Middletown Magazine September 2024 by Towne Post Network, Inc.

STREET SENSE

Collaborative Program Provides Education Through Hands-on Experiences

A CRUISE THROUGH THE HISTORY AND GENEALOGY BEHIND BLANKENBAKER PARKWAY AND LANE

For His Next Number…

Adam Miller Takes on Band Director Duties at Eastern High School + Reach and Teach

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STREET SENSE

A CRUISE THROUGH THE HISTORY AND GENEALOGY BEHIND BLANKENBAKER PARKWAY AND LANE

Writer / Steve Wiser

What is the origin of the Blankenbaker name, and why are there two major streets here with similar names? Both locals and out-of-towners are constantly confused by roads that have the same reference spelling, especially a unique name like Blankenbaker.

To unravel how these two Blankenbaker streets originated, one needs to go back in time to see who owned the land where these roads are now located. Typically, streets are named in honor of those who once owned the property that they traverse.

As an example, Cannons Lane is named for Thomas Cannon, who once owned a farm in the vicinity of Lexington Road and Cannons Lane. Hubbards Lane was due to Thomas Hubbard, who owned a house to the north of Westport Road, at the northeast corner of what is now Hubbards Lane and Rudy Lane. Obviously, Shelbyville Road and Brownsboro Road are destination names leading to those respective communities.

The best place to start looking for where a street name might have originated from is to check out the 1858 Bergmann map of Jefferson County. This map is a wonderful resource for finding out who lived where in 1858. Many of the property owners on this map have street names based on their

locations, like the aforementioned Cannon and Hubbard.

This map is easy to find by clicking on the Library of Congress website at loc.gov, and searching “1858 Map Jefferson County Kentucky.” Then, click on the first link listed (Note: Gustav Bergmann was the creator of the map and published the map.) The web page with the map will appear, and then click on “View Enlarged Image,” which increases it in size for better viewing. You can then use either the + or - commands, or “roller scroll,” to zoom in or zoom out on specific details and text. You can then drag the map to any location of the county you are interested in to find out who lived where in 1858.

For local history researchers, this 1858 Bergmann map is the “Rosetta Stone” that unlocks a lot of valuable data about Jefferson County. In an age before modern surveying and computers, it is remarkable that Bergmann was able to identify and locate all of the hundreds of properties, roads, railroads and more, in a very logical and detailed manner. There are subsequent property maps like the 1873, 1884 and 1913 maps, but this 1858 map is the best, especially since it captures a snapshot of the county prior to a major transformation in urban development.

In looking at the 1858 map in the vicinity of where today’s Blankenbaker Lane is located, the name “A. Blankenbaker” appears on the shore of the Ohio River, just north of “Locust Grove.” Dragging the map to the Jeffersontown area, there are several “Blankenbaker” properties indicated, such as “Jno. Blankenbaker,” “L. Blankenbaker,” “Mrs. Blankenbaker,” “Jerry Blankenbaker” and “Jac. Blankenbaker.”

Who are all these Jeffersontown Blankenbakers, and are they related somehow to the A. Blankenbaker who lived across the county near Locust Grove and the Ohio River? Fortunately, a descendant of the Blankenbaker family has done the genealogy research, and yes, A. Blankenbaker, whose full name is Abraham Blankenbaker, is related to all of these Blankenbakers of Jeffersontown.

It appears that many of the Blankenbakers in the Louisville area are descended from Jacob Blankenbaker, who was born in Madison County, Virginia, on January 18, 1725, and died on January 2, 1801, in Jefferson County, Kentucky. His wife was Mary, who was from Culpeper County, Virginia. They had at least seven children, and their children had multiple descendants.

One of Jacob and Mary’s children, Nicholas (1758-1849), was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, and died in Shelby County, Kentucky. Nicholas had a son named Abraham Blankenbaker, who was born in Shelby County on July 21, 1795 and died around 1867 in Jefferson County. The Jeffersontown Blankenbakers are also descendants from Jacob Blankenbaker.

Historian Sam Thomas, on page 109 of his book “George Rogers Clark and Locust Grove,” notes that Abraham Blankenbaker and his grocery business partner, Jesse Christler, purchased 300 acres in 1847 from St. George and Cornelia Croghan, who were descendants of William and Lucy Croghan,

who built Locust Grove. Both Abraham and Jesse’s names are listed on the 1858 map as adjoining properties, and who evidently split the 300-acre tract they bought from the Croghans. But it is Abraham whose name we now remember, due to the street being named Blankenbaker.

So, how did these two streets get the names of these specific property owners and not any of the other property owners like the Croghans of Locust Grove? Per a Courier-Journal article on street naming, if an easement right of way for a street had to traverse a private property, then the property owner would likely have

the right to name the street. With all the various Blankenbaker properties in the Jeffersontown area, these naming rights would seem appropriate for Blankenbaker Parkway. Blankenbaker Lane was a natural reference since it led to the terminus at Abraham Blankenbaker’s property along the Ohio River.

Besides these two prominent Blankenbaker streets, there are at least two historic houses

families. Jeffersontown, at 10317 Watterson Trail, is home to the Dr. Luther A. Blankenbaker house, built in 1881. Luther was the grandson of Samuel Blankenbaker (1821-1900), who was a descendant of Jacob. This house remained in the Blankenbaker family until 1982 and is now occupied for commercial use. There is also a former Blankenbaker house at 4306 River Road, near intersection with Blankenbaker Lane.

While this topic is still somewhat confusing to those not familiar with Louisville, this historical and genealogical information helps in efforts to understand our local street names.

Steve Wiser, FAIA, is a local historian, author and architect.

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REACH AND TEACH

COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM PROVIDES EDUCATION THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES

Writer / Melissa Stalb

Reach and Teach has been creating unique opportunities for students across the country for more than five years now. A project that began as a solution to a simple problem led to an impact on high school students that no one could predict.

In 2017 Ashlyn Stutts was a high school student in Alabama and participating in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) program.

After she and her partner placed third in the local competition, they had the opportunity to travel to California for the national competition - but there was only one problem. Traveling to California would be

expensive and the small school she attended couldn’t provide the funds to make the trip.

“April Clark was our business and marketing teacher, and she came up with an idea to host a fundraising concert,” said Stutts, program coordinator for Reach and Teach. “She added the concert to her classroom curriculum and the students did all of the promoting, scheduling and management of the event.”

Despite a great plan and plenty of students willing to work on the project, they still had trouble finding an entertainment sourcesomeone willing to perform for free. After calling numerous artists across the country

and hearing “No” over and over, one musician finally gave them a “Yes.”

“Cameron ‘Cam’ Flener of Velcro Pygmies is from Louisville and graduated from Jeffersontown High,” Stutts said. “His band does ’80s rock covers like Def Leppard, Guns N’ Roses, Lynyrd Skynyrd and others. He said he would do it on one condition; it had to be the real thing. It’s a full-scale concert and the students have to be a part of the process throughout concert day.”

The plan worked.

Stutts said the only reason she and her FBLA partner were able to go to California

was due to the funds raised at the concert, and the experience was so successful, they wanted to duplicate it.

“Cam [co-founder] and April [executive director and co-founder of Reach and Teach] received tons of messages from parents,” Stutts said. “The concert changed their students’ lives, and gave them a new perspective and a new attitude about school. Reach and Teach was created as a nine- to 13-week curriculum for marketing and business educators across the country, and we’re taking this experience to new schools every year.”

So far the team has put on 86 student-produced concerts and all proceeds go directly back to the school, raising anywhere from $1,000 to $14,000 per event for various student needs.

The program is 100% free to teachers, and gives students hands-on lessons in event planning and management.

Each lesson is aligned with national education standards and includes essential questions, activities, materials and resources to make the project a success.

“Students learn how to identify target markets, solicit sponsorships, budget for a large event, and design marketing and promotional materials,” Stutts said. “They put together proposals, set ticket prices, and work with the artists to schedule special VIP or meet-and-greet opportunities.”

Cameron Flener (left)

They’re scheduling the venue, helping the band set up and tear down after the concert, and learning what it takes to host a large event like a rock concert.

Clark is a proponent of project-based learning, a teaching method that encourages students to take the reins and actively engage in an assigned project. They have to solve problems, use creativity and, in the end, they get to enjoy the results of all of their hard work.

Teachers report watching shy students come out of their shells, natural leaders form committees for various subgroups, and an overall excitement about the task they are working on. Not only do they receive academic benefits, but the soft skills they learn such as responsibility, communication and professionalism also often lead to collaboration and more opportunity.

Flener said when it comes to creativity, the program allows students to take a few ideas or prompts and run with them.

Today, Reach and Teach has an artist roster

for students to choose from, including musicians offering ’80s rock, country, pop, hip-hop and R&B to name a few, and artists do receive compensation for their performance.

The nonprofit is fully funded by donations, sponsorships, grants, and support from the state of Alabama’s Education

Flener is not only a co-founder of the Reach and Teach program, but he’s also performing regularly on stage at high schools across the country, including his alma mater,

“We did a concert in Louisville in 2019, and just this past winter we returned for one at Jeffersontown,” Stutts said. “The

students act like Cam is Elvis. A lot of the schools we work with are on the smaller side, and for many of these students it’s the first concert they’ve ever been to. It’s really cool to see that, and to know their first concert is a full-production Reach and Teach event.”

Stutts said there’s no other program like it in the country, and they’re now developing new firsts for students, to be included on concert day or at a separate event.

Imagine Ex is a career exploration festival full of options from the music and entertainment industry.

“We know a typical career fair is the booths in a large room and taking pamphlets from each organization, but at Imagine Ex, students are learning about audio production, tour management, digital design and more,” Stutts said. “Professionals in the industry are at every booth and students get to try out equipment.”

Perhaps they learn how to produce a podcast, learn how to set up the lighting equipment for a concert, or operate a camera and teleprompter system.

“We started this program last fall and more than 90% of our students we’ve surveyed said they’ve learned about a new career they didn’t know about,” Stutts said. “When you ask a high school student what their plans are after high school, they often say teacher,

lawyer, accountant. Now, they’re saying, ‘I didn’t know you could be lighting designer or a tour manager.’ We hope we’re helping students find their passion.”

The program pairs well with a planned concert in the evening. Students are able to see all the things they learned about in action that night. However, Imagine Ex can also be an independent offering to students during their career exploration process.

“Now is the time to try everything because you don’t have anything to lose,” Stutts said. “We want to encourage students to get involved in as much as they can.”

Through Reach and Teach, educators can also access free resources such as podcasts, TED Talks, professional interviews, case studies and professional development.

“We’ve really allowed it to evolve on its own, and these students have taken the baton and ran it further than we could have ever imagined,” Flener said.

For more information, visit reachandteach. rocks.

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• LLC & Corporation Formation

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A PAGE OF HISTORY

LOCAL FAMILY RETURNS CENTURY-OVERDUE LIBRARY BOOKS

The return of a library book usually doesn’t make the news, but it did a few months ago when Michael King, Mark Perelmuter and several of their cousins gathered at the St. Matthews branch of the Louisville Free Public Library to return books that their family members had borrowed some 100 years ago. It is a great story of the power of books and the benefit of fee-free library return policies, but it is only a small segment of a larger and more powerful tale: that of an American Dream.

Authors have written about the American dream since the dawning of our nation, and it is a story that continues to change. Is the American dream real? Is it achievable? Are the sacrifices worth it? The story of the Perelmuter/King family adds to our

Writer / Carrie Vittitoe

collective understanding of the promise this dream held and continues to hold.

The story begins with a man named Max.

Max Perelmuter came to the United States from the Ukraine in 1915, which was then a part of Russia, in the hopes of avoiding being conscripted into war. He began working and soon brought his wife, Miriam, and their two children, Belle and Morris, to live with him in Pittsburgh. When Max contracted the Spanish flu and died in 1918 at the age of 42, he and Miriam had four children and a fifth was on the way. They didn’t have much money before, but Max’s death left the family in dire straits.

Miriam moved with her children to Louisville where she had a relative. The six of them lived in an apartment above a small store that she managed, and each day was a testament to simply surviving. King says there are stories of Miriam selling hooch out of her back door during Prohibition (which she likely made in her bathtub) to try to make ends meet, given the expense of raising five children. The family utilized the Louisville Free Public Library to acquire books that would improve and enrich their lives. In 1926 Miriam

Morris King Perelmuter

checked out a Russian-English phrase book called “First Russian Book,” while Morris, a teenager, borrowed “Famous Composers and Their Works.” These texts wouldn’t be returned to the Louisville Free Public Library until 2024.

Morris’ library selection makes sense given the musical tendencies he had inherited from his late father, Max (a trait that has been passed down the family line). According to Perelmuter, his grandfather, Max, had been a drummer and violinist prior to his death. Morris took violin lessons as a boy, as did his youngest sibling, Sol (Mark’s father). “My father, Sol Perelmuter, had his own small orchestra in Louisville in the 1930s and early ‘40s while playing in the Louisville Orchestra, and sold musical instruments in his sister’s pawn shop prior to his death,” Perelmuter says.

It was Morris who took musicality beyond Kentucky’s borders. As early as 1922, The Courier-Journal began to report on his local performances, including a recital at the age of 13 performing “Mazurka” by Polish composer Henryk Wieniawski as part of the Louisville Conservatory of Music. Morris’ name making headlines became a regular occurrence over the years. He performed in Cincinnati and Miami, and then headed west to California. Eventually Morris found himself again on the East Coast, except this time in New York City playing with Eddie Le Baron’s orchestra at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center. In an article from 1939, writer Edward H. Holmes called Morris “one of the most colorful personalities musical Louisville has produced.”

Following World War II, in which Morris served as part of the Merry Men of the Marines performing for soldiers to improve morale, he returned to Los Angeles and joined forces with Bill Starkel, an accordion player, to form the Star Kings. It was at this time that he changed his name from Perelmuter to King, since it was easier to fit on a marquee. They played regularly at some of the swankiest hotels in Hollywood, including the Ambassador and Bel Air.

and Bill had an unusual experience. They regularly walked among the tables, asking audience members what songs they would like to hear performed. A mysterious woman sat in the back, staying each night until the wee hours of the morning. After several months she approached them and offered gifts to express her appreciation: an expensive accordion for Bill and a 1694 Stradivarius violin for Morris. According to King, she credited them with lifting her out of a deep depression. King says this woman,

named Margaret Storm, also offered his father her estate in Bel Air, provided she could live in the guest house. “My mother wasn’t too excited,” King says. “My parents couldn’t even afford the taxes.” They politely declined the generous offer.

By 1950 the Star Kings had become a fixture on the Las Vegas Strip, playing late into the night at the Flamingo. When they split up in the late 1950s, Morris King continued performing in Las Vegas, as well as raising his family there. Morris got a six-week contract to perform at the Sands Hotel in the Copa Room. “My father assembled a group of 11 or 12 violins,” King says. “They were in tuxedos, and the quality of their playing leaned toward fancy classical music. The waiters and waitresses were also trained opera singers. They would sing from Broadway. They became extremely wellreceived and it wasn’t too long before he moved to the top of the marquee.”

In the summer of 1960 King worked at the

Sands Hotel as a busboy, and says “it was the first time in my life I had a real opportunity to perceive what my father was all about professionally.” He recalls the party at the Sands after the premiere of the film “Ocean’s 11,” in which individuals were packed like sardines in a can, ready to see Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra. “I never experienced anything like it,” he says. “It was the apex of what the Rat Pack was all about.”

Of course, Morris’ work had long connected his family with celebrities, but it wasn’t until that summer that King fully appreciated it. He can still remember being a youngster when his father was still playing in Los Angeles and going with him for a radio show performance. “I had memorized all of Al Jolson’s music,” he says. “I sat on Al Jolson’s lap and sang ‘Dixie’ to him.” Despite being surrounded by fame all his life, King says even he had times when he saw the rich and famous and found it difficult not to stare.

Despite being surrounded by music, King

Michael King & Mark Perelmuter

chose law as his profession, while his cousin, Perelmuter, went into orthodontia. Still, he says there is definitely a tendency toward music and performance in the Perelmuter DNA that pops up here and there. King is a classically trained pianist, while Perelmuter plays the clarinet and is the leader of a klezmer band in Louisville.

“Mark and I realized that there was much music we could play together even though we practiced separately,” King says. “We have played the Mozart clarinet concerto, ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ a Schumann fantasy, and other musical delights. We have performed them not only to our family, but also peers.”

“Michael and I have to think that our fathers would be smiling now to see how close we have become - that we have continued the family tradition and play music together,” Perelmuter adds.

The younger generations of the Perelmuter clan continue music and performance

passions that began with their greatgrandfather. King’s son, Benjamin, is an actor, while his granddaughter, Chloe, is studying opera singing. “We’re a bunch of divas,” King says with a laugh.

Would Max and Miriam ever have imagined the success their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have achieved, given their challenges after first coming to the U.S.? The family struggled, survived, and succeeded in making a life for themselves and their descendants in the United States. They achieved an American Dream.

What got them there? Lots of hard work and drive, networking, opportunity, and risk taking - but also a reliance on learning and utilizing the resources available to them, such as the Louisville Free Public Library. Their story “underscores the importance of civic institutions, the library being primary among them,” King says.

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Sammy & Morry

FITTING FEST

EXPERIENCE THE BIG FOUR ARTS FESTIVAL AT WATERFRONT PARK

Writer / Renee Larr

After studying art at Murray State University, Lou Nunnelley found himself pulled in a different direction by life’s demands, putting his artistic dreams on hold. However, about eight years ago, inspiration struck him anew. He brought his passion back to life by creating the Big Four Arts Festival at Waterfront Park on the Big Four Bridge Lawn.

Since its inception, the Big Four Arts

Festival has experienced remarkable growth in both size and popularity. It is now the most attended two-day event at Waterfront Park, drawing in a crowd of 20,000 people. The year’s event, taking place September 7 and 8, will feature the incredible talents of over 200 juried fine artists, craftspeople, jewelers, artisans, and demonstration artists. It’s a celebration of creativity and artistry not to be missed.

“About 250 to 300 different artists and artisans apply each year,” Nunnelley says. “Then in May a jury selects all the participants. We work to ensure we don’t have too many of one type of art or product represented so visitors get a wide variety.”

The Big Four Arts Festival showcases established artists and shines a spotlight on emerging talent through its Emerging Artist Program. This program aims to provide a

platform for new artists to connect with patrons, and establish themselves within the vibrant Louisville arts community and beyond. Nunnelley explains that 10 artists are carefully selected each year to participate in the program. Festival organizers mentor and guide these emerging artists, helping them navigate their involvement in different art festivals and events. It’s a beautiful opportunity for budding artists to grow and thrive in the creative world.

“We counsel them on the best ways to represent their art, how to display their collection, best practices on booth setup,

other art festivals around the country, and how to be chosen to participate,” Nunnelley says. “We want to show them all the opportunities they have to showcase and sell their work. I think it’s surprising to a lot of people how many artists make their livelihood by traveling to art shows around the Midwest and other parts of the country.

harvesters, alpaca wool product makers, CBD and hemp product sellers, local bakers, upcycled clothing creators, hot-sauce cooks, and handmade soap makers. Nunnelley emphasizes that all products must be crafted entirely from scratch for inclusion in the festival.

and Carly Johnson.

The Big Four Arts Festival is designed to be family friendly, offering a range of hands-on activities for all ages. Children can engage in rock painting and portrait drawing, and even enjoy a petting zoo courtesy of Foggy Bottom Farm. The picturesque setting of Waterfront Park on the Big Four Bridge Lawn, with its tree-lined walks and stunning views of the Ohio River, adds to the festival’s allure, attracting visitors from both Kentucky and Indiana.

Food trucks serving a variety of delicious options, along with beverages including beer, wine, cocktails and mocktails, line the lawn to keep guests fueled throughout the event. Tickets for the festival can be purchased on-site during the event or through the website for $5 each, with proceeds benefiting Bridgehaven Mental Health Services.

Bridgehaven offers vital community-

based outpatient programming for adults dealing with mental health challenges. Janet Patterson, the vice president of development, marketing and communications, says the organization’s commitment is to provide customized care and support tailored to each individual’s unique needs.

“Currently we provide services for about 500 people in the local community,” Patterson says. “We offer various programs such as supported employment services, anger management, independent living skills, and art therapy. Beyond that, we work to remove the stigma associated with mental illness.”

Originally, Bridgehaven began as a nonprofit vendor at the Big Four Arts Festival, with Nunnelley’s aim to make mental health resources accessible to art show attendees. Upon discovering the art therapy program offered by Bridgehaven, Nunnelley saw a natural alignment and decided to make them the primary beneficiary of the funds

raised annually.

“It’s a privilege to support such a meaningful cause that combines art and mental health support in such a powerful way,” Nunnelley says.

Patterson says Bridgehaven’s art therapy program provides members with a creative outlet to express their emotions nonverbally. This form of expression helps to break down communication barriers and promote healing, while also boosting confidence. Patterson even shares a success story of one Bridgehaven member who participated in the Emerging Artist Program at the Big Four Arts Festival, showcasing the transformative power of art therapy.

“She was able to learn how to showcase her art and participate in different art festivals,” Patterson says. “It made a huge difference in her overall attitude. Lou sets aside money each year to assist these newer artists in

year, the member was able to pay for her entry fee on her own, which was a huge accomplishment for her.”

Patterson says Bridgehaven is deeply grateful for Nunnelley’s generosity and compassion, and for all those who attend the festival. The funds raised are crucial in raising awareness about mental illness in the Louisville community and providing essential supplies for the art therapy program.

Patterson emphasizes that many of Bridgehaven’s members face financial challenges and live below the poverty line. The donations received from events like the Big Four Arts Festival are instrumental in ensuring these individuals have access to the support and resources they need, which they might otherwise go without. The contributions significantly impact the lives and well-being of those who rely on Bridgehaven’s services.

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“Bridgehaven has been a supportive group,” Nunnelley says. “They’ve allowed us to use their location for the Emerging Artist Program meetings. They also help with ticketing at the front gate of the festival.”

Nunnelley now spends his retired days planning the festival, which involves an increasing amount of effort and work every year. He says this little hobby of his, as it started out, turned into something much more meaningful and fulfilling than he ever thought possible. He would also like to thank the Big Four Arts Festival title sponsor Design Web Louisville’s owners, Jael and Sean Harrington, for their participation since the early days of the event.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit bigfourbridgeartsfestival.com.

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SIMETRIA

25. Tool for a duel

1. Marching-band burden

Difficult duty

Recorded (progress)

1. Marching-band burden 2. Difficult duty 3. Recorded (progress) 4. Fading memories 5. Like a good cake

Fading memories 5. Like a good cake

Sort

Cuts canines 8. Doesn’t fall apart 9. Frequent, to Keats 10. A word with you?

When, for an eager

Cuts canines 8. Doesn’t fall apart 9. Frequent, to Keats 10. A word with you? 11. When, for an eager beaver

19. Time line inclusion 21. Big galoot 24. Pervaded

Time line inclusion

Big galoot

Pervaded

25. Tool for a duel

26. Vampire’s curfew

27. Bacon buy

28. Get along

27. Bacon buy

29. French way

28. Get along

32. Sotheby’s patrons

29. French way

33. Popular pop

32. Sotheby’s patrons

35. Bureau member

33. Popular pop

36. On notice

35. Bureau member

36. On notice

38. Loiter

39. Cartographer’s concern

42. Scarcely enough

39. Cartographer’s concern

43. Kitten’s plaything

42. Scarcely enough

44. Break new ground?

43. Kitten’s plaything

44. Break new ground?

45. Boom periods

46. A place of luxury?

48. Some disrespect

48. Some disrespect ACROSS

18. Covert comments

34. Fossey subject

50. Colorful mineral

ACROSS

1. “Space Oddity” major

4. Radiate

8. Bank offering

4. Radiate

12. “___ momento!”

8. Bank offering

12. “___ momento!”

13. Double agent

14. Disco do

15. Dog holder?

16. Kid’s transport

17. Burgoo, e.g.

16. Kid’s transport

17. Burgoo, e.g.

20. Babysitter’s charge

18. Covert comments

22. Causing a pucker

20. Babysitter’s charge

22. Causing a pucker

23. Latched, in a way

27. Rob Roy, et al.

29. Whistle-blower

30. Ecol. watchdog

31. Anecdotal history

32. Assist the waiter

33. All hands on deck?

32. Assist the waiter

33. All hands on deck?

34. Fossey subject

35. Fee follower

36. Queens, for example

37. Retired, with “down”

36. Queens, for example

37. Retired, with “down”

39. For Pete’s ___!

40. Cookbook direction

41. Rich, as foods

44. Naval base?

41. Rich, as foods

47. Panache

44. Naval base?

47. Panache

49. Mad Hatter’s drink

50. Colorful mineral

51. Cheese off

52. Be fallible

53. Glimpse from afar

54. Broke a limit

55. Hibernation spot

54. Broke a limit

55. Hibernation spot

Solution can be found on the magazine Facebook page

HOW TO FIND PEACE AND MEDITATION AT THE PARKLANDS THIS FALL

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Life can get pretty busy, and we can all agree that finding time to re-center ourselves in a noisy and chaotic world is increasingly important. For many, the outdoors can offer open spaces, calming noises and judgment-free areas to find peace and meditation. Here are five ways to re-center and regenerate yourself at The Parklands:

GO FOR A SILENT HIKE

Whether you are by yourself or with a group, choose a trail and walk the entire length without speaking. Instead, focus on the birds chirping and the streams trickling. Every once in a while, you may hear the breeze weave its way through the leaves of the trees around you. Use this quiet time to give space and attention to thoughts as they come and go organically. Sometimes all we need in order to relax is to let our mind wander without a schedule or list to stick to.

VISIT AN AREA YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE

The Parklands offers more than 4,000 acres of nature, varying from picturesque lawns to trails through dense forest. Choose an area or a park that you’ve never visited and take yourself on a little adventure. Looking for some shade and creek views? Take a long walk on The Strand. Interested in unique plants? Hike the Moss Gibbs Woodland Garden.

STOP AND WATCH THE WILDLIFE

It can be easy to get caught up in human life and we often forget the wildlife that surrounds us every minute of the day. The native prairies throughout The Parklands are a great place to quietly observe animal species of every kind going about their daily lives. At the Humana Grand Allee, you can watch for diverse bird life while also seeing bees and butterflies pollinating fields of endless wildflowers. The prairies throughout Pope Lick Park are packed with small birdhouses attracting swallows and colorful finches.

PRACTICE YOGA OR MEDITATION

If you find yourself drawn to the mat during stressful times, take an hour to move your yoga or meditation practice to the outdoors. The Brown-Forman Silo Center, the Greensward, and the Coffee Tree Rondel in the Moss Gibbs Woodland Garden are all quiet, open areas that give a dose of green surroundings and fresh air to help you stretch, relax and meditate.

NOW THERE ARE 3 LOU LOU’S TO LOVE!

This Creole Champion of St. Matthews, Lou Lou Food & Drink has thrived for years by delivering Louisville’s Louisiana connection in culinary delight. The New Orleans vibe is also alive at Lou Lou on Market.

The Lou Lou Tradition continues with the grand opening of our Middletown location this October.

DRIVE THROUGH TURKEY RUN AND BROAD RUN PARKS

If being outdoors is not your thing, or if you only have a little bit of time, hop in your car and take the scenic drive from the Seatonville Trailhead in Turkey Run State Park to Cliffside Center in Broad Run Park. This hilly, lush, green landscape looks beautiful with sun shining through the leaves or even after a rainstorm. Drive this scenic route slowly and see if you can spot deer near the Ben Stout House, or if you can help a turtle cross the road near the Limestone Gorge trail.

HIKE IN THE EARLY MORNING OR LATE EVENING

If you wish to avoid the crowds, take advantage of the early summer sunrise or late sunset. Listen to the morning birdsong while hiking on the Limestone Gorge trail, or bask in the golden hour far away from the noise on the Big Beech Woods trail. Hiking in the morning can create a calm that carries throughout your day, and going outdoors at dusk can help ease the stress of the day and quiet the mind before bed. Please keep in mind that The Parklands opens approximately 15 minutes before sunrise and closes 15 minutes after sunset.

The Parklands is a great location to find peace and composure outside of the busy city. Take an hour or two for yourself and head outdoors to enjoy nature.

UNIFIED GOALS

DELTA FOUNDATION FOSTERS STUDENTS’ SUCCESS IN BOTH SCHOOL AND SPORTS

Writer / Melissa Stalb

avid athlete and sports fan, and noticed something among friends and fellow athletes.

While the season was in play, students attended school, kept their grades up and kept behavior in check. However, when the season ended, Hinton noticed the struggle to maintain consistency began to take hold.

our community,” Hinton said. “Here are people who have the opportunity to play professionally and they end up incarcerated.”

He began coaching in college, and upon graduating, Hinton went back to his hometown as a teacher and coach for several

middle schools and high schools in the area.

Again, the power of sports was apparent.

“There are 2,000 kids in the high school and when sports go away, life goes sideways,” he said. “By 18, if they’re still alive, they’ve lived the life of a 40-year-old. I started asking myself, ‘What can I do? How can I fix this?’”

He began creating opportunities for the best athletes in the local high schools.

Hinton was calling junior-college recruiters and sending film to various college programs. He invited them out to a senior showcase, at one point hosting 25 colleges.

Dozens of student-athletes received scholarships, but one thing was clear; their grade point averages (GPAs) were holding them back.

“I realized I’ve got to catch these kids earlier,” he said. “By the time eighth grade rolls

around, it’s too late. We want to improve attendance and behavior, and develop them as young men and women early on.”

The Developing Educated Leaders Through Athletics (DELTA) Foundation was born in 2017.

Hinton began reaching out to the middle schools and high schools he’d worked with in the past, and told them not to send their best player, but the one who wouldn’t graduate without their love of sports. Little by little, the program began to grow, mainly through the students’ love of basketball.

“We began offering weekly tutoring, providing mentors and doing grade checks,” he said. “No one touches the court until they’ve touched the classroom.”

DELTA needed a home base but start-up programs are often omitted from grant funds initially.

Through his friendship with Ron Turnier of Creation Gardens, Hinton was able to secure funding for the first year of the nonprofit, including a location at an old Louisville gymnasium at 2508 Portland Avenue. It included a kitchen, classrooms and, of course, a basketball court.

He calls the after-school program Hoops and Homework, and that first summer, the DELTA Foundation welcomed more than 50 students to their Books and Basketball program.

“Every day they come in and go straight to the classroom,” Hinton said. “There’s homework assistance and a full reading and literacy curriculum. Everyone has a mandatory 30 minutes in the classroom, and then we feed them and do basketball training and games.”

There’s strong focus on literacy - a need Hinton identified early on.

“We test their reading level as soon as they get here, and the average is three grades below where they should be,” Hinton said. “The main issue contributing to the low GPAs is they have to learn how to read - not to knock other subjects, but if you can’t read, what are you going to do in this world?”

By March of 2020 DELTA had reached full capacity, serving 65 to 70 students with an average attendance of 50 each day. Then the pandemic arrived, and like many other organizations, DELTA was affected in a big way.

“We were just starting to make a real difference and everything was perfect,” Hinton said. “This shutdown could’ve been bad, but by April we saw how some of the youth services were crucial, and if you could provide space for 10 students within so many feet of each other, you could have them.”

Thanks to the gymnasium, Hinton could bring in 30 students safely, and the staff and

volunteers got back to work.

“School was being done virtually but I don’t have virtual kids,” Hinton said. “We started offering all-day class. Bring your class schedule and your Chromebook from school, and we’re going to make sure you attend every class, and everything is done.”

The pandemic brought on other progress in DELTA’s mission as well. All of the sudden, Hinton said, those who didn’t see the value in sports and academics combined were focused on mental health and wellness.

“It took a pandemic for everyone to see how important this is, and it opened up doors that were previously shut,” Hinton said.

Since then, with the help of generous donors, the classrooms have been renovated, a new basketball court and goals have been installed, high-speed Wi-Fi is running and a new HVAC air unit has been added.

Hinton recently signed another five-year lease and expansion is on the horizon.

Thirteen other youth nonprofits now rent space in the building, and it’s formed a campus-like atmosphere. Whatever the students are looking for, they can likely find it all in one place.

“We’ve also expanded to Newburg,” Hinton said. “We received an Impact 100 grant for education. My dream was to have this program in the Newburg area and we struggled finding another brick-and-mortar location, but the Boys & Girls Club in Newburg allowed us to bring Hoops and Homework there after school. We have a classroom and use of half of the gymnasium there.”

With different school systems and different students came different needs, and once again Hinton adapted. Staff at the new location noticed that while the reading

levels were higher in Newburg, the students could use more life-skills education. They developed a curriculum to learn about drugs and alcohol, racism, teen relationships and other important topics.

At DELTA, they’ve also expanded beyond basketball.

“I realized I have a lot of beginners and many of these kids have never had the option to play on a team, so we started developing leagues,” Hinton said. “They’re getting practice throughout the week and we come back here on the weekends for games.”

The girls expressed an interest in volleyball, so Hinton built another program for the additional sport. Then came archery, digital media, arts and crafts, and other enrichment opportunities.

“It’s constant strategizing,” Hinton said. “You have to flexible. It’s more about what the kids need when they need it. Last

summer we saw a lot of kids with a lot more anger, and we added in mental health and brought in a paid therapist.”

They now have more than 160 youths touched by the various programs.

Partnerships with colleges, nonprofits, parents and grandparents have made the program successful. Hinton is beginning to see former students of DELTA graduate college and return to give back to the organization.

“DELTA is going to keep doing what DELTA does,” he said. “It’s really important to me that these kids continue growing and learning, and that they’re successful in the future.”

For more information, visit deltafoundation502.com.

BRIDGING COMMUNITIES

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SIGN LANGUAGES

International Day of Sign Languages is September 23, kicking off the weeklong celebration of International Week of the Deaf. On this day, the world highlights how sign language unites communities.

According to ky.gov, Jefferson County had a population of 773,399 people over the age of 18 in June 2022, and 119,877 of those people were deaf or hard of hearing. That is more than 15% of the population, not accounting for those under the age of 18.

Heuser Hearing & Language Academy (HHLA), formerly the Louisville Deaf Oral School (LDOS), “is a comprehensive educational community that exists to empower those with hearing loss or speech, language and communication disorders to reach their full potential and effectively participate in the community,” according to its official website. It was established in 1948 and was the first of its kind in Kentucky. It has a preschool and kindergarten program that provides individualized and comprehensive education for each student at no cost to their families. This only touches on the services offered; the staff not only works with the students, but also provides support and education for their families; approximately 90% of deaf infants are born to parents without hearing loss.

Will Frentz, HHLA philanthropy officer,

Writer / Heather Cregger

was a 1997 graduate of LDOS, and is the former captain of the U.S. deaf men’s national soccer team. Born deaf, Frentz grew up in a supportive family and was entirely dependent on sign language for communication until the age of 5, when he received his first cochlear implant. His first language was Signed exact English (SEE). He said it “is different than American Sign Language.” American Sign Language (ASL) is more condensed, allowing for faster signing. ASL also has its own set of grammatical rules and syntax.

At the age of 16, when playing for the national soccer team at the inaugural Deaf World Cup in Greece, Frentz had his first experience with universal sign language. He described it as a very basic language, as a bridge for people from different countries. Sign language is like any other language and every country has their own sign language. Many outside of America learn ASL, similar to how English is taught as a second language.

When asked what his favorite form of sign language is, he said that “ASL is a very expressive and beautiful language because you are using your whole body.” ASL is closer to French Sign Language than British because the early educators who came from the United States were French. Also, before widespread integration of ASL, households

and schools for the deaf made up their own signs to communicate, so people weren’t always able to communicate with those outside their family.

When Frentz was younger, he identified as hard of hearing instead of deaf, but as he has grown older, he has immersed himself in deaf culture. This is a community of deaf people who are proud of who they are, are deeply involved in their culture, and have more relationships with those who are also deaf. He believes it is helpful and important for the deaf and hard of hearing to have a community to create a sense of belonging.

Louisville has a strong deaf culture. Though HHLA is perhaps the biggest resource for those in this area, the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Exceptional Child Education program offers a range of services for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Another service JCPS provides is a four-week deaf and hard of hearing camp in the summer, where children can socialize, develop social skills and become part of a community.

Both Southeast and Northeast Christian churches have deaf ministries. Southeast Christian Church offers a weekend fellowship group, ASL-interpreted services and online closed-captioning services.

Northeast Christian Church has services led by Pastor Todd Stinson, who is deaf, and provides ASL interpreters for their typical worship services.

In addition, Louisville’s deaf culture boasts strong options for interpreting services. Language in Motion and ASL Interpreting Services are two interpreting agencies that serve the greater Louisville area. Over the years, interpreting services have become more available and standards have been raised, making communication safer and more accurate. Frentz pointed out that “interpreters are better now,” which helps the deaf community break the barriers that keep them dependent and limited by the system.

“Job prospects are so limited,” Frentz said regarding the deaf community, adding that barriers to health care are real. Because deaf people may struggle with phone

communication, people are often stuck in low-paying positions or working in manual labor. He pointed out that Kentucky has the second-lowest high school graduation rate in the country, and unemployment rates and reliance on Social Security disability income are very high for the deaf.

Another challenge is low health outcomes. Legally, providers must provide interpreting services, but Frentz points out that this doesn’t always happen and can be a

challenging process. Depending on the length of the visit or hospitalization, more than one interpreter may be needed, as it is difficult to interpret for more than 15 minutes without a break.

“Deaf people are very grateful for people being more willing or open,” Frentz says, pointing out that there are many social media accounts that teach sign language. Look for those using straight ASL.

If you are looking for local, in-person classes, JCPS offers adult learning courses via their Ed2go online program. Sign language courses are also offered at both Kentucky Community and Technical College System, and the University of Louisville. Another local company, Parliament Tutors on Mellwood Avenue, offers sign language tutoring from beginner to advanced levels.

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Adam Miller

No matter where you went to high school, your school had its student groups. While you might not think about them now, you can remember seeing them in the halls chatting with each other, eating lunch together or gathering in the afternoon for extracurricular activities. One of the tightest groups of students that you may have noticed was the band kids. They often shared a special connection that other student groups tried to emulate but couldn’t quite master. What is it about a band that makes it congeal in such a unique way?

If you ask Adam Miller, Eastern High School’s new band director, he can offer his

FOR HIS NEXT NUMBER…

ADAM MILLER TAKES ON BAND DIRECTOR DUTIES AT EASTERN HIGH SCHOOL

Writer / Carrie Vittitoe

insights into what makes participating in band so uncommonly special. “In a wellrun, excellent band program, the music is the side effect of making better people,” he says.

If you’ve ever learned to play an instrument and had to play with someone else, you know that it is a challenge to keep in your mind the notes you need to play while also paying close enough attention to your partner and the conductor, so that you can stay on tempo, keep the rhythm and not overshadow what the other musician is doing with their instrument. “[In band] we’re on microsecond adjustments,” Miller

says. “What other activity is there where your success directly impacts everybody else?” Situational awareness of the people around you and responsiveness to them is one of the greatest skills that band programs help students to develop; this awareness is part of what makes band students’ relationships with each other so solid.

But this skill isn’t an easy one to develop, so it requires a band director with a deep understanding of music and a special knack for bringing out the best in students.

These are some of the qualities that Eastern High School principal Dr. Heather Orman

and her committee were looking for when they began interviewing candidates for the band director position in the summer of 2024. The school has a long and distinguished history that includes, among other honors, performing at Dwight D. Eisenhower’s second presidential inauguration in January 1957, in a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Suffice it to say that hiring a new band director was not a process the school took lightly.

In addition to the aforementioned traits, they were also looking for someone with ample experience who was up to the exhaustive task of band directing. Participants in marching band, an extracurricular, begin their camp in July, meaning hours and hours of practice every day. This is followed by football games and various competitions in the fall. “The band people are here almost as much as I am,” Orman says.

Miller knows what goes into being a band director. Even before he completed his Master of Arts in Teaching degree, he was able, during student teaching, to go through an entire year, from band camp in July through football and basketball season to competitions in May, and participate in the entire process of what a band director has to manage. It was an invaluable experience that helped him at both the small and large schools where he has taught, including his stint for nine years at Jeffersonville High as band director.

What Miller has learned from his varied experiences is that it takes much more than one person to make a band program successful. “If any band director thinks they are good because of themselves, they are misleading themselves,” he says. The kids, parents, colleagues, family and community all help make a band program a success.

While it would be easy if there was one certain trick to making a band program

great, Miller says there is no formula, and he has no interest in forcing a school’s band program into his idea of what it should be. He says his goal at the moment is “building personal relationships with the people that are here, and establishing and continuing the culture of excellence. If we can do that, as I learn and as I get to know kids and parents, we will be able to shape what we do in the future together.”

Miller began his own musical journey in Columbus, Ohio, during middle school when he took up trumpet. “I remember telling my mom in sixth grade after the first couple weeks of school, ‘This is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life,’” he recalls. At Dublin Coffman High School, he met and felt inspired by band director Dr. Jeff Keller. “He’s a large figure in my life,” Miller says. “He was very influential in my decision to become a band director.”

When it was time to pick a college, Miller opted to head to the University of Louisville

rather than going to Ohio State, like many students he went to high school with. Miller had family connections in Louisville and Elizabethtown; during his formative years in Ohio, about once a month his family would travel to Kentucky to visit his grandparents. When his parents were retiring and planning to move the family back to Louisville at around the time that Miller was heading off to college, it made sense for UofL to be his choice. Of course, the fact that the university has an outstanding music program helped seal the deal too.

In UofL’s music program, Miller found other mentors including Dr. Fred Speck, Dr. Greg Byrne and Mike Tunnell, a professor of trumpet who Miller says “is the human I’d like to be.” The music program helped Miller gain all the requisite skills to teach students how to play and perfect their instruments.

But how does a band director learn all those instruments? “All good music schools should prepare you with all of your method

classes,” Miller says. “From there, it is just constantly learning and getting with the right people to teach you what you don’t know.”

While he is better at secondary instruments than he used to be, he says he can always improve. “Sometimes with the instruments you think you are weaker at, you are actually a better teacher because you’re thinking about it the way your students are thinking about it,” Miller says. “With trumpet, because I’ve been doing it so long, I have to remember what it was like to be an intermediate or beginner player.”

Miller brings with him an eagerness to learn, and a fundamental understanding that part of what makes band students unique is the fact that band is not about instant gratification. “The idea that we need to dispel with band and music in general is that you either have it or you don’t,” he says. “We’re doing hard work together. If you see a high-performing musician and you say

‘Wow, they are really talented,’ that’s almost an insult. What you see is hours and hours of work that go into it.”

As he begins his tenure at Eastern High School, Adam Miller is ready to take on the hours and hours of work with students that will not only continue the school’s longstanding focus on musical excellence, but also help the students in band to become the best humans they can be.

Emergency Room Wait Times at Your Fingertips

Text ERWait to 511511

In a medical emergency, every second counts. That’s why UofL Health offers the most ER locations in the region with shorter wait times. And now, when you text ERWait to 511511 you can get a list of wait times at all 7 ER locations. We also have expert Urgent Care Plus centers nearby.

We offer safe, fast, compassionate care close to home. And we accept most insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. So there’s never a reason to put your health on hold. That's the Power of U.