By Caroline Rice Brandon Stewart, a local Jimmy John’s franchisee and entrepreneur, began an initiative called Pay It Forward Alabama during the COVID-19 pandemic to raise money and donate Jimmy John’s meals to health care workers in Birmingham-area hospitals. Since then, Pay It Forward has raised more than $10,000 and fed more than 1,500 medical personnel. “In the midst of … [Read more...]
Gentle Giant: United Ability CEO Dr. Gary Edwards Touched the Lives of Thousands
By Rubin E. Grant When Dr. Gary Edwards died on June 5 after an extended illness, United Ability didn’t lose just its chief executive officer; it lost a respected visionary, a true servant-leader and a gentle giant. Those were some of the descriptions of Edwards, who was CEO of United Ability, formerly United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham, for 38 years. He influenced … [Read more...]
Room to Grow: Lee Family Lake Martin Home Serves as Office, Classroom and Refuge During Pandemic
By Emily Williams During the past two months, the Lake Martin home of David and Tammy Lee has tested the limits of its intended purpose: offering enough space for a full Lee family vacation.The Lees sought refuge in the secluded lakeside home when the coronavirus pandemic struck the U.S. The Lake Martin home-away-from-home was built with one key ingredient in mind – … [Read more...]
A Spectacular View: The Howards Can Look Back at 63 Years of Family Memories
By Emily Williams Throughout their 63 years of marriage, Jack and Connie Howard have always liked a view. Jack proposed to Connie in 1965 atop Red Mountain beneath the Vulcan statue. After their marriage at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on May 4, 1956, the couple lived in a downtown Birmingham apartment before moving to their first family home atop Shades Mountain in … [Read more...]
The Relay: First-time Author Compares Christianity to a Relay, not a Marathon
By Rubin E. Grant George Shamblin had heard the expression “Christianity isn’t a sprint, but a marathon,” for a number of years. But the more he thought about it, the more Shamblin’s sentiments about the description evolved. Eventually, he came to another conclusion. “At any given time, Christianity is never more than a generation from extinction,” Shamblin said. “I’ve seen … [Read more...]