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Irondale mayor proclaims American Heart Month, honors community leaders and student artists
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Summary
Mayor James Douglas Stewart Jr. proclaimed February 2026 as American Heart Month, invited residents to a free screening and promoted CPR training; the council also presented Black History Month art awards to local students and honored longtime community figures.
Mayor James Douglas Stewart Jr. read a proclamation declaring February 2026 American Heart Month in Irondale, urging residents to learn cardiovascular risk factors and seek preventive care.
"Whereas cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading cause of death in the United States," Stewart read during the ceremony, asking residents to get routine checks and support the American Heart Association’s efforts.
A representative of the American Heart Association, Greater Alabama, thanked the mayor and offered the association’s support for local awareness efforts, including a proposed "Red Day" to encourage communities to wear red and promote heart-health messages. The association’s representative said the organization supports public-health policy and community programming.
The mayor also asked Lieutenant Bert of the Irondale Fire Department to promote the department’s free CPR and basic first-aid classes. "It's a very informative class. I think everybody here needs to learn how to do it," Lieutenant Bert said, providing a contact number for sign-ups and noting the course lasts two to four hours.
As part of the meeting’s Black History Month observance, the city announced winners of an art challenge. Students received certificates, art kits and tablets. Twelfth-grader Zacchaeus Mackie described his piece as a "dance between the past and the future," and other winners — including Alana McAdory, Cadence Mullins, Lauren Skipwith and Kinsley Terry — briefly explained their inspirations.
The council also presented community honors: a marker will commemorate the service of the late Reverend James Phillip Parnell Sr., and the family of the late Bernice Kelly accepted recognition for decades of service at Golden Rule Barbecue. Family representatives thanked the council for the recognition and shared memories.
The mayor encouraged residents to attend a free screening of the HBO documentary "The Alabama Solution" on Feb. 24 at the Irondale Public Library and noted the city will schedule additional community events during Black History Month.
