Shelby Living, September/October 2020

FEMALE WRESTLERS WITH GRIT • SAWDUST & SWEET TEA CREATIONS • A RUSTIC CHELSEA FARMHOUSE

HER WORST NIGHTMARE A MOTHER’S JOURNEY OF GRIEF FOLLOWING HER SON’S MURDER

AT FIRST LIGHT EXPLORING PARKS’ NATURAL BEAUTY AT DAYBREAK

TAKE A

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 ShelbyLiving.com Volume 11 | Issue 5 $4.95

TASTE

MEET THE ENTREPRENEUR BEHIND BIRDS & BURGERS

IN AN EMERGENCY,

MAKE SHELBY BAPTIST YOUR FIRST STOP. A COMMUNITY BUILT ON RESPONSIVENESS In an emergency, you have the power to choose where to receive expert care. Insist on going to Shelby Baptist Medical Center. As your community of care, take comfort in knowing we’ll always be here when you need it the most.

To learn more, visit ShelbyBaptistMedicalCenter.com For life-threatening emergencies, call 9-1-1

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FEATURES

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AT FIRST LIGHT Capturing the magic of early morning sunrises led Beau Taylor and his family to explore the beauty of parks near their home.

50

Linda Coogan’s journey through grief since her son’s murder eight years ago has been rocky, but it’s also led her to speak up about advocacy and forgiveness.

2 September/October 2020

PHOTO BY BEAU TAYLOR

HER WORST NIGHTMARE

35

PHOTO BY LINDSEY DRENNAN

arts & culture

in every issue

11 In the Sawdust: Stephanie Freeman’s Home Décor

4 Contributors

17 Read This Book: Page-Turners

5 From the Editor

18 Arts Council Corner: In the Gallery

6 The Question

school & sports

7 The Guide 58 Business Connections

19 Evenly Matched: On the Mat with Female Wrestlers

64 Out & About

26 Five Questions For: Creations Galore & Moore’s Nedra Moore

food & drink

27 Regulars Welcome: Birds & Burgers Takes Flight

70 Marketplace

SL 72 My Shelby County

34 Five Questions For: Montevallo Elementary’s School Counselor

home & style

35 Highland Haven: Inside a Rustic Chelsea Farmhouse

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contributors EDITORIAL

Alec Etheredge Madoline Markham Keith McCoy Scott Mims Emily Sparacino

CONTRIBUTORS

Aliza Baker Kathryn Bell Lindsey Drennan Dawn Harrison Sarah Cook McBride Beau Taylor Mary Tweedy

DESIGN

Jamie Dawkins Kate Sullivan Green Connor Martin-Lively

MARKETING

Darniqua Bowen Parker Bryan Kristy Brown Kari George Caroline Hairston Rachel Henderson Rhett McCreight Viridiana Romero Lisa Shapiro Kerrie Thompson

Aliza Baker, Intern Aliza was born and raised in a small town in Georgia, but she currently lives in Birmingham where she attends Samford University. Her lifelong interest in human psychology grew into a love for hearing people’s stories and getting to tell them in her own words. In her free time, you might find her reading a mystery novel in a local coffee shop or going on a spontaneous road trip with friends.

Carmen Brown, Writer Carmen is a feature writer and editor with an M.A. in communication and information sciences from the University of Alabama. She has written for several local and national publications including The Executive, Home Care, Tuscaloosa Magazine and, of course, Shelby Living. In addition to chasing a good story, she loves writing about music, health and fitness, and stories of resilience.

Lindsey Drennan, Photographer Lindsey is a lifestyle and wedding photographer as well as a graphic designer. She has been in the wedding industry for over six years with Lindsey Ann Photography and has a passion for design as well. When she’s not working, you’ll find her renovating her house or playing with her golden, Aiden. You can follow her photography at @liindsey and her renovations @themodernrenovator on Instagram.

ADMINISTRATION Hailey Dolbare Mary Jo Eskridge Daniel Holmes Stacey Meadows Tim Prince

Sarah Cook McBride, Writer Sarah is a freelance writer living in Cullman with her husband, Sam, and rescue dog, Jacob. Since graduating from Auburn University with a journalism degree, she’s worked for several newspapers and magazines through the South. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her running on one of Alabama’s many beautiful trail systems—she recently completed her first ultra marathon, traversing more than 26.2 miles through the woods!

Shelby Living Magazine is published bi-monthly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Shelby Living Magazine is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Shelby County Newspapers Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Shelby Living Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Shelby Living Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Shelby County, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit ShelbyLiving.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $16.30 for one year by visiting ShelbyLiving.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@ShelbyLiving.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 536.

4 September/October 2020

from the editor

I

ON THE COVER

Take a Taste

Tyre Stuckey opened Birds & Burgers in Alabaster after serving as a vice president of operations for Zoes Kitchen.

Photo by Kathryn Bell Design by Jamie Dawkins

I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve spent a lot more time looking up in 2020 than I ever have before. Starting in March I traded in gym time for walks, runs and hikes, and eventually took to using weights and doing squats in my backyard. When I needed a quick breather and couldn’t go anywhere else, I slipped on my Chacos and made a lap or two around the big block around my house.

Along the way, I can’t count the number of times the sky stopped me in my tracks with its expansive masterpiece of the moment, in hues of blue or pinks and purples, with fluffy white puffs or looming darkness that cooled the air. There’s a lot I wouldn’t have planned for 2020, but I sure am grateful for the moments that forced me to slow down and simply take in the beauty around and above me that my busy schedule and mind prevented before.

That’s part of why Beau Taylor’s photos of sunrises and sunsets in the parks around us here in Shelby County kept catching my eye, and why I am excited we are showcasing them in this issue. Not only are his images a feast for the eyes, but they can also serve as a guide to parks you might or might not have explored for family outings as life still very much is sending us to outdoor spaces.

Where do I even start with other stories that inspired me in this issue? For one, I was beyond impressed by the strength and determination of the female wrestlers who are competing against their male peers and advocating for matches of their own. And then there’s Linda Coogan’s miraculously forgiving heart and loving words as she worked through unbelievable grief in wake of her son’s murder in her Pelham home; be sure to read her account in this issue and look for her memoir this fall too.

In a different realm of inspiration, I’m still dreaming about Paige and Jason’s Rudakas’ deep teal kitchen cabinets and the rustic farmhouse style in their new build in Chelsea. We’ve all had our share of extra hard days heading into this school year, and sometimes pretty home photos are just the balm we need to soothe us—and maybe a burger too.

Speaking of we’ve got an article on Birds & Burgers and its ties to Zoes as well as a feel-good account of how Stephanie Freeman started Sawdust & Sweet Tea handmade décor.

As we head into even more months of unknowns, I invite you to look up to the beauty above too, and to be inspired by the stories folks are living out right around you too. It sure is therapeutic for me to put them all together.

And as always, I welcome your ideas for stories; email them to me any time. Thanks for reading!

madoline.markham@shelbyliving.com ShelbyLiving.com

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“ ” THE QUESTION

What do you/did you miss most during the COVID-19 quarantine?

Just being able to come and go when I wanted to and being able to visit or have lunch with friends.

-Gail Dunaway

- Jennifer Hartsfield

My mother-in-law who was taken from my family by this terrible virus. I also missed having someone in the hospital with me during my knee replacement surgery.

I REALLY missed my mom, who is a ICU nurse, and still to this day I still can’t see her like I want to.

I missed and still miss my family meeting my sister’s family at 280 Fish Market on Friday nights....and hugging people I love and going to Double Oak Community Church.

My husband couldn’t do a funeral service or anything for his father.

- Dinah Scott

- Beverly Dison Southern

I missed getting to be at the hospital when two of my grandchildren were born.

- Dawn Haley Benson

6 September/October 2020

My youngest son has waited 8 years to go to Cooperstown & play baseball like his older brother. The trip would have been the week of July 4th.

- Jennifer Griffin

- Amber Joyner Cork

My husband and big kids being able to go with me for my prenatal appointments. Especially the kids being able to attend ultrasounds!

- April Kennedy

THE GUIDE

BUCK CREEK FESTIVAL OCT. 23-24 Helena Amphitheater Park COVID-19 (Coronavirus) might have delayed this annual event, but the plan is for it to go on rubber duck race and all with these new dates. The banks of Buck Creek will host crafts, children’s activities, food and music to benefit community projects. For more information, visit the Helena’s Buck Creek Festival Facebook page at Facebook.com/HBCF20 or buckcreekfestival.com.

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THE GUIDE AROUND TOWN SEPT. 4 Will Kimbrough with Guest Dean Owens Shelby County Arts Council, Columbiana SEPT. 5 Derby Party Benefitting Shelby Humane Siluria Brewing Company SEPT. 10 Virtual ZooRendezvous Hosted by the Birmingham Zoo

SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS IN OCTOBER

The Patch Helena Hollow

It’s pumpkin season! Have some fun while you are at it with 15 different agri-entertainment attractions including slides, swings and animals. You can take

a hayride to pick a pumpkin in the pumpkin patch too. The cost is $10 admission for everyone over age 2, and pumpkins are $2. Find more information at helenahollow.com/the-patch.

OCT. 3-4

Cotton Pickin’ Celebration Old Baker Farm Come out to this historic farm to find pumpkins are ripe for harvest, and you can take a hayride, pick pumpkins or cotton, and explore the corn and hay

maze while you are there. There will also be farm animals to pet and exhibitors like handmade arts & crafts, blacksmiths, woodworkers and artists. Learn more at oldbakerfarm.com.

OCT. 24

Paws for the Cause 8-11 A.M. Veterans Park, Hoover You can invite your dog along to run this certified 5K off-road cross-country course around the lake and through tree-lined 8 September/October 2020

trails surrounding the park. The 5k is dog-friendly (well-behaved dogs on leash). Plus, the Tail Waggin’ Trek offers an 1-mile “obstacle” course run for individuals or teams of all ages and breeds. Get tickets at adventuresignup. com.

SEPT. 12 Fall Plant Sale Birmingham Botanical Gardens SEPT. 12 11th Annual Bob Sykes BBQ & Blues Festival DeBardeleben Park, Bessemer SEPT. 18-27 Alabama State Fair Birmingham Race Course SEPT. 19 St. Jude Walk/Run Birmingham Railroad Park SEPT. 25-27 Homestead Hollow Arts & Crafts Festival Springville SEPT. 26 Red Shoe Run Virtual 5K Benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama SEPT. 26 Head Over Teal 5K/10K Benefitting Laura Crandall Brown Foundation Any Virtual Location SEPT. 27 Revvin’ 4 Research Benefitting Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama Heart of Dixie Harley-Davidson, Pelham

THE GUIDE OCT. 4 BHM 26.2 Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay, 5K & Fun Run Railroad Park OCT. 4 8th Annual CahabaQue Benefitting Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama Cahaba Brewing Company OCT. 10 Running for the Bulls 5K & Fun Run Benefitting Bama Bully Rescue Red Mountain Park OCT. 16 Babypalooza Virtual Baby Expo babypalooza.com 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

OCT. 24 BOO Run for Down Syndrome 10K, 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run Red Mountain Park

FRIDAYS

Calera Main Street Farmers Market 4-7 P.M. Did you know there’s a new farmer’s market in Calera?

Join Calera Main Street in the Calera Courtyard off Highway 25 for fresh produce, gifts and more through the end of September and possibly into pumpkin season too.

The market is partnering with Medders Family Farm, Skull Girl Soaps, a new Main Street plant shop and other vendors.

COUNTRY CLUB

Time for a Reno What was known as Heatherwood Hills Country Club has new owners and a new name, Heatherwood Golf and Country Club. The golf course and clubhouse have undergone renovations, and this summer tennis courts were being redone with some of them being marked as pickle ball courts. A small exercise room is being added as well. And the good news for 2020 is golf is a safe sport to play with social distance!

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&CULTURE

ARTS

IN THE SAWDUST

Stephanie Freeman transforms planks of wood into home décor that radiates southern hospitality.

BY ALIZA BAKER PHOTOS BY MARY TWEEDY ShelbyLiving.com

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T

There’s a lot to consider while house hunting. Is the living room big enough? Does the kitchen have an island worthy of being featured on HGTV? For Stephanie Freeman, though, the biggest question was, “Does it have a craft room?” So when she discovered a charming house in North Shelby County with a creative space with just about everything a carpenter would need, she knew it was home.

She didn’t know at the time though that her rustic new “craft room” would become the workspace for her woodworking and home décor business, Sawdust & Sweet Tea. Like a lot of people, Stephanie has long played around with DIY projects in her free time—that is, when she wasn’t busy explaining formulas and equations as a math teacher at Briarwood Christian School. Always thinking outside of the box, she handcrafted a clothes hamper for her children as a

12 September/October 2020

way to encourage them to help out with laundry, and she dabbled in making centerpieces that she could display in her new home.

A few Instagram posts later, friends and family started suggesting that she sell her work, and it seemed like a shift from hobby to business was the logical next step. Funnily enough, she was the last one to catch on.

“I was like, ‘I don’t have time for this, this is crazy!’” she says with a laugh. “I never would have thought that I would do something like this—I’m not an entrepreneur type of person. But it was just one of those things where with every step that I took, I just started to know. I prayed for the Lord to guide me through every step that I took, and He did.”

She started small, selling various woodwork items—all hand painted and crafted, of course— intermittently in a Facebook group called Buy Sell

Stephanie Freeman creates home decor pieces in her home studio with her son on hand to assist.

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Trade Hoover. Her bestsellers were shiplap charger centerpieces, a staple that remains a favorite in her business today. Her coasters and seasonal décor were a hit as well.

She credits her husband for giving her the courage to finally take the leap and open a business of her own. “He helped me with all of the paperwork that it takes to get my business license and the name of my

MORE HEAD-OUT EXAMS

business registered,” she says.

To Stephanie, her Sawdust & Sweet Tea creations are extensions of herself. You’ll find her brushing sawdust off of her jeans after an arduous afternoon in the workshop. As for sweet tea, that part of the name is the warm feeling of southern hospitality that’s intertwined with the farmhouse décor she specializes in.

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Front cover with

THE VINE • WHAT’S

white knockout

BREWING AT

box

ADVENTURER’S

COFFEE • A CENTER

FOR CREATIVITY

FEMALE

LIVING

SHELBY LIVING

CORK ART FROM

SHELBY

Back cover

WRESTLERS WITH

GRIT • SAWDU ST & SWEET

TEA CREATIO NS • A RUSTIC

CHELSEA

HER WORST NIGHTMA RE A MOTH ER’S JOUR

NEY OF GRIEF FOLLOWING HER SON’S MURDER

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@shelbylivingmagazine Comfortable

AT FIRST

EXPLORING PARKS’ NATURAL BEAUTY AT DAYBR EAK

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UARY 2020 JANUARY/FEBR ShelbyLiving.com 1 Volume 11 | Issue $4.95

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TAKE A

TASTE

MEET THE ENT BEHIND BIRD REPRENEUR S & BURGER S

FARMHO USE

“

I’m not an entrepreneur type of person. But it was just one of those things where with every step that I took, I just started to know. I prayed for the Lord to guide me through every step that I took, and He did.

- Stephanie Freeman

”

Though she prides herself on her precision and attention to detail, there’s a certain leeway that farmhouse décor grants her. She lives by the phrase “perfectly imperfect” both personally and in her work.

Her favorite part of creating, though? As you’d expect from a math teacher, it’s problem solving. She revels in figuring out how to maximize her materials to not be wasteful and loves getting the measurements for a stencil just right for the piece of wood. Having someone say that she captured exactly what they were imagining is, according to Stephanie, the best

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compliment she can receive.

Even running a business while parenting and teaching fulltime, she finds the time to give back to the community along the way, too. Stephanie has partnered with Jason Williams, the founder of the nonprofit organization Aspire Movement, whose mission is to equip mentors to develop and deploy leaders through mutually transforming relationships.

She designed an Aspire piece that’s currently for sale on her Etsy shop, and all proceeds from the project will go toward their work.

When she’s not busy working on her latest orders or brainstorming ideas for a new project, Stephanie ponders what the future might look like for Sawdust & Sweet Tea. Right now, that looks like getting an official Sawdust & Sweet Tea website up and running.

As for everything else? She’s taking it one day at a time.

Stephanie never thought running a business would fit into the already hectic schedule of her life. But sometimes, after a long day of teaching geometry, she’ll peek her head into the classroom of a fellow teacher to say goodbye and see one of the décor pieces she lovingly created in her craft room back home proudly on display on their desk. And she’ll think maybe it does fit, in an imperfectly perfect way.

16 September/October 2020

SAWDUST & SWEET TEA ONLINE ONLINE ORDERS, HAND-CRAFTER DÉCOR + MORE etsy.com/shop/SawdustnSweetTea INSTAGRAM @sawdustnsweettea SAWDUST & SWEET TEA’S NONPROFIT PARTNER The Aspire Movement aspiremovement.org

READ THIS BOOK

Page-Turners Recommendations from

Sophie Hudson Local Author + Co-Host of The Big Boo Cast

I was every bit of 8 years old the first time I stayed up all night to finish a book. I don’t remember the exact title, but I feel super safe saying it was a Nancy Drew mystery. Even though that was 40-ish years ago, I still crave becoming so deeply engrossed in a book that real life just fades away. The book doesn’t have to be a thriller, but it does have to have characters I almost can’t bear to leave. And as a writer, I am always delighted and oh-so-appreciative to discover a novel (or non-fiction) that absolutely captures my imagination. Here are five I couldn’t put down.

Daisy Jones & the Six

by Taylor Jenkins Reid This book reads like an interview as it chronicles the journey of a fictional ‘70s rock band.

By the time I was halfway finished, the characters felt like real people to me—to the point that I was tempted to look up the band on Apple Music.

The Woman in Cabin 10

by Ruth Ware While this book came out during the someone-is-in-peril-on-some-form-of-transportation fiction trend a few years back, it doesn’t feel formulaic at all. It moves quickly, it’s clever, and while I was reading I took it with me everywhere—just in case I had a few extra minutes to blaze through some pages.

The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas The language in this YA novel is strong, but man-oh-man is the story ever compelling. I didn’t read this novel as much as I devoured it; the catalyst for the plot happens early on, and the reader follows the protagonist, Starr, as she navigates the fall-out. It’s incredible, realistic storytelling.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

by Mindy Kaling This memoir is funny, it’s smart and it’s surprisingly tender. The reason why Mindy Kaling has been such a successful writer is because she’s a brilliant one, and this lighthearted look at her life is a perfect companion when you need to disconnect from the world a little bit.

The Dearly Beloved

by Cara Wall If you were at DFW back in February and saw a woman walking through terminal D with her iPad practically glued to her face, that was me, reading The Dearly Beloved. The story of two couples who unexpectedly find themselves in ministry together, this book is a beautiful exploration of relationships and faith and doubt. I bawled my eyes out when it was over.

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ARTS COUNCIL CORNER

IN THE GALLERY

Southern Expressionists and Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm will be on exhibit this fall at the Shelby County Arts Center.

BY LINDSAY DYESS PHOTOS BY ALAN LAMBERT

gallery reception on Thursday, Sept. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. This gallery opening is free and open to the public. This exhibit will be on display until Oct. 1.

September 2020 marks one year since the first The exhibit Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers gallery show opened in the new EBSCO Fine Art Grimm consists of 39 etchings by artist David Gallery in the Shelby County Arts Center. Since the Hockney. The etchings are Hockney’s own gallery opened, the SCAC has seen many beautifully interpretation of six of Grimm’s fairytales: The Little curated shows and two juried art exhibits. The Shelby Sea Hare, Fundevogel, Rapunzel, The Boy Who Left County Arts Council’s goal is to make great works of Home to Learn Fear, Old Rinkrank and art accessible to the folks of Shelby County and Rumpelstilzchen. Hockney is a British artist who at beyond. This fall will see one time held the record for two new gallery exhibits selling the most expensive open: Southern painting by a living artist at Expressionists and David Christie’s auction house in Hockney-Six Fairy Tales New York City. He is well from the Brothers Grimm. known for his paintings, Both exhibits will open the photographs and eyes of the viewers to the printmaking. The etchings different styles and featured in this exhibit techniques of the art world. aren’t direct illustrations of Opening in September is the fairy tales, but rather the Southern Expressionists his own interpretations of Show curated by the stories. The prints were Columbiana artist Scott created by Hockney directly Vaughn Owen. You might etching the images on recognize one of Owen’s copper plates and then custom, one-of-a-kind printing them. The plates signs from his business, were created between May David Hockney, Owen Arts, around Shelby and November of 1969, a ca. 1979 County, but Owen is a time in his life when he talented painter as well. “In focused on creating the South, we have often only considered art that etchings. Hockney’s work will be on display in the reflects our culture and way of life in a realistic Shelby County Arts Center’s EBSCO Fine Art Gallery manor. We have typically looked upon art as a from Oct. 5 through mid-December. There will be a reflection that we find easy to understand,” Owen gallery opening reception for this show on Thursday, says. “Expressionist art conveys emotion and Oct. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. This gallery opening is free meaning rather than reality. This show will consist of and open to the public. art and artists that are willing to bring a new approach For more information on these events and for to how we view our ‘southerness.’ I personally invite other happenings at the Shelby County Arts Council, you to come to the SCAC and see what energy mixed visit shelbycountyartscouncil.com or call 205-669with talent and a need for self-expression looks and 0044. The Shelby County Arts Council is located at feels like.” Southern Expressionists opens with a 105 W. College St. in Columbiana.

18 September/October 2020

SCHOOL

&SPORTS

EVENLY MATCHED These female wrestlers are ready to see a more level playing field—or mat.

BY EMILY SPARACINO PHOTOS BY DAWN HARRISON ShelbyLiving.com

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Yasmine Oliveira Spain Park High School

Brynleigh Glover Thompson High School

Aenaya Vines Thompson Middle School

Kat Alvis Oak Mountain High School

20 September/October 2020

W

With time, she earned more respect from her teammates. “That was a huge thing, when they started being my friend and not just someone they had to scramble with during practice,” she says.

A breakthrough moment for Brynleigh came when she and a female wrestler from Spanish Fort competed against each other in the same weight class. “I felt way more comfortable because we could relate to each other,” Brynleigh recalls. “She and I had talked before the match about how it felt to be the only females on our teams. That was the first match that I officially won that wasn’t a true forfeit.

Everybody was super stoked. Everyone started to see me as a wrestler and not just a girl on the team.”

Weltzin ardently supports a push for women’s wrestling to be approved by the Alabama High BRYNLEIGH GLOVER School Athletic Association as a sanctioned sport at THOMPSON HIGH SCHOOL All eyes were on Brynleigh Glover as she walked schools throughout the state too. “I think it’s about into a 6 a.m. wrestling practice at Thompson High time,” he says, noting that four women’s wrestling School last year. The only female in the room, tournaments are slated to be held in the upcoming Brynleigh sensed the questions running through the season, including the championship tournament minds of her male peers, confusion written on their Thompson will host.

“Girls should have the same opportunities in faces. “It was honestly super nerve-wracking,” she says. “I only told one person on the team that I was sports and athletics that guys have, and not have to coming. Everyone stared at me, wondering why I have the same physical makeup as guys,” he says. “It should be on a level playing field.” was there.”

Brynleigh won’t be the only female competing for Brynleigh had just finished her junior season of volleyball and was looking for something else to fill THS this season, either. Eighth grader Aenaya Vines her time, something that would keep her active, will join her on the mat for the Warriors. “If more competitive and conditioned. When she thinks back girls got out there, it would already be a sanctioned to how she landed on wrestling, she mentions her sport, and we would have our own programs in high friends who are wrestlers and her enjoyment as a schools,” she says. “I just want to prove that women’s wrestling is on the rise.” spectator of the sport.

So Brynleigh, then a junior, mustered up the AENAYA VINES courage to go to her first practice. “The first couple Wrestling might have been reserved primarily for men years ago, but a new age is dawning for the sport in terms of gender equality. As women’s wrestling grows in prevalence, so too does a push to sanction high school girls wrestling in Alabama and other states throughout the country. And in Shelby County, the need for separate wrestling programs for young women is becoming ever more evident.

Just ask people like Brynleigh Glover, Yasmine Oliveira, Aenaya Vines and Kat Alvis, whose opportunities to compete against other girls have been limited. They’re ready for progress and a more level playing field—or mat, more accurately—and for programs they can call their own.

weeks she was in there, the guys were getting used to her and gauging how serious she was, like any new kid on the team,” THS wrestling head coach Shawn Weltzin says. “After she was doing everything the guys were doing, they accepted her as one of them.”

Brynleigh focused on learning different moves, honing her technique and building her strength. “I could feel myself getting stronger, so it was easier to wrestle and practice against these boys,” she says.

THOMPSON MIDDLE SCHOOL Aenaya Vines is a quiet person. She won’t dominate a conversation, instead choosing her words carefully and keeping her responses to questions concise. But the soft-spoken 13-year-old who might seem timid at first adopts a different demeanor as soon as she steps onto the wrestling mat, a place where she has come to thrive over the last eight years. Words aren’t needed when she can ShelbyLiving.com

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let her wrestling skills do the talking.

Aenaya started wrestling when she was 7, at the same time her twin brother and her older brother took up the sport. “We were looking for another sport to do,” she says. They started out wrestling with a youth program prior to getting involved with their school’s team in the seventh grade. The Vines siblings clicked with the sport. “We turned into an instant wrestling family,” says Rosita Vines, Aenaya’s mother.

So much so that Aenaya wrestles with the Warrior Wrestling Club during the off-season, when her school team isn’t competing, meaning she stays busy year-round training and traveling to tournaments in and out of state.

She finds it especially fun to win, even when the odds might be stacked against her as her team’s only girl. “She has heard somebody talk bad about her at a tournament, and then, she’ll pin them,” Rosita says. “She’s very strong. They underestimate her.”

Growing up with brothers who also wrestle helped her acclimate to the mostly male environment early in her training.

“Some guys think it’s weird, but I don’t really care,” she says.

Her goals include becoming a starter and perhaps continuing her wrestling career in college.

Regardless of who she faces, Aenaya will continue to bring her trademark focus and determination to every practice and match—and to make silent statements with her strength and technique alone. “She’s a totally different person on the wrestling mat,” Weltzin says. “She looks like she has fun with it.”

KAT ALVIS

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OAK MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL Kathryn “Kat” Alvis was looking for a contact sport to try in the seventh grade when she heard an announcement about her school’s wrestling team and decided to give it a shot. It was a significant pivot for Kat, who had been a majorette. “I pretty much didn’t know anything about it,” she says. “My friends thought I was crazy. It’s been a journey.”

Kat says her introduction to the sport went well, thanks to a practice structure that was conducive to beginners like her.

“Our coach really wanted to help everyone understand the technique,” she says. “The practices were really great because we focused on individual things and put it together at end of week. It took a physical toll on my body because I wasn’t used to strenuous workouts like that.”

Two years later, Kat, 14, is a freshman at Oak Mountain and still wrestling. She admits she has coped with her fair share of challenges, though. She sometimes struggles to keep up with the guys in workouts. To remedy that, she often leaves wrestling practice and goes straight to the gym or picks back up with exercises at home. “I really work heavily outside of practices,” she says. “Practicing at home is a really big deal. Sometimes my dad will help me, which is a really great thing.”

As of this summer, Kat was hoping more of her female peers would join her on the team, where she has formed strong

THIS PHOTO: Kat Alvis & Brynleigh Glover BELOW: Yasmine Oliveira & Aenaya Vines

friendships with her male teammates. She knows they see that she puts in the same amount of effort they do, and they accept her as a teammate, an equal. “I feel we’re just one and the same,” Kat says. “We’re both just two wrestlers, trying to win. Let the best person win.”

Kat also wants more girls to get involved in the sport so she can practice with them and compete in more all-girls tournaments in the future. Kat’s advice to other girls who want to try wrestling is to first introduce themselves to the coach and talk to them about their interest, ask questions or express concerns. “They’re going to be the ones to help you along,” she says.

More than anything, Kat says she would urge them to give wrestling a chance: “No matter what anybody tells you, be headstrong and go after what you want. Don’t have their opinions change what you want.”

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24 September/October 2020

YASMINE OLIVEIRA SPAIN PARK HIGH SCHOOL Thoughts race through Yasmine Oliveira’s mind in the moments before a wrestling match starts.

Thoughts of what could go wrong or what could go right. But as soon as the whistle blows, those thoughts vanish and she focuses on the task at hand, pressing toward the end of the match when she or her opponent will win and the other will lose. The final seconds will determine the outcome.

“You get an adrenaline rush,” she says.

Yasmine, 16, has had plenty of chances to feel that end-of-match rush since she started wrestling nearly four years ago. “I really just started wrestling because I wanted something to help my jiujitsu game, and wrestling was the closest thing to it,” she says. “There was another girl on the team who had been doing it since the sixth grade, but she stopped when we got to high school the next year. It was difficult at first being the only girl.”

Yasmine did well in wrestling her first year, but that changed when she got to high school. As a ninth grader, she was unable to beat the same guys she had beaten in the eighth grade. “That mentally messed with me,” she says. “I kind of struggled that year. I tried changing my diet, I tried exercising

more, I physically tried to change. A lot of that wasn’t helping. I got discouraged from that.”

One of the team leaders talked to Yasmine and reminded her the team saw her as a strong person.

She says it lifted her spirits, but she still felt a bit lost. She decided to take a hiatus from wrestling and spent her sophomore year reflecting on her experiences. Meanwhile, her dad, whom she calls one of her biggest supporters, was urging her to use the setback as a catalyst for improvement. “I learned I need to be more determined and to persevere and to be mentally strong, and I know what to expect now,” she says.

Her younger brother, a freshman at Spain Park, is also on the wrestling team. Yasmine says she wasn’t surprised when her father started wrestling so that he could have a better idea of what she and her brother were doing in practice and competitions.

Yasmine, too, would like to see women’s wrestling become a sanctioned sport at Alabama high schools. “In the wrestling world, there are women who have been successful, but overall, guys against girls is very difficult,” she explains, “because guys are just naturally stronger than women. This would give us a chance to wrestle fairly.”

2016

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5

SCHOOL & SPORTS

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Abby Whitfield

Montevallo Elementary School Counselor PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

As we were working on this magazine issue in July, there were still many unknowns about how the rest of 2020 would play out. What was for certain is that this school year will look different than any before it, which got us wondering what school counselors might have to say about these times. For one, “I think regardless of how it looks for students, it requires them to be brave in a way we never had to be,” Montevallo Elementary School Counselor Abby Whitfield says. We chatted with her more about her back story and her thoughts on mental health in these unprecedented times.

Why did you choose to become a school counselor?

I was in school when 9/11 happened, and my dad lost his job. Even though I had a stable home life, it was a stressful time for our family, and I remember thinking I was doing okay. But sometimes it can impact you and you don’t even know it, and I remember my counselor helped me through that. I decided I wanted to be that person for students. While I was in undergrad I wanted to become a classroom teacher, but while I was doing observations, I realized students all have needs that impact their ability to be successful in the classroom.

Teachers do a great job at being their teacher and supporting them emotionally, but is good to have another person in the building who helps and supports students with needs beyond academics.

What keeps you wanting to keep working in the field?

One of the most meaningful parts of the job is when I find out a student is overcoming a struggle we discussed or a behavior is 26 September/October 2020

improving. It’s really a fun job too because the kids are so sweet and loving.

What advice do you have for parents as they talk to their children in the uncertain times we are living in in general?

I think it’s important for parents to have grace for themselves because this is an unprecedented time for everyone. There’s also a difference in how we react to news and how we respond to news. So maybe read news and discuss it with another adult, and then go to your children. You want to be factual but also be reassuring with them, saying it’s hard but we are going to get through it and it’s going to be okay. Tell them we are going to take it one day at a time. Controlling what we can when everything seems out of control is so important as is making things seem as normal as they can be within what’s safe.

to have conversations about what they believe about it away from the kids first and then prepare for how to talk to kids. How we respond to things influences how they feel about it. Remind them that they are not alone in any school scenario; we are all in this together. It’s important for kids to know they are the first group of school-aged children to go through this. They have to be brave, but it will make them resilient. They will have skillsets that can only be built through something like this.

What thoughts do you have for teachers and school staff going into this school year?

It’s important to remember students are coming back from this time of quarantine and no two kids will have had the same experience. Continuously checking in with students is important. No matter what comes up we need to make sure we stay in a What advice do you have related to kids routine within the boundaries of what’s safe and parents going into school in the fall? and maintain some sense of normalcy that Any time news comes out about what will helps adults and kids. If you feel down, happen in school it’s important for parents reach out to someone to talk to.

&DRINK

FOOD

REGULARS WELCOME Birds & Burgers is taking flight as a fast-casual-drivethru hybrid, all sandwiched between homemade bread.

BY SARAH COOK MCBRIDE PHOTOS BY KATHRYN BELL ShelbyLiving.com

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28 September/October 2020

PAGE 27: Sandwiched between fresh, local bread, these burgers aren’t the average fast-food kind. Add a slice of cheddar and a stack of bacon and you’ll understand why the drive-thru stays busy.

F

For those well-versed in the who’s who of local restaurant savants, Tyre Stuckey should sound familiar. If it doesn’t, it will soon. Before opening Alabaster-based Birds & Burgers, Tyre helmed Zoës Kitchen‘s fifth franchise location in Ponte Vedra, Florida. Showing a natural knack for the fast-casual business, Tyre eventually became vice president of operations for the popular chain, overseeing more than 100 locations. “I loved it. I fell in love with the food industry,” says Tyre, who grew up in Montgomery and developed a deep passion for restaurant management while studying at Auburn University.

In 2015, Tyre decided to return home to Alabama and strike out on his own. Building on his deft

restaurant skills acquired over many years, he partnered with Birmingham entrepreneur John Cassimus and opened Miss Dots—a fast-casual restaurant known for its finger-licking fried chicken, collards and decadent pecan pies. The restaurant was a celebration of all things southern.

Tyre spent five years growing Miss Dots and then decided to switch lanes again—this time to the drive-thru. Birds & Burgers opened in Alabaster in November 2019, ushering in a new restaurant era for Tyre.

“If you got great food and great service, the people will come,” he says. And they did.

Since opening off Highway 31 in Alabaster, Birds & Burgers has become a local favorite among the ShelbyLiving.com

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WHAT TO ORDER NEW TO BIRDS & BURGERS? HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF TYRE STUCKEY’S FAVORITES. For the family: “You’ve got to try the herb roasted chicken, which comes with 10 pieces of perfectly roasted chicken with rosemary, thyme and oregano. It comes with cheddar garlic biscuits.

And you have to get the mac and cheese—it’s homemade. And then the classic salad with the homemade ranch. It’s phenomenal.”

For the busy professional: “For an individual, my all-time favorite is the spicy grilled chicken plate. It’s a perfectly roasted chicken breast with rosemary, thyme and oregano on a bed of scratchmade rice with a classic salad and homemade ranch. It’s my all-time favorite.”

For date night: “It would be a shame not to try the fresh bread. From the fried turkey sandwich to our classic chicken sandwich to our burgers—all on homemade bread—you can’t beat it. As a side, try the fries. The seasoned fries with the dipping sauce are amazing.”

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LEFT: Roasted with rosemary, thyme and oregano, the birds at Birds & Burgers taste like they came straight from your family kitchen. BELOW: With nearly two decades’ worth of experience in the fast-casual dining industry, Tyre Stuckey brings a personalized touch to the fast-food model. Regular customers and competitively paid employees are two hallmarks of his strategy.

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Since opening last fall, Birds & Burgers has become a local favorite among the Alabaster community. Owner Tyre Stuckey credits this success to the restaurant’s high standard of ingredients and commitment to keeping prices low and customer service high.

32 September/October 2020

community’s many fast-food options. Tyre is quick to point out, however, that his new restaurant concept isn’t your typical fast-food establishment.

“Birds & Burgers has become more of a hybrid between fast casual and fast food. We have regulars,” he says. “I know when (the drive-thru opens) at 10:30 in the morning, I’ll see Mary coming through for her cast iron rice ‘n gravy. For me, coming from the fast-casual business, I’m used to that. I like seeing people two to three times a week.”

Faced with the challenge of opening a fast-foodstyle restaurant in an already saturated market, Tyre knew he had to differentiate himself. This didn’t daunt the restaurant vet, though. The real creativity and ingenuity happened in March of this year, he says, when an unexpected pandemic decided to drive through and force many restaurants to remake their model in order to fit new customer needs.

Tyre didn’t miss a step.

Thanks to an already diverse menu (as the name suggests, you’ll find both both birds and burgers at the restaurant), keeping business afloat became a matter of executing one simple strategy—listening to the customer. “We just put our heads down and put our thinking caps on and made it happen,” he says of the overnight decisions that happened in the wake of COVID-19.

Value, variety and convenience became the Birds & Burgers niche. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Birds & Burgers focuses on carefully sourced ingredients and convenience. From the classic hand-pattied burger with cheddar and bacon to snack wraps and salads, the establishment prides itself on offering a little bit of everything. It’s hard to say which menu item is a clear favorite, Tyre admits.

Some days it’s the burger, which comes sandwiched between fresh, local bread. Other days, the restaurant can’t seem to assemble enough snack wraps, which come in a number of varieties like grilled chicken, spicy chicken and chicken salad.

“I really felt like if I could take a fast food menu, but give it more fast-casual offerings, then I would have a competitive advantage,” the owner says.

Judging by the amount of first-name-basis customers who count on the restaurant for quick, fresh meals, the future of Birds & Burgers looks bright. If Birds & Burgers can not only survive—but thrive—through 2020, the next natural step suggests expansion. Franchising, Tyre says, isn’t far off.

“The rule of thumb for what I do is that if you are really careful with the ingredients, the speed and the service, you’re going to have a winning recipe. No pun intended,” Tyre says with a smile. “It’s a recipe for success.”

IS PROUD TO WELCOME TO OUR EXPERT TEAM OF PHYSICIANS

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FOOD & DRINK

5

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Nedra Moore

Creations Galore & Moore LLC Owner PHOTO BY ASHLEY THORNTON

Did someone say cake? Nedra Moore has been perfecting her craft baking and decorating from her Alabaster home for the past six years, and now you can find her creations at her new bakery on Main Street in Calera. “I was looking for a location to teach baking, and I had to have all industrial commercial equipment,” she says of her journey.

“After seeing the possibility of what I could do and how we could impact the community much more, I decided to go ahead and do it.” We chatted with her about Creations Galore & Moore as it was preparing for an August opening.

How did you get into baking?

I came from a networking engineering background and started doing cakes for close family members and friends as a hobby in my spare time. It grew by word of mouth from there. Up until now I have been a registered home baker in Alabaster for going on six years full time.

You use fondant for your cake artistry, right?

All my cakes are covered in fondant, but it’s all homemade. So it tastes more like marshmallows and doesn’t get too hard.

All my cakes are filled with their choice of icing and then covered with white chocolate ganache and then layered with my fondant. It keeps the integrity of the cake intact without sacrificing flavor or the look.

the Baxley Real Estate office, and we have extended the building out about 20 additional feet to double the space. There will be a courtyard in the back with seating too. The inside will be really modern and sleek and clean. My colors are grey, white and teal.

What else will the bakery offer?

We’ll have chocolate covered Oreos, Can you tell us more about your cakes?

Rice Krispy treats, cupcakes and cakes, I specialize in custom cakes for cinnamon rolls, pound cakes and weddings, birthdays and baby showers. I am always really inspired by random How did you land on the Calera cheesecakes, and we’ll have peanut butter, chocolate chip, rocky road and oatmeal things like nature or a piece of artwork, location?

Calera kind of found me. I was looking raisin cookies. Waffle splits are homemade and details have always been very important for me especially since I have a around for space, and a lady who owned waffles topped with brown sugar and coding background. I love cakes that are one of the buildings I was looking at buttered bananas with Blue Bell ice cream, challenging. Once I made a life-size 3D suggested Calera. I love those historic strawberries and almonds. The peanut Spider Man cake that took six days, 18 buildings on Main Street, and I found one butter chocolate delight cake jar layers hours a day to make for a birthday party. I I absolutely loved. Back in the day it used chocolate cake with peanut butter icing love working with edible florals and to be an alley, and the mural on the exterior and is topped with Reese pieces and brick wall at Tomlin General Store is now Reese’s cups. The banana pudding cake jar making flowers to look life-like. our interior wall. The space was formerly layers banana cake with cream cheese icing and pudding.

34 September/October 2020

&STYLE

HOME

HIGHLAND HAVEN Teal kitchen cabinets are just the start of what makes this Chelsea rustic farmhouse stand out.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LINDSEY DRENNAN ShelbyLiving.com

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P

Paige and Jason Rudakas always dreamed of building a custom home. Just after marrying, they moved to Chesser Plantation in Chelsea and fell in love with the community there. So when they stumbled upon The Highlands development before it even had roads built back in 2016, its wooded lots felt like just the right place for their family, which now included two young boys.

But then they found out that the development had been zoned for Pelham—and they didn’t want to leave Chelsea. Fortunately, they later learned a lower section of the neighborhood would be zoned for Chelsea and as soon as they could picked out a lot to build their dream home on.

By then, the couple knew exactly what they wanted in a home: what Paige calls the intersection of a modern farmhouse and cottage style.

Practically speaking, they also had in mind a master on the main floor and a hang-out space for their boys upstairs, plus a vaulted ceiling in the living room.

36 September/October 2020

Architect Adam Little of Frusterio Design ended up presenting them with a rustic farmhouse design for the exterior. “It was everything I wanted but that I couldn’t even verbalize,” Paige says.

As to interior design, they blend Jason’s preference for more modern design with Paige’s for antiques (she’s a frequent shopper at Chelsea Antiques as well as Irondale Pickers and Greystone Antiques), and they wanted everything to be durable with two boys and two dogs in the home.

The end result is both picturesque and practical, from their statement-making deep teal kitchen cabinets to the cedar beams throughout the home.

Plus, there’s plenty to explore beyond their yard in the development’s trails and lakes. “We take almost daily golf cart rides to the lake area and fish or catch minnows, frogs and whatever other critters we can find,” Paige says. “The trails are awesome, and there is still lots we have yet to explore!”

To keep up with Paige’s home décor on Instagram, follow @highland.haven.

Living Room More than anything Paige wanted a vaulted ceiling in her living room. The space also features a brick fireplace with shiplap accents and a splash of grey on the built-in cabinets that correspond with the grey doors throughout the home.

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Kitchen Paige wanted green kitchen cabinets and Jason wanted navy, so they compromised with teal, more specifically Sherwin Williams Deep Sea Dive. Since the color makes such a statement, it pairs with a simple white quartz countertop and a durable dark grey granite with a natural matte finish for the island as well as subway tile with a marbled look and aged brass hardware. The Rudakases also opted to put their oven and microwave in their butler’s pantry to help keep the main area decluttered.

Dining Room Light spills in from the pool area through the two walls of windows in this dining space, which has a more modern vibe than other rooms in the house with chairs from Overstock and a geometric patterned Ruggable rug (which can be washed easily by pulling off the top layer that is Velcroed to the rubber base).

38 September/October 2020

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Master Bedroom Paige found an old fireplace mantle on Facebook Marketplace, stripped it and had it stained to match other wood in the home to go in the master bedroom.

BEHIND THE SCENES Builder: Kyle Murphy & Daniel Statum, Murphy Home Builders Architects: Chuck Frusterio & Adam Little, Frusterio Design Lighting: Stacey Summerville, Inline Lighting Pelham

Flooring: Christopher Pancner, Prosource of Birmingham

Development Realtors: Leigh Ann Erwin & Kathy Filyaw, The Highlands Community

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Because they’re taking on cancer

Laundry Room

Pediatric Oncology Healthcare Team

Paige wanted kelly green cabinets for this space but ended up going with a sage offered by the cabinet company and paired it with a leathered granite countertop. The herringbone backsplash flows with a herringbone brick floor—the same brick that is also in the pantry and on a wall in the house’s foyer.

The Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama is ranked among the top pediatric cancer programs in the nation.

Our team of over 300 dedicated pediatric healthcare professionals is committed to exceptional patient care and innovative research.

At Children’s, we’re safely serving children — providing essential care just as we have since 1911.

Master Bathroom Paige picked out black, white and grey Hextile to create a custom pattern to complement their soaking tub and shower.

Our Center treats more than 90% of Alabama’s children with cancer and blood disorders. Learn how you can help at: ChildrensAL.org/committedtoacure

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42 September/October 2020

AT FIRST

LIGHT

CAPTURING THE MAGIC OF EARLY MORNING SUNRISES LED BEAU TAYLOR AND HIS FAMILY TO EXPLORE THE BEAUTY OF PARKS NEAR THEIR HOME. PHOTOS BY BEAU TAYLOR | TEXT BY MADOLINE MARKHAM ShelbyLiving.com

43

PAGE 42: Beau and his family first ventured down to Cahaba River Park in Helena the weekend before Memorial Day and found beach access and Cahaba lilies down the river. The next morning Beau came back at sunrise to capture them. “It almost feels like Oak Mountain State Park because it’s so forest-y and has single track trails,” he says. THIS PHOTO: Beau didn’t know about Buck Creek Trail in Alabaster until recently and often finds other folks who live nearby don’t either. About halfway down the mile-long trail between the senior center and Warrior Park there’s a dammed area with small waterfalls that is especially picturesque. RIGHT: Beau is always on the lookout for lookouts that others overlook. He captured this vibrant sunset last summer looking westbound near Helena High School.

44 September/October 2020

Many days Beau Taylor’s alarm goes off well before sunrise. From there he looks out his window.

If there are clouds, he’ll head to Joe Tucker Park near his Helena home. If there aren’t he’ll instead take a route to Shoal Creek Park in Montevallo.

His two sons keep him and his wife busy most of the day, but Beau carves out early mornings for exercise and “me” time—and photography too— before returning to his favorite spots with his family later in the day.

It was in the early mornings that he first started to capture the magic of sunrises, and since doing so, he’s uncovered more parks and natural areas around Shelby County to explore with his family too. He likes to share the images he captures on Instagram @wkeeper1117 and hopes they encourage others to discover these places of beauty too. “I’m just incredibly proud that picking up photography and really concentrating on our area has brought so much more attention on just how beautiful Shelby County is, both to my family and to others,” he says.

Here he shares some of his favorites captures with us in hopes that you’ll go see them for yourself too—with bonus points for waking up to get to them before sunrise!

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ABOVE: This boardwalk over Ebenezer Swamp in Montevallo is popular for birding. Beau first checked it out this summer. FAR RIGHT: Limestone Park in South Alabaster is the place to be at sunset to catch its reflection over the park’s pond. RIGHT: At Shoal Creek Park in Montevallo, Beau likes to capture the way spider webs catch sunlight on the horizon.

46 September/October 2020

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BELOW: While most parks in the county showcase woods, trails and creeks, the newly opened Shoal Creek Park in Montevallo has trails cut in open fields that once were farm land. Beau likes to capture the low lying fog over the fields at sunset here. BOTTOM: Beau had seen someone post pictures of Dunnavant Valley Greenway near Mt Laurel and decided to check it out himself. The creek follows the length of the trail, which can be accessed from Sports Blast or a parking lot on County Road 43, and Beau stopped at this spot about halfway to capture its signature tree. When the creek has more water in it, it’s all the more peaceful he says. RIGHT: On New Year’s Day this year, Beau set out with a flashlight, a couple hundred other hikers and a guide around 5 a.m. to see the King’s Chair overlook at Oak Mountain State Park at sunrise. “It’s definitely worth the early morning hike for the best view in the area for sunrise,” he says. “You are up higher and overlooking to the southeast, so the sun is coming up on the horizon.”

48 September/October 2020

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Her Worst Nightmare LINDA COOGAN’S JOURNEY THROUGH GRIEF SINCE HER SON’S MURDER EIGHT YEARS AGO HAS BEEN ROCKY, BUT IT’S ALSO LED HER TO SPEAK UP ABOUT ADVOCACY AND FORGIVENESS.

BY CARMEN SHEA BROWN | PHOTOS BY KATHRYN BELL

“Just tell me it’s not Joshua.

Please tell me. Tell me it’s not Joshua…”

“Ms. Coogan, I hate to tell you this over the phone…” And I knew. I knew what he was about to say when he said those words. I have been on the other side as a nurse breaking the news, and I knew that the next words out of his mouth would be that it was Joshua, and that he was not alive.

I threw the phone down and began screaming. Crying, yelling. Screaming.

O

Linda Coogan

On Sept. 9, 2012, Linda Coogan and her husband, Danny, were in New York City as part of a business trip while she was a nurse working with a hospital auditing team. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum had just opened, and Linda sobbed out loud as she looked at the countless photos of lives that had been senselessly taken in the terrorist attacks. A true empath, she was no stranger to tragedy. Her older brother had died of a drug overdose, her uncle had been murdered during the Civil Rights Movement, and she had survived childhood sexual and physical abuse in her first marriage. She was a survivor, a warrior.

But tragedy lay ahead, too.

WHEN CALAMITY CAME That night when Linda and Danny were in their hotel room getting ready for dinner, she got the

phone call no parent ever wants to receive.

Her older son Matthew Smith was saying someone had called him and said three people were killed at their home. She hung up the phone and searched for the number for the Pelham Police Department. “Tell me it wasn’t Joshua,” she pleaded, knowing her younger son had been at their house. And then she got a call back. “Ms. Coogan, I hate to have to tell you this on the phone…” a voice said. “This is all I heard and knew it was Joshua,” she says. “When I found out, I could do nothing but scream out loud. You just can’t imagine. It completely changed my life.”

That night Joshua, 22, had watched the University of Alabama football game on the big screen at his family’s home with friends. He had just started his first job at Charter Cable after attending Shelton State Community College. His future was wide open. But hours later, Josh and his friends Casey ShelbyLiving.com

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Cumberland, 22, and Simeon Gilmore, 19, were shot with a .45-caliber Glock as part of a burglary attempt at the home. Joshua had died from a single gunshot to his head as he lay sleeping on the living room couch.

Now Linda is telling the raw, compelling story of her journey through grief and forgiveness in a new memoir that will be published this fall, The Impact Statement: Reinvesting in Life After Experiencing Your Worst Nightmare. (The lines on page 50 of this article are an excerpt from it.)

After two years of trials and investigations, on Oct. 20, 2014, Jon Ingram Staggs was found guilty of five counts of capital murder. After the verdict, District Attorney Jill Lee, one of the prosecuting attorneys on the case, gathered all three of the 52 September/October 2020

victims’ families and told them that the defense attorney said Staggs would give up his right to appeal if he could get life in prison in lieu of the death penalty.

“I stood up and said, ‘Thank you, God,’” Linda says. “I just thought, ‘What a beautiful thing God has done!’ I don’t believe in the death penalty, but I don’t know that I would have fought it. But I think it’s something that would have bothered me.”

In that moment Linda’s family asked if they could share their impact statement. Back in the courtroom, Staggs said his piece, but Linda and the other families never got the chance. In the end, Staggs was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

THE IMPACT STATEMENT WRITTEN BY JOSHUA’S BROTHER, MATTHEW SMITH

Concerned about the well-being of your loved one?

For 22 years, until Sept. 9, 2012, I had the privilege of having a little brother who was also my best friend. Joshua and I were two years and two days apart. We shared birthday parties, Christmas presents and bedrooms. We shared joys and sorrows. We went through our parents’ divorce and the trials of adolescence. We buried our father 10 months before Joshua was murdered.

He had died from a car accident. We did all of this together and supported each other every step of the way.

I thanked God every day for the relationship I had with my little brother.

Our friends often commented on how lucky we were to be close with our sibling, and I knew that they were correct. I say again that Joshua was my best friend. He knew more about me than any other person in this world ever could and we would let nothing come between us. He defended me. I comforted him. We were partners in figuring out this complicated world.

On Sept. 9, 2012, I lost my brother. He was taken away from me by way of senseless execution. Now, I continue to thank God for the time that I had with him and yet my days are filled with the pain and sorrow of knowing that there is no one left in this world who truly understands me in the way that he understood me. We will never hold each other again. I will never hold his children in my arms. I will never be the same.

We will never be the same.

MOVING FORWARD When her sons were children, Linda would often place her hand on their chests when they fell asleep at night and feel their hearts beating, their chests and tummies moving ever so slightly up and down.

At Joshua’s wake, she did this one last time. “When I touched his body, I felt that peace that surpasses all understanding,” she says. “I stepped into heaven just for a moment. I tell people that a piece of my DNA went to heaven that day.”

With the help of her husband, she began taking life one minute at a time, from the moment she decided to lift her head off her pillow each morning. Her Christian faith, grief counseling and members of her church family at Riverchase Presbyterian Church also helped carry her through her worst nightmare.

Soon she’d become unstoppable as a survivor and warrior. In

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LINDA’S TIPS FOR THOSE WHO ARE GRIEVING 1. You will not get over the loss, but you can get through the grieving process. If we try to stuff our feelings and pretend we are okay, they don’t get processed and they come up at the most inopportune times.

2. No one can tell you how to grieve nor how long it takes. You will probably feel like people think you should be “over” your grief, but we all process grief differently.

3. Don’t compare your grief to others’. My mother-in-law took my son’s pictures off the wall. I was angry. It felt like she was trying to erase his memory. When I addressed it with her, she said that it made her cry to see his picture. We both had different grieving processes.

4. People can mean well when they say what feels hurtful to you. Most people don’t know what to say, so they pull from the common things they have heard from others. Two that hurt me the most are, “I know how you feel,” and “I’m sorry if I reminded you of your loss.”

Really, did you think I forgot? It’s better for others to just be there for you and listen.

Linda wears a T-shirt bearing the name of Alaquest Collaborative on Education (ACE), a nonprofit organization she and her older son started to teach non-violent conflict resolution to children.

5. Talk about your loved one and memories of their lives even if it makes others uncomfortable. I have had moments when I was afraid I would forget my son Joshua’s life and how he lived because there was so much focus on how he died. I love hearing others talk about him and talking about him myself almost eight years later. It feels like I’m a proud mother talking about my son.

6. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ stages of grief are not in a step ladder form. It’s more of a muddy pit with all of the stages on the sides and depression on the bottom in a muddy pit you can fall into any time.

7. Forcing yourself to put your feet in the ground and get out of bed is imperative. I know it feels comfortable under a blanket with popcorn, ice cream and a good book or movie, but you’ll feel better later if you get out.

8. Numbing the pain with drugs, alcohol, food or inappropriate relationships doesn’t make it go away. It only makes the wounds deeper and hurt twice as much when they come to surface.

2015, she and her older son, Matthew Smith, started Alaquest Collaborative on Education, a nonprofit organization that teaches non-violent conflict resolution to children in local schools. Now living part-time in Eufaula, she also works as a health and wellness coach and teaches tai chi to senior citizens.

She also posts her thoughts and experiences related to grief, forgiveness, prayer and finding peace on her blog, Joshua’s Pearls.

“I remember one young lady talking to me about forgiveness, and I once again began to cry uncontrollably,” she writes on the blog. “It is hard to even type the word forgive. I told someone yesterday that I HATE that word. Now I am asking myself why.” She goes on to quote Matthew 18:2122: “Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to 70 times seven.’”

Linda firmly believes that what was meant for evil can be used for good. “The pain of a traumatic loss can seem unbearable and much harder to work through,” she writes. “I am reminded of how an oyster makes a pearl. The irritation of a grain of sand triggers a release of a substance that surrounds

Linda holds a photo of her son Joshua Smith.

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prison. She has a lot of questions for him that she hopes may be answered someday. Is he truly sorry?

If he had been part of a program like ACE, would it have prevented what happened?

There’s a part of her that wants to talk to him and validate that what he said in the courtroom was true, recalling his words: “I’ve been called evil and arrogant, but that’s not really who I am. One night, one minute defined my life, defined 20 years. I’m going to do the best I can to make use of this opportunity you’ve given me.”

“I’ve been told, no, you don’t want to (talk to him),” Linda says today, “but I was also told that I wouldn’t want to see the crime scene evidence, or that I wouldn’t want to see Joshua’s body. But I did, and I believe it helped me in the healing process.”

Eight years ago, in her fog of grief and depression, she was advised not to speak to the media. When she was in the courtroom looking at crime scene pictures, she was told if she showed any emotion or reaction, or if she cried, she would have to leave the ACTING ON A PROMISE room.

But she never forgot the promise she made to In many ways, the past is ever present in Linda’s life. When she watches a local church service online herself and others. Now she is following through on that has a prison ministry, she sometimes wonders it: “One day I’m going to speak, and the whole world if Staggs is watching that same service, sitting in is going to hear me.” the sand eventually turning it into a pearl. Take the pain of your loss and turn it into a beautiful pearl.”

Last year, Linda was asked to take on the role of state lead for Moms Demand Action on Gun Sense, a national grassroots organization that pushes for stronger gun laws and work in our communities and with business leaders to encourage responsible gun ownership.

“I want to be clear that my stance is not about gun violence. It’s about the root cause of gun violence, teaching people to recognize their emotions,” Linda says. “What we’re talking about is not taking away rights. Yes, we have a right to own guns as American citizens. Yes, we have a right to defend ourselves and our families. And yes, with that right comes a huge responsibility. If we’re going to own a gun, if we’re going to use a gun, we need to be able to demonstrate that we can do so responsibly and not cause harm to others.”

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Newsletter

The Shelby County Chamber BUSINESS CONNECTIONS

Chamber’s 5th Annual “Ready to Shred” a Success The Shelby County Chamber’s Existing Business & Industry (EBI) Work Group held its 5th Annual “Ready To Shred” Recycling Day on Friday, July 17 from 9:00am – 2:00pm.

This free Chamber event, was hosted along with Gone for Good Document and E-Waste Solutions, The Pelham Civic Complex and Live Nation.

During the day 120+ businesses and individuals brought 5,444 pounds of paper which was shredded on site and 10,782 pounds of e-waste (computers/ laptops, cell phones/ PDAs, DVD players/ VCRs, household appliances, communication equipment, office machines, printers, stereos, servers/ routers.) were collected.

Participants were asked to observe the following limits and guidelines: uNo more than four banker boxes of paper items uNo more than four lawn/ leaf bags of acceptable recyclables uNo more than four medium plastic storage bins of acceptable recyclables uNo tubed televisions, tubed computer monitors, batteries or refrigerators uA mask/face covering is required at all times u6 feet of social distancing must be observed “We’re very pleased with the positive turnout, and the ability to do this for our Shelby County residents,” Pari Barzegari, the Chamber’s Director of Career and Community Development commented. “We appreciate Gone

Sponsored by:

for Good Document & E-Waste Solutions as well as the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena and Live Nation for partnering with us each year as this event continues to grow. Our EBI Work Group will review this year event successes, and discuss ways in which we can improve it so even more business people and residents may participate in the future.” Barzegari concluded.

1301 COUNTY SERVICES DR. 58 September/October 2020

Damita Hill, Jefferson State Community College Director of Development and Community Outreach and EBI Work Group member was one of the volunteers assisting with the event.

Ms. Hill shared: “Jefferson State Community College values our partnership with the Chamber and we appreciate the opportunity to volunteer and serve the citizens of Shelby County!”

The Shelby County Chamber works on promoting “green business” practices throughout the year in an effort to help Shelby County businesses understand the benefits their organizations can receive that positively impact their bottom line.

For more information on the Chamber’s Existing Business and Industry Workgroup, or any of the Chamber’s programing, please contact Pari Barzegari, Director of Career and Community Development, at 205-663-4542 ext.

106 or via e-mail at pari@shelbychamber.org .

PELHAM, AL, 35124

Celebrating Growth -

Sponsored by:

The Juicy Seafood

Just a Tish Wine and More

Alabama Goodwill Industries

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AM3 Surfaces

Your Chamber at work June 13 - July 10, 2020

Miss Tiffaney’s on Main

205 - 663 - 4542

Responded to 70 requests for business & community information.

Responded to 15 requests for information regarding COVID-19 matters (SBA loans, etc.)

Notarized 3 document for Shelby County Businesses Promoting Chamber investors as well as Chamber & Community events through the following Social Media outlets: Facebook: 42 “new likes”, 821 “views”, 10,139 “post reaches” and 3,862 “total likes”.

Twitter: 30 “tweets”, 4,396 “tweet impressions”, 54 “profile visits”, 3 “mentions” 3,110 “followers”, Instagram: 1,275 “posts and stories”, 1,181 “followers”.

LinkedIn: 469 “followers”

SHELBYCHAMBER.ORG ShelbyLiving.com

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Newsletter

I Shop Shelby County T-Shirt Contest Turner Promotions, Brownstone Marketing Solutions, 58 INC and The Shelby County Chamber have come together to launch a fun contest designed to help support businesses throughout Shelby County. Here’s how: 1) Visit www.roguegarments. com and click on the #ShopShelbyCounty tab to purchase a

60 September/October 2020

“#ShopShelbyCounty” t-shirt in one of two premium colors. The cost for the Gildan 6 oz, Ultra Cotton shirt is $25…

2) Once you pick up your T-shirt from the Chamber everyone is encouraged to take a photo of you wearing your t-shirt…

3) Upload your picture to your favorite social media channel and

Tag the Chamber on any one of the Chamber’s social media outlets (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter).

We are selecting a “winner” in random drawings to receive a $25 gift certificate to their favorite Shelby County business for as long as the contest runs. The more shirts that are sold, the more cer-

tificates we’ll award.

We’re all in this together, so, join the contest by buying a shirt (or two!), and once you get them share that photo! $15 from each shirt sold will go directly to support businesses in Shelby County Alabama. Purchased shirts must be picked up through The Shelby County Chamber.

Looking Past the Trendiness of Self-Care.

Most people tend to roll their eyes when they hear buzzwords like “synergy” in business, “growth hacking” in marketing, or “micro-influencer” in the social media world. The words are meaningful and represent useful concepts, but they also smack of trendiness and a “trying too hard to be cool” vibe. Inevitably, you hear one of those words and you know that hiding underneath the flash and fluff of the vocabulary, there’s at least the potential for it to miss the actual point.

In the mental health world one of the buzzwords that elicits an eyeroll or two is “self-care.” It has become associated with a world decorated with signs that say things like “Wine-down Wednesday,” the only food is Dove chocolate, and everyone is wearing a fluffy bathrobe for some reason… In fact, even among therapists the word can be used to mean “indulge yourself!” more often than its true definition.

So, what’s wrong with the “Dove chocolate” version of self-care? Not much actually, except that version of self-care focuses on short-term indulgence instead of long-term sustainability. Your dad taught you about it when you were learning to drive a car; to get where you’re going, sometimes you have to pull off the highway long enough to put gas in your car.

Basically, if you want to produce good work, you must prioritize taking care of what produces the work (you). And focusing on long-term sustainability looks different than just having a bimonthly spa day. In fact, sometimes it takes downright discipline to engage in self-care! Making healthy choices about what you eat and regularly exercising are almost the antithesis of indulgent, but

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they are definitely good self-care. Maybe you have those habits down already, but selfcare for you could mean leaving the office before 6pm most days, saying “no” to that big opportunity to focus on your relationships with the people you love, or going to counseling every other week to finally deal with the anxiety you live with every day.

If we’re honest, self-care is more likely that habit you’ve been meaning to work on “once things slow down,” than a trip to Bali (although, don’t rule that one out altogether!

Bali sounds nice!). But things never actually slow down, do they? So quit waiting for the right time to come along to take care of yourself and just do it. If you’re having trouble figuring out where to start, talk to a loved one or better yet, a therapist. But don’t wait; you are your own most valuable resource!

So, take care!

Ambassador of the Month Congratulations to Vicki Everett, Juice Plus+ Franchise Owner, for earning Ambassador of the Month. Vicki has been an Ambassador with the Chamber for more than 9 years and loves promoting Shelby County, the great county she lives and works in daily!

She is a former teacher whose passion is educating and counseling children and adults about the role whole food nutrition plays in our health and our lifestyle. Juice Plus+ has been a daily part of Vicki’s life for more than 20 healthy years and she feels ethically and professionally responsible to share it with others. Juice Plus+ is a 25 year old global business, reaching 20+ countries, and is the most thoroughly researched brand name whole food nutritional product in the world with 30+ studies published in peer reviewed medical journals. Juice Plus is not a vitamin. Most importantly, Juice Plus+ is 32 vine ripened vegetables, fruits, berries and 2 grains picked fresh from THE FARM to CAPSULE or SOFT CHEW FORM. Additionally, THE TOWER GARDEN by JUICE PLUS, an aeroponic vertical gardening system for the patio or poolside, serves from THE TOWER to THE TABLE. Vicki is active in her community and throughout Shelby County with her church, professional and community organizations.

Ultimately, Vicki’s passion is giving back to the community with her time and talents.

For more information about Juice Plus+, call Vicki at 205-332-5255 or visit vickieverett. juiceplus.com.

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Health Focus of the Month:

Presenting Sponsors

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CHAMBER WORK GROUPS CONTINUE TO MEET VIA ZOOM

AMBASSADORS GROUP

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS GROUP

Meets 2nd Thursday of each month at 8:30AM.

Meets 1st Wednesday of each month at 11:30AM. HEALTH SERVICES GROUP

CAREER READINESS GROUP

SMALL BUSINESS GROUP

Newsletter

Meets 2nd Friday of each month at 8:30AM. Meets 1st Wednesday of each month at 4:00PM. WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL TOURISM & RECREATION GROUP

Meets 1st Wednesday of each month at 8:30AM.

EXISTING BUSINESS & INDUSTRY GROUP

Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month at 8:30AM.

Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month at 11:30AM.

Meets 1st Friday of each month @ 9:00AM.

Shelby County Chamber One of Nine Alabama Chambers To Achieve Accreditation The Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama (CCAA) announced recently recognized The Shelby County Chamber as one of nine chambers of commerce to receive the Accredited Alabama Chamber of Commerce distinction (AACC). Other chambers earning the recognition were: Calhoun County Area Chamber & Visitors Center, Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, Demopolis Area Chamber of Commerce,

Lake Guntersville Chamber of Commerce, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Opelika Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Mobile County Chamber of Commerce and The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.

The AACC program sets standards of excellence for chambers in the State of Alabama. “The accreditation process is very rigorous and highlights that each chamber is truly the ‘best of the

1301 COUNTY SERVICES DR. 62 September/October 2020

best’ across our state,” Jeremy Arthur, CCAA President & CEO commented during the presentations. “Each local chamber that receives the AACC distinction shows their continued commitment to the highest professional standards and assures their business members they are investing in an organization working on their behalf for the greater good.” Arthur concluded.

“We’re honored to have re-

ceived this recognition”, Kirk Mancer, President & CEO with The Shelby County Chamber stated. “It’s truly a testament to the expanded programming developed by our volunteer leadership on the Board of Directors, the hundreds of Work Group volunteers and our roughly 1,200 investors working with our staff to make Shelby County an even better place to live and do business”, Mancer shared.

PELHAM, AL, 35124

F i n d U s O n l i ne |

TSCC Officers and Board of Directors (as of 7/29/2020) OFFICERS Chamber Chair Ms. Kathy Copeland White Rock Quarries– Vincent Hills Chair-Elect Mr. Chris Grace Barge Design Solutions, Inc. Vice Chair, Business Development & Support Dr. Jay Crisman 280 Animal Medical Center Vice Chair, Communications & Marketing Ms. Carol Bruser University of Montevallo Vice Chair, Community & Career Development Mr. Daniel Listi Shelby Baptist Medical Center Vice Chair, Finance & Administration Mr. Bill Keller Renasant Bank Vice Chair, Governmental Affairs Mr. Brian Massey St. Vincent’s Health System Vice Chair, Investor Relations Ms. Alison Howell Steineker Alabama Power Company

Vice Chair, Tourism & Recreation Mr. Alex Dudchock Shelby County Immediate Past Chair Mr. Bill Connor America’s First Federal Credit Union DIRECTORS Mr. John Collier Regions Bank

Ms. Brittani Morris State Farm Insurance Brittani Morris Agency Mr. Casey Morris McLeod Software Mr. Fred Smith Vulcan Termite & Pest Control Mr. Rux Bentley Rux Carter Insurance

Mr. Lee Dorrill Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

Mr. Keith Brown Jefferson State Community College

Ms. Kelly Thrasher Fox Hand Arendall, Harrison, Sale LLC

Mr. Jeff Purvis A. C. Legg, Inc.

Mr. Kevin Morris America’s First Federal Credit Union Mr. Tim Benefield Buffalo Rock Company Ms. April Harry Warren, Averett, LLC Keith Richards Taziki’s Mediterranean Café’ Mike Swinson Spire Alabama, Inc. Ms. Mechelle Wilder ARC Realty Mr. Paul Barber Valent Group Mr. Matthew Hogan Bama Budweiser of Shelby County

205 - 663 - 4542

Ms. Bridgette Jordan Smith City of Vincent

Access our member directory

New Members (June 20 – July 23, 2020)

uLa Patrona Mexican Restaurant Columbiana uATHENA Pest Control Birmingham uA Birthday Place Pelham uThe Juicy Seafood Pelham uMetro Heating and Cooling Hueytown uHinkle Metals & Supply Pelham uAlabama Goodwill Industries Birmingham uChristian Brothers Automotive BIrmingham uJust A Tish, Wine & More Columbiana uPrintsWell Pelham

Mr. Guy Locker SouthWest Water Company

uMyers Comfort Specialists Pelham

Mr. Daniel Holmes Shelby County Newspapers, Inc.

uRausch Coleman Homes Hoover

Ms. Khiari McAlpin Vinehouse Nursery Ms. Diane Thomas PostNet of Chelsea Ms. Laura Clarke Synovus Bank The Hon. Holly Cost City of Montevallo Shelby County Mayors Association

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uSkin Care Solutions Of Alabama Helena uWorld Class Kennels Harpersville uAM3 Surfaces Pelham uBirmingham Home Leasing Birmingham uDouble A Drugs Vincent uComtex Technologies Montgomery uFastest Labs of South Birmingham Birmingham

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OUT & ABOUT

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CHELSEAFEST + BIG KABOOM

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PHOTOS BY SCOTT MIMS

The ChelseaFest and the Big KaBoom, the city of Chelsea’s annual Fourth of July festival, were held on June 27.

Attendees were asked to observe social distancing.

1. Bekah and Stuart Morrison with Auren Morrison, Houston Morrison and Beau Bearden 2. Ashlie Startley, Katie Winton and Luna Winton 3. Andrea Thompson and Allyson Hubbard 4. Danielle, Hannah and Victoria Pilkerton 5. Daniel, Courtney and Brynlee Hill 6. Kelsey, Brad, Cooper, Katina and Carson Sensaboy 7. Katelyn and Daniel Lawrence with Paisley and Houston 8. Nihaal and Aaniqa Virani with Coco 9. Arbeny, Davis and Desmond Reynolds; Juwan Rogers and Avah Rogers 10. The Desimone family 11. Aundre Lando, Emily Cox-Oldham, Kim Cox and Kali McIntire 12. Delaney Cohen, Lily Rigor, Allie Chenault, Virginia Baird and Hayley Whited

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OUT & ABOUT

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JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL

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PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAWKINS

A Juneteenth Festival and Black Lives Matter march were held in Alabaster on June 20. The festival featured performances, food trucks, music and more at the Alabaster Municipal Complex.

1. Josh Vara, Ava Vara, Genavesse Givens-Vara and Isabelah Spader 2. Nikori Watson, LaCourtney Henley and Caleah Williams

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3. Sa’Nya Wyatt, Laura Wyatt and A’Dayah Radford 4. Janice Sohneiberg, Taurana Vines, Alesher Wooley, Tonya Smitherman, Sharonda Washington, Nyra Noise, Keyshawn Noise, Demi Wooley, Nori Taylor and Karson Smitherman 5. Maryetta Lundy and Monica Watson 6. Pastor Ethel Wilson and family 7. Cindy Walchli, Ann Walchli, Emma Walchli, Zarah Ryan-Coker and Carter Walchli 8. Stephen and Teresa

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OUT & ABOUT

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HELENA CANDIDATE FORUM PHOTOS BY NATHAN HOWELL

Voters in the Hillsboro community of Helena came out on July 17 to meet and greet candidates for the upcoming municipal elections.

1. Henry Summerlin with Jim Pampoo and Maddy Pampoo

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2. Lindsay Brown and Andy Brown 3. Sabrina and Adam McGee 4. Stephanie Shelton, Amy Garner, Laura Northrop and Robert Gardner

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OUT & ABOUT

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SHELBY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

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PHOTOS BY SCOTT MIMS

Families of graduates attended Shelby County High School’s graduation ceremony on June 1 at Papa McCombs Stadium and practiced social distancing.

1. Jakalynn Johnson, Jasmine Prentice and Tabitha Ray 2. John and LeeAnne Hall

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3. Mary Gray, Ginger Williams and Joey Williams 4. Liv, Elsa, Jake and Leah Harper 5. Tammy Cox and Stephanie Cannon 6. Jeremy Seritt, Halle Eidson and Mona Chapman 7. Kim, Lily, Shirley and Lucky Scherer

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OUT & ABOUT

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VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PHOTOS BY SCOTT MIMS

Families attended Vincent High School’s commencement activities on June 2 at Harold Garrett Stadium.

1. Wanda Burnsworth, Paula Minix and Pamela Burel

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2. Brody, Crystal, Denver, Devin and Makayla Weldon 3. Wendy Torres, Nallely Molina, Gabriel Molina, Catalina Molina and Javier Molina 4. Leighann Sims, Alyssa Burkett, James Burkett and Missy Burkett with Hayden Williams 5. Brianna McCrimon and Desmond Ford 6. James McKinney, Jahaven Benson, Candreka McKinney, Michael Ealy and Jlen Benson

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ShelbyLiving.com

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MARKETPLACE

Marketplace Shelby Living • 205.669.3131

Need appliance or air conditioner parts? How about a water filter for your refrigerator? We have it all at A-1 Appliance Parts! Call 1-800841-0312 www.A1Appliance.com

Avanti Polar Lipids is looking for full and part time employees.

Submit resume to jobs@avantilipids. com •Highly proficient math skills required.

•High school diploma required.

Mechanic needed.

Must have own tools and five years experience. Apply in person: 1105 7th St N, Clanton. Or call for appointment 205-7554570

Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience.

CDL Preferred.

Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007

HIRING EXPERIENCED FULL CASE ORDER SELECTORS $19.03 per hour plus production $$$ incentives. Grocery order selection using electric pallet jacks & voice activated headsets. Great benefits including Blue Cross health & dental insurance & matching 401k. Pre-employment drug test required.

Apply Online: WWW. AGSOUTH.COM Automation Personnel Services Hiring IMMEDIATELY For: Automotive Assembly, General Labor, Production, Clerical, Machine Operator, Quality, Carpentry, Welder, Foundry. Positions In: Calera, Clanton, Pelham, Bessemer, McCalla. Walk-in applications accepted.

Clanton (205)2800002. Pelham (205)444-9774.

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Bent Creek Apartments.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom. On-site Manager. On-site Maintenance. 3001 7th Street. North Clanton, AL 35045.

TDD#s: 800-5482547(V) 800-5482546(T/A) bentcreek@ morrowapts.com Office Hours: MonFri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer Immediate need for LPN’s. Full time LPN Position with sign on bonus. BMC Nursing Home. Responsible for patient care and supervision of CNA staff. Will also provide treatment and meds for residents. Apply online or call Human Resources at 205-9263363 bibbmedical center.com Boise Cascade Now Hiring for Utility Positions. Starting pay $13.66/hour.

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Must be able to pass background screen.

Please apply at www. bc.com Core Focus Personnel 205-826-3088 • Now Hiring Production Mill Worker, Jemison.

12hrs (days/nights), ability to pass drug test, background check, physical.

Positions working in outside temperature conditions. Previous manufacturing experience required. $11.75/hr to start.

Owner Operators Wanting Dedicated Year Round Anniston, AL www.pull4klb.com Lancaster Place Apartments.

Location, community & quality living in Calera, AL. 1, 2, & 3 bedroom apartments available. Call today for specials!! 205668-6871. Or visit hpilancasterplace.com

Marble Valley Manor.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. $2000 SIGN ON Many on-site services!

BONUS NEW 2115 Motes Rd, PAY SCALE TO Sylacauga. 256QUALIFYING DRIVERS EVERGREEN 245-6500 •TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) TRANSPORT, is accepting applications •800-548-2546(T/A).

Office Hours: Monfor local drivers in the Fri, 8am-4pm. Equal Calera and Leeds, Opportunity Provider/ AL, area. Must have Employer Class A CDL, good driving record, 1 yr verifiable tractor trailer Are you a motivated experience. Good pay professional? Are and benefits. Apply in you looking for a dynamic career? Are person at 8278 Hwy you ready to control 25 South, Calera, AL, your own level of or call for info 205success? See why 668-3316.

McKinnons’ is an exciting place to Industrial Coatings work and grow. Now Group, Inc. is accepting applications hiring experienced for Sales, Service, and -Sandblasters Detail Shop. Apply -Industrial Painters Helpers. Must be able with the receptionist.

205-755-3430 to pass drug test and e-verify check. Must Shake up your be willing to travel.

Professional references career!!! Are you looking for something required. Please new and FUN? Milo’s send resume to: icgsecretary@hotmail. is always looking for great managers com or call (205)688to come join our 9004 growing and dynamic

team. Apply online at miloshamburgers.com Oxford Healthcare in Montgomery currently hiring certified CNA’s and/or Home Health aides in the Clanton, Marbury and Maplesville areas.

Must be able to pass complete background check, have reliable transportation and have a strong work ethic. Serious inquiries only. Call 334-409-0035 or apply on-line at www.

Oxfordhealthcare.com Specializing in all your hair care needs SERENITY SALON Barber/Stylist Chairs Available for Rent 2 Convenient Locations •2005 Valleydale Rd. •Pelham •3000 Meadow Lake Dr. Suite 107 Call Nichole 205-240-5428 South Haven Health & Rehab NOW HIRING!!! •LPN’s & RN’s -$5,000 Sign-on Bonus for Full-Time shift •CNA’s Apply in person: 3141 Old Columbiana Rd Birmingham, AL-35266 Nursing assistant to care for high functioning quadriplegic home health patient in Jemison. Must have valid drivers license.

Part-time. Call Mr. Wilbanks 205-9083333

MARKETPLACE CLOCK REPAIR SVS. * Setup * Repair * Maintenance. I can fix your Mother’s clock.

Alabaster/Pelham. Call Stephen (205)6632822

Alabama Air Power Inc Now Hiring Industrial Air Compressor Technician Will cross train person with mechanical skills, Electrical and/or HVAC knowledge Blue Cross Health and Dental Paid Vacation Paid Holidays Apply In Person 1293 Hwy 87, Alabaster

Pop & Sons Demolition & Junk Removal (205)9488494 junkguys2014@ gmail.com •Junk Removal Services •Demolition•More!!

FREE QUOTES!! ALSO WITH THE MENTION OF THIS AD GET $20 OFF!!!

Exp•Pass D.O.T Physical/Background Check •Hazmat Endorsement Apply Online: www. drive4western.com EOE

Experienced Termite Technician or someone experienced in route-service work and wants to learn Service Tech, Inc. new profession. WorkHeating & Air Conditioning AL Cert# vehicle/equipment provided. Must 89282 Now Hiring drive straight-shift, Full-Time Certified Technician •Minimum have clean driving record/be 21/pass 5 years experience Acceptance Loan background/drug test.

•Residential, Company, Inc. Training provided.

Commercial and Personal loans! Let Insurance/401K Refrigeration •Ipad us pay off your title offered. M-F 7:00-4:30 Experience •On-Call loans! 224 Cahaba + 1 Saturday/month.

Rotation Apply at: Valley Rd, Pelham Become a Dental www.servicetechhvac. Pay $13hr. Send 205-663-5821 Assistant in ONLY resume to facsmith@ com 8 WEEKS! Please charter.net Pharmaceutical visit our website Grade Pharmaceutical Sitting Angels Home capstonedental University Baptist Care, LLC NOW Grade CBD Oil, a assisting.com or call Child Development ACCEPTING NEW (205)561-8118 and get unique concept for Center is pleased to sublingual absorption. PATIENTS Doctor your career started! announce that our Appointments, Helps pain, anxiety, First Class Preschool Bathing/Dressing energy & more.

Popeyes Seeking program was awarded Meal Preparation, Order from home friendly, motivated, Errands, Laundry,Light a New Classroom 205-276-7778. www. dependable Crew Grant by Governor House Keeping and CiliByDesign.com/ Members. OPEN Ivey and the State More. Lenette Walls, BrendaGlaze INTERVIEWS DAILY Department of Early Owner 205-405-6991 2:00pm-5:00pm 3300 Childhood Education. $Cash Paid For Used Pelham Parkway.

Our second classroom Immediate Openings! RV's!$ Motor Homes, The Harvest Place Christian Church Join will house up to 18 Travel/Enclosed Start work this preschoolers who us for worship every trailers, consignment week! Apply online: SUNDAY The Harvest are 4 years old by welcome, Cars and work4popeyes September 1, 2020.

Place Christian Trucks, Pick up kitchen.com Tuition is incomeChurch 14 Westside available, Mccluskey based and we provide Ln, Columbiana, AL Auto and RV Sales, GENERAL LAWN meals at no additional 35051 Bishop Wales LLC 205-833-4575 CARE Specialist in charge. Register Williams, Jr Chief large yards 2+ acres. at http://alprek.

Apostle •Morning Serving Chilton, Coosa Construction Worship Sunday 11am asapconnected.com Workers Needed for & many more areas.

•Life Enrichment Local Construction Bi-weekly, weekly or WE ARE NOW Classes Sunday Company. Must be one-time services HIRING Lead and 10:15am •Join experienced and available. SPRING Auxiliary teachers for Us Every Tuesday dependable. Job CLEANUP SPECIALS! First Class 4-yearNight at JOYFEST is five days a week.

Call Alex today for old Pre-K programs.

Salary based on skills. •Midweek Worshipdetails: 1-205-955School year positions Must have remodeling Begins at 6:30pm 3439 ~Military & with competitive pay. www.getyourharvest. experience. Call Senior Discounts~ Lead teachers must org Adam 205-863-9059 have degree in Early Childhood Education/ Western Development.

International Gas & Auxiliary teachers Cylinders, Inc Signmust have Child On-Bonus! Hiring Development SOLO & TEAM Associate (CDA) CDL Drivers •2yrs Electrician - FT Supreme Electric, local-based company in Pelham. Must be willing to learn & work hard. Go to: supremeelectric-al. com Print employment application under Contact Us. Mail to: Supreme Electric 231 Commerce Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124 or call 205-453-9327.

or 9hrs Early Childhood Education/ Development.

Experience in First Class program & bilingual skills a plus. For questions about registration or to apply for a teaching position, contact Lorrie Ozley: universitybaptistcdc@ gmail.com 205-6654039 HVAC Company with 43 years in business NOW HIRING EXPERIENCED TECHNICIAN Will train! Drug test required. Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:00pm Call 205-663-2199 BIRMINGHAM AREA HEAT & FROST INSULATORS LOCAL 78 Accepting applications for 4-year Apprenticeship Program. Applications will be accepted Tuesdays only, 8:30am-2:00pm at 2653 Ruffner Road Birmingham, AL 35210. 205-956-2866 205-956-8101 etx.3 craig@insulators78. org Applicants must be 18+, drug free, have dependable transportation, ID & proof of age, high school diploma/ GED. Applicants will be required to take math test & English comprehension test.

The Local 78 Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee is registered with The State of Alabama Office of Apprenticeship and is an equal opportunity employer.

ShelbyLiving.com

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MY SHELBY COUNTY RENE’ DAY Career Tech Educator

Fries Please

The Tavern My favorite thing to eat with friends are the sweet potato fries at The Tavern in Montevallo! I really like the hometown atmosphere there.

Design Beauty

Edmund King House My favorite piece of architecture in the county is King House on the University of Montevallo campus. The home is one of the earliest built in the county.

Sit a While

The Best Porch Swing The best porch swing in the world was in Wilton at the home of my husband’s Uncle Gray and Aunt Nell. They had old auto springs attached to the chains so it would give the best “rocking” ride ever.

We’ve tried to copy it with the largest springs available at our house in Alabaster.

Montevallo Gems

Cedar Creek Nursery + Cedar Creek Antiques Here I can find two of my passions in one place: plants and antiques! A lovely, historic log cabin houses the antique shop, and the nursery is stocked with such great plants and accessories for the garden and yard.

Blast from the Past

Shelby County Historical Society Museum I absolutely love the old courthouse building in Columbiana, and it holds the most eclectic items from the county’s history. If you haven’t been, you need to go and spend some time learning more about where you live!

72 September/October 2020

Fall is right around the corner

and now is the perfect time to purchase your next adventure. Fishing, hunting, or just enjoying the outdoors, Russell Marine is here for you.

Fishing boats from Bass Cat, SeaArk, Key West and Crevalle Boats. Off-road vehicles from BRP Can-Am. We also over Nautique, Godfrey Pontoon Boats, Scarab, Supreme, Sea Ray, Bryant and personal watercraft from Sea-Doo.

Industry leader when it comes to ATVs and Side-by-Sides.

Longest operating bass boat builder in the industry.

View all of our inventory from the comfort of your home at RussellMarine.net or visit any one of our 6 locations. Financing is available.

RUSSELL MARINE BOATING & OUTDOORS 256-397-1700 RIVER NORTH MARINA 256-397-1500 l THE RIDGE MARINA 256-397-1300 l SMITH LAKE 256-841-6365 KOWALIGA MARINA 256-397-1210 l REAL ISLAND MARINA 256-397-1200