By Laura McAlister Journal EditorEllen Long doesn’t know firsthand what it’s like to be a soldier overseas, but she’s getting a better understanding every day. The more she learns, the more she wants to help the young men and women in the military.About a year ago, Ellen and husband Bones were introduced to Adopt-a-Soldier. The program helps supporters of the military … [Read more...]

By Laura McAlister Journal EditorThis year for the holidays, Bonnie Miller will sit down for dinner with her family. They’ll probably exchange gifts as well as prayers of thanksgiving.It sounds like a typical holiday, but it won’t be for Bonnie.This will be the first time in five years she’s even celebrated the holidays. In the past, the 41-year-old was too “doped … [Read more...]

By Donna CorneliusIn soccer, an unlikely kick that shoots the ball into the goal is a thrilling sight.No less exciting is the unexpected connection between a group of Over the Mountain soccer supporters and some inner city kids who needed a helping hand.Members of the Alabama Women’s Soccer Foundation have reached out to the NorthStar Soccer Club, an organization … [Read more...]

By Molly FolseJournal Staff Writer  Ellison Moore wears a stack of bracelets on her left wrist. Some are just for fun, while others chronicle her travels around the world. One reads “Tanzania” in yellow block letters. The 15-year-old from Mountain Brook spent five weeks in the east African country in the summer of 2009 with a teen travel program called Rustic Pathways. Working … [Read more...]