Issue #7 - July 2024

SUMMER 2024

EMBRACING OUR

Age

BOYS OF Summer DOC HIDEG

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

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(270) 816-0118

www.EmbracingTheAged.com PUBLISHER/FOUNDER Jennifer Gish

MARK ASHBURN

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DRAG THE GUT

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Strawberry Shortcake & Scouts

EDITOR/WRITER Carol Ullerich CONTRIBUTING WRITER Richard Abraham ART DIRECTOR Amanda Newman ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Julie Harris PUBLIC RELATIONS Kristi Crockett ACCOUNTING Tiffinie Hix

Cruising Down Broadway

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my provider: The Real It's a Wonderful Life

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Fall Prevention Day

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my community: Drag the Gut

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my hero Doc Hideg: For the Love of the Game

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for caregivers: Avoiding Caregiver Burnout

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Meeting Your Community

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my health: Sweet, Sweet Summer

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Free College Education for KY Seniors

Embracing Our Age is published quarterly: Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall.

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senior spotlight: Mark Ashburn Strawberry Shortcake & Scouts

Embracing Our Age is not responsible for any harm or injury resulting from information or advice contained within. Opinions contained within may not reflect the views of the magazine, its publisher, or those associated with the publication.

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Four Paws, Fur & Fluff

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care directory: Lavender Pages for Seniors

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Fox Fotography

Want to advertise in Embracing Our Age? Curious about ad rates? Call Julie Harris at (270) 559-9099.

Questions about billing or your account?

Call Tiffinie Hix at (731) 819-5221, or email her at bom@embracingtheaged.com.

Want to subscribe, receive a copy of the magazine by mail, request a back issue, or distribute Embracing Our Age? Email director@embracingtheaged.com, providing contact name, email & phone number.

www.EmbracingTheAged.com

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

RSVP SUMMER HEALTH FAIR Join the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and The PADUCAH-MCCRACKEN County Senior Citizen Center as we celebrate SUMMER with a

FREE HEALTH FAIR FOR OUR LOCAL SENIOR CITIZENS • Height/Weight

• Medication Check

• Hearing

• Body Mass Index

• Medicare Info

• Blood Pressure

• Diabetes Check

• Blood Sugar

• Balance

• Vision

• Nutrition

• and more!

• Bone Density

• Massage

Friday July 12, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am at the UK McCracken Co. Extension Office

2025 NEW HOLT RD. PADUCAH, KY 42001 • CALL RHONI OR MARY 270-442-8993

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MY PROVIDER

The Real It’s a Wonderful Life By: Carol Ullerich

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t 86 years young, Van Swaim, a native of Greenfield, Tennessee, currently living in Martin, is one of Tennessee’s oldest practicing pharmacists. When he graduated from the University of Tennessee Pharmacy School in 1961, he was Number 1268 on the pharmacist registry. Current graduates exceed 30,000 in number.

Swaim’s career would make a good movie. As a child, his next-door neighbor was a pharmacist—just like Mr. Gower—George Bailey’s neighbor in the 1947 classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. When Swaim was a teenager, his neighbor started taking him to pharmaceutical conferences, laying the foundation for Swaim’s long and prosperous career— initially as a retail pharmacist and now as an institutional pharmacist.

When he was a youngster, Swaim’s mother arranged for him to make deliveries for Gardener’s Grocery. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have a driver’s license, he drove the grocery minivan anyway, earning .75 cents an hour.

When his dad, a heavy equipment operator, began building roads, he hired Swaim as a grease monkey. He still earned .75 cents an hour, but was now lubricating all machinery, and in time, received a slight pay increase.

At age 18, Swaim became a bulldozer operator earning $5.00 an hour.

When he announced he wasn’t going to college, his dad assigned him to work in a clay pit where breathing was especially difficult. After two months he’d had enough and accepted his father’s offer to pay for Pharmacy School.

In 1956, Swaim enrolled in Memphis State, now the University of Memphis, where he lived in Scates Hall Dormitory. When too many things outside class caught Swaim’s eye, his dad strongly suggested he come home and improve his grades. Swaim obeyed, straightened up and enrolled at Bethel University where in 1957 he completed two years of college and one summer of pre-pharmacy.

In 1959 he was one of 110 students enrolled in the three-year curriculum at the University of Tennessee Pharmacy School in Memphis. He found lodging at the Kappa Psi Fraternity House. To rent the room he had to join the professional fraternity, so he did. Three years later he graduated in the top-third of his class which had shrunk to between 85 and 91 students. The second-year schedule was loaded with math classes and the attrition rate was high.

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

When Swaim arrived at Pharmacy School, a graduating senior asked whether he was interested in the job he was leaving. Swaim said “Yes,” and was sent to the pharmacy inside St. Joseph Hospital where he was interviewed and hired by a nun. He began learning the basics of running a hospital pharmacy—far different from a retail drugstore. He recalls the sisters being good to him; when he was occasionally “on call” overnight, the nuns “snuck cookies to him under their habits.”

After graduating as a licensed pharmacist at age 24, Swaim worked at a Memphis drug store for a couple of years, rooming with three boys from Martin. Coincidentally, Shirley, the woman he would marry just 60 days after meeting her, was also in Memphis, living with friends, Dr. and Mrs. O.K. Smith—who would witness Van and Shirley’s wedding in 1962.

Shirley had been a soda jerk at P&S Drugstore in her hometown of Martin. She happened to be home the weekend after Swaim bought P&S, his first drugstore. Dr. E.C. Thurman and Dr. Smith had an office above the P&S Drugstore. In time, Thurman and Smith built a clinic near the hospital and wanted to open a pharmacy. Swaim bought in.

Soon, owners of Holman Drugstore in Martin, who renamed it C&R Drugstore, asked whether Swaim would be willing to work for them.

Swaim bought a third interest in C&R. Next, a new clinic with a pharmacy was built in Paris. Again, Swaim bought a third interest, and he and Shirley moved to Paris where he ran the new drugstore full-time.

Swaim being a pharmacist, I asked how he learned about business and investing. He said he learned from the decade he served on the bank’s board of directors. He owned interest in four banks simultaneously.

As for the switch from owning retail pharmacies to opening Van’s Institutional Pharmacy (VIP) about eleven years ago, it goes back to the P&S Drugstore. He bought the adjoining building and knocked a hole in the wall large enough for a double-wide door where he opened VIP. It is closed to the public and much calmer than a retail store which can be chaotic with simultaneous customer requests. VIP serves clients in Tennessee and Kentucky.

The Swaim marriage produced four sons and lasted just shy of sixty years. Shirley, who was crowned “Miss Martin” in 1958, died on her 80th birthday. Swaim often jokes to friends he was from Greenfield, but he stole “the Queen of Martin.” Their oldest son, Mike, grew up in the pharmacy business and chose to make it his profession. Mike and his dad are equally at home on the golf course.

HOW CAN DOL BILLING ASSOCIATES HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

Shirley was a devout member of the Church of Christ and took the Swaim children to services with her; Swaim had attended the Methodist Church with friends when he was about eight years old, and had attended the Baptist Church with his mother, but was unchurched as an adult. Shirley’s minister asked to visit him.

At the age of 26, Swaim was immersed into the Church of Christ. He served as a Deacon for about a decade, overseeing Education. At age 40, he agreed to be an Elder, oversaw Admissions, and embarked on mission work for which he recruited medical personnel.

Swaim hasn’t always stood behind a drugstore counter, he’s made time to travel. One memorable trip was to Nicaragua where school ends in July, freeing vacant schools for use as Vacation Bible School. The team would visit one school in the morning, do skits for about twenty minutes, then divide the children by age for another ninety minutes of study, followed by lunch. The same schedule would be repeated at a different school each afternoon.

American high school students were part of the team learning to perform mission work. Trips concluded with an outdoor gospel meeting for the community and a night out for the American kids.

During the Reagan administration, 1985 was a year of global change.

Mikhail Gorbachev served as the Soviet Union’s last leader from 1985 until the country dissolved in 1991. Southern Christian University in Montgomery, Alabama, offered to train missionaries to serve in Russia.

Swaim accepted the offer and traveled twice—to Ukraine in 1993 and to St. Petersburg, Russia in 1995. The directive given was, “Don’t be an ugly American. Just fit in.”

Swaim recalls sticking a poster on a light pole announcing, “Gospel meeting” and renting a theatre where plays would normally be performed. Americans were told to spread themselves throughout the Russian audience rather than sitting in a clump. Afterward, oneon-one meetings were scheduled with Russians to discuss faith. A swimming pool was used for baptisms. Swaim describes the Russians as “hungry” to learn American ways.

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The experience was eye-opening and gratifying. “Only party members may hold government office in Russia. Ten percent are Communist, the other ninety percent are like Americans.”

Swaim found them to be curious about America, wanting to understand American idioms like “live high on the hog.” The Russians valiantly tried to speak English, but it was broken at best.

New churches were established in many Russian cities and despite war currently raging, they still exist. American churches receive monthly reports from the venues, showing the missionary work continues. Preachers were trained in Ukraine eight years ago. That area has since been overtaken by Russia—residents were given three hours to pack and leave.

Swaim traveled to India with another Church Elder to observe preacher training and learn what was being taught. The trip was coordinated

by Ron Clayton and his wife of India Missions. The people they encountered in India were also curious about the United States.

One night, a Gospel meeting erupted on the street. A building was unavailable, so local preachers found a side street to use as a venue. The locals came and sat on the pavement to hear the Gospel.

Apart from missionary work, Swaim participated in a Kenyan camera safari to view the Great Migration of wildebeest, antelope and zebra as it crossed the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem from grazed land to untouched ground where grass and water were plentiful. Organized by Coffee Break Tours from Camden, Tennessee, he bunked in a tent by night, and traveled via Land Rover by day. Described as the true “circle of life,” the Migration is a yearlong loop beginning with calving where many young fall prey to lions and crocodiles.

He was also part of an expedition to Chile organized by another church in response to a natural disaster. Swaim joined their medical group, serving as its pharmacist.

When he turned 75, he gave up being a Church Elder. He describes himself as a homebody now—apart from running VIP and playing golf. I asked about current news events associated with his profession.

Swaim believes the opioid epidemic has almost reached a critical stage, but fentanyl is the problem of the moment. The availability of Narcan is important because it blocks the receptor site where the opioid works.

I asked about “pill mills” and the pharmacists who participated in them.

Just like physicians, pharmacists take the Hippocratic oath, stating in part, “I will do no harm or injustice.” Swaim said pharmacists who took the oath and participated in the mills “were either insincere or lured by money.”

He views the most “unexpected” advancement in pharmacy as “technology.” Computers have brought incredible change. Swaim no longer practices in a retail setting; his practice is limited to an “institutional” pharmacy where he dispenses drugs only to residents of assisted living facilities, nursing homes and the like. His practice is so routine he employs two “robots” at VIP. He’s had them for about a decade. Each robot costs about $250,000 and holds 560 different drugs.

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

The robots have not displaced any human employees—there are still many; the humans verify the robots’ work. He estimates his client base is about 700 mental health patients; 200 nursing home patients; and 300 assisted living patients.

I asked about the effect of direct-to-consumer (DTC) television drug advertising. Considered “groundbreaking” in 1983 when Boots, the British pharmaceutical, health and beauty retail chain, submitted the first television ad for Rufen, a prescription painkiller that is part of the Ibuprofen brand. Within 48 hours, the ad was pulled from the airwaves. The American Medical Association (AMA) opposed the ad, believing consumers would seek unnecessary medication. No FDA regulations had been adopted at that time, so no legal framework was in place. In 1997,1 the FDA once again permitted the airing of drug ads on American television, and they remain the public’s major avenue for medication news. The only other country permitting televised drug ads is New Zealand.

Swaim sees no negatives to drug ads. He considers it empowering for patients to know the wide range of drugs available and to be able to discuss their potential value and side effects with doctors.

In May of this year, the FDA announced revised rules2 for TV advertising of prescription drugs which is usually designed to appeal to one’s emotions and so influential it may convince a patient to seek info about a drug, see a health care provider, or bypass health care professionals altogether. If drug advertising weren’t so lucrative and effective, it wouldn’t be the multi-billion-dollar industry it has become.

Going forward, all information in a TV drug ad must be presented in “consumer-friendly language and terminology that is readily understandable.” It must also reveal risks as well as benefits, and spoken words must be accompanied by text displayed long enough to be read.

During COVID, there was great concern about needed drugs not being manufactured stateside. This was brought to the forefront when Wuhan, China, closed several drug manufacturing sites due to the virus, leaving Americans without access to basic drugs like those used to control blood pressure.3 Between the 1960s and 1980s, America manufactured many of the “active pharmaceutical ingredients” needed to create prescription drugs. Much of that manufacturing shifted overseas in recent decades, most notably to China and India, to take advantage of cheaper labor and tax incentives.

One game changer Swaim identified is insurance company procedures.

He said they cut fees paid to pharmacies on a whim and the pharmacy must accept the reduced payment or end the contract.

I haven’t discussed Swaim with scads of people, but each time I’ve mentioned his name, the first comment is how kind he and his family are. I asked to what he attributes his kindness and the reputation he enjoys. He quickly responded, “Good Christian living.” A fitting summary of a life well-lived. Like George Bailey, life has worked out pretty well for Van Swaim.  1 Harvard Health Ad Watch: How direct-to-consumer ads hook us - Harvard Health and https://www.statnews.com/2015/12/11/untold-story-tvs-first-prescriptiondrug-ad/ 2 Read more at: https://www.axios.com/2019/02/21/prescription-drug-side-effectsadvertising 3 Hear discussion of this topic on Weekend Edition Saturday, 4/25/2020 at www.npr.org.

www.EmbracingTheAged.com

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FALL PREVENTION DAY By: Carol Ullerich

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unday, September 22 is the first day of Fall. It’s also Fall Prevention Day. And, September is Fall Prevention Month. It’s alarming to know one in every four seniors 65 and older will fall this year.

I chatted with Mark Vance, Mercy Outpatient PT, DPT, and CEEAA, at a recent health fair where he performed free balance appraisals for visitors stopping at his table. The four-part test is known as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “STEADI”1 tool, and in a few minutes you’ll know whether you’re at risk of falling. It’s recommended the STEADI tool—assessing static balance, mobility, leg strength and endurance—be repeated annually. Those at risk of falling should contact their primary care providers for appropriate follow up.

1 in 4

SENIORS 65 AND OLDER WILL FALL THIS YEAR.

The risk of falling may be reduced by a referral to physical therapy for gait and balance exercises, or an evidence-based fall prevention program like Tai Chi. Additionally, to reduce falls, share your concerns about fall risks and prevention with your health care provider and request a complete review of all your prescriptions to ensure all are balanced and work together.

1. Start exercising, focusing on leg strength and balance.

2. Have an annual eye exam; get new glasses when indicated.

3. Remove clutter and tripping hazards from your home.

Vance knows of what he speaks. An avid cyclist, he broke his hip in 2023 in a freak accident. He underwent surgery the same day and was back on a Peloton bike one month later.

September 23-27, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., Bon Secours Outpatient Therapy, 1528 Lone Oak Road, Paducah, will perform free 15-minute evaluations. Those at risk of falling will be referred for a therapy evaluation or an exercise program. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends from age 20 forward, each person receive 150 minutes of weekly moderate exercise. It’s critical all seniors be checked somewhere to avoid being one of the four seniors aged 65 and older who will fall in 2024. 

4 WAYS TO Prevent Falls & follow doctor’s 1. Get advice; ensure all meds correct

leg strength 2. Improve & balance with exercises

annual vision 3. Have exam; update eyeglasses

clutter & 4. Remove tripping hazards from home

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

Aging CONTINUUM CARE

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• Social Security • VA Benefits • Department of Labor Energy Workers

• Community Services • Personal Funds • Family • Medicare/Medicaid www.EmbracingTheAged.com

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MY COMMUNITY

DRAG THE GUT By: Carol Ullerich

R

iverboat passengers stopping in Paducah routinely ask why the same cars drive through the flood wall at the foot of Broadway, turn right, drive a block along the water’s edge, turn right again, exit the flood wall and proceed along Kentucky Avenue— repeatedly. Little do they know they are witnessing a decades-long tradition called Drag the Gut. For those not in the know, “the gut,” is a nickname for Broadway and to “drag the gut,” means to cruise Broadway.

To be blunt, it’s an opportunity to see and to be seen. For some, there’s an insatiable need to know what happens on the river side of the flood wall. It is a working port after all, bustling with boaters, anglers, folks sunbathing, others enjoying the parade of barges, and the view of Illinois. Construction of the wall began in the 1940s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the aftermath of the epic 1937 flood. The wall was ultimately completed by German POW’s, many of whom remained in the Paducah vicinity when the work was done giving the community our strong German influence.

In the fifties and sixties, the Drag the Gut route was different. Then, the starting spot for some was Cardinal Point Shopping Center on Joe Clifton Drive; others started at the 19th Hole which had go-carts and kid-centered activities—long-gone, it’s the current site of the Park Avenue Kroger and Beehive Liquor. After cruising the parking lot, cars returned to Park Avenue heading toward Dairy Queen, then right onto Joe Clifton Drive toward Red’s Donuts, left onto Broadway headed downtown through the flood wall, to emerge from the river side of the flood wall onto Kentucky Avenue and return to the 19th Hole via Jefferson. Typically, boys were driving—looking for girls—and vice versa.

River Tin Street Rods, a group of classic car enthusiasts formed in 1977, have given Drag the Gut renewed meaning. They enjoy sharing their restored rides—each vehicle fifty years or older—with others. At 5:00 p.m., the third Friday of April through October, they gather at the Plumber’s Union Hall at 1332 Broadway. After lining up, as 6:00 p.m. approaches, they proceed down Broadway to Water Street where they

go through the flood wall and make two righthand turns, emerging onto Kentucky Avenue and continuing to Bob’s Drive-In, 2429 Bridge Street, on the southside of town, for conversation and refreshment.

Windall Williams, completing his first term as Club President in July, describes the 40 members from Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois as “a bunch of motorheads.” It’s a close knit group of men and women linked by a love of vehicles and promoting a family atmosphere. They meet as a Club the first Thursday of each month. Car enthusiasts are invited to follow them on their public Facebook page: River Tin Street Rods, and to join their ranks. At one time they had more than 200 members, but dwindled to two families—just four people. They’ve rebuilt themselves and continue growing.

Cards acknowledge member birthdays, anniversaries, get-well thoughts, and accomplishments. When a member was hospitalized recently, a “drive-in/wave-off ” was planned for the rear hospital parking lot so the patient could wave at fellow Club members in their classic rides from his hospital room. It didn’t happen—happily, the patient was released mere hours before the planned event—but the Club was prepared to brighten his day. Sadly, a day later, Club members gathered at a memorial service for another, filling the parking lot with vintage cars and trucks as a fitting send-off for one of their own.

You don’t have to be a member to get the royal treatment. Club members routinely drive their classic rides to assisted living facilities where they swap stories, especially about first cars, with residents. They have fun events throughout the year like “Funday Sunday” excursions (driving to a local restaurant for lunch). They participate in Tater Day and July 4th Parades. If you’ve got an idea for the Club to consider, contact them at PO Box 7316, Paducah, KY 42002.

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

Happy Anniversary TO BOB’S DRIVE-IN!

Members must be 18 or older and listed as owner of a vehicle 50 years or older. Current members range in age from 18 to 81, have diverse skills and occupations, and are both men and women. The youngest member is an 18-year-old woman with a ’64 Ford. I asked whether older cars are better built than today’s models. Williams explained, “older vehicles can be fixed by the individual and are easier to maintain; there are no computers and limited electronic sensors.”

Many members are retired and view their “hobby” as a financial investment since vintage cars appreciate about 3% annually. According to Williams, “some cars have been restored completely by the individual owner, while others have been purchased. Regardless of manner of acquisition, all are maintained mechanically with hours of ‘love’ to clean, polish and shine.”

Facebook, Phone and text are used to distribute updates and news of car events. The Club’s public Facebook page has more than 3,000 followers. Mailings are sent to “non-Club individuals” (Friends of the River Tin) to encourage “car enthusiasm” for classic car owners to bring their cars to show and share.

The club devotes much time to its annual June “Rod Run,” a Charity Car Show with proceeds benefiting local Disabled American Veterans.

In 2023, a $6,000 donation was made to Paducah DAV Chapter 7 from show earnings.

The car show is the first Saturday in June, but was rain-delayed to June 8th this year. The event venue is 2900 Irvin Cobb Dr from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All entries (with space for 300 vehicles) must be 1974 or earlier; all makes and models welcome. The event features food, music, T-shirts, silent auction, 50-50 raffle, Women’s World, vendor displays, car corral (car sales), plus 32 trophies and cash drawings at the event close. Spectator admission is by donation and participants pay $20. “Only non-Club members are eligible to win trophies, door prizes and the cash drawing.”

Bob’s Drive-In is celebrating its 75th anniversary Wednesday, July 3, 2024!

Bob’s will be open for business that day, but from 5:00 p.m. til about dark, there’ll be an additional picnic area grilling burgers and serving up fries. The River Tin Street Rods will be parked across the street and invite you to celebrate the milestone by viewing their vintage street rods, customs, antiques, classics, muscle cars and trucks—all 50 years or older. Neil Ward, owner of Bob’s since 1978—when he was just 19 years old—has heard from many regular customers and employees who’ve said they’ll be stopping by to share well wishes and a memory or two.

Bob’s Drive-In, 2429 Bridge Street, Paducah, has its own unique history. It opened July 3, 1949, as the first Dairy Queen in Kentucky—indeed, the oldest drive-in restaurant in Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee and Missouri. But, when the original owner, Bob Holman, wanted to serve cheeseburgers—in addition to ice cream—a violation of Dairy Queen policy— Bob’s Drive-In was launched and it’s been a Paducah mainstay ever since!

A trip to Mexico in the 1950’s led Holman to create the Fiesta Burger, a patty topped with chili and cheese.

The Fiesta Burger remains the eatery’s daily sales leader. Tax is always included in the quoted price.

Get extra value on Fiesta Mondays, when fries are included with the burger for $5.50. Other days, the Fiesta Burger with fries, is $7.50. For the 26th season, the Bob’s Drive-in ice cream cone remains $1.00.

Over time, Ward has added a playground and Neil’s Catering facility to the property.

The Club participates in car shows and cruise-ins within a 100-mile radius of Paducah. Often Club members meet as a group and travel to events together creating quite the parade for those they pass en route. To meet the gang and join in on the fun, put these dates on your calendar.

July 4 is the monthly meeting at Mike Miller Park in Marshall County with officer elections and payment of dues. On July 9 they will visit a Mayfield nursing/rehab facility, followed by dinner at Hoskins BBQ.  www.EmbracingTheAged.com

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MY HERO

doc hideg: For the Love of the

By: Carol Ullerich

Photo by Fox Fotography

here’s a gem in Paducah—a diamond, in fact, that’s second home to many men—some now in their 90’s. I’m speaking of Brooks Stadium, a monument to baseball since opening day in May 1949, when a general admission ticket cost 65 cents—today it’s $6.00.

T

In 1903, baseball mania swept America with Paducah clamoring for a pro team. There had been a Central League pro team in 1897, but it lasted only one season. The goal this time: recruit eight teams to form the Kitty League, a Class D minor league circuit covering Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee; Indiana and Missouri joined too. Over time, teams would play in 29 different cities. Affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938 and again in 1952-55, the Paducah Chiefs won five championship titles during sporadic play between 1903 and 1955.

Brooks Stadium has been home to semi-pro, pro, and Post 31 American Legion teams. It’s currently part of the Ohio Valley League, a collegiate wooden bat league playing June-July. Games begin at 6:30 p.m. except

Photo By: Fox Fotography

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

Sundays (6:00 p.m.) and double headers. Follow Paducah’s only sports team at paducahchiefs.com; listen to games at The FAN AM 1560.

The league has just five teams this season, down from a dozen last year. Playing half its forty-game card at home, Paducah will face each opponent ten times giving ample opportunity to capitalize on strengths and identify weaknesses.

The playing field was not always treated as hallowed ground. According to Paducah Chiefs General Manager Greg McKeel, Brooks Stadium was once used for motorcycle racing. It even hosted a circus. Now it’s dedicated to baseball—part of Paducah’s fabric since 1861. Brooks Stadium is one of the oldest ballparks in Kentucky and regarded as one of the finest in America.

Leon Wurth is in his second year as Field Manager. A former pro scout for the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees, he has multiple World Series rings. He was Murray State’s starting shortstop in the

seventies, an all-OVC pick in 1974 and ’75 (captain) and inducted into the Racer Hall of Fame in 1992. He was an assistant coach 13 years at MSU where he earned undergrad and graduate degrees in Phys Ed., always planning to be a coach and teacher. Wurth’s goal for this season: teach and “tweak” player games. About a third of the team is returning and “very mature.” Wurth describes baseball as a “game of failures.”

Chris Haas echoes that sentiment noting, “If you succeed 3 out of 10 times at the plate, you’re an All-Star.”

The genesis of this article is a simple “Why?” Why has Paducah—a city of less than 27,000 people, and surrounding McCracken County, with a population of less than 68,000—produced incredible baseball talent, many playing in the major leagues? We’ll explore common denominators—the Paducah Chiefs, Brooks Stadium, American Legion Post 31, the Haas-Roof Family dynasty, and Dr. Frank “Doc” Hideg, for whom the field is named.

Baseball became popular during the Civil War. No longer confined to New York as a regional game, it united North and South, allowing officers and soldiers “to play as equals. . . improv[ing] camaraderie, morale, and unity among the soldiers on both sides.”1 In the late 1800’s, Barney Dreyfuss2 emigrated to America from Germany, stopping in Paducah to keep the books for cousin Isaac Bernheim’s bourbon distillery. From Paducah, Dreyfuss moved to Louisville where he bought part interest in the Colonels baseball team.

In 1892 Dreyfuss bought the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the National League (NL) Pennant in 1901, 1902 and 1903. Dreyfuss contacted the Boston Red Sox owner, winner of the American League (AL) Pennant, proposing the Pirates and Red Sox play to determine the 1903 World Champion in a best five of nine game series. Pittsburgh lost the inaugural World Series, prompting Dreyfuss to put his owner’s share back into the prize money pot, enabling his losing players to receive a larger share. Thus, the first World Series has a Paducah tie.

From 1901 thru 1955, all major league teams—except the St. Louis Cardinals and the St Louis Browns (until 1954 when they moved to Baltimore)—were located east of the Mississippi. That changed after World War II when people began moving, and in particular flying, to the West Coast. Prior to planes, teams traveled by steamboat, bus and train, with distance determining who and where teams played. In the late 1920’s-30’s, radio began airing baseball games, acquainting fans with players and teams. In the 1930’s-60’s, the minor leagues were at their strongest, but many still operated on a shoestring and faltered.

In December 1976, WTBS broadcast the first Atlanta Braves game via satellite, creating “America’s team.”

TEAM MANAGERS IN 1930’S-50’S Paducah had three team managers early on—each being called “Chief.”

Ben Tincup was a Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma who pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs. He came to Paducah in the 1930’s to manage the Indians. He was well-liked by the community and returned often to renew ties. Charismatic, players and fans alike, loved Tincup and began calling him “Chief.” In 1949, the team name was changed to Paducah Chiefs because a Mattoon, Illinois, team was already known as the Indians. The nickname “Chiefs” was chosen because of Tincup, Chief Paduke—said to be a 7’2”-tall Chickasaw Indian, Paducah’s namesake, and a good friend of William Clark, the

surveyor and explorer who renamed the Village of Pekin Paducah—and Harry Lloyd, a Paducah native who began as a very good baseball player and became team manager. The epitome of the game, Lloyd was known as “Mr. Baseball” around Paducah. In those days, it was common to play 126 games in 122-123 days.

In 1946, Paducah was part of the Kitty League but had no field on which to play. The Paducah Baseball Association was launched with the late J. Polk Brooks, owner of Brooks Bus Line, as its first president. Brooks dreamed of a first-class stadium and made it happen—nearly singlehandedly—giving rise to the moniker, “The House That Brooks Built.”

In 1949-50, Paducah would have played in the Kitty League, but no spots were available. When the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League offered a spot in its pro-Class D3 league, Paducah accepted.

TIRELESS DEVOTION When the Chiefs disbanded in 1955, Brooks Stadium deteriorated and was sold to the City of Paducah for $25,000; demolition was almost certain. That’s when “Doc” took up the cause, leading a 1980’s campaign to save the brick and steel structure. Now a retired chiropractor who just turned 82 years young, Doc devotes countless hours to maintaining the Stadium field—his dog, Moby, often in tow.

Doc and Judy, his late wife, moved to Paducah in 1968. Doc opened a chiropractic clinic above Home Federal on Broadway. For years Stadium maintenance was a family affair. Judy, a nurse by trade, played various team roles including bookkeeper, scorekeeper and even team nurse when needed. Her cemetery marker reads: In loving memory of Judy Olive Hideg, RN, Wife, Mother, Gigi & Baseball Mom; Loved Life; Loved her Doc; . . . and he loved her.” A brass plaque bearing her name and the words, “The Strength Behind The Man,” hangs near the tunnel leading to Stadium bleachers. Enlarged copies of signed baseball cards from Paducah players line the opposing wall. Doc met Judy in a St. Louis bowling alley. They married in 1964. Their daughter and two sons all live in Paducah. Daughter Janie planned her wedding around baseball season.

Doc doesn’t claim credit for restoring Brooks Stadium. He says the current version “is here because of the late Albert Jones,” Paducah’s Mayor from 1996-2000. As Doc tells it, “The Stadium was close to ruin.

Doc went to the late Jones saying, “if you’ll let me take care of Brooks, I’ll rebuild it. Jones gave him a couple names to call and assigned a couple people to work with him.” Doc contacted unions, asking them to train journeymen and apprentices by redoing Brooks. Local unions donated trainees; Cole Lumber Company donated lumber. Pipefitters installed seats—54 bought from Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Doc boldly said he’d show what happens when union and non-union laborers work together, and readily acknowledges, “a lot of good people in Paducah make a lot of good happen.” Union Carpenters Local 357, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 816, Ironworkers Local 782, and Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 184 still keep the vintage park in tiptop shape. Doc remains a Brooks Stadium Commission member but handed over the presidential reins to Jay Smith earlier this year.

DOC’S LOVE OF BASEBALL Doc’s hometown of Madison, Illinois, near St. Louis, had about 1,000 residents. Neighboring Grant City, Illinois, had four times the population. Schools from the two towns were natural rivals, with the

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went on to say the American Legion funded baseball through age 18 meaning young men could reach the major leagues without spending a dime. Legion play “funneled” kids into pro ball by giving pro scouts a chance to see young talent in action. McKeel and others believe had travel ball evolved earlier, minorities would not have had the opportunity to succeed in baseball because of the money required to travel today.

Each time a ball lands outside Brooks Stadium, McKeel hands a new dollar bill to anyone who returns the ball. He patrols the bleachers during games—constantly walking from one Stadium end to the other— chatting with friends, sponsors and attendees while carrying a cordless mike for impromptu announcements. He also leads a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch— coincidentally, that’s also his ringtone.

2024 Paducah Chiefs with sitting players-both 92 years old from 1949 and 1950

smaller Madison usually prevailing—but not the year Madison was the smallest school to play for the Illinois state basketball title. Doc was injured playing basketball and was advised to see a chiropractor.

Doc’s dad was a pharmacist, but Doc didn’t like working in the family drug store. He preferred playing baseball, as he’s done all his life— enjoying it “because it’s a team sport and everyone has a good time.”

He played left field in college, starting his sophomore year. The season he played first base, his team finished in second place. That’s when he decided to become a chiropractor, enrolled at Lincoln Chiropractic College in Indianapolis, and learned to protect himself from sports injuries. It was common practice to tape ankles, but Doc’s instructor disagreed, believing taping caused knee injuries.

Doc coached Paducah’s American Legion Post 31 team 21 years, amassing 831 wins against 279 losses. He won 75 percent of the games he coached, won six State Championships, and created many college and professional players along the way. Doc learned to prepare the field in a brief stint with the SEC. He says, “Paducah is a baseball town.”

Doc is willing to help anyone. He spoke of a young player from Marshall County who was ineligible for the Paducah team and ready to quit baseball because he could not attract any scouts. Doc arranged for scouts to be in Paducah to watch the young man. Doc told him to speak to the scouts, he did, later telling Doc, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten a scout. Instead of you telling me, ‘You can’t play for me,’ you told me to remind you I wanted to be scouted, and after the game, three scouts wanted me.”

Jay Smith is in his first year as Commission President, doubling as an Assistant Coach. He said 2024 has brought new season ticket holders and seven new sponsors. He comes by his love of baseball honestly, having played at Tilghman, with Post 31, and in Florida. Three generations of his family have played at Brooks Stadium. He hopes Paducah’s connection to baseball never dies. He calls Paducah an “old soul town” with a long baseball culture.

As Chiefs GM, McKeel selects the roster, currently at 26. He’s wellsuited to the job, having coached two decades at Tilghman. He played high school baseball in Murray but says he wasn’t good enough to play American Legion ball which he believes is the best in the country. He

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ALLURE OF BROOKS STADIUM Game attendance has waned over the decades, but television was the big killer according to sportswriter Randy Morgan, author of Paducah’s Native Baseball Team (2015), who says baseball was local before the advent of TV. Some say TV is killing professional baseball today with its mandatory commercials prolonging games. Introduction of the pitch clock shortened a MLB game by 24 minutes in 2023 but may have increased stolen bases.4 Paducah native and former Yankee pitcher Charlie Loyd, who coached Legion ball at Brooks Stadium, suggests keeping the batter in the box and prohibiting movement or adjustment between pitches would shorten games.

At 4:38 p.m. on game day, the Stadium was quiet. A few players stretched, took batting practice and chatted as a groundskeeper chalked the baselines. A breeze rustled trees surrounding three sides of the neighborhood field. The American flag flew briskly in the wind. 29 business banners dot the outfield wall, one reading, “Larry Loves Tammy.” Gates open around 5:30 p.m., fans eagerly awaiting the call of “Play Ball” at 6:30 p.m. Paducah Ambassadors usher and hand out game programs. A young girl sang the National Anthem at home plate as all stood at attention. A child threw out the ceremonial first pitch. This is small-town America at its finest. As play began, a steady stream of plates heaped with nachos smothered in pulled pork from The Catering Company began to pass before me. Beach Boy tunes played over the loudspeakers. Robert Collier from Reidland said he played baseball as a child and has attended Chiefs’ games the last six years.

You may ask, “Why come to a ballpark when I can watch pro teams on TV while sitting in my easy chair or a sports bar?” I attended Cubs and Reds games as part of a college roommate’s goal of visiting all major ballparks. There’s much to be said for spending a summer evening under the Brooks Stadium lights. Attending my first Paducah Chiefs game in June I was impressed by the respect spectators show the Stadium. Trash was placed in trash bins. Kids with ball gloves roamed bleachers in hopes of taking home a fly ball and an autograph. Sleeping babies and wellmannered dogs contributed to the family atmosphere. A row of couples randomly met at the ballpark, became good friends, and now socialize together. Today’s Brook’s Stadium is a place of pride, and a popular site for both high school and college conference baseball tournaments, Tilghman home games, and of course, the Paducah Chiefs.

In answer to my question, “Why have so many major league baseball players come through Paducah,” McKeel said Paducah may not be so

unique; it may just be that area people love baseball and lots of middleclass white kids played baseball. As proof, he said at one time, Noble Park’s summer Pony League had 27 teams of ten players each—that’s 270 youngsters introduced to baseball—many becoming baseball players as teens. Perhaps baseball’s popularity simply heightened the odds of athletes from Paducah succeeding.

During May I arranged a party for Doc’s 82nd birthday with a frank, wideranging discussion among several of Paducah’s former pro players. Guests included Paul Keeling ( Yankees), Charlie Loyd ( Yankees), sportswriter Randy Morgan (author), Gene Roof (Cardinals/Expos), and Phil Roof (Athletics/ Brewers/Twins/Blue Jays). Throughout the month I interviewed other players who have thrilled Paducah fans on the Brooks Stadium diamond. Here’s a sampling of thoughts and memories.

One of the first traveling to pro baseball from Paducah was Paul Keeling, a Lone Oak High School shortstop who played for the Chiefs 75 years ago. At age 15, a New York Yankees scout promised to sign him when he graduated. Two years later, Keeling signed a contract to play for the Paducah Chiefs—then a pro team—the same day he received his high school diploma—with assurance the Yankees would purchase him within the year. Proficient with the bat and the glove, he consistently hit .300+. In 1949, at age 17, standing 5’10” tall and having been crowned “Lord Handsome” by his high school classmates, on graduation night Keeling suited up as a Chief in the first season of play at Brooks Stadium. I asked Keeling, “Were you any good?” Without missing a beat, he responded, “Evidently, the Yankees signed me.”

He must have been a spitfire throughout his career, the Paducah SunDemocrat quoted him on August 12, 1949, saying, “I never step to the plate without feeling dangerous.” When the Yankees bought his contract from the Paducah Chiefs, he was sent to training camp in Joplin, Missouri, where his roommate was none other than Mickey Mantle.

Keeling moved from shortstop to outfield, excelling there too. The key to his success was hitting line drives, straight and low, and one homer every year. He played with Bill Virdon in the Independence, Kansas minor leagues. Now 92, Keeling resides at Paducah’s Rivercrest Place. When his playing days ended, Keeling worked at the railroad shops and coached rising players, including Charlie Loyd, a Paducah pitcher, who signed with the Yankees in 1961 and played pro ball five years.

While playing in the Twin States league, Loyd made lifetime friends.

RC Davidson, a farm boy from Golconda, also 92, played with Warren ‘Popeye’ Kerr from Metropolis. (Kerr and Keeling were sold by the Chiefs to the Yankees for $750). Davidson wanted to play baseball; but his high school lacked a team, so at age 13, Davidson began playing with Bay City (Ill.), an independent pick-up team.

They traveled in the back of an old stock truck, usually going about twenty miles for a game.

He mainly played second base because it was open. He walked-

on and went through spring training in Paducah in 1950, playing second base for the Class D minor league Paducah Chiefs in the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. One of his Paducah teammates was Jim Frey who managed the Royals and Cubs and was named National League Manager of the Year in 1984 while with the Cubs. During the Korean War, Davidson was a United States Air Force radar operator for four years, finding time to play baseball on a military team in Germany during three of those years. Twin States was a local league—Paducah had two teams; Metropolis had one.

Keeling and Davidson renewed acquaintances, along with Loyd, June 17 at lunch at Rivercrest Place with current Paducah Chiefs in attendance. Loyd spoke of the “Knothole” Little League where kids between ages seven and nine looked through a knothole in the fence to gain free admission. There’s no hole today. Loyd also recalled kids climbing trees around the field’s perimeter to watch games. An aboveaverage player, in Junior College, Loyd was an All-American, and a twoyear All SEC pitcher. His semester ended in May, and he was invited to Yankees’ spring training in June where he met Mantle, Whitey Ford and Roger Maris. Loyd mentioned the 1961 Yankee team was the best of all because it was so deep. “It was rare for something to just happen” and he was “treated like family.” As a pitcher, Loyd threw low, allowing him to avoid arm trouble. When he coached the first two years of American Legion ball, the Paducah Junior College Indians were unbeaten by any junior college, and then beat most four-year colleges they played. Three players on the twelve-man roster were on the GI Bill, having completed their military service—the other nine were fresh out of high school.

Three or four pitchers received scholarships to four-year colleges. Loyd hopes he helped, but admits it was mostly the players’ talent that sealed their success.

Today, more Blacks play football and basketball than baseball. When these men played, 28% of Black children played baseball, while today only 7-8% of major league rosters are Black. When Loyd and the Roofs played, the minimum salary was $1,000 a month—just $6,000 a season.

There was no pay during spring training, only $117 in expenses. Gene Roof received $6.00 a day in expenses and spent it all on food—and then some. Today’s extraordinary player salaries didn’t exist, forcing players to work off-season so their families could survive winter. Loyd worked construction in Tennessee in the off-season and was a pipefitter—it kept him in shape and his family fed. Today, the minimum player salary is $720,000. After retiring, Loyd was a salesman for Heil Beauty Supply for forty years. His best friends are pro baseball players—"but like an assembly line, they were just the guys I worked with.” Loyd said, “I was paid half what I wanted but twice what I was worth.”

According to Loyd, baseball is the only sport where fields may have different dimensions due to land topography. Loyd watched his American League catcher, Bob “Hawk” Taylor from Metropolis, hit a ball over the Brooks Stadium scoreboard. Taylor received the largest

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signing bonus at the time— $117,000. When Loyd pitched, 72 balls would be used in a game whereas today 150 balls are used. Also, talking to the opposition was discouraged then, but is encouraged now. Loyd “played daily, daylight to dark” with “God-given talent, and a desire to improve.” He quoted Ted Williams, the last player to hit over .400 in a season, as saying, “hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports.”

The rest of Williams’ quote to the New York Times in 1982 reads, “the hardest thing – a round ball, round bat, curves, sliders, knuckleballs, upside down and a ball coming in at 90 miles to 100 miles an hour, it’s a pretty lethal thing.” Williams is still recognized as the greatest hitter of all time.

One cannot discuss Paducah baseball without exploring the Roof/Haas family dynasty which has contributed 15 members to professional baseball: “Phil Roof played 15 years in the majors. His brother Gene Roof played in the majors as did cousin Eddie Haas. All three also became managers after their (playing) careers ended. Phil and Gene had several brothers in the minors – David Roof, Adrian Roof and Paul Roof, https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Paul_Roof while Eddie's brother Louis Haas and sons Matt Haas and Danny Haas also played in the minor leagues. Louis's son Chris Haas played in the minor leagues. Gene's sons Shawn Roof, Eric Roof, and Jonathan Roof https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Jonathan_Roof also played in the minors. Also, their cousin Ronnie Scheer played in the minor leagues. Danny Haas’ wife Katie worked for the Boston Red Sox for a number of years.”5 Phil Roof played baseball for the first time as a seventh grader. In his first game at Brooks Stadium, he faced Pitcher Freddy Austin, with his first at bat being a homerun over the left field fence. He became a catcher for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins, known mainly for defensive ability, and went on to coach and manage 16 years in the Twins organization, winning his 1,000th game as a manager in 2004 before retiring in 2005. He still attends spring training annually.

Gene Roof gives credit to Johnny Reagan, Murray State’s 36-year baseball coach, for helping him. Dickie Parsons, University of Kentucky baseball coach (and assistant men’s basketball coach under Joe B. Hall)

Randy Morgan, Gene Roof, Doc Hideg, Charlie Loyd, Phil Roof

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came and watched him play. That’s when there’d be 2,000 fans attending a St. Mary High School baseball game.

Chris Haas played first and third base and leftfield. He’s the son of former Milwaukee Brave Louis Haas. When Louis retired, he coached baseball at St. Mary—including Chris, whose uncle, Eddie Haas was part of the Atlanta Braves organization and never made a paycheck outside baseball. Chris’s dad and uncles went to spring training to get in shape for the season. Chris, however, went to spring training to get a job. American Legion ball, which exposed players to pro scouts, was in its prime when he played. Working on the family farm—baling hay and splitting wood—kept Chris in shape. He had no need for weight training until he was a high school junior.

Chris was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 1995 draft; nine years later he was called to the manager’s office. He could have continued with baseball in many ways but was sent to waivers to make room for Albert Pujols on the Cardinals’ roster. A highlight of Chris’s career was hitting 131 total homers, 25 in one summer. He was on the 40-man roster for three years, but never made the active 25man roster. In 2019, Chris started coaching baseball at St. Mary High School following in his dad’s footsteps. Coaching allows him to share his knowledge and experience with kids.

Chris’s son plays baseball at St. Mary. He also plays travel ball, which Chris says has taken kids away from recreational ball teams—hurting the Lone Oak and Paducah rec leagues—and hurting youth baseball in the long-run. It’s more difficult for minorities to play today. Chris sees lots of parents spending lots of money and vacation time traveling to games.

Chris saw the value of a college education early. He earned his associate’s degree and then bachelor’s degrees in finance and business. After baseball he worked in commercial lending and is now in the marine industry which enables him to coach at St. Mary. Chris enjoyed the camaraderie, the places he experienced and the people he met in pro baseball— especially those of different nationalities—all of which has helped him in business. He reminded me, “the umpire says Play Ball, NOT Work

ball and Doc in particular. “Doc made sure we were ready and prepared to play college baseball. We played the right competition and we had everything we needed to play, mostly because Doc fundraised, arranged for sponsors (all named on the outfield wall), and put us out into the community. We had everything we needed and the means to travel, to play and to stay in hotels. Doc made sure we had it all; I had more playing American Legion ball than I did playing college ball (at SIU Carbondale).” Describing Doc’s demeanor, Hall said players related to him; he wasn’t too strict; he showed us how to play and then let us play.”

Ball.” He tired of “the grind,” the “what have you done for (the team) lately,” and the, “you must prove your worth daily.” He acknowledged much of the struggle is mental. “Getting to the big leagues is one thing, staying there is another.” He said pro baseball players don’t develop skills overnight and are great role models for kids. He was adamant kids don’t get better at baseball by playing video games. He developed hand/ eye coordination hitting rocks with a broomstick and imagining hitting a ball over the fence. He also said, “the game didn’t change for a century.

Current attempts to speed up the game for fans may impair player safety.

Umpires have a tough job. Everything is tested in the minor leagues first and then mandated in the major leagues.”

Terry Shumpert, a Tilghman grad who went on to play at the University of Kentucky, became a second baseman, pinch hitter and leftfielder drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1987, the same year he earned AllAmerica honors. He last played professionally in 2003, amassing 497 career hits and 49 homeruns. He got his start in Paducah in the summer of 1980 at age 14. Doc couldn’t believe how good Shumpert was and asked Phil Roof and Eddie Haas to look at him during American Legion tryouts. Afterwards, Doc chose Shumpert to play second base over a returning player who may have thought he had seniority. Roof noted, “Doc always played the best player.” Doc described Shumpert as a “good hitter, but his infield skills were even better.” He was playing against 16 and 18-year-olds, but Roof favored Shumpert, saying, “I like the little kid at second base.”

When I interviewed Shumpert, without hesitation he said, “My American Legion days were my best; Post 31 ball did everything for me.” He said he may have had innate talent, “but I don’t think you get anywhere without help. It’s in summer you play your most ball—it was the minor leagues before my minor leagues.” He recalled small things like policing the field after each game. “It was expected of the players.

You must respect the field.” He’s “forever grateful” to Doc, saying he’s “one of the best humans I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.”

Hall has also wondered why so many successful players got their start in Paducah, noting many model athletes started here in track & field, football and basketball—not just baseball. “Those who preceded us showed us it could be done. I followed two great guys—Steve Finley and Terry Shumpert.” Hall coached the Paducah Chiefs in 2015/2016 giving him the chance to come home and give back to his community where he still has family. His prime goal was developing a team and players – “after that, the game was easy.” He’s unsure Paducah’s success would happen in another Kentucky town.

Paducah is “rich” with baseball history. Hall graduated from St. Mary in 1985; then played college ball, before the St. Louis Cards drafted him as a pitcher. He also played with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers.

Daniel Webb, son of Champ Webb, evinced a desire to play in the “big leagues” as early as sixth grade. He played Legion ball and went on to be drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays before being traded to the Chicago White Sox where he would spend three seasons. Webb underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016 and was released by the White Sox later that year. He died in 2017 in an ATV accident in Tennessee. Doc, McKeel and the Webb family sponsored an event at Brooks Stadium June 29, 2024, to remember Daniel.

Doc describes Steve Finley’s tryout this way, “when he tried out for the American Legion team, he threw the ball so fast, “I couldn’t see him. He had a golden arm.” Scouts from UofL and SIU came to see for themselves. Finley played for SIU before joining the Baltimore Orioles and later the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Doc’s approach to working with kids may be unique—it’s definitely successful. He believes it’s better to be recognized as a younger player.

Post 31 was unique in that it was the only team that took batting practice. One of his best pieces of advice, “Never tell a kid he’s doing something wrong. Instead, be a good listener.” He’s proud of “never kicking a kid off a baseball team.” The unspoken part of that sentence is, “if you’re off the team, it’s because of something you did.”

There’s no real answer to why Paducah has produced so many exceptional athletes, but we, the fans and players, have certainly benefited. Doc Hideg is clearly a hero on and off the field.  ushistoryscene.com See Paducah’s Native Baseball Team, Randy Morgan, 2015.

3 Class D reflects only city size; it is no reflection on player or team quality.

4 Apnews.com, reported by Ronald Blum 10/2/2023.

5 baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Main_Page 1 2

Nicknamed “Do it all Hall” by Chicago White Sox announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, Joe Hall “was able to play everything,” receiving a World Series ring in 2005 as a hitting instructor/coach within the White Sox franchise. He has glowing memories of American Legion

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FOR CAREGIVERS

AVOIDING CAREGIVER BURNOUT By: Carol Ullerich

This article is written in conjunction with Dr. Aaron Brinen, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. The goal is to identify issues experienced by unpaid caregivers and to suggest ways of dealing with anger, resentment, and being overwhelmed by responsibilities.

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are provided by family, friends, church acquaintances and neighbors is often the sole reason seniors and those with disabilities are able to remain in their own homes during declining health or recovery from illness. Without these unpaid caregivers—often themselves middle-aged and older adults providing emotional support and assisting with bathing, dressing, paying bills, shopping, and transportation—more seniors would enter assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

A recent article on Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the cost of unpaid care, if purchased, would be a whopping $470 billion per year.1 In addition to that staggering price tag, keep in mind unpaid caregivers rarely have professional training for the work thrust upon them, and are expected to replace three round-the-clock paid nursing shifts when

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a patient is discharged from the hospital. It’s no wonder caregivers are exhausted and often in declining health themselves.

As a first step, Dr. Brinen advises each caregiver to acknowledge he/she is in a marathon, not a sprint. Your duties will not be completed in an hour or a month. Remain calm and work steadily so you can perform over the long-haul. Take time to savor and cherish time with your loved one. That time is finite and once gone cannot be recaptured.

Create a plan to nourish and revitalize yourself. Write everything on a calendar so appointments (including fun, relaxing events, and social time) are not missed. Plan the planned so you can handle the unplanned. Scheduling recurring events will minimize their impact. And, being organized and remaining balanced will benefit you in the long run.

Find your village and assemble your tribe. When you need time away, without hesitation or thinking you’re being a bother, know who to call and make the call. Allow yourself to ask for help. Have a frank discussion with your support team. Let them know when you call, they are needed and expected to respond.

In an online survey taken by AARP and S&P Global, sixty-seven percent of self-identified caregivers (defined as those caring for a patient at least six hours weekly) admitted having trouble holding a full time job while being a full time caregiver.2 Eighty-four percent said caring for a patient significantly increased their daily stress and more than a quarter cut their paid work hours from full-time to part-time.

Sixty-one percent of America’s 48 million family caregivers perform medical and nursing tasks, coordinate doctor visits, shop for groceries, and advocate for their patient, all while working outside the home. As noted by Bob Stephen, AARP’s VP of Family Caregiving and Health Programs, caregivers can’t choose between caring for the patient and other responsibilities; they must do it all.

Schedule breaks for yourself. Without feeling guilty, arrange for someone to relieve you for a couple of hours or a long weekend. Do not think you have to do everything yourself and do not let the “fun stuff ” fall away. Never doing things you enjoy will only irritate you and lead you to fly off the handle.

Take a short break. Ask your patient if he/she would be okay if you went out for a while—go to a movie, walk around the park, go to a museum. If your patient is hesitant for you to leave, calmly explain taking time for yourself, before you are exhausted, will make you a better caregiver. It may help to remind your patient you are not trying to control him/her; you are trying to keep the patient healthy. “Off duty” time does not have to be grand or costly; just an opportunity for you to breathe—rest, reset, recharge. Do all things in moderation to avoid reaching the brink. But, have a plan in the event you do reach the breaking point.

If you perceive a problem, identify it, and discuss it; do not allow it to simmer. As a caregiver, you may wonder why a patient does something odd or irksome. The patient may not realize he or she even does it but may have a valid reason. Try to see things from the patient’s point of view. You can wonder about it, or you can ask about it and learn why something is happening. You may even be able to suggest an easier way to reach the same goal. Airing your concern is better than letting it fester.

Death is less cut and dried than we think. When death is the projected outcome, one can sit and wait for it or live each day to the fullest, knowing the patient is living a longer, happier life with your assistance.

Do not avoid difficult topics. Accept and air them. Take time to be sad. As Dr. Brinen said, “Death is crappy.”

When at wit’s end, figure out how to redirect/manage frustration. Find others to help. Hire a short-term paid sitter.

Go off-duty. Be intentional about resetting. Accept that you are dispensable—someone can replace you.

Finally, take care of yourself first. Otherwise, you will be of no value to the patient. And, when you do burn out, figure out why it happened and chart a new course, so it does not happen again.  1 https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/supporting-caregivers.htm 2 Family caregivers struggle to balance work-life, need help on the job (usatoday.com)

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MEETING YOUR COMMUNITY By: Carol Ullerich

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reader has asked, “How can I meet new people?” In this and future issues I’ll explore ways to increase your circle of friends.

My first suggestion? Become a VOLUNTEER. Entities around your community need your help and you’ll meet many people if you’re open to the opportunity. Here are specifics for locations around Paducah, KY, welcoming volunteers and anxious to meet you.

BAPTIST HEALTH

become part of the audience. After receiving a briefing for the upcoming event, volunteers greet patrons, scan and take tickets, provide assistive listening devices, staff coat check, seat patrons, and help guests find their way around the facility. In addition to performances, volunteers also assist with private rental functions like meetings, weddings and parties.

All ushers complete a two-hour orientation. Depending on assignment, most volunteers are able to sit a portion of the shift. Prospective volunteers contact Jamey Jennings, (270) 443-9932 ext 260; jjennings@ thecarsoncenter.org

2501 Kentucky Avenue, Paducah, 270-575-2100

Baptist Health volunteers staff hospital entrances to give directions and transport visitors and patients to their destinations; transport patients discharged from the Digestive Health Center; and operate the gift shop. Several volunteers are specially trained to help in the NICU. To become a volunteer, complete an application (available in Baptist Health Gift Shop); undergo a background check; have a TB test and a flu shot during the flu season. Proof of immunizations may be required depending on assignment. Court-ordered public service volunteers are ineligible. Return completed application to Gift Shop.

An interview with Greg Holtgrewe, Director of Volunteer Services, will be scheduled during which you may inquire about the volunteer process.

Depending on your particular assignment, you’ll receive group and/or individual training. Shifts typically last three to five hours one day a week beginning at either 8:00 a.m. or noon; more than one shift may be worked weekly. Most volunteers may sit during a portion of a shift. To make initial contact with Baptist Heath, contact Greg Holtgrewe at 270575-8450 or email him at gholtgrewe@bhsi.com. Volunteers join the Baptist organization for many reasons: to give back to the community; stay active and engaged with others; and many, being grateful former patients, to ensure future patients have equally good experiences. You’ll meet amazing staff, learn the hospital and help others.

THE CARSON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 100 Kentucky Avenue, Paducah, 270-443-9932

The Carson Center volunteers ready the 1,806-seat theatre for guests ninety minutes before showtime. When an assignment is completed, the volunteer may enter the theater to watch the performance, but does not

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INLAND WATERWAYS MUSEUM 117 S. Water St., 270-575-9958, Paducah, info@inlandwaterways.org

IWM celebrates Paducah’s role as hub of America’s Inland Waterways.

If you’re interested in the four rivers to which Paducah has access—the Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland and Mississippi—consider sharing your knowledge with visitors to the IWM where you’ll see how local river travel has developed and assist visitors in experiencing the simulator to pilot a speedboat, towboat or Coast Guard Cutter. Need for volunteers is sporadic, but recurring shifts are available. For more information, visit the Inland Waterways Museum Facebook page.

LLOYD TILGHMAN HOUSE & CIVIL WAR MUSEUM 631 Kentucky Avenue, 270-575-5477, Paducah

The Lloyd Tilghman House & Civil War Museum is an all-volunteer staff of six docents & the Museum Administrator, currently Bill Baxter, 270-331-9665. The ideal docent for a historical museum such as the Tilghman House is passionate about and eager to share and "bring to life" the people and events of the American Civil War as it played out in Western Kentucky. A museum cannot be simply about the structure itself or the collection of antiquities within. These "things" are only backdrops or stage setting for the myriad stories of the people & events that enriched Paducah's & Western Kentucky's proud Civil War heritage.

Only by establishing a human connection through these stories to the museum's visitors will we have them coming back for more & bringing family & friends with whom to share the experience. Unlike most Civil War battlefields and historic sights spanning a battle of a day or so,

Paducah's Civil War history contains people and events lasting almost the entire war. The Tilghman Museum is not a fifteen-minute walk through a home visitors leave with a "been there, done that" attitude.

Many visitors to the Tilghman House depart regretting not having had enough time to see it all & saying they will definitely return. To join the team, contact Bill Baxter at 270-331-9665.

MARKET HOUSE THEATRE 132 Market House Square, markethousetheatre.org, Paducah

MHT volunteers staff the box office, usher for and perform in productions, sew costumes, build scenery, staff booths at festivals, and help with maintenance tasks like landscaping. To learn opportunities, contact Box Office Manager, Lisa Humphrey, (270) 444-6828, Ext 1.

After learning your interests and skills, you’ll be assigned. MHT’s prime volunteer is an outgoing, enthusiastic, dependable individual who fulfills tasks and notifies MHT of any schedule change or sudden unavailability.

To audition for a role, simply show up for open auditions as specified on MHT Website. Four to five ushers are needed per event. Ushers scan tickets, hand out programs, and seat patrons. In return, ushers may stay and watch performance at no cost. Minimum time commitment about 45 minutes per event. No experience necessary; you will receive training. Especially good for someone outgoing who enjoys socializing.

Next opportunity to usher is Little Shop of Horrors, September 5-15.

Performances occur Thursday - Saturday evenings at 7:15 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Ushers arrive 45 minutes before curtain. Usher recruitment begins two to three weeks before opening night. Ushers sign up for shifts on MHT website or call box office. Email questions to info@mhtplay.org

MERCY HEALTH – LOURDES HOSPITAL 1530 Lone Oak Road, Paducah

In the Gift Shop, Mercy volunteers assist with purchases, display stock, and deliver flowers and gifts to patient rooms. Information Desk volunteers greet patients and visitors, give directions, transfer calls, and confirm patient room numbers. Out-Patient Registration volunteers assist with admission procedures, transport patients, and direct patients to appointments. Shuttle Service transports patients to and from patient parking lots and entrances. Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) Desk transports and directs arriving patients with general information.

Volunteers serve as patient liaisons in the Cancer Center, navigating appointment and treatment locations, and attending to patient care needs. Volunteers also work in Food Service and Supply Chain, plus other departments as needed. Most shifts last four hours (8:00 a.m. to noon OR noon to 4:00 p.m.). Shuttle service operates 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; volunteers work two to four-hour shifts.

To become a Mercy volunteer, contact Shannon Courtney via the Mercy Health Web portal and click on the Volunteer tab under employment opportunities; email Shannon at scourtney@mercy.com to request a volunteer packet; or, call 270-493-1077 to schedule an appointment to complete the application, background form and TB Skin test (or provide current documentation). Once your application has been received and your background check completed, you’ll go through Volunteer Orientation lasting less than two hours. Volunteers are needed Monday thru Friday, with special evening and Saturday events during Christmas Market. Volunteers are able to sit occasionally during shifts. Out-patient registration & Cancer Center are most active areas. Mercy Volunteers are the face of Mercy Health Lourdes. Friendly, smiling faces with a kind, caring, friendly, dependable manner make the day for Mercy Health-Lourdes’ patients and visitors.

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NATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM 215 Jefferson Street, Paducah, info@quiltmuseum.org

Connie Hayden and Angela Elder oversee NQM volunteers. Volunteers welcome guests and share Museum history, mission, exhibits and place in Paducah’s history. Volunteers need not be quilters, but knowledge of sewing, quilting and its many techniques is helpful. Many NQM volunteers are retired, but most ages, including college students, are welcome. To volunteer, email Angela Elder (aelder@quiltmuseum.org), review the NQM website (quiltmuseum.org), phone (270-442-8850 ext.

212), or come to the museum in person. Volunteers staff galleries, work with Education Director Becky Glasby, and help with classes and camps.

Training involves shadowing regular docents and long-time volunteers, plus orientation and meetings to share updates and information about upcoming exhibits and special events.

PADUCAH AMBASSADORS P.O. Box 2267, Paducah; City Hall office not staffed continuously, leave message at 270-444-8632 and call will be returned.

Paducah Ambassadors are precisely what their title suggests: people serving and giving back to the community who enjoy fellowship with like-minded citizens. Ambassadors were organized in 1988 to work WITH the city, but not FOR the city. The group’s motto is, “To improve and promote the image of the City of Paducah.” Ambassadors enjoy meeting and helping people, have a sense of community service, and donate at least twenty hours of service annually. Activities include: riverboat greeters and tour guides, Quilt Week activities, Christmas bell ringing through Salvation Army, Christmas in the Park (collect money and/or canned goods at Noble Park during Christmas light show),

Chamber of Commerce ribbon cuttings; docents at downtown museums, ushering for performances at the Clemens Fine Arts Center (WKCTC), Market House Theatre and The Carson Center; Arts and Music Festival; and “pop up” activities too numerous to mention. It’s not all work; some events are strictly for fellowship, dining, and learning. Occasional “Traveling Classrooms” explore a museum, landmark or topic in depth to prepare Ambassadors to share details about Paducah. The annual dinner and program each June reviews the past year coupled with a deep dive into one aspect of Paducah’s history, plus plans for the coming year.

Training opportunities occur throughout the year. Request application from Receptionist at Paducah City Hall.

PADUCAH RAILROAD MUSEUM 200 Washington Street, Paducah

Front Desk Volunteer welcomes visitors, processes admission fees and introduces guests to museum’s offerings; Gift Shop Volunteer sells items and restocks; both positions use simple cash register system. Gallery Hosts lead tours and give visitors in-depth information about Paducah's railroad history.

Simulator Docent teaches visitors how to operate diesel locomotive; must learn diesel operating procedure and run simple Microsoft-based computer program. Volunteers willing to help with cleaning, exhibit changes, and driving volunteers to shifts are always welcome. Training is one-on-one as needed; no need to wait for a specific date! No minimum requirement for volunteer hours. Museum open Wednesday through Friday from noon until 4:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.; and, when boats and passengers are in port. Direct inquiries to Logan and Amy Blewett, 270-575-4590. 

How to Play:

Find 4 four-word groups, each having a link

TOOLBOX GARDEN SERIES July 2: August 6: September 3:

Fairy Garden* Fall Asters Hydrangeas

UK McCracken County Extension Service 2025 New Holt Road Paducah, KY 42001

All Meetings 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. *Must RSVP 270-554-9520 24

Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

For Example:

Lettuces: Romaine, Bibb, Arugula, Iceberg Tomatoes: Celebrity, Brandywine, Early Girl, Juliet

TOMATO

REDWOOD

MANDY

RUNNING

GLACIER

ARCHES

ONION

JALAPENO

CECILIA

BACK

CHAIN

STEM

CILANTRO

RUSSELL CAVE

MATILDA

DANIEL

Puzzle #1 • Answers on page 50

MY HEALTH

SWEET, SWEET SUMMERTIME By: Richard Abraham

M

ost, if not all of us, can recall those long hot summer days of our youth. I remember growing up in West Tennessee watching my cousins play softball and baseball on empty lots around our neighborhood.

Games of Red Rover and Kick the Can were abundant in our neighborhood.

Looking back on those times I can honestly say it felt as if I could run all day and never tire. Summer still comes and goes and even though I am not as active as I was in my youth, I still, as part of my preventive maintenance, get out and enjoy all the opportunities that this time of year offers. For those of us who are able, riding a bike is still healthy for us. Also, when possible, taking a 15 to 20 minute walk in the early morning or late afternoon is so beneficial. Doing these activities with friends or family members is always enjoyable.

As we age, keep in mind our independence is so very important. Being able to get outside and enjoy our family and friends and maybe, just maybe, show our grandkids how papaw and mamaw used to do it on those empty lots all those years ago.

Stay active, drink plenty of water and Break a Sweat! 

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FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR KENTUCKY SENIOR CITIZENS By: Carol Ullerich

S

enior Citizens meeting two requirements may take academic courses at state-supported institutions of higher education without charge. To be eligible, each applicant must be aged 65 or older and be a Kentucky resident.

The Donovan Scholars program enables qualifying senior citizens, without cost, to take classes for academic credit or to audit courses for enjoyment and enlightenment, in which case exams, papers and other assignments are usually waived. Admission as a Donovan Scholar waives tuition, plus mandatory course and/or student fees, and the new student orientation fee. Registration is based on class size and may require instructor consent or have prerequisites.

The Fall 2024 WKCTC semester begins August 19, 2024, and runs through December 15, 2024. For details call (270) 534-3435 or email interest to WKCTCenrollment@kctcs.edu.

A similar program is available at Murray State. The Fall 2024 semester begins there August 20, 2024, with classes ending December 6, 2024. Details available at: https://www.murraystate. edu/academics/care/adultstudentservices/seniorscholars.aspx.

The Donovan Scholarship program began evolving in the 1950’s when then-UK President Herman L. Donovan was introduced to the field of gerontology and became a strong advocate of higher education for retirees. Donovan stated, “Intellectual life cannot be ignored . . . Education is a life process.” Later, in 1964, UK President John Oswald recommended the Board of Trustees approve the Herman L. Donovan Scholarship for Senior Citizens, waiving tuition for senior citizens aged 65 and older. That Fall, 26 Donovan Scholars between ages 65 and 84 joined traditional UK students on campus. Three years later, Mrs. Amanda Hicks became the first Donovan Scholar to earn a degree. And in 1975, the first Ph.D. was earned by Donovan Scholar Alfred D.G. Arthurs.

In 1966, the program gained national attention thanks to a TIME magazine article prompting worldwide inquiries. A decade later, the program expanded to give all Kentucky residents, aged 65 or older, a tuition waiver for academic classes at all state-supported institutions of higher learning.

The program is codified in KRS 164.284 which reads: Waiver of tuition and fees for person sixty-five or older -- Conditions. (1) When any person sixty-five (65) years of age or older, who is a resident of the Commonwealth, is admitted and enrolls as a student in any state-supported institution of higher learning in this Commonwealth, the board of trustees of the institution or other appropriate institution officials shall waive all tuition charges and fees for such student, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section. (2) In the event that classes are full or the granting of free admission requires additional units, the institution may deny admission under this section. History: Created 1976 Ky. Acts ch. 319, sec. 1. 

WKCTC

Mark Your Calendars!

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

The Fall 2024 semester is August 19, 2024 through December 15, 2024.

For details call (270) 534-3435 or email WKCTCenrollment@kctcs.edu.

Murray State University The Fall 2024 semester is August 20, 2024 through December 6, 2024.

Details available at: https://www.murraystate.edu/academics/care/ adultstudentservices/seniorscholars.aspx.

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE & SCOUTS By: Carol Ullerich

T

he sign announces “World Famous Strawberry Shortcake.”

Four days every April, quilters from around the world, and locals too, flock to a trailer parked at the Paducah Convention & Expo Center to order shortcake, strawberries, ice cream and whipped cream—or any combination thereof. A tradition since the 1990’s, Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Lone Oak Troop 2001 has perfected its recipe, and doles out $10.00 servings with a goal of 3,000 sales.

Paducah attorney Mark Ashburn, Troop 200’s Scoutmaster since 2008, oversees the shortcake bonanza. He has trekked Philmont 20 times. His 21st trip is scheduled for 2025.

Ashburn, his brother and nephew are all Troop 200 Eagle Scouts4—the highest rank BSA offers. As a result, the Ashburn name appears 3 times on Troop 200’s trailer, an honor reserved for 109 Scouts achieving the rank of Eagle.

IT BUILDS CHARACTER.

Ashburn joined Cub Scouts in 1965 at age seven. His brother was a Boy Scout; their dad was Assistant Scoutmaster. Ashburn’s KIDS LEARN LEADERSHIP sister was a Girl Scout; their mom was the Girl Scout troop leader. He proudly AS THEY RUN THE TROOP. announces he was part of a “dedicated” THEY LEARN TO BE Scouting family and considers Troop 200 a “family.” Upon turning 13, Ashburn was elected to the Order of the Arrow, BSA’s national honor society, requiring adherence to the Boy Scout Oath and Law in one’s daily life. Founded in 1915, and underpinned by camping, cheerful The project helps Scouts raise funds to pay for a trip to Philmont Scout service and adventure, Arrowmen encourage others to live by the same Ranch—the BSA’s largest National High-Adventure Base.2 Covering tenets and exhibit quality leadership. nearly 141,000 acres of rugged Rocky Mountain wilderness near Cimarron in northeastern New Mexico, the camp features petroglyphs Ashburn “aged out” of BSA when he turned 18, but remained active created by Native Americans, trails blazed by mountain men, and with Troop 200 as Assistant Scoutmaster through college, law school, ranches built by land barons along the Santa Fe Trail. Since 1939, more upon opening his law practice5 on Broadway in Paducah, and still today. than one million scouts and adventurers have hiked Philmont.3 I spent three hours on Monday of Quilt Week 2024 watching 45 Scouts (boys and girls), siblings and parents cap freshly rinsed strawberries. Once capped, the berries were fed through an electric slicer, captured in 5-gallon buckets, and refrigerated for use later in the week. This year’s wrinkle—only part of the 135 flats ordered were delivered, requiring a last-minute search for more berries.

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

good citizens.

Christian Academy in 2027. He’s already a business dynamo, having perfected a recipe for cinnamon rolls with his mom. Fellow Scouts are helping him sell those rolls to fund his Eagle project, building a GaGa Ball Pit at Community Christian Academy. Sales have already raised $4,000 to finance a trip to Ecuador and another $1,600 for the pit.

Walters is a scuba diver, plays three positions on his high school baseball team and recently overcame his fear of snow skiing. If he is a typical Scout—the world is in good hands. The value of Scouting to Walters? It introduced him to some of his best friends, and his Eagle project honed his business skills and allowed him to develop a special bond with Scouts he’s worked with and led.

He was also in Scouting’s Explorer program where high rappelling and French and Indian War reenactments were (and remain) favorite activities. His enjoyment of and devotion to Scouting never waned.

In 2008 he became Troop 200’s Scoutmaster. He announces annually to the Troop Committee, “you can demote me or fire me,” but no change occurs. September 2024 marks his 59th year as a Scout.

Ashburn identified four benefits of Scouting. It builds character. Kids learn leadership as they run the troop. They learn to be good citizens.

And they develop a sense of community by completing service projects.

I asked about the impact of being a Scout leader. He said some Scouts, after aging out, have sought advice. With each advancement in Scouting, there’s a Scoutmaster conference where Scouts could reveal concerns, “but it’s rare for them to open up.” Ashburn sees his purpose as Scoutmaster as being a role model and encouraging Scouts to learn to take initiative. Week long Wood Badge training was launched in 1919 to increase efficiency and effectiveness of adult leaders and improve retention. Drawing on expertise from all Scouting areas plus corporate America, academia and outdoor leadership groups, Ashburn describes the course as “teaching Scoutmasters how a kid thinks.” He’s proud “no kid can ever say he heard me cuss.” Ashburn once had a volatile Scoutmaster and avoids exhibiting that persona. He is pleased to have recently written letters of recommendation for two Eagle Scouts applying to law school.

Scouting has fallen in popularity. When Ashburn was a youth there were four troops just in Lone Oak. Now there are only four troops in all of McCracken County. A significant reason for the drop in BSA participation is competition from other activities, including traveling sports teams.

One young man—with strong athletic skills—was an exception. He made time for Scouting because his dad was an Eagle Scout, but every weekend he traveled to Nashville to play high school hockey and now plays collegiate hockey. Another Scout had a troubled home life after his parents divorced. Ashburn wrote the Scout a letter, telling him he could still achieve the rank of Eagle, which the boy did. A decade later, a young man approached Ashburn at an Eagle ceremony saying, “You don’t remember me, do you?” After a pause, the young man said, “You changed my life. I finished school; I couldn’t afford engineering school, but I was awarded a full Scholarship for Eagle Scouts through the University of Louisville. I’ll put my kids in Scouts too.”

As strawberry-capping night wore on, I chatted with Ashburn and Daniel Walters, a future surgeon planning to graduate from Community

Back to the Strawberry Shortcake.

The recipe developed by happenstance. Turner Dairy’s Manager was the father of a Troop 200 Eagle Alumnus and the grandfather of another Troop 200 Scout and future Eagle. An Assistant Dairy Manager also had a son (and future Eagle) in the troop. Turner Dairy was a member of the Hospitality Association which had leased the area now known as the Farmer’s Market. As an Association member, Turner Dairy was offered a vendor spot at the Quilt Show. Turner had no interest in running a booth and offered it to Troop 200, provided they use a Turner Dairy product in the product sold. Paducah having been the Strawberry Capital of the World in the 1940’s, Strawberry Shortcake using Turner Ice Cream topped with whipped cream was born.

In parting, all Boy Scouts need a mentor and merit badge counselor.

Several retirees have served that role. If interested, email Ashburn at Ashburn@paducah.com.  1 Established in 1954.

2 Girls have been able to join Boy Scout troops despite existence of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSA) troops since February 2019. Girls may choose to join BSA because all activities available to BSA members are not offered by GSA. Alleging interference with member recruitment and marketplace confusion, GSA sued, but a judge ruled both groups are free to use the terms “scouts” and “scouting.” Nearly 1,000 females became Eagle Scouts in 2021, their first year of eligibility. Nationally, 6,000 girls are now Eagle Scouts. Effective February 8, 2025, BSA officially becomes “Scouting America.”

3 Other high adventure options are Sea Base (sailing, scuba diving and coral restoration in the Florida Keys and Bahamas); Summit Bechtel Reserve (mountain biking, off-roading, whitewater rafting and archery in West Virginia); and Northern Tier (canoeing and winter wilderness camping in northern Minnesota and Canada). Participants must be 1st Class Scouts aged 13 or 14, in good physical health, and have completed eighth grade.

4 To achieve the rank of Eagle, one must be an active Life Scout at least six months; observe the Scout Oath and Law; provide references; earn 21 merit badges; serve at least six months in a leadership position; create, plan and complete an Eagle service project; attend a Scoutmaster conference; and pass a board of review. BSA ranks are Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, Eagle and The Palms. Specialized sessions focus on Basic Training, Weather Training and Climbing Training. Scouting does not end when one achieves the rank of Eagle; one may continue by becoming an Assistant Scoutmaster.

5 Ashburn is McCracken County’s part-time Master Commissioner and maintains a general private law practice.

www.EmbracingTheAged.com

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

How to Play:

Find 4 four-word groups, each having a link

For Example:

Lettuces: Romaine, Bibb, Arugula, Iceberg Tomatoes: Celebrity, Brandywine, Early Girl, Juliet

KILO

HECTO

BELL

TRUMPET

MAYO

CHUTNEY

TEARDROP

THREADER

MYRIA

SAUCER

CUP

DECA

JACKET

CHANDELIER

SRIRACHA

TAHINI

Puzzle #2 • Answers on page 50

www.EmbracingTheAged.com

31

FOUR PAWS, FUR & FLUFF By: Carol Ullerich

I

n mid-May, the Paducah Kennel Club (PKC) hosted outdoor canine agility and speed trials at its West Paducah clubhouse. The last run Saturday, May 18, 2024, was dubbed “Run for Glory,” a special course of tunnels, jumps and weaves created as a fun run for dogs who are ill, retired or no longer compete. Dogs and handlers could run a partial or whole course, in any order, for a $25 entry fee/donation. The goal was pure joy; not points, a qualifying run, or a ribbon. There was no shortage of joy for the canines and plenty of applause from the human spectators. Keep up with PKC events on its Facebook page.

The run was held in honor of Cathy Crecelius, a passionate PKC member, who in 2011 led her dog Balto to first place in preferred agility at the Vizsla Nationals. Crecelius, a longtime employee of WPSD-TV— which sponsored the Run for Glory in her memory— died in April 2023 after being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer six months earlier.

Proceeds from the special run were donated to Chase Away K9 Cancer, a nationwide research organization.

Created in 2006, Chase Away K9 Cancer is a grassroots effort raising awareness of and funding studies to stamp out cancer in dogs. Launched as a 501(C)(3) organization, more than a million dollars has been raised to fund three ongoing studies with a goal of welcoming the day no canine companion is stricken with cancer. A second goal—that at the end of each dog’s long life, no one calls a cherished pet “just a dog.” Chase Away K9 Cancer is a division of the National Canine Cancer Foundation. http://www.wearethecure. org/ One run participant was Zeke, a purebred five-year-old German Shepherd, who according to his owner/handler, Amy Krueger, is “very vocal” and sleeps with her. Zeke was acquired as a farm pet at six weeks old. The duo did the cancer run in 2023 and again in 2024.

Another national effort involving canines is the Dog Aging Project (DAP). Unrelated to Chase Away K9 Cancer, but well worth a gander, this group is studying aging, with its research on dogs being applied to humans. Turns out dogs age quicker than humans but suffer many of the same diseases.

More at https://dogagingproject.org. This group concentrates on identifying and understanding biological and environmental factors impacting aging and slowing debilitating decline. Project data is hosted by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard but available to researchers worldwide. Collected biobank material is housed at the Cornell University Veterinary Biobank where it is shared to test new hypotheses and research tools.

The DAP is funded by research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Dog Aging Institute, as well as philanthropic donations from organizations and individuals. 

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

PURCHASE AREA MENTAL HEALTH & AGING COALITION 2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CONNECTING THE GENERATIONS ~ IN OUR CONNECTIONS ERA! FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 8AM – 2PM

MCCRACKEN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE 2025 NEW HOLT RD, PADUCAH KY 42001 This conference covers a wide range of issues and will be of interest to: nurses, social workers, mental health practitioners, case managers, nursing home and assisted living administrators and staff, senior housing staff and residents, seniors and caregivers of older adults, educators and students, law enforcement and emergency management From a variety of settings, including hospitals, human service organizations, long-term care, home health, adult day care, homemaker services, mental health agencies, & senior centers. www.EmbracingTheAged.com

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

DEFINITIONS OF Care Adult Day Care: a nonresidential facility that supports the health, nutritional, social, and daily living needs of adults in a professionally staffed, group setting.

Life Plan Community: is a type of retirement community in the U.S. wtih a continuum of aging care needs—from independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care.

Assisted Living (Social Model): residential living offering mobile residents minimal assistance for daily activities.

Hospice: provides a team approach of care for those with a life limiting illness providing support mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically for the patient and their loved ones. The hospice team works with the patient and their loved ones to keep the patient comfortable, coming alongside them as they achieve their short term goals.

Homecare: a non-medical service that provides support and services for daily needs as well as coordination among caregivers and provider agencies to help adults at risk of institutional care remain in their own home.

Home Health: a medical services provided at home to treat a chronic health condition or help you recover from illness, injury or surgery.

Independent Living: a housing designed for seniors 55 and older. Independent senior living communities commonly provide apartments, but some also offer cottages, condominiums, and single-family homes.

Residents include seniors who do not require assistance with daily activities.

Memory Care: a form of residential long-term care that provides intensive, specialized care for people with memory issues.

Palliative Care: provides continuity of care for those patients with a serious illness while collaborating with the patient’s regular physicians and specialists. Palliative Care manages care treatment in their home setting as they pursue curative options.

Personal Care (Assisted Living With Basic Healthcare): a residence for older people or people with disabilities who require help with some of the routines of daily living as well as access to medical care when needed.

Rehabilitation Services: are health care services that help you keep, get back, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired because you were sick, hurt, or disabled.

These services may include physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and psychiatric rehabilitation services in a variety of inpatient and/or outpatient settings.

Skilled Nursing Care: primarily provides inpatient skilled nursing care and related services to patients who require medical, nursing, or rehabilitative services but does not provide the level of care or treatment available in a hospital.

Respite Care: provides shortterm temporary institutional care of a sick, elderly, or disabled person, providing relief for their usual caregiver.

WAYS TO Pay Home Care, Independent, & Assisted Living are currently not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. They are out of pocket, private pay with personal funds. Nursing facilities use all the below for payments depending on each individual situation.

Private Pay: personal funds are used for the out-of-pocket expenses. This includes personal money from your bank accounts, pension, stocks and bonds, and sale of home. Most of your homebased services, adult daycare programs, independent livings and assisted livings are paid by personal funds.

Private Financing Options: in addition to personal funds and government programs there are other options for older adults by private financing by using long-term care insurance policy, reverse mortgage, certain life policies, annuities, and trusts.

Long-Term Care Insurance: a specific policy purchased prior to reaching senior years. These policies can cover services at home such as home care, assisted living, nursing home, palliative and hospice.

Government Programs: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—If a veteran meets specific criteria, they are eligible for benefits that will help cover the cost of home care, independent living, assisted living, and nursing care.

U.S. Department of Labor Resource Centers Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) benefits available for current and former nuclear weapons industry workers, and their survivors. Information is also available for medical providers who care for nuclear weapons workers. Paducah Resource

Center 1-866-534- 0599 TOLL FREE or visiting www. dol.gov/energyprogramresourcecenters.com Medicare: a federal health insurance program for people over 65 and certain disabled people under 65. Medicare covers only those nursing facility services rendered to help a beneficiary recover from an acute illness or injury.

Medicare is administered by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Medicaid: is a cooperative federal-state program designed to aid low-income people. It has become the major funding source for longterm care, covering nearly 75 percent of nursing facility bills. Sourced: http://www. kahcf.org/paying.aspx

MEDICAID WAIVERS Kentucky offers 2 waiver programs:

The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Program provides support for elderly residents of Kentucky to enable them to age in place.

The Supports for Community Living (SCL) Waiver is targeted towards individuals who are intellectually or developmentally disabled. To be eligible for this program, the disability must have developed before the age of 22.

Sourced: https://www.payingforseniorcare.com/kentucky

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Care DIRECTORY BALLARD CO. LIFE CARE CENTER AT LA CENTER Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 665-5681 252 W. Fifth St., La Center, KY 42056 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, Insurance

CALDWELL CO. PRINCETON NURSING & REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 365-3541 1333 W. Main St., Princeton, KY 42445 Pricing: $190 per day or $5700 per month Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

CALLOWAY CO. BROOKDALE MURRAY Assisted Living

(270) 759-1555 905 Glendale Rd., Murray, KY 42071 Pricing: $3395-4500/month Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

HICKORY WOODS SENIOR LIVING Assisted Living

(270) 759-8700 84 Utterback Rd., Murray, KY 42071 Pricing: $3930-5515/ month Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

SPRING CREEK HEALTHCARE Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 752-2900 1401 S. 16th St., Murray, KY 42071 Pricing: $195/shared, $215/Private Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

CARLISLE CO. COUNTRYSIDE CENTER FOR REHAB AND NURSING Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 628-5424 47 Margo Ave., Bardwell, KY 42023

36

Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

CRITTENDEN CO. CRITTENDEN COUNTY HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 965-2218 201 Watson St., Marion, KY 42064 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare Medicaid, PP, or CI.

FULTON CO. FULTON NURSING AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 472-1971 1004 Holiday Ln., Fulton, KY 42041 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP or CI.

GRAVES CO. GREEN ACRES HEALTHCARE Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 247-6477 402 W. Farthing St., Mayfield, KY 42066 Pricing: Private $258 day, Semi $233 day Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI

MILLS HEALTH AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 247-7890 500 Beck Ln., Mayfield, KY 42066 Pricing: $233 day Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

THE BUNGALOWS AT MAYFIELD Assisted Living

(270) 251-0233 1517 W. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066 Pricing: Starting at $2,935 Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

CLINTON PLACE Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 653-5558 106 Padgett Dr., Clinton, KY 42031 Pricing: Shared $216, Private $240 Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

LIVINGSTON CO. SALEM SPRINGLAKE HEALTH AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 988-4572 509 N. Hayden Ave., Salem KY 42078 Pricing: Call for Pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

LYON CO. LANDMARK OF KUTTAWA Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 388-2291 1253 Lake Barkley Dr., Kuttawa, KY 42055 Pricing: $196/day short term or $5,900/mo Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

RIVERS BEND RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Independent Living Assisted Living Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 388-2868 300 Beech St., Kuttawa, KY 42055 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI, VA

MARSHALL CO. LAKE WAY NURSING AND REHAB

THE STILLEY HOUSE SENIOR LIVING Assisted Living Independent Living

(270) 527-1700 971 Birch St., Benton, KY 42025 Pricing: Call for Pricing Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

CALVERT CONVALESCENT CENTER Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 395-4124 1201 E. 5th Ave., Calvert City, KY 42029 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

OAKVIEW NURSING AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 898-6288 10456 U.S Hwy 62, Calvert City, KY 42029 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI,

MCCRACKEN CO. CHARTER SENIOR LIVING Personal Care Memory Care

(270) 297-4301 2747 West Park Drive* Paducah, KY 42001 New building is being built, address will change.

GAITHER SUITES AT WEST PARK Assisted Living Personal Care Hospice Therapy

(270) 442-3999 4960 Village Square Dr., Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: Call for Pricing Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

HOLIDAY JACKSON OAKS

(270) 527-3296 2607 Main St., Benton, KY 42025 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

Independent Living

(270) 554-8122 2500 Marshall Ave., Paducah, KY 42003 Pricing: Starting at $2,109 Ways to Pay: PP

PARKVIEW NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER

THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT PADUCAH

SOUTHGATE NURSING AND REHAB

THE WATERS OF UNION CITY

Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Respite Care Palliative Care Hospice

Assisted Living Memory Care

Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(618) 524-2683 900 E 9th St., Metropolis, IL 62960 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, VA., PP, SI

(731) 885-6400 1105 S. Sunswept St., Union City, KY 38261 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI,

SOUTHGATE SENIOR LIVING

WEAKLEY CO.

(270) 443-6543 544 Lone Oak Rd., Paducah, KY 42003 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI,

PROVIDENCE POINTE HEALTHCARE Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Respite Care Palliative Care Hospice

(270) 442-6884 100 Marshall Ct., Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

RIVERCREST PLACE Assisted Living

(270) 554-6911 2121 New Holt Rd., Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

RIVER HAVEN NURSING AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 442-6168 867 McGuire Ave., Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: $272/day Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

STONECREEK HEALTH AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 444-9661 4747 Alben Barkley Dr., Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medic- aid, PP, SI

THE LAKES OF PADUCAH Assisted Living Independent Living

(270) 366-0408 2265 Olivet Church Rd., Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

(270) 534-9173 1700 Elmdale Rd., Paducah, KY 42003 Pricing: Starting at $3,420 Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & Memory Care

TRIGG CO. BARKLEY PLANTATION Assisted Living

(270) 522-0018 640 Bypass Rd, Cadiz, KY 42211 Pricing: Starting at $3,355 Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

BETTER SENIOR LIVING PERSONAL CARE

(270) 522-3711 66 Shelby St., Cadiz, KY 42211 Pricing: Starting at $3,483 Ways to Pay: VA, Medicare, Medicaid

SHADY LAWN NURSING AND REHABILITATION Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(270) 522-3236 2582 Cerulean Rd, Cadiz, KY 42211 Pricing: Starting at $6,798 Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

MASSAC CO. METROPOLIS REHAB AND HEALTH CENTER Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(618) 524-2634 2299 Metropolis St., Metropolis, IL 62960 Pricing: starting at $4,779 Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medic- aid, PP, SI

MISTY MEADOWS SENIOR LIVING Independent Living

(618) 524-1818 2550 Devers Rd., Metropolis, IL 62960 Pricing: Starting at $1,975 Ways to Pay: PP

Independent Living

(618) 524-6868 1421 W. 10th St., Metropolis, IL 62960 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: PP

AHC VANAYER Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(731) 587-3193 431 Hanings Ln., Mar tin, TN 38237 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI,

OBION CO. AHC UNION CITY Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(731) 885-8095 1630 E. Reelfoot Ave., Union City,TN 38261 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(731) 587-0503 158 Mount Pelia Rd., Martin, TN 38237 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI,

ETHERIDGE HOUSE SENIOR LIVING Assisted Living

(731) 389-5024 701 Sherrill St., Union City,TN 38261 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: PP, VA, LTC Ins., TennCare “Choices”

MAGNOLIA PLACE ASSISTED LIVING

GREENBRIER MEADOWS Assisted Living

(731) 213-3157 436 Hannings Ln., Martin, TN 38237 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: PP

HILLVIEW NURSING HOME

Assisted Living

(731) 885-8004 1620 N. Clover St., Union City,TN 38261 Pricing: $125/day for shortterm care; $2,900-$3,500/ month for long-term care Ways to Pay: PP, VA, pay, LTC Ins., TennCare “Choices”

Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(731) 364-2450 897 Evergreen St., Dresden,TN 38225 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, PP, PI, CI, Medicaid

WEAKLEY COUNTY NURSING HOME

OBION COUNTY NURSING HOME Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation

(731) 885-9065 1084 County Home Rd., Union City,TN 38261 Pricing: Call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid,PP, SI

DIVERSICARE MARTIN

Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Long Term Care

(731) 364-3158 700 WC Nursing Home Rd., Dresden,TN 38225 Ways to Pay: Medicare, PP, Medicaid www.EmbracingTheAged.com

37

Home HEALTH MEDICAL BALLARD CO. See surrounding counties.

CALDWELL CO. CALDWELL COUNTY HOSPITAL HOME HEALTH AGENCY

Services are listed by county to show what services are closest to your location. If you do not see an office in your county, then search surrounding counties. Most businesses serve a large area.

HomeCare & Hospice Payor Sources: all payor sources including Medicare, Medicaid and Private Insurances

LIVINGSTON CO.

(270) 365-2011 1310 US-62, Princeton, KY 42445 Medicare & Private Ins

See surrounding counties.

CALLOWAY CO.

MARSHALL CO.

INTREPID USA HEALTHCARE SERVICES

MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL HOME HEALTH

LYON CO. See surrounding counties.

SUPPORTIVE CARE OUTPATIENT (SCOP) Provider visits in the home setting

(270) 415-6100 25 Medical Center Drive, Suite 203 Paducah, KY 42003 SCOP Payor Sources: all payor sources including private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid

TRIGG CO. CARETENDERS HOME HEALTH

(270) 753-1434 1616 Hwy 121 Bypass, Ste C, Murray, KY 42071 Medicare, Veteran’s Benefits, Private Ins, and Medicaid

(270) 527-8084 673 Old Symsonia Rd, Benton, KY 42025 Medicare Replacement Insurance *No Private Insurance

(270) 522-0488 72 Lone Oak Dr, Cadiz, KY 42211 Medicare & Private Ins

CARLISLE CO.

MCCRACKEN CO.

(270) 885-6353 210 Burley Ave # A, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 Medicare & Private Ins

See surrounding counties.

FULTON CO. LIFELINE HEALTH CARE OF FULTON

(270) 472-2294 309 Main St, Fulton, KY 42041 Medicare, Private Ins

GRAVES CO. INTREPID USA HEALTHCARE

(800) 437-2001 1025 Paducah Rd Suite A, Mayfield, KY 42066 Payment Medicare, Veteran’s Benefits, Private Ins.

LIFELINE OF JACKSON PURCHASE HOME HEALTH

(270) 753-5656 1011 Paris Rd #345, Mayfield, KY 42066 Medicare Advantage Plans

MERCY HEALTH HOMECARE & MERCY HEALTH HOSPICE (270) 415-3636 305 Wyatt Drive, Suite B Mayfield, KY 42053

38

BAPTIST HEALTH HOME CARE (270) 575-2990 220 Lone Oak Rd, Paducah, KY 42001 Medicaid, Medicare & Private Ins

BRIGHTMORE HOME CARE OF KENTUCKY UNITED ENERGY WORKERS HEALTHCARE

(270) 709-3145 3565 Lone Oak Rd, Suite 4 Paducah, KY 42001 Type: Medical free Services for EEOICPA and RECA beneficiaries. (Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act and Radiation Exposure Compensation Act)

MERCY HEALTH HOME CARE AND HOSPICE

(270) 415-3600 225 Medical Center Dr # 203, Paducah, KY 42003 HomeCare & Hospice Payor Sources: all payor sources including Medicare, Medicaid and Private Insurance

Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

LIFELINE HEALTH CARE OF WESTERN KY

MASSAC CO., IL BAPTIST HEALTH HOME CARE METROPOLIS

AMEDISYS HOME HEALTH CARE

(731) 886-1113 1509 E. Reelfoot Ave Union City,TN 38261 Medicare & Most Private Ins.

BAPTIST HOSPICE

(731) 884-8617 1201 Bishop St, Union City,TN 38261 In Baptist Memorial Hospital- Union City 3rd Floor Medicare, Medicaid, & Private Ins

EXTENDICARE HOME HEALTH OF WESTERN TENNESSEE (731) 885-0866 1720 E Reelfoot Ave #203 Union City,TN 38261 Medicare and Private Ins

VOLUNTEER HOME CARE

(731) 886-0305 800 E Reelfoot Ave St. 200, Union City,TN 38261 Medicare and Private Ins

WEAKLEY CO., TN ADORATION HOME HEALTH

(618) 524-3661 1003 East Fifth Street, Metropolis, IL 62960 Medicare and Private Ins

(731) 587-2996 135 Kennedy Dr, Martin,TN 38237 Medicare and Private Ins

MERCY HEALTH HOMECARE & MERCY HEALTH HOSPICE

NHC HOMECARE MILAN

(270) 415-3600 704 East Fifth Street, Metropolis, IL 62960 HomeCare & Hospice Payor Sources: all payor sources including Medicare,Medicaid and Private Insurances

OBION CO., TN ADORATION HOME HEALTH

(731) 885-6622 1625 E Reelfoot Ave, Union City,TN 38261 Medicaid, Medicare and Private Ins

(731) 686-7471 14091 S 1st St, Milan,TN 38358 ** Service Obion and Weakley County

TENNESSEE QUALITY CARE HOME HEALTH (731) 587-0072 115 Neal St Suite E & F, Martin,TN 38237 Medicare and Private Ins

Home CARE NON-MEDICAL BALLARD CO.

HICKMAN CO.

See surrounding counties.

See surrounding counties.

CALDWELL CO.

GRAVES CO.

See surrounding counties.

See surrounding counties.

CALLOWAY CO. A PLACE CALLED HOME (270) 753-5990 1406 N 12th Suite C Murray, KY 42071 Private Pay

BLACK PEARL HOME CARE – MURRAY (270) 557-7418 1712 KY-121, Murray KY 42071 Private Pay

CARLISLE CO. See surrounding counties.

FULTON CO.

LIVINGSTON CO. See surrounding counties.

LYON CO. See surrounding counties.

MARSHALL CO. See surrounding counties.

MCCRACKEN CO. BLACK PEARL HOME CARE PADUCAH (270) 557-7418 2520 New Holt Road, Paducah, KY 42001 Price varies per client Payment LTC policies

CARING PEOPLE SERVICES

(270) 575-4529 1049 Jefferson St, Paducah, KY 42001 Type: non-Medical Private Pay

GOLDEN YEARS HOME CARE (270) 564-3526 2855 Jackson St., Paducah KY 42003

HOME INSTEAD

(270) 554-7344 60 Lakeview Dr # 1, Paducah, KY 42001 Private Pay

SENIOR HELPERS (270) 707-2273

See surrounding counties.

TRIGG CO. See surrounding counties.

MASSAC CO., IL See surrounding counties.

OBION CO., TN

(270) 558-0301 3429 Lone Oak Rd #5b, Paducah KY 42001 Private Pay

PADUCAH NURSES REGISTRY INC

657 Lone Oak Rd Suite 2, Paducah, KY Private Pay

A PLACE CALLED HOME (731) 407-9051 206 E Reelfoot Ave, Union City,TN 38261 Private Pay

WEAKLEY CO., TN SENIOR SOLUTIONS HOME CARE (731) 203-1660 215 Hawks Rd STE 12, Martin,TN 38237 Private Pay and VA

Veterans AFFAIRS VA KENTUCKY MAYFIELD VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC 1253 Paris Rd A, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-2455

MAYFIELD FIELD REP

Michael Fries Cell (270) 705-6656 Fax (270) 780-3630 michael.fries@ky.gov

PADUCAH VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC 2620 Perkins Creek Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 444-8465

CAROL LIVINGSTON, SSGT. USAF VETERAN KY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FIELD REPRESENTATIVE II WKCTC-KDVA 2620 Perkins Creek Dr. Paducah, KY 42001 Cell (270) 556-0474

Fax (270) 495 -0835 carol.livingston@ky.gov

DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS-KY ROBERT WORDEN, SERVICE OFFICER

270-444-9808 1133 Murray Ave. Paducah, KY 42002

ANDY G BURKART, CPCU, CLU, RICP, RHU, AAI, QRV, LLC

ALL VETERANS Cell (920) 912-4556 Paducah, KY All Lines Insurance & Retirement Risk Mgmt Assistance (Pro Bono)

VA ILLINOIS MARION VA MEDICAL CENTER (618) 997-5311 2401 W Main St, Marion, IL 62959

VA TENNESSEE OBION COUNTY TN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FIELD REPRESENTATIVE WALTER “WALT” W. ASHER (731) 885-2781 622 Depot Street Union City,TN 38261

WEAKLY COUNTY TN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FIELD REPRESENTATIVE RON CHEATHAM (731) 364-5727 116 W Main St. - G-04, Dresden,TN 38225

DYERSBURG VA OUTPATIENT (731) 287-7289 Clinic 1067 Vendall Rd, Dyersburg,TN 38024

www.EmbracingTheAged.com

39

Outpatient MENTAL HEALTH BALLARD CO. FOUR RIVERS- BALLARD CO. SERVICES

115 North 4th St., Wickliffe, KY 42087 (270) 442-7121 Payment: Medicaid, Private, Self, Medicare, Financial Aid, Military

CALDWELL CO. HEALTH FIRST COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

1100 S. Jefferson S., Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-9455 Payment: Commercial Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, Kcip, Sliding Fee Scale

PENNYROYAL CENTER

1350 Highway 62 West Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-2008 Payment: Insurance Billed, Underpayment Billed, Sliding Fee Scale

(270) 753-6622 Payment: Medicaid, Private, Self, Medicare, Financial Aid, Military

CARLISLE/FULTON CO. FOUR RIVERS FULTON CO. SERVICES

201 N. Highland Dr., Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 247-2588 Payment: Medicaid, Private, Self, Medicare, Financial Aid, Military

GRAVES CO. EMERALD THERAPY MAYFIELD 1019 Paducah Rd. Suite C Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 278-1240 Option 9 Payment: Medicare, Medicaid, Private

LIVINGSTON CO. LIVINGSTON HOSPITAL NEW BEGINNNINGS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

(270) 534-5128 Option 6 Payment: Medicare, Medicaid, Private

EMERALD THERAPY LIVING WELL CENTER 2327 New Holt Rd., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 534-5128 Option 5 Payment: Medicare, Medicaid, Private

EMERALD THERAPYINFORMATION AGE

1640 McCracken Blvd., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 534-5128 Option 7 Payment: Medicare, Medicaid, Private

FOUR RIVERS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

425 Broadway St., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 442-7121 Payment: Medicare, Medicaid, Private

MASSAC CO., IL NEW BEGINNING- MASSAC MEMORIAL HOSPITAL/ INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT

111 Popular St. #104 Murray, KY 42071 (270) 534-5128 Option 8 Payment: Private Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare

131 Hospital Dr., Salem, KY 42079 (270) 988-2675 Payment: Medicare Part B Program, Traditional Medicare, Supplemental Insurance

MCCRACKEN CO.

FOUR RIVERS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH – LAKES CENTER

EMERALD THERAPY VILLAGE SQUARE

New Beginings Provides Transportation to and from Appointments

CALLOWAY CO. EMERALD THERAPY – MURRAY

1051 North 16th St., Murray, KY 42071

28 Chick St., Metropolis, IL 62960 (618) 524-2151 Payment: Traditional Medicare and Private Insurance

MASSAC MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL CENTER

206 W 5th St,, Metropolis, IL 62960 (800) 851-1251 Payment: Medicaid, Private, Self, Military

OBION CO., TN PATHWAYS – OBION CO. OFFICE 930 Mount Zion Rd. Union City,TN 38261 (731) 885-9333 Payment: Medicare, Medicaid, Private, Self

WEAKLEY CO., TN CAREY COUNSELING CENTER, INC.

457 Hannings Lane, P.O. Box 648 Martin,TN 38237 (731) 480-0011

MSHN ENTERPRISES

8584 Cordes Circle, Germantown,TN 38139 (901) 410-9010

*JOLIE HOUSE

550 Lee St., Martin, TN 38237 (731) 207-0262

*TWAIN HOUSE

370 Haygood Rd., Martin, TN 38237 (731) 214-1933

5050-B Village Square Dr., Paducah, KY 42001

To advertise with Embracing Our Age Magazine, visit www.embracingtheaged.com or contact Julie at (270) 559-9099 or julieharris949@gmail.com.

40

Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

Inpatient MENTAL HEALTH CALLOWAY CO.

GRAVES CO.

MCCRACKEN CO.

WEAKLEY CO.

MURRAY – CALLOWAY COUNTY HOSPITAL, GERIATRIC PSYCH UNIT

JACKSON PURCHASE MEDICAL SENIOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

MERCY HEALTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, INPATIENT SERVICES

UNITY PSYCHIATRIC CARE, INPATIENT SERVICES

803 Poplar St., Murray, Ky 42071 (270) 762-1100 Payment: Medicare and Private

1099 Medical Center Dr., Mayfield, Ky 42066 (270) 251-4250 Payment: Medicare and Private

1530 Lone Oak Rd., Mercy Hospital 6th Floor Paducah, Ky 42003 (270) 444-2250 Payment: Medicare and Private

458 Hanning Ln., Martin, Tn (731) 588-2830 Payment: Medicare and Private

Hospitals KENTUCKY

LIVINGSTON CO.

CALDWELL CO.

LIVINGSTON HOSPITALHEALTHCARE

CALDWELL COUNTY HOSPITAL 100 Medical Center Dr., Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-0300

CALLOWAY CO. MURRAY-CALLOWAY COUNTY HOSPITAL 803 Poplar St., Murray, KY 42071 (270) 762-1100

GRAVES CO. JACKSON PURCHASE MEDICAL CENTER

131 Hospital Dr., Salem, KY 42078 (270) 988-2299

MARSHALL CO. MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL 615 Old Symsonia Rd., Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-4800

TENNESSEE

MERCY HEALTH LOURDES HOSPITAL

1530 Lone Oak Rd., Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 444-2444

OBION CO. BAPTIST MEMORIAL HOSPITAL-UNION CITY

TRIGG CO.

1201 Bishop St., Union City, TN 38261 (731) 885-2410

TRIGG COUNTY HOSPITAL 254 Main St., Cadiz, KY 42211 (270) 522-3215

WEAKLEY CO. WEST TENNESSEE HEALTHCARE VOLUNTEER HOSPITAL

ILLINOIS

MCCRACKEN CO.

MASSAC CO.

BAPTIST HEALTH PADUCAH

MASSAC MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

2501 KY Avenue, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 575-2100

161 Mt Pelia Rd., Martin, TN 38237 (731) 587-4261

28 Chick St., Metropolis, IL 62960 (618) 524-2176

1099 Medical Center Circle, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 251-4100

Do you have a story idea or want to suggest a senior to be profiled in our Senior Spotlight series?

Email cullerich@embracingtheaged.com.

www.EmbracingTheAged.com

41

Outpatient THERAPY CLINIC BALLARD CO. PREMIER PHYSICAL THERAPY 203 Avenue, Kevil, KY 42053 (270) 462-8252 Fax: (270) 462-8253 Medicare, Medicaid

CALDWELL CO. FULLER PHYSICAL THERAPY

358 S Main St., Leitchfield, KY 42754 (270) 259-0551 Medicare, Medicaid, Private

CALLOWAY CO. H2 HEALTH MURRAY, KY 308 N. 12th St., Murray, KY 42071 (270) 759-9500 http://h2health.com Private

IMAC CENTER OF MURRAY

1601 Hwy 121 N Bypass, Ste B, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 971-4344 imacregeneration.com Private, Veterans

KORT PHYSICAL THERAPY

414 Newman Drive, Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 901-3340 Private

GRAVES CO.

DRAFFENVILLE ATLAS PHYSICAL THERAPY

ATLAS PHYSICAL THERAPY 1413 State Route 45N Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-9500 Private

CORE PHYSICAL THERAPY

123 Kings Dr., Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 727-5120 Commercial Insurance, Medicare, VA

JACKSON PURCHASE MEDICAL CENTER

1099 Medical Center Cir Suite 302, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 251-4121 Self and Payment Agreements

BAPTIST HEALTH PHYSICAL THERAPY

H2 HEALTH EDDYVILLE, KY

732 Vine St., Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-6477 Contact your insurance company before your first appointment.

115 Kiana Court, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 534-1200 Medicaid

MARSHALL CO.

MERCY HEALTH LOURDES

1528 Lone Oak Rd, Suite 100 Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 444-2850

244 US-68 E. Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-4322

CORE PHYSICAL THERAPY

PRO PHYSICAL THERAPY

302 US-68 W, Benton, KY 42025 ( 270) 252-7600 Medicare, Certain plans of Medicaid, VA but has to be approved first

MCCRACKEN CO. ATLAS PHYSICAL THERAPY

2321 New Holt Rd., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 908-0294 Commercial Ins., Medicare, VA

IMAC REGENERATION CENTER OF PADUCAH

2725 James Sanders Blvd., Paducah, KY 42001 ( 270) 554-5114 Private, Veterans

100 Kiana Ct., Suite A, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-0681 Private

LYON COUNTY

Nonprofits SERVING SENIORS FAMILY SERVICE SOCIETY INC. 827 Joe Clifton Dr., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-4838

KENTUCKY CARE

1901 Kentucky Ave., Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 575-3247

HEART USA PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE 1530 Lone Oak Rd., Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 538-5828

MADE TO STAY

P.O. Box 7802 Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 331-9288

PADUCAH COMMUNITY KITCHEN

1237 Martin Luther King Jr Dr., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 575-3400

PADUCAH COOPERATIVE MINISTRY 402 Legion Dr., Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 442-6795

PURCHASE AREA DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

1002 Medical Center Cir., Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-7171

MARTHA’S VINEYARD

1100 N 12th St., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 575-0021

WESLEY SENIOR MINISTRIES 1615 Appling Rd., Cordova,TN 38016 (901) 213-1939

www.EmbracingTheAged.com

43

Medical SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT Many businesses serve multiple counties. They are listed under the county of their main address. Please call to find out what counties they serve.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

OXYGEN SUPPLIES

SLEEP SUPPLIES

PHARMACY

HEARING AIDES

WOUND CARE

DIABETIC SUPPLIES

EYEGLASSES

MASTECTOMY PRODUCTS

BALLARD CO.

CALLOWAY CO.

MEDCARE PHARMACY AND HOME MEDICAL

AUDIOLOGY & HEARING CENTER

409 Court St, Wickliffe, KY 42087 (270) 335-3172

SUTTON DRUGS OF LA CENTER 234 Broadway St, La Center, KY 42056 (270) 665-5192

CALDWELL CO. ORR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT 108 E Washington St, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-3903

PRINCETON DRUG

103 W Main St, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-5585

AUDIBEL HEARING CENTER 378 US HWY 62 Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 761-1900

1711 State Route 121 Bypass N Murray, KY 42071 (270) 759-7000

1608 HWY 121 Bypass North, Suite F Murray, KY 42071 (270) 759-8889

STONE-LANG COMPANY 424 Lake St, Fulton, KY 42041 (800) 949-5728

GRAVES CO. AUDIBEL HEARING CENTER

STONE-LANG COMPANY

506 N.12th St. Unit 1 Murray, KY 42071 (270) 761-1900

210 S 12th St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-8055

BELTONE HEARING CARE CENTER

WALTER’S FAMILY PHARMACY

707 S 12th St Unit A, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-9558

604 S 12th St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-7688

CARLISLE CO. LEGACY OXYGEN & MEDICAL EQUIPMENT 924 S 12th St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-2001

MIRACLE-EAR HEARING AID CENTER 307 N 4th St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 713-7137

PHARMACY, INC

370 Industrial Road Murray, KY 42071 (270) 762-0602

44

ROTECH OF WESTERN KENTUCKY

Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

BARDWELL PHARMACY 178 US HWY 51 N Bardwell, KY 42023 (270) 628-5445

FULTON CO. EVANS DRUG COMPANY 214 Lake St, Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 472-2421

EVANS TOTAL CARE 214 Lake St, Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 472-2984

DUNCAN CLINIC PHARMACY

1111 Medical Center Circle, Mayfield, KY 42066, 1st Floor Jackson Purchase Medical Pavilion (270) 247-7000

GIBSONS DISCOUNT PHARMACY 1206 Paris Road, Mayfield KY 42066

KENTUCKYCARE MAYFIELD PHARMACY

Coming Soon 110 Kings Dr., Mayfield, Kentucky 42066 (270) 804-7713

STONE’S HEALTH MART PHARMACY

414 S 9th St, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-3232 Insurance Medicare Part D

HICKMAN CO. CLINTON PHARMACY 119 E Clay St, Clinton, KY 42031 (270) 653-5361

MCCONNELL HEALTH MART PHARMACY 86 Cedar St, Kuttawa, KY 42055 (270) 388-7371

MIRACLE-EAR HEARING AID CENTER

MCCRACKEN CO. AUDIBEL HEARING CENTER 130 Brett Chase Suite B, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 761-1900

4793 Village Square Dr Ste 140, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 713-7064

AUDIOLOGY & HEARING CENTER

ORR MEDICAL

4570 Pecan Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 554-6000

3434 Lovelaceville Rd, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 554-7311

BELTONE HEARING CARE CENTER

PHARMACY INC.

MARSHALL CO. BYASSEE DRUGS

107 E Clay St, Clinton KY 42031 (270) 653-2151

LIVINGSTON CO. CLINIC PHARMACY OF KY 141 Hospital Dr, Salem, KY 42078 (270) 988-3230

AT HOME MEDICAL

837 US 69 Benton, KY 42025 (866) 515-0897

BENTON DISCOUNT PHARMACY 2606 Main St, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-1409

CALVERT CITY PHARMACY GLENN’S PRESCRIPTION CENTER 119 E Main St, Salem, KY 42078 (270) 988-3226

906 5th Ave SE, Calvert City, KY 42029 (270) 395-4350

DRAFFENVILLE PHARMACY SMITHLAND DRUGS

203 E Adair St, Smithland, KY 42081 (270) 928-2161

153 US-68, Benton KY, 42025 (270) 527-1404

918 Broadway St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-4594

PURCHASE EAR TECHNOLOGY DAVIS DRUGS

250 Lone Oak Rd Ste A, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-1442

LYON CO. AT PENNYRILE HOME MEDICAL 307 East Main, Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 885-2500

LYON DRUG STORE

201 Main St, Eddyville KY 42038 (270) 388-2236

J&R PHARMACY OF DRAFFENVILLE

34 US HWY 68 E, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-3135

LEGACY OXYGEN & MEDICAL EQUIPMENT 800 Broadway St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 442-7887

5433 Reidland Rd, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 898-7313

RICK’S PHARMACY LINCARE

1051 Husbands RD, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 443-0957

3001 Schneidman Road, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 443-7200

ROTECH OF WESTERN KENTUCKY KENTUCKYCARE PADUCAH PHARMACY 125 S. 20th St., Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 408-1584 Fax: (270) 408-1585

MIRACLE-EAR HEARING AID CENTER 805 Main St, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 713-2122

2008 Broadway St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 558-3996

REIDLAND PHARMACY

J&R PHARMACY OF BENTON 817 Main St, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-9374

120 Cave Thomas Dr Suite B, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 908-2577

MEDCARE HOME MEDICAL

1914 Broadway St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 442-6311

STONE-LANG COMPANY 2620 Broadway St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 442-3561

2800 Clark St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 448-2273

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STRAWBERRY HILLS PHARMACY New Holt Rd # D, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 444-7070

TRIGG CO.

MASSAC CO.

WEAKLEY CO.

CADIZ PHARMACY

RHODES CENTERS FOR BETTER HEARING

MEDICAL RENTALS

435 Lakota Drive, Cadiz, KY 42211 (270) 522-3441

WEST TOWNE PHARMACY 2755 W Park Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-0909

MAIN STREET PHARMACY 289 Main St, Cadiz, KY 42211 (270) 882-2222

202 E 2nd St, Brookport, IL 62910 (618) 309-7163

OBION CO.

152 Mt Pelia Rd, Martin,TN 38237 731) 587-5876

SUZANNE’S PHARMACY

KIZER PHARMACY

932 University St, Martin,TN 38237 (731) 587-0587

FULTON HOUSING AUTHORITY

VILLA MADONNA

FULTON MANOR SENIOR APARTMENTS

WESTWOOD OF SYMSONIA

1117 S Miles Ave, Union City,TN 38261 (731) 885-2226

Senior APARTMENTS BALLARD CO. BALLARD SENIOR APARTMENTS 307 Lake Dr., Barlow, KY 42024 (270) 334-3115

COLONY HOUSE APARTMENTS (HUD APPROVED HOUSING) South 6th St, Barlow, KY 42024 (270) 334-3148

LIBERTY MANOR APARTMENTS 526 Phillips Drive, Wickliffe, KY (270) 335-3686

CALDWELL CO. PRINCETON COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY

100 Hillview Ct, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-5769

FRANKLIN PLACE APARTMENTS 200 North Franklin St, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-3368

PRINCETON MANOR APARTMENTS

655 Grace Ct, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-5280

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PRINCETON GREENS APARTMENTS

420 Cooper Circle, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-2365

CALLOWAY CO. HOUSING AUTHORITY OF MURRAY 716 Nash Drive, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-5000

WESLEY AT MURRAY

440 Utterback Rd, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-7735

CARLISLE CO. GARLAND MANOR APARTMENTS (HUD APPROVED)

215 Rd St, Bardwell, KY 42023 (270) 628-3822

FULTON CO. HOUSING AUTHORITY OF HICKMAN

50 Holly Court, Hickman, KY 42050 (270) 236-2888

Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

201 N. Highland Dr, Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 472-1115

1109 Middle Rd, Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 472-2721

PARKWAY SQUARE APARTMENTS

1001 Airport Rd, Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 472-3020

GRAVES CO. LOCUST RIDGE APARTMENTS

676 Lebanon St , Wingo, KY 42088 (270) 247-6391

MAYFIELD MANOR APARTMENTS

320 East James St , Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 251-0800

MAYFIELD PLAZA APARTMENTS

405 Babb Drive, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-7723

85 Father Riney Road, Fancy Farm, KY 42039 (270) 623-6300

60 Westwood Ave, Symsonia, KY 42082 (270) 851-3681

WINGO APARTMENTS 90 Atlantic Ave, Wingo, Kentucky (270) 653-4593

HICKMAN CO. CLINTON HILLS APARTMENTS

205 Ringo Dr, Clinton, KY 42031 (270) 653-6218

HENLEY PARK APARTMENTS

300 Henley Ct, Clinton, KY 42031 (270) 653-2582

LIVINGSTON CO. CUMBERLAND VIEW APARTMENTS 504 Rudd St, Smithland, KY (270) 928-4278

LYON CO. AMBER VILLAGE

Amber Ct, Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 388-7108

LYON COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY

425 Linden Ave, Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 388-2049

MARSHALL CO. COX MANOR

1203 5th Ave SE, Calvert City, KY 42029 (270) 395-4126

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BENTON 101 Walnut Court, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-3626

LAKELAND WESLEY VILLAGE 1127 Village Road, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 354-8888

MORGAN-TREVATHAN APTS. 1003 Elm St, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 252-0111

WALNUT COURT

101 Walnut Court, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 653-6000

MCCRACKEN CO. DUBLIN MANOR

665 McAuley Dr, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 441-0026

ELMWOOD COURT

2330 Ohio St, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 450-4239

IRVIN COBB APARTMENTS

JACKSON HOUSE APARTMENTS W.B. SANDERS RETIREMENT CENTER 301 S 9th St, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 442-7591

LONE OAK MANOR APARTMENTS

650 College Ave, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 554-0504

MCAULEY MANOR

631 McAuley Drive, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 415-9166

MERCY MANOR

601 McAuley Drive, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 415-9166

600 Broadway, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-4721

TRIGG CO.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PADUCAH

149 CS-1089, Cadiz, KY 42211 (270) 512-5690

2330 Ohio Street, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-3634

EMMA ROSE SENIOR APARTMENTS

MASSAC CO. MASSAC COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY

1209 E 5th St Apt 5G, Metropolis, IL 62960 (618) 524-8411

OBION CO. SOUTHSIDE MANOR

722 Broadway St, South Fulton,TN 38257 (731) 479-3877

PARK TERRACE VILLAGE

Park Terrace Cir, South Fulton,TN 38257 (731) 479-1321

WEAKLEY CO. WESLEY AT MARTIN

448 Hannings Ln, Martin,TN 38237 (731) 587-6324

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Funeral HOMES BALLARD CO. MILNER & ORR FUNERAL HOME 1079 Court St, Wickliffe, KY 42087 (270) 335-3377

MILNER & ORR FUNERAL HOME BARDWELL

41 US-51, Bardwell, KY 42023 (270) 628-5497

MORROW FUNERAL HOME

MILNER & ORR FUNERAL HOME ARLINGTON

MORROW FUNERAL CHAPEL

FULTON CO.

376 West Kentucky Dr, La Center, KY 42056 (270) 665-9222

449 Wyatt Ave, Kevil, KY 42053 (270) 462-2346

CALDWELL CO. GOODMAN FUNERAL HOME 1032 W Main St, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-3838

MORGAN’S FUNERAL HOME 301 W Washington St, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-5595

CALLOWAY CO. BLALOCK-COLEMAN FUNERAL HOME 713 S 4th St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-6800

IMES FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY HERITAGE CHAPEL 1804 Hwy. 121 Bypass N, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-8888

IMES FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY DOWNTOWN MURRAY 311 N 4th St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-7000

J.H. CHURCHILL FUNERAL HOME

201 S 3rd St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-2411

CARLISLE CO. 48

501 Walnut St, Arlington, KY 42021 (270) 655-6990

HORNBECK FUNERAL CHAPEL 302 Carr St, Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 472-1412

STRONG FUNERAL HOME 903 Broadway St, Hickman, KY 42050 (270) 236-2820

GRAVES CO.

Give your loved ones the gift of planning ahead.

SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL

LINDSEY FUNERAL HOME

LYON CO.

MILNER & ORR FUNERAL HOME- PADUCAH

319 E Adair St, Smithland, KY 42081 (270) 928-2186

DUNN FUNERAL HOME 301 Fairview Ave, Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 388-2231

LAKELAND FUNERAL HOME 1133 US-62 East Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 388-4045

MARSHALL CO. COLLIER FUNERAL HOME, INC.

211 W 5th St, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-3141

226 N 4th St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-2489

120 Memorial Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 442-5100

MILNER & ORR FUNERAL HOME OF LONE OAK 3745 Old US Hwy 45S, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 534-4200

PETTUS FUNERAL HOME 1229 Madison St, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 442-5749

TRIGG CO.

FILBECK-CANN FUNERAL HOME

GOODMAN FUNERAL HOME INC.

1117 Poplar St, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-3281

138 Main St #9163, Cadiz, KY 42211 (270) 522-6676

6263 KY-339, Wingo, KY 42088 (270) 376-2231

MARSHALL CO.

KING’S FUNERAL HOME

BYRN FUNERAL HOME

1206 Main St, Benton, KY 42025 (270) 527-6600

MASSAC CO.

MCCRACKEN CO.

AIKINS-FARMER FUNERAL HOME

BROWN FUNERAL HOME 1223 W Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-0077

BROWN FUNERAL HOME

1020 Paris Rd, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-3592

MASON’S MEMORIAL CHAPEL 420 E Water St, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-8938

HICKMAN CO. BROWN FUNERAL HOME 420 Mayfield Rd, Clinton, KY 42031 (270) 653-2941 LIVINGSTON CO.

BOYD FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND CREMATION SERVICE 212 E Main St, Salem, KY 42078 (270) 988-3131

Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE

CREMATION SOCIETY OF PADUCAH

2001 Park Ave, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-5132

HUGHES FUNERAL HOME

2975 Old Husbands Rd, Paducah, KY 42003 ( 270) 415-1885

KEELING & GOODMAN FUNERAL HOME

2410 Jackson St, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 443-7991

161 Lone Oak Dr, Cadiz, KY 42211 (270) 522-7172

70 Jon St, Metropolis, IL 62960 (618) 524-2156

BROOKPORT FUNERAL HOME

7742 S US 45 Rd, Brookport, IL 62910 (618) 564-2664

MILLER-LOFTUS MCMANUS

414 Metropolis Street Metropolis, IL 62960 (618) 524-2128

OBION CO.

WEAKLEY CO.

CRYER FUNERAL HOME

BOWLIN FUNERAL HOME

EDMAISTON-MOSELY FUNERAL HOME

MURPHY FUNERAL HOME

206 E Main Ave, Obion,TN 38240 (731) 536-5389

279 W Main St, Dresden,TN 38225 (731) 364-3101

207 Central St, Martin,TN 38237 (731) 587-3121

1200 S Miles Ave, Union City,TN 38261 (731) 885-1033

WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME

RAWLS FUNERAL HOME

2209 N Meridian St, Greenfield, TN 38230 (731) 235-2224

114 Roach St, South Fulton,TN 38257 (731) 479-2181

WHITE RANSON FUNERAL HOME 212 W Washington Ave, Union City,TN 38261 (731) 885-1211

WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME OF GLEASON 429 S Cedar St, Gleason,TN 38229 (731) 648-5801

WHITE & MAHON FUNERAL HOMES

225 W Harper St, Troy,TN 38260 (731) 536-4666

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If you have suggestions for a story topic, please reach out to cullerich@embracingtheaged.com

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PUZZLE #1 SALSA INGREDIENTS

NATIONAL PARK NAMES

Tomato Onion Cilantro Jalapeno

Russell Cave Glacier Redwood Arches

TYPES OF EMBROIDERY STITCHES

ONE-WORD SONG TITLES

Running Back Stem Chain

Daniel Mandy Cecilia Matilda

PUZZLE #2 FLOWER SHAPES

CONDIMENTS

Cup Bell Saucer Trumpet

Tahini Chutney Mayo Sriracha

EARRING TYPES

GREEK PREFIXES FOR MULTIPLES OF 10

Chandelier Jacket Teardrop Threader

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Embracing Our Age | Summer 2024

Kilo Myria Deca Hecto

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