September 19, 2013

The Suburban Newspaper for Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County

OVER THE MOUNTAIN

inside

JOU RNAL otmj.com

th

ursd ay, September 19, 2013

V ol . 23 #18

Adopt-a-Golden fundraiser will help homeless dogs

about town page 6

Family bonds—and learns— during cross-country trip

people page 12

An antique Oushak rug in Paige Albright’s living room sets off a pair of needlepoint chairs that the rug expert originally bought for her shop, Paige Albright Orientals in Mountain Brook Village. The bookcases are filled with favorite books and blue-and-white china pieces, which Albright said she started collecting as a college student at the University of Alabama.

Meet the Tastemaker

Paige Albright of Mountain Brook worked in the residential design industry for eight years before opening Paige Albright Orientals on Petticoat Lane in Crestline Village in 2007. The shop has one of the largest selections of Oriental rugs in the Southeast, and Albright is regarded locally as a leading rug expert.

Floor Plans

Renowned architect and author Bobby McAlpine will be the featured speaker of the 2013 Red Diamond Lecture Series. See page 28.

social page 19

Paige Albright Loves Sharing Her Love for Oriental Rugs Story by Donna Cornelius • Photos by Lee Walls Jr. Oriental rugs do double duty, according to Paige Albright.

Antiques at the Gardens will feature tastemakers, regionally and nationally known designers. Step inside the homes of Dana Wolter and Mark Kennamer and find out why they’ve been tapped to share their talents.

Stories begin on page 22.

More than 300 help Winnataska mark 95th anniversary

“Rugs are the one thing that ties everything else together,” Albright said. “A rug can warm up your space.”

But carefully-chosen rugs are more than just floor coverings.

“The study of Oriental rugs is very historical,” Albright said. “Rugs are made in specific regions, and it’s how people expressed their artwork.”

The owner of Paige Albright Orientals in Mountain Brook Village combines her knowledge of rugs with a gift for interior design. She was an art history major at the University of Alabama and then worked in design, she said. She opened her shop on Petticoat Lane in 2007.

“I fell in love with rugs,” Albright said. “You learn new things, and I love discussing the weave, the pattern and the artwork.”

Albright is one of this year’s tastemakers at the Antiques at The Gardens show. The event is Oct. 3-6 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

At the show, Albright will create a space she’s calling “Return to Mecca.”

The theme, she said, is a nod to architect and author Bobby McAlpine, a fellow tastemaker and the show’s featured lecturer. With Jane Schwab and Cindy Smith, McAlpine is curating an area called “Welcome Home.”

Those who visit Albright’s space “will see Moroccan and Turkish pieces,” she said. “We’ll take lots of pretty pieces, soft pieces and add pops of color.”

A tent, she said, will give her display the atmosphere of a Moroccan bazaar.

See Floor plans, page 27

Architect Bill Ingram wins major awards and opens new office

business page 36

Vestavia’s Anderson reaches milestone with 300th win

sports page 40

country club of birmingham set to host tournament p. 10 • hoover schools consider bus options p. 10 • patriot day in pictures p. 14

2 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

Opinion/Contents

A day for remembering

A giant American flag was suspended between two fire truck ladders from Mountain and Vestavia Hills at the Patriot Day ceremony in Mountain Brook. Please see page 14 for more from the event.

Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr.

On otmj.com Browse through more stories and photos online and don’t forget to check us out on Facebook for all the latest OTM news and events.

Coming Oct. 3

Up next, we’ll take a look at the well-being of women in our annual Women’s Health issue.

in this issue About Town 4 NEWS 10 People 12 Social 16

weddings 30 Schools 32 Business 36 Sports 40

OVER THE MOUNTAIN

J O U R N A L September 19, 2013

Publisher: Maury Wald Editor: Keysha Drexel Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Office Manager: Christy Wald 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 Intern: Jessica Jones Vol. 23, No. 18

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 ads@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com.

Copyright 2013 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.

murphy’s law

I

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Close Enough

olds or women counting their carbs. threw away my spaghetti meaThree-year-olds want a cookie suring gadget. After all these for each hand. Weight-conscious years, I think I have a pretty women…actually, they want the good handle on how much pasta same thing but feel compelled to add I need for two people, or four, or that they really shouldn’t but they 11, if a football team ever shows just have to have one more because up on my doorstep at dinnertime. their blood sugar is plummeting or I gauge my linguini in handfuls, their willpower is low or they feel which turns out close enough. One sure that their scale is off by five noodle here or there doesn’t matter. pounds anyway.

I’m estimating, using previous Time estimates can go either experience to make a reasonable way. If you plan to arrive at the guess. It’s a useful skill to have, but grocery store at 10 and don’t arrive being a math person, it drove me until 10:05, it’s okay. If you arrive crazy when they forced it on me in at 10:05 for a 10 a.m. job interview, grade school. How many marbles Sue Murphy you might as well not have shown are in the jar? Dump them onto the up at all. table and find out. But no, we Time estimates can go If you miss your mother’s had to turn the jar over and over, birthday by a day, she’ll forgive count the marbles in a specified either way. If you plan you...probably. Hallmark has area, eyeball the probable number to arrive at the grocery a whole line of cards for that of specified areas in the jar and eventuality. But if you miss multiply. I consoled myself with store at 10 and don’t Thanksgiving dinner by a day, the fact that, unless a specified number of people wanted to play arrive until 10:05, it’s your drumstick will go to somebody else. Sorry, Charlie.

Chinese checkers simultaneously, okay. If you arrive at And then there are times the marble estimate was close enough.

10:05 for a 10 a.m. job when an estimate simply won’t do. Skyscraper construction When they moved on to “estiinterview, you might (witness the Tower of Pisa), mate the product of 40 x 43,” I balked. It made no sense to as well not have shown bridal gown dimensions (It’ll be fine honey. Just try not to guesstimate if you had the coordiup at all. breathe.) and if you’re off by as nates right in front of you. little as a quarter inch on a lunar Now that I am a civilian landing, you’ll be watching the grownup and don’t run into 40 x craters whiz by in your blind spot mirror.

43 all that much, I confess that I estimate a lot more Time and space. Sometimes an estimate is okay, often, like during my Highway 280 treks, when I estimate the number of car lengths between my vehi- sometimes it isn’t.

The Over the Mountain Journal operates on a cle and the one in front of me. (Too few brings rearend liability. Too many and cars shoot in front of me, production deadline, and I pride myself on delivering my columns on time. The format allows for a specislam on their brakes and take me back to step one.) fied amount of space and will only hold a specified Sometimes forging a workable estimate requires amount of letters, so I always shoot for 580 words, additional information. I can estimate how many but this one came in at 581, so I’m hoping that my chocolate chip cookies I will need for a party, but I editor will say, “That’s close ❖ need to know whether those people will be 3-year-

over the Mountain Views

What’s your favorite part of the fall season?

“My favorites are football, the cool weather and Halloween. I like Halloween because it gives me the chance to be a kid again.”

Josh Hand Inverness

“The cooler weather and the changing leaves are my favorite parts.”

“I like fall attire. I can start to dress the way I want to dress. I can step it up a bit.”

Lara McKinney Homewood

Lynn Guy Hoover

“I like how Birmingham has outdoor festivals and a lot more outdoor activities (this time of year).”

Ashley Heidger Homewood

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 3

About Town

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4 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

By Keysha Drexel

W

Journal editor

hen the music starts at a pregame show at Waldrop Stadium on Sept. 27, a Homewood mother and daughter will be among the multiple generations of Homewood High School Patriot Band alumni reuniting to honor current band members for being selected to perform at the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s Day. Kelli Casey Gunnells, who was a Star Spangled Girl at Homewood High School, and her daughter, Kameron Gunnells, who was a Patriot Color Guard member, will perform with other former band members at an alumni reunion show before the kickoff of the game against Wetumpka.

The reunion performance was organized by Chris Morrow, who was the band’s drum major in 1992.

The pregame show will include performances by instrumentalists, Star Spangled Girls, majorettes and Patriot Color Guard members who graduated from Homewood High School between 1972 and 2013--like Kelli and Kameron.

Kelli was a Star Spangled Girl from 19791982, and Kameron was a member of the color guard from 2009-2013. Both women said they regard their experiences as members of the Patriot band as some of the best in their lives.

“The opportunities I had as a member of the band gave me memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” Kelli said. “I got to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade twice, and that’s something that I’ll never forget.”

Kameron also had the chance to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as a Homewood band member but said some of her fondest memories aren’t from performances in New York City.

Instead, Kameron said, she most cherishes the memories she made at Waldrop Stadium.

“I loved that feeling of being out there on the 50-yard line, and everything is going exactly the way you practiced it for so long and the crowd is cheering for you. It was such an amazing feeling,” she said.

Kameron loved the thrill of performing so much that she’s continuing her love of taking to the field as a member of the color guard team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she is a freshman studying industrial distribution.

And while Kameron said she wouldn’t give anything for all she learned and experienced as a Homewood band member, she admitted that as a high school freshman, she wasn’t too keen on the idea.

Back in Step About Town

Mother and Daughter Will March Together in Homewood High Band Reunion Show of hard work, “When I Kameron said. was getting “Being a ready to go into member of the the ninth grade, band taught me I really didn’t a good work think I wanted ethic. It taught to be in the me about being band, but my a good team mom told me member and that it was so doing my part great that there and working was no way hard towards a I could miss goal. Those are being a part of lessons that I it, so she kind will carry with of forced me to me for the rest try out for color of my life and guard. I also Kameron Gunnells, left, and her mother, Kelli Casey Gunnells that will help didn’t want to will perform together at the Homewood High School Patriot try out for the Band alumni reunion on Sept. 27. Photo special to the Journal by Amanda Knerr. me in so many ways,” she said. show choir, but Kameron she also consaid her favorvinced me to do ite part about that,” Kameron being in the said.

Patriot band Following was the sense her mom’s of family and advice proved support she to be the right received from decision, not only other Kameron said. band mem“I ended bers but the up absolutely Homewood loving being community as a in color guard, Kelli Casey Gunnells was Kameron Gunnells was a whole. and I loved a Star Spangled Girl at member of the Patriot Color “The supbeing in the Homewood High School Guard from 2009-2013. port and love show choir, so Photos special to the Journal from 1978-1982. for the band in my mom was Homewood is just amazing,” she said. right on both counts,” she said.

That support comes not only from school Kelli said she knew her daughter would enjoy officials and parents but also from folks like being a part of the band as much as she had.

Annie Laura Burton, who has volunteered her “When you look back on your life, the things services as a seamstress to keep the Patriot band you remember are the things that were positive looking sharp for 41 years. and meaningful, and that was my band experiBurton, 84, will be honored at the reunion ence and I wanted that for my daughter, too,” she performance on Sept. 27. said. “There’s nothing like taking the field and “The community really rallies behind the hearing them announce the band. There’s a sense band, and we’re lucky to live in a community of pride that goes along with being a member of that has such strong support for the arts,” Kelli the Homewood band.” said.

That sense of pride is earned through a lot

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

And even though she no longer has a child in the school, Kelli said she’s as committed to ever to helping the band any way she can.

“The band is just a part of our lives here in Homewood, and we’re one of the top music education schools in the country. It’s important to all of us, whether we have a child in the band or not,” she said.

Both Kelli and Kameron said they are looking forward to reuniting with their former bandmates at the reunion performance.

“It will be fun to see everybody again and to see how the band has grown and changed just since I was there last year,” Kameron said.

Both women have been busy practicing routines that the alumni will perform at the pregame show. Kelli and Kameron have been working on the choreography for the show and are sharing the moves with alumni through YouTube so everyone has a chance to practice before the show.

“Just like when I was in the band, it’s about pride, professionalism and preparation. Some of us haven’t been a member of the band in a long time, but that dedication to doing it right doesn’t go away,” Kelli said.

Kameron said she’s already seeing how that dedication to professionalism and preparation is helping her in her studies at UAB. “I was a color guard captain one year and co-captain one year, and it really taught me a lot about being a leader. I use those skills every day at college because I’ve learned how to work with different people who have a common goal,” she said.

Kelli, an agent with RealtySouth, said being a member of the Homewood High School band taught her lessons that serve her well both professionally and personally.

“I learned that every time you do something, you give it everything you have,” she said. “You don’t just walk through life just like you don’t walk through a halftime show. You march and play and twirl and dance with all that you have and work as hard as you can to be the best you can.”

The band alumni will rehearse for the pregame show at Homewood High School at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 27 and perform at 7 p.m. The reunion fun will continue on Sept. 28 with a picnic from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the West Homewood Park pavilion. Those attending the picnic should bring their own lunches, but beverages will be on sale.

Proceeds from the picnic’s beverage sales will go to the Homewood High School band’s uniform fund.

For more information, contact Chris Morrow at hhspatriotbandreunion@gmail.com. ❖

Save the Date

american classic Birmingham

“To Kill A Mockingbird” Sept. 19-22 Virginia Samford Theatre The Virginia Samford Theatre will present the stage version of “To Kill A Mockingbird” in conjunction with the city of Birmingham’s 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement. Performances will include the appearance of associates from eight Birmingham law firms playing the role of jurors. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. on Sept. 19-21 and from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Sept. 22.

Adult tickets are $25-30 and tickets for students 18 and younger are $20. Virginia Samford Theatre is located at 116 26th Street South. For more information, visit www. virginiasamfordtheatre.org or call 251-1206.

From left: Jack Robbins, Rodney Clark and Cece Kelly will perform in the stage version of “To Kill A Mockingbird” Sept. 19-22 at Virginia Samford Theatre in Birmingham. Photo special to the Journal

Birmingham

Dedication Ceremony Sept. 19, 10 a.m.

The Lovelady Center The Lovelady Center will host a dedication ceremony in honor of the late Steve Wald on Sept. 19 at 10 a.m.

Wald, a former teacher and coach in the Vestavia Hills school system was a volunteer at the center and was in the process of raising money for new basketball goals for the children at the center when he passed away suddenly. Donations to the center in Wald’s memory paid for new basketball goals. For more information, visit www. loveladycenter.org.

Mountain Brook

Cahaba Village for a Cure Sept. 19, 6-8 p.m.

Cahaba Village The Mountain Brook Chamber of

Commerce and the merchants of Cahaba Village will host the fourth annual Cahaba Village for a Cure event to benefit North Central Alabama Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The event will be from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 19 and will feature live entertainment, food and the opportunity to sign up for the annual Race for the Cure in Linn Park on Oct. 12. For more information, visit www.welcometomountainbrook.com or komenncalabama.org.

Mountain Brook

Parenting the Teenage Driver Workshop Sept. 19, 6:30-8 p.m.

Mason BOE Building Dale Wisely will conduct a workshop on parenting teenage drivers on Sept.

19 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Charles Mason Board of Education Building in Crestline. For more information, email

studentservices@mtnbrook.k12.al.us or call 877-8349.

Homewood

The Exceptional Foundation Art Show and Auction Sept. 19, 6-9 pm.

The Exceptional Foundation The Alabama Society of CPAs Birmingham Young CPA chapter will present the Exceptional Foundation Art Show and Auction from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 19 at the Exceptional Foundation in Homewood. Special needs program participants create art to sell at the event. Proceeds enable the foundation to keep program fees affordable. Guests will be treated to music, wine, beer and a variety of food donated by local restaurants. Silent auction donations will include artwork by Exceptional Foundation participants, a local artists’ section and items donated by local businesses. Tickets are $35.

For more information, visit www. exceptionalfoundation.org.

Birmingham

Hate Project Art Installation Sept. 19-26 Birmingham-Southern College The Hate Project, an art exhibition

by Birmingham-Southern College art history professor and Hoover resident Steve Cole, is on display at the college’s Durbin Gallery through Sept. 26. The installation maps the 1,007 hate groups currently active in the United States and was supported by a grant from the Associated Colleges of the South. For gallery hours and more information, visit www.bsc.edu.

Vestavia Hills

Whale of a Sale Children’s Consignment Sale Sept. 19-20 Vestavia Hills UMC Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church will host its 10th annual Whale of a Sale children’s consignment sale on Sept. 19-20 in the Lighthouse Gym. The event will run from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 19 and from 9 a.m.6 p.m. on Sept. 20. From 4-6 p.m. on Sept. 20, most items will be half price. Admission is free. Sellers and volunteers get to shop first. For more information, visit www.thewhaleofasale. com. To register or to volunteer, visit www.myconsignmentmanager.com/ whaleofasale.

Hoover

Music Under the Stars Sept. 20, 6 p.m.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church St. Mark’s Episcopal Church will host Music Under the Stars at 6 p.m. on Sept. 20. The event will feature music by Birmingham jazz greats Top Secret with Shaun Pezant, Cleve Eaton and the Alabama All-Stars and the Birmingham Heritage Band. Those attending are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. VIP seating is available with advance ticket purchases for $37 and includes dinner from Taziki’s. For tickets or more information, visit stmarks.dioala.org or call 322-8449.

Homewood

An Evening with Rick Bragg Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m.

Rosewood Hall Rick Bragg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and author of the bestselling

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 5

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

memoirs “All Over but the Shoutin’” and “Ava’s Man,” will be at Rosewood Hall in Homewood on Sept. 20 for a fundraiser for the Friends of the Homewood Public Library. An Evening with Rick Bragg kicks off at 6:30 p.m. with Bragg’s presentation followed by a book signing. Refreshments will be served. Advance tickets are required.

Tickets are $25. Call 332-6625 or come by the Adult Services Department at the library to purchase tickets. All proceeds will support Friends of the Homewood Public Library.

Hoover

Fall TNT Sale Sept. 20-21

Riverchase United Methodist Church The Tried-N-True, or TNT, Kids’ Consignment Sale will be Sept. 20-21 at Riverchase United Methodist Church.

The sale will benefit the Riverchase Day School. For more information, visit Riverchase-tnt.com.

Birmingham

The Blues Comes to Birmingham Sept. 20, 7-10 p.m.

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Lovers of the blues can get their fill when the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame presents The Blues Comes to Birmingham from 7-10 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Carver Theatre. The event will feature live music from Henry “Gip” Gipson of

Gip’s Place and Todd Simpson with Mojo Child. Tickets are $10. For more information, call 327-9424.

Birmingham

Organ Recital Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Cathedral Church of the Advent Stephen Tharp, recipient of the 2011 International Performer of the Year Award by the New York City chapter of the American Guild of Organists, will perform in concert on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cathedral Church of the Advent. The concert is free. Tharpe will perform on the church’s 100-rank GriebWilliams organ. The church is at 2017 Sixth Ave. North, Birmingham. For more

Knowledge.

It can help the first course of treatment be the right course of treatment.

When you’re fighting cancer, it’s important to get the treatment right the first time. And that’s where knowledge comes in. At UAB, our team of specialists and sub-specialists bring to bear the resources of a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in a facility dedicated to women. The knowledge we have and share every day is creating breakthroughs and new treatments that are changing the world for women fighting cancer.

information, visit adventbirmingham.org.

Hoover

Paws for a Cause Sept. 21, 8 a.m.-noon Veterans Park The Animal League of Birmingham will host the fifth annual Paws for a Cause 5K Run from 8 a.m.-noon on Sept. 21 at Veterans Park in Hoover.

The event will also include a kids’ fun run and a pet walk. The event will benefit the Shelby Humane Society.

Medals and gift baskets will be awarded to the top winners, including four-legged participants. Registration is $30 for the 5K, $25 for the fun run and $35

About Town continues on page 7

To know more visit uabmedicine.org

6 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

From left: Gram Thornton, Eliza Thornton and Tracy Thornton of Vestavia Hills meet one of the dogs available for adoption through the Adopt-AGolden Birmingham nonprofit organization. Photos special to the Journal by Virginia Jones.

Adopt-a-Golden Fundraiser Will Help Homeless Dogs

By Cathy Adams

Journal contributor

“A Night of Golden Opportunities” is the theme for Adopt-a-Golden Birmingham’s second annual live and silent auction fundraiser on Sept. 24 from 6-9 p.m. at Iron City Grill on 22nd Avenue South.

The evening of food, drink and music will also include chances to bid on offerings ranging from luxury vacation packages to football tickets, fine wines and even a year of home plumbing maintenance.

The event supports second-chance

opportunities for an increasing number of surrendered and stray Golden Retrievers and Golden mixes finding

“forever homes” through AGB. In just under 18 months of existence, Adopt-a-Golden Birmingham has accepted 179 Golden “orphans”-averaging an intake of a dog a day in July alone--and has placed almost 150 in permanent homes.

The nonprofit group is staffed entirely by 40-50 volunteers who each donate 10-30 hours weekly. AGB must raise approximately $130,000 per year in operating expenses, most of which address medical conditions.

“We have fixed hips, torn ACLs, severe mange, spayed and neutered, vaccinated and rehabilitated,” AGB President Lorraine Donald said.

“Seeing the sparkle in their eyes and the stress lines disappear for dogs that are now happily thumping their tails and rolling over for belly rubs in forever homes says it all.”

Donald and John Sellers cofounded the local group at the urging of Adopt-a-Golden Atlanta, which was on intake overload with dozens of Alabama Goldens surrendered to Georgia each year.

The Birmingham-based rescue organization functions on a statewide basis, with teams of volunteer drivers ferrying rescues from shelters from Huntsville to Mobile.

In addition to thorough medical evaluations and treatment, all Goldens go through professional behavior analysis and spend a period of time in transitional foster care fine-tuning personality traits.

Prospective adopters know up front whether a dog gets along with cats and children, fears thunderstorms or loves to swim and chase tennis balls, resulting in a return rate of less than five per cent.

The program deals with dogs carrying a variety of “back stories.” The majority of surrenders are good dogs, immediately ready to take center stage in family life, given up due to circumstances beyond owner control.

Transfers out of town, housing shifts, allergic children, divorces and deaths or serious illnesses of owners are some of the situations forcing individuals to relinquish beloved pets, organization officials said.

There are, of course, the tragic cases of abuse, neglect and abandonment, and it’s in these instances that the volunteers double their efforts to rehabilitate and find the perfect placements, organization leaders said.

AGB met its “poster child” last May, when a 14-month-old Golden with a broken leg was thrown from a boat into the Coosa River to drown.

Watching her try unsuccessfully to swim after the boat, a Good Samaritan pulled her from the water, and when “Coosa’s” story went viral on Facebook, donations toward her necessary orthopedic surgeries poured in.

“Every day I am in awe of our volunteers, most of whom have full-time jobs and families, who give unselfishly to transport, foster, work with potential adopters, coordinate Adoption Day, post updates to social media, raise funds and meet any and all needs,” Donald Sellers said.

Tickets to “A Night of Golden Opportunities” are $100, with all proceeds going directly to AGB orphans.

For tickets or more information, visit www.adoptagoldenbirmingham. com or call 290-7788. ❖

dahliasocietyofalabama.org or call 9794755.

Save the Date Cont. for both. For more information, visit theanimalleagueofbirmingham.com.

Birmingham

Birmingham

Art On Stage Sept. 21, 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Birmingham Museum of Art The Birmingham Museum of Art and the Birmingham Art Association will present a second collaboration of Art On Stage from 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m. on Sept. 21 at the museum. Hosted by interior designer Steve Holmes, the event will allow audience members to experience the art-making process firsthand as artists including Doug Baulos, Eric Johnson, Tena Payne and Trent Jones put their skills to the test. Advance registration is required.

Tickets are $35. A continental breakfast and refreshments will be provided.

For more information, visit www. birminghamartassociation.org or www. artsbma.org.

ZooGala 2013 Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m.

Birmingham Zoo The Birmingham Zoo will host its largest fundraising event, ZooGala 2013, on Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Guests

will enjoy cocktails, dinner, live music and animal walkabouts in an Old Hollywood atmosphere. All proceeds directly benefit the zoo’s operational efforts. The black-tie optional affair will be held in the zoo’s signature exhibit, Trails of Africa. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m. with a seated dinner at 8 p.m. ZooGala will feature live entertainment by the John Williams

birminghamzoo.com. To buy tickets, visit the website or contact Kathy Vaughn at kvaughn@birminghamzoo.com or at 397-3861.

Quintet and The American Flyers Show Band, a menu by Iz Catering, decor

by Christopher Joseph Design and Walker Design Studio and featured jewelry by Empire Diamonds. The zoo’s African bull elephants will make special appearances throughout the evening.

For more information, visit www.

Hoover

CASI Alabama State Championship Cook-off

Run, Walk, CuRe

Vestavia Hills

Southern States Dahlia Show Sept. 21, 1-4 p.m.

Vestavia Hills Baptist Church The Southern States Dahlia Show will bring a feast of color to Vestavia Hills Baptist Church on Sept. 21. Dahlia growers from around the Southeast will enter their prize blooms in the competition. Members of the Dahlia Society of Alabama will be on hand to welcome visitors, answer questions and provide advice on growing showquality dahlias. The event runs from 1-4 p.m. at 2600 Vestavia Drive.

For more information, visit www.

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 7

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

North Shelby

Runners and walkers are ready to raise money to fight childhood cancer at Sebastian’s RunWalk for a Cure in Mt Laurel on Sept. 21.

Sebastian’s RunWalk for a Cure Sept. 21, 8:30 a.m.

Photo special to the Journal Mt Laurel Runners and walkers can raise money to fight childhood cancer at Sebastian’s RunWalk for a Cure on Sept. 21 in the town of Mt Laurel. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The 5K run/walk will start at 8:30 a.m. A one-mile fun run/family walk starts at 10 a.m. The event will also include food and children’s activities. The event is named in honor of Sebastian Lemos, a child who lost his battle with cancer in 2008. Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for ages 12 and younger.

For sponsorship opportunities and to register, visit www.sebastianrunwalk.org.

For more information, contact Kelley Burgess at kelly.burgess@childrensal.org or at 638-9008.

Beautiful Townhouse in the Heart of Hoover!

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Magic City AIDS Walk & 5K Run To: . 22 987-3516 Sunday September . 2013 From: Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 4:00 PM -7:00 PM Avondale205-824-1246, Park . fax Date:

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8 • Thursday, September 19, 2013 Sept. 22, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Aldridge Gardens Aldridge Gardens in Hoover will host the Chili Appreciation International, or CASI, Alabama State Championship Cook-off on Sept. 22. From 8 a.m.4 p.m., those attending can taste homemade chili from more than 15 cooks competing in the cook-off. The winner gets a trip to the national CASI Chili Cook-off in Terlingua, Texas, in November to compete for the national title. A portion of the proceeds will support Aldridge Gardens. For more information, visit aldridgegardens.com.

Birmingham

Magic City AIDS Walk and 5K Run

About Town Sept. 22, 4-7 p.m.

Avondale Park The 22nd annual Magic City AIDS Walk and 5K Run will be from 4-7 p.m. on Sept. 22 at Avondale Park. The free event is open to the community and will include performances by The Magic City Choral Society, the Birmingham Metro Youth Choir and Once in a Lifetime 80s Band. The family-friendly event will also include softball and kickball games, bounce houses, a hula-hoop fitness class, a cake walk, sunset yoga, a vendor fair and free health screenings from the UAB School of Medicine. The Melt food truck and Steel City Pops will also be on hand for the festivities.

The one-mile walk and the 5K start

at 6:15 p.m. There will be a closing ceremony immediately after the walk/ run and an after-party at Avondale Brewing Company. For the 5K run, the first runner to cross the finish line will win a pair of roundtrip Southwest Airline tickets to any destination serviced

by Southwest. To register or for more information, visit www.baoevents.org or www.birminghamaidsoutreach.org.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

wine and dine

Birmingham

Sukkot Harvest Festival Sept. 22, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Levite Jewish Community Center The Levite Jewish Community Center will host a Sukkot Harvest Festival from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Sept. 22. The family Sukkot celebration will include food trucks, music, preschool and youth activities and more. The festival is designed to educate, encourage and ignite a love for local foods and a celebration of the harvest. As part of the festival, a Punkin’ Chunkin’ contest will be held on the soccer field at 1 p.m. and is open to the community. For more information, visit www.bhamjcc.org.

Homewood

Alzheimer’s Awareness Support Program Sept. 22, 2 p.m.

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Homewood will host the Alzheimer’s Awareness Support Program at 2 p.m. on Sept. 22. The event will be held on the third floor of the church’s Family Life Center across from the parking deck.

The free event will have information on dementia care for patients and caregivers. The church is at 1728 Oxmoor Road. For more information, call 871-8121.

HOover

Horizons Luncheon Sept. 24, 11 a.m.

Hoover Senior Center The Hoover Senior Center will host the Horizons luncheon at 11 a.m. on Sept. 24. The center is at 400 Municipal Drive. For more information, visit www. hooveral.org or call 739-6700.

Birmingham

“Southern Exposure” Film Premiere Sept. 24, 7 p.m.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens The opening screening of “Southern Exposure,” a film that illustrates the

Birmingham

Sue DeBrecht, left, director of the Emmet O’Neal Library and Scott Atkinson, wine director at Western get ready for the Fall Wine and Food Festival on Sept. 27.

Western’s Fall Wine and Food Festival Photo special to the Journal Sept. 27, 6-9 p.m.

Birmingham Zoo Western’s Fall Wine and Food Festival will be from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the Birmingham Zoo. The event will feature more than 500 wines to taste with the winemakers on hand to answer questions. Chefs from the Jefferson State Community College Culinary Institute will serve dishes featuring local foods.

There will also be one-night-only deals on wine that can be pre-purchased and picked up at the store later. All proceeds benefit the Emmet O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook. Tickets are $50 in advance at all Western locations, online at www.eolib.org or at the Emmet O’Neal Library. Tickets are $60 at the door and $40 for groups of 10 or more. importance of Alabama’s natural resources, will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The film will cover a wide range of topics, including the effects of strip mining and the Forever Wild initiative. The event is free. For more information, visit southernenvironment. org/southernexposure.

Homewood

David Finckel and Wu Han Duo Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.

Samford University Brock Recital Hall The Birmingham Chamber Music Society and the Samford University School of the Arts Davis Architects Guest Artists Series will present the piano and cello duo of Wu Han and David Finckel at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 24.

The performance by the duo, who has been playing together for 30 years and married for 28 years, will be at Brock Recital Hall. Tickets are $25 or $10 for students. For more information, visit www.samford.edu/arts or call 726-2853.

Birmingham

Linly Heflin Scholarship Luncheon Sept. 25, noon Sheraton Birmingham Hotel

greek festival returns

Parishioners at Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral are busy cooking up traditional dishes for the 41st annual Greek Festival on Sept.

26-28. From left: Tasia Grammas, Despina Triantos, Nicki Jovaras, Vina Morros and Sue Graphos. Journal photo by Keysha Drexel

Khanh Nguyen, creative director and designer of the Nha Khanh collection, will present her latest fall/ winter designs at the 55th annual Linly Heflin Scholarship Luncheon, which begins at noon. The collection will be introduced by Gus Mayer, a longtime sponsor and partner of the Linly Heflin Unit. The event is the primary fundraiser for the Linly Heflin Scholarship program.

Megan LaRussa, fashion consultant and director of Southern Femme, will produce the fashion show. Wendy Garner, NBC 13’s Daytime Alabama host, will be the emcee. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling the Linly Heflin office at 871-8171. For more information, visit www.linlyheflin.org.

Birmingham

“Grease” Sept. 26-Oct. 20 Red Mountain Theatre Company The Red Mountain Theatre Company will present “Grease” Sept. 26-Oct. 20 at the Red Mountain Cabaret Theatre. The musical will feature the hits “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightning” and more. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Season tickets start at

Birmingham

41st Annual Greek Festival Sept. 26-28 Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral The 41st annual Greek Festival will be Sept. 26-28 at Holy TrinityHoly Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 307 19th St. South in Birmingham. In addition to Greek cuisine, those attending can enjoy live Greek music and dancing.

Festival hours are from 10:30 a.m.10 p.m. each day. The event is free, and food items are individually priced. The event will also feature the Greek Market Place with imported food, icons, fine jewelry and more. For a menu, visit www. birminghamgreekfestival.net. For more information, call 716-3088.

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 9

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Picnic and music in the gardens

Organizers are busy planning the annual Symphony 30 picnic at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Sept. 29. From left: Kelly Taylor, Caroline Reynolds, Emily Branum, Mary Goodrick and Sarah Johnson. Morgan Cook is not pictured.

Birmingham

Symphony 30 Picnic Sept. 29, 4 p.m.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Symphony 30, an auxiliary of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, will host its annual picnic on Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Proceeds benefit the ASO’s education, outreach and children’s programs.

Dinner will be provided by Jim ‘N Nick’s. The event includes a raffle, children’s activities and a symphony concert featuring selections such as “Carmen’s Hoedown” and “Star Trek.” Tickets are $70 per family or $25 each. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit symphony30.org.

$192. For more information, visit www. redmountaintheatre.org or call 3242424.

Hoover

Walk to Cure Diabetes Sept. 29, 2-5 p.m.

Veterans Park The JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes will be held at Hoover’s Veterans Park from 2-5 p.m. on Sept. 29. Registration starts at 1 p.m. The 5K walk begins at 2 p.m. Bill Connor of North Shelby, the president and chief executive officer of America’s First Federal Credit Union, is the event’s corporate chair. To find a team, register as a walker or make a donation, visit www2.jdrf.org or contact Shannon Turner at sturner@jdrf.org or 421-9964.

Birmingham

ROAR Meet & Greet Luncheon Oct. 1, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fleming’s Steakhouse ROAR and the Southeast Cancer Foundation are hosting the Team Up

Photo special to the Journal

Grand openinG october 12-13!!!

Against Cancer Meet & Greet Luncheon on Oct. 1 at Fleming’s Steak House.

Jimmy Koikos of the Bright Star restaurant and Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club will attend the event along with Alabama and Auburn football legends, including Mike Kolen, Terry Henley, Al Del Greco, Ben Tamburello, Jerry Duncan, Bobby Chris Hastings Humphrey, Kermit Kendrick and Tyler Watts. Herb Winches will emcee the event, which will run from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Those attending will have a chance to take pictures with the football legends. Tickets are $125. For more information, visit www. southeastcancer.org or contact Yvonne Pope at 967-9488. ❖

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To: From: Date:

Jeremy Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax Aug. 2013 This is your AD prOOF from the Over The MOunTAin JOurnAl for the Sept. 5, 2013 issue. please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.

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.

Thank you for your prompt attention.

News

10 • Thursday, August 8, 2013

u Over the Mountain

Mid-Amateur Golf Tournament Is Coming to Birmingham

By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

While the Country Club of Birmingham has hosted a multitude of golf tournaments, organizers say the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur golf championship that will be played at the club Oct. 5-10 will give Over the Mountain and Birmingham area golf enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The tournament will include 264 qualifiers from all around the country who will come to Birmingham to play for a chance to go to the Masters, said Richard Anthony, general chairman of the event.

“It’s a very significant event,” Anthony said. “The quality of play will be really high, and with the free admission, we’re giving people access to a great course and great players that will provide them with an opportunity they might never have otherwise.”

The event not only will give golf enthusiasts a chance to watch high quality golf but also will bring a lot of attention--and potentially, money--to the Birmingham metro area, said Stephen Bradley, a spokesman for the tournament.

“I think there will be an economic impact. We’ve got all these players and their families and friends coming from out of town, and they’ll be spreading the word about our community when they go back to New York or California or St. Louis,” Bradley said. “There’s a rough calculation that the tournament will make a $1.5 million impact on the local economy, and that’s a conservative estimate.”

The national media will also be in town to cover the tournament, Bradley said, including crews from the Golf Channel.

As the tournament date nears, Anthony said he’s been busy coordinating the efforts of the more than 400 volunteers who have agreed to help out at the event.

“Almost all of the volunteers are club members,” Anthony said. “The club was sort of hungry and ripe for this opportunity and this experience, so our volunteers are extremely excited and motivated. We definitely didn’t have to beat our membership over the head to get them to volunteer.”

Anthony said his 10-year-old grandson is even caught up in the excitement and asked his grandfather to find a way he could help out at the tournament next month.

“He asked me the other day to give him a job at the tournament. He’s really excited about it, and I think that kind of excitement is infectious and we’re all feeling it right now,” he said.

Part of that excitement is because Anthony said he feels the tournament will be the perfect way to showcase the local golf community and show that Alabama is not only a great football state but a great state for golf as well.

Country Cub of Birmingham president, Don Plosser; general chairman of the event Richard Anthony and Hall of Fame golfer Hubert Green recently met with members of the media to discuss the upcoming Mid-Amateur golf tournament. Journal photo by Maury Wald

“We have earned a good reputation for being a great golf community. We know there is an interest out there, and we’re confident we can attract people to come out and watch,” he said.

Bradley said several Over the Mountain residents will be competing in the tournament, including Steven Groover of Hoover, Clint Provost and Will Swift of Vestavia Hills and Bo Farlow of Mountain Brook.

Six other players from Alabama have qualified for the tournament, including players from Fairhope, Trussville, Birmingham, Irondale and Montgomery, Bradley said.

After playing practice rounds on Oct. 3-4, the starting field of golfers will play two rounds of stroke play with the low 64 advancing to match play.

The first round of stroke-play qualifying is Oct. 5 and the second round will be Oct. 6.

The first round of match play will be Oct. 7, followed by the third and fourth rounds on Oct. 8.

The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of match play will be Oct. 9. The 36-hole championship match is slated for Oct. 10.

Nathan Smith of Pittsburgh, Pa., will be defending his title at the tournament. He became the first four-time winner of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship with his victory over Canada’s Garrett Rank at Conway Golf Farms in Illinois.

Spectator shuttles to and from the golf course will pick and deliver those coming out to watch the tournament.

Shuttle stops will be at the Birmingham Zoo and the Junior League parking lots.

For more information, visit www.usga.org. ❖

u Homewood

Centennial Building to be Demolished

By William C. Singleton III Journal Contributor

The old vacant Centennial Building at the corner of West Valley Avenue and Bagby Drive will be torn down to make way for a possible Homewood Public Safety building in the future.

The Homewood City Council voted Aug. 12 to demolish the vacant office building at 90 Bagby Drive. The building had previously been owned

by Regions and came along with the adjacent property the city purchased in 2004 to build a fleet maintenance

facility.

At that time, Homewood officials stated that they acquired the Bagby property for future city needs.

Homewood had considered partnering with Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills to build a regional jail, and the Centennial Building property was considered a possible site, said Homewood Mayor Scott McBrayer.

Homewood officials investigated whether the building could be renovated but discovered it would be too costly.

“It was going to be upwards of $4 million just to renovate,” the mayor

said. “And it couldn’t be used for any kind of public safety facility because you can’t retrofit that building because the codes have changed since it was built.”

Discussions about a regional jail have since fallen by the wayside.

“That piece of property wouldn’t work with three cities, but it will with one,” McBrayer said. “But that (a public safety facility) is a little further down the road.”

The city has agreed to pay Tomlin Excavating $50,000 to demolish the building.

J.J. Bischoff, the mayor’s administrative assistant, said he expects the building to be demolished in the next 30-45 days. ❖

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

u Hoover

School Superintendent Looking at Private Bus Service Options

By William C. Singleton III Journal contributor

Hoover City School Superintendent Andy Craig said he’s talking with private transportation companies about providing fee-based bus service for the 2014-15 school year.

Hoover school officials voted in July to eliminate bus service in the 2014 school year, citing rising costs and declining revenues. Bus service to special needs children will remain.

School officials say eliminating bus service for most of its students would save about $2.5 million annually.

The decision has generated a visceral reaction throughout the community as residents have packed council and school board meeting accusing school officials of wanting to purge the education district of its poor and more academically-challenged students. Parents also say eliminating buses will make traveling to school more dangerous for students.

Craig and supporting school board members say eliminating bus service is one of several cost-cutting measures they will undertake to get a handle of growing school deficits. The school system has run multimilliondollar deficits for several years.

The school board on Sept. 10 approved a $167 million operating budget for the 2013-2014 calendar year but anticipates using $17 million from reserve funds to balance the budget. Within three years, however, the school system will have no funds left to tap into unless it increases revenue and eliminates spending, Craig said.

Residents recently addressed Craig and the school board, pleading for them to restore bus service. Craig said the school system is looking at ways to provide transportation. School officials have considered charging parents for bus service, but that has too many legal hurdles, Craig said.

Instead, the superintendent said, he is talking with a private company about the possibility of providing bus service.

“The scenario I mentioned would be independent of the school district,” Craig told parents at the school board meeting. The company “would contract directly with parents to provide transportation, similar to the way folks take advantage of daycare services to provide transportation.”

Craig would not reveal the identity of the specific company he favors but said it’s not out of Huntsville or Tuscaloosa.

When residents asked about liability and background checks of the company and its employees, Craig said, “The ones we’ve talked to are very experienced in public school transportation. The references I’ve gotten are very positive.”

The company would work with

parents directly, and the school system would act as a facilitator, Craig said.

Craig said he didn’t know the cost of such services, but Lisa Chasteen, a Hoover school bus driver with three children at Spain Park High, said based on her research, it would cost about $400 per child per school year. That would be too expensive for many Hoover families, she said.

“It’s public schools,” Chasteen said. “They can’t start charging us to go to school. And to me, bring your own iPad, pay for your own bus, that’s the beginning of requiring a cover charge to attend schools.”

Craig said the school system is looking at ways to increase revenues, including the possibility of property and sales taxes hikes. A 1 cent sales tax increase would generate about $20 million annually based on his calculations, Craig said. A property tax increase has also been mentioned.

Hoover City Councilman Gene Smith raised the issue at a public hearing on the school system’s 20132014 budget. Craig said he’s been in discussions with Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey on a number of issues, including possible “revenue enhancements.”

“I think the capacity is there for revenue enhancements, but it’s going to take a comprehensive approach,” Craig said, referring to funding cuts and revenue-generating measures.

School officials are looking at cuts in other areas, including teachers’ salaries and the number of teachers within the Hoover system. Hoover pays more than the state pays for teachers, Craig said.

“We’re going to have to embark on more aggressive cost-containment strategies,” he said.

While many Hoover parents acknowledged the school system needs to do something to contain costs, they don’t believe eliminating buses should be among those cuts.

“If you don’t provide busing in a city that is 50 miles wide and in a strange screwy little amoeba-shape, how do you expect people to get to school?” said Pam MacDougall, who has a son who graduated and a daughter who attends Hoover schools.

She said the board’s decision impacts all homeowners, whose property values will decrease, and will make roads near schools unsafe.

“This is a dangerous decision you guys have made,” she said.

Dana Clement, the Alabama Education Association representative for Hoover, said the board’s decision to eliminate bus service and let go its bus drivers is chipping away at the family atmosphere of the community and the school system.

“I don’t think you’re going to destroy Hoover schools by the decisions you are making,” she said, “But you are weakening the fabric of the education you provide.” ❖

u over the mountain

Ready for Play: Miracle Field Gets New Name

By William C. Singleton III Journal contributor

The new baseball field at Hoover East for special needs children has a new name.

The Hoover Parks and Recreation Board named the field Over the Mountain Miracle League at Hoover Field.

The name reflects the league that will use the field as well as its location and its major sponsor.

“Over the Mountain League will operate the league, but Hoover is the biggest contributor who helped build the field,” said Matt Bearden, president of the Over the Mountain Miracle League.

The city of Hoover contributed $300,000 toward the construction of the field. The league is raising money to maintain the fields and keep the league running.

The field’s surface is made of rubber with flat bases, which makes it more suitable for children with walkers, crutches or wheelchairs.

The field is located near Hoover East’s other fields for recreational baseball leagues.

The field follows the design of other Miracle Fields supported by the Miracle League, a national organization committed to expanding the dream of playing baseball to special needs children.

Bearden said the Over the Mountain Miracle League didn’t really seek to have the field named. However, the parks and recreation board members wanted to name the field, and Miracle League officials said they only wanted to make sure the name wouldn’t be confusing. They wanted the field to be

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 11

NEWS

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

identified with the Over the Mountain Miracle League because the league appeals to special needs children throughout the area, not just Hoover.

Calling it the Hoover Miracle League, for example, would have made some people think it was just for Hoover residents or that there was a local league competing with the Over the Mountain Miracle League, officials said.

“We weren’t really concerned about naming the field,” Bearden said. “We just wanted to avoid any confusion.”

The league plans to start fall play on Sept. 29 to coincide with the Hoover Athletic Association’s fall baseball schedule. The league is scheduled to play three Sundays this fall and then hopes to have a full league in the spring.

Bearden said he doesn’t know how many children will sign up for the league. League officials plan to contact Mitchell’s Place, the Exceptional Foundation, Glenwood Inc. Autism and Behavioral Health Center and large churches with special needs ministries to find out if there are children who might want to participate in the league.

“The idea is to get the word out through those organizations, those schools, those congregations to let them know what’s going on, because in the spring we want to have a full-blown season,” Bearden said. “We want to have as many teams as we can support.”

Over the Mountain Miracle League’s registration for its fall baseball season is now open. Visit the league’s website at www.otmmiracleleague. org or send an email to info@otmmiracleleague.org for information about registration. ❖

u vestavia hills

City Approves $33 Million Budget

By William C. Singleton III Journal contributor

The Vestavia Hills City Council last week approved a $33 million general fund budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year which includes a 2 percent cost of living increase for employees.

The city also agreed to absorb nearly $900,000 in health insurance increases instead of passing those on to its employees.

Council President Steve Ammons said the budget reflects better times

for Vestavia Hills after revenues were hit hard during the recession.

“When we took office in 2008, we had to immediately cut $1.2 million out of the budget,” he said. “We have more money now. The best sales tax we’ve ever had has been this year.

That’s been a blessing. It has allowed us to do more not only for the citizens but for the employees.”

However, Ammons added, the council and mayor haven’t gone on a spending spree in the new budget.

“We’re still conservative with our

revenue numbers (and projects) and with the people’s money,” he said.

The council also passed a capital improvements budget of more than $933,400.

The capital improvements budget will allow the city to catch up on its vehicle replacement program, which had gone by the wayside because of the recession, Ammons said.

“We’re able to get another ladder truck (for the fire department) that was overdue,” he said.

The capital projects budget also includes money for flood mitigation in Cahaba Heights and opportunities for economic development, Ammons said. ❖

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u Mountain Brook

Tidwell Honored for 25 Years of Service to City

By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

The Mountain Brook City Council recently honored one of its employees for his quarter century of service to the city.

On Sept. 9, the council adopted a resolution honoring Joseph Lyman Tidwell, who has been the city’s Parks/Recreation Superintendent for 25 years.

Tidwell is officially retiring on Sept. 30.

The resolution approved by the council stated that under Tidwell’s leadership, the parks/recreation department grew from five to 16 employees and applauded him for creating the department’s first brochure to tell residents about Mountain Brook parks and recreation facilities.

The resolution also stated that Tidwell was instrumental in the sidewalk construction at Jemison Park and the completion of the Mountain Brook High School athletic complex.

Also during his tenure, Tidwell played a key role in the construction

of two new parks/recreation facilities in Mountain Brook that added 22 acres of turf grass and additional playing fields under the Community Fields Project, according to the resolution.

Tidwell also spearheaded efforts to add water fountains to Jemison Park, restroom facilities to Overton Park and a playing field at Mountain Brook Elementary School.

He was Lyman Tidwell also instrumental in the city’s purchase of property for the future development of Cahaba River Park.

Tidwell will be replaced by Shanda Williams, the former horticulture maintenance supervisor for Center Point.

Williams, who has a degree in horticulture from Auburn University, will begin her new job on Oct. 1. ❖

For over 50 years Alabama Power’s rates have been below the national average, but there are still some easy things you can do around your home to save money and energy.

1

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Gaps and cracks around doors, windows, pipes, attic stairs, electrical outlets, and vents allow warm air to seep out of your home.

Inspect obvious places such as doors and windows for air leaks. Check hidden offenders such as around electrical outlets and places where pipes or vents enter the home.

Caulk around pipes, vents and electrical outlets. Use a paintable caulk inside and one rated for damp locations if the area comes into contact with the elements.

Add or replace weather-stripping around doors and windows. Select a product specific to your location. Always be sure the door or window remains easy to operate.

Scan the code or visit AlabamaPower.com/save for more seasonal energy savings ideas.

© 2013 Alabama Power Company

POWI-3243 Weatherstripping_5.75.indd 1

8/16/13 11:31 AM

12 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

People

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Western Union

OTM Family Bonds--and Learns--during Cross-country Trip

Assisted Living FAciLity

R

From left: Rob, Julia, Carson and Melinda Rouleau included a stop at the Canadian side of Niagara Falls on their summer trip. The family traveled 5,000 miles through 18 states during their vacation. Photos special to the Journal

idgeview Assisted Living is equipped with a welcoming homelike environment with many entertaining and personal spaces. The facility is equipped with a computer room, library, and living room. We also have a private dining room for special occasions or just a family meal. All private baths are wheelchair accessible. All rooms provide a nice private view.

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By Keysha Drexel

R

Journal editor

ob and Melinda Rouleau could have taken their two children on another family vacation to the beach over the summer.

Instead, the Mountain Brook parents embarked on a three-week trek to show their kids the country and to instill in them the idea of lifelong learning.

Rob, Melinda and their children, Julia and Carson, traveled 5,000 miles through 18 states during their summer vacation, and the closest to beach bumming they came was visiting all five Great Lakes.

“We thought about going to the beach--again--but it didn’t really appeal to us this year,” Rob said. “We wanted to go someplace new and really show the kids as much of the country as we could.”

Rob, who recently turned 50, said seeing all 50 U.S. states is something on his bucket list, and he thought a family trip would give him the perfect opportunity to tick some states off his list and make lasting memories with his children.

“Some of the best memories I have from my childhood are our family trips. We went to so many different places to see things, to experience things and to learn things. I wanted the same thing for my kids,” he said.

Melinda, who is in her 14th year as a math teacher at Homewood High School, said combining learning with a family trip was an idea she immediately supported.

“The kids have been studying the presidents in school and we’re all really into history, so we knew we wanted to go to Mount Rushmore,” she said. “It’s one of those places you always talk about going to but somehow, you never make it there. That was a major priority on this trip--to show the kids that you need to get out and see new places and keep learning.”

And there was no better time to take an epic family vacation than this past summer, Melinda said.

“Julia is 12 and Carson is 8, and so there will be very few opportunities to take long trips like this in the future as they get more involved with school activities that spill over into the summer months,” she said.

“I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to really spend some quality time with them traveling and discovering new things together and building memories with them.”

One of the family’s first destinations was Niagara Falls.

“I’d always wanted to see Niagara Falls, and making that part of the trip was important to me. We got to see the falls from both the American and the Canadian side. It was just incredible,” Melinda said.

The trip to the Canadian side of the falls was one of Julia’s favorite parts of the vacation, she said.

“Our hotel room was on the 15th floor overlooking the Canadian side of the falls. I liked learning about its history, too,” she said.

Carson said the trip into Canada was also a highlight of the vacation for him.

“I liked collecting the Canadian money when we were in Canada,” he said.

Another destination the children enjoyed in particular was the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, Rob said.

“There was an actual World War II German submarine in the basement,” Rob said. “We stayed there until closing, and the kids absolutely loved it.”

After the stop at the museum, the family made its way to visit all five Great Lakes, which Rob said was an eye-opening experience for him.

“I grew up on the bayous of Louisiana and just always thought the Great Lakes were these cool places up north,” he said. “I guess I could never conceptualize just how great the Great Lakes are. They looked like huge oceans to someone who grew up around Lake Pontchartrain.”

After visiting the Great Lakes, the family headed westward toward South Dakota and Mount Rushmore in Keystone.

On the car ride to South Dakota,

Melinda said the kids watched “National Treasure: The Book of Secrets,” which includes scenes filmed at Mount Rushmore.

“They got a kick out of thinking that maybe there really was some treasure or book of secrets hidden at Mount Rushmore,” Melinda said.

“The movie was a good way to keep them entertained on the way there.”

While visiting Mount Rushmore, the family got to witness a naturalization ceremony where more than 100 people from more than 50 different countries became U.S. citizens.

For Melinda, it was one of the best parts of the whole trip.

“I think I enjoyed Mount Rushmore the best because of all the patriotic events going on when we were there. They had flag-raising and lowering ceremonies and honored the veterans in the audience. It was all very touching, and I thought it was important to get the kids thinking about all the ways they are blessed to be Americans,” Melinda said.

Julia said she loved learning about the history of Mount Rushmore and said she will never forget one particular aspect of her family’s visit there.

“We wanted to go hiking around a lake near Mount Rushmore, so my dad picked out a trail he thought would be perfect,” Julia said. “It ended up being very strenuous and it took so long, we were rationing our water. I really should have taken a video of that, but I’ll never forget it, video or no video.”

While one of the goals of the trip was to show his children how grand the U.S. is, on their next stop, Rob said they all got a lesson on how small the world can be.

The family was taking a tour of Jewel Cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota when one of the tour guides caught their attention.

“She was organizing the group and talking to people as we got ready to take the tour. I noticed she kept saying “sweetie” and “honey” and little things like that and thought to myself that she must be from the South,” Melinda said.

See Rouleau, page 13

Rouleau, From page 12

A few minutes later, Julia overheard the tour guide say she was from Alabama, so she went up to talk to her.

“I asked her what part of Alabama she was from, and she said Birmingham, and we told her we were from Birmingham, and then she told us she used to teach at Mountain Brook High School,” Julia said.

The family discovered the tour guide was retired Mountain Brook High School history teacher Lynne Wilbanks.

Wilbanks told the family she still has a house in the Birmingham area but takes on the tour guide jobs to see the country during the summers, Rob said.

“It was quite a surprise to see someone from our community leading a tour through a cave system in South Dakota,” Rob said. “There must be something to that ‘six degrees of separation’ theory.”

The family talked to Wilbanks about the acquaintances they had in common, caught up on news about

The Rouleau family ran into a retired Mountain Brook High School teacher during a tour of Jewel Cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota. From left, Carson Rouleau, Lynne Wilbanks and Julia Rouleau.

Photo special to the Journal

the Mountain Brook school system and took a photo with Wilbanks as a souvenir of their chance meeting.

“It was kind of funny. We were standing in this cave in South Dakota talking about how (former Mountain Brook High School Principal) Vic Wilson had just left the school to take another job. It really is a small world,” Melinda said.

On the way back home, the family made several more stops to see the sights, including a stop at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Mo. “We had to get that photo of the kids under the arch. It’s such an iconic monument,” Rob said.

Rob and Melinda said they consider the trip a success because they were able to share new experiences and learn new things with their children--and also because they all survived 5,000 miles in the same car.

“I was so proud of the kids,” Rob said. “They hardly fought at all.

That’s the hallmark of a great family trip.” ❖

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 13

People

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

People Notes Butler Earns Star Scholarship, Gold Award Olivia Rawlins Butler, a 2013 graduate of Hoover High School, won the P.E.O. STAR Scholarship for the 2013-14 school year.

Bonnie Embry presented the award to Butler at Hoover High’s awards ceremony.

Butler said she plans to use the $2,500 scholarship this fall when she attends Rhodes College. She won the scholarship for excellence in leadership, extracurricular activities, community service and academics and for the potential for future success.

She is Oliver Butler the daughter of Dennis and Kim Butler. She was recommended for the scholarship by the AK Chapter of Birmingham.

The scholarship is available for young female graduating seniors who are citizens or legal residents of the U.S. or Canada. The candidate must also by recommended by a P.E.O. chapter.

The international philanthropic and educational organization encourages increased scholarly opportunities for women.

With almost 6,000 local chapters in the U.S. and Canada, P.E.O. has awarded nearly $225 million in financial aid to nearly 90,000 women.

Butler also earned the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

Butler, who is now attending Rhodes College, was recently named a Girl Scout Gold Award winner.

She earned the award with an Independence Day celebration she organized at South Haven Nursing Home. The project focused on recognizing military veterans at the nursing home.

Butler initiated the Veterans

Appreciation Program at South Haven, which included a Fourth of July celebration. During the event, the Hoover High School Chamber Choir sang the national anthem and a twirler from Hoover High performed.

Veterans from each branch of the military were recognized. Girl Scouts and friends visited with the residents and enjoyed a huge red, white and blue cake.

“I learned that taking an interest in people goes a long way in making them feel valuable and contributing to their overall wellness,” Butler said. “When talking to the veterans, asking about their lives and making an effort to make their day better, I saw the joy that was brought by such a simple act.”

Send people news to kdrexel@otmj.com

CHriStopHer Glenn, inC. Antiques, Gardens, & Giving

OTM Residents Win Scholarships from Grocers Several Over the Mountain residents were awarded scholarships from the Alabama Grocers Education Foundation.

The AGEF awarded $66,000 in scholarships to employees or children of employees from AGA member companies for the 2013-14 academic year.

The OTM residents awarded scholarships include graduates of Vestavia Hills High, Oak Mountain High, Spain Park High and Hoover High schools.

Emily Crawford, a Vestavia Hills High School graduate, is a sophomore at the University of Alabama. Charles Herron, also a Vestavia alum, is a freshman at Auburn University.

Caroline Johnsey, a graduate of Oak Mountain High, is a senior at the University of Alabama. Her fellow alum, Jacqueline Naro, is a sophomore at the University of South Alabama.

Spain Park High School graduate Alec Taylor is a senior at the University of Alabama.

Emily Trucks, a graduate of Hoover High School, is a freshman at Samford University.

People Notes continue on page 15

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Life

14 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

A Day for Remembering The Patriot Day ceremony, hosted by the cities of Homewood, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills, held at the new Mountain Brook Municipal Complex included the dedication of the city’s 9/11 memorial, a 7-foot piece of steel from the site of the World Trade Center.

Photos by Lee Walls Jr.

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1. The Sept. 11 ceremony in Mountain Brook included the dedication of the 1,305pound beam from the World Trade Center that now sits outside the fire department headquarters at the Mountain Brook Municipal Complex. 2. Abrielle Mullins, a Mountain Brook High School student, sang the national anthem. 3. The ceremony included the laying of a wreath at the city’s Sept. 11 memorial. 4. The Mountain Brook High School choir performed “America the Beautiful” with Technical Sgt. Jacqueline Barnwell at the Patriot Day ceremony. 5. Mountain Brook Fire Chief Robert Ezekiel talks about the city’s Sept. 11 memorial during the event outside the Mountain Brook Municipal Complex. 6. Members of Boy Scout Troop 63 at Canterbury United Methodist Church posted the colors at the ceremony in Mountain Brook on Sept. 11. 7. The memorial ceremony included the tolling of the bell to honor the men and women who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

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Vestavia Hills Girl Scouts Earn Silver Award Two Girl Scouts from Vestavia Hills have received the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn.

Caroline Penfield and Reed Smith, members of Girl Scout Troop 30136, earned the Girl Scout Silver Award for their Reading Buddies project at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest.

The Pizitz Middle School students organized a book drive for a local school and helped students with their reading at the library. The scouts spent lots of one-on-one time with their reading buddies, letting the children read at their own pace. Penfield and Smith helped the students figure out new words by using visual clues in their books.

The Girl Scout Silver Award is for Girl Scouts in grades 6-8. It symbolizes a Girl Scout Cadette’s accomplishments in scouting and community activities as she works to better her life and the lives of others.

North Shelby Resident Crowned Miss JeffCo Mi’a Callens, a student at Oak Mountain High School and a North Shelby County resident, was recently crowned Miss Jefferson County 2014.

Callens was also named the pageant’s talent winner and Community Service Award winner and tied for first place Mi’a Callens in the swimsuit

competition.

The pageant was held Aug. 3 at Hoover High School.

Callens’ platform for the pageant was “Making Dream Comes True” for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Melodie King was Callens’ pageant director for Miss Jefferson County 2014.

King also was Callens’ pageant director when Callens was crowned Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen in 2011.

Miss Jefferson County is a preliminary to the Miss Alabama America pageant.

Vestavia Resident Chosen for Scholars Program A Vestavia Hills resident was chosen for an honor program at a Missouri university.

Aubri Kennamer participated in the Honors Scholar program at William Woods University during the last academic year.

The selective program is designed to foster the growth of students who are dedicated, imaginative and excited about learning. The program is a supportive community composed of students from all majors on campus.

Approximately 20 students are accepted into the program each year.

During the semester, students meet informally, have lunch together and discuss their coursework, research, organization participation and service learning activities. Because students

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 15

People

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Caroline Penfield and Reed Smith of Girl Scout Troop 30136 earned the Silver Award for their Reading Buddies project. Photo special to the Journal from all majors are represented, the diversity of interests allows for challenging interactions between students as they seek to understand one another’s approaches to learning and perspectives on topics.

To be eligible for the program, incoming freshmen must have a high ACT score and a high cumulative grade point average, provide an essay demonstrating their writing ability and complete an interview with the scholarship committee. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher to remain in the program.

Mountain Brook Resident Earns Presidential Award A Mountain Brook resident was recently honored for his volunteer efforts to help others.

Austin Harris, 16, received the silver Presidential Volunteer Service Award on Aug. 15 for his summer volunteer work.

Harris, a junior at Riverside Military Academy in Gainsville, Ga., Austin Harris accumulated 207 volunteer hours over the summer, with 40 of those hours served with Canterbury United Methodist Church’s youth mission trip to repair homes damaged by hurricanes.

He also served 167 hours as a volunteer at the Shades Valley branch of the Birmingham YMCA. Harris received an award letter from President Barack Obama.

He is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Tyra Harris of Mountain Brook. ❖

Tatum Named New Pastor at First Christian First Christian Church on Valleydale Road in North Shelby has a new senior pastor.

Rev. Troy A. Tatum began his ministry as the senior pastor at the church on Sept. 1.

“I am a lifelong Disciple who was raised both in and by the church,” Tatum said. “Like so many others, my calling began to solidify at summer

Send People News to: kdrexel@otmj.com

camp. Through college and seminary, I served local congregations, all the while believing my studies would lead to teaching rather than pastoral ministry, “But God kept drawing me in a different direction, and for the past 18 years I have served God in the local church, finding something like home in the joy and frustration, the sadness and gladness, the rhythm of life of a congregation.”

For the past six years, Tatum has been the senior minister of Union Christian Church in Rev. Troy A. Tatum Watkinsville, Ga. Before that, he served churches in North Carolina, Missouri and Georgia.

He has been active in regional, general, ecumenical and community ministries throughout his career.

Tatum has a master’s degree from

Emory University’s Candler School of Theology and graduated summa cum laude from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and philosophy.

He is married to Leigh Ann Tatum, a licensed master social worker. They have two children, Luke and Riley.

Mountain Brook Residents Participate in Special Olympics Project Mountain Brook residents traveled to North Carolina over the summer to participate in an education-based project of the Special Olympics.

Special Olympics athlete Laurel From left: Laurel Brown, Grace Anne Latimer and Becky Peterson.

Photo special to the Journal

Brown and her peer partner, Grace Anne Latimer, joined mentor Becky Peterson to attend the Special Olympics Project Unify event in Charlotte, N.C. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the project uses the sports and educational programs of Special Olympics to activate young people across the country to promote school communities where all young people are agents of change by fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities. ❖

16 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

social

From left: Ashley Bruette, Kim McGuire and Julie Edwards.

Photos special to the Journal

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Dan and Carey Thomasson.

Shake Rattle and Roll Guests Rock Out at Fundraiser for Parkinson Association

T

Carol and Rusty Stewart.

hose attending a recent fundraiser for the Parkinson Association of Alabama got to rock out for a good cause.

The second annual Shake Rattle & Roll for a Cure event was held at Avondale Brewery in Birmingham on Aug. 25.

Entertainment was provided by several local bands, including BnB, The Undergrounders, 2 Da Maxx and Bonus Round.

The family-friendly event also included a bounce house, food trucks, Steel City Pops, face painting and balloon artists.

One highlight of the event was the raffling off of a Harley Davidson Fat Boy. Greg Ritchey was the winner who rode away from the fundraiser on the Hog. Birmingham Mayor William Bell made an appearance to show his support for the work of the Parkinson Association of Alabama.

Others attending included Billy and Casey Schaffer, Dan and Carey Thomasson, Jennifer Gowers, Kat Gannon and Judson Stewart.

Also spotted at the fundraiser were Parisa Dudley, Leigh Ashford Broughton, Ashley Bruette and Jamie and Matt Laney.

Others enjoying the event included Mary Katherine and Gerri Cabaniss, Allison Cronin, Kip Eden, Ginger and Chandler Busby, Robert Coker, Mimi Major Bittick, Ken Cater, Carol and Rusty Stewart, Amanda Baker and Eric Chambers.

For more information on the Parkinson Association of Alabama, visit parkinsonalabama.org. ❖

Kat Gannon and Ginger Busby.

Sipping Strategies

CF Fundraiser Features Wine-Tasting Competition

A wine tasting event held recently in Birmingham will help support cystic fibrosis treatment, care and research to improve the quality of life for CF patients in Alabama.

The Laps for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hosted the fifth annual Sips for CF wine tasting competition on Aug. 23. The event was held on the rooftop of the Kress Building.

Teams competed in the tasting competition.

First-place winners in the wine tasting competition were Harrison Irons, Michael Bowles, Taylor Stroud and Hamlin Caldwell.

The event included food and drinks, music by the Grand Old Ivories dueling pianos and a silent auction. Several bidders won items like Southwestern Airlines tickets, Disney World passes and tickets to the Alabama-Tennessee football game.

For more information on the Laps for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, visit www.

LapsForCF.org or call 871-9140. ❖ From left: Harrison Irons, Michael Bowles, Taylor Stroud and Hamlin Caldwell.

Photo special to the Journal

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Hope Gala Honors Beard Family

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 17

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The American Cancer Society’s 33rd annual Hope Gala raised more than $285,000 to support cancer research and provide support services for patients receiving cancer treatment at Birmingham metro area hospitals.

The Aug. 24 event honored the late Major and Mrs. Charles D. Beard Jr. and their family.

Charles Beard founded Alabama Home Health Care, Inc. in 1970.

Now known as Alacare, the company is the state’s oldest and largest privately-owned, Medicare-certified home health agency. Alacare is headed up by Beard’s son, John Beard, and his daughter, Susan Brouillette.

Gala chairmen were Lois Bradford and Pratt Austin-Trucks.

More than 500 guests and members of the Beard family attended the black tie event, which was designed by Dorothy McDaniel.

Guests enjoyed an elegant dinner, participated in live and silent auctions and danced to music from The Undergrounders.

A special request was made at the end of the evening for donations to help support the American Cancer Society’s Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge, a home away from home for many cancer patients traveling to Birmingham for treatment.

Mike Royer of Alabama’s 13 emceed the gala.

Guin Robinson was the auctioneer.

Some of those in attendance at the 2013 Hope Gala included Emily and Josh Anderson, Jennifer and Jimmy Ard, Gail and Jeffrey Bayer, Louise and John Beard, Kelli and Gary Beard, Lois and George Bradford, Marcy Bradford, Martha Bradford, Lenora Pate and Steven Brickman, Leigh and Gene Bromberg, Susan and David Brouillette, Tommy and Lisa Jernigan Bruhn, Terry Chapman, Pratt Austin-Trucks and Christopher Cole, Missy and Stewart Cox, Michelle and Jim Creamer, Lynn and Alan Creighton, Jane Huston and Claiborne Crommelin and Jenny and Sonny Culp.

Others attending to show their support for the American Cancer Society included Lee and Bill Dawkins, Katherine and Forrest DeBuys, Paul and Jacqueline DeMarco, Kathleen and Edmund Doss, Miki and Brian Edwards, Elizabeth Farrar, Melaine and David Geary, more photos at Donna Greene, Penney and Roger Hartline, Emily and Sam Heide, Mary Elaine and Robert Jolly, Robin and Brad Kidd, Katrina and Jeff Logan and Janet and Matt Lusco.

Also attending the gala were Beth and John Lyda, Laura and Burton McDonald, Jack Armistead, Randall and Carmen Morrow, Lynn and Scott Ortis, Dr. Edward and Barbara Partridge, Beth and Sandy Pitman, Nan and Marlin Priest, Amy and Mike Royer, Lisa Sharp, Andy and Laura Sink, Stephanie and Brad Sklar, Jimmy Taylor, Dr. Scott and Amy Tully, David and Karla Turner, Laura and Jessie Vogtle, and Peggy and Scott Williams.

The Hope Gala benefits the American Cancer Society’s research and patient support programs throughout the Birmingham area, including Road to Recovery, Reach to Recovery, the Hope Lodge and Look Good…Feel Better. Last year’s event raised more than $310,000. ❖

ABove: From left: David and Susan Brouillette, Laura McDonald, Louise and David Beard. Left: George and Lois Bradford, Amy and Mike Royer, Pratt Austin-Trucks and Chris Cole.

Photos special to the Journal

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Debut Event with a Doggy Theme Picasso Pets Auction Features Four-legged Artists

Some four-legged artists recently had their work auctioned off to benefit an animal-assisted therapy program.

Artwork created by animal and human artists 1390 Scout Trace Hoover, AL 35244 • $525,000 Exquisite home in the popular Trace Crossings subdivision. Foyer has beautiful travertine were up for auction at Hand in Paw’s 13th annual floors. Huge kitchen designed for entertaining with granite counter tops and slate floors.

Picasso Pets Debut and Auction on Aug. 17.

Keeping room has exposed beams with high vaulted ceilings. Formal dining room and office The annual fundraiser for the nationallyis on the main level.Formal living room is next to the kitchen. The master bath has a jetted recognized animal-assisted therapy program was tub surrounded by beautiful ceramic tile. One bedroom upstairs has a complete bathroom at Old Car Heaven. attached. The other two bedrooms are separated by a Jack and Jill bathroom.The daylight basement has a real three car garage with poured cement walls. The exterior of this home Those attending had the opportunity to really sets it apart. Beautiful screened porch. Beautifully landscaped patio with a sitting area browse the Picasso Pets silent auction while overlooking nature. This house is a must see! enjoying food catered by Shindigs, beer donated Melissa Justice (205) 612-4578 and Cynthia Scarbinsky (205) 999-9147

by Cahaba Brewing Company and wine and specialty drinks.

A live auction included prizes and one-of-aTH OUR 116 YEAR kind pet paintings.

Those at the winning VIP table at the fundBIRMINGHAM TRUNK raiser kicked off the night with a bottle of Dom Perignon and swag bags.

Martha Bryant, Kelly Keener and Charlotte Wilson were among those who had their pets’ artwork presented at the event.

Sisters Bryant and Keener ended up winning the painting created by their Cavalier King To: Katherine Designated express scanPHONE: comCharles spaniels, Bama, Dutchess and Sophie.

From: Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Wilson’s dogs, Ruby, Jack and Magnolia, puter pocket takes the fuss Date: Sept 2013 joined her onstage to present their artwork. out of TSA scans. Handsome, leather multiple pockets This is with your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for theMembers of the Hand in Paw Junior Board at the event &Sept. shoulder strap.

19, 2013 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. included Walter Hudgens, Adam Quarles, Paulk Turner, Will Callans, Catherine Briscoe, Erin Bentley, Jennifer Available in tan, black, and brown Smith, Victoria Frazier, Kristen McGee and Lyndsey makeSpecially sure all information is correct, Tetlow.

Reg. Please $325.00 Priced $189.99 Laura Cardwell, Hand in Paw’s new executive direcincluding address Location and phone number!

New Homewood tor, also attended the fundraiser with 2712 19th Street South • 870-0971 members Fredda Cardwell, more photos at family Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.

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Cash, a Hand in Paw therapy dog, was also on hand for the event, along with Melinda Splawn and Cathy Ward.

Pippa, another therapy dog, attended the fundraiser with Hand in Paw volunteers Philippa and Frank Ken Rosenberger Bainbridge.

Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., Ryan Hodapp and Shannon Lewis brought their two 205-824-1246, fax pugs, Darwin and Newton, to the event.

August 2013 Guests attending the 13th annual event included longtime Hand in Paw supporters Dr. Jim and Katie Lasker This is your AD pROOF from the OveR The MOunTAin JOuRnAl for theand Allison Cronin and Kip Eden. ❖

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Clockwise from top right: Ryan Hodapp and Shannon Lewis with their two pugs, Darwin and Newton. Charlotte Wilson and her dogs, Ruby, Jack and Magnolia (not shown), present their painting. Volunteers Philippa and Frank Bainbridge and their therapy dog, Pippa. Pippa’s face adorned all of the Picasso Pets marketing materials.

Laura Crandle, the new executive director of Hand in Paw, with family members Fredda Cardwell, Cameron Cardwell, Ivy Cardwell, James Cardwell, Libby Cardwell, Nick Grabowski and Henry Cardwell. Photos special to the Journal

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Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 19

Campy Celebration More than 300 Help Winnataska Mark 95th Anniversary

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Top photo: Roger Day performed with children at the Camp Winnataska birthday bash. Above: From left: Sisters Betty Ray Price Hughes, Katherine Ann Price Garmon and Polly Owen whose family has been involved with the camp since it began.

Photos special to the Journal

Camp Winnataska celebrated its 95th birthday Aug. 24 with several Over the Mountain residents on hand for the party.

Founded in 1918, Winnataska is one of the oldest continually-running traditional overnight camps in the nation.

More than 300 people ranging in age from 6 months to 90 converged on the camp near Leeds for the Emmeline Glenn and anniversary celebration.

Adelaide Matte are the great- and great-greatA highlight included granddaughters of Dorothy a special mini concert by Collins, one of the first former Winnataska staff campers at Winnataska in member Roger Day, the 1918. writer and singer of awardwinning children’s music.

Jim ’N Nick’s provided lunch.

Other events included swimming, canoeing in the creek, a hike, a silent auction featuring camp-related items and a draw down for a 2014 campership.

Longtime campers say Camp Winnataska is one of Alabama’s loveliest natural sites. Kelly Creek meanders through the property and pours into a roaring waterfall, a focal point of the camp and an icon of the summer program.

A special moment at the anniversary event was the dedication of an overlook of the falls to longtime volunteer Katherine Ann Price Garmon of Homewood.

Since she was a baby, “Kap” has been a part of Camp

Winnataska. Her aunt and uncle, Dr. Elwyn Ballard and Florence Aye Ballard, discovered the site in 1914, and her father, Daniel Ray Price, directed the camp from 19221957.

For at least the last 30 years, Garmon has spent every spare minute in St. Clair County, devoting her heart, energy, mind, and soul into projects that benefit the camp.

On summer Friday evenings at Winnataska, campers meet the Knights of the Round Table in a play that depicts the story of King Arthur and the search for the Holy Grail, the cup from which Christ drank at the last supper. Dr. Mildred Leake Day, a noted scholar of literature in Latin about the legendary King Arthur, recounted the tale of Sir Gawain for the anniversary crowd.

Thousands of Birmingham area residents and other Alabamians have called Winnataska their summer home for the past 95 years. Many planning the anniversary event were third and fourth generation Winnataskians.

A number of committee members and attendees are from Over the Mountain communities.

Those attending from Vestavia Hills included Barbara Sloan, Catherine and Paul Bentley, Jim and Carrie Cearlock, Marty Hester, Stasi Bara, Art and Ginger Sharbel, Jim and Connie Thorington and Foster Yeilding.

Wishing Camp Winnataska a happy birthday from Mountain Brook were Joe and Betty Ray Hughes, Polly Owen, Nancy and Donald Guthrie, Katherine Moak, Ethel Owen, Lane Rutledge, Dana Lower, Dollie and Forrest Brice, Marcie Matte, Bee Lewis, Mariellan Morris and Laura and Jeremy Carlson.

Homewood residents attending the event included Clyde and Kap Garmon.

Those attending the birthday bash from Hoover included Bill Jordan, Shannon Edwards, Kenny Keith, Amy Williamson, Amy Passey, Debbie Pace, Audrey Jost, Bob and Kathy White, and Cameron McKinley.

Guests from other parts of the Birmingham metro area attending included Elin Glenn, Mary Owen, Katie Sefton, Karen Moore, Molly Stone, Carol Floyd, Karen Evans, Carol Kilgroe, Marion Phillips, Stephanie Harless, Harlan Ponder and Jennifer Olive. ❖

CRESTLINE . 205.871.2662 MONDAY-FRIDAY 9-6 . SATURDAY 10-5

20 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Wine and Art Affair

Vino & Van Gogh Party Supports UCP

Gidge Black Pottery from Birmingham Microwave, Dishwasher & Oven Safe 2841 Cahaba Road • Mtn. Brook Village • 879-5277 • M-F 10-5 • Sat 10-4 www.thecookstoremtnbrook.com

To: thecookstore@msn.com From: Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Date: Sept 2013

Wine and art enthusiasts raised more than $30,000 for United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham at a recent event.

The UCP of Greater Birmingham’s Junior Board hosted the 2013 Vino & Van Gogh fundraiser Aug. 15 at B&A Warehouse in Birmingham.

The event featured a silent auction and artwork displays from local artists, including Susan Gordon Pottery, Lil’ Seeds, Sheffield Woodworks and Meagan Vucovich Art + Design.

Local wine vendors Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Rush Wines and Neighborhood Hops & Wine provided tastings from 7-9 p.m. for those attending.

Heavy hors d’oeuvres by B&A

Warehouse were served. Just a Few Cats provided music.

UCP of Greater Birmingham LINCPoint Adult Day Program participants displayed their original artwork and crafts. All proceeds from the oneof-a-kind pieces were donated to UCP. All proceeds from the silent auction and a portion of the proceeds from the artists benefited UCP. The money raised provides programs and services such as inclusive preschool education, therapy services, outpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation services, technology training, employment and independent living skills for people with disabilities.

UCP of Greater Birmingham serves more than 3,000 children and adults

Katie and Brandon Owens.

Photo special to the Journal

with disabilities, including but not limited to intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injury, developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism; Down syndrome and spina bifida.

For more information, visit www. ucpbham.com. ❖

Team Spirit Tailgate Challenge Raises Money for Bell Center

This is your ad proof from the over The mounTain Journal for the Sept 19, 2013 issue. Please ZING or changes to 824-1246.

LIapproval IAfax

C PE

IN

S please make sure all information is correct, More than 1,000 people showed their team spirit and support for the Bell Center at the fifth annual Tailgate includingConvertible address andTops phone number!

Challenge.

Sunroofs An estimated 1,200 people attended the Aug. 24 event Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.

Leather Interiors at The Summit. They enjoyed tailgating food at team tents

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of music, kid-friendly events and team rivalry.

Thank you for your prompt attention.

Celebrity judges gave awards for most spirit, bestfacebook.com/AlabamaAutoTop tasting food and best all around.

1201 3RD AVENUE SOUTH . BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233 The event was presented by Bayer Properties. Food PHONE: 205-251-0684 . WWW.ALABAMAAUTOTOP.COM was provided by Chuy’s.

ABOG of Mountain Brook performed the national anthem to open the festivities. The Vestavia Hills High School Rockettes also performed at the fundraiser.

Team mascots like Aubie and Big Al posed for photos with those attending and visited the 37 tailgate tents representing college and high school teams.

SEC teams weren’t the only ones represented at the event. Wayne Miller coordinated a tailgate from the

SUMMER MAY BE OVER, BUT THE LOVIN’ IS JUST BEGINNING.

Slick your hair back and bust out your leather as “Grease” races into town. Don’t miss out as high-school romance mixes with 50s nostalgia, fast cars, and questionable morals at Red Mountain Theatre Company Sept. 26-Oct. 13. Get your tickets today at redmountaintheatre.org or by calling 205-324-2424. If you’re wondering where to go for a night on the town, we’re the one that you want!

W W W. R E D M O U N TA I N T H E AT R E . O R G

Kelly People with Aubie and Big Al.

Photo special to the Journal

University of Hawaii, complete with pineapple kabobs, Polynesian entrees and hula dancers.

Tom Greenway from Ram Tool and Supply made cotton candy and gave it out to children attending the event.

Kelly People was the event’s organizer.

State Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood, was among those who attended. ❖

Celebrating 50 Years Homeowners’ Association Hosts Social, Honors Firefighters

The Monte D’Oro Homeowners’ Association in Hoover marked its 50th anniversary in August.

The group celebrated the milestone at its annual ice cream social on Aug. 24.

To mark the occasion, Anna Lu Hemphill, association president, presented a plaque of appreciation to the firefighters at Hoover Fire Station No. 1.

Other officers of the Monte D’Oro Homeowners’ Association are Katherine Baker, Don Hampton, Frances Thompson, Susanne Wright and Eileen Lewis.

The Monte D’Oro neighborhood is just off Lorna Road near Georgetown Lake Park in Hoover. ❖

The officers of the Monte D’Oro Homeowners’ Association in Hoover got together at the group’s ice cream social in August. From left: Katherine Baker, Don Hampton, Frances Thompson, Anna Lu Hemphill, Susanne Wright and Eileen Lewis. Photos special to the Journal

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

From left: Kim Yarboro, Shannon Tyndall, Cindy Williams, Mary Paris, Cindy Wingo, Laurie Zelinski and Shailey Kile.

Photos special to the Journal

Band Aid

Gala Helps Fund Homewood’s Rose Bowl Trip About 300 people turned out to show their support for the Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band at a recent fundraiser.

The band hosted the March to the Roses Gala at Rosewood Hall in Homewood Aug. 29 to help raise money for band members to travel to and perform in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., in January.

The event, catered by All Around Town Catering, featured a full cash bar, craft beer tastings and silent and

Annie Laura Burton with R. Scott Jenkins, president of the 2014 Parade of Roses.

live auctions.

Shaun Pezant, Roddy Paris and Jerry Robertson provided musical entertainment.

The band’s drum line also made an appearance, pumping up the crowd with its performance before the live

auction.

The live auction included items such as a lifetime membership to Bassmasters, beach trips, a stay at Ross Bridge, birthday party packages and a backyard pig roast with all the sides and services from Little Donkey.

A special guest at the gala was R. Scott Jenkins, president of the 2014 Parade of Roses.

The evening was also a tribute to Annie Laura Burton, who has volunteered as the band’s seamstress since 1972.

Co-chairmen for the March to the Roses Gala were Mary Paris and Laurie Zelinski.

Members of the gala’s planning committee and helpers were Kim Yarboro, Shannon Tyndall, Cindy Williams, Cindy Wingo and Shailey Kile. ❖

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 21

22 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

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The Botanical Garden’s 2013 Antiques at The Gardens will feature regionally and nationally known designers known as tastemakers. In this section, you’ll find a taste of what some of these tastemakers will have to offer by taking a peek inside their homes.

Dana Wolter of Mountain Brook said she likes to change up some of the details in her home and recently added the purple pillows and accents to her foyer.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

All in Good Taste Antiques at The Gardens Is a Sale with Style

By Donna Cornelius

Journal Features Writer

Many antiques shows give

Calm and Collected Decorator Dana Wolter Makes Her Home a Family Retreat

Story by Keysha Drexel • Photos by Lee Walls Jr. Even though she works in a completely different field, Mountain Brook

Meet the Tastemaker

Dana Wolter of Mountain Brook helped friends design their homes before establishing Dana Wolter Interiors in 2005. Wolter has worked on residential and small commercial projects in major cities across Alabama and in Chicago.

The mother of three is known for her custom interiors that blend comfort and elegance.

interior designer Dana Wolter is still putting her journalism degree to good use.

Just like a well-written story, Wolter’s Canterbury Road home has multiple layers and dimensions, all pulled together in a way that makes sense for a busy family.

“The goal was to create a well-edited space that would be comfortable and inviting for my family and friends and would fit our sometimes hectic lifestyle,” she said. “There are a lot of different ways to be creative, and putting a room together is kind of like putting a story together.”

Wolter, who studied journalism and English at the University of Alabama, has owned and operated Dana Wolter Interiors since 2005. She will share her ideas and tips on interior design as one of the tastemakers at this year’s Antiques in The Gardens event. Wolter is teaming up with Jeff Dungan of Dungan Nequette to curate the “Fireside Chat” themed booth at the event.

“I’m keeping what we have planned in our booth a surprise, but I think it will be well worth coming out to see,” Wolter said.

But no matter what the curated area she and Dungan create for “Fireside Chat” looks like, it is sure to include certain aspects that have become part of Wolter’s signature as a designer and elements that are evident in her own home.

“My style is all about clean lines, elements that are classic with a little something unexpected thrown in the mix. I love layering and I love texture,” she said.

See calm and collected, page 26

those who attend the chance to look and buy.

Antiques at The Gardens adds something extra. The event provides not only shopping opportunities but inspiration and in-person information.

The Birmingham Botanicals Gardens event, set for Oct. 3-6, is in its eighth year. But this will be only the second time the show Architectural has included not only deal- Advice: ers but “taste- Bobby McAlpine will be featured makers.” speaker at This year’s Antiques in The tastemakers Gardens Page 28 include architects, interior designers and landscape designers who will curate themed areas with items from Birmingham and throughout the United States.

On the list are architect and author Bobby McAlpine and Circa Interiors and Antiques owners Jane Schwab and Cindy Smith, whose joint topic will be “Welcome Home.”

McAlpine also will headline this year’s Red Diamond Lecture. He’ll speak at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 and sign copies of his book, “The Home Within Us.” Patrons can buy books at the show.

Lecture tickets are $30 and include show admission.

Other tastemakers and their topics include: Paul Bates Jeremy Corkern and Betsy Brown “Well Edited” Paige Albright “Return to Mecca” Dana Wolter and Jeff Dungan and Louis Nequette of DunganNequette “Fireside Chat” Iris Thorpe “Weeks to Africa” Andrew Brown “A WellTraveled Life” Laura Vogtle and Amanda Morrissette “The Gallery” Mallie Ireland “The Jewel Box,” featuring Bromberg’s and other retailers

Artist Kitty White is one of this year’s tastemakers that include architects, interior designers and landscape designers who will curate themed areas with items from Birmingham and throughout the United States.

Journal file photo by Lee Walls Jr.

Tish Fuller “Defining Home” Ruth Gay “A Year in Provence” Mark Kennamer “Southern Comfort” Alex and Jeannie Krumdiek with Erin Graves “Texture in Time” Lydia Pursell and Kitty White “The Winery” David and Holley Camp with Helen Harmon “The Artisan Garden”

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 23

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

National dealers at the show will offer antiques, furniture, porcelain, fine art, silver, garden accessories and jewelry.

Dealers include John Dennison Fine Art from North Myrtle Beach, S.C., Thomas M. Fortner Antiques from Memphis, Tenn., Antique Cupboard Sterling from Waukesha, Wis., McDonough Fine Art from Atlanta, Edwin C. Skinner Antiques from Fairhope., Whitehall Antiques from Chapel Hill, N.C., Patricia Mathews Designs from Nashville, Tenn., Sonny Ideker Books from Alpharetta, Ga., Evy McPherson from Nashville and Alcott Antiques from Nashville.

In addition Comfortable to McAlpine’s contrasts: Mark Kennamer lecture, Enlivens Classic Antiques in Style with The Gardens Unexpected has another Elements Page 24 special event-the Sterne Agee Gala in The Gardens from 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 4. At the black-tie party, guests can shop the sale, have cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and dance to music by the Tip Tops Band, returning for the second year.

Tickets to the gala are $150.

Admission to the public sale is included.

Public show hours are 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 4 and 5

and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 6. Admission is free for Birmingham Botanical Gardens members and $10 for nonmembers.

Proceeds from Antiques at The Gardens support The Gardens’ educational programs. The event has raised

more than $2 million since 2006.

For more information, contact Shelly McCarty at 414-3965 or smccarty@bbgardens.org or visit www. bbgardens.org/antiques.

For tickets, visit www.bbgardens. org/antiques or call 414-3950. ❖

Antiques... And So Much More

HANNA

2421 Canterbury Road - Mountain Brook - 870-1030 Visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/shopantiquities To: From: Date:

2424 7th Ave. So. 323-6036

ANTiquES MAll MON-SAT 10:00-5:00

323-6014 Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 2 Sept 2013

This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTA Sept. 19, 2013 issue. Please fax approval or chang

This is your ad proof from the over The mounTain JournalPlease for the Sept 19 , 2013 ssue. please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.

make sure all information including address and phone n please make sure all information is correct, including address and Please initial and fax back within 24 h phone number! if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday befor

your ad will run as is. We print the paper Mond 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 theThank paper monday. you for your prompt atten

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Meet the Tastemaker

Mark Kennamer of Birmingham studied interior design at Southern Institute of Interior Design and started his career as a visual designer at Table Matters in Mountain Brook. He now owns his own firm, Mark Kennamer Design on Second Avenue South in Birmingham. Kennamer said he strives to create unique interiors that incorporate his clients’ interests and collections.

Mark Kennamer loves entertaining, and his living room has plenty of chic but comfortable seating for guests. He calls the Kim Schuessler painting over one of his sofas “one of my prized possessions.”

Opposite from top: An abstract painting sets off some pieces from Kennamer’s collections of coral and books. Kennamer likes incorporating elements from nature, such as the turtle shell on his Spanish trestle table, into his designs. On the wall is an upclose-and-personal contemporary photo of a horse mounted on two acrylic panels.

Comfortable Contrasts Mark Kennamer Enlivens Classic Style with Unexpected Elements

Story by Donna Cornelius • Photos by Lee Walls Jr.

COMING SOON!

ESTATE JEWELRY COLLECTION

Interior decorator Mark

Kennamer describes his design philosophy as “classic and timeless”— and said he loves incorporating his style into his clients’ spaces.

But he’s careful to take into consideration not only his clients’ tastes but their lifestyles.

“I ask them how they want their space to function,” he said.

Kennamer has made sure that his own home, a stylish condo in

Birmingham’s Arlington Crest building, functions well for him—and for another family member. His cat, Honeychild Beyonce, has the run of the place and is welcome to curl up on a comfy sofa or bed.

Instead, the beautiful bundle of fur often takes catnaps in pots on the patio, Kennamer said.

Like his pet, Kennamer often does the unexpected, design-wise.

Guests sit down to eat at his

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Spanish trestle table beneath the straightforward stare of a horse, whose likeness is captured in a large close-up photograph. Kennamer likes the contrast between the contemporary photo, which is mounted on two acrylic panels, and the traditional sturdiness of the table.

“I’m pretty eclectic,” he said.

“Less is more.”

For Kennamer, it’s all about what works.

He’ll be sharing his style and advice as a tastemaker at this year’s Antiques at The Gardens show, set for Oct. 3-6 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Kennamer will curate an area using a time-honored theme: “Southern Comfort.” And if all goes according to plan, his space will one where show-goers likely will want to linger.

“My area will be styled to look like a comfortable family setting— like a living room with some family heirlooms,” he said. “I’ll have new upholstery, old chairs, an antique chest from Henhouse Antiques, a mix of artwork, mirrors and great lighting.

It will be a friendly, inviting setting.”

The Guntersville native came to Birmingham to attend Southern Institute.

“I got grounded here,” Kennamer said.

After six years at Table Matters, a Mountain Brook gift shop, he started his own firm, Mark Kennamer Design on Birmingham’s Second Avenue South.

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

He’s lived in his condo on Arlington Avenue for about five years, he said.

“The place works well for me,” he said. “Really and truly, I don’t have time to devote to a yard.”

The 1,600-square-feet condo includes a living and dining area with adjoining kitchen, two bedrooms and bathrooms and a balcony overlooking downtown Birmingham.

“My favorite area is the workspace that’s part of the kitchen,” he said. “It gets a lot of use.”

There, he’s set up a freestanding desk for his computer and still has room for a chair so a guest can keep him company while he’s cooking.

“Before, this area had a built-in desk, but it was so large that there was no room for a chair,” Kennamer said.

“It was stained mahogany and looked very heavy.”

Just as he tries to find out how his clients plan to use their spaces, Kennamer kept in mind his love for entertaining when he planned the interior design of his condo. The

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 25

open floor plan—from the kitchen you can see through the living and dining area to the balcony—combined with plenty of comfortable seating makes his home an inviting place for a gettogether.

“I often have friends over,” he said.

On a recent weekend, his home was full of guests on Friday night and again the next day for grilling out and college football-watching, he said.

On the living room wall is Kim Schuessler’s vibrant painting of two girls in simple white dresses. The dark background is splatter-painted with bright colors.

“It’s one of my most prized possessions,” Kennamer said. “I got it at Monte Stabler Galleries.”

His living room sofas, covered in a linen-viscose blend fabric, make a neutral background for lively orange pillows—at least, they’re orange for the moment. Kennamer said he’ll change up the pillows with a darker Ralph Lauren fabric for the winter.

“I tell my clients that changing your pillows is the easiest and cheapest way to change your look,” he said.

Kennamer likes incorporating natural elements into his classic style. His coral collection includes a floral-like piece on his coffee table. The coral shares space on the table with a real turtle shell. Another turtle shell is on his New Fall Shipment Arriving the trestle table, while a third in the master bathroom is a faux shell made of plaster.

Second Week of October Also in the living room are acrylic antlers, malachite pieces and a lamp with faux ram’s horns.

Coral isn’t the only thing Kennamer collects.

“I love coffee table books on design, fashion and travel,” he said.

He also likes finding and buying white Astier de Villatte pottery from Paris, which he houses in a large pine English Village 1900 Cahaba Road Birmingham, AL 35223 cabinet.

905.918.0505 In the master bedroom are more finds with a French www.henhouseantiques.com origin: framed sketches of wallpaper.

“In Paris, designers used to do paintings of their ideas for wallpaper, and people would choose the designs they liked from the sketches,” Kennamer said.

Turquoise pillows on the bed add bright spots of color. The bed has an upholstered headboard, something Kennamer often uses when he’s designing for clients.

“People love those,” he said.

Kennamer said he’s looking forward to as To:his duties Judy a tastemaker at Antiques at The Gardens—and not just From: Over The Mountain Journal, phone 205-823-9646, fax 205-824-1246 because he’s eager to share his design viewpoint.

“It’s a fundraiser for the BirminghamDate: BotanicalSept.

Gardens, and I’m big on supporting my community,” heThis is your aD prOOF from the Over The MOunTain JOurnal for the said. “Birmingham is an awesome design community, and Sept. 19, 2013 issue. please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. this event promotes that and the Gardens.” ❖

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.

Thank you for your prompt attention.

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26 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

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Calm and Collected, from page 22

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But most of the time, visitors to the Wolter’s family room won’t see the television at all. That’s because it is tucked away in a massive, 10-foot-tall antique cabinet with a light-colored, distressed finish.

“It’s a huge piece, but it’s really slim. I think its crusty surface adds a great texture and really sets the tone for the whole room. It’s from Circa Interiors,” she said.

A huge tortoise shell that hangs above the fireplace in the family room

That style is exactly what visitors to the five bedroom home Wolter shares with her husband, three daughters and tiny Yorkipoo dog will see.

While the house boasts about 5,000 square feet of living space, it is as serene and inviting as it is open and airy.

For over 90 years, Levy’s has The home’s first layer, so to speak, been Birmingham's Specialist in is all about timeless materials, Wolter Antique and Estate Jewelry said. as well as Fine Diamonds, “We used honed marble, stone Art and Antiques. finishes, waxed woods, iron—things that really don’t ever go out of style,” Wolter said. “I wanted the basic bones of my house to be things that have lasting appeal.”

The home’s other layers feature durable, kid-and-pet friendly fabrics in a mixture of textures that soften the wood, metal and stone elements and complement the soothing neutral color palette.

And for a busy mother and wife with a thriving business to run, creating a home that is a soothing retreat was Wolter’s aim when she and her husband started planning the house about eight years ago.

The couple worked with architect Dean Robinson to design the house, which Wolter describes as a transitional style house with French-inspired rooflines and other architectural elements.

“I knew we needed a space and rooms that could grow and change with our family. And we knew we needed a 2116 2nd Avenue North • (205) 251-3381 lot of open space because I’m one of five children and my husband is one www.levysfinejewelry.com of seven, so when we get the families together, it can turn into quite the crowd,” she said.

And with a living/dining room that measures 20 by 30 feet, Wolter’s family and friends have plenty of space to gather for holidays, birthdays and other To: Jennifer festive occasions.

From: Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 While the living/dining room area FAX: 205-824-1246 boasts huge dimensions, Wolter managDate: Sept. 2012 es to keep the space warm and inviting is an example of the unexpected elewith the help of some of her signature This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for the ments Wolter said she likes to add in designs. every room.

Sept. 20, 2012 issue. Please fax approval or changes 824-1246.

Theto dining area has a 16-foot ban“I bought that from an antiques quette on one side of the dining room dealer and just loved the colors and that table with plenty of room for big family Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone it was something a little different,” she meals. said. number!

“The banquettes have become one Wolter said she also likes helping of my signatures.

There’s also one in Please initial and fax back within 24 hours. her clients find things that are a little kitchen, that’s probably my Monday. if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your adthe will run as and is. We print the paper different to add to their own homes. favorite spot in the whole house. That’s “I like to do that with clients, too— where I sit and check my emails in the find something to use in an unexpected mornings,” Wolter said. way to mix it up a little,” she said.

The living area opposite the dining Wolter has been working on resiarea has a sofa, chairs and fireplace that invite dinner guests to linger for conver- dential and small commercial projects at the helm of her own design firm for sation. The room also incorporates her several years now but said she was daughters’ favorite spots in the house, initially reluctant about getting into the Wolter said. interior design business.

“We created these little niches with Wolter, who grew up in Tuscaloosa, upholstered benches, and the girls love originally wanted to be a design major to sit in these and do their homework at the University of Alabama. But she or read. They’re just great little spots to took one design class and changed her cozy up and relax,” she said. major.

Her husband Danny’s favorite spot After college, she dabbled in the is probably in the family room adjacent interior design business for several to the kitchen. years by helping friends with their 147 North Chalkville Road The family room features furnishhomes and later buying houses, fixing ings slipcovered in durable treated TRussville From I-59 North take Exit 141 turn right, we're 1.5 miles on the left linen and 11-foot ceilings accented with them up and selling them.

“I had two different friends exposed, worn wooden beams.

661-9805 approach me about starting my own “My husband’s favorite spot is Open Mon. - Sat. 10 - 6 • Sun. Noon - 5 business, but any change can be dauntprobably the comfy couch in the faming, and it was a little scary at first,” ily room. That’s also where the TV is,” she said.

Wolter said, laughing.

Trussville

Antiques & Interiors

Wolter said she’s always considered her most important job being a mother to 16-year-old Lucy, 14-year-old Ellie and 12-year-old Ann and was initially worried the demands of owning her own company would take away from her time with her family.

“Juggling it all can be crazy at times, but we make it work, and it helps to have a calming house to retreat to at the end of the day,” she said.

Wolter said she likes working with clients to help them create their own

top: Wolter’s family room features a stone fireplace with a rustic wooden mantle accented with some of her favorite artwork and objects.

Above: A velvet settee in the foyer of Wolter’s home invites visitors to relax in the family’s calm retreat.

Journal photos by Lee Walls Jr.

calming retreats.

And to do that, the designer said, she draws on skills she used in her journalism classes at UA. “I ask a lot of questions when I consult with my clients. I really try to find out how their families live and how they use the space so we can make the best choices for their design,” she said.

Wolter said she often sees a lot of unused space in clients’ homes and works with them to change that.

“You see a lot of living rooms that are the catch-all for inherited furniture and things people really don’t know what to do with or aren’t using,” she said. “I work with them to edit those pieces and find a way to use that space in a practical way.”

The practicality of a space that a family actually uses and enjoys using is something Wolter said she can attest to herself.

“If you can create a calm space that’s well-used, it does make life a lot less chaotic,” she said. ❖

floor plans from page one

“We’ll have rugs—small and large—and antique pillows,” said Albright, who will be on hand to talk with show-goers throughout the event.

Visitors to Albright’s home on Canterbury Road in Mountain Brook naturally expect to see some stunning examples of rugs—and they won’t be disappointed. She’s adeptly mixed and matched rugs in different styles and sizes, from an over-dyed Oushak RIGHT: Paige Albright said this Bible belonged to Newton Thomas Albright—whom her husband’s family called “Uncle Newt.” It’s one in a collection of family Bibles. below: In an upstairs room where the Albright boys love to hang out with their friends, a bed made in Selma is turned against the wall to function as a daybed. Journal photos by Lee Walls Jr.

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 27

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

in the master bedroom to a zebra hide beneath the dining room table.

Even the family’s dog, Sugar, has his own rug in the kitchen.

“All the rugs work together,” Albright said. “Pretty things enhance pretty things.”

The Albrights have lived in their Canterbury Road home for eight years.

The family includes Paige’s husband, Carl, and sons Carl IV, who’s 12; David, 10, and Bibb, 9.

“We love it here,” Albright said.

“It’s within walking distance of my

shop and the schools.”

In addition to her rugs, the house is filled with pieces with family ties.

“The light fixtures in the foyer and dining room are from Carl’s grandfather’s house,” Albright said. “He lived on Country Club Boulevard.”

In the upstairs guest room, handeddown, monogrammed Limoges china is displayed in a large cabinet with glass doors. The china was handpainted by a monogrammer in Atlanta, Albright said.

Also upstairs are the boys’ bedrooms and another room where the children and their friends can hang out.

Son Carl’s room has a mohair blanket as a rug and framed Scottish plaids on the walls—along with a picture of a UA elephant. A map of Cahawba, Alabama’s first capital, represents the family connection to the state’s first governor.

“Carl’s family goes back to William Wyatt Bibb,” Albright said.

“That’s who our son Bibb is named for.”

The two younger boys share a bedroom. Between their beds is a Moroccan rug, and on either side of the beds is a “war rug.”

“They’re Afghan and very collectible, but they’re tightly-woven and sturdy,” Albright said about the war rugs. One illustrates the Romanian conflict, she said, and the other the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York.

“I was in the rug district in New York City on that day,” Albright said.

Thankfully, she was unharmed but will never forget the experience, she said.

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See floor plan, page 29

To: From: Date:

Carolyn, 879-9506 Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Sept. 2013 This is your ad proof from the over The mounTain Journal for the Sept. 19, 2013 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.

Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number!

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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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28 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

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Longworth Collection Fine Furniture New and Antique

Lighting • Linens • Candles Florals • Accessories • Rugs A Drexel Heritage Dealer

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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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Bobby McAlpine Will be Featured Speaker at Antiques in The Gardens

By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

Don’t expect Bobby McAlpine to talk about the

virtues of two-story foyers, indoor basketball courts and showy oversized rooms when he kicks off the 2013 Red Diamond Lecture Series at the eighth annual Antiques in The Gardens at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens next month.

The Alabama-born architect, designer and author said instead, he will use his dual roles as the featured lecturer and one of the event’s tastemakers to encourage people to follow their hearts, not trends.

McAlpine will talk about his book “The Home Within Us: Romantic Houses, Evocative Rooms,” which he said is all about creating physical surroundings that reflect inner beauty in a way that will stand the test of time.

“Basically, (the lecture) topic will be about creating the inheritable house--something real that will have an audience for generations to come and will be something people want handed down to them,” McAlpine said.

The author and architect said he will talk about how the main point of the book is expressed in its title.

“Our own hearts are a place where we store all of our treasures and dreams, and when we take a step toward using the inventory of our hearts to create a landscape outside our hearts in the form of a house or a home, we’re freer. We can look at who we are and, spiritually, come to a great rest.”

McAlpine said his lecture at The Gardens will also explore America’s architectural history and its cycles.

“If you look back almost exactly 100 years ago, Victorian architecture in America was in a steep decline.

They were these high-maintenance, complex structures that were ultimately abandoned for something more honest, more permanent,” he said.

The reaction to that, McAlpine said, can be seen in the houses in some of Birmingham’s oldest neighborhoods.

“We learned what was beautiful and would be coveted through time. The houses that were built in Birmingham in the 1920s remain some of the best examples of architecture in the country that still resonate with people,” he said.

The cycle that American residential architecture went through 100 years ago is now repeating itself, McAlpine said.

“It’s the same thing when you talk about the McMansions of recent years. Here we are 100 years later, and people have these big houses that all look like they are owned by pro basketball players. Their only appeal is that they are new and huge and flashy,” he said. “Some of that architecture has the future lineage of a used Lincoln Town Car.” McAlpine said he thinks the pendulum is now swinging in the other direction and people are beginning to see what has always been his philosophy.

“It’s just like in my practice and what I preach. It’s all

about houses that are grand in spirit and modest in some other way,” he said.

As the founding principal architect of McAlpine Tankersley Architecture, headquartered in Montgomery, McAlpine said he strives to incorporate that philosophy into his new residential home construction projects.

Now in its 30th year, the firm has offices in Montgomery, Nashville, Atlanta and New York City.

“I never really had a business plan when I started my practice in 1983,” McAlpine said. “I have just always done what I couldn’t help but do.”

And what he has always done is draw houses, McAlpine said.

Born in the small sawmill town of Vrendenburgh in Monroe County, McAlpine said he can remember sketching floor plans as a 5-year-old.

“I starting drawing floor plans as a little boy for who knows what reason other than I felt compelled to do it, and I basically wore my mother out every day of her life by showing her my drawings and asking her to comment on them and tell me what she thought was wrong and right,” he said. “In some form or fashion, I have drawn houses every day of my life.”

McAlpine said his childhood drawings were less about what was in his immediate environment and more about what was in his imagination.

“I lived in a series of small towns growing up, and my appetite, my imagination was lit more from what was missing than what I was being exposed to at that time. I think so many artists are influenced by a kind of anemia more than by what they are shown,” he said.

By the time he went to college at Auburn University, McAlpine said he had lived in 19 houses.

“We were very transient, and that gave me a terrific appetite for change. It also gave me a desire for creating a home,” he said. “So, just as the lunatic becomes the great psychiatrist, I’ve become the go-to person to help people create their homes.”

After high school, McAlpine earned degrees in architecture and interior design and taught architectural design at Auburn University for nine years after he graduated.

“College was the first time I was surrounded by people that I recognized,” he said. “My creativity was really allowed to flourish and develop in that atmosphere.”

His time at Auburn also connected him with people who would become lifelong friends and colleagues, McAlpine said.

“When I started my practice in 1983, I staffed it and found all my business partners through the classrooms at Auburn,” he said.

McAlpine will share his tastemaker duties with Cindy Smith, co-owner of Circa Interiors and Antiques, which has shops in Mountain Brook and North Carolina.

“We’ve known each other for decades. When I was a young man, I was her architect for her house, a home she See advice, page 29

floor plan from page 27

In the room that Albright has turned over to her sons and their friends, a bed made in Selma is turned sideways against the wall to create a daybed.

The boys may be plugged into today’s technology by playing video games or using their computers in the room, but they’re also connected to the past by old maps of Alabama and a framed Vicksburg, Miss., newspaper front page from 1863.

“The boys love this room,” Albright said.

The entire family enjoys the house’s main level. In the den, which Albright said was added by a previous owner, her sons can often be found at

advice

from page 28

still lives in today. We are lifelong friends and allies,” he said.

In their “Welcome Home” presentation, McAlpine said, he and Smith will talk about a collection of contemporary and antique finds that have good bones and fine lines and that stand the test of time. A few of those items will include offerings from his handcrafted furniture line, McAlpine Home.

“A lot of it will probably be from the hip and we’ll talk about different design elements and how they blend and why they blend, and we’ll get into the thinking behind what makes for good choices in your home,” McAlpine said.

McAlpine said he will be glad to be back in Birmingham, a city he said adores.

“I think it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the South with so many contiguous, gorgeous neighborhoods,” he said. “If you are clever, it is possible to live and work in Birmingham without ever seeing anything ugly.”

After his stop in Birmingham next month, McAlpine will be back on the road to work on his architectural and design projects across the country and to promote a new book that will

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 29

home

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

the large farm table doing homework or art. Another rug takes pride of place here—and not on the floor. It’s a framed turn-of-the century Persian Kelim fragment.

“The rug belonged to Carl’s grandmother, Sally Lamar,” Albright said.

“She gave it to Alicia Schleusner, who is my mentor in the rug world. Alicia gave it back to us.”

While Albright loves the historical significance of Oriental rugs, she’s doesn’t mind a bit of modern flair. One example is the Oushak patchwork rug in the master bedroom.

“It’s over-dyed,” she said. “Often rugs that have issues such as extreme wear or holes or tears are repurposed.

They’re cut into and sewn together as a patchwork.”

The pieces are processed before officially be released in March. Called “Art of the House: Reflections on Design,” the book is a collaboration with Susan Ferrier, McAlpine’s interior design partner at McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors.

A follow-up to the bestselling “The Home Within Us,” the book profiles a selection of houses that resonate with McAlpine’s firm’s nuanced aesthetic.

“I have done so many new houses since the beginning of my practice, and we had a lot of great photography and thought we should do a book,” he said.

Even though “Art of the House” hasn’t officially been released, McAlpine is not resting on his laurels when it comes to expanding his role as an author.

“Oh, honey, this (book) will just be a place saver compared to what we have coming,” he said. “We’ve got a big one brewing.”

McAlpine will give his lecture at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 in the Linn-Henley Lecture Hall at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Admission to the lecture is $30 and includes admission to Antiques at The Gardens, which will feature tastemakers and antique dealers from around the country. To reserve seats for the lecture, visit www.bbgardens.org. For more information, call 414-3965. ❖

they’re over-dyed in one specific color, she said.

“Different areas accept the dyes differently and give variation in color tonality,” Albright said. “We have sold lots of colors--greys, blues and in this case, citrus.

“I think it makes this one young and fun. It makes it more of a ‘now’ kind of piece.’”

In the living room, a sofa started life in another family home—a little more recently than some of the other pieces.

“I had the sofa in my first apartment in Tuscaloosa,” Albright said. “I had it covered in mohair.”

Albright said she originally bought the pair of needlepoint-covered chairs that are now in her living room for her shop but liked them so much she

brought them home. The large rug in this room is an antique Oushak in light colors.

While the living room, like the rest of the house, is filled with intriguing pieces, one of Albright’s favorite possessions is a slim, well-used volume on the bookshelves. The book, published in 1904, is called “How to Know Oriental Rugs.”

“I have a collection of Oriental rug books at my shop but like to keep this one at home,” she said. “It was given to me by a friend.”

The book includes maps detailing the provenance of rugs.

“It’s so interesting to see how the maps have changed since the book was printed,” Albright said.

The rug expert said she loves “moving things around” in her house.

The zebra hide on the dining room floor, for example, was first in the computer room adjacent to the living room and then in a bedroom.

“It’s fun to see how everything goes together,” Albright said. “What I have enjoyed most is collecting antiques, building on family pieces, mixing modern and traditional--and having a wide variety of Oriental rugs throughout my home, because I love them all.” ❖

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Kerby-Falgout

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kerby of Vestavia Hills announce the engagement of their daughter, Roxanne Elizabeth Kerby, to Joseph Ryan Falgout, son of Dr. and Mrs. Howard

Pruitt-McGarity

Mary Pruitt and Will McGarity were married April 20 at the McGarity family farm in Social Circle, Ga. The Rev. Steve Vernon officiated the ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Greg Pruitt of Vestavia Hills. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill McGarity of Stone Mountain, Ga.

McElroy-Wall

Mary Ellen McElroy and Kevin Lee Wall were married Aug. 3 at Canterbury United Methodist Church.

The 6 p.m. ceremony was officiated by Rev. Michael Holly and Rev. Wayne Splawn. A reception followed at Historic Rucker Place.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. Andrew Harper McElroy III of Tallahassee, Fla., and the late Mrs.

Weddings & Engagements Joseph Falgout of Tuscaloosa.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. Ernestine Kerby of Birmingham and the late Mr. James M. Kerby, also of Birmingham, and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Roberts of Birmingham.

Miss Kerby received her licensed practical nursing degree from Shelton State Community College, where she is a student pursuing her registered nursing degree.

The prospective groom is the grandson of Mrs. Hilda Hall of Tuscaloosa and the late Mr. Richard Ellis Hall and Mr. and Mrs. M.J. Falgout of Tuscaloosa.

Mr. Falgout is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College with a bachelor’s degree in religion. He received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Alabama and is employed with Druid City Hospital.

The wedding will be Sept. 28.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a slim, A-line gown with soft romantic details. The strapless bodice had ruched organza and a satin band with satin and Swarovski crystal buttons down the back. Her veil was made of ivory tulle with a blusher trimmed in lace. She carried a bouquet of wildflowers including Lenten roses, eucalyptus and orange and purple daisies. The bouquet was made by friends of the family and tied with a handkerchief that was given as a gift to the bride by the groom.

Mallory Garrett attended the bride as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Marianne Feller; Mindy Thach, sister of the bride; Ginger Maddox, sister of the bride; and Hannah Pruitt, sisterin-law of the bride. Clara Braswell, cousin of the bride, was the flower girl.

Aaron McGarity, brother of the groom, was best man. Groomsmen were Ed May, Mark Law, Spencer Young and Matt Glass. Hayden Thach, nephew of the bride, was the ring bearer.

The couple live in Birmingham.

Elizabeth V. McElroy. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Terry Ralph Wall of Birmingham.

The bride was given in marriage by her father.

Her sister, Katharine Elise McElroy, and Mary Haley Byrne served as maids of honor. Bridesmaids were Catherine Suzanne Diamond, Reed Lawley Ellis, Marissa Noel Fernandez, Alexandra Dwyer French, Winifred Taylor Patterson, Rebecca Brennen Riddle, Kelly LuAnne Wall and Ashley Virginia Williams.

The groom’s father served as best man. Groomsmen were Benjamin Andrew Bush, Miles Thompson Duncan, Patrick Taylor Hill, Carter Wayne Hutchison, Ethan Thomas Ott, William Devlin Shatlock, Christopher James Steinkampf, Kyle Lawrence Wall and John David Williams.

Robert Patterson Plott and Thomas Snow Plott served as ring bearers.

Andrew Scott Williams served as crucifer, and Mr. and Mrs. James Tyler Williams served as acolytes.

After a honeymoon trip to Jamaica, the couple live in Birmingham.

Gilliam-Powell

Alice Katherine Gilliam of Aliceville and Austin Kirk Powell of Pensacola, Fla., were married May 11 at First Presbyterian Church in Aliceville. Dr. Thomas G. Kay Jr. officiated the ceremony. A reception followed at the home of the bride’s parents.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Jerome Gilliam of Aliceville. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Clarence Owens III of Aliceville, Mrs. Cleland Ray Gilliam of Carrollton and

McKinney-Ratliff

Margaret Tanner McKinney and

Ross-Bishop

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Joseph Ross of Vestavia Hills announce the engagement of their daughter, Ashley Marie, to Mr. Jeremiah Alexander Bishop, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony DeWayne Bishop of Warrior.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Mrs. Everett Clarence Owens Jr. of Pleasant Ridge.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Colvin Powell of Vestavia Hills. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Don Paul McKinzey of Aliceville and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Ervin Powell of Tuscaloosa.

The bride is a 2010 graduate of Pickens Academy. She attended the University of Alabama and has transferred to the University of West Florida in Pensacola, where she is a senior majoring in special education.

The groom is a 2007 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School and a 2011 graduate of the University of Alabama, where he received a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He completed his master’s degree in accounting from the University of Alabama in 2012. He is employed with Warren Averett O’Sullivan Creel in Pensacola as a certified public accountant.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a beautiful strapless satin and illusion modified mermaid gown with a sweetheart neckline. The ivory and spun-gold lace gown had a scalloped re-embroidered lace bodice with an Empire waistline, matching scalloped lace hemline and a chapel-

length train. She wore her mother’s beaded tiara featuring a two-tiered chapel-length veil of lettuce-edged illusion.

Rebecca Elizabeth Gilliam, sister of the bride, of Aliceville attended the bride as maid of honor.

Bridesmaids were Emily Marie Powell of Vestavia Hills, sister of the groom; Mary Katherine Cooper of Hoover; Elizabeth Tate Fuller of Aliceville; Allie Rae Potts of Carrollton; Dipti Singh of Tuscaloosa; and Annalise Jane Winans of Northvale, N.J. Lainey Know Lien of Tuscaloosa was the flower girl.

The groom’s father served as his son’s best man. Groomsmen were Mark Everett Gilliam of Aliceville, brother of the bride; Phillip Braden Cheek of Mobile; James Edward Alderson and Joshua Samuel Reed of Birmingham; Andrew Lee Underwood of Cullman; and Bradley Johnson Wilkes of Vestavia Hills.

John David Gilliam and Patton Douglas Gilliam, cousins of the bride, of Columbus, Miss., were ring bearers.

After a honeymoon trip to Jamaica, the couple live in Pensacola.

Mark Philip Ratliff were married June 1 at Saint Mary’s-on-the-Highlands.

The Rev. Huey Gardner officiated the ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Robison Taylor III and Mr. Lewis Carlyle McKinney III, all of Birmingham. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Acker Ratliff of Birmingham.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride was attended by Mackin McKinney Thompson, sister of the bride, as matron of honor and Katherine Ragland Mackin as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Sara Claire Ballard, Caroline Barnes Howard, Sarah Bentley Howard, Elizabeth Rose Legg, Mary Aileen Mackin, Louise Vass McClure, Carolyn

Brooking Pritchard, Mary Carleton Rafield, Sarah Elizabeth Ratliff and Nancy Elizabeth Whatley. Sarah Margaret Ratliff was the flower girl.

The father of the groom was his son’s best man. Groomsmen were Hunter Dunavant Adams, John Francis Bouchard, Carey Whilden Hollingsworth, Cosby Hayes Martin III, Lewis Carlyle McKinney III, Richard Hallet Ogburn, Charles Wesley Ratliff, John Israel Ratliff, William Acker Jackson Ratliff and David Christopher Willings.

Bailey Amanda Walker and Laura Adelaide Lupton were readers. Julia Katherine Burchfield and Dana Ashley Noah served as program attendants.

The couple live in Birmingham.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. Margaret McFeeters Miller of Hoover and the late Mr. Robert William McFeeters and Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Paul Ross of Mountain Brook.

Miss Ross is a 2006 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School, a 2010 summa cum laude graduate of the University Honors Program at the University of Alabama and a 2013 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, president of The XXXI, editorin-chief of the Law & Psychology Review, Law School Ambassador, member of the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board and a member of the Judge Conrad Duberstein Bankruptcy Competition Team. She was presented at the 2008 Poinsettia Debutante Ball. Miss Ross is employed at Grandbridge Real Estate

Capital, LLC in Birmingham.

The prospective groom is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John Walter Bishop of Gardendale and Mr. James Howard Wagle of Gardendale and the late Mrs. Barbara Ann Wagle.

Mr. Bishop is a 2006 graduate of Saint Bernard Preparatory School. He is a 2010 geological sciences graduate of the University of Alabama and received his master’s degree in fluvial geomorphology in 2013. He was a member of the SEARCH team at St. Francis University Parish, an ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences, a tutor for the UA Athletic Department and a UA Teaching Assistant for geography and geology classes. Mr. Bishop is employed at Bhate Geosciences Corporation in Birmingham.

The wedding is planned for Dec. 14 at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.

To have our wedding & engagement forms sent to you, call 823-9646.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Weddings & Engagements

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 31

Immigration policy should be based on fairness . . .

. . . to Americans.

But unfortunately, current immigration policy unfairly forces unemployed Americans to compete for scarce jobs with immigrants, millions of whom are illegal aliens who have no right to be here. $FFRUGLQJ WR JRYHUQPHQW ÂżJXUHV WKH WRWDO QXPEHU RI ZRUNLQJ DJH QDWLYH ERUQ $PHULFDQV ZLWKRXW D MRE ZDV PLOOLRQ LQ WKH ÂżUVW TXDUWHU RI WKLV \HDU <HW WKH 8 6 JRYHUQPHQW FRQWLQXHV WR LPSRUW PLOOLRQV RI ZRUNLQJ DJH foreign immigrants, and proposes to bring in even more in the future. )URP WR WKH WRWDO QXPEHU RI QDWLYH ERUQ $PHULFDQV ZLWK D MRE fell by 1.3 million even though WKH QXPEHU RI ZRUNLQJ DJH $PHULFDQV increased by 16.4 million. At the same time, the total number of immigrants (legal and illegal) with a job grew by 5.3 million.

Ask your representatives in Congress what they are doing to ensure fairness for unemployed American workers.

For more information and regular immigration news updates, visit www.aicfoundation.com

American Immigration Control Foundation P.O. Box 525, Monterey, Virginia 24465

32 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

Structured Success

Schools

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Hoover’s Engineering Academy Preps Students for College

By Jessica Jones

A

Journal intern

Hoover High School program that is preparing students for college-level engineering classes is expanding, thanks to a new wing recently completed on the Buccaneer Drive campus.

Students in the Engineering Academy started the new school year in the new addition. The enlarged facility allows more classes to be offered in the program, which started in 2004.

Dr. Mark Conner, head of the Engineering Academy, said the new wing has increased the number of classrooms available for EA classes and enhances the sense of community among the engineering students and their teachers.

“We also have the ability to offer two sections of engineering classes during any given class period, something we haven’t been able to do to this point because of having only one computer lab on a campus,” Conner said. “We have tried to schedule classes very intentionally this year so that during most class periods, there are two different engineering classes being taught. This will allow us to schedule some time for engineering students from different grade levels to spend time with each other. We are hoping that this will enhance the sense of community among the students and increase our retention rate.”

The additions, which include new shop space, were made near the end of the last school year.

The final touches were made in time for the start of the new school year on Aug. 19.

“The addition of shop space opens up the possibility for additional hands-on learning for our students,” Conner said. “Limited physical space has limited what we can do in the way of fabrication activities in a classroom or extracurricular setting. As we are able to acquire additional equipment, we have the option to expand some of the topics currently covered in EA courses, incorporate new topics and grow the scope of the senior design projects in the engineering design and entrepreneurship course.”

Conner said the idea for the Engineering Academy at Hoover High came from Martin Nalls, who was the school’s assistant principal at the time.

It took a full year to work out the details of the program, and in 2004, classes started being taught by degreed engineers with the aim of getting students ready for college-level engineering courses.

“Our goal is college prep,” Conner said.

“Everything we’ve designed and built has been preparing them for undergraduate engineering because there’s usually a pretty big gap between walking out of high school and being ready for what’s awaiting them when they get to the undergraduate level. So given what Hoover High School has to offer in math and science and English and everything else, it just made sense to gear everything toward college prep.”

The curriculum spans each year of high school and consists of one elective course in the ninth through 12th grades in addition to advanced math and science classes.

“When they walk out of here, usually what they see in the first year and a half or so in their undergraduate curriculum is largely things that they’ve seen before. Then it starts to get a little more difficult at that point,” Conner said.

Conner said he frequently hears from former students about how well-prepared they were for college after completing Hoover’s EA program.

While some graduates report on how the academy has helped them with their post-secondary studies, at least one former student had news of a different kind, Conner said.

“I actually had a student who graduated from here in May send me an email a couple of weeks ago saying that he went to tour a facility here in town that does engineering work, and after he finished going through the tour and talking to the people and telling them about his high school background, they offered him a full-time paid internship for the summer,” Conner said.

That student was Jacob Varner, a freshman at Auburn University who’s studying software engineering. This summer, Varner interned at Fitz-

T.J. Nguyen, left, a former student at the Hoover High School Engineering Academy, and Dr. Mark Conner, head of the Engineering Academy, celebrate Nguyen being named the Student Employee of the Year at Auburn University. Photo special to the Journal

Thors Engineering Inc., a small engineering firm in Bessemer.

Varner said one course he is now taking at Auburn covers information that he learned in his sophomore year at Hoover High.

“I have had several windows of opportunity opened almost directly because of the academy, and because of the skills I learned, I was able to take those opportunities and almost always excel,” Varner said.

The academy also teaches “soft skills” that students need to get jobs just as much as they need advanced math courses, Varner said.

“I would also say that I am a ton more prepared to write in a technical way and have become far better with my presentation and general communication skills because of all the practice that came as a result of my four years in the academy,” he said.

A strong student in math and science, Varner said the academy gave him the ability “to shape those skills and also showed me how they could be applied in different engineering fields and problems.”

Varner said his interest in engineering was

sparked in his last year of middle school when academy faculty members came to his school to recruit new students who would enter high school in the fall as freshmen.

“At that point, I didn’t really know what an engineer was, but soon someone told me that engineers were usually very good in math and science and also got to be creative,” Varner said. “From that point, I had my mind set on being an engineer, and the Engineering Academy proved to be the best way to further that goal.”

Varner is not the only former student who said he has benefited from what he learned through the academy.

T.J. Nguyen, a mechanical engineering graduate at Auburn University and AU Student Employee of the Year Award recipient, said he was able to skip a few classes in his freshman year of college thanks to what he learned through the academy.

“I was able to get out of Calculus I and Physics I,” Nguyen said. “The programming and solid modeling we learned was similar or more in-depth than some of the early engineering classes I had to take.”

Nguyen said he has some advice for students considering an engineering career.

“My advice to students who are thinking about engineering is to realize that a fulfilling life is more than just money,” he said. “While engineers typically do make good money, it is also a rewarding career that will challenge you intellectually and never gets old. Engineers solve problems, and the world will never run out of problems.”

Varner said he also encourages students to explore engineering through the Hoover High School program.

“Whether you know for sure you want to be an engineer, you think you are just good in science and math or you want to go into any other business-related field, the Engineering Academy works wonders in preparing you for success in life after high school,” Varner said. “Obviously, students that want to be engineers are going to get the most out of the academy, but with the skills that are taught and the way the class is run, I believe the academy prepares you for almost any field of study better than any other academy that Hoover High School also offers.”

For more information, visit www.eahoover. com. ❖

School Notes the University of Alabama UA Early College program.

The program accepts U.S. high school students who earn online college credits and are eligible for the UA Summer Residential/Honors Ready experience.

These students may earn up to 30 college credits from UA and still enter UA eligible for freshmen scholarships.

Greystone Elementary Wins National Award From left: Rotary Scholarship Chairman Lawrence Corley, Homewood City Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Cleveland, Bailey Douthit, Mary Claire Galloway, Tracy Awino, Genesis Barco, Eden Harris, HHS Principal Dr. Zack Barnes and Rotary Past-President Paul Scholl. Photo special to the Journal

Homewood Rotary Club Awards Scholarships The Homewood Rotary Club awarded scholarships to five 2013 Homewood High School graduates.

Award winners were Tracy Awino, Genesis Barco, Bailey Douthit, Mary Claire Galloway and Eden Harris.

The club annually awards scholarships to students based on their academic achievements and

participation in community and schoolrelated activities.

The total of this year’s awards was $13,000.

Hoover Student Accepted into Early College A Hoover High School student is earning college credit while still enrolled in high school.

Terry Turner has been accepted into

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation will recognize Greystone Elementary for its efforts in fighting childhood obesity at the Forum in Little Rock, Ark., Sep. 30-Oct. 2.

Rand Payton, a physical education teacher at the school, will represent Greystone Elementary at the recognition ceremony.

The school’s Rand Payton improvements

to its nutrition services and physical activities either met or exceeded the Alliance’s standards.

The Healthy Schools Program provides the needed resources to help schools reverse the nation’s obesity epidemic at no cost to the school.

“We applaud the achievements of our 2013 honorees,” said Howell Wechsler, chief executive officer, Alliance for a Healthier Generation. “Their successful efforts to get students and staff eating better and moving more prove that schools are great environments to promote both health and academics.”

The program also makes it easy for schools to have access to healthful foods and beverages and physical activities. Because of the program, students, including those who are already in the free or reduced lunch program, are receiving better, more wellbalanced lunches.

Liberty Park Middle Students Go High-tech Liberty Park Middle School seventhgrade language arts students were recently allowed to bring their personal electronic devices to class.

The students brought their own

Seventh-graders at Liberty Park Middle School participate in a QR Code Hunt in their language arts class. Photo special to the Journal devices or checked out iPads from the school to take part in a QR Code Hunt.

The purpose of the activity was to give the students a chance to research background knowledge on “Alabama Moon,” a novel they are reading.

Using an application called I-Nigma, students scanned the QR codes that teachers placed around the room.

Each group was assigned a QR code.

Once the students found the necessary information, they told other group members what they’d learned and

propaganda and survivor testimonies and how to use them in lessons to enhance a student’s learning.

“I am very excited to use the knowledge and resources gained from this experience to teach such a historical and unforgettable event,” Krueger said.

OLV has taught a cross-curricular program on the Holocaust in middle school for several years.

then worked together to compile the information into one brochure.

The teachers said these activities gave students the opportunity to use technology for research and allowed them to inform others while gaining knowledge.

Cherokee Bend Hosts Meet and Greet Event Cherokee Bend Elementary School students from kindergarten to sixth grade started the school year by meeting their friends and teachers and touring their new classrooms at a Meet and Greet event on Aug. 16.

The day began with kindergarten students meeting in the auditorium to join their classmates and their new teachers.

Mothers of new students were invited to the Muffins for New Moms event on Aug. 23. The Mountain Brook school welcomed new families with balloondecorated mailboxes and school goodies to celebrate their arrival at Cherokee Bend.

Edgewood Students Learn History in Reverse Edgewood Elementary School students will be learning Alabama history backward this year, beginning with current events and ending with the state’s early history.

Typically, students learn Alabama history in order of historical events leading up to today’s events. Students also take a trip to Montgomery, the state’s capital, in the spring.

School officials said the reversal of

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 33

Schools

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Hall-Kent First-graders Use Minis in Classrooms From left: Lauren Barksdale, Rollins Thorpe, Camp Forbus, Gina Winn and Ashley Courington attended the Meet and Greet event at Cherokee Bend Elementary School in Mountain Brook. Photo special to the Journal the curriculum’s order is an attempt to better engage students in the state’s history with explanations of what they may be hearing in today’s news.

Instead of visiting Montgomery in the spring, students will take the trip earlier in the school year.

To culminate their year of study on Alabama history, the students will create an Alabama History float, which will be much like a parade float and will tell the history of the state.

this summer.

For three days, Krueger collaborated with other teachers on how to teach the Holocaust to middle school students.

The program covered topics such as

First-graders at Hall-Kent Elementary School in Homewood are on the cutting edge of technology this year.

The students are using iPad Minis in the classroom for the 2013-14 school year.

First-grade teachers are planning lessons that allow students to use the iPads for research, writing and class

OLV Teacher Attends Holocaust Conference A social studies teacher at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School in North Shelby is using what she learned at a summer conference to teach her students this year.

Kayley Krueger attended the Belfer Conference, hosted by the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.,

Kayley Krueger, a social studies teacher at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School, with OLV eighth-graders. Krueger attended a conference on the Holocaust in Washington, D.C., over the summer. Photo special to the Journal

presentations.

Teachers said that often, young learners have difficulty getting their thoughts on paper because their handwriting skills are not fully developed. Using the Minis will promote focusing on their thoughts and written expressions, encouraging them to think in more depth about their writing, teachers said.

“Young students will thrive using the same device each day and the same one as their classmates,” said Becky Salls, the school’s technology specialist. “As they become familiar with the Mini, the learning will be the engaging part of the lesson rather than the device.”

The first-grade teaching team wrote a proposal to purchase the iPad minis to support classroom instruction.

Heart Association Honors Shades Cahaba Elementary School The American Heart Association has recognized Shades Cahaba Elementary as a Fit Friendly School.

The title is awarded to schools that make health consciousness a priority through physical activity programs as well as providing healthful eating options for students, faculty and staff.

Genie Christian, the school’s physical education teacher, was the driving force behind the efforts to encourage students to practice healthier lifestyles, school officials said.

Christian coordinated the school’s participation in the health programs.

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34 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

Schools

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Luncheon Honors OLS Teachers, Staff Members

Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tommy Bice, spoke at the first Parent Awareness meeting of the year held by the Vestavia Hills PTO. From left: DeMarco, Patti Moultrie, Leigh Ann Bridges, Tracey Lemak and Bice. Photo special to the Journal

Vestavia Sets Parent Meetings The Vestavia Hills Schools Parent Awareness Committee has set its roster of speakers for the 2013-14 school year.

The first meeting on Sept. 4 featured State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice and Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood.

Meetings will be held at noon at the Vestavia Hills Board of Education in room 203.

Those attending are invited to bring lunches and hear advice from speakers on how to handle the issues today’s teens are facing.

On Nov. 6, Ann Brindley, an addictions specialist, will discuss the signs and symptoms of substance abuse in teens.

On Dec. 4, the topic will be Good Teens/Bad Behavior. Guest speaker

will be Dr. Al Saunders, director of Wellspring Counseling.

On Jan. 8, Kim Brindley will talk about developing healthy relationships between teens and their parents.

Anna Stanley will talk about the secret ways teens cope with stress on Feb. 5.

The March 5 program on teen driving safety will be given by Dr. Dale Wisley of the Mountain Brook school system.

Alice Churnock will talk about coping with grief, sadness and depression on April 2.

The last meeting will be on May 7 and will cover technology in the schools. Dr. Connie Bain, Vestavia City Schools director of technology, will give hands-on training for parents on a variety of electronic devices.

Prince of Peace Has New Spanish Program

Prince of Peace Catholic School second-graders in Lauren Brown’s class make music during their Spanish lessons with Susie Tucker. From left: Tucker, Bobby Shelton, Sam Donegan, Abby Guillory and Sofia Craft. Photo special to the Journal

Prince of Peace Catholic School in Hoover has introduced a new Spanish program that teaches students the language in a holistic way.

Students are learning Spanish by retelling interesting stories. Through this method, they also learn vocabulary, sentence structure and grammatical accuracy, school officials said.

“They just don’t realize that they are learning grammar, because they are so engaged in the interactive learning process,” said Susie Tucker, the school’s new Spanish teacher who introduced the program to the school.

The class works by introducing a story to the class and asking the students questions that build on the original storyline. Before a new part of the story is introduced, key vocabulary words are written on a Smart Board. Tucker then selects a

student to come to the front of the class to have a conversation with her, using hand gestures to facilitate a better understanding for students who are observing.

Principal Connie Angstadt and Assistant Principal Katie King said they are excited about Tucker’s teaching methods.

“Once we heard her enthusiasm for and knowledge of this innovative method of teaching Spanish, we knew that we wanted her to join the Prince of Peace faculty,” Angstadt said. “In the past, we have had teachers who utilized a traditional book method of language instruction and those who have created their own combination of instructional methods. Mrs. Tucker offers our students the most innovative and practical Spanish education today.”

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School in Homewood honored its teachers and staff members at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.

The school held the luncheon on Aug. 14 following its annual “Meet the Teacher” day.

The first part of the day gave students a chance to meet their new teachers and catch up with old friends.

Student helpers manned information booths to give students and parents information on the OLS Spirit Store, Boy Scouts, Chess Club and more.

Informational packets were handed out to parents attending.

Following the “Meet the Teacher” event, the school’s PTO officers held a luncheon called “Food for the Soul” for teachers and staff members. The luncheon theme goes along with the school’s theme for this academic year, “Good for the Soul.”

For the luncheon, the Parish Hall was decorated with a festive picnic theme. Urban Cookhouse in Homewood catered the luncheon. The menu included smoked turkey macaroni and cheese, orange rolls, grilled vegetables, drinks and dessert.

Daisy arrangements adorned the tables and were given away as door prizes.

Those who attended saw a special video presentation and received small gifts.

Saint Francis Xavier Celebrates Silence Can a room full of middle school students stay quiet for more than an hour?

That was the question to be answered at a silent retreat for middle school students at Saint Francis Xavier School on Aug. 16.

On the day of the retreat, students filed into the Parish Hall with their reflection journals and sat in assigned seats. The objective was to allow students a few moments to reflect on the presence of God in their lives.

The school’s new theme for the year, “Made for More,” was also a point of focus for the students.

During the retreat, students were encouraged to place God in the center of their school year.

The students were treated to ice cream and an extra recess time after the retreat.

Parents said they were impressed with the silent reflection, and more sessions are planned for the future.

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School teachers enjoy a luncheon in their honor hosted by the PTO. From left: Dawn Philibin, Cindy Westbrook, Tammy Covington and Charlene Leon. Photo special to the Journal

Homewood schools are collaborating with the Bell Center to raise money for early intervention programs by forming student teams for the Mercedes Marathon Relay in February. Photo special to the Journal

Homewood Schools Team Homewood Middle Up with Bell Center Students Help Peers Running teams in Homewood City Schools are teaming up with the Bell Center.

The teams will collaborate with the Bell Center to raise money to support an early intervention program by forming two student teams to participate in the Mercedes Marathon Relay on Feb. 16.

The Patriot Partners program will consist of fifth through 12th-graders.

Runners of all levels of ability are being recruited to participate.

The Homewood Middle and Homewood High School coaches will train students for the 26.2 mile relay.

The program will begin at the Bell Center’s Magic City Mile event on Sep. 29 at 2 p.m. in downtown Homewood.

The one-mile race is open to the public.

After the race, a meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. at the Bell Center for those interested in becoming a member of the Patriot Partners program.

For more information on the Sept.

29 meeting or the program to support The Bell Center, contact Lars Porter at lporter@homewoood.k12.al.us.

The Homewood Middle School Peer Helping Program gives students a chance to better their learning experiences by giving them the equipment needed to assist classmates.

Peer Helpers are seventh and eighthgraders who are expected to maintain high personal standards and be positive role models for their peers, school officials said.

Peer Helpers are required to earn at least 30 hours of community service per year and are trained to tutor, mentor and serve as ambassadors. They must participate in group activities such as serving dinner at the Jimmie Hale Mission each month, assisting with the preparation for the Mercedes Marathon weekend, working at school festivals and volunteering at the Birmingham Zoo for events like Boo at the Zoo, Hogwarts Night and ZooLight Safari.

---Jessica Jones

Send school notes to: kdrexel@otmj.com

Primrose Liberty Park Students Help Pets Students at Primrose School of Liberty Park have been learning to care for animals through the school’s Precious Pets Programs.

Students collected 275 canned and dried pet food items and supplies.

The donations were given to the adoption/rescue department at Birmingham-Jefferson County Animal Control.

Lee McDonald of BirminghamJefferson County Animal Control visited the school and brought along Winky, an adoptable dog. McDonald spoke to the children about how to care for pets.

Students at Primrose School of Liberty Park got a visit from Lee McDonald Birmingham-Jefferson County Animal Control. McDonald brought along Winky, an adoptable dog, and talked to the children about how to care for pets. Photo special to the Journal

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Schools

The varsity members of the Spain Park High School Dazzlers celebrate winning several awards at a summer camp. The junior varsity team, not pictured, also won several awards at the camp in Baton Rouge, La. Photo special to the Journal

Spain Park High School Dazzlers Win at Camp The Spain Park High School Dazzlers dance team won several awards at a Universal Dance Academy camp held in June in Baton Rouge, La. The varsity team won the fifth-place home routine award, team full-out award and four Spirit Stick awards. Nine seniors received UDA staff bids and All American awards.

Team members also earned 40 individual superior awards and 27 individual drill down awards.

Elizabeth King, a varsity team member, placed fifth of 300 for the individual drill down award.

Senior members of the varsity team are captain Maddy Powell, co-captains Amelia Juneau and Guilia Mugnaini, Alexandra Denning, Megan Koziol, Elizabeth Pate, Jill Sanderson, Katherine Sharpton and Emily Taylor. Other varsity team members are juniors Kate Dease, Avery Henson, Taylor Jordan, Mary

Elizabeth Killian, Tatiana Lamb, Rachel Ousley and Haley West and sophomores Leigh Dees, Elizabeth King, Lilly Martin and Courtney Wells.

The junior varsity team won the fifth-place home routine award, team full-out award and four Spirit Stick awards. Five of the junior varsity dancers received UDA staff bids and All American awards.

The team had 24 members who received individual superior awards and 16 members who won individual drill down awards.

Members of the junior varsity team are sophomores Emily Fisher, Laney Lambert, Faith Robinson and Dymon Todd and freshmen Caroline Grace Bagwell, Katherine Barton, Alexis Drake, Grace Friedman, Katherine Friday, Haley Halsell, Taylor McKinney, Rachel Miller and Sarah Sharpton.

---Jessica Jones

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 35

Simmons Middle Welcomes New Assistant Principal

the incredible learning environment Simmons Middle School in Hoover welcomed a new addition to that already exists,” Rozell said. its administrative team for the 2013She also has taught in Shelby 14 school year.

County and Birmingham City schools.

Tony Rozell has been named a When she was a teacher in the new assistant principal at the Hoover Birmingham school system, Rozell school. was named the district’s In her new role, Rozell Secondary Teacher of the will work with Principal Year.

Brian Cain, Assistant Rozell earned a Principal Kevin Erwin bachelor’s degree at the and the Simmons faculty University of Alabama and staff to carry out the and a master’s degree in school’s vision of “Doing educational leadership Whatever it Takes.” from Samford University.

“I have been in educaRozell is married and tion for 21 years. Through has three children. She the years, students’ said she enjoys travel, Tonya Rozell learning styles, educagolf and spending time tional philosophies and technological with her family. ❖ advances have changed significantly.

Send school notes to: To me, however, the goal remains the kdrexel@otmj.com same--to equip children with skills they need to thrive in a global society,” Rozell said.

Before she joined the staff at Mary Charles’ Simmons Middle, Rozell was a lanDoll House guage arts teacher at Mountain Brook High School.

New, Collectible “Having spent the past 15 years in Mountain Brook City Schools, the Antique Dolls professional development opportunities really sharpened my skills in 2820 Petticoat Lane school leadership. Joining the team Mtn. Brook Village at Simmons Middle School provides 870-5544 me an opportunity to take what I’ve Open Thur. - Sat. 10am - 4:30pm learned and apply those concepts to

FUN Feathers Where it’s all about U To: Pre-K MaryProgram Charles Robbins From: Date:

Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax May 2010

This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MO June 3, 2010 issue. Please fax approval or

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The Vestavia Hills High School Rebelettes dance team won several awards at the National Dance Asssociation dance camp at Lake Guntersville over the summer. The varsity team won a superior ribbon for its home routine and the junior varsity team won the Superior Gold Award for its perforamnce. Photo special to the Journal

Vestavia Rebelettes Win Gold at Dance Camp The Vestavia Hills High School Rebelettes dance team brought home several awards for its performance at a National Dance Association dance camp at Lake Guntersville over the summer.

The team had the opportunity to learn different dance styles, including jazz and hip-hop, and compete against other teams attending the camp.

The Vestavia varsity team received a superior ribbon for its home routine to “Feel this Moment.” The varsity team won the innovative choreography award for its home routine as well as a superior rating, qualifying the team for a chance to compete at the national level in March.

Individual varsity team members who won awards included Rachel Show, Curran Umphrey, Hannah Claire Hamric and Allison Howell.

Team leaders for the varsity and junior varsity

teams attended leadership classes and performed a dance for the Team Leader Circle of Winners.

Junior varsity captains Ashlyn Lovell and Katie Corona were awarded gold plaques. Varsity captains Emily Lytle, Jane Thornton and Anna Watts were awarded silver plaques.

Team members nominated to audition for the NDA’s All American dance team included Katie Corona, Haley Dellaccio, Hannah Echols, Mary Frances Garner, Cailyn Levant, Ashlyn Lovell, Emily Lytle, Chandler Moss, Mary Kate Smith, Rachael Snow, Jane Thornton and Curran Umphrey.

Echols, Levant, Lovell, Snow, Thornton and Umphrey were selected as NDA’s All American Dance Team members.

The team also received the Superior Gold Award for its performance during the competition.

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36 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

business

Bill’s Big Year

Crestline Piggly Wiggly to Close

Architect Ingram Wins Major Awards— and Opens New Office

By Donna Cornelius

Y

Journal features writer

ou can’t blame Bill Ingram if he hates to see 2013 come to an end.

Although the Birmingham architect’s work has earned him a high profile and a reputation for stand-out design, this year has been especially productive. Ingram won two prestigious awards—and he’s been able to enjoy them in a brand new place.

In the spring, the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center and Veranda magazine named Ingram the Southeast Architect of the Year.

He accepted the award May 13 at a posh awards ceremony in Atlanta.

“I didn’t officially know about the ADAC award, but because they wanted to announce the award at the gala, they made sure I’d be there,” he said.

Late summer brought another honor.

The August issue of Southern Living featured an Ingram design as the magazine’s 2013 New House of the Year.

The house, in Lake Martin’s Trillium neighborhood, “takes advantage of the views,” Ingram said. “The main focus is the water.”

In between the awards, Bill Ingram Architect relocated to Mountain Brook Village. The firm moved in June from Birmingham’s Southside to its new home at 2913 Cahaba Road.

“I was on Southside for 13 years and had an office at my home in Redmont before that,” Ingram said. “Our other office served us well, but after that long, it was getting tired. We needed to clean up, clear out—it was time.”

The Mountain Brook Village location, Ingram said, puts him closer to his clients.

“People are drawn to this place. We’re on our clients’ paths,” he said. “It’s funny what moving has done for us. Our old office was in a building over a parking area, and we were separated from the street. Here, people on the sidewalk will stop to look in.”

The 1,500-square-foot building has housed antique and dress shops, he said— and a restaurant.

“A book put out by a historical society says it was Mountain Brook Steakhouse in the 1940s,” Ingram said.

The building was “one big open space, so it suited us well,” he said.

The new floor plan includes a table and comfortable seating area up front near a large window. In the middle is a workspace, while storage is in the back.

Passersby need only to look at the 8-feet-tall front door to get a sense of Ingram’s style.

“I drew the door and detailed it. It has somewhat of a Chippendale style and is over-scaled,” he said. “It has a presence to it. It’s a signature piece. The scale was important, because we have high ceilings and the big plate-glass front window.”

On the office walls are drawings of some of Ingram’s recent projects in places like Mountain Brook and Homewood and at Lake Martin.

“I chose popular houses,” he said.

“These drawings are so graphic. I was at the red light the other day and could see them from the street.”

Ingram, an Auburn University graduate,

In the spring, the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center and Veranda magazine named Ingram the Southeast Architect of the Year. has had houses spotlighted in major design magazines like House Beautiful, Veranda, Southern Living, Cottage Living and Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles. But a project with Southern Accents, a Birminghambased magazine published until 2009, particularly stands out in his memory.

“We did a Southern Accents Idea House, the first one that was a renovation, about 2000,” he said. “It was a blowout of an English cottage.”

Another first with the Idea House was that Ingram handled more than just the architecture. Mark Mayfield, Southern Accents’ editor at the time, said that when Ingram asked to also do the Idea House’s interior design and gardens, “I had no problem saying yes.”

“I knew what we would get,” Mayfield said. “Bill’s one of the rare people who can do it all.

“When I think of great architects, I think of Bill. But when I think of great designers, I think of Bill, too.”

Mayfield said he welcomed the chance to work with Ingram on the Idea House.

“I knew of Bill but didn’t meet him until the mid-1990s when I became editor of Southern Accents,” said Mayfield, who’s now associate director of the University of Alabama’s Office of Student Media. “He did a wonderful job with that Idea House.

That was probably the best experience I ever had with a showhouse.”

The renovation included a dramatic

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Above: Birmingham architect Bill Ingram has been named the Southeast Architect of the Year. Below: Ingram recently relocated his office from Southside to Mountain Brook Village. Photos special to the Journal

expansion of the house, Mayfield said.

“The beauty of Bill is that he increased the size, but the house still settled into its lot perfectly,” he said. “It was beautiful but accessible. It looked like someone actually lived there.”

Mayfield said that Ingram and Montgomery-based architect Bobby McAlpine “came up together, and they transformed the way Southern interiors and architecture are done.”

“They design the ‘anti-McMansions,’” Mayfield said. “They’re the good taste and good style people.”

Ingram said people tell him that they can see “overriding things that connect my work—the approach and the sensibility.”

“I think my houses are comfortable where they are and that they reflect the owners,” he said. “They use natural materials. That’s the only thing that ages properly and stands the test of time.”

Mayfield said Ingram’s use of natural materials is one element that helps him recognize the architect’s work when he sees it.

“He’ll find things like antique oak planks and use them,” Mayfield said. “He uses natural colors. He knows how to take earth tones and bring them to life. His proportions are great, and he uses lots of light, big windows.

“You walk into one of his houses, and it’s indoors-out and outdoors-in.”

While Ingram said he appreciates the awards he’s earned, he’s gratified his houses make their owners happy.

“I had a client, who’s a lovely person, tell me, ‘I just love my house. I think about you every morning when I wake up in my pretty bedroom and go out on my screened-in porch,’” he said, smiling.

His career has pretty much gone the way he envisioned it when he started out, Ingram said.

“You always want to do more and better. You can get too comfortable,” he said.

“I’ve always liked to draw. I always loved houses and wanted to do houses. I like their scale and detail.” ❖

Crestline shoppers will have to find a new grocery store to buy all the fixings for their holiday meals this year.

Despite their best efforts, store officials with the Crestline Piggly Wiggly announced last week that the store will officially close its doors at the end of November after 30 years.

“We did our best to make this work,” said store owner Andy Virciglio. “We tried and tried to work out our lease agreement.

We agreed to the landlord’s fair market rent increases. We have been good tenants in the space for 30 years, but the landlord chose to go another route with another tenant, and unfortunately we cannot do anything about that.”

Earlier this summer, Mountain Brook residents heard the store might close and immediately started efforts to save the Crestline Piggly Wiggly, launching Facebook pages and creating online petitions.

In a prepared statement, Virciglio said he did not know what new tenant will be moving into the store’s space.

“But we do know our current lease calls for us to be out by the end of November, so we will begin that process effective now,” he said.

Virciglio said he last week he talked to the store’s employees, some of whom have worked there for 25 years, about the closing.

He said over the last three decades, his family has come to know their customers and vice versa. Virciglio said during that time, the store has been a consistent supporter of communitybased fundraisers ‘We tried and and activities and tried to work said he will miss that about being in out our lease Crestline. agreement. We “Three generaagreed to the tions of our family are involved landlord’s fair in operating this market rent store, and many of increases.’ you know us by Andy Virciglio name,” he said.

Virciglio said he will continue the business practices his father, Stanley, taught him at the other Piggly Wiggly stores he owns in Homewood and River Run. “I have learned much from my father and the ‘Stanley Virciglio Way’: treat customers, employees, vendors and everyone with respect and appreciation. I grew up at his side in this business, and I value that he taught me the right way to operate a neighborhood grocery store. Now, my son Austin is helping us retain these values while staying abreast of technology and innovations,” he said.

Mountain Brook City Manager Sam Gaston said in a previous interview that rumors abound about what will replace the Crestline Piggly Wiggly.

Gaston said the city had heard mentions of a Walgreens or CVS Pharmacy possibly relocating to that space but emphasized those were just rumors.

But a pharmacy business, Gaston said, would not bring in as many tax dollars to Mountain Brook as the grocery store has. ❖

OTM Chambers Plan Luncheons, Special Events Over the Mountain area chambers of commerce are offering several upcoming networking opportunities and special events.

HOMEWOOD

The Homewood Chamber of Commerce will host the 12th annual Homewood Chamber Golf Classic on Oct. 10 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Course Oxmoor Valley. The event is co-sponsored by Brookwood Medical Center and OnMark Physical Therapy.

The tournament will be a four-person scramble format. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. followed by a putting contest at 11:30 a.m. There will be a shotgun start at noon. Immediately following the tournament, there will be an awards ceremony and cookout with food from Full Moon BBQ. For more information, visit www.homewoodchamber.org or call 871-5631.

HoOVER

The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a luncheon on Oct. 10 at the Hoover Country Club.

Networking begins at 11:15 a.m. The luncheon starts at noon. Reservations are due by Oct. 14. Tickets are $20 in advance or $22 without reservations.

For more information or to make reservations, visit www.hooverchamber. org, email admin@hooverchamber.org or call 988-5672.

VESTAVIA HILLS

The Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly chamber luncheon on Oct. 8 at the Vestavia Hills Country Club.

Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., and the program begins at noon.

Reservations must be received by 4 p.m. on Oct. 4. Tickets are $18 with reservations or $25 without reservations.

For details, visit www.vestaviahills.org or call 823-5011. ❖

Auburn Fans Win Vestavia Chamber Contest The Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce kicked off football season by asking those attending its monthly luncheon last week to show their team spirit by helping others. The Chamber held a canned food drive competition and asked luncheon attendees to wear their team colors and bring in food items to donate to the Jimmie Hale Mission.

Football fans added their donated items to others collected for their teams to see which team brought in the most food.

Auburn University fans brought in the most canned food items for Jimmie Hall Mission and won the competition.

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 37

business

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Jeremy and Lisa Clark are opening an indoor cycling studio in Homewood in October.

Photo special to the Journal

Indoor Cycling Studio to Open in Homewood Cycling enthusiasts will soon have a new place to spin their wheels.

Sweat and Gears, a dedicated indoor cycling studio modeled after cutting-edge studios in New York and Los Angeles, will open in Homewood in October.

Owners Jeremy and Lisa Clark said they will have a grand opening in the former IronTribe Fitness building at 2809 Central Ave on Oct. 12-13.

The new business will be all about helping clients have fun and get results, the owners said.

“One of the biggest problems with traditional indoor cycling classes is that you leave with no tangible way to quantify your workout except for the size of the puddle under the bike,” Jeremy Clark said. “Sweat and Gears is data-driven, and we use the latest in performance metric technology to provide immediate feedback during the workout as well as tracking your improvement from class to class.”

The new studio will have classes for those starting fitness programs and those who are already active.

“If you’re a ‘roadie’ or a ‘mountain biker’ and you think indoor cycling is not for you, think again,” Jeremy Clark said.

“Our classes will be as close to outdoor cycling as you can get--minus the road rage drivers and airborne beer cans.”

The studio will have no monthly or annual memberships, but single or multiple ride passes can be purchased at www.SweatAndGearsStudio.com.

Alabama.

Others attending included Augusta and David Dowd, Carol Ann Hobby and Mark White, Lisha and Henry Graham, Kitty and Tucker Brown and Rebecca DePalma and her daughter, Elizabeth.

Also at the anniversary celebration were Joan and Bill Bowen, Burton Dunn, Jackie Morris, Hope Marshall, Shane Smith, Linda Flippo, Connie and Richard Stockham, Diane and Paul Burt, Andrew Hairston, Hannah and Stephen Thompson, Ginger and Dale Wallace, Virginia and Rusty Matson, Ann and Jerry Riley, John Pocus, Karen Hennecy, Sherry and Ken Johnson, Letisha Reno, Sidney and Melissa Summey, Theresa and Mike Cornell, Jennifer and Barry Willis and Nancy Bowsky and her daughter, Lilly Young.

George McMillan’s New Restaurant Set to Open in Cahaba Heights A well-known Birmingham chef is returning to the city’s restaurant scene this month.

George McMillan III will open FoodBar, a farm-to-table eatery in Cahaba Heights, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 24 at 4 p.m.

McMillan is describing his new venture as “not pretentious, just delicious” and said he’ll hand-select local, fresh and seasonal ingredients.

The from-scratch menu will be frequently updated, he said, with

offerings like Gulf shrimp, catfish from regional sources and other dishes inspired by what’s available at local farmers markets.

The restaurant’s“ fresh” philosophy will apply not only to food but to cocktails.

FoodBar will offer a rotating bar menu, with drinks handmade from liquors infused with seasonal fruit. Fresh muddled cocktails and a full bar will be available along with local beers on tap and a wine list selected to accompany the menu.

Birmingham foodies likely will

remember that McMillan owned the city’s popular Daniel George restaurant with Daniel Briggs. McMillan sold his interest in the restaurant to Briggs several years ago and since then has catered and taught at Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College.

“There is a bright light on the Birmingham food scene right now, and I’m excited to get back into it with FoodBar,” McMillan said.

FoodBar is in Heights Village at 3162 Cahaba Heights Road in Vestavia.

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Law Firm Marks 10th Anniversary with Party The law firm of White Arnold & Dowd PC celebrated its 10th anniversary recently at the Mountain Brook home of Steve and Barbie Arnold.

Among the guests was U.W. Clemon, retired chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of

When you hire ARC Realty to sell your home, to nd a new home or to relocate to another part of the world, you get the support of our enƟre team. Our name is new and our ideas are fresh, but our company is built on the experience and reputaƟon of Birmingham’s best REALTORs.

arcrealtyco.com Auburn fans recently won a canned food drive competition to help the Jimmie Hale Mission sponsored by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Journal photo by Maury Wald

4274 Cahaba Heights Court, Suite 200, Vestavia Hills (205)969-8910

38 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

sports

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Patriots and Lady Bucs Win Invitational

Patriots, from back cover

Nervous Homewood fans probably felt better after the following week’s 42-7 domination of Class 5A Region 4 opponent Chilton County, but even the most optimistic booster understood that the season’s third game against longtime rival Briarwood could provide a much better barometer of where the Patriots actually stood. After all, the pair has a history. A decade ago, the winner of the Homewood-Briarwood matchup had an inside track on the state 5A title.

If the past is prologue, the Patriots and their followers must have felt good about themselves when they awoke Saturday morning.

Homewood started fast, exploded for 24 points in the second quarter and coasted to a decisive 38-14 win over the Lions at Waldrop Stadium last Friday.

“We were ready to play,” Patriot coach Doug Goodwin said in a masterpiece of understatement.

“I think we did pretty well on both sides of the ball.

There wasn’t a lot to complain about in the first half.”

A prime catalyst for Homewood was senior running back Walter Rutledge, who rushed for 145 yards on 31 carries. Sophomore quarterback Carson Griffis completed 12 of 16 passes for 123 yards and four touchdowns. He completed all seven of his tosses in the first half, and three of the passes went for scores.

“Carson was perfect in the first half,” Goodwin said. “I couldn’t have asked him to do anything better. Carson threw well and ran the option effectively as well.”

The Patriots began the scoring barrage when Rutledge scored on a one-yard plunge halfway through the opening period. The conversion failed, and Homewood led 6-0.

Griffis threw his first touchdown pass at the beginning of the second period, connecting with Lawton Dorough on a 14-yard scoring strike. Rutledge’s twopoint conversion run raised the margin to 14-0.

The red-hot quarterback struck again three minutes later as Griffis passed 13 yards to Devonte Wallace on a third-and-two situation for a touchdown. Leo Santos kicked the extra point, and Homewood was in command 21-0.

The Griffis-to-Dorough combination struck again before halftime, hooking up for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Santos again kicked the extra point, bringing the lead to 28-0.

The Patriots added the finishing touches to an impressive quarter when Santos booted a 28-yard field goal to bring the halftime lead to 31-0.

As well as the second quarter went for Homewood, Patriot fans did have one uncomfortable moment. Allstar offensive lineman Jordan Sims suffered a slight ankle sprain but finished the first half. Sims sat out the

A Summer on the Ice

Hoover Hockey Player Invited to NHL Star’s Workouts Austin Weber, a 15-year-old Hoover High School sophomore, plays hockey locally at the Pelham Ice Arena. But his skills on the ice took him to another state—and another level of play—this summer.

Jimmy Watson, a 10-year veteran of the Philadelphia Flyers and a fivetime National Hockey League All Star, invited Weber to Philadelphia to attend summer workouts.

After two practices, Watson moved Weber from the 15/16 age group to work out with 18-year-old players. Weber was moved up again after two practices with the 18-year-olds to the Division I scholarship group, which includes two NHL players.

By Lee Davis

Journal Sports Writer

Above: Patriot runner Daniel Maharrey is brought down by a gang of Briarwood tacklers. Right: Homewood’s Jordan Sims blocks a Briarwood defender. More photos at otmj.com.

Journal photo by Marvin Gentry

second half as a precautionary measure.

“I’m okay,” he said. “I’ll play next week.”

Briarwood gallantly battled back in the second half. Will Edwards’ one-yard run to pay dirt cut Homewood’s margin to 31-7 before the fourth quarter began.

Griffis wasn’t finished yet. He passed 23 yards to Wallace for the Patriots’ final score with 4:35 left in the game. Santos’ kick gave the hosts an insurmountable 38-7 cushion.

The Lions got one last consolation touchdown.

Quarterback Walker Lott’s three-yard strike to Justin Hild with 1:34 remaining in the game brought the final to 38-14.

“Everybody did their job,” Griffis said. “Briarwood is always a big game for us. We knew we’d have to play our best if we expected to win.”

Briarwood coach Fred Yancey praised his team for fighting back in the second half.

“I know we’re better than we looked in the first half,” Yancey said. “We told our guys at halftime that we don’t give up and we never quit. I thought we played better in the last two quarters.”

Homewood’s record moved to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in region play. Briarwood fell to 1-2 and 1-1 in Region 4 competition.

The win reaffirmed the Patriots’ mastery of the region. They should be favored in each remaining game and have to be considered on the short list of teams favored to win the Class 5A state championship.

“I just want to keep things going,” Goodwin said.

If Homewood continues to improve, it might keep things going all the way to Tuscaloosa’s BryantDenny Stadium in December.

Workouts consisted of three sessions a week, which included an hour and a half of weight training and an hour and a half of on-ice skills development.

Watson also had Weber play for his U-18 Philadelphia team in an AAA tournament held in the Philadelphia area.

At the end of the summer, Watson asked Weber to return to Philadelphia to work out next summer and to move to Philadelphia for his junior year of high school to play for the Delco Phantoms, a team of players 18 and under and coached by Watson.

Watson’s plans include Weber being ready to play Junior A competition dur-

Week 3 Results Hoover 56, Jackson Olin 0

Hoover jumped out to a 42-0 first quarter lead to cruise to the win. The Bucs play host to Northridge Friday.

Talladega 12, John Carroll 7 The Cavs dropped to 1-2 and will entertain Sylacauga Friday.

Gardendale 14, Mountain Brook 9 Turnover with less than a minute to go in Region 6 contest sinks Spartans hopes of a win.

Mountain Brook visits Woodlawn Friday.

Oak Mountain 35, Stanhope-Elmore 21 The Eagles pick up their first win with an impressive offensive performance. Pelham visits Oak Mountain Friday.

Spain Park 14, Chelsea 0 The Jaguar offense jumped out to a 14 point lead early and the defense got a shutout against their Region 4 opponent and run its record to 3-0.

Spain Park will entertain Wetumpka this week.

ing his senior year in high school as a stepping stone to a scholarship at a Division I school.

In June, after workouts in Nashville, Tenn., Coach Rocky Russo of the Amarillo Bulls invited Weber to attend the team’s Junior A tryouts, even though Weber is still too young to play on the team.

Weber’s summer ended with a fiveday training camp at the University of Michigan, where he said he hopes to play one day.

This winter, Weber and three other Birmingham area players—Jacob Hornsby of Trussville, Matt Darnell of Pelham and Chandler Brown of Birmingham—will play with the Huntsville Chargers.

Weber is a third-generation hockey player. His grandfather, Bud Weber, is still playing at age 74. His father, Erik Weber, played on a national junior college championship team at Canton Tech in Canton, N.Y. Austin Weber after a workout with Philadelphia Flyer Jimmy Watson.

Photo special to the Journal

The Homewood boys and Hoover girls swept to victory in the Spain Park Cross Country Invitational at Veterans Park Saturday.

In boys’ competition, the Patriots totaled 40 points to outdistance runnerup Hoover’s 65. John Carroll Catholic finished fourth with 94 points, and Oak Mountain was fifth with 107.

In girls’ competition, Hoover won easily with 36 points. Spain Park and Homewood tied for second with 68 points. John Carroll was fourth with 86 points, and Oak Mountain took fifth at 129.

In boys’ individual competition, five Homewood runners were in the top 13. Alex Ngei finished second, Andy Smith was fifth, Mike Rohdy was seventh, Fulton Williams finished 12th and Logan Sadler was 13th. John Carroll’s Justin Holt was fourth.

In girls’ competition, Homewood’s Ann Mosley Whitsett was first followed

by John Carroll’s Bella Restrepo, who was second. Oak Mountain’s Amanda Howard and Spain Park’s Madeline Held were third and fourth, respectively.

Five Hoover girls finished in the meet’s top 10 to lead the Lady Bucs to victory. Melissa Bryant, Sydnee Goyer, Caitlin Camper and Madison Pegouske finished fifth through eighth respectively. Presley Weems was 10th.

Westminster-Oak Mountain finished second behind Beauregard in the Class 1A-4A boys’ meet. Carter Lemons led Westminster with a sixthplace finish.

The girls’ competition in Class 1A-4A saw Westminster finish second behind Prattville Christian.

Westminster’s Maddie Hoagland won the individual crown, and teammate Morgan Reynolds was third.

Team members include, from left, front: Ben Wade, Troup Clayton, Andrew Sykes, Jack Richardson and Grayson King. Middle: Joshua Brooks, James O’Neil, Lane Whisenhunt, Dillan Wade, Taylor Akin, Harris Mitchell and Jack Lockhart. Back: Coaches, Scott Akin, Heath Wade, Chris Richardson and Tab Whisenhunt. Photo special to the Journal

Vestavia 8-year-old American East Win Metro

The 2013 8-year-old Vestavia American East All Stars recently won the American All Star Metro Championship.

anderson, from back cover

changed. One thing hasn’t, however: Anderson and Vestavia are still winning.

The Rebels rolled over Huffman 30-8 last Thursday at Lawson Field to earn the coach his 300th career victory. Anderson now stands as the only coach in Alabama history to win 300 games at one school and is a mere nine victories away from tying the alltime career victory record held by the venerated Waldon Tucker of Fayette County. The way Vestavia is playing, don’t be shocked if the Rebels get those wins this season.

More importantly from Anderson’s personal perspective, the victory lifted Vestavia’s record for 2013 to a perfect 3-0 overall, 2-0 in Class 6A Region 6 play.

“None of this is about me,” said Anderson, whose record stands at 300127. “This is about every single kid that has played football for Vestavia Hills. I’ve been saying that all along.

This is about the kids and the coaches.”

One of those coaches, of course, is assistant head coach Peter Braasch, who has coached at Anderson’s side for 427 games.

If Anderson credited everyone who ever wore the Vestavia uniform for the totality of 300 victories, the present day edition of the Rebels was determined to produce the milestone win.

Vestavia marched 80 yards on 15 plays for the first touchdown on its opening possession.

Effectively using the play-action pass, the Rebels converted two thirddown plays and one fourth-down play on the way to the end zone. Quarterback Landon Crowder’s 27-yard scoring toss to Patrick Haywood put Vestavia ahead 6-0 with 3:59 remaining in the first period.

The Rebels didn’t waste any time on their next possession as Crowder and Haywood connected again. This

Buddy,

from back cover

win came in game 3, as Vestavia shut out Hewitt-Trussville 14-0.

The Rebels’ season had reached an important crossroad, and the next two games–against Minor and Berry– would be pivotal. Vestavia staged a dramatic comeback to take a 15-14 win over the Tigers to square its record to 2-2.

The next week, the Rebels thoroughly outplayed Coach Bob Finley’s defending state champions before falling 21-14. Despite the defeat, the Rebels knew they were on the cusp of greatness.

“Berry won the game, but they didn’t physically beat us,” said a member of that Vestavia team who asked not to be identified. “I think in the past, some of our teams may have been a little intimidated by them.

We weren’t afraid of Berry, and we weren’t afraid of anybody.”

Armed with a new confidence, the Rebels won the final five games of the regular season to earn Vestavia’s second-ever playoff berth.

Thursday, September 19, 2013 • 39

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

time, the touchdown came from 53 yards out, and Wesley Hatchett’s kick gave the visitors a 13-0 cushion as the quarter ended.

“Huffman came out in man-toman coverage early in the game,” Anderson said. “So we had to take what they would give us. We blocked well, Crowder threw the ball well and

‘None of this is about me. This is about every single kid that has played football for Vestavia Hills. I’ve been saying that all along. This is about the kids and the coaches.’

Vestavia coach Buddy Anderson

Haywood did a good job of getting open.”

Vestavia’s onslaught continued in the second period. Jordan Johnson’s 60-yard touchdown sprint raised the Rebels’ lead to 20-0. By the end of the quarter, Vestavia had moved to the Vikings’ three-yard line. From there, Hatchett booted a 20-yard field goal to give his team a 23-0 halftime edge.

Crowder used his legs to account for the Rebels’ final score. He ran five yards for a touchdown with 7:25 to go in the third quarter, securing a 30-0 lead.

Quadre Graham’s five-yard run in the final period provided a consolation touchdown for Huffman.

Crowder completed six of 12 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

Johnson rushed for 108 yards on 12 carries.

When the game ended, Anderson was doused in an icy Gatorade bath by his players. After he had partially dried off, the coach was presented with a banner acknowledging the milestone victory, a cookie cake and a keepsake In the postseason, the Rebels rolled all the way to the Class 4A championship finals, losing 21-7 to Jeff Davis at Legion Field. A highlight of the run was a dramatic 27-26 overtime win over gigantic J.O. Johnson at Huntsville’s Milton Frank Stadium.

Vestavia’s 0-2 start had turned into a 10-4 championship season.

Anderson and his team were on their way. The Rebels would reach the finals again in 1979, losing a heartbreaking 14-13 decision to Enterprise.

Two years into Anderson’s tenure, Vestavia had done everything except defeat Berry and win the state championship. The Rebels did both in 1980. They rolled through the regular season with a 9-1 record, losing only to the Bucs 21-7.

As fate would have it, however, the rivals met again in the first round of the playoffs. This time, Vestavia won 7-0. Three weeks later, the Rebels slipped by Parker 15-13 to win the first of two state championships it would earn under Anderson.

Thirty-three years later—on Sept.

12, 2013—the coach chalked up win

Above: Anderson is congratulated by his team after the Rebels knocked off Huffman to earn the coach his 300th victory at Vestavia. Right: Rebel defensive end Dalton Campbell gets past a Viking blocker. More photos at otmj.com. Journal photos by Lee Walls Jr.

football with “300” emblazoned on it.

He accepted congratulatory hugs from many of his players, including fullback Conner Estes, whose mother had written Anderson a supportive note before the game. Even though this was Anderson’s big night, he still remembered to ask Estes to thank his mom for the missive.

There were no fireworks displays that spelled B-U-D-D-Y, no live ESPN feed and no congratulatory phone calls from prominent politicians–just a lowkey celebration of a man who wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

As meaningful and appropriate as the celebration was, Anderson didn’t linger with it for long. After all, he’s a

football coach during football season, and Gardendale is up next, so there’s not much time to savor any win.

That’s Anderson’s way, and it’s worked for 36 years.

And for 300 victories.

number 300.

How has Anderson done it? As is the case with almost anything, there’s no single answer. Certainly Vestavia has great resources, financial and otherwise, that are essential for a program’s long-term prosperity. But many programs possess great resources, and they don’t have coaches that stay 35 years and win 300 games.

The real answer is more complicated–and at the same time, simple.

For Anderson and Vestavia, it’s about basic truths, both in football and in life. Things like fundamentals, loyalty that goes both ways and the importance of neighborhoods and families.

Anderson has never forgotten that he is not only a coach but also a teacher and leader of young men.

The coach unashamedly tears up when talking about an email or letter he received from a former player– whether that former Rebel was a star or benchwarmer–who may have just gotten married, graduated from law school or deployed to Afghanistan.

Anderson can easily recite what virtually every player from his 1978 roster is doing now and where he is living.

He can do the same for almost every

other player who was under his tutelage as well.

On the field, Anderson believes in football’s most basic truth: If your team can run the ball effectively and stop the other team from running effectively, you are going to win far more often than you will lose. Over the years, some critics have brayed that the Rebels are too predictable, but those armchair quarterbacks aren’t going to win 300 games.

In an era where scapegoating and quick-fixes are trendy at all levels of football, Anderson’s loyalty is nothing short of historic. Coaches such as Rick Grammer and George Hatchett began working with Anderson in the late 1970s. And Peter Braasch has been at the head coach’s side for every game Anderson has ever coached.

Anderson is also rock-solid in his belief that neighborhood, community rivalries are the backbone of high school athletics. While other coaches might look for high-profile games against out-of-state powerhouses, Anderson believes it’s more important to emphasize games between schools whose players, parents and fans may

intermingle at church, in the workplace or socially.

For example, with Vestavia playing a rugged slate in Class 6A’s Region 6, Anderson isn’t required to play tough non-region traditional rivals Homewood and Hoover. He keeps those games on the Rebel schedule because his fan base wants to see them. And nobody has had more success against the Patriots and even the Bucs over the years than Anderson and Vestavia.

I don’t know when Anderson will retire. He isn’t a hunter or a fisherman, and his only real non-football related activities revolve around his faith and his family, which now includes grandchildren. At 63, Anderson doesn’t give the vibes of a man looking to hang up his whistle anytime soon.

Time has passed Anderson by in some ways. He’ll be the first to say that he doesn’t really like email, computers, texting or especially Facebook. The important thing is that Buddy Anderson still likes football.

As long as he does, expect Vestavia to keep winning.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Sports

Hoover Hockey Player Invited to NHL Star’s Workouts P. 38 Patriots and Lady Bucs Win Invitational P. 38

Lee Davis

The Buddy System

Journal photo by Marvin Gentry

Anderson’s Winning Crosses Decades and Eras

Above: Buddy Anderson enjoys a Gatorade bath. He now stands as the only coach in Alabama history to win 300 games at one school and is a mere nine victories away from tying the all-time career victory record held by the venerated Waldon Tucker of Fayette County. Below: Anderson gets a hug from his number one fan, wife Linda.

Anderson Soaks It Up Veteran Vestavia Coach Gets 300th Victory

By Lee Davis

journal Sports Writer

Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr

Buddy Anderson’s first win as a head coach came in 1978, but he remembers it like it was yesterday.

Anderson’s Vestavia Hills Rebels defeated Hewitt-Trussville 14-0 in the season’s third game. Football, however, wasn’t the only thing on the young coach’s mind that night.

His wife Linda had just given birth to their second (of three) daughters, so Anderson’s first stop after the game wasn’t a victory party. It was the hospital.

“I had to go give her a kiss at the hospital after the game,” Anderson recalled, smiling. “That was a pretty busy week: second daughter, first win.”

All three of Anderson’s daughters are adults now, and much has See Anderson, page 39

Homewood quarterback Carson Griffis looks for running room as a host of Briarwood defenders close in.

Journal photo by Marvin Gentry

Patriot Power Fast-starting Homewood Too Much for Lions

By Lee Davis

Journal Sports Writer

After Homewood’s decisive 34-14 loss to Class 6A power Vestavia Hills, some observers thought that perhaps this year’s highly-touted Patriot team may have been just a bit overrated.

See patriots, page 38

W

hat do Leo Wright, Gary Rutledge and Gary Fleming have in common?

Give up? Here’s the answer: They were all head coaches of Over the Mountain schools when 28-year-old Buddy Anderson coached his first season at Vestavia Hills in 1978.

One of those coaches actually defeated Anderson that year. Wright led Mountain Brook to a 3-0 upset of the Rebels on opening night.

In the years that followed, Wright, Rutledge and Fleming--all fine coaches in their own right--went on to other things. Anderson stayed at Vestavia and did little else except win.

The venerated coach earned his 300th career victory with a 30-8 rout of Huffman on Thursday night, provoking a highly-justified celebration among Rebel fans. Anderson now stands only nine wins away from tying longtime Fayette County coach Waldon Tucker’s record as the alltime winningest coach in Alabama high school history Anderson and Vestavia have been successful for so long that it’s easy to take their winning as preordained. In reality, the Rebel program struggled mightily in its early years.

Anderson had been a Vestavia assistant coach since 1972 before being promoted to the top job six years later. In the seven years before Anderson took over, Vestavia had enjoyed just one winning season and was going through a revolving door of head coaches.

And while many Rebel boosters were insisting on a “big name” coach, Athletic Director Mutt Reynolds and the city’s school board saw something special in the dark-haired assistant and made the hire that forever changed the course of Vestavia–and Alabama high school–football.

Once Anderson was brought in, there were more doubters when the season began. The Rebels followed the Mountain Brook loss with yet another defeat, this time against Walker and five-star running back Linnie Patrick. Anderson’s first career See buddy, page 39