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Miraculous, right here.
When you can get back on your bike, you know Med Center Health gave you something miraculous. Right here, people like Barbara Dyer are receiving heart surgery that outperforms national quality standards. That means: • Our patients have fewer complications and shorter hospital stays than the national average • We’re Southcentral Kentucky’s only comprehensive heart program, including open heart surgery and cardiac rehabilitation It’s one more way we’re giving you access to the most innovative care, close to home. Find out how Barbara got back on her bike at MedCenterHealth.org/RightHere. Paul Moore, M.D. | W. Randy Carter, Jr., M.D.
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FROM THE EDITOR L E T ’ S TA K E A J O U R N E Y TO G E T H E R
EDITORIAL EDITOR
I am Brad Golliher, Bowling Green Living’s new Editor.
Brad Golliher CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Beginning with the May/June issue we will learn from one another what a local magazine is, and what it can be. To begin, let me say that I have been a magazine junkie from an early age, obsessed with flipping through the pages of magazines and comics, absorbing the images and stories. So much, I spent my time at Western Kentucky University in the art labs, graduating with an advertising/graphic design degree.
Brie Golliher Caitlin Greenwell Monica Ramsey Leigh Ann Tipton COPY EDITOR
Ashley Gleason Do you have a story idea? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestion to news@bgkyliving.com.
DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Andrea Roberson Jamie Alexander COVER & CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
As you know, when we debuted Bowling Green Living last year, our goal was to shine a light on the greatness of Bowling Green and the creativity of her people.
Renée Deemer
ADVERTISING Bowling Green Living is a FREE magazine because of community support. Thank
I want BGL to be entertaining and informative, but above all, useful. Inside you’ll find a mixture of news, features and regular columns on a wide range of topics written by some amazing people. Like any creative endeavor, BGL will continue to evolve, so feel free to email me your thoughts at brad@bgkyliving.com. We’ll use your feedback to continue to refine the pages in the coming months. You’ll begin to see more stories from the wider world of Bowling Green.
you to the great group of businesses and organizations who advertise. For more information about advertising email advertising@bgkyliving.com.
DISTRIBUTION To inquire about adding your business or organization to our distribution list, email distribution@bgkyliving.com.
ONLINE bgkyliving.com
Happy reading!
facebook.com/bglivingmagazine instagram.com/bowlinggreenliving
Brad Golliher Editor, Bowling Green Living TANNER PUBLISHING CO. FOUNDER
Jason Tanner PUBLISHER
Taylor West
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PO Box 9503 www.bgkyliving.com Owensboro, KY 42302 888-304-5416
2019
[06]
MAY . JUNE THE BUZZ
THE REAL PEOPLE, PLACES AND EVENTS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY
[08]
THE PULSE
ADVANCED CARDIAC CARE AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE
FEATURES
[10] TOUCHING LIVES THROUGH SPECIAL NEEDS How one kid transformed so many people’s way of thinking
[14] YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN One man’s journey in bodybuilding and eating
[22]
[18] NON-SCALE VICTORIES Conquering both emotional and literal roller coasters
[22] SURVIVOR Knocking out Parkinson’s
[28] COLD-PRESSED A juicy journey to entrepreneurship
[32] BRAIN STUFF A sense of humor and stubborn nature helped Becky Watts accept her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis
[36] RECKLESS Restoring a person through Jesus Christ
[40]
[10]
[14]
[18]
[46]
FIND YOUR FITNESS
PLACES TO STRESS LESS AND SWEAT MORE AROUND TOWN
[42]
THE GETAWAY
36 HOURS IN HARRODSBURG
[46]
THE DISH
GOIN’ COCONUTS GRANOLA
[48]
THE SCENE
YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AND AROUND BOWLING GREEN www.bgkyliving.com
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. BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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BUZZ
PHOTO BY AP IMAGERY
THE
BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN KENTUCKY Bowling Green was recently named the “Best Place to Live in Kentucky” by time.com. Time lists beautiful scenery, a sense of community, affordability, safety, convenience, and a bustling economy as critical factors. They wrote “With 208 clear days a year, there’s plenty to do outside, whether that’s window shopping downtown, riding the carousel at the nearby Beech Bend Park or touring a real limestone cavern by boat at Lost River Cave.” Bowling Green’s cultural and industrial diversity, quality of life and top ranked education, propelled it above other cities in the state.
HILLTOPPER CHARLES BASSEY CLAIMS TOP RECOGNITIONS Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky University Hilltopper
Year 2014 and is the first WKU conference defensive player of
freshman center, was named the Conference USA’s Defensive
the year since Mike Wells in 2004. Bassey is only the second
Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He was also named
player in C-USA history to win both Freshman of the Year and
to C-USA’s All-Conference First Team, All-Freshman Team and
Defensive Player of the year, since Marshall’s Hassan Whiteside
is also one of five finalists, and only freshman, for the Kareem
in 2010.
Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award.
He also leads C-USA in double-doubles (15) and ranks in
Bassey, the 6-foot-11, 245-pound native of Lagos, Nigeria
the top 30 nationally in double-doubles, field-goal percentage,
becomes the first WKU player to win an individual conference
blocks per game, total blocks (74), rebounds per game, defensive
award since Chris Harrison-Docks was named Freshman of the
rebounds per game and total rebounds (308) rebounds.
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NATCHER PARKWAY GETS A NEW NAME
KENTUCKY MIDWIVES CELEBRATE IMPORTANT VICTORY After 8 years working together organizing the Kentucky Home Birth Coalition Mary Duke, LCCE (of Bowling Green) and Mary Kathryn DeLodder (of Louisville) saw the passage of SB 84 “The Midwives Bill” on Wednesday, March 13 in Frankfort. This legislation will license Certified Professional Midwives in the state of Kentucky and integrate them into our existing health care system. For more details and to learn how you can help Mary continue the fight to increase safe birth options in Kentucky visit mysunshinebirth.com or kentuckyhomebirthcoalition.com.
Seventy-two miles of the four-lane highway in western Kentucky, connecting Owensboro and Bowling Green, is now interstate 165. The change was announced by Gov. Matt Bevin and Congressman Brett Guthrie in 2016. Necessary safety upgrades, like pavement, bridge walls, guard rails, and rock slopes, are being made along the route. But most noticeable to drivers is the changing of signs and new exit numbers.
BOWLING GREEN AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECOGNIZED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXCELLENCE The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce is once again being recognized as one of the nation’s top areas for corporate investments. The ranking evaluates states on their ability to attract investment based mainly on a 10-factor index. This is the sixth consecutive year for Bowling Green to be ranked as a top tier-2 metro area in the U.S. Bowling Green’s rankings remain steady after a jump from No. 6 in 2013. “The Chamber’s six consecutive years of nationally ranked success in economic development is unprecedented in Kentucky,” said Chamber President and CEO Ron Bunch.
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. BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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THE
PULSE
BY MED CENTER HEALTH
ADVANCED CARDIAC CARE AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE 8 BOWLING GREEN LIVING
. M AY / / J U N E 2 0 1 9
If you or your loved one is experiencing chest pain or other heart problems, you want to know that the very best care is available close to home. The Medical Center cardiac care teams are focused on saving lives, preventing irreparable heart damage and improving the quality of life for heart disease patients through education and support.
www.bgkyliving.com
DID YOU KNOW....
EDUCATION AND SUPPORT
• The Medical Center at Bowling Green is the only hospital in Southcentral Kentucky to be designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac Care by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. This recognition is for high quality patient safety, outcomes, and cost effectiveness. • The Medical Center is Bowling Green’s only Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI. The Chest Pain Center team is on call day and night. Every department from EMS to the nursing staff follows stringent protocols to ensure patients receive the best care possible during the critical early stages of a heart attack. The time it takes for a heart attack victim to go from the ER to having an artery unblocked in the Cath Lab is consistently faster than The Joint Commission’s established national benchmark. • Med Center Health’s cardiothoracic surgeons are consistently ranked among the best by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. This includes several areas, such as fewer complications, less blood usage, and less time in the hospital. • The Medical Center at Bowling Green has the area’s only open heart surgery program. Board certified surgeons lead The Medical Center’s heart team, providing 24-hour emergency intervention for open heart surgery, while an extensive network of interventional cardiologists provides balloon angioplasty and cardiac stenting. • The Medical Center at Bowling Green is a teaching hospital. Cardiac Fellows are trained at The Medical Center, bringing a higher level of care to our patients.
• As part of Med Center Health’s commitment to patient well-being, we offer a variety of services to help our heart patients and their families get the knowledge and resources they need. • Cardiovascular Nurse Liaison—understands the concerns patients and their families have before, during and after heart surgery. The liaison is available to answer any questions patients, families, physicians and others may have. • Heart Failure Educator—available to help patients diagnosed with heart failure understand what their diagnosis means, and how to monitor and manage their condition to maintain the best quality of life. • Cardiac Patient Navigator—helps many Medicare patients find their way through the sometimes complicated and confusing journey of having multiple doctors and diagnoses as a heart patient. The Cardiac Patient Navigator helps patients who are most at risk for readmission to the hospital after being discharged get the care and resources they need.
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To learn more about cardiac care at Med Center Health, visit MedCenterHealth.org.
Always call 9-1-1 at the first sign of a heart attack. Do not attempt to drive yourself or someone else who is experiencing chest pain to the hospital. Precious minutes and heart muscle can be lost that could otherwise be saved by first responders.
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Touching lives through
BY CAITLIN GREENWELL
F
SPECIAL NEEDS
or the past 12 years, Allison Millet,
Rodgie and loving mother to her two sons,
alongside her husband and oldest son,
Ross and Owen.
has gone to battle against a handful of
“My husband and I make a great team,”
ailments that have afflicted her second-born.
Allison said. “We have to in order to grow the
business and have harmony with our family.”
“A lot of people say that this life must be
hard,” Allison said. “Once we had Owen, we
Allison’s oldest son, Ross, could be
just put our armor on.”
described
At age 42, Allison is the owner of Bowling
sophomore. At age 16, he just received his
Green Backyard Boot Camp, a successful
driver’s permit, plays football for the Bowling
group fitness program. On top of running her
Green Purples and loves watching episodes of
business, Allison is a devoted wife to husband
“The Office.”
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as
your
typical
high
school
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PHOTOS BY RENÉE DEEMER
But her youngest, Owen, doesn’t fit the mold
leading workouts.”
of your typical 12-year-old. While he enjoys
wrestling in the floor and watching “Spongebob
Camp’s first class in 2010 in her empty lot and
Squarepants” with his older brother, he has several
attracted 18 people. She said classes started to
special needs that must be addressed on a daily
grow quickly so they had to move their location to
basis.
area parks. Ultimately, she found indoor locations
to use over the years.
“From the get-go, we realized something was a
Allison held Bowling Green Backyard Boot
bit different about Owen,” Allison said.
“Now, here we are nearly nine years in
At just 8-months-old, Owen had to start
business,” Allison said. “We’ve grown from three
wearing glasses. Soon afterward, several food
classes per week to 15-plus with coaches that help
allergies and sensitivities were discovered. Then,
me lead the workouts. It’s just been one fun ride.”
he was diagnosed with autism.
While her business grew, Allison had to
Allison said her journey with Owen has
personally grow with her family. The Millets
encouraged her to share her family’s story with
discovered new systems to make daily life easier
others in the wellness community.
and have learned how Owen optimally operates.
A native of White House, Tenn., Allison has
“We’re always on with him,” Allison said.
lived in Bowling Green since she came to Western
“We’ve always worked hard to find the ways he
Kentucky University in 1995. After a brief stint
learns best. The traditional American way is not
as an elementary school teacher, Allison combined
always the best way for him.”
her entrepreneurial spirit with her passion for
fitness.
education options for Owen. Currently, he spends
half his day in therapy and the other half in school.
“I’m just always dreaming,” Allison said. “My
Allison said they had to seek out some different
brain never stops. I’m always thinking of new ways
we can help people get moving that’s fresh and
now,” Allison said.
exciting.”
From teaching group fitness classes in college
speak. Owen faces issues with fine motor skills
to purchasing a Stroller Fit franchise, Allison
so getting him to make hand signs as a means of
eventually landed at the formation of Bowling
communication initially was a challenge, Allison
Green Backyard Boot Camp.
said.
After Owen was born, and his diagnoses were
“The changes all seem so very normal to us While physically mobile, Owen is unable to
The past eight months, Owen has worked with
realized, the Millets moved into a new home, also
a professional and has now learned to sign “his
purchasing an empty lot next to the house.
signs.”
Allison had big dreams for the empty lot, which
“That has really opened up his world,” Allison
would make being a mom to Owen and running a
said. “He’s really just come alive wanting to talk to
fitness business all the easier.
you.”
“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if people could
Allison said she and her family have had to
come here to work out?’” Allison said. “Owen
be creative tying in fitness with Owen in the mix.
could be inside getting therapy and I could be
She recently found that walking with him in the
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. BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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cemetery on Fairview Avenue proved to be successful.
and behavioral therapy has been a complete game-
changer, she said.
“To keep balance, and to be able to live the life
you want to live — which, for us, is active — it would
be really easy to just sit back,” Allison said.
had to open up our home. They are our extended
family of special people that work with him.”
Allison said her family quickly adapted their
“They can help us help him,” Allison said. “We’ve
lifestyle, but still finding balance can be hard at
times.
special needs during her stint as an elementary school
“Being active has been a challenge, to be honest,”
teacher, but would still describe herself as extremely
Allison said. “To find time to coach the people that I
new to the world of autism after Owen was diagnosed.
coach, to spend time with my family and to get in my
own workouts — all of that is a challenge.”
that’s ever met Owen knows that he was put here on
this earth to spread joy.”
Allison said it took a while for her to accept
Allison said she encountered some kids with
“He’s a very happy kid,” Allison said. “Anybody
Owen’s special needs for what they are.
manages everything in her everyday life.
“For a long time I was trying to fix — for a very
She said a friend recently asked her how she
long time,” Allison said. “And finally one day it just
really hit me — what if there is nothing to fix? What
out of necessity,” Allison said. “Along the way, they
if this is the child that I’m supposed to raise just as
just came into place.”
he is the very best that I can? To stop looking at it as
a fix and love him like crazy?”
focus on moms of special needs children.
Utilizing at-home professionals for occupational
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“We have a lot of systems in place in our house
Allison said the next step in her business is to “I want to focus on getting them strong and www.bgkyliving.com
healthy because we have to be strong and healthy to take
care of these kids,” Allison said.
She said from that moment on, they made sure Ross felt
Through Allison, Owen has touched many lives.
like he was getting the same amount of attention.
“It’s amazing to see how one kid has transformed
so many people’s way of thinking and transformed my business,” she said.
Owen’s lifestyle has transformed not only Allison
That struck a chord with Allison and her husband.
“This little 5-year-old kid went and got his piggy
bank and asked how much it was for the therapist to play with him,” Allison said. “We would then take a
and her business, but has also impacted his older brother,
football with us where we would go so we could throw it
Ross.
while Owen was in testing or therapy.”
“He sees life a lot differently at 16 than I did, that’s
As Ross has grown up with a family who’s had to
for sure,” Allison said. “He and Owen have a bond like
overcome uncommon obstacles, he said their time spent
none I’ve ever seen before between siblings. Ross just
together has completely shaped his morals and beliefs.
knows the way that Owen works.”
Ross sees Owen’s differences, but he said they have
developed a regular brotherly relationship all the same.
“I don’t know what it’s like having a brother without
special needs,” Ross said. “It’s a special bond that we
He said he realizes many others his age haven’t had
the pleasure of being so close to someone as special as Owen, but wishes everyone could share in his experience.
“He has a sense of humor that anybody could
have.”
understand,” Ross said. “If you just take the time to get
to know someone with special needs, then that would
When Owen was still a toddler, Ross said he mistook
Owen’s therapy sessions for extra playtime. www.bgkyliving.com
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. BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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You Get Out
WHAT YOU PUT IN ONE MAN’S JOURNEY IN BODYBUILDING AND EATING
BY
CAITLIN GREENWELL
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www.bgkyliving.com
PHOTO BY WILL WITTMANN
M
ost people wouldn’t venture to guess
bodybuilding
for his torn hamstring, he immediately started
and
competitive
eating could go hand in hand.
Once Weaver completed physical therapy
his preparations for The Arnold. In total, he
But most people aren’t Bartley Weaver, a
needed to lose 42.5 pounds to make weight for
30-year-old competitive bodybuilder and food
his bodybuilding class. To qualify for the classic
challenge contender.
physique division at 6 feet tall, Weaver could not
weigh more than 220 pounds.
“People find it extremely amusing that I go
from one extreme to the other,” Weaver said.
By profession, the Cave City, Ky. native, is
in just seven days before the classic physique
a trooper with the Kentucky State Police. In his
weigh-in at The Arnold. For his official weigh-
spare time, you can find him in the gym training
in, Weaver had to come fasted, having had no
or at a restaurant eating.
food and no water for several hours prior.
But it was all worth it, he said.
his second run at The Arnold Sports Festival in
“I’m pretty sure it’s the best I’ve ever
Columbus, Ohio, the first weekend in March.
looked,” Weaver said. “I’ve never been more
conditioned or as ripped on the stage at the
Weaver recently finished a training cycle for
The multi-sport festival, which is home to
In the end, Weaver had 10 pounds to lose
the second-largest competitive bodybuilding
weight that I was.”
stage in the world, hosted over 22,000 athletes
from more than 60 countries in 80 events.
physique amateur division. While he recognizes
his accomplishment, he was still hoping for an
“It was a crazy, crazy weekend,” Weaver
Ultimately, Weaver placed 11th in the classic
said.
even higher finish.
His training leading up to the event could
“I was pushing for a top-five placement,”
possibly be described as even crazier.
Weaver said.
While
On duty with KSP in August 2018, Weaver
there
are
many
bodybuilding
tore his right hamstring while chasing a suspect
divisions at The Arnold, Weaver said he has
on a foot pursuit. In addition to taking off work
always liked the look of the classic physique, so
for a few months to recover, Weaver also had to
it is the division for which he trains.
take a break from his usual training routine.
“I was determined to turn that negative into
infatuated with The Arnold posters,” Weaver
a positive,” Weaver said. “I wanted to motivate
said. “I’ve always loved the classic physique
and inspire others through my comeback.”
look. It’s more of the Arnold (Schwarzenegger)
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“When I first started working out, I was
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. BOWLING GREEN LIVING
15
look from back in the day.”
competitive eating.
2019 marks Weaver’s 10th year of competing as
“Eating is my favorite,” Weaver said.
a bodybuilder. He said his goal is to gain three or four
As soon as he got off the stage at The Arnold, he went
pounds of muscle each year.
to a food challenge at a local Mexican restaurant.
As a youth, Weaver played many sports. He started
Weaver took on a 12-inch burrito teeming with ghost
working out at a gym when he was 12 at the urging of his
peppers and habaneros. He said that those who eat the
father.
entire burrito receive a free T-shirt.
“After that, I was pretty much addicted to the gym,”
“I thought, ‘Well, I got one that easy,’” he said. “I eat
Weaver said.
habanero sauce from El Mazatlan almost every day while
in Bowling Green. I ate the burrito in 2 minutes and 23
Weaver entered his first bodybuilding competition at
age 20. He said he likes to compete because he has been an
seconds.”
athlete the majority of his life.
someone completed it was in 3 minutes.
“If I’m going to work out, I’m going to put it to the
Before Weaver took on the challenge, the fastest
test every now and then,” he said. “I guess it’s the fruits of
my labor I want to see. I’ve learned you get out what you
the bodybuilding offseason, so he said he finds new food
put in.”
challenges during this time.
With a rather large online presence, Weaver conducts
Weaver allows himself one cheat meal per week in
“Well if I can get a free cheat meal out of it, and make
personal training with his website dreamweaverfit.com.
some money off of it, then I might as well do it,” Weaver
said.
Weaver said he had more than 100 custom coaching
clients in 2018. At dreamweaverfit.com, he hosts quarterly
transformation challenges. Weaver has had people lose up
records include 144 pieces of sushi at Osaka Sushi Train,
to 100 pounds following his programs.
10 hotdogs and buns in 3 minutes at BG Thunderfest, 5
pounds of pulled pork at Nine20live and 8.5 pounds of
“Something I always tell my clients is that at the end
Weaver’s 2018 Bowling Green area eating challenge
of the day it’s you versus you,” Weaver said. “As long as
pizza in just under 57 minutes at Larry’s Pizza.
you’re improving, that’s all that matters. You can’t control
everything around you, but one thing you can control is
professional in an eating organization.
the effort that you put into changing yourself.”
and professional eater,” Weaver said. “And it looks like
Competing at bodybuilding shows has motivated
Weaver said he was recently offered a spot as a “I want to be the first-ever professional bodybuilder
many of Weaver’s clients to better themselves. He said he
one of them is going to come to fruition.”
also knows he betters himself each and every competition.
training for a bodybuilding competition, Weaver said.
“It’s not about the placing for me,” Weaver said.
“As long as I’m helping somebody through the process that’s what makes it worth it for me. If you can practice what you preach I think that’s good for business.”
Training for a food challenge is very similar to “Nobody just wants to get fat,” he said. “If I know a
challenge is coming up, I have to create a caloric deficit. If you start piling on the calories, you’ll start piling on the fat.”
When preparing for a bodybuilding competition,
Weaver said he typically starts training 12 to 16 weeks out. He said this is a good timeline for those already in pretty good shape.
He said it’s very hard to cut back down if fat is
gained in the offseason. Personally, Weaver never lets his body fat get over 12 or 13 percent during this time. For
Only one thing rivals Weaver’s love of bodybuilding:
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comparison, he was able to cut his body-fat percentage to www.bgkyliving.com
just 3 percent before The Arnold.
“My goal in the offseason is to not let my
abs completely vanish,” Weaver said.
Weaver said working on bodybuilding
stage presence, from the deep tan to the poses, is a very important part of the process.
“If you don’t know how to pose or
display what you’ve built, it doesn’t matter in the end,” Weaver said. “You’re only up there for a split second, so if the judges can’t see what you’ve worked on then all the hard work you’ve put in is irrelevant.”
Weaver’s faith is very important to him
and has carried through to his training.
“My ultimate motivation is knowing
the fact that tomorrow is not guaranteed,” Weaver said. “God has given me abilities and the health to work out and motivate others. As long as the Lord’s willing, I’m going to keep training. I love training. It’s not a job for me — it’s therapeutic.”
Through all the training and hard work
he puts in, it could be easy to quit at any point. But Weaver said helping others is the biggest motivating factor to keep going.
“I’m trying to use all my resources,”
he said. “I’ve been blessed with a lot. God’s been good to me. I’m making the most of everything I’ve been given and want to help others in the process. My passion is to help others.”
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. BOWLING GREEN LIVING
17
372.2
To anyone else it’s just a handwritten number roughly tattooed on a wrist, but to Melanie
Autin, it’s a daily reminder of a difficult four year journey. Growing up in Mandeville, La., a small suburb of New Orleans, Melanie lived a seemingly average childhood, with
loving
parents
and
pestering
siblings who raised her with the passion for great conversation over a great meal. The youngest of four children, Melanie, now 39, was not encouraged to make wise food choices and healthy habits. “I was an extremely picky kid,” she said. “My mom would take me to McDonald’s almost every morning before kindergarten.” This quickly led Melanie to become overweight at a young age. “I accepted I was the way I was. Why bother?” Melanie proclaimed. “So I ignored the weight and focused on school. I wanted to be known as the smart girl, not the fat girl.”
So Melanie focused on her education,
leading her to study at Louisiana State University. During a weekend away to an amusement park in Texas, Melanie would have an experience that is still imprinted in her memories. As she mentally prepared herself to ride a rollercoaster BY BRAD GOLLIHER
and settled in the seat, she was turned
Non-Scale
VICTORIES 18 BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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away by an attendant because he could not close the seat restraints. As Melanie walked off the platform to wait for her friends, she pretended not to be upset, but deep down was devastated. This only pushed Melanie into deeper denial about her weight. For years she would battle with even more unhealthy eating habits, and avoiding the scales and doctor visits, just to dodge the reality of her obesity.
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PHOTO BY BRIE GOLLIHER
Melanie would eventually attend graduate school at the
in an effort to influence healthier lifestyles among their
University of South Carolina before moving to Bowling
employees, and provide them lower insurance premiums.
Green, Ky. in 2007, to accept a position as an Assistant
At her first weigh-in, in February 2015, Melanie tipped the
Professor of Statistics at Western Kentucky University. In
scales at 372.2 pounds, her highest ever recorded weight.
2010, Melanie was asked by a friend to be a bridesmaid in
her wedding. Afraid her friend would be embarrassed to
on a project,” Melanie stated. “So I jumped right in to the
have her stand beside her on her special day, Melanie kicked
program that was being offered with full force.” Weight
the one habit that she has maintained to this day - cutting
Watchers offered Melanie something she hadn’t been able
out soft drinks. Eventually, still afraid her size would be a
to find before - consistency. Having a team of individuals
distraction and embarrassment, Melanie regretfully backed
set out on the same goal path helped Melanie focus on her
out of the wedding, sending her spiraling into overindulgent
newly adopted habits. On the program, she quickly dropped
behaviors.
a few pounds, but still found the weigh-ins intimidating, so
Melanie’s eyes would be opened to the unimaginable
she shifted her focus to “personal goals.” At first, Melanie
damage she had done to her body following her father’s
would walk to her mailbox five houses down, instead of
massive heart attack in late 2007 and his passing due to
stopping the car on her way in from work. She then upped
heart failure in 2014. For years she didn’t care what she put
her routine to walking daily through her neighborhood, but
into it, as long as she was satisfied. But the problem was,
was still mentally not ready for “exercise”.
she wasn’t. She worried about not seeing her nephew, who
was born in 2012, grow up. So she began a program with
create long-lasting habits. She switched to Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers offered by Western Kentucky University,
online because of what she calls “scale addiction” or the
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“I’m not one to give a half-hearted effort when I take
It took Melanie some time to change her mentality and
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19
pressure of seeing if your numbers went up or down at
as a partner that will hold her accountable. That first year
weigh-in. She kept with the same concept - take out the
at Anytime Fitness Melanie shed another 32 pounds. “I
bad stuff, and replace it with the good. She also focused
still avoid the scales because I don’t want the number to
on “non-scale victories” to celebrate how far she had
be my focus, I want the small personal victories to be my
come in her journey. “I remember the first time I was on a flight and didn’t have to ask the flight attendant for a belt extender, or the time I could put the tray table down.” Melanie proudly exclaimed. To most people simple tasks don’t seem like much, but to Melanie, who had never
goal,” she proclaims. Ultimately Melanie doesn’t have an end goal. “I can’t set one because I know there will be slip ups,” she confesses. “I don’t want them to be a big deal. I want to
experienced them, they raised her confidence and gave her
focus on the positive and make long-term habits.” Her
the boost she needed to continue on her healthy path.
intense determination to better herself at home and at
In two years Melanie lost an astounding 150 pounds,
the gym propelled her to the top of the Ultimate Workout
but she was determined to keep going and in 2016 she
Warriors list at Anytime Fitness with 347 total workouts
excitedly conquered that rollercoaster she remembers so
for 2018, an achievement she never aspired to pursue but
vividly. Early 2017, she overcame her fear of gyms and
found it enjoyable to challenge her new gym family to
joined Anytime Fitness at the urging of a friend. There she
some friendly competition.
cultivated relationships with members that would become
Melanie hopes her story will inspire others that are
her biggest cheerleaders. “I’m still weirded out a bit by my love for the gym,” she joked. “But the relationships I’ve built are important, we push each other to be better versions of ourselves in and out of the gym.” These friendship drove Melanie to work out every day after work.
where she’s been, and where she’s still going. “Don’t feel like what worked for me will work for everyone else. You have to find something that you enjoy and works for your life and not worry about what other people are doing,” she
In the summer of 2018, Holly Fennell convinced Melanie
suggested. She encourages everyone to: start with small
to enroll in a “leg challenge” put on by the gym. She was
personal goals; find something and somewhere you enjoy;
hesitant but gladly accepted. This challenge gave Melanie
realize it’s long term and sustain your passion; and speak
the focus and drive to develop a weightlifting plan, as well
things into existence.
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
BEET BOX PRODUCE
HELPING YOU LIVE YOUR Healthiest BY MICHELLE DARNALL
B
eet Box Produce was started in Bowling Green in 2014 by Michelle Darnall. It originally started as a produce delivery service but since that time has evolved into much more. From the first produce boxes to the addition of fully prepared healthy meals in 2015 to the opening of a retail store front in 2018 Beet Box continues to evolve. Customers can still choose to have fresh organic and local produce boxes delivered right to their home or office. Being a local small business we know the importance of supporting our local farmers. While everything in the box is not local we strive to use as much local produce as possible when available. With the addition of fully prepared meals customers can now choose to have healthy ready to eat meals delivered as well. All meals are prepared locally in our commercial kitchen that was built in 2018. No matter what your dietary needs we offer something for everyone. We know that what works for one does not work for all. For those looking for a quick healthy lunch or dinner option our store offers a grab and go style setting. Whether you need 1 meal or 10 meals it is available in store. Not only will you find our delicious meals
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Life
but tons of extra hard to find items. With brands like Siete, Phocus, Primal Kitchen and Simple Mills there is no need to drive to Nashville or order on Amazon.
Adding to our ever evolving product line Beet Box purchased local
nut butter company, Gone Nuts in December of 2018. This all natural nut butter line is now made in house and consists of 4 almond butter, 1 cashew and 1 peanut butter. We may have “Gone Nuts” but this product propelled us forward in our commitment to offer healthy clean food options for our community.
We also know that being healthy does not just mean eating well.
It’s a matter of giving back to our community and educating others. We use our store as a space for healthy living and lifestyle classes and have a list of local educators who help us do this. We use our local resources including dietitians, pharmacists, physicians and many others to answer your questions and be a resource to help you live a healthier life.
Stop by our store Monday-Friday 10 to 6 to see what we have to
offer and let us help you live your healthiest life yet.
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PHOTOS BY RENÉE DEEMER
BY A MONIC Y E S M RA
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8
years ago, Irv Scherman sensed something was wrong while brushing his teeth. He felt a tremor in his right hand, making squeezing the toothpaste from the tube and holding the brush challenging.
Around that same time, Irv and his wife,
Selena, went to watch a Cincinnati Reds home baseball game. As they crossed the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge from Covington, Ky.,
Selena noticed that her husband’s right hand was drawn up. She also saw during that time that he was having trouble using his computer mouse.
Irv went to the doctor about a month or two after he
experienced his first tremor. It was Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that can cause shaking in different parts of the body, among other symptoms. There is no known cure.
The doctor told the couple, “The good news is,
(Parkinson’s) doesn’t kill you. The bad news is, it changes your life.”
The Schermans, of Woodburn, have been married for
30 years, and when Selena thought back to the day of her husband’s diagnosis, she said it was one of the more difficult 24 BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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days they’ve experienced together.
“That’s when you go deep; you go to your faith,” Selena
said. “We just have to give God the glory, and we just have to make it the most positive it can be and encourage as many people as we can.”
Such a diagnosis has the potential to devastate the person
receiving it, but Selena said her husband didn’t let it slow him down for long. In fact, almost immediately he began to consider ways he could turn the bad news into something good.
“After the original shock and figuring it all out, the first
thing he said after he’d had time to digest it was, ‘I’m going to be a positive example for Parkinson’s patients,’” she said.
Irv has a simple justification to stay positive, “God is good.
No reason to feel sorry for yourself,” he said.
Irv is no stranger to fighting adversity and emerging
victorious. The son of an Auschwitz survivor and a Polish soldier, his family immigrated to the United States from Germany when he was a year and a half old. They arrived with nothing, but Irv’s father started a deli and eventually had some grocery stores in Queens, N.Y., the customers of which included a young Donald Trump and his father.
Later in life, Irv weighed more than 200 pounds and
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25
decided to get active. He said he couldn’t jog around the
said sometimes he won’t take phone calls because he doesn’t
block without wheezing when he first started. Due to
want to embarrass himself. Boxing helped him stutter and
his self-claimed stubbornness and competitiveness, he
shift around less, just as it has helped other Parkinson’s
persevered and began regularly running about 70 miles
patients, a phenomenon Steffey said doctors and scientists
each week. He even ran two marathons, a fact he dispensed
still don’t understand.
with a sheepish grin and joked, “No big deal.”
To top it all off, Irv is also a cancer survivor.
went away and the more the tremor went away,” Steffey
“I’m hoping that God watches over us and He doesn’t
said.
“The more he came (to the gym), the more the stutter
let it (Parkinson’s) get any worse than it is now,” Irv prayed.
“I truly believe God doesn’t give me anything I can’t handle,
can do, he shows the boxing equipment no mercy. Steffey
and if He wants me to have this (Parkinson’s), I’ll handle
said he is one of the few boxers at the gym who can actually
it.”
move the equipment across the floor from hitting it.
Because, Irv announces, he has to strive for the best he
One way he handles it is by attending Rock Steady
“He (Irv) can’t do anything halfway,” Steffey said.
Boxing on the U.S. 31-W Bypass. The location is an affiliate
Irv’s zeal at Rock Steady may have exacerbated a back
of the nationwide gym geared toward Parkinson’s patients.
issue about a year ago, so he has been unable to regularly
Jill Steffey is the founder and head coach of the Bowling
attend. In spite of that, on a night he came into the gym
Green site, which has been open since October 2016. Irv
to do a few exercises, he pummeled a piece of equipment
started going to the gym not long after it opened, and
resembling a Weeble so hard that Steffey told him not to
Steffey said after only about two months, the tremor in his
“kill it.”
hand lessened.
Other than the tremor, Parkinson’s also makes it
Irv received hearty greetings and several hugs. Everyone
difficult for Irv to stand still and causes him to stutter. He
was glad to see him, and his positive impact on others was
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As other gym-goers trickled in on that same night,
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apparent.
back on the horse, so to speak,” Selena said.
Even when simple activities become difficult, Irv presses on.
keep me down,’” Steffey said.
“If my wife asks me, ‘Do you need help?’ I always say no
Although Irv hasn’t been able to don his boxing gloves much
because, to me, it’s a weakness (to have help). Whether it’s tying
lately, he still keeps a healthy routine. He gets up every day at
or buttoning a shirt, it may take me awhile, but I’ll do it,” Irv
3:45 a.m. and leaves the house by 5 a.m. to go to the gym to do
said.
other exercises, like walking. By 7 a.m., he is done at the gym and
“He was the go-getter, and (acted like) ‘Parkinson’s can’t
eats breakfast with some buddies, a tradition they’ve kept for 20 years.
“You’ve got to be active. That’s the thing about Parkinson’s,
you’ve got to move,” Irv explains. “The problem with Parkinson’s is that a lot of people don’t start exercising until they get Parkinson’s. See, I was exercising 30 years before I got this nonsense, so maybe I was ahead of the game.”
Having a little humor doesn’t hurt either. Irv said you can’t
take yourself too seriously, even if you have Parkinson’s.
Giggling, Irv jokes that once at the hospital, “They put me
Selena eventually stopped offering help. “If he does ask for
me to help him, I will, but that’s like one time in 10,000.”
Ever since Parkinson’s became the Schermans’ new normal
eight years ago, they both expressed thankfulness for the blessing of having each other.
“The great part about Selena is that she won’t let me feel
sorry for myself,” he says.
It’s Irv’s determination in the face of this incurable disease
that makes his wife proud of him.
“He just doesn’t give up. Even when the days get tough - and
in that MRI thing and said, ‘Don’t move.’ I said, ‘Well, I have
there are a few of those - and he gets a little negative, it doesn’t
Parkinson’s.’”
last long,” Selena proudly states. “He goes every day at full force.”
Although he maintains a positive attitude for the most part,
Irv said he has been blessed in his 71 years and repeated a
he’s not immune to the doldrums.
message he’d taken to heart from a sermon.
“There are days he gets discouraged like anybody would, but
then he always just picks himself up by the bootstraps and gets www.bgkyliving.com
“Don’t worry about what you don’t have,” he said. “Be happy
with what you do have.” M AY / / J U N E 2 0 1 9
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Cold-Pressed A JUICY JOURNEY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY BRAD GOLLIHER
A
bell above the door at 326 East Main Ave, rings continuously
as customers rush in and out. They are greeted by the aroma of fresh squeezed orange juice and a friendly “Hello”.
Emma Napier, the 24-year-
old owner of Bowling Green’s only juicery, Zest! Juice for Life, spends most of her days pushing fruits and vegetables through a
juicer.
Zest!
offers
health
conscious people a wide variety of delicious, cold-pressed juice and its popularity is apparent as Emma would stop her task to help a customer, and then go right back to her work.
Zest! was founded in 2013
by Natalie Boddeker. She had participated in a juice cleanse and enjoyed the benefits it provided. She began holding workshops but soon discovered people wanted to “buy” not “make.” So Natalie set up shop at the Community Farmers Market and her side business
exploded
to
a
full-
time gig. After a couple years she needed a space to sell the popular juice daily and opened the storefront on East Main Ave in December of 2015. After two successful years, Natalie decided to focus her attention on another business opportunity. Emma was familiar with the juice Natalie provided. Emma teaches spin class at The
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PHOTOS BY BRIE GOLLIHER
Spot, and would pick up juice after her workouts. As an escape from the corporate grind, she bought Zest! in June 2018 at the urging of her family and friends. At first she was working full-time as a graphic designer, then spending the night juicing produce to fill the coolers downtown. Emma praises her mom and her commitment to helping her run the shop during the transition. “Her help was essential to my success and sanity early on.”
Emma immediately went to work making the
shop her own. She rented the studio space next door, busted down walls and moved the full operation on site, cutting her juicing and transportation time in half. She eventually left her corporate job to focus on Zest! full-time, developing recipes and daydreaming about future products she can offer. “I’m working on perfecting my smoothie recipes; that’s the next step. I would also love to be able to offer customers juice by the glass. But one step at a time.”
But small business ownership did not come
without its hiccups. Emma jokes she “learned everything on the fly” but says the biggest hurdle was learning to manage people. Emma is most excited to continue Zest! because of the health benefits fruits and vegetables can offer to everyone.
So why juice?
Juicing helps you easily absorb all available
nutrients from fruits and vegetables, helping your joints and skin.
It is easier to drink more fruits and vegetables
than you can eat. Each of Zest!’s juices contains 3-4 pounds of produce.
Raw foods are better than cooked or processed
foods because they contain active enzymes, which spares your body from using your enzymes, thus allowing for more energy and resistance.
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Juicing is great for detoxification, which results
in glowing skin, shining hair, fresh breath, efficient digestive tract, fewer colds and flu, and healthy gums and teeth. Studies suggest that diets high in fruit and vegetables may prevent and even cure innumerable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
A diet of fruits and vegetables can recharge your
digestive system and eliminate bloat.
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Emma suggests Midnight Elixir, her number one
selling juice. It contains apples, lemons, ginger and activated charcoal. The charcoal is great for detoxing and is delicious.
Zest! also offers a variety of almond milks, natural
immune boosting “shots,� grab-and-go meals, natural nut butters and other healthy choice snacks.
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BRAIN
Stuff
BY ANN LEIGH TIPTON
Healing doesn’t always come from a cure. Sometimes, people find it through acceptance.
It’s with a sense of humor and a
stubborn nature that Becky Watts has come to accept the diagnosis she received from a neurologist on September 23, 2016. On that day, Watts learned she had Multiple Sclerosis. She would spend five days in the hospital undergoing steroid treatments to get her severe symptoms under control. “It was actually such a relief that I didn’t have to keep going the way I was,” she said. “I was so tired trying to make myself do the things I thought I should be doing.”
The diagnosis came after years of
experiencing symptoms like fatigue and muscle pain that she explained
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PHOTOS BY RENÉE DEEMER
away as being part of an earlier fibromyalgia
in part because the heat from melting large batches
diagnosis. According to the Centers for Disease
of wax was a trigger for some of her MS symptoms.
Control, fibromyalgia is a condition that causes
Her mother now works at the store through the week,
pain all over the body, sleep problems, fatigue and
and Watts works there on Fridays and Saturdays.
sensitivity to pain. What Watts didn’t realize, was
The store features the works of local artists - ranging
that some of her symptoms - legs that didn’t seem
from jewelry to laser cut engravings to paintings.
to work, severe fatigue, brain fog - were actually the
Even though Watts has had to cut back on the hours
symptoms of a second auto-immune disease.
she works, the store is still an important part of her
It wasn’t until her husband started discussing
life.
changing to a more affordable insurance plan that
had fewer benefits that Watts suggested, “Let’s get
it’s the ‘brain stuff ’,” Watts said on a recent Saturday,
my legs checked out first.”
standing behind the counter at the Candlemaker on
“My husband worked a different shift, and I had
the Square. “I can’t do math like I used to be able
done such a good job of masking it, that he didn’t
to - so I can’t do the bills here anymore. Sometimes I
even know there was an issue with my legs,” she
can’t remember things….Which my husband is okay
said. And that’s what finally led her to a doctor’s
with because he can tell me his stories over and over
visit and seven days later - the multiple sclerosis
again and I laugh because it’s like it’s the first time
diagnosis.
I’ve heard them.”
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society
husband repeating his funny stories to her. In fact,
website,
nationalmssociety.org,
MS
is
“The biggest hurdle for me is not the physical -
Watts laughed, tickled at the recollection of her
a disease in which the body’s immune system
Watts laughs a lot - at herself and her disease.
mistakenly attacks myelin - the protective coating
It’s one of the ways she copes, especially on
around nerve fibers in the central nervous system.
the days when symptoms are severe and she can
Symptoms vary by person and severity but can
barely get out of bed. A sense of humor, she said,
include fatigue that significantly interferes with
and stubbornness - are the two keys to helping her
the ability to function at home and work, walking
manage her daily life.
difficulty, numbness of the face, body or extremities,
a feeling of stiffness, weakness, vision problems,
said. “And my husband says I’m the most stubborn
dizziness and vertigo among others.
person he’s ever met. You have to be. You have to be
“MS is really weird, it’s not a constant of one
a warrior and fight through the symptoms and be
thing,” Watts said. “It’s a little bit of this over here,
able to laugh about it or else you’d just curl up in a
and a little bit of that over there, and maybe this day
ball and die.”
it’s not that bad, but on this day taking a shower
completely wears you down.”
That
At the time of her diagnosis, Watts was managing
something she feels she learned from her mom,
The Candlemaker on the Square store - a position
whose Navy husband would be gone 9-10 months
she had held since 2009. Not only did she manage
out of the year.
the store - she made the candles herself in the store’s
“To be a military wife you had to be strong
back studio. Candle-making was just one of the
and independent,” she said. “Your husband was
things Watts had to give up following her diagnosis,
gone a lot of the time so you didn’t wait for a man
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You have to have a sense of humor about it,” she
“You have to suck it up and drive on,” she added. independence
and
stubbornness
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“YOU HAVE TO BE A WARRIOR AND FIGHT THROUGH THE SYMPTOMS AND BE ABLE TO LAUGH ABOUT IT OR ELSE YOU’D JUST CURL UP IN A BALL AND DIE.” 34 BOWLING GREEN LIVING
to do something for you - you did it for
She also uses spoon theory - which
yourself.”
is a disability metaphor used to explain
Watts said full spectrum Hemp oil has
the reduced amount of mental and
also helped to lessen some of the pain and
physical energy available for activities.
fatigue she feels. There have not yet been clinical
studies
providing
conclusive
evidence to suggest that CBD is beneficial to people with MS; however, despite the lack of empirical evidence, there does appear to be anecdotal evidence suggesting it may improve symptoms of
Each activity requires a given number of spoons, which will only be replaced as the person “recharges” through rest. Thinking of her energy in the form of “spoons” helps her to plan for conserving and rationing her energy.
spasticity and pain. Watts - who also sells
Other than that, she said, “You do
the oils in the shop - said it does seem to
what you can on the days that you can.
improve pain for her and is one of the
And some days you don’t, because you
reasons she’s still able to work.
can’t.”
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BY ANN LEIGH TIPTON
Reckless RESTORING A PERSON THROUGH JESUS CHRIST 36 BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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Letters emblazoned on a wooden plaque celebrate Eric Long’s latest achievement “Kentucky Restaurant Association - Culinary Student of the Year.” But there’s no way to really put in words Long’s most profound achievement - completely changing the trajectory of his life. The award recognizes the SouthCentral Kentucky Community and Technical College student based on his academic achievement, work history and community and civic organization involvement. Just a few years
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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HOPE HOUSE MINISTRIES
ago, however, Long wouldn’t have imagined such a recognition could be his. As a child, he shuffled around from one foster home to the next for almost seven years. Living in more than a dozen different homes from the ages of 11-18, he learned he couldn’t rely on anyone but himself. “I grew up in a very unstable childhood, and was in one to three different homes every year from 11-18,” Long said. “From that, I gained a very strong and almost reckless sense of self-reliance. My belief growing up and as a young adult was that I could not depend on anyone to stay in my life. That also developed into a sense of pride - that I never needed to ask anyone for help.” At one of his lowest points he found himself addicted to drugs and in the Warren County Detention Center for drug-related crimes. The problem with that, he added, is that when no one shows you how to do things and how to live, a person makes up their own way and their own rules. “And that doesn’t usually work out so well,” he said. That, he says, led to some bad decisions that led him into addiction and eventually, to the Warren County Detention Center. And it was there in that cell that Long decided he wanted a change - but he didn’t know where to start. In walked Jon Calloway, Housing Director for Hope House Ministries. The ministry’s residential program defines itself as a heart treatment facility - helping men find recovery and restoration through spiritual, physical, emotional and educational development. When Long first met Calloway, they had a long discussion about the Hope House residential program and how the ministry addresses real-world problems through fighting what the ministry calls “spiritual poverty.” “And Eric, in the jail, asked me point blank - why would you care about me?” Calloway said. “I answered honestly. First of all, it’s my job to care. Second and most important - I know what Christ has done in me and in my life, and He called me to be a minister of reconciliation for others.” Calloway also told Long that he loved him, as Christ loves all of us. It was, perhaps, the first time Calloway felt someone outside of his family genuinely loved and cared about www.bgkyliving.com
him. Maybe, thought Eric, Calloway and the people at Hope House would be different. Maybe HE would be different. He decided to give Hope House a chance. It wasn’t easy, though. The Hope House residential program is specifically designed to build narrow walls around its residents. Long had been used to doing things his own way, without having to answer to anyone. Hope House and its rigid rules was drastically different. Residents devote more than 700 hours of classroom instructional time during a 12-month span. Those classes range from Bible study, to work readiness skills, to money management. Residents are required to open a savings account, create a budget and address outstanding debt. They also take classes in nutrition - which rekindled in Eric a love of cooking he’d had since the age of 8 - before entering foster care - when he would cook for his brother. When classroom instruction is finished, Hope House residents are either focussed on physical fitness or participating in supervised work experiences. “Our goal is to alleviate spiritual and physical poverty through a relationship with Jesus Christ,” said Calloway. “Humanity is prone to worship - so we are going to worship something. For our residents - we try to convey that their addiction has become their god. It’s what they worship. But they are in slavery to it.” God, he added, doesn’t enslave us but gives us great freedom. Neither Long or Calloway will sugar coat the early days in the program for Long. He could be stubborn and almost defiant, and doubt trickled in as to whether he would stay at Hope House. “But as I got into working the program, I started asking questions,” Long said. “And then I felt a call to be there for other people, and that’s really when I started to change.” Long could feel himself healing physically, mentally and spiritually - the paramount goal of Hope House. In essence, he was moving from a place of spiritual poverty to spiritual abundance. That spiritual abundance has led to great change for the good - in Long’s life. He’s the first Hope House resident to attend college. He graduated in December from the Hope House residential program and now serves as a House Shephard, or residential manager - assisting at the facility and serving as a mentor to current residents. M AY / / J U N E 2 0 1 9
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“I feel stronger physically and mentally. I reconnected with family I hadn’t spoken to in years, and I got into school,” he said. “I still am amazed at just how far things were able to improve for me in one year - one year of hard work and opening myself up to other people and to what the Bible wanted me to do.” And Long is not alone. This August, Hope House Ministries will celebrate 10 years of healing brokenness in the Bowling Green community. The residential program has grown from one housing unit serving 8-10 individuals to a total of three homes that can house up to 30 men. The residential program is just one of many ministries that fall under the Hope House name. Hope House also offers an Advocacy Program that helps assess a person’s needs, provides immediate care if necessary and works with the individual or family to create a plan toward overcoming their obstacles, according to HopeHousebg.com. Jobs for Life is a biblicallybased job training program that helps individuals better 38 BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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prepare for a job. The ministry also offers 12-week courses in Faith & Finances and parenting for the public, and a Ready to Work shuttle that transports individuals who are willing to work but for whom transportation is an obstacle. “Last year, out of the people riding our shuttle, 15 were either homeless or living at the Salvation Army, and now they have their own housing,” said Bryan Lewis, Executive Director of Hope House Ministries. “We have individuals who want to work, but they couldn’t get access to the pond. So we created a way for them to have access so they could fish, do labor and provide for their families.” “Our mission was to identify ways to partner with individuals in the neighborhood to not create dependencies, but opportunities for empowerment,” said Lewis. “We exist to relieve spiritual and physical poverty through Gospel restoration, and our heartbeat is to see how value and dignity can be restored in a person through the personal work of Jesus Christ.” www.bgkyliving.com
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
L AWTON INSURANCE AGENCY
THE RIGHT PROTECTION AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE BY CULLEN REYNOLDS
Q: What separates Lawton from other insurance agencies?
A: Day to day accidents, injuries and loss of loved ones are
A: We have choices, as an Independent Insurance Agent we
matters each family incurs. Having the proper limits of insurance
represent competing insurance companies. Our licensed agents
is extremely important in protecting your family, home and
and staff work hard to make sure you have the right protection
lifestyle.
at an affordable price, instead of you calling numerous different insurance companies we are able to quote with more than 20
Q: What should you look for in an insurance company?
different companies and let you compare all under one roof.
A: We stress finding you the best value for your money anywhere, it’s important we place our customers with insurance companies
Q: What Coverage do you offer?
that have reputations for strong financial standing and a
A: If it is Commercial, Personal, Farm, Life, or Health, Lawton
reputation for handling claims quickly and fairly.
Insurance is dedicated to providing you with the appropriate insurance solution at an affordable price. We have specialist
Q: Why Lawton?
that can be referred to for any need that may arise. And if we do
A: We work to discover people’s individual needs, we want to
not know the answer right away, we will be the first to solve the
earn your trust and confidence that is sure to last for as long as
answer to the question.
insurance is required. We recognize how complex the insurance world can be and we work everyday to stay current to provide the
Q: Why is having insurance for your family important?
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best product to serve our clients.
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2GUNZ FITNESS TRAINING Crossfit, cardio, weights Website: 2gunzfitness.com Location: 2539 Mount Victor Ln Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sat
ANYTIME FITNESS Cardio, machines, weights, classes Website: anytimefitness.com Location: 164 Iron Skillet Ct Hours: 24/7
BARRE CO
r u o Y d Fin
s s e n t i F At the top of most of our to-do lists is “exercise” or “lose weight,” because of course, we all want to be fit and healthy, with a firm set of muscles. But like most, who has time to schlep all around town trying to figure out which gym works best in the chaotic hustle of everyday life.
Pilates, ballet, cardio Website: barrecompany.com Location: 843 Fairview Ave # B2 Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sun
BE HAPPY YOGA & SALT CAVE Yoga, massage; all ages Website: behappybg.com Location: 2710 Nashville Rd #104 Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sat
BG POWERHOUSE Cardio, free weights, classes Website: bgpowerhouse.com Location: 111 Dishman Ln Hours: 24/7 to members; 8:30am-8:30pm open gym
BOWLING GREEN ATHLETIC CLUB
Want to try crossfit? Take a yoga class? Is power lifting more your style? Or do you need that extra push from a trainer to get you in gear? Bowling Green has a wide variety of facilities that offer just what you need and a sanctuary to focus and work out.
Yoga, cardio, classes, weights, raquetball, tanning, personal training, childcare (Scottsville Rd location only), women’s only section Website: bgathleticclub.com Location 1: 1640 Scottsville Rd Hours: Mon open at 5am; Tues-Thurs 24-hour access; Fri close at 10pm; Sat-Sun 7am-7pm
Bowling Green Living has done the heavy lifting (Get it? It’s a gym joke!) and compiled a list of facilities around town that offer a wide range of activities so you can stress less, sweat more and focus on a newer healthier you.
Location 2: 121 Flex Park Drive Hours: Mon-Thurs 5am-10pm; Fri 5am-8pm; Sat 5am-5pm; Sun Closed
Note: This list may not include all gyms or fitness programs available in Bowling Green - please forgive us if we skipped one. All information is subject to change. Please consult with your physician before beginning a new fitness program.
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BOWLING GREEN BACKYARD BOOTCAMP Free weights, resistance bands, yoga Website: bgbackyardbootcamp.com Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sat www.bgkyliving.com
CROSSFIT OLD SCHOOL
PLANET FITNESS
Crossfit, cardio, weights, gymnastics;
Cardio, machines, weights, workout stations, massage, tanning Website: planetfitness.com Location: 1751 Scottsville Rd Hours: 24/7
all ages Website: crossfitoldschool.com Location: 512 College St Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sat
CROSSFIT R837 Crossfit, cardio, weights, gymnastics; all ages; special needs programs Website: crossfitr837.com Location: 1960 Louisville Rd Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sat
D1 SPORTS TRAINING Weights, cardio, personal training; all ages Website: d1training.com Location: 946 Searcy Way Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7:30pm; Sat 8am-
RIKR FITNESS Weights, cardio, personal training Website: rikrfitness.com Location: 2420 Airway Drive, Ste C Hours: Mon-Fri 5am-11am and 3-7pm; Sat 9am-10am
Yoga; all ages Website: hotyogabowlinggreen.com Location: 730 Fairview Ave, Ste C2 Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sat
LIVE ACTIVE 50 PLUS FITNESS Cycling, chair yoga, aerobics classes for seniors Website: liveactivebgky.com Location: 1249 U.S. 31 W Bypass Hours: Mon-Thur 6:30am-6:30pm; Fri 6:30am-2pm; Sat 8am-10am
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and 4-8pm; Sat 8am-11am; Sun Closed Location 2: 542 Three Springs Rd Hours: Mon-Fri 5am-9pm; Sat 7am7pm; Sun 1-7pm Childcare Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am12pm and 4-8pm; Fri 8am-12pm and 4-7pm; Sat 9-11am; Sun Closed
VERTICAL EXCAPE Rock climbing Website: verticalexcape.com
ROCK STEADY BOXING Cardio, boxing, weights for Parkinson’s patients Website: bowlinggreen.rsbaffiliate.com Location: 1249 U.S. 31 W Bypass Hours: Classes conducted 5-6:30pm Mon, Tues, and Thurs
9:30am
HOT YOGA BOWLING GREEN
Childcare Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-12pm
Location: 121 Flex Park Dr Suite #2 Hours: Mon-Fri 12-10pm; Sat 10am8pm
VETTE CITY CROSSFIT Crossfit, cardio, weights, gymnastics Website: vettecitycrossfit.com
THE SPOT BOWLING GREEN Pilates, cycling, yoga Website: thespotbg.com Location: 326 E Main Ave Hours: Classes Offered Mon-Sat
TOTAL FITNESS CONNECTION Machines, personal training, classes, swimming and aquatic classes, steam room and saunas, childcare Website: totalfitnessconnection.com Location 1: 2235 Russellville Rd Hours: Mon-Thurs 5am-9pm; Fri 5am9pm; Sat 7am-7pm; Sun 1-7pm
Location: 5358 Scottsville Rd Hours: Mon-Fri Classes 5:30am6:30pm; Sat Classes 8am and 9am; Sun Classes 2pm and 3pm
WORKOUT ANYTIME Cardio, weights, tanning Website: workoutanytime.com Location 1: Greenwood Square 2945-2 Scottsville Rd Ste F Location 2: Fairview Plaza 600 US 31 Bypass, Ste 6 Hours: 24/7
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THE
CENTRE FAMILY DWELLING HOUSE
GETAWAY
g r u b s d o r r a H n i 36 HOURS
BY BRAD GOLLIHER
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HARRODSBURG/MERCER COUNTY TOURIST COMMISSION
K
entucky’s first settlement has come a long way since its frontier founding in 1774. The first permanent settlement
west of the Allegheny Mountains and the coolest place in
history, Harrodsburg, a Preserve America Community, has been named one of the “10 Most Beautiful Towns in Kentucky” by TheCultureTrip.com, one of the “50 Best Small Town Downtowns in America” by Best Choice Reviews, one of “5 Hidden US Travel Destinations” by BBC NEWS magazine and one of the “20 Best Small Towns to Visit” by Smithsonian Magazine.
Harrodsburg celebrates its pioneering past in its attractions,
history, architecture – even shopping. With a picturesque setting
Friday
4pm: Step into the world of the Shakers when you check in at the Inn at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill surrounded by 3,000 acres of rock walls, rolling pastures and historic spaces. A 72 guest room inn located in 13 restored Shaker buildings, are comfortably appointed with Shaker reproduction furniture, original hardwood floors, memory foam mattresses and spectacular countryside views.
Take a guided or self-guided tour of The Historic Centre to
learn all about the Shakers, their daily lives, their work, their values and their worship. Gain insights into their fascinating
amidst four National Register Historic Districts in the heart of
world by strolling through the many original 19th century
Kentucky’s famed Bluegrass region, Harrodsburg offers plenty to
structures.
see and do, including many new reasons to visit.
practices and how we ensure that the resourceful, imaginative
So pack your bag, cruise the Bluegrass Parkway through the
beautiful horse country and explore where Kentucky was born. 42 BOWLING GREEN LIVING
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Head over to The Farm to learn about sustainable agricultural
spirit of the Shakers remains. Shop for a variety of handmade
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items, Shaker reproductions and many other fine Kentuckymade crafts.
Or take a fossil hike, learn about beekeeping, go trundling
into the fields on a hayride or enjoy a variety of hands-on workshops. 7pm: After a day of exploring, stroll over to The Trustees’ Table - just steps from the garden gate. For dinner, dine on hearty Kentucky foods and Shaker recipes. Sample Shaker Lemon Pie, cakes, tarts or special desserts made daily in the bakery. Dining at The Trustees’ Table is a celebration of Shaker Village’s roots with seasonally-inspired dishes prepared with straight-from-the-garden ingredients. 10pm: Finish off your night at Lemons Mill Brewery & Taproom - the first tavern in the area since before the 1920s. Quench your thirst with a flight of craft brews made on site.
RIDING BIKES ON THE TURNPIKE
Saturday 9am: Start your morning checking out downtown Harrodsburg, a National Register Historic District with a streetscape reminiscent of an earlier time. Most of the preserved buildings within this area date back to the 1880s and 1890s. Sit a spell in the café at the Kentucky Fudge Company, a fun stop with an original soda fountain, and browse the early drugstore memorabilia on display. Find local and regional artisan-made crafts at shops, and bargains galore at area antique shops. 10am: While on Main Street, visit Olde Towne Park, which features a sculptured 14-by-32-foot cascading fountain. This unique creation of public art was inspired by the scenic palisades found along the Kentucky River located along the
OLD FORT HARROD CANDLEMAKER
eastern border of Mercer County.
Stop in Dedman Drugstore, built in 1860, a unique property
that retains all of the original cherry cabinetry. Admire the stained-glass windows and cherry paneling, which enclose the pharmacist’s station.
Step back in time at Vicki’s Mayo Country Store, a century-
old general store brought back to life, with live entertainment most weekends. 12pm: Hungry? Visit the Olde Bus Station, a former Greyhound Bus Station and home of local foodie fave, the Big Daddy Burger. 1pm: After filling your belly, tour the Olde Towne Distillery, located at the Beaumont Inn - the first distillery in the DIXIE BELLE
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U.S. to produce Hemp Moonshine, an official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. Sample a taste of their premium flavored moonshines and blended whiskeys made locally in Harrodsburg, KY. 3pm: Head back to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill for a quick rest before taking a trip back in time on the historic Kentucky River aboard the sternwheeler Dixie Belle. You will marvel at the river’s high limestone cliffs and untouched natural surroundings as the excursion takes you under High Bridge, an engineering wonder built in 1807. 6pm: Make a reservation and savor a taste of history at the Beaumont Inn, built in 1845 as a prestigious girls’ school, the fourth and fifth generations of the same family operates the inn, which enjoys an international reputation for its excellent service and Southern hospitality - landing them a James Beard America’s Classic award. Three onsite restaurants – the Main Dining Room, Old Owl Tavern and Owl’s Nest Lounge – each have a different menu and vibe, and over 100 bourbons. Feast on traditional Kentucky fare like “yellow-legged” fried chicken, corn pudding and two-year-old country ham. 8pm: Attend a performance of an exciting outdoor drama under the stars about Kentucky’s first settlers, or enjoy toetapping music on Saturday evenings at the McAfee Jamboree featuring a genre of music and talented performers.
Sunday 10am: Grab breakfast featuring dishes made of seasonal ingredients from the garden and local farmers at The Trustees’ Table before absorbing the history of Kentucky’s oldest settlement, Old Fort Harrod State Park. Learn about fort life by exploring a live animal corral or by visiting with costumed craftspeople as they carry out the chores of the state’s early pioneers. Observe blacksmithing, broom making, weaving, woodworking, tin smithing and doll making demonstrations. Browse through the Mansion Museum, which displays an outstanding collection of Kentucky and Indian artifacts, Civil War relics, music boxes and a Lincoln collection.
If genealogy is more your thing, the Harrodsburg Historical
Society is a worthwhile stop. The society’s headquarters is located in Morgan Row, believed to be the oldest row house standing west of the Alleghenies. The genealogical and research library contains rare books and documents, maps, family and subject files, census records and material dealing with the early history of the area.
For more information, contact the Harrodsburg/Mercer
County Tourist Commission, HarrodsburgKy.com.
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THE
DISH
Goin’CocoNuts
GRANOLA RECIPE AND PHOTOS BY BRIE GOLLIHER
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www.bgkyliving.com
Makes 5 Cups
Preheat oven to 275°.
(tossing mixture halfway through).
Ingredients:
In a large bowl, add dry ingredients.
Let cool before enjoying.
3 cups - flaked unsweetened coconut 2 cups - roughly chopped nuts of your choice
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With all the dry ingredients mixed, slowly add melted unsalted butter.
2 tablespoons Heartland Chia seeds
Toss until mixture is well coated.
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Spread on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake about 20-25 minutes until coconut is browned
Serve on top of your favorite yogurt, enjoy with low fat milk or just eat it straight from the pan! For a little extra treat: toss in 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips before baking...Yum!
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THE
SCENE
FREE BB&T ALL-AMERICAN SOAP
BOX DERBY
Note: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, all information is subject to change. Please call ahead to verify dates, times, schedules and prices.
May 17-18 | All Day Phil Moore Park 7101 Scottsville Road | Alvaton, KY soapboxderby.org | (270) 779-1638
JERSEY BOYS
May 2 | 7:30pm Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center 601 College Street Bowling Green, KY theskypac.com | (270) 904-1880 Ticket prices vary
FREE ALL ABOUT THE BURGER
BOOK SIGNING
May 3 | 6-8pm Boyce General Store, LLC 10551 Woodburn Allen Springs Road Alvaton, KY burgerandpies.com | (270) 842-1900
FREE CHALLENGERFEST 10
May 3-5 | 8am Beech Bend Raceway 798 Beech Bend Road Bowling Green, KY challengerfest.net $10 / person, children 12 & younger-free
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FREE BG CINCO DE MAYO
LOST RIVER SESSIONS LIVE!
May 4 at 12pm | May 5 at 10pm RASP Regional Alliance of Students and Professionals 1200 Clay Street Bowling Green, KY (270) 790-1758
May 11 | 7pm Capitol Arts Center 416 East Main Street Bowling Green, KY theskypac.com | lostriversessions.org (270) 904-1880 $10 / person
FIESTAVAL
FREE MAGICAL MANSIONS: BUILD
YOUR OWN FAIRY OR GNOME HOME
May 5 & June 23 | 1-4pm Lost River Cave & Zipline 2818 Nashville Road Bowling Green, KY lostrivercave.org | (270) 393-0077
AIR SUPPLY WITH ORCHESTRA KENTUCKY
May 11 | 7:30pm Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center 601 College Street Bowling Green, KY theskypac.com | (270) 904-1880 Ticket prices vary
“OFF TO THE RACES TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE” VENETIAN BALL May 18 | 6-11pm Century Palace 1202 State Street Bowling Green, KY venetianballfec.com | (270) 781-6714 $60+ / ticket
FIDDLE RUN 5K & 2 MILE WALK May 18 | 8am Chaney’s Dairy Barn 9191 Nashville Road Bowling Green, KY raceroster.com | (270) 843-5567 www.bgkyliving.com
NHRA SPORTSNATIONALS OPEN May 24-26 | All Day Beech Bend Raceway 798 Beech Bend Road Bowling Green, KY nhradiv3.com | (270) 781-7634
ANNUAL SHAKE RIDE AND ROLL BIKE RIDE June 1 | 8am-1pm South Union Shaker Village 850 Shaker Museum Road Auburn, KY southunionshakervillage.com (270) 542-4167 $15-$25 / rider
OPTIMA SEARCH FOR THE ULTIMATE STREET CAR
HANDBAGS FOR HOPE June 6 | 5-10pm Knicely Conference Center 2355 Nashville Rd Bowling Green, KY liveunitedtoday.com | (270) 843-3205 $25 / person
ELECTRIC-GAS-GLOW-TURBINE FUN FLY June 7-9 | All Day Stahl Field 185 North Graham Ave. Bowling Green, KY skymacrc.com | (270) 799-6576 $15 / flyer
HOLLEY NATIONAL HOT ROD REUNION June 13-15 | All Day Beech Bend Raceway 798 Beech Bend Road Bowling Green, KY nhramuseum.org | (270) 781-7634
AVIATION HERITAGE HANGAR PARTY
June 15 | 5-10pm BG/WC Regional Airport 1000 Woodhurst St Bowling Green, KY aviationheritagepark.com | (270) 202-7248 $40 / Adult; $15 / Kids (6-12)
June 1-2 | All Day NCM Motorsports Park 505 Grimes Road Bowling Green, KY driveusca.com | 800-53-VETTE
FREE 400 MILE SALE ACROSS
KENTUCKY’S HISTORIC HIGHWAY 68
June 6-9 | 8am-5pm Along US Hwy 68 through Bowling Green 400mile.com | (270) 792-5300
AMRA HARLEY DAVIDSON SUMMER SHOOTOUT RALLY & DRAGS June 28-30 | All Day Beech Bend Raceway 798 Beech Bend Road | Bowling Green, KY beechbend.com | (270) 781-7634
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