Jeffersontown Magazine January 2024 by Towne Post Network, Inc.

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Heroes of Our Hometown What Life Was Like in Jeffersontown During World War I JANUARY 2024

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26 PUBLISHER COREY BOSTON corey@townepost.com 502.407.0185 KEY CONTRIBUTORS CHRISTY HEITGER-EWING STANLEY HEWSON ERIN KINNETZ GAVIN LAPAILLE DAVE MATHEIS BETH WILDER CARRIE VITTITOE

HEROES OF OUR HOMETOWN

What Life Was Like in Jeffersontown During World War I

A TIME FOR TRUST

CASA Volunteers Can Make a Difference in the Lives of Abused and Neglected Children

Vyfy Wellness Club Helps Clients on the Journey to Optimal Health

DOGGED PURSUIT MisPits and Friends Rescue Helps to Find Temporary Safe Haven for Dogs

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HEROES OF OUR HOMETOWN

WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN JEFFERSONTOWN DURING WORLD WAR I Writer / Beth Wilder Photography Provided

It was called “the war to end all wars,” and thankfully, the Great War that broke out in 1914 Europe was not fought on American soil - but that did not mean Americans were spared the war effort. Even before the United States officially entered the war in 1917, Americans pitched in to help their European Allies in any way they could. The residents of Jeffersontown were no exception. Area residents were fortunate. Aside from rising costs, they did not have to truly worry about the war when it first began. Of primary concern in 1914 was the fact that Christmas toys would have to be homemade, as none of the European countries were able to export any goods. By 1916 paper stock had gotten so expensive that The Jeffersonian editor, J.C. Alcock, feared the cost of his newspaper might have to increase, and insisted that those in arrears make their subscription payments or stop receiving the paper. On May 25, 1916, a quote from the Germantown News must have prompted the townsfolk to take the war a little more to heart. Alcock was praised for the great success a special war edition of 6 | January 2024 | TownePost.com

The Jeffersonian had, although the article went on to muse, “But maybe they are not affected by any of the conditions and calamities of the world’s big war act in that peaceful hamlet.” The next month, three local boys, Leroy Omer, Walter Zerger and Walter Ellingsworth, joined the Navy.

Brother and sister Charles G. and Aileen Bryan, of Jeffersontown, were both ordered to France. Charles was commissioned a captain in the Engineer Corps of the United States Army, and Aileen, a member of the Red Cross staff of trained nurses, volunteered for field hospital service.

In May 1917 a meeting was held in Jeffersontown. Everyone was asked to assemble on the public square, carry the American flag and adorn their automobiles in patriotic colors. From there, the parade of cars drove to the schoolhouse, where over 2,000 people from different parts of the county assembled to hear various speakers urge young men to enlist, rather than wait to be conscripted into the military.

Those who remained at home in Jeffersontown were required to do their fair share toward the war effort as well. In October 1917, a group of more than a dozen Jeffersontown women canvassed the area to ask every householder to sign a pledge card to be as economical as possible, to help ensure those overseas had enough food. A Tobacco Fund was even created, so that “chews” and “smokes” could be forwarded to the fighting men in France.

On June 5, 1917, all men between the ages of 21 and 31 were required to register for the draft. On July 26, the first list of draftees was printed in the paper, and in September, I.M. Huckleberry was the first Jeffersontown native ordered to Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisville. Dr. J.R. Shacklette was among the residents of Jeffersontown who were drafted, although he was sent Georgia to train in the Medical Reserve Corps, where he was commissioned as a first lieutenant.

Men who remained at home were encouraged to become Boy Scout leaders, so the young men in town would have a good influence and not risk becoming delinquents, as was happening in the warravaged countries. All boys were urged to join the Scouts, who served as dispatch bearers, delivering government pamphlets to all the local homes. In March 1918, boys aged 16 to 21 were asked to enroll in the

Working Reserve, in the hopes that when they were out of school, they would assist with farm work or whatever occupation best suited them. C.A. Hummel was the enrolling officer in Jeffersontown, and boys who signed on were eligible to receive a Federal Bronze Badge of Honor for a stated number of work days. Girls were also encouraged to join clubs that would help with raising food, and several prominent businessmen in town sold liberty bonds. Meanwhile, residents were forced to tighten their belts. Food production was a priority - home canning and meatless days were encouraged. J.C. Alcock joked

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that a “taste” of food was about all he got, thanks to the conservation pledge the ladies signed. Coal was hard to come by. The local paper noted in January 1918 that “every week or two a car load comes in, and is gobbled up before a third of the people get any.” One particular group that suffered in a slightly different way was the local Germans. Jeffersontown was primarily settled by Germans, so a good deal of its populace had that ancestry - and some still retained their loyalty to Germany, especially if they had relatives fighting in the Kaiser’s army. The Jeffersonian newspaper noted that the majority of Germans in the county were loyal Americans, even if some of them did make “disloyal statements in regard to the war,” and that it was not right to say “mean things about the German-Americans because they are from Germany.” By the end of January 1918, however, all non-American citizens were required to officially register.

Arch Bridwell, postmaster, conducted the registrations in Jeffersontown. Jeffersontown’s City Attorney Wallace A. McKay was selected by Washington, D.C., authorities to provide legal service at the various Army camps in the country, mainly concerning the registrations. Red Cross units abounded, of course. The Current Events Club of Jeffersontown was just one of the groups who helped sew and knit hospital garments, trench caps, socks, sweaters and more. N.R. Blankenbaker, captain of Jeffersontown’s Red Cross forces, was happy to report his workers had raised $6,325 for the war fund - in today’s money, that would equate to over $43,000. Even children helped raise funds for the Red Cross by putting on shows, and they were also asked by Jeffersontown postman Lud Bryan to gather all the plum, peach and prune seeds, walnut shells, and hickory nut shells they could, to be used in the manufacture of gas masks.

Although three million men had already been drafted into service, in September 1918, another two million were deemed necessary. The enlistment notice stated: “Patriots will register. Others MUST.” By the following month, soldiers and civilians alike were fighting a new battle - an influenza epidemic. Nurses were in high demand, and by November, Jeffersontown was dealing with its highest number of cases to date. Thankfully, on November 11, 1918, the armistice was signed, ending World War I. Jeffersontown’s duties to country were not over, however - relief was still needed both in the United States and throughout the world. Jeffersontown residents still had to bounce back from the flu epidemic, but they continued their support efforts through the reconstruction after the devastating war was over, doing their part as proud Americans, happy to have their boys home.

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A TIME FOR TRUST

CASA VOLUNTEERS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

Region. “We still have a lot of work to do in the area of child abuse prevention and a lot of kids who need support to overcome the trauma they have endured.”

Court-appointed special advocates (CASAs) are specially trained volunteers who give a voice to abused and neglected kids who need one. Unfortunately, many kids do. Nearly 2,000 children in family court (ages 0-18) had substantiated cases of abuse and neglect in CASA of the River Region’s seven-county service area last year. At the present time, 164 children are waiting for a CASA in Jefferson, Shelby, Spencer, Oldham, Trimble, Bullitt and Henry counties. Although Kentucky has dropped from number one in the nation in 2019 to sixth place in 2021, the child abuse rate remains nearly double the national average. 10 | January 2024 | TownePost.com

“While it is nice to see the ranking drop, we also have to recognize that due to the pandemic, many of the children during that time frame were still not being regularly seen in the classroom, at day care, on the practice field, and in other environments where abuse tends to be spotted and reported,” says Nicole Cardwell, director of development with CASA of the River

“Children and their families tend to receive more services when a CASA is involved,” Cardwell adds. “Our CASAs get to really know the children and their specific situations. Then, they do a great job connecting them with resources like tutoring, medical and therapeutic services.” CASA of the River Region typically trains between 50 and 60 new volunteers each year. They obtain most of them through word of mouth. People hear of friends who have volunteered and had a great

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experience, so they want to be a part of it. Cardwell says one volunteer mentioned that she had heard about CASA on the radio, had seen them on TV, and had read about them in an article, so she took that as a sign that she was meant to become a CASA volunteer. CASA volunteers undergo initial training to develop and strengthen the skills they need to be effective in the role. “Some people think you need to have a social work or law degree to be a CASA, but that is not the case at all,” Cardwell says. “We provide extensive training and ongoing support to our CASAs. We have excellent volunteers from all different backgrounds, and more than half of our current CASAs work full-time jobs.” The training is a 30-hour course. However, CASA now offers inperson, virtual, hybrid and self-guided learning options to fit busy schedules, transportation or child-care constraints, and preferred learning styles. Upon completion of the preservice training, the time commitment is as little as one hour per week, depending on the case. Initially, volunteers are presented with three to five different cases and get to select the one they think would be the

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best fit. Generally, new volunteers will take a case with one child, but it could be more perhaps a sibling group. Volunteers check in on their kids weekly via phone, text, video chat and in person at least once per month. “Because these kids have often been let down by the first caregivers they ever knew, building trust takes time,” Cardwell says. The primary way volunteers build trust is through consistent communication and following through with their words and promises. On average, these kids go to three different homes over the span of their case. “No matter how many homes or schools, or other variables in a child’s life change, their CASA follows them,” Cardwell says. “It’s that consistency that is so crucial.” CASA’s advocacy services are provided free of charge to the children and families they serve. CASA must fundraise 100% of their program budget through grants, special

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events and individual donations. “In our community, there are children who have endured unimaginable hardships due to abuse and neglect,” Cardwell says. “We believe all children deserve a safe and nurturing environment, someone to stand by their side, and an advocate to be their voice of hope - especially children who have experienced abuse and neglect. As a CASA, you have the power to make a lasting impact on these children’s lives.” Right now, the number-one way you can help is by becoming a CASA. If you do not have the time or the ability to volunteer right now, attending special events, making a financial gift, or simply spreading the word about the need for advocates to help children, are great ways to help. CASA of the River Region is located at 982 Eastern Parkway, Box 9 in Louisville. For more information, call 502-595-4911 or visit casariverregion.org.

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DOGGED PURSUIT

MISPITS AND FRIENDS RESCUE HELPS TO FIND TEMPORARY SAFE HAVEN FOR DOGS Writer / Carrie Vittitoe Photography Provided

There is no shortage of worthy animal rescue organizations in Kentuckiana that work to keep dogs and cats off the street, and try to prevent them from being euthanized. Many of them have local facilities where abandoned or unwanted animals can be housed and adopted. MisPits and Friends Rescue, founded in 2017, collaborates with many shelters and helps rescue dogs, but in a slightly different way than some of their peer nonprofits.

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Janet Klein is friends with several of the founders of MisPits and Friends, and it wasn’t until several years ago that she became involved with the organization. “I was looking for something to do since my kids were grown,” she says. As a trained nurse she has a long history of taking care of others, so it seemed a natural transition to simply move to caring for four-legged individuals. To help, Klein didn’t have to leave

the confines of her house, because MisPits and Friends does not have a facility to intake animals. It relies solely on foster volunteers who bring needy dogs into their homes until permanent placements can be made. Volunteers coordinate on Facebook to help out when a dog needs to be in a foster home for a time. “We don’t ever place a dog that we don’t have a house for,” Klein says. “We’re all in-home fostering.”

check with the vets they list to ensure they follow up on their pets’ health care needs. The volunteers also check the references that potential adoptees have noted on their applications. If adoptees make it through this first stage, MisPits volunteers reach out to meet them and any one who lives in the home, including other pets. Klein even walks the

perimeter of the yard to ensure it is safe for a new dog. If she notices something amiss, like a dip between the ground and a fence that could be dangerous for the dog, she will let potential adoptees know those things need to be fixed. “We do all those checks to ensure [the adoption] is going to be good for them and good for the dog,” she says. Sometimes finding the best home for a dog means telling a prospective owner that

While the downside of not having a facility is that the organization members can’t help as many animals as they might want, there are special benefits for the dogs they do rescue. Because these dogs are in people’s homes, they are getting lots of attention and are frequently with other dogs, giving them a chance to socialize. “What makes it great is we get to know them and know what works for them,” Klein says. Having this intimate knowledge of the dogs makes it easier for MisPits and Friends to give adoptive families a strong indication of what type of living situation the dog will be most happy and successful in. Because MisPits and Friends volunteers spend so much time and energy with the dogs they foster, they want to do everything possible to ensure an adoptive family is going to provide a permanent, lifetime home for the dog. “The adoption process is three-tiered and pretty extensive,” Klein says. “If you’re not committed to filling out the application and going through the process, we would prefer you not adopt from us.” Whether dogs are born into rescue situations or taken from a shelter, they haven’t had the best lives possible. In many ways, these animals have been failed in some way. “Our goal is for them not to be failed again,” Klein says. The screening process at MisPits and Friends ensures that potential adoptees live where they say they do, and that there are no breed restrictions, due to neighborhood associations or apartment rental restrictions, for example. If potential adoptees have owned dogs before, MisPits and Friends volunteers

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the type of dog they think they want isn’t really the best dog for their particular living or working situation. Many of the dogs that MisPits and Friends rescue come from other Kentucky counties that do not have a Humane Society, so Klein says they depend on rescue organizations. “If they can’t find any, their only option is to have the dog euthanized,” she says. While MisPits will accept any dog breed, its name comes from the need to help out bully breeds, which are overbred and make up a large percentage of dogs that end up in shelters. “They are constantly being bred for a specific look and that look can cause health problems,” Klein says. Many dog owners still don’t spay or neuter their animals,

which leads to an overabundance of certain breeds as well. Because of these issues, MisPits and Friends is always looking for foster volunteers. “There is much more need than we have capability to respond to,” Klein says. Becoming a foster means being welcomed into a network of committed and compassionate volunteers who are always willing to offer their support and experience via the Facebook group. MisPits and Friends provides toys, food, cages and health care, so fosters don’t have to pay a penny for their fostering service. For some foster volunteers, bringing needy dogs into their homes can become a little addictive. “When I first started, I would look at [volunteers] with five or six dogs in their house and I thought, ‘I

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am never doing that,’” Klein says. “Never say never.” Klein has experienced many personal benefits as a result of fostering dogs, including watching the dogs evolve and experiencing their unconditional love. “You walk out to the mailbox, come back, and you are a rock star when you walk back in,” she says. She’s also met and made friends with people through working as a volunteer. Fostering isn’t without its difficult days. Klein says dogs can sometimes come to foster homes from hoarding or neglectful situations, and are filthy. However, she says this pales in comparison to seeing a dog go from being scared to feeling confident and happy. Even better is when a MisPits dog is adopted and its new family posts pictures and updates on the MisPits and Friends alumni

Facebook group. Despite MisPits and Friends’ extensive application and adoption process, sometimes an adoption is a miss, but the organization stipulates that if for any reason an adopter can’t keep the dog, the dog is returned to MisPits and Friends. The dogs are microchipped, with MisPits and Friends listed as a secondary contact, so any lost or abandoned dogs taken to shelters will be returned to the organization if no owner can be located. MisPits and Friends doesn’t take its commitment to the dogs it rescues lightly, and hopes its adopters do the same. For additional information on fostering, adopting and donating to MisPits and Friends, please visit mispitsandfriends.org.

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Charles Dickens

Jim Porter

CHARLES DICKENS AND JIM PORTER A LITERARY GIANT MEETS A REAL ONE Writer / Dave Matheis Photography Provided

In January of 1842, Charles Dickens arrived in America for his first tour of the country. Not quite 30, he was already what we would now call a celebrity, having published five popular novels including “The Pickwick Papers,” “Oliver Twist” and “The Old Curiosity Shop.” “A Christmas Carol” would be published late in the following year. During his five-month tour of the country he visited Boston, New York, Washington, Baltimore, Montreal, Toronto, Cincinnati, St. Louis and, briefly, Louisville, among many other places. He met with many notable Americans including Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, the Kentuckian Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, former President John Quincy Adams, and then-current President John Tyler in the White House. Just a few months after his tour 20 | January 2024 | TownePost.com

“HE WAS MODEST AND RETIRING, THE VERY SOUL OF HONOR AND HONESTY…HE WAS A GENTLEMAN OF INTELLIGENCE AND WIELDED A CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE AMONG HIS NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.” —JIM POTTER’S EULOGY

he published a book detailing his experiences and impressions, called “American Notes.” During his brief overnight stop in Louisville, he requested to see one person, “Big” Jim Porter, regarded as the tallest man in the world, himself a local celebrity. Porter was born in Ohio in 1811, just 10 months before Dickens was born in England. His family soon moved to Shippingport Island in Kentucky, a short distance downriver from Louisville. It is now part of the city near the Portland neighborhood.

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Porter was of normal size and growth until age 17. He was even described as scrawny. In fact, when he was 14 he began a brief career as a jockey at the Elm Tree Garden racetrack. At 17, however, he began to grow very quickly. It was said he could grow an inch a week. For a time he allowed himself to be measured and weighed weekly, and locals placed bets on how much he had grown that week. By the age of 30 he had reached his full height of seven feet, eight inches, and weighed 300 pounds. His hands were 13 inches long and his feet 15. He apprenticed as a cooper (barrel maker), but became too large to do the job. He then worked as a carriage driver or hack driver. In one Courier-Journal article, someone was reported to have said, “His head and body towered over the hack like the steeple of a church.” He toured the eastern

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United States in 1836 and 1837 in a stage production of “Gulliver’s Travels” with a company of dwarfs. It was through this tour that he gained a measure of national notoriety. P. T. Barnum once offered him the opportunity to travel with his circus, but Porter was not comfortable with that kind of attention and turned it down. He became an operator of drinking establishments in Portland, the most notable being The Lone Star Tavern. And that was what he was doing when Dickens arrived in Louisville. Dickens had been visiting Cincinnati and traveled down the Ohio by steamboat along with Peter Pitchlyn, a Choctaw chief returning to his tribe west of the Mississippi after 17 months of negotiations in Washington. They arrived in Louisville around midnight and went directly to the Galt House. The next day, he is said to have sent a request to Porter to visit him at the hotel. It was reported that Porter said in response that if it was so important for the author to meet him, he could come to him. And Dickens did, going by carriage from the hotel to what was then the suburb of Portland, where he was to catch another steamboat to St. Louis.

Porter left no record of his impressions of their meeting, but Dickens described it briefly in “American Notes.” He noticed that “the Kentucky Giant whose name was Porter” seemed to have a “weakness in the region of his knees and a trustfulness in his long face.” The author had trouble imagining Porter as a carriage driver because of his size. He noticed that Porter had with him a weapon Porter dubbed “the Little Rifle,” which was actually about as tall as Porter. It was something he carried with him everywhere. After their brief discussion, Dickens wrote of Porter departing that he “went bobbing down the cabin, among men of six feet and upwards like a light-house walking among lamp-posts.” Although he might have been impressed by Porter, Dickens was not overly impressed with Louisville or, for that matter, the United States as a whole. In “American Notes” he described the buildings in Louisville as “smoky and blackened,” not unlike those in his native London, since both cities primarily used coal for heating. He passed “a Magistrate’s Office,” (essentially a police station) which he described as “nothing but a little lazy, good for nothing front parlor, open to the street.” Of his trip from the Galt House to Portland, he said “the road was perfectly alive with pigs of all ages, lying about in all directions.”

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As for America, in “American Notes” he made clear that he abhorred the institution of slavery, although failing to mention that his British Empire had largely made it possible. He also criticized the American press for not keeping the American people better informed. Dickens’ fame and popularity as a writer only grew after 1842. He wrote 15 novels in his lifetime, along with many, many short stories and a number of nonfiction books. He returned to America for a speaking tour in 1867 and 1868, and included an apology for his past harsh words about the country at many of his stops. He died at his home in London after suffering a stroke in 1870. As for Jim Porter, he continued as a tavern owner, although he expanded his establishment at what turned out to be the worst time. As railroad travel become more popular, travel by steamboat declined, and this significantly hurt his Portlandbased business in the 1850s. His appearance in “American Notes” did increase his fame and he remained a celebrity for the rest of his tragically short life. In 1859 he was found dead in his bed, and the cause was probably heart disease.

It is generally accepted today that Porter had acromegaly, a disorder of the pituitary gland that results in the production of too much growth hormone in adulthood. A benign tumor known as a pituitary adenoma is the cause in 95% of the cases. People who have the disorder can grow very tall with long arms and legs, and often elongated faces. Diabetes, hypertension, joint pain, vision problems and headaches are common complications. About three in every 50,000 people develop the disorder, which can now be treated by surgery and medication. Acromegaly was probably the cause of Porter’s heart problems that resulted in his death. A eulogy printed in a Louisville newspaper shortly after his death read, in part, “He was modest and retiring, the very soul of honor and honesty…He was a gentleman of intelligence and wielded a considerable influence among his neighbors and friends.” Information for this article was gathered principally from articles in the Louisville Courier-Journal and from the book “American Notes” by Charles Dickens.

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FORTITUDE IN THE NEW YEAR Also, we should remember that all suffer and all are in need of compassion. Our own pain can be a reminder of the pain that others experience and thus remind us of the need to What virtues do you hold most dear? If you had to prioritize help reduce the suffering of others. them in order of most importance, which one’s would be at the very top? Fortitude can be a collective virtue just as much as an Writer / Stanley Hewson Photography Provided

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what virtues I consider most important, not just for myself, but what I admire in others as well. Fortitude is definitely at the top of my list. For if one were not able to withstand the onslaught of challenges that life brings, then it wouldn’t matter if one were also kind, generous, patient and compassionate. Much like the air travel rationale for putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others, it would be hard to be kind, generous, patient and compassionate if you had already given up and lost the will to be a positive force for good. As we march into a new year, I encourage everyone to resolve to increase their fortitude when difficulty arises. To be strong when we are facing uncertainty and to respond to hardships with a stoic commitment towards overcoming those downturns of life.

individual one. Our community can and should face our shared challenges with a shared spirit of fortitude and grit, to overcome what may come our way. Let’s encourage one another to be strong as individuals and to be strong for one another.

Whatever 2023 brought your way and regardless of how you responded to it, look to 2024 with a determination to respond to bumps in the road with even more fortitude and strength than previously displayed. If we can be strong for ourselves, that means we’ll be more present to be strong for others as well.

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TownePost.com | January 2024 | 25

Alane Paulley

WELCOME TO WELLNESS VYFY WELLNESS CLUB HELPS CLIENTS ON THE JOURNEY TO OPTIMAL HEALTH Writer / Gavin LaPaille Photography Provided

Alane Paulley rarely sits down. As the President and Chief Executive Officer of two different health and well-being companies, MagnaWave and Vyfy Wellness Club, Paulley has plenty of reasons to stay on her feet.

cover low-energy cells in raw, pure energy. Founded in 2006 by Paulley’s parents, Pat and Debi Ziemer, MagnaWave uses PEMF technology to help support animals’ overall wellness and optimize balanced functions.

went from selling four machines to eight machines to 25, 50, even 100 each month.”

Due to the increased popularity of the machines, Paulley set her sights on growing the manufacturing side of the business and expanding into elements focused on Initially, the Ziemers traveled throughout humans, while her parents began their North America providing MagnaWave wellness sessions, before focusing on selling retirement plans. AURA Wellness uses the same PEMF technology as MagnaWave, but machines in 2011. The following year, “I start my day at 5:30-6 a.m. to get in a is geared towards the health and well-being Paulley left her job as a producer at a local workout and take my children to school,” television station to join the family business, of humans. It is registered with the Food Paulley says. “Then I go to MagnaWave and Drug Administration as a medical and has since seen MagnaWave explode in offices where I have a standup desk and I device manufacturer and is certified to growth and expand into other areas. never sit down. I knock out all my emails meet federal regulations under the Medical and I have a meeting usually in the morning, “My dad was selling three to four of these Device Single Audit Program. From there, and then come over to Vyfy, and then back Paulley opened Vyfy in Middletown on machines a month at a $20,000 price tag,” over to MagnaWave and wrap my day up Watterson Trail, which houses PEMF Paulley says. “He mentioned to me on the there. Sometimes I’ll do full days at one or phone he needed help. I had two children of machine technology with other modalities the other - back and forth all day working my own and I didn’t see them a lot because I for recovery, pain relief and wellness all in with customers. I love talking to people on worked nights, so I quit my job and jumped one place. the phone.” ship to work for him. We rented an office “I knew a lot of people in this industry off Frankfort Avenue and he was able to MagnaWave offers the latest wellness teach me how to sell and grow the business. because I was in it,” Paulley says. “I ended technology to animals through pulsed up getting the best of the best equipment I started improving our website and online electromagnetic fields (PEMF), used to sales and training program. We very quickly and putting it all in one place, and found my 26 | January 2024 | TownePost.com

own procedure for getting optimum results - created something that is not like anything else in the area. We have the latest and greatest wellness equipment. If you have a problem that you’ve tried everything for and your only options are drugs or surgery, then we have a plan for you. We offer safe and alternative high-tech wellness that changes lives.” While MagnaWave and AURA sell machines all over the world, Vyfy makes the PEMF technology available locally at an affordable price. Vyfy offers a number of membership packages, including a Vyfy Membership level that is $20 per month. It comes with a free nutrient boost injection and

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are the ones who don’t believe because they have nothing to lose, so come try it.” There are also time-based and action-based “We can work out a plan for you and coach you in all things, including personal services, sold in monthly & individual training,” she adds. “As a woman who has session packages, for such services as float had three children, being in a gym where therapy, red-light sauna and hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Other services Vyfy offers you are intimidated, and around a lot of people and not knowing what you are include local and full-body cryotherapy, doing, is scary. Whoever you are, if you are cold plunge, intravenous infusion therapy, personal training, and aesthetics. Vyfy offers intimidated, we have an entire room that free initial consultations where someone on is just personal and we do entire workouts staff explains which machines and programs there.” can generate the most success. The target Vyfy stands out from other wellness clubs audience is anyone between the ages of 14 and 75 who have some sort of pain issue, be because of the varied and complementary services under one roof. They also assist in it physical or mental. making sure the services are administered in the correct order, to increase chances of “Usually if it’s not a chronic problem, we success. can almost immediately give you results,” Paulley says. “If you have issues with just Paulley says life is much different for her pain and discomfort, you could feel a difference after one session. We partner with now than it was in her previous career, but a physical therapist and he helps them work she has been able to use some of those skills as a business owner. towards their goal. Usually you will leave here feeling something. My favorite people cryotherapy session.

“You have to think on your feet as a business owner,” Paulley says. “As a television producer, when a story lands on your feet, you have to do so much research and figure out all the ins and out to write that story, no matter what the topic is. There is a lot of understanding and learning you have to do every day. When I started, I just wanted to learn. I read books and self-educated myself, which is very similar to the news industry, when you might be talking about dogs one day and scientific research another, but you have to understand both.” Paulley says her long-term hope is to continue to grow all the businesses and perhaps franchise Vyfy into more locations. “My goal ultimately is to franchise,” Paulley says. “The beautiful thing is I have really close relationships with the manufactures for all the machines in the building. If you’re trying to go out and start a business and you want to start something like this, it can be difficult to know where to start. I’ve spent

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the last two years knowing what works and I have a great team of people here. They are all on the same mission. My goal is to be the biggest pulsed electromagnetic field maker in the world. I want to bring this therapy to the masses. I believe this therapy should be something we are offering to everyone. I

really want to talk about how to use what I know, to get us back to what works instead of drugs and surgery.” Vyfy Wellness Club is located at 106 Watterson Trail in Louisville. To learn more, call 502-289-1045 or go to vyfyky.com.

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BEETLE LARVAE: These beetle larvae were found nestled under a rotten log.

BUG OUT

WHERE DO ALL THE INSECTS GO IN WINTER? Writer / Erin Kinnetz, Education Specialist, The Parklands of Floyds Fork Photography Provided

Spending time outdoors during the winter has its advantages. The bare trees allow you to really see the bones of the land. The shorter days give way to enjoyably cool, crisp weather. For bird watchers, the bare trees spotlight our resident birds. For some, an advantage might be a whole season of hiking and biking free from biting insects. But where do all the insects go in winter? In Kentucky we have mild winters but animals in the wild still have two major concerns - the cold and less available food. Famously, our monarchs choose to leave the north behind, migrating to the Michoacán mountains of Mexico. This is a fascinating adaptation of the hardy, high-flying eastern monarch, but for most of our bugs, this would be an insane decision. All our arthropods (hard-shelled creepy crawlies like insects, spiders, millipedes, 30 | January 2024 | TownePost.com

crawdads and more) are ectothermic. You may have heard of this referred to as cold-blooded, although, bugs’ blood looks and moves differently than our own blood. Having to regulate your body temperature using your environment may seem like a detriment, but in fact it’s a great advantage.

dead, but once the days get longer and warmer, they come out of diapause none the worse for wear. Some of our arthropods even have a special adaptation through which they fill their body with antifreeze proteins. This allows the arthropod to freeze solid and still live.

When you are cold-blooded, your body can handle a wider range of temperatures and you need less food to do so. Even in Kentucky, most days in winter are still too cold for our bugs on land to move around easily. Instead, they go into a state of diapause, which is a kind of dormancy. Their bodies do as little as they can to stay alive. They don’t need to eat or drink, and they aren’t capable of movement. They can go into diapause at any stage of life including egg, larva, pupa or adult. If you were to stumble across one of these bugs in diapause, you might wonder if they were

Going into diapause helps our bug friends survive the cold and low food availability, but it leaves them vulnerable to predation and drying out. A bug in diapause is an easy meal and can’t move out of the dry winter air. To prepare for their winter diapause, many bugs seek out or prepare a safe place to survive winter - a hibernaculum. One bug home that I find delightful to try and spot is called a gall. This is a deformity on a plant part such as a leaf or stem. Many of these galls were induced to form by an insect such as a gall wasp or gall fly. This is

GOLDENROD GALL FLY GALLS: These large balls found on the stems of dead standing goldenrod each house a tiny larva. It’s not foolproof protection, though! One of these galls has a hole pecked into the side where a chickadee ate a winter bug snack.

If you are headed out on a winter bug hunt, a sure bet for finding some bugs is to flip over a log. If the day is warm enough, you may even see them moving around and going about their day as if it were spring and not winter. Our mild winters do make it easier on our arthropod friends to survive the winter and emerge once more in the spring. In the Parklands, one important bug habitat is our stream, Floyds Fork. Interestingly, for our aquatic arthropods such a dragonfly larvae, mayfly larvae, and crayfish, the water isn’t too cold.

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Insects aren’t known as deep thinkers, so they are happy to take advantage of obvious hiding spots such as under logs, mixed in among the plentiful leaf litter, in the crevasses of tree bark, and underground. While they may be obvious, they are very effective. I challenge you to find a silk moth cocoon wrapped in their leaf amongst the piles of leaf litter in our forests. If you were a hungry turkey, you could do it but you’d have to work at it.

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usually part of a longer life strategy for which they get food from the plant in the previous summer. It also serves as a safe place to overwinter until they emerge as adults in the spring.

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POLYPHEMUS MOTH COCOON: This cocoon has been left behind from last winter. Otherwise, park staff wouldn’t have been able to spot it. These large silk moths wrap a leaf all around themselves and then drop to the forest floor. They depend on the leaf litter to keep them moist and protected during the winter.

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WHEEL BUG EGGS: These tiny sushi rolls on the tree each contain a wheel bug in diapause.

It would be hard for us warm-blooded animals to imagine thinking the stream was comfortably warm in the winter, but for many of our ectothermic arthropods, the water feels fine. Remember, we said cold-blooded animals are more tolerant of a wider range of temperatures. Aquatic bugs need to be wary of the edges of the creek where the shallower water is more prone to freeze and hungry, clever predators such as mink may find them.

bugs, like their terrestrial counterparts, can go through diapause, but they often don’t need to. Instead, they continue eating the decomposing leaf litter and other smaller bugs to get bigger for the next year. Sorry, this includes the much maligned but important mosquito larvae as well.

EASTERN BAGWORM COCOON: Unlike most moths, this caterpillar lives inside its cocoon long before it is ready to pupate. As winter approaches, they seal themselves inside and will emerge as moths in the spring. Look how well they mimicked the color of the tree behind them!

extreme cold. They are good food for many of our animals and play a role in population control of some species. However, I do hate getting ticks, so I’m not too sad about losing a few ticks.

For a real impact on our bug population, we would need freezing temperatures in the -20 At this point you may be thinking about that to -30 degree range for a sustained period - at least a couple of weeks. For Kentucky deep freeze in December due to the polar our winters are much easier than that, and vortex. I often heard the phrase, “At least we’ll have fewer bugs next year.” Fortunately, luckily in the spring we can celebrate the return of the bugs as all the animals that that’s not true for most of our arthropods! During summer, the edges of the creek are depend on them for their food surely will. If our bugs are given the soils, leaf litter, alive with activity, but for the winter, many For now, enjoy the bug break during the logs, brush piles, streams and ponds they of the cold-blooded bugs travel into deeper winter. pools. The deeper pools act as a buffer keeping need, they can survive the mighty cold. It the temperature steady around 42 degrees. must be nice to be cold-blooded. Ticks do You can’t expect a warm day in the creek, but it tend to choose more exposed overwintering also doesn’t get much colder than that. Aquatic spots and they’re often the first affected by

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Natural Fit WILLIAM BROWN TAKES ON RANGER ROLE AT E.P. “TOM” SAWYER STATE PARK Writer / Carrie Vittitoe Photography Provided

magine a job in which you get to stand beneath a mighty oak listening to birds chatter in the early morning hours as the sun peaks over the horizon. Some days you’re lucky enough to spot a whitetailed deer darting into or out of a wooded area. Maybe you catch sight of an elusive fox sneaking across a leaf-strewn trail. This immersion in the natural world is simply part of the life of a law enforcement officer.

at the park.

A park ranger at a state park in Kentucky is a bit different from a park ranger you might see at a national park in Colorado, Utah or Montana. Those positions fall under the U.S. Department of the Interior, so rangers in national parks have educational or ambassadorial roles (although some rangers are required to hold a firearm). “Here in Kentucky, a ranger is a peace officer,” Brown says. “A ranger has arrest powers, police This is part of the life of a ranger at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park in eastern Jefferson powers, on the premises. Once we leave the premises, we turn into regular citizens.” Like County, one of Kentucky’s 45 state parks. national park rangers, though, Brown and It has been several years since this position other Kentucky state park rangers do serve was filled, but 30-year law enforcement veteran William Brown was sworn in during as ambassadors, intent on making the park an enjoyable place for visitors. the month of January in 2023, and he is excited to be the face of safety and security

34 | January 2024 | TownePost.com

Brown grew up in the Valley Station area and began his career in Metro Corrections, where he spent over five years, but he decided to spread his wings a bit. He spent the next 13 years with Louisville Metro where he worked in many different capacities, including patrolman and homicide detective. It was a bit of a dream for him since, as a kid, he always envisioned either becoming a basketball player or a policeman. “Unfortunately I didn’t grow too tall,” he says. When he did take the path to law enforcement, he quickly realized he had some natural skills that helped him. “I learned very quickly that I like talking,” he says. “I was a pretty good interviewer with people.” His communication skills helped him get

guns off the street, a task that he says was especially meaningful for him, and it also helped him with solving homicide cases. “Taking a murderer off the street is a great feeling,” he says. However, working these cases weighed on him. “You’re dealing with a lot of sad people, a lot of unhappy moms and dads,” he says. After retiring with 20 years of service, he moved to the University of Louisville Police Department. “That was a planned thing because if you go, whether you’re a policeman, a carpenter or a professor, any of your children who choose to go to that school go for free,” Brown says. He then moved to a couple small police departments, including West Buechel, but as he entered his sixth decade, he talked to his adult children and decided he would be OK with slowing down just a little bit. Even though he was in a small department, it was a hands-on job that resulted in a lot of stress, due in part to being short-staffed. While age 52 certainly isn’t old, Brown was starting

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to feel the effects of three decades of police work and was concerned about what his health could be if he didn’t slow down a bit. Brown was open to the idea of moving outside of Louisville for a state park ranger job, but was thrilled when he discovered the position at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park. Sandwiched between Hurstbourne Parkway and Freys Hill Road, the park is a respite surrounded by neighborhoods and businesses. It offers numerous amenities including a pool and splash pad, a BMX track, pickleball courts, and a radiocontrolled airfield.

park is, for Brown, the size of a city patrol beat, which he is used to, but “the biggest change is that 95% of the people I see are there to have a good time,” he says.

Still, there is always a possibility that something untoward can happen, which is why park rangers in the state have a background in law enforcement. “If the stuff hits the fan, I know I’ll be able to handle it,” Brown says. While the winter months are generally quieter than the rest of the year, Brown expects that the summer will see more issues, such as teenagers loitering, vandalism, and excessive speed on the park’s roads. Being a longtime law enforcement As a ranger Brown is responsible for security officer has its benefits, primarily because of the wisdom that comes with experience. “It and safety in the park, which could range from replacing a lightbulb to ensuring areas helps to have a maturity level so you don’t fly off the handle quickly on something that, are well-lit to speaking to an individual in maybe if you assessed it slower, could have a suspicious vehicle. He has to know the been smoothed out,” he says. park like the back of his hand, including all walking trails, because, should an emergency arise, he needs to know the most To be a park ranger, it’s a good idea to actually enjoy the outdoors, and Brown efficient ways to get to various points. The

does. He often takes his three grandsons fishing, and he spends a lot of time outside in his yard. He’s also a big fan of Otter Creek Recreation Area in Meade County, Kentucky. He says knowing he could be outside 80% of the time in the ranger role was a big selling point. In his first few weeks in the position, he spotted a one-rack deer and a coyote. He enjoys taking pictures of nature, so his role as a ranger is feeding the creative side of his personality. Life often takes people on unexpected roads they might not have anticipated when they were younger. It’s likely that most young people wouldn’t envision that a life as a police officer could bring them so fully into nature as a state park ranger. Brown says young people don’t have to get a degree in police administration or criminal justice to have a successful career. “You can go into communications, psychology, social work, and you’ll make an awesome police officer,” he says. “You won’t be pigeonholing yourself into one thing.”

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