Published on December 21, 2021 by Holly Gainer  
Decorated Christmas Tree

Samford University’s Legacy League held its 11th annual Christmas Tour of Homes on Dec. 9, featuring five homes in the Birmingham area. This year’s tour set a new record for ticket sales with more than 800 tickets sold. The tour raised more than $40,000 for students with significant financial needs and enduring challenging circumstances. Since its inception, the annual event has raised approximately $300,000 for scholarships. The tour was presented by ARC Realty.

"In addition to receiving a transformational Christian education, the Legacy League scholarship recipients benefit from the ministry of Legacy League volunteers," said Julie Taylor, first lady and executive director of Legacy League. "In the words of a Samford graduate and former Legacy League scholarship recipient, 'This group goes beyond the scholarship- this group represents family. This is a group that is ready to hold you up, a group that feeds you and invites you into their homes. The Legacy League is changing lives, and it has certainly changed mine.'”

House Exterior

“It is a joy and a privilege to be part of the ministry of the Legacy League. In my role, I have a front-row seat to the redemptive work the Lord is doing in the lives of our students and their families,” said Sharon Smith, Legacy League’s director of development. “We are grateful for every single person who is involved in our work and thank the Lord for the hundreds of people who volunteer in some capacity each year. We are also thankful for the homeowners who opened their beautiful homes to the community for this wonderful cause.”

Living Room Tree

The tour included the home of Samford University President Beck A. Taylor and First Lady and Executive Director of Legacy League Julie Taylor, marking the first holiday season with Samford’s new first family residing in it.

The other homes featured were: Jenny and Sonny Culp, located at 5 Glenview Circle, Mountain Brook; Julia and Tim Davis, located at 3212 Brookwood Road, Mountain Brook; Laura and Andy Sink, 3058 Lewis Circle, Mountain Brook; and Alison and Martin Smith, 2012 Southwood Road, Vestavia Hills.

President's Home

The Legacy League is a service organization with more than 750 members including Samford friends, alumni, parents and employees. Members work together to raise money for life-changing scholarships to students in need. Visit the Legacy League website for more information.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.