By Emily Williams Vestavia Hills resident Anne Hartline may not have served in the military, but she serves military families through the Military Officers Association of America’s Surviving Spouses Advisory Council. In her sixth year on the council, Hartline is chairwoman, advocating ways to help spouses of military officers and veterans navigate life after the loss of their … [Read more...]

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...]

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...]

By Sam Prickett Charles and Chip Ghigna joke that they’ve known each other “very well” for 31 years, but 2020 marks the first time the father-and-son duo have collaborated on a book. Charles, who also goes by the pseudonym “Father Goose,” has been a nationally recognized poet for decades, having been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, … [Read more...]

By Sam Prickett Last summer, Hoover resident Roy Martin traveled to Las Vegas for the 2019 Summer North American Bridge Championship. He came home with the trophy — something he attributes to a lifelong love of the game instilled in him by his family. To some, the game of bridge might seem like an anachronism. It doesn’t hold the cultural relevance it did in the 1940s, … [Read more...]