A rewarding part of this job is the mentoring aspect–helping folks find the areas where they excel and watching them thrive. Obviously I try to do this everyday for those around me. Having been in the industry for a long while, I will also get calls from people looking to make a move, and not …
About 6 months ago, the president of a local public university made the decision to end the UAB Football team. The result was an unprecedented rally of support for the school, and the #freeuab movement. You can’t drive down a local highway without seeing multiple bumper stickers supporting the UAB campaign. Truth is, some sports …
This week, these pictures came to me from one of our leads, Scott Priestley. He’s working with a teacher to put finishing touches on a Heart of America READesign library makeover at West Manor Elementary in Atlanta. It’s the 10th one we’ve completed, and they just keep getting better. Our folks have been involved …
Impressive things are happening in the “Black Belt” town of Greensboro, Alabama. The area was named for its rich topsoil when cotton was king, and is now facing a variety of challenges. For the last few years, a grassroots group of folks from around the nation have focused their efforts down South, inciting change in …
Weather models get it right most of the time. Every once in a while, a forecast misses the mark, as happened this week in Birmingham, Atlanta, and in between. We were expecting only a light dusting of snow, with any significant impact headed south of us. Midday, the weather pattern veered north and the roads iced within …
I must admit that I had never heard the term “pay it forward” until earlier this week. To those not familiar, the idea is that when someone does a good deed, you repay it by helping someone else. With Thanksgiving at hand, it seemed a most appropriate thing to hear. At the conclusion of a …
Recently, I participated in a working panel concerning urban growth and development. Led by Roger Millar of Smart Growth America, it highlighted the Portland Streetcar Initiative, with the idea of bringing something similar to our city. The smart growth concept is intended to combat the idea of suburban sprawl “building urban or suburban and rural communities …
There is a new structure in our campus garden. Like most things around here, it has a story. Green beans need a little guidance to grow properly. You’ve heard of “pole beans?” They got their name from their supports. When our beans started to get gangly, our gardener Sam suggested we call his friend Lily …
I often hear coworkers referred to as your “work family” and it’s true. We spend a lot of time with our team. Just like family, we may have a few disagreements–where to go for lunch that day, or whose turn it is to empty the community dishwasher–but when it comes to supporting the arts, I’m …
This is the fourth year for our Community Garden. What started with a few tomato plants has expanded to fruit trees and a much larger vegetable patch. New additions this year include: Two large mounded beds. “Melon Mountain” will include six varieties of melons; “Squash Mountain” will be home to 5 varieties of squash and a …
When mapping out our corporate campus back in 2006, we allowed for expansion space in the floor plan. It seemed like a smart move for a growing company, and I stand by the decision. However, challenges the economy has presented the last few years mean the extra space did not fill up as quickly as we anticipated. …
Last fall, we broke ground on a project that was more than special. It’s an honor. Independent Living Resources provides community-based, non-residential services and advocacy for those living with disabilities. The new location we are building in Birmingham’s Civil Rights District seems more than fitting. As IRL Executive Director Dan Kessler, told The Birmingham News, …