owensboro living dec 2014/jan 2015

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Publisher/Creative Director

Jason Tanner

Editor

Steven Wilson

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Rudy Strahan

Robert Williams

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Andrea Roberson

Taylor West

Contributors

Ben Hoak

Gail Kirkland

Bryan Leazenby

Danny May

Dr. Khanh Nguyen

Adam Paris

Stuart Peck

Jaime Rafferty

Ashley Sorce

Melody Ann Wallace

Lora Wimsatt

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Owensboro, Kentucky

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FROM THE EDITOR

By this time every year, the signs of the Christmas

season are clearly visible. Colored lights brightly

adorn neighborhood trees and wreaths festively

hang from frosty windows. We happily fill our

schedules with school programs, office parties, and family

dinners. With these reminders of the season everywhere we

go, it’s easy to embrace the spirit of Christmas. And since its

inception, the heart of Christmas has been the act of giving –

from the world receiving its greatest gift in the form of a Savior,

to our own traditions of exchanging gifts with friends and family.

In this issue, our cover feature profiles an Owensboro toymaker

who not only embraces the spirit of Christmas giving in

December, but holds onto it year round. For almost two

decades, Clyde Fogle has been busy each year crafting thousands

of toys for children in Third World countries from January

through December. We all know the adage “Tis better to give

than receive,” and many of us do a nice job living it out around

Christmastime. But what about the other 11 months of the year?

What if we chose to extend the joy that comes with Christmas

giving to the other 364 days on the calendar? Then we’d all be

a little closer to knowing the joy that Clyde Fogle, “Kentucky’s

Santa Claus,” has known for a long time.

Steven Wilson

Editor, Owensboro Living

-JASON TANNER

WHAT IF WE CHOSE TO EXTEND THE JOY THAT COMES WITH CHRISTMAS GIVING TO THE OTHER 364 DAYS ON THE CALENDAR?

‘TIS BET TER TO GIVE


[08] THE BUZZTHE REAL PEOPLE, PLACES AND EVENTS

THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY

[12] THE PULSEWHEN WAS YOUR LAST TUNE-UP?

TAKING THE PLUNGE

FEATURES[19] TAKING CENTRE COURT ADVANTAGE OWENSBORO

[24] MAKING THE TOUGH CALLS

[30] ARMSTRONG ATTEMPTING WORLD RECORD

[34] KENTUCKY’S SANTA CLAUS

[38] LIGHTING UP THE TOWN

[42] SOLVING PROBLEMS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

[46] OWENSBORO ON ICE

[52] THE STYLE38TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY FOREST

[60] THE DISHA COMPLETE HOLIDAY TABLE

[64] THE SCENEYOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN

AND AROUND OWENSBORO

[30]

[46][24]

[30] [12]

DEC JAN2013-14


Six works of public art have been selected for

installation in downtown Owensboro from

the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art’s recent

exhibition, RIVERARTES: THE ART OF

PLACEMAKING, a project being coordinated

for the city by the museum.

The first installation in the public art project,

a bronze figure of a Native American hunter,

was installed in the museum’s Ryan Park earlier

this week. Created by Loveland, Colorado artist

Denny Haskew, the one and one-fourth life-sized

bronze, entitled “Strength of the Maker,” is

being leased for the RiverArtes project by Ann

Murphy Kincheloe and will be on display in that

park through October of 2016.

BUZZT H E

The City of Owensboro was honored with two awards at the Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society Conference, which was held November 12-14, 2014 at the Owensboro Convention Center. Smothers Park was honored with the 2014 Kentucky Recreation and Park Society Outstanding Facility award. With the new slogan ‘Let’s Go Downtown,’ the

Owensboro Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating Owensboro’s revitalized riverfront as a point of pride for residents. In addition to the state award for Smothers Park, Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne was selected 2014 Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society Outstanding Public Official for his vision and success implementing Owensboro’s riverfront revitalization.

FIRST RIVERARTES ART PIECE INSTALLED

OHS PRINCIPAL TO RETIRE AFTER SCHOOL YEARAnita Burnette, the beloved principal of Owensboro High School for the past 12 years, announced her intent to retire at the end of the school year in May. Her announcement came at a faculty and staff meeting at the school during November. Burnette started with Owensboro Public Schools in 1988 as a special education teacher. She later became an assistant principal, then in 2002, Burnette became the principal at Owensboro High School. Students describe Burnette as a mother figure; someone who always puts her students first.

CITY WINS PARKS AWARD

PH

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CHRISTMAS PARADEThe Owensboro-Daviess County Christmas Parade

Association held the 78th Annual Christmas parade

themed “Christmas Miracles” Saturday afternoon,

November 22, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. The Owensboro

Christmas Parade is the largest Christmas parade in

Kentucky and the Tri-state area.

78th Annual

PH

OT

OS

BY

AP

IMA

GER

Y


We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it

again: This is an exciting time to live

in Owensboro! Now, were excited to

invitie you to owensboroliving.com -

your free online source for local news

in Owensboro and Western Kentucky.

“The Buzz” section in our print version

simply wasn’t big enough to contain all

of the amazing things going on in our

city. Updated daily, owensboroliving.

com is quickly becoming the go-to

site for the latest news in our vibrant

community. Covering local news,

music, sports, education, and everything

in between, there is simply no other

place that offers so much local content

right at your fingertips.

BUZZT H E

The Owensboro Daviess County Visitor’s Bureau released an exciting

new Owensboro tourism video at the Greater Owensboro Chamber of

Commerce Rooster Booster. The video, titled “Owensboro, Kentucky –

The Perfect Recipe,” features vibrant scenes of Owensboro and its people

along with upbeat music. The video will be used for tourism as well as

customized and narration added by several other organizations and can

be viewed on OwensboroLiving.com.

NEW OWENSBORO VIDEO PREMIERED

LOCAL STORIES

DELIVEREDDAILY

OCTC NAMED TECHNICAL SCHOOL OF THE YEARWIX® Filters, O’Reilly Auto

Parts and Tomorrow’s Tech

magazine named Owensboro

Community & Technical

College (OCTC) as the 2014

Technical School of the Year

during a surprise ceremony at

the school on Monday, Oct.

27. OCTC was selected as the

seventh-annual School of the

Year from 151 applications

nominating school

technical training programs

nationwide.


T H E


WHEN WAS YOUR LAST TUNE-UP? BY DR. KHANH NGUYEN

OWENSBORO HEALTHMEDICAL GROUPI’m not talking about for your car or for any other

machine you might use. I’m talking about for your

body. When it comes to your car, a breakdown is

an expensive problem to have. If you don’t take

care of it and give it the attention it needs, a little

problem can become a big one. When it’s your body

you neglect, it can have life-altering consequences.

PULSET H E


The end of the year is upon us and healthy living includes

getting a physical once a year, getting your vital stats checked

out and knowing what you can do to take better care of yourself.

K N O W L E D G E I S P O W E R Unfortunately for us, the human body lacks a console with

gauges and lights to warn us when we’ve got a problem. That’s

why it’s important to see your doctor once a year and get the

appropriate tests done. Doctors are also trained to look for

physical changes to your body that can indicate problems,

so a face-to-face physical examination at least once a year is

recommended.

Routine physicals should include the following tests:

• Blood pressure – Catching high blood pressure early can make

a critical difference in preventing a heart attack or a stroke.

• Cholesterol – High cholesterol levels typically don’t cause

signs or symptoms, but can ultimately lead to heart

disease; a simple blood test is all it takes to tell you what

your cholesterol numbers are.

• Blood sugar – This test can determine your risks for diabetes

or kidney disease; this test is typically done from the same

sample as a cholesterol screening.

• Weight – Being over or underweight is a key warning sign

for a wide range of issues; make sure to talk to your doctor

about what your weight means and what you can and

should do to maintain a healthy weight.

Also, if you use any tobacco products, talk to your doctor

about quitting. There are a great number of resources to help

you quit for good and the sooner you stop, the better it will be

for your health in the long run.


W A R N I N G S I G N S In addition to annual physical exams, there are certain

regular screenings men should be getting based on their age,

family history or risk factors. These screenings, especially

for certain cancers, can help catch a problem early. Early

detection is the best way to prevent problems in the long

term. Screenings men should get regularly include:

• Colon cancer – You should get screened for colon cancer

beginning at age 50, or earlier if a family member has

been diagnosed with colon cancer, using a test like a

colonoscopy; these screenings should be done every 10

years if nothing is found and you have no family history,

or more frequently as recommended by your doctor.

• Prostate cancer – This screening should typically be

started at age 50, though family history or other risk

factors can indicate a need to start earlier; screening for

prostate cancer can be done with a PSA blood test or by

a physical examination by your doctor.

• Skin cancer – Men are two to three times as likely as women

to develop certain skin cancers, with risk increasing as

lifetime sun exposure accumulates; check yourself every

three months for new or changing skin lesions and ask

your doctor to check you, head-to-toe, once a year.

C H E W O N T H I S Diet and exercise are critical components to living a

healthy, happy and long life. Eating the right foods not only

keeps you going day after day, but also helps stave off long-

term problems like obesity, diabetes and various diseases.

Likewise, exercise helps maintain our bodies and keep them

functional.

It’s also important to keep in mind that our bodies change

over time, and that’s not just limited to minor aches or pains

or trouble keeping up with younger individuals. The way

your body functions changes, and that includes how your

body handles and metabolizes what you eat. That’s why it’s

important to be conscientious and careful with what you

eat as you get older. Talk to your doctor and find out what

resources are available to you. It can have a lasting impact on

your health.

Dr. Khanh Nguyen (pronounced “Khan Win”) is a board-certified family

medicine physician with Owensboro Health’s Medical Group. He is a

veteran of the U.S. Navy, previously holding the rank of Lt. Commander

and serving in Pensacola, Florida, Washington, D.C., and at the Marine

Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Japan. To schedule an appointment, call

Owensboro Health Family Care at 270-688-4401.


Trying to think of something special to do

with your sweetie, or for someone you love on

Valentine’s Day 2015? This may be the only time

you are allowed to give your love a cold shoulder.

How about making a time or monetary donation,

and taking the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics

Kentucky (SOKY) without even leaving Owensboro/

Daviess County?

The Special Olympics Mission is “to provide

year-round sports training and athletic competition

in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children

and adults with intellectual disabilities by giving

them continuing opportunities to develop physical

fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and

participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship

with their families, other Special Olympics athletes

and the community.”

Special Olympics’ signature event, The Polar

Plunge, celebrates its 17th year in Kentucky this

year. In these few years, the event has brought

in more than $6.5 million for Special Olympics

Kentucky programs.

If you aren’t familiar with “The Plunge,” it works

like a Walk-A-Thon. Polar Bears register and ask

friends and family to support them in their efforts,

which will benefit Special Olympics. The difference

is that Polar Bears take a chilly plunge, or dip, into

either a lake or a pool.

Kendra Lowther, Special Projects Coordinator,

says this is the 10th year for the Owensboro Plunge.

Residents are in for a treat in 2015, as the plunge

will take place in beautiful downtown Owensboro at

the Mitch McConnell Plaza.

This year, with the new location, Kendra says,

Special Olympics wants to encourage Owensboro

residents to come out and participate, or be a spectator

and support the cause. Previous years have seen

100+ “plungers.” However, in 2015 coordinators

TAKING THE PLUNGE!BY JAIME RAFFERTY

PULSET H E


would like to see at least 250 participants. Perhaps

this is a bucket list item that SOKY can help the

local community check off that list.

What’s new this year, besides the location?

The 2015 Polar Plunge festivities include the

inaugural Donut Dash 5K, a fun run/walk through

Downtown Owensboro where participants have the

opportunity to also plunge into donuts, furnished

by The Rolling Pin Bakery, as part of their run.

Participants are not just limited to plunging or

dashing, they can double their fun and do both!

Local radio personality with WBKR, Chad

Benefield, is a long-time committee member and

the emcee for the event. When asked how long, he

quips, “Over 10 years, but I’ve lost track. I think

it’s because my brain is frost-bitten.” He humbly

puts his money and his body where his mouth is by

also participating as a plunger. Chad, in his good

humor, says, “It’s just an awful way to raise money

and every time I hit the freezing cold water I swear

I see dead relatives waving me toward the white

light. But it’s an absolute blast. And I wouldn’t

miss it for the world. It’s the one charity event in

town where someone can launch an obscenity into

the air and everyone forgives them.”

Chad thinks the Donut Dash 5K will be a fun

addition. Just before the plunge, he explains, “At

the starting line, runners are given a donut hole. At

the first mile marker they’ll get the donut the hole

came from. And the second mile marker, they’ll get

a chocolate long john. And at the end of the race

they’ll get . . . in honor of the Polar Bear Plunge . . . a

bear claw!” Some may run from the sweet treats, as

others run towards them, either way it’s a new and

inventive way to engage the community in an event

to help everyone have the opportunity to train and

compete as an athlete.

This cause is close to Chad’s heart, “I am a huge

fan of the Olympics Games. Summer. Winter. I’m

there. And I think the reason I have been so drawn

to them (participants), since I was a child really, is

that I love underdog stories, and I love when anyone

overcomes obstacles to achieve their goals and

cross a finish line. And the Special Olympics are

the ultimate testament to that. These Olympians,

in many ways, are the ultimate underdogs. The

Special Olympics gives them a platform to train,

compete and conquer. It’s an amazing organization

and the athletes involved are proof that the world

of sports is the single most unifying force on the

planet. There may be agony in defeat, but with

these incredible and amazing special Olympians,

there is pure thrill in victory.”

The beautiful thing about the Polar Plunge

and Donut Dash 5K is that you do not have to be

an athlete; you just have to be able to eat donuts,

walk, run or be willing to take a chilly plunge for a

wonderful cause.

So on Valentine’s Day 2015, show Special

Olympics of Kentucky some love by participating

in the Owensboro Polar Plunge!

For more information or to register, contact

Candace Thompson at 800-633-7403 or 502-326-

5002 or via e-mail at [email protected].

PHOTO BY MARK SMITH


ADVANTAGE OWENSBOROtaking centre court

BY GAIL E. KIRKLAND

Perseverance has yielded an unprecedented partnership.

The Owensboro Daviess County Tennis Association

(ODCTA) and the City of Owensboro have combined efforts

to make a long-time vision of a new indoor tennis facility a

reality. Centre Court, which features six indoor tennis courts

and nine indoor courts, is expected to open in February 2015.

The massive tennis facility is nestled in the sports complex at

Russell Shifley Park off Bittel Road—visible from the Bypass.

“I believe we will have a healthier community with our new

tennis facility; that’s one of the reasons we were able to raise

the money we’ve raised,” said Noel Clayton, who has been

instrumental in the entire project. The initial idea began 8-10

years ago with a nucleus of three avid tennis players: Noel,

Norman Woodward and Phil Clark. After a series of failed

attempts and multiple proposed locations, the project gained

traction when Mayor Ron Payne agreed to match $500,000

raised by ODCTA in donations to build the indoor complex.

In the end, the City contributed $1 million and land for the

project; ODCTA raised the initial $500,000 down payment,

and financed a $1.2 million bond; the County contributed

$100,000, and individual donations continue to roll in.

Strong motivation for seeing such a large project to

fruition came from the desire to remember Luke Woodward,

an exceptional young man and 1995 Doubles State Champion,

who died of a brain aneurism his final year of law school.

Much good can come from bad. One of the six courts will be

named in his honor. Ashley and Max Lile, whose 1-year-old

son is Luke’s namesake, met at Luke’s funeral. Ashley was

in law school with Luke; Max had worked tennis camps at the

Hamptons in New York with Luke. The couple gladly accepted

the challenge to raise $50,000 needed for the court naming.

Another key component of the project involved the search

REN

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for a tennis director. Over 50 pros submitted

applications nationwide. A former pro himself who

knows the tennis industry, Altaf Merchant took a

principle role in the search process. “That was a

huge step forward for us when he came on board;

he’s been all in since he joined us,” Noel said. The

newly-hired tennis director, Josh Whitman, will be

responsible for day-to-day operations and oversee

the full programming of the club. A graduate of

Tyler Junior College, Josh has a degree in tennis

management. A shortened list of his credentials

includes USTPA, Elite P-1 and USTA High

Performance Certification. Less than one percent of

tennis coaches nationwide have attained the High

Performance Certification. “Josh started playing at

13; he’s only been around tennis 18 years. Tennis

is something he absolutely loves. He is energized,

refreshed and all his references said they knew that

one day he would be a director of tennis,” Altaf

said. Josh (wife Brittany and son Sebastion, 5)

said that they were drawn to Owensboro’s small-

town appeal, strong school system, the warmth

and hospitality of its people and its proximity to

home—Lebanon, Indiana.

Centre Court, a 48,000-square foot facility, will

host a wide array of programs: junior clinics, adult

ladies’ and men’s clinics, private lessons, cardio

tennis, ball machine rentals, permanent court time,

league play, and special event planning (birthdays,

anniversaries, etc.). “I’m very excited. I think the

new facility is going to bring a whole other tennis

population to the community. Something this

new will make more tennis happen here. Basically

anything with a ball and a racquet, we can make

happen,” Josh said. He explained that a facility like

this will open new possibilities for USTA Southern

Tournaments — big tournaments — which bring

large groups to town. In addition, ODCTA expects


the return of several adult tournaments, possibly

USTA’s 40 & Over and 55 & Over state tournaments.

(Henderson hosted the 55 & Over State Tournament

this year.) Other college conference tournaments are

within the group’s sights, too.

“I’m confident we will have the Junior Team Tennis

State Tournament here in 2016,” Noel said. Organizers

want to move tournaments like these around the state;

the tournament includes 20 teams with 6-8 players per

team playing a 3-day event.

The bottom line? “We need to make sure that we

program the facility in ways that maximize its usage,

and we have not experienced having a club available

for use during the summer,” Noel said. The Executive

Racquet Club (3 courts) was open October-March.

As an added perk, the indoor facility will provide

programming during summer months, which will

help generate more revenue to pay down the debt on

the facility. “We will have a lot of during-the-day,

camp-type programs for all the kids, different ages

and abilities,” Josh said. Players from age 5 through

high school age will have skills programs. Courts are

available at half-price rates during the summer. Non-

profit groups will have opportunities to use the courts

for special rates and special projects.

Tennis is considered a life-long sport. “That’s what

I think is so cool about it . . . you have 5-year-olds


playing, and then I think of Jared Barron playing

until he was 95—and that’s just so cool,” Noel said.

Oftentimes, a wide range of ages play together. When

he said, “You’ll get to play with your grandkids,”

that caught my attention.

Josh has lofty goals for the facility, hoping to

nearly triple memberships within two years. In his

opinion, the best way to grow tennis is “product

on the court.” He brings that. Several tennis pros

will be working as independent contractors at the

Centre. “Before the start of the [next] indoor season,

a Head Pro will likely be hired on staff,” Noel said.

With six courts, more pros are needed. Presently,

tennis players are using the Executive Racquet Club

for indoor play, with Josh and Bill Henness as the

only two full-time pros working there.

ODCTA’s mission is “to encourage and

support the development of tennis as a means of

healthy recreation and physical fitness for all area

residents, and to cooperate with the USTA and

other organizations, including Owensboro Parks

& Recreation, to pursue these aims. The ODCTA

is not an exclusive organization, and relies on

volunteers to oversee and promote activities that

can be enjoyed at all skill levels.”

“I’m really excited about the completion of our

tennis complex. Our next endeavor is to promote

tennis. We will be going into the elementary

schools, teaching 10 & Under tennis, and going

to large corporations promoting tennis as a

healthy lifestyle,” said Charlotte Miller, ODCTA

president.

A Grand Opening is in the works, with hopes of

bringing some national pros in for an exhibition

game. Can you say, Advantage Owensboro?


Her gold tennis racquet necklace, accented

with a diamond ball, only tells part of the

story. A latecomer to tennis, she had never seen

a tennis match. Friends Vivian Montgomery and

Shannon Erickson were going to the Western

Southern Open in Cincinnati and invited her to

go. After seeing Agassi, Sampras and Chang play,

she was hooked. In 2007, she called her first small

tournament. Tennis official. Chair. Linesman.

Referee. Umpire. Laura Clark is all that.

Her primary roles at tournaments include

referee (the person who is officially in charge of

everything at the tournament), chair (literally

sits in the chair and makes calls) and linesman

(stands on court and calls balls in and out). She

does junior, college and professional-level tennis.

Each place and each responsibility on court has

its own set of pressures. “You have to have really

good eyes, stamina, be able to stand on your feet

a lot and you have to have really thick skin—not

only thick skin, but a lot of confidence in yourself.

Without that, you’re going to be eaten alive. It’s

the most competitive thing I’ve ever done in my

life—and the sweetest gig I’ve ever done in my

life,” Laura said.

A friend in Henderson was calling tournaments,

and by this time, Laura was going to Cincinnati

regularly. “I saw her on the court, and I said ‘I want

to do that. I want to be there.’ She told me who

to talk to.” Laura began the application process:

Contacted the local league coordinator. Applied

on the USTA website. Read the rules book. Took

BYGAIL E.

KIRKLAND

MAKING THE


a test on it. Went to school. “After you go to school, you start begging . . .”

Laura said emphatically. Officials can apply online for every USTA

tournament, but to break into the ranks is easier said than done.

She did it. Laura has called at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the U.S.

Open in New York and the Davis Cup in Chicago this past September.

She aspires to being on the line at an ATP final, and a U.S. Open final.

“I have no intention of slowing down at this point, because I am still

growing. I’m such a newbie . . . for me, it’s what’s next,” Laura said. “I

have had the support of a very, very good man who said, ‘If you want to

do this, I support you wholeheartedly; I can’t imagine anything more

fun,’ and you’ve got to have that.”

Her first tournament was in Evansville. She recalls it as “comical.”

They used Laura’s racquets for her on-court training. “Thankfully

it was a woman’s 10K. Some are still playing. They don’t know me

from Adam, but I remember them and how much I screwed up that

first tournament. That may be why it took me a year to get another

tournament,” she said.

One official’s misfortune became Laura’s good fortune. “I broke in

because a guy had a mild heart attack the week before and they needed

someone local to fill in,” Laura said. The top person in charge of

officials is from Newburgh, Indiana, and knew of Laura. That’s when


she got the call. They knew Laura lived in proximity to

Memphis. “I got home from Telluride at midnight, got

up at 6 a.m. and drove to Memphis. I didn’t tell her that

part. That got me some ATP grades.” Then the same guy

could not go to a Florida tournament, so she was asked to

fill in again. “I was not going to say no,” Laura said. That

happenstance launched her career.

“We apply for every tournament. We know what the

pay is going to be, what the accommodations are going

to be, what the travel is going to be. We know up front

and we can say no,” Laura said. The first three years,

she continued begging to get into tournaments. “Every

single time we step on court we are being evaluated.

Those grades determine whether or not you are going

to work. It’s a catch-22. You need grades to be hired.

You can’t get grades unless you are hired. I begged people

to let me work the days evaluators would be there, so I

could get some grades,” Laura said. Tennis officials work

independently, not as a team. She has worked her way up

with the ATP and she knows the core people who will

work those events.

Her first big-time court, big stage was in 2009 in

Cincinnati—quite soon after her start. “I got lucky. A lot

of it is luck. I worked my bottom off, but a lot of it is

luck, too.” Typically, she’s gone about a week, but some

of those are back-to-back tournaments. The crème de la

crème of tournaments for her is the Western Southern

Open in Cincinnati, “because it’s home, it’s where I see

my friends from home,” Laura said.

Keeping her personal excitement in check can be

challenging. “The only times we are seen by the people

are during our mess-ups. Period. The first time you are

on a big court it is terrifying, and it is the coolest, most

terrifying experience in the whole world. You are shaking

so hard and you’re sure they can see you shaking. As soon

as the match starts, as soon as it’s time to stand up and

look down at that court, the nerves go away—until you

mess up or your voice goes shrill. Then it comes back,”

Laura said.

How does she prepare for a tournament, to be her best

that day? “I try to remove myself from everything else


that’s going on. At a big tournament, there are a hundred

of us. We have a big break room where we are all together,

playing games all day…catching up or getting to know one

another… There’s a bunch of buzz about what’s going on.

For me, I play cards or whatever, but 15 minutes before it’s

time for me to go on, I get away and remind myself why I’m

there and what I’m doing. I have to do that to clear my head,

to do my best, to not screw up a call,” Laura said.

Compensation comes in many forms. It is all in relation

to the tournament itself. Some are very generous with the

officials; some not so much. “I would do it for free. It’s not

something you are going to make a huge amount of money

doing, but . . . I love it,” she said.

Imagine standing there, knowing your call could change

the momentum of the game. “Most of the time you don’t

know. Then you realize it was a very crucial point and you

realize someone’s not going to be happy . . . someone is,

someone else is very unhappy. It doesn’t take long to get past

that. It’s a call and it’s either IN or OUT. That’s my call. You

tell yourself you are doing the right thing. I can only call

what I see. You have to stick with it . . . face it head on. If

you can’t do that in good conscience, you can’t be there. You

will be eaten alive and you will be the most miserable person

there,” she said.

The electronic review plays into the bigger tournaments.

“Electronic review is only on ATP and WTA. The only USTA

tournament with electronic review is the U.S. Open. It’s only

at the highest level. The amount of money a tournament has

determines how much that electronic review will be used,”

Laura explained. “We love electronic review. It’s a backup


for us. To the players, this is the way it is. If you want to

challenge, challenge. It ends the discussion. That point’s

over. It shuts everyone up. It’s a great tool for us.”

Physical challenges include heat, cold, wind, a tickle, rain

delays, a cough—and bugs. At Indian Wells, for example,

it could be 100 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at

night. Officials are layering and unlayering constantly. “It

is draining to work August in Lexington, where your shoes

are melting and sticking to the courts—and they really are,”

she said.

Memorable moments come in many forms. Laura took a

130-mph serve at her lip in one of her first men’s tournaments

in Louisville. “I had never learned the technique of move,

and it busted my lip totally. That’s probably the most

memorable because I was brand new.”

One of the top pros (as in top, top pros) asked her if she

was guessing on her call. Typically, officials do not interact

with the players. “I just nodded and he asked again, ‘Are

you sure or were you guessing?’” She smiled a little and

told him she was not guessing. The electronic review

confirmed her call and the pro then smiled and said, “You

weren’t guessing!” Her husband Phil framed a picture of

that exchange, which was captured on TV and it sits on the

secretary in their downtown condo.

Laura is sympathetic to the players and the pressure they

are under while playing, regardless of the level. “There are

no calls that are not significant, that are not important to

that player, whether a qualifying match or a championship

match. Every call, every match, every point, every game is

crucial to someone.” She noted how important that is at the

lowest level because it could impact whether that player will

continue on with tennis.

The officials have on-the-job training and must re-certify

every year. The rules and laws change, so they must stay

up-to-date. “I learn something new every tournament I go

to,” Laura said. Within a year’s time, for ATP tournaments

Laura travels to Memphis; Del Ray; Indian Wells; Miami;

Washington, DC; Cincinnati; Winston-Salem and the U.S.

Open in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. She loves the travel, not

so much the hours. The days can be very long. The upside

is the constant adrenaline rush, the challenge of making the

tough calls.


Army Armstrong is on a mission to build the world’s

fastest bookmobile. For that to happen,

Armstrong’s creation has to exceed a speed of 211 miles per hour.

To be exact, he’s building a car in his garage to

attempt to break the world land speed record

at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah next

August. It’s what he’ll do with the car after the

trial that makes it an educational piece. “All

my cars are built with a purpose,” Armstrong

said. “This would be a great teaching tool

to talk with kids about math and chemistry.

You could talk about tire rotation, cubic feet,

horsepower, all those different things.” As you

can see, Armstrong never misses a chance to

teach or encourage kids. He may have legions

of monster truck fans around the country who

know him as a Hall of Fame announcer, but

he’s just “Mr. Knuckles” to the kids in the car-

rider line at Sutton Elementary. For about 15

years now, he’s been the guy who gives kids

knuckle bumps each morning at the back door.

After that, it’s back to work in the garage,

tinkering on his Bonneville car and trying new

ideas. Cooling the engine is one of the things

he’s still figuring out. “At that speed, it can

overheat, so I’m trying to cool it using CO2.”

He’s come up with a system that has a timer on

it that shoots a puff of CO2 every six seconds.

If his plan works, that little innovation just

might be the thing that gets him enough extra

BY DANNY MAY

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ARMSTRONG ATTEMPTING

WORLD RECORD


horsepower to break the existing record.

Another issue to figure out is keeping

the car straight. Once a car goes past

200mph, it has a tendency to spin out.

Armstrong thinks he has an idea for that

too. “I put something like a truck bed on

a car once and it actually helped keep it

steady by changing the aerodynamics.”

Basically, this car is a culmination

of a lifetime of experience in the racing

industry. For as long as he can remember,

Armstrong has always loved racing, and

fast cars are all he’s ever thought about.

His first job was at a drag strip when he

was 10 years old. “This is my passion.

Everybody has theirs and this is mine,”

he explained. His career in motorsports

includes 5 national championships

(mostly NHRA) across different

platforms of drag racing, designing, and

building cars. Then he lucked into an

announcing gig at monster truck events

and tractor pulls. It turns out that all his

first-hand knowledge and experiences

with the racing industry, combined

with his wit, humor, and personality,

make him a pretty good announcer,

too. Armstrong was inducted into the

Monster Truck Hall of Fame in 2013.

Before that, he was also inducted into the

Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame in

2009.

Armstrong is now putting every little

trick and tip he’s learned along the way


into building this car. He’s named the vehicle the “Original

Kentucky Colonel,” in memory of a friend who passed away

from cancer.

Racing at Bonneville is a bucket list item for Armstrong,

but with all his experience in racing, he’s never done

anything quite like this. Drag-racing cars are typically very

light, with wide back wheels and small, narrow front wheels,

but Bonneville cars are built to be heavy, to keep them on

the ground. Unlike a drag strip, the salt flat course is several

miles long, which means the cars have a mile to get up to

speed, a mile to reach top speed, and at least a mile to slow

down after the parachute deploys. Therefore, the back wheels

and front wheels are the same size. Another difference is the

cars at Bonneville don’t race side by side. You’re really racing

the clock. The cars line up single-file and race one at a time.

The Original Kentucky Colonel has been a 2½ year

project that is still a year away from completion. Bonneville

only holds races once a year, and this year it got rained out,

so Armstrong now has another year to tweak his car and get

it ready. If all goes according to plan, Armstrong will have

a serious shot at breaking the world record, especially if his

innovations work.

Armstrong’s garage is filled with signs, stickers, pictures,

tools, and other memorabilia from a lifetime of racing, but

he’s also a man of many other talents. One of his hobbies

is painting doll houses, which he donates to children whose

fathers or mothers are overseas in the service.

Being an announcer, Armstrong always has a story to tell,

and you never know what you’re going to hear next. But

with Armstrong, nothing should surprise you - not even a

74-year-old from Owensboro, Kentucky breaking the world

land speed record.


ARTICLE BY DANNY MAY


On the back wall of his dusty workshop, just

beyond the bandsaws, drills, and sanders, hangs a

map that has a pin in it for every country where his

toys have been delivered. Most of the pins are in

Central America and Africa, but it’s an impressive

visual to see how far his toys have traveled.

It all began when Fogle retired in 1997. One

day, he was moving a piece of furniture up a

staircase, which was pretty cumbersome for a

man with muscular dystrophy and leg braces on

his ankles, when he decided it was time to do

something else.

“I’ve always been interested in woodworking,

but I was mostly making cabinets and furniture.

But then I noticed an article in a woodworking

catalogue about a kit you could order that had

enough material to make 100 small cars.” Fogle

tried his hand at the cars and decided to send them

with his friends, David and Judy Heady, who were

missionaries in Haiti through Global Outreach.

Of course, those children in Haiti were thrilled to

receive the cars, and a spark was lit in Fogle.

After praying about what to do next, some

friends suggested he should contact Operation

Christmas Child, an organization run by

Samaritan’s Purse that delivers shoeboxes filled

with goodies to children in Third World countries.

“Those who have seen them hand out the

shoeboxes to the kids say it’s priceless to witness

the joy and happiness on those kids’ faces,” Fogle

said. “They just squeal they’re so happy.”

The toy that Clyde makes most often is a little

pocket car. He buys the wheels pre-made in bags

of 5,000. Then he traces, cuts out, and sands the

car bodies, snaps the wheels on the axles, and

assembles them on the cars. His favorite body

Owensboro toymaker Clyde Fogle is giving Santa a run for his money.

Over the last twelve years, Fogle has made 144,000 wooden toys in

his backyard wood shop and given them away to children all over

the world, in over 80 countries, through Operation Christmas Child.

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style is what he calls the “little ‘vette,” but he also makes

a slick-looking drag car. Helicopters with spinning

propellers are another favorite of his to make. Fogle

has recently perfected a Hummer-style jeep with drilled

headlights and carved-out fenders. For the girls, he

makes little figurines they can use to play “house.”

Charlotte, North Carolina is the closest distribution

center for Operation Christmas Child. Once a year,

they’ll send a truck to Clyde’s house. “Whenever I get

a pallet full of toys ready, I’ll send them an email, and

a few days later there’s an Estes truck backing a 35-foot

container into my driveway.” After Christmas, they’ll

also send Fogle an email, telling him where his toys

ended up.

Owensboro Christian Church is Daviess County’s

drop-off point for shoeboxes for Operation Christmas

Child. “As a regional collection center, we cover from

Crittenden County over to Hancock County and down

to Muhlenberg County,” says Owensboro Christian

Children’s Director, Emily Leach. “People either pick up

boxes from us to pack, or pack their own boxes and bring

them to us. My job is to package the shoeboxes in larger

boxes.” Those boxes are loaded on two tractor-trailers

and taken to the processing center in North Carolina for

repacking and shipping to Third World countries.

Operation Christmas Child’s website says they ship

the shoeboxes by plane, train, truck, boat, canoe, or even

camels. At the end of the line, a church leader in each

village receives the boxes and is in charge of distributing

them to the children in the community.

How much joy can one shoebox bring? Ask the one

hundred million children around the world who have

received a shoebox full of goodies at Christmastime

through Operation Christmas Child. Typically, the boxes

contain toys, clothes, toiletries, and school supplies.

Many of those children get one of Fogle’s toys, made right

here in Owensboro. One of Fogle’s prized possessions is

a picture of a boy in Peru, holding one of Fogle’s wooden

toys from a box the boy had just opened.

Fogle has never sought recognition for his efforts,

but word has gotten out. Samaritan’s Purse produced a

promotional video for Operation Christmas Child that

featured Fogle making toys in his shop. CNN found

out about it, and aptly called Fogle “Kentucky’s Santa

Claus.” That story was picked up by a Louisville station

and WFIE News 14 featured it as well. But I wouldn’t

call him comfortable with the attention. “The only

reason I agree to do interviews is I hope that it might

inspire someone else,” said Fogle.

It already has.

One man from Arizona contacted Fogle last week

after he heard about the shoeboxes from a missionary

visiting their church. After talking with Fogle, the

man has already ordered materials to start making toys

himself.

David Colburn, who started out doing yard work at

Fogle’s house, has become his apprentice. “I’d be out

working in the yard and see him in the shop all the

time,” Colburn said. Eventually, he asked what Fogle

was up to. “Once he showed me what he was doing, I

kind of got the itch for it.” Fogle called Colburn a pretty

fast learner. Right now, he’s working on a doll chair for

his two-year-old daughter, but he says he’d be honored to

carry on Fogle’s toy-making legacy.

For now, the legacy lives on. As he answered my

questions, Fogle dropped another pocket car into a barrel

next to his work bench. “That makes about 600. A full

barrel will hold close to 1,500.” He has slowed down a

little bit this past year though, dropping from about 50

hours a week down to 35 hours. “My wife and my doctor

both told me I needed to cut back some,” he smiled.

“Plus, I’m 74.”

For more information about Operation Christmas

Child, visit www.samaritanspurse.org. Collection week

was Nov 17-24, but to get involved in next year’s shoebox

collection, contact Emily Leach at Owensboro Christian

Church.


Every year, thousands of people pack their cars full of children and hot cocoa and come from all over the Tri-state, to get a little taste of Christmas cheer. It has even become somewhat of a tradition for those that have moved away from Owensboro to set aside time to view the lights at “the Stonegate house” when they return home each winter to visit.

LIGHTING TOWN

up the

BY MELODY ANNWALLACE

PHOTO BY AP IMAGERY


With the lights typically on display by

Thanksgiving, it is the perfect way to get into the

holiday spirit. However, this season the lights were

up for viewing a little earlier than usual. This year,

the Lashbrook family was hanging and assembling

decorations in anticipation of a new set of viewers.

What once began with a few milk jugs and a

handful of tea lights has now transformed into a

neighborhood spectacular on view for the entire

country to see.

On the evening of Sunday, October 19, Indian

Creek Loop was transformed into the backdrop

for family-friendly reality television, as camera

crews and production assistants buzzed around

positioning cameras and lighting, in an effort to

get the perfect shot. The street quickly took on

the feel of a wintery Christmas commercial as

approximately 150 neighbors and family members,

dressed in Christmas-themed apparel, lined the

streets, eagerly awaiting the cue to illuminate the

block. That cue came in the form of a black Lincoln

Navigator transporting pint-sized designer Sabrina

Soto, one of the judges from ABC’s The Great

Christmas Light Fight. Sabrina stepped out of the

vehicle to a cheering crowd, a warm welcome from

the Lashbrook family, and a special serenade of

Christmas carols provided by the Daviess County

High School Chamber Choir. After a short, friendly

conversation with the family, the crowd then

assisted with the countdown to initiate the lights.

1-2-3…

Magically, the entire property began to come

alive with the glow of thousands of colored lights

that, when lit, looked akin to something that you

might see in a frozen fairytale. In the front yard,

the first tree to spring to life was the massive blue

spruce, covered with shining ornaments and over

10,000 lights. Alongside of it was the “ball tree,”

adorned with handmade lanterns and one-of-a-

kind globes that the family created using clear

pretzel containers and miniature lights. The

family believes that such homemade items will set

them apart from others in the competition. While

the Lashbrook family has always incorporated

AFTER WATCHING ONE OF LAST YEAR’S EPISODES OF THE GREAT CHRISTMAS LIGHT FIGHT AS A FAMILY, TYLER THOUGHT, “WE CAN DO THIS.”

PHOTO BY AP IMAGERY


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homemade and hand-crafted items into their display, this year

there was a different motivation for doing so. Knowing that

celebrity judge and host of The High-Low Project, Sabrina

Soto, has an appreciation for DIY and handmade items, this is

where the Lashbrooks chose to place their focus.

Jeff and Connie Lashbrook started having custom-

designed and lighted pieces created when their children were

small. Kelsey, the oldest of the Lashbrook children, says her

dad has “always put stuff up” and remembers displays as

young as age five. The Christmas train is the one piece that

she recalls being around the longest. The first original pieces

that Jeff and Connie had designed were the carved statues that

were created to depict the actual size of each of the Lashbrook

children, Kelsey at age 9, Tyler at age 7, and Jessica at age 5.

Also incorporated into the winter scenes are toy soldiers and

five snowmen, which were each artfully crafted to represent

this tightly knit family of five.

Jeff ’s love of all things Christmas does not stop with

light and decorations. Connie recalls that one day Jeff came

home with a Santa suit and began to hand out candy. It has

since become tradition for Jeff Lashbrook to dress as Santa,

hand out candy canes, and collect donations as onlookers

exit the neighborhood. As far as asking for donations from

visitors to fund the increased electricity that it takes to run

this spectacular display, the family prefers that the money be

donated to local charities. In 1999, the neighborhood joined

with the Lashbrooks to create “Christmas at Stonegate.” The

neighborhood association chooses which two local charities

should receive the thousands of dollars given each year in

donations. Past recipients have been the Pitino Shelter,

Christmas Wish, and the Mary Kendall Home. This ongoing

act of kindness may have attributed to the family being chosen

for the show.

After watching one of last year’s episodes of The Great

Christmas Light Fight as a family, Tyler, the second oldest

of the three Lashbrook children, thought, “We can do this.”

The family then read the rules at the end of the show and

decided to submit a home video of their Christmas light

display. From there, the process went into motion. The show,

To see the Lashbrook family and their amazing display of lights, as well as members of the Owensboro community, tune in to The Great Christmas Light Fight Monday evenings in December. The show will premiere on Monday, December 8 on the ABC Television Network and continue to air back-to-back episodes on the following dates:

Monday, December 8 (7-8 p.m., CT) and (8-9 p.m., CT)



now in its second season, selects twenty-four families through

an extensive nationwide search, “based on their previous

elaborate Christmas light displays, incredible choreography

and over-the-top designs.” In each episode, four families then

compete with the goal of winning the grand prize of $50,000.

After viewing the video, ABC loved the Lashbrook’s house and

the charity component so much that they were automatically

advanced to the next round. At that point, they were able to

participate in a Skype interview with an ABC producer in Los

Angles. Once selected for the show, the family was asked to

fill out what they describe as “mounds and, I mean, mounds

of paperwork.” The last step involved completing background

checks for each family member, reviewing the official rules,

and designating who would receive the prize money should

they win.

The episode featuring the Lashbrook’s magnificent

Stonegate light display is due to air in mid-December.

Regardless of the outcome of this season’s episode, it is certain

that the Lashbrooks will continue to light the neighborhood

with the joy of Christmas for many years to come.


TECHNOLOGY

Ask around about the kind of company Louisville-

based Interapt is and you might hear any of the

following:

• A Silicon Valley-type tech business that focuses

on mobile technology.

• The newest Google Glass partner, one of just 10

companies nationwide to emerge from a rigorous

selection process approved to develop enterprise

applications for the wearable computer.

• A mobile app developer.

• What’s an Interapt?

While all of the above are true, Interapt CEO

Ankur Gopal has a different answer about Interapt’s

focus: they solve problems. They just happen to use

mobile technology as their solution of choice.

Born and raised in Owensboro, Gopal sees

Interapt as much more than just another tech startup.

BY

BENJAMIN

HOAK

“I’M PROUD THAT EVEN WHEN WE WERE STRUGGLING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT OUR NICHE, THAT WE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE BIGGER PICTURE – HOW DOES THIS IMPACT THE COMMUNITY? WE DIDN’T FOCUS ON MONEY, BUT ON IMPACT, AND THE MONEY CAME,” HE SAID.

solving problems through


“I like doing something that I know benefits the community,” he said, “and furthers the

mission of economic development in Kentucky in terms of creating jobs. The companies

of the future will keep the best and brightest in Kentucky – not bolting for the coast

because there’s no opportunity here.”

Interapt (interactive + application + aptitude) is certainly creating that opportunity

by raising eyebrows around the country with their success, most recently with Google’s

October 21 announcement of its latest partners. The deal gives Interapt instant credibility,

especially with companies leery of doing business with firms outside the traditional

Silicon Valley/New York pipeline. “The announcement cleared up that problem nicely,”

Gopal said.

Gopal has seen a surge of interest in his company in the last few weeks.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer both publicly

praised Interapt, and CNN and USA Today interviewed Gopal about Interapt’s work. The

publicity generated 470 LinkedIn requests for Gopal, which resulted in more than 50

clear leads, including top-level decision makers from Fortune 1000 companies who want

to discuss using Google Glass in their operations.

“We’re hearing that people are surprised we came out of Kentucky,” Gopal said. “My

response is ‘Why not Kentucky?’ The beautiful thing about technology is that you can do

anything from anywhere.”

Interapt applied for the Google partnership based on their work with Yum! Brands in

Louisville. Interapt’s Glass application condensed an 80-page training manual for KFC


employees to a series of on-screen prompts employees could

quickly and easily follow while keeping their hands free to

work. That project led to a pilot employee training program

with Taco Bell, which is expected to save tens of millions of

dollars in operations costs.

Gopal sees endless applications for Glass. Doctors on

rounds could take video or audio with Glass and automatically

add the files to the patient’s chart so the next nurse in the

room is working with up-to-date information, leading to

better care and quicker patient improvement. Reporters in the

field could broadcast video straight to the newsroom. Several

other projects have transformational potential particularly for

healthcare and employee training.

Interapt doesn’t develop cool applications just to be cool.

“If it doesn’t make the patient better, what’s the point?” Gopal

said of the healthcare solution. When a company approaches

Interapt with a problem, Gopal and his team conduct a

strong discovery process to reveal the critical needs that keep

company leaders awake at night. Interapt then assesses the

right technical solution, whether it’s Glass, a smart watch, a

mobile app, or more.

Gopal has come a long way. After graduating from the

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and studying

entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago’s Polsky

Center for Entrepreneurship, he came back to Owensboro

in 2009 to chase his vision of mobile technology as the next

frontier. He started a text messaging service called Agent 511;

once smartphones hit the scene, he realized the tremendous

opportunity in the mobile app market and charted a new

course, even though he knew nothing about app development

at the time. (The same strategy served him well when he first

heard of “wearables” such as Google Glass.)

In 2011, Gopal moved the growing company to Louisville

to take advantage of the larger companies there; the team is

now at about 80 employees and is in “an aggressive growth

phase.” Greater Louisville, Inc. named Interapt a “Hot Dozen”

company in September 2014 as one of the most innovative up-

and-coming companies in the area, and Gopal was named a

LOCAL STORIES. DELIVERED DAILY. FREE.WWW.OWENSBOROLIVING.COM


2014 Emerging Entrepreneur by the Kentucky Entrepreneur

Hall of Fame.

He’s appreciative of his time in Owensboro. While here,

the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation

invested in his company with a $30,000 seed loan, which he

has since repaid with interest so the money can be used to

help other emerging companies. Sound advice from Malcolm

Bryant, Madison Silvert, Nick Brake and Terry Woodward

still guides him today, Gopal said.

In his Louisville office – Interapt is located in The

Nucleus building downtown – Gopal still keeps a copy of a

feature story from the Messenger-Inquirer about his company.

The story included a photo of him working at the Owensboro

Panera with no office, no overhead, no payroll – just a man

trying to build a plan, formulate a business and figure out how

to survive.

“I’m proud that even when we were struggling, trying to

figure out our niche, that we never lost sight of the bigger

picture – how does this impact the community? We didn’t

focus on money, but on impact, and the money came,” he said.

Gopal volunteers with Junior Achievement and his team

works in the community as well, including teaching regularly

at the Kentucky Science Center. He loves to aid entrepreneurs

when they ask for help. Some of his best advice includes

reading constantly, watching how similar companies grow,

obtaining advice from other entrepreneurs and staying open

and honest about where your company is and where you want

it to be. “You need a vision and a plan,” he said. “Make sure

you have support. Know your resources and know where to

get help.”

Solving problems, coding apps, hanging with Google,

giving back - all in a day’s work for Ankur Gopal, who honed

his inherent entrepreneurial skills with hard work and a

hunger to succeed. “I hope this encourages other people to

think of Kentucky not as a limitation but as an opportunity,”

he said. “There are a lot of successful companies already.

There’s no reason there can’t be 20 more.”


As one of only four ice arenas in the

Commonwealth, and the only one that

is publically owned, Edge Ice Center

is a true asset to the Owensboro area.

Visitors are impressed with the $6.5 million

facility, and upon entering the front doors are

greeted with a friendly staff and a fun atmosphere.

At more than 42,000-square-feet, the arena was

built to accommodate a growing population of

recreational and competitive ice skaters and hockey

players.

“We have the nicest facility in the state, if not

the Tri-state,” said Kerry Bodenheimer, Owensboro

Parks and Recreation Superintendent.

The large facility holds three rooms available for ON ICEowensboro


birthday parties or public rental, a spacious lobby

for daily guests, five locker rooms, and spectator

seating for 300 people.

An indoor ice arena was not new to Owensboro.

In fact, the original Owensboro Ice Arena was built

in 1963, but “she aged” after years of operation,

said Bodenheimer. Opened in September 2009, the

Edge Ice Center just celebrated its 5th birthday.

When the doors opened in 2009, nearly 2,500

people came to the first three weeks of public

skating. Perhaps the best birthday present for

Edge and Bodenheimer this year is the continuous

support that the arena sees each year. More than

25,000 people visited Edge last year for public

skating, group and private events, and free-pass use.

The previous Owensboro Ice Arena was not

open year-round, something that Bodenheimer

believes sets apart this new facility. She has seen a

growth in public participation through activities

like summer day camps and Learn to Skate classes,

opening up ice skating to new audiences each day.

The arena’s 200-by-85-foot rink is the

regulation size of the National Hockey League.

This, combined with the new facility and spectator

area, has broadened the utilization of the ice arena.

Competitors like the Owensboro Youth Hockey

Association and Owensboro Figure Skating Club

are now regular fixtures at Edge, bringing a new

world of competition to Owensboro.

The Owensboro Youth Hockey Association

houses nine divisions, including the Rampage

High School Hockey team, who was named State

Champion in 2011-2012, and the Owensboro

Puckhogs Pee Wee Team, who was runner-up at

the International Silver Stick competition in

Canada. Over 200 hockey players make up the local

league, something that was not possible before the

establishment of Edge. High school competitions,

travel teams and state tournaments are all now

held at Edge, boosting the local economy through

sporting tourism.

“The old rink just wasn’t up to standards,”

said Clint Rowell, President of Owensboro Youth

Hockey Association. “It was always going to

close, so [Edge] has really given us stability.”

Similarly, the Owensboro Figure Skating Club

is now able to hold competitions at Edge, bringing

150 competitive skaters to Owensboro last year.

January will mark the fourth annual competition

for the club, which, in the past, has brought in

competitors from Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio

for over two days.

“It’s just a nicer facility, which is a big draw for

people out of town,” said Cindy Bowman, mother

and a coordinator of the skating club. “Edge is a

top-notch ice rink with quality ice, which is a big

plus for ice skaters.”

Given that Edge is publically owned and

operated by Owensboro Parks and Recreation,

Bodenheimer is happy that the ice arena is giving

back to the community.

“We are making an economic impact,”

Bodenheimer said. “We are paying back our

community. We have always been known for

baseball and football, but now we are bringing

people to Owensboro for sports during the winter

months.”

Jared Bratcher is sports marketing director


for the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention &

Visitors Bureau. He told the Owensboro Messenger-

Inquirer there were more than 50 tournaments in

Owensboro in 2013, including figure skating, hockey,

baseball, running, soccer, softball, basketball, tennis,

volleyball, fishing and football. In fact, there was

some type of tournament in town every month,

filling every hotel room in the city on 10 weekends

last year. Bratcher said Edge Ice Center is the reason

for increased participation in ice skating and hockey.

Bodenheimer believes it is also important to give

back to the community through group events. Edge is

often the destination for community fundraisers for

schools, and hosts a number of local organizations

like Girls Inc., Wendell Foster’s Campus for

Developmental Disabilities, and The Daniel Pitino

Shelter. But it is not just these local organizations

that are taking advantage of this state-of-the-art ice

arena.

Edge has become a source for family fun

in Owensboro during the cold winter months.

Bodenheimer says that she sees at least 60 percent

of customers for the year between the months of

November and January. And with events like last

month’s Frozen at Edge and this month’s Skate

with Santa coming up, it is not hard to imagine why.

Bodenheimer says, “Believe it or not, our busiest day

is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We see about 400

people.”


But a typical weekend during the busy season

will consist of events, competitions, practices and

open skating from 7 a.m. Saturday morning to 9

p.m. Sunday night, with constant skaters on the ice.

So if you and your family are looking for something

fun to do this winter, be sure to check out Edge Ice

Center.

SKATE WITH SANTASaturday, December 13 from 1 – 4 p.m.

Edge Ice Center

Get into the holiday spirit and skate with Santa!

There will be free hot chocolate and candy canes,

and some exciting exhibitions by local members of

the Owensboro Figure Skating Club, plus giveaways

and door prizes throughout the session.

4TH ANNUAL I.S.I. FIGURE SKATING COMPETITIONFriday, January 30 – Sunday, February 1

Edge Ice Center

All lesson participants are invited to participate

in the annual Ice Skating Institute competition

held at Edge. Watch out for more information on

registering for this fun event.

DOES YOUR CHILD WANT TO LEARN TO SKATE? Here are a few questions you may be asking yourself about starting

your son or daughter skating at Edge.

What is the Edge Ice Center Skating School?The Edge Ice Center’s Learn to Skate program follows the guidelines

set forth by the Ice Skating Institute of America (I.S.I.). Classes range

from beginner to advanced, aiding development of fundamental

skating maneuvers. The I.S.I. WeSkate program is America’s original

learn to skate program, and has introduced over 5 million individuals

to the wonderful world of ice skating.

What does each class consist of?All class times include 30 minutes of instruction, plus 30 minutes of

practice ice time at the end of each class. The practice time will benefit

your child by enabling him/her to master new skills and progress at a

faster rate. The exception is the Learn to Skate Hockey class, which

consists of 45 minutes of instruction each week, with no practice ice.

How old does my child have to be?The Tots class is especially designed for children ages 3- 6 years old.

Edge offers classes from 3 years through adult.

Can a parent be in the same class as their child?The great thing about ice skating is that it is a recreational activity that

can be enjoyed by all ages, together. Parents are welcome to learn

with their children and make it a family event. Adult classes are also

available. Only those registered for lessons are allowed on the ice

during instruction time and practice time.

How do I register?Classes are divided into groups according to ability, and are limited on

a first-come, first-served basis. You may register in person or by calling

the Edge Ice Center.

Edge Ice Center | 1400 Hickman Ave. | (270) 687-8700

PH

OT

O B

Y A

P IM

AG

ERY


Daymar College has been through a lot of changes in a short

amount of time. From selling their building to a new

Chancellor and a new leadership team at the campus, Daymar

has proven to be a resilient and ever-evolving business in

Owensboro.

Over the summer, the Daymar Property Group decided to

sell the 33,000 square foot building on Buckland Square that was

home to Daymar College to the Daviess County Public School

system to house the new alternative school. Daymar realized that

the business of real estate and property management was not the

business they are successful in, and selling the building to lease

part of it back has enabled them to focus their resources on what

they are most passionate about – educating their students.

In October, Daymar Colleges Group welcomed a new

Chancellor and CEO to carry on their legacy and begin a new

chapter for the college that is made up of 12 campuses and

an online college that span across Kentucky, Tennessee and

Ohio. Dr. Dan Peterson is a first generation college graduate

and a retired U.S. Air Force commander who served 23 years

in the military and also has over 20 years of experience in

higher education. Under his leadership, Daymar can expect

fundamental changes that will both continue Daymar’s legacy

and push the institution to being a leader in career education in

the communities it serves.

“Daymar has indeed been operating in a challenging

environment over the last few years, but our dedicated faculty

and staff have not let that get in the way of providing a high-

quality education to our students,” according to Dr. Peterson.

Dr. Peterson went on to say, “There is a well-known skills

gap that exists in America today, where many employers want to

hire employees but have a hard time finding qualified applicants

who possess the skills necessary to meet the 21st century job

demand. Daymar looks forward to being a key player in filling

that gap by graduating students who possess the skills needed by

these employers.”

One of the most exciting aspects of Daymar College’s

Owensboro campus is its Nursing Program. It is currently the

only no-wait nursing program in the Owensboro area and is

led by Dr. Michael Wayne Rager DNP, PhD(c), MSN, FNP-

BC, APRN, CNE. He is the Owensboro Campus Dean, Dean

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

DAYMAR COLLEGE

ALIVE AND WELLof Nursing, and also serves as Vice President of the Kentucky

Nurses Association. Dr. Rager, along with the nursing program

faculty, collectively has 120 years of hands-on experience in

the healthcare industry. According to Dr. Rager, “We are

dedicated to doing our part to secure the nursing profession,

which is projected to continue to experience a shortage, and

with registered nurses who embody the principles of holistic

nursing care. We also look forward to continuing assisting in

the shortage of BSN prepared nurses through our online RN to

BSN program. Our students are the reason for our work and we

appreciate the opportunity to help transform their lives through

education.”

Daymar College’s Nursing Program differentiates itself

from other institutions by providing its students with a modern

simulation lab. This lab allows students to experience situations

that may be found in the work environment, but may not

necessarily be encountered during their clinical rotations. The

simulation lab is similar to a post-operative unit, complete with

a nurses’ station and a control room in which instructors can

watch their students in action without being seen and therefore

too relied on by the student while in a high-stress situation.

The simulation lab and mannequins provide a controlled

environment in which students can practice administering

care in a high-stress environment before being exposed to the

scenario in real life.

Daymar College’s Owensboro campus had a renewal

accreditation visit in September that was done by a team of seven

directed by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges

and Schools (ACICS). In their findings, Daymar College had

zero areas of non-compliance and received four honorable

mentions for campus preparation, learning environment,

student satisfaction, and faculty and staff. Full grant renewal

approval will be released by December 31st.

“We look forward to continuing to bring higher education to

those in the Owensboro area that may not have the opportunity

or resources to attend a traditional college. We are here to help

them realize their capabilities and to help them better their lives.

Our students are our family and we are all truly invested in their

success,” says Rich Horwitz, the Area Campus President for the

Owensboro and Madisonville campuses.


STYLET H E

38th annualBY DANNY MAY HOLIDAY

FOREST


It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and the Ow-

ensboro Museum of Fine Art does it up in style! Their

38th Annual Holiday Forest “Festival of Trees” opened

November 15 and runs through December 31.

The Holiday Forest is an annual tradition at the

Owensboro Museum of Fine Art (OMFA) that started

in 1977. This year, the forest includes 15 trees displayed

throughout all three wings of the museum. Each tree is

decorated by local artists, floral designers, craftsmen,

schools, or civic organizations, using their own style and

motif, mostly embellished with handmade ornaments.

Some are period pieces that take you back to yesteryear.

Some are modern interpretations. Some are vignettes with

scenes that tell stories, while others are inspired by nature.

You’ll see ribbons and bows, angels and stars, and of course,

thousands of Christmas lights.

One of the trees celebrates Native American cultural

traditions in honor of paintings gifted to the museum’s

permanent collection. Gary Tunget, a florist at Fleur de Lis,

has designed trees in three period rooms in the historic John

Hampden Smith Decorative Arts Wing. The Owensboro

Herb Society decorated a tree that will be featured in the

Field Stained Glass Gallery. Burns Middle School will be

represented by decorations in the Waymond Morris Young

Art Gallery, and Ohio County glassmaker Linda House

will feature a stained glass tree in the Nancy Field Wilson

Religious Art Gallery. Members of the Daviess County

Barn Quilt Trail Committee have recreated quilt squares

painted on Daviess County barns.

The Holiday Forest attracts thousands of visitors each


year, and has become a significant fundraiser for OMFA. It’s

the only exhibit the museum ever charges admission to, but

it’s still a very nominal fee for the experience: $2 for adults

and $1 for children.

It’s also a very popular spot for school field trips. OMFA

Director Mary Bryan Hood says, “The children love to see

the Christmas trees decorated and hear the stories. For

many of the students, it’s their first introduction to an art

museum.” The hope is that those students will have a great

experience, and then return to this museum and others with

their families. It really is a win-win for everyone.

This year, the Holiday Forest runs concurrently with

the Consummate Craftsman exhibit, which is designed

to showcase major artists from the Southeast who work in

three-dimensional media, including clay, glass, metal, fiber,

wood, and mixed media, expressing environmental design,

interior design, and functional design. The two exhibits

go hand in hand, as each of the artists and organizations

who decorate trees are asked to interpret the Consummate

Craftsman themes.

Hood is especially ecstatic that glass artist Brook White,

who grew up in Owensboro and now runs Flame Run glass

studio in Louisville, and his mentor and world-renowned

glass blower, Stephan Powell, will be collaborating on an

exhibit for Consummate Artist. “We’re thrilled to have

them,” Hood said. “Their work is remarkable, so this

will be quite a spectacular year for us.” Their exhibit for

Consummate Craftsman will be on the first floor, featuring

12 recent works, including some very large vessels and

pedestal pieces. They have also crafted three brand new

pieces just for this show.

As an added bonus, Brook also contributed 100 glass

ornaments to decorate a tree for the Holiday Forest that he has

entitled “Great Balls of Fire.” Participating in the Festival of

Trees is significant for Brook because he remembers seeing

the Holiday Forest during a school trip when he was a kid. “I

remember seeing trees decorated from all over the world and

I thought that was really neat. So this is really cool for me

to be a part of, because it brings me full-circle. I would have

never dreamed back then that I’d be an artist decorating one

of those same trees now as an adult. Who knows, maybe a

kid will see my glass ornaments this year and remember it

later like I did.”

The Festival of Trees comes down at the end of December, but

the Consummate Craftsman exhibit runs through February 22.


OMFA’s interactive art studio, ARTLAND, will offer a

special feature for children during the six-week Christmas

exhibition where kids can create holiday take-home

decorations.

The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art is located at 9th

and Frederica streets and is open Tuesday through Thursday,

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday

and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the

museum’s website at www.omfa.us.

The Glenmore Distillery was the first corporate sponsor of the OMFA, and they remain the signature sponsor to this day.

ARTLAND, which is sponsored by the Michael E. Horn Family Foundation, is presented free to the public during regular museum hours.

DID YOU KNOW?


As the owner of a home accessories and gift store, I have been able to

watch and help thousands of customers select and purchase gifts for

others. Sometimes, the gifts revolve around an occasion, such as Christmas or

a wedding, and occasionally the gifts are bought to fulfill a need experienced

by the receiver.

In my experience, the best gifts are the ones given “just because.” These

are the gifts given in gratitude, happiness and the desire to convey a message

of how much the other person has improved the life of the giver. Think of

people in your life who have made a positive difference through a kind word,

an important event, or during shared experiences. You probably have a list

of people that come to mind. Friends from way back. Mentors whose words

kept you on track. Kind hearts that remembered you in hard times.

Likely, you are acquainted with those on your list well enough to discern

their personality, their likes, their passions. With that knowledge, you have

the ability to find something that would make them smile, appreciate and

remember. Let a local professional help you select that gift. Specialty retailers

know their stock, and can match a gift to the story, emotion or event.

One recent customer told of a discovery she made when decorating her

home for the holidays. She and her husband progressed through each room,

adding Christmas items to tables, desks and doorways. Nearing the end of

their task, he realized that each room now contained a gift from a single

longtime friend. Each of the items held special meaning, reminding the

couple of good times. The passing of years has only added to their sentiment.

“We want to have her over for tea or lunch,” the customer said, “but we want

to give her something as well. She has been such a blessing.”

A small tray turned out to be the perfect gift. “Count Your Blessings”

is engraved on it, and it is used daily as a place for reading glasses on her

desk. Every time she picks up her glasses, she remembers and appreciates the

couple who gave her the gift - out of appreciation for her gifts of friendship

through the years.

Start a new tradition of gift-giving by choosing a person from your history

who has had a positive effect on your life, but to whom you have not given

a gift for some time. Choose your gift by its meaning. The richness of life is

made of the experiences and unique friendships we make as we go through

life. Gifts to friends and family should be reminders of the relationships we

have experienced and appreciate. You will find that both your heart and

theirs will open up in the process.

TRADITION

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

T H E B A K E R S R A C K

a Gifting


Nothing pleases the senses like a home filled with family, friends and the welcoming aroma of a holiday meal. Whether you’re cooking up a full-menu feast from your own kitchen or you need a delicious idea or two to share at a potluck-style gathering — these dishes please the palate. With timeless flavors of turkey and butternut squash, or treats that charmingly display a symbol of the season, guests will surely be encouraged to dig in.

DISHT H E

Heat oven to 325°F. Brown sausage in skillet; drain, reserving 1/2 cup drippings. Add drippings to large bowl; stir in hot water. Add stuffing mixes and sausage; stir just until stuffing mixes are moistened. Stuff neck and body cavities lightly with stuffing. Truss turkey; place, breast-side up, on rack in large roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon any remaining stuffing into separate baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover. Refrigerate stuffing until ready to bake. Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/4 hours or until internal temperature of thigh is 180°F and breast and center of stuffing are 165°F, adding dish with remaining stuffing to oven for the last 30 minutes. Keeping it safe: Do not stuff turkey until ready to roast. Substitute: Substitute butter for the sausage drippings.

For more recipes, visit www.kraft.com.

ROAST TURKEY WITH SAUSAGE STUFFINGPrep time: 15 minutesTotal time: 3 hours, 30 minutesServings: 20

Ingredients:1 pound breakfast pork sausage1 1/2 cups hot water2 packages (6 ounces each) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Turkey1 Butterball Frozen Whole Turkey (10 pounds), thawed

A CompleteHOLIDAY TABLE


BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLESPrep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients:3 tablespoons Parkay Original Spread tub 1 package (12 ounces) refrigerated butternut squash pieces (about 3 cups) 1 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 large apple) 1/2 cup apple juice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon salt

Melt spread in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash; cook 5–7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add apple, apple juice, cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir to combine. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Note: Fresh butternut squash may be used in place of refrigerated squash. It will take more time to peel and cut into pieces.

For more recipes, visit www.readyseteat.com.


TURKEY CASSEROLEPrep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients:4 cups leftover prepared stuffing, divided4 cups coarsely chopped leftover cooked turkey (about 1 pound)3/4 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise, divided1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce2 cups leftover mashed potatoes1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Spoon in 2 cups stuffing, then top with turkey. Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise with cranberry sauce; evenly spread over turkey. Combine remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise, potatoes and cheese in large bowl. Evenly spread on turkey, then top with remaining 2 cups stuffing. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired, with dried cranberries.

For more recipes, www.hellmanns.com.


PAN ROASTED CHEERIOS CHRISTMAS TREESPrep time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes | Servings: 18

Ingredients:6 cups Honey Nut Cheerios cereal6 tablespoons butter or margarine4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows Betty Crocker green gel food color Betty Crocker red cinnamon decors or sliced gumdrops

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Pour cereal into 4-quart bowl. Set bowl aside. Place butter and marshmallows in 3-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in food color until mixture is evenly colored. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal and stir until cereal is evenly coated. Lightly spray hands with cooking spray. For each tree, shape about 1/4 cup of cereal mixture into tree shape on cookie sheet. Press candies into trees to decorate. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store trees in loosely covered container. Note: Personalize trees using decorator icing (from 4.25-ounce tube) and use as place cards. Use icing to add garland.

For more recipes, visit www.generalmills.com.


SCENET H E

SIMPLER CHRISTMAS: WYNONNA AND BIG NOISEDecember 4 at 6 p.m. | Owensboro Convention Center

Enjoy the sounds of Wynonna Judd and Big Noise at the Convention Center. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and the performance starts at 8 p.m. Contact the Owensboro Convention Center for ticket prices and other details.

OWENSBORO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S HOLIDAY POPSDecember 14 at 3 p.m.| RiverPark Center

The Owensboro Symphony Orchestra brings its Holiday Pops to Cannon Hall stage, featuring excerpts from “Winter” of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, along with other traditional holiday favorites.

A R T S

THE NUTCRACKERDecember 7 at 7 p.m. | RiverPark Center

Owensboro Dance Theatre is proud to present the family holiday favorite, The Nutcracker. Owensboro Dance Theatre has been performing The Nutcracker annually since 1992. The Nutcracker has sold out for the last four consecutive years, so be sure to get your tickets fast!

65 OWENSBORO LIVING . D E C 2 0 1 4 / J A N 2 0 1 5www.OwensboroLiving.com www.OwensboroLiving.com

HOLIDAY HUSTLEDecember 6 | Owensboro Parks and Recreation

This 5K Run/Walk will take place on the Adkisson Greenbelt from 8 – 10 a.m.

A C T I V E

D O W N T O W N

FREE HOLIDAY STROLLDecember 6 | Downtown Owensboro

Stroll the downtown streets to get in the holiday spirit. Strolling carolers, storefront decorations, and indoor performers will make this evening a reminder of the good old days of being downtown at Christmas. The stroll will follow Second and Third Streets from Daviess to St. Ann and will last from 4 - 8 p.m.

OWENSBORO FLEA MARKETDecember 5 – 6 | Owensboro Convention Center

The Owensboro Flea Market features over 200 booths and dealers from several states. Items to be found include a wide variety of antiques and collectibles, jewelry, furniture, arts and crafts, and 1000s of other items; Friday, 2 p.m. - 7 p.m; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Admission is $1.

OPEN BOUNCE NIGHTSTuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays | U-Bounce

The perfect party place for kids. Amazing inflatables in an

unbelievably cool bounce stadium. Private, clean and climate-

controlled. All children must wear socks. $7 per child, children

under 2 are free, unless they are the only child, adults always

free. On Toddler Tuesday, children 5 and under get in for $5 all

night. Tuesday and Wednesday 5 – 8 p.m. and Friday 5 - 9 p.m.

(270) 685-1255 or ubouncepartyhouse.com.

FREE STORYTIMESMondays & Thursdays | Daviess County Public Library

Wee Read for ages 2 and younger and Circle Time for ages 3-5;

10 – 10:30 a.m. (270) 684-0211 or dcplibrary.org.

FREE SATURDAY MORNING LIVE!Mondays & Thursdays | Daviess County Public Library

Visit the library every Saturday morning for self-guided fun

and educational activities with a focus on literacy and school

readiness. 10 a.m. – noon (270) 684-0211 or dcplibrary.org.

K I D S


SCENET H E F A M I L Y

28TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY IN THE PARKbeginning November 21 | Legion ParkGiant elves, trees, toys and figures, not to mention Santa in his sleigh, line Legion’s half-mile walking path.

MARKET DAYSDecember 6-7 and January 3 - 4 | Preservation StationPreservation Station Market Days are held the first weekend of every month, Saturday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday noon – 4 p.m. with over 65 vendors of antique, vintage, handcrafted, and customized items, live music, and food. Preservation Station Market and Event Center, 9661 Highway 56. Call 270-215-1045, go to www.visitpreservationstation.com, or find us on Facebook.

CHRISTMAS AT PANTHER CREEK PARKbeginning November 21 | Panther Creek ParkAn outdoor driving lighted tour with 400,000+ lights winding through Panther Creek Park. $3.00 charge per carload. Wagon rides through the park are also available. 5160 Wayne Bridge Road. Open from 6-9 p.m. each night.


LADIES NIGHTDecember 7, 2014 | Nick T. Arnold Jewelers Join us for a special night to try on jewelry. Over $5000 in prizes with one person winning a $250 shopping spree. A 1.30 carat Diamond Halo Ring will be given away to our Grand Prize Winner. Food will be provided, Come help Santa by making a wish list we keep on file for you!

2014 BEYOND BEAUTY EXTRAVAGANZADecember 6 - 7 | Owensboro Convention CenterOwensboro Black Expo presents this pageant, social and ball. Pageant Only $10; Social & Ball Only $20; Pageant, Social & Ball $25. For more information, contact Linda Board at (270) 684-1149.

LANHAM BROTHERS JAMBOREEDecember 13 at 7 p.m. | Diamond Lake ResortThe Lanham Brothers Jamboree Christmas show is a fundraiser for local nonprofit Help Someone. There will be guests along with Barry Lanham and the Footstompin’ Express Cloggers, and Randy Lanham and the Band. Show is 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6 to 12, and 5 years and under are free. All shows are at Diamond Lake Resort Good Time Theater, just west of Owensboro, KY and include music, dance, comedy, skits, and crowd interaction. You never know when you will end up being part of the show.

GOLDIE’S NEW YEAR’S EVE REUNION SHOW – TAKE 2December 31 at 8 p.m. | RiverPark CenterThe show is made from the best of the best – Goldie, her Backstage Band and singers. The cast and crew will be coming from Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida to be a part of this 2nd annual reunion. To describe everything you’ll see at Goldie’s New Year’s Eve show would be impossible. Goldie, Jon Brennan, Alyssa Roby, Katie Herron, Amy Beth Mason, Tara Estes, Janie Jett Mason and Jerry, Travis Estes, Natasha Neely, Goldie’s Girls, and more make this evening a fun family experience. Adults $20 or $25; adult breakfast $15.00, or an adult show/breakfast combo for $35.00 or $40.00. Children (12 and under) prices are $10.00 or $12.50 for the show and $10.0 for the breakfast, or a kids show breakfast combo for $20.

2014 NEW YEAR’S EVE BASHDecember 31 from 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. | Owensboro Convention CenterStep back in time to the Roaring 1920’s! Enjoy live music by the 2nd Street Big Band! Watch the ball drop in New York on large screens. Dress is Cocktail or Roaring 1920’s Attire. Balloon drop at midnight! Enjoy free party favors like noisemakers and more! Around The World Themed Dinner! Champagne Toast at midnight! Tickets are $50.00 per person. Tickets are available by calling the Owensboro Convention Center at (270) 687-8800.


THE LAST WORD You have often

wondered why you even bother risking your life balancing on that

wobbly chair to get the big turkey platter off the top shelf of the cabinet

you can hardly reach, when it only goes back up there again a few days later … but

now you are also wondering why you didn’t just leave it down in the first place, because

wasn’t Christmas just here last week? No, it’s been a year, the calendar

testifies, but it sure doesn’t seem like it’s been that long since you untangled

that long string of lights and promised yourself that this year, you would wrap them up carefully instead of just stuffing them back

in the box just to get rid of them. But of course, you did just wad them up

in a big knot, and now, with a heavy sigh, you sit down to once again unwind and unkink and unsnarl that big knotted-up jumble. Which gives you plenty of time to reflect on the fact that you had intended to buy new stockings back in January when everything was half-price, but by the time you generated enough energy to venture back to the stores, the leftovers were skimpy and crummy, and the only stockings left were one with a furry “Duck Dynasty” beard and one with a drunken reindeer holding a martini in its hoof. This was also supposed to be the year you got your Christmas shopping done early, but instead, all you have is a cookie sheet for your daughter. And the only reason you have that is because you had bought it last year and then hastily shoved it into the linen closet when she dropped by unexpectedly, and then you forgot all about it and didn’t find it again until you went looking for the beach towels in July.

Not that it matters; she borrowed yours sometime around April and never gave it back, so you might as well keep this one for yourself now. Of course, that would imply that you actually have time for baking cookies. As if. Something’s got to give, and between working every day and getting the oil changed in your car and raking those leaves – still! more! leaves! – that have drifted up against the back fence and taking the dog to the vet and taking the grandchildren to the parade and trying to get caught up on your book study and – oh no! You almost forgot about the office potluck this week, and didn’t you ….? Yes, you had signed up to take cookies. So there ya go. But in the meantime, the dog is nudging your elbow with her big snout and dancing rather desperately amid the strings of lights, so in a mood that could be described as anything but festive, anything but peaceful, you toss the whole tangled mess aside and follow her to the back door to let her outside. It’s dark, but not too cold, although you remember those dark predictions of another polar vortex heading our way for the winter, bringing with it all the misery of slick roads, frosty windshields, school closings and high heating bills. It would be ironic to say that something is melting in the cold, but that’s the truth. As you stand there, in the dark and silent night, something happens. The turkey platter doesn’t matter anymore; neither does the turkey. The old stockings are fine for another year, and probably another year after that too. As for the potluck … you know what? Everyone likes “Chips Ahoy.” Let’s let Nabisco worry about the cookies. For you, for now – there is a bright star in the sky. It was there last year; it was there two thousand years ago. And it’s Christmas right now, and always.

BY LORA WIMSATT

C H R I S T M A S I S H E R E

69 OWENSBORO LIVING . D E C 2 0 1 4 / J A N 2 0 1 5www.OwensboroLiving.com www.OwensboroLiving.com

BY LORA WIMSATT

owensboro living dec 2014/jan 2015

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