Committee Fall Extravaganza 11 | Homewood Chamber of Commerce Holiday Open House
14 | Senior Alaskan Glacier Guide Ford Boozer on the joy of self-sufficiency.
20 | An interview with
Design Director: Claire Cormany
Photography: Jordan Wald
Contributors: Ford Boozer, Gordon Martin, Loyd McIntosh
Account Executive: Julie Trammell Edwards
We
very year, I get myself in the holiday spirit by watching the classic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, who after a particularly terrible day decides that the world would be better off without him in it. Thanks to the intervention of an angel named Clarence, who is motivated to help George in order to get his wings, George realizes what a huge impact he’s had on his community.
Sometimes, when we’re in the eye of the holiday hurricane, it can be hard to remember what exactly it is that makes this time of year so great. But look no further than the organizations making sure that kids have gifts to open on Christmas morning, or the people making sure the hungry are fed or the many volunteers ensuring that elderly shut-ins see a friendly face and maybe even get a gift of their own. In a world where it too often feels like what you buy and have is the ultimate determination of success, remember George Bailey, who surrounded by his friends and family in the living room of his drafty old
house on Christmas, is declared by his brother Harry to be “the richest man in town.” And Harry isn’t talking about the balance of George’s bank account but about the rich legacy of love that George has created, often sacrificing his own ambition to help others.
So if you feel the envy monster creeping in when your neighbor rushes outside to a shiny new luxury car (parked in the driveway with one of those obnoxious red bows) or your friend gets the new iPhone 654 (or whatever model they’re up to these days), think about the people in your life who you love and who love you back. Think about the impact you have (even the small things) and know that you have all the gifts you will ever need. And listen out for those bells ringing. Because, well you know, every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and our wishes for an amazing New Year!
–BARRY
WISE SMITH
Founded in 1929, The Debutante Club of Birmingham continues a 96-year tradition of presenting its newest members at an annual Ball. This year, the Club will present 22 young new members at the Black and White Ball on New Year’s Eve. This year’s Debutantes are:
The Cha Cha Dance Club recently held their fall party at the home of Becky Kissell. The Cha Cha Dance Club is a women’s social group of Greater Birmingham residents who are graduates of high school in 1973, 1974 or 1975. The group has been together since 1981 and is a great way for everyone to stay in touch. OTMJ
Discover Kirkwood by the River, where nature’s beauty meets effortless living for more than 45 years. Our Life Plan Community offers maintenance-free amenities and a serene atmosphere where family, friendship, independence, and health converge. With expanded options like Cottage Living and enhanced dining, along with a modern Assisted Living and Memory Support building, Kirkwood ensures peace of mind and personal security while you cherish life’s priorities.
Meisterstück Burgundy Red Classique Ballpoint, $545. Barton-Clay Jewelers 205-871-7060.
Irresistibly good flavors of Italy for toppings, honey, and spreads. Sample tastings available. Christine’s on Canterbury, 205-871-8297.
4th Street Cheese Straws are a classic treat that have just the right amount of heat and are perfect for snacking any time of the year. The Cook Store, 205-879-5277.
Exploring these unique shops, conveniently located in Mountain Brook Village, is a great way to spend the day holiday shopping for everyone on your list!
Nopod's award winning design distributes the power of deep-touch pressure to help calm overactive minds, soothe headaches and help you sink into restful sleep. Marguerite's Conceits, 205-879-2730.
Honeybee Fine Jewelry 2401 Montevallo Road, Mountain Brook Village 404-915-2738
The Carrollton T-shirt, the gift that keeps giving. Made from organic cotton and bamboo. For your toughest workouts or everyday comfort. Tasc Performance, 659- 599-9240
Voted “Best Jeweler in Birmingham” JohnBromberg@JBandCoJewelry.com For Appointment: 205.478.0455 | JBandCoJewelry.com Fine Estate Signature Bracelets
An example of John’s collection of Antique, Vintage and Contemporary Bracelets.
On November 15, the businesses of Heights Village in Cahaba Heights had their annual holiday event Deck the Heights. The fun and festive family event featured Santa, the Grinch, shopping specials, face painting, inflatables, food, beverages, music and more! Fun Pop-Up shops started the day, and a free trolley gave guests a ride with stops at the all the area businesses. OTMJ
On November 5, The Birmingham Music Guild hosted the 2025 TableScapes Scholarship Luncheon at The Country Club of Birmingham to support Alabama music students. The Birmingham Music Guild, the oldest continuously operating cultural arts organization in the Southeast, continued its 120-year tradition by raising funds to provide scholarships for talented Alabama students pursuing degrees in music. Guests enjoyed a vocal performance by Robert Robinson and Amanda Carmichael, the signature TableScapes showcase—an imaginative display of themed tables designed by local sponsors and artists—and a delicious lunch. Victoria Hallman was the event chair. OTMJ
On
In the little moments and major milestones of childhood, we are here for our patients and their families – helping, healing, teaching and discovering.
Childrens AL •org
BY GORDON G. MARTIN
In 1997, the future of American civic education was pitched in an unlikely setting—the Alabama Power business office in Montevallo, a relic of the 1970s, complete with “harvest gold” and “avocado green” appliances.
Into this room walked Thomas J. Walker, Jr. and his trusty sidekick, Beth Hamer. I was the external affairs manager for Alabama Power in Shelby County, and they were in our Montevallo office to share their vision for building good citizens on the cornerstone of liberty.
Tom began to articulate his dream. It was no small dream. He described a sprawling educational campus, a place where American history and civics would come alive, designed to inspire and prepare young people for their future roles as citizens and leaders. He called it the American Village.
Yet, a stark disconnect existed between the grandeur of the vision and the reality of the man making the pitch. While I loved the vision, I said to myself: “He’ll never pull this off.”
This juxtaposition of profound idealism against practical skepticism defines the legacy of Tom Walker. His vision seemed too grand, too pure for a world of budgets and bureaucracy. But Walker possessed a rare, disarming power. He was so sincere and inspiring, so earnest and
idealistic, that you just wanted to be a part of making his dream come true.
His earnest idealism was a force more powerful than any practical objection. I had the privilege of serving on the American Village Board of Directors for 25 years, witnessing firsthand how Tom Walker’s “impossible dream” became an immovable reality.
To understand the American Village, one must first understand the man who built it. Tom was a native of Albertville, Alabama, and from his earliest days, his family instilled in him a deep love of God, country, and family—the three pillars that would define his life’s work.
His path was set at his beloved alma mater, the University of Montevallo. This was not just a place of study; it was an incubator for his civic identity. He served as the Student Government Association President, getting his first taste of practical leadership and representative government. In 1975, he graduated with Honors, earning a B.A. in history and political science. These were not just academic pursuits; they were the raw materials for his future.
After earning a master’s in political science from Mississippi State University, Tom served as city manager and city clerk for Northport,
Alabama, gaining ground-level experience in the daily operations of local government. He then moved to Montgomery to serve as the executive officer of the Alabama Association of Realtors, honing his skills in managing a large, complex, state-level organization.
Eventually, he was called back to his alma mater to serve as special assistant to the President at the University of Montevallo. It was here, in the late 1980s, that the idea for the American Village was conceived. His service to higher education ran deep; he was also the founding chair of the Alabama Higher Education Partnership and later served as vice chair of the University of Montevallo’s Board of Trustees.
Tom Walker’s life was a case study in the principles he would later teach. He had been a student leader, a public administrator, a state-level executive, and a university advisor. He didn’t just study civics; he lived it.
Tom was driven by a single, powerful conviction, which he once articulated in a quote that became the philosophical foundation of the American Village: “Our young people cannot safeguard what they do not cherish, and they cannot cherish what they do not know.”
Tom had diagnosed the core failure of modern civics: it often stopped at “know,” drowning students in dry facts and dates, but never inspiring them to “cherish.” The American Village was built, stone by stone, to be the bridge between knowing and cherishing.
In this conviction, Tom was not an innovator but a restorationist. He was channeling the central, urgent anxiety of the American Founders. They, too, were obsessed with the idea that their experiment in self-government was only as durable as the character of its people.
Tom’s thesis is a direct echo of Thomas Jefferson, who warned, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Ignorance and freedom, he argued, were mutually exclusive.
But the Founders knew, as Tom did, that knowledge alone was insufficient. It had to be coupled with “cherish,” which they called virtue. John Adams, perhaps the most ardent proponent of this idea, wrote unequivocally: “Public Virtue cannot exist in a Nation without private, and public Virtue is the only Foundation of Republics.”
Tom Walker understood that the greatest threat to a Republic was not a foreign army, but a generation of citizens who had never been taught to cherish the principles they were meant to safeguard. He was not just a history buff;
“Our young people cannot safeguard what they do not cherish, and they cannot cherish what they do not know.”
—tom walker
he was a political philosopher who, having diagnosed the ailment, dedicated his life to building the antidote.
The answer to the skepticism of that 1997 meeting is now spread across 188 acres in Montevallo. When meeting with architect Mike Hamrick, Tom drew out his idea for the campus on a napkin. From that napkin sketch, a world was born. The idea, conceived in the late 1980s, led to the American Village Citizenship Trust being chartered in 1995. On November 30, 1999, the campus held its grand opening.
Today, that campus consists of more than 20 historically inspired structures. Visitors can stand before a replica of Washington Hall, inspired by George Washington’s Mount Vernon, or walk the grounds of a colonial village. Walker led the efforts not only to build this physical campus but also to design the widely acclaimed and engaging history and civics programs that would take place within it.
The success of the American Village lies in its method, which is a direct extension of Tom Walker’s personal, inspiring character. The Village’s official philosophy states it clearly: it is “not about its buildings; rather, it is about building in the hearts and minds of young people what it means to be an American.”
This is not a passive field trip. It is experiential learning where history is tangible. Tom recruited Alabamians to portray the figures in American history, allowing students to step out of their textbooks and into a debate with Thomas Jefferson or Abigail Adams.
Tom successfully scaled his own personality into an institution. The American Village is Tom Walker’s earnest idealism made permanent, an engine designed to build in the hearts and minds of young people the very love of country he exuded.
The impossible dream, quantified, is staggering. The American Village campus has served over three-quarters of a million students from across the southeastern United States.
The quality of its vision has been validated at the highest levels. The Village’s work, and Tom’s leadership, received the American Bar Association’s highest national award for excellence in K-12 lawrelated education. He was also the recipient of the DAR Medal of Honor and the SAR Gold Citizenship Medal—the highest national honors awarded by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution, respectively.
Tom’s work did not stop at the Alabama state line. His success was so profound that when the
United States Congress began to plan the nation’s 250th birthday, they sought his expertise.
In 2017, Tom was one of only 16 citizens appointed by Congressional leaders to serve on the United States Semiquincentennial Commission. This commission was tasked with leading the entire nation’s celebration of American Independence in 2026. At the commission’s first meeting in Philadelphia, the city where the nation was born, Tom was unanimously elected as its Vice Chairman. This was the ultimate validation. The man who, in 1993, had a dream in Montevallo was, almost 25 years later, recognized by Congress as a preeminent leader in shaping the nation’s memory. The journey from the napkin sketch to the vice chairmanship of the Semiquincentennial Commission is a testament to the sheer, undeniable power of his singular vision.
Tom’s vision for the American Village campus had one final, crowning achievement: a full-scale, permanent replica of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, the sacred room where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed.
This building was the capstone of his life’s work. In a moment of profound, almost novelistic poetry, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Independence Hall—the event that officially completed founder Tom Walker’s vision for the civic education center— took place just hours after his passing.
His work was, quite literally, finished. He had seen his vision through to its absolute completion. He had built the hall, he had taught the students, and he had inspired the nation.
THE DREAM THAT BECAME A DUTY
The 1970s-era Montevallo business office is now part of the University of Montevallo, and the avocado-colored appliances are long gone. But the American Village is there, its 188-acre campus a testament to what one earnest, idealistic man can achieve against all doubt.
Tom Walker’s legacy is not in the brick and mortar, but in the 750,000 hearts and minds he helped to shape. He reminded us of the Founders’ core truth: that a republic is not a machine that runs itself. It is a fragile covenant that must be renewed by every generation.
In the end, Tom Walker did more than make his own dream come true. He turned that dream into a national duty, inspiring countless others to join him in the essential work of the American experiment. He taught us that to safeguard our republic, we must first cherish it; and to cherish it, we must first know its story.
Thomas J. Walker, Jr. devoted his life to telling that story. OTMJ
Gordon G. Martin, a retired executive at Alabama Power Company, now directs the Kennemer Center for Innovation at The University of Alabama. He served on the American Village Board of Directors for 25 years.
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Senior Alaskan Glacier Guide
Mountain Brook native Ford Boozer on the joy of self-sufficiency.
BY FORD BOOZER
Small chance, but I’ve got a best friend who’s also named Ford. I was halfway to his wedding on the coast of Georgia, searching the internet from some road-side inn for a way to spend the looming summer. I was a graduate student at UAB and could break away from the coursework until September. Ford got married in March, amongst the blooming oaks in Savannah’s square.
Alaska had only existed in my mind as some rugged, mountain novelty, a curious place. Some years before, a friend named Berry worked a summer gig in Seward. She was in between rental homes and spent a few weeks vagabonding; we met while she was tent-living in a a state recreation area outside Bozeman, Montana—Hyalite Canyon—a mountain-scape famous for its world class ice-climbing and backcountry skiing.
She raved on the experience, the beauty of it all. Seward is a port town at the furthest reach of the Turnagain Arm, a two lane from Girdwood that connects greater Alaska to its Kenai Peninsula. The road is flanked with glaciers the size of Irondale. To the southeast rolls the navy tide of the Cook Inlet ornamented with the spray of humpbacks, framed by mountains and volcanos crowned with snow fields and hanging glaciers. Her description met me like most travelogues do, the place seemed far off in more ways than one. I had never heard of Seward, Alaska.
The search for summer jobs in the great north turned up opportunities to flip bed sheets at B and Bs in Talkeetna, clean sled-dog kennels in Whittier, work as a
“As far as carrying the weight of my own life, it’s the most I’ve ever shouldered. Funny thing to say, the inconvenience of it all just might hold a clue to solving the riddle of living a life that gratifies.”
–ford boozer
barista, a janitor, a fisherman. Alaska: grunt work with a view.
I don’t know how I found it, but there was a listing for a glacier-guiding apprenticeship in Glacier View. I was in the deepest recesses of the search, hours had passed. It was the moment when the internet excites beyond what is sensible, at too-late an hour, about scenes of opportunity that tomorrow would seem unrealistic. I emailed Don, the owner of MICA Guides, expressing interest. Ford’s wedding was the next day. Don emailed back during the rehearsal stating that hiring wrapped up in February and thanked me for applying. What he said next turned it around: one of the apprentices had torn up his knee, and there was one spot left.
I interviewed; Don was the kind of guy that had attracted me to the outdoor pursuits, in some vague way, a decade earlier. His presence was easy and self-assured, attire of Carhartt and faded flannel. Days later, I landed the final spot in MICA Guides’ 2022 class of apprentices, thanks to grace and the tweaking of an MCL. Sometimes the roads at life’s forks aren’t perceptible at all until you stumble half-blindly onto them.
We were to be ice-climbing guides, living in tents on the flanks of the Matanuska State Recreation Area. This is only months after a friend had introduced me to the vertical world at Birmingham Boulders, an air-conditioned and color-coded climbing gym with soft landings. I was in over my head. I spent my 20s outside, backpacking and riding mountain bikes. Still, experience on ice went as far as the freezer door.
I flew to Anchorage and was picked up alongside the other first years by a couple of senior employees. We spent our first night at a lakeside campsite worthy of an Outdoor Magazine cover, buzzing with that childlike sense of belonging. Nothing was yet at stake, no professionalism to uphold. We laughed and laughed. It felt like I reclaimed something that passed me by at the speed of sound, the eagerness and inspiration and community of youth. Those campfire scenes that look cool in the movies.
Instructions the first night were matter of fact. The senior staff members piled tents on the ground: we were told to pitch them. On the campsite’s picnic table were lain simple ingredients: we were instructed to make dinner. Before bed, “6:30 departure in the morning, have your tent completely put away. Oh, don’t be late.” We were at the front door of what you might call a no-nonsense residence.
As promised, we drove northeast at 6:30 a.m. from the outskirts of Anchorage to MICA Guides basecamp. If you ever have the chance to cruise the Glenn Highway, don’t miss it. A Sprinter van and 12 new friends. Like I mentioned, re-finding a sense of youth at this point. We were driving amongst the biggest and most majestic mountains on the continent, on the way to a job we had all scored from a serendipitous internet search.
Halfway to base, we banked at a pull-out. Some propane stoves and ingredients were assembled on the banks of the Matanuska River, a braided and glacially fed torrent of 32-degree ice water. We were in instructed to make breakfast.
Arrival at base prompted the beginning of G-Week (‘G’ for grit), the company’s ceremonial initiation intended to stress-test, prepare, mature, etc. Early mornings and a 12-hour-aday, air-tight schedule. An experience to sum up G-Week: the first years went hiking with Don on a newly acquired piece of company land. Bear in mind—we’re the new folks at a well-oiled and highly fruitful guiding operation with well-amassed resources.
He told us a little about his vision for the place going forward, and at the end of the hike we all sat in a loosely fashioned circle on a bluff above the Matanuska River while Don listed out the various threats to our lives that pervaded the area: moose, bears, wolves, the cold (we were to live in tents), the river, lightning, the list went on and on into the night. His point: Alaska is no place for the faint o’ heart. Then he told us with a deadpan nonchalance that we were to stay the night on the bluff—make a fire, find a semblance of shelter, eat. There were Jet-Boils and Mountain House meals staged by the senior staff (we had no idea), alongside enough tarp to put a centimeter of protection between us and the damp tundra. I’ve never been so cold. Awaiting the morning ensemble of birdsong made time stand still.
There was a point, of course. Don values preparedness, taking calculated risks, recreating on the lucid side of the thin line dividing splendor and foolishness. He bought a van and started over in Alaska at 30, purchased land, built a cabin, bought a guide service, summitted Denali on his 40th birthday; listen to one of his stories and find that waltzing with life’s fragility is requisite to admission to the Last Frontier. He wanted us to appreciate that the wildlife that shows up in our backyards will hardly resemble a fox squirrel or the neighbor’s cat. There was another, less perilous, theme
that Don baked into the epic that was the employee experience. It’s informed my life more than having lived nearly half the year since the Covid outbreak with a Coleman tent separating me from the local grizzly bears and 20-degree katabatic winds. At MICA, we fended for ourselves. Glacier View is a town of 375, an hour from the nearest canned Diet-Coke. If the toilet breaks, no one’s coming to fix it. We were the plumbers, laborers and mechanics. “Alaskans are useful people,” Don said. Hard to admit this: a year before I would’ve called the handyman to hang the blinds if the little cellophane baggy components numbered more than ten.
Postscript: I just finished my fourth summer as an ice-climbing guide at MICA. We fly in helicopters with paying customers and drop them into otherwise inhospitable, glacial wilderness that very few people have trod. My role: Senior Glacier Guide—training greener guides in the world of technical ropework, risk management, decision making, etc. The consequence of a mistake on the Matanuska Glacier is injury or death, seldom less. The ‘Mat’ is a 27-mile-long slab of living ice with menacing crevasses and moulins that more closely resemble the moons of Jupiter than anything in Appalachia. You can stand on their flanks and drop a large gneiss stone
and count to 10 M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I before hearing contact. The trainees are eager and riddled with imposter syndrome, as if the competencies that so await them lie behind plexiglass in a locked safe. Taking strangers and trainees into the most beautiful landscape on earth always was a grand puzzle with a regal view. A great way to spend a workday is the least of it. What sticks more than the rolodex of scenery, though, is the satisfaction and confidence that accompanies having lived a life of self-sufficiency. Modern life can go something like this: work all day so that I can pay someone else to do the multitude of other things that are otherwise keeping me alive. The contractor builds the house, the line-cook prepares the food. Not a bad thing; it takes a village. My experience however: get down to the rudiments of what it takes to be human and find satisfaction: harvest food and water, make a shelter, a fire when it’s cold. Fix the power steering pump. I don’t mean to say that we were out hunting moose with arrowheads. But as far as carrying the weight of my own life, it’s the most I’ve ever shouldered. Funny thing to say in 2025, the inconvenience of it all just might hold a clue to solving the riddle of living a life that gratifies. OTMJ
Over the Mountain Journal got the inside scoop from Santa himself on what it’s like to go around the world in a single night!
PHOTO BY JORDAN WALD
1.
Do you have to pay tariffs on sleighing your products into the U.S.?
You can’t place tariffs on Santa’s magic!
2.
Does Mrs. Claus like you to get out of the house?
MRS. CLAUS: I’ll answer this one. Kris and I spend a lot of time together all year long up at the North Pole, so it’s nice to have some me time while he’s out delivering the toys. I like a long bath and to binge The Gilded Age.
3.
Are you using AI to help discover who has been naughty and nice?
I’m more of an old-school big magic book kind of guy.
4.
Are you an Alabama fan or an Auburn fan?
Well, I do wear red, but no, Santa is a fan of everyone!
5.
What do reindeer eat?
Those guys will eat almost anything you put in front of them, but they’re partial to lichen (or reindeer moss) that they dig out from the snow with their hooves.
6.
Do your elves have a 401k?
If you’ve seen the movie Elf—one of my personal favorites—you know that elves love sugar, so while they don’t have 401ks (there aren’t a lot of investment pros in the North Pole), they get free housing, and everyone gets a membership to the jelly of the month club!
7.
What’s your favorite Christmas song?
“Here Comes Santa Claus” of course!
8.
What does Mrs. Claus feed you for supper?
MRS. CLAUS: Again, I’ll take this one: I have to feed Kris hardy food that will keep him, well, filling out his suit if you know what I mean, so there are lots of meat, potatoes and pasta happening up here!
9.
Have you ever considered Ozempic? Absolutely not! People want Santa with his bowl-full-of-jelly belly! Skinny Santa is just creepy.
10.
Where are you going after your big night?
We’re off for a vacation somewhere warm. I can’t tell you exactly where, but there will be beaches, an ocean, and a frozen drink or two involved! OTMJ
Kevin and Elizabeth Studinka, otherwise known as the Homewood Clauses, can be reached at hwdclaus@gmail.com or at 205-392-2079.
Santa and Mrs. Claus were photographed on location at Christopher Collection at 2913 Linden Ave. in downtown Homewood.
Once again, we proudly bring you our annual Holidays Cards Issue, created by talented Over the Mountain children just for you. It’s always a challenge to whittle these down, and we are so grateful to receive so many wonderful drawings. Happy Christmas and Hanukkah!!
top row, l to r: Bennett Melancon, 1st; Betsy Hutcher, Kindergarten; Caroline Brawley, 1st; Charley Brady, 1st; second row, l to r: Chris James, 1st; George Brinkley, 2nd; George Little, 3rd; Liam Wilson, 2nd third row, l to r: Luke Thames, Kindergarten; Margot Fry, Kindergarten; Wells Woodring, 2nd; William Oelsner, 3rd bottom row, l to r: Emma
ELEMENTARY
top row, l
r:
EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY
You’re invited to expand your knowledge and connect with a vibrant community of lifelong learners in the Greater Birmingham area. OLLI at UA opens a world of possibilities, offering non-credit courses led by passionate instructors, fun social gatherings, and exciting travel opportunities.
Monday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m.
Riverchase United Methodist Church
Join us for this free event — and bring a friend!
Courses are held at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center, Riverchase United Methodist Church, Hoover Chamber of Commerce and the North Shelby Library.
Online courses are also available. Spring classes begin on Jan. 20.
CAHABA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY top row, l to r: Adam Palmer, 2nd; Ellie Grace Slappey, 1st; Elodie Fuqua, 3rd; Etta Henderson, 4th second row, l to r: Finn Sitzman, 4th; Fox Smith, Kindergarten; Foster Edwards, Kindergarten; John Luke Bousquet, Kindergarten; Virginia Martin, 4th bottom row, l to r: Katya Azarova, 2nd; Maren George, 1st; Sarah Quattlebaum, 4th
DOLLY RIDGE ELEMENTARY top row, l to r: Audrey Prater, 3rd; Caroline Weinacker, 3rd; Finley McDaniel, 3rd; Goldie Beard, 3rd bottom row, l to r: Lexi Elley, 5th; Raymond Josof, 4th; Thomas Parchman, 4th
VESTAVIA EAST ELEMENTARY
top row, l to r: Cade Schreiner, Kindergarten; Crawford Charles, 4th; Mae Magley, 5th; Maggie Smoot Watkins, 2nd second row, l to r: Cecile VonCannon, 3rd; Charlotte Browne, 4th; Ella Robinson, 3rd; Frances Baggett, 2nd bottom row, l to r: Mary Blake Isbell, 2nd; Mayson Wilson, 1st; Owen Dreher, Kindergarten; Roedder Grace, 2nd
LIBERTY PARK ELEMENTARY
top row, l to r: Evan Garner, 3rd; Lillie Duffey, 1st; William Batson, Kindergarten; Winter Zech, 5th
bottom row, l to r: Ann Pace, 2nd; Ellie Shaffer, 3rd; John Rhys Lynch, Kindergarten; Tinsley Nelson, 5th
from left:
from left:
ELEMENTARY
from left:
from left:
from left:
top row, l to r:
Abby Ashley, 3rd; Amelia Warren, 5th; Benjamin Clark, 5th; Brantley Graham, 4th
second row, l to r: Cora Moses, 4th; Cynthia Partin, 2nd; Gigi Foran, 4th; Jai Kancharla, 5th
bottom row, l to r: Katelin Holmes, 5th; Kelley Grace Williford Jordan, 2nd; Lauren Elmore, 5th; Matthew Buell, 5th
Thurs.-Sun., Dec. 11-21
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
In honor of Harper Lee’s 100th birthday, Virginia Samford Theatre presents Christopher Sergel’s acclaimed stage adaptation of the classic novel.
When: Various showtimes
Where: Virginia Samford Theatre
Sat., Dec. 13
GIFTS FOR GOOD HOLIDAY MARKET
Protective Life is hosting its second annual Gifts for Good Holiday Market benefitting local nonprofits. This event is FREE and open to the public. Guests can shop for handmade pottery and jewelry, baked goods, home décor and more from 21 local Birmingham nonprofits. Festive activities, live performances and holiday treats will also be available for guests to enjoy.
When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: Suite Tower at Protective Stadium
Sat., Dec. 13
NARNIA THE MUSICAL
Step through the wardrobe and into the world of Narnia in this magical musical adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
When: 11 a.m. (+ additional performances on select December dates)
Where: Birmingham Children’s Theatre
Sat., Dec. 13
MAGIC OF MODEL TRAINS
Marvel at miniature locomotives chugging through intricate winter landscapes at McWane Science Center’s annual holiday exhibit—a family favorite for all ages.
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: McWane Science Center
Sat., Dec. 13
4TH ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONTEST
Support relationship-violence prevention at this beloved community fundraiser for the Megan Montgomery Foundation. Open to the public, the Gingerbread House Contest showcases creative entries from families, students and community groups.
When: 8 - 11 a.m.
Where: Vestavia Hills Civic Center
Mon., Dec. 15
CAHAHABA OPEN MIC COMEDY
Laugh the night away at this weekly open mic night showcasing up-and-coming Birmingham comedians along with surprise guest sets.
When: 7:30-9 p.m.
Where: Cahaba Brewing Company Tues., Dec. 16
Mon., Dec. 15
HOME ALONE
Watch the beloved Christmas classic Home Alone on the big screen as part of the Alabama Theatre’s annual Holiday Film Series.
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Alabama Theatre
Thurs., Dec. 18
CARING FOR YOUR GARDENING TOOLS
Winter is the perfect time to restore and refresh your well-loved garden tools. In this hands-on workshop, horticulturist Katelyn Bahr will demonstrate how to clean, sharpen and properly store hand tools, plus share her favorite must-have gardening essentials.
When: 10:30 a.m.-noon
Where: Adventure Classroom, Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Fri., Dec. 19 & Sat., Dec. 20
ALABAMA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Experience Handel’s iconic holiday oratorio performed by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
When: 7 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Where: Jemison Concert Hall
Sat., Dec. 20
THE REINDEER DASH 2025
Get into the holiday spirit by participating in a fun-run or 5K decked out in festive attire— medals double as holiday ornaments!
When: 7:30 a.m.
Where: Pure Fitness in Vestavia Hills
Sun., Dec. 21
MENORAH LIGHTING
Join the community for a joyful Hanukkah celebration beginning with a menorah parade to City Hall, followed by refreshments, cultural foods and fun activities for children.
When: 5:30 p.m.
Where: City Hall Lawn, Vestavia Hills OTMJ
BY LOYD MCINTOSH PHOTOS BY JORDAN WALD
2025 was a banner year for high school football in the Over the Mountain Journal coverage area, as all three high schools amassed winning records and reached the AHSAA playoffs. Along the way, there were some standout individual performances. Here are the Over the Mountain Journal’s Players of the Year for 2025.
In his first full season under center, senior quarterback Kaleb Carson emerged as the heartbeat of the Homewood offense. A dynamic dual threat, Carson consistently delivered when the Patriots needed a spark, making plays through the air and on the ground.
Through the regular season and the opening rounds of the AHSAA playoffs, Carson completed 122 of 177 passes for 2,265 yards, connecting on 68 percent of his throws for an average of 12.8 yards per completion and 26 touchdowns.
Carson was equally dangerous with his legs, rushing for 571 yards on 98 carries, nearly 10 yards per attempt, 11 touchdowns, and a pair of 100-yard performances in 2025.
Wide receiver Tomon Felton was Carson’s favorite target all season. The senior hauled in 57 catches for 1,051 yards—good for an astounding 95.5 yards per game and 18.4 yards per catch—and nine touchdowns.
Senior Joseph Luckianow had another tremendous year anchoring the Patriots’ defense. Through 11 games, Luckianow had 67 total tackles, 29 solo and 38 assists, and averaged 6.7 tackles per game. He also had a pair of sacks and one interception, capping a brilliant high school career.
Cayden Hofbauer has been the ultimate playmaker for Mountain Brook in 2025. Equal parts quarterback, running back and magician, Hofbauer was the sparkplug for the Spartans’ offense, moving things forward while adding a touch of dramatic flair when the moment calls for it.
Through 11 games—regular season and postseason—Hofbauer completed 105 of 190 passing attempts, for a completion percentage of 55 percent. He amassed 1,433 yards, averaging 13.6 yards per completion and 130 yards per game, and threw for 14 touchdowns.
Hofbauer was also the second leading rusher on the 2025 Spartans, running for 669 yards on 89 carries and five touchdowns. Of course, Hofbauer also pulled off one of the most dazzling plays in recent memory, converting a botched snap on a two-point conversion to defeat Homewood on September 26.
Other top performers on offense include senior running back Stuart Andrews with 780 yards on 170 carries and 10 touchdowns, senior wide receiver Sam Smith with 531 yards, 35 receptions, and six touchdowns, and offensive lineman Rocco Gray, who played almost every position up front for the Spartans this season.
Defensive standouts include senior linebacker Miller Lee, with 78 tackles—75 solo, three assisted—including nine in the Spartans’ first-round win over Mortimer Jordan—good for a 7.0 yard tackle-for-loss (TFL) ratio, and Boyd Cooper, with 50 total tackles on the season and a nine-yard TFL ratio.
In 2025, the Vestavia Hills offense went wherever senior Charlie Taaffe took them. The senior quarterback was the catalyst for
most of the Rebels’ offensive production, putting together an outstanding season despite their early exit in the AHSAA playoffs to Auburn in early November.
Through the air, Taaffe completed 116 of 184 passing attempts for a completion percentage of 62.1 percent. He compiled 1,608 yards, averaging 15.1 yards per attempt and 187.6 yards per game, and threw 12 touchdowns.
Additionally, Taaffe was the Rebels’ leading rusher, amassing 662 yards on 120 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and 94.6 yards per game, and scoring 13 touchdowns.
Running back Carson Purdy was also a significant part of the Rebels’ offense, used in short-yardage situations, often taking the ball from a direct snap. He had 94 carries for 593 yards on the season and 16 touchdowns, two coming in the Rebels’ victory over Hoover in late October.
Senior linebacker Caleb Boylan anchored the Vestavia Hills defense, averaging a team-best 9.0 tackles and 1.0 sack per game. In the secondary, junior cornerback Daniel Richardson emerged as a consistent playmaker, snagging two interceptions along with 28 total tackles (18 solo). OTMJ