St. Matthews Magazine November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

MAGAZINE

CANINE COURAGE

LOCAL RESCUE DOG ETHAN BRIGHTENS LIVES IN MANY WAYS

BETWEEN THE LINES Louisville Book Festival Is About More Than Just Page-Turners DARING TO DREAM The Dream Factory Helps Wishes Come True for Chronically and Critically Ill Children

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CANINE COURAGE

Local Rescue Dog Ethan Brightens Lives in Many Ways

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DARING TO DREAM

Louisville Book Festival Is About More Than Just Page-Turners

Jeffersontown Resident Luke Walker Raises Money for Homes For Our Troops

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The Dream Factory Helps Wishes Come True for Chronically and Critically Ill Children

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REACHING FOR GREATER OUTCOMES

REACH PROGRAM PROVIDES CRUCIAL SUPPORT AND VALUABLE RESOURCES Writers / Amanda Chapman & Tia Pank Photography Provided

When experiencing a crisis, individuals and families often present a single image or “presenting issue.” That issue is the surface of the crisis, but more deeply, it may be related to one or a complex mix of concerns including mental health, substance use, crime victimization or homelessness. In moments of crisis, when police officers are on the front line of complex behavioral issues, they must focus on the presenting image to minimize the current level of risk to all those involved.

three programs that have combined to bridge the gaps between law enforcement and the community - the Angel Program, Victim Services, and Angel Outreach.

VICTIM SERVICES

Being a victim of crime can be overwhelming, dealing with the trauma while you try to understand your rights, how to navigate an unfamiliar criminal ANGEL PROGRAM justice system, and how to locate and obtain The Angel Program is designed to redirect supportive services. In February of 2020, persons suffering from substance abuse from the JPD hired the first embedded social the criminal justice system to treatment worker to create a program for victims of resources, remove barriers to recovery, crime. Victim Services partners with victims, reduce stigma, and develop community officers, investigators and community trust. The JPD established the first Angel organizations to provide a network of “In most cases, officers arrive on scene to Program in the state of Kentucky in 2016. care customized to meet their unique set assess the situation at hand, then provide The Angel Program created an easy access of needs at no cost to them. The program them with a solution,” says Sergeant Sarah point to treatment and redefined addiction as empowers victims to navigate the complex King of the Jeffersontown Police Department a disease, not a crime. criminal justice process, while responding ( JPD). “Although officers are diverse in many to their emotional, physical and financial areas that they are dealing with, at times we “Having spent the past four decades needs. From the onset of the crime, a victim simply do not have the resources to assist our investigating and arresting those responsible services specialist is assigned to the case to community to the fullest extent that we wish for illicit drug trafficking, I am keenly aware provide information, support, resources to do.” that we cannot simply arrest our way out of and assistance, as well as link to specialized this opioid epidemic,” says Richard Sanders, resources available to help them heal. To To minimize the risks in the moment and JPD chief of police. “It is equally important to date, 1,278 victims of crime have received begin to address the larger picture, a team focus our attention on the demand for these customized services through this program. approach of both sworn officers and trained drugs.” social workers allow for a more holistic ANGEL OUTREACH SERVICES approach that better meets the needs of The main concept of the Angel Program is individuals and the community.

After four years of providing services to that anyone struggling with a substance use participants through the Angel Program disorder can walk into the police department, Understanding the complex dynamics, the (walk-in model), the JPD experienced turn in their drugs without penalty and JPD launched a new program in June of a decline in Angel Program participants receive help into treatment. A volunteer 2022 called REACH. The REACH program despite a rise in calls for services related to “Angel” paired with law enforcement would is a social-work unit embedded within the substance use. Other police departments break down the barriers to finding an open JPD that specializes in providing services offering similar police-assisted substance use bed, arranging treatment and transporting to victims of crime, people experiencing recovery services nationwide began to evolve, them to the services - an advocate and guide substance misuse, mental health issues and utilizing paid, embedded social services to help them on their path to recovery. homelessness. REACH is a combination of clinicians, and other contracted or in-house 6 / ST. MATTHEWS MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2023 / TownePost.com

assistance to expand their programs. The JPD looked at ways to follow suit to meet the needs of the community. In 2021 the JPD hired two additional embedded social workers, to expand on the Angel Program and to provide outreach services to the Jeffersontown community.

Program (walk-in model), Angel Outreach Services, Victim Services, and all social services within the JPD. As an innovative collaboration between police and embedded social workers, the REACH program Responds to community members experiencing victimization, behavioral health crises and substance use disorders to Evaluate Through the addition of the Angel Program for individualized care, Advocate for needs, outreach services, the department no and Connect to support and services, starting longer needed to wait for individuals battling substance use disorders in need of supportive services to walk into the station and ask for help. The new Angel Outreach allows for a police social worker and officer to conduct outreach services in the community directly to individuals in need, and meet them where they are. This proactive approach identifies individuals and families at elevated risk for crisis, and services are offered through five pathways - community member referrals, selfreferrals and walk-ins, officer referrals, incident-based referrals, and community outreach. A social worker can talk with a person over the phone or meet them in the community. In being linked to services, people can continue to walk into the station requesting assistance with their needs related to substance use intervention, harm-reduction tools or homelessness.

Officers can request that the social work team reach out to community members that they have met in the community and identified as having an area of need. Officers also call the team out on scene when an individual could use support in the moment related to crime victimization, substance use, mental health or homelessness. Additionally, the social workers conduct outreach throughout the community and will provide assistance to link to services when a need is identified. To date, the outreach has been able to reach and provide services to 348 individuals and families.

them on a path to Heal.

The REACH program fills gaps in services, and brings expertise and resources to areas in which officers are unable to spend the time needed to support persons in moments of crisis. The REACH program’s concept of multiple pathways to services breaks down walls and difficulties accessing services.

REACH social workers meet people where

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they are, in the street, in hotel rooms, at the police station or over the phone. No matter the pathway, they are available to reduce barriers and help individuals and families access services to reduce crisis. This proactive approach provides officers the ability to return to their policing duties and calls for services that require rapid enforcement response. The program puts a face to services, and builds rapport and trust. The team understands that people are complex, and so are the barriers that limit their ability to access services and support. The holistic support offered by a social worker assists individuals with the customized services they need, to put them on a pathway for success.

If you or a loved one is in need of assistance after being victimized, or if you are struggling with substance use and/or mental health disorders, a team of social workers is here at JPD to guide and develop a customized plan, meeting you and your family where you are, guiding you to where you want to be.

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Jeff Callaway & Ethan

CANINE COURAGE

LOCAL RESCUE DOG ETHAN BRIGHTENS LIVES IN MANY WAYS Writer / Grace Schaefer Photography Provided

You wouldn’t think, just by meeting Ethan, that he’s known suffering. He’s happy to see you, and he will do whatever it takes to spread a little cheer to anyone he meets. He doesn’t even do it with words. Ethan is a rescue dog - a presa canario, to be specific.

says. “I wasn’t sure he was going to make it through the weekend, but it was obvious he’d never been shown any love at all in his life, and so however long he had, I wanted to make sure that he knew that he was cared for.”

Ethan’s story began in January 2021, when he was found abandoned outside of a Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) campus. “He had obviously been kept in a small, confined space where he couldn’t get up, and he was actively dying,” says Jeff Callaway, who met Ethan the day he was found. He weighed only 38 pounds when he was found, though he should’ve weighed 90.

On his first night, Ethan was taken to an animal hospital due to seizures. “He was not only physically in bad shape, but mentally,” Callaway says. “You could put some food in front of him and he could smell that it was there, but he didn’t have that cognitive ability to put his mouth where his nose was smelling the food. So it took quite a bit of staying with him and working one on one.”

Callaway, a four-year employee of the KHS at the time and a lifelong animal lover who had always had rescue dogs, reflects on that day. “It was kind of hard to explain, but when I saw him, I just kind of knew he was my dog,” he says.

Even though the veterinary staff estimated that Ethan had less than a 10% chance to live, Callaway was not deterred. “I just wanted to do whatever I could for him,” he

him for walks. He played games with him to keep his mind stimulated. “That went on for a couple weeks, and then we were going to have a bad snowstorm and no one was certain whether we were going to be able to get in the next day or not,” Callaway says.

“He was well enough to come home and spend the night, so that night he came to my house, and he’s been there ever since.”

At first, he would spend the nights with the Callaway family, then go back to the KHS during the day. Early on, Ethan only observed the other animals around him, but over time he grew more comfortable, even beginning to bark. “It was particularly cool to see him kind of coming out of his shell After a few days, Ethan returned to the KHS. again, and kind of realizing that there are some nice people in the world and that he’s “That was the first night when he got up and started walking on his own,” Callaway in a place where he’s going to be loved and recalls. “I came in the next day and there he cared for,” Callaway says. was, standing up and walking around. He licked me in the face, and they said that was Ethan’s recovery, though tied to the lives of the first time he had given anyone a lick or a the Callaway family, had a far greater impact as well. Ethan became a rallying point for kiss. I just knew he was mine.” the local community and beyond, in the period of isolation brought on by the early Callaway began coming to the KHS during days of the pandemic. “It was just a terrible nights to change Ethan’s bandages and take 10 / NOVEMBER 2023 / TownePost.com

On March 10, 2021, Ethan was officially adopted into the Callaway family, but his impact and achievement didn’t end there. Today, Ethan has his own social media page, so fans can keep up with their favorite inspirational dog.

When he can’t spend the workday with Callaway, he spends time comforting animals in the KHS vet area. Among his many accomplishments, Ethan has

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time,” Callaway says. “I think part of it is people saw Ethan’s story and they thought, ‘This is another terrible, terrible thing. This dog’s not going to make it, and who could do something like this to a dog?’ And every day he just kept getting just a little bit better, and a little bit better, so his story became a source of happiness for so many people during the pandemic.

He had this will to live, when everything else was looking the other direction, and I think people turned to that and saw, wow, this little dog is fighting to live.”

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been named Compassion Ambassador by the Kentucky Derby Festival, and has been inducted into the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association Hall of Fame. He has thrown out first pitches, and he’s received proclamations from the Metro government.

In 2022 he won the American Humane Hero Dog Award for the Shelter Dogs category, and the American Humane National Hero Dog of the Year.

personal connection with every single person,” Callaway says. Seeing the positive impact Ethan has on an individual level has the greatest effect on Callaway.

“It’s overwhelming to me to see this positive impact, and the amount of attention that this one little dog can bring to shelters and to abused animals,” he says. “His message is always about love and support, and we try to always end those messages with, ‘Please do something kind for someone today.’

Alongside Callaway, Ethan advocates So no matter where we go, we just want to for a tightening of anti-torture, antishow that, no matter where you’ve been and abandonment law in Kentucky. With such what you’ve been through, just show some an involvement in legislation, he has even sat in the gallery of the house and the senate love and support for one another, and you never know what the other person is going to watch proceedings. through. [Ethan] has every right to be not Just recently, Ethan and Callaway received a nice, and unkind to people and animals, but WLKY Bell Award, marking the first time an he’s just not that way.” animal will be recognized.

Even though the KHS shelter is no longer Ethan’s home, it’s still an important place.

However, these big achievements don’t “If you have any way to support your local alter the little, daily impacts. “He has this shelter, whether that is by donations or connection with people, and it’s a different

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volunteering, please do that,” Callaway says.

Ask your local shelter what their needs are.

“Unfortunately, there are still animals that are still mistreated in our communities, and anything we can do to try to help those animals out, we want to try to do,” Callaway says. “Just be kind to folks. You never know what their story is and what they’ve gone through, and sometimes a little bit of kindness can be exactly what they needed that day.”

So, remember Ethan’s example. No matter what you’re going through, there’s always an opportunity to make someone else’s day a little bit better, giving them a glimpse of a better world, one smile and one nice word at a time.

“Please do something kind for someone today.”

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DARING TO DREAM

THE DREAM FACTORY HELPS WISHES COME TRUE FOR CHRONICALLY AND CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN Writer / Julie Yates Photography Provided

Childhood and adolescence are typically characterized as a carefree and fun-filled periods of life. They are thought of as times of self-discovery, as endless possibilities are experienced without the weight of a lot of responsibility. Most parents can enjoy watching their children unfold their wings and fly into the world with only minor stumbling. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for families with a critically or chronically ill child.

Mike McKenzie

appointments. For them, worry is a constant theme. The Dream Factory, a national wishfulfillment organization, has a mission to enable such children, aged 3 to 18, to briefly set aside these struggles.

The Dream Factory has over 30 chapters across 16 states, and is the largest allvolunteer organization of its kind. Founded in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 1980, its headquarters are in Louisville. With only three full-time positions and one part-time paid position, 95% of the money it raises The lives of families with a child experiencing an advanced or chronic disease goes directly to its mission. This has enabled the organization to earn Charity Navigator’s are hampered by the demands of hospital highest rating of four stars for the past stays, and scheduled doctor or treatment 14 / NOVEMBER 2023 / TownePost.com

nine years.

Besides being staffed almost entirely by volunteers, The Dream Factory has another aspect that sets it apart. As with other wish-fulfillment organizations, it allows recipients to have a family vacation, attend an event or meet someone special. However, it aims to provide these memory-making experiences not only for children nearing the end of life, but also for those with serious and chronic illnesses that have interfered with their childhood.

“We are like other similar organizations in that we all want to provide a brief time of relief from worry, and put smiles on the faces of a child and the family,” says Mike McKenzie, chief executive officer and national director. “Except in our case, the illness doesn’t have to be life threatening. We provide dreams for children with serious chronic conditions such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, active sickle cell anemia and Down syndrome, and individuals with heart or pulmonary issues. We don’t use the word ‘terminal.’

We don’t want a child to hear the word used when discussing their eligibility and ask what it means.”

In fact, some dream recipients have grown into adulthood and are living fruitful lives. McKenzie recounts the story of a teenage girl whose dream was a one-

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on-one meeting with the Pope. Today she is married and has children. The impact of the organization can never be fully measured, but it is clear the experiences granted make a lasting difference.

Children with chronic illness battle stress and depression. In addition, they may also suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Two studies in recent years have yielded results that suggest a fulfilled wish can improve an ill youngster’s quality of life. A 2015 study in Israel reported that increased positive emotions generated through participating in dream programs fostered an increased sense of well-being. More recently, a 2018 study conducted at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, concluded that patients who were granted a wish were more likely to have fewer unplanned hospital and emergencydepartment visits.

The Dream Factory can be part of the team helping the family through an illness

journey, but out of respect for privacy, a patient is never recruited. Parents, guardians, physicians, and children with advanced documented diseases can make referrals to begin the dream-granting process. There is no regard given to race, color, creed, religion, ethnic origin or economic status, but the child must reside in a community where a chapter exists.

“Chapters build relationships with local hospitals,” says McKenzie. “Typically, a child-life specialist or treatment plan coordinator is assigned to families. This person becomes a point of contact. Social media posts made by family members also raise awareness of our organization and increase referrals after being viewed by those experiencing similar situations.”

can make it happen in three to four weeks if that is all the time a child has. What drives us is that we know the wish will make lasting memories for the rest of the family.”

McKenzie shares that the types of dreams provided are varied. Not everyone asks for a trip such as a stay in Disney World.

Some children wish for shopping sprees, gaming consoles or concert tickets. During COVID, “she sheds” were built or campers were requested for family getaways.

Compromised immune systems must be kept in mind when considering dream options.

“One of the most heart-tugging dreams was given to a child at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital affiliated with the University of Kentucky in Lexington,” says McKenzie.

“His mother and father were from Africa “When the referrals come into the local and when their visa expired, they had to chapters, members ask themselves, ‘How return to Africa. His wish was to get back to can we figure out a way to make this happen?’” he continues. “Sometimes it must Africa so he could spend his final days with his family.” be a second choice. The hardest is how we

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“There are lots of good people in the world,” he adds. “Volunteers sometimes fund dreams out of their own pockets.

Fundraising depends on local communities.

In Louisville there is a black-tie gala. In rural areas it might be a tractor pull. There are golf scrambles and trivia nights, and in Memphis wet-suited individuals water ski at the annual New Year’s Day Ski Freeze. We accept donations on our website as well.”

to reach out his national office and start a conversation. He feels there is no shortage of children who could qualify and benefit from having a dream fulfilled.

There is plenty of room at the table for anyone who wants to make a difference in a gravely ill child’s life by volunteering or initiating a new chapter.

The Dream Factory is fortunate to have several national partners who believe in and support their mission. These businesses and organizations facilitate dreams.

Among them are American Airlines, Atlantis, Holiday Inn and Southwest Airlines. Foundations represented include Sunshine Foundation, Something mAAgic Foundation, and Samtec Cares.

“My wife and I began volunteering for the Lexington chapter,” says McKenzie.

“We just felt in our hearts and minds the urge to help sick kids and put a smile on their face. After I retired from education about five years ago, this opportunity to take a national leadership role came up.

I can’t think of a greater way to write the last chapter of my work life than this. I firmly believe that each and every dream makes a difference. For perhaps a week, a family doesn’t have to worry about doctor appointments, shots or chemotherapy. A child gets to be normal for a week. That’s

McKenzie, who was an educator and high school principal before retiring, would like to see the organization grow. He urges any community wanting to start a local chapter

TownePost.com / NOVEMBER 2023 / 17

what every parent wants.”

For more information on The Dream factory including volunteering, finding a local chapter and donations, visit dreamfactoryinc. org. The national office is located at 410 West Chestnut Street, Suite 530 in Louisville. Call them at 502-561-3001.

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Between the Lines LOUISVILLE BOOK FESTIVAL IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST PAGE-TURNERS Writer / Carrie Vittitoe Photography Provided

If you’re a book lover, you probably can’t Wait. What? There is a book festival in our wait to visit the library or peruse the shelves fair city? Indeed there is. at your nearest bookstore. You may also Natural Stone Artisans secretly enjoy not just the stories within the Before you mark down dates on your pages, but also the smell they give off, or the calendar, let’s get some background on this delicate crack of the spine when you open festival’s history. it up. You may be in a book club and dutiful about finishing the book each month. You may have a to-be-read count that numbers into the high hundreds or even thousands.

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“I became a therapist because I could still do many things that appealed to me about being a lawyer - problem solving, helping people understand their path, advocating for others, and seeking better alternatives to chaos,” she says.

TRAVERTINE GRANITE LIMESTONE QUARTZ began using books as a tool to work SLATE MARBLE She with kids. The books often served as gateway to discussion, providing an ONYXor the child QUARTZITE aentry point for Cummings

Deedee Cummings, Louisville Book Festival Founder

Louisville Book Festival Founder Deedee Cummings is a bit of a renaissance woman.

She’s an attorney, a therapist, and a children’s picture-book author. She began her career in child protective services and attended law school at night, but by the time she graduated, she realized she wanted to problem solve in a different way, outside the legal system.

to discuss difficult things. Books often helped children relax and opened up their lines of communication. It was then that Cummings noticed how few of the book Kitchen Countertops characters looked like the children she was TubShe Surrounds trying to help. searched high and low, and couldn’t find what she was looking for, Outdoor Kitchens which is when her career as a children’s Vanity Tops picture-book author began.

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Over time, it became increasingly important Furniture Tops to Cummings that kids develop better reading skills and have greater access to books. In 2018 she founded the Louisville Book Festival, whose mission is to promote reading, writing and literacy. Of course, getting a book festival off the ground takes a lot of work, but Cummings and her team

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were ready to launch in the fall of 2020.

We all know what happened in 2020.

COVID-19 forced her to move the inaugural Louisville Book Festival online.

Despite this setback, the turnout was larger than expected, at over 1,000 people. The festival featured both Kentucky favorites like George Ella Lyon and Hannah Drake, as well as writers from beyond the state borders, including Tomi Adeyemi, the bestselling author of “Children of Blood and Bone.” Cummings considered canceling the event, but says “it seemed it was more needed than ever. It was about community.”

She was bothered by the ugliness she was seeing in people, such as arguments over masks and the unjust deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. “It was important for me to move forward in some way because books build empathy,” she says. “We needed a community that came together in a positive space to talk about hopeful things. As vaccines were developed,

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Cummings and her team were optimistic that 2021 could be an in-person experience.

But as summer turned to fall in 2021, the delta variant of COVID-19 reared its ugly head.

“We were moving full speed ahead with an in-person conference,” Cummings says.

“I was determined. This was going to be

the year.”

As COVID rates started to climb higher, Cummings says she “could not in good conscience move forward with an in-person gathering, but I did not easily decide to go online again.” At that point everyone had serious Zoom fatigue from online church, school and work. Despite this, and after much consideration, Cummings

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determined that having the conference felt necessary. “I thought back to 2020 and how important the event was, and I decided to do it, even if we only touched a few people,” she says. “There would be someone who needed this.”

Many in her shoes might have thrown their hands in the air and given up after COVID wreaked havoc on her plans two years in

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with Pete the Cat and Mo Willems’ beloved characters Elephant and Piggie. “We had over 3,000 people attend the festival and we gave away thousands of free books to kids, which was amazing,” Cummings says. “I was one of those kids who did not get a book every time the book fair came to school, and I wanted every child to be able to walk away with at least one book that they could Many Jefferson County Public Schools students attended the Friday sessions, which choose.” gave them the opportunity to meet and discuss books and writing with adults whose This year’s festival will once again be held at the Kentucky International Convention works run the gamut from science fiction Center on Friday, November 10 and to memoirs to poetry. Adult attendees Saturday, November 11, and there is a could also meet and greet authors, as well lot to be excited about. “This year we as purchase their books, with Carmichael’s Bookstore serving as the official bookseller are very hyped about having a New York Times bestselling author from right of the event. There were all kinds of panels here in Louisville, Jermaine Fowler, the and discussions both days, covering topics author of ‘The Humanity Archive,’ which from how to pitch to publishers to writing appropriately underscores the exact message about lived experiences. of the Louisville Book Festival,” Cummings says. “His work is the perfect complement Librarians from the Louisville Free Public to our mission to highlight diverse stories Library held story times for kids, and attendees were able to get their photos taken and amplify all voices, but especially a row, but when Deedee Cummings has a dream, she wants reality to match her vision. So plans were made for 2022 and, fortunately, all the stars aligned. The 2022 Louisville Book Festival was held in person at the Kentucky International Convention Center on October 28 and 29.

marginalized ones.”

Families with children should venture downtown since firefighters, family court judges, and other members of the community will read to kids during story times. There will also be librarians who use books for art projects with children.

Whether a person loves writing, is interested in publishing, wants to promote literacy in the community, or just needs to flip through cool books, they should visit the Louisville Book Festival.

Even though it is a book festival, the event is really about more than books. “Books hold the secrets to who you are as a person, who you want to be, how to prosper, how to save your marriage, and how to survive,” Cummings says. “If books weren’t powerful, there would not have been concerted campaigns throughout all of history to limit your ability to access them.”

For more info, visit louisvillebookfestival.com.

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Where the Heart Is LUKE WALKER RAISES MONEY FOR HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS Writer / Melissa Stalb Photography Provided

At 19 years old, Luke Walker of Louisville knew he was going to join the military.

Just five days from shipping off to basic training, he learned that some of his medical paperwork didn’t pass the acceptance phase, and 21 days after his denial, Walker set off on the road.

“I was going to make a career out of the military and I was just devastated,” he says. "I didn’t know what I was going to do

with my life. I just started traveling. I went to Montana, Colorado, and lived in the Caribbean for a while. I was a whitewater raft guide and learned a little bit about bike touring. I even lived in a tent for some time.”

“A mentor of mine gave me a list of nonprofit military organizations and I researched all of them,” he says. “I wanted to make sure the majority of the money would go directly to veterans.”

Walker decided that if he couldn’t join the brotherhood he had always dreamed of, perhaps he could help them in a different way.

He found an organization called Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) with a mission to build adapted homes for disabled veterans across the U.S.

26 / NOVEMBER 2023 / TownePost.com

“I liked that they have a list of veterans currently waiting on a home,” he says. “I watched a ton of videos and selected one that I related to.”

His plan included cycling from Key West, Florida, up the coast of Maine, and then across the northern portion of the country to Washington. Walker wanted the trip to be as similar to deployment as possible - no hotels, a $15-per-day budget and a lot of physical activity.

“I wanted to raise $50,000, but by the time I got to Michigan I had to see a doctor and was advised to medically drop out of my plan,” Walker says. “I’m at $5,000 right now but the money wasn’t my main goal. It was a personal challenge and more about raising awareness.”

Despite Walker’s setback, HFOT can use any donation and any awareness to support their mission.

In 2004 a general contractor named John Gonsalves offered to build a disabled veteran a home. The veteran denied his offer at first, but eventually said he would accept it on one condition - that Gonsalves didn’t stop with just him.

Today, 361 homes in 45 states have been built, all specially adapted for each individual veteran.

Tom Landwermeyer, president and chief executive officer of Homes for Our Troops, is a retired Army veteran of 33 years. He has seen firsthand the struggles wounded veterans face when they come home.

“These veterans tend to restrict themselves to a certain area of the home they can move around in,” he says. “[In a typical home] it’s not uncommon to have to walk up a couple of steps to the front door. The doors are narrow and the first thing you see is a flight of stairs up to the second floor. You can’t turn into doorways because the angles aren’t

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right. Going to the restroom could actually be dangerous and assistance is needed. They sacrificed their freedom and independence for the rest of us. They shouldn’t continue to fight in their own homes. It should be a place of respite.”

Each HFOT home has a single story, at 4,800 square feet, with four bedrooms and two baths. Luxury vinyl floors and minimal thresholds at the doorways allow for smooth and easy access throughout the house.

Light switches are placed lower and electrical outlets are placed higher than a typical home. Countertops are lowered, and the stovetop and sink are roll-under.

The master bath has a roll-in shower.

“We want our veterans to access the entire home, and have added

things like a roll-in closet in the master bedroom that allows pull-down hangers, and a front-load washer and dryer,” Landwermeyer says.

There are currently more than 40 special applications built inside the home, and HFOT leaders continue to gather feedback and improve upon their next home.

For instance, individuals who have severe burns often have a lot of nerve damage and they can’t always feel water temperature, so showers in every home have a digital thermometer valve for programming temperature.

“Each home has a backup generator that can power the entire home,” Landwermeyer says. “This was a result of a veteran in the Midwest who encountered some storms.

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retrofit and went back to put generators in at home doesn’t take away their injuries. There will be dark times and we can serve as a link every home we’ve built so far.” to the right support in their area.”

It's only one of the ways HFOT is unique.

After handing over the keys, the relationship There are currently 70 projects underway and 100 veterans in the application process. continues to build.

Landwermeyer says there are at least another 1,000 severely wounded that would “It’s not the last you’ve heard of us,” qualify for the program.

Landwermeyer says. “We promised them a quality home and we’ll fix any issues. We HFOT serves veterans injured in post-9/11 need that feedback on the adaptations and war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Individuals we’re constantly upgrading house plans.” are approved through a special adapted housing grant program through Veterans Keeping in touch allows HFOT to learn Affairs (VA). In addition, financial planning all the ways this assistance helps the entire is provided for each family to help as they family. For example, 95% of families report a decrease in stress level. Employment rates move forward, and the staff at HFOT can for caregivers more than double, and for the walk veterans through each step of the process. spouse it nearly triples.

“The most important thing about staying in contact is to help when needed,” Landwermeyer says. “They have those chains taken off, they can accomplish things and do things as a family again, but the

“We have a lady in our office that responds to every message,” Landwermeyer says. “If our program doesn’t fit, she’ll put them in touch with a support organization that can help. We never say, ‘You don’t qualify,

goodbye.’ We also have people that know the VA system incredibly well and help with those steps, so just call us.”

HFOT puts 90 cents of every dollar back into the home and services for the veteran. They don’t pay for advertising, and they depend on business sponsorships, individual donations, and individual fundraisers like Walker’s.

“A few years ago we celebrated our 300th home in St. Louis, and the family had a 4-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy,” Landwermeyer says. "Wayfair donated furniture in honor of our event, and this little girl was sitting on her big four-poster bed with pink and white decorations. One of our staff members asked her what she liked the most, and she said, ‘My dad is going to be able to come in my room and read me a story.’ This is something we can do for the entire family.”

For more information about Homes For Our Troops, visit hfotusa.org.

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NINE WAYS TO HONOR THOSE WHO’VE SERVED THIS VETERANS DAY Story and Photography Provided

VISIT A MEMORIAL OR MILITARY CEMETERY.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MILITARY.

“All gave some. Some gave all.” Technically we celebrate those who gave their all on Memorial Day in May, but Veterans Day is also a fine time to remember those who lost their lives for our country. Visit a local memorial or military cemetery. Find state cemeteries at your state’s Veterans Affairs page, and national ones at cem.va.gov. Place flags or flowers on the graves.

The United States Armed Forces is made up of six branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force. You Heather French can explore each branch and even listen Henry, former to the hymns from each service corps on commissioner of Veterans YouTube, Spotify, Pandora or wherever you MAKE A FAMILY CONNECTION. Affairs, a former Miss access music. You can also remember the America, and current ambassador Reserves and National Guard members who Many Americans have served in the military. for Global Game Changers Look at your own family tree to see if you support the military on many missions.

Children’s Education Initiative, Inc., can find a veteran, or identify a close friend shares these nine tips to teach kids how to REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL VETERANS who served. Show your kids a picture of that honor Veterans Day on November 11. person, especially if you have a picture of AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER OR A them in uniform. Investigate the conflict in VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION. HELP KIDS UNDERSTAND WHAT A which they served. You can find all kinds of The federal or state departments of VETERAN IS, AND THE HISTORY OF information about enrollment if you have an Veterans Affairs provide opportunities for ancestry.com account.

VETERANS DAY. learning about, and access to, veterans.

Young children sometimes make the Many communities also feature a Veterans WATCH OR CREATE AN ORAL HISTORY. reasonable assumption when talking Affairs hospital and/or a Veterans Service about vets or veterans around November Organization, like Veterans of Foreign Wars, Oral histories are an important way to 11 that we’re talking about animal doctors. preserve the memories of veterans who have American Legion and Disabled American Help them understand that a veteran is an served our country, and to learn from the Veterans. Reach out to your nearest individual - man or woman - who has served organization and ask how your family can lessons they have to teach us. The Library of in our Armed Forces. You can also ask them support the veterans who use their services. Congress’s Veterans History Project allows to consider why we should honor these you to search oral histories by conflict, Perhaps there are individuals who would people. Once you’ve learned about veterans, enjoy a visit, items you can donate, or branch, type of material and more. If you explore Veterans Day. know a veteran, you can also work to come other work you can do to support these up with questions, and add the story of the organizations. veteran you know to the collection!

30 / NOVEMBER 2023 / TownePost.com

EXPLORE MILITARY SYMBOLS. Every nation uses symbols to honor its veterans, such as the yellow ribbon in America and the poppy in Great Britain and Canada. During World War II, mothers kept stars in their windows. You can explore the history with your children and enjoy the art, including the poem “In Flanders Fields” and the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree.”

HONOR ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY MEMBERS. Reach out to those currently serving overseas and away from their families with a care package or homemade card.

Putting a smile on the faces of future veterans is one way to ensure that we honor them. The Red Cross Holidays for Heroes program sends care packages overseas.

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Even though veterans are top of mind in November, you can work to honor them all year round. A simple thank you to someone who served or is currently serving can go a long way. Global Game Changers has a great lesson on its free-tojoin portal called “Superhero Honor” that focuses on the history of Veterans Day and how kids can honor veterans.

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Global Game Changers Children’s Education Initiative, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing evidencebased leadership development and socialemotional learning programs that empower students to overcome apathy, feel empathy, and foster a sustainable connection to service. To support this mission, the organization offers a free superherothemed curriculum (MY TALENT + MY HEART = MY SUPERPOWER) to schools, parents, after-school programs and summer programs, currently reaching more than 1,000 schools and 250,000 students in 49 Grant Coun states and 13 countries around the world.

Grant Coun The prekindergarten through fifth-grade curriculum is made possible by the David Novak Leadership foundation, whose mission is to make the world a better place Downtown W by developing better leaders at every stageDowntown of life. For more information or to get visitg visitg involved, visit globalgamechangers.org.

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LIGHT UP MIDDLETOWN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2023 4:00pm Vendors at Celebration Hall

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6:30pm Santa arrives at Middletown Community Center 34 / ST. MATTHEWS MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2023 / TownePost.com

Keeping Your Holiday Season Merry and Bright SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER: SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS Story and Photography Provided

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF SAD INCLUDE:

Holidays should be merry and bright, but for some, the yuletide season can have a negative effect. Unfortunately, what is already a stressful time of year also coincides with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition that affects 10 million Americans.

• A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods

SAD, also known as seasonal blues, is a type of depression related to a change in the seasons. It begins when daylight saving time ends and the transition from fall into winter begins.

• Weight gain • A heavy feeling in the arms or legs • A drop in energy level • Fatigue

THOUGH THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF SAD REMAINS UNKNOWN, THERE ARE A FEW FACTORS THAT COME INTO PLAY: • Your biological clock, or circadian rhythm. The decrease in sunlight can disrupt your body’s internal clock, leading to feelings of depression.

• A tendency to oversleep • Difficulty concentrating • Irritability • Increased sensitivity to social rejection

• Avoidance of social situations • Serotonin levels. Serotonin is a brain chemical that affects mood, and a drop in this neurotransmitter might play a role in developing These symptoms recur annually, and tend to come and go around SAD, because reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin that the same time every year. Though anyone can be affected, women might trigger depression. are four times more likely than males to be diagnosed with SAD, • Melatonin levels. When seasons change, the balance of the body’s and night owls are more than three times as likely to report the disorder than normal sleepers. melatonin level is disrupted, affecting sleep patterns and mood.

TownePost.com / NOVEMBER 2023 / ST. MATTHEWS MAGAZINE / 35

SEASONAL BLUES SYMPTOMS VARY, AND ITS CAUSES ARE NOT CLEAR, BUT FORTUNATELY THERE ARE A VARIETY OF TREATMENT OPTIONS: • Light therapy, which involves sitting in front of a light-therapy box that emits a very bright light. This treatment typically requires 20 minutes or more per day, usually first thing in the morning during winter months. People tend to see improvements from light therapy within two weeks of beginning treatment. To maintain the benefits and prevent relapse, treatment should be continued through the end of winter. Because symptoms can return in late fall, light therapy can begin in early fall as a preventative measure.

• Talk therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also effectively treat SAD. CBT can help a person with depression recognize and change negative thought patterns or behaviors that are contributing to the depression.

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the antidepressants most commonly used to treat SAD. They can ease symptoms of moderate to severe depression, are relatively safe, and typically

cause fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants.

• Extended-release bupropion, also known as Wellbutrin XL, can also help treat symptoms of SAD. A norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, Wellbutrin XL balances chemicals in the brain to help improve symptoms of depression.

If you are experiencing symptoms of seasonal blues, seek the help of a trained medical professional. It’s important to rule out any other medical conditions, as SAD can be misdiagnosed in the presence of hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, infectious mononucleosis, and other viral infections.

The team at Heartfelt Solutions can help you and your loved ones diagnose and manage the condition. Call 502-915-8343, ext. 104 for more information or to discuss therapy options.

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