St. Matthews Magazine April 2023

“Go ThereOutand Explore”

MICAH CHANDLER TAPS INTO EVERYTHING THE CITY HAS TO OFFER

Writer / Carrie Vittitoe Photography Provided

If you spend a couple hours with Micah Chandler, you’re going to be introduced to a lot of people and you are going to be asked to either take photos of Micah and the folks he knows or be in a photo with Micah. It is almost certain you will be both photographer and subject at some point. It doesn't matter where you are in Louisville, either, whether it is at Nulu or Audubon Park or Middletown. Micah is one of those individuals who everyone seems to know and love, and if they don’t do these two things, they at least recognize him from somewhere in Kentuckiana. For a man who isn’t a local meteorologist or Jack Harlow, that’s impressive.

Micah grew up in the west end of Louisville with his parents and several siblings and where he attended school, moving between Shawnee Elementary and Portland Elementary for various grade levels. He was born with cerebral palsy so he spent time in special education classes but it became clear that, despite his diagnosis, he still had

untapped cognitive and adaptive skills . Eventually, he was mainstreamed into some regular classes.

“I got too smart with math. At the time, I was good at adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing,” Chandler says. It was towards the end of elementary school that he began learning music as part of an orchestra class. “I played the flute but didn’t like it. It didn’t work out,” he says.

When he started sixth grade at Noe Middle School, he continued music classes, and it was there that he switched to violin. “I picked up the violin and started playing. A month later, I was able to play Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G. It took a month to learn; it didn’t take much time. I kind of jumped ahead,” Chandler says. He also performed in all-county orchestra performances during his middle school career.

When it came time to think about high school, Micah applied to the Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS) and was accepted. It was there that he learned to

play viola, although he initially didn’t like it because he had to learn a different scale. He adjusted after about a month, but says he still liked the violin because of the melody. “It was a good advantage for me to be able to do both,” he says. As he did during middle school, Chandler was able to take his talents beyond the school by performing in the Louisville Youth Orchestra and all-state orchestra.

Music continued to be a huge part of Micah’s life once he moved onto college. He went to the University of Louisville’s School of Music where he also learned to sing and play piano and was taught music history. He enjoyed playing in the school’s orchestra and had a special love for jazz violin. Even though music has long been Chandler’s big love, he ventured into new avenues by getting two associates degrees from Jefferson Community and Technical Colleges (JCTC); one in applied science and another in computer information systems.

During his time at University of Louisville, Chandler began volunteering for various

organizations which he continues doing to this day. As a college student, he volunteered at the Red Barn, a multipurpose building on campus.

“I fell in love with the Red Barn and Cardinal Inn. I built up my relationships with a lot of University of Louisville people,” he says.

Chandler committed to doing the AIDS Walk in its early days while he was still a college student and collected $1,000 in a week. Another time, he collected $10,000 for the Walk MS fundraiser over the course of four months. Chandler says he had to pound pavement and knock on people’s doors to raise that amount in a short amount of time.

Nowadays, Chandler works one day a week at Maya Collection, a nonprofit in south Louisville that helps sell textile goods made by refugee women. He does whatever needs to be done, including cleaning up

the parking lot, loading and unloading items and even making deliveries by using the TARC bus. “He helps us do random things. He is a great worker, and he wants to work. He brings joy to everyone he’s around,” Karen Aroh says, founder of MAYA Collection.

The other days of Chandler’s week are full of various activities: physical or occupational therapy, haircuts, a job at the Popcorn Station, playing in three different orchestras and volunteering at Hope Place in the South End. He’s gotten involved with Shine!, a prom-like event for individuals with developmental disabilities. On top of that, he can regularly be found at various community events like fairs, festivals, plays and musical performances, including his own performances when he sets up and plays his violin for those passing by.

“You gotta go where the people go,” he says.

Being around people has provided him

Micah with Kelly Ripa

Micah with Richard Sullivan

so many great opportunities. “I wouldn’t be working for Aroh if I had stayed in one place. I wouldn’t know anything about SHINE! if I had stayed in one place,” he says. “I have to keep moving.”

Micah is both a night owl, going to bed around midnight, and an early bird, waking around seven in the morning.

His various activities keep him moving through the city of Louisville. Chandler says he doesn’t have a favorite spot but goes where he feels most comfortable and welcome. “I want to go to places where people understand me,” he says.

Feeling comfortable isn’t always easy for him because sometimes people don’t understand his developmental delays. After feeling unwell at a recent festival, Chandler went into a local establishment to use the restroom and was told by a bartender that the police would be called if Chandler didn’t leave. “I told him, ‘I’m just a handicapped person, and I’m sick,’” he says. Fortunately, when Chandler requested a manager, he was given the assistance he needed.

For someone so social, the past couple years with COVID-19 were an especially difficult time. The weeks and months of quarantines and canceled social events really made

Chandler sad and out of sorts. Even though things have improved, people have developed a greater need for their physical space, a concept that he admits to struggling with. His friends talk to him about some of the social cues he doesn’t always understand on his own.

Still, Chandler stays focused on taking and making opportunities to network. His advice is sound no matter who you are or how old: “Go out there and explore.” And if you aren’t an extrovert and need a partner to help you become more social, Chandler is probably one of the best people around to help you navigate the Louisville social scene.

ALL ABOUT THE KIDS

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF KENTUCKIANA PRESIDENT & CEO

KNOWS FIRSTHAND THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE ORGANIZATION

Writer / Cassady Lamb

Photography Provided

The Louisville metropolitan area is home to over 1.3 million people who are spread out on almost 400 square miles. The 2020 U.S. Census shows that 22.5% of the metro population consists of people under the age of 18.

Many of these youths that fall into the 18 and under category could be classified as underserved. A boom of realization hit Louisville following the pandemic--there were not many options for children who come from underserved communities or families to get help to thrive in life.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana (BGCK) has been a pioneer in working with the youth since 1950.

The Kentuckiana chapter of the club, consisting of Kentucky’s Jefferson County

and Indiana’s Clark and Floyd counties, has three staple clubs around the metropolitan area with a fourth club on the way.

There are 4,300 Boys and Girls Clubs of America and club-affiliates all around the U.S., including Native American reservations and military bases. The club also has a presence in 16 other countries and collectively serve nearly 4 million youth.

In February of 2022, BGCK hired Daryle Unseld Jr. as president and CEO.

Unseld’s most recent job was with Metro United Way for more than 11 years. Before that, Unseld served over 11 years active duty for the U.S. Air Force and then was the program director at the YMCA of Greater Louisville.

Upon leaving Louisville for 11 and a half years as an airman, he returned in 2005,

and in 2010 landed a leadership position at Metro United Way.

Unseld came into Metro United Way as a regional manager in community impact and left the organization as chief equity and impact officer.

He studied at the University of Louisville where he received a Bachelor of Science degree, and at Saint Leo University where he received his Master of Business Administration.

February wasn’t the first time BGCK has seen Unseld. He attended the Club as a child and worked at the organization as a teenager.

According to Unseld, this position at BGCK was an opportunity come full circle, having grown up as a Club kid.

“It’s an awesome opportunity to use my

passions to lead this legacy organization,” Unseld says.

His employment track record shows that he has a tried and true heart for the betterment of Louisville.

Coming up on his one year of working at the Club, Unseld was excited to share the

changes that he has seen during this time.

“We are excited that we are renovating three of our brick-and-mortar clubs,” Unseld says. “We are opening a brand new club next month in the California neighborhood-- the California Boys and Girls Club.”

The Club is partnering with St. Stephens

The official opening day of the new club was January 9th. The organization held a Christmas party there two weeks prior, alongside hosting other Christmas parties at the preexisting clubs.

Church to host youths at the church’s life center on the third floor.

Unself describes the mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Kentuckiana as “meeting the needs of young people where they are.” He is very passionate about the mission of the Club because he has experienced it in his own life and now, he is wanting to continue the mission under his leadership.

“The Boys and Girls Club helped me reach my full potential,” Unseld says.

To the adults that poured into Unseld while he was growing up, he says his actions can express his gratitude.

“One of the best ways I can say thank you is by modeling the way that these people poured into me,” he says.

Unseld grew up in Lousville, and behind his titles, it is visibly obvious that he has a strong heart for the youth residing in the city.

“I think that young people deserve to be the architects of their own condition,” he said.

With a good chunk of his life spent involved in the Boys and Girls Club, Unseld has a lot of great things to express regarding the organization.

“Being exposed to caring adults, quality programs and providing me opportunities

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that I would not have without the club gave me the ability to see outside of my own neighborhood,” Unseld says.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana hosted a first of its kind fundraiser recently. Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and new head football coach at the University of Colorado Boulder spoke at the event alongside Unseld.

Sanders played 14 seasons in the NFL. He is the only athlete to ever compete in the Super Bowl and World Series. He has multiple athletic titles and awards, but among all his athletic standings, the

renowned coach is a Boys and Girls Club alumni.

The funds raised from the gala will help open doors to great futures for young people ages 6 - 18 in Kentuckiana,

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana is passionate about catering to the metro youth and Daryle Unseld’s heart hits all three components that the Club holds: celebrating diversity, ensuring equity and fostering inclusion.

The children of Kentuckiana have a huge supporter in the clubs, especially under

fervid guidance.

Unseld has some things that he would like to see in the club in 2023.

“I want to grow our footprint and serve more people in the Louisville area,” Unseld says.

“There are not enough resources for the young people here… I want more young people to experience the mission of the Boys and Girls Club.”

For more information, please visit www. bgcky.org/.

Day Health

“I THINK THAT YOUNG PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE THE ARCHITECTS OF THEIR OWN

—DARYLE

PAT DAY

A RACE TOWARD A CALLING

Writer / Kevin Gibson Photography Provided

It was a summer day in 1973 at Prescott Downs, a small racetrack about 100 miles north of Phoenix, and a young rider found himself in the lead. It was his first race ever as a jockey.

The horse had leapt to the front as soon as the gates had opened, and there it stayed, speeding around the dirt track toward an awaiting finish line. As that finish line came into view, victory appeared imminent.

“And then another horse came and got me,” Pat Day says, now a horse racing hall of famer. The name of the jockey who tracked down Day’s horse that day was Lyle Murray, whom Day described as a “journeyman jockey.” The two would soon become good friends.

“He said, ‘There was no way I could let you win your first start,’” Day says. “’You’ve got to get some experience first.’”

Two weeks later, he claimed that first win – it was the first of 8,803 wins in his storied career, which included winning the 1992

The Colorado-born Day retired in 2005, but he didn’t really leave racing. Instead, he remains closely affiliated with the Kentucky Racetrack Chaplaincy at Churchill Downs. In 2016, he was named to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. But ask him about his four-decade-plus-career which took him all over the country and beyond and Day seemingly conjures memories and dates effortlessly. That skill may be rooted in Day’s gratitude that his career even got past its first decade.

A CHANGE IN COURSE

“I had success almost immediately,” Day says. “I believe God had endowed me with remarkable talent and ability, and my steps were divinely guided. I had a gift. But my attitude was not the best.”

In 1982, Day earned his first ever honor as the nation’s winningest jockey, an honor secured with a victory at Delta Downs aboard a horse called Dana’s Woof Woof after he chartered a plane to the track on Dec. 31 in attempt to top Angel Cordero Jr. for the title.

Kentucky Derby aboard Lil E. Tee and four Eclipse Awards, given each year to the sport’s outstanding jockey.

Day was the top jockey again in 1983, and he was fast becoming a star in the sport at age 30. As a result, Day decided it was a time to celebrate – and the celebration was ongoing.

“My mindset at that time is you’ve got to party, party,” he says. “And I did.”

But it didn’t take him long to discover that his stardom hadn’t fulfilled him the way he thought it would. In 1984, he fell on his

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face in a hotel room and the realization hit him that changes were needed to continue forward.

“When I came out of my drunken stupor, I took inventory,” Day says. “I thought I would never have another bad day, but I learned partying wasn’t satisfying. I believe the Lord let me get to the top of the mountain and there was nothing there. Reaching that level of success and realizing, ‘Whoa, wait a minute, this isn’t all it was supposed to be.’ Life hadn’t changed.”

This is when he embraced Christianity and what led to him being not just a champion in the sport, but also a champion of the track chaplaincy. Another Eclipse Award followed in 1984, then three more in 1986, 1990 and 1991. Day soared as a jockey for four decades, ending his career with an impressive 23 top-three finishes in his Triple Crown career, including nine victories in those races. He also won 12 Breeders’ Cup

races during his sparkling career.

He became involved in the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy shortly after 1984, when Churchill Downs had only parttime chaplain service. It didn’t take long before Day, fellow jockey Larry Meloncon and a few others realized there was a need for full-time chaplaincy. By this time, thoroughbreds were lodging at the track full-time, which meant there were backside workers at the track daily who needed the service.

“The thought was that if they can’t get offtrack and go to the church of their choice, let’s take church to them,” Day said.

A full-time chaplain was subsequently hired. As the word spread, the popularity of the service, which is to provide ministry, emotional support, counseling – or anything, really – to any and all involved at Churchill Downs when they needed, only grew. Nondenominational worship services were held

in a track rec hall, but it wasn’t long before services were standing room only.

Representatives of the chaplaincy then approached track management about supporting a dedicated building for the chaplaincy. Churchill Downs allocated space and helped the chaplaincy raise money, and Christ Chapel was built on-site.

“It’s a ministry of presence,” Day says. “The people that care for the horses are the primary focal point for the ministry. Our chaplains are there walking through the barn area as a visible presence during training hours and making themselves available after. We want to offer them hope.”

The Monday before the Kentucky Derby each year, the Kentucky Racetrack Chaplaincy – which has other on-site chaplaincies at tracks around the state – holds the Race for Grace, the chaplaincy’s sole fundraiser. Heading into its 21st year, it’s a dinner and auction which features a guest speaker. The planned speaker for 2023 is trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

“It’s a great way to kick off derby week,” Day says, adding that the goal is not just to raise money to fund the chaplaincy, but also to educate attendees so that they might want to become more involved.

STAYING PUT

Day’s work with the chaplaincy is one thing that keeps him in Louisville, but there are others. He and his wife, Sheila, also want to be near their daughter, Irene, who went to school here and has remained. With Louisville providing a sort of hub city during his racing career when Day was traveling almost constantly to various tracks for meets, it gradually came to feel like home, he said.

When the time came to settle into a city, he and Sheila prayed over where that should be. “This is where the Lord led us to settle,” he says. “God knew exactly what he was doing when he brought us to Louisville.”

The couple, after first locating here in 1980 shortly after they were married, decided to make it a permanent home in 1991, in part because Irene was enrolled at Christian Academy. The original plan had been to move to Chicago to be near Arlington Park, another race track. The Days ultimately settled into a home in Lake Forest, where they’ve been ever since. Unless Irene and her husband move to a new city, expect the legendary jockey to remain.

“We’re very comfortable where we’re at,” Day says. “It’s got everything the big cities have, just maybe in smaller quantity. We have great neighbors. We enjoy Louisville and all that it has to offer.”

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DOWN

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2. Way back when

3. Lord’s Prayer pronoun

4. Severe blow

5. Greet the dawn

6. “Addams Family” uncle

7. Dietitian’s concern

8. Aladdin’s friend

9. Hungry for more

10. Backgammon need

11. Alaskan transport

16. Bandsman Shaw

19. Used a scope

20. Remove, as a rind

21. “Did you ___?!”

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32. Captain’s chronicle

34. India’s first P.M.

37. It’s often burning 39. Comes across as 40. Adjust the alarm 42. A fisherman may bring one home

Lotion additive

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Timeline

Went

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BLANKET LOUISVILLE

A FAMILY PROJECT TURNED NONPROFIT HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 140,000 BLANKETS FOR THOSE IN NEED

is always needed at homeless shelters is blankets. We decided to collect blankets and distribute them on Valentine’s Day. That’s when Blanket Louisville was born.”

Each blanket had a personal note saying, 'You are loved.' The response was overwhelmingly positive and very successful. Steve says the couple discussed it and decided to continue collecting and distributing blankets the following year. They decided to involve other schools, businesses, churches and organizations. What started as a grassroots effort grew each year exponentially.

significant the need for blankets is in a shelter. Blankets are the one item residents take with them when they leave the homeless shelter, so there is always a need.

“Our partnership with Coalition for the Homeless was instrumental to our growth,” he says. “We were able to identify more homeless shelters, transitional shelters and outreach organizations. We now distribute to more than 30 different organizations.”

One local couple and their family has been covering the city of Louisville in love and warmth for the last 20 years. What started as a family school project for Steve and Kathy Fehder quickly morphed into a local nonprofit with the potential to go nationwide.

“In 2002, our family embarked on a school community-based project,” Steve Fehder says. “It was designed to allow our children and other students to give back to the community. We learned that one item that

“That first year, we thought we would probably collect a couple of hundred blankets, but we collected over 400 blankets,” Kathy Fehder says. “The following year, we collected around 1,000 blankets. Then the next year, we collected over 2,000 blankets. It just grew each year from there. Over the last 20 years, we have collected and distributed over 140,000 blankets.”

The couple quickly learned they needed the help of other volunteers and organizations to identify those in need. They partnered with Coalition for the Homeless in Louisville. Steve says they had no idea how

Each year, Blanket Louisville begins the collection process in October—it concludes in November and the blankets are distributed before Thanksgiving. Each blanket is still adorned with a handmade note telling the recipient they are loved. That message is paramount to share.

“A blanket represents warmth on the outside but also the inside,” she says. “The note is important because we want people to know someone cares about them. We want them all to know they’re beautiful human beings whose life matters.”

Kathy says distributing the blankets near Thanksgiving is meaningful and meant to remind everyone there is always a reason to be thankful no matter life’s circumstances.

Writer / Renée Larr

Photography Provided

“I remember one young woman at the shelter who felt she had nothing to be thankful for on Thanksgiving,” Kathy says. “I gave her a blanket and explained she still had a life to be thankful for and a lot of life yet to live. She was so happy with the blanket, and it was a positive experience for the both of us.”

Kathy says over the years, they’ve had volunteers collecting door-to-door blankets,

sewing and producing blankets and donating gently used and new blankets with the intent of giving back to the community.

“We had one woman who would take rags and sew them together and stitch fleece on the backside,” she says. “She’s donated hundreds of blankets over the years. One year when my kids were younger, we were driving downtown, and we saw a woman pushing a grocery cart. She had one of those

blankets made of rags. It was so amazing to see that our work was reaching people.”

Over the last five years, Blanket Louisville has expanded its distribution efforts to include other groups and organizations in need. While shelters are the more significant portion of their recipients, they’ve also donated to Volunteers of America, YMCA Safe Place, Catholic Charities of Louisville Refugee Services, flood victims of eastern

Kentucky and tornado victims in western Kentucky.

“Everyone deserves to be warm no matter who the person is or their circumstance,” Kathy says. “We’re a country of abundance, and Americans want to give generously if given the opportunity. Over the years, we learned the idea of giving needs to be simple. There are so many compassionate, generous people out there.

In 2008, Disney's Family Fun Magazine announced that the Fehder family was selected as a grand prize winner of their 2007-2008 annual Family Volunteer contest. The contest is open to families across the United States, and Disney receives thousands of entries each year. The contest promotes family volunteering. The Fehders were awarded $5,000 for Blanket Louisville.

“That award was significant because it’s a nationwide award,” she says. “We started having people reach out asking how they

could replicate what we were doing in their city. We explained we’ve been so successful because of our volunteers. It’s a community effort. It was nice to see the desire to give at a national level.”

Steve describes their work over the years as a small idea making a big impact. Soon, that impact is going to be felt nationwide. The couple hopes to launch BlanketUSA.

“BlanketUSA is an offshoot of the success of Blanket Louisville and has been a longtime vision,” Steve says. “BlanketUSA will be housed or based out of Louisville but will serve homeless and less fortunate organizations and some emergency relief organizations across the country. We will rely on donations and grants to fulfill requests. Each blanket will still be tagged with a simple but powerful message ‘You are loved.’ We will connect to organizations nationwide via the National Association to End Homelessness and others.”

Steve describes Kathy as the operational powerhouse behind Blanket Louisville. The growth of Blanket Louisville is even more impressive, knowing both Kathy and Steve work full-time jobs in addition to supporting the nonprofit. Steve serves as chief partnerships officer at Odessa Connect, while Kathy is the principal of Corpus Christi Classical Academy.

“It’s incredible when you think about how this little family service project has grown in the last 20 years,” she says. “It not only lifts the recipients, but it also lifts up the givers. I can never underestimate the power of kids who witness giving and generosity in action. I’m a firm believer in extending the opportunity to give. We invite everyone to be a part of our effort.”

Blanket Louisville is always looking for volunteers to help collect, organize and distribute blankets. Kathy says they used to be able to store the blankets in their basement but have had to enlist a storage

facility due to their growth.

“We’ve hosted bagging parties in the past to help bag up the blankets before distribution day,” Kathy says. “There are so many ways people can get involved. While we don’t solicit cash donations, they certainly are accepted and do help.”

The couple is exceptionally grateful for the help of their children, volunteers and board members over the years. They want to extend gratitude to Tony Nold, who has been an instrumental part of Blanket Louisville for the last 19 years. He’s participated in every collection and distribution throughout the years, and his store, Plant Kingdom, serves as a drop off location. Undoubtedly, the Fehders will be spreading love and warming hearts and souls for years to come.

For more information, visit blanketlouisville.org.

Steve and Kathy with their kids.

WHERE WILL YOUR SAVINGS TAKE YOU?

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GATORGUARD OF LOUISVILLE

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

In today’s world it seems that everyone wants things done quickly. It’s wise to remember, however, that the best things in life can take a little extra time. Such is the case in the epoxy industry, which has skyrocketed in the last decade.

There are a lot of one-day coating companies around, but you’ve got to wonder, is speed worth sacrificing quality?

“It’s enticing to a customer for workers to be in and out in one day, but it’s important for consumers to understand what it is that they’re buying,” says Mike Evans, Senior Vice President of GatorGuard, a family-owned and -operated company that’s been around since 2017.

“One-day coating guys put down a coating that cures so quickly it doesn’t have time to form a secure mechanical bond with concrete,” Evans says. “When you slow the process down, you get better adhesion.”

They use Eco-CorFlex products, which is the crème de la crème as far as epoxies go. While they primarily do garages, they also do basements, driveways, pool decks, porches and patios.

They key is that GatorGuard’s multi-day process allows each layer to fully cure. Plus, they always include a hydrostatic moisture mitigation barrier called GatorShield.

“Mother Earth has a lot of water and a lot of pressure in her,” Evans says. “If you’ve ever seen a painted concrete floor that’s chipping or peeling, it’s not because it’s being driven on. More than likely, it’s the water pressure

from Mother Nature pushing up through the concrete, which is nothing more than a rigid sponge. Once that coating is pushed up, it bubbles and then when you pull in your car, turn your tires or scrape the snow, it rips it. Once that starts, it keeps going. That’s what we prevent against on every single floor.”

They provide an in-house lifetime warranty program, which is a big deal because most other companies buy from well-known manufacturers. While that may sound good, they have their own warranty, and the business you hired to do your garage is just the installer so your warranty claim is with the manufacturer, not with that business.

GATOR GUARD

“In those instances you end up in a fingerpointing game, and that’s a horrible spot to be in,” says Evans, who notes that 40% of the flooring they install involves removing someone else’s failure.

GatorGuard offers white-glove treatment. This means they bring out a trailer and move all of your belongings from the room in which they are working into the trailer. They then lock it up, give you the key and install your floor. Two days later when the floor is cured, they move everything back in. Rarely do other companies provide full turnkey service.

“In an industry where you have people coming out and writing down an estimate on the back of a business card in three minutes’ time, we are unique,” Evans says. “We take our time to educate the consumer. When you’re making a $5,000 to $8,000 investment in a garage floor, for example, you want to do your due diligence and understand the differences.”

At GatorGuard it’s an educational,

no-pressure, no-obligation, free-estimate appointment. Potential clients walk away with a design, a price, and an incentive to buy that day or within 30 days. They also frequently change their offers to keep things fresh.

“Customers will spend bad money in wrong directions and not realize what they’re getting themselves into,” Evans says. “Initially they may think we are just trying to charge them more, but really we’re protecting their investment and ensuring that what they’re buying is going to be a high-quality solution for decades to come.”

Secretive Salamanders

worldwide- many of which can be found in the forests and streams of The Parklands of Floyds Fork.

What is it about salamanders that makes them so mysterious? You may have seen these lizard looking creatures skittering along the ground in your yard hiding under garden stones, fallen logs, leaf piles or even your trashcan! But these lizard looking creatures are not lizards at all. In fact, they are not even reptiles! Salamanders are amphibians making them one of the most vulnerable types of wildlife in our area. Kentucky is home to 35 salamander species of the 300 species that have been identified

However, you may not have noticed any salamanders at The Parklands lately. That’s because, during the winter, salamanders undergo a process called brumation, which is similar to the hibernation some mammals like bears undergo. Amphibians and reptiles undergo brumation rather than hibernation due to their inability to control their internal body temperatures. Cold-blooded animals must be more creative in their attempts to control their body temperature, such as

basking on a log to warm up or burrowing themselves in the mud to cool down. Brumation typically lasts for a shorter period than hibernation as well, potentially lasting only a month or two and is often interrupted due to the need for water and food- or even to go to the bathroom!

Once it begins to warm up again like it is now, salamanders begin to emerge from their brumation so that they can move to vernal pools throughout the forest to find a perfect mate. Vernal pools are temporary pools in the forest floor that are filled with melted snow or spring rain and often dry

Writer / Ryan Hynes, Interpretive Ranger at The Parklands of Floyds Fork Photography Provided

out by the end of the summer. Salamanders commonly choose to rest for the winter nearby the sites where these pools begin to form, causing this “mini” migration to be far smaller than that of other mammals or birds. Vernal pools are important breeding habitat for many amphibians including salamanders and frogs because these shallow pools lack fish that commonly feed on their young.

understand these amphibians. Conservation concerns have fueled the rapid growth of salamander studies throughout the state. Kentucky’s Wildlife Action Plan, a statewide effort to ensure the health and diversity of the state’s vulnerable species, identifies 14 different salamander species as species in great need of conservation efforts, including the Hellbender (Cryptobranchus allegheniensis), the largest salamander in Kentucky.

Due to their secretive nature, the life cycle of

Salamander conservation is vital to our Kentucky ecosystem. They fulfill a crucial

role as a link between small invertebrates and larger mammals on the food chain. Salamanders commonly prey upon invertebrates such as mosquitos, ticks, and flies, serving as the ecosystem’s natural form of pest control- making salamanders a natural bug deterrent during our spring picnics! Salamanders are also an important food source for other park animals like fish, raccoons, and birds of prey like owls. They are also considered to be an indicator species within the forests of Kentucky. An indicator species is one whose population number highlights the overall health of a habitat. The presence of more salamanders means the system is doing well overall. Salamanders and other amphibians also give scientists a rough assessment of water quality in their environment due to their ability to breathe through their skin, leaving them highly susceptible to pollutants in our waterways. Scientists can use their population in certain areas to determine the level of pollutants in the water.

Of the dangers that salamanders face during their lives, humans pose the biggest threat. One of the major dangers that humans pose to salamanders is habitat destruction. Clearing parts of a forest for development can unknowingly lead to the destruction of a vernal pools local salamander populations have been using for generations. Without these vernal pools, these animals would be required to lay their eggs in areas with a higher number of predators. Secondly, road mortality has a significant impact on the health of amphibian populations, especially salamanders. Many salamanders

are killed due as they cross roadways that pass through their migration path towards a vernal pool. There are many citizen-science projects that aim to mitigate these effects by training volunteers to help shepherd crossing amphibians. Equipped with flashlights, reflective vests, and rain gear, these volunteers ensure that salamander populations can safely continue their migration and successfully breed.

Unfortunately, their migration is not always easy to predict. It occurs during a cool, rainy evening when the ground begins to thaw, and temperatures are warm (above 40∞F). When these conditions are met, salamanders will begin to move from their brumation sites towards the vernal pools. It is also important to note that not all salamanders migrate at once. Precipitation levels and temperatures can fluctuate throughout a region, causing the large migration to occur over time throughout the area in several movements. Rather than having one massive movement of salamanders, it is often broken up into several smaller movements towards vernal pools. The nature of salamander migration makes it relatively difficult to be able to observe. However, conducting daily checkups on the weather report can give you the best chance to predict when their migration conditions are met and allow you to observe a group of secretive salamanders!

If

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to observe a salamander migration event, it is important to know how to handle these delicate creatures. Their sensitive, permeable skin requires extreme care from humans when handling these creatures. It is best practice to avoid direct contact with salamanders due to their sensitive skin. Always ask yourself: “Do I need to handle this animal to appreciate it?” Using a small net will ensure that no soap/lotion residue seeps into the salamander’s skin. Disposable gloves are another option for amphibian handling. If you’re unable to use a net while you stumble across a salamander, always ensure that your hands are wet and clear of contaminants. Bringing a small, clean, clear container to use as a viewing area will help minimize the time they’re in contact with you.

As with all animal handling, it is safest to wash your hands or change gloves between individuals. Handling these animals can be a stressful experience for them, so always make sure to place them back where they

were found as quickly as possible if you have to pick them up.

any other fascinating native species we have in Kentucky!

Now that you’ve got the basics of salamander handling down, you’re set to embark on your own and look for these forest friends! It’s best to search during rainy weather and during early mornings. Like all amphibians, they prefer to stay in cool, damp, or wet areas. Looking under logs, rocks or leaf piles can reveal salamanders or

With our numerous healthy streams and creeks, The Parklands of Floyds Fork is a fantastic place to go observe salamanders in their preferred habitat. Any paddling access found around the parks can offer many hiding spots for salamanders to use. The Osage Orange Trail in Beckley Creek, Boone Bottoms Trail in Turkey Run, and Riparian Ramble in Broad Run are three fantastic places to begin your search for aquatic salamanders. The Paw Paw Trail in Turkey Run and Coppiced Woods Trail in Beckley Creek are two good sites to begin looking for terrestrial salamander species. Nearly all of The Parklands is considered the preferred habitat of many salamander species.

Next time you’re at The Parklands, make sure to look closely on your hike for these well camouflaged amphibians as they can be found all throughout the parks system!

Expires 5/31/2023

Expires 5/31/2023

Master License #HM04966

WELCOME TO POPCON WELCOME TO POPCON WELCOME TO POPCON

POPULAR EVENT COMING TO LOUISVILLE JUNE 16-18

Writer / KJ McGlinn Photography Provided

It was more than 10 years ago when PopCon co-owner Carl Doninger and a few close friends had the idea to create not just another convention but an experience unlike any other. This experience would immerse attendees in familiar pop culture while introducing them to new, exciting experiences, too.

Doninger had a passion for tabletop gaming. Some of his friends loved comic books. One had a passion for the show “My Little Pony.” And, a few just loved popular TV shows while another was passionate about his favorite creators on YouTube. What the group realized was every person in their life had a passion that fell under the “pop culture” category but not everyone had a place to gather and celebrate their passion.

Soon, Doninger was joined by co-owner Kris Keys.

“I thought it was a cool opportunity to plan an event that was a little different than other conventions out there,” Keys says. “It was an opportunity to spend time with my brother and some friends working toward some of their passions.”

The first PopCon was held in Indianapolis in June of 2014. Nine different pop culture genres were represented from movies, TV and comics to anime, eSports and tabletop gaming. Now, 10 years later, PopCon is a tradition for friends and family alike in Indianapolis and an annual trip for many people from around the world. Each year, more than 30,000 people attend PopCon.

“Once you fall into our universe, you are welcomed and immediately feel like you are part of something bigger,” Doninger says. “Friends are made and cultivated. Annual reunions are organized.”

The 10th year of the event seemed like the perfect time to take what they created and share it with more people choosing Louisville as the first PopCon outside of Indianapolis.

PopCon Louisville is June 16-18 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. After 10 years of successfully providing PopCon attendees an unforgettable experience, both owners agreed it was time to expand.

What made Louisville the first choice? It was time Doninger says to bring “a breath of new life to a major market that has been without a pop culture event for too long.”

While the term ‘comic con’ is something you’ve most likely heard, PopCon is not just a comic convention. You will certainly find comic books and people in cosplay. That is part of the fun but you’ll also find a fully immersive world of pop culture as you walk through the door. Most importantly, Doninger says, “you’ll also find a family.”

“I love seeing the previously-oblivious parents thrilled to see their kids in their element, and then double-love when those same parents have their lightbulb moment and realize that they love PopCon too,” he adds.

As an attendee of PopCon, not only does the event promise a welcoming atmosphere but also the opportunity to try escape rooms, virtual reality, laser tag, tabletop gaming and video gaming. Attendees can meet favorite celebrities and sit in on panels where those celebrities answer questions from the audience. It is a once-in-a-lifetime moment to interact with an actor, voice actor or content creator who you enjoy and appreciate.

Celebrities that have already be announced this year include Scott Patterson, best known as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls, Cooper Andrews from The Walking Dead and SHAZAM!, Dante Basco, best known for his role as Rufio, the leader of the Lost Boys in Steven Spielberg's Hook and Zuko on Avatar: The Last Airbender as well as favorites from the video game, Red Dead Redemption, Rob Weithoff and Roger Clark. Voice actors from popular anime shows like My Hero Academia and Attack

on Titan will also be in attendance. The convention is a favorite among anime fans.

For parents who may not know anything about the anime that their children love, it is a place for them to bond, learn and share the excitement.

Doninger says it is special when that “parent that drove more than 12 hours to bring their child to meet someone at PopCon, realizes there are 100 other parents that did the same thing.”

Keys tells us more celebrities are being added almost daily right now. Another feature unique to PopCon is its “Suggest a Celebrity” feature on the website. The convention prides itself in being “by the fans, for the fans.”

If you’ve often thought a comic con might not be “your thing” the duo invites you to come to their event where they assure you, PopCon will become “your thing.” Walk through the vendor hall full of artists and

creators. Sit down and try a board game or take the young kids to the Lego display that is bigger than a basketball court.

Doninger says parents often describe PopCon as a “mini-vacation.” It’s the one place an entire family with vastly different interests can all agree to attend and all will have fun.

Taking place at the Kentucky Exposition Center, PopCon Louisville is located near plenty of great hotels and restaurants which is important to Doninger and Keys. Making the PopCon experience convenient and affordable is a priority just as much as creating the moments that PopCon attendees will cherish for a lifetime.

Also welcome to PopCon Louisville are local artists, vendors and creators. PopCon was built to have a local flavor including local artists, musicians, podcasters and creators. Keys and Doninger hope to create a similar vibe for the Louisville PopCon.

In fact, on its website PopCon recognizes the vital role creators play in making the event a success adding, “we want to help them grow their craft and share their art with fans from all over the world.”

If you are a creator, you even have the opportunity to create your own panel and submit to present your craft at PopCon. Each year, PopCon has 100s of fan panels as a part of the offerings that are free to attendees and a terrific platform for creators. Panels range from sci-fi, music, cosplay and comedy to science and mental health.

Simply put: If you’re passionate about it, you’ll find it at PopCon.

Tickets for the first annual PopCon Louisville happening June 16-18 are currently on sale on the event website with children’s admission just $10 and discount weekend passes available. Vendor space as well as content creator opportunities and sponsorships can all be found at popcon.us.

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RUMOR HAS IT

RUMORS RESTAURANT STILL GOING STRONG AFTER MORE THAN THREE DECADES

to Florida. Plus, Gus is from the west coast— Oregon and California area—so he wanted something that reminded him of his past.”

whole lot of fun. It was small initially, but as the restaurant’s popularity grew, so, too, did the offerings.

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

They say food brings people together, and such was the case for Cheri and Arlen Gustafson as they met years ago when the pair both worked in the restaurant industry. Cheri, born in Louisville and raised in St. Matthews, began waiting tables and met Arlen (aka Gus) when she was 24 years old.

“We just clicked,” says Cher Gustafson.

After they married, they started devising a plan for opening a unique restaurant of their own—one that wasn’t a franchise. In trying to determine what kind of fare they wanted to serve, they decided to go with what they loved to eat.

“When we travel, we love oyster bars and boiled shrimp houses,” Gustafson says. “We go

In 1985, they found an old pizza place in Middletown, then gutted it so they could put their own stamp on it. They wanted to create a “getaway” restaurant with a beachy, vacation vibe—a place where when people stepped inside, they felt transported to a happy place. They installed wooden walls and floors and pastel colors that offered a Caribbean flare.

Cheri and Gus had a tough time coming up with a name for the establishment. Like selecting a baby name, one of them would throw out a suggestion and the other one would shoot it down. Back and forth it went. A couple of weeks before they opened, they still hadn’t landed on a name. When they chatted with different people in the community, they got a chuckle out of the speculation and wild stories people were circulating about what the building was becoming.

“We thought some of the rumors were funny, so we decided to call the place Rumors!” she says.

Creating the menu was much easier and a

“One of the things we hit out of the park from the start is our chicken wings,” she says. The item has been a mainstay on the menu since day one, and customers rave that the wings are some of the best they’ve ever tasted.

“We try to make it as true to a buffalo wing as possible, and we never have changed our recipe,” she says. That strategy clearly has worked as they were featured in the Buffalo Gazette the year they opened. The article said “This is the only place outside of Buffalo, New York, where you can get true buffalo wings.”

Being a seafood place, they of course sell fresh shrimp, steamed oysters and oysters on the half shell.

“We are one of the few restaurants that offers that and for good reason. It’s hard to do,” Gustafson says.

Peter Rastocny and his family have been loyal customers at Rumors for 20+ years. They love the family atmosphere, the

Owner Cheri Gustafson

fabulous food—especially the wings, soups, fish and fettucine alfredo—and the fact everyone knows them by name.

“I especially love their Manhattan clam chowder Very few places around here make it so when they do, they call my house to let me know it’s going to be on the menu that weekend,” says Rastocny.

Over the years, Rumors has added a salad section to the menu as well as sandwiches and more entrees. Now, their diverse menu includes more than 80 items. They also have children’s meals and a full bar so that everybody in a party can find something that meets their dietary needs.

“Middletown used to be a little country town, and now it’s a thriving metropolis,” Gustafson says. “We’ve grown with the community.”

Customers of all ages come to Rumors to celebrate milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, high school proms and reunions.

“We are proud to have reached that type of status—to be that important in people’s lives,” Gustafson says. “I can’t be thankful enough.”

The restaurant itself has also evolved through the years. When it first opened, the outside had a little patio over on the side.

“There used to be a putt-putt golf course and we had little wooden tables over there, but we were so busy that after the first year, we turned it into a lounge,” Gustafson says. Now that that area acts as an additional dining room, the other side is used for a patio.

Through the years, other seafood places have come and gone but Rumors has stood the test of time. Things felt especially dicey in the spring of 2020 when COVID-19 first hit, throwing every business owner into a tizzy.

“Nobody was mentally or physically prepared to operate a restaurant during a global pandemic. What we endured was tough,” Gustafson says. “After the initial

shock, we just had to step back, say, ‘Okay, this is the hand we’ve been dealt,’ and figure it out. We had to adapt quickly.”

For instance, it had three days to transition from operating as a sit-down establishment to a carryout-only place.

“We got through Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday okay, but those days are nothing like the weekend,” she says. “There we were—a seafood restaurant on the first Friday in Lent. We got our butts handed to us on a platter, but after falling on your face, you figure out how to do it right.”

Though Rumors never planned to be a carry-out restaurant, it was forced to adapt during COVID and quickly organized an efficient carryout system.

While many restaurants have struggled to retain employees during the pandemic, Gustafson says that the majority of their team has been with them for a long time.

In fact, their manager only recently retired after 35 years at Rumors. A handful of other employees have also stuck with them since Rumors first opened its doors.

“I love our family of workers here,” she says. “We all work well together and get along like a family does. We argue, bicker, cuss each other out and hug each other.”

Gustafson feels fortunate to have been a restaurant who weathered the storm and came out the other side. That’s due to the steadfast support of the community. Customers would pull into the parking lot to pick up their takeout order and holler, “‘We want you all to be here when this is over!” The way they did that is by showing up—over and over and over again.

“I’m going to cry just thinking about it,” she says. “It was such an emotional time. We’d see the same customers over and over, and they’d take care of the help royally because they knew everyone was struggling. The

outpouring of this community to keep the local businesses going was unbelievable.”

It’s that hometown feel that Cheri and Gus appreciate so much, and why they never plan to budge.

“Everybody in Middletown knows everybody else. Many families have gone away and come back to raise their families here,” she says. “We’ve watched people come in here with their little kids. Now those kids are grown and are bringing their little kids! I can’t imagine picking a better place to put our restaurant. I’m glad we chose this location years ago. My husband and I could not be more thankful. This is what we were meant to do.”

Rumors Restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, is located at 12339 Shelbyville Rd., Louisville, KY 40243. For more information, call 502-245-0366 or visit www.rumorslouisville.com.

We

MOST

“It was so well done. We would not have changed one thing about those two days. Both visitation and the funeral service itself.

You do such a good job with being there and ready to help and yet in an unobtrusive way. It makes all the difference...

...We

to 5 Years Old

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Building Kidz is committed to developing the “whole child”. Our unique and proven curriculum intelligently integrates Performing Arts to enhance Academic excellence, all within a newly built facility that offers six classrooms and a performing arts space. Our classrooms extend to our natural playground where children are invited to explore and discover the outside world. Come partner with us to develop the highest levels of confidence, commitment and character in your child.

honestly do feel like Pearson’s is part of the family.”