Gardendale Magazine - March 2026

IN PHOTOS

Chamber gala kicks year off PAGE 26

Strength in Community

Females in Action creates community through exercise PAGE 10

BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE

GHS cheer, Rockettes excel at nationals PAGE 22

Public Works: What You Need To Know

Every time you back out of your driveway in Gardendale, you touch the Public Works Department. Your driveway tie-in, the pipe under your driveway, stop signs, street markers, these are all done with quiet dedication by the Public Works Department.

What does Public Works do?

•We maintain roadways by patching potholes, driveway tie-ins, shoulders, and around mailboxes.

•Our brush trucks pick up tree trimmings and shrubbery cuttings that are placed near the curb or street. We also pick up leaves and pine straw placed in bags.

•Our leaf vacuum season begins November 1 and ends January 31. We pick up loose leaves our citizens have placed at curbside.

These are JUST A FEW of the ways that Public Works improves OUR CITY!

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 AM to 3 :30 PM

Office Address: 325 Main Street Gardendale, AL 35071

Contact Number: (205) 631-3394

/ About Us / On The Cover

Who We Are

Gardendale Magazine is published monthly by JBMC Media, a Birmingham-based publishing company. The magazine is available at more than 100 locations throughout Gardendale, free of charge, and is supported by the advertisers within the pages of this magazine. Subscriptions by mail area also available for $40 per year. Visit jbmcmedia.com/magazinesubscriptions to start your subscription.

Gardendale Magazine is 100% local; the stories and photos are all about the city of Gardendale, its residents, its businesses, its schools, and its cultural institutions. It’s our promise to you that we will always keep it this way, so that the content and stories are relevant to everyone who calls Gardendale home.

Staff

Matthew Allen, Publisher (205) 883-1877 | matthew@jbmcmedia.com

Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director (205) 613-7850 | rachel@jbmcmedia.com

Michelle Salem Haynes, Marketing Consultant (205) 381-1311 | michelle@jbmcmedia.com

Hollie Brown Community Events Editor | hollie@jbmcmedia.com

Anthony Bratina, Cover Designer

Shweta Bratina, Graphic Designer

Emily VanderMey Listo, Project Manager & Graphic Designer | emily@emilylisto.com

The women of the Gardendale Females in Action group–called the Steel Magnolias–meet three days a week to exercise and connect with other women.

The image on this cover is so special to me because I love to see women cheering on other women and that is what this group is all about. They meet three mornings a week to exercise together, but it’s so much more than just exercise–they support and encourage each other in all areas of their lives. The friendships bridge age, race, nationality, family situation and more, but they still come together several times a week to motivate each other. I hope everyone is able to find a community that supports them that way.

We also visited a practice for the very first Gardendale High School Winter Guard group before their season started. They won their first two competitions. Not a bad start for a brand new group. If you have never seen one of their competitions, I encourage you to go support them and see how talented these young ladies are.

I didn’t intend for this to be a “girl power” issue, but in the middle of production, the cheerleaders and Rockettes took Nationals by storm and won the third place trophy in the country in their classifications and we had to pull something together to honor those ladies, who have worked so hard going into this competition. When we caught up with them over the summer, I was astounded to find out how many hours of training they put in all summer and after school. Their hard work paid off!

Our next issue will feature the Magnolia Festival, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. We are proud to be sponsors and hope to see you at the festival this year.

Rachel Davis Karr, Content Director

Females in ACTION

STORY BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR

Three mornings a week, women of all ages, all over the city slip out of their warm beds, dress quietly in the dark and leave their homes. These women leave behind their sleeping children and husbands and head toward the high school.

They are the Steel Magnolias, the local branch of Females in Action. Each of the mornings they meet at 5:15 for their free, bootcamp-style workouts. The workouts vary depending on who is leading them, but are held outside unless the weather is extreme.

“We do burpees, push-ups, there’s actually a pullup bar behind the Civic Center, so we will go and do those,” group member Angela Terry said.” You know, in Gardendale, we’re blessed with all of the ways that you can work out outside. Just around the Civic Center, we’ve got the track and open spaces outside. There’s even big tires at the back of the Civic Center, so we’ll do tire flips. We’ve come

to be pretty creative. Also, Gardendale has a lot of hills and some hills aren’t easy to run on, but we do it.”

The group was founded in 2021 as a companion to the men’s group that was meeting in the area. Elisabeth Pate been there since the beginning.

“I have three kids, so it started off as trying to finish up losing the baby weight, and here we are five years later,” Elisabeth Pate, an original member of the group, said. “I love it. Of course, [I love] the workouts, but it’s really the people. It’s that you have a community, that you have ladies to do life with and they’re going through stuff, just like you.

The camaraderie is definitely one of the things that the members agree keeps them coming back. They also cite the accountability of committing to show up for the workouts as something that keeps them on track.

“Someone posts about, okay, ‘hey, I’m leading the workout in the morning, and you’re going to need your yoga mat and weights and stuff,’ and then what we post is called a ‘commit,’” Terry said. “And when we post a hard commit, that means ‘I’m coming,’ and ‘I have told all the people in this group, I’m going to be there.’ So, when you say that, it’s like, ‘okay, I’m going to set my alarm, I’m going to get up in the morning, and I’m going to go,’ and people check in on you. So just having that accountability to work out, and I’ll say like the workouts, like, I work out so much better with a group of people than I would on my own. I just push myself because there’s people there that I’m trying to keep up with. So we’re able to kind of just make each other better that way.”

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Local, licensed estheticians offering a full lineup of

• facials, oncology facials

• waxing full body, and permanent hair removal

• Hydra facial

• VI peel

• Procell aging service

• Medical grade services

• iS Clinical and Elta MD products available

• facials, oncology facials

• waxing full body, and permanent hair removal

• Microdermabrasion

• Hydra facial

• Dermaplane

• VI peel

• Oncology, American, & Korean Facials

• Procell aging service

• Microblading

• Medical grade services

• Lash Extensions

• iS Clinical and Elta MD products available

• Plasma Lyft

• Full Body Waxing

• Procell, Vi Peel

• Cryo therapy for weight loss or pain management

• Permanent Makeup

• 4D Baby Sonars

• Free Skin Analysis Consult

• Oxygen Dome Facial great

// Continued from Page 12 //

It’s definitely what drew one of the newest members to the group. Patricia Flores said she was looking for something to get her up and moving in the mornings and she found a perfect fit in the FiA group.

“I saw the ad on Facebook, and I was looking for something that would motivate me, get me up out of bed and going,” Flores said. “We have our own business, so we get up whenever and get to the office whenever, so I said, ‘no, I want to get up and do something.’”

The group members range from young moms to their oldest group member, Rose W Ashford, who is in her 70s.

“But if you see how fast she is, you’d never know it,” Terry laughs.

When group members have surgery or medical issues or just issues that arise in life, the others support and check on them because the group has forged friendships from virtual strangers.

“A lot of us would have never met otherwise, probably most of us actually,” Pate said.

The group meets in the parking lot of Gardendale High School at 5:15 a.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, reach out to a group member or find their group on Facebook at FiA Steel Magnolia.

City-Wide Spring Cleanup

Monday, April 13th through Friday, April 17th 2026

The City of Gardendale Public Works Department will offer a curbside pickup of household discards.

•Calls for pickup must be received by: 12:00pm on Wednesday, April 15th

•All items must be placed at curbside

•Discards such as used appliances, grills, TVs, old furniture etc. will be accepted

•Hazardous items such as paint, propane cylinders, tires, gas cans, insecticides, or household garbage will not be accepted

•Discarded refrigerators or freezers must be free of food products

• Building supplies such as roofing, lumber, fencing, bricks, etc. will not be accepted

• For your safety, only City of Gardendale workers should be allowed to collect items. No peddlers or junk collectors should be allowed access to your property or items on the right of way

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day

April 25, 2026 - 8:00AM to 11:30AM or until capacity is met.

Ammunition, appliances, batteries, electronics, household cooking grease, paint, paper shredding, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, prescription drugs, tires

*Jefferson County Residents Only *Verification of Residency Required *No Businesses Allowed to Participate

April 17 - Friday, 5PM-10PM Gardendale First Baptist Church (South Campus - Parking Lot)

• Midway Carnival

• 1 stage free live entertainment

• Food Vendors

April 18-Saturday, 10AM-5PM Gardendale Civic Center + GFBC

• 2 stages free live entertainment

• 160+ vendors

• 25+ Food Vendors

• Car Show

• Pooch Parade

• Free Kid Zone

• Free Art Classes

*Special assistance is available for elderly and disabled residents who need help getting items to the roadway - call 205-631-3394 for assistance. This is subject to supervisor approval. Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday!

• Ponies/Petting Zoo

Artisan Demonstrations: Pottery, Wool Spinning, and more!

Nutrishop Gardendale Ribbon Cutting

Nutrishop Gardendale, located at 616 Gayle Street, hosted its ribbon cutting in February. The business says it “...helps individuals like you achieve various health and fitness goals by offering top-quality dietary and nutritional supplements and services coupled with unparalleled personalized attention…” The joint ribbon cutting with the Gardendale Chamber of Commerce and North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce also hosted local businesses Merged Metal and Superfood Society, as well as giveaways and samplings.

Cunningham Dental to become Cunningham Hudson Dental, LLC

Cheri Cunningham Dental recently announced a name change to reflect a new partner. IN a press release on the topic, the practice announced:

“After thoughtful planning and collaboration, we are happy to announce that Dr. Amanda Hudson, who has been an associate dentist with us for nearly 7 years, will now be an official partner. As a result of this partnership, our practice name will be changing to Cunningham Hudson Dental, LLC.

We want to assure you that while our name is changing, everything else you know and trust about our office will remain the same. Dr. Cheri Cunningham will continue to stay with the practice and provide the same exceptional care you have come to expect. There will be no changes to your dental treatment, services, insurance participation, or the friendly team that cares for you.

Our commitment to excellence, comfort, and personalized dental care remains our highest priority. Most importantly, you—our patients—will always be our top priority. This partnership allows us to continue growing while maintaining the high standard of care and trusted relationships we have built over the years.”

Winter Guard shows off

STORY BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR

For the first time, Gardendale High School has a winter guard team that will compete around the state this year. In their first competition, they brought home a first place trophy in their category.

Sponsor Cotrena Moseley is new to Gardendale, but has been working with color guards and winter guards for decades..

“Gardendale has a really good band history,” Moseley said. “When I got here as their sponsor this year, I was like, ‘hey, have you ever thought about doing a winter guard?’ And some were like, ‘oh yeah, I’ve always wanted to try it. I’ve always wanted to do it.’

One roadblock to starting a winter guard was that a tarp is needed to cover the gym floor and each team must provide their own. The City of Gardendale stepped up and

purchased a tarp so the team could train and compete. During the winter guard competition, the team will have seven minutes to drag out and place the very heavy tarp, perform and remove the tarp from the floor again. This year, the team consists of eight members pulled from the color guard: Brooklyn Landers, Kali Settle, Danialle Crofoot, Kate Lewis, Claire Wills, Sophia Tidwell, McKenlie Boley and Willow Taylor.

“Winter guard gives the girls that are in color guard something extra to do after marching season is over,” Moseley said. “It helps them to get more into their creative side because it’s more artistic. It’s done inside, like on a gym floor. And it’s really just something that is going to give more girls, more opportunities to do things once the marching season is over. And like I said, it involves dance. It involves props. If you ever get to see a winter guard competition, it’s like a well-oiled machine. So, that was my main thing was to give them something extra to do and to have

them tap into their artistic side. So far we’re having fun.”

Part of that fun is creating a theme and telling a story that they don’t get to do with a regular color guard performance. In addition to the flags and rifles that are staples with color guard, winter guard teams can also include other items and solo dances and other more specialized opportunities to showcase creative and unique talents.

“It’s such a creative thing that a lot of people don’t really know about,” Moseley said.”And also what I found working with guards in all these years–the dancers, they have competitions that they can go to, the cheerleaders have competitions that they can go to. There’s no color guard competition outside of marching band. And so this gives us an opportunity to continue to just broaden the things that we do, to broaden the things that Gardendale High School offers their students to do.”

HOUSEHOLD DROP-OFF

2026 Events

March 14 9-11:30 AM

Electronics/TVs /Paper Shredding

Jefferson County Village Water Reclamation Facility 1440 Pleasant Hill Rd, Birmingham, 35224

April 25 8-11:30 AM

Household Hazardous Waste/ Electronics/TVs/Paper Shredding

Site 1: City of Bessemer Laydown Yard 1205 15th Ave N, Bessemer, 35020

Site 2: First Baptist Church of GardendaleSouth Location 940 Main St, Gardendale 35071

Site 3: Classic Car Motoring 3900 Grants Mill Rd, Irondale 35210

PLEASE SORT YOUR ITEMS USING THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES Electronics / TVs / Paper to Shred are ACCEPTED at

Electronics & TVs: Cable Boxes, Cameras, Cell phones, Computers, Cords, E-Cigarettes, Ink Toner, Cartridges, Laptops, Modems, Monitors, Printers, Remotes, Security Equipment, Small Appliances (co ee makers, hair dryers, irons, microwaves, toasters, vacuums) Tablets, Televisions, Smart Watches, Vapes

On-site Paper Shredding: Regular Paper (5 box limit). NO Binders, Clips, or Wet Paper

& Recyclables

Automotive: Batteries, Cleaners, Degreasers, Filters, Fluids, Fuel Additives, Gas, Oil, Rust Removers, and Tires without Rims – (8 tire limit)

Household: Aerosols, Batteries (every type), Ballasts, Chemicals, Cleaners, Fire

Extinguishers, First Aid, Gas Cylinders, Light Bulbs/Tubes, Smoke Alarms

Mercury: Mercury and Mercury-Containing Items (thermometers, thermostats)

Paint: Adhesives, Epoxy Fillers, Paints, Removers, Resins, Sealants, Stains, Solvents, Thinners, Turpentines, Varnishes, Wallpaper Cements

Large Appliances: Freezers, Machinery, Refrigerators, Water Heaters

*Rinsed Recyclables: Aluminum Cans, Glass Bottles, PET #1 and HDPE #2 Plastics

Asbestos, Explosives, Medical Waste, PCBs, Radioactive/Unidentified Materials

“I’ve seen some shows where they are using huge props,” Moseley continued. “We’re not using huge props this time because it is our first time. But as we grow, our ideas will grow, our creativity will grow.”

“It does require a lot of practice time for the girls, a big time commitment from them because some days after school, we’re practicing 2 hours, some days, we may be practicing 4 hours,” Moseley said. “It is a different type of choreography and there is movement involved in it. It’s like they have a drill like they do on the field, but it’s on a basketball court. That’s pretty much our field, and like I said, it’s a lot of fun, but the girls are passionate. Everybody who does this, they’re very passionate about it. It definitely lets them express themselves in a different way than they do on the field. And, I think more people should experience it and get behind it.”

“These kids are amazing, because there’s so much that goes into it,” Moseley continued. “They practice just as hard as anybody else. It does take endurance and strength, because we have a tarp that weighs hundreds of pounds.We have to put on and take it off all within that 7 minutes as well. I think a lot of people don’t see that side of it. They just say, ‘oh, you all do that flag flippity thing,” but these kids are athletes. They are, they’re athletes.”

Moseley was assisted by two other young ladies who did not compete with Gardendale, but who have done winter guard before and currently compete with independent teams.

NATIONAL HONORS

Rockettes and Cheer Teams win big

STORY BY RACHEL DAVIS KARR

This year, Gardendale High School’s Cheerleaders and Rockettes teamed up at the National School Spirit Championship in Orlando to compete in the Large Varsity Spirit Program Game Day competition. The team came away with a bronze medal–signifying the team as the third best team in the country. The Rockettes also brought home a second bronze medal in the Varsity High Kick competition.

Before they ever went to Orlando, the sponsors of both teams were excited for this year’s competition and eager to compete in the new Spirit Program competition.

“This group of girls is something special,” cheer sponsor Olivia Smith said. “There is no disconnect whatsoever, our leaders are amazing. They are very driven, and they have their eye on the goal. Which then carries over to the other girls.”

“We hope that by doing these fun things, it will make people want to cheer for Gardendale,” varsity cheer sponsor Christen Landrum said. “I honestly think it has helped.”

Angela Morgan, the Rockettes sponsor, was also excited going into the competition, partly because

// Continued on Page 25 //

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her team was special to her, especially with almost half of the team in their last year at GHS.

“They have been with me since they were freshmen,” Morgan said. “They are the first group I have had all the way through, so they are my babies. They really are so precious. They are the sweetest girls. They don’t give me any trouble, and they work so hard.”

The Rockettes competed for the first time at nationals last year, finishing fourth. This year they added the new Spirit Program routine and improved their kick routine to third.

The Rockettes will now start gearing up for their fundraiser for Easter, called “Egg My Yard.” These fundraisers help fund competitions and trips like this one to nationals.

1011 Main Street

Gardendale, AL

(205) 651-4350

FULTONDALE

3471 Lowery Parkway, Suite 107

Fultondale, AL

(205) 849-6566

Shepherds Pie

In The Kitchen with Kathleen Phillips

Kathleen Phillips is a food blogger, food stylist, cookbook author, and former Oxmoor House test kitchen director (Southern Living cookbooks). On her food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, she creates Southern shortcut recipes. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. Food Blogger, GritsAndGouda.com

Shepherds Pie is one of my family’s favorite weeknight dinners. Sometimes I’ll make it with leftover veggies and gravy from a big Sunday dinner or Easter dinner. I start by layering the vegetables and ground beef and top it off with a cloud of mashed potatoes. One of the shortcuts is to use my favorite store-bought carton of gravy-not the powdered package.

Technically, Shepherds Pie is made with lamb, otherwise, it’s called Cottage Pie. Here in Alabama, I make it with ground beef , venison and even turkey or chicken. Next time you’re making mashed potatoes, make extra to plan ahead for Shepherds Pie.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground chuck (venison or turkey)

¾ cup chopped onion

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (12 ounce) package frozen peas and carrots, thawed and drained

½ cup green beans

½ whole corn

1 (12 ounce ) carton Beef Gravy (McCormick) or 1 1/4 cups gravy

3 cups cooked mashed potatoes

¾ cup preshredded Cheddar, Colby Jack or other cheese (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook ground chuck, onion, salt and pepper together in a large (10- to 12-inch) cast iron or oven-proof skillet 12 minutes, stirring often, until browned.

Drain in a colander, if using 70/30 beef, and return to the skillet.

Add vegetables and gravy to the skillet and stir well. If you are not using an oven proof skillet, transfer meat mixture into a casserole or baking dish.

Stir together mashed potatoes and half the cheese, if using. Dollop the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture.

Tip: If your mashed potatoes are cold, warm them in the microwave. Spread the mashed potatoes to the edge of the skillet or casserole dish.

Sprinkle the remaining half of cheese over the potatoes, if using cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until gravy is bubbly around the edges.

Home Improvement with Matt Weber

Matt Weber is editor of Home Improvement & Repairs magazine based in Birmingham, Alabama. Find more at www.homeimprovementandrepairs.com.

Wake Up Your Lawn for Spring

With spring approaching, your lawn should soon turn green again. The warm season turfgrass typical of lawns in the Southeastern United States will soon come out of dormancy by mid-April or early May. Common warm season varieties include Zoysia, St. Augustine, Bermuda, and Centipede, and these grasses typically go dormant when the temperature drops below 65º F.

Grasses come out of dormancy differently depending on the environment and temperatures in the area. For example, lawns down in South Florida may never enter dormancy at all during the winter, and many homeowners who live there will mow their lawn bi-weekly throughout the season.

WEED CONTROL

For weed problems, consider an herbicide application before spring. Mid-February is the best time for the first pre-emergent application in Central Alabama, and then a second application 60 days later. Pre-emergents, as the name suggests, are herbicides that you should apply before weeds surface from the ground, so if your lawn

experiences the same kind of weed problem year after year, a pre-emergent could be a good solution. Weeds are usually categorized by grassy weeds or broadleaf weeds, and many herbicide products will state on their label which types of weeds they treat.

However, pre-emergent products never prevent 100 percent of the weeds, so spot spraying with a post-emergent product (dependent on grass type) can also help with weed control. Consistency is crucial for the most thorough weed control, so experts recommend developing an annual program for your lawn.

TIME TO FERTILIZE

Fertilizing a lawn promotes healthy roots and the return of green leaf blades, but it should not be applied until the last frost has hit. For most of Alabama, experts recommend waiting to fertilize warm season turf until May. The only exception is St. Augustine grass in South Alabama where nitrogen can be applied in April.

Fertilizers are available in granular and liquid versions, and your local garden-supply

center should be able to recommend a springseason formula for your type of grass.

If you notice spots of brown or straw-like grass while the rest of your lawn comes out of dormancy, this might be a sign of lawn disease. Avoid applying fertilizer to a lawn with disease because the nitrogen in the fertilizer will feed the disease and worsen the problem. Apply a systemic fungicide first and wait several weeks before following with a fertilizer application.

FIRST MOW OF THE SEASON

Mowing heights vary for each grass type, but according to experts, one rule applies for all of them: Never remove more than a third of the leaf blade during a single mowing to avoid stressing the plant. If your grass gets too long, gradually lower the blade over several mowings.

A good tip for spring is to make sure your lawnmower blades are sharpened so they neatly slice through the grass leaves instead of ripping them, which could cause damage that leads to lawn disease.

WATERING REGIMEN

Dormant, warm season turfgrass doesn’t need much water until the active growing season kicks in. (The lawn will still need some water, but the rainfall Alabama gets over winter is usually enough to sustain dormant turf). Once the grass starts to green-up from winter dormancy, you should resume watering the lawn with about one inch of water per week including rainfall (spread over two to three waterings).

Follow these tips to help revive your dormant grass into a healthy green lawn ready for summer activities.

Special thanks to Bethany O’Rear of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System who contributed to this article.

City Employee Spotlight

JOSH HOWELL AUTO TECHNICIAN, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Every day, Josh Howell works hard to make sure the citizens of Gardendale receive the services that keep the city running smoothly–brush and leaf pickup, roadway maintenance, litter pickup, grass cutting, ditches cleared of debris and so much more. The Public Works Department is largely responsible for the things that people only notice if they stop getting done. Howell spends most of his days in the shop, keeping the various machines that serve citizens up and running.

“We do all the maintenance and repair on heavy equipment, large trucks, limb loaders, dump trucks, backhoes, all of our equipment,” Howell said. “We’ll also do stuff for the park and fire department. with maybe some of their utility vehicles, their lawnmowers and stuff like that.”

Howell has been with the city since he was 18–starting in Public Works as part of the litter crew just two months after he graduated high school, and spending 10 years working various jobs on the streets before moving into the shop almost 12 years ago.

With more than 21 years of experience in the Public Works Department, Howell is still just the fifth most senior employee in the department–a testament to employees and their devotion to serving the citizens by ensuring their jobs are done. Howell said that he and his coworkers take their service personally–getting as frustrated as the residents when services are delayed by broken machinery. To prevent that whenever possible, they work year-round to ensure the equipment is serviced and maintained to keep it as reliable as possible. He said they also have opportunities to advise the department head and city leaders on purchasing new equipment, which gives them more of a feeling of ownership in the department and its operations.

“I will say the city’s been good to me, but I’ve tried to be a good employee too,” Howell said. “I’ve already worked for the city for over half of my life. And I feel like I’ve put so much toward it. That’s one reason why I care

about it–because I’ve invested so much of my life into it. I care about the department that I’m in–and the whole city in general.”

When he’s not working, Howell spends time outside, either working at his landscaping business part time or building or fixing something. He also spends a lot of time with his wife of almost 14 years and their two children.

Libby Liberty visits GES

Libby Liberty jumped off her pedestal to greet second graders of Gardendale Elementary School.

SRES Rocks

Snow Rogers Elementary School’s first grade students spent time in class talking about rocks and minerals. Mrs. Ware’s class talked about the three different types of rocks; sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Her class created a rock garden out of river rocks which are sedimentary rocks.

Bragg Students of the Month

Congratulations to the Bragg Middle School January Students of the Month. These students were chosen by their teachers for their hard work, a great display of character and their willingness to go above and beyond. Students of the Month are treated to lunch, courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings in Gardendale and given gift certificates, courtesy of Sonic.

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

• 6th Grade - Myles Berry & Vivian Hughes

• 7th Grade - Cam Owens & Haddie Bearden Thomas

• 8th Grade - Acelyn Little & Kylie McDermott

Bragg Miss Reflections

Miss Reflections 2026 drew a large group of young women to the stage recently.

GES Robotics wins big

Two of Gardendale Elementary School’s robotics teams won awards. Team 860 A won their competitions–winning the Excellence Award and the Skills Award their way into the state. Team 860 C also won the Innovate Award.

Morris donates to youth association and fire chief association

Morris donated $4,000 to the Morris Youth Association and $4,000 to the Central Alabama Fire Chief’s association for their ongoing charity works. The funds came from the recently-held Chili Fest.

Fultondale Firefighter completes Smoke Diver Course

Fultondale Firefighter Paramedic Camren Wood successfully passed the Alabama Smoke Diver Course, widely recognized as the most mentally and physically demanding firefighter program in the state. Less than 1% of Alabama firefighters earn the Smoke Diver designation. With this achievement, Fire/Medic Wood joins six other Fultondale Firefighter Smoke Divers, placing him among an elite group who chose to hold themselves to a higher personal standard. This certification is not a department requirement. It’s a commitment earned through grit, discipline, and the refusal to quit when it gets hard.

Morris officers promoted and recognized

Morris Police Department recognized Sergeant Chris Thompson for exhibiting great leadership skills, not only while working with his peers, but also while engaging with the community. Sergeant Thompson was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on January 26, 2026. He brings with him a vast amount of experience from the Birmingham Police Department where he served as a patrol sergeant, task force sergeant, and a supervisor in BPD’s Real Time Crime Center.

Fultondale Senior Center celebrates Valentine’s Day

The Fultondale Senior Center hosted Valentine’s Day fun to celebrate the holiday.

Morris Senior Center announces Valentine’s

announced

North Jefferson Chamber hosts February Luncheon

The February Chamber Luncheon featured guest speaker Matthew Scully.

Urgent Care coming to Morris

Family First Urgent Care recently announced it will be coming to the old Doss Drugs/Payless in Morris. No opening date has been announced at this time.

Alabama Farm Center selected as “Project and Place to Watch in 2026”

The Alabama Farm Center (the property formerly known as Hallmark Farms) has been selected by the Birmingham Business Journal as one of the Top 10 “Projects and Places to Watch in 2026.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

2026 Women in Business Luncheon

The 2026 Women in Business Luncheon will be Thursday, April 2, 2026 at the Fultondale Event Center at 11:30.

The speaker will be Heidi Elnora–an Alabama-based fashion designer, entrepreneur, preservationist and motivational speaker whose career has beautifully blended creativity, craftsmanship and purpose. Known nationally from Project Runway and TLC’s Bride By Design, Heidi has built a nearly two-decade legacy rooted in fearless vision and heartled leadership. Now, she’s bringing that same energy and inspiration to our Women in Business stage with a powerful Pep Talk designed to encourage women to live boldly, lead intentionally, and build legacy with purpose. For more information, reach out to the North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce.

Accepting Founders Day Vendors

The annual Fultondale Founders Day event, scheduled for August 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Black Creek Park, is now accepting vendor applications. Reach out to the North Jefferson Chamber of Commerce for more information. This family-friendly community festival features live music, a car show, a free kids zone, arts & crafts, and thousands of attendees—an amazing opportunity to showcase your business! Food trucks are NOT included — food vendors are by invitation only. All vendors should carefully review the rules and requirements before applying.

Impact Book Festival 2026

The Impact Arts Council and Matt Weber will host the Impact Book Festival on April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2980 Hawkins Lane in Fultondale.

Attention all book lovers and avid readers! Come celebrate the written word at the second annual IMPACT BOOK FESTIVAL! Hosted by the Impact Arts Council, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit, this year’s festival will offer free admittance to the public, exciting speakers, food and refreshments and books for all people of all ages.

Last year, the event hosted more than 55 regional authors and book vendors of all genres, and this year it’sgrowing even larger. Author registration is now open and filling up fast, so mark your calendar and tell all your friends. Authors and vendors can apply at this address: https://www.impactartscouncil.org/impact-book-festival

Alabama Jubilee Square Dancing Event

The Alabama Jubilee square dance is March 27-28, 2026, at the BSDA Hall in Fultondale. This will be the73rd annual Alabama Jubilee. Local clogging group, Clog Wild, will perform on Friday night. There will also be round dancing and line dancing. Tickets are $ during presale and $25 at the door. Tickets for just Friday night are $10 and Saturday are $15.

Gardendale City Council recognizes Allstars

The Gardendale City Council recently honored the outstanding achievement of our Gardendale 12U Allstars. The team was undefeated in the World Series Blue Bracket held in Baton Rouge, LA. The team also placed 2nd in the Hayden Regionals Tournament Gold Bracket and 2nd Place in the Allstar Warmup Tournament.

Their winning season can be credited to the commitment of the coaching staff, including Brady Richardson, Craig Harris, Garrett Finnen, Jean-Garry Olivier Jr, Trevor Martin, and Zack Hays, and but primarily to the hard work, determination and team spirit of the members of the team which include: Caysen Hays, EJ Morgan, Jake Richardson, Kyler Hill, Corbin Beatty, JJ Olivier III, Shawn Fields, Grayson Webster, Jakobe Johnson, Liam Lumpkin and Carter Allen.

Golden Eagles Olive Garden Visit

The Gardendale Golden Eagles met at Olive Garden. The Gardendale Golden Eagles meet on the second Friday of the month at the Gardendale Senior Center beginning at 12:15 pm and ending at 1:30 pm. The group is open to anyone 55 or older.

Rotary Club of North Jefferson hosts County Commissioner

Rotary Club of North Jefferson had Joe Knight, Jefferson County Commissioner (District 4) as guest speaker at its recent meeting. Commissioner Knight spoke of Jefferson County’s rich history and of its role in the industrial age of the state of Alabama. Knight is pictured here with the club’s current president, Mark Barber.

Hogeland attends event with youth

Mayor Stan Hogeland was recently invited to attend “Lunch with Elected Officials” with students from across the Birmingham metro area. Two students from Gardendale High School, Azan Woods-Crenshaw and Elise Miles, attended with Hogeland.

According to the group’s website: “As the youth arm of Leadership Birmingham, Youth Leadership Birmingham is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of civic leaders. This year’s class comprises 38 outstanding sophomores and juniors representing 20 schools across the Birmingham-Jefferson County area. These students are eager to learn about government, public service, and the responsibilities of civic leadership.”

Citizen of the Year named at banquet

Serra Kia General Manager speaks to Chamber of Commerce Luncheon

Serra Kia General Manager Andy Fisher spoke to the Gardendale Chamber of Commerce luncheon about things that work (and things that don’t) in the social media world.

The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce recently named Patricia Northcutt as Ambassador of the Year, Cumulus Media as New Member of the Year, Papa Johns Pizza as Business of the Year, Holly Fryar as Board Member of the Year and Bill Casaday as Citizen of the Year.

St. Patrick’s Day Dance

The Arts in Gardendale will host a St. Patrick’s Day Dance on March 7, 6-8 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center. Charlie G Band brings dance music for all ages.

The Great Gardendale Yard Sale

On Sunday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Bill Noble Park will host a Great Gardendale Yard Sale. Vendors can register online at billnoblepark.recdesk.com.

Iron City 2026 Diecast Show & Hot Wheels Race

The 2026 Iron City Diecast Show and Hote Wheels Race will be Saturday, March 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gardendale Baptist Tabernacle Gym, located at 2649 Decatur Highway in Gardendale. The free, family-friendly event will feature a diecast show with opportunities to buy, sell, and trade, along with Hot Wheels downhill races. Kids’ races begin at 11:30 a.m., followed by the adult race, with a limit of five unopened Hot Wheels cars per person; adult race entry is $1 per car, with payouts to the top three finishers. Vendor tables are available for $10 each, must be reserved in advance, and are limited to four per vendor, with personal tables allowed by prior notice. All table fees and donations will directly benefit the Gardendale Baptist Tabernacle Youth Group.

Spring Into Girl Scouts

A local event where girls can explore hands-on activities, meet other girls their age, and discover all the ways Girl Scouts helps girls grow, lead and try new things. Try new activities and make new friends. The meeting will be March 7 2:30-3:30 p.m. at New Castle Methodist Church.

North Jefferson Republican Patriots

The North Jefferson Republican Patriots will meet March 19 6:30-8 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center.

Dreamchasers

A new program for kids grades 3-5 at the Gardendale Public Library will teach the magic of theatre through a variety of engaging activities, performing arts, educational games and creative exercises. This club is designed to build confidence, improve teamwork, and develop self-expression in a fun and supportive environment. It is $40 per month, with a discount for more than one child and if all paid in advance. Held every Thursday 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Golden Eagles

The Gardendale Golden Eagles meet on the second Friday of the month at the Gardendale Senior Center beginning at 12:15 pm and ending at 1:30 pm. The group is open to anyone 55 or older and features lunch speakers and fun day trips.

Library Food Pantry

Our library food pantry always need the following items: hearty soups/stews/chili, varieties of canned chicken/tuna/ham, singlesized and normal cereal, granola type bars, fruit cups, peanut butter, jelly, oatmeal/grits packets, pasta and Alfredo and other sauces and any toiletries. We take food only if it is not outdated and not opened.

Stock Little Free Library

Help us stock our Little Free Library! We are in need of children’s and young adult books in good to perfect condition to stock our Little Free Library (LFL) located by the soccer fields off of Fieldstown Road.

Donations can be placed directly in the LFL or you can bring them to the front desk at the library.

Historical Museum Hours

The Kermit E. Dooley Gardendale Historical Museum (170 Bell Street) will be open to the public every Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museum is maintained and operated by the Gardendale Historical Society.

MyGardendale

For a complete list of events and happenings, visit MyGardendale.com to see an interactive calendar.

To have an item added to our calendar, please send information to rachel@jbmcmedia.com.