About
Mission Statement
The Magic Moments mission is to grant non-medical magic moments to children ages 4 – 18 with chronic life-threatening or acute life-altering conditions, who live or receive treatment in the state of Alabama, as well as continue a relationship through our Beyond the Moment program.
History
Magic Moments was founded in 1984 with the sole purpose of providing happiness to children throughout the state of Alabama who are diagnosed with chronic life-threatening conditions. As Birmingham mother Shelley Clark was spending time in and out of Children’s Hospital (now Children’s of Alabama), she saw a television program about a chronically ill boy who wanted to ride on a fire truck. The story of his community’s endeavor to fulfill his request, right down to the firemen entering his hospital room window via a hook and ladder truck, inspired her to offer hope and joy to local children with life-threatening illnesses by turning their dreams into realities.
Shelley shared her idea with her daughter’s pediatrician, who put her in touch with L.E. Patton, play therapist at Children’s Hospital. Coincidentally, at about the same time, fellow Birmingham mother Buffie Marks, who volunteered in play therapy at Children’s, had a similar idea after having seen a national broadcast about a wish granting organization. L.E. suggested Shelley and Buffie collaborate. Soon, with the blessings of hospital administration and a $500 grant from the Junior League of Birmingham, Magic Moments was born.
To date Magic Moments has provided over 5,000 magic moments for children in all 67 counties of Alabama. Not only does Magic Moments provide children with non-medical opportunities such as a family trip to Disney World, meeting a celebrity of choice, or going on a shopping spree, we provide on-going events to enhance the relationships between our staff and families as well as relationships with other families.
In 1999 we extended our programs to include Family Camp held each Memorial Day weekend at Children’s Harbor on Lake Martin, which accommodates the medical needs of the children we serve. Family Camp provides time for families to relax and spend time together for three days in a stress free environment as well as rekindle relationships with other families and make new friendships. Camp is offered free of charge to our families and accommodates approximately 70 children and their family members.
In 2013 the Family Camp concept was expanded further and we began providing year-round, ongoing support for our families. These opportunities, known as “Beyond the Moments,” include activities such as family nights at regional ballparks, Easter egg hunts with the Governor of Alabama, and breakfast with Santa. Beyond the Moment opportunities are offered to families at no expense.
Magic Moments employs five full-time staff members. We operate under a Board of Directors and are supported by an Advisory Council, a River Region Council in Montgomery, and Junior Boards in Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile.
We pride ourselves in being the only wish-granting organization dedicated solely to the children of Alabama.
Our Staff
Board of Directors
Adam Peck
Chairman
Lightfoot, Franklin, & White LLP
Shelley Clark
Ray & Poynor
Jane Huston Crommelin
Ray & Poynor
Mark Emanuelsen
Vuepoint Diagnostics
Ryan Fredella
Medical Properties Trust
Theresa Friedman
DLB Attorneys at Law, LLC
Betsy French
Ray & Poynor
Jim Heilbron
Alabama Power Company
Layne Held
Salta Capital
Rob Howland
Capstone Companies
Hud Hudson
Williams-Hudson, Inc
Buffie Marks
(Member Emeritus)
Community Volunteer
Kelly Morrison
Community Volunteer
Agatha Pihakis
Community Volunteer
Christy Smith
ProAssurance
Adam Snable
Guild Mortgage
Stacy White
Children’s of Alabama
Lou Willie
Louis J. Willie, II, Attorney at Law
Garland (Gigi) Youngblood
Children’s of Alabama
Advisory Council
Lynne Cohen
Community Volunteer
Joe Covington, Jr.
Covington Flooring
Jack Darnell
Community Volunteer
Kim Davis
Community Volunteer
J. Timothy Downard, CPA
Haynes Downard, LLP
Chris Eagan
Starnes & Atchison
Larry Fine, CPA
Community Volunteer
Pat Forman
Community Volunteer
Bill Goodrich
Richgood Corporation
Heidi Hallman
Community Volunteer
Tom Hinton
Hinton Properties
Bill Jones
O’Neal Steel, Inc.
Pat Kilpatrick
Community Volunteer
Daniel Markstein, IV
Markstein Consulting
Lila McGahey
Community Volunteer
Ed Meyerson
Baker, Donelson, Bearman,
Caldwell, & Berkowitz
Billy Morace
CMH Architects
Ron Morrison
Community Volunteer
Bobby Naftel, MD
Baptist Montclair
George Nolen
Mass Mutual
Kay Miles Pace
Community Volunteer
Will Pearson
mental_floss
Josh Petty
BB&T
Conrad Rafield
Rafield Investment Company
Henry Ray
Ray & Poynor
Jon Register
Stifel
Tom Shufflebarger
Children’s of Alabama
Courtney Stephens
Community Volunteer
Bobby Thuston
Southwood Machinery
Pete Van Pelt
Children’s Health System
Evie Vare
Community Volunteer
Junior Board
Patrick Weatherly
Chair
ServisFirst Bank
Aryn Abston
Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa
Katie Bass
Hometown Lenders, Inc.
Austin Bradshaw
AmWins
Christi Cowan
Dawson Family of Faith
Findlay Crowe
ServisFirst Bank
Rebecca Crowther
Ray & Poynor
Tucker Ellis
FirstBank
Emily Gardner
ServisFirst Bank
Julia Giardina
Audio Video Excellence
Brooke Hansen
Ben Harrison
ServisFirst Bank
Katie Harrison
Cherokee Bend Elementary
Charlie Hearn
Lightfoot, Franklin, and White
Keely Kennedy
eMeals
Bradford Kidd
Harbert Realty Services
Keely Kennedy
eMeals
Steve Noble
Charles Schwab
Sarah Kate Powell
Children’s of Alabama
Drew Smalley
Royal Cup
Madeleine Snidow
Children’s of Alabama
Allie Taylor
Brookwood Medical Center
Lee Tonsmeire
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP
Sarah Ross Weatherly
LHC Group
River Region Council
Stacy Tinsley
Chair
Community Volunteer
Ross Agee
East Alabama Medical Center
Avery Ainsworth
Harmon Dennis Bradshaw
Davy Autrey, Selma
International Paper
Bubba Armstrong, MD
Retired Orthopedic Surgeon
Britt Barley
Synovus
Andy Britton
Coca Cola Bottling Company
Melissa Bowman
Mix103
Hunter Bronson
Retirement Systems of Alabama
Carl Calderone
BBRL
Graham Esdale, Esq.
Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis, & Miles, P.C.
Nim Frazer
Industrial Partners
David Gadilhe
Little Donkey
Scott Parker
City of Opelika
Jenny Thiessen
Community Volunteer
Chris Waller
Ball, Ball, Mathews, & Novak P.A.
Kelly Whitaker
Board of Medical Scholarship Awards
Christian Ware
ServisFirst Bank
River Region Junior Board
Megan Bronson
Bronson Communications
Leeanne Dean
Meridiem Advisory Group
Mary Kathryn Fletcher
Behavioral Medicine
Caroline Hall
Advisory South
Charlie Hawthorne, Chair
Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
Rebecca Holtsford
Children’s of Alabama
Davis Jones
ServisFirst
Lexie Larson
Becton Dickinson
Caroline Long
Premier Anesthesia of Montgomery
Charlsie Miller
Pharmacy Care Associates
Camille Sanford
Sanford and Associates
Katie Richard
Alabama Association of Realtors
Marlee Winn
Montgomery Academy
Emily Wise
Emily Wise Photography
L.D. Woods
Alabama State University
Mobile Council
Cara Mia Braswell
Community Volunteer
Donna Dewberry
Livian Gulf Coast
Mike Dumas
Michael Dumas Image Arts
Amanda Lofton
Alabama Power
Holly Morse
Community Volunteer
Paige Reed
Community Volunteer
Stacy Simmons
Alabama Power
Melissa Sprinkle
Elite Real Estate Solutions
Mobile Junior Board
Morgan Barnes
Braxton Bostwick
Jeanie Hope
Kakki Knott
Henry Mann
Leah Peckham
Dickson Thames
