Mr. and Mrs. Bert Conger Madden Jr. of Atlanta announce the engagement of their daughter, Laura Carson Madden, to Carlton Reid McFarland, son of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Keith Miller and Mr. and Mrs. James Carlton McFarland, all of Birmingham. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Conger Madden and the late Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Carson Edwards, all of … [Read more...]
Given-Peck
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Perry Given Jr. of Birmingham announce the engagement of their daughter, Caroline Carter Given, to Brennan Kennedy Peck, son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Kennedy Peck, also of Birmingham. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Myron Raley of Montgomery and the late Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Perry Given of Birmingham. Miss Given is a 2011 … [Read more...]
Back in the Saddle: Mountain Brook Woman Finds Her Calling After Carpool
By Sarah Kuper By her own admission, Joy O’Neal had no horse sense. “I never rode a horse growing up. I never even touched a horse until one of my kids wanted to take riding lessons,” she said. But now, the Birmingham native is the founder and executive director of The Red Barn, a therapeutic equine riding center in Leeds.A self-proclaimed “barn mom,” O’Neal is using … [Read more...]
Worlds Away: Long-Time BMA Patron Revisits Collection and Reconnects with Curator
By Emily Williams At 104 years of age, Helen Hudgens has traveled the world collecting art and experiences. But for her wish of a lifetime, she stayed closer to home. On March 10, Hudgens visited pieces of her own art collection that she donated to the Birmingham Museum of Art and her old friend, senior curator Dr. Donald Wood.Upon learning that Wood will be retiring … [Read more...]
Take the Lead: Competitive Ballroom Dancing Keeps Ann Rich on Her Toes
By Emily Williams Ann Rich’s relationship with ballroom dancing can’t be called kismet. The Birmingham resident didn’t start ballroom dancing until her early 50s. The first time she stepped into the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Hoover, she didn’t fall in love with ballroom dancing. In fact, it didn’t spark any kind of resounding emotion. “Initially, my husband and I went to … [Read more...]