Glenn McElrath reviews blood donation procedures with Collins Williamson (seated) at last week's blood drive at University Mall.

The Red Cross Community Blood Drive at University Mall brought in donors from across West Alabama on June 16.

The blood drive was held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. inside the mall near Center Court. Blakley Satterfield and Thomas “D-Lo” Deelo were on location with local radio station 94.1 ZBQ playing music as well as directing walk-in donors. 94.1 ZBQ has been promoting the blood drive on air for the past month and also blasted the event on the station throughout the day.

Several University of Alabama students volunteered their time to take part in the local blood drive. Collins Williamson, a rising junior studying Communicative Disorders, says he gives as often as he can.

“I have a rare blood type so I try to give about once a month,” said Williamson. Williamson’s commitment is one that the American Red Cross is happy to receive due to the shortages of blood that hit around the summer time.

Bernadette Davis, a resident of Duncanville, also considers herself an avid donor. After the tornado struck Tuscaloosa, Davis understands the need for donors like herself.

“A friend of mine has sickle cell, and I work at a dialysis unit, so I know the need,” said Davis.

The donation center saw a steady stream of individuals on their lunch breaks looking to donate or those who became aware of the blood drive while shopping at the mall. The convenient location of the blood drive made donating easily accessible for those looking to be walk-in donors.

Ryan Sherman, an account manager for the American Red Cross, encourages anyone who is able to donate blood to consider stopping by an upcoming blood drive. Sherman explained that there are more blood drives to come for the Tuscaloosa area. The usual amount of time for donating only takes about 30 to 45 minutes, enough time for those in a time crunch. Appointments and walk-ins are welcome.

While the community blood drive was a success, Sherman stated that, “We were afraid after the storms that so many people donated that they wouldn’t be able to this time.” Sherman is hopeful that the numbers will continue to increase during the summer.

To find a blood drive near your home or work, go to http://www.redcrossblood.org.

June 12, 2011

The American Red Cross of West Alabama has had quite a ride since the April 27 tornado. The storm damaged the West Alabama office, forcing the chapter to relocate to temporary quarters. The Health and Safety services had been put on hold due to lack of space until the new training center opened its doors Saturday, June 11.

The new training center, located in University Mall at the corner of McFarland Blvd. and 15^th Street in Tuscaloosa, will put Health and Safety services in easy reach for customers and students. The storefront is near the Piccadilly Cafeteria entrance. Passersby will have instant access to safety devices and a schedule of classes including First Aid, CPR/AED and volunteer training offered through the Red Cross. Aside from classes being taught at the new location, the center will be selling American Red Cross merchandise such as first aid kits, apparel, weather radios and water conservation devices.. Community education events also will be hosted at the new training center.

The Red Cross will participate in University Mall events as well. This upcoming Father’s Day weekend, the Red Cross will have an information table set up at Center Court during the Relief and Recovery event hosted by University Mall. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 18.

Though hours primarily will be synched to class times, the Red Cross staff and volunteers at the training center are excited to have a space dedicated to health and safety training. Sarah McPherson, Health and Safety director, said, “It has been a very interesting venture, but we’re exploring new avenues.” Until the Chapter locates to a larger, permanent office building, the American Red Cross is grateful to University Mall for its compassion in reaching out to the West Alabama chapter.

Except for the shoes…those are from some store in some mall somewhere, maybe the University Mall in Orem, I don’t remember…

This video is from the EF4 tornado that went through Tuscaloosa, AL on 4/27/11. It was taken from the University Mall parking lot. Probably the closest video to the storm your going to see.

Since 2009, University Mall and The Chapel Hill Public Arts Office in Chapel Hill, NC, has invited artists, architects, design professionals and teams to submit letters of interest and images for its Annual Scrapel Hill Competition & Exhibit, a juried competition and exhibition focused on artwork created from discarded materials. Selected artworks for the 3rd annual event will be displayed throughout University Mall in Chapel Hill, from Earth Day, Apr. 22 through June 18, 2011.

The three top place winners will receive $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 respectively. A People’s Choice Award of $500 will also be awarded at the end of the exhibit. In addition to these cash awards, University Mall may select one piece to remain onsite for one full year as part of the University Mall Corporate Selection Program. Depending on circumstances, this piece may be purchased for University Mall’s Corporate Collection, and later be exhibited in other Madison Marquette properties throughout the United States.

“Jack” by Jonathan Bowling from the 2010 exhibit

This year’s juror will be Peter Nisbet, Chief Curator, Ackland Art Museum, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This competition and exhibit is open to professional artist, architects, designers and others 18 years and older residing within a 250-mile radius of Chapel Hill, NC.

The deadline for submissions is 5pm, Friday, Jan. 21, 2011.  Applications must be postmarked or delivered by this date. Late submissions will not be accepted.

“Wheelie Bob” by Dixon Stetler and Dan Brawley from the 2010 exhibit

For more information visit (
http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=359
) scroll down the page for info on the Annual Scrapel Hill Competition & Exhibit.

For further info call 919/968-2749 or e-mail to (info@chapelhillarts.org). For further info about The Chapel Hill Public Arts Office, contact Jeffrey York, Public Art Administrator by calling 919/968-2750 or e-mail to (jyork@townofchapelhill.org).

Sears currently has on its Web site some great photo offers, including a FREE character collage of your child, with no sitting fee. There’s also a coupon there for a free classic 10×13 portrait. The stipulation is that you can only take advantage of one free offer per family per visit. The coupons expire June 30.

FYI, Tuscaloosa folks, the Sears in the University Mall does have a portrait studio. It is open Mondays from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays from10 a.m.-3 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sundays from noon-5 p.m., per the Sears site.

University Mall , on the corner of Rt 123 and Braddock Road,  a dump but it sits on prime property across the street from George Mason University. I  am personally in favor of a new, rebuilt mall with quality stores just so long as the integrity of the affected communities is either enhanced or not diminished. Almost any improvement to the forsaken mall would be an improvement.

If you want to know more of what is happening in Country Club View, please visit
http://www.countryclubview.net
.

Ither resources include the Fairfax County website:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.goc/braddock

and our Virginia Delegate David Bulova’s site at
http://www.davidbulova.com

Tom Robinson, Keller Williams Realty. www.tomrobinsonteam.com

Tweaks to the Roanoke River Road/Braddock Road intersection would improve bicycle and pedestrian access to University Mall

The owners of University Mall near George Mason have filed applications to add retail space and modernize this lively but somewhat aging shopping center. One critical improvement would be to improve pedestrian and bicycle access across Braddock Road. George Mason University now bike lanes on its Braddock Road/Roanoke River Road entrance (as well as on the University Drive entrance), making it a lot easier to ride from campus onto the Braddock Road and Ox Road trails. But getting across Braddock Road to the shopping center by bicycle or on foot is a challenge. There is a lot of right-turning traffic and the bike lane veers right, right into the path of this traffic. Experienced bicyclists trying to cross will move from the bike lane to the through lane, but it is a tricky maneuver. In a recent summer late-morning ride I watched several right-turning vehicles approach the intersection and turn without braking, which is easy to do because of the wide curb radius. Bicyclists and pedestrians heading to University Mall have to cross Roanoke River Road to reach the striped crosswalk, and then cross again at the Patriot Square office complex. The crosswalk is excellent, with ample crossing time — kudos to VDOT — but getting there is tougher than it could be.

More and more students, administrators and faculty are living on or near the George Mason campus, and the university is also building a hotel for campus guests. With all the new permanent and guest housing, many more people in the George Mason community will be living car-free or car-light. The campus has a parking crunch and is working to encourage more pedestrian, bicycle and transit use. With a supermarket, cinema, bar and the redoubtable Brion’s Grill, University Mall is a big destination for Mason students and employees. Making it easier to walk and bicycle to and from the mall is a critical step. The rezoning application is a key opportunity to make it happen.

Other news for this area is more sobering. Fairfax County is studying a grade-separated interchange for the Braddock Road/Route 123 intersection. This extremely expensive project would isolate George Mason from University Mall, slice up the Ox Road bicycle trail, and encourage more traffic and inefficient development in southwest Fairfax and other parts of the area. Traffic at this intersection is certainly bad, but spending so much money to make the area even more car-dependent and less pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly is not the answer.

I’m on this journey of self discovery and what a journey it’s been…I’ve had time to look within me and discover talents and skills I had not tapped in to and confirm the ones I already knew I had.  We are so much stronger than we think we are.  We think more about others than we do about ourselves and that shouldn’t be.  We need to be comfortable and confident in who we are.  As long as we keep it in balance it’s a good thing (confidence is not arrogance).  Feeling comfortable in who you are, where you’re going and what you do is a sign of maturity.  Many are intimidated by this, but I think it’s their own insecurity that makes them feel that way. We were created with a purpose and once you realize what that purpose is, go for it and fulfill your destiny.

I was reading an article by Jai Johnson that described the eight qualities of a powerful woman and I thought I’d share them with you.  I’d also like to hear what you think makes a powerful woman.

8 Qualities of a Powerful Woman:

1.  She gives it all she’s got

2.  She never gives up

3.  She speaks her mind

4.  She respects herself and others

5.  She stands up for what she believes in

6.  She inspires herself and others

7.  She shares her power willingly

8.  She makes a difference in the lives of others

Your opinion counts so don’t forget to leave me a comment so that we can hear what you have to say about the qualities of a powerful woman.

To read the article in its entirety you can copy and paste this link to your browser in the event that clicking on it does not work: 

http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/what-makes-a-powerful-woman-567552.html

Have a wonderful weekend.

Don’t forget to add our Full Figured Fashion Show on August 29th at 1:00 pm at the Ashley Stewart Store in the University Mall to your calendar.  Bring a laundered business suit or apparel in size 14 and up as a donation for Dress for Success Tampa Bay and enter your name into a drawing of a $25 gift certificate from Best Buy.

Amy “Your Shoe Lady”

Scooter likes his new outfit and posing for the camera too!

Actually, I love their online store.  I find it hard to go shopping for Scooter WITH Scooter and their online store has made it easy and less stressful on the wallet with their $5 shipping and handling fee no matter what size of your order.  That $5 is worth not bundling baby up and putting him in the car seat and driving over there, putting him in the stroller and then trying to fit myself and the stroller in the small space they have at the University Mall.  You would think a baby store would assume mothers and strollers would be present and make the walkways a little more “baby friendly.”

Anyway, the best part of the online store is, like any other place I shop-the clearence section. The Children’s Place has a sale section of items they are low in stock.  And lucky for me they always seem to be low on the older sizes like 3 and 4 toddler.  Each item that I found that I fell in love with in the sale section had a 6-9 month available.

Scoots in his new vest and pants hanging with Grandpa Kane.

So I don’t know what it means when Scoots gets older or taller-I may become very disappointed, but for now-I am very happy with my discovery of The Children’s place sale section.

Is there anything better than dinner at mom’s?  My mom made us all dinner Friday night for HER birthday (Julie and Jimmy made her cake though).  My mom’s cornbread is as good as dessert.  yum.

Saturday was youth day for Carolina football so we headed to Chapel Hill as soon as we were all up and moving.  Our first stop was actually S&T’s in Pittsboro.  If gas prices weren’t so high, I would definitely eat there more often.  I threw my attempts to eat well out the window and had a bacon cheeseburger (with chilli) and fries.  OMG good.  But wait!  It gets better!  The girls and I shared a hot fudge sundae with trash ice cream.  I had dreamed about that sundae for days and it did not disappoint.  Trash ice cream is awesome because you have no idea what to expect…you might get a bite of sprinkles in one bite and nuts in the next bite.  They do not skimp on the hot fudge or the whipped cream and even though it was just one scoop, it was hard for the three of us to finish it.

Our first stop in Chapel Hill was Roses at University Mall (or U Mall).  They have a great selection of affordable Carolina gear (we were in the market for ponchos just in case of rain).

We went to the basketball museum and could have spent an hour or more there just looking around and taking it all in…but Hailey and Leah were bored very quickly. (Although as we were leaving, Hailey said she could live there).  My favorite part was the footprints on the floor to indicate where key shots were made.  Oh, and the letter to Michael Jordan from Coach K saying he was sorry that Michael would not be going to Duke. 

We made a VERY short stop at Student Stores.  I could literally spend hundreds of dollars in that store…but not on a game day.  You could barely WALK it was so packed. 

Hailey, Ed, and Leah climbed the Bell Tower (been there, done that…choose to stay with all our stuff), we got to pet Rameses, the girls got their arms painted, and I won a t-shirt from the GAA.  

I am not a fan of football.  I hate football.  But, I love my husband and I love my school and I love the atmosphere of game day.  I told Ed we should just go to Chapel Hill on game days and enjoy Tar Heel town and the fun stuff and then go to a restaurant to watch the game.  Cheaper and more comfortable!

We had a block of seats and were sitting with my sister and her family, Lindsay, and Ross.  I had JUST said to Lindsay that I kinda hopes it rained when they announced that the game would be delayed due to lightening.  Ed immediately jumped up to go get us dinner…and then they said we had to evacuate the stands.   We were just a few rows from the field and it seemed like everyone was choosing to leave the stadium by walking down instead of up.  Thankfully I had Lindsay and Ross to help.  They each helped one of my kids get down while I carried our stuff and tried to get in touch with Ed to let him know what we were doing.  Everyone was trying to use their cell phones at once and I could not get through.  We finally decided to just start walking towards our cars and hope that we could get in touch with Ed soon.  I didn’t want to hold Lindsay and Ross up so when we got to what used to be the Chase dining hall, they went towards the hospital and I went towards the Manning lot past the Dean Dome where our car was parked.  We were walking into the biggest, darkest cloud and I had no car keys and I had no idea where Ed was or if he had gotten any of my voicemails.

FINALLY my cell phone rang and I was able to let him know where we were and he caught up to us not long after.  It started raining almost as soon as we got in the car.

Not the best game experience ever!

We went to Big Lots today because Lindsay has two full bookshelves of kids’ books in her office…and bins full of books that need a home.  We got the last two bookshelves (cheap!).  They had this whole section of NICE lamps, pillows, rugs, etc.  I got a lamp for our house that goes really well with our furniture and the other accessories in our living room. The original Big Lots price was $100 but that section was 60% off so I got it for $40!  Score!  It makes our living room seem even cozier!

Random Hailey…I just asked her to close our curtains and as she was doing it, she said, “They smell just like Lindsay.  Doesn’t Lindsay smell good?”

University Center is an eclectic collection of local shops located in the heart of midtown Anchorage.

The mall is host to many local events, in addition to providing one-stop shopping for housewares, furniture, groceries, gifts, and more!

Recent renovations to the mall, and an influx of exciting new tenants make University Center Anchorage’s new ‘must see’ shopping destination. If you haven’t visited University Center recently, stop in and see the changes!

Come visit us at 3801 Old Seward Highway, between 36th Ave. and Tudor Road.