June-July 2010 - Episcopal Place

X P Echo
A Publication for Friends and Residents of Episcopal Place
JUNEJUNE-JULY, 2010
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 3
2010 Gumbo Gala Nets
$32,000 for EP Residents
For the third time in five years, Robert Regard of Crazy
Cajuns’ Boiling Pot won the top professional award on May 8
at Episcopal Place’s annual gumbo cook-off, Gumbo Gala.
Regard’s newest trophy will be placed next to those won in
2005, the fundraising event’s inaugural year, and in 2006.
Winning first place in the amateur division was Butt Patrol, a Hoover cook-off team usually found competing in barbecue contests. The team from Church of the Ascension won
the contest’s newest category, Most Divine Gumbo, which
was created for teams from area churches. Other winners in
the annual fundraising event were:
Agnew Hall (center), owner of Ezell’s
Catfish Cabin, was title sponsor for
the event. Serving as emcees were
(from left) Jeannine Jersey and Rob
Conrad of Magic 96.5 Radio.
Amateur Division, 2nd Place - Starnes and Atchison
Amateur Division, 3rd Place - Gumbo Sharks from Johnston,
Barton, Proctor & Rose
Spirit Award - Gumbo Gurus from Business Electronics
Chef's Choice, Seafood - Jubilee Joe's
Chef's Choice, Speciality - Cathedral Church of the Advent
Chef's Choice, Chicken/Sausage - WearTek
People's Choice Award – Mary Maker's from St. Mary's-onthe-Highlands
(continued on Page 2)
Tim Blanton (left), Executive Director of Episcopal Place, presents
the top trophy to Robert Regard (center) and his team from the
Crazy Cajuns’ Boiling Pot restaurant in Inverness. Below, Birmingham City Councilwoman Valerie Abbott with event volunteers.
EP Earns Highest Rating on Inspection
Episcopal Place recently
received a Superior Rating on
its Management Occupancy
Review conducted by the Jefferson County Housing Authority.
A Superior Rating is the
highest rating that a HUD facility (U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development) can receive. The in-
spection includes a desk review and on-site review of
resident files, rent calculations, fair housing issues and
general record keeping. EP
Occupancy Specialist Linda
Mahoney-Reece has direct
responsibility for those functions, assisted by Janice Orise,
Administrative Assistant.
Business Sponsors
Ezell’s Catfish Cabin
Supreme Beverage Company
Pelham Financial
The Caring Foundation of
Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of Alabama
Borland Benefield, PC
Maynard Cooper & Gale
Medical Properties Trust
St. Martins-in-the-Pines
The Thompson Foundation
BancorpSouth
BREC Development Co.
B.L. Harbert International
Commercial Floor Care
Estes Automotive Center
Elisabeth French, Attorney
Hallmark Builders
Harbin Discount Pharmacy
Lake View Personal Fitness
Little Hardware
William G. Noland /Noland
Elder Law
Regions Bank
S & W Electric
SPM, LLC
Whole Foods Market—
Mountain Brook
WideNet Consulting
Amedisys
Fetch! PetCare
Mac-Gray Laundry Systems
MediRest
McMahon & Kelly, P.C.
New Beacon Hospice
Royal Cup Coffee
Senior Resource Guide
Shaw Carpet Contract
Group
Target Investment Group
CraneWorks
2010 GUMBO GALA
Page 2
Over 1,000 people enjoyed
gumbo cooked by 30 teams in this
year’s fundraising event, held in
Caldwell Park and presented by
Ezell’s Catfish Cabin, the title sponsor. Nearly $32,000 in proceeds
from the event will be used to
help pay for vital support services
at Episcopal Place (EP), an affordable housing community for seniors and young adults with special
needs. Services such as noon
meals, subsidized housekeeping, EP Board President Katy Smith (left) with EP
residents Ramona Bozeman and Nolena
health screenings, pastoral care,
and planned social activities help McBrayer.
residents to live independently for
as long as possible in EP’s affordable housing community.
“This event was started five years
ago in honor of several residents
who came to live at Episcopal
Place after surviving Hurricane
Katrina in New Orleans,” said Tim
Blanton, executive director of
Episcopal Place. “Thanks to great
support from the community,
Gumbo Gala has grown into a
lively event with great gumbo
and entertainment, and all proceeds go to support a worthwhile
cause.”
Tim Rogers and Phil Kaiser of Butt Patrol (above)
won 1st place in the Amateur Division. Right, the
cook-off team from
Church of the Ascension
won the award for “Most
Divine Gumbo”, a category created for the seven
Episcopal churches who
competed in the event.
All Gumbo Gala photos courtesy of Bill Dixon Photography
Cook-off Teams
Crazy Cajuns’ Boiling Pot
Page 3
2010 GUMBO GALA
Ezell’s Catfish Cabin
Garage Café
Hummingbird Catering
Jubilee Joe’s
Michael’s Steak and Seafood
Muddbug’s Gourmet Foods
Sodexo
Ted’s Restaurant/GEMAS
Jo Mudd (at left)
of Muddbug’s
Gourmet Foods
serves up cups of
gumbo at her
team’s tent as
event attendees
enjoy gumbo and
live jazz music.
Alarm
Blue Ocean Technologies
Burch Corp./Cajun Cleaver
Business Electronics
CareFusion
Cathedral Church of the
Advent
Rob Conrad of Magic 96.5 and his wife, Fran,
brought with them Dickie the tortoise and
their three dogs (below).
Church of the Ascension
55th Place Thrift Shop
Terry Chapman (back) and his
team from Business Electronics
won the Spirit Award for tent
décor and team enthusiasm.
Below is John Pelham, event
committee chairman, with his
daughter, Lena, and her dog.
Fire Department Firehouse
Steamers
Danny Hayden Team
Johnston, Barton, Proctor
& Rose
Robinson-Adams Insurance
Team Ennis
Butt Patrol Team
Event judges (below) tasted lots of gumbo in
their quest to choose category winners.
Snap Fitness
St. Mary’s on-theHighlands
St. Stephens Episcopal
Church
St. Thomas Episcopal
Church
Starnes & Atchison
WearTek
Wednesday Morning Sinners/Robbie D. Wood, Inc.
Episcopal Place is a faith-based not-for-profit housing community. We are federally subsidized
operating under the regulations of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). We serve individuals or couples that are 62 years or older who meet annual income guidelines set by HUD and individuals or couples that are 19 years or older if mobility impaired, blind or deaf and that meet
annual income guidelines set by HUD. Serving Birmingham since 1980.
1112 26th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35205
Mission
Statement
The Mission
of Episcopal
Place is to
provide to
senior and
disabled
adults with
restricted
Telephone: 205-939-0085
Fax: 205-939-0101
Kresge Foundation Funds
New Theatre Program
EP Receives Grant from
Community Foundation
Episcopal Place will
receive $10,000 in grant
funding from The Kresge
Foundation to develop a
new theatre arts program
in conjunction with The
Virginia Samford Theatre
and The Seasoned Performers theatre group for
seniors.
The goals of the program are to use theatre
arts to improve the quality of life for EP residents
James McCrary from
The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (center) recently presented a check for
$10,000 to Katy Smith (on
left), EP Board President,
and Tim Blanton (on right),
Executive Director. The
general operating grant
will be used to help fund
EP’s development program.
and to project a positive
view of aging in the community. The program will
serve 20 residents through
acting classes and theatre
arts encounters and will
culminate in several community performances.
income, safe
and
affordable
Residents Attend Rallies To Support
Public Transportation Improvements
housing and
access to
related
services in a
homehome-like
environment
EP residents have become strong advocates
for increasing federal funding to improve public transportation. Residents recently attended rallies in
Birmingham and Montgomery to
lobby for expanded bus routes and
improved operation. Many EP residents use
public transportation because they no longer
drive or own a car or because they use handicapaccessible transportation.
(Photo below) Jamie Cherry,
Margaret Klock, Ellis Hyche,
Rene Latterade and Paul
Thrasher attended a local
rally with civil rights activist
Jesse Jackson (top photo).
DRIVERS
NEEDED
Several volunteers are
needed to drive
residents (who
do not drive) to
the grocery
store. Time
commitment is
once a week,
12:30 - 2:30,
day of the week
is flexible. Contact Tracy at tpodraza @ episcopalplace.org or
939-0085.
Op e rat e d by Epi sc op a l H ous in g F oun dat ion, Inc . & Epi sc op a l H ous ing of B ir ming ha m, In c.