About

Mission Statement

The Magic Moments mission is to grant non-medical magic moments to children ages 4 – 18 with chronic life-threatening or severe 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 employees four 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

Sandy Naramore

Executive Director

Phone: 205.777.5728
Email: [email protected]

Courtney Carson

Central Alabama Regional Director

Phone: 205.777.5730
Email: [email protected]

Annemarie Kacker

Program Coordinator/Donor Relations

Phone: 205.777.5734
Email: [email protected]

Ashley Edwards

Statewide Magic Moment Coordinator

Phone: 205.777.5741
Email: [email protected]

Kimberly Etherton

Mobile Regional Director

Email: [email protected]

Robin Kidd

Director of Development

Email: [email protected]

Molly Boggs

Intern/Micah Fellow

Phone: 205.777.5700
Email: [email protected]

Payton Wemert

Intern/Micah Fellow

Email: [email protected]

Board of Directors

Adam Peck
Chairman
Lightfoot, Franklin, & White LLP

Bubba Armstrong, MD
Retired Orthopedic Surgeon

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

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

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

Keely Kennedy
Chair
eMeals

Aryn Abston
Ross Bridge Resort & Spa

Brailyn Barineau
AVX, Inc.

Katie Bass
Hometown Lenders, Inc.

Christi Cowan
Dawson Family of Faith

Allie Cowling
Brookwood Medical Center

Rebecca Crowther
Ray & Poynor

Caroline Fields
Bruno Event Team

Jacob Forehand
Variety Wholesalers

Emily Gardner
ServisFirst Bank

Taylor Guthans
Milo’s Hamburgers

Ben Harrison
ServisFirst Bank

Katie Harrison
Edgewood Elementary

Charlie Hearn
Lightfoot, Franklin, and White

Cal Horton
Regions Bank

Camille Jernigan
RxBenefits

Bradford Kidd
Harbert Realty Services

Jessica Merrill
Regions Bank

James Mounier
Charles Schwab

Julianna Neal
Workforce Management Analyst

Steve Noble
Charles Schwab

Brooke Ratliff
Community Volunteer

Grace Register
Brasfield & Gorrie

Matt Rowan
Graham & Company

Christine Scott
Oakworth Capital Bank

Drew Smalley
Royal Cup

Christopher Smith
Synovus

Lauren Smith
Shelby County Schools

Madeleine Snidow
Children’s of Alabama

Lee Tonsmeire
Bradley Arant Boult & Cummings, LLC

Patrick Weatherly
ServisFirst Bank

Annie Wyatt
Licensed Master Social Worker

River Region Council

Britt Barley
Chair
Synovus

Ross Agee
East Alabama Medical Center

Avery Ainsworth
Harmon Dennis Bradshaw

Davy Autrey, Selma
International Paper

Bubba Armstrong, MD
Retired Orthopedic Surgeon

Andy Britton
Coco Cola Bottling Company

Melissa Bowman
Mix103

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

Stacy Tinsley, Auburn
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 (Chair)
Bronson Communications

Rebecca Hails
Children’s of Alabama

Jamie Kidd
Webb & Eley, P.C.

Drew Nelson
Alabama Medicaid Agency

Katie Richard
The Retirement Systems of Alabama

Bailey Waller
Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention

Griffith Waller
City of Montgomery

Ada Katherine van Whye
Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education