Vote! Moms Rock 2014!

Thank you again to everyone for submitting your nominees. We received so many amazing stories it was very difficult to narrow it down to our final 10. It was even more difficult to narrow these stories down to just a few sentences each.

Meet our Moms Rock 2014 Nominees, then cast your vote! Voting will end on Thursday, September 18th at 10am. The nominees will be introduced and the winner announced that night at Cantina! Make sure you RSVP and join us for a Rockin’ Event brought to you by Monogram Maternity at St. Vincent’s Health System and Royal Cup Coffee.

Rachel Callahan – She’s a mom of 2 who homeschools her children while keeping Birmingham entertained with her blog: Grasping for Objectivity in My Subjective Life. Rachel recently turned her hobby of taking pictures of Birmingham sunsets and skylines into a business where 100% of the profits go to benefit the Wellhouse Ministries.

Tammy Straate – A mom and foster mom who’s been a licensed foster parent for more than 14 years, she’s fostered dozens of children and adopted more than 10 of the kids who have come through her home.

Ruwena Healy – Ruwena is a mom to twin boys, and she is also the CEO of Marketing 24/7, Inc., one of Birmingham’s top PR Firms. Additionally, she serves as interim Director of Marketing and PR for several companies including Vulcan Park and Museum. She serves as a Volunteer leader for her boys Scouts Group, and has set up Social Media for several causes including Cub Scout Pack 216 in Trussville along with pro bono PR work for the Scouts and the Alabama Orchid Society.

Shirley Jones – As a mom to 2 and grandmother to 3, Shirley keeps very busy. She recently worked with her church to organize funds to rebuild a pastor’s house that had been destroyed in an earthquake in Guatemala. Shirley and her husband even traveled to to Guatemala to oversee construction and dedicate the new home in person. In the spring of 2010, her granddaughter Kirsten was diagnosed with FSGS, a condition that causes scarring on the kidneys preventing proper filtering to occur. After being tested for a match, Shirley stepped up to the plate and donated one of her kidneys to her granddaughter. The surgery was a success and her 8 year old granddaughter lives on as a shining example of a mom’s love for her family.

Christy McLean- Mom to 2 boys, ages 4 and 1, Christy has achieved many career accomplishments while nurturing a marriage and starting a family with her husband of 10 years. He, nor their children, have ever felt anything less than the center of her world. Her ability to balance career, family, community, friendships and autonomy of self is admirable and worthy of recognition. To know her is to be in awe of her ability to shine in so many areas of her life without compromising one for the others.

Sarah Goode Blakely- A single mother to 2 girls, Sarah lost her husband to brain cancer 3 years ago, but she’s not allowed that tragedy to stop her from being the best mom she can be. She is loving, nurturing and thoughtful, and keeps her girls busy and involved in church activities ensuring that they receive a full life even without the presence of their father.  She puts everyone ahead of herself and teaches her girls to always be thoughtful of others. She asks for nothing in return and will do without so others will have what they need. She works as a substitute teacher and is also involved in PTO, cheerleading, band and sports.

Amber Kelley – Mom to 8 year old Daughter Scarlett. Amber gives her all to raise her daughter while her husband must often work out of town. She is involved as a team mom for all of her daughter’s extra-curricular activities and is also in charge of multiple community social websites that aim to inform and promote community involvement. She volunteers her time as part of the Service Guild, a volunteer group that benefits the Bell Center. Additionally, she and her daughter created an organization along with her daughter’s friends called Stand for Giving; a lemonade stand that donates profits to charity. She is a kindhearted woman who listens and is always there for anyone who needs her.

Autumn Wallace – Even while battling lupus, Autumn still manages to be an amazingly patient, kind and fiercely protective mom to her 2 children. She’s had to fight for her children from the day they were born, having delivered one of her children at 24 weeks and the other at 26 weeks due to preeclampsia progressed by her lupus. She never once thought her babies wouldn’t come home in her arms even when the doctors gave her daughter a less than 50% chance of survival. She knew with 100% certainty that she would bring them home, and she did. She is the mother of an autistic child who will never know life without love. All with a smile, she’s the first one to ask how she can help you. She was Mrs, Alabama 2013 and can still rock a swimsuit!

Heather Brock – Heather has been battling Lyme disease for 3 years. She’s a middle school teacher and has two children of her own who she has continued to dedicate herself to while fighting a disease that has no cure. Despite her debilitating symptoms, she continues to be one of the most valued teachers in the Vestavia School System. Her spirit and determination is amazing. She not only rocks her children’s world but the lives of so many she touches as a teacher.

Lauren Waites – Mom of 2 boys. Matthew, A first grader, and Beaux, a 2 year old who was born with Down Syndrome and a congenital heart defect. Although Beaux spent a lot of time in the hospital, Lauren continues to go above and beyond. She started a Facebook page dedicated to Beaux’s Adventures and has done an excellent job educating others about heart defects and Down Syndrome.