact. Guests enjoyed Vegas-style casino gaming featuring blackjack, poker, roulette, craps and slot machines. Winnings were cashed in for a shot
at a variety of great prizes, and guests placed their bets on high-rolling silent auction items. More than $3,000 was raised as guests took a chance to win a pair of beautiful diamond earrings and to stock their bar, compliments of Diamonds Direct, United Johnson Brothers of Alabama and the co-chairs of the evening. Co-chairs were Anne-Michelle Barnett, Kim Comer, Jill Crawford, Diane Dudney, Kathy Emison, Amy Horrigan, Jody Joiner, Margaret Mitchell, Amy Stevens and Shaela Wise. Sponsors were Tameron Automotive, Sirote & Permutt, Alabama Power Foundation, David Busby, the Welden Family, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Merrill Lynch, Poarch
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This is your ad proof from the over the mountain Journal for the June 16, 2016 issue. Please contact your sales representative as soon as possible to approve your ad or make changes. You may fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
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By Lee Davis Kevin Webster has an impressive record of serving his country and his city. Webster served in the U.S. Marines and the Army and saw action in the second Iraq war. Now retired from the military, he works as a dispatcher for the Homewood Police Department. “There’s a certain satisfaction in being a dispatcher,” Webster said. “It’s a good feeling to dispatch an officer on a call to help someone or to stop a criminal.” There’s a lot of pressure involved too. It’s essential that a dispatcher give police officers all the information possible before going on a call. “If their information isn’t right, the officer and others could be put in danger,” Webster said. “You have to get it right every time.” Webster has found the perfect outlet for a stressful day in the dispatcher’s chair. He goes home and paints. The subjects can be as diverse as military battle scenes or common animals such as dogs or cows. “I always wanted to be an artist,” Webster said. “My grandfather, who lived in Montana, was an artist and I would paint when I was with him.” Paint and oil are truly in Webster’s blood. His great-grandfather was a friend of C.M. Russell, an early 20th century artist who specialized in the American West. “I think I was born to be a painter,” Webster said. Despite his passion, Webster didn’t immediately choose a career in art. Upon graduation from Gardendale High School in 1983, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. “I must have lost focus,” he said. But eventually Webster came back to art. After a four-year hitch in the Marines, he joined the Army and eventually began to paint as part of the Army Art Program, in which a large team of artists is assigned to capture the harsh realities of war. “Gen. Omar Bradley thought art was an important way to show the horror of war and
This month, a portion of the sales floor in Snoozy’s Kids will be transformed into George, a brand that encompasses the store’s stock of women’s jewelry and accessories. When George Jones Jr., by way of his father, entered into locally owned entrepreneurship in 1988, he said that his vision was a bookstore with a unique selection of toys. After Jones embraced his affinity for choosing the “coolest things” that toymakers have to offer, Snoozy’s became what it is today a local store with up-to-the-minute toys, popular standbys and things that can’t be found in Target.
Journal file photo
Crestline’s Snoozy’s Kids Unveils New George
Journal photo by Maury Wald; Courtesy Kevin Webster (Chloe and No Mountain Too High)
22 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
Webster served in the U.S. Marines and the Army and saw action in the second Iraq war. Now retired from the military, he works as a dispatcher for the Homewood Police Department. His artwork is on display at the Arceneaux Gallery in Homewood, near City Hall and the police station.
Martial Art
Homewood Dispatcher Finds Peace in Painting would portray it in a way that photographs couldn’t,” Webster said. “Gen. Bradley didn’t want anyone to get the idea that war was glamourous. An artist putting his interpretation of a war scene could have more impact than a photograph. Often people will stop and reflect more on a painting. With a photograph, they tend to look at it and move on.” True to Bradley’s vision, Webster’s style is impressionistic. Among his works is a portrait of the Battle of Najaf, one of the first major battles of the Iraq War in 2003, under Gen. David Petraeus. Another, “No Mountain Too High,” honors the 101st Airborne Division and hangs in the division’s headquarters in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Some of his work also hangs in the Pentagon and other military installations. ‘The driving purpose behind remodeling is to give the area a different feel from the rest of the store.’ George Jones
Jones said he keeps up with big-box competition through the support of the local community, as well as national market events that cater to small businesses. “This year, I’m going to a toy convention in Denver that is specifically for specialty toy stores,” he said. “They
“There’s so much emotion in military art,” Webster said. “You have to capture the dirt, grit and bloodshed associated with any battle. It’s not a good battle scene if you don’t convey the worst in what man has to offer.” Webster’s work has drawn the attention of prominent people throughout the state and the nation. “Anytime you sell a piece to a serious collector, there’s a feeling of accomplishment,” he said. His collections are on display at the Arceneaux Gallery in Soho Square in Homewood, near City Hall and the police station. “After work at (police) headquarters, I walk over to Arceneaux,” he said. “They are great people who love and appreciate art.” Although he derives income from both police
do not allow any big businesses to attend.” Year-round, Jones travels across the country to various expos and markets to purchase the hottest toys you have never heard of, but also a few that you have. That ideal to keep things unique carries over to the store’s stock of jewelry and specialty gifts for the adult buyer. Though jewelry and toys don’t seem to go hand-in-hand, Jones said that adding accessories to his inventory came naturally. “Some of the ladies who worked for us kept asking for something that they could buy for themselves or give as gifts,” Jones said. “I also wanted to offer something to retain my customers as
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
dispatching and painting, the skill sets are very different. “With dispatching, you have to multi-task and act on reflex and instinct,” Webster explained. “With art there’s far more time for introspection and thought.” In sharp contrast to battle scenes, Webster finds a special peace in painting animals. “Dogs and cows are my favorite,” he said. “The most important thing is to capture their noses and eyes. If you get that part right, the rest is just like combing hair.” Webster said people get a particular joy from seeing their pet in art form. “It’s so fun to see people smile when they get that portrait of their dog,” he said. If Webster has an area that he’d like to improve, it might be his mastery of landscapes. He’s studied the work of Edgar Payne, who specialized in landscapes of the American West, to gain inspiration. “If I have an Achilles Heel, it’s landscapes,” Webster said. “You can always learn and get better.” At age 51, Webster has a plan for his future. His goal is to retire in eight years and begin a unique project. “I’m going to get in a trailer and spend a week in every state in the USA,” he said. “I want to paint a scene from all of them. It’ll be called ‘Collection of America.’” The goal of the project is simple: “Whatever I paint, whether it’s a scene from a national park, a military base or wherever, I want people to realize that America is an incredibly beautiful country.” And for a man who has painted scenes from the carnage of war to the innocence of a household pet, Kevin Webster may be uniquely qualified to convey that message through art. ❖
they grow older.” Jones picks a variety of handbags, jewelry, candles and more. He features a few local brands, including designs by Susan Standeffer of Tuscaloosa, who was introduced to him through a customer whose bracelet caught his eye. Such items will be displayed in the newly demarcated section of the store. “The driving purpose behind remodeling is to give the area a different feel from the rest of the store,” Jones said. “We’re putting in new floors, painting and adding different shelving.” To accommodate the older clientele coming in just for jewelry, Jones is giving the front corner of the store a face-lift to set it apart from the toys.
“This will let people know that I’m not just throwing their things next to the Barbies,” he said. In the past, Jones’ said his “Snoozy’s Kids” business cards have been a deterrent for some designers. He once attempted to buy pieces for the store from a brand at market, but was rejected when the sellers noticed Snoozy’s was classified as a toy store. “The designer came to the store one day and asked me why I wasn’t carrying any of her designs,” Jones said. “I had to nicely tell her that I had been rejected, and she was beside herself.” Jones is planning an event to celebrate the opening of George. For updates, keep an eye on the Snoozy’s Kids Facebook page. ❖
weddings
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 23
Indian Wedding With a Southern Twist Mountain Brook Jewelry Designer Weds in Five-Day Ceremony By Sarah Kuper
A
Photos special to the Journal
s a jewelry designer who owns a business with her mother in English Village, Avani Patel had a pretty good idea of the engagement ring she wanted when the right man came along. But when her fiance, Milind, also named Patel, said he wanted to surprise her with the ring, Avani went to her mother for a little insurance that she would still get her dream ring. “I knew he was going to work with my mom and I was sure she knew what I wanted,” Avani said. “It is beautiful.” Avani and Milind’s romance began in 2012 at a wedding Avani attended as a guest on the groom’s side and Milind as a guest on the bride’s side. The beachfront Cancun destination wedding cast a romantic spell over all the guests, but especially over Avani and Milind, and when they returned to the U.S., they began to date. Avani admits the timing wasn’t perfect. See Indian wedding, page 27
Marrying the Past and Present Tuscaloosa’s Drish House Finds New Life as Event Venue
Journal photos by Lee Walls Jr.
Avani and Milind Patel, left, pose for a portrait in front of Lake Mitchell after becoming man and wife in a formal Indian wedding ceremony. Above, Indian weddings do not typically have bridal parties, but Avani and Milind did invite close friends and family to serve as bridesmaids and groomsmen. Avani’s intricate henna design, right, took more than five hours. Channeling her passion and career, Avani designed all the jewelry she wore throughout her fiveday celebration. Far left, the couple pours sugar, rice and herbs into the ceremonial fire. The fire symbolizes a divine presence.
By Donna Cornelius Tuscaloosa’s historic Drish House has been a home, a church, a school and even an auto parts garage. Recently, it was the setting for an event that hadn’t been held there in many years: a wedding. The house, built in 1837, has new life and a new purpose thanks to Nika McCool of Mountain Brook. When she bought the empty building in May 2014, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do with it. “We kind of did things backward,” McCool said. “We bought the house and then came up with a business plan.” She did know one thing: Her new property wasn’t going to be a frozen-in-time showcase. “If we’re going to save a wide scope of build-
See drish house, page 26
Tuscaloosa’s Drish House, built in 1837, once was part of a large plantation. Nika McCool of Mountain Brook, far left, has turned the historic building into an event venue. The front room at the Drish House, above, has plenty of room for receptions, showers, rehearsal dinners and even wedding ceremonies.
24 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
weddings & engagements
Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers
always enjoyed having clients over for a cup of tea and delicious home-made snacks as they perused through our collections of jewelry ranging from traditional Indian designs to innovative, modern pieces.” As they continued to work with clients, Avani attended Birmingham Southern College and graduated with a degree in accounting. She went on to receive her graduate gemology and jewelry design diplomas from the Gemological Institute of America in California. This combination of experience, education, passion and customer service means there is no doubt you’re in good hands with Avani and Rupa. Today, at their new location in Mountain Brook Village, Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers offers jewelry and design for all occasions, private bridal appointments and on-site appraisals.
At Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers, custom design, certified expertise, exceptional quality and customer service combine to offer the perfect place to create jewelry for the most special occasions. “Our passion is designing one-of-a-kind jewelry to make those special moments in your life unforgettable,” says Avani Patel, pictured above with her mother and co-owner, Rupa Patel. Rupa Patel, has always had a flair for fashion and jewelry and decided to make the leap and start her own business in 2005. It wasn’t long after starting the business that her daughter Avani began taking interest in her mother’s new business, and they became a mother-daughter jewelry designing team. “It all goes back to sharing my designs with friends, family and clients,” Rupa said. “I have
Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers is located at 2408 Canterbury Road, Mountain Brook, 982-4888.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Bella Couture “Bella Couture is the most unique Bridal salon in the Birmingham area,” said store owner Colleen Hopwood, pictured above. “What makes us unique is our diverse collection of couture and designer gowns from around the world. It has been our honor to serve brides and their families for 10 years. For us, it is all about making your experience as joyous and relaxing as your wedding day. It is important to us to find the perfect gown for you that best fits your vision and fits your figure. We love getting to know our brides and their families. You know that you have done your job well when you get an invitation to the bride’s wedding. “Each collection is selected for its beauty, quality and customer service. We are so excited to add to our exclusive collections, Atelier Pronovias and Pronovias for 2017. Our gowns retail between around $1,300.00 to just over $7,000.00.” To ensure the highest quality of service, appoint-
ments are preferred during the week and required on Saturdays. Our store hours are Tues. and Thurs. from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Wed., Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m. 5:30 p.m. Off-hour appointments are available upon request. “The best advice that I can give a bride is to start shopping early. Wedding gowns generally take between 4-6 months to come in, and then you have to allot time for alterations. Next is to have a budget in mind before you begin shopping. A good rule to follow is for your bridal ensemble to account for around 10 percent of your total wedding budget. Research the designers and even fabrics, so that you know what you are really getting. Lastly, don’t buy if you feel pressured. “Come join us for our 10 year anniversary celebration this June. We are celebrating with various trunk shows and giveaways.” Bella Couture is located just minutes from the Summit in the community of Mt Laurel, 104 Croft St., Ste. 109, Birmingham, AL 35242, 995-3444.
Jewelry Designer | GIA Graduate Gemologist | On-Site Appraisals
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appointments preferred 205.995.3444 • bellacouturellc.com 104 croft street suite 109 | birmingham | mt laurel 35242
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Celebrating 10 Years
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Bromberg’s For high quality and luxury jewelry, Birmingham residents can come to Bromberg’s, one of America’s oldest family owned businesses for fine jewelry, watches, custom jewelry design, premier bridal registry and giftware. “We are Alabama’s oldest business,” said Ricky Bromberg. “We have been retailers since 1836. One could say we have more experience in the wedding registry business than anyone else around today.
“We offer the largest and finest selection of china, crystal and silver in the Southeast, and so much more! We also offer brides many incentives such as our gift card system and completion program, discounts on wedding bands and attendants’ gifts and a free gift when you register. And that’s not all—when a bride receives or purchases seven place settings they get the eighth one free!” Bromberg’s is located at 2800 Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook, 871-3276, and 131 Summit Blvd. at The Summit, 969-1776.
“We have been retailers since 1836. One could say we have more experience in the wedding registry business than anyone else around today.” ricky bromberg, Bromberg’s
Levy’s Fine Jewelry “Levy’s Fine Jewelry is the largest estate and antique jewelry dealer in the Southeast. We specialize in estate, antique and modern jewelry,” said Jared Nadler, above left, with his mother Rhoda Link and cousin Todd Denaburg, members of the family that has owned the business since 1922. “Our bridal selection is extensive,” Nadler said. “We have rings dating back to the Victorian era. The older rings are so beautifully made with such intricate detailing done by hand. Made with filigree detailing or engraving, each is a one-of-a-kind piece. The rings from the Art Deco era are edgy and bold, have sharp lines and use different color combinations such as onyx, sapphire or emerald. We also have gorgeous estate wedding bands with beautiful engraving. Some of these still have wedding dates or names of the couple engraved on the inside, which makes them so special. With these pieces you get to imagine what the women who had them before were like and make up your own story.”
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 25
“We also have a large modern bridal area,” Denaburg said. “There are so many different styles such as classic Tiffany settings, halo settings, vintage reproductions and many others. We have rings set with a diamond already or you can choose from one of the many semi mountings that allows you to choose the size diamond you want for the center. If we don’t have exactly what you are looking for or you would like to alter one of the designs you have seen, one of our four award- winning jewelers can help you design whatever may be the perfect ring for you. We guarantee that you will leave feeling ecstatic in your choice and that once you propose, she will be the envy of all her friends. “Our motto has always been ‘It’s Like Having a Relative in the Jewelry Business’ and the reason is, because we like to think all of our customers are an extension of our family. Our trained GIA staff works to give you the information you need to find what works best for her lifestyle and your wallet.” Levy’s Fine Jewelry is located at 2116 Second Ave N., Birmingham, 251-3381.
Aldridge Gardens is a thirty acre public garden nestled in the heart of Hoover featuring beautiful woods, gardens, walking trails and a serene five acre lake. The site also features nine picturesque ceremony sites and two reception facilities. “As the director of sales and catering, I am here to ensure that each couple’s day is special and expertly executed from start to finish,” said Amanda Baker, pictured. “Our vision is to be a premier venue for visitors to experience how nature and art can work for the mutual benefit of both,” Amanda said. Ceremonies may be held at a garden site or in
drish house, From page 23
ings, not all of them can be house museums,” McCool said in an article in Tuscaloosa magazine’s winter 2014 issue. “We have to find ways to give these buildings vital roles.” Turning the Drish House into an event venue was an “obvious answer,” she said recently. A front room on the main level provides plenty of space for large gatherings. Twin staircases lead to the second floor, where former Sunday school rooms have been turned into a bride’s room and groom’s room. Vikki Grodner, the Drish House’s event manager, said the building has a flexible floor plan. “The first floor relates to what moms and grandmothers expect for a wedding, with chandeliers and trim work,” Grodner said. “The upstairs has a more relaxed and contemporary décor for the wedding party.” Last month, the updated version of the Drish House hosted its first wedding. Lindsey McCutchen and Bear Danford got married there, using a 1920s speakeasy theme. Interior renovations were completed just in time for the wedding. “We got our building permit on Feb. 11 of this year and finished in May,” McCool said. The house, built by Dr. John R. Drish, once was part of a 450-acre plantation. It’s considered one of the most distinctive examples of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture in
the pavilion. Sites will accommodate up to 200 guests. The arbor, shade garden lawn and pavilion are located at the front of Aldridge House and provide a beautiful backdrop of hydrangeas, azaleas and seasonal plants and shrubs for weddings. Lakeside, woodland stream and patio wedding sites offer the sights and sounds of water, hydrangeas and seasonal plants and shrubs. The Kay and Eddie Aldridge Art and Historical Museum and the Pavilion are both perfect reception venues. The museum opens to a large brick patio and offers a spectacular view of the lake. The art gallery features artworks of noted local and national artists and is the home of a large collection of Frank Fleming sculptures. The Pavilion is a covered, open-air facility with lighting and fans A small amphitheater provides additional seating. A catering kitchen and public restrooms are located nearby. Aldridge Gardens is located at 3530 Lorna Road, Hoover, 682-8019.
Alabama, according to the Tuscaloosa Preservation Society. The Drish House was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1975 and to the state’s “Places in Peril” list in 2006. McCool’s company, Past Horizons LLC, bought the house from the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society. The Drish House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. While the house was filled with happy guests at last month’s wedding, the original occupants haven’t quite left the building – at least according to legend. The house is featured in Kathryn Tucker Windham’s book “13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.” According to a chapter called “Death Lights in the Tower,” Dr. Drish and his wife, Sarah, have been seen wandering through the halls. The book says Sarah Drish wanted the same candles that were burned after her husband’s death to light her coffin while her body lay in repose. The candles were never found, which is said to be the cause of eerie appearances of fire in the third-floor tower room. After Sarah Drish’s death in 1884, the house had several different owners. It housed a school until 1925 and then became a parts warehouse for the Tuscaloosa Wrecking Co. Walker Evans captured the house during this period in a famous photograph that is part of the permanent collection in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Southside Baptist Church bought the house in 1940. The church added
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Weddings and wedding-related access has a triple sink, work surfaces a sanctuary abutting the house on one events such as rehearsal dinners and and an ice maker. Other features of side and a detached Sunday school bridal showers aren’t the only events the house include wireless internet building on the other. Both of those on the Drish House calendar. Alabamaand television as well as historic and structures have been demolished – but born artist Nall will have an exhibition contemporary house décor, including one reminder of the church remains. there in July, and birthday parties, civic a refurbished piano drink cooler and a “The church had built a stage at To:and when Tynettetable made from an antique door. organization gatherings and other speone end of the front room, The spaciousJournal grounds have room for cial occasions already are on the books. the front lip of the stage From: was pulledOver up, the Mountain 823-9646 ph, 824-1246 The Drish House is at 2300 17th St. a tent if more space isfax needed. there was a baptistry beneath the floor,” in Tuscaloosa. For more information, McCool said. “How many people have Date: June 2016“We can help plan the wedding visit drishhouse.com or the house’s from soup to nuts if that’s what you a baptistry in their house?” This is for the Junesaid. 16, “We OTMJ Please contactsocial your media sales representative as soon pages. To talk with Vikkias possible to want,” Grodner have relationContractor Jeffery Harless of your ad proof make approval or changes to 205-422824-1246. Grodner about events, call ships with caterers, andchanges. we have You pack-may fax Harless and Co. is a Tuscaloosa native 9713 or send an email to vikki@drishages available. We’ll work within your and grew up hearing about the house’s make sure all information is correct, including address and phone nu house.com. budget.” haunted history, he said. He worked Please ❖ with McCool when she bought and renovated the Caples House in the city’s Please initial and fax back within 24 hours. Druid City Historic District several If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the friday before the press date, your ad will run a years ago. Thank you for your prompt attention. “The Drish House had become something of an eyesore, and I was excited about turning it into a great asset for Tuscaloosa,” Harless said. Kate Edmonds and James McCool Bringing a house that’s about 180 grew up as neighbors on Beech years old up to current building codes Court in Crestline. But the two have wasn’t easy, he said. more in common than their childhood “There’s solid masonry on all the memories. exterior walls, and it was a challenge Both have professional modeling to drill through them,” Harless said. experience. And now, they’ve been a “You’re trying to keep the historical “bride and groom” for a photo shoot at integrity of the house, but you’ve got to the Drish House. meet fire codes and put in electrical and Edmonds, a rising junior at plumbing systems.” Mountain Brook High School, has He and his crew worked six and been with Click Models in Atlanta for Kate Edmonds and James McCool seven days a week to get the Drish grew up as neighbors in Crestline. about a year. McCool, who’s about to House ready for the May wedding, he The “bride” is wearing a Heidi begin his senior year at the University said. Elnora gown, and the “groom” has of Alabama, has modeled in New York. “But overall, it was a pretty smooth, on his grandfather’s vintage Pierre The Mountain Brook High School successful project,” Harless said. Cardin tuxedo. graduate is the son of Nika McCool, Grodner said she first became aware Bailey Edmonds, a musical theater the Drish House’s owner. of the Drish House when she was workmajor at Wright State University in For the Over the Mountain ing with the Nick’s Kids Foundation, Dayton, Ohio, helped her sister look Journal’s photo shoot at the Drish the official charity of University of properly bridal by helping with makeup House, Edmonds wore a stunning, Alabama head football coach Nick and hair. sophisticated gown from Heidi Elnora Saban and his wife, Terry. The “groom” is wearing a vintage Atelier. The fit-to-flare dress, the “I was driving down Greensboro Pierre Cardin tuxedo that belonged to Lonna Belle, is made of silk dupioni. Avenue and thought, ‘What is that big his grandfather, Edward J. McCool. It features an illusion bodice with pink building?’” Grodner said. “When Nika McCool said her father-in-law off-the-shoulder lace detail, a lace Nika and I connected, I jumped at the bought the tux years ago for a London peplum under a layer of lightweight chance to see the interior. I have a backSchool of Economics reunion. silk organza to create an A-line ground in marketing and interior decoVikki Grodner, event manager at silhouette, 10-inch-wide horsehair at rating. It’s great to help bring a historic the Drish House, created the floral the hem covered in corded lace, and a property like this back to life and have arrangements. Jamie Cicatiello, owner cathedral train. it used in new and modern ways.” of Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy, Edmonds’ hairpiece is the Celeste The Drish House can seat about provided accessories for the shoot. Duet from Sara Gabriel. Full of 200 at tables or 250 theater-style on The vintage boutique is at 2124 shimmering Swarovski crystals and the main floor. At the wedding in May, Ninth St. in Tuscaloosa; its website pearls invisibly hand-stitched onto guests gathered in the front room for is graceaberdean.com. The festive sheer netting, it doubles as a hairpiece the ceremony and then were invited wedding “cake” is from Mary’s Cakes and sash. onto the front porch for cocktails while and Pastries at 412 22nd Ave. in Heidi Elnora Atelier is at 2024 the room was set up for the reception, nearby Northport. Morris Ave. in Birmingham. For more McCool said. – Donna Cornelius information, visit heidielnora.com. A catering kitchen with its own
Mountain Brook Neighbors Dress up at the Drish House
Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr.
26 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
indian wedding, From page 23
Milind was completing a pharmacy residency in Washington, D.C., while she was busy with her jewelry business, Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers. “It was a lot of work being long distance, especially because he had residency hours, which were crazy,” she said. “I went and visited a lot because I was more flexible. Of course, it was totally worth it.” After many months, Milind finished his residency and things got more serious when he moved to Birmingham. He is now a pharmacist
Indian tradition is that the groom arrives at the ceremony on a white horse, but for their wedding, Milind arrived by boat. Avani was carried in to the ceremony on a palki decorated in her wedding colors of mint green and peach. at UAB Highlands Hospital. Once Milind made the move to Birmingham, Avani was sure a proposal would be coming any day. She later found out that Milind originally planned to propose in the light tunnel in downtown Birmingham, but he was sidelined by a death in the family. A few weeks later, while the couple was in Virginia Beach, Milind proposed to Avani on top of a Ferris wheel overlooking the beach at sunset. “The beach and water has been a theme in our relationship so it was perfect. But, poor guy, I know it was nerve-racking,” Avani said. The two set the date for Labor Day weekend of 2015. The celebration would take place at a lake house Avani’s parents owned on Lake Mitchell. Choosing a long weekend for the nuptials was necessary because the couple was planning a traditional Indian celebration lasting multiple days. When describing the essentials that she wanted in her wedding celebration, Avani said she wanted a lot of good food, drink and fun with family. And, over the course of five days, she said, their wedding encompassed all that and more. The festivities began with what Avani describes as her “henna day,” when she sat for five hours while her hands and feet were intricately decorated with traditional designs befitting an Indian bride. The following day, the celebration continued with the sangeet, a night of informal dancing while the families got to know each other. Then, on Saturday, Sept. 5, the couple was wed at Lake Mitchell in a late afternoon, traditional Indian ceremony. As is customary, Avani wore a red and hot pink bridal saree made by
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 27
weddings & engagements
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Indian designer Karan Motla, while Milind wore the traditional groom’s head dress. Indian tradition is that the groom arrives at the ceremony on a white horse, but for their wedding, Milind arrived by boat. Avani was carried in to the ceremony on a palki decorated in her wedding colors of mint green and peach. Avani said a traditional Indian wedding ceremony lasts at least two hours and incorporates many rituals that reflect Indian history and cultural values. As for their wedding, Avani said what stood out to her was seeing Milind for the first time at the ceremony and exchanging floral garlands – a symbol of acceptance and unity. “I saw him and I thought, ‘Wow this is really happening,’” she said. After the ceremony, the couple opted for a more informal “after party” and then planned the formal reception for the following day. “I knew we would be tired and it was fun to have a more relaxed evening after the ceremony. There was a lot of dancing,” Avani said. The only event not to take place at Avani’s family lake home, the formal reception, happened at the Clanton Performing Arts Center with nearly 500 guests in attendance. At this celebration, Avani and Milind observed American wedding traditions such as a first dance and cake cutting but also incorporated Indian dances and music. While Avani said many of her wedding vendors were from Atlanta, she made sure the occasion had plenty of local touches and nods to her Alabama roots. “The majority of our family had never been here and by the end of the week they wanted to move here,” Avani said. “A lot of family came from India just for a week, so it was special.” Through the couple’s wedding website, they directed guests to attractions in Clanton as well as Birmingham. Avani’s ceremony flowers and décor were accented with local peaches from Clanton and all of the alcohol at the reception was from Alabama breweries or distilleries. “We had signature cocktails with local and personal touches like a ‘Tide Fashioned’ instead of an Old Fashioned because I’m an Alabama fan,” she said. The wedding took a lot of planning and attention to details, Avani said, but in the end, the best part of the wedding had nothing to do with the logistics or aesthetics. “It was emotional to get married but also to have my whole family be there for it. Family from India that I don’t see much came all that way. At that point we didn’t care how the food was or how it looked.” While Avani and Milind did not jet off for an exotic honeymoon the day after the reception, they did take a trip to Spain’s wine country a few months later. ❖
Roebuck-Cullen
Amy Powell Roebuck and Steven Glen Cullen were married May 21 at Canterbury United Methodist Church
Joiner-Hails
Kelley Elizabeth Joiner and Edward Barrett Hails were married April 2 on the cliffs of Great Bay at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where dinner and dancing followed. The Rev. Jeffrey Neevel officiated the 4:30 p.m. ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Andrew Joiner of Birmingham. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Thomas Brassell and the late Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Hudson Joiner, all of Montgomery. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Troy Hails Jr. of Montgomery. He is the grandson of Col. and Mrs. Sam Burge Barrett and the late Mr. and Mrs. Edward Troy Hails, all of Montgomery. Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a custom A-line gown by Anne Barge with an illusion bateau bodice and a silk satin organza skirt featuring appliqued Alencon lace sashed at the waist in satin. She wore a custom chapel-length veil of ivory illusion trimmed with coordinating Alencon lace. The bride was attended by Olivia Brunson Hails, sister of the groom, as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Ann Sara Ascherman, Adeline Black Mancuso, Rachel Lofton Morrison, Anne Elliott Tapley and Stephanie Saia Williams. The groom’s father served as best man. Following a wedding trip to the British Virgin Islands, the couple reside in Mobile.
in Mountain Brook. The Rev. Bill Morgan officiated the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Owens Roebuck Jr. of Mountain Brook. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. Margaret Roebuck of Bessemer. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Lamar Cullen of Carthage, Mississippi. He is the grandson of Mrs. Mary Nell Broom of Columbia, Mississippi. Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore an ivory sheath gown with embroidered lace accents across a sweetheart neckline and a satin cummerbund at the waist. Covered buttons adorned the back of the flowing chiffon gown from the neck to the hem. The bride carried a cascading bouquet of senorita roses, pink peonies and ivory spray roses.
Womack-Champion
Brianna Whitney Womack and Joshua Brock Champion were married May 14 at Church of the Highlands Chapel. The Rev. Danny Wood of Shades Mountain Baptist Church officiated the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Starr F. Womack of Decatur. The groom is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Greg L. Champion of Vestavia Hills. Given in marriage by her parents, the bride wore a fit-and-flare bridal gown from designer Martina Liana featuring 15 yards of meticulously arranged and hand-cut lace over rich dolce satin. The petite cap sleeves featured an organically finished edge design and the skirt fanned full into a chapel train. Alexa Womack, sister of the bride, was the maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Baskin Champion and Abby Grace Champion, sisters of the groom, Ragan Wesson, Allison Smith and Allison Raviotta. Brennan, Madison and Baker Martin, cousins of the groom, of Vestavia Hills were the flower girls. Dr. Greg Champion, father of the groom, and Luke Champion, brother of the groom, served as best men. Groomsmen were Austin Harris, Ross Wesson, Cole Davis, Chris Bello, Stephen Wood, Danny Burger, Stephen Budlong and Chip Branch. After a honeymoon to Grand Cayman, the couple live in Los Angeles, where Josh will begin his job at Currency Capital.
Maids of honor were Emily Katherine Roebuck, sister of the bride, and Lauren Elizabeth Gatch. Bridesmaids were Nicole Alexis Baren, Sarah Margaret Corley, Catherine Elizabeth Corley, Brooke Golden Herrin and Allison Bullington Wright. Courtney Michelle Tidwell was an honorary bridesmaid. The groom’s father served as best man. Groomsmen were Dustin Lamar Cullen, brother of the groom, Casey Mitchell Cook, Charles Andrew Leach, Tyler Scott Owens, Stephen Todd Pope, Aaron Scott Roebuck and Jacob Kent Stewart. Ring bearers were Clark Stewart Steiner and Bennett Pierce Steiner. The crucifer was Samuel Bernard Steiner. After a honeymoon trip to New York City, the couple reside in Birmingham.
Lawrence-Weaver
Mr. and Mrs. Randall Bascom Lawrence of Homewood announce the engagement of their daughter, Hallie Elisabeth Lawrence, to Leighton Myles Weaver, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lewis Weaver of Vestavia Hills. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. Lenora Thaggard McGarity and the late Mr. Edmund Cody McGarity Jr. and Mrs. Dan Little Lawrence Sr. and the late Mr. Dan Little Lawrence Sr., all of Birmingham. Miss Lawrence is a 2010 graduate of Homewood High School and a 2014 summa cum laude graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s of accountancy. She was a member of Kappa Delta sorority, Mortar Board and Cater Society, where she served as treasurer for all of these organizations. Miss Lawrence is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The prospective groom is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Reed Weiss of Decatur, Georgia, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Tyre Calhoun Weaver Jr. of LaFayette. Mr. Weaver is a 2009 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School and a 2013 graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He was an Auburn University cheerleader and a member of Farmhouse Fraternity and War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen. Mr. Weaver is employed with Alabama Power. The wedding will be Aug. 20.
To have our wedding & engagement forms sent to you, call 823-9646.
28 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
schools
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
OLS Students Earn Duke’s TIP Honor
Mountain Brook High School debate team members Russell Weas (far left) and Jack Smith T (far right) were one of ten teams across the nation invited to take part in an exhibition debate held in Washington D.C. May 18.
MBHS Debate Team Competes in D.C. The Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and the National Speech and Debate Association held an exhibition debate May 18 for the country’s top high school debate teams. Mountain Brook High School’s team was among 10 groups that participated. The event was organized through the initiative of Nathan White, the senior legislative manager of the digital rights advocacy organization Access Now. “It was an honor to have been invited. The experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Harrison Hitson, an eighth-grade member of the team. Debating in the Judiciary Committee Room in the Rayburn House Office Building, students argued each side of the NSDA’s selected topic for all policy debates throughout the school year – “Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially curtail its domestic surveillance.” Mountain Brook sophomores Russell Weas and Jack Smith T were selected to represent the team by arguing the pro-side of one of three subtopics under discussion. “It is a controversial issue and there are no easy answers. Debating a topic like this makes you appreciate how Congress has to grapple with both sides of the issue,” said Smith T. According to team officials, both Smith T and Weas devoted a large amount of time to preparing for the event. “I was impressed with and appreciated the level of interest in our opinions from the congressional offices we visited following the debate,” Weas said. Accompanying the duo on their trip was Mountain Brook Director of Debate Elizabeth Wood-Weas and team members Angela Fu, Ben Harris, Hitson, Chloe Kinderman, Katelyn McInerney, Pavel Shirley and William Wood. The group had the opportunity to meet with Senator Richard Shelby’s Chief of Staff Alan Hanson. “I admit, I had a lot of coaches telling me that policy debate was too hard, and that to do well in the activity required much sacrifice from the students, often with little reward. But I myself competed in policy debate growing up, and I believed these two could do it, and I’m proud and grateful it brought them to our nation’s capital,” said Wood-Weas. ❖
LPMS Awards Lancer Court Honors Twelve Liberty Park Middle School students recently were selected as members of the school’s Lancer Court of Honor. Teachers select two boys and two girls from each grade level to receive the honor based on leadership abilities, citizenship and conduct in school. According to school officials, it is the highest honor that a student can receive at the middle school. The sixth-grade recipients were Shrijith Balasundararajan, Luke Gattina, Libby Thompson and Sofia Willey. The seventh-grade recipients were Aiden Behr, Charlie Harmon, Ella Haynes and Sophie Morris. The eighth-grade recipients were Madison Garrett, Jacobi McBride, Nicole Pittman and Philip Trawick. At the induction ceremony, Unless U Founder Lindy Williamson Cleveland served as the keynote speaker. Unless U is an organization committed to serving adults with developmental disabilities and their families through continuing education, life skills and social skills. ❖
Duke University’s Talent Identification Program recognized three seventh grade students from Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School in a recent ceremony. Students Kate Baecher, Audrey Fleming and Ian Stoves were invited to attend a recognition ceremony at the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. At the event, the three students, along with others throughout the state who qualified, were awarded a commemorative medal. The Duke TIP Program conducts a special ceremony in sixteen states to recognize outstanding scholars. According to OLS officials, students are granted the award for achieving high scores on one or more sections of the ACT or SAT. In addition, Duke TIP is also offering each recipient the opportunity to study at either the University’s Academy of Summer Studies or the Center of Summer Studies based on their scores. Baecher and Fleming qualified for the Academy and Stoves qualified for the Center.
Advent Episcopal Day Student Named Greene Scholar Mina Oates, an eighth-grader from Advent Episcopal Day School, has been named a Greene Scholar at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, in recognition of her academic promise and Mina Oates leadership potential. As a Greene Scholar, Mina will begin her St. Paul’s education this September and will receive full funding for her attendance at the New England boarding school that seeks talented students from across the country and around the world. Established in 2006, the Greene Scholarship is underwritten by John K. Greene, an Alabama resident who graduated from St. Paul’s School in 1947. Greene describes his time at St. Paul’s as “transformational” and hopes through the scholarship to provide a similar experience to other Alabama students.
OLS students, from left, Audrey Fleming, Ian Stoves and Kate Baecher were honored at the Alabama statewide Duke TIP recognition ceremony. The Greene Scholarship awards full tuition and fees to its scholars and is designed to ensure a complete student experience, including travel and equipment expenses as well as college application fees. Finalists for the award are selected by the school and submitted for interviews to the Greene Scholarship Board. St. Paul’s, founded in 1856 and affiliated with the Episcopal Church, is an accredited college preparatory high school attended by about 525 boys and girls from 35 states and 22 countries. All students and the nearly 100 full-time faculty members live on the grounds. For more information, visit sps.edu/ Greene.
Students Represent Hoover City Schools At State Vocal Festival Students from various Hoover City Schools participated in the Alabama chapter of the American Choral Directors Association’s 23rd annual Young Voices Festival in Tuscaloosa in early May. Participating HCS music teachers/choral directors included Kyle Moore, Lisa Latham, Lindsay Walker, Lisa Vines, Dan Cater, Amanda Slay and John Kincaid. Participating students range in age from fourth to ninth grade. Elementary level student singers are selected by teachers and junior high students are selected through an audition process. Choral directors must submit an application and prove their ACDA membership in order to be considered for an audition. During the festival, student singers
took part in the Girls Choir, Boys Choir and Mixed Choir, all considered honor choirs comprised of select students from across Alabama. Schools represented in the showcase included Green Valley Elementary, Shades Mountain Elementary, Brock’s Gap Intermediate, Simmons Middle and Hoover High School.
LPMS Presents Donation to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Liberty Park Middle School students recently presented $5,216 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The money was raised throughout the school year through several initiatives including a Pennies for Patients coin drive, sponsored by the school’s Friends of Rachel club. The drive acted as a fundraising competition, pitting each grade against each other to see who could raise the most. Students deposited pennies into their own grade’s accounts, each cent earning the grade one point. As a twist, the children could donate money to the other grades and the amount would be subtracted from the competition’s accounts. In addition, the Friends of Rachel sold T-shirts to raise money for LLS. To boost fundraising, school guidance counselor Tre’ Munger volunteered to shave his head when the $5,000 goal was met. On the day that the school met the goal, an assembly was held for students, faculty and staff to watch Munger have his head shaved by a student. ❖
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Journal photo by Emily Williams.
Triplets Michael, Maggie and Abby Hagelskamp didn’t realize until junior year that they could graduate at the top of their class at John Carroll Catholic High School, but at graduation in May, the siblings finished in the second, third and fourth slots.
Triple Threat
John Carroll Triplets Graduate at the Top of the Class By Emily Williams For triplets Abby, Maggie and Michael Hagelskamp, making it to the top of their graduating class at John Carroll Catholic High School was never a long-term goal, it was something that came quite naturally. “By the time junior year came around, we realized that it was a possibility to finish in the top five,” Abby said. The Hagelskamp siblings grew up in Hoover and began their schooling at Our Lady of the Valley in North Shelby County, where their mother held a teaching position. “Our parents always said that if you’re going to do something, do it right. So, that applied to school too,” Michael said. The three said it didn’t hurt that their home had a built-in study group to call on if they needed help brushing up on certain topics. “It definitely helps because some of us forget homework, so it’s nice to have someone there to help out or to explain something that we are having trouble with,” Abby said. Maggie said that Abby is the go-to when anybody needs help with math and Michael is the history buff of the
family. They agreed that their devotion to their studies often differed from the work ethic of their friends, but Maggie stressed that taking the time to finish her school work was never a sacrifice. “Looking back it wasn’t that hard,” Abby added. “When you’re younger you think that it’s terrible, but studying didn’t make me miss out on anything. It’s just something I did and it really helped in the long run.” Because of their success throughout their high school careers, the triplets said many doors have been opened for them. Abby was able to join the math honor society, Mu Alpha Theta; Maggie tutored younger students; and Michael served as a board member for the school’s National Honor Society. In addition, each sibling took part in a sport. Abby played varsity basketball, Maggie played soccer, both girls played lacrosse and Michael held a position on the varsity football team. One of the things Maggie said she will miss most about life at John Carroll are football games. She’ll see plenty of football games in college, but her brother won’t be in the party
of players on the field. Abby and Maggie plan to attend Auburn University in the fall, Abby studying microbiology and Maggie pursuing nursing. The two made a point to say they would not be roommates. According to Abby, the arrangement would be nothing short of mayhem. The two girls will be saying goodbye to daily life with their brother
earlier than expected this summer, as he leaves for West Point in July to begin his training and orientation. “I’ve always wanted to serve in the military, and West Point offers you the opportunity to serve and be an officer while getting a world-class education,” Michael said. His admittance into the university was only achieved through his academic excellence and extracurricular involvement along with a recommendation from a local congressman. He said his background in football didn’t hurt him in the physical fitness requirements, either. “I’ll miss the friends I made here, because I’ll be further away from most of them and won’t have as much contact,” he said. That includes his sisters, who said that the three probably haven’t spent more than a week apart in their entire lives. Regardless of the weight of the changes the three will make in the coming months, they were all smiles and said they couldn’t wait to see what the next chapters in their educations hold. ❖
Rehab Reality by Jeffrey Butler
It’s Time to Celebrate! Break out the Booze? Celebrations can be hardest for a person who has or has had an addiction. We recently had a previous client who contacted me regarding an upcoming holiday where she would be with her extended family who drank. She was concerned about how to handle her drinking family. She also didn’t want to make others feel awkward on the “family vacation”. She had three years of sobriety and was afraid of how some of her family might react to the news that she had been in rehab because of her alcoholism. The looks and whispers she was sure to endure made her want to bow out of the trip altogether. My suggestion to her was to not think of herself or refer to herself as someone in recovery, but more as someone who shouldn’t drink alcohol for medical reasons. People understand that some people can’t eat highly spiced food without issues. The same can be true for alcohol. “I don’t drink anymore because it gives me headaches, etc.” People are eager to accept health reason for avoiding certain foods - why not the same for alcohol? Now, avoid the “alcoholic” label and go enjoy the family outing. Who knows? You might be the designated driver. We stay in touch with clients and help them with bumps in the road of life.
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
The southern living idea house
Brush Strokes Idea House’s Landscape Architect Creates Art with Plants
By Donna Cornelius
A
David Brush grew up in Vestavia Hills. He has a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Auburn University. His wife, Lisa, is from Mississippi and is an Ole Miss graduate. Their three sons are Miles, age 12; Bay, who’s 10; and Jon David, 8. The Brushes moved to Mt Laurel in 2003.
‘Outdoor living is big here in Mt Laurel. People spend a lot of time outside, so an outdoor room is a big part of the landscape.’ David Brush
Journal photos by Emily Williams
lthough you might not realize it right away, David Brush has one of those cool names that fits his profession. He’s an artist – but as a landscape architect, he uses plants instead of paints. “I like to think that I’m creating living pieces of art,” Brush said. One of his latest undertakings is in Mt Laurel at the 2016 Southern Living Idea House, which opens June 25. While the project has been an extensive one, it hasn’t involved much travel time for Brush. He and his family live in the traditional, master-planned community behind Double Oak Mountain. This year’s Idea House is part of Southern Living’s 50th anniversary celebration. The house was designed by Birmingham architect Bill Ingram and built by Bryan Phillips of Town Builders Inc. Interior designers from throughout the South were given pages from the magazine’s past issues to inspire their designs. Brush got access to something more tangible – the Southern Living Plant Collection. Introduced in 2008, the collection features plants specifically chosen for Southern gardens. “The Southern Living Plant Collection was a wonderful asset for this project,” Brush said. “It’s got a huge variety of colors and textures.” The landscape architect had to work within certain parameters. “Mt Laurel is based on native plants, and all front yard plants here are indigenous,” Brush said. “There are a lot of Southern staples that I’d normally use for
The Idea House teams up with charities every year. This year, the Southern Living and Mt Laurel teams chose two Birmingham-based charities: Children’s of Alabama and the Mt Laurel Public Library.
Idea House Opens June 25 The Southern Living Idea House, which has traditional Southern design with modern details, will be open June 25 through Dec. 18. Admission is $15 and will be available at the door. The Idea House teams up with charities every year. This year, the Southern Living and Mt Laurel teams chose two Birmingham-based charities: Children’s of Alabama and the Mt Laurel Public Library. “The chosen charities are a natural fit for Mt Laurel,” said Julianna Vance, Mt Laurel marketing and community relations manager. “Children’s Hospital of Alabama is an exceptional hospital that helps so many families in our area and is a highlight of Birmingham’s outstanding medical care. We also wanted to support the Mt Laurel Public Library, which was championed by Mt Laurel residents who rallied to build the facility and continue to make it a vital resource for residents of this area.” Volunteers from these organizations will help out at the Idea House during the six months that it’s open. They will welcome visitors, collect admission, answer questions and hand out resource guides with detailed information about the furnishings in the house. The volunteers will have an opportunity to tell visitors about their organizations. Southern Living also will share a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales with each organization. For more information about the Southern Living Idea House, visit mtlaurel.com.
a house of this style, such as boxwoods, but they’re not indigenous. In the enclosed spaces, I could introduce some non-native plants.” The Idea House grounds are divided into four distinct gardens. If you’re approaching the house from the Mt Laurel entrance on Kessler Street, you’ll see a “natural area” – only here, Mother Nature has had a helping hand from Brush. He brought in some good-sized ornamental trees while preserving the existing trees on the front of the lot. “One of the mottos here in Mt Laurel is ‘Save the Trees,’” he said. “Developers coming in with bulldozers and clearing a lot is the antithesis of what we do here.” Throughout the landscape, Brush added bursts of brightness with Crazy Pink and Crazy White echinacea, pink muhly grass and Sunset Bolero gaillardia. On the patio, blue hues from lavender and powder blue fescue complement colors of the house and of stone pavers. “Outdoor living is big here in Mt Laurel,” Brush said. “People spend a lot of time outside, so an outdoor room is a big part of the landscape.” Visitors will notice intriguing selections including Chef’s Choice rosemary, St. John’s wort and Autumn Brilliance serviceberry trees, one of Brush’s favorite plants. A new favorite is a striking burgundy ornamental grass called Design-a-Line Cordyline. “The Southern Living Plant Collection gave me access to some plants like this one that I hadn’t worked with before,” Brush said. One room of the house looks out
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onto the Secret Garden, where a narrow gravel pathway is bordered by plants including loropetalum, Twilight heucherella, mahonia, gardenias and Pure Blonde liriope. Cherry laurels have been planted above the wall that encloses the garden and will form a green curtain as they grow. Water bubbles up from an urn-style fountain in the center of the design. “The fountain adds movement to the color and texture,” Brush said. “I consciously added different colors here, a mix of bright and subdued.” Brush said he thinks of landscapes as paintings. That means he chooses hardscape elements carefully to create a complete picture. “In the hardscape, I wanted to utilize materials already in the neighborhood, so the stone wall is moss rock,” he said. “For the patio, I designed a fence borrowing finials that Bill (Ingram) had used on the front porch. The driveway is made with charcoal pavers instead of standard concrete.” Brush grew up in Vestavia Hills. He has a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Auburn University. His wife, Lisa, is from Mississippi and is an Ole Miss graduate. Their three sons are Miles, age 12; Bay, who’s 10; and Jon David, 8. The Brushes moved to Mt Laurel in 2003. “We were living in Nashville, and I’d met Mt Laurel’s former town landscape architect and had gotten on the Mt Laurel mailing list,” Brush said. “I fell in love with the place. I told Lisa, if we ever move back to Birmingham, that’s where I want to live.”
He opened David N. Brush Landscape Architecture in 2005 and specializes in custom residential design. “It’s really rewarding to be a resident here, to work on a project like this,” he said. Brush also has designed the Southern Living Idea Garden, a community garden a short distance away from the Idea House. “Southern Living has built a prototype garden shed,” he said. “People will get to see the shed and will soon be able to buy one through Southern Living.” The community garden has 10 raised beds. Southern Living will fill some with annual and perennial plants. Residents can grow vegetables and herbs in the others. Brush designed a walkway through the center of the garden, gates and fencing. Benches will encourage folks to relax and linger. “If mom and dad are watering and the kids want to goof around, there’s room to do that,” he said. Whether you’re working with large properties or small spaces, you’re wise to remember that gardens are “always changing and evolving,” Brush said. “You’ve got to forecast into the future and consider durability, growth and looks,” he said. “You learn that you sometimes have to change things – to make some audibles in the field. That’s important with design. You keep pushing until it’s right.” For more information, visit davidnbrush.com or follow the company on social media. ❖
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Retreating to the Lake
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Longtime Vestavia Hills residents Christa and Bert Salter, below, decided to take their love of lake living to the next level by moving to the shores of Lake Mitchell full time when their youngest child graduated high school in 2015.
By Sarah Kuper
Now opeN!
When the youngest of Christa and Bert Salter’s three children graduated high school in 2015, the couple decided to take their love of lake living to ome aNd see us for the next level by moving to the shores Tricia of Lake Mitchell in Clanton full time. atherfax s 205-824-1246 ay aNd The Salter family called Vestavia Over The Mountain Journal, phone 205-823-9646, Hills home for 23 years and when une he ourth of uly they put This is your aD prOOF from the Over The MOunTain JOurnal for the their house on the market, it sold in one hour. June 16,Cahaba 2016 Road issue. please fax(former approval or location) changes• 414-0081 to 824-1246. 2037 English Village iz cafe After living in a home in The Preserve at Lake Mitchell, Bert Salter, please make sure all information is correct,a Clanton native, saw a lot for sale a acres away. But it wasn’t just any including address and phone number! few tract of land. The Salter’s new lake home is please initial and fax back within 24 hours. situated on a point in the lake’s if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, shoreline in the new Eagle Point your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday. subdivision. Bordered on three sides by water, it is a spot on the lake Bert Thank you for your prompt attention. Salter had dreamed of owning since he had played on the lake as a child. In deciding to build on the undeveloped land, Christa said she and her husband felt, and still feel, like wilderness pioneers.
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“There was no road or anything cut through to this lot,” she said. “We had to establish all utilities. It was an experience.” Building the nearly 4,000-squarefoot home was a huge undertaking, and the couple encountered more logistical hurdles than the average new home builder. “There are certain things about living on a lake that make building different. You use different materials,” Christa said. At Lake Mitchell, boathouses have to float in the water – building into the lake bed is not permitted. Additionally, the lake is home to a few endangered species, so the Salters
Kay Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 27 Exclusive June 2016
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had to consult with environmental officials before making too many changes to the landscape. Now, nine months later, the Craftsman-style home has electricity and running water, and the landscaping is almost finished. Over the years, Christa had accumulated photos and ideas for a dream lake home, and when the couple decided to build, she took her collection to Birmingham-based architect Tyler Price. “We knew we wanted all the essentials on one level and we wanted individual space for all of our children because they will have their own families eventually,” she said. “Plus, we have areas that are handicapaccessible for the future.” While the Salters handed over the design to the architect and the logistics to the builders, Christa handled all the finishes and décor herself. “It was a labor of love. I had never built a house before and there are so many things to consider: what kind of plugs and switches, what sort of hinges on doors. It can be tedious and especially because there aren’t many stores in Clanton for these things,” she said. Christa handpicked the granite, trim, molding and lighting, and she said she used local vendors as much as possible. “We tried to keep some money in Clanton,” she said. “We want to help encourage the city we are moving to.” If she didn’t find what she needed in Clanton, she still tried to do business within Alabama. The kitchen cabinets were made in north Alabama and she used Birmingham vendors such as River Bottom Pine, Mayer Lighting and Robert F. Henry Tile. Christa said she is pleased with the way the home has turned out and she has many favorite places in the house and views out the windows. But her escape is the screened porch off the master suite. “It’s my own private area on the corner of the house,” she said. “The view encompasses the whole lake. I bought a chaise lounge for it.” While Bert was born and raised
in Clanton, Christa said she is very much a city girl, so there have been some adjustments to her new life. “I grew up having everything convenient to me, but living down here I
‘We have three bald eagles. I always see them on my way to the mailbox.’ Christa Salter have learned to make lists because I can’t just run to Publix all the time.” Christa said she still visits her favorite Vestavia Hills retailers on trips to town. In fact, she and Bert still work at their Birmingham-area jobs, so they keep an apartment in town off of Lakeshore Drive. Christa is able to work remotely when she is at the lake, and once the couple is completely moved into their new home, Bert will commute to his job at Alex Kontos Fruit Co. Christa said her husband always has been attracted to Lake Mitchell because of his boyhood days on the lake, but for her part there is a lot Lake Mitchell offers that other area lakes don’t. “It is so quiet here,” she said. “There is almost no traffic on the water and the lake is dammed on both ends, so the water level is regulated. It isn’t party central all the time but it is a close community with social events like poker runs and an active homeowners and boat owners’ association.” She said she loves the family-
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
oriented feel of the lake and the peace and quiet, and she misses it when she’s gone. That being said, she also thinks the lake is almost too quiet sometimes. She said she doesn’t think people know how nice the lake is or how close to town it really is – about 61 miles from Vestavia Hills. While more neighborhoods and gated communities are under construction around Lake Mitchell, the Salters have no neighbors in their secluded area on Eagle Point. The closest thing to a next-door neighbor they have is the abundant wildlife. “Raccoons, turkeys, deer – they are always setting off our motion detector lights. There are fresh paw prints every morning,” she said. Plus, the Salters frequently spy the property’s namesake roosting in nests in the tall trees along their driveway. “We have three bald eagles,” she said. “I always see them on my way to the mailbox.” Christa is eager to see more
humans populate the lakeshore, although she said they have had a number of couples from the Over the Mountain area move down recently, including some relatives. Plus, she said, the Clanton area and Alexander City are seeing a lot of growth, with more restaurants and even a new campus of St. Vincent’s Hospital due to open in the fall. “We believe Lake Mitchell is the best kept secret on the Alabama lake chain,” she said. “I love feeling like I’m on vacation every day.” ❖
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Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number! Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.
if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
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34 • Thursday, June 16, 2016
Touliatatos, From page 36
was also named MVP of the Class 6A Regionals and the Steel City Tournament during the regular season. He shot an impressive 38 percent from the three-point arc. His best overall game may have been a 34-point effort in his team’s 76-70 win over Madison Academy in the semi-finals of the Steel City Tournament. Toulitatos said teamwork was the key to Homewood’s epic title run. “We had a really close group with nine seniors who provided great leadership,” he said. “We were almost like
sports brothers. If something went wrong, we didn’t get mad with one another, we just worked to get things right. Any successful team is going to be that way.” Maybe so, but Toulitatos’ uncanny ability to take control of a big game may have been the single biggest factor in his team’s meteoric rise, and his on-and-off-the-court leadership make him the choice as the 2015-2016 Over the Mountain Boy Athlete of the Year. Mountain Brook distance runner Frances Patrick was named Over the Mountain Girl Athlete of the Year. Homewood basketball coach Tim Shepler said Toulitatos was the right player at the right time for the Patriots.
“When our season started, we thought that Luke would need to play a bigger role in order for us to have a great year,” Shepler said. “As it turned out, he did just that. In fact, in our biggest games, Luke was at his best. The bigger and better the competition was, the better Luke was at rising to the occasion and getting the job done for us.” Toulitatos isn’t resting on his laurels during the summer months. He’s playing AAU basketball and was selected to play in the NorthSouth All-Star game at Alabama State University in a few weeks. And he eagerly anticipates the opportunity to lead the Patriots to a possible second consecutive state title in 2016-2017.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
“It’s always tough to repeat as champion, particularly since we lost so many good seniors,” Toulitatos said. “But we’ve got a lot of young guys who haven’t earned a ring yet so they’re going to be hungry. As a senior, it’ll be my responsibility to be a leader. It’s a challenge I welcome.” Toulitatos said being named Over the Mountain Boy Athlete of the Year was a special honor. “It means a lot when I stop to think how many great athletes there are in this area,” he said. “That’s true not only in basketball but also in the other sports. But there’s really no such thing as an individual award in team athletics. Any honor I receive also belongs to my teammates and
coaches.” When he’s not playing basketball this summer, Toulitatos is spending time working with children. He and a group of friends are offering services such as babysitting and birthday parties. “It’s a lot of fun and definitely something different,” he said. “I guess we could even be clowns (for birthday parties) if the parents asked. It’s an interesting way to spend the summer.” Luke Toulitatos may wind up playing a clown during the summer months, but he didn’t give his opponents any reasons to smile on the basketball court. ❖
Journal photos by Marvin Gentry
Frances Patrick
Luke Toulitatos
patrick, From page 36
ably because we also won the team championship. Mountain Brook had won 12 years in a row, and we definitely wanted to keep that streak going.” The Lady Spartans’ strong tradition for success in track and field goes back to the 1970s and Patrick – as is the case with her teammates – is acutely aware of it. “It’s really cool to meet someone who ran girls track at Mountain Brook maybe 15 or 20 years ago and realize that we are continuing what they started,” she said. “And the young girls coming up behind us may be the best ever.” In 15 or 20 years, Lady Spartan runners are likely to be talking
about Patrick. Her list of individual and team achievements and the legacy they represent led to her selection as the 2015-16 Over the Mountain Girl Athlete of the Year. Homewood basketball star Luke Touliatos was chosen as the 2015-16 Boy Athlete of the Year. Patrick sounded similar to a well-known college football coach when she said that enduring the work required to win championships was more satisfying than the trophies and honors that came as a result. “The highlight wasn’t just winning the title, it was looking back on the obstacles we overcame during the season and realizing that the hard work paid off,” she said. “Someone from the outside might think that winning 13 titles in a row (in cross-country) might become
matter-of-fact, but it doesn’t. I was honored to be on four consecutive state championship teams and each one faced different challenges. Seeing everyone work to earn the blue trophy is one of the best feelings anyone could have.” She also was eager to toss credit for her personal successes in other directions. “It was my teammates and coaches who motivated me every day,” Patrick said. “If it weren’t for the relationships I had with them, I wouldn’t be the runner I am today.” Mountain Brook track and field coach Michael McGovern counts himself among Patrick’s greatest admirers. “Frances maintained one of the highest levels of consistency I have seen in one of our athletes throughout this year,” McGovern said.
“Whether it be cross-country, indoor track or outdoor track, her performances were always at the highest levels. When post-season rolled around, Frances could always be counted on to do whatever it took to give her team its highest finish.” McGovern said Patrick’s intangible contributions may have been the most valuable of all. “Losing her leadership skills will be the toughest part,” he explained. “She always put the needs of the team first and was often more concerned with her teammates’ performance than her own.” Patrick will run at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth next fall and is considering commercial real estate as a possible major. A turning point in Patrick’s high school career may have come during her sophomore season, when
then-Mountain Brook track coach Greg Echols urged her to step up her efforts. “I was running just for fun before Coach Echols challenged me,” she recalled. “Afterward, I looked at running from a new perspective. I worked harder and pushed myself to produce the results I wanted. Coach Echols completely changed the path of my career.” Even champion athletes have their quirks – Patrick admitted she has a mild phobia about seeing snakes on the cross-country trail. “I really don’t like snakes,” she said, laughing. “I’ve seen them (while running) before, but luckily I didn’t see any this year.” It’s unlikely that even a snake could have prevented Frances Patrick from becoming the Over the Mountain Girl Athlete of the Year. ❖
Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 35
sports
Journal photo by Maury wald
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Photos courtesy Auburn Athletics
At a reception to welcome former Birmingham A’s pitcher Rollie Fingers, guest of honor at this year’s Rickwood Classic, were, from left: Gerald Watkins, Friends of Rickwood Field; Fingers; and Charles Denaburg, Levy’s Fine Jewelry.
‘Losing in the finals will only guarantee the players that are returning are hungry for a championship next year. We’re going to be better than ever.’
‘It still doesn’t seem real. Of course we were disap- Another Classic for Rickwood and Levy’s Levy’s was the official sponsor of the Rickwood Classic this year, it’s second time pointed to lose, but that to sponsor the event. The classic is a celebration of Rickwood Field, which dates doesn’t take away from back to 1910 and is the oldest surviving professional baseball stadium in the country. what we accomplished as On June 1, the Birmingham Barons donned vintage-style uniforms and competed defending Southern League Champions the Chattanooga Lookouts. Fingers, a team this year. This was against a member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, was a three-time World an amazing way to end Series pitcher for the Oakland A’s. In addition to his success on the field, Fingers is famous for his waxed handlebar mustache. ❖ my college career.’ Madison Dickey
Courtney Shea
Shea, whose hard ground ball in the final inning nearly kept Auburn’s hopes alive in the third and deciding game, said the loss would make the program stronger in the future. “Losing in the finals will only guarantee the players that are returning are hungry for a championship next year,” she said. “We’re going to be better than ever.” Thanks to ESPN’s cameras, much of the sports world saw Shea’s emotional reaction to the defeat, but her plans for the summer may shield her from any loss of privacy her moment in the spotlight might have brought. She is traveling to Spain as part of the Auburn Abroad academic program. “It’s a great way to knock out some credits,” Shea said, laughing. “But I don’t think softball is too big over there.” Maybe not, but Dickey, Harper and Shea helped make Auburn a big deal in the USA.
tigers,
From page 36
track have dominated the spring calendar, with softball making a somewhat smaller ripple. But Hoover’s long record of success, along with the comparatively recent rises of Spain Park, Oak Mountain and Vestavia Hills, has brought the sport to near parity with the others. The showcase of three local girls playing on a national championship runner-up team can only increase the sport’s profile. In the meantime, Auburn’s Over the Mountain alumni should take a moment to savor the memory. “It still doesn’t seem real,” said Dickey, when contacted last week. “Of course we were disappointed to lose, but that doesn’t take away from what we accomplished as a team this year. This was an amazing way to end my college career.” Dickey said Auburn’s almostsuccessful national championship bid should inspire future Tiger teams. “I hope the teams that follow us will build on the tradition that we started,” she said. “There’s a bright future for Auburn softball.”
Olympic Trials…
Photos special to the Journal
The end of the month will be a critical time for two local swimmers who will be competing in the Olympic Trials on June 24. Rachel Cunningham of Spain Park is competing in the Women’s 200-Meter
Sam Steele
Rachel Cunningham
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Marcy Harper
Breaststroke. Sam Steele, a homeschooler who swims with the Hoover Blue Thunder Club Team, will compete in the Men’s 400-meter free style. Latest in the Tradition…
Dickey and Harper are just two former Over the Mountain Athletes of the Year who have gone on to success in college. Original selections in 2005 were Hoover quarterback Jarod Bryant and Vestavia Hills track and field star Laurel Pritchard. Bryant went on to play at the U.S. Naval Academy and Pritchard had a strong track career at Auburn University. Others have also gone on to fame and glory at the next level. This year’s choices are Homewood basketball star Luke Toulitatos, who will return for his senior year, and Mountain Brook distance runner Francis Patrick, who is bound for TCU. Who knows what future rewards await them. ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Sports
Going for the Gold: Two local swimmers competing in Olympic Trials. Page 35
2015-16 OTM High school Athletes of the Year
Pressure Points
Heir Frances Spartan Distance Runner Named Top Girl Athlete
Homewood’s Clutch Player Earns Athlete of the Year Honors
By Lee Davis
Frances Patrick celebrated her high school graduation by traveling overseas. Patrick is accustomed to traveling long distances, often by foot. For the past four years, she was one of Mountain Brook’s – and the state’s – finest girl distance runners. Characteristically, Patrick saved the best for her senior season. Her odyssey of winning began last fall in the state Class 7A cross-country meet, when she won the individual championship and guided the Lady Spartans to a mind-boggling 13th consecutive state championship. Patrick had primed up for the title event with individual victories in the Warrior and Chickasaw Trails crosscountry meets. Her hot streak continued in the state Class 7A indoor meet at the Birmingham Crossplex in February, when Patrick won the 1,600-meter run and the 3,200-meter run and was part of Mountain Brook’s successful 4x800 meter relay team. She closed her high school career in fine fashion at the state outdoor meet last month, winning the 3,200meter run for the second consecutive year, placing second in the 1,600- and 800-meter runs and leading the Lady Spartans to a runner-up finish behind champion Hoover. “I think winning the cross-country championship may have been the high point,” Patrick said. “That’s prob-
Luke Toulitatos will freely admit he doesn’t suffer from stage fright. The rising senior at Homewood isn’t an actor. He’s a basketball player. He’s always in his comfort zone on a basketball court with the game on the line. “I never get nervous,” Toulitatos said. “I seem to play better when the pressure is turned up a little bit. I enjoy the big stage.” Patriot fans are glad he does. Toulitatos turned in an endless stream of clutch performances in Homewood’s drive to the state Class 6A basketball championship last season, and he was at his best when the stakes were highest. From his guard position, Toulitatos scored a whopping 31 points in the Patriots’ 64-51 win over Huffman in the semifinals at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena in March. He extinguished the Vikings’ last hopes by scoring 11 points in the game’s final two minutes. That wasn’t all. Toulitatos scored 13 points and bagged six rebounds to spark his team in its 54-51 win over Muscle Shoals in the championship final. He was named Most Valuable Player of the Class 6A Boys Final Four. For the season, Toulitatos averaged 15 points per game with three rebounds and two assists while pacing Homewood to a 30-6 record, climaxed by the school’s first-ever boys state crown in basketball. He
See Patrick, page 34
Journal photo by Marvin Gentry
By Lee Davis
Frances Patrick’s odyssey of winning began last fall in the state Class 7A cross-country meet. She won the individual championship and guided the Lady Spartans to a 13th consecutive state championship.
Luke Toulitatos averaged 15 points per game with three rebounds and two assists while pacing Homewood to a 30-6 record, climaxed by the school’s first-ever boys state crown in basketball.
See touliatatos, page 34
lee davis
Mountain Tigers
Former Area Stars Part of Auburn Softball Title Run Over the Mountain softball fans probably felt a little deja vu while watching Auburn University’s impressive finish in the College Softball World Series in Oklahoma City last week. Three former area stars – Hoover’s Madison Dickey and Marcy Harper and Mountain Brook’s Courtney Shea – were all part of a Tiger team that won the Southeastern Conference and went on to finish runner-up behind eventual champion Oklahoma in the CSWS. Shea was a former All-Over the Mountain choice for the Spartans while Dickey and Harper earned Girl Over the Mountain Athlete of the Year honors during their tenures with the Lady Bucs. The good news for Auburn fans is that Shea will return for her junior season. Dickey and Harper’s college careers ended when the final out was made against the Sooners. All three had interesting paths that lead them to Auburn. Shea is the daughter of Richard Shea, who starred at Mountain Brook and Auburn in football. Dickey transferred to Auburn after playing two years at Samford University. Harper is a life-long Tiger fan who dreamed of playing softball on the Plain as a child. Each saw their dreams come true in 2016, as part of a CSWS team. The success of all three is a good barometer of where softball in our area is on the pecking order of girls sports. For years, girls soccer and See tigers, page 35
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