By Wendy Wallace JohnsonCentral to any nonprofit’s success is the involvement and direction of the members of its board of directors. Hanson Slaughter, this year’s honoree for Antiques at the Gardens, has given many years of leadership to the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, including as chair of the development committee and as board chair in … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantAs her autistic daughter, Taylor, reached her mid-20s, Dawn Duffy was looking for some social and physical engagement for her.Two years ago, Duffy found out about the Kinect Sports League run by The Hands Program, which opened in 2006 for children diagnosed with autism and their families.Courtney King, founder, executive director and behavior … [Read more...]

The Women’s Committee of 100 for Birmingham held its Awards Day Luncheon at the Country Club of Birmingham on April 25.Each year, the group recognizes individuals, corporations and/or businesses that make outstanding contributions to the city and state. This year’s award recipients are Southern Research, Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Altamont student Ethan Hill … [Read more...]

By Ana GoodBirmingham-area resident Mary Leah Miller will celebrate her first Mother’s Day this year as a new mother to 4-month-old twins. Mary Leah gave birth to the babies a few days before Christmas, following a nearly 10-year infertility journey she shared with her husband, Rodney. “Like many couples, we thought that we would get pregnant – not … [Read more...]

By Ana GoodHomewood-based author Charles Ghigna credits his wife, Debra, for redirecting his career path toward writing for children. Ghigna said that while he was studying creative writing at Florida State University, he considered himself a “serious, brooding poet.” When he received a grant to help start a poet-in-schools program for the State of … [Read more...]