VSA Alabama Plans ArtPartners 2010
VSA Alabama will host the eighth annual ArtPartners Live Auction and Showcase Aug. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at B&A Warehouse in Birmingham.
The event features live and silent auctions of collaborative works of art created by community artists and individuals with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
The live auction by Guin Robinson will include approximately 50 pieces of collaborative art from ArtPartners studio time. An additional 100 pieces will be featured in the silent auction.
Guests will also enjoy live music, wine and food.
Funds raised at the event enable VSA Alabama to continue providing opportunities in the arts to Alabama children and adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
Tickets are $100 and may be purchased at the door or by calling 212-7042. For more information, visit www.vsaalabama.org or contact Meagan Vucovich, project coordinator, at 307-6300, ext. 12, or Meagan@vsaalabama.org.
Israeli Teen Group Will Perform in Area
Matnas, a group of teenaged performers from Rosh Ha’ayin, Israel, will visit Birmingham July 21-25. The group sings and dances at the Kimerling Community Center in Rosh Ha’ayin. The visit is part of Partnership 2000, a longstanding joint venture between Birmingham, New Orleans and Rosh Ha’ayin that is partially funded by the Birmingham Jewish Federation’s annual campaign. Several events are planned during the group’s stay; the biggest will be July 24 when the group performs at 9 p.m. at the Levite Jewish Community Center auditorium.
For more information, contact volunteer co-chairmen Donna Schiff at gsschiff@aol.com or Nancy Denney at nancy_denney@hotmail.com.
Local Chefs to Face Off ‘Iron Chef’ Style
The Vestavia Hills Rotary Club will host Iron City Chef, a signature benefit for the Vestavia Hills Rotary Foundation, at 6 p.m. July 24. The event will be at the Culinary & Hospitality Institute at the Jefferson State Community College Shelby/Hoover Campus.
Just like in the popular Food Network show, “Iron Chef,” chefs will face off in a cooking competition. Those competing in the local culinary competition are Chef Tom Robey of Veranda on the Highlands, Chef Angela Schmidt of Chef U, Chef Clifton Holt of Little Savannah and Chef Robert Kamm of Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf and Spa.
Tickets are $50 a person and include admission to the competition, gourmet tasting dinner, wine tasting, a silent and live auction and music by Sweet Licks. Go to www.rotarytoast.org to purchase tickets or for more information.
UAB Forms New
Toastmasters Club
Anne Bet, a University of Alabama at Birmingham graduate assistant, has launched the UAB Toastmasters Club.
Meetings will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at the Spain Wallace Tower auditorium, 620 19th St. South.
Toastmasters International is a worldwide organization that helps people become more competent and comfortable speaking in front of an audience. The group has nearly 250,000 members in 106 countries.
For more information about the club, contact Bet at annebet@uab.edu. For more information about Toastmasters International, visit www.toastmasters.org.
Saks Soiree Aids
Local Girl Scouts
The Girl Scout Leadership Circle will host Soiree@Saks Aug. 12. The event will be at Saks Fifth Avenue at The Summit from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Tickets are $25 and include a choice of wine tasting or two beverage tickets. A cash bar will also be available. Additional wine tasting tickets may be purchased for $10.
Hors d’oeuvres by Café IZ will be served, and there will be live music by Nathan Carter and a silent auction. Guests will get the chance to shop at Saks Fifth Avenue with a portion of the sales going back to the Girl Scouts.
Each entry ticket will include a 15 percent off coupon. The first 150 guests will receive Swag Bags. Silent auction items include a mini laptop, signed autobiography from Danica Patrick, stays at the Wynfrey Hotel and the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa, dinner at fine restaurants, gift cards and event tickets.
The “new look” of the Girl Scouts will be unveiled at the event.
All proceeds will benefit the initiatives of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama.
For more information, contact Hilary Perry at hperry@girlscoutsnca.org or call 980-4750 ext. 1003. Visit www.girlscoutsnca.org/soiree.php to purchase tickets. Guests must be age 21 or older.
Annual Stokin’ the Fire Benefits
Sloss Furnaces
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark will host the sixth annual Stokin’ the Fire BBQ and Music Festival Aug. 20-21 at Sloss Furnaces.
For the second year in a row, the competition will consist of all amateur teams. Up to 80 local barbecue teams will compete for the bragging rights to the best barbecue in Birmingham. Grill masters compete in two divisions: backyard grillers, graded by KCBS judges, and the People’s Choice competition, judged by the public.
In addition to the barbecue battles, there will be an iron pour by the Sloss Furnaces metal arts staff, live music, Cajun dancing demonstrations, children’s activities, barbecue sampling during the People’s Choice competition and “Global Grilling” demonstrations by chefs from some of Birmingham’s best restaurants.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the restoration and preservation of Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark.
For tickets, visit www.slossfurnaces.com. For more information, call 324-1911.
Fairy Tales Will Come To Life at Annual Ball
Children and adults are invited to meet Cinderella, Peter Pan, magicians, stilt walkers, jugglers and other fairy tale and whimsical characters at the fourth annual Children’s Resources Fairy Tale Ball.
The event, set for Aug. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m., benefits children and families in central Alabama. Guests can dance to music by Just a Few Cats, discover riches in the silent auction, explore a life-sized pirate ship, hide inside the Old Woman’s Giant Shoe and have tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter. The evening also includes hors d’oeuvres, cocktails for grown-ups and a candy bar for children.
An all-inclusive family ticket admitting four is $150, a single adult ticket is $70 and an additional child’s ticket is $15. Information and tickets are available online at www.ccr-bhm.org or by calling 252-1991 ext. 306.
ROAR Event Honors Coach Pat Sullivan
The Women’s Committee (Regional Oncology Active Research, ROAR) of the Southeast Cancer Foundation is finalizing plans for its fund-raising event Aug. 29 at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse.
The theme for the fundraiser is “An Evening of Miracles – Honoring Coach Pat Sullivan.” Emcees will be Wimp Sanderson and Sonny Smith.
After wine and cocktails beginning at 5 p.m., Jack Granger will conduct a live auction. Items include a New Orleans weekend for two with tickets to a Saints game; jewelry donated by Sperry Snow of Barton-Clay Jewelers, Jewels by Rose and Brombergs; and a dinner for 12 prepared in the lucky bidder’s home by Fleming’s chef, complete with china and servers.
A steak and seafood menu will be served. The event will benefit the cancer research labs at the Hazelrig-Salter Radiation Oncology Center at UAB. Proceeds will be used to purchase high-tech equipment to advance cancer research.
Seating is limited. Contact Yvonne Pope at 967-9488 or e-mail curecancer@bellsouth.net for tickets, or visit www.southeastcancer.org.
Briarwood Will Host Night of Music, Praise
Tenth Avenue North will be in concert along with The Museum as the opening band Aug. 6 at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. Tickets can be purchased through www.iTickets.com or at the Briarwood Bookstore.
Advance general admission tickets are $15. Group rate tickets for 20 or more are $12. Tickets at the door are $18. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 776-5282.
Mountain Brook Merchants Gear Up for Market Day
Mountain Brook Village will host its ninth annual Market Day July 24.
A European-style shopping experience that offers music, food, and discounts, Market Day makes a terrific family outing. From 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at least 30 stores will offer sales, specials and discounts up to 75 percent. Some stores will open tents outside for a casual shopping environment. From home furnishings and outdoor supplies to clothing and jewelry, Market Day has a wide variety of shopping options.
For more information visit www.welcometomountainbrook.com.
Carpenter to Appear at Alys Stephens Center
Mary Chapin Carpenter will perform July 23 at 8 p.m. as part of UAB’s Alys Stephens Center’s summer concert series.
During the course of an 11-album recording career, singer/songwriter Carpenter has won five Grammy awards and sold more than 13 million records. She has scored 12 Top 10 singles, including “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” nominated for a Record of the Year Grammy.
Summer tunes, brews and barbecue in the courtyard begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $55, $48 and $38. Call 975-2787 or visit www.alysstephens.org for more information or to buy tickets.
Monthly Mingles Target Area YPs
YPBirmingham’s next Monthly Mingle will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at Bottega Cafe on Highlands Avenue South.
Monthly Mingles give young professionals the opportunity to meet up and chat with each other in a relaxed environment. These free events are open to all young professionals and feature an optional networking game to facilitate conversation among guests.
To promote volunteerism and community service efforts, one non-profit organization is highlighted at every event. United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham will be featured in August.
For more information, e-mail amaralm@uab.edu or visit www.ypbirmingham.com.
Fun Run Raises Funds For Ovarian Cancer Research
The sixth annual Lori Johnson 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run begins at 8 a.m. Aug. 14 at Greystone Golf and Country Club. The event will benefit the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation, which promotes ovarian cancer awareness and research funding.
The foundation has raised more than $500,000 for research. Funding to date has benefited ovarian cancer research at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center under the direction of Dr. Ronald Alvarez and his associates.
The Lori Johnson Fun Run raised about $20,000 for ovarian cancer research in 2009 and included some 400 participants. The Red Cross will host a blood drive at the event.
Visit www.active.com to register online or e-mail cjohnson@greystonecc.com for a registration form
Society to Discuss Grave Dowsin
The Birmingham Genealogical Society will meet at Historic Oak Hill Cemetery July 24 from 2-3 p.m. The speaker will be Billy Wilborn of Gadsden. He will be showing the art of grave dowsin, a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, metals, gemstones and other objects without the use of a scientific apparatus.
Dowsin rods will be sold for $5 at the meeting.
