Jeffersontown Magazine February 2023

FOUNDER/CEO TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com 317.496.3599

JEANNE BRITT jeanne@townepost.com 317.810.0011

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DR. AARON BERGER WITH HIS WIFE RACHEAL AND THEIR CHILDREN.

LEADING LADY

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

Carol Pike made history when she was elected Jeffersontown’s first female mayor. She garnered the votes of a majority of local residents who felt her passion for Jeffersontown made her the best person for the job. Pike remains humble about her success, and says “anything is possible.” Her own experience proves that.

Pike, now 70, grew up in Maysville, Kentucky, where she lived with her sister, her father, who owned a radiator shop, and her mother, a beautician. When she was 11 years old the family relocated to Jeffersontown, where they established their new home. Pike had a difficult childhood, which she will never forget, but it gave her the drive and determination to set goals and achieve them in her adult life.

After graduating from Jeffersontown High School, Pike got married, then attended real estate school. She began her career selling houses in 1977, and became one

of Louisville’s top realtors. Thanks to her community involvement and loyalty from her clients throughout the years, Pike was able to form her own company, At Home Louisville, four years ago. She is a Safe Place volunteer and also works with animal rescue services, in addition to her many duties connected with serving on the City Council.

Pike credits Daniel Ruckriegel for encouraging her to run for Jeffersontown’s City Council. She was elected in 1982 and has served ever since - a whopping 19 terms.

During her time on the City Council, Pike has chaired a variety of programs including the Safety Committee, Parks & Recreation, and the Fire Department board. A fervent animal lover, she also served on the board of Blackacre State Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead. She has been an active member on each committee, so people in the community have gotten to know her well. At City Council meetings she has always been a vocal advocate for the residents of the town, taking their concerns

seriously and insisting that their needs be met, while at the same time striving to ensure that business development in Jeffersontown continues as smoothly as possible, so the City of Jeffersontown can prosper for everyone involved.

Pike prayed hard about whether or not she should run for mayor. Ultimately she chose to run, because she loves the town and its citizens so much that she did not want to see it take a step backwards once Bill Dieruf, who served for 12 years, vacated office. “He’s done a fantastic job and I wanted to carry on his work,” Pike says. “I knew my opponent was not interested in continuing all of the programs we currently offer our citizens, so I said, ‘God, give me a sign if you want me to run,’ and one morning I woke up with a feeling of clarity. I jumped in line and started a campaign.”

Pike’s long-term goals as mayor are threefold - obtain, maintain and retain a variety of items for the city. She would like to obtain new businesses, maintain the pride residents

CAROL PIKE BECOMES JEFFERSONTOWN’S FIRST FEMALE MAYOR

have in the city, which is an excellent place to live work and play, and retain the current businesses and infrastructures that provide access to the many services appreciated by citizens.

Pike is excited to have experienced staff in all departments of the city, and looks forward to working with them and utilizing their expertise as she begins the next four years. Her primary focus is to have a strong

economic development department. “I’ve sold real estate all my life, so I know what it takes to sell something,” Pike says. “This city is not hard to sell.”

First and foremost, she plans to keep her eye on the industrial park, as it allows the citizens of Jeffersontown to have all the services they enjoy at a very low tax rate. “Our citizens are taxed at less than 14 cents per $100, whereas Louisville city tax is 46

cents per $100,” Pike says. “For that amount, you get your police protection, your roads cleared, your garbage and recyclables picked up, and the services go on and on.”

Secondly, Pike wants to energize and renovate the downtown area. Plans are underway to build an amphitheater, which will bring revenue to the downtown businesses. Walking paths will connect downtown Jeffersontown with the amphitheater, which is scheduled to open in September. Pike would also like to revitalize downtown Jeffersontown with a trolley hop

once a month, to assist in getting people downtown to support the businesses.

Pike has had more than four decades of experience dealing with every aspect of Jeffersontown, and residents could not ask for a more engaged representative. She is eager to become Jeffersontown’s first female mayor. “It’s surreal to be honest, but so exciting,” she says. “Not only to achieve the title as mayor, but being the first female mayor, is something I’m so proud of. With the help of my family and supporters, we achieved this goal together. I have the

opportunity to lead my hometown, the place that I love.”

Pike’s genuine passion for the town is obvious in the way she lights up when discussing it. To her, Jeffersontown is more than simply a place. It represents a spirit, a sense of pride and a hometown feeling.

Pike graciously appreciates the support of the community, and she would like everyone to remember that anything is possible when you set your mind to it and have a dream.

Joey

CLEAN SWEEP

HUSBAND & WIFE START LOCAL CURLING CLUB AFTER BEING INSPIRED BY TEAM USA

Writer / Grace Schaefer Photography Provided

The scene is the 2018 Winter Olympics, the crowd is cheering, and Team USA just won its first gold medal for curling. It sure doesn’t seem like this ice-based Olympic broadcast from Pyeongchang, South Korea, would have had much of an impact in Louisville, Kentucky.

But it did.

In the wake of Team USA’s victory, Bethaney and Brett Curry were inspired. The couple sought out local curling clubs, but soon found that there were none within a two-hour drive from Louisville. So, with the determination – but not the experience of Olympians –two people who had never held the brooms or thrown the stones started their own group: the Derby City Curling Club.

Starting a club meant learning the basics of curling first: rules, terminology, and equipment. For a club game, two teams of four attempt to ‘throw,’ or slide, a 44-pound stone closest to the ‘button,’ or the bullseye that is found in a set of concentric circles drawn on

the ice, to earn a point.

For each stone closer to the button than the opponent’s closest, the scoring team gains another point. As the stone slides, teammates sweep the ice in its path with their brooms. This heats the ice, affecting the amount of curl in the stone’s journey. After eight rounds of eight stones per team, the game ends, and the team with the highest score wins.

But curling is far more than rules of play. When Derby City players step out onto the ice, they go out to bypass the basics and break barriers.

“Our primary goal is to bring curling to the state of Kentucky in an adaptive way for both youth and people of all ages,” Kendra Felix says. As president of the club, Felix’s goal is to continue the sportsmanship that curling brings. Felix was elected after founder Bethaney Curry stepped down from the position to pursue a PhD.

Today, the club actively brings curling to all ages and offers Learn to Curl sessions. The club also offers adaptive classes so that those with disabilities can join.

“Anyone can do it. You can curl from a standing position or a squatting position,” Felix says. “You can curl from a sitting position, like in a wheelchair.”

Open to all ages, the club’s website noted the youngest participant is 8 years old and the oldest is 81.

“We have a lot of people who are interested in curling,” Felix says. “We have a lot of people who don’t know at all what it is, and that’s ok. That’s why we’re here.

The ‘that’s why we’re here’ mindset is the cornerstone of the international curling community and the basis of the club’s mission.

“Curling is all about people, honestly, when it comes right down to it.” Felix says. Once the game is done, there is a tradition called ‘broom stacking.” At the end of the game, everyone stacks their brooms and goes to socialize and talk.

Felix noted that many times, athletes go to a curling competition and don’t know anyone else. There could be people from different parts of the world and after the game has ended, athletes are sitting around a table and sharing a meal and chatting.

“OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO BRING CURLING TO THE STATE OF KENTUCKY IN AN ADAPTIVE WAY FOR BOTH YOUTH AND PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.”

—KENDRA FELIX

“It’s really fun and it’s how you meet more people,” Felix says. “You get more involved in the clubs; you get involved more in the sport itself and you build networks that support you no matter what. It’s like growing a family.”

Beyond visiting with other teams, Felix also discusses the interactions between Derby City Curling Club and the professional world.

“When Team USA won the gold, one of the players, the vice skip of that team, decided to retire and became a sports ambassador,” Felix says.

“His name is Tyler George, and he visits different clubs. He came to our club just to chat and talk to us and show us his gold medal . . . he is the nicest guy; you wouldn’t even know he’s an Olympian,” Felix says.

It’s this involvement that strengthens the community, Felix explained. “You can be brand new at curling and go all the way up to the Olympic level and still be friends with these people. The friendships that we’ve gained, not only on a local and national level, but also at the elite level, make it something I wanted to pursue.”

Yet despite a wonderful community and a focus on inclusion, the Derby City Curling Club has certainly had hard times. Founded only a few years before the start of a global pandemic, the fledgling group lost an entire season to the COVID-19 virus before returning to the ice for the 2021 – 2022 season.

Yet, the time lost wasn’t time wasted. The club took the opportunity to improve ice maintenance at Alpine Ice Arena, their current home. Although coming back was exciting with new opportunities and fresh ice, the club was certainly different-whether from pandemic-related concerns or other factors, many players didn’t return.

“We kind of had to start over,” Felix says.

Now, the club is moving into the future, retaining the ideas of family and adaptivity while looking to expand.

One goal is to establish their own curling facility.

“On arena ice, you’re going to be competing with ice skating and hockey and other ice sports, and it makes the ice not ideal for curling,” Felix says. “The idea is to have a warehouse space that we convert to an ice floor. That will further increase the growth of the sport because we’ll be able to do more classes, clinics, workshops, leagues, and competitions.”

Yet without more members, the club can’t grow. Derby City strive to increase membership with options for people of all ages and skill sets.

“The first step to joining a curling club is taking a Learn to Curl, the signature two-hour class that gives an introduction to the sport,” Felix says.

Felix laughed when she talks about the classes. “Once you’re hooked after those two hours, you can become a member and curl on a regular basis.”

She also encourages those interested in competing to join the club. “Our membership is so low that leagues can’t really happen yet,” she says. “We need people to join so we can talk about leagues—there’s truly something for every curler at Derby City.”

Felix reflected on her experience so far. “The game of curling attracts really good people,” she says.

With such a strong emphasis on relationships and sportsmanship, it’s no wonder. Curling is truly a sport centered around unity and family – that’s the real ‘button’ players aim for. The equality, value and mutual respect that comes for a collection of so many passionate athletes is a road sign pointing toward a unity of love and belonging –like a family – far beyond sports and ourselves.

Making that road sign more prominent is the future of the Derby City Curling Club – one stone at a time.

For more information or to sign up for a Learn to Curl class, visit www.derbycitycurlingclub.com or email derbycitycurlingclub@ gmail.com.

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STAR OF THE SHOW

FLOURISHES IN NEW SPACE AT TRAGER FAMILY JCC

Writer / Gavin LaPaille Photography Provided

After more than two years away, CenterStage has returned to the stage at the Trager Family Jewish Community Center. Known as Kentucky’s oldest community theatre, CenterStage is back with four full-run productions during the 2022-23 season, with an additional two shows offered on a more limited basis.

CenterStage kicked off its first MainStage production since February of 2020 with a musical titled “CenterStage: A Century of Entertainment” that highlighted many favorite CenterStage memories from previous past. Other titles this season include “Falsettos,” “13: The Musical” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Two additional performances, “The Kings Revue” and “The Diary of Anne Frank,” will be available in limited runs. This season continues the long tradition of CenterStage, which has been around in some iteration for roughly 120 years. Erin Jump, the Arts and Ideas Director at the Trager Family JCC, said that

the excitement level is incredibly high after CenterStage moved into its new 107,000-square-foot facility in April at the newly opened Trager Family JCC. CenterStage auditions, rehearsals and performances take place in the Shapira Foundation Auditorium in the new building located at 3600 Dutchmans Lane.

“Our space has a state-of-the-art sound system that is brand new,” Jump says. “We upgraded our lighting system, while also bringing over some of our existing equipment from our former space. We invested in new curtains and drapery, and we have brand new dressing rooms. Most importantly, we have a brand-new riser system that provides additional seating for our audience.”

Known for delivering quality community theater and spectacular musicals, CenterStage gives local performers, designers and musicians an opportunity to practice their passions all while fulfilling the collective mission to “open minds, one act at a time.” CenterStage is a true community theater and reviews have boasted that CenterStage produces professional quality productions.

“The performers are members of our community,” Jump says. “We host auditions and open it up to anyone and everyone. We have had people who have had a professional arts career, but everyone does it for no pay. Community theater is often volunteer time. They do it because they love to perform and bring the arts to our area.”

In addition to the MainStage productions, which mainly features adult actors, CenterStage also offers an experience for the younger generation looking to learn more about the theater world. The CenterStage Academy is CenterStage’s after-school program that acts as a sort of training ground for the MainStage performers and welcomes kids from kindergarten to eighth grade to learn more about the performing arts in a classroom setting.

This year, the academy will be performing “Fiddler on the Roof JR”’ a special adaption of the popular Broadway musical.

“My focus for the kids, while we are creating a product, is focusing on process,” Jump says. “What is the process to create the product? That includes all the kids collaborating and communicating. Working together to put this final product together and how to work in theater world. It gives them a picture of what it feels like to be a performer and what it takes to do that. My focus for CenterStage Academy isn’t necessarily to create leads on Broadway, it’s more about how we can work together and how does that look in theater. We grow relationships. I meet the kids where they are and grow them through instruction and modeling.”

The two pillars of CenterStage will merge somewhat this year with the MainStage production of “13: The Musical.” The show will primarily feature younger actors as it tells the story of Evan, who moves with his mom from big-city New York to small town Appleton, Indiana. Many of the performers in ‘13’ will be recent graduates of CenterStage Academy, with Jump making her directorial debut with

“THE PERFORMERS ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE HOST AUDITIONS AND OPEN IT UP TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE." —ERIN JUMP

the production.

While many performers from CenterStage Academy go on to youth performing arts schools and aspire to be performers later on, Jump said that the lessons the children learn through CenterStage can be applied to industries outside theater.

“If they are able to take these skills and take them to the theater world, I’m happy with that,” Jump says. “But if they take them to whatever else they want to do that, I’m thrilled about that too. I think the lessons we learn in theater, how we work with other people, how we listen, how we communicate, how we are feeling, how we connect with other worlds and other cultures through theater only builds us as human beings that can contribute to our world.”

While CenterStage is affiliated with the Trager Family JCC, all community members are invited to audition, volunteer and attend shows. Tickets can be purchased for $25, with VIP upgrades available that include amenities like table seating towards the front of the auditorium, a VIP lounge before the show and complimentary concessions.

“We get the word out through social media and our website to spread the message to people who know us and others who don’t,” Jump says. “A lot of people who attend our shows aren’t in the theater world. We invite audience members who are just excited to be here and share the love of theatre with us.”

Jump hopes to continue seeing CenterStage grow and serving the community while fulfilling the JCC’s mission.

“We have so much going on and so many programs we are providing to our community,” Jump says. “We want to make sure we are using our space and our calendar in the best way. Our mission here at the Trager Family JCC is to bring people together and discover and flourish in the lives we live here, no matter where you are from. We believe in providing ways for people to do that while they’re here. I believe that the arts do that so naturally and organically. CenterStage fits into that mission of bringing people together to grow and to flourish.”

CenterStage at the Trager Family JCC is located at 3600 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville, Kentucky. You can reach CenterStage at 502-238-2797 or on their website at jcclouisville.org/centerstage.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEART HEALTH

February is American Heart Month, a time for focusing on our cardiovascular health and prioritizing the importance of maintaining a healthy heart. “Even if you feel like you are 100% healthy, you may be at risk for heart diseases without even knowing it,” says Henry Sadlo, M.D., a cardiologist with UofL Health who practices at UofL Physicians - Cardiology at Springs Medical Center in St. Matthews. “It is important to talk to your primary care provider about your risk-factor profile, as this is the best way to evaluate if individuals need to get referred to a cardiologist.”

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States, yet many people rule out the possibility of it because they don’t fall into the stereotypical categories for high risk. “The truth is, many individuals are at higher risk for developing a cardiovascular disease, so it’s extremely important to take the steps to reduce your risk,” Sadlo says. “There are some risk factors that you can eliminate, but others can be well-controlled to reduce your heart risk, keeping your heart as healthy as possible.”

Writer / Erika Bolton, UofL Health Photography Provided

Dr. Henry Sadlo

SMOKING

If you are an active smoker, you are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease as smoking leads to buildup of plaque and fatty substances in your arteries. Cutting back on smoking initially, and working toward eliminating smoking entirely, greatly reduces cardiac risk.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

High blood pressure forces your heart to work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body. When your heart works in overdrive to pump blood to your body, it causes the left ventricle in your heart to thicken, which can lead to issues such as heart attack and heart failure.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Similar to smoking, having a high cholesterol level causes plaque to build up in the arteries, which increases risk for heart attack and stroke. General guidelines are for LDL cholesterol to be at less than 100. For individuals with known heart disease, an LDL cholesterol level at less than 70 is the minimum goal.

DIABETES

Diabetes causes high blood glucose levels. Over time, high blood glucose can damage blood vessels and nerves that work to control your heart. Therefore, many people with diabetes often develop heart diseases at a much younger age than people without diabetes.

DIET AND UNHEALTHY EATING HABITS

Forming unhealthy eating habits puts you at risk for cardiovascular diseases for multiple reasons. Having a higher-than-recommended intake of foods with a lot of salt and fat causes inflammation that leads to heart issues. One way to reduce your risk is to make dietary changes, such as eating more fruits and vegetables, consuming small portions of food with minimal salts and fats, and limiting food and beverages with sugar. Additionally, unhealthy eating habits can eventually lead to obesity, which is another key risk factor for heart diseases. Risks associated with obesity can be reduced by working to lose weight and implementing at least 30 minutes of moderateintensity aerobic exercise five days per week, for a minimum of 150 minutes per week, which is the recommended American Heart Association guideline.

“Although there are some risk factors that can be reduced with changing your habits, there are others that can’t be changed,” Sadlo says. A family history of heart disease is a major risk factor that cannot be controlled or changed. Some of these higher-risk groups include males, minority groups and people over the age of 45.

If you belong to a minority group, it’s especially important to be aware of and understand the high-risk factors you may have. The Hispanic population is one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States and has the greatest risk for certain risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Additionally, African Americans are at higher risk for heart disease (heart failure in particular), diabetes and high blood pressure. Although heredity cannot be changed, most risk factors can be modified to reduce long-term cardiac risk.

“Whether your risk factors can be changed or not, if you fall into one or more of these categories or are unsure of your risk, it’s important to get screened to get an assessment of your heart health and reduce the risk of future cardiac events,” Sadlo says. One of the best screenings to determine any potential signs of coronary disease is the coronary calcium scan. This can help to indicate if you are at risk for heart attack even if you are not experiencing any symptoms. Your health care provider can help determine if you are an appropriate candidate for this test, which is one of the most common indicators to initiate statin medications to lower cholesterol, in addition to maintaining a heart-healthy diet.

During this noninvasive procedure, a CAT scan, without any intravenous injections, is done to identify calcified plaque. Once images are captured, a computer will create a calcium score, and UofL Health radiologists will finalize and review all images for a final report. Once the scan is over, your physician will receive the results of the scan and work with you to determine the next steps and provide recommendations for treatment if necessary. The team at UofL Health started this coronary calcium screening program in 2014, and has since helped to improve patient treatments and identified highrisk individuals that benefitted from life-saving procedures such as coronary stenting and coronary bypass surgeries.

“When it comes to your heart health, it’s important to not delay taking preventative measures,” Sadlo says. You can contact your primary care provider today to see if you are an appropriate candidate for this important screening test.

If you are unsure of where to begin with your heart health journey, UofL Health - Heart Hospital provides world-class, comprehensive cardiovascular care. UofL Health - Heart Hospital has a network of more than 300 experts throughout Louisville, and close to home in St. Matthews at Springs Medical Center, dedicated to providing patients with lifechanging diagnoses and treatment plans. With 17 different comprehensive heart services, UofL Health - Heart Hospital is guaranteed to offer a service that best fits your heart’s needs, no matter what stage of your journey.

We offer custom made weighted blankets, weighted lap pads and other compression therapy items. With years of experience, we will assess your needs and create a custom piece that’s right for you. We understand the importance of educating you on the most effective ways to use our products and to incorporate them into your treatment plan.

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5 SCHOOL PROBLEMS THAT COULD BE VISION RELATED

Writer/ Dr. Bowersox (Bowersox Vision) Photography Provided

As parents, many of us have been there. A smart child that is underperforming at school always leads to a million questions: Classmate problems? Not connecting with the teacher? ADD/ADHD? Dyslexia, or maybe something else?

Surprisingly, many people overlook vision! Many, but not all eye doctors, look for clinical findings that are associated with school and reading problems. Here is what to watch out for:

1. Blurring, eye rubbing, sleepy or getting headaches after 20 minutes of reading. This can be a problem with focusing, bringing the eyes together or several other problems.

2. Using a finger or ruler to keep their place on a page. Typically, this is a problem related to moving our eyes in a reading type movement. This should be normal after age 6.

3. Poor comprehension with reading. Another sign of reading eye movement problems is poor comprehension. If a child can tell you more about a book if you read it to them vs them reading it alone, this is a likely contributor.

4. Grades that are not aligned with ability. A-B brain with C-D grades. Many children don’t work up to their full potential because they don’t know that they are not seeing like their classmates and can’t explain why they are not doing well in school.

5. Homework is a nightmare! They cry, you cry. They tell you “I can’t.” It is often seen as an excuse or laziness, but it can be eye related.

Ask your doctor if they specifically look for convergence (eyes coming together as in reading) and saccadic or reading type eye movement skills. If not, ask them to refer you to a doctor that is trained in binocular vision, or you can find a doctor near you at COVD.org.

KEEPING THINGS FLOWING

TAILSPIN ALE FEST IS STILL BREWING UP THE FUN AFTER 10 YEARS

Writer / Kevin Gibson Photographer / Tony Bennett Photography

It was an unlikely undertaking when vendors at the first Tailspin Ale Fest began pouring beers on February 22, 2014. For a city like Louisville, which boasted only five breweries within its borders only a handful of years earlier, how would a large festival held in, of all places, an airport hangar, possibly fly?

Going into year 10, Tailspin is flying higher than ever before - and it didn’t always look like that would be the case. While year one was blessed with unseasonably warm and sunny weather with bright skies, mildly undermining the festival’s Winter Warmer theme, it hasn’t all been friendly skies.

“We’ve been through rain, sleet, snow and now wind,” says Tisha Gainey, co-founder.

Yep, year two was besieged by an ice storm. The 2020 Tailspin Ale Fest went off without a hitch, but under the threat of an impending pandemic. Last year’s return to the festivities at Bowman Field was hit by an unexpected windstorm that badly damaged two of the

main tents - tents designed to withstand winds of 85 miles per hour, no less. The team, the vendors and even some of the attendees pulled together at the last minute to somehow make the festival happen.

Through a decade of growing pains and challenges, the Tailspin team has made sure the beer always gets through the storm and into the hands - and mouths - of attendees. In 2023, expect that to continue, whatever obstacles might ultimately present themselves.

Gainey has been a beer enthusiast essentially her whole life. Her husband Ryan proposed in a brewery. Their brewerycentric wedding featured 18 kegs of beer. She worked as a craft distributor and beverage director for restaurants, organizing public and private events dating to 2007, so she was a natural to co-found Tailspin Ale Fest with partner Trevor Cravens, with whom she became acquainted by running into him at the newly formed Louisville Beer Store. The two hit it off while talking beer, and began talking about doing a Winter Warmer festival, as well as the need for a big concept for Louisville.

Is this an obsession with beer? “I like to throw a party,” Gainey said when asked about this, just before the inaugural Tailspin festival in 2014. “I like for people to have a good time, and see that aha moment when they try a new beer and like it.”

Well, the soon-to-be 10-year run has certainly been a good time, and it has grown by leaps and bounds.

When the festival was first planned, Louisville had only 12 breweries. Today there are more than 20 - approaching 30 when including the multiple taprooms and breweries set to open in the coming weeks. At the first fest there were about 40 total breweries from around the U.S., and only 12 breweries in attendance that represented Kentucky. In 2023, expect as many as 70 to 80 breweries, including national breweries, 20 to 30 from Kentucky, and 10 to 15 from Louisville alone.

Gainey and Cravens have paid special attention to highlighting smaller, local breweries. In fact, it’s part of the Tailspin mission. Just days before the doors opened for the first time, Gainey knew they had

potentially created something special.

She has a distinctive memory of being at the hangar and learning from Cravens that the festival was sold out.

“The planes were out there and it was a beautiful day,” she says. Cravens sent her a buyers report and she noted that there were tickets sold in New York, Georgia, up and down the Eastern Seaboard, and even Alaska and Washington state.

She saw someone trying to purchase tickets on Craigslist, saying his wife had tasked him with getting tickets before they sold out. He didn’t. “I’m in the doghouse,” his pleading ad read - and this was in the festival’s first year.

All years weren’t quite so serendipitous, thanks to the aforementioned weather and other issues. At the same time, it has always worked, and always sold out. The festival is unique. As Gainey said in 2014, “How many beer festivals do you know that are held in an historic airplane hangar?”

There are vintage planes, 1940s-style pinup girls for photo ops and an overall aviation theme. Between that, the music, the specialty bars and, of course, the beer, it has been a magical combination that has continued to bring in more and more people from more and more regions.

Heck, even though the festival was packed in 2020, just days before the world shut down, Gainey and Cravens received no reports that anyone had gotten sick afterwards. The festival could have been

canceled, and a few people asked for refunds, but Tailspin went on, was a success, and apparently remained safe for attendees. Other local festivities were not so lucky.

In year two, the festival expanded, adding more specialty beers rather than serving standard offerings available most of the year. A barrel-aged beer feature debuted, and the presence of bourbon has only increased, evidenced by a special partnership this year with Green River Distilling Co.

As the years went by, additional features were added to the fest and it grew, not only in number of attendees, but also in attractions, including Drake’s Silent Disco, the Get On the Bus, Gus shuttle service to and from the festival from multiple points around the area, a pavilion solely dedicated to Kentucky beers, the Bourbon Barrel Beer Bar, Cox’s Cigar Lounge, the Cider & Sour Bar, the ESPN Lager Lounge and plenty more.

Sponsorships grew, including Evergreen

Liquors and Cox’s Spirit Shoppe, as did the dedication to raising funds for Dare to Care, and now the HOP Foundation. The festival’s reputation grew along with it, often being named as one of the top 10 U.S. beer fests in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Now, with storms, ice and pandemics overcome, the festival returns in 2023 for its 10th year, with more new features to go along with the old.

One of the hallmarks of Tailspin Ale Fest as it has grown, for better or worse, has been the long, single check-in line that extends down one of the roads on the airfield leading to the main gate. This year, look for multiple checkin lanes, probably eight to 10, which are expected to drastically speed up the process so attendees can get to tasting.

With the new partnership with Green River, one of Kentucky’s most historic distilleries with roots dating to 1885, comes an all-new feature. The distillery donated 10 used bourbon barrels, nine of which were distributed to breweries around Kentucky

and one to Asheville, North Carolina-based Hi-Wire Brewing, which will make a koji ale using a type of mold (acting as yeast) used in sake.

“It will be unique,” Gainey says. “Nobody else is making koji ales.”

Another new feature will be a Women in Beer bar, featuring brews created by female brewers, ranging from Apocalypse Brew Works and Shippingport Brewing Company to Rhinegeist Brewery. The layout of the festival will be different than in the past. It will be moved out of the original hangar to utilize more space, and will no longer be held under massive tents. This year there will be rows of vendors of all types, set up chalet-style for a whole new look and feel. Also, be sure to check the weather and dress accordingly, as the new layout will be outdoors. In keeping with the 10-year theme, there will be 10 food trucks.

It all goes back to two friends taking

inspiration from beer festivals in major cities and brew-centric places like Asheville. Giving it a Winter Warmer theme came down to the fact that most other festivals were summer and fall events, and there weren’t any leading up to March Madness and the Kentucky Derby Festival. Gainey gives much credit to how the festival team has adapted along the journey, from adding new features every year to addressing concerns to dealing with all those unexpected circumstances.

“We’re excited about 10 years,” Gainey says. “It’s a decade. We have always tried to improve it year to year. We have always tried to have something new. We are passionate about what we do. We’re not some corporate group. We’re Tisha and Trevor. We would never do everything exactly the same.”

The 2023 Tailspin Ale Fest is set for March 4 at Bowman Field in Louisville. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased by visiting tailspinalefest.com. The festival has sold out every year!

FIVE WAYS TO CELEBRATE Valentine’s Day

Writer / Aimee MacArthur Photography Provided

While some may think of Valentine’s Day as a commercial holiday, I see it as a sweet day of celebration. I’ve loved the holiday since I was a kid, decked out in red, heart-shaped jewelry and indulging in plenty of Valentine’s treats. I admit it - I live for a holiday.

Valentine’s Day reminds me that spring and warmer weather isn’t too far away. I get the opportunity to celebrate those who bring joy to my life. It might be my family, friends or even a trusted neighbor. I’ve enjoyed so many kinds of Valentine’s Days over the years - a romantic dinner, an evening out with friends or a night bowling with family. There wasn’t a bad time since I spent it with the people I care about. A beautiful bouquet of flowers and dinner is always a special treat, but celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to break your budget. A simple gesture like a thoughtful, handwritten note is always appreciated. Don’t forget the ones you love on this special day. I’ve got a few fun and different ideas for you to celebrate those closest to you. Here are five ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

GIVE SPORTS A SHOT

What’s more fun than cheering on a sports team? I am a fan of attending a basketball game on Valentine’s Day. I enjoy sitting in the stands, screaming with the other fans and discussing the referee calls with my friends. We even do a little trash talk and make a few friendly wagers. Don’t forget the soda, popcorn and other treats from the concession stand. If basketball isn’t your sport, try attending a hockey game. My cousin and her family are devoted hockey fans, and always cheer on their local hockey team and dine at their favorite pizza restaurant after the game.

MAKE A SPECIAL MEAL AT HOME

Whether it’s casual or fancy, a homecooked meal hits the spot and feeds the soul. I believe food always tastes better when someone else does the cooking. I like to make cheese fondue with all the fixings, like slices of apples, carrots, grapes and pieces of warm French bread. A friend of mine and her kids have a pizza night complete with individual heart-shaped pizzas. They also make heart-shaped Rice Krispies treats topped with rainbow sprinkles. My aunt and uncle like to make their day extra special and splurge on Valentine’s Day dinner at home, by enjoying king crab legs dipped in butter with a pair of juicy steaks. A Valentine’s Day meal doesn’t have to be dinner. You can make breakfast for the family. My brother enjoys making heartshaped banana pancakes for the kids, and bacon cooked in an air fryer. Don’t forget your pets. This year I plan to pick up a cupcake from a dog bakery for my miniature poodle, Louis. I want to make sure everyone in the family feels special, including my dog.

BE A GOOD NEIGHBORPAY IT FORWARD

One of my neighbors always makes sure to check in with other neighbors, especially an elderly neighbor, and even leaves sweet notes and candy in mailboxes every Valentine’s Day for a handful of us neighbors. I plan to do the same for my neighbors this year. I will leave a note thanking them for being great neighbors, with a bag of Valentine’s treats like conversation hearts, cinnamon candy hearts and chocolate. I also plan to include a small gift card from a local coffee shop. I don’t mind treating my favorite neighbors to candy and coffee.

GRAND GAMES

I’m a fan of a game of healthy competition every now and then. I spent previous Valentine’s Days with a group of friends, bowling, playing pool and enjoying a few games of darts. My family and I also like to attend a local trivia game. This year we might visit the golf range, which is open year-round, and work on our swings while we enjoy appetizers and drinks. If you want to play games at home, no worries. I’ve got a great idea for you. My aunt hosts a fun-filled Valentine’s Day game night, and guests feast on my aunt’s famous homemade lasagna and garlic bread while they play games like Bunco, Hearts and Scattergories. If it isn’t too cold outside, guests will venture out in the backyard to play cornhole and horseshoes.

PRACTICALLY PERFECT

I’m a fan of practical gifts and I don’t think there’s anything sweeter than taking care of an otherwise mundane or time-consuming errand for a significant other or spouse. Get an oil change for the car, plus a car wash and detailing. Leave a sweet note in the cupholder and arrange for a meal at home or dinner at your favorite restaurant. My friend’s husband arranges for the house to be cleaned on Valentine’s Day, and a day at a spa for his wife. My friend says getting a massage and manicure at a spa and then coming home to a clean house is the greatest Valentine’s Day gift. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. My neighbor’s husband completes a to-do list. He hangs up pictures, steam cleans the carpets and straightens up the garage. It doesn’t cost much, and the hard work and thoughtfulness doesn’t go unnoticed.

REMEMBRANCE and RENEWAL

EASTERN HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR’S EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT HONORS TYREE SMITH

The memorial courtyard in front of Jefferson County’s Eastern High School will look significantly different to returning students this fall. Where before Eastern’s students found weeds, dead leaves, uneven ground and weathered concrete, there are now pavers, pea gravel, pruned plants and polished memorials. This is no small change, and it all started with Miles Bonifer, who wanted to bring a blessing out of tragedy.

Bonifer is a senior at Eastern High School with a passion for the outdoors. When not hiking or exploring, he might be found studying graphic design, practicing photography, drama or art, or listening to music. He’s participated in the Boy Scouts of America since 2018, an experience that has shaped much of who he has grown to be. That growth shows the most through his

servant’s heart, a staple of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

As years of training culminate, Life Scouts - leaders and teachers within their troop - can attempt to rise to Eagle, the highest attainable rank. A major part of this process is the Eagle Scout Service Project, an opportunity to display the leadership and service skills a Scout has acquired. In his time Bonifer has helped his forerunners with their Eagle Scout Service Projects, and it wasn’t until 2021 that he began to plan a project of his own.

“Last fall I was close to finishing up Life Scout, so I was brainstorming ideas because I knew I’d have the Eagle Project,” he says. “I wanted to do something memorable. I originally thought about doing something at The Parklands of Floyds Fork.” A Scout is called to be loyal and helpful, and Bonifer changed his plans when the Louisville

community, and specifically Eastern High School, suffered a heavy blow in September of 2021. It was then that Tyree Smith, 16 years old, was killed in a drive-by shooting while waiting for a school bus.

“He was a really good kid - great personality,” Bonifer says of Smith. Though not close, the two young men had gone to the same middle school and had just started their junior year at Eastern. “A lot of people loved him. Teachers loved him, students at Eastern loved him. His death affected everybody in some way.”

Wanting a way to honor Smith, Bonifer’s thoughts turned to his school’s memorial courtyard. He thought it would be the perfect place to direct his efforts. “This would be really meaningful,” Bonifer says. “I could refurbish that area and add something for Tyree to dedicate that to him and expand on the memorial.”

Writer / Grace Schaefer Photography Courtesy of Eastern High School

Tyree Smith

With a newfound purpose for his Eagle Scout Service Project, Bonifer received approval from his school, the Smith family and the Scouts, then began the hard work of raising funds, collecting supplies and recruiting volunteers. Most importantly, Bonifer planned to add a new memorial in Smith’s honor, asking for discounts and donations from hardware stores and plant nurseries to keep costs low along the way. “I tried to save as much money as I can so I can spend more money on the memorial, to get something really nice,” he says.

Bonifer, along with a crew of fellow Scouts and community volunteers, began work in mid-July. They placed pavers to the side of the courtyard, filled in garden beds with pea gravel, put in edging, planted new perennials, weeded, raked, cleaned the existing memorials, added a new bench and reorganized the courtyard’s existing seating. Finally, they installed the new memorial.

“The work was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be,” Bonifer says, adding that seeing the realization of his idea was well worth the work. Refurbished and blooming, the courtyard has come to reflect Tyree Smith far beyond the memorial that

shares his name. The space has become a place of growth, fellowship, healing and hope - ideals Smith certainly embodied in his time at Eastern. It also reflects the Boy Scouts’ dedication to those same ideals.

“Clubs can meet there and people can just hang out with their friends, or just come to pay their respects,” Bonifer says. “I really hope that this project will have a positive effect on the school and the community. As for the meaning behind the project, since Tyree was killed with such a senseless act of violence - it could’ve been anybody, there was nothing beforehand that could’ve warned him, and he wasn’t even the target in the drive-by shooting - I hope people look at that and realize that we need to do something about violence, because it’s getting out of hand if teenage boys who are just innocently waiting are getting killed for no reason. Life is a precious thing and any moment could be your last.”

Though his Eagle Scout Service Project has come to a close, Bonifer’s service-focused lifestyle is far from over. He hopes to pursue a career in criminal justice after high school and continue his connection with the Boy Scouts. “I could totally see myself helping other Scouts in the future, to help people

experience the things I have,” he says. “Through Scouts I’ve seen things and done things that will change me forever, for the best.”

“[Being a Scout has] taught me to work things out, to know what battles to fight when, and how to work with others, as well as how to give back to the community, how to be more selfless - just to be a better person,” he adds. “Just a lot of brotherhood in Boy Scouts. It’s one of the best things about it.” Those relationships extend beyond fellow Scouts. True brotherhood recognizes each individual’s value, and by honoring Smith, the Scouts’ dedication to brotherhood certainly shines through.

In the wake of tragedy, blessings can come. In the worn path of pain, hope for a more peaceful future can emerge. Now, each time Kentucky’s high schoolers meet in that paved and planted courtyard, there’s a brand-new opportunity to remember, honor and cherish Tyree Smith.

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