Community Member of the Year 2015 nominees

Homewood is full of people making a difference in our community, and we need your help to give them the recognition they deserve. Visit thehomewoodstar.com/award to vote. Voting ends on March 8.

Susie Ankenbrandt

Young Life Area Administrator

Susie works very hard to lead the Homewood Middle School Wyldlife team. She makes such an incredible impact in the lives of so many Homewood Middle School kids. She is so caring, selfless and loyal!

Willie Chriesman

Owner of Chriesman & Associates, Inc

Willie is dedicated to the community and serves on several nonprofit boards including the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (¡HICA!). He offers his time and expertise in marketing and communication to each of these organizations. He is an advocate for diversity, inclusion and leadership development.

Jake Collins

History Teacher and Coach, Homewood Middle School

Jake is the creator of the Homewood History Hunt, which has involved his students in learning about the Homewood community. This program has created a renewed interest in the history of the community for all ages.

Misti Cooper

Owner of La Bamba Mexican Grill

Misti and her husband, Pete, take the lead on sponsoring and marketing Edgewood Night Out, Edgewood Elementary’s monthly fundraiser. Misti also volunteers her time with Homewood Youth Cheer, The Bell Center and The Service Guild of Birmingham.

Steven D. Davis

Founder of On River Time

For three years now, Steve has taken children with histories of abuse and neglect on an all-expense paid fly fishing journey to Idaho’s Snake River. He started On River Time as a way to encourage others who have suffered, usually at the hand of family members, to regain trust, self-esteem and the ability to dream big. 

Liz Ellaby

Homewood at Large Blog Editor/Founder

Over two years ago, Liz started a blog (HomewoodAtLarge.worldpress.com) to report on all official Homewood city meetings on the same night as the meeting and recruited volunteers to attend the meetings and write up the results of all votes. 

Rachel Estes

Director of Outreach, Canterbury United Methodist Church

Rachel does so much for the Homewood community. She works mostly behind the scenes, connecting people to causes in need or causes to people in need. Her work as outreach director is part of why Canterbury is so successful.

Betsy Goldstein

BodyJam and BodyAttack Instructor, Shades Valley YMCA

Every Monday, I look forward to working out at the SVYMCA all because of sweet Betsy. Betsy has a love for people that shows through her shining smile and her dedication to bringing joy to others be it through dance, aerobics or her kind nature of generosity. 

Heather Hallman

Community Volunteer

Heather is a dedicated, selfless volunteer who spends every moment concerned about others around her. She works with The Bell Center and Sims Garden, and supports any and every activity, resident concern and merchant that her husband represents in the city as a Ward One councilman without any acclaim or reward. 

Amber Kelley

Edgewood Community Connection Facebook Page Founder 

Amber volunteers her time daily to Edgewood school and the community. She is constantly keeping residents abreast on happenings via social media pages she manages and volunteers for various community charities.

Amy McRae

Homewood City Schools Foundation Director

Amy has provided outstanding leadership for the Homewood City Schools Foundation. She helped coordinate with the board a first annual Homewood Grown event and helped create a new website that promotes and highlights what the foundation does to give back to all five schools.

Ron Pence

Homewood High School Band Director

Ron’s leadership and guidance touches a full one third of the Homewood High School students. His charisma and dedication to the band has made so many kids want to join and thus he has imparted a love of music to students who otherwise would have no exposure to the world of music. 

Paula Smalley

Teacher, Clergy Spouse, Active Mom, Community Leader

Paula is a giver who has advocated for Homewood as a neighborhood as well as its residents. She knows nearly every resident by her loving nature, activeness in the community, and her enthusiasm for Homewood itself. She is just receiving recognition for all she does and has done for years.

Nivada Spurlock

Wellness Coordinator,

Homewood City Schools

Nivada goes above and beyond to help everyone reach their wellness goals. She spends many hours out of her day not only helping students and faculty members get excited about wellness, but she also opens her classes to the community to offer ways to get them to make a difference in their lives as well.

Mary Ellen Snell

Edgewood Neighborhood Watch Founder

Mary Ellen provides important information to the citizens, regularly emailing Edgewood neighbors with updates on crime, traffic and city council news. She also contributes to the Homewood at Large blog. Plus, she does it on a volunteer basis.