6 Summer Party Hacks

HAVE YOUR BEST SUMMER

With These Party Hacks

Article and photos by Jacqueline Russell

Summer is here and it’s time for backyard picnics and pool parties … and sunburns and bug bites. But you can make the best of your summer soirees with these easy outdoor party tips!

KEEP YOUR PICNIC BLANKET CLEAN

Keep a shower liner handy to put under your picnic blanket. They’re just $3 at most big box stores and they are the perfect size to fit under a blanket on the grass. They will keep your blanket from getting wet, dirty or covered in grass stains.

CREATE FUN PARTY LIGHTS

Grab a couple of bags of balloons and some packs of glow sticks from the Dollar Store and get ready to have the coolest party lights around. Just snap a glow stick to activate it and then insert it into an inflated balloon. Some air may escape but just blow it back up to the desired size. And remember that glow sticks last about six hours, so plan your timing!

KEEP BUGS OUT OF YOUR DRINKS

Keeping bugs out of your lemonade can be a chore, but you can create an easy fix by turning cupcake liners upside down over your cup to make a lid. Just stick a straw in it to help it stay and you have a festive way to keep your drink pest-free.

SET UP A TOWEL HOLDER FOR CLEAN HANDS

Instead of worrying about the wind blowing your napkins off the table, set up a paper towel holder. Repurpose a garden flag holder by sliding the roll of paper towels onto it and staking it in the ground beside your table. Or create a handwashing station by your garden hose.

PROTECT GUESTS FROM INSECT BITES AND SUNBURNS

Use a post (like a plant hanger) and hook to hang a pail full of sunscreen and bug spray for your guests. You can also just set up a basket with the items inside, or go all out to make your container match your party theme. Your guests will appreciate the thoughtful gesture!

PLAY AN OUTDOOR GAME

If you’re looking for a game everyone will love, try painting a “twister” board on your grass using contractors’ marking spray (which washes off). Cut a 10-inch circle into a piece of cardboard for a template, then paint four different colored rows of six circles. You can eyeball it or have a friend hold a measuring tape to keep them straight. To play, use a twister spinner app on your phone! OP

JACQUELINE JORDAN RUSSELL is a marketing specialist, freelance writer and photographer. She has a passion for celebrating every day moments and basically leaves a trail of confetti wherever she goes.

Remembering KATIE MAE KATIE MAE

HOW ONE LITTLE GIRL’S STORY IS TOUCHING LIVES ACROSS THE WORLD

Written by Laura Murphy

Carrie and Chris Hodskins are using the story of their daughter, Katie Mae Hodskins, to reach others in hopes of deterring them from the use of illicit drugs. Katie Mae was just 7 years old when she was killed in a single car accident involving the driver who was under the influence of methamphetamines. The driver and two children in the vehicle all died.

“Katie went to a friend's house to stay the night and it was a friend she had been hanging out with for several weeks. I knew the family, thought we trusted them and they were good people,” Carrie said.

It was 4 a.m. when the family received the news about the accident. Carrie can remember freezing, not knowing what to say in the devastating moments that followed.

“My heart stops. I don’t know what to say. I go numb. I'm not crying, I’m not screaming, like you think you would in that instance. Chris leans over the counter and he’s bawling and asking when did this happen?” Carrie recounts.

Katie Mae’s parents learned that the accident happened after midnight, following a late night trip to Kroger’s.

Initially, the family of Katie Mae had no idea that the use of drugs was the cause of the accident. When the news of the toxicology report was shared with them, they were in shock, learning that the driver was under the influence of extremely high levels of methamphetamines.

The results of the test devastated Katie Mae’s family, who knew the accident could have been prevented, but it also sparked a mission within them to share their story in hopes it will prevent something like this from happening again.

“My goal is to get the message out there and to reach as many people as we can. We want to touch some lives,” Carrie said. “She was the light and the life of our family.”

Katie Mae was a second grader at Country Heights Elementary School who was described as a vibrant, energetic child.

“She was full of energy. She was my lefty, always smiling, always happy,” her father Chris Hoskins said.

When the 5-year anniversary of the accident approached in late 2021, Carrie knew she wanted to find a way to increase awareness about the dangers of using illicit drugs.

In a video released this year, the story of Katie Mae stresses the detrimental impact that substance abuse can have. The support of the community has been strong following the release.

“The video has been in the works for a while, and we recently finalized everything. After we released it, it took off way more than I thought it would,” Carrie said.

The Daviess County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy (ASAP), who financed the project, hired Media Works Advertising to produce the video story.

“It’s unique in that it’s not from the point of view of a recovering addict but from the point of view of someone who’s never abused drugs and still had their life turned upside down,” Carrie said. Carrie has had several opportunities to publicly speak in the past few years, sharing Katie Mae’s story to a group of bus drivers, at several high schools, and to groups in recovery. It didn’t take long for people to share how much it impacted them. “I shared with one group that many users may think their choice only impacts them and their body, it’s not hurting anyone else. In reality, the choice to use illicit drugs took our daughter’s life,” she said. “A lady came up to me and said I hit the nail on the head. She was in recovery and had never thought of her choices that way.”

Knowing it is not always feasible to share her daughter’s story in-person, Carrie said the video project was perfect. She said the project was a combined effort of many different people who believed in the mission of their story.

“It brings back so much heart wrenching pain, but also a heart full of endless hope and possibilities for how my beautiful and innocent baby girl’s story could possibly help save lives. I know she would be happy with how this video has turned out,” Carrie said.

Katie Mae is described as a little girl who was full of energy and loved attention. Her parents believe she would be proud to know her story is being shared across the nation and will be used in a positive way.

“We don’t want anyone to go through what we had to go through,” Carrie said. “I never thought I’d lose a child because of drug abuse. Our goal is to help save one life and if it helps save more, then that is even better.”

The Hodskins family hopes that people will share this video so it can impact lives and help prevent future tragedies. To watch the full project, visit vimeo. com/683992879. OP

LAURA MURPHY is an eighth grade LA teacher at Daviess County Middle School. She has three kids who keep her life interesting; Jonah, Lily, Josiah and Judson. She survives on Grape Spark, Jon Gordan books and all things Grumpy Cat.

More than JUST A BOOK

POTTER AND HOSPICE PUBLISH BOOK SERIES FOR CHILDREN BATTLING GRIEF

Caleb Potter has served as the bereavement coordinator for Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky for nearly a decade. During his tenure, he’s witnessed an increased number of children requesting grief counseling.

After further research, Potter discovered that Kentucky ranked among the top for childhood bereavement, and resources for youth were scarce. This epiphany propelled him to begin writing children’s books that addressed topics surrounding death and emotions.

“The state ranks at the top for childhood bereavement, and I wanted as many resources as possible to give kids and caregivers assisting with bereavement,” Potter said. “I wasn’t finding a lot, nor was I finding what I was looking for. At that point, my CEO told me to think outside the box and get creative.”

The book series chronicles the most prevalent types of loss a kid will go through, beginning with a grandparent, then transitioning to a parent and a sibling. The first book is titled Billy’s Story, and while Potter said the stories and characters are entirely fictional, they are a conglomeration of his experiences at Hospice.

“Billy Bear worked with his Granny Bear in the garden, read books in the recliner, helped with dinner, and preserved other family traditions,” he said. “The book utilizes different storylines to allow a child to reflect on some of their fondest memories.”

Potter titled the second book Jenny Bear and centered it around a young girl’s relationship with her father.

“Jenny Bear would typically watch cartoons with her dad, but beyond that, this book is a little broader and with a sense of humor,” he said. “Daddy bear is always doing silly things to make her laugh. The goal is for kids to embody that same sense of humor later in life.”

Potter is originally from the small town of Cleveland, Oklahoma, and met his wife Jessica when he ventured to Louisville for seminary school. After marrying, the two decided to move back to her hometown of Owensboro to begin a family.

With five children of his own, Potter is adamant about providing ways for caregivers to distill info about grief and how to grieve in an age-appropriate manner to the children in their life.

“Children tend to get left in the dark when it comes to discussing terminal illnesses – imagine telling a five-year-old that there’s a sickness in Papaw’s body, and even though he’s receiving medical care, it’s not going to go away,” Potter said. “Adults will often shoo kids off, leaving them to perform some magical thinking that is typically worse than reality.”

Potter said kids are constantly looking for culpability, which can spark significant misunderstandings. He referenced a situation where an adult might tell a child that something is wrong with grandma’s heart and leave a lot to interpretation and imagination. Children might assume that they broke their grandma’s heart because of a fight instead of chronic health issues.

“Kids will immediately ascribe guilt and culpability on themselves,” he said. “Adults are already trying to grieve independently and navigate their own personal and mental health, let alone try to help a child with it. A lot of my counseling is helping kids understand that they are not to blame for the death.”

As an employee of Hospice, Potter dedicates time to authoring the books in his regiment. The organization can only produce the books when they receive grant money. The third book will be published in the near future, as funds are made available.

Potter also maintains a biblical counseling practice outside of hospice and is a lay pastor for Pleasant Valley Community Church.

The Hospice team was recently one of four sites selected in the country for Camp Erin, a 3-day/2night grief camp for youth. They will host that at the Gasper River Retreat Center from August 6 -7.

For more information about Hospice services and the book series, visit their website at hospiceofwky. org. While the books are distributed at no cost to clients, community members can receive a book by way of a $10 donation. The donation allows Hospice to underwrite some of the costs associated with the program. OP

JOHN KIRKPATRICK is a special education teacher at Daviess County High School and a contributing writer for Owensboro Parent, Owensboro Living, GO Chamber, and the Owensboro Times. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Tara, and daughter, Laney.

Extra! Extra!

READ ALL ABOUT THE TALENTED 11-YEAR-OLD WHO IS PUBLISHING HER OWN NEWSPAPER

Written by Erinn Williams • Photos by Jamie Alexander

An ambitious Owensboro native has her sights set on success as a journalist. Eleven-year-old Audrey Neel has various interests and hobbies, but her newspaper, the “Owensboro Kids Chronicle” is likely her most treasured endeavor yet.

“She’s always been a curious kid,” Audrey’s father Adam Neel said. “She’s fascinated by so many things, and she loves to ask questions. I think her newspaper is somewhat of an outlet for her.”

Audrey is the founder, editor, and primary writer behind the Owensboro Kids Chronicle, which published its first issue in October 2021, and has been coming out monthly ever since. The paper has sections dedicated to entertainment, nature, art, current events and more.

Audrey has since entrusted her close friends to serve as writers and reporters. Driven by her own quest to find answers and express herself, Audrey is constantly working to evolve and make her publication bigger and better for readers.

“Audrey is always looking for new material,” Adam said. “Every month she asks her mother and I for ideas, sometimes she likes our input, sometimes she doesn’t. She’s developed her own writing style as her mother teaches her.”

Content contributions come from neighbors, family, and friends. Jokes often are shared from a fellow church member. Audrey leaves no

stone unturned when looking for potential front page features. Her parents commend her efforts to include others. One of her most ambitious and admirable traits is her desire to be different and authentic.

“What’s so interesting about Audrey is that we’ve always known how intelligent she is,” Adam said. “It’s exciting to see her develop gifts and talents on her own. She is unique, she’s her own individual.”

Audrey has been featured on various news outlets including national news syndicated broadcasts affiliated with ABC. She was featured on the Drew Barrymore Show on May 14th. There’s even mention of a potential book project in the near future. “This is totally her thing. This is uniquely her, it’s hers,” Adam said. “She has come into her own. It’s impressive. She’s a gifted writer and artist. We’re just really thankful. We take it as it comes.” When Audrey isn’t busy publishing her monthly newspaper she is an avid painter, having painted portraits for family and friends. She also enjoys horseback riding and cooking with her grandmother.

Authentic and gracious, Audrey says that journalism “might be fun” as a career. Given the talents she shares with others at such a young age, one can only hope she may consider writing as a grown up in the years to come. OP

ERINN WILLIAMS adores her hubby, cats, hardback church hymnals and a hot mess of fried okra. She’s new in town, trading in mountains and streams for soybeans and burgoo, and refers to herself as "a little hillbilly in a great big world."

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