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...]
The Prep Isn’t That Bad: Local Survivor Does His Part to Spread Awareness of Colorectal Cancer
By Emily Williams This month of March is dedicated to Colon Cancer Awareness, but survivor Dan Anderson finds time to share his story throughout the year. His diagnosis came as quite a surprise, so he works to spread the word about colorectal cancer screenings to get more people to pay attention to their bodies’ inner workings. Growing up in Homewood, Anderson started out … [Read more...]
Positively Fun: MBHS Student Gains National Recognition for Reviving School’s Circle of Friends
By Emily Williams Junior year has been a bit of a juggling act for Mountain Brook High School student Elizabeth “Ellie” Lipp. Her laundry list of commitments includes her schoolwork, competitive Irish dancing, college searching, SAT/ ACT test-taking, volunteering with the YWCA’s social justice program and maintaining membership with the school’s Heritage Panel, the Latin Club … [Read more...]
Smiles All Around: Smile-A-Mile Cuts Ribbon on First Free-Standing Facility
Smile-A-Mile staff, friends and families of pediatric cancer patients gathered March 16 to cut the ribbon on the organization’s first building that is all its own. The new facility, which will continue to serve pediatric cancer patients, survivors and their families, first opened Feb. 6 and is located in Birmingham’s Parkside District just blocks away from Children’s of … [Read more...]