St. Matthews Magazine June 2024

Running Just Fine

St. Matthews Independence Day 5K Returns

EYE ON THE BALL

JAELIN HOWELL IS A TRUE TEAM PLAYER ON AND OFF THE SOCCER FIELD A Place for Growth

The Scripture Garden in Forest Hills Serves for Gathering and Reflection

Vitality Living St. Matthews

“They have an activities sheet every day with many many choices, so I think that’s very good too. Plus, housekeeping is terrific, and they do my laundry once a week and they fold it beautifully. Finally, the care staff here are attentive to me. They show attention. They show care. All in all, I would highly recommend Vitality Living St. Matthews!”

- Matthew Lemberger, Resident

GIVE A LISTEN

RADIO EYE GIVES THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE CURRENT PRINT NEWS AND GENERAL INTEREST PROGRAMMING

Thumbing through a magazine, newspaper or book provides hours of reading enjoyment for many, yet there are those who are not able to read the printed word because of blindness or other factors affecting sight. That’s where programs such as Kentucky’s Radio Eye come to the forefront.

Radio Eye is a radio reading service that began in Lexington more than 33 years ago. They broadcast the reading of current news, public service and general interest articles to people who are blind and print-disabled.

This idea was the brainchild of Al Crabb, a professor at the University of Kentucky. When he would go to Tennessee to visit his dad, who was blind, he took notice of his father listening to people reading newspaper articles and other publications. He began to wonder if Kentuckians could also benefit

Writer / Julie Engelhardt Photography Provided

from this type of programming.

“In the beginning it was on a closednetwork radio system,” says Lucy Stone, executive director for Radio Eye. “WUKY was our first original partner, and we broadcast off subcarriers. You couldn’t pick us up in your car. You needed to have a specialty radio because it’s tuned to that specific channel.”

Technological advances have enabled Radio Eye to switch from closed-network radios to an internet system. “Our listeners now use an internet radio that still looks like a radio but with the clarity of listening online,” Stone explains.

Crabb took the idea to the university, where he received their support in starting the service. The process was set in motion, but to accomplish this project he needed to

find volunteers interested in reading and recording news articles and books. Crabb put out an all-call through the HeraldLeader newspaper in Lexington. He began to recruit university professors, college kids and interns.

According to Stone, Crabb put his potential volunteers through a rigorous reading audition.

“He had them read 100 words, plus several phrases and different articles,” she says. “Crabb would go through and correct the people, the way they pronounced words and their cadence. He was quite the stickler as he wanted to make sure that they were putting out quality programming. Back then it was difficult trying to correct reading errors. Nowadays, if there’s a mistake, we can fix it very, very quickly.”

During the past three decades, the Radio Eye team has made great strides in reaching out to other portions of the state to offer services. Stone says they currently have about 10,000 listeners across Kentucky. After initially establishing the program in the mid-state area, the program began to spread to other cities and counties in the commonwealth.

“Louisville was our next outreach area,” she says. “Then in 2014 we expanded out to eastern Kentucky, which took us all the way down to Pikeville, and a few years after that we expanded into the Morehead area. During the pandemic we launched our final stream, which took us to Paducah. Even in the middle of a global shutdown we became a statewide service, and we’re incredibly

proud of that.”

The process to become a Radio Eye volunteer has changed vastly over the years, according to Stone.

“One of the first things we’re going to ask is, ‘What kind of a reader do you want to be? Do you want to be an in-person reader or a remote reader?’” she says.

Stone explains that people can either come into their studios to record using their software, or they can do it from their home or office.

“In order to do it at home, you have to be confident in your ability with technology,” she says. “I’ve streamlined it so that it is

incredibly easy. That’s something of which I’m very proud. You don’t need to have a recording studio at home. Technology has changed so much that everything is really built in. We have a lot of people who record in their closets.”

Radio Eye currently has 200 volunteers who not only read, but also do outreach such as speaking to the public and seeking donations.

Louisville resident Chris Clements actively seeks out new volunteers to be readers or to perform other tasks such as community outreach. Clements is a board member for Radio Eye, a volunteer reader, and employed as the coordinator for the Retired Senior Volunteers Program through AmeriCorps.

“I’ve been involved with Radio Eye for about six years,” he says. “My involvement began when I was in my current job for about one year or so, and I received an inquiry from Radio Eye. While they have their larger headquarters in Lexington, they do have a satellite office in Louisville, and they had just opened their studios. They wanted to build their base and their exposure, so they approached me to see if I could help them recruit some older volunteers in Louisville to do the recording sessions.”

Clements was on board to help them find local volunteers. He says they received interest from six volunteers. Before COVID-19 hit, their numbers were up to 10 or 12 volunteers who were actively doing recording sessions, but because of the pandemic, that number scaled back to about three or four. Today, 85 to 95% of the local volunteers are from Jefferson County, but they also have volunteers from southern Indiana, Oldham County and Bardstown. As of this writing, the Louisville studio is closed until they hire a new office manager. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to apply, as recording from home is still an option.

Alice Dehner, who lives in Lexington, is the secretary of the Radio Eye board of directors. She became involved when a dear friend with macular degeneration died. “She loved being read to, and volunteering with Radio Eye allowed me to read to a larger number of those unable to comfortably do so on their own,” she explains. “After many years of volunteering, I was asked to join the board.”

She says that she read the Herald-Leader for about four years in the studio with two others. When COVID-19 struck, she and her husband both continued to read the Thursday and Saturday morning paper, but remotely from their home. She also read magazine articles, local county newspapers, magazine articles and books. She and friends also taped plays through their group, The Signal Theater, for airing during the holidays.

In Louisville, other programs include recordings of the Oldham Era and Spencer

Magnet, Sentinel News, Kentucky Standard, LEO Magazine, News and Tribune, Springfield Sun, and Henry County News.

Specialty programming for all areas includes “Children’s Hour”, “Sports News”, “American Past”, “The Pet Corner” and more.

There are several ways to listen to Radio Eye. They include streaming on radioeye. org; Alexa Skill: “Radio Eye Live” via

Victor Reader Stream; NFB Newsline (to register, call 866-504-7300; toll-free telephone broadcast, 800-238-5193, ext. 2 for Louisville, or 518-906-1519.

If you’d like more information about Radio Eye, go to radioeye.org, or call 859-422-6390 or 800-238-5193, ext. 0.

BELMONT VILLAGE — A LEADER IN MEMORY CARE PROGRAMMING

Belmont Village’s Circle of Friends Program was developed to slow the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of Dementia. This one of a kind, seven day a week program includes mental and physical activities focused on building cognitive reserve to maintain brain function.

If you think this program might benefit your loved one, don’t hesitate, contact Belmont Village St. Matthews today.

BelmontVillage.com/StMatthews | 502-721-7500

KENTUCKY GYMNASTICS ACADEMY

Writer / Gavin LaPaille

Photography Provided Kentucky Gymnastics Academy (KGA) has been flipping Louisville kids for over four decades.

Offering classes and open gyms geared toward all skill levels, KGA has continued its mission of celebrating each child’s accomplishments, no matter how great or small. Children starting at 18 months old are invited to learn gymnastics at KGA, which offers programs for both recreational and competitive athletes.

“We meet kids where they are in their development,” said KGA Owner Shannon Wickel. “That’s the beautiful thing about our program; students can do gymnastics just for fun, and for the reward and joy of finding a new skill, or they can come in and we have the resources and ability to train them to go to college gymnastics if that’s what they desire.”

KGA was founded in 1981 by local gymnast Ingrid Bojanowski after she saw the need for a dedicated gymnastics facility in the Louisville area. Originally located in Anchorage, KGA now calls a 14,000-squarefoot building just outside the Lake Forest subdivision its home. The facility provides state-of-the-art gymnastics equipment, plus in-ground trampolines, loose foam pits, dance rooms, and a NinjaZone rig for their enrollees, which include boys and girls. It even has some offerings geared toward adults.

After working at the gym as an instructor, Wickel purchased the business about 10 years ago and continues the long-standing degree of excellence KGA is known to provide.

“When we moved into the building in 2016, we tripled the enrollment and doubled our competitive team,” Wickel said. “We’re not looking to have a huge team. We want to know every kid that walks into the door. Our student-to-staff ratio is very low for the industry. We typically have a 6:1 ratio in classes because I want to make sure the kids are learning.”

As the only licensed NinjaZone program in the state of Kentucky, KGA also offers a unique opportunity for those interested in martial arts and parkour.

“NinjaZone is a combination of gymnastics, parkour and martial arts,” Wickel said. “Not only are they learning gymnastics skills, but they’re learning strength and coordination,

how their bodies move, and how to take calculated risks to gain confidence. It’s not quite as structured, and is more free-form movement.”

Wickel said the benefits of getting your children involved with gymnastics are limitless.

“It’s going to teach them self-confidence and time management,” Wickel said. “We make sure we’re setting them up for success. The confidence gained from setting and achieving goals follows these kids for the rest of their lives, creating physical and emotional health. It’s so important for our well-being to physically move. Kids need a physical outlet to express themselves, and parents tend to see a happier and more emotionally stable child after they’ve had a gymnastics class.”

Families interested in gymnastics or NinjaZone classes, preschool and big-kid open gyms, or KGA’s First Stop academic preschool program, can learn more at kgagym.com, or by calling 502-254-1010.

1160 Avoca Station Court

Louisville, KY 502-254-1010

kgagym.com CONNECT

Owner Shannon Wickel

A BRIGHTER FUTURE

BOYS & GIRLS

WITH FOSTER CARE, INDEPENDENCE

READINESS AND COUNSELING SERVICES Writer

/ Grace Schaefer

Provided

In 1950, nine boys, a chef and a Catholic priest moved into a newly built cottage on Goldsmith Lane in Louisville. At that time, children in Kentucky’s foster care system were turned out at the age of 14, and while girls were often able to find a home, it was more difficult for teenage boys. Father Maloney, a Catholic priest, noticed the need and, with a conviction to make a difference for these boys, sought support from both the church and his family. He gained funds, bought land and began a building process that would house nine turned-away boys.

One cottage, it turned out, wasn’t enough.

The project on Goldsmith Lane continued to grow until now, over 70 years after its small but significant start. It has become a

22-acre campus, working in concert with off-campus apartments and community services, all in the name of giving a home to Kentucky’s vulnerable children. Today this organization is called Boys & Girls Haven.

“Our mission is really to help these children and families,” says Amanda Masterson, the organization’s CEO. “In [the Goldsmith Lane facility], we serve boys ages 11 to 17 who need residential treatment and who are in the state’s foster care system.”

Along with a residential home, the boys receive continuing - though not simply traditional - therapy. The facility provides “music therapy, art therapy, just different types of creative therapies that you can do with teenagers,” Masterson says. “We have

a barn on our property, and so the kids can also participate in equine- or animal-assisted therapy.”

The farm animals serve more than just therapeutic purposes. “A lot of times it’s a way to build trust with the kids,” Masterson says. “They don’t oftentimes trust adults. This teaches them to use skills to build relationships with animals, and helps them understand how to translate that to people relationships.”

The activities have a vocational training aspect as well, teaching the young men how to show up and complete tasks.

At the age of 18, young men and women have the option to “recommit” to the state, extending state-given support until the age of 21. Boys & Girls Haven also helps young men in this transition period learn how to function with increased independence. “We work with you on getting connected to school, growing your independence,

making sure you know how to make doctor’s appointments, how to get to and from where you need to go, and to ride the TARC,” Masterson says.

There are supervised pre-independent living apartments, and after “graduating,” there are independent apartments available.

Boys & Girls Haven does not, however, serve only young men. Every program they offer, with the exception of the residential campus option, is open to girls. The organization also works with the broader community, including outpatient behavioral health services, referred to as Haven Family Counseling. This includes mental health and case management services.

“That’s a pretty large program for us,” Masterson says. “We’re serving children and families in their community, whether that be in the school setting or in their home, or in an office space.”

Additionally, Boys & Girls Haven trains foster parents who plan to serve higher-need children - those coming out of residential treatment or into the state’s foster care system.

“Truly there’s not a more vulnerable population than kids who have been removed from their home of origin or family, and these are abused and neglected kids so they’ve experienced trauma,” Masterson says. “We’re part of their healing journey. Boys & Girls Haven has always let me put the kids first.”

The mission is dear to Masterson’s heart. She has worked with the Haven for 15 years, first as a social worker, and then in a variety of roles including programming director and chief operating officer, before becoming the organization’s CEO over four years ago.

“I work with some really dedicated, talented people,” she says. “As a leader I just get out of their way and let them do what they’re

really good at. Our mission is really to help these children and families to be resilient members of the community, to help them heal, and to give them hope for their future. We know that this population is at high risk for being homeless, and so we want to work to combat that, and the better we do at getting them stabilized and getting them to work through some of that trauma, and getting them back into a home environment or on their way in independent living, the better they’re going to feel.”

The role of each individual is essential to helping Louisville’s vulnerable children, and Masterson acknowledges this by discussing the impacts of contributors, volunteers and Haven staff.

“Abuse and neglect is a difficult topic,” Masterson says. “It’s easy to not think about it, but it happens everywhere. It happens in all zip codes.”

Masterson urges readers to be kind, stay

aware and offer support. “You just never know what someone’s going through,” she says.

Neighbors helping neighbors can reduce the number of children in need of services like Boys & Girls Haven.

For those who want to serve with the organization, there are many options. They host events, both for the community and for the young men living at the Haven, and volunteers are welcome for all. Financial support can also be given, whether through donations or through the Gravy Cup, held in February. “It’s a way to support the organization and also just have some good comfort food,” Masterson says. Community members purchase tickets to sample an incredible variety of biscuits and gravy made by local cooks, and professional chefs declare winners in different categories.

There are also opportunities to serve on the grounds. “We’re always looking for

volunteers,” Masterson says. “We have older buildings and 22 acres of property to take care of.”

Volunteers can help care for the grounds, gardens, animals and barn on-site. “Also, we look for opportunities for people to help mentor the kids,” Masterson says. For a group of children who don’t always trust adults, a good mentoring relationship with a grown-up can be life changing.

Masterson says the staff makes Boys & Girls Haven’s work possible. “It takes a special kind of person to do it,” she says of the team. “It’s making a difference in this kid’s life. It’s meaningful work.”

Since that first cottage opened over 70 years ago, the organization has shown Kentucky’s vulnerable children that there is, indeed, a hope for their future.

To learn more and get involved, visit boysandgirlshaven.org.

INTRODUCING NEW SERVICES

Are you looking for a Family Home Provider [FHP]?

Look no further!

Zoom Group [ZG] is thrilled to announce the launch of our new Residential 2 and Respite Services.

ZG welcomes residents and residential referrals.

Or join our team of dedicated FHPs.

Contact us today at hello@zoomgroup.org to learn more and start your journey.

EYE ON THE BALL

JAELIN HOWELL IS A TRUE TEAM PLAYER ON AND OFF THE SOCCER FIELD

Jaelin Howell has been playing soccer since she was 3 years old.

She loves the game, loves her fellow athletes, and loves having a platform that enables her to give back.

The Colorado native played for the Florida

State University Seminoles for four years, and won the Hermann Trophy in both 2020 and 2021; it’s awarded to the top men and women college soccer players. She became one of only six women to receive the trophy in consecutive years, alongside Mia Hamm, Cindy Parlow, Christine Sinclair, Morgan Brian and Catarina Macario.

In 2022 Howell scored her first international goal against Uzbekistan with the U.S. women’s international team, and that same year she signed a three-year contract with Racing Louisville FC as team captain.

She comes from a family of athletes. Her father, John Howell, was an NFL Super Bowl-winning safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and she and her two brothers

have played sports for as long as she can remember.

“I think sports in general teach so many different aspects of life: hard work, dedication, discipline,” she said. “I was always taught that a lot of lessons in sports translate to life. I love how competitive and physical soccer is. You have to be fast, strong, technical and smart - really, a complete athlete in soccer.”

Howell started all 22 matches in her rookie season and just completed her second season with Racing Louisville.

Sports also often bring people together for the greater good according to Howell, and though she’s enjoying her second season

Writer / Melissa Stalb Photography Courtesy of Racing Louisville FC

with the team, her mission off the field is just getting started.

In 2023 Racing Louisville, led by Howell, partnered with Down Syndrome of Louisville (DSL). The organization was formed in 1977 by Mary Carter, and what began as an intervention program to support children with Down syndrome became year-round programming, which included educational, physical and personal development, health and wellness, and social development for children and adults of all ages.

It remains the largest Down syndrome association in the world, and offers more than 50 programs, events and services to over 1,200 families.

The organization also works to advocate and educate the public about supporting individuals with Down syndrome, partnering with employers for job

ways of teaching, and individuals, or “Kindness Warriors,” to spread compassion and inclusivity.

The good they were and are doing has been inspiring to Howell, and she wanted to get involved.

“I think as a pro athlete you have a responsibility to give back to the community,” she said. “Helping others is super important to my family and to my faith. I knew I wanted to do something in Louisville, particularly as the only top pro soccer team in the area.”

She has experience working with people with Down syndrome, making the support of DSL and the relationships formed close to her heart.

Several years ago Howell became friends with Mike Waters, a man who befriended her brother through a football camp.

“Mike just showed me how amazing a person with Down syndrome is, and what a light they are to the world,” Howell said. “There’s an innocence and an ability to love others, and I just saw all of those aspects in Mike.”

With Waters in mind, she reached out to DSL and they were immediately open to the idea of a partnership.

“Support from our community is imperative to our mission,” said Julie Torzewski, executive director for DSL. “We just could not do it without the financial support of our donors. However, when someone gives of themselves above and beyond financial support, it’s that much more meaningful. From the day she reached out to us, Jaelin has been 100% committed to being a friend of our members. She is their biggest cheerleader.”

In 2023 Racing Louisville hosted a DSL dance and soccer camp. They focused on

raising funds for the organization and received a $25,000 Nationwide Community Impact Award donation.

In addition, members of DSL join the team as honorary captains at each home game and are able to see their photo displayed on the big screen.

“The dance was called the Racing BFF dance and we had a photo booth, dancing and balloon art,” Howell said. “They got to eat and hang out with the Racing players. Throughout the year we set up different donation opportunities. For example, we held a drive for markers and paper, because our friends at DSL love to color and draw.”

They’re already gearing up for 2024, and are excited to expand the partnership and better the program through new ideas and events.

“My vision from the beginning was a Racing and DSL soccer camp where kids got to come out and play on the field, receive

coaching and get to experience what it’s like to play with these pro athletes,” Howell said. “They receive their own T-shirts and bags with some gear. I think this year we’ll combine the two and have the soccer camp, and at the end host the dance party. That’ll be super exciting.”

Her vision is coming to fruition, and while the team checks the boxes of support and fundraising for DSL, a much stronger bond is forming.

In just the first year, the relationships between DSL members and the players have blossomed.

“We’ve gotten to know a lot of families,”

Howell said. “As much as we think we’re doing for them, they do just as much for us. It’s awesome to watch my teammates interact with them and help. These are really special humans and I just love them. I think we can learn so much from them.”

In 2024 DSL is planning to expand and open a full-time preschool program. They already work with developmental intervention and additional therapies, but DSL is preparing to offer even more. The women of Racing Louisville will be by their side, raising awareness and funds to make it possible.

“We are opening a preschool in the fall of 2024, and funds raised with Jaelin’s support

will help us launch this effort and meet vital needs for our families and children,” Torzewski said.

Though Howell’s contract ends in 2025, she loves her “second family” and hopes the partnership she’s developed will last far into the future.

“I hope we just keep getting bigger and better,” Howell said. “I don’t want this to be a one-time thing. I want this partnership to continue even if I’m not here.”

Follow Howell’s journey with Racing Louisville FC at racingloufc.com.

Photo courtesy of David Mucker

JUNE CROSSWORD PUZZLE

DOWN

1. Slap on

2. ___ buco

3. Belittled

4. Dagger part

5. Out of whack

6. Summer shade

7. Drifted off

8. Secretary, at times

9. Goings-on

10. Firm head

11. Tit for ___

19. Exceptional

21. Not brilliant

24. Took to task

25. Error message?

26. Pending, as a legal decree

27. Ease, as hostilities

28. Argument’s weakness

29. Generational divide

32. Stock holder?

33. Way to go

35. Signature piece?

36. Track events

38. Like a windbag

39. Dickensian denomination

42. Staff roster

43. Stick with a toothpick

44. Polished off

45. Chinese brew

46. “Deck the Halls” contraction

48. Calif. airport

Solution posted on Magazine Facebook Page

44. Takes steps

47. It parallels a radius

49. “___ bad!”

50. Anything but that?

51. Like some romance novels

52. Capt.’s announcement

53. Street for the wealthy?

54. Divorcees

55. Flatfish

IN HER NATURE

Writer / Helen E. McKinney

Picture a little girl perched on a soft, colorful hand-stitched quilt reading her favorite book. Surrounding her are some of the animals from the stories, having come to life right before her eyes.

You have just conjured up “Imagined Real,” the Best of Show artwork from last year’s Arts on the Green (AOG) winner Kim

Mahlbacher. So real is her artwork that you would think the girl and her companions will strike up a conversation with you.

Mahlbacher has a deep love of nature that stems from her childhood in Anchorage, Kentucky, where she grew up on a farm. With that she combines a passion for wool to create alluring creatures that appear to

have stepped right out of the pages of a fairy tale. She described being chosen as the 2023 Best of Show winner for the juried art and craft festival as being “overwhelmed, overjoyed, and extremely honored and humbled to have my piece chosen amongst the works of so many incredible artists who were showing at Arts on the Green.”

Photography Provided

Last year’s show brought in over 80 artists, including a dozen from Oldham County, 20-plus from out of state, and 50 from across the state. Art was represented in the following categories: painting, drawing, wood, sculpture, fiber, 2D mixed media, 3D mixed media, jewelry, metal/blacksmithing, glass, photography, consumables, ceramics, and digital art.

AOG will be held on June 8 and 9, 2024, at The Maples Park in Crestwood. Organized by the Arts Association of Oldham County (AAOC), it gives artists an opportunity to display and sell handcrafted items and vie for monetary awards, ribbons and the coveted Best of Show designation.

The AAOC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission involves promoting the arts in Oldham County. This is done in a variety of ways including monthly art exhibits and competitive shows including student shows, art-themed international travel tours, as well as arts education programs and classes.

Three $5,000 scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors from Oldham County Schools, and the AAOC works closely with the Kentucky Arts Council, Fund for the Arts and the Louisville Art Association. The AAOC operates Gallery 104 on historic Main Street in La Grange.

The AAOC is partnering with the Louisville Food Truck Association to provide 15 food trucks daily. West Sixth Brewing and Wildside Winery will be participating, and there will be free shuttle buses to transport attendees to and from The Maples Park, as well as designated public parking sites. Handicap parking and transport will be available on-site, as will artist parking. There will be a full lineup of local entrainment, children’s activities, and students from the Oldham County Schools Arts Center will have an Emerging Artists booth featuring local student artwork. Attendees can vote for their favorite student piece and the winner will receive a People’s Choice Award.

A panel of eight judges critiqued and scored the artwork for AOG, choosing who they thought was the best in each category, and best overall. One of the judges, Leah Tenney, a fiber artist herself, said the show “included many wonderful entries across all categories. There were eight individual pieces nominated for Best of Show, and the judging team gave special consideration to each one.”

While all of the nominees showed a high level of skill and design, Tenney said Mahlbacher’s piece stood out with an extraordinary level of creativity and craftsmanship. “Her piece communicated a rich story, full of emotion and whimsy, transporting the viewer to their own childhood memories of the magic of imagination,” Tenney said.

Mahlbacher said her handcrafted artwork “encompasses woodland creatures, fairies and animal fairies, animals wild and domestic, gentle nativities, and the garden. I try to reflect my love of nature in each piece,

and to capture a whimsical, joy-filled spirit where there’s a gentle smile, a mischievous wink or imaginations from childhood. I’m of Irish descent.”

Mahlbacher said the piece was inspired by her 4-year-old granddaughter, Anna, who “loves books and making up stories about her animals and dolls - dear beyond words.”

Working primarily in fiber and wool, needle felting, and wet felting for the clothing on the pieces, she describes her work as “art which comes to life with imagination, because all the pieces are posable. They can be changed to express moments in time. I try to impart a gentleness in each piece. All have little smiles.”

While she does not raise her own sheep, she is a Kentucky Proud member and buys all her wool with curls from Kentucky breeders of Cotswold and Shetland sheep. Her wool roving comes from Ireland.

Tenney said Mahlbacher’s “dedication to her craft also stood out. Not only does she excel in needle felting, her sculptural work is entirely handmade, from the posable armature supporting each figure, the hand-dyed wool, the realistic design of both animal and human figures, the handmade garments often embellished with embroidery and found objects, to the narrative she creates. Every step is done with care, skill and meaning.”

To learn her craft, Mahlbacher said she took a three-day class with Silke Sordy, a German-born doll artist who creates fantasy worlds with needle-felted dolls resembling gnomes.

In addition, Mahlbacher took a three-day class with a fiber felting artist from Ohio, Megan Nedds. Nedds sculpts animal figures, and in her classes, students learn how to felt a variety of animals, including their own pets in certain classes.

Felting can be slow and detailed, and Mahlbacher is also self-taught. “I have no other formal artistic training and no degree in art,” she said.

She volunteered for three years while in high school with a veterinarian, Dr. Gerry Meyer, DVM, who founded Pewee Valley Veterinary Center. “This helped me with an understanding of animal structure,” she said. “I’ve also always had animals in my life.”

Mahlbacher said she has “always loved art and animals. I wanted to go to UC Berkeley art school to study after high school, but my dad said, ‘Starving artist,’ so I complied.”

Instead, she attended the University of Louisville to earn a degree to become a registered nurse. After she retired and was left with an empty nest, she returned to her love of art.

She is also skilled in papier-mâché, pen and ink, pencil, quilting, and polymer clay.

Mahlbacher incorporates polymer clay into some of her pieces for parts such as hooves. She has exhibited alongside her peers in such shows as the St. James Court Art Show, Louisville Artisans Guild Fine Arts Show, and WinterFair 2023. She is a member of the AAOC, Gallery 104, Kentucky Crafted, Louisville Artisans Guild, Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists, and the Professional Doll Makers Art Guild.

Organizers try to maintain a high quality of artwork for AOG. Tenney said last year’s show “was full of high-quality work across all genres and styles. The artists were so engaging and willing to share their stories and inspirations. Nearly every booth held a creative surprise, and the judging team was very impressed with the skill and creativity we saw.”

For more information about Arts on the Green, contact the director at artsongreen@aaooc.org, call 502-487-0379, or visit aaooc.org.

Summertime Nostalgia

Writer / Stanley Hewson

Photography Provided

As we enter into summer, I find myself in a rare state of mind for myself - that of nostalgia and retrospection.

When I think back on the summers of my childhood, I remember being carefree, spending all day outside, except for the occasional brutally hot day when the basement was the only place to cool off. Lack of central air required box fans in the windows to keep air circulating. Some days, constant perspiration was experienced. You’d get used to it after a while.

The days seemed to stretch on forever and summers didn’t fly by like they do now. By the time summer ended, it felt as if I was a different person than the one that entered into summer each year.

I remember long days, late nights and plenty of time to lounge around if so desired. Summer camping trips to nearby lakes and rivers were an annual tradition. My family didn’t take expensive vacations far from home, but the memories see no difference. Campfires, swimming, roasting marshmallows and waking up with the sunrise, regardless of how late we went to bed, was par for the course.

Once I was old enough, I used some of the free time summer allowed to make some money. Cutting a neighbor’s grass and/or doing odd jobs was standard. My first purchase with money earned that first summer was at a pet shop. I bought a bird cage and a parakeet. That bird lived a good number of additional summers beyond. Not a bad investment.

I’m going to resolve to attempt to recapture some of that carefree perspective this summer by taking more time off work, spending more time outside, and maybe even chase down some fireflies while I’m at it. Want to join me?

A Place for Growth

THE SCRIPTURE GARDEN IN FOREST HILLS SERVES FOR GATHERING AND REFLECTION

Writer / Julie Yates

Within Louisville’s Forest Hills neighborhood is a place of peace, where all are always welcome to spend time connecting with nature. Situated on the property of Community of Christ church, visitors to the Scripture Garden will find beauty no matter the season. The handicap-accessible, half-acre plot features permanent installations, but the appearance of the flowers, shrubs and trees is constantly changing.

For over 25 years, Dave and Joyce Blair,

with help from the church congregation and members of the community, have been the stewards of the garden. It was initiated to honor the wish of their daughter, Dr. C. Darcy Blair, who passed away in 1997. Now, after the recent passing of her husband, Joyce Blair is handing her role as garden caretaker over to an organization, Friends of the Garden.

“The garden was dedicated in May of 1998,” Blair says. “It is in honor of our daughter, but it’s not really a memorial. It’s a place that

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Joyce Blair

is open all the time, and is lit from dusk until midnight for people to draw strength from nature.”

“Darcy was widely traveled,” she adds. “She was interested in scripture gardens she had seen while visiting England and other localities around the world. Our family has attended Community of Christ church for many years and Darcy had presented the idea to the church. After she passed away, our family thought it fitting to present the idea to the congregation again. We found

out they were already discussing it, and thought it would fit in with their objectives and goals to provide a peaceful place to the community.”

Friends of the Blair family, the church congregation and the community all rallied behind the idea, and contributed labor, funds and donations of plants. The garden was designed by Virginia Lee Pledger, who compiled a huge binder of the 150-plus species of perennial flowers, shrubs and trees. Along the curving walkways there

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are markers identifying the names of the vegetation, as well as 20 rocks and boulders with Bible passages etched on bronze plaques.

The garden is filled with varieties native to Kentucky, and flowers include roses, peonies, irises, lilies, bleeding hearts, forgetme-nots, coral bells and lilacs. Permanent installations add to the beauty. Benches are available for those who would like to sit and view the flower-covered archway, watch birds fly, listen to the wind chimes and take

a few minutes to think. Anchoring it all is a large pergola with a birdbath fountain. The Blair family engaged an architect to design the structure and was responsible its inclusion in the garden.

One community member, the late Stan Lemaster, left a wonderful legacy in the garden. He traveled around the world and collected seeds and cuttings from trees with historic pasts. Eleven of the trees in the garden are cultivated from his efforts. One came from a tree that was growing on the

grounds of Buckingham Palace in England. Another is the descendent of a tree grown by Johnny Appleseed, from Lima, Ohio. Also included is the offspring of a magnolia tree that was planted on the White House grounds by President Andrew Jackson.

Over the years many events have been held in the garden, such as weddings, wedding vow renewal ceremonies, parties, luncheons and musical events. Midnight vigils have been held, including one for a fallen highway patrolman and another for Dave

Blair. Many residents of the neighborhood have family albums that include senior and prom photos taken in the garden. A teacher from a nearby school brings groups of students to learn about the life cycle of plants and how to recognize bird calls.

“If someone would like to reserve the garden for an event, all they must do is call the church office,” Blair says. “There is no real charge, but donations are welcome. A lot of people walk in the garden with strollers, dogs and friends. People get a lot

of good out of seeing the orderly unfolding of nature. I was weeding one day when a woman came by and told me she is her husband’s primary caregiver. She is busy all day, but at night she comes and sits on one of the benches.”

“Health care professionals know the value of being out in nature,” she continues. “I’ve seen individuals unload easels from their car and paint. Someone recently came up to me and said, ‘I thought you ought to know, our family is getting a lot of good from the garden. Our handicapped daughter is in a wheelchair, but she can come here and is getting to know the names of the plants.’ One group of children painted sayings on little rocks and hid them around the garden for people to find.”

The garden is usually the site of a special gathering every season. This past December, people visited the space at the conclusion of the Forest Hills Neighborhood Dinner and Carriage Rides event. The holiday

decorations, Christmas music and cozy fire pit were enjoyed by all who attended.

“It’s now time for me to pass on the leadership and help with any problems to make sure the transition goes well,” Blair says. “The organization, Friends of the Garden, will manage, develop and raise funds to enable it to continue. It is led by Blake Rosbury.

There are many chances to volunteer, such as planting a plant or raking leaves. Donors have the opportunity to insert a brick, engraved with their name, special passage or important date, in the crosswalk. In a lot of ways, the Scripture Garden has been a real blessing to the community. It was initiated by my daughter, but it’s never been a sad place. It’s a place for people to get their thinking straight. I think it is serving a real purpose and people are getting a lot of good from it.”

Donations to the Scripture Garden can be

sent to: Community of Christ Church, 2401 Merriwood Drive, Louisville, KY 40299. Call the church office at 502-267-5508 to reserve it for a special event, or to find out more about Friends of the Garden.

“Cafe Osteria” menu is offered Monday- Sunday 11am-3pm.

TAPPING INTO HOPE

WATERSTEP WORKS FOR SAFE, CLEAN WATER ACCESS AROUND THE WORLD

It began with a mission trip in West Africa in 1983. Mark Hogg, a college student, was helping to build a dam that would expand a 20-acre lake to 60 acres.

“The lake was filthy,” he says. “It was causing sickness and disease. Women were bringing their cattle, and their goats or sheep. It was a terrible place. There was no support, no way for them to have safe water.”

Though it is well-known that contaminated water causes sicknesses and fatalities, many people around the world still drink it. Some know that the water will make them sick, but without access to safe water, there isn’t an alternative.

“At night I would hear this drum cadence periodically, and it would be kind of odd,” Hogg says. “The first time I heard it, I asked around that morning what it was,

and people said, ‘That’s the drum cadence that happens when a child dies in the community.’ I know now that was from waterborne illness.”

After his trip, Hogg was confused. “I couldn’t imagine how these people could be living like this,” he says. “It became a big part of my life to look for a way to solve that problem. My faith has always played a big part of what I am and what I do, and long ago I felt this tug - a call - to be able to help people somehow.”

Years later, Hogg is now hard at work on the problem. He is the founder and CEO of the WaterStep organization.

Writer / Grace Schaefer Photography Provided

Mark Hogg

“WaterStep is an organization that works in the developing world and in disasters, in order for folks to be able to control their own safe water access,” Hogg says. “Today we teach people all over the world WASH - water and sanitation hygiene. We’ve really been able to help teach communities how to do WASH programs, and then they teach another [community]. That is being done without us having to travel. In all these countries, we have dozens and dozens and dozens of people that are working together to develop their own strategies, and carry the WASH programs out to impact the entire region.”

“It was all, constantly, things coming together at the right time, and the right opportunities being taken for me to be able to be a part of this,” he adds. “Hope happens when people are living lives of hopelessness because they’re sick, because they can’t work, because they can’t go to school, because they can’t process food - but you’re able to bring them something that transforms their life. I think hope is seen clearly.”

Hope was certainly seen in Turkana County in Kenya, where water was scarce, and safe water even more so. The riverbed was dried up.

“[Children] would dig [holes] in that riverbed and dig down to get water,” Hogg says. “They put a marker at their hole so they could go back each day and dig a little deeper. A lot of times they would have to reach down in there with their face and suck water into their mouth and spit it out into some sort of container. That is one of the really hard stories - living that kind of life, where I’ve got to work so hard every day to dig my own hole to get water out of a dry riverbed, and the water is contaminated. I know it’s going to make me and my family sick, and I’m going to bring it home anyway.”

The full story of Turkana was filmed and titled “Holes.” It can be found on the organization’s YouTube page.

Much of WaterStep’s good work comes directly from volunteers and partners. Donations are always helpful for the organization, but there are also creativeand unusual - ways to help. The organization collects shoes, which they use as a means both to raise funds and to publicize their mission.

“A lot of people in the city are getting involved,” Hogg says.“If folks are traveling internationally to a developing country where there are water issues, sometimes people will move equipment for us. We’ve had people take equipment to different countries as a part of their luggage, and we’ll have somebody meet them at the airport and pick that up. We also are constantly looking for committed volunteers to help us build our equipment. These are predominantly retired people. They can

work and learn how to put our equipment together. It’s folks that can be committed and patient, and learn how to put our equipment together. They get to put their fingerprint on a piece of equipment that goes somewhere in the world and saves lives.”

“It’s interesting how social media ends up in places where sometimes we find people that are in other places of the world,” Hogg adds. “The media has really become a big part of our volunteer base as well - people engaging and sharing the story.”

The people involved with the organization, including equipment builders, staff, shoe collectors and more, are affectionately referred to as WaterStep Nation - and the “nation” is reaching the world.

“We now believe that there’s the possibility that we could actually be a champion,” Hogg says. “I believe that we can solve the world’s water crisis in our lifetime, and

that we can provide safe water worldwide. The goal of WaterStep Nation now is to see the day no child dies of waterborne illness. We think we can solve this in our lifetime. Access to safe water is a human right. People living without safe water and proper sanitation is something that we need to be fed up with, and it’s something that we can fix in our lifetime. It’s not complicated. It’s done with simple solutions. It can be affordable, and we can do it.”

Hogg is hopeful for the future - not just for WaterStep, but also for the millions of lives that can be changed for the better by clean water.

To learn more or get involved, go to waterstep.org. Also visit WaterStep’s social media pages, and explore youtube.com/@ waterstep5570.

Expires 7/31/2024

Expires 7/31/2024

RUNNING JUST FINE

ST. MATTHEWS INDEPENDENCE DAY 5K RETURNS

The St. Matthews Independence Day 5K is back.

The event was a huge success last year, and this year promises to be even bigger and better. All proceeds go to programs and services that benefit the St. Matthews

community, such as aid to shut-ins, beautification of our parks and schools, goods for a food pantry and clothes closet, emergency assistance for families in need, and maintenance of a community garden - all through St. Matthews Baptist Church's Love 40207 program and St.

Matthews Area Ministries.

“When we were looking for another time to have a race, I was looking at the calendar and the Louisville area didn’t really have a July 4th-type race,” Race Director Bill Nowak said. “A lot of people are off work

Writer / Bill Nowak

Photography Provided

that day and I thought it would be a great theme and something the runners can look forward to. You know it’s going to be July 4 every year from now on.”

This race has its origins back in the late 1970s, in what was then called the St. Matthews Baptist Church Pavement Pounder. In the mid-1980s the race became known as the VBS 5K and was part of

the church’s Great Parking Lot Party, to promote its Vacation Bible School. Later it would become the kickoff to the annual St. Matthews Street Festival.

In 2022 it was moved to July 4th to celebrate Independence Day. The course, through St. Matthews neighborhoods, has remained the same over the years. Participation has grown steadily and the race sold out in 2023, capped at 500 participants. Over 30 local businesses donated to or sponsored the event, including the prime sponsor

Independence Bank.

The course has been consistent for the race from the beginning, starting and finishing at St. Matthews Baptist Church on Grandview Avenue. The 3.1-mile loop takes runners down Macon Avenue, Prince William Street, Broadfield and other community streets. All runners and walkers are welcome to participate in the timed event, with overall and age group awards up for grabs for the fastest participants.

The race begins at 8 a.m. at St. Matthews Baptist Church, located at 3515 Grandview Avenue. There will be post-race awards, prizes, food and vendor booths. More information and registration details can be found at rivercityraces.com. There is a virtual option, and walkers are welcome!

The event organizers are always looking for additional sponsors and donors. Contact Bill Nowak at bill.nowak@gmail.com for more information on how your business can be a part of it.

COREY BOSTON

corey@townepost.com

502.407.0185

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