Today marks the 48th Anniversary of the Andes Flight Disaster that was carrying 45 passengers, 19 of which were members of the Old Christian Club rugby union team. Friends and former Paducah business owners, Nestor and Laura Arredondo recall the unbelievable event that happened on October 13, 1972.
Nestor had friends on the plane. One in particular, Francisco Pancho Abal was a close friend. He didn’t survive the crash. He was a friend that would spend summer vacations in a house down the street from Nestor as a young boy. “Alvaro Mangino was one of the survivors and he and I had friends in common,” said Nestor. Mangino would be haunted by events that transpired during his time on the mountain. Times that would be recollected in conversation with Nestor. The South American rugby team was heading from Montvideo, Uruguay to Santiago, Chile to play a rugby match. The passengers on board the plane were friends, family, and supporters of the team. The plane was chartered and being flown by an inexperienced co-pilot. He mistakenly misjudged their location and started to descend coming too close to the mountain and crashed the plane into the side of the Andes. In the short documentary narrated by Dr. Roberto Canessa, he recalls the events of the crash and the 72 days leading up to the rescue. He said after the plane slid down the side of the mountain to its resting place he thought to himself, “my legs are here, my arms are here, my head is here,” realizing that he had survived. There had been 33 plane crashes into the Andes Mountains with no survivors. Nobody believed there would be any survivors from this plane crash either. After approximately a week, the search and rescue was called off and a recovery mission was initiated. The survivors of the crash knew the rescue had been abandoned due to access to the world through the battery powered radio. It was time to face the fact that ‘they were on their own.” Nestor said he spoke with Alvaro several times through the years following the crash and Alvaro told him about his depression. Nestor said he discussed, “how difficult it was to eat human meat.” He told Nestor how they were able to do the unthinkable to survive. If you’ve seen the movie “Alive” Dr. Canessa said they did a very good job sharing the story with the world. The movie was produced 20 years ago and is still watched today. Canessa said, “The depth of what happened is deeper inside.” Implying that there’s really no true way to represent the events that transpired those 72 days. Canessa said in the documentary that the only reason they survived was because of 'team work'. All decisions were unanimous and each had a specific job to do. One of the survivors with broken legs melted ice to produce water. Others were in charge of building a radio while some sewed gloves and clothes from the upholstery of the seats. After weeks and months, the survivors realized that no one was looking for them so they made a decision. Two from the group would go for help. The trek would consist of a 35 mile walk through the mountain range with temperatures minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, blistering winds, lack of proper clothing, gear, nutrition, and in an unknown terrain. This was their only hope. Dr. Roberto Canessa and Nando Parrado were the two that went for help. As part of the preparation for the rescue mission, the group started feeding them more, letting them sleep in the best places and making special clothes to withstand the cold. It was discovered that special insulation designed for the plane's pipes would make good sleeping bags for the trip. After walking for 10 days and climbing 15,000 ft. mountains, Canessa and Parrodo made it through and returned to the group with helicopters to rescue the remaining survivors. All in all, there were 16 out of 45 that survived that Andes Mountain plane crash. Nestor said, “They were 160 pounds and came back weighing 80 pounds.” The survivors were gaunt and weak but they were ‘Alive.’ As we go about our lives today, remember the perseverance shown by the survivors of Air Force Flight 571 and the lives lost. It’s a story not easily forgotten. Laura Arredondo said the event really made an impression on the lives of those from Uruguay. She said, “This was the only accident in the history of humanity that a plane falls in the Andes and there were survivors.”
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Lone Oak First Baptist Church in Paducah, Kentucky provided local families with a good ole' fashion outdoor, socially distanced, pumpkin patch pickin' fun day. It's the little things and the simple things that will keep Americans from calling 'uncle' through these troubled times.
As we witness the coronavirus swiftly making it's way across our country once again in a second wave of positive cases, one may wonder when it might end. The resurgence of CoV-2 around the world is happening in countries like France and Spain that had, until September, seen a flattening of the curve. India's cases have risen quickly and there's no sign of a slow down. Increases in cases in South America find a continent already hit hard by starvation and other mysterious diseases at a crossroad. The emotional toll is gripping. All the sadness, disparity, divisiveness, and uncertainty burdens our hearts. And the physical reality of death, job loss, food insecurity, and street violence compresses our minds. Today was a day to forget your troubles. The pumpkin patch event at Lone Oak First Baptist Church in Paducah was mega miles away from the hurt and pain happening in the world. For a brief moment, church families came together and climbed hay stacks, slid down hills on folded moving boxes and enjoyed picking a pumpkin out of the church soccer field turned pumpkin patch. The youth group at the church entertained families with a couple of mini-plays. The first was 'Three little Christian piggies.' Yes, it sounds corny and it was, however, everybody was sitting around on their socially-distanced individual bales of hay, eating popcorn from a bag and drinking apple cider. The children laughed and the parents smiled. There was food. There's always food at a church gathering. Food trucks were brought in to feed hungry pumpkin lovin' folks. The selection was crispy fried chicken in a waffle cone, Coney dogs, BBQ pork, and flavored shaved ice. The hot, sunny afternoon had everyone in good spirits. The fresh air was invigorating. Once you climbed the big hill leading up to the soccer field on the church property, pumpkins were as abundant as seashells by the seashore. The children were free as birds to run through the rows and rows of pumpkins until they found the perfect one for them. Cost of a huge carving pumpkin was $1. It's hard to believe that some of the nurseries in town charge $12 per pumpkin. Impossible you might think. After each child picked the perfect pumpkin, anyone that wanted or needed a ride back to their car on a tractor trailer covered in bales of hay, could do so. However, it was tough to social distance in this environment. All and all, it was a pretty great day. Look for the little things to do during these unimaginable times. It will give you a new appreciation for all things moving forward. Randy and Teresa Grimes with their children and grandchildren in Cumming, GA “Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” In a world that’s upside down, turned around, full of hurt and loss hearing these words and humming the melody is a haunting reminder that we’re doing something wrong. The world isn’t meant for division and racial bias.
Randy and Teresa Grimes heard the words ‘Red and yellow, black and white’ and hummed the tune until the inertia of it all demanded an answer to God’s calling and each replied, “Here am I, send me.” Isaiah 6:8. This is a love story. A true love story between two high school students that met, fell in love, pursued careers, birthed children, and offered one of the greatest gifts to another human being...a home. Both Randy and Teresa are graduates of Paducah Tilghman High School. If you don’t know their story, it’s time to catch up. Randy Grimes and Teresa started ‘talking’ at a football game. Grimes was a senior football player and Teresa was a high school junior cheerleader. Fate had its sights on two kids at the same place, same time, same sports program, and same high school choir. “Our first date was at a sorority Christmas Dance on December 18, 1980,” recalls Grimes. After that date, the two were inseparable. After graduation, Grimes received a full football scholarship to Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky majoring in biology with career plans to teach and coach. Since Teresa was a year behind Grimes in school, she fast-tracked her education and graduated a semester early to join Grimes at WKU on an academic scholarship. Again, smart, athletic, ‘glee club’ couple entering the college scene with big plans ahead. Neither Grimes’ could wait until graduation to say their forever vowels. They united in marriage on December 30, 1983 just three years shy of their first date. “We were still in college when we got married and thought that love paid the bills.” Grimes said. “We were so poor, we were each other’s entertainment. And to this day, we still entertain one another.” Teresa pursued a career in Broadcast Journalism while Grimes pursued a career in teaching and coaching. After graduation, Teresa started working at a Bowling Green radio station and later was offered a job in marketing at the local hospital. While Teresa continued her career trajectory, Grimes received the opportunity of a lifetime, to assist former coach and mentor Dan Haley. Haley played football at the University of Kentucky and coached for Paducah Tilghman from 1973 to 1980. Grimes played for Coach Haley during his sophomore and junior year at Tilghman. In 1984, Haley became head coach at Bowling Green High School. After Grimes graduated college, he coached alongside Haley for five years. Here’s where ‘the dream’ shifts into fifth gear. Opportunity knocked and Grimes earned his first head coaching job and moved the family to Hancock County in Kentucky. Teresa took a job at the Owensboro Hospital as marketing director. During this move, the Grimes have their first two children, Chris and Derek, born in 1985 and 1989, respectively. It was this stint in Hancock County that changed the Grimes’ lives forever. The couple have two perfect boys and it was time to complete the family. The Grimes’ were ready for a girl. “Teresa had a lot of difficulties with the two pregnancies and was advised by medical professionals to have no more children.” said Grimes. They always wanted three children, at least that was the plan. Grimes said, “We didn’t start adopting for very deep or spiritual reasons.” The simple truth is the couple wanted another baby. They found an organization in Owensboro that worked with a Korean adoption agency. From start to finish, the adoption process took eleven months. Their daughter was born in Seoul, Korea and made her way to the U.S. at four months old. Today, Erica is 30 years old and recently married Cris from El Salvador. While the Grimes were going through adoption care, they started fostering children. “This opened our eyes and our hearts to what God was leading us to do.” said Grimes. Once the Grimes began adopting, each child was an added blessing to their family. The children are Chris, Derek, Erica, Marcus 18, Ian 16, Noah 15, Teairra 14, Jeremiah 13, Isaiah 12, Alexa 10, and Isaac 9. If you're counting, that’s 11 children. The oldest son is married to Lezlie and Derek is married to Chelsea. In addition to 11 children, they have three grandchildren, two of which are adopted. The Grimes have been ministering to other families that hoped to adopt children for 25 years. Teresa has never worked for an adoption agency but has helped hundreds of U.S. families adopt children from around the world. Grimes said, “She’s an adoption expert”. Part of their ministry includes helping churches start adoption and foster care ministries. Grimes affectionately expressed his thoughts about Teresa’s work. He said, “Her heart “for the least of these (Matthew 25:40, James 1:27)” never tires’. From 1992 to 1997, Grimes spent five years in Paducah as head coach for the Lone Oak Purple Flash. The next move transferred the family to Cumming, Georgia. Grimes switched careers and worked in the pharmaceutical industry and the family has remained in Georgia for the last 20 years. For a period of time, Grimes was in pharmaceutical management but in 2003, decided to get back in the field and work as a pharmaceutical representative. As time permitted, the family became increasingly involved in church and adopting more children. Grimes said, “Having a biracial family isn’t tough. The looks and stares don’t necessarily come from the ‘different’ kids but what are these ‘different’ kids doing with these old white people.” The looks lead to discussions with strangers about love for others and the great need for adoption and foster care. Grimes admitted that the ‘tough stuff’ comes from the needs of the children. Social, academic, and medical issues are the challenges. Conversations involve appropriate behavior and inappropriate behavior. Also, academic struggles experienced by a few of the children. “Three of the children could barely read or write and weren’t doing grade level work,” said Grimes. And some have major health issues with extensive out-of-pocket costs. Dinner time is interesting at the Grimes’ household. “We go to the kitchen in shifts to fill plates.” said Grimes. The typical grocery bill is $400 a week and that’s keeping cost at less than four dollars a meal per person. Most of the children share bedrooms. The Grimes have converted a den into sleeping quarters for the two middle school boys. The three oldest boys share a bedroom. The two youngest share a room and sleep in bunk beds and their oldest daughter has a room to herself. It may cross your mind, how do they keep the love alive? Grimes said, “We love to date. We love to get a cup of coffee together or go to dinner. We truly are lovers and best friends.” The couple try to take a vacation once a year for some one-on-one time. Less than a year ago, Grimes left corporate America to return to the classroom teaching teenage students. He said, “I’ve coached for 36 years and it’s always been near and dear to my heart but for the first time, I’m not coaching. I’m just being a dad.” Just as Grimes switched careers, COVID-19 shuttered America. The family has coped by keeping consistent routines. Taking short day trips, watching sports, and having Bible study has helped fill the days. Bedtimes remained intact as well as mealtime and chores. Now, they’re back in school. Grimes said, “They’ve missed their friends.” One might wonder the secret to managing a large household and maintaining sanity. Grimes said, ‘“They watch me and Teresa and see how we treat one another.” he continued, “The best advice I can give is to remember your kids are always watching how you treat each other.” Grimes said he didn’t graduate from a seminary but has taken classes. His work is more of a calling. “We use the adoption ministry to share the gospel.” In 2004, the Grimes planted a church and ministered for eleven years. In 2015, the children’s needs demanded greater attention and a decision was made to end the full time ministry. Since the coronavirus, Grimes has been sharing the gospel Sunday mornings online. He tries to reach those whose churches are closed or folks that are older and don’t want to go back to in-person meetings. Also, he fills in for pastors when they’re on vacation or are unavailable. The family makes it home to Paducah a few times a year. Grimes said Teresa will go back with a few kids a couple of times a year and he does the same. He said his parents and Teresa’s mother are older. “Facetime is amazing,” said Grimes. “God has given Teresa and I a clear calling for our lives. We are asked often, are you done adopting? I used to say yes, and then God placed more in our life. We love to laugh at our crazy life because most don't understand. But to wake up each and every day and say as Isaiah said in Isaiah 6:8 ``Here am I, send me.” Grimes said that he doesn’t know what tomorrow holds but is excited to see God’s plan.
Education was the only way out of a life of mediocrity and limited possibilities. Robert Shy has banked his career on education. Growing up in public housing, Shy admitted there wasn’t much emphasis on formal education. Most of his mentoring came from outside the confines of Anderson Court from people that changed his life, then and now.
Shy isn’t ‘shy’ about sharing his story. He was a kid that grew up in poverty. Graduating with honors from high school, he created an opportunity that many weren’t afforded. Upon receiving his diploma, Shy left Paducah with dreams of a better life and endless prospects. Fast-forward, 31 years later, Shy’s back home, only this time, to change the lives of others. “I was a poor black kid from the projects when I was growing up but yet one of the smartest students in school. The last time my mother saw my report card was when I was in the second grade,” said Shy. It was mentors like Florence Morton, Christine Harvey, Olivia Burr, Brenda Murray and ‘countless others’ said Shy that supported and guided him in his youth. At the time Shy graduated from high school, Morton was Dean of Students at PTHS. It wasn’t until 1989 that Morton was promoted to principal. Sister Harvey was the wife of W. G. Harvey, Sr., a local pastor at New Greater Love Missionary Baptist Church. Olivia Burr was a social worker for Paducah City Schools and the site manager of Anderson Court at the time Shy grew up. Brenda Murray was a member of Harrison Street Missionary Baptist Church and the mother of another PTHS student, Alethea Murray. All of these nurturing and caring women were in Shy’s life for a purpose and that purpose was to see him ‘shine’. Shy said, “My high school years were some of the best of my life. There are a lot of memories, though some are fading.” He was in student council, on the staff of The Tilghman Bell, and a basketball player. After receiving multiple academic scholarships, Shy accepted a full-ride to Southern University of Baton Rouge, Louisiana majoring in English. Promotions and career moves carried his family to several different states before moving back to his hometown in 2014. After college, Shy took a job in Atlanta, Georgia for the endless opportunities available in a larger city. After Atlanta, he moved to Biloxi, Mississippi. Shy was in Biloxi when Hurricane Katrina hit. He said, “Katrina devastated Biloxi” so the family moved to Texas. When Shy’s youngest daughter graduated high school, he was ready to come back home. After all, family was waiting. Two of his siblings and multiple cousins that lived in Paducah were ready to see Shy’s sparkling smile and appreciate his positive attitude for more than just the occasional visit. Every three years or so, Shy made it back home for visits, mainly to attend the Eighth of August Celebration. When Shy visited, he would catch-up with friends and relatives still living at Anderson Court. Shy reminisced about growing up in the projects and said it was like one big family. “The other people that lived there were like cousins or extended family. We looked out for each other and I believe I still owe a few people sugar or eggs that I borrowed 40 years ago and never paid back.” Shy said things have changed quite a bit in Paducah. Aesthetically, the Anderson Court buildings are nicer and there’s more landscaping, but the sense of pride and drive to commit to education are different. He said, “Growing up, many of us held each other accountable, academically.” Again, another reason to come home to change lives. In 2007, Shy founded the Future Christian Leaders of America while living in Texas. Upon moving back to Paducah, they reorganized and became 3E Leadership Academy. During the 2019 - 2020 academic school year, the organization served Paducah and Hopkinsville. Beginning January 2021, the organization will expand into Fulton and Hickman Counties. The goal of the academy, “is to increase the academic level of students in Paducah and surrounding areas. The focus is to help students prepare for college or any post-secondary educational institutions.” said Shy. The organization has helped hundreds of students secure over 20 million dollars in scholarships. Students have careers as doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, teachers, engineers, professional jobs that were realized with the help of mentors and the 3E Leadership Academy. “Education is my passion because I feel that’s the best way a person can change not only their future but the future of generations to come.” said Shy “My mother was the single parent of six and the year I graduated high school, she received her GED. I was more happy for her than for myself.” For students that don’t have parents that push education, getting ahead can be tough. Public schools tend to gravitate toward students with higher testing scores and parents that are wealthy or connected. Meanwhile, the average student gets left behind. Shy said, “Many of the schools in our area are great for smart students and students from families that will hold their school systems accountable and are involved in their children’s education. If you’re in honors and advanced placement classes, you’ll get a top-notch education. For everyone else, it’s a disaster including African-American, Hispanic, and poor white students. Taking general education classes only will make it tough to excel, even on the community college level.” In addition to founding the youth development organization, Shy was appointed by the Mayor and City Commissioners to serve on the Paducah Human Rights Commission. The board consists of five representative citizens that serve in an advisory capacity to city leaders. As Shy enters into his third year as an appointed commissioner, his interest in city government and the disadvantaged has only intensified. After moving back to Paducah six years ago, Shy said, “I went to the library and read every comprehensive plan going back to the late 60’s. Certain neighborhoods have never been in the plan to improve the city other than to demolish them.” Shy started thinking, how can I help to change lives. Shy said, “many public housing projects have been torn down or in the case of Anderson Court, downsized over the years.” As Shy advocated for basic human rights for Paducah residents, his passion broadened to include underserved areas of the community. He began thinking about broken neighborhoods and how they could be restored and revitalized. Shy said, “There are grants available to rehabilitate those neighborhoods and homes that are dilapidated and unsafe to occupy. Shy started to see the big picture. “The Third and Fourth Street loop has shut the south side off from many people travelling from the mall and other areas of town. People haven’t travelled ‘the heart’ of the city in over 20 years. South Sixth and Bridge Streets were once bustling with business but many have closed because traffic was diverted to the loop.” stated Shy. Shy said that because Paducah elects commissioners based on an at-large election, commissioners don’t always represent certain districts. He believes the city should be divided into wards (part of his experience living in Louisiana). The commissioners that represented the south side of town would live in the area of the people they represent. Shy said, “I’ve always been able to make a difference in people’s lives and my community.” And Shy’s goal, win or lose, is still the same...to change lives. This passion to change lives has challenged Shy to be one of eight candidates to run in November’s election for an elected position on the Paducah Board of Commissioners. Shy said he's challenged himself in two other races while living in other cities. He narrowly lost both races. Shy said, “Whether or not I win the city commission race, I’ll continue to work in this community to give people the same opportunities I received. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn’t for people like me.” Jane Howerton Smittkamp has spent 31 years as a devoted wife to her husband and loving mother to their two talented girls. She’s also the sister to Paducah Tilghman graduates, John and Clay Howerton. While a dedicated partner and mom, Smittkamp has created a world outside the typical ‘stay at home’ mom scenario that’s anything but conventional or ordinary. She's taken a seemingly ‘Pleasantville’ lifestyle and fostered a fascinating world full of dance, song, and adventure creating unbreakable bonds with her daughters, husband, and extended family.
At the age of four, Smittkamp started dance classes with the legendary dance instructor Rosemary Peterson. Every little girl in the community wanted to take dance lessons from the awe inspiring Miss Rosemary and Smittkamp was no different. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Miss Rosemary was not just an instructor but a performer and an amazing entertainer. At one time, she travelled with a Vaudeville show and toured with Bob Hope, Abbott & Costello, and others. She was an expert performer and teacher and proficient in dance acrobats. While performing Vaudeville in Europe, World War II began and she returned to the states as a performer and later as a dance instructor. Luckily, all the little girls in Paducah, Kentucky, including Smittkamp benefitted from Miss Rosemary’s return. She opened a dance studio at N. 32nd Street and Central Avenue in the westend of town only blocks from Smittkamp's childhood home. Miss Rosemary’s resume inspired many girls in the area to dance with the hope of one day becoming a dance instructor or owning their very own dance studio. Generations of women learned ballet, tap, jazz and other forms of dance from Miss Rosemary and Smittkamp was one of them. Smittkamp’s mother passed away when she was in first grade halting dance lessons for close to a decade. Once starting Paducah Tilghman High School, Smittkamp picked up where she left off 10 years earlier. During her high school years, Smittkamp took dance lessons from the well-known instructor, Dale Gentner. For over 25 years, Gentner was the recreation superintendent for the Paducah Parks Department and for many years was the choreographer for the Paducah Tilghman High School Choir. Assisting with some of the dance moves was former Rockette Lois Wooley. In addition to dance lessons, Smittkamp participated in concert and swing choirs (swing choir was a song and dance combo) under the direction of Loretta Whitaker. Whitaker was a hard-nosed, no-nonsense choral director that made a lasting impression on any student that entered the hallowed choir room doors. Smittkamp was on the drill team in high school coached by Ruth Gunther, a tough, high-energy drill sergeant with a bullhorn that demanded excellence from every performance. The thing is, Gunther got excellence from every performance. Practice until perfect was her motto. After high school, the ‘barre’ was raised and Smittkamp’s education continued at Murray State University. Upon graduating from MSU, Smittkamp ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ herself to Nashville ready to conquer the country music capital not as a performer but as a buyer for Castner Knott, a Nashville-based retail department store with locations in Kentucky, Alabama and throughout Tennessee. (Castner Knott closed its doors in 1998 after 100 years in business). It was in ‘Music City’ that Smittkamp met her husband and the couple have been Two Steppin’ ever since. Once hitched, it was decided that the Smittkamps would move to Paris, Illinois for Doug Smittkamp to join the family business; Paris Transport Trucking Company. Shortly after moving, the family welcomed their first child. Smittkamp was devoted to her girls, Mary Hunter and Lily. Much of Smittkamp’s life revolved around the girls’ activities. As she encouraged her daughters to be active, Smittkamp’s friends encouraged her to do the same. If the girls wanted to learn to ice skate, Smittkamp took lessons and entered competitions. If the girls were swimming, Smittkamp taught water aerobics. “The girls' activities jumped around and depending on their interests, determined my fitness routine.” said Smittkamp. In the mid-2000’s, Smittkamp was part of a Christian Rock Band. For nine years, the group performed at churches, fundraisers, homeless and outreach shelters, church camps, anywhere God led them. “I had asked God for something to do to help minister to others. I never would’ve imagined a band.” Smittkamp continued, “I love to sing, but I’m no lead singer. That’s how I knew it was God’s will and so I just went with it.” After the family moved to Terre Haute, Indiana, Smittkamp joined a community theater group. It was here she got bit by the acting bug. Unfortunately, she put away her tap shoes and didn’t participate in organized dance classes for the next five years. But staying active with the theater group and dancing in a couple of musicals kept Smittkamp occupied and happy. It wasn’t until 2012 that Smittkamp started actively dancing again. Once again, friends encouraged her to not only teach tap, ballet, and jazz but to take classes. It doesn’t take a lot of heavy lifting for Smittkamp to challenge herself and set new goals. Her latest love is choreographing for the Paris High School Drama Department. As one can see, the love for high school dance has come full circle. The PTHS choreographer, Gentner played a role in mentoring Smittkamp’s passion for teaching students the art of dance. Since her new role at the high school, Smittkamp has choreographed six musicals, and two Paris Community Theater shows including White Christmas, Mary Poppins, Peter and the StarCatcher, Newsies, Joseph, Willy Wonka, and Tuck Everlasting. “My favorite is Newsies,” said Smittkamp. Newsies is based on the true events during the 1899 Newsboy strikes. The musical is joyful and exuberant about young people joining together to stand up against injustice. “Working with high school kids has been a great joy. Most have had little to no dance experience. They start from ground zero and ‘rise up’ pulling off complicated dance moves. It’s exciting! They bring me to tears,” said Smittkamp. Videos are available on Smittkamp’s Facebook page of mother-daughter dance performances. The movements will take your breath away. Smittkamp exemplifies a life with purpose as she strives for significance choosing to be a positive influence for family, community and the world. Picture an extremely energetic girl dancing around, tapping her toes, and snapping her fingers as she parades the crowded hallways of Paducah Tilghman High School. An ear-to-ear smile that brightens any cloudy day, Millette Milliken is the person from high school that’s unforgettable. Her life’s had ups and downs and Milliken admits it’s been ‘a rollercoaster ride.’ Yet, she’s a survivor and has that special something that won’t keep a good woman down. She’s been blessed with a moral compass that steers her through stormy weather. Her love for the Lord, family, and a good days’ work is unwavering. Her drive to succeed can withstand hurricane force winds. Milliken knew God was calling her and she replied, “God, I knew you were leading me to Ministers in Training.” At first, she resisted but ultimately obeyed. Milliken’s dad was a local preacher and pastored three churches including Second Christian Church in Mayfield, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Paducah, and Unity Missionary Baptist Church in Brookport, Illinois. In the early years, Milliken sang in her daddy’s church choir and played the piano. For 40 years, she served the Lord through music ministry by involving herself in local youth and community choirs, as well as gospel ensembles. After graduating high school, Milliken attended Murray State University and WKCTC, graduating from the latter with a degree in Administrative Business. After moving to Nashville, Tennessee, Milliken continued church ministry as a director of praise and a worship leader. Next, she added a music workshop facilitator to her resume. The workshops were intended to educate, improve character, and add vitality to praise and worship services.
As Milliken’s leadership skills continued to flourish, her roots stayed firmly planted in humility and love. She attributes her ‘love thy neighbor’ attitude to her parents. She said, “Dad was an advocate for the people. Whether he was preaching, coaching, or educating; he stood for the rights of all people in the community.” Her dad’s efforts were recognized by the Upsilon Iota Iota Graduate Chapter Omega Psi Phi fraternity of Paducah in the form of a local scholarship ‘The Reverend Lawrence Milliken College Supply Scholarship.’ Milliken’s mom was her greatest cheerleader. She said, “My mom pushed me in everything I did.” Unfortunately, a few short months ago, Rosetta was called to heaven. She died 10 days after being diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Milliken said, “I don’t think I’ve fully processed what happened, how it happened, or how I missed it. I have a little survivor’s remorse to work through.” To understand her feelings, let’s go back a decade. Milliken’s 2010 is our 2020. It’s marred with good and bad times. In 2010, Milliken and her son, Kristoffer were living in Nashville. One of the happier memories was Milliken’s second college graduation. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Worship and Music from Williamson College, a Christian liberal arts school in Franklin, Tennessee. Receiving a degree in a field Milliken had cherished since a young child was a proud moment. Not only was she proud of herself but proud of her son. Kristoffer was graduating from high school. After such milestones, tragedy struck...twice. In April, the great flood of 2010 happened in Nashville. Fast moving water led to 21 deaths in Tennessee with over half from Nashville. More than 11,000 city properties were damaged or destroyed and flooding had displaced 10,000 residents from their homes. Milliken and her son were two of the displaced. Things got worse, Milliken was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Milliken said she had no classic symptoms associated with stomach cancer...symptoms like indigestion, blood in the stool, and weight loss. Milliken said, “I threw up blood twice, once at home and once in the hospital, but that was it. I went for an endoscopy where they found a polyp in the GI junction of my stomach that turned out to have cancer cells.” She was diagnosed with stage 2 - 3 cancer. “The cancer hadn’t penetrated the stomach lining, but it did make it through one lymph node.” said Milliken. She said the doctors were shocked that they found cancer in a polyp. Generally, when stomach cancer is found, it’s progressed to a large mass and for some, it’s too late. Her doctors admitted they were in unchartered territory. Basically, they had never treated a patient with stomach cancer detected in a polyp. Milliken said the treatment was ‘brutal’. She had surgery to remove the lower part of the esophagus and 40% of the stomach. For five weeks, she received chemotherapy and radiation simultaneously. In hindsight, Milliken said she wouldn’t recommend such an aggressive treatment to others but for her, she wanted to be done. After eight months, she was cancer-free. Milliken is incredibly grateful and her faith in God gave her the tenacity to push forward. “I believed that God would heal me.” said Milliken (This is where the survivor's remorse kicks in). On the other hand, her mother had little notice before she lost her battle with cancer. She didn’t have treatment options. Milliken said, “I believe God did heal my mom and wanted her with him in her perfect state.” It’s this ‘beacon of hope’ perspective that will give Milliken the survivor’s courage to achieve all her dreams. In 2015, Milliken graduated with a second Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Williamson College. In 2020, she graduated with a Master’s of Arts in Organizational Leadership and completed the Ministers in Training program. Now, she's a licensed minister and serves on the Virtual Intake Ministry team at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Nashville, TN. Milliken said, “My life’s journey gives me hope for the world. My parents taught us to love everyone.” She said she feels fortunate to have grown up in Paducah to see those she went to school with as friends and classmates and “not identify them by their skin tone.” Milliken continued, “I believe we’ll get back to that one day.” “My cancer journey plays a big part in my faith. I believe God healed me” said Milliken. A few years ago, Milliken attended a cancer conference where she was interviewed by one of the organizers. She was asked, ‘how do you feel about surviving an orphan cancer?’ Milliken thought, ‘Huh!?’ “Even though stomach cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, it’s one of the least funded.” She continued, “So much more needs to be done about lesser-known cancers in order to generate funds for treatment and cures. Hopefully soon, I can be more of an advocate for other orphan cancer survivors.” Milliken will continue to defy limits and push boundaries. She's that kind of fighter and that kind of person. All the best to one of the best. It’s the twelfth season, fourteenth episode of Grey’s anatomy and Owen Hunt and Amelia Shepherd are discussing plans for their first date. Amelia had a bad day. She lost a patient to a brain bleed. Not a great night for Hunt’s elaborate romantic evening.
What does Hunt do? He cancels the date and tells Shepherd he has a surprise. Hunt swings open the door to the peds ward and behind a glass partition are 20 plus puppies. Hunt said, “If you had a crappy day, this will make it less crappy.” Once the glass gate is open, Shepherd and Hunt are surrounded by furry, playful puppies. Not only are the cuddles plentiful but the puppy breath is free. If you’ve experienced a bad day, being around loving animals is a sure antidote for the blues. Having an arm load of puppies kissing your face and snuggling your neck would give anyone a warm, fuzzy feeling. If you’ve never experienced the affection given by donkeys, you’re missing out. Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys has given birth to four furry foals all within the last month. It’s a love-fest right out of the gate. After writing the last article about the donkeys, Melanie Graves Bell graciously invited my husband and I for a visit to the farm. Bell and her husband, Kevin are owners of Bell Meadows Farm located in the heart of Lone Oak, Kentucky. In fact, their farm is right across the street from our subdivision. We’ve witnessed the donkeys playing in the field from a distance but never had the pleasure of being up close and personal. As we pulled up to the farm, Bell was on the tractor...ears equipped with noise reduction headphones mowing the sprawling acres where the donkeys graze and play. Four of the Jenny’s were in the field with their babies enjoying the fresh air. Two Jenny’s were in a separate containment area. One was about a month into her pregnancy and the other, Loretta, was a ‘wanna-be’ mom. In fact, Bell had her in a separate gated area for that very reason. Loretta’s maternal instincts were so strong, she tried to adopt one of the babies. As we made our way to the field, we were greeted by Elvis, Bell’s 25 year old gelding. Bell said he looks for ways to get into the bedding stalls. We had to make sure we kept the 2 x 4 in place so he wouldn’t escape. You could tell Elvis was a wise old donkey. One of the first babies to greet us was Alan Jackson. Jackson was the third foal born on the farm this season. Patsy Cline, Jackson’s mom, is the dark-haired Jenny that’s a first-time parent. Bell said “she (Patsy) didn’t know what to do at all.” after Jackson was born (many human mom’s can relate to that feeling). For the first night or two, Bell had to hold Patsy in place while Jackson nursed. Now, Patsy's cooperating. Alan Jackson is an affectionate little fella. He’s healthy, active, and eating well. Patsy is still learning the ropes on ‘the joys of motherhood.’ Lucky for me, Jackson directed all his love and attention to me while visiting. He’s my buddy. Jackson doesn’t know a stranger. He decided not to let me get too attached and made his way over to my husband for some extra lovin’. No worries, Martina McBride showed up for a pet. Martina was the first foal born on the farm to Daisy Mae mid-August. ‘Marti’ as she’s affectionately called, was born at 5:53 am, August 13. Bell stayed up most of the night with Daisy Mae as she paced and got ready for the birth. Bell said, “She’s a labor pacer and is very sweet and loving while pregnant.” Almost immediately after giving birth, Daisy Mae had Marti nursing. “Daisy Mae is very maternal,” said Bell. “She doesn’t let Marti get too far from her side.” Like many kids, Marti will push the envelope testing her freedom. She’s very independent. Bell did say that Daisy Mae and the other moms are letting the babies play together in the field. “It’s so sweet to watch,” said Bell with a big smile. Ten days after Marti was born, Sheldon, a.k.a. Mudpie, arrived at the farm. Sheldon is a small foal and is very affectionate. His fur is mostly white with brown spots sprinkled here and there. You can tell he’s a momma’s boy. He stayed close to Gracie, his mom, while we were enjoying the company of the other donkeys and foals. The newest baby was only 48 hours old when we came to visit Bell Meadows Farm. “Emma is an amazing mom,” said Bell. She stayed within a snout's reach of the newborn as we loved on the others. Bell said she’s very protective and doesn’t let her wander far. Baby number four is waiting on a name that reflects her personality. Bell prefers to name her Jenny’s after female country music singers. Her girl ‘Marti’ was named after Martina McBride. In fact, several of Bell’s friends played a game on Facebook trying to provide the most authentic name for Marti. There was Wynona, Dixie, Hillary, Reba, and others. Ultimately, country music legend Martina McBride won the hotly-contested name-game. After the fourth and final baby of the season was successfully birthed, it’s time to pay ode to the dad. “The herd sire, Opie, has done an amazing job,” exclaimed Bell. All the babies are healthy, happy, and beautiful. Watching the foals grow up and mature is an amazing experience. Most of the neighbors in Lone Oak get glimpses of their lives from cars while driving by or at the farm’s edge while taking a walk. Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys is a happy place filled with lots of love. And, Bell’s right. The donkeys are just like dogs. They enjoy cuddles, pets, and a good conversation. Thanks Melanie Bell for sharing your world.
Carlos Chavez is the local COVID-19 patient who experienced heart attack-like symptoms approximately one month ago. He had attended his daughter’s T-ball game and started having severe pains in his chest, ‘the worst indigestion of his life’. His wife, a Baptist Health nurse, believed the symptoms Chavez was experiencing could be a heart attack.
After spending an evening in the ER, the following day he was tested for COVID-19 and the test came back positive. The diagnosis of COVID-19 sent a shockwave through his body. Chavez wasn’t ready to face a potential death sentence. He didn't want the family to witness his demise. It was ‘his’ worst case scenario. It’s hard to hear a diagnosis about a disease that’s taken so many lives. Even if you’re young and healthy, it can happen to anyone. The symptoms of COVID-19 have varied from person to person. Some have a mild cold, others flu-like symptoms, while others experience severe respiratory distress. It’s no wonder people fear the virus. Chavez was experiencing less than optimal oxygen levels. He was monitored by using an oxygen pulsometer and as long as levels remained above 90, he could avoid a more invasive treatment. After he was no longer in immediate danger, Chavez was released from the hospital to begin (what he hoped) recovery. The last time Chavez spoke with WKY Community Living he was still in recovery...that was two weeks ago. During the conversation, Chavez said he had just been cleared by the health department to resume life before COVID-19. Though declared recovered, he still got winded. A trip to the mailbox and back was exhausting. Chavez continued working half days at Computer Services, Inc. as he regained his strength. The contact tracer with the health department said normal recovery would take 10 - 14 days. It took that and some. As another two weeks passed, it was time to reach out to Chavez again to see how recovery from COVID-19 was going. When asked how he was feeling, the response was, “I’m feeling great! I may have a breathing issue from time to time but things are going great.” Chavez said he completed a two mile walk on Tuesday, September 8 and it felt really good. Tuesday was the start of a brand new exercise program. The two mile trek through his neighborhood went much better than expected. He contributes his ‘better than expected’ recovery to his successful efforts to quit smoking. Almost a month before contracting COVID-19, Chavez quit ‘cold turkey.’ “That’s quite an accomplishment after 10 years of smoking,” stated Chavez. “Labor Day weekend was very productive. I smoked some ribs, did several loads of laundry, vacuumed the floors, shampooed the carpets, and fixed a big supper,” said Chavez. His wife, Liz worked all weekend at the hospital so taking care of the household chores was more of a blessing than a hindrance. After a scary bout with an unfamiliar respiratory disease, having the energy to be useful at home was embraced. As far as home life, the children are back in school and Chavez is working full-time, no more half days. The family welcomed a new addition to their home and his name is Norman, a blue tick beagle puppy. The sweet, fur baby has melted the hearts of the whole family. Chavez said, “He’s awesome. He’s a puppy so he’s into everything.” And as far as Chavez’s attitude, “I’m back to my old self...happy and cracking jokes.” COVID-19 has made Chavez more mindful. He realizes there 'could be' the potential to contract the virus again (studies are ongoing). He said, “The possibility of being reinfected with COVID-19 is small...it’s important that I protect myself and others from the disease.” Chavez continued, “I wash my hands every time I go out and I don’t touch my face. I’ve been out for my birthday dinner and to Sam’s Club. Other than that, I’ve stayed home.” The new CDC guidelines suggest people that have recovered from COVID-19 can safely interact with others for three months, indicating that immunity will last at least as long. The CDC also states that people who have recovered from COVID-19 could test positive for the virus for up to three months. As a result of these findings, it’s recommended that recovered patients not be tested for 90 days after the initial infection. Chavez explained that he still has some anxiety about being around people. “I don’t come within six feet of people for their safety and mine. I don’t want to live in fear. I want to live my life. I’ll wear a mask, keep my distance, and practice good hygiene.” It’s important that recovered patients allow themselves time to heal emotionally as well as physically. A big part of recovery is self-care. Get plenty of rest. Exercise. Eat healthy. Limit alcohol. Keep a regular routine. Avoid too much media. Connect with others. Connecting with others is a big one for those suffering from anxiety or fear of being around others. If working remotely, such as Chavez, find time to connect with co-workers by virtually socializing. Slowly ‘get your groove on’. Nicole Conway Williams educator, Korean linguist, flight attendant and international traveler Jean Nicole Conway was the girl with her nose in a book. She was tall and willowy with shoulder length dark curly hair, fair skin and freckles, with two distinct laughs...one felt deep in the belly and one unmistakably polite.
Flash forward, Nicole Conway Williams is modelesque with beautiful silver wavy hair and a personality that’s confident and ready to take on the world. Over the past several days, Williams has posted on Facebook that she will be taking a six month break from her job as a flight attendant. Along with the post, is a picture of Williams standing in front of a plane in skirted uniform wearing a red bandanna mask covering and red scarf tied neatly around her neck. Her girlish posture implying ‘until we meet again.’ After graduating from Paducah Tilghman High School in the 80’s, Williams attended Murray State University. She spent her last semester studying abroad in France, staying after graduation to work as a nanny for a year, before returning to Paducah. One afternoon, Williams cruised past a billboard and a light bulb turned on. “I joined the army...on a whim... after driving by a billboard in Paducah. I always knew I wanted to travel the world but I didn’t know how to earn a living.” Williams was never one to let anything get in the way of her dreams. While in the army, Williams became a Korean linguist in the intelligence field focusing on North Korea. Kim Jung IL was dictator at the time and he began strengthening his military force and tightening economic controls by collectivizing agricultural land. He restricted the media to essentially isolate the country from the rest of the world. Williams security clearance was top level. During the three years as a Korean linguist, Williams lived in Monterey, California. It was here where Williams met her husband, a Chinese linguist. Shortly after marrying, the couple moved to Taipei Taiwan. Both Williams and her husband had a passion for international travel. After Taiwan, they returned to California, each earning Master's Degrees in Education and U.S. teaching credentials. They both sought careers as middle school and high school teachers instructing Expat children (American or other Nationalities) that needed to continue traditional education while living abroad. For 17 years they taught in Taiwan, Manila, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Tokyo. As teachers, they had summers and holidays off, free to travel and see more of the world. They traveled extensively from Indonesia to Thailand and Turkey to Morocco. Williams said, “I’ve loved living in all those countries because each one has taught me about other cultures and helped me understand others.” She continued, “While in Saudi Arabia, I wandered around spice souks where the aromas of Frankincense and saffron were amazing. I learned about various carpets and how to look for a bargain.” Williams added that lots of small talk and tea drinking were required for insider information. Saudi Arabia and Singapore were Williams’ favorite places to live. While in Singapore, they took quick trips with short flights to Bangkok, Malaysia, and Bali. All of these beautiful places were easily accessed over a four day weekend or during spring and fall breaks. “Singapore is a beautiful island situated in the heart of Southeast Asia with rich cultural architecture, and an amazing array of foods from Malay to Chinese dishes.” said Williams. While living in Singapore, Williams received the ‘best Christmas Day present ever,’ her newly- adopted son. In 2003, the couple adopted their son from Kathmandu, Nepal. “He was a very sick baby,” said Williams. They actually picked him up after being released from the hospital where he had been treated twice for pneumonia. Williams knew he was a fighter. Through all the restless nights of no sleep with a 13 week-old newborn, not to mention sick newborn, he fought his way back and grew into a strong, active little boy. Today, her son is 17 and loving life right along with Williams. A rewarding teaching experience was another reason Singapore was special to Williams. “My favorite teaching gig was in Tokyo where I taught high school at an All-Girl Catholic International School.” Williams said. She taught a variety of classes, from Middle School Cooking and Nutrition to High School Women's Studies, a popular class among her HS students. “Most of the focus was on mental, physical, and emotional aspects of each decade of a woman's life from her 20's to 70’s. It’s something to see confidence levels rise where there’s no competition between genders.” Williams said traveling all over the world presented with a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes it would be frustrating because the simplest of tasks were challenging. “Like finding milk in a store. You can’t read the labels and the milk itself is different colors.” She continued, “With each move, you start to get in a routine, figure things out, and it feels comfortable and exciting again.” Williams admitted that there were sad moments too. “A holiday or a birthday would pop up and you missed home.” Bonding together as a family helped everyone get through the tough times. After 17 years of teaching, the Williams’ returned to the States for good. The family moved to Las Vegas and Williams entered into a real estate career. She worked for Coldwell Banker Premier Realty and since she had no connections in Vegas, she built her business from the ground up. Every weekend, Williams held open houses and really hustled. Within the first month, she had sold her first house. She went on to win several awards while working for the company. True to her jet-setter ways, Williams returned to the skies as a flight attendant. She started flying in 2017 and has loved most everything about it. She has the flexibility to choose her own schedule, which changes month-to-month, and flies with different co-workers frequently. Williams said by the end of a three day trip, all became ‘fast friends’ touring cities and enjoying new restaurants. Since CoV-2, her life has changed. Back in March, Williams was still flying. When the pandemic hit hard, she said, “Walking through silent, empty airports was eerie. I was worried about bringing COVID-19 home to my family. Every trip ended with me leaving bags in the garage, undressing and throwing my uniform in the washer, and heading straight to the shower before even saying hello.” Williams said in between trips she would self-quarantine in hopes of protecting her family. After CoV-2 shut down all travel, Williams took a three month paid leave. During this time, she came home to Paducah to visit family and friends. After the three months, she returned to flying. She said her airline has fared better than most, and she attributes that to company management and leadership. There have been no furloughs this year and many employees, like Nicole, are ‘stepping up’ to take voluntary time-off with pay to lessen expenditures. Beginning September 1, Williams is taking six months off with pay. On her latest Facebook post she said, “Just finished my last trip for 6 months . It was a bittersweet trip flying with so many co-hearts who are either retiring early or, like me, taking 6-18 months off to help our company recover until some sense of normalcy returns. I’ll miss the fun with both my passengers and co-workers who have become my second family away from home. We are a unique bunch ! Let the 6 months vacation begin:) Anybody want a visitor or travel buddy?!” Since returning to an ‘ordinary life’ Williams is relaxing in the pool and has started running again. Nobody knows the length of time it will take her to find a new adventure. Once international travel is reinstated, a friend has already invited her to visit Rome. She replied on her Facebook post, “I’m there as soon as they let us in!” Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys in Lone Oak, Kentucky has done it again!. Melanie Bell, co-owner of the farm announced on Facebook the birth of a third baby within weeks of each other. At 6 p.m Thursday evening, August 26, Patsy Cline had her first foal. Though, the event didn’t go according to plan.
Patsy is a first time mom and ‘doesn’t know what to do at all,’ said Bell. “We have to tie her up so she doesn’t kick him.” Bell is prepared for a long night. She said the newborn needs colostrum and Bell needs to make sure Patsy doesn’t hurt him. There were posts from concerned family and friends asking ‘what will you do if Patsy refuses to bond?’ Bell commented that it’s never happened before. She’s been breeding, raising, and loving her donkeys since 2008 and this is new territory. Her plan is to sleep on the Tempur-Pedic mattress until she feels comfortable leaving the two alone in the stall. At 1:30 a.m., Bell is still in the stall with Patsy and the beautiful, fluffy baby boy. “I’ve been holding Patsy on a lead rope in the stall for hours making sure she stood still for the baby to nurse and didn’t kick him away.” said Bell. About an hour ago, Bell took Patsy off the lead rope to observe her behavior. “I think Patsy is going to eventually get a little better at being a mom,” sighed Bell. Since Bell’s been awake into the wee hours of the morning, she’s been doing a lot of praying. Praying for Patsy to love her new baby. Praying for those in the path of hurricane Laura. Praying for a lot of things.” The foal is running around the stall and having fun. Bell took Patsy off the lead and is sitting in the stall with mother and baby. Patsy hasn’t tried to kick hard and she is standing and letting him nurse. “She is still swatting at him with her leg but isn’t trying to send him sailing across the stall.” said Bell. Another hour or so and hopefully Bell will be more comfortable leaving them alone. Bell said she has to work in the morning and she’s afraid she’ll ‘feel like the walking dead.’ As she watched the new baby play, she’s thinking, “Just when I don’t think I could get a cuter baby, I’m just blown away at how beautiful this sweet boy is. He is very imprinted. I’ve played with him all night. Baby seems to be doing great despite all the trouble. He’s one tough little guy.” There’s more news...Mudpie will have a new home. If you recall, he was the second baby born on the farm within the last couple of weeks. And there’s more, a fourth baby will be arriving soon. Talk about heaven. COVID-19 war stories are being shared as people begin to recover from the elusive disease. One of the most interesting comparisons are the symptoms associated with each positive case. Some of the more common symptoms include fatigue, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, and fever. Others experience more flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches, chills, nausea or vomiting. One of the more peculiar symptoms is the sudden onset of hyposmia or anosmia (decrease in smell).
As more is learned about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the inability to smell or taste can be an early indicator of the disease. Interestingly, this may be the only symptom an otherwise asymptomatic person exhibits. Sicker patients that need to be hospitalized are experiencing the loss of taste and smell more frequently. As the percentage of patients increases, so does the need to study this phenomenon. As of June, olfactory dysfunction is now included as diagnostic criteria for COVID-19 patients. Local resident Carlos Chavez experienced something quite different from the typical symptoms, at least at the onset. His story begins here. For Chavez, COVID-19 felt like a heart attack and he explained the events that led to his positive diagnosis. It was a Monday morning and Chavez was working from home. The day was like most other days but he was more tired than usual. “It was a Monday so I figured it was just one of those Mondays,” he said. The next day, he worked from home and had plans to attend his daughter’s T-ball game later that evening. While at the game, he felt tired, anxious, and ‘fidgety.’ His wife, Liz bought nachos at the concession stand for Chavez to have as a snack. “Near the end of the game, my chest was tight and I had the worst heartburn of my life,” said Chavez. His wife is an ER chest pain nurse and thought he might be having a heart attack. He was experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, and tingling in the arms. At first Chavez brushed off the idea of a heart attack. He thought the tingling in his arms might be related to withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking. Just under a month ago, Chavez quit ‘cold turkey’ and was quite proud of his accomplishment. Liz disagreed with his self-diagnosis and insisted they head to the hospital. That evening, Chavez was admitted. It wasn’t until the next day that he was tested for the coronavirus. One hour later, Chavez found out he had tested positive for COVID-19. After hearing he had the coronavirus, feelings of trepidation and dread consumed his thoughts. “My mind went to the worst place. I felt panic and fear. I’ve read horror stories about the virus. The fact that I was a smoker, concerned me the most.” He continued. “I didn’t want to be on a vent. I didn’t want to put my family through watching me slowly decline and potentially die.” Since Chavez was experiencing breathing issues, his oxygen levels were continuously monitored. The hope was to keep levels above 90 but if it dropped, supplemental oxygen would be administered. (Supplemental oxygen is prescribed by a physician to provide the body with extra oxygen needed to support vital bodily functions in the presence of heart or lung disease). Chavez’ oxygen levels stayed above 90 and he was released from the hospital to quarantine at home. The first four or five days, Chavez slept. He said, “I had no energy. It felt like I had the flu times 10”. He quarantined in his bedroom and only exited to use the bathroom or to eat. Chavez said, ”Everyone stayed in their own bedrooms and my wife slept on the couch. We had sanitizer in every room and Liz made the meals. All food and drink tastes the same post-Covid. I didn’t notice a change with my sense of smell. Thankfully, everyone else in the house tested negative.” The contact tracer from the health department checked on Chavez daily. The same questions were asked everyday, “How are you feeling? What symptoms are you experiencing? The health department told Chavez normal recovery time was 10 to 14 days. He was cleared this past weekend. Chavez said he still has breathing problems. “Every day there’s improvement,” he said. “I get tired easy and walking to the end of the driveway to get the mail feels like I’ve walked two to three miles.” He’s back at work. Chavez is network operations manager at Computer Services, Inc. in Paducah, Kentucky. “The first few days it was tough having normal conversations. My throat was sore and my breathing was compromised.” He worked half-days and has plans to gradually ease back into a full work day. After the frightful experience, Chavez is taking extra precautions to stay safe. He said he washes his hands constantly and is still apprehensive about being around people. “I’ve been cleared by the health department but I’m paranoid and never want to go through that again.” Chavez stated that he has no idea where he might have picked up the virus. Other than grabbing lunch at a fast food place and using the pump at the gas station, he hadn’t traveled or attended any large gatherings. In addition, he's ‘masked-up’ and washes his hands regularly. It’s a mystery with limited clues. The virus is as tricky today as it was with the first reported case. The highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 will attack any age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Medical professionals advise the public to follow the science and wear masks, social distance, and wash your hands. Chavez’ tale isn’t cautionary. It’s a ‘real life’ story. Sheldon is a beautiful boy born 10 days after Marti on Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys8/22/2020
The new baby boy two hours after birth at Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys.
Babies, babies everywhere! Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys has been delivering foals (babies) left and right. The second baby arrived on the farm 10 days after Marti's arrival and he's a beautiful, small baby boy.
Melanie Bell, co-owner of the farm with her husband Kevin, said in a Facebook post that the picture doesn't represent his true color because he isn't all cleaned up and dry yet. The pictures were posted to their Facebook page two hours after birth. 'He is nursing well and very spunky. He has a white blaze face with brown and gray spots.' Bell continued to 'paint the picture' of the furry bundle describing the color of his coat as frosted white with gray spots and brown face and ears. She said that he will stay small...around 29 - 30 inches at the withers is her best guess and that he will make a beautiful herd sire. A herd sire is one of the most important decisions a breeder can make for it will determine most of the genetic components of the herd. Lone Oak residents get to watch all the babies run around on the farm. Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys is located in the heart of Lone Oak, Kentucky. Mudpie was the foal's given after birth. The new owners have named him Sheldon. After the babies are sold, Bell takes care of them until they're ready for their new home. What fun it will be getting to see the foals play in the field. Bell Meadows Farm is located on 3675 Lovelaceville Road in Paducah, Kentucky. Christa Dubrock - CD1 Kentucky Pledged Delegate to Biden/Harris 2020 at
Democratic National Convention
It’s 2:15 a.m. and Daisy Mae is pacing. She’s definitely in labor. “She’s so loving, sweet, and clingy when she’s in labor. She likes the company when I’m with her.” said Melanie Bell. It’s 2:45 a.m. and she’s sweaty and there’s more 'poop' on the fresh shavings, another sign of labor. It’s 3:06, she’s stopped pacing. Both Bell and Daisy Mae are yawning. It’s 4:45 a.m., it’s a girl!
Smack dab in the heart of Lone Oak, Kentucky is a full-service farm that’s been in the family since the 1940s. Melanie Bell, a Paducah Tilghman graduate, and her husband, Kevin moved to the second-generation family farm on Valentine’s Day 1992. Bell Meadows Farm, formerly Ham Farm, was previously owned by Kevin’s maternal grandparents, Earl and Edna Ham. After Edna passed away in 1991, the Bell’s became the proud, new owners of the family farm. The 65 acres of farmland located on Lovelaceville Road extends as far back as the Lone Oak Tennis Courts at 400 Lakeshore Drive. Currently, the Bells lease 33 acres for farming soybeans and corn and the rest of the acreage is farmed by the Bells. The land cultivates good, quality hay and is sold to local farmers to feed their livestock. Through the years, animals have always been a big part of the farm. In 1947, a large concrete barn was built and used to board horses. The farm raised cattle in the 40s and 50s and again in the 80s through 2010. Even their eldest son Cole knew how to turn a dollar by raising chickens. He started with a few hens as a preteen and launched a chicken egg business. At one point, there were 60 chickens on the farm. For 11 years, he operated Barnyards Best Fresh Country Eggs and sold to local restaurants and surrounding residents in the area. Melanie said, “We had a refrigerator on our back porch for many years and people would leave their money in a jar and get fresh eggs in cartons out of the refrigerator on the honor system.” The farm is home to many animals: wild turkey, deer, fox, coyotes, skunks, groundhogs, opossums, owls, hawks, all God’s woodland creatures. One of the most beloved animals living on the farm are Mel Bell’s donkeys. In 1996, an eight month gelding named Elvis arrived on the Bell farm. For a time, goats were raised on the farm and they were Elvis’ best buddies but Melanie’s heart was with the donkeys. Elvis is now 25 years old and is as much a part of the farm as any one person, animal, or fixture. In 2008, the Bells bought five six-month-old baby Jennets (female donkeys) and a five-month- old baby Jack (male donkey for mating). When the donkeys turned three years old, it was time to breed, raise and sell registered miniature donkeys. This was the beginning of Bell Meadows Farm Miniature Donkeys. Melanie is the caregiver of the 'much loved' donkeys. From birth, she takes care of the donkeys or babies as she calls them. “The babies on the farm generally see me before they see their real mom because I get in there and towel dry them and clean them up as soon as they are born and mom is resting a minute.” Bell said this is called imprinting and “they love me like another mom.” Bell said donkeys have similar personalities to dogs. “They love to be cuddled, brushed and are very affectionate.” They know their names and they think of her as one of them and trust she will be there when it’s time to give birth. Donkeys gestate for 365 days and are bred on Bell Meadows between April and October. Typically, the foals (babies) will nurse for six months and will be weaned by Bell if the mother hasn’t already done so. Bell said the donkeys are definitely pets and it’s hard to see them go, but they are stock for her business. There’s a waiting list for these docile creatures. After birth, Bell said she usually calls the first person on the list to see if they’re interested. She’ll share the sex of the foal and the color. If they prefer to wait till the next birth, Bell calls the next person on the list. She says she likes loving the donkeys and getting them ready for their new home. They’re usually sold 24 - 48 hours after birth. “I’ve only kept one baby so far and that’s Loretta.” Loretta was born in 2012 when temperatures remained over 100 degrees for 10 consecutive days. She said the baby had to have IVs in order to stay hydrated. Bell said, “I always get attached but with Loretta I was super attached because we worked so hard to save her.” She continued, “Loretta had a hard time nursing to hydrate and getting the proper nourishment needed after birth. The heat was horrible”. Bell is responsible for the day to day donkey care and maintenance. She said her husband and family help with hauling hay, worming, and taking the donkeys to the vet, if necessary. A Farrier comes four to five times a year to trim their hooves. Bell scoops the poop, feeds, maintains, loves, and spends time with her animals. “Regardless of the weather, the animals need to be taken care of. If it’s 104 degrees or 12, it’s a year-round job.” The Bell family have outside jobs and generally stay 'six to 12 months behind' on the farm. “On farm days, we’re busy checking on the donkeys, cleaning out the troughs, hauling food, cleaning manure out of the barn, checking and fixing fences, cutting trees, maintaining the farm equipment, disking, planting, cutting, raking, and hauling hay.” said Bell. The Bell’s two sons are grown and no longer live on the farm. When there’s a big job to do, such as new fencing or cutting down trees, the sons are there to help. In fact, Bell said much of her strength comes from God and her family. “My family is always a phone call away in an emergency or when I need to discuss a farm issue. I couldn’t do it without God taking care of me and blessing me through tough times including cancer.” After giving birth this morning, Daisy Mae is doing well and her foal is already nursing. Bell said, “She’s a beauty.” Facebook posts are pouring in congratulating Daisy Mae on a job well done. Neighbors in Lone Oak are excited for the opportunity to watch the foal in the field. Being right smack dab in the middle of the suburbs is a joy for the residents that walk or drive-by Bell Meadows. Seeing the donkeys play, run, and enjoy their day is special. Bell said, “my favorite time of the day is usually when the work for the day is done and I get to come into the house and get warm or in the air conditioning and relax after doing chores.” Her favorite part of farm living is ‘watching the animals give birth and watching the miracle of life.’ “Hello from South Texas!” said Andrea Worthen Falcon. If there was ever a person with a sunny outlook, it would be Falcon. Her positive attitude and love for people has provided hundreds of students with a teacher, mentor, and part-time mom. After 25 years in public education, she will be retiring in 2021.
Falcon has always been cheerful. In high school, she sang soprano in the choir with music in hand and a melody in her heart. Four years after graduating, Falcon left Paducah, Kentucky and later moved to south Texas returning to her hometown for the occasional visit. Her home is in Los Fresnos, Texas and her remaining year as an assistant teacher in special education is in for a bumpy ride. Knowing there’s one more year left in her career is bittersweet. There’s also the elephant in the room, COVID-19. Falcon’s last year as an assistant teacher will be marred with the devastation of a ‘little-known’ virus that has cost so many their lives, jobs, and sanity. The community of Los Fresnos, Texas is located in Cameron County and part of the larger metropolitan area that includes Brownsville, Harlingen, Raymondville and Matamorors. It’s home to over 400,000 people. The area is 90% Hispanic with 30% of the population under 17 years of age. The median family income is $38,000. Falcon teaches at the Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School District. There are nine elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools, and 10,000 students. Los Fresnos is only minutes from South Padre Island, the Mexican border and the city of Brownsville, the largest city in the county with 180,000 people. The community where Falcon teaches and lives is disadvantaged. Most of the adults have two or three jobs just to make ends meet. She said south Texas has been hit hard by the pandemic. Falcon has personally known several people that have died from COVID-19 and there’s no way to trace the root of the cause. She said, “Families here are losing both parents to the virus. Just two weeks ago, a mother died of COVID after giving birth en route to the hospital. She was only 21.” “The community is very family-oriented,” said Falcon. She believes this could be a reason for the spike in COVID cases. Since Los Fresnos is close to South Padre Island and the Mexican border, friends and families like to get together for holidays. Falcon said they’ve been seeing over 1,000 positive cases a day in the area over the past week. Texas Public Radio, an NPR affiliate, confirmed Falcon’s numbers. The Rio Grande Valley, home to the University of Texas and the southernmost tip of Texas, is recruiting nurses from all over the country to help with the exhausted medical teams. Refrigerated trucks have been brought in for bodies because the morgues are full. Falcon said, “There are no funeral services for those who’ve died from COVID,” she continued, “Ambulances sit outside the emergency room with sick patients waiting to be admitted to the hospital through the ER. Heaven forbid you have a non-COVID emergency.” Falcon said she does have some anxiety about going into the classroom, however, her family won’t live in fear. She said the school system where she teaches is a ‘prayerful district and she knows they’ll do what’s best.” The school district sent a questionnaire to parents several weeks ago asking for feedback related to in-person classes and online instruction. It was determined that students would receive three weeks of remote learning, after which there will be 72% staying remote, 13% hybrid, and 15% on-campus learning. Students, faculty and staff that will be on-campus will have daily fever checks and will wear masks. Gloves will be provided where necessary and hand sanitizer will be placed throughout the campus. There will be plastic plexiglass separating students and teachers will sanitize in between classes. “The students that will be on-campus really need to be on-campus,” said Falcon. In Los Fresnos, students receive breakfast and lunch free and sometimes dinner if they’re being tutored after school. “Having meals provided five days a week is a blessing to many families,” said Falcon. She continued, “The children that need to be in school, are looking for a safe haven from the troubles outside the school walls.” Teachers will use Google classroom for online learning. Falcon says this is new to her and there’s some anxiety, however, she loves to learn new things. If the teacher Falcon works with is unavailable she’ll be trained to take over teaching duties. “I totally love what I do,” said Falcon. While attending Paducah Tilghman High School, former teacher Pat Miller asked her to participate in a tutoring program for students with special needs. Falcon said she needed a job and decided to get trained and tutor. In finding her ‘forever’ job, she’s spent 24 years as a special education assistant teacher helping those with learning disabilities.This year will be her last. In Los Fresnos, Falcon said she is more than a teacher to her students. Though in the minority, students look up to her as a mentor. She said several of her students are on the spectrum, some are in gangs, and others have one or both parents incarcerated. She continued, “If I can make a difference in at least one student’s life each year, I’ve done my job well.” Sixteen is a magical age. Puberty is finally over and the self-conscious feelings about acne have left no permanent scarring. It's time for high school parties, dating and more importantly, a driver’s license.
Experiencing freedom for the first time from behind the wheel is exhilarating. The realization that the days of taking the bus are over. Life is good. Grab the keys, pick-up the friends, all are ready for a night on the town. The car being driven is an older model, pristine condition, and seats six. With new driver’s license in hand, it’s easy to change the age with black ink or by using an exacto knife to etch a new birth date that says ‘21’. Time to head to the liquor store, the one that sells to minors with a decent fake ID, piece of cake. Purchasing pure grain alcohol is no problem. It will make the perfect Hooch. Six friends head-out to the drive-in movie with a fruity cocktail containing 120-190 proof alcohol. After arriving, it doesn’t matter what ‘flick’ is on the big screen. Everyone’s equipped with red Solo cold cups. Make it a ‘big pour’ with some fruit slices and it’s time to party. At the end of the evening, everyone’s gone. They’ve disappeared. What happened? The six-pack of friends have scattered. All the drive-in hooch buddies are nowhere to be found. Head is pounding and the night is a blur. It happened again. Then, it happens again and again. It’s just the beginning of many years of addiction to drugs and alcohol. Roberta Friend Rhodes is a ‘hometown girl’ from Paducah and experienced many nights such as this before getting the help she desperately needed and wanted. Because of this experience and others like it, Rhodes, affectionately called ‘Berta’ , got the help she needed and decided to ‘pay it forward.’ Rhodes was one of the lucky ones. She had people around her that woke her up to the problems she was having with her addiction. They stayed after her and supported her until she made a decision on her own to seek help. As part of her amends, Rhodes found a program at the Louisville Medical and Dental School that specialized in addiction counseling. Rhodes will admit that her training had a lot to do with her own experiences with alcohol and substance abuse. “By me using drugs and alcohol, going to treatment and completing recovery, it was the best education I could’ve had to better educate and treat others with substance abuse problems,” said Rhodes. After graduating college, Rhodes became a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Later, she continued her education and became a Licensed Addiction Counselor. Rhodes has treated many patients throughout her years as an addiction counselor. She’s has worked in Kentucky but now treats adolescents and adults with substance abuse and mental health problems in southern Indiana. Rhodes said treating patients during the pandemic has been 'a horse of a different color.' “COVID-19 has really impacted my patients,” she said. “Patients weren’t allowed in the office and therapy sessions had to happen virtually by Zoom. Many of the patients didn’t have mental, emotional or physical support and ended up relapsing.” Rhodes said when patients were finally allowed back into the office, they were scared of exposure to the disease. Coming back into the office setting was good for the interaction but upsetting to think about contracting the deadly virus. “Patients are required to wear masks and though scared of COVID-19, they're very grateful to be able to interact with others again,” she said. Therapy is a two-way street, admitted Rhodes. In order to be able to treat others, she has to take care of her own mental health. Much of her therapy happens outside the traditional office setting. For Rhodes, being outside is the thing that quiets her mind. Being able to garden, camp, travel, take care of the farm, is therapy. Rhodes is a Certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapist and ‘fell in love’ with the treatment. Her affection for animals is undeniable. She has dogs, cats, horses, chickens, ducks, geese, and a parrot and "the only payment required is food," said Rhodes. Rhodes isn't the only one benefiting from equine therapy, her patients do too. Other techniques used in Rhodes’ practice include cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based counseling, reality therapy, and creative therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy seeks to change patterns of thinking or behaviors that are behind people’s difficulties. This type of therapy may be referred to as ‘talk therapy.’ Mindfulness-based counseling (MBCT) is a modified cognitive therapy with meditation practice and breathing exercises. According to Psychology Today, MBCT therapists teach clients how to break away from negative thought patterns that can cause a spiral into a depressed state so they will be able to fight off depression before it takes hold. Reality therapy focuses on current issues affecting the person seeking treatment rather than past experiences. This therapy encourages problem-solving and believes that people experience mental stress when their basic psychological needs haven’t been met. Creative therapy is based on the idea that when someone works creatively under the guidance of a qualified therapist, they become more expressive and communicative. Different ways to express oneself through art include drawing, painting, dance, drama, music, and poetry. Rhodes works at the North Clark Medical Group in Jeffersonville, Indiana as an addiction counselor. Though the road has been long, Rhodes has been sober for many years. Her animals are always ever present in her life. She is a Christian and extremely devoted to her family. In addition to her love of God, family, and animals, Rhodes is an excellent photographer. Knowing the path Rhodes has walked down makes one wonder the type of inner strength it must take to, not only pick up her own spirits but help others do the same. When asked what a good day looked like, Berta replied, “A good day for me is when I wake up and say, Thank you God for letting me wake up.” Fotoula or “Toula” Portokalos, a Greek American woman, and a non-greek, Ian Miller are on their first date. They’ve just finished dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant and decide to take a romantic walk across a fairytale-like pedestrian bridge. Ian starts to gently nudge the conversation in a direction Toula is slightly uncomfortable discussing. He wants to know what it was like for her growing up.
After weighing her options and knowing the importance of building relationships through intimate conversation, she says to Ian, “I’m Greek, right?” She goes on to explain that she has 27 first cousins and that her whole family is big and loud and always in everybody’s business. She discusses holidays and how her uncles fight over lamb brains and her Aunt Voula chases her around with a forked eyeball insisting she eat it because it will make her smart. It's an exchange in dialogue that has stayed with me for years. The point being...the large families of yesterday aren't large families today, at least in quantity. The number of women giving birth compared to 50 years ago is quite different. Fertility in the U.S. has been on decline since the post World War II baby boom. In the mid-1970s, 40% of mothers that had reached the end of child-bearing years, had four or more children. Today, the same percentage of mothers at the end of their child-bearing years, has only two children. Fewer children, fewer cousins. In “My Big Fat Greek Wedding’, Toula, played by Nia Vardolas has 27 first cousins; I have 20 first cousins. Everytime I watch this movie I think of the first date scene when Toula says she has 27 first cousins. Today, that number is unheard of. I have yet to meet many people if any my age or younger that have such a large number of first cousins. There are so many fond memories of my childhood that were built around special times with my cousins. Remembering the large family gatherings at my grandmother Davis’ house, puts a smile on my face. My sweet grandmother was a Christian first and a southern-style home cook second. At the dinner table there was always fried-crispy okra, purple hull peas, butter beans, cornbread, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese (made from ‘free’ government cheese the neighbor used to share), mouthwatering yeast rolls, and the biggest, fattest, sweetest, home grown tomatoes ever. All of these wonderful fresh vegetables came from the garden she had outback her house along with the rows and rows of peach trees. After saying ‘the blessing,’ we would load our plates full of food until they were overflowing. While the kids were still on their first plate, we would watch our uncles go back for seconds and thirds. After dinner, the uncles would retire to the front room to watch television with grandpa, and the aunts would clean the kitchen to later sit around the dinner table for a scoop of fresh, peach cobbler. And we, the kids, would either go outside and play in the cotton field right next to our grandparents house or go back to grandma’s bedroom to get out the jar full of colorful buttons and tell stories about things going on in our lives. On my dad’s side of the family, we would get together at our grandparents house in Memphis Tennessee where there was always plenty to do. Most of the time when we visited, the kids would go outside and play in my grandparent’s big fenced-in backyard. There was a basketball goal and a tree swing. We would play wiffle ball, football, anything that had to do with a ball. The Burnett’s were big ball players, very competitive. If there wasn’t a ball to be tossed around, we were playing music. As the cousins got older, we stayed in touch as best we could. We’re all spread out from the tip of Indiana to Florida and on over to Houston, Texas. There are so many stories to be told. The first time I ever sang karaoke, and the last, was with the twins. Karaoke was a big draw at their country club and one evening while visiting them in Mississippi, they invited me to the country club bar. I believe they knew what they had planned for me. In order to take part in their weekly sing-a-long, I had to have a few shots of liquid courage. Once I started singing, I never wanted to stop, though I know the rest of the room was very ready for me to pass the mic along to someone else. We shut the place down that night. My 20 first cousins are quite diverse and it’s true, you don’t stay mad at your cousins. It’s not like getting upset with your husband or your wife, your mom or your dad, your brother or your sister, cousins are very different. I ran across several really nice quotes about cousins. “Cousins are friends that will love you forever.” “Time passes and we may be apart, but cousins always stay close to your heart.” “In my cousin, I find a second self.” ‘Hometown Boy’ Ryne Burnett followed his passion
and got the career and the girl Ryne Burnett is a Golf Professional at Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally from Paducah, Ky, Burnett was introduced to golf at a young age with a set of Little Tykes plastic golf clubs. At age 12, he started playing golf courses with his Dad and grandfather ‘Poppy.’ Most summers were spent at Paxton Park in Paducah learning to play the game. The ‘game' kept him focused and with that focus, led him to a career as a golf professional and an engagement with the girl of his dreams. After graduating from Lindsey Wilson College, Burnett started his golf professional career at Drake Creek Golf Club in Ledbetter, KY. “I literally began as a Golf Professional two days after graduating from Lindsey Wilson College in 2013. During this time, some of my best moments were assisting with the junior golf program. A proud moment was when I helped coach the Western Kentucky PGA Junior League All Star team that won a Kentucky Section Championship in 2015.” After working at Drake Creek Golf Club for almost three years, Burnett took a position in Champaign, IL as a Golf Professional at the Legends Driving Range and Executive Course. “Executive courses are simply a shorter course, mostly Par 3s and a few Par 4s. It was there, I received an opportunity to be in charge of an entire golf operation, from hiring and scheduling staff, to running a junior program and golf events at the facility. A few times we were able to host University of Illinois fraternities for events, along with several local business leagues.” Burnett said that many golf professionals split time between clubs during winter and summer months. He decided to try a winter at The Club of Ibis and enjoyed every minute of it. “A lot of golf professionals split time between clubs in the northern and southern regions of the country, for example work in Michigan during the Summer and Florida during the Winter. I took this route in November 2016, taking an Assistant Professional's position at The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach Florida. I was able to take it easy at Ibis, which helped me ease into the environment of a private country club. This is where Martin Hall teaches when he’s not on the Golf Channel, and that led to hosting several PGA Tour players for various product days and golf shows. The best was meeting John Daly, who is a great person to be around and kept me laughing during his show with Martin.” After leaving his summer job in Florida, Burnett started a position as the Assistant Professional at Triple Crown Country Club in Union, KY. “This is where my passion for junior golf was deepened, through the clubs recent history of producing collegiate level talent, and being involved in the development of the juniors coming up. Along with serving on the Kentucky PGA Player Development Committee, I coached two PGA Junior League All Star teams to Runner Up Section Championship finishes, along with coaching a local Middle School team to a victory by 44 shots in the League Championship in 2017.” The next career move earned Burnett an award to the first Operation 36 Top 50 coaches list and as an extra bonus, got engaged to his fiancee, Lindsey. “In December 2018, I received an offer to join Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati. At Kenwood, I’m the Junior Golf Leader and run all Junior Golf programming. In 2019, 160 students signed up for various programs including Operation 36 (Ages 7-17) and Birdie Basics (Ages 3-6). This summer, 170 students are participating. For the 2019 season, Kenwood became the #1 ranked facility in the world in the Operation 36 network, and I was named to the first Operation 36 Top 50 coaches list.” Burnett explains the basics of Operation 36 and Birdie Basics. “Operation 36 takes traditional golf learning and flips it upside down. Students work their way from 25 yards back to the full tee box, working to shoot 36 or better at each yardage division. This mission is supported by a weekly coaching program. Birdie Basics involves a focus on play for younger golfers, by giving golf games a story to follow around a mascot. We also change the language so they understand and can relate and learn that much more!” When discussing his personal life and his fiance' Lindsey Morano, Burnett said their first date was a holiday affair. “On our first date, Lindsey and I wrapped Christmas presents together. She loves animals and cooking and is trying to learn the game of golf. We got engaged on November 3rd, 2019 and are looking forward to our wedding on October 17, 2020.” Over the past several years, Burnett has earned a couple of first place finishes at various tournaments including a championship win. 2017- KPGA Pro-Am @ Big Spring Country Club, Louisville, KY - Low Professional 2017 - KPGA Section Championship - University of Louisville Golf Club, Simpsonville, KY - 7th 2018- Kentucky Open - Big Spring Country Club, Harmony Landing Campus, Goshen KY - T21st 2018 - KPGA Assistants Championship - University Club at Arlington, Richmond KY - T2nd (Qualified for National Car Rental National Assistants Championship - PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, FL - Missed Cut) 2019 - Gem City Classic - Walnut Grove CC, Dayton OH - T3rd 2019 - Western Hills Pro Am - Cincinnati, OH - T1st 2019 - SOPGA Southwest Chapter Stroke Play Championship - 1st Place Monday, July 13, Burnett will play the Maketewah CC tournament in Cincinnati, OH. “This will be my first tournament in close to a month. I find myself at that point in my career most golf professionals experience; finding ways to put together a decent score with a severe lack of practice and rounds played, while working a 40-60 hour work week. Maketewah CC is a club with a rich history and an excellent golf course, which should make for a great challenge.” Burnett’s current passion is coaching. He’s offered a few golf tips:
When a baby is born, the cord blood that’s left inside the umbilical cord is incredibly special. It contains powerful stem cells that can help save lives. Not only is the cord blood effective but so is umbilical tissue. Today, there are families preserving cord blood and tissue for its potential future use by banking it in cryogenic storage.
If you’re a fan of medical dramas, there are episodes on Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, both available on Netflix, discussing the masterful use of cord blood. Families would collect and bank the cord blood for potential life saving measures to be used for a sibling or for the donor child. According to the American Health Council (AHC), “Today, stem cells are mainly used in the treatment of disease and in tissue regeneration. They largely come from three sources: cord blood, bone marrow, and peripheral blood. Cord blood stem cells are found in the blood of the umbilical cord.” The cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells, which have a 30 year history of helping to save lives through transplant medicine. The cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and have the ability to respond to inflammation and help repair tissue damage. Since 1988, cord blood transplants have been used all over the world to treat diseases like sickle cell disease and thalassemia which leads to anemia. Cord blood and tissue is recognized in the month of July to focus on treatments and promote awareness. With the news of COVID-19 uptick, there may be some concerns regarding usage of cord blood in the event that a mother becomes infected with the coronavirus before giving birth. As far as the medical community knows, umbilical cord blood does not contain the virus. Even if the mother is sick during delivery, there’s no indication it will be in the cord blood. There are studies that look for COVID-19 disease transmission between mother and baby and studies that test for signs of COVID-19 in the cord blood. When a person is sick with a respiratory virus, it’s rare for it to show up in the blood. Antibodies from the virus will show up but not the virus itself. For this reason, the FDA permitted blood banks to reopen in order to collect blood from donors. In Wuhan China, a study was conducted with nine pregnant women. All women suffered from pneumonia and had C-sections at the time of delivery. All babies were born in a sterile room with no contact with the mother directly after birth. The researchers collected amniotic fluid, cord blood, and performed neonatal throat swabs on the babies. Breast milk was also collected from the mothers. All samples collected were negative for COVID-19. Parentsguidecordblood.org. Locally, there are cord blood banks at Norton Healthcare, Inc. in Louisville, KY and at ViaCord, LLC. in Hebron, KY which is in northern Kentucky close to Cincinnati, OH. Cord blood and tissue can be collected privately or it can be donated by families to public banks for free to help treat cancer patients. If you’re interested in learning more about storage of cord blood and tissue, go to americanpregnancy.org or any of the other sites mentioned in this article. |
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Liz Latta Archives
July 2021
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