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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – The Alabaster Teen Council presented a donation to the Shelby County Humane Society during a city council meeting on Monday, Nov. 27.

“Each year, they host a number of events in which the proceeds that they collect they give to a worthwhile charity,” Alabaster Mayor Scott Brakefield said. “This year, they selected the Shelby County Humane Society for their hands-on commitment to care for our furry members of our community that have been abandoned, neglected or abused.”

The Alabaster Teen Council recently participated in the Shelby County Humane Society’s annual Thanksgiving Matching Time Drive which helps turn the $1,200 donation into $2,400.

“We just wanted to take this opportunity to recognize the teens in our community who have signed up for our Alabaster Teen Council and the all the hard work that they do,” Brakefield said.

During the meeting, the teen council presented the donation to Saundra Ivey, interim executive director of the Shelby County Humane Society.

“I did not know we had an Alabaster Teen Council until I got the visit in my office,” Ivey said. “It was amazing to me what you’re doing to help young people get involved with how we run our world.”

Alabaster Teen Councilmember Sasha Gann spoke during the presentation on why she wanted to support the humane society.

“I volunteered for you all a lot, especially during my childhood, and I just really think that you are an amazing organization and I just thought of the idea and everyone agreed,” Gann said.

Ivey was especially grateful for the donation due to Giving Tuesday taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 28 in which a generous donor is willing to match up to $75,000.

“It’s going to double your money,” Ivey said. “We’re using it for spay and neuter only because one of our problems we have in Shelby County is an immense number of stray animals.”

The city’s teen council program first started under Mayor Marty Handlon and has grown under the leadership of Karen Fillingim.

Every year, the teen council is open to Thompson, Evangel, Alabaster and community home schools for those in grades 9-11.

The council aims to create an informed group of students who are familiar with municipal issues, to develop lasting relationships between students and city leaders, sustain youth presence in a broad range of impact and decision-making areas across the community, develop future civic leaders and to organize events for community teens.

The following Alabaster students were preciously inducted into the 2023-2024 Alabaster Teen Council:

• Akaree Barbour
• Maddie Baxley
• Abigail Bess
• Liam Binzer
• Lauren Blackmon
• Kaylah Brown
• Cooper Burks
• Kaitlyn Burnett
• Brooks Byars
• Anna Campbell
• Fred Cadillias
• Sully Cole
• Nora Ellis
• Sasha Gann
• Simone Jones
• Olivia Kelley
• Dylan Logan
• Madison McNichols
• Morgan McNichols
• Hannah Moseley
• Blair N’dungu
• Thuy Nguyen
• Georgie O’Neal
• Luke Reid
• Jose Serrano
• MaryDee Sermons
• Ella Southern
• Carter Thompson
• George Walker
• Avery Williamson
• Savannah Young