By Sarah Kuper The Rocky Ridge shopping area will come alive this summer as local merchants, artists and performers showcase all the area has to offer during the First Fridays series. Beginning June 3 at 5 p.m., visitors can walk or drive to Rocky Ridge, off of Morgan Drive and Rocky Ridge Road, and see through new eyes a vibrant and eclectic community. The area was … [Read more...]
Art From the Heart: Studio by the Tracks Preps for Annual Auction
By Emily Williams A Studio by the Tracks class feels much like any other school art class, filled with colorful works and students who are eager to show off their latest projects or simply bicker with their peers. The only visible difference is that the students are adults with mental disabilities. Since 1989, Studio by the Tracks has been devoted to providing free art … [Read more...]
Light a Balloon for a Loved One: Grief Support Agency Hosts Memory Lights Walk
By Sarah Kuper On Saturday, June 18, the skies over Homewood Central Park will be filled with hundreds of illuminated white balloons memorializing lost loved ones in the Over the Mountain community. The third annual Memory Lights: A Walk to Remember will be hosted by Community Grief Support Service. Community Grief Support is a local service that offers counseling and … [Read more...]
Reluctant Hero: First Alabama Vietnam Veteran Reflects on Real Tragedy of Any War
By Lee DavisJim Lawrence’s professorial looks and soft-spoken manner give him the appearance of a college dean or a teacher. In fact, Lawrence has been both. But he is much more than that. The Vestavia Hills resident is a war hero – even though he disputes that description. Lawrence, a Troy native, had just graduated from The Citadel in South Carolina when he decided … [Read more...]
Through a Vet’s Eyes: WWII Vet and Broadcaster Appreciates American Village’s Mission
By Sarah Kuper If you ask Sterling Brewer where he grew up, he won't tell you about his childhood in Nashville. "I grew up in New Guinea and in Japan. At the age of 18 coming in direct contact with the dead, dying and wounded changes you," he said. Brewer was drafted into the Army the week he turned 18. He served as a surgical technician in World War II. With no previous … [Read more...]