Winchester Living
Don’t miss this.
PREMIER ISSUE
MAGIC
ON MAIN
History meets creativity at Mason Rhodus’ unique downtown specialty shop
Wellness coach takes holistic approach to life
Because you missed your colonoscopy. You might be surprised to learn that colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women
Local legend
combined in the United States*. And because colon cancer develops with few, if any symptoms, it just makes sense to schedule this screening exam if you’re age 50 or older. African Americans should begin this screening at age 45.** A colonoscopy can help save your life. Don’t miss it.
*cancer.org (01/20/16) **American College of Gastroenterology
ClarkRegional.org
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Call to schedule your colonoscopy today, 888-847-DOCS (3627).
Mike Rowady reflects on century of calling Winchester his home Sept./Oct. 2017
From the Publisher
Being available to everyone Michael Caldwell is publisher of Winchester Living magazine and The Winchester Sun.
W
e are at the half-way mark of the race. Well, it really isn't a race at all, but this issue marks the midpoint of year one of Winchester Living magazine. All I can say is the response has been overwhelming. We are reaching more than 4,000 households each issue with the number of readers actually double that based on sharing and leaving copies at traffic points throughout the community such as doctors’ offices, coffee shops, restaurants and other places where each copy is enjoyed by a handful of people. We drop copies off at more than 50 locations throughout Clark County but are always looking to add more. We will continue to add to the distribution list because our goal is to create a magazine that
showcases all the great things in Winchester and Clark County and make it accessible to anyone who wants it. All at the bargain price of free! This would not be possible without support of our advertisers. So make sure you tell them you saw their ad in Winchester Living magazine and you appreciate their support that makes a high-quality publication like this possible. We started with a mailing list and have added to it significantly. What is the criteria to have the magazine mailed to your home, once again, for free? The answer is simple: nothing. All you have to do is let us know that you would like to receive it. Again, our goal is to be inclusive and accessible to anyone. We would love to mail it to every house in the county, but that is cost prohibitive at this time. So we only want to target those who say they are interested in it. Pick up a copy if you see it somewhere. Ask to be added to the mailing list. Give a copy to a friend. Help us share the secret that is Clark County. It is filled with amazing people, unique businesses and a vibrant culture that makes us proud to call the region home. §
PUBLISHER Michael Caldwell MANAGING EDITOR Whitney Leggett EDITORIAL Fred Petke Seth Littrell CONTRIBUTORS Amanda Crum Gavin Bachner Alyssa Gaunce MARKETING Lana Smith Dianna Roe CONTACT US Winchester Living magazine is published bi-monthly by The Winchester Sun 20 Wall St. Winchester, KY 40391 To be added to the mailing list, email us at: info@winchesterliving magazine.com
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 859.759.0077 Advertising rates and information are available by request. EDITORIAL INQUIRIES 859.759.0049 SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK: Mail to 20 Wall St., Winchester, KY, 40391, or email feedback@ winchesterlivingmagazine.com.
4 | Winchester living
WinchesterLivingMagazine.com
What’s inside?
IN EVERY ISSUE
COMMERCE
FEATURES
6 Way Back in Winchester
24 Business Showcase
37 Coming home
Winchester played significant role in Kentucky’s telephone access
History, creativity meet at Mason Rhodus’ shop on Main Street
22 What’s Happening?
30 What’s in Store?
From Little League to the Big Leagues, Clark County has always been home for Matt Ginter
Events coming up this fall in Winchester and Clark County
Find something for every occasion at The Craft Nook
66 Why I Love Winchester Graham Johns talks about why he is proud of the progress made
LIVING 32 Difference Maker
46 Always a story to tell Mike Rowady recounts nearly a century of life in Winchester
FOOD 54 At the Table
ARTS & CULTURE
Michelle Bradford’s mission is spreading love to less fortunate
8
34 How To
Gaunce’s mixes international business, small-town charm at the cafe
Winchester serves as muse for cityscape artist Brenda Salyers
There are many uses for pumpkins beyond just jack-o-lanterns
59 From the Cookbook
12 Have You Been Spotted?
36 Health 101
Six recipes to add creativity, nutrition to your fall menu
Winchester residents enjoy getting out on the town
Gina Lang takes holistic approach to weight loss at Day One Clinic
Artist Spotlight
8
37
32 24
46
59
Winchester living | 5 Winchester living | 5
Living | Way Back in Winchester
History is calling Winchester played significant role in Kentucky’s telephone access
Story and photos by Fred Petke
I
n these days of telephones that can do almost anything and still fit in your pocket, it is hard to believe phones were still a novelty 140 years ago. Even 40 years ago, phones were relegated to hanging on walls or sitting on desks, within reach of a wall outlet. Portability was limited by the length of the cord between the handset and the phone itself. Go further back and direct-dialing was unheard of. Party lines, where several families shared a number, were common in rural areas. Calls were routed through switchboards with real, human operators. Telephone service arrived in Winchester in 1879, courtesy of the East Tennessee Telephone company. For the next 15 years, ETT was the sole service provider for Winchester. In 1894, The Home Company, which was founded by David Prewitt and other community residents, began operations in Winchester, competing against ETT for
6 | Winchester living
customers. In 1902, The Home Company became the Old Kentucky Home Telephone Company and continued for another decade. Both ETT and Old Kentucky Home were purchased in 1912 by the Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph Company. The new ownership struggled to make repairs and improvements, while continuing to provide service. In 1926, Cumberland was purchased by Southern Bell Company, which eventually became AT&T. Winchester was Southern Bell’s district headquarters for many years, and Winchester became the first city in Kentucky to convert to direct dial, which eliminated the need for human switchboard operators. Winchester’s telephone history is related through its own room in the Bluegrass Heritage Museum, from the days of crank phones and switchboards to early cell phones Southern Bell company signs now displayed and the like. § at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum issue safety warnings to the public.
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(ABOVE) One of the last switchboards used in the late 1920s before Winchester became the first city in the state to utilize direct dial. (BELOW RIGHT) A switchboard from Brown Proctor.
Glass insulators used on telephone utility lines. Picture phones were introduced in the late 1950s, requiring both parties to have the device. The phones were no longer available by the early 1960s.
(ABOVE) Bell System employees were reminded safety comes first with this sign. (LEFT) A cell phone circa the 1980s. Winchester living | 7
Art & Culture | Artist Spotlight
A painting by Brenda Salyers of a portion of Main Street in downtown Winchester. 8 | Winchester living
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Art with a
Heart for hometown
Winchester serves as muse for cityscape artist Brenda Salyers
Winchester living | 9
Art & Culture | Artist Spotlight Story by Fred Petke
P
ainting, for Brenda Salyers, is all about the feeling. It has to be her feelings, her response, her inspiration. Someone else’s research or photos won’t cut it. Salyers loves to paint streetscapes. She started in Winchester, painting a scene of Main Street near the Leeds theater. “My most precious (painting) has to be the Leeds,” she said, remembering her trips to downtown Winchester as a child with her whole family. “I thought that was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.” Finding the right inspiration, though, was tricky and took several tries to get a photo to match the image in her head. A little bad weather, she said, made all the difference. “The rain did it,” she said. “It gave the light a bounce.” Salyers has traveled throughout the state, painting cityscapes and other things. She wants to paint a city from each of the state’s 120 counties. Some cities are easy, she said. Others, like Sandy Hook, posed more of a challenge. “I walked around for an hour and a half ” without finding the inspiration, she said. After walking to the far end of downtown Sandy Hook, she turned around just as the fog broke and found what she was looking for. It’s the feeling. “I have to be in that town and know what I want from it,” she said. “A photo doesn’t have the feeling I need.” Even with inspiration in hand, Salyers doesn’t paint quickly. She uses the “old master style:” painting in layers, which requires time to dry between sessions. Sometimes, there is a drive to push through. Salyers also paints Kentucky Derby winners. American Pharoah was one where she felt the need to complete as quickly as possible. She wasn’t going to sell it, but it went to a person in the horse industry, she said. Then she painted her own copy to replace it. Salyers sells her original paintings as a way to fund her artwork. Her frames are made with Kentucky wood by Artisan Frame Works in Morehead. When she paints, she paints and paints. When she needs supplies, she focuses on selling and marketing her work. The 10 | Winchester living
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two, in her mind, can’t coexist. It’s one or the other. For every painting, she keeps the copyrights and makes prints. Art has been a lifelong passion. “When I was a child, my mother would buy ends of wallpaper,” she said. “I’d use my No. 2 pencil from school and draw on the back of the wallpaper. I’d use black shoe polish for my darks.” While she worked and raised her children, they took priority but she would still watch anything she could about art. Once she retired in 1999, she started taking art classes at Eastern Kentucky University and also in Florida, where she and husband Wayne spend the winter. “I’ve painted ever since,” she said. “When I get a ‘wow,’ I’ve done my job. “All I want to do with my art is to inspire and bring happiness and joy.”
Her art, particularly her cityscapes, are how she sees the world. She consciously doesn’t paint things like utility poles and power lines as they detract from the scene, she said. “They’re not buying a photograph,” she said. “They’re buying what I see.” That hasn’t stopped some art enthusiasts. The buyer of her first cityscape wanted the missing poles and power lines added. “I had to go back and put the ugly telephone poles and wires back in,” she said. “It broke my heart.” Every painting is something precious. Her work lines the hall in her home. “Sometimes I need to come down and reminisce,” she said, to re-live the inspiration behind each work. “In each piece, I hide a little piece of me in there that no one else knows about.” § Winchester living | 11
SP TTED O
YOU’VE BEEN
‘The Big Sound’ Children’s Choir
Patrick and Stephanie Ballard
Crystal Fields
Natalie, Adam, Caleb, Tammy, Elaina and Samuel Hackworth
Daniel and Nancy Rupard 12 | Winchester living
Debbie Fatkin and Joan Lawson
Moonlight Movie Nights BCTC Winchester-Clark County July 14, 2017
Jordan Maddox, Corey Zacher and Robert Blevins
Michael Coston and Jeremy Dixon
Joshua Robinson and David Barill
Eliza, Will and Betty Jane Glasscock Melissa Dickey
Winchester living | 13
Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Sekisui July 12, 2017
Sen. Ralph Alvarado and Darryl Terry
Jenny Gormley and Paula Joslin
David Wills and Russ Barclay
Cindy Banks and Chad Ginter
Rachel Alexander and Katy Hedge
MEMBER
FDIC
EQUAL HOUSING
LENDER
Downtown Car Show Hosted by Shackelford Lodge 66, Golden Temple 123 July 22, 2017
Ethan and Kendall Parks
Brett Ricketts, Gail Brett and Ella Grace Ricketts
Elizabeth and Ruth Morton
Jim Stigall, Doug Stigall and Buddy Conyers
Colby Floyd and Kevin Blake Bear and Rob Fountain
Winchester living | 15
SPOTTED YOU’VE BEEN
Brandi Bush, Francisca Carrizales and Carolyn Burtner Josh Adkins and Susan Hillman
Madeline Potter, Liliana Gil-Sanches, Melisa Vertiz, Elana Davis, Alejandro Medina, Jose Brown and Sebrina Brown
Cathi Harman, Lindsay Campbell, Anne Hall and Mark Rose
Janet Brown, Beverly Walker and Ruthann Sharrock
Bonnie Carcaro
Girl Scout Troops 5358, 7377 and 2249 with Kentucky Wilderness Road Council 16 | Winchester living
Enid and Naomi Brock
Back-to-School Readifest BCTC Winchester-Clark County July 28, 2017
Connor and Lindsey Blankenship, Judal Arledge and Craig Mayer Haley Bumgardner, Teresa Johnson, Patricia Stewart Hopkins, Charlene Benton, Keshia Lockhart, Nathan Luebke and Stephanie Turner
Darlene Stump, Robin Watts, Elisha Haile, Regina Winburn and Pam Poe
Michelle Sanes and Sara Beth Wells
Kelli Soard
SP TTED O
YOU’VE BEEN
Marla Hubbard, Linda Franklin, Marcy Charles and Sarah Perry
Dorothy Meng and Becky Tucker
Mark Dicken and Sherri Reed
Ramsey Flynn and Renee Linville
Kitty Strode, Shelby and Adam Crosson 18 | Winchester living
Bob and Elizabeth Sainte
Harvest to Hand Gilkison Farm Aug. 5, 2017
Sarah and Adam Rediford, Emily and Everett Curry and Angela Taulbee
Whitney Hilterbran and Clay Stamm
Logan Murray and Laura True
Margaret Taylor, Janna Smith and Becky McCraith
Betsy Anderson and Susan Hillman Thadd and Melissa Taylor and Marty and Lauren Frazer
Winchester living | 19
Vegetable Festival Winchester-Clark County Farmers’ Market July 22, 2017
Jenny Green and Rosie Bear
Raegynn and Connie Shadd
Loretta and Don 20 | Winchester livingBeauvier
Cicely and Ellyn Dore
Anne Willis
Sophia , Grace and Amanda Tucker
Tracy Larkin, Aidan Larkin and Melbourne
Sip and Stroll Downtown Winchester Aug. 10, 2017
Katie Ledford and Bashea Young
Brian Carpenter
Graham Johns and Adam Wager
Nancy Hayes and Charla Hylton
Molly Stotts and Julie Staton
Sherry Howey
Diann and Darryl Terry
Linda Jako and Teresa Ross
What’s Happening? Upcoming events in Winchester and Clark County
SEPT.
22
BOOTS & BBQ 6 p.m. at 200 Rose Mary Drive BBQ dinner, music, dancing, live band, free beer and an auction to benefit Rose Mary Brooks Place retirement community. Tickets are $60 each. Call 745-4904 for more information.
SEPT.
22-23 RALLY4RECOVERY 5:30 p.m. Friday, 7:30 a.m. Saturday in downtown Winchester Celebrate Recovery is hosting a community rally in conjunction with National Recovery Month to recognize gains made by those in recovery and promote treatment. Friday includes a remembrance walk and Saturday includes a 5K run, kids station and other community events. For more information, visit run4recoverywinky. com. To register for the 5K, visit racesonline.com.
SEPT.
OCT.
30
7
SERENDIPITEA 11 a.m. at First Fire at Emmanuel Episcopal Church
WINSPRINT TRIATHLON 8 a.m. at College Park Gym Swim, bike and run in this triathlon for all skill levels. Sponsored by WinchesterClark County Parks and Recreation and Crossfit Strode Station. Sign up at runsignup. com.
Lunch and auction benefits the Clark County Homeless Coalition. For more information, visit helphomelessfamilies.org.
OCT.
14
ANNIVERSARY BANQUET 5:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 37 N. Highland St. Join the congregation of First Baptist Church as they celebrate the church’s 150th anniversary with a banquet. Dinner and entertainment begin at 6 p.m.
OCT.
26
HEALTH HAPPY HOUR 5:30 p.m. at 273 Shoppers Drive Hear from Mayo Clinic Health and Wellness Coach Gina Lang about, “Move more! Develop a seasonal exercise plan,” as part of her Healthy Happy Hour Series. Call 7444482 to register.
OCT.
31
HALLOWEEN MAIN-IA 6 p.m. in downtown Winchester
Visit downtown businesses and community organizations as they pass out candy for trick-or-treaters. Event is free and open to the public.
Commerce | Business Showcase
Magic
ON MAIN Small business owners meld history with creativity
Story by Amanda Crum | Photos by Whitney Leggett
W
alking into Mason, visitors may not know quite what to expect. The front windows display a carefully-curated collection of antiques and collectibles: gleaming lamps, china bearing a distinctive blue-and-white pattern, summery ferns spilling out of a vase with a simple kind of beauty. Here, history mingles with a bit of sparkle, and that is a perfect representation of what can be found inside the store. “I like to think of the shop as an inspiration destination,� says 47-yearold owner Mason Rhodus, who opened the store with his husband and business partner Jeffery Hale Jan. 1, 2016. 24 | Winchester living
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Winchester living | 25
Commerce | Business Showcase Originally from Richmond and Inez, respectively, Mason and Jeffery moved to Winchester because they loved the history of the town. Inspiration is the word of choice. Cross the threshold and visitors find elaborate and intricately detailed doll houses — built by Mason himself — sharing space with miniatures meant to decorate fairy houses, hand-picked antiques from all over the world and hand-crafted bow ties, which Mason creates mostly for wedding parties. “We consider ourselves an antique and decorative arts boutique, because we don’t really have a specific designated thing that we do,” Mason said. “Doing floral and bow ties along with antiques sets us apart.” A large double-tiered table holds these bowties fanned out in a colorful offering. Not only does Mason create several different styles and colors, he makes custom ties, sometimes out of a piece of fabric a customer wants to have with them on their special day. Mason also creates floral arrangements and centerpieces for weddings and other events, using both fresh and silk flowers to fit all budgets. The feeling is that Mason and Jeffery want to give Winchester a gorgeous little shop everyone can enjoy. In fact, Mason said that was part of their mission when they decided to hold art workshops upstairs. Classes for children and adults are offered from noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays for $10 per hour, supplies included. “We wanted to keep the cost down so everyone can do it,” Mason said. The art studio — a fun, bright space illuminated by a skylight — is an aspiring artist’s dream, chock full of paint, brushes and various other mediums. The goal, 26 | Winchester living
Jeffery said, is not to keep a tidy, well-organized space, unlike the rest of the store. “It’s a little messy, but you know, that’s what happens when you’re making art,” he said. “And I think kids need a space where they can be free to make something and not worry about keeping things tidy.” Outside the studio, the hallway is lined with various pieces of pottery by local artist Brent Wilson. They are both beautiful and functional, Jeffery said, pointing to a piece on display that doubles as a work of art and a salad bowl. Each month, this section is a dedicated space for a different artist to showcase their work. The other upstairs rooms hold more antiques and show off Mason and Jeffery’s eclectic taste. Pieces from Asia mingle with items specific to Winchester. A wooden spinning wheel, which is situated in a lovely vignette, immediately brings to mind images of a beloved fairy tale. Each table and display has a personality of its own, yet it all works together, a testament to the owner’s keen eye. Mason said he doesn’t allow the pieces to sit in the same spot for long, changing out arrangements every few months or so in order to keep things fresh. This not only allows customers to see what a particular piece might look like in their own home, it is also a benefit to repeat clients, who are fortunate enough to get a new experience nearly every time they come in. Outside of the items for sale, the store itself offers a feast for the eyes. Built in the 1800s at 70 S. Main St., the two-story building was once a dress shop and features wood floors that add to the weight of history visitors feel upon entering.
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Visit
Mason 70 S. Main St. Winchester
Hours
Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Online
Facebook.com/ MasononMain
Winchester living | 27
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“
We really want to see Winchester come back to life.”
All the better for Mason and Jeffery, who said their goal is to participate as much as possible in the revitalization of downtown Winchester. Offering a space for residents to be creative and plan for the perfect wedding is only part of it; they are also active in the community and regularly donate their time and services to organizations in town, such as Leed’s Center for the Arts. A truly eclectic space, the shop holds a little bit of everything, and that is just the way Mason and Jeffery like it. They encourage customers to mill around at their own pace, explore the rooms, and “go back in time,” as Mason puts it. The store is truly one that visitors will need to spend some time in to fully experience and see everything. About the revitalization of the town, Mason said it is an exciting thing to see, especially as more boutiques and artrelated shops open up. “We really want to see Winchester come back to life.” §
28 | Winchester living
Business Showcase | Commerce
Winchester living | 29
Commerce | What’s In Store?
Flybird Clothing Co. Kentucky-themed long-sleeve shirts, $32.99 each. Simply Southern T=shirts, $19.99 for sizes S-Xl; $21.99 for size XXL; $19.99 for children’s sizes.
For every
Fall silk floral arrangement in galvanized metal container, $153.99. Prices vary on fresh and silk floral arrangements available for gift or decor needs.
Occasion Craft Nook offers diverse selection of gifts
W
hether you are in need of special flowers to congratulate a new mom, a gift to say goodbye to a loved one or a sentiment for every occasion in between, The Craft Nook has something for you. The gift store and full-service florist opened in 1994 under the ownership of David and Susan Mullen. What started as a craft store has grown with the times and trends to offer a wide array of floral, home decor, clothing and accessories, collectibles and gifts of all sorts. The store, located at 1007 W. Lexington Ave., hosts an open house annually to showcase merchandise. This year’s open house will be Nov. 4 and 5.
Simply Noelle purses, from left, $49.99, $69.99 and $67.99. Other styles available. 30 | Winchester living
Candleberry candles in varying scents, $24.99.
Wreaths, $69.99 each. Varying sizes and designs are availab le.
d Kentucky Hand-painte , $34.99. welcome sign izable Custom . 9 .9 9 3 sign, $
framed
family
Lantern with candle, $138.99. Other lanterns vary in size and price from $21.99 and up. All can be customized.
Large Willow Tree “The Christmas Story” nativity scene: stable animals, $70.99; Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus statues, $110.99; trees, $32.99 each; back drop, $130.99; “Dance of Life” angel, $19.99. Other Willow Tree collectible gifts available in varying sizes and prices.
love
Everybody
deserves
Homeless shelter director’s mission is spreading love to community’s less fortunate
Story and photo by Seth Littrell
M
ichelle Bradford has been looking after the homeless for her entire adult life. A self-described “farm girl from Trapp,” Michelle has always had a soft spot in her heart for those with no other place to go. It was that compassion and a strong belief in God she credits with the success of the Beacon of Hope Emergency Shelter, which has operated independently in Clark County for nearly three years. The Beacon’s independence has offered many advantages to Bradford. She and the other members of the Beacon’s board of directors are able to run the shelter with their own particular style, one that is willing to give everyone a second chance. “Everyone deserves love,” Michelle said. “How are you going to get off drugs when most of your life has been crap? We have gotten at least 200 people into rehab.” The Beacon, located on Bypass Road, can house up to 70 people, each for 90 days. Michelle and a group of 13 volunteers keep the shelter in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Nobody staffing the Beacon is paid for their work, including Michelle. But for her, the money has never been important. Michelle said she has always taken steps to help those less fortunate even before it was her full-time job. She recalled how several years ago, while she was out of town, someone she knew broke into her home and stayed there. When she came back
“
We opened up Jan. 6 with $500 in our pocket not knowing where the next dollar is going to come from. It’s crazy how it’s happened but that’s the way it works.”
and found out the person broke in because he was homeless, Michelle let him live with her for more than a year. On weekends before she opened the Beacon, Michelle said she would request donations of food, blankets and other items and take them to some of the homeless people she knew living throughout the community. “I would go places a person usually shouldn’t,” she said. “I would go a mile down some train tracks, into the woods where I knew people were living.” When the Clark County Homeless Coalition was formed, Michelle began volunteering for the group, eventually running the organization’s emergency shelter overnight. But Michelle felt she was being called to do more. She wanted to start her own shelter to help better meet the needs of the homeless population. Much of her inspiration came from a homeless veteran she knew named Chuck, who lived near the Peddlers Mall and didn’t have any living family. “I got really close to Chuck while he was living at the emergency shelter,” Michelle said. “It took a lot for him to learn how to trust, and he started trusting me and we talked a lot and I learned a lot about him.” When the emergency shelter closed, Chuck didn’t have anywhere else to go. He went back onto the streets before finding a temporary place at the Salvation Army in Richmond. But once he left, he was again alone with nowhere to go. “I got a phone call from a friend who also volunteered there that Chuck had passed away,” Michelle said. “He just fell over with a heart attack. He was at an old closed down gas station and they found him laying by the pumps. That broke my heart.” Michelle and some of the people at Peddlers Mall who knew Chuck began a campaign to get him a proper burial. Eventually, word of their work reached the Patriot Guard Riders, who took over the project and gave him a funeral with full military honors. “After that happened, God started pressing upon me to open a homeless shelter,” Michelle said.
Difference Maker | Living She said a year went by before she began seriously considering the idea, and when she did, she didn’t know where to start. Using Google and some connections she had in the community, Michelle went through the process of applying for a 501(c)(3) and writing up articles of incorporation. She found board members to run the shelter and a small space on Talbott Avenue to let people stay. “We opened up Jan. 6 with $500 in our pocket not knowing where the next dollar is going to come from” Michelle said. “It’s crazy how it’s happened but that’s the way it works.” The Beacon’s business model hasn’t changed since then, with the month’s bills covered by donations from individuals, churches and businesses. Since its opening, the Beacon has moved to a new, larger location on Bypass Road. Michelle said the going has not always been easy. Sometimes residents clash with each other, or bring contraband items like drugs and alcohol into the shelter. Michelle said the Beacon has a strict rule against being drunk or high while at the shelter, and she regularly drug tests the people who stay there. “If they come in drunk or high once, I tell them to go straight to bed and sleep it off,” she said. “Twice is on purpose and they are forced to leave.” The Beacon only has one facility for 70 residents — with a diverse group of residents at any one time because it accepts everyone. Michelle said recently the shelter had 22 children living there with their families, bringing unique temporary needs with them. Other times, the shelter houses a lot of elderly people. Yet another challenge for the Beacon is overcoming stigma associated with homelessness. Michelle said one of the goals at the shelter is to help people find steady employment so they can live independently, but many times, applicants will not be considered because of their homeless status or — in some cases — criminal backgrounds. “It’s easy to sit and say ‘go out and get a job,’” She said. “But how are they supposed to?” She said the struggle to find employment and stable housing sometimes doesn’t work out for some people, either because of society’s perception of them or their own “demons that still need to be faced.” Sometimes, Michelle has to let people go after 90 days, but she always tries to impart on them that someone else cares about them. “At least they were loved.” § Winchester living | 33
Living | How To
pumpkin
The great Put this fall staple to use in many different ways
Story and photos by Metro Creative
A
utumn is the season when pumpkins are ripe for the picking, and thousands of people flock to local farms and roadside vendors to select the perfect
orb. Many pumpkins are turned into decorative jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween, only to be tossed in the trash come Nov. 1. That could be because many people are unaware of the various ways they can put pumpkins to good use. Pumpkins are gourds and members of the squash family and have been grown and used for thousands of years. Evidence suggests that pumpkins date back to 7000 B.C., possibly originating in Mexico. Today they are widely used for decorating around Halloween, but there are many other things that can be done with pumpkins. Create a food vessel. Pumpkins can be transformed into bowls to hold soup, punch, fruit or even dips. Make sure the pumpkin has been cleaned well of its pulp and seeds, as well as the stringy flesh that is inside. Rub the inside
34 | Winchester living
walls of the pumpkin with oil to keep them from drying out and caving in, then fill with your food of choice. Make pumpkin puree. Puree from a pumpkin can be used in all types of recipes, from soups to baked goods. The puree also can replace the oil in cake recipes. Cut the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes. Then place it cut-side-down in a pan with a little water in the bottom. Bake at 350 F for around 90 minutes. The flesh will become tender and easily removable. Blend the resulting puree in a food processor and reserve for recipes. Get illuminated. Turn hollowed-out mini pumpkins into candles. Melt soy wax, beeswax or the gel type of candle wax that can be found at most craft stores. Add your favorite scent and place a wick into the bottom of the pumpkin. Then pour the wax into hallowed-out space and allow it to harden. Turn the pumpkin into a flower pot. Fill a hollow pumpkin with soil. Don’t worry about scraping the pumpkin completely clean because the pulp can be used to help fertilize the potting soil. Plant your favorite fall flowers into the festive and earth-friendly flower pot. When the pumpkin shows signs of rotting, simply put the whole thing into a flower pot or bury it.
Pumpkin-carving
pointers
With some creativity and a little know-how, anyone can create an eye-catching jack-o’-lantern Transforming pumpkins into cleverly carved creations is a Halloween tradition. Each October, glowing pumpkins take up residence near doorsteps and porches, adding to the magical ambiance of the season. Young and old spend time designing their themes and then taking knife to pumpkin to achieve the desired effects. Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns can be traced back centuries to Ireland and a story about “Stingy Jack.” The tale involves Jack outwitting the Devil twice, the second time freeing the Devil from a prank in exchange for the promise that he would not claim Jack’s soul should Jack die. When Jack did die, God did not want the unsavory character in heaven, but the Devil could not claim Jack for hell. Therefore, Jack was relegated to roam the planet indefinitely with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put that coal into a carved-out turnip. His ghostly figure was referred to as “Jack of the Lantern.” Later on it was shortened to “Jack O’Lantern.” When Irish immigrants arrived in North America, turnips weren’t plentiful, so jack-o’-lanterns were instead carved into pumpkins. Today, many people carve jack-o’-lanterns, with some featuring smiling or grimacing faces while others are far more artistic creations. These tips can help anyone carve a pumpkin. — Begin with a fresh pumpkin. Look for a pumpkin with a green stem. If the pumpkin has been sitting around for too long or has been handled too much, the stem can get brittle and/or fall off. A thick, fresh pumpkin is best for carving. — Plan your ideas. Draw a plan for your pumpkin before you make your first cut. Then transfer that design to the pumpkin with pen or a thin marker. Pumpkincarving kits come with designs that can be “traced” by poking small holes to create the outline of the design. — Don’t cut all the way through. Many professional pumpkin artists do not actually cut clear through the flesh of the pumpkin. They carve and shave off layers of the outer rind until it becomes more translucent. The level of transparency can be adjusted based on how much skin is removed and as a way to add texture and shadowing. The more air that is allowed to penetrate the pumpkin, the faster it will start to degrade. — Cut a hole in the back. According to Brooklyn-based Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, cutting off the top of the pumpkin can affect its structural integrity and cause it to rot faster. Instead, cut a hole in the back of the pumpkin and use an electric light to illuminate it. §
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Inspiring health Day One clinic takes holistic approach to health, wellness Story by Seth Littrell
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ith a degree in journalism and a career in advertising, Gina Lang said she thought it would be her husband, physician Larry Ertel, who would be attending training at the Mayo Institute to help others with weight loss and general wellness. Nevertheless, she found a new passion for helping people meet their health potential. The job came naturally, as Gina has had her own challenges with weight. “I’m a practitioner of weight loss,” Lang said. “I’ve battled with weight my whole life, which led me here.” For the past six year, Gina has taken a holistic approach to helping people achieve their health goals at Day One Wellness Clinic. She said in many cases, weight loss cannot be achieved just by sticking to a 1,500-calorie diet, because each person’s metabolism works in a different way. It is a difference Gina knows personally, as she discovered her resting metabolic rate is only 700 calories, meaning if she were to take in 1,500 calories a day she would more than double what her body needs to function in a restful state. The resting metabolic rate represents about 80 percent of the calories the average person burns each day, with the remaining 20 percent made up of actions like exercise, travel and activities of daily living. For patients’ first visit to Day One, they are given a test to determine their true metabolic rate. This rate tells them how many calories they need to consume each day for their everyday living functions. To lose weight, patients can take in fewer calories or use a combination of diet control and exercise. Gina said a healthy rate of weight loss during this time is one to two pounds a week. But the Day One program is about much more than balancing calories. Gina said she looks at what she calls the dimensions of wellness for her clients. These eight dimensions include financial, spiritual, mental, emotional, occupational, physical, intellectual and social wellness. The idea, she said, is if a client is having problems with one of the dimensions, it will have an adverse effect on their wellness in the other seven. Gina says she is not a doctor or a nutritionist. Instead, her program focuses on positive thinking. She provides clients with healthy smoothies to substitute some meals if needed, and has a large web of professionals she can refer people to in order to help them address different wellness dimensions. “I work with psychologists, physical therapists and more because wellness is not just the scale,” Gina said. “The scale is a way to measure, but there’s so much more in it.”
Gina encourages her clients to find healthy habits that benefit them in multiple wellness dimensions. She tries to find a healthy activity the client already finds rewarding and make better use of that. One client had a garden that allowed him to meet four different dimensions of wellness at once: physical activity, social wellness when he shared his work with friends, financial savings from the vegetables produced and spiritual wellness because he enjoyed spending time outside. The result could be an increased metabolic rate, which makes weight loss easier. Building muscle also helps increase metabolic rate, she said. “That’s when you get into the routine of losing two pounds a week,” Gina said. But the struggle could be more difficult if clients are having problems in other dimensions. “I’ve had clients that have been successful on the program that have lost weight and six months into it they reach a plateau,” Gina said. “So we pull out the sheet (of wellness dimensions) and I’ll ask if something is out of whack. Some clients will say, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m lying awake at night worried about finances because of this situation.’” Often the issue will not have come out in earlier meetings because of the focus on the physical aspect of weight loss. “I sent this guy to a financial advisor, because I’m not a genius in all of these areas but I layer people,” she said. “After a month, the client started losing again doing the same thing he was.” Gina said the human body is very primal. When it feels threatened or unfulfilled, the body will take steps subconsciously to protect itself, including gaining weight. One client, Bill Anderson, struggled with his weight before coming to Day One. As he and Gina discussed his lifestyle, she discovered part of his time was spent caring for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s. Anderson has been meeting with Gina for three years now, and has lost 60 pounds. “I’ve learned about taking a holistic look at life,” he said. “I’ve learned that I can do things, but also that if I don’t do everything I wanted to in a day it’s not going to kill me.” Day One is located at 1520 Boonesboro Road. A metabolic rate test is $50 with additional advisory appointments at $25 each scheduled as needed patients. Gina can be reached at (859) 4740094 or gina.lang@gmail.com. “I work on behavior,” Gina said. “My coaching is more based with positive psychology and helping people make positive change, which takes time.” §
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I work on behavior. My coaching is more based with positive psychology and helping people make positive change, which takes time.”
Coming home From Little League to the big leagues, Clark County has always been home for Matt Ginter Story and photos by Casey Castle
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Matt Ginter | Features
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Features | Matt Ginter
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rom playing local Little League to joining Team USA and even a seven-year Major League career, baseball has taken Winchester’s Matt Ginter all over the world. But he still calls Clark County his home. After graduating from George Rogers Clark High School in 1996, Ginter was picked in the 17th round of the MLB draft by the New York Yankees. He opted to play at Mississippi State instead, helping the Bulldogs to two College World Series appearances. He was a first-round pick in the MLB draft in 1999, going to the Chicago White Sox. Ginter became the GRC baseball coach in 2012, leading the Cardinals to a region championship, four district titles and an overall 116-77 record. The school and Ginter decided to part ways this summer and, as he enters a new era in his life, Ginter reflects on a career which started small right here at home.
WL: What was it like growing up and playing sports in Clark County? MG: I played three sports — baseball, football and basketball — all the way into my sophomore year, when I stopped playing football. Even in high school, I lettered in all three varsity sports as a freshman. I played for the Cowboys in Civitan football. For the Red Sox in baseball and Celtics in Civitan basketball. And, you know, we didn’t think of anything, we just rolled from one sport to the next sport. Once I got into high school, and started getting a lot more letters from baseball, it was probably time to hang up the helmet and pads. I decided my fingers and shoulders and stuff are probably more important in baseball than they would be in
40 | Winchester living
football. I had to make that decision to quit football and stay with baseball. I kept playing basketball. I liked basketball. Not going to say I was very good at it, but I liked to run up and down the court. And it kept me in shape for baseball. It was great times. We had a lot of great Little League battles at Lykins Park. It was just a great time to grow up. I show my son pictures of me in T-ball wearing a T-shirt and jeans. That was our uniform. We had a trucker hat on and a pair of blue jeans and we played T-Ball in that. Nowadays, even at 3 or 4, you’ve got baseball pants. It was a great time. Most of my friends played all three sports and competed against each other until
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Features | Matt Ginter
we got together in middle school. WL: When did you know you would pursue athletics as a career? MG: That was my plan for a long time. Of course, that’s everybody’s plan. I started playing with the Dixie Stars in Lexington and started competing with the kids in Lexington. One of my biggest breaks, I think, was when I played in the Connie Mack World Series and had a big game. I think it was against East Cobb, and I struck out 14 or 15 kids in a game. After that, that kinda started … when you do that to a program of the caliber of East Cobb back then, that puts your name on the map. We went down to Mississippi State, down to LSU, we took 15-passenger vans throughout the southeast and put ourselves in front of those coaches. We may have been 16 and we played in front of (Mississippi State) coach (Ron) Polk. That game he wasn’t going to turn the lights on. He said it’s too expensive. I was throwing in the mid- to upper-80s and we had a catcher firing throws to second base. A kid hit their scoreboard. All the sudden, the lights come on and he said, “Keep playing. We want more to watch.” 42 | Winchester living
Two years later, Coach Polk signs me and Josh Pugh to come down to Mississippi State and play. Another kid on our team went to LSU. Another kid went to Western and another went to Louisville. I think we had four kids drafted. That was the talent we had and we were competing against East Cobb, Bayside Yankees, Midland Indians. You’re playing those teams and you’re starting to basically control a game or take over a game against those kinds of programs, your name gets out there pretty fast. WL: Were there any lesser-known stops in your baseball travels? MG: I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, my freshman year of college for about a month and a half playing for the Anchorage Bucs. We played in Anchorage, Fairbanks, down in Kenai. We played some spots in Alaska, played in Vancouver, and the end of the summer we flew to Hawaii to play Hawaii teams for 10 days. So I spent my whole summer in Alaska and Hawaii. After college there are two places that people go. They send you to Alaska then Cape Cod for the top prospects, and I went to Alaska and lived with a host family there and basically did whatever we wanted. We walked on
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It’s always a vivid memory, coming home from Mississippi State, coming home from pro ball. Just seems like, no matter where I’ve gone, once you get to those country roads, you’re ready to be home. New York and Chicago are great places. I don’t want to live there. This is where I want to live.”
glaciers. We salmon fished. First taste of sushi — basically catching a salmon and eating it right out of the streams. Got to meet a lot of guys. A lot of West Coast players go there. And a guy on my team, Geoff Geary, I played with him all the way through into pro ball and the big leagues. We pitched against each other. So the guys I was seeing in these team showcases, high school to early college, we followed each other our whole careers. WL: Did you experience any culture shock? MG: Anchorage was a little different. I would say baseball players, besides the West Coast guys, are baseball players. Once you get into pro ball, you can Winchester living | 43
basically walk into any clubhouse and talk to somebody. It kinda goes with how the game works. You gotta be able to deal with all kinds of different people. Going to Mississippi State was no different than staying here. They hunted and fished. They cooked out in the outfield. There was only about 14,000 people in Starkville then. It was pretty small and the school was just as big as the town was. That wasn’t a big deal. When I played with the USA team, a bunch of kids from all over the country came together and played. We went to Nicaragua. That was a shock. I had never drank a Coke out of a bag. I didn’t know there was such a thing. They would buy a Coke, pour it in a bag and keep the bottle so they could turn it in. So they would hand you a bag with a straw so you could drink it. It was very different. Nicaragua was probably one of the wildest places I’ve played. We went to Rome and Sicily. There was no fast food. We were in Sicily and you ate what they had. I laugh about it still, the first time we were in Sicily and what I thought was chicken Parmesan was eggplant. And I was telling my parents, “This is the worst chicken I’ve ever had.” Well, I had never had eggplant. Some of the stuff there was very different. Everything was locally-grown or caught. There could be a swordfish right there on the edge of the street for sale. They just brought it right off the boat. I’ve been a lot of places. Baseball has taken me basically around the world from Hawaii to Sicily, from five hours ahead to eight hours behind, to all these places in the world. And it was all because of baseball. I got to experience a lot of it. There are some shocks, but you learn to adapt. WL: Did you ever get home sick? MG: Come September, or those last dog days of the season, it starts getting cooler and I start thinking about being in a deer stand. Those fall days and you roll down the window driving, once I get past the castle (in Versailles), I know I’m getting close to home. You roll down the window and start smelling the country air and the cool wind. It’s always a vivid memory, coming home from Mississippi State, coming home from pro ball. Just seems like, no matter where I’ve gone, once you get to those country roads, you’re ready to be home. New York and Chicago are great places. I don’t want to live there. This is where I want to live. WL: Is there a memory that stands out or a 44 | Winchester living
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Matt Ginter | Features
Baseball is a humbling sport. No matter how big-time you get... That’s just the way it works. There’s going to be highs and lows and you have to be able to weather the storm. Baseball is a great sport to teach you that. There will be good innings. There will be bad innings.”
favorite story you like to share? MG: I was a big Roger Clemens fan when I played for the Little League Red Sox. Then I ended up facing Roger Clemens on my first career start (with the Mets). It was Sunday Night Baseball. I broke up his no-hitter in the third inning. I got my first hit off Roger Clemens in my first career at-bat. It was the day before my dad’s birthday. I gave him the ball and I kept the bat. In that game, in the first inning, I knock Lance Berkman down. I put him on his backside. I get out of the inning and get back to the dugout and Tom Glavine and Al Leiter come over and sit next to me. They said, “You know you have to hit, right?” I said, “Yeah.” They said, “You know you knocked Berkman down, right?” I said, “Yeah.” They said, “You know you’re facing Clemens, correct?” I looked at them and they said, “Good luck,” and walked off. So for the next two innings, I was thinking, “No way he’s going to hit me.” By the time I get to the plate, I think he had a perfect game going and had struck out five or six of us. He was mowing us down pretty easily. I get up to bat and I’m looking at him and he looks Little League distance. He looks really close. If he hits me, it’s going to be bad. He’s still throwing 96 miles per hour. I feel like I’m as far out of the box as I can legally be. I’m trying to look at the catcher and looking at Clemens. He throws the first ball up and in to me, so I tip my cap to him. “All right, my bad.” Next pitch he throws is another ball so I’m like, “That looked like a strike.” Next pitch was another ball. So I went from thinking about getting a hit to thinking I’m going to walk and get on base. But he throws a strike and now my thought process changes again to trying to get a hit now.
Next pitch he throws, I think I pull it. I look and it shoots in between first and second, a hard three-hopper through the infield, and I run to first and get a single. They threw the ball out. But I broke up his no-hitter. We ended up going toe-to-toe for six innings and I came out (of the game with us) losing 2-1 and Mike Piazza hits a solo home run with two outs in the ninth off Doctavio Dotel (to tie it) and I think the game ended up going 13 innings. I spit the hook and Clemens didn’t get the win, it was basically a wash and I got to face a guy that I had looked up to since I was pitching for the Red Sox in Little League. I watched Frank Thomas in college in the home run derby. He was a teammate. I got pictures of me and Mike Piazza when we were on the USA Team before we flew to Rome. Six years later, Mike Piazza is my catcher in the same stadium. It’s weird when you go back and look at some of the rosters. Willie Bloomquist, we played against each other when we were seniors in high school, and here we are playing against each other in the big leagues. It’s funny how a roster follows you. You see a lot of the same kids over and over. A great college experience I had was when I was a freshman, a true freshman. We’re playing Washington for a chance to go to the College World Series. It’s the championship game for them, if we lose we go home. Pitching coach comes to me and says, “We need 12 to 15 outs. If you can get us 12 to 15 outs, we will win and it will give first-rounder Eric Dubose another day so he can pitch and we’ll go to the World Series.” So, I went out there and ended up going 4 and twothirds, I got 14 outs. And Ron Polk walks up to the top step of the dugout to come get me. There was about 11,000 people there for a Mississippi State game. As soon as coach Polk got to the top of the step, the whole stadium started giving me a standing Winchester living | 45
ovation. These are baseball people, they know what a true freshman has just done. We’re winning. I got the 12 to 15 outs we were looking for and we can hand it over to our bullpen, which was stellar, to shut the rest of the game out. That was one of those games where you don’t ever want to come off the mound. These people are cheering for you and going crazy because they know what has happened. That was one of the first times, coming from Clark County, where there’s 25 moms and dads in the stands to where there’s 10,000 to 12,000 people then you go pitch in the College World Series and there’s 25,000, that was the first feelings of, “Wow, this is something you want to play in front of.” That was probably the slowest I’ve ever walked off a field so I could enjoy the cheering of the crowd. We went on to win the game. Eric Dubose pitches the next game. We beat Washington twice and go to the College World Series. My whole apartment at Mississippi State, Travis Chapman and John Knott, we all three made it to the big leagues. That just doesn’t happen. There’s now 58 guys ever from Mississippi State to go pro. I think there’s been 14 first rounders in Mississippi State’s history, and I was one of those. I’m still in the Top 10 in all-time strikeouts there. The experiences I had at Mississippi State prepared 46 | Winchester living
me for what pro ball was going to be like. WL: Why did you come back to Winchester when your career was finished? MG: I never doubted that I was going to come back. I lived here. I bought a house here and came back here. My family is still here. My brothers and sisters all live within a 10-mile radius. When we go on vacation, there’s 15 to 16 of us out there. We go on whole-family vacations still. There was not a doubt that I would come back. Once I got done with playing, I thought coaching was going to be a part of what I wanted to do. I was approached when I came back about coaching high school. That’s something I can do. I can pass on all these stories and this knowledge that you can’t learn from watching a video. That’s something I can share with these kids. What to be prepared for. What’s going to happen. The recruiting process. How you got to act. How’s it feel when you hit Derek Jeter (with a pitch) in Yankee Stadium and get booed by 50 million people. I can tell you that. I’ve had that happen. There’s some stuff that’s intangible that you can’t put a price on or you can’t read in a book. One thing you can do is come back and try to share those experiences with younger kids and help prepare
Matt Ginter | Features them and hopefully they can play college ball or maybe get a life lesson so later on down the road, they can look back and think, “Well, coach Ginter said this was going to happen” or “He warned me’”or “I’m glad I know this now.” WL: What’s something you take away from your career? MG: Baseball is a humbling sport. No matter how big-time you get, there are 0-for-4 days with four punch outs. That’s just the way it works. A Cy Young winner sometimes can’t get an ‘A’ Ball team out. I’ve seen it. That is why there is an average. You are not defined by one game. In the big leagues, it is 162 games, it is 500-something at-bats, it is 200 innings. You are going to have bad days. Hopefully, your good outweighs the bad, but more than likely, it won’t. You are probably going to be somewhere stuck in the middle. That is part of life. There are going to be highs and lows and you have to be able to weather the storm.
Baseball is a great sport to teach you that. There will be good innings. There will be bad innings. Like I tell the kids during games, “You just weathered their storm and we’re still winning. You went through what they were going to give you. Let’s keep on going.” We talk about winning each inning. Same thing in life as in baseball. Sometimes it’s day-to-day and you can’t look forward if you can’t get today in. §
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Always a story to tell
Mike Rowady | Features
Mike Rowady recounts nearly century of calling Winchester home
Story by Fred Petke | Photos by Whitney Leggett
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e was a practicing attorney for more than six decades. He spent World War II as an attorney in the Army’s judge advocate general corps. He worked as a bottle washer at the Ale-8One plant in the 1930s making 15 cents an hour. He helped finance, found and sell numerous companies including a cable company in the 1980s. He has tried thousands of cases, and won many of them. He argued a case before the Supreme Court of the United States. For Michael Rowady, it’s a life he wouldn’t have imagined for himself. Rowady, who will turn 99 in November, recently reflected on his career and life while sitting in the conference room of his son’s law office in Winchester. A lifelong Winchester resident, Rowady said people told him to leave for other opportunities. On a couple occasions, he was unemployed and nearly broke when opportunities opened, thanks to people he knew around town. Rowady, the son of Lebanese immigrants and cousin of famed White House reporter Helen Thomas, said he decided early in life he wanted to be a lawyer. “Judge John M. Stevenson owned the building my
father rented,” he said. “Everyone respected him. I said, ‘I like people to look up to me.’” So Rowady decided to go to law school. He planned on going to the University of Michigan, but life dictated a change. “My father died. I didn’t have the money, and I went to UK,” he said In a previous interview with The Sun, Rowady said he was working at Ale-8-One while he was going to UK, making about $9 a week. Tuition for a semester was $39, including football tickets, he said. “You could buy a lot for a quarter during those hard times,” he said. “I was awfully grateful for the job.” Rowady graduated, returned to Winchester and the rest is legal history. Earlier this year, the University of Kentucky Law School honored Rowady with a Legacy award as an alumnus. His legal career, though, took a while to get going.
Serving his country Rowady opened his law practice in 1941. Not long afterward, he was called to join the war effort and his legal career was put on hold. Rowady enlisted with the Army Air Corps and eventually spent 44 months overseas. His start, though, was not particularly glorious. While working as a garbage collector on a military base, he passed the judge advocate general’s office. Winchester living | 49
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Mike and Alma Rowady in 1953.
man during a trip
d wo MIke Rowady with an unidentifie to Budapest in 1983
Mike Rowady, center, with Kentucky Chief Justice Robert Stephens and District Court Judge Julia H. Adams in 1991. “I just walked in and asked for a job,” he said. After passing the required tests and checks, he became a sergeant major. For the rest of his tour, he traveled the world prosecuting cases and serving on the line of duty death review board. “We tried them for everything,” he said. Aside from court, Rowady also helped soldiers with legal documents, including preparing wills. When the war ended and he was discharged, Rowady returned to Winchester.
Taking the bench Following the war, Rowady was looking for work when an unexpected position opened. 50 | Winchester living
”I was out of the service and out of a job,” he said, when he was approached by city officials about being appointed to fill a vacant position of police judge. The position, which was abolished in the 1970s, was responsible for presiding over criminal matters within a city’s limits. “I wasn’t sure I’d take it,” Rowady said. “Old Judge Hayes Smith said, “‘Take it boy, take it.’” Rowady accepted and was appointed. After four years on the bench, he was defeated in an election. The job turned out to be a tremendous place to learn about practicing law. “It helped because I learned these other lawyers that I was scared of weren’t any smarter than me,” he said. “I grew beyond what I ever thought I could.” Though being police judge helped establish Rowady in
A painting of Mike Rowady still hangs in the conference room of his son’s practice at Rowady and Hendricks Law Office in Winchester.
Winchester, he was back on the street without a job again. “I had no place to go and no job,” he said. Alan Jackson had an office downtown and let him work there rent-free for two years to establish his practice. The catch was the office space was on the ground level. At the time, Rowady said most attorneys had offices on the upper floors of the McEldowney building. Rowady became the first attorney in town with a street-level office. “He got me started in my practice,” he said.
Standards of time As a law school graduate practicing law in Winchester, Rowady was in the minority. “In 1941, there were 22 lawyers here. Half of them hadn’t been past the eighth grade. They’d read law in someone else’s office.” Attorneys would be admitted to the bar after the judge read the role of the law, they would “have a drink of moonshine and the judge would slap the new attorney on the back,” Rowady said. Starting as a lawyer meant starting with nothing and building. Often, he would ride the train to Stanton or other communities, just to try and drum up clients and business. “When a lawyer started, you worked the first five Winchester living | 51
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Mike Rowady talks from his son, Alex Rowady’s, office in Winchester. Alex has carried on his father’s legacy practicing as an attorney in Winchester and Clark County.
years as a defense attorney. That’s how it was.”
Establishing his practice Early in Rowady’s practice, Winchester was home to a number of construction companies, prior to new roads being built into the mountains of eastern Kentucky. For a time, Rowady said he kept an apartment in Pikeville to keep up with his clients there. “I really liked becoming an expert in blasting cases,” he said. “I learned from the U.S. Bureau of Mines (about) the difference from concussion and vibration. We had really smart experts who could explain things well to the jury.” Criminal law provided its own challenges. “I liked criminal (work),” he said. “I got several acquittals in murder cases. They’re easier to win than stealing (cases) because people think you have to have a reason to kill 52 | Winchester living
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In 1941, there were 22 lawyers here. Half of them hadn’t been past the eighth grade. They’d read law in someone else’s office... I learned these other lawyers that I was scared of weren’t any smarter than me. I grew beyond what I ever thought I could.”
ady’s, s n
someone.”
Mike Rowady | Features
The highest court in the land Rowady and several other local attorneys boarded the Chesapeake and Ohio for the trip to Washington D.C., which stopped outside the Supreme Court building. Earl Warren was the Chief Justice at the time. “I’d already had a big victory,” he said of the case. “I had a $2 million judgment I’d whittled down to $200,000.” The case centered on an oil deal, which was appealed all the way up the legal chain to the highest court in the land. “It was a bunch of doctors suing over $2.5 million based on fraud over an oil deal,” Rowady said. “Mr. Carp (Rowady’s client) was very happy with me. They couldn’t locate where the gas was. They claimed he kept the good leases and gave them the bad ones. “We had 245 days of bench trial. It lasted nine years.”
State of practicing law today Taking a case to trial and the practice of arguing a case is almost a forgotten skill today, Rowady said. “(Mediators) have ruined the trial process,” he said. “They want to settle everything. Not everything should be settled. We used to take a week or two to try a case.” “I’ve lost cases where they didn’t have any evidence at all, but someone on the jury had something.”
Mike Rowady and his late wife, Alma, in an undated photo (above) and in 1999 (left).
Still proud to be from here After spending nearly a century on this planet, Rowady said he is glad he never left. Some of his siblings moved to other locations, and he said they don’t have any friends. Here, the town has changed and grown, but he still feels at home, with his friends and his memories. §
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Local
Legacy
Gaunce’s mixes international business, small-town charm Story by Amanda Crum | Photos by Whitney Leggett and Alyssa Gaunce
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At the Table | Food
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Food | At the Table
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n a climate where franchises and big-box stores rule, it is rare to find a small locally-owned business that is still thriving after more than 60 years, yet Gaunce’s Cafe & Deli is doing it with style. Gaunce’s success is due, in part, to their ability to keep up with the everchanging times. The company’s roots can be traced back to 1954, when Hazel and Carlton “Smitty” Gaunce, opened Gaunce’s Market on Maple Street. Originally solely a grocery store, Gaunce’s was a way for Carlton — who grew up during the severity of the Great Depression — to ensure he would always be able to keep food on the table. Over the years, the market saw some changes, moving from Maple Street to Boone Avenue/Colby Road and then to Lexington Avenue. It was here that Hazel and Carlton’s sons, Miller and Jerry, came up with the idea to incorporate a deli area, a concept that hadn’t yet gained popularity at the time in Central Kentucky. The biggest change came in 2003, when the Gaunce family made the decision to focus solely on the deli part of their business in order to stand out in a growing sea of superstores. Third-generation owner Jon Gaunce runs the newest location on Bypass Road, where business is thriving. “The decision to go to a deli-only business came from necessity,” Jon said. “The prevalence of box stores and mega-groceries forced mom-andpop stores to change with the times or cease to exist. Our deli has always had a very loyal following, so it was only a natural progression to forego the grocery and focus our efforts into switching over to a full-time restaurant.” Now, Jon and his wife, Tiffani, do their best to create an environment
with a familial comfort, even though many of their 17 employees aren’t relatives. This refreshing approach to business means the deli has a welcoming air about it, and that’s not an accident. “There is nothing better than looking out and seeing the groups of people gathered together for a meal,” Jon said. “From the quick bite with a co-worker on break to birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, business meetings and more, we want our customers to feel like they have walked into a friend’s home, because in a lot of ways they have.” Thanks to a menu of customizable sandwiches and soups, chips and salads, Gaunce’s offers something for both the foodie and the picky eater. While the menu pretty much stays the same year-round, Jon and Tiffani aren’t opposed to crafting new dishes now and then; however, their standards are so high, some of these items never make it past the initial taste-test. Their best-selling sandwich is a twist on a Kentucky favorite: The
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Gaunce’s Cafe & Deli
853 Bypass Road Gaunces.com 859.744.8664 Hours Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Winchester living | 57
Much of the atmosphere at Gaunce’s is about honoring the restaurant’s legacy. Displayed in the dining area are a quilt made of Carlton Gaunce’s ties, a photo of one of the first locations and a plaque honoring the Gaunces memory. Inside-Out Hot Brown, consisting of Smitty’s country ham, Boar’s Head Ovengold turkey, Vermont cheddar, picante provolone, bacon, mayonnaise and tomato on a rosemary focaccia bread. “Finding an item that has the ‘it’ factor can be like the proverbial needle in a haystack,” Jon said. While it can’t be easy to mix small-town charm with the kind of business acumen it takes to ship their own Smitty’s sugar-cured country ham around the country, Gaunce’s prides itself on that 58 | Winchester living
balance, refusing to take shortcuts where quality is concerned — no matter how busy they may get — out of respect for their own legacy. Yet Winchester isn’t the only city contributing to the deli’s success; walk into Gaunce’s and you will find Ale-8 products mingling with saltrising bread and pies from Burke’s Bakery in Danville, Ruth Hunt Candies from Mount Sterling and Peg’s Pantry Jams, Jellies and Salsa from Paris, among other items. Walking into the clean, bright cafe, visitors really get a sense
that the Gaunce family takes pride in helping other Kentucky-based businesses succeed. “I really don’t tend to think of the local restaurants as ‘competition’ per se,” Jon said. “We’re all out here trying to provide great dining options for Clark County. Successful small businesses are a barometer for the growth of a community. Winchester deserves for the entrepreneurs here to do well... they are part of what gives our town its own identity.” §
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From the Cookbook | Food
Fall fare Adding healthy, fresh foods to your diet doesn’t have to be difficult or boring. Check out these flavorful and creative recipes to brighten up your diet this fall.
Fruity flatbread INGREDIENTS — Pre-made flatbread crust — Broccoli rabe — Cooked and chopped turkey bacon — Jarred mandarin oranges
INSTRUCTIONS Cover flatbread with chopped broccoli rabe, turkey bacon and oranges, and serve.
Winchester living | 59
Blackberry-avocado smoothie bowl
INGREDIENTS — 3/4 cup blackberries — 1/4 cup blueberries — 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt — 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk — 1/2 avocado — 1/2 frozen banana — 1 teaspoon pure vanilla — 1 teaspoon honey — 2 teaspoons lime juice 60 | Winchester living
INSTRUCTIONS Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl and add garnishes as desired. Optional garnishes: flax seed, chia seeds, sliced toasted almonds, blackberries, blueberries or lime zest.
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From the Cookbook | Food
Morning oasis overnight oats
INGREDIENTS — 1-1/2 cups quick oats — 1 teaspoon chia seeds — 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk — 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt — 3 tablespoons honey, divided — 1/4 cup organic quinoa, toasted — 1/4 cup whole almonds, toasted — 1 mango, sliced — 1/4 cup chopped coconut — .45 ounces dark chocolate, shaved — .45 dark chocolate, melted
INSTRUCTIONS Heat oven to 400 F. In large mason jar, combine oats, chia seeds, almond milk, salt and 2 tablespoons honey. Refrigerate overnight. In medium bowl, combine quinoa, almonds and remaining honey. Spread onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove, cooling completely and crumbling. Store in re-sealable bag overnight. The next day, stir oats and pour desired amount into serving bowl. Top with mango, coconut, shaved chocolate and candied quinoa. Drizzle with melted chocolate.
Winchester living | 61
Food | From the Cookbook
Zahtar shrimp & grape kabobs
INGREDIENTS — 2 tablespoons zahtar — 1 clove garlic, minced — 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme — 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar — 1 teaspoon honey — 1/8 teaspoon sea salt — 1/8 teaspoon pepper — 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil — 36-40 large shrimp (about 2 pounds), shelled and de-veined — 1 cup whole green California grapes — 1 cup whole red California grapes
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INSTRUCTIONS In medium bowl, combine zahtar, garlic, thyme, vinegar, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Thread shrimp and grapes onto skewers. Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill skewers, turning once, until shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through and grapes are caramelized but firm, about 2-3 minutes per side.
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Fingerling potato salad INGREDIENTS — 1-1/2 pounds mixed Wisconsin fingerling potatoes — 2 large lemons, divided — 2 cups water — 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt — 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar — 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil — 1-1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds — 3/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds — pepper, to taste — 4 green onions, thinly sliced — 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill — salt, to taste — 2 cups baby arugula INSTRUCTIONS In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook potatoes
until just tender when pierced with fork, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Slice one lemon into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. In small saucepan, combine sliced lemon, water and kosher salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lemon slices are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain lemons then coarsely chop. Cut remaining lemon in half and squeeze out 2 tablespoons juice. In small bowl, mix chopped lemons, lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar and oil. Coarsely crush cumin and coriander seeds using mortar and pestle. Mix seeds into lemon dressing. Season, to taste, with pepper. Cut lukewarm potatoes in half lengthwise. Place in large, shallow bowl. Mix in green onions and dill. Pour lemon dressing over and toss to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add arugula and toss gently. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.
Rainbow unicorn
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smoothie
INGREDIENTS — 1-1/2 cups low-fat or fat-free milk — 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt — 2 cups frozen strawberries — 1 cup frozen blueberries — 1 cup frozen mango chunks Optional toppings: whipped cream, sprinkles, horn candles with wicks trimmed. INSTRUCTIONS Blend milk, yogurt and fruit until smooth, adding additional milk or water to thin, if needed. Divide smoothie into four glasses and, if desired, top each with whipped cream, sprinkles and horn candles.
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Why I Love Winchester ‘I am proud of the accomplishments we have made’
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lthough Winchester native Graham Johns has not always called Clark County home, it ranks first on the list of the other cities around Kentucky he has lived. “I have lived in Mason County (May’s Lick), Lexington and Louisville,” he said. “I only have fond memories of everywhere I’ve lived, but I like Winchester best.” Johns returned to his hometown in 1979 and today he lives in the same home his family shared when he was born in 1951. For Johns, remaining active in his community is important, and he takes prides in what the community has accomplished in recent years. He talked about his favorite things to do in Winchester-Clark County and what makes his hometown great. WL: In what ways are you involved in the community? GJ: I am board president of Main Street Winchester, board secretary of Clark County Community Services, board treasurer of Hospice East and president of Kentucky Foothills Toastmasters Club. I am also a member of the adult choir and hand bell choir at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). And I broadcast George Rogers Clark High School basketball games on radio station WKYT, 107.7-FM I worked as the Internal
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Auditor and the Accounting Manager at East Kentucky Power Cooperative from March 1981 until January 2012. WL: What is your favorite thing to do in Clark County? GJ: I enjoy playing golf at the Winchester Country Club. The course is in great shape. I like dining and socializing locally at the Engine House Deli + Pub, Winchester Country Club, DJs, Woody’s, Applebee’s and Halls on the River, among others. I also enjoy attending events at the Leeds Center for the Arts. WL: What is one of your favorite memories of Clark County?
GJ: George Rogers Clark High School winning the Kentucky 4-A state football championship in 1991 beating Trinity and St. Xavier back-to-back. I had the honor of being the play-by-play announcer for radio station WHRS, 1380-AM. WL: What, in your opinion, makes Winchester-Clark County a unique or special place to live? GJ: I love the small-town atmosphere yet being close to major cities. I believe it is easier to meet people in a smaller environment. I am so proud of the accomplishments we have made to revitalize and preserve downtown Winchester. Ale-8-One and beer cheese make us unique. §
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Because you missed your colonoscopy. You might be surprised to learn that colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women
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combined in the United States*. And because colon cancer develops with few, if any symptoms, it just makes sense to schedule this screening exam if you’re age 50 or older. African Americans should begin this screening at age 45.** A colonoscopy can help save your life. Don’t miss it.
*cancer.org (01/20/16) **American College of Gastroenterology
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Call to schedule your colonoscopy today, 888-847-DOCS (3627).
Mike Rowady reflects on century of calling Winchester his home Sept./Oct. 2017