over the mountain journal ❖ otmj.com
Pet Friendly
Humane Society CEO Works to Give Unwanted Animals a Chance at Life
By Liz ELLaBy
Allison Cornelius wAs hAving A hArd time calming an exuberant German shepherd brought into her office to demonstrate a point. The 85-pound female purebred was a recent stray who wandered onto someone’s porch in Warrior. Cornelius, a consultant who in January was named CEO of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, read a list of medical findings from the dog’s intake sheet. Beside the usual parasites and a scar grimly outlining a chemical burn, the dog had tested positive for heartworm -- a virtual death sentence in the shelter world due to the protracted and expensive course of care.
“If she had been found as recently as six weeks ago, this dog would have been euthanized. Period,” Cornelius said.
Small city impounds don’t have the money or space to rehabilitate such animals. And saving pets wasn’t a priority of the privately-run Birmingham-Jefferson County Animal Control, whose contract covered impoundment of strays in Jefferson County.
That all changed on Jan. 22 when the Humane Society took over the BJC’s role under a new county contract and business model generously subsidized by donors “who wanted to move the needle” on animal welfare in the county, Cornelius said.
See pet friendly, page 9
Overnight, GBHS staff scrubbed down the county’s impound facility in Woodlawn and moved in.
Ambassador visits Birmingham for spotlight on China. soCiAl PAge 14
cultural exchange
greater Birmingham Humane society Ceo Allison Cornelius with “skip.” At right are a few of the animals currently available for adoption, from top to bottom: Roscoe; sasha; Van Cooper; isabella and Roo.
Journal photo by Kaitlin Candelaria
rock Solid New Realtor president had varied career path. Home PAge 22
on the move Smith’s Variety is moving to Crestline Village. News PAge 12
Bridging a Gap
Botanical Gardens Will Use Grant to Build Barrier-free Boardwalk
A $100,000 grant will allow those with disabilities to see more of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and also help protect a vulnerable plant there.
Last month, Tokyo-based Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. Ltd. and Birmingham-based Protective Life Corp. announced their initial $4 million of a total $23 million, five-year commitment in community gifts benefiting educational programs in Birmingham.
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens will use its grant to build a new bamboo boardwalk in its Japanese Gardens.
The Gardens will receive the funds over the next two years. The money will be used to plan and build a barrier-free boardwalk in the Japanese Gardens, allowing all visitors access to the Bamboo Grove, BBG officials said.
The gift will also be used to create new educational opportunities and increase the Gardens’ ability to sustainably maintain the grove and utilize the bamboo in garden projects, said Fred Spicer, the Gardens’ executive director and CEO.
“We are deeply honored to have been chosen to receive this meaningful and special gift that will fulfill our plans to provide safe, sustainable and universal access through our bamboo collection,” Spicer said. “By far the most common building material in the world, bamboo is an important symbol of strength, humility and the ability to spring back after adversity – qualities that we all should strive for.
“But it is vulnerable when young, and the bamboo boardwalk will help protect this living bamboo collection while providing an enjoyable viewing location for all of our visitors.”
murphy’s law
Springing Forward
Oh bother. We’re saving daylight again. Why now, I don’t know. We’re entering the season when daylight will hang around so long that children protest at bedtime, “But it’s still light outside!”
Actually, we don’t save daylight at all, we just rename it. Four o’clock became 5, and 5 became 6, and so forth and so on until next fall when 4 o’clock will be 3, and 3 will be 2, and then it will just go around all over again.
I don’t object to the renaming exactly. It keeps the sun from pouring through my windows before the alarm goes off, and that’s good. I just think we’re missing a golden opportunity in time management and team morale.
Spring forward and fall back. Right now, the shift takes place at 2 a.m., when sensible people are sleeping. Some of us, the older insomniac crowd, may be up watching “Frasier,” but most people don’t feel the time change at all.
Sue Murphy
You’re hurrying through your hamburger or tofu wrap and –bing! -- you get a group email: “Go ahead and order dessert. It’s just 12 o’clock…again!” People would love it.
Until morning. The problematic thing about the time change, forward or back, is that unless you are diligent about changing your clocks on DST Eve, DST Day gets off to a rocky start. If you forget the fall back, you wake up cursing yourself for missing out on the extra hour of sleep. Forget the spring forward, and when you open your eyes DST morning, you are already late.
Trying to minimize the fallout, the Powers That Be position the time change on predawn Sunday morning, thinking, I’m sure, that a lot of people would simply be heading out to church, where if you arrive late, the congregation is honor bound to forgive you, and if you arrive early, you can always make yourself useful setting up the coffee and donuts in the parish center.
on otMj.coM
There’s so much happening in the Over the Mountain area, we can’t fit it all in the paper! Visit www.otmj.com for more stories and photos.
Publisher & Editor: Maury Wald
Features Writer & Copy Editor Donna Cornelius
Staff Writers: Kaitlin Candelaria, Emily Williams
Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith
Sports: Lee Davis
Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, William C. Singleton III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls Jr., Bryan Bunch, Liz Ellaby
Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Intern: Jacob Fuqua
over the Mountain views
“Birmingham would bennifit in reliable, personable transportation and an alternative to lackluster parking in areas like Southside’s nightlife and Regions Park.”
Gabrielle Brown Hoover
“I really have no opinion one way or the other. I’ve used a taxi twice in Birmingham from the airport and that’s it.”
Dave Driskill Vestavia Hills
It was a good idea, as far as it goes, but I think DST Day has the potential to be a whole lot more fun. Here’s what I’m thinking: Why not move the extra hour around where it could actually be enjoyed? When you lose the hour, lose it during a work day, say late on a Friday afternoon. An announcement goes out over the loudspeaker, and all of a sudden, 4 o’clock becomes 5, and it’s time to go home. That would be a happy hour for sure.
When you gain an hour, let’s gain it at lunchtime on a Wednesday. You’re hurrying through your hamburger or tofu wrap and – bing! -- you get a group email: “Go ahead and order dessert. It’s just 12 o’clock…again!”
People would love it.
Even better, make the change random. Remember how you loved snow days? This would be a snow hour. Instead of gaining or missing an hour of sleep (snore), you’d get extra smiles in both directions.
As an added bonus, everyone would be awake and alert at the moment of exchange and be able to adjust all of their non-smart clocks in a timely fashion. What could be better than that?
Actually saving daylight, of course. If some of those Greenwich Mean Time folks came up with a way to bottle daylight, we could put away a little during each long summer say and release it in December when the sun starts setting even before you get back from lunch. An extra dose of daylight to get you through rush hour. You know you’d love it.
Right now, Daylight Savings Time giveth and Daylight Savings Time taketh away. We adjust. I say we could spread a little sunshine along with the daylight. Who do you suppose I have to talk to about that? ❖
“I’m a big capitalist and a fan of the free market, but we’ve seen how if something’s not regulated properly, people can take advantage.”
Harry Horner Homewood
“I think we need it. It’d be nice if I could call them to pick me up on the weekends. I think it’s very cool. I’d also like the opportunity to make money from it.”
Corey Oden Mountain Brook
Stacey Morales joined the Birmingham Service Guild seven years ago and has served in many different capacities including Service Guild Gala Chair in 2013. This year, Morales has taken on the role of president.
Making an Impact
Service Guild President, Members Support Bell Center
By Kaitlin Candelaria
Stacey Morales has been involved in the Service Guild of Birmingham for seven years and has done a little bit of everything.
Currently the organization’s president, Morales got involved with the group after leaving her job as a labor and delivery nurse to spend more time at home with her two children.
When a friend asked her to join the Service Guild, she knew it was a perfect fit, she said.
“I loved how this fulfilled my passion of working with families and children and the fact that Service Guild members volunteer one-on-one with children receiving therapy at The Bell Center,” Morales said. “I got to see babies that I’d seen be born with developmental delays receive treatment at The Bell Center.”
In the past seven years, Morales has become even more deeply invested in The Bell Center’s mission, she said.
“It’s important, because you can see an immediate impact in the classroom from week to week when you volunteer with a child,” Morales said. “On the level I’m at now as president, I’m very involved in the fundraising portion of the Guild’s mission, so I can see our dollars immediately impact the ability of The Bell Center to provide services for children with development delay.”
Morales, who has lived in Birmingham with her husband for the past 12 years, is now in the process of preparing for the Service Guild’s 27th annual gala, set for March 14 at The Club.
Morales was the chairman of the gala in 2013 and has worked closely with this year’s chairman, Daley King, to ensure another successful event.
“This is the Guild’s largest fundraiser for The Bell Center, and it’s a lot of fun,” Morales said. “We have great auction items, and people have a great time and know that their dollars
Guild Gala Set for this Weekend
The Service Guild of Birmingham will host the 27th Annual Guild Gala, presented by Vulcan Value Partners, on Saturday, March 14th, at The Club. Platinum Sponsor is Regions Bank.
Guests will enjoy this black tie event starting with a cocktail reception, formal seated dinner and live auction emceed by JOX Roundtable and concluding with music provided by 4 Barrel Funk. Live auction items can be seen at www. theserviceguild.org.
Proceeds from the evening will benefit The Bell Center for Early Intervention Program, a facility dedicated to maximizing the potential of children from birth to three years of age who
are at risk for developmental delay. For over 30 years, The Bell Center has provided critical early intervention services including physical, occupational and speech therapies; special education services; and nutritional counseling to these children. More importantly, The Bell Center helps the families of these children as they begin the lifelong journey of providing for their children with special needs. Each year, The Bell Center provides services to more than 100 children throughout the central Alabama area.
The Service Guild provides volunteer services to Bell Center programs and financial support through fundraising efforts. For more information, contact chairman Daley King at serviceguildgala@gmail.com
go straight back to The Bell Center. We always want as many people to attend as possible -- whether they come to spend money or not is not always the point. We want people there to be exposed to the work of the Guild and The Bell Center.”
The Service Guild of Birmingham is over 50 years old and was established by Birmingham women who banded together to serve the needs of children with disabilities.
In 1984, the Guild identified early intervention for children with developmental delays as an important and innovative mission to rally around.
Betty Bell, a Birmingham resident who had provided early intervention services for one of the member’s children, was brought on board to assist in establishing a program, and The Bell Center was born.
“I love the analogy that The Bell Center is our baby, but our baby has grown up,” Morales said. “They are now their own 501(c)(3) nonprofit, as are we. They service 100 children throughout approximately 10 counties in the central Alabama area. The Service Guild’s purpose right now is to support The Bell Center through fundraising and volunteering.”
Guild members are given the opportunity to work one-on-one with children receiving services at The Bell Center alongside four teachers. The teachers control the classroom and curriculum, and the volunteers facilitate the therapy to help each child reach his or her full potential.
The Service Guild is always looking for more volunteers, Morales said.
“We are a growing organization, and when you volunteer here, you will truly see an immediate impact when you volunteer with children at The Bell Center,” Morales said.
“I think the volunteer spirit in the Birmingham community is so strong.
We are really privileged here to have so many men and women who are willing to give their time and to give financially. To give without receiving is the greatest gift.” ❖
Journal photo by Kaitlin
Candelaria
Fri., March 13
BIRMINGHAM
Hear Me Roar 2015
Iron City
The Charity League will host the Hear Me Roar! Silent and Live Auction from 6:30-10:30 p.m. at Iron City. Tickets are $50 and include food, beer/wine and entertainment. For more information, visit www.thecharityleague.org.
Sat., March 14
BIRMINGHAM
“Change for Change” Walk
Jeff State Valleydale Campus
The Addiction Prevention Coalition will hold a fundraising walk at 10 a.m for the Youth Leadership Development Program at Jeff State. Registration is $20 for adults and includes lunch. Students may participate for free. To register, visit bitly.com/1F6oi1o.
BIRMINGHAM
Beat the Odds Casino Night
Regions Field
This event is presented by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention from 7-10 p.m. Patrons can expect an evening of Las Vegas
entertainment and a silent auction. Tickets are $35 per person and $60 per couple. To purchase tickets, visit afsp. donordrive.com/event/beattheodds.
HOMEWOOD
Eat, Drink, Birmingham Rosewood Hall at SoHo Square
Guests can enjoy unlimited samples from some of Birmingham’s best local restaurants and craft beers from 2-6 p.m. Tickets are $49 online and $59 at the gate. Guests must be at least 21 to attend. For more information, call 7578330 or visit eatdrinkbham.com.
BIRMINGHAM
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Five Points South
This 31st annual parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. Patrons can come early and stay late for Irish food and drink specials from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Parking will be available in the parking deck next to Cosmo’s Pizza on Magnolia Avenue.
BIRMINGHAM
Tour de Brewers 6 Tin Roof
This 10K fun run, benefiting the Dannon Project, is at 11 a.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Participants can run, skip, hop or bike to the finish line while enjoying craft beers along the way. For more information, visit www.bigbenefitrunride.org.
Sun., March 15
BIRMINGHAM
Team Magic’s LJCC Indoor Triathlon
LJCC
This event at 8 a.m. includes 50 minutes of racing: 10 minutes of swimming, 20 minutes of spin biking and 20 minutes of treadmill running. Registration is $30 through March 13 and $35 on the day of the race. For more information, contact Dan Tourtellotte at dt@bhamjcc.org or 5109015.
Mon., March 16
HOOVER
Neuroscience Cafe
Hoover Public Library
The UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center will present an informative program on Alzheimer’s disease at 6:30 p.m. This event is free. For more information, call 444-7840.
Tues., March 17
BIRMINGHAM
Journey Into Dyslexia
Alabama Theater
The Literacy Council’s Kick-Off event will take place from 9 a.m. - noon and is free to the public. To attend, RSVP to Steve Hannum at shannum@literacycouncil.org no later than March 16.
Thurs., March 19
MOUNTAIN BROOK
Spring Soiree
Mountain Brook Village
From 5-7 p.m., Village stores will launch their new spring lines with a shopping event benefiting Mitchell’s Place. StyleBlueprint will host an afterparty at Avo at 7 p.m. Sneak previews will be shared online with Twitter hashtag #itscomingyall.
Setting the Pace
Race to Aid Colorectal Cancer Research Continues to Grow
Participants will “run to save their rears” at the seventh annual Rumpshaker 5K.
This year’s race will be March 14 at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham.
The 5K race starts at 8 a.m. The one-mile all-terrain fun run begins at 9 a.m.
Funds from the race will support Rumpshaker, Inc., a nonprofit organization that raises money for colorectal cancer research and to increase awareness of the disease.
The organization was created in honor of Lisa Martz, who fought colon cancer for nearly four years.
To date, Rumpshaker, Inc. has contributed nearly one quarter of a million dollars to Birmingham hospitals, providing funds to help GI labs purchase state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment.
In addition, Rumpshaker, Inc. travels to health fairs with its 30-foot inflatable colon display, educating citizens about the importance of regular colon screenings.
“Rumpshaker 5K is our sole fundraiser, and the funds we raise allow us to carry out our mission,” said Jacky Turner, development assistant for Rumpshaker, Inc. “That includes providing monthly support groups, scholarship opportunities, short-term financial assistance for patients, and funding for Birmingham hospital GI labs.”
Since 2009, the Rumpshaker 5K has grown from 1,483 participants to more than 3,400 in last year’s race. Since its inception, the run has raised over $500,000.
This year’s run will include a Fun Zone with bounce houses, face painting, coloring tables and popcorn for children ages 10 and under.
Registration for the 5K is $30. The fee for the fun run is $20. Registration will be available the day of the race at an increased price.
For more information and to register, visit www.rumpshaker5k.com or contact Turner at 346-5014 or jacky.turner@rumpshaker5K.com. ❖
Fri., March 20
BIRMINGHAM
The Wailers
UAB’s Alys Stephens Center
Legendary reggae band the Wailers will perform at 8 p.m. Tickets are $37.50 and can be purchased by calling 9782728 or visiting www.AlysStephens.org.
Sat., March 21
HOMEWOOD
Steeple to Steeple 5K
Trinity UMC
This walk/run to benefit the United Methodist Children’s Home will begin at 8 a.m. The course will take runners from Homewood to Mountain Brook, finishing at Canterbury United Methodist Church. Registration starts at $35 and will increase after March 1. For more information and registration, visit www. steeple2steeple.com
HOOVER PAWS in the Gardens Aldridge Gardens
Hoover’s Woofstock and PAWS in the Gardens are combining for one event from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Entry is $10 per dog or dog-less family. Rain date is March 22. For more information, visit www. aldridgegardens.com.
BIRMINGHAM
Tribe 5K and Bacon Cook-off
Sloss Furnace
Lifeline Children’s Services and Iron Tribe will host a 5K run and bacon cookoff at 9 a.m. Online registration closes at noon March 19. Late registration will be available on race day. To register, visit tribe5k.com.
VESTAVIA HILLS
Arts and Crafts Spring Show
Vestavia Hills Civic Center
Sixty exhibitors will showcase visual arts and fine crafts at this annual show. The event from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. will feature 60 exhibitors from the Over the Mountain area. The show is familyfriendly and free. For more information, visit www.vestaviahillsart.com.
Photo special to the Journal
This event will include musical performances from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the Main Living room. Lunch will be provided and guests are invited to bring a dish to share. This event is free. For more information, call 956-4150.
April 10-12
HOMEWOOD
Spring Plant Sale
Brookwood Village
April 24
BIRMINGHAM
Tails in the Trails
Birmingham Zoo
Guests are invited to celebrate the Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo 60th
BIRMINGHAM
30 Year Gala -- Seasons of Love
Florentine Building
Birmingham AIDS Outreach will hold a gala honoring 30 years of service. Entertainment includes emcee Dr. Larry Contri, the Once in a Lifetime 80s band and keynote speaker Lawayne Childrey. Tickets are $50 at www. birminghamaidsoutreach.org.
BIRMINGHAM
Cherry Blossom Festival
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
The Japan-America Society of Alabama will celebrate its annual Sakura Matsuri event in the Japanese Garden. For more information, call Tamara Moriya at 943-4730.
BIRMINGHAM
The Elvis Ball Old Car Heaven
The Creative Montessori School will host a Viva Las Vegas-themed fundraising event at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. Tickets are available at Rojo, Sanctuary Salon or online at www.cmskids.org.
Mon., March 23
BIRMINGHAM
Sunset and Song
Red Mountain Theatre Cabaret Assistance League of Birmingham presents a cabaret evening starring Lonnie Parson, Kristi Tingle Higginbotham and Jan Hunter at 5:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 870-5555 or visit www.assistanceleaguebhm.org.
BIRMINGHAM
Gospel and Blue Grass Festival Fair Haven
Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ annual fundraiser will feature more than 100,000 plants for sale. The event is free. For more information or tickets to the preview party, call 414-3950 or visit www.bbgardens.org/ springplantsale.
April 11
BIRMINGHAM
Cahabaque
Cahaba Brewing Co.
This third annual cook-off that supports the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama is from 12-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cahabaque.com.
BIRMINGHAM
Paul Meyers Golf Tournament
Highland Park Golf Course
This memorial golf tournament benefits medical mission trips to Haiti. Golfers will play on a glow-in-the-dark course while non-golfers can enjoy music and a silent auction. For more information, visit www.golf4paul.com.
anniversary from 6:30-10:30 p.m. This event is for ages 21 and older. Early bird tickets are $15. To purchase tickets, visit tickets.birminghamzoo.com. ❖
‘A True Girl Scout’ Gillian Goodrich Wins Lifetime Achievement Award
By Emily Williams
The mission of the Girl Scouts is to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.
Gillian Goodrich, a Birmingham philanthropist and Mountain Brook resident, exemplifies those qualities, Girl Scout officials said.
The Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama announced their 2015 Women of Distinction earlier this year, naming Goodrich the recipient of the prestigious Mildred Bell Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award.
“She is a true Girl Scout,” said Hannah Wallace, director of communications and marketing for the GSNCA. “She exudes courage, confidence and character, and we are so thankful to have an extraordinary example for today’s Girl Scouts.”
wisdom. Hopefully a little bit of it got tucked in there somewhere.”
Goodrich said philanthropy is something that has always been a part of her life and that through her family’s foundation she is able to provide funding to nonprofit organizations working in the Birmingham area.
“We focus a lot on education and community revitalization. Also, the environment is important to us and arts and culture,” Goodrich said “We have really started to emphasize that we want to see some measurable results. We really want to see some lives changed in a measurable way.”
The Goodrich Foundation focuses on certain areas of Birmingham, most notably the Woodlawn community, which has been crippled by poverty. The foundation supports the work of the Woodlawn Foundation, whose goal is to revitalize the community.
Coker led a team in developing and building a veterans’ memorial monument at Patriot Park in Homewood.
The monument was dedicated in November during a ceremony attended by family members, friends, Homewood City Council and Park and Recreation board members, Homewood Chamber of Commerce members, business owners and veterans.
During the dedication, the first flag officially raised was one that flew on a Navy destroyer during World War II. The flag belonged to veteran Brooks Baker II.
Coker began his scouting career in fifth grade under the direction of Scoutmaster Jimmy Walsh.
Coker held many Troop 1 leadership positions, including being elected by his peers to the Order of the Arrow. He was senior patrol leader and crew leader on the troop’s Philmont Trek in 2011.
Coker is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School, where he is a member of the marching band and wind ensemble. He is also a violinist.
He plans to attend Auburn University this fall on a full academic scholarship.
Born in Birmingham, Goodrich grew up with a close connection with the Girl Scouts. She was a scout until high school, and her mother, Gay White, was involved in the Girl Scouts for much of her life. White was president of the Cahaba Girl Scout Council for several years in the 1960s and 1970s.
“The scouting tradition was just a huge part of our family, and those values are strong and they stay with you,” Goodrich said. “My father was a boy scout. Even my husband was an Eagle Scout.”
After graduating from Converse College and earning a master’s degree from the University of Alabama, Goodrich began teaching history at the high school and collegiate levels.
When Goodrich left the teaching field, she began serving her community as the charitable contributions coordinator for Protective Life Insurance Co.
Since then, she has served on the boards of directors for several local organizations, including the McWane Science Center, Children’s of Alabama and the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.
In 2008, she and her family started the Mike and Gillian Goodrich Charitable Foundation. The foundation was created after she had spent many years learning from and working with many other philanthropic women, she said.
“Early on, when I was on the Gateway Board, Mary Edna Porter was the executive director of that, and she was just a woman of infinite wisdom,” Goodrich said. “Then I was on, and still am on, the YWCA board, and Suzanne Doram just gave me a lot of
“The goal is to change the lives of people born in poverty and to try and break that cycle of poverty,” Goodrich said. “You have to do everything to make that community livable.”
The Goodrich Foundation also lends its help to restoration projects, like the historic Lyric Theater in downtown Birmingham, and cultural companies such as the Alabama Ballet.
Goodrich said her advice to young women seeking to serve their communities is not to help for your own peace of mind but to help because you truly want to.
“Think not of what you can do for them, but of what would actually help them the most,” Goodrich said. “Spend time with people long enough to see what they really need.”
Goodrich accepted the Mildred Bell Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony on March 6.
“Like anything there have been less than perfect times, but it’s been interesting and fun to just see how the community has changed,” Goodrich said about her years of philanthropic work. ❖
Vestavia Senior Earns Eagle Scout Rank
Nels Coker of Vestavia recently earned the Eagle Scout rank.
He received his official rank at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony in February at Southminster Presbyterian Church, the home of his scout troop.
Coker is the son of Tim and Audra Coker and is a member of Troop 1 in Vestavia.
For his Eagle Scout service project,
Whetstone Achieves Rank of Eagle Scout
Morgan Robins Whetstone, 17, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. As a member of Troop 367, he was recognized for his achievement at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on September 28, 2014. Troop 367 is sponsored by Riverchase United Methodist Church and led by Scoutmaster Lee Picard.
On his trail to Eagle Scout, Whetstone completed 30 merit badges, camped 81 nights, hiked 144.3 miles, performed 76 hours of service, and held several leadership positions within the troop. His peers also elected him to the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s National Honor Society.
For his Eagle Scout project, Whetstone built and installed benches for historic Bailey Cemetery in Vincent, Alabama, as part of a restoration project sponsored by the Vincent Historical Society.
Whetstone is a senior at Spain Park High School and a member of the National Honor Society, varsity cross country team, varsity track team, several school choirs, and the BEST robotics team. He has received an appointment to attend the United States Naval Academy.
He is the son of Melissa and Greg Whetstone of Hoover.
Nels Coker
Morgan Robins Whetstone
Gillian Goodrich
Pittsburg Seminary
President Becomes
Next IPC Pastor
Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC), Alabama’s largest PC-USA congregation, voted March 1st to extend a call to Dr. William “Bill” Carl to serve as the seventh pastor.
“What an exciting time to be a part of IPC,” Carl said, taking the pulpit for brief remarks.
“Together, with God’s help, we will lead this church into a second century of service to this community and to the glory of God’s kingdom throughout the world.”
Carl served as Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas, for 22 years before accepting an invitation to lead the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, where he has been since 2005.
YWCA Central Alabama
Names New Board Members and Officers
YWCA Central Alabama recently announced the new members and officers of the Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting.
New members elected to the Board of Directors are: Tracey Morant Adams, senior vice president/director of small business and community development for Renasant Bank; Mittie D. Cannon, Ed.D, director of workforce development at Robins & Morton; Jill V. Deer, vice president of development and administration for Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC; Patsy Davis Dreher, logistics coordinator for Leadership Birmingham; Betsy Bugg Holloway, professor of marketing and chief marketing officer at Samford University; Cynthia G. LamarHart, attorney with Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.; Lucy Thompson Marsh, executive director of The Thompson Foundation; and Lilliam NunezRodriguez, human resources director for the Belk Western Division.
2015 Board Officers are: Brenda M. Hackney, president; Carla S. Roberson, vice president development; Paige Daniel, vice president finance; Eleanor
“I’ve seen myself at Pittsburgh Seminary as pastor to the community,” said Carl. “A little over a year ago, as part of healthy succession planning having completed my goals, I sensed my call was coming to an end. Almost immediately I began to realize God was calling me back to the parish. Then out of the blue came some wonderful folks from IPC.”
Jimmy Holloway, chairman of the Pastor’s Nominating Committee, said he brings unique strengths to this role.
“Bill has been a professor of homiletics,” said Holloway. “Teaching preachers how to preach, so we’re enthusiastic about what we’ll hear from our pulpit. But his experience leading a seminary has also prepared him to lead a dynamic, growing church.”
“Birmingham is often referred to as the ‘Pittsburgh of the South,’” says Congregation President Miller Gorrie. “That certainly seems to be the case with our church.”
Carl will leave Pittsburgh Seminary in June to start his role as pastor at IPC in July.
In the interim, Carl has agreed to preach one Sunday a month, with his first sermon to be delivered on Easter. ❖
Griffin, vice president planning; Barbara Blair, vice president programs; Dr. Kathy Hoar, treasurer; Valerie Collins Thomas, corresponding secretary; and Lisa Q. Miller, recording secretary.
The YWCA presented its 2015 Jeana P. Hosch Woman of Valor Award to Charlena Bray for her inspirational leadership. Bray is president of Human Resources, Inc. and administrator of the Family Care Center and Ministry Development at The Guiding Light Church. A volunteer with the YWCA for 18 years, including four as president, Bray is a former high school math teacher and higher education administrator.
Mothers in Ministry
Members of a mothers’ ministry group helped an Ensley emergency shelter get ready to welcome new guests.
The Prince of Peace Moms ministry group meets every Friday morning for friendship and fellowship and quarterly performs a major service outreach. Last month, group members spent time cleaning and organizing Mary’s House, an emergency shelter for families in Ensley.
The women mowed the lawn, pulled weeds, painted, cleaned and prepared the house for its next round of guests.
When Father John Fallon arrived at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in 1998, the church was in the midst of a $6 million expansion and renovation to accommodate the rapidly-growing
congregation. He proposed the idea of a ministry group for moms with preschool-aged children that would offer support and the opportunity to grow in faith. The ministry took root and has flourished over the past 16 years, church officials said.
The ministry group started with about 10 women who held weekly
Retiring from the Board of Directors this year are Maggie Brooke, Kate H. Cotton, April Autrey Deal, Caroline Gidiere, Susan Ritter and Bonika R. Wilson. The YWCA extends its gratitude for their service.❖
meetings to socialize and study the Bible. Today, the group has 150 members.
As the original group’s children began entering school, those women formed a spin-off group, Women of Worship, which still meets every week at the Hoover church for Bible study and service. ❖
Dr. William “Bill” Carl
Front row, from left: Jillian Harvey, Lisa Petrozzi, Alicia Johnson and Theresa Stuhl. Back row: Amelia Baalman, Stacy Stone, Shelley Douglass of Mary’s House, Isabelle Silko, Kathryn Dabrowski, Stacie Rohn and Jacqueline McLeod. Photo special to the Journal
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To: Janet
From: Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax
Date: January
By Donna Cornelius
Frank Orgel was looking forward to retirement.
The former University of Georgia and professional football player had spent most of his working life in coaching. He was on the staff at universities like Clemson, South Carolina, Auburn and UGA where football is a high priority – and coaches don’t have easy hours or much free time.
“I was planning on fishing and playing golf after I retired,” Orgel said.
Instead, he found himself facing a life-changing disease.
Orgel and Kevin Turner, from left,
“I don’t drive anymore,” he said. “I went from a walking cane to a walker to a wheelchair.”
But he still loves to go to Auburn games, he said, and he has staunch support not only from friends but from his family.
“Sarah, my wife, is really the one who should be getting this award,” Orgel said.
His daughter and son-in-law, Leigh Ann and Cary Mathis, were living in Chattanooga, Tenn., when Orgel was diagnosed with the disease.
“They quit their jobs and moved in with us to help,” Orgel said. “I didn’t know that was the plan until they walked in the door.”
The Mathises now live in Columbus, Ga., with their son, 7-yearold Weston.
Orgel said ALS is a “hard disease to live with.”
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“I started getting weak,” the 76-year-old said. “I didn’t feel right. I started tripping and falling. I didn’t know what was wrong.”
It took several years and rounds of visits to doctors before Orgel, who lives in Auburn, got a diagnosis: ALS.
ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It’s often called Lou Gehrig’s disease after the famous New York Yankee who had to retire after developing the disease in 1939.
Orgel’s diagnosis took a while to make because the disease affects only one side of his body, he said.
“On me, it affects my left arm and left leg,” Orgel said. “I’m not the typical ALS guy.”
Orgel and Kevin Turner, a former University of Alabama and NFL player, will receive the first-ever Spirit of Lou Gehrig Awards at Changing the Game, a dinner and awards ceremony hosted by the ALS Association’s Alabama chapter. The event is March 12 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel.
The awards are to honor “champions of ALS and individuals who, like Lou Gehrig, changed the game,” organizers said.
The event’s guest speaker is John Feinstein, a columnist for the Washington Post, Golf World and Golf Digest. He’s also the author of “Caddy for Life: The Bruce Edwards Story.”
The book is about the life and final days of professional golfer Tom Watson’s caddy, who had ALS.
Former UA head football coach Gene Stallings will present Turner’s award. Orgel will be honored by a longtime friend -- Pat Dye, former Auburn head football coach.
Orgel and Dye were roommates when they played for Georgia. Later, when both were in the U.S. Army, they played for military football teams.
“Coach Dye played at Ft. Benning, and I played at Ft. Campbell,” Orgel said. “We were both named to the AllService team, the first time two players from the same college had made the team.”
Orgel also was on Dye’s coaching staffs at East Carolina University and Auburn.
Dye is “like my brother,” Orgel said. “I see him all the time. He comes by to see me, and I visit his farm.”
When the Auburn Tigers are practicing, the two go and watch them every Tuesday, Orgel said.
Orgel said he appreciates friends like Dye.
“I have bad days,” he said. “I have days when I really suffer. But I can manage this. I like to think I can handle this.”
Last year’s Ice Bucket Challenge, which thanks to social media put ALS in the national spotlight, and the movie “The Theory of Everything,” which chronicles physicist Stephen Hawking’s struggle with ALS, have brought more awareness to the disease, Orgel said. Events like Changing the Game help do that, too, he said.
“I just hope for young people who develop this that they can find something to help – maybe not a cure but a way to prevent it,” Orgel said.
With Dye presenting the award to Orgel and Stallings there to give Turner his award, both Alabama and Auburn will be represented at Changing the Game.
“But I think we’ll all be on the same side that night,” Orgel said.
Others with ties to his coaching days will be on hand to see him receive the award, Orgel said, including former UGA coach Ray Goff and Larry Blakeney, who recently retired as Troy University’s head coach.
There’s another guest whose presence will mean a lot to Orgel.
“My grandson is so excited to be coming,” he said. ❖
GBHS will continue taking in surrendered pets and managing adoptions at its Snow Drive location in Homewood. And now, animals from both locations will receive veterinary care from Alabama Shelter Veterinarians, a private practice in Hoover established to meet the needs of some 1,400 animals per month GBHS expects during the peak summer season.
The Hoover facility, purchased for $430,000 by an anonymous donor, is being refitted with state-of-the art technology and a new surgical wing. In April, the clinic will begin sponsoring fourth-year Auburn University veterinary students in rotating twoweek externships.
So because she was found on Jan. 23, “Millie,” the German shepherd, was not euthanized but given a second chance, treated and placed in a foster home to recover. Bouncing around in Cornelius’s office, she is due to be adopted by her caretaker -- an occupational hazard known as “foster failure.”
“Before, shelters only took animals that were friendly,” Cornelius said. “Now, because we have a continuum of care, we can move them to really high quality medical care and really high quality placement services.”
Difficulties remain with the new model, however. Despite the improved quality and lower cost offered by GBHS, the county is considering even steeper savings if it reclaims all or part of its own animal control services, including veterinary care.
A meeting before the county’s personnel board is likely in April, Cornelius said. She is confident the county can’t meet either the economic or quality of care standards to reverse the contract, however.
There is no perfect way to balance animal welfare and economics, GBHS leaders say. But they expect the partnership to reduce the euthanasia rate from BJC’s estimated 90-plus percent down to 60 percent, said AVS chief medical officer Brandon Cash.
The national benchmark for a well-run shelter is about 70 percent, he said.
Cash, a Hueytown native who left his Decatur practice in July to take the Humane Society job, divides his time between the Hoover and Woodlawn locations. He runs the clinic with R. Vaughn Walker, an affiliated veterinarian; his wife, Amy Cash, as practice manager; and a technician.
The clinic is equipped with a
digital X-ray system, a hospital-grade ultrasound device, and a new $40,000 computerized blood laboratory. The surgery suite is being expanded with six operating tables and a recovery room with warming beds.
The equipment allows vets to diagnose problems, treat injuries and perform corrective surgeries that go beyond state-required spay/neuters for adopted pets.
None of the half dozen adult pit bulls and shepherd mixes in the holding kennels would have made it this far under the old system, Cash said.
“In shelter work, any medical problem you encounter was usually a reason to stop,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is remove some of the economic pressure from the decision.”
The Humane Society’s transformation started as a regulatory drama that unfolded over a weekend in July 2014. Five days after Cash was hired by GBHS, the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners had
denied him the required “premise permit” to work at the Snow Drive clinic.
The board, citing errors that allowed other vets to practice in-house, was determined to enforce codes that prohibit veterinarians from hiring out to non-veterinarians or working at premises they don’t control.
“That meant they (the GBHS) went from having an in-house vet to having to outsource care of 700 animals per month,” Cornelius said.
“That was $30,000 to $40,000 per month, and they had just enough funds to get to February.”
Cornelius, a motivational trainer
and founder of Blackfish Consulting, was working on GBHS’s strategic plan when the crisis occurred. Rather than fight it, she and president Lucy Marsh engineered the new business model to comply with the rules.
In an executive case of foster failure, Cornelius herself was hired as CEO of the new entity when it took over BJC operations on Jan. 22. She prays it’s not temporary.
“There’s something wrong when you start putting things that are alive in an economic model,” she said. “We can’t save them all, but do we really want to be a killing machine?” ❖
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Amy Cash, practice manager and wife of Brandon Cash, with Hugo, a Chihuahua mix. Hugo, at 1.6 pounds, will be neutered (and adopted by the Cashes) when he reaches two pounds. Journal photo By Liz Ellaby
Fast Start for Arc’s Junior Board
Group’s Shamrock Shindig Is Organization’s Largest Fundraiser
By Kaitlin Candelaria
Just a little over three years ago, the Arc of Jefferson County did not have an official junior board in place.
The Arc serves over 700 individuals with intellectual disabilities across the Jefferson and Blount County area through a variety of programs and services.
No one is sure how the idea of a junior board for the organization began. But emails were sent and connections made, and a group of young professionals came together for the inaugural meeting of the Arc of Jefferson County Junior Board in January 2012.
Among these young professionals are Jenny Rankin, past junior board president, and Rhiannon Reed, current junior board secretary. Both young women said they found themselves attracted to the idea of involvement with the Arc for different reasons.
Rankin’s involvement came from a personal connection, she said.
“I have always had a special place in my heart for people with developmental disabilities,” she said. “My mom was a special education teacher, and my brother struggled with learning disabilities growing up, so it’s always been near and dear to me.
“When I heard that’s what (the Arc) was all about, I felt like it was something I needed to put my time towards.”
Reed said she was looking for a way to become more involved in the community when she received an email from a high school friend about the beginnings of a junior board for the Arc.
“Frankly, I hadn’t heard of the Arc before, but once I saw their mission, I knew it would be a great way to fill that void I had been feeling for community involvement,” Reed said. “I also knew I’d have the opportunity to assist an organization who really wanted to get their name out in the community among younger people.”
When the junior board was cre-
ated, its mission was simply to assist with fundraising and promote awareness of the Arc, Rankin said. The board has been able to accomplish a lot more than that, she said.
“I think that we’ve helped put some excitement back into this program, which is fun to see,” Rankin said. “We’ve got a great group of young people who are very dedicated, and I think that’s the driving force.
“When we came in, we got to write our own rules and create our own hallmark event. The people in this group have come up with every idea behind the Shamrock Shindig,
from beginning to end. I think that having ownership in this event has been a big part of why people are so devoted to the junior board and to this cause.”
Reed agreed. She’s most impressed with the people who have joined the junior board and maintained their involvement since its inception, she said.
“We have a great core group that has grown exponentially over the past
‘I have always had a special place in my heart for people with developmental disabilities.’ Jenny Rankin
three years to include people who have things like fundraising experience and junior board experience on their resumes,” Reed said. “They can bring suggestions of things that have worked for other groups to the table.”
The board hosted its first trademark fundraiser in 2012 -- the Shamrock Shindig at Avondale Brewery. The Shamrock Shindig has quickly become the Arc’s largest fundraiser; last year’s event raised over $25,000. The junior board aims to top that number this year while continuing to raise awareness.
“We’re trying to increase our presence on social media this year, and I think we’ve done a great job of that,” Reed said. “We also moved the event from a Friday night to a Saturday night this year, and I think that is going to be a great move for us. We’re going to get
a crowd of people we wouldn’t have otherwise attracted.”
Attendees can expect food from Rusty’s BBQ, music by DJ Goldstein and the chance to win prizes, including $3,000 cash, a $500 Diamonds Direct gift certificate, an iPad and more.
“Awareness is always our No. 1 goal followed by fundraising,” Rankin said. “In addition to raising money this year, we want to continue to get the word out in a positive way. Although we want people to come and have a good time, we also want people to feel like they’ve influenced individuals, because they have. Hopefully we’ll be able to tell that story through this event. We want people to see what their contribution can do.”
The junior board has been able to accomplish a lot for the Arc in a short three years, but it can’t take all the credit, Rankin said.
“We’re only as successful as the development committee and the marketing committee at the Arc allows us to be, and they have really given us so much freedom and an opportunity to really make this event our own,” Rankin said. “They have been 100 percent behind every idea that we’ve had. They’ve really helped us put the rubber on the road in making sure that the Arc is involved and the media is involved.
“The junior board is great, but we couldn’t do it without the Arc staff. They’re amazing.”
This year’s Shamrock Shindig is at 6 p.m. March 14 at Avondale Brewery. Tickets are $30.
For more information, visit www. arcofjeff.org. ❖
Less waiting where it matters most –our emergency room.
Members of the Arc of Jefferson County Junior Board are preparing for their largest fundraiser of the year, Shamrock Shendig, held on March 14 at Avondale Brewery. Photo special to the Journal
u HOOVeR
Hoover Celebrating Disailities Appreciation
The city of Hoover has partnered with People First of Alabama to proclaim March as Disability Appreciation Month in Hoover.
“We thought it would be fun to appreciate the benefits that people with disabilities bring to our community,” State Coordinator Susan Ellis of People First said. “They make our community better. When you see someone with
a physical disability working at a job, it means that their employer values people with disabilities and want their staff to reflect their community.”
People First and the city of Hoover will celebrate Saturday, March 14 by hosting a ribbon cutting for a new inclusive playground at Hoover East Sports Complex.
“This playground will serve people of all ages and abilities allowing them to be physically and socially active through play and recreation,” Events Coordinator Erin Colbaugh said. “There will be
different vendors there who provide assistance or services to people with disabilities.”
People First of Alabama is a 30-year-old statewide organization with national affiliations that serves adults with developmental disabilities. This organization gives disabled adults the ability to advocate for change within their own communities.
Opening day for the Over the Mountain Miracle League will commence after the ribbon cutting.
—Kaitlin
its school system into a central location. The school is surrounded by Hoover though it sits in the city limits of Pelham. Pelham just started its school system in 2014-2015, following its break from the Shelby County school system.
u VestaVia Hills
High School Names New Principal
Dr. Tyler Burgess was named the ninth principal of Vestavia Hills High School.
Burgess, who last summer became the principal of Louis Pizitz Middle School, was approved for the high school position by the Vestavia Hills Board of Education. He will transition to his new job in May.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity,” Burgess said. “I spent the first 13 years of my career in a high school, so I’m comfortable with that setting and ready to get back into that environment at a high school that is known for excellence.”
Prior to arriving in Vestavia Hills, Burgess worked as an administrator and science teacher in Homewood City Schools. He holds a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Samford University.
Burgess will replace Tim Loveless, an administrator who most recently worked in Cullman City Schools and has been serving this year as interim principal at Vestavia Hills High School.
“Dr. Burgess has quickly become an asset to our school district over the past
Shades Mountain Christian School officials say they will release more details about their plans in the next few weeks. Those plans will include a capital campaign.
—William C. Singleton III
year,” Vestavia Hills Superintendent Sheila Phillips said. “His depth of knowledge and varied experience, coupled with his enthusiasm and passion, brings the quality of leadership we desire for Vestavia Hills High School.”
POWER TO THE CRAFT
affordable, reliable electricity is one form of power we provide, but not the only one. For the Back Forty Beer Company, it’s helping them lead the way for craft beer in Alabama. With a lot of hard work, vision and a little help from Alabama Power to make their facility and processes effi cient, Back Forty is proving that a local dream can turn into an amazing reality. That’s power to build on your passion. That’s Power to Alabama.
Candelaria
Dr. Tyler Burgess, who last summer became the principal of Louis Pizitz Middle School, was approved for the high school position by the Vestavia Hills Board of Education.
Shades Mountain Christian School has announced it has signed a purchasing agreement with the Pelham city school system to buy Riverchase Middle School, a 95,000 square-foot facility that currently serves about 700 students grades six through eight. Journal photo by Kaitlin Candelaria
Photo special to the Journal
Jason Wilson, Founder Back Forty Beer Company
Cultural ExCHangE
Ambassador Visits Birmingham for Spotlight on China
His Excellency Cui Tiankai, the People’s Republic of China ambassador to the United States, recently was in Birmingham to officially kick off the Birmingham International Center’s 2015 Spotlight on China.
The ambassador attended a dinner and cultural event in his honor Jan. 22. He addressed Birmingham area business leaders gathered to take part in an Alabama-China business roundtable the next day.
The Birmingham International Center spotlights a different country each year, producing programs and activities designed to build greater cultural understanding.
The 2015 event’s goal was to bolster cultural, educational and business ties between Alabama and China.
The Ambassador’s Dinner, held at The Club, featured entertainment from distinguished Chinese performers.
Elite musicians from China’s most prestigious music school, the China Conservatory, performed as the Forbidden City Chamber Orchestra.
Also performing was the Atlanta Professional Dance Academy, a classical ballet dance school founded by Wei Dongsheng and his wife, Jue Chen. Wei was a principal dancer of the National Ballet of China and the Atlanta Ballet. The APDA performed the “Jasmine Flower Dance,” which earned a gold medal in the 2013 World Ballet Competition.
Speakers at the Alabama-China business roundtable were Greg Canfield, secretary, Alabama Department of Commerce; Siva Yam, president of the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce; Lee Styslinger III, chairman and CEO of Altec Inc.; Harry He, president, ChineseAmerican Business Association of Birmingham; John McMillan, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries; and Ying Zhao, special advisor to the Governor’s Office on China, Alabama Department of Commerce. ❖
Scholarships for Samford Renfroe
Entertains at Legacy League Luncheon
Some 250 people attended the Samford University Legacy League’s Feb. 19 Scholarship Luncheon featuring Anita Renfroe
After Legacy League Executive Director Jeanna Westmoreland welcomed guests, luncheon chairman Harriet Williams gave out door prizes from Diamonds Direct, Monograms Plus, Olexa’s Café and Cakes and Catering.
After lunch, Paula Gossett, Samford vice president for Student Scholarship and Support, introduced student speaker Sadie Knox, who
shared her own scholarship story.
Special guest was Renfroe, a comedian, musician and author.
The Scholarship Luncheon Planning Committee included Harriet Williams, Danna Duncan, Charolette Hamby, Lindsay Kessler, Karen Bergquist, Jeanna Westmoreland, Sharon Smith and Allison Strickland
Since September, Legacy League events have raised more than $26,000 to establish a new need-based scholarship for students pursuing a career in education at Samford. ❖
Clo Ckwise from above: The Atlanta Professional Dance Academy performing the “Jasmine Flower Dance.” From left: Lee Styslinger III, Ambassador Cui Tiankai, Kelly Styslinger and Leo Styslinger Jr. Janet Wilson, Ambassador Cui Tiankai and Scott Wilson.
Photos special to the Journal
Luncheon sponsors Michael and Linda Adler, far left and far right, meet John and Anita Renfroe.
Photos special to the Journal
f rom l eft: Anita Renfroe speaks at the Legacy League’s Feb. 19 luncheon. Legacy League members and guests enjoy Anita Renfroe’s humor. Renfroe with student speaker Sadie Knox.
Fun and Games for Glenwood
More than 600 people attended the 11th annual A Night Under the Big Top event Feb. 13 at The Club. The fundraiser benefited the Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center. It was hosted by Glenwood’s Junior Board.
Guests enjoyed casino games, a silent auction, a photo booth, dancing, a VIP lounge and a silent disco.
Junior Board President Will Thuston gave a toast to Glenwood founder Glenn Ireland II. Two of Ireland’s grandchildren are Glenwood Junior Board members. ❖
From left: Glenwood Junior Board Members Glenn Drennan, D.G. Pantazis, Erin Clark, Andy Parker, Colin Read, Anna Lacy McMains, Richard Danner, Will Thuston, Noah Oliphant, Steven Mote, Wes Quattlebaum, Stewart Jones, Stacey Summerville, John Goldasich and Sarah Gieger.
Anna Lacy McMains, Jess Anne Heppenstall and Angel Hufham.
Photos special to the Journal
Hoover, Homewood Announce Teachers of the Year
Homewood and Hoover City Schools recently announced their Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year.
Each recipient will be entered as State Board of Education District IV candidates for the Alabama Teacher of the Year Program, administered by the Alabama State Board of Education and the Alabama State Department of Education.
Shades Cahaba Elementary’s Carolyn Murray and Homewood Middle School’s Elizabeth Stewart were selected as the 2014-2015 Homewood City School’s Teachers of the Year.
Murray has been a special needs education teacher at Shades Cahaba for eight years and is a member of the Alabama Network of National Board Certified Teachers.
Stewart is a national board certified teacher who has taught in special education at HMS for 11 years.
Minette Wiggins of Trace Crossings Elementary School, and Tosha CastonSmith of Spain Park High School are the 2014-15 Hoover City Schools Elementary and Secondary Teachers of
the Year.
Wiggins, a first-grade teacher, has been in education more than 32 years. Caston-Smith, an English teacher, has been in education more than 22 years.
All school-level Teachers of the Year submitted packets outlining their education history, professional biographies, community involvement and philosophies of teaching.
The state-level selection committee will select the Alabama Teacher of the Year at an awards ceremony in May.
Cherokee Bend Hosts State’s First TEDx Event
Cherokee Bend Elementary became the first school in Alabama licensed to produce a TEDxYouth Event Feb. 20.
TED stands for Technology Entertainment and Design. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share while speakers combine to spark discussion within a small group.
These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, with “x” signifying an independently-organized TED event.
Inspired by the experience of TEDx Birmingham 2014, school counselor Laura Witcher and enrichment
teacher Meagan Saia teamed up to offer students the opportunity to participate in a TEDxYouth event with the theme “Value Myself and Others,” a Cherokee Bend school rule.
The goal of events like this is to share ideas and inspire others to think or act differently about topics such as animal and environmental conservation, fear, the myth of perfection, great teachers, the scientific method and big things kids can do and to share entertainment.
Because the event was limited to 100 ticketed applicants, Cherokee Bend
students who were not able to be in the auditorium during the event participated in their classrooms through live-stream.❖
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