By Sarah Kuper Fred Norrell said he wasn’t looking to pen a bestseller when he began writing his book, “A Boy’s Adventures on Lake Martin.” Rather, his goal was to put in writing for the next generation stories of a bygone era, of a childhood spent outdoors. “I really wrote it for my son,” Norrell said. “He didn’t have the childhood adventures I did – he wasn’t as interested … [Read more...]
Ice Age: OTM Fifth-Grader Prepares to Shine at Magic City Figure Skating Competition
By Sarah Kuper Creative, kind and intuitive. Those are the words Amy Stiftel-Sedlis uses to describe her 10-year-old son, Jared. “He is a unique and compassionate person and very well-rounded,” she said. A rising fifth-grader at Brookwood Forest Elementary, Jared has not spent his summer poolside or boating on the lake. Rather, he has been busy practicing on the cool ice of … [Read more...]
Spring Forward: GirlSpring Recruits Students to Join New Teen Board
By Emily WilliamsGirlSpring is showcasing a newly renovated website, revamped programming and a new teen advisory board featuring students from across the Greater Birmingham area. “We wanted to recruit girls from all of the schools in the area to help create offline connections,” GirlSpring Executive Director Kristen Greenwood said. The organization was created in … [Read more...]
Olympic Calling: Trinity Pastor to Counsel U.S. Athletes in Rio
By Lee Davis In his many years as a youth pastor, David Thompson has counseled countless young people about virtually every question imaginable. Later this month, Thompson, who works at Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, will take his counseling skills to a new world. He will be serving as an athlete service coordinator for Team USA in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio … [Read more...]
Three-Wheeled Calling: Former Spartan Track Coach Leads Local AMBUCS Non-Profit
By Lee Davis After leading Mountain Brook to 68 state championships in track and field over a four-decade career, Greg Echols decided to retire. But at the relatively young age of 60, Echols still needed a path for the rest of his life. Last February, he found it. Echols, now 61, became executive director of the Greater Birmingham chapter of AMBUCS, a non-profit … [Read more...]