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Bicentennial Celebrations A look at end-of-the-year events

LIFE

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fourth Quarter 2015

Holiday Forest

OMFA Festival of Trees returns for 39th year

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Inside thisissue

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Bicentennial Celebration

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18

Daviess County’s bicentennial wraps up Dec. 5

Pure Barre Owensboro

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Fitness center puts unique twist on exercising

Edge Ice Center

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Ice skating popularity growing in Owensboro

Cheering for the Cats Owensboro natives cheer for the University of Kentucky

Dalisha’s Desserts Bakery dream keeps growing for one local woman

Shop Local

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Support your local businesses when holiday shopping this year

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Holiday Savings Green impacts — on your wallet and the environment

A Special Publication of the Messenger-Inquirer Meghann Richardson

Special Publications Editor 270.691.7233, mrichardson@messenger-inquirer.com

Jenny Sevcik

Photography Editor 270.691.7294, jsevcik@messenger-inquirer.com

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graphic designers

Greg Eans

Maegan Saalwaechter

To Advertise: Faye D. Murry

casey Scarbrough Photographers Jenny Sevcik Mike Clark

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Advertising Director 270.691.7240, fmurry@messenger-inquirer.com

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Bicentennial

CELEBRATION Daviess County’s bicentennial wraps up Dec. 5 story By Meghann Richardson photos By greg eans

On Dec. 5, Daviess County’s bicentennial celebrations will come to a close during Owensboro’s annual Downtown Holiday Stroll.

The bicentennial, which officially kicked off May 30, celebrated the county’s 200th birthday with almost a full year of events, and now, as the end of the year

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nears, the people closest to the bicentennial celebrations reflect on the county’s milestone.

Aloma Williams Dew, who co-chairs the bicentennial celebration with her husband Lee, said they felt 200 years was worthy of a big bicentennial birthday bash, thus a year filled with activities.

In May, the official birth-

Owensboro

day celebration was held at the courthouse with a special dedication of a public art sculpture called “Hometown.”

The sculpture faces Second Street and is directly across from the Riverfront Crossing entrance. The life-size sculpture depicts a young couple, seated on a limestone bench, reviewing blueprints for a home.

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Along with the community events and sculpture unveiling, the bicentennial committee also published the first histor y book of the rural areas of the county. The book covers the histor y of Daviess County from its earliest settlements up to 2015.

The book is a topical histor y, rather than a chronological histor y, meaning each chapter tells a specific part of Daviess County’s histor y. Each chapter was written by a different person. Twenty-one people contributed to the book.

Also for sale during the bicentennial were Daviess County coins.

The coins, about the size of a silver dollar, feature the William H. Natcher Bridge and a flatboat.

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“The new bridge represents the present and future,” David Zachar y, vice president of South Central Bank and a member of the Daviess County Bicentennial Committee, told the Messenger-Inquirer earlier this year. “The flatboat represents the past, and the river is flowing into the future.”

The coin features blue and brass colors.

Only 700 of the coins — which have no silver or gold — were made. Two hundred of them are numbered — one for each of the county’s 200 years. The other 500 are not numbered.

Karen Porter, marketing coordinator for the bicentennial, said the goal of the committee was to get as many people as possible in the

Owensboro

The final bicentennial event on Dec. 5 will include filling a time capsule with items representing Daviess County from the last 50 years. The time capsule will be dug up and opened in 2065. county involved and aware of the bicentennial.

Porter said Judge Al Mattingly has been a big supporter and the driving force behind it. She said Mattingly wanted ever yone to be informed, to take part in the celebrations and to realize they are all part of Daviess County.

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She added the Bicentennial Committee wanted to make inclusiveness a central theme throughout all the events. The committee partnered with local groups to reach out to the entire community.

“My favorite part has been hearing the stories from all walks of life about their histor y in Daviess County,” Porter said. “My favorite event is hard to pin down, but I truly enjoyed the birthday bash on May 30 on the courthouse lawn and the memorabilia day the librar y produced. There were so many people at both events sharing in the birthday celebration.”

The librar y event brought historians, artists, stor ytellers, col-

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lectors and clubs from all around Daviess County to tell their stories and share histor y with others.

Porter said looking toward the end of the year, there are several more events to come, such as upcoming book signings, Pioneer Days at Yellow Creek Park, the Farm Festival at Lampkin Farms, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art Holiday Forest and much more.

The final bicentennial event, on Dec. 5, will include filling a time capsule with items representing Daviess County from the last 50 years. The time capsule will be dug up and opened in 2065.

There will also be the annual

Owensboro

Holiday Stroll and a community sing-along on the courthouse lawn.

“I believe we all can grow from understanding the history of where we live,” Porter said. “It provides an opportunity to appreciate those that have gone before us and created what we are today. It provides an understanding of the importance of place, time and relationships within our community. I believe it will also create a sense of pride in our history and in our future. We all need to work together to create the best environment for all our citizens. We are all connected, and I hope this helps to remind us of that.”

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BICENTENNIAL EVENTS Sept. 25-27

Pioneer Days at Lambert Pioneer Village Yellow Creek Park, 5710 Kentucky 144 There will be activities, food and hands-on experiences.

Oct. 3-5 Voices of Elmwood Elmwood Cemetery, 1300 Old Hartford Road The portrayal of living history actors designed to honor the region’s heritage and the lives of many people buried throughout Daviess County.

Oct. 17-18 Reid’s Apple Festival Reid’s Orchard, 4818 Kentucky 144

Nov. 21

There will be craft booths, carnival rides, horse rides and more.

Christmas Parade

Nov. 7

A Bicentennial Christmas from 4 to 8 p.m., downtown Owensboro

Veterans Parade

Dec. 5

2 to 3:30 p.m.

Owensboro Riverfront A parade to honor the veterans of Daviess County.

Nov. 14

Birthday Bash 3 to 10 p.m., Daviess County Courthouse, 212 St. Ann St. The event will include speakers, costumed actors and more.

39th Annual Holiday Forest Festival of Trees

Holiday Stroll and Bicentennial Closing Ceremony

Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, 901 Frederica St.

4 to 9 p.m., downtown Owensboro

Admission to the Holiday Forest is $2 for adults and $1 for children. A special gala opening is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and admission to the gala is $50 per person. Reservations can be made at info@omfa.us.

The closing ceremony will include the time capsule re-burying ceremony on the Daviess County Courthouse lawn with community caroling around the bicentennial Christmas tree.

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Pure Barre Owensboro Fitness center puts unique twist on exercising

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Story By Meghann Richardson Photos by Greg Eans

or the past two years, Jennifer Hayden has received the same Mother’s Day gift from her children — a year’s membership to Pure Barre, the ballet bar-based fitness center in Wesleyan Park Plaza.

Hayden, a 39-year-old mother of three, has been tucking at Pure Barre since the studio opened in 2014.

She said she had heard of barre workouts in other, larger cities and was anxious to try something new and different, so she decided to take a chance and start a new workout.

“I have tried all different kinds of workouts: jogging, cross training, personal training, yoga and more,” she said. “I think my body and muscles needed a change. Plus, I had never heard anyone say they didn’t love Pure Barre. So, I figured that I had nothing to lose in signing up.”

Owensboro natives Annie and Nick McCrary opened the Owensboro studio after Annie McCrary began taking Pure Barre classes in Lexington. She said she quickly realized after just a few classes the technique was something different than anything she had ever experienced.

She said she loved the sense of a challenge with

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each class, the feeling of accomplishment afterward and the noticeable changes in her body and attitude, which opened her eyes to a new way of life and purpose.

Hayden agreed there is a mind-body connection that goes hand-in-hand with Pure Barre.

“The instructors are amazingly supportive and encouraging, constantly reminding you that, ‘You are stronger than you think,’ ” Hayden said. “Each class ends, for me, with a sense of accomplishment and pride. I have learned that my body is capable of more than I give it credit for. I have more strength, more flexibility, more mental toughness than I ever thought possible.”

Annie McCrary said she is thrilled to pursue her goal of helping people and making fitness her career.

Her classes have also grown exponentially since the studio’s opening.

“Our classes are always full,” Annie McCrary said.

“We have wait lists for some classes.”

Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Pure Barre as one of the fastest-growing franchised companies in 2015, and Annie McCrary said she loves working for Pure Barre.

The studio offers five to six classes a day, Monday through Friday starting at 5:30 a.m. and going until 5:30 p.m. Classes are 55 minutes each, and there are

Owensboro

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also two classes available on Saturdays and Sundays. Pop-up classes are also advertised through Pure Barre’s social media accounts.

“There is no certain type of body type or age for Pure Barre,” Annie McCrary said. “This is a bully-free zone. There is every walk and shape of life that tucks here.”

The age span of her Pure Barre clients ranges from 18 to 70.

“If you can hold onto the bar, then you can do Pure Barre,” Annie McCrary said. “We have different modifications for the exercises, from pregnant women to people who are trying to lose weight, while some are just trying to tone up.”

Clients typically see the best results when they take three to four classes per week.

“The Pure Barre experience truly builds a family atmosphere,” Hayden said. “We laugh, we moan, we groan and we congratulate

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each other on milestones reached.

That level of investment in your own well-being as well as the wellbeing of others is hard to find and definitely keeps me personally invested in my Pure Barre workouts and my Pure Barre family.”

While a larger percentage of people who attend Pure Barre classes are female, the Owensboro studio does have two men who attend classes daily. They also have an event every month called “Bring on the Men,” where the clients bring their significant other or friend who is a male.

Hayden said she encourages anyone who is on the fence about trying Pure Barre to not let their mind stand between them and an amazing workout experience.

“Too easily we all get intimidated or nervous that we will fail or look silly when trying something new and different,” she said.

“Pure Barre is truly a workout that is adaptable to everyone. Every

Owensboro

single person in the studio will succeed. Do we all look the same?

Use the same modifications?

Need the same corrections and reminders from the staff? No. But do we all reach a level of success and mental strength by the end of class? Absolutely. There is no judgment.”

The Pure Barre studio in Owensboro also offers special new client, bride-to-be and new mom packages.

For those interested in attending a class, it is required to wear pants, leggings or capris (no shorts) and a top that covers your midriff. Sticky socks are also required in order to retain the body’s heat and prevent feet from sliding on the studio floor. The Owensboro studio has high-quality barre leggings, tops and socks available for purchase.

For more information visit purebarre.com/ky-owensboro or call the studio at 270-240-4661.

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Edge Ice Center Ice skating’s popularity growing in Owensboro

Story By Meghann Richardson Photos by Greg Eans

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hile ice skating might not be the most popular sport in western Kentucky, Kerry Bodenheimer, recreation superintendent for Owensboro Parks and Recreation, is encouraging everyone to give it a try.

With public skating sessions, lessons and clubs, the Edge Ice Center offers a range of activities for children, adults and families.

Bodenheimer said since the opening of the Edge in 2009, the popularity of on-ice activities in Owensboro has dramatically increased.

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Since the Edge is open yearround, she said the goal is to get more people to enjoy the facility.

While summer and early fall is an off-season for the rink, the Edge still sees lots of families and different groups who use the ice center to beat the heat.

“When you get the heat and humidity that we’ve had (during the summer), it’s a wonderful space to be in,” Bodenheimer said. “We like to call ourselves, ‘the coolest place in town.’ ” She said during the summer, the ice rink offers a youth day camp that focuses on youth ice sports and the fundamentals of recreational skating, figure

Owensboro

skating and a youth hockey group.

Throughout the year, loaner hockey gear and skate rental is also available at the rink for those who do not have their own equipment.

Along with the day camps, the Youth Hockey League uses the facility year-round. Due to the popularity of the league, a travel team called the Puck Hogs and a high school team called Rampage were formed.

Bodenheimer said there are about 300 participants in the youth program, with the number growing every year.

Teams from neighboring states

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Owensboro

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have also started taking an interest in playing at the Edge. Hockey teams from Tennessee, Alabama, Indiana and Illinois have all come to Owensboro for matches.

“Even if it’s not a tournament, we have kids from out of state almost every weekend,” she said.

The Edge has also hosted the Kentucky High School Hockey League State Tournament in previous years, which Bodenheimer said brings in visitors and money to the community.

Along with the hockey players, the Edge is also seeing more figure skaters and their families.

Similar to the hockey teams, figure skaters from neighboring states visit the Edge every January for a large competition hosted by the Edge.

Cindy Bowman, president of the Owensboro Figure Skating Club, said the Edge has been crucial in the development of the club.

While the figure skating club was only formed about six months prior to the opening of the new rink, Bowman said the ability to skate year-round has kept the club interesting to current and potential members.

“A lot of people don’t realize the club exists,” she said. “But I do think the popularity of the sport is growing, slowly, thanks to the Edge.”

Bowman encourages anyone who is interested in learning more about figure skating to come and watch the club on Tuesday nights.

“We take anyone who’s interested and work with them to teach different moves and jumps,” Bowman said. “You work up through the different levels when you learn certain spins and jumps. You give it what you want to get out of it.”

Bowman got involved with the figure skating club after her daughter Hallie, now 11, began taking lessons almost six years ago at the old rink.

“I signed my daughter up for ice skating lessons, and her first time on the ice she just took off,” Bowman said. “I’ve been with it ever since.”

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Club members range from 5 to 18 years old.

For those interested in joining the figure skating club, contact Bowman at 270-316-6162 or Bodenheimer at the Edge.

Skaters and visitors to Owensboro for events at the Edge create a positive economic impact on the community, Bodenheimer said.

During the 2014-15 fiscal year, the Edge Ice Center hosted 27,000 public skate visitors. This number does not include the figure skating and hockey leagues or other private sessions. The number of visitors increased from 25,000 the previous year.

Bodenheimer said the ice rink is centrally located and easy to get to from the bypass, which makes it accessible for everyone.

The Edge also partners with the local schools and works with them to offer Family Fun Nights with a portion of the proceeds going back to the PTO and the school. Mother/Son and Daddy/Daughter skate nights are also promoted.

The Edge Ice Center is also available for private rentals and

Owensboro

birthday parties.

Bodenheimer also noted that the Edge Ice Center won the MessengerInquirer’s Reader’s Choice Platinum Award for best place to have a birthday party, and she agrees.

The facility has three birthday party rooms, plus additional space that can be used during the busy season.

“We can have three or four birthday parties going on during any public session,” Bodenheimer said.

Bodenheimer said another perk of the Edge is its prices.

She said during the main season, admission and skate rental is just $5.

During the summer and the holidays, the ice rink also offers special discounts.

“We try to be very affordable for families,” she said.

Skate passes, which include skate rental, can be purchased as individual passes or as a family pass, which includes four family members in the same household. These passes are available for three or six months and can be used an unlimited number of times.

Bodenheimer said she also wants the rink to be accessible.

“Whenever kids are out of school, the Edge is open noon to 4 p.m.,” she said.

With free wi-fi and flat screen TVs and plenty of space, Bodenheimer said the Edge is a great place for families.

The Edge Ice Center opened in August 2009 after the Owensboro Ice Center was demolished. The old ice center was built to be a seasonal rink; it was only open October through March. With the new rink, Bodenheimer said there are more opportunities for programming that they did not have at the old facility.

The Edge Ice Center is at 1400 Hickman Ave., next to the Owensboro Sportscenter. For more information, call the Edge Ice Center from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at 270-687-8720, or visit at www.owensboroparks.org.

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Cheering Cats for the

Daviess County natives cheer for the University of Kentucky story By Meghann Richardson photos By dr. michael huang

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or the first time in the history of University of Kentucky cheerleading, not one, but two squad members are from Daviess County.

Sophomore Ashley Wettstain, 19, and senior Ben Head, 22, both hail from Owensboro and now cheer for the Wildcats. The two were even stunting partners for the 2014-15 season and call Lexington their second home.

While their cheer paths started off similar, with both of them cheering at CheerZone All-stars from an early age, the two were distant friends in high school and only reunited when Wettstain made the cheer team in 2014.

Wettstain started cheering at CZAS when she was 7 years old and later cheered for Daviess County

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Owensboro

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High School. Head started cheering at the age of 5 and continued with the All-stars team until he left for college.

Wettstain said while she and Head knew each other from CZAS, they had lost touch once he had gone to college and Wettstain quit the all-stars to solely cheer for DCHS. But she said when the time came to prepare for UK’s tryout, Head was a great help in getting her on the team.

“I started taking private lessons with some of the guys on UK’s cheer team, and Ben was there to help and support me and give me tips on what to do to make the squad,” Wettstain said. “Just getting up there and getting your name known is important.”

Both Wettstain and Head went through the tryout process as seniors in high school with the goal of making the squad for their freshman year of college.

After private lessons, she attended two clinics hosted by the squad to prep the candidates for tryouts. The cheer-hopefuls attend the clinics with the goal of getting an invitation to actually tryout for the team.

Wettstain said about 300 women and 200 men are invited to tryouts.

She said she also attended open gyms prior to the tryouts for extra practice and to get her name known in the UK cheer circle.

Tryouts are in May with two practices each day, and every night cuts are made. From there, Wettstain said each candidate has to go through a panel interview and more practices before being named to the team.

“After 10, 12 years of cheering, I thought I might be tired of it, but I got to thinking what would I do without cheerleading,” Wettstain said. “It keeps me so busy and it’s been a dream for so long that I couldn’t just give it up. I’m so happy I didn’t.”

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Wettstain said even with the mental and physical strain that comes with cheering in college, she wouldn’t want to picture her life any other way.

Head and Wettstain said they both worked hard for for their spots on the team and both agree it’s a dream come true to cheer for the Wildcats.

Blue squad, which is the higherlevel squad, has won 20 UCA national titles and will be chasing No. 21 this year.

The cheerleaders are required to keep a 2.0 GPA according to UK Athletics rules, but Wettstain said the cheer coaches prefer the student-athletes to have a 3.0 or higher. She and Head have both continually made top grades every semester during their time at UK.

Owensboro

Wettstain is on a pre-pharmacy track while pursuing a degree in human health science.

When she isn’t in school, Wettstain also travels for MidSouth Region as a cheer instructor for Universal Cheer Association. This summer she traveled to Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee to teach cheer camps. She is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and a member of the pharmacy club at UK. She is the only cheerleader on UK’s squad who is a member of a sorority.

“I am a person who has to go-gogo-go,” Wettstain said. “Between cheer, trying to get into pharmacy school and the sorority, I don’t have time for anything else.

“Cheering at UK is a dream come true, it’s everything I hoped it

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would be,” she said.

Head, who is studying psychology with a minor in criminology, started his fourth year with the Wildcats this summer and said knowing that it is his last season with the Wildcats is bittersweet.

“I’ve been cheering my whole life, so I wanted to pursue my sport with one of the best cheerleading programs in the nation,” Head said.

While he said collegiate cheerleading is much more traditional than all-star cheerleading, he has throughly enjoyed his time with both programs.

Head said his goals for his last year as a Wildcat are to be a good leader for the freshman coming in and to teach them what it’s like at the game and to how to cheer for one of the best programs in the country.

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Festival of Trees

Annual event highlights Daviess County’s bicentennial, global cultures

Story By Meghann Richardson Photos by messenger-inquirer

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lthough the holidays are still months away, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art is preparing for its seasonal traditions, including The Holiday Forest Festival of Trees.

For nearly 40 years, OMFA has designed the Festival of Trees to complement the two art exhibits that will be on display during the winter months, and this year is no different.

The 39th annual Holiday Forest Festival of Trees is Nov. 14 - Dec. 31 and will feature about 15 Christmas trees designed and decorated by area artists, floral designers and nonprofit organizations. The trees stand from 10 to 15 feet and are decorated with more than just traditional ornaments.

This year’s event, sponsored

by Glenmore Distillery, will interpret Across Cultures, an exhibition of international folk art, and will showcase the John Hampden Smith House, which will be decorated to celebrate the Daviess County bicentennial.

The Across Cultures exhibition will compare and contrast art from across the globe while highlighting several civilizations. OMFA Director Mary Bryan Hood said some of cultures featured are African, Asian-Indian, Native American and Caribbean.

Many of the items on display were made by natives of the featured cultures and include more than just pottery and paintings. The trees will also

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include ornaments hand-made by people with affiliations to each culture.

The exhibit displays more than 300 objects on loan from private collections and galleries from the U.S. and abroad.

The second art exhibit will

Owensboro

celebrate Daviess County’s bicentennial, and the trees in the John Hampden Smith House will be of a traditional nature dealing with early life in Daviess County.

Along with this recognition of the bicentennial, earlier this year the museum showcased “Daviess

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County: Through the Lens of Art,” an exhibit focused on art and artifacts from Daviess County. More than 200 items were displayed, showing a glimpse of life in Daviess County from 1815 to 2015.

Planning for the Festival of Trees begins in early spring and workers begin installing the exhibit during the last week of October. It takes three weeks to complete the installation.

“The whole thing is quite spectacular,” Hood said.

This Festival of Trees will be the last bicentennial event at the museum for the year.

One florist, Gary Tunget, owner of Gary’s Fleur De Lis Inc., has volunteered with the OMFA for more than 25 years and said every year he truly looks forward to the Festival of Trees.

In the past, Tunget has decorated trees with a historical theme in the John Hampden Smith House.

This year he will be working on the bicentennial-themed trees that depict

life in Daviess County from 1840-1870.

Tunget, who is a historical re-enactor and self-proclaimed history buff, admits he gets to live vicariously when decorating trees for the John Hampden Smith House, which dates back to the Civil War. “I would love to live there,” he said.

“It’s beautiful, and I love decorating the trees for the Empire Room, Williamsburg Room and the hall.”

He said he enjoys decorating the trees because it makes him think outside of the box.

“These trees are decorated with things not usually found on a normal Christmas tree,” he said.

“I’ve decorated trees in the past with soybeans, ribbons, silverware, dried flowers, linen napkins and other things. There is no ‘Ho Ho Ho’ with these trees.”

Tunget said there is a challenge to make a different type of tree than in years past. After almost 40 years, he said the festival and trees change and get better every year.

“It’s very top-drawer,” Tunget said.

“You can not go to a larger city and find what they do down there (at the museum).”

The Festival of Trees is the only exhibit for which the museum charges admission. The museum is open and free to the public for the rest of the year.

Admission to Holiday Forest is $2 per adult and $1 per child.

At any time during the Festival of Trees, parents can bring kids to OMFA’s Artland to make Christmas decorations of their own. Schools interested in scheduling for tours should contact the museum.

A special gala opening is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 14 to kick off the festival. The event is also a fundraiser that includes entertainment, a cash bar and a silent auction.

Admission to the gala is $50 per person or $40 for Friends of the OMFA Foundation. Reservations may be made at info@omfa.us.

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DALISHA’S

DESSERTS Story By Meghann Richardson Photos by greg eans

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hat started out as a hobby became a career for Alisha Hardinson, owner of Dalisha’s Desserts. Her passion for making creative specialty cakes, which started as a home business, has expanded to so much more.

Hardinson opened her bakery in the Centre for Business and Research about two and a half years ago and has been whipping

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up numerous birthday cakes, cookies and pies since.

But her story begins almost a decade ago when she began making specialty cakes out of her kitchen, with no space and no help.

Before her career in baking, Hardinson was an art teacher.

After deciding to change careers, she went to culinary school to get professional training in order to grow her baking and pastry skills.

Owensboro

Bakery dream keeps growing for one local woman

Hardinson enrolled at Sullivan University in Louisville, perfected her trade and opened her own business.

Hardinson entered a business plan competition sponsored by the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation to get seed money to expand her business outside of her home.

Hardinson won the EDC’s Emerging Ventures Challenge and was awarded a $15,000

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investment in Dalisha’s Desserts and a free six-month lease at the Centre for Business and Research.

The Centre opened in 2010, and Dalisha’s Desserts has been there since May 2013.

She said moving her home business to the Centre allowed her more storage space, room to work and display her creations and the ability to hire employees. “At home it was just me,� she said. “Here, I can serve more customers, add the case stuff (cookies and other pastries) and add in lunch.�  Along with her specialty cakes, Hardinson makes pies, cheesecakes, cookies and lunch, which includes chicken salad, soup and quiches.

While her creations range from simple and traditional to over-thetop, some designs, she says, take the cake.

Literally. “I always have some odd requests, especially with groom cakes,� Hardinson said. “I’ve done a grilled-cheese cake and most recently I did a Woodford Reserve bourbon bottle cake, which was difficult because I had to make it

4TH Quarter 2015

free-standing.�

Hardinson and her staff also make cake pops, smash cakes, specialtydesigned sugar cookies and more.

She said one of her favorites parts about being a baker is helping people celebrate special days. “Wedding cakes and that side of the business is probably my favorite,� Hardinson said. “It’s such a special day for the bride and then to be a part of that is always really cool.

Kid’s cakes are also really fun. I love to see their faces when they see their cake.�

She said the really decorative cakes are her favorite because she gets to be involved with the artwork.

Looking at her business day-today, she said she enjoys the fastpaced environment. “It’s not always the same, and every day is different,� Hardinson said. “I really thrive on that. I love change and in this business, things are always different, and I love that.

I can jump from doing really detailed work on a wedding cake to making sandwiches or soup for lunch.�

Hardinson said she always wanted to use her artistic talent. When she opened the bakery, she knew she could be creative with her cakes. “I wanted to keep that aspect because that’s such a big part of who I am,� she said. “I get the best of both worlds.�

Dalisha’s Desserts has a cookie or cake for every budget. Hardinson said she has mini cakes available daily for $10 that serve from four to five people. But, like any other cake shop, she has wedding cakes that can go up to thousands of dollars, depending on how elaborate they are.

Hardinson said while her bakery offers items at a variety of price ranges, she tries to work with those on a budget to still give them a great product.

Dalisha’s Desserts is open 8 a.m.

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to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday with lunch served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

The bakery is also open from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays, but mainly for customers to pick up orders. No lunch is served on Saturday.

Being a small business owner, Hardinson is a strong supporter of shopping local.

She said cakes from Dalisha’s, or any other local bakery, will be of a much higher quality than the cakes from a chain store.

“We are going to be able to do a much more custom job than the big stores,” she said. “Buying cakes from Dalisha’s means you are getting a cake from someone who has had training.”

She said her and her staff make everything from scratch.

“Nothing is from a box,” Hardinson said. “We use real butter. I don’t use Crisco or any of that, so the quality and taste is much higher than anywhere else.”

Hardinson said she would love to expand her business and add on to her lunch menu. She said even opening a second shop could be a possibility.

Keeley Whitt, from West Louisville, ordered several cakes from Dalisha’s Desserts earlier this year for her summer wedding. She said Dalisha’s was wonderful and she was happy with her products, which included a four-tier wedding cake and a custom cake for the groom.

“Our wedding cakes were beautiful,” Whitt said. “Alisha and her crew are so friendly and super easy to work with. I would without a doubt recommend Dalisha’s to anyone who needs a specialty cake made or just wants some yummy treats.”

Photos of cakes and cookies made

by Dalisha’s Desserts can be found on Facebook and Instagram.

While Dalisha’s Desserts is often booked weeks in advance, Hardinson encourages customers to call the bakery at 270-663-1258 with any questions or for more information.

20

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

By Alisha Hardinson

Dalisha’s Desserts

INGREDIENTS 1⁄2 cup butter 2 cups sugar 1⁄2 cup milk 4 tablespoons cocoa 1⁄2 cup creamy peanut butter 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 - 31⁄2 cups dry quick-cooking oats DIRECTIONS 1. Add the first

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four ingredients into a sauce pan.

2. Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.

3. Remove from the heat.

4. Add peanut butter into the hot

mixture and stir until melted.

5. Add in vanilla.

6. Mix in the oats and drop by tablespoons onto wax paper.

7. Let cool until set.

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Holiday edition Support small businesses this holiday season page 27 By the numbers: Shop Local page 24

Make it a family experience page 28

Go with local gift cards this season page 26

ARE YOU FEELING THE

HOLIDAY STRESS? Story By Meghann Richardson File Photo of Messenger-inquirer

Too often, the hustle and bustle of the holidays — coordinating schedules, buying and wrapping presents and traveling to visit friends and family — can bring on a lot of stress.

To help folks enjoy the holidays, Chad Hart, senior program director for the Owensboro Family YMCA, has some tips to relieve that stress.

He encourages people to exercise often, sleep well, eat healthy, relax and to spend time with loved ones.

“This is a ver y busy time for almost everyone in all walks of life,”

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Hart said. “Kids’ school and activities are back in full swing, and with the holidays just around the corner, it seems ridiculous to think we can make it through to the next year unscathed by the looming stresses of life ahead. But before we become overwhelmed, let’s learn to stop and think before we react to the currents that drag us around.”

Hart said to help manage stress, people must learn to take care of themselves.

“It may mean to go to bed early so we can get up and exercise before work, so our brains are sharper and

Owensboro

more focused for the day,” he said.

“Or it means bringing a healthy lunch instead of grabbing junk food out of the vending machine at work.

The little choices we make add up to make a big impact on our health and well-being each day and for the long haul.”

Hart said sometimes it may mean canceling an appointment to rest or spending time with loved ones.

Keeping priorities straight is another tip Hart suggested to help make life a little easier.

“Being, punctual, organized and task-oriented can prevent a lot of

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chaos in our lives when things get out of control,� he said. “We don’t have to go overboard with gifts, goodies and get-togethers to make these moments memorable with our loved ones.�

Har t said this also means learning when to say no and giving up volunteering for one more thing. “We must lastly remember that our families and loved ones come first,� Hart said. “Before the hustle and bustle of ever y party and game and event, take time to eat together, play together and laugh together. Cut out the clutter in everyone’s schedules. If you can’t remember the last time you had dinner around the table together, you probably filled the wrong plates too full.�

The holidays don’t have to be a headache. What’s important is

The holidays don’t have to be a headache.

What’s important is remembering the purpose of the season. remembering the purpose of the season.

Hart said the YMCA has it spot-on when it comes to the focus of its mission — healthy minds, bodies and spirits.  Main causes of stress can be unhealthy lifestyles, an overwhelming work environment, unorganized schedules, unforeseen factors that life throws our way, poor choices and habits, a chaotic and unorganized home environment, a lack of release, isolation from loved ones and friends, finances or a slew of

other things.

A healthy diet is vital for a body and mind to function and perform properly. Fueling the physical and mental body correctly with clean, healthy foods, proper nutrition, nutrients and water, along with reducing alcohol, stimulants and chemicals, allows the body to work at its peak performance levels.

Har t suggests eating lean meat and vitamin-packed fruits and vegetables, which gives the body nutrients and energy without stressing it and draining energy like donuts, sweets and high-fat processed junk food will. “When we learn to ride the waves, instead of fighting them, we can experience a whole new level of joy and peace and really begin to enjoy all that life has given us,� he said.

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Shop Local: By the numbers Story By Meghann Richardson Photos by Greg Eans

If you’re a business owner, the following statistics could help you in planning your holiday strategies. If you’re a shopper, they could motivate you to carry out even more local purchases this Christmas season.

Consumers spent an estimated $14.3 billion at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday, 2014 — up 2.1 percent from 2013, repor ted the National Federation of Independent Business and American Express.

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As a consumer, you should do your part to make sure this year’s numbers jump by at least another two percent. Business owners should focus on beating their own personal quotas again this year, as well as on carrying over the Christmas momentum into 2016.

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes Small Business Saturday, a day that many local businesses take advantage of.

Created by American Express in 2010, the program and the credit card company are asking patrons

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to shop small in order to help local businesses get more customers.

Locally, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce participates in the program by promoting local businesses and providing materials and support for chamber members who are participating.

Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar to the community of f sales than chain competitors, while independent restaurants return more than two times as much money per dollar off sales than national restau-

4TH Quarter 2015

Design Print Delivered

rant chains, reports the Small Business Administration, United States Department of Labor.

Also, 23 percent of shoppers Tweet about purchases they’ve made.

Many customers use Twitter for connecting with local businesses, friends and family members, while several Owensboro businesses also use social media to reach their customers. Businesses can use the popular platform to interact with ‘followers’ and spread the word on upcoming events or promotions.

Jay Evans, owner at Excursions, said she loves interacting with her customers.

“We dress people for eighthgrade graduations, and we bur y grandmas,” she said. “We kind of do it all. That’s what doing busi-

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ness in a small town makes you do, you have to broaden your range a little bit.”

According to Small Business Administration, United States Department of Labor, if just half of the United States’ employed population spent $50 each month in locally-owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.

Evans said she loves Owensboro and the support for small businesses.

“Our customers are great,” Evans said. “I think our city is so easy to get around and in this part of town we have several great little boutiques lumped together, so there is an ease of shopping. Shopping here is just one more thing to love about this area.”

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CONTACT YOUR MESSENGER-INQUIRER ACCOUNT MANAGER TODAY.

270-926-0123 www.messenger-inquirer.com 25

Shop Local: Go with gift cards Story By Meghann Richardson Photo by Greg Eans

A gift card to a massive box store? We think you can do better than that. A gift card to a local gift store or restaurant? Now we’re talking.

Gift cards are becoming the go-to holiday present for shoppers everywhere. The National Retail Federation says nearly $30 billion will be spent for Christmas presents this year.

Gift cards are simple, easily available and allow your recipient to buy something he or she actually wants.

They can also be extremely thoughtful if you put some energy into buying one.

Know Your Recipient If you’re considering buying some gift cards as Christmas presents this year, it’s important to know the tastes of who you’re buying for.

Golf shops, restaurants, furniture stores, gun smiths — there are numerous locally owned businesses to help you find the perfect gift card for any kind of person on your list.

Mudd’s Fur niture in Owensboro sells gift cer tificates yearround. Store manager Pat Franey said many people buy the certificates to give as a wedding present.

“A lot of people don’t know what to buy so they’ll give gift cer tificates and the couple can come in after the honeymoon and pick out furniture they like,” Franey said.

With so many locally-owned stores in Owensboro, there is a gift card for ever yone on your

26

list. Buying tickets to a local cof fee-lover friend, select a new museum or music festival make coffeemaker from your local cofgreat gifts as well. fee store and load a gift card with $20 for your friend to buy her Perfect for Decorations favorite flavors.

Maybe you’re considering buyRecipients love this because it ing some decorative pieces for feels like the gift that keeps on your friend’s home or office, but giving. Small business owners you’re not quite sure if they’ll like love it because it’s like two transwhat you have in mind. Get them actions and it brings more traffic a gift certificate. back into their store.

You can find local boutiques, Katie Keller, marketing direcflorists and specialty shops with a tor for the Owensboro Bluegrass plethora of decorative options for Museum, said gift cards and gift the home — and ones your friend memberships are available for can pick out herself. Downtown purchase at the museum. She shops like Simply Chic, C-ing Polsaid the gift cards can be used to kadots and Danhaeur Drug Store purchase anything at the museum all sell gift certificates that would including gift shop items, tickets make per fect gifts for anyone to shows and events and even shopping in Owensboro.

ROMP tickets.

“They ar e definitely gr eat Match It with Other Gifts gifts,” Keller said. “We will also Versatility is one of the signature advantages of going with a be putting ROMP tickets on sale gift card for your friends and fam- around Christmas-time, so that ily members. Let’s say you have a would be a great gift idea as well.”

Owensboro

4TH Quarter 2015

Spread the word Story By Meghann Richardson

You’ll be helping your friends out and doing your part to keep your Know a great local business? favorite businesses open and thrivDon’t be silent about it. Small busi- ing. nesses need your help, so open Social Media up and help spread the word any Facebook, Twitter, Instagram time you’re impressed by a locallyand Pinterest have opened new owned shop. doors for spreading the word Notice the Details about your favorite businesses.

In many ways, it’s the small In fact, online is where a lot of things that make the best local word-of-mouth marketing hapshops stand out. They might greet pens these days as friends share their frequent customers by name, and photograph their ever ystock products that no other stores day shopping trips — for better offer, donate their time and money or worse. to worthy local causes and provide If you run across a local business a more unique shopping experi- that’s doing a great job, snap a picence that the cookie-cutter chain ture or write a post about it. A few stores can’t match. good words on social media can Look for these things when have a positive impact for the shop you’re out shopping, and let your local movement in your community. friends know when you find them.

Many local businesses in Owens-

boro also utilize social media as a way for them to interact with their customers. Promotions, flash sales and even job openings can be found on Facebook and Twitter for several local stores.

Studies have shown that buyers trust recommendations from their friends and family far more than they do messages from strangers.

Your opinion carries a lot of weight with the people you know, so you can play a big role in helping people avoid the bad shops and flock to the good ones.

So this Christmas, don’t do your shopping in a communications vacuum. Look for the best products and experiences in your community this holiday season and share them with the people around you.

Your friends — and some smallbusiness owners — will thank you.

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Owensboro

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Make holiday shopping FUN Story By Meghann Richardson Photo by Jenny Sevcik

If you like to shop with young kids or elderly family members, then the madness that accompanies Black Friday or even Thanksgiving night shopping at major retailers probably isn’t for you.

A stroll down to your friendly downtown establishment for a more laid-back experience may be what you’re looking for this year. Shopping locally provides this.

Even in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you are likely to find friendly, personalized ser vice at the local business level. This is because you probably know your small business owner by name and can even tell people about their background.

The typical small business in America depends on this kind of connection with its customers.

What better way to teach your children about the hard work, communication and store loyalty than by taking them to your favorite local store and talking shop with the owner?

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MacKenzie Nation, 23, from Owensboro, said she loves shopping at the local stores in town with her mom and sister.

“You can find gifts that are a little out of the ordinary at local shops,” she said. “I hate buying presents that ever yone is buying, so shopping local helps the gift-giving seem more personal. I like finding just the right gift for someone, not something they can drive down the street and buy.”

For families with younger children, here is a shopping exercise to try with your youngsters: • Give them $10 to buy a locally produced, locally sold item for a sibling or friend.

• Provide a list of five local businesses from which they are allowed to make their purchase.

• Take them to the store and let them pick out the item.

• Prompt them to donate the remaining change to any local charity or support effort the business is promoting.

• Discuss all of the important lessons that can be learned from the

Owensboro

experience, including suppor ting your local economy, providing more jobs and contributing to causes.

Children can learn through your example of shopping locally. You may just be creating another community-minded, small business customer for life.

A Better Shopping Experience If you’re taking an elderly adult out shopping with you this season, one of the best options to give them a positive experience is by shopping locally.

If they have been in your community for a long period of time, undoubtedly they will r un into friends, neighbors or family members while you’re out on the town.

Slow down and have a leisurely morning of shopping. Stop by your local coffeehouse before you make your trek downtown. Take in some conversation while you peruse the aisles of your favorite boutiques.

Work together to whittle down your shopping list while also wrapping yourselves up in the spirit of shopping locally for Christmas.

4TH Quarter 2015

Green impacts — on your wallet and the environment Story BY Meghann Richardson

More cash in your pocket and less trash in the environment: Shopping locally just makes sense across the board.

If you’re looking for ways to achieve both of these objectives this holiday season, star t by suppor ting your local business owners. In Owensboro, you can look can on almost all ends of the county and find local businesses, markets and restaurants.

They’re waiting for you with open arms, ready to help you reach your Christmas shopping goals. And they’ve got the deals to prove it.

Local stores also have unique gift options compared to the big box stores.

Save Cash Tis the season to be jolly, not broke. When you embark on a cross-state shopping spree to visit far-away stores, you might as well say goodbye to saving any of your Christmas cash.

There’s the gas for travel, the expensive dining for multiple meals and the hotel if you plan on staying somewhere overnight.

Compare that experience to finding some great local deals in your downtown establishment, eating an af fordable meal in your favorite local pizza hub and then heading home to wrap your gifts. It also means you can sleep at home, buy locally-grown produce and walk all over downtown to shop at several stores. It’s easy to see which option is both less expensive and less stressful.

And shopping locally isn’t just

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about saving cash, but also about making it stretch further for those around you. More of your money stays local when you spend it in town, meaning your cash is also making more of a dif ference for your neighbors, friends and family members.

Save the Environment Staying local cuts down on travel for both you and company delivery drivers. This is a double benefit that results in cleaner air and eased traffic congestion.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, trucks and locomotives are responsible for 25 per-

Owensboro

cent of smog-causing pollution and the majority of the cancer threat posed by air pollution in some areas.

Local businesses can help the environment in two ways: • By using local produce, food and products.

• By using less packaging than larger chain stores.

These actions help keep our local communities more sustainable and keep more unnecessar y plastics out of our city landfills. Shopping locally equals green and clean. This holiday season practice good shopping habits by visiting your local retailers.

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Buying on a budget Cash-only paying, layaway makes gift shopping easier Story By Meghann Richardson

With the holidays quickly approaching, consumers across the country are heading toward the malls, outlet stores and the groceries armed with cash and credit cards ready to buy food, decorations and presents for the upcoming season.

While buying presents and preparing for large family gatherings can be fun, it can also put a strain on your wallet. Kevin Schwartz, a partner at Myriad CPA Group, has some tips prepared to make holiday shopping a little less stressful on your budget.

For starters, Schwartz suggests shoppers not use credit cards when purchasing gifts this winter. He said credit cards allow people to rack up a high amount of debt, which can be a dangerous thing.

“Part of what happens is people are putting a lot on a credit card and then they are spending the whole year paying it off and paying a lot of interest back,” he said. “They are losing money.”

Schwartz suggests using Christmas savings programs through credit unions and banks in order to pay for gifts and other holiday expenses.

“The best thing to do is make a list, put together a budget and stick to that,” he said. “People tend to go out shopping and find a lot of good deals and overspend.”

He said ideally, saving money should be done all year.

Schwartz suggests putting back a little bit of money every month in order to save for the holidays.

“The best way to save is to be disciplined and do it consistently,” he said. “Do it year-round.”

The majority of annual retail sales

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SMART SHOPPING

• Send e-cards rather than using regular mail.

• Don’t overlook the value of intangibles — baking cookies or offering to help a friend are great gifts and cost next to nothing.

• Pay cash for your purchases.

are during the holiday season. Along with retail sales, charitable donations also increase during the holiday months.

“A lot of people are now donating money to charities instead of buying gifts,” Schwartz said. “Donations are usually higher in the holiday season because there is a tax deduction for charitable giving.”

In order to qualify for the deduction that year, the charitable contribution has to be done by Dec. 31.

According to Myriad CPA Group, the following types of organizations generally qualify for a tax deduction: • Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and other religious organizations.

• Federal, state and local govern-

Owensboro

When the cash is gone, stop shopping.

• Give time rather than presents.

• Look for meaning over glitz.

• Allow enough time for all holiday preparations.

Source: www.bankrate.com

ments if the proceeds are used for public purposes.

• Nonprofit schools, hospitals and volunteer fire companies.

• Public parks and recreation facilities.

• Salvation Army, United Way, Red Cross, Goodwill, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

• War veterans’ groups.

Before making a donation, make sure to verify the organization’s status. You can do this by asking for evidence in writing or contacting the Internal Revenue Service.

Schwartz said he encourages anyone with questions about holiday savings or charitable donations to call Myriad CPA Group at 270-6918981.

4TH Quarter 2015

WE THINK THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE ACCOUNTING PROBLEMS

Is to sit down in front of you and LISTEN. (CALL US OLD-FASHIONED, WE DON’T MIND.) KEVIN W. SCHWARTZ,

CPA, MBA, CGME, PARTNER

Every CPA firm should ask their clients hard questions. Your firm should dig deep to know what is behind your specific situation: your insight...your motivation.

But, at Myriad CPA Group, it's our not just the questions we ask or the insight we look to obtain – it's the act of LISTENING that is the linchpin of our practice.

Well-versed in industries as broad as financial institutions and utilities to your neighbor's retail shop or the corner store – it’s our ability not just to ask but then to listen to your greatest concerns – that makes the difference.

At Myriad CPA Group, from the front door to a partner’s offices to every one along the way – we speak a numerically-astute language, and listen intently as we seek to enable empower and encourage our clients…to succeed.

So, go ahead and call us old-fashioned, you can reach us at 1-270-691-8981.

CALL TOLL FREE: (866) 827-1577 • WWW.MYRIADCPA.COM • EVANSVILLE • HENDERSON • OWENSBORO • MORGANTOWN

4TH Quarter 2015

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