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NOVEMBER 2026

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Felicia Swoope Chassés with

LOUISVILLE BALLET

Friend for Life

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The Power of Purpose: A Community That Gives Back What makes a community extraordinary? Is it the places we build, the art we create, the stories we tell, or the people who dedicate their lives to making the world a little better than they found it? I believe it is all of these things. But more importantly, I believe it’s what happens when we come together for something greater than ourselves. As we enter November, a season traditionally centered on gratitude and giving, I wanted this volume of the VOICE-TRIBUNE to celebrate something that has always been at the heart of Louisville: the extraordinary power of people helping people. This year, however, that message has taken on a deeply personal meaning for me. Just a few weeks ago, during one of my most difficult weeks, I received a call from my brother. He needed me. Our family needed me. And suddenly, my priorities became clear. I got on a plane to stand beside him as he fought for something he had always wanted: the opportunity to be a full-time father to his daughter. After what felt like an impossible journey, my brother won custody of his little girl. I will never forget sitting beside him in that courtroom, realizing that what we had hoped and prayed for was finally becoming a reality. In that moment, the weight of everything else disappeared. All that mattered was family, love, and the courage to never give up on someone you love. That experience reminded me of something I believe we all need to hear: Sometimes the greatest gift we can give another person is simply showing up when they need us most. Sometimes showing up means volunteering for a cause. Sometimes it means offering a helping hand, making a donation, or lending your voice to someone who needs to be heard. Sometimes it means dropping everything, getting on an airplane, and sitting beside someone you love when they need you most. That experience changed the way I approached this month’s volume. It reminded me that behind every act of service, every nonprofit organization, and every person working to make a difference, there is something profoundly human: the desire to protect, uplift, and care for one another. When we think of nonprofits, we often think of fundraising galas, charitable donations, and volunteer opportunities. While these are essential, they are only part of the story. Behind every nonprofit is a person who recognized a need, believed something could be better, and decided to do something about it. This volume is dedicated to those people. Take Elias Feghaly, whose creation of KULLI Atelier Films reminds us that representation matters. Through film and storytelling, he builds bridges between cultures and creates opportunities for voices that have too often gone unheard. His mission is about more than filmmaking. It is about ensuring that everyone has a place to belong. At Louisville Ballet, newly appointed Executive Director Felicia Swoope is stepping into the organization’s 75th anniversary with a vision that extends far beyond the stage. Her commitment to education, accessibility, and community engagement reminds us that the arts should not be a privilege reserved only for a few, but an opportunity available to all.

That same spirit lives in musician Wes Greer, whose work with the Louisville Leopard Percussionists demonstrates how mentorship can shape the next generation. Sometimes giving back isn’t about writing a check. Sometimes it’s about sharing your talent, your time, and your knowledge with someone who needs encouragement. In our conversation with Kentucky author Silas House, ahead of this year’s Festival of Faiths, we explore the meaning of Sacred Courage. His reflections remind us that service, empathy, and the willingness to understand one another are among the most powerful expressions of faith. Regardless of our individual beliefs, there is something deeply human about choosing to serve others. Perhaps nowhere is that compassion more evident than at Friend for Life Cancer Support Network. Through the leadership of Sheri Donahue and the dedication of volunteers like Monica Hodge, we see how personal hardship can become a source of hope for someone else. Their work reminds us that sometimes the greatest gift we can give another person is simply being there and saying,“You are not alone.” Artist Ewa Perz brings another perspective to this conversation. Her vibrant paintings remind us that beauty, creativity, and self-expression enrich our lives and the spaces we share. Art has the remarkable ability to inspire joy, offer peace, and connect us without saying a single word. And as Paul Cappiello prepares for retirement after more than two decades leading Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, we are reminded that the greatest legacy of leadership is not simply what we build, but what we leave behind for others to nurture. His dedication to the people, plants, and possibilities of Yew Dell is a beautiful example of what sustained commitment can accomplish. The stories in this volume all share a common thread: the belief that our individual gifts become more meaningful when we use them to enrich the lives of others. This month has also reminded me that compassion does not always come with recognition. It does not always happen at a gala, appear in a photograph, or make the headlines. Sometimes it happens quietly, between two people sitting in a courtroom, holding on to hope, and sometimes the most meaningful victories are not the ones we achieve for ourselves, but the ones we help make possible for the people we love. I am thankful for my brother’s determination, the family that stood beside him, and the chance to watch a little girl begin a new chapter surrounded by love. I am grateful for the reminder that even when life feels overwhelming, we still have the ability to make a difference in someone else’s life. At the end of the day, a city’s greatness isn’t measured solely by its buildings, businesses, or accomplishments. It is measured by the compassion of its people and their willingness to lift one another up. Louisville is not just a place we call home. It is a community we have the privilege and responsibility to care for. And if this month has taught me anything, it is that sometimes the smallest act of showing up can become part of someone else’s greatest miracle. Happy Thanksgiving, Louisville! And cheers to the many VOICES of Louisville!

Amelia Frazier Theobald Publisher & CEO, The VOICE-TRIBUNE

VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

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VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

FEATURES

10 Yew Dell’s Paul Cappiello Sees Retirement as a Shift, Not a Slowdown By Kelsey Knott Photo Provided

18 Cinema of Belonging: Elias Feghaly Founds KULLI Atelier Films By Alisha Proffitt Photos By Kathryn Harrington

12 Felicia Swoope Chassés with Louisville Ballet By Alisha Proffitt Photos By Kathryn Harrington

16 FRIEND FOR LIFE: Cancer support team moving forward with new chapter By RUSS BROWN Photos By Kathryn Harrington

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NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

The Ties That Bind: Wheaton reflects on the enduring magic of a movie that refuses to grow old. By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson Photos Provided

Nonprofit Giving Back Guide

Still Wowed Out: Jim James returns home with a new solo album and show

30 Ewa Perz: Chasing Color and Challenge By Kelsey Knott Photos By Kathryn Harrington

By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson Photos Provided

38 Monarch Artist Feature: Wes Greer By Kelsey Knott Photos By Kathryn Harrington

On the Cover: New Louisville Ballet Executive Director, Felicia Swoope, photographed by Kathryn Harrington.

52 42 Courage to Believe: Silas House returns for the 2026 Festival of Faiths By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson Photos Provided

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56 Buy Local Holiday Gift Guide

72 Beyond the Finish Line By Alison Cardoza Photos By Matt Johnson

66 Community Engagement By Connie Vice

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10 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

PAUL CAPPIELLO SEES RETIREMENT AS A SHIFT, NOT A SLOWDOWN By Kelsey Knott | Photos Provided In the woods and in gardens, Paul Cappiello is energized by what weird plants may be afoot. So while the self-proclaimed “lifelong science geek” is retiring as Executive Director from Yew Dell Botanical Gardens at the end of this year, his plans for retirement go beyond leisure. Serving in this role since 2002, Cappiello has grown the employees, volunteers, and board members significantly, investing in what makes the organization truly special: the people. Cappiello studied environmental planning and design at Rutgers University before earning his master’s and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Illinois, where he focused on tree physiology. Before coming to Yew Dell, he taught horticulture at the University of Maine and later worked as the Horticulture Director at Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest. At Yew Dell, he oversees planning, fundraising, public programs, and horticultural research. Cappiello remains involved in academia, currently working with University of Louisville Envirome Center on practical and research projects as well as holding an adjunct appointment with UK. During his graduate school years at the University of Illinois, Cappiello brought horticulture students here to see spring sooner at Bernheim Forest and Cave Hill Cemetery. “Louisville is a nurturing city; it’s such a southern city. We have a supportive, dedicated, and committed group of people. They’re creative and energetic, and we can do cool stuff because we have amazingly talented people.” Growing up around the old-growth forests 15 minutes from Times Square, he appreciates the small-scale charm this city emanates and the opportunity to see his impact. “We have never worried about becoming the biggest, the best, the most–We work hard, do cool stuff, and treat people with respect.” Yew Dell’s hiking trails, woods, and lakes are diverse and spectacular. “There’s amazing layers of horticulture, history, sociology, and nature here. It’s a magical atmosphere. You might see flocks of four hundred sandhill cranes landing here.” Back when Yew Dell was merely 34-acres, Cappiello still knew people were the driving force behind it all. “Volunteers thank us for letting them come out and spend their free time pulling weeds, giving tours, or making sure people don’t have to take their own pictures. A volunteer this morning told me coming here is the best part of her retirement.” Cappiello recognizes how important places like Yew Dell are for mental health and well-being, noting that in the days following 9/11, natural spaces like Yew Dell all over the country set attendance records. “We did free admission after the shooting at Hurstbourne’s Kroger, and I think we had 3,000 people show up for tours. People need this stuff, if they’re botanical garden geeks or just coming out for lunch to read a book on a bench.” Though he likes leisure time, Cappiello doesn’t see his retirement as slowing down or backing away, but simply changing focus. You’ll still see Paul around Yew Dell for upcoming projects and community events. “I’m excited to see where all this goes. We’ve spent the last 20 years building a platform, and now we get to see what we can do with it.” His award-winning work focuses on ornamental plants, finding and evaluating new plants, and researching plant propagation, breeding, and cold hardiness. He has written and lectured extensively about horticulture and co-authored a book about dogwoods, and he hopes to write more in retirement. One thing is for certain–Paul’s example of what magic can take place when energetic, hard-working people uplift a space is a legacy that’s sure to continue at Yew Dell. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

12 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

By Alisha Proffitt • Photos By Kathryn Harrington

As Louisville Ballet steps into its 75th anniversary, Felicia Swoope two-steps forward into the role of Executive Director, the makings of what is sure to be a beautiful chassé. Swoope has a long career in dance, arts education, and leadership that she brings to the table. A former performer herself, she went on to work in producing and education. Swoope takes on this new role with a broad, sweeping view of ballet, encompassing the labor of artists, the infrastructure that sustains them, and the community that makes Louisville Ballet possible. “This is a dream role for me,” Swoope said. “I started dancing at the age of seven and never imagined that I would be the Executive Director of an esteemed ballet company.” The company’s history, community engagement programs, and partnership with Artistic Director Anthony Krutzkamp only bolster her confidence in the decision to take the position. She calls Krutzkamp “The People’s Artistic Director,” noting his concern for dancers, students, staff, and the wider community that she shares. Swoope’s appointment comes as Louisville Ballet continues to build on recent financial successes and new public-private investment in its facilities and artistic programming. Her immediate priorities include expanding Louisville Ballet’s philanthropic support, strengthening operations, and reaching audiences who may not yet consider ballet to be something they can relate to. The challenge is to make growth tangible, both in the working conditions of artists and in the opportunities available to the public. Having performed professionally, Swoope says she understands and empathizes with the physical demands and vulnerability of dance. That experience is front and center in her approach to administration, where decisions about budgets, facilities, and programming can dramatically impact the artists’ working lives. She describes her role as creating the conditions for Krutzkamp’s artistic vision to develop, with administrative stability supporting creative work, not constricting it. As Kentucky’s official state ballet, the Louisville Ballet has big slippers to fill. We will continue to expand the number of performances and educational programs into schools, community centers, and public spaces throughout the Commonwealth, while also collaborating with other major arts organizations like Kentucky Opera and Louisville Orchestra. The company’s community engagement team, led by Stacey Blakeman, will play a key role in that effort. Her emphasis on education is motivated by her own experience as a young dancer. Swoope credits dance with transforming her self-esteem and giving her the confidence that carried into other areas of her life. She sees the ballet school and community programs as potential points of entry for young people who might otherwise have little contact with the art form. Scholarships and reduced barriers to participation, she argues, can help make training available to a broader and more diverse range of students. Swoope’s personal measure of success will be the company’s relationship with the people it serves, not only its financial performance or box office receipts. She envisions a future in which students can progress through the school, enter the Studio Company, pursue arts administration studies at Bellarmine University, and potentially join the professional company or its leadership (not unlike herself ). As Louisville Ballet begins its next chapter, we wish Felicia Swoope well in her new role and look forward to seeing how her leadership cornerstones the company’s future, strengthens its ties across Kentucky, and creates new opportunities for dancers, students, and audiences alike. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

Shier Donahue, Executive Director, Friend for Life Cancer Support

Sheri Donahue (L) with Debbie Lorence, Friend for Life board member.

CANCER SUPPORT TEAM MOVING FORWARD WITH NEW CHAPTER 16 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

By RUSS BROWN • Photos By Kathryn Harrington • Sponsored Sheri Donahue and Monica Hodge took significantly different paths to the Friend for Life Cancer Support Network, but both are an integral part of the Louisville nonprofit organization that has helped cancer patients and their loved ones since 1988. Donahue was hired in 2025 as Executive Director to replace Judy Kasey Houlette, who served in the leadership role for more than 25 years. Hodge, meanwhile, has been serving as a Peer Navigator (aka volunteer) for almost 20 years, starting in 2007, three years after being treated for breast cancer. She was honored with the 2024 Friend for Life Bobbie Marrs Daniels Award for outstanding service. In welcoming Donahue in a Friend for Life (FFL) newsletter, board chair Kristen Mellinger wrote that Donahue’s arrival marks a new chapter -- both an end and a new beginning, with gratitude for the past and optimism for the future. Donahue brought a fascinating and diverse background that seems to have very little in common with her latest undertaking, but one she says has served her well in her new capacity. An engineer by education, she spent 20 years working for the U.S. Navy on weapons systems and intelligence programs. After that, she moved into cyber security, first at Humana, then starting her own firm. For 12 years she also served on InfraGard’s national board of directors, a 501(c)3 public-private partnership between the FBI and the owners/operators of the nation’s critical infrastructure. “That experience built real muscle in nonprofit governance, coalition leadership, and operating across complex, multi-stakeholder environments,” Donahue explained. “It taught me how to move large organizations forward and how to build partnerships that serve a mission bigger than any single entity.” She developed an interest in cancer support through losing her younger brother in 2023 to colon cancer at 54 and her and her father’s experience through his treatment. “No credential or title prepared me for this work the way my brother’s illness did,” Donahue said. “We watched him endure the physical toll of the disease. But what was hardest to witness was the emotional battle -- the fear, the isolation, the weight of not knowing what came next. Knowing how alone he felt even with family around him gave me an understanding of what cancer patients and their families need. “Not just information or logistics, but someone who truly understands the emotional and psychological weight of a cancer diagnosis. That personal experience is what makes me a better leader for Friend for Life, and it’s what drives me every single day.” Hodge has dealt with cancer on several levels and is certainly no stranger to a caregiver role, having cared for her husband Roger, who was ill for many years, and her daughter, Stephanie, when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Hodge was first introduced to FFL when she was contacted by a volunteer during her own treatment for breast cancer. “That compassionate call changed my life and my outlook on how to fight cancer and navigate my journey during surgery and chemo treatments,” she said. “The organization helped take the fear and feeling of isolation away. No one should walk this journey alone. They walked with me every step of my year-long battle and I am forever grateful for their support. I was so moved that I made a promise to myself that if I survived I would give back by volunteering to work with this group.”

Hodge describes her extensive approach as a volunteer this way: “To listen with your heart, as well as your ears, to someone who’s been placed in your pathway to help them walk the journey with someone who’s gone before them in receiving such devastating news. To be present, whether in person, by phone or email, to offer strength, hope and encouragement so they don’t feel alone and afraid.” Like Hodge, well-known sports radio personality for ESPN and U of L basketball analyst Bob Valvano is a cancer survivor. He learned about the organization when he was invited to be the keynote speaker for the annual “Evening With Friends” event in August. Cancer advocacy has long been deeply personal for Valvano, the younger brother of legendary NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano, whose battle led to the creation of The V Foundation. That legacy hit home in a profound way when Bob was diagnosed with stage 4 chronic lymphocytic Leukemia in 2021. He fought the disease into remission the same year. “I was unfamiliar with that group, but quickly came to appreciate what they do, especially as a cancer survivor myself,” Valvano said. “ It is inspiring and the patient’s emotional makeup is instrumental in the fight. To have someone who has been through it and can tell you what to expect is immeasurably helpful. “We all want some reason to hope when we are fighting this, and to have someone be able to explain the how’s and the why’s, and not just the what’s, is very powerful. I hope we can partner on some projects going forward.” Valvano says he is doing well. He continues to work raising money for KENTUCKIANA FRIENDS OF V in the local fight against Cancer and serves on the board of the V Foundation. He will call about 55 college basketball games on ESPN Radio and the Cardinals’ radio network this season. He is also starting a weekly radio show on Blast Radio in November, which will then be available as a podcast as well. His first guest will be former UK and NBA star Dan Issel. As she has settled into her Executive Director responsibilities -with the help of Assistant Director Lori Beth Miller -- Donahue said her goals involve three core dimensions. First, she listed raising awareness so that support seekers know about FFL before they need it. “They shouldn’t have to search for us in the middle of a crisis; our name should already be familiar.” Second, building the volunteer community and providing training after a thorough screening. Every Peer Navigator completes a comprehensive application detailing their cancer experience, is interviewed and must provide references. “People who come to us are vulnerable, and they deserve to know the person on the other end of the phone is thoroughly prepared to support them.” And third, securing the resources that allow FFL to provide its services free of charge, including partnering with other cancer support organizations so patients can receive referrals when they don’t have the right peer match. Financially, Donahue noted that Friend For Life recently received a “significant estate gift” from Kelly and Joel Gollar. “We are honoring the legacy donation by investing those funds in tools and resources that help our Peer Navigators serve our support seekers even better.”

VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

18 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

ELIAS FEGHALY FOUNDS KULLI ATELIER FILMS

By Alisha Proffitt • Photos By Kathryn Harrington & Provided Upon meeting Elias Feghaly, one of the first things you might notice about him is his warmth and kindness. He is a man of passion. Passion for people. Passion for expression. For art. Recently, Elias has found the outlet where all of his different passions and experiences can intersect. A creative emulsification and expression of everything that excites him in life. Born in Lebanon, Elias has spent years working and collaborating in film, theater, fashion, fine jewelry, and perfumery. He has a glowing enthusiasm for the relationships between art and community, and what can be achieved through them. In October of this year, KULLI Atelier Films was established, a Louisville nonprofit dedicated to supporting Lebanese and Arab filmmakers and storytellers, both behind and in front of the camera. “KULLI means ‘all of me’ in Arabic. I don’t want to separate the Lebanese, American, queer, filmmaker, artist, or business owner parts of myself. KULLI Atelier Films is about embracing all of who we are and creating a space where other storytellers can do the same.” After seven years in the corporate grind, Elias used his savings to open his perfume and fine jewelry design space, KULLI Atelier, at the Mellwood Art Center, his first major step towards embracing his dreams. His investment in Louisville’s arts community throughout that journey has given him a real appreciation for collaboration. Establishing a nonprofit gives that appreciation a more lasting structure: “I have loved connecting with artists and filmmakers throughout the years, and now, with the right board members, we can focus on vocations like teaching film, inspiring storytelling through film, nurturing the next generation of artists, and creating opportunities for Lebanese, Arab, and other underrepresented storytellers right here in Louisville.” The need is particularly evident in Louisville from Elias’ perspective. He has pretty regularly found himself to be the only Lebanese person in a room of local film and theater artists. “Growing up, when I did see Arab people on screen, they were often typecast as terrorists, villains, or very specific stereotypes. I want to see Lebanese and Arabic people as the stars. I want us behind the camera and in front of it—not because the story requires an ‘Arabic character,’ but because we’re actors, directors, writers, designers, musicians, and storytellers with vibrant stories to tell.” Though KULLI Atelier Films will not be exclusive to Lebanese and Arabic performers and filmmakers, it will provide a support network that has long been desired within those communities. “Storytelling brings people together, especially people from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. The more Lebanese and Arabic voices we have both behind and in front of the camera, the more opportunities we have to understand one another and to learn that we have so much in common.” Louisville has a close-knit creative community, he says, where one introduction can lead to a collaboration. He envisions the city as a meeting place for Kentucky, Lebanese, and Arab artists, bringing together filmmakers, musicians, writers, actors, designers, and performers. The aim is to establish connections across geography and artistic expertise while giving emerging storytellers the means to develop their work at home. “At the end of the day, we’re all human, looking for many of the same things: community, connection, creativity, and a sense of belonging. And being able to do that in Louisville is such a blessing. We don’t have to go to L.A. Los Angeles because we have L.A. Louisville Area right here, and film is thriving.” Four existing films give us a taste of what more is to come for KULLI Atelier Films. “Hold Your Breath”, made for the 2025 48 Hour Film Project, addresses climate change. “Stage 4”, a black-and-white film inspired by Agnès Varda’s “Cléo from 5 to 7”, follows a woman confronting a cancer diagnosis and finding support through art and community. “Becoming Noor” documents Elias’s first drag performance and the personal conversations that preceded it. His latest project, “Sillage”, follows characters transported to the Victorian era by a mysterious perfume bottle. Elias’ dreams for the organization’s work also include education, with programs intended for young artists, emerging filmmakers, and audiences across generations, including older adults who may have limited access to larger events. Elias hopes that someone experiencing a film workshop or screening for the first time will recognize a place for themselves in the process. His ambition is both modest and expansive: to help Louisville’s filmmakers find audiences, to bring Lebanese and Arab stories into wider circulation, and to create the conditions for artists to work together. Elias has had a particular dream since he was fifteen of becoming the first Lebanese actor or director to win an Academy Award. For now, KULLI Atelier Films begins with the people around him, their stories, and the films they can make together. To support and learn more, visit: kulliatelier.com/blogs/news/kulli-atelier-films-is-officially-a-louisville-nonprofit-building-a-cultural-bridge-between-kentucky-lebanon-and-arab-cinema VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

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Louisville is filled with organizations doing meaningful work every day—feeding families, supporting the arts, protecting animals, uplifting youth, and strengthening our neighborhoods. This Giving Back Guide is here to make it easy to find and support the causes that matter most to you. Here are some of our favorite local nonprofits that welcome your donations and depend on community support to keep their missions alive. Whether you give a little or a lot, every contribution helps build a stronger, kinder Louisville—one gift at a time.

The Shapin-Nicolas Art Project (SNAP) Foundation is a 501c3 organization that supports visual arts professionals in Kentucky through financial investment and exhibition opportunities at onsite galleries showcasing permanent and rotating collections. SNAP is dedicated to fostering creative excellence and expanding access to the arts within our community. Our mission focuses on providing the necessary resources and platforms for artists to thrive, ensuring that cultural projects reach the widest possible audience. By maintaining a professional standard of stewardship, we translate every contribution into tangible support for local creators. Ongoing contributions sustain our core programming, which serves a diverse network of beneficiaries each year. With an annual operating budget of over $600,000, your support ensures we can maintain our momentum and expand our reach into new neighborhoods. www.snapcollection.org 22 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

Just outside Louisville in Crestwood, Kentucky, Yew Dell Botanical Gardens offers 60 acres of horticultural discovery, education and inspiration. Once the private estate of renowned plantsman Theodore Klein and his wife, Martha Lee, Yew Dell has grown from a family farm into a nationally recognized public garden. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it welcomes visitors year-round to explore beautiful display gardens, woodland trails, historic architecture and innovative plant research. As a nonprofit organization, Yew Dell’s mission is to spark a passion for plants and gardening through accessible science and inspiring beauty. From seasonal displays and family-friendly events to hands-on workshops and educational programs, there are opportunities for visitors of all ages and experience levels to connect with the natural world. Community support makes this work possible. Annual fund gifts, tribute benches and planned gifts help sustain Yew Dell’s gardens, educational programs and horticultural research. Memberships also support daily operations while providing free admission, discounts and reciprocal benefits at gardens nationwide. Volunteers play an important role, too. Whether working in the gardens and natural areas, helping with events or lending a hand in the office, volunteers share their time and talents to help Yew Dell thrive. Learn more, become a member or support Yew Dell’s mission at yewdellgardens.org.

A LEGACY OF SERVICE SINCE 1890 The Woman’s Club of Louisville is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in March of 1890. In recent years since the pandemic, The Woman’s Club of Louisville has given close to half a million dollars to groups and those in need, with a focus on women and children in our community. It takes a lot to maintain our historic building and still be able to give back to the community. Thank you for clicking the QR code to make a donation to help further our cause. Since 1890, the Woman’s Club has maintained its mission to promote and support civic improvements; champion the education, and philanthropic needs of our community — especially for women and children; and cultivating the fine arts in Louisville. OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT • Developed playgrounds in underserved neighborhoods • Co-founded the Louisville Deaf Oral School • Supported educational, artistic, civic, and philanthropic programs • Helped establish the Louisville Legal Aid and Protective Society OUR SHARED VISION Our shared vision is simple - TO CREATE POSITIVE IMPACT through our shared spirit of giving. For generations, our members have transformed compassion into action, creating a legacy that continues to shape Louisville today. NOW our historic clubhouse which has stood in continuous service to our members and mission requires critical preservation to remain safe, accessible, and functional for the next 100 years of service to us and our community.

Waterfront Botanical Gardens is built from a story of transformation. On land once used as a landfill, the Gardens have taken root as one of Louisville’s most inspiring examples of what vision, generosity, and community partnership can achieve. Today, this growing urban oasis invites visitors to wander, learn, gather, celebrate, and reconnect with the natural world, all in full view of the downtown Louisville skyline. Every garden path, educational program, and new phase of development reflects a commitment to creating a world-class destination that enriches Louisville’s quality of life. Through botanical excellence, accessible programming, environmental stewardship, and meaningful visitor experiences, Waterfront Botanical Gardens welcomes all to discover beauty, inspiration, and connection. As the Gardens continue to grow, philanthropy remains the catalyst that turns vision into reality. Generous supporters have helped transform an overlooked landscape into a thriving cultural and environmental asset, making possible new gardens, educational opportunities, community events, and spaces where future generations will create lasting memories. Each gift helps expand access to nature and ensure that this extraordinary place continues to flourish. Waterfront Botanical Gardens is more than a beautiful destination. It is a living legacy shaped by those who believe in investing in Louisville’s future. Like the Gardens themselves, that legacy continues to grow season after season, inspiring wonder, fostering community, and demonstrating the impact that philanthropy can have when people unite around a shared vision. Discover more and help the Gardens grow for generations to come at waterfrontgardens.org/support. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

There’s No Place Like This Place. At the YMCA of Greater Louisville, we believe everyone deserves a place to belong, grow, and thrive. Every day, across our community, the Y is making that belief a reality. We’re the place where a child discovers the confidence to jump into the pool for the first time, a teen finds a mentor who sees possibilities they haven’t yet imagined, where an older adult finds friendship, purpose, and a reason to keep moving, and a family facing difficult circumstances finds compassion, encouragement, and hope. The Y is more than a collection of programs and services. It’s a community of people lifting one another up through access, belonging, choices, and opportunity. It’s a promise that no one should be left on the sidelines because of their circumstances. That promise comes to life through generous people like you. Your support helps open doors for children who need a safe place to learn and play. It creates opportunities for young people to discover their strengths and build brighter futures. It connects neighbors, supports families, and ensures that the life-changing benefits of the Y reach those who need them most. When you give to the YMCA of Greater Louisville, you’re doing more than supporting an organization. You’re investing in people, strengthening our community, and creating possibilities that extend far beyond our walls. Because when everyone has the opportunity to thrive, our entire community grows stronger. Everyone has a place here. Together, we can make sure the Y is truly For All.

Your Orchestra. Your Community. Your Future.

The Louisville Orchestra is more than a stage and a season of concerts. It’s a vital part of our community, creating extraordinary artistic experiences, inspiring the next generation, and bringing people together across Kentucky. And your support makes it possible. Every year, the Louisville Orchestra introduces thousands of students to live music, many for the first time. Our Making MUSIC program reaches approximately 8,000 students, while Friday Field Trips welcomes more than 10,000 young people to experience the excitement of a live orchestra. Beyond the classroom, we’re breaking down barriers to the arts. Through Once Upon an Orchestra, families enjoy free, interactive performances at local libraries. Music Without Borders brings concerts directly into Louisville neighborhoods, and our In Harmony Commonwealth Tour has reached more than 57,000 Kentuckians through free performances and community experiences. Your gift creates tangible opportunities. Just $250 can bring a professional musician into a classroom. $500 can provide transportation for students to attend a concert. $1,000 can give an entire elementary school an unforgettable orchestral experience. Your generosity also sustains exceptional musicians, groundbreaking performances, and bold artistic collaborations that make Louisville a vibrant cultural destination. When you give to the Louisville Orchestra, you’re not simply supporting concerts. You’re investing in education, accessibility, creativity, and the future of our community. This is your orchestra. Help us build what’s next. DONATE TODAY 24 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

Louisville Visual Art: More Art for More People in More Places For more than a century, Louisville Visual Art (LVA) has helped shape Louisville’s art scene. Our mission is to contribute to a thriving, creative, and engaged community through youth art education, support for professional and emerging artists, and art in public spaces. Our vision is that everyone in Greater Louisville has the opportunity to engage in or encounter art. Youth Art Education. Creative thinking is a path to any career, and art education instills it. Through Children’s Fine Art Classes and community outreach, LVA teaches creative problem solving and critical thinking, and connects young people to opportunities in the arts. Artist Support & Development. LVA hires local artists as instructors, muralists, and program leaders, commissions and purchases their work, and offers exhibition opportunities, helping artists of all career levels build sustainable careers. Public Art & Community Building. Art supports not just living but thriving. Through murals, permanent installations, and community partnerships, LVA places art in neighborhoods, building belonging and a stronger sense of place. Our doors are open, and we meet people in their spaces. By reducing financial, linguistic, physical, and geographic barriers, and through neighborhood-based outreach and class locations across the region, LVA works to make art a public good, not a luxury. Give the gift of art this season. Your donation puts art supplies in a child’s hands, pays a local artist for their work, and brings art to a neighborhood that needs it. Give today at louisvillevisualart.org.

Mission Twisted Pink is dedicated to providing hope and connection to those impacted by breast cancer, funding bold breakthroughs in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) research, and raising awareness of stage IV disease. Impact & Story While traditional pink ribbon campaigns celebrate awareness, Twisted Pink shifts the spotlight toward action and extending lives. Founded in Louisville, Kentucky, by breast cancer survivor Caroline Johnson, the organization addresses a crucial gap: while thousands live with metastatic breast cancer—which currently has no cure— only a fraction of overall breast cancer funding historically goes to stage IV research. Twisted Pink believes that the pink ribbon no longer fully reflects what all breast cancer patients endure and that meaningful change requires direct investment in life-saving science. To date, the non-profit has funneled over $2 million directly into cutting-edge metastatic breast cancer research initiatives across premier medical institutions. These grants empower top scientists to discover innovative treatments, slow disease progression, and ultimately work toward a cure. In addition to funding scientific breakthroughs, Twisted Pink supports patients directly through community connections and programs like “Boxes of Hope,” which deliver comfort, encouragement, and trusted resources to individuals undergoing active cancer treatment. By uniting research funding with compassionate patient support, Twisted Pink ensures no one walks their diagnosis alone while actively building a future where stage IV breast cancer becomes a manageable condition rather than a terminal diagnosis.

For more than 35 years, The Healing Place has provided a path to recovery for individuals struggling with substance use disorder. Through a unique peer-driven model, we offer services at no cost to participants, removing financial barriers that often stand between people and the help they need. Our comprehensive continuum of care includes emergency shelter, detoxification support, residential recovery programming, workforce development, and long-term recovery resources. At The Healing Place, individuals are surrounded by a community that understands their journey because many of our staff and peer mentors have walked the same path themselves. Every day, men and women come to The Healing Place seeking hope, healing, and a fresh start. Through evidence-based practices, peer support, and a culture of accountability and compassion, participants gain the tools needed to rebuild their lives, reconnect with family, secure employment, and become contributing members of our community. The Healing Place serves thousands of individuals annually and is committed to breaking the cycle of addiction, homelessness, and despair. Recovery is possible, and every success story begins with someone willing to take the first step. Your support helps provide life-changing services, safe shelter, recovery resources, and opportunities for productive living. Together, we can empower more individuals to find lasting recovery and build healthier futures for themselves, their families, and our community. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

For more than 130 years, Norton Children’s Hospital has served as Kentucky’s only full-service, free-standing hospital created “Just for Kids,” treating all families regardless of their ability to pay. Norton Children’s serves over 215,000 children each year from all over our region. The Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation raises funds exclusively for Norton Children’s Hospital, Norton Children’s Medical Center, and pediatric services at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital. Funds are raised to support programs, equipment, new technologies, clinical research, child advocacy, and health education for patients, families, medical staff and the community. The generosity of our community and corporate support plays a vital role in helping Norton Children’s provide innovative care, enhanced facilities, and meaningful programs that benefit patients and families. Reimbursement from insurance may cover the cost of providing care, but it does not cover the purchase of new equipment; hospital upgrades; or services for families, such as art and music therapy and our facility dog program. With your help, we can continue to give everyone the lifesaving care they need and make all members of our community healthier. For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.HelpNortonChildrens.com.

Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana treats what chemotherapy and radiation can’t – the fear, helplessness and hopelessness that often come with a cancer diagnosis. Since 2007, we’ve offered a place where people can connect with others who understand what they’re going through, find comfort, and regain a sense of control in the face of cancer. We offer more than 180 programs each month at four locations. All our programs - support groups, educational workshops, healthy lifestyle activities, social events, and special assistance for a rapidly growing number of pediatric families – are free. We encourage members to live their lives with laughter, hope, purpose, and style, even while cancer is a part of it. As we expand to serve more families living with pediatric cancer, as well as people in Southern Indiana, West Louisville, and throughout Kentucky, community support is more vital than ever. You can make a difference:

RESIDENTIAL FOSTER CARE - Cottage-style housing providing a safe healing environment for foster youth in need of more intensive services. SUPERVISED INDEPENDENT LIVING - Staffed and supervised apartment-style living assists youth in their transition from foster care to adulthood. INDEPENDENT LIVING - Our scattered-site Independent Living program allows young adults to pursue education and a career path in an apartment in the community paired with a supportive environment on the journey from foster care to adulthood.

Spread the word. Tell your friends, family, and coworkers that Gilda’s Club is here for anyone impacted by cancer. Share our story on social media or invite someone to visit.

ANIMAL-ASSISTED HEALING - The program utilizes horses, pigs, dogs, and other animals in the healing process for foster youth. Our approach empowers kids to develop practical skills on their healing journey.

Donate. Every dollar helps sustain and grow our free programs. Your generosity ensures emotional and social support remains accessible to all.

HAVEN FAMILY COUNSELING - We address the behavioral and emotional needs of children, adults, and families. We provide intensive therapy and case management, both in-home and at our outpatient office.

Volunteer. From greeting participants and helping with events to sharing special skills, volunteers are the heart of our mission.

Our mission is to provide comprehensive services to shelter, heal, and empower youth while offering critical support to individuals and families - and now is the perfect time to give. Thanks to an anonymous donor, every donation to BGH through the end of 2026 will be matched up to $10,000. This special opportunity means your support will go twice as far as BGH provides critical programs and services to our community. Make your donation today, double your impact, and change a child’s life!

Together, we can build a stronger, more compassionate community – one where everyone facing cancer knows they are not alone, where community is stronger than cancer.

For more than seventy-five years, Boys & Girls Haven has supported youth and families in Kentucky through a multifaceted continuum of care. We are trauma-informed caretakers providing five core services:

Visit us at gck.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

Kentucky Opera brings artists, audiences, and stories together through the power of live performance. Each season, the company presents fully staged productions, intimate musical experiences, and community events that welcome longtime opera lovers and the simply curious. Its work extends beyond the theater through education, partnerships, and public programs that bring people together through a shared love of live music. You don’t need opera expertise, just a willingness to be moved, surprised or swept up in a great story. As Kentucky Opera approaches its 75th anniversary season, community support will help ensure that opera remains a vibrant part of Louisville’s cultural life for generations to come. Attend a performance and bring a friend who has never experienced opera before. Purchase a subscription or single ticket, participate in special events, and follow and share Kentucky Opera’s work through social media and email. Businesses and community organizations can support the company through sponsorships, partnerships, and group ticket opportunities. Financial contributions are also essential. Ticket revenue covers only part of the cost of producing opera, from engaging singers, musicians, and creative teams to building sets and costumes. Donations of every size help Kentucky Opera create ambitious productions, support artists, expand community engagement, and make the art form accessible to more people. By attending, giving, sharing and participating, you help Kentucky Opera continue telling powerful stories, creating memorable experiences and contributing to the cultural vitality of Louisville and the region. The magic may happen onstage, but it takes a community to make it possible.

HOPE

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From basic needs support to policy changes to equity-driven strategies, Metro United Way works to create a better community for every person in every neighborhood. Please consider a donation to aid us in these crucial efforts. Learn more about our work and donate today using the QR code.

LIFE

HUMANITY MONEYLIFE ART FUNDS TOGETHERNESS GIVING DIVERSITY LOVE CARING EDUCATION EQUITY LOUISVILLE LOVE

CHILDREN

HOPE

Our efforts to help families focus on supporting thriving kids, strong households, and an equitable community. We provide academic supports including free school supplies and critical mentorship and scholarships, free childhood development screenings, training and resources for early childhood educators and those helping school-aged youth, free financial coaching and tax preparation services, emergency home repairs, help for first-time homebuyers, thousands of kits containing basic needs essentials like healthy food, cleaning supplies, school supplies, and diapers, and much more. We also tackle issues facing families by advocating for better policies at the local, state, and national levels.

JOY

That’s where Metro United Way’s Hardship to Hope effort comes in. We are asking our community to help us lift our neighbors from hardship to hope by raising $75 million by 2030 to ensure all kids and families have what they need.

At Locust Grove, we are more than a house — we are a place where community gathers, where stories unfold, and where action meets purpose. Guided by our four pillars — History, Arts, Civics, and Land — we engage with our community via our educational programs, preservation efforts, and cultural experiences which create meaningful connections across generations.

FORM SOCIAL

Imagine working full time and still not having enough. What would you do if you couldn’t afford rent and groceries?

HEALTH

One in four people in the Greater Louisville region live in poverty. An additional 154,000 people live above the poverty level but still struggle to make ends meet. These are people we see every day: baristas, servers, cooks, delivery drivers, bank tellers, and more.

Historic Locust Grove serves as a cultural generator that connects authentic experiences across time and place. We preserve and interpret the historic landscape and buildings of Locust Grove, the final home of Louisville’s founder George Rogers Clark, and tell the stories of all the individuals who lived and worked here, both free and enslaved, cultivating a deeper understanding of the present through a richer understanding of the past.

SMILES FRIENDSHIPS

DONATE INCLUSION EQUITY TOGETHERNESS HOPE

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LIFE

DONATE VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

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30 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

EWA PERZ: CHASING COLOR AND CHALLENGE By Kelsey Knott • Photos By Kathryn Harrington • Sponsored By The Shapin-Nicolas Art Project (S.N.A.P.) Foundation In Gdansk Poland, her native city, Ewa Perz depicts a street in bright reds, leading toward lighter yellow pointed buildings under a triangle of light purple sky. Growing up near the border of the Baltic Sea, black, white, grays, and blues defined her surroundings, reflecting the dark feel of Northern Europe. But when Ewa paints, color is the game that bears the essence of the object. “The form is the last of my worries. The harmonious interaction between light and color is where I stop. I spend a lot of time choosing the right palette. Strict lines of realism or literal compositions are becoming secondary to me. Once I have that, I can start and paint fast, still making changes throughout.” As a child, she worked through coloring books so quickly that she would color in ordinary books, or even ask her brother to draw her something to color in. While she found drawing limiting, learning to draw with the paintbrush opened up her artistic avenues. Inspired by her time living in bright, vibrant Mexico and taking opportunities to attend local studios here in Louisville, she discovered her love for painting. Now freshly back from France’s Botanical Expression show, Ewa appreciates Louisville as her home, with artists aplenty and nature nearby. “I found here a sense of belonging and opportunities to build a peaceful, fulfilling life. It is a source of constant inspiration and often my paintings are expressions of what I see here.” Ewa has always felt called to create. Though she loved biology and working as a chemist, the repetition of proving experiments didn’t scratch her creative itch. However, her master’s degree in plant physiology informs her work still today. “When I look at flowers, I know what’s inside. I can paint with minimal, expressive brush strokes because I know why the petal bends and its outside appearance.” As a nature lover, Ewa paints birds, fish, horses, and landscapes, but flowers remain her soft spot. “Sometimes when I’m stuck, I take a new canvas and start flowers. They always give me peace and assurance. In her early work, Ewa leaned into monochromatics, using different values of the same color and adding closely related hues. Her art often expresses the hope of living in a balance and the peaceful presence of environments. While her paintings have more busy backgrounds today, she still strives for simplicity in her work. “I feel like the magic is lost if I overshare. I use limited, but very intentional, brush strokes.” Ewa enjoys the challenge of capturing the essence of the form without giving too much. “To look at the finished painting can be exhilarating but it’s a process of painting that I truly love. Even when shapes don’t morph how I want, when I cannot get colors together, when I have to restretch the warped canvas, I cannot stop being passionate about it. It is my lifestyle.” Ewa wishes more people knew how meditative painting can be. “If you hang my painting on the wall, and you feel happy and the room feels brighter, that’s what I wanted.” Her love for beauty shines through her art, evoking a sense of easiness. In the future, Ewa hopes to strengthen her technique to paint more abstractly. Find Ewa’s incredible work online at ewaperzgallery.com and follow her Instagram @Ewa_Perz. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

32 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

WIL WHEATON REFLECTS ON THE ENDURING MAGIC OF A MOVIE THAT REFUSES TO GROW OLD.

By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson | Photos Provided As a follow up to our recent conversation with Corey Feldman in the August 2026 volume of VOICE-TRIBUNE, we also caught up with Wil Wheaton, who played the sensitive, aspiring writer Gordie LaChance in Rob Reiner’s 1986 coming-of-age classic Stand by Me, to chat about the troubled childhood he brought to the role, the director who helped him discover his artistic voice, and the bittersweet experience of revisiting the film four decades later along with Feldman and Jerry O’ Connell. Notably, that trio of surviving stars will be in town Nov. 13 for a special screening and discussion. VOICE-TRIBUNE: Stephen King has called Stand by Me one of the best adaptations of his work. Why do you think this relatively small, intimate story has endured alongside the much bigger films of the 1980s? And did you read Stephen King’s original novella, The Body, as part of your preparation for the role? WIL WHEATON: “I think you answer your question in the asking of it. It’s a small movie. It’s a beautiful, intimate, simple story about friendship and loss. It is about grief and finding your place in the world. Those are themes that I think everyone can understand and relate to. To the second part of your question, I did read the novella. I had already read Carrie, most of Salem’s Lot. I hadn’t finished it because, at 12 years- old, that’s a commitment. And Night Shift. I loved the short stories in Night Shift. I think that’s why I’m a short story writer and narrator today, because I really love the form of the short story. But I took this role very, very seriously. I was a kid who took the work extremely seriously because, like Gordie, I desperately wanted my parents to see me. And the only way they indicated that was going to happen was if I was a famous actor. That’s nothing I ever wanted. I didn’t care about that at all. But, you know, Stephen King, Rob Reiner, and Corey Feldman, these are big names in 1985. And, well, I certainly was not going to be the weak link in the chain. So, I read the novella, and I really enjoyed it, and I made notes about things I wanted to remember, the way he describes Gordie in a scene, stuff like that.” VT: What do you remember most about [director] Rob Reiner’s approach to filmmaking? WW: “Rob created a safe place for four teenagers to play, to take chances, to offer ideas, to be collaborators in a process, with the understanding that he was the last word, and that we were going to do this until he felt really good about it. Had he not done that, some of the most memorable moments in the film would not exist. It would have been a totally different movie.” VT: Forty years later, when you watch the film with audiences, do you see Gordie LaChance or the kid you were when you made it? WW: “I know that I am watching Gordie, and I’m watching Gordie’s story. But Gordie’s story was my story. When I watch the movie, the thing that I see the most is the sadness in my eyes. I see the grief that I am carrying. I see how much I was suffering as a 12, and then 13 year-old kid desperately wanting to get the attention of his mom and dad, who didn’t want to be an actor, who just wanted it all to be over so he could go play with his friends.” VT: If you could sit beside the 13 year-old Wil Wheaton making Stand by Me and tell him one thing about the life ahead of him, what would you say? WW: “I would say, hey, buddy, I’m gonna tell you something that you really need to hear: you’re enough. The reason I know that you are enough is that I’m you in 40 years. I know what you do. I know what you’re going to do. I know exactly how you feel. And I’m really, really sorry. You’re never gonna hear it from the people you need to hear it from, but please hear it from me. I love you. You are enough. You’re so special. And there are people in this world who are going to see that.” VT: What is it like sitting beside Corey [Feldman] and Jerry [O’Connell] at these anniversary shows, knowing the three of you share memories no one else quite understands? WW: “We all wish River [Phoenix] was here. We really miss him. But when the three of us are together and we are remembering the joy, the sense of accomplishment, the camaraderie that we all had 40 years ago, it puts us back, really, in a place that was wonderful for us. It was a moment when we were still kids, when we were unburdened by a lot of what comes with being an adult and all of the weird ways that you’ve got to navigate the world when you’re an adult. We each have some great stories to tell about those days and Corey and Jerry just have this hilarious banter that never stops. I cannot oversell the experience of seeing this movie with us.” Stand By Me: The Film and Its Stars comes to the Louisville Palace on Friday, November 13, featuring a screening of the film followed by a live conversation with Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

Mission Provide hope and connection to people impacted by breast cancer, fund bold breakthroughs in metastatic breast cancer research, and raise awareness of the disease.

Vision

To become the nation’s largest funder of metastatic breast cancer research.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Metastatic breast cancer (MBC)—also known as Stage IV breast cancer—is breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body, most commonly the brain, bones, liver, or lungs. Unlike early-stage breast cancer, MBC is not curable. Individuals with this diagnosis will remain in treatment for the rest of their lives. However, advancements in treatment have allowed many people with MBC to live longer, fuller lives. Key Facts about MBC: It is estimated that 168,000 people in the US are living with MBC. MBC can be treated but not cured. The median survival rate after a diagnosis of MBC is 3 years. 20-30% of people diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will experience a recurrence of MBC at some point in their lifetime. Up to 10% of people diagnosed with breast cancer will receive an initial diagnosis of MBC.

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JIM JAMES RETURNS HOME WITH A NEW SOLO ALBUM AND SHOW By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson | Photos Provided For more than a quarter-century, Jim James has made a career out of chasing the transcendent. As the unmistakable cantor and creative force behind My Morning Jacket, he’s taken arena-size audiences on countless sonic excursions, blending psychedelic rock, Southern soul, folk, and a healthy dose of cosmic wonder into something uniquely his own along the way. But sometimes, as James knows all too well, the most revealing journeys require little more than a voice, an acoustic guitar, and a room full of people willing to listen. On Saturday, November 28, James returns to his hometown for just that sort of solo acoustic performance at the Brown Theatre, using this Thanksgiving weekend showcase to kick off a brief national tour in support of Wowed Out, his first solo studio album in eight years. A graduate of Louisville’s St. Xavier High School, James has traveled a considerable distance [metaphorically and otherwise] from his musical beginnings here in Derby City. Yet his work continues to reflect an abiding affection for the traditions and artists that shaped him. The spiritual curiosity of George Harrison looms large in James’ meandering, as does the restless songwriting style of Bob Dylan, and the freewheeling improvisational spirit of the Grateful Dead. While these are just a few examples of the many influences James has absorbed into his practice, they definitely help to explain his willingness to follow his muse wherever it leads. In fact, James’ aforementioned LP, Wowed Out, is yet another unexpected turn for the decidedly enigmatic artist. The “new” record actually originated from music created more than a decade ago with composer Brian Reitzell for two film-scoring projects. Rediscovering those recordings in 2025, James transformed the material into an atmospheric collection of folksy cinematic soundscapes. Rather than reaching for the explosive crescendos that have become a My Morning Jacket trademark, on this collection James seems more interested in what happens when the music slows down and the listener leans in. On songs like “Come Again,” “Lost Child,” and the hypnotic title track, he explores the disconnection and anxiety of modern life while suggesting that music, nature, love, and simple human kindness still offer an alternative path toward something meaningful. The upcoming acoustic tour will likely find James drawing from his growing solo catalog, a long list of My Morning Jacket favorites, and an assortment of carefully curated covers [last time at the Brown he delivered tasteful takes on material from Eagles, Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Brian Wilson, and more] to round out the setlists. Regardless of song selection, without the thunderous guitars and rock n’ roll spectacle that a MMJ show provides, the tunes themselves will no doubt take center stage this time around. And perhaps that’s the point. For an artist who has spent much of his career reaching toward something larger than himself, stripping everything back every now and then may be its own kind of revelation. After all these years, Jim James is still searching for wonder. This time, he’s bringing that search home. Jim James: Wowed Out Tour (Solo Acoustic) lands in Louisville on November 28. For more information visit kentuckyperformingarts.org. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

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By Kelsey Knott • Photos By Kathryn Harrington With his debut album on its way, Wes Greer is taking his 30th trip around the sun seriously. After first trying piano and saxophone, he found his home in the drums in fifth grade. “It was all percussion from there on out.” Moving around in childhood provided him with many different teachers, diversifying his sound. “On my first day of eighth grade, my band director tells me to roll, and when I do he cuts off the band, freezes everyone and says, ‘Oh my gosh, he has chops!’ I didn’t know it was a good thing at the time.” It was there that the band people became his people, and he developed lasting friendships. Louisville’s size allows for artists to play with various bands and try things without fear. Here, Greer had the opportunity to tour Canada and the East Coast with the Ruen Brothers and is a co-host of the twice monthly Monarch Jazz Jams. “It’s not just a music venue; it’s a community center, and the listening room encourages a hang focused on really hearing the music. It feels like a house party.” He looks forward to the jam session that will celebrate his upcoming album launch. “I took a solo at a jazz jam in Austin a few weekends ago. I can go somewhere, not know anyone, and play. I like to practice a lot for that. That way when I perform, I can just listen and be in the moment. Go support your local jazz!” As an instructor with the Louisville Leopard Percussionists, Greer embraces the challenge of finding how kids learn best. “I’m always a learner. My words can get lost in communication when I’m talking, but when I’m drumming, I’m not really thinking. I’m playing and listening.” He taught himself many songs by ear, so molding good listeners is crucial to his work. “People aren’t practicing listening. In teaching, I listen to the kids to ensure they understand my ideas, they listen to me when I instruct, and then we can stay together and play what we intend to play.” He considers himself a mellow teacher and loves seeing the kids grow up. “One kid drove into rehearsal this week, and I remember when they were half my height.” Greer often thinks of music in terms of sounds, noticing patterns in his research, like “Bach is Bebop Jazz with a different feel.” This analytical approach to music led to his band name, Wes Greer and the Jazz Scientists. With a goal of pushing the boundaries of rhythm without losing the form of the song, he’s recording his first album, featuring four original tracks and four solo drums. “I’ll be playing the melody verbatim and then taking a solo on top of it harmonically. I want to change people’s perception of the drums. Rather than just being a rhythmic instrument, it’s also melodic.” Furthermore, he wants to evolve the perception of jazz. “People think of ‘Smooth Jazz’ and ‘Swing Band,’ Ella Fitzgerald and Sinatra, or the opposite extreme of “Free Jazz” which sounds like a chaotic listening battle. ‘Hardbop’ gets overlooked–it’s thematic, bluesy, and speaks to the soul.” Through it all, Greer’s family drives his purpose. “My wife is so amazing. She holds down the fort and takes care of everyone in it. I’m grateful to pursue music in the industry and still support my family. I couldn’t do it without her.” Stay tuned for Greer’s debut album release this June, and catch him live around the city now!

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SILAS HOUSE RETURNS FOR THE 2026 FESTIVAL OF FAITHS By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson | Photos Provided Over the course of his lengthy literary career, Silas House has frequently explored the uneasy intersections of religion, identity, community, and belonging, often challenging the cultural and political forces shaping his native Kentucky while celebrating the people and landscapes that make it home. We recently caught up with the celebrated novelist by phone for a quick conversation tied to his participation in this year’s Festival of Faiths gathering, which once again unfolds at several prominent venues in downtown Louisville between November 11-13. VOICE-TRIBUNE: The theme for the 2026 Festival of Faiths is “Sacred Courage.” What does that phrase mean to you personally? SILAS HOUSE: “The first thing that comes to mind is service, and the way that I think faith requires service. We talk a lot these days about how damaging organized religion has been, and it has been to a lot of people. But it has also been of service to a whole lot of people, and it’s done tremendous good in the world. It’s not just inherently bad or inherently good, but it contains both those things. I think about the way people of faith have mobilized around issues and changed the world, fed the hungry, participated in social justice movements and been a force for good in the community.” VT: With Wendell Berry’s passing, Kentucky lost one of its great literary and moral voices. What did you learn from him? SH: “He taught me that it’s okay to not be a fashionable writer. He wrote about things that I cared deeply about and that I write about. He also taught me about walking the walk and not just talking the talk. If you want to change things, then you have to be part of the change. When I was a young writer, he held my feet to the fire on that, and I’m glad he did.” VT: Your new novel, The Tulip Poplars, explores forbidden love in the 20th century. How does it connect to the questions of faith and identity that seem to have followed you around for so long? SH: “I always wanted to write a big, sweeping epic. If you’re providing a big story, though, you also need to be examining big themes. And that’s as big as it gets: love and belief. I don’t think I could write a gay love story set during the 20th century and not think about the way religion had an impact on the lives of queer people. Even people who never went to church, their notions of queerness still would have been shaped by churches and preachers.” VT: As you alluded to earlier, religion can inspire extraordinary compassion but also exclusion and division. How do you reconcile those contradictions? SH: “Organized religion is complex, and it’s easy for us to vilify it or make caricatures of people of faith. But it’s more complicated than that. It’s our job as novelists to explore all those complexities and not operate in absolutes. One of the most interesting things about being human is belief and doubt and everything in between. Most people are either people of faith or they’ve at least grappled with it at some point. It’s a huge part of the human condition, and it needs to be written about.” VT: What did you make of your friend [Kentucky Governor] Andy Beshear’s recent writing on the subject? SH: “Well, I’m really glad to see the governor more forcibly taking on faith. His book [Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country] very much revolves around his faith, and I think especially faith as a means of service, and the way that his faith is such a huge part of him as a public servant and the way it guides him to try to serve others. I just love the way that the book keeps coming back to things like, ‘I am accepting of others because of my faith, not in spite of it.’ Or ‘I welcome the immigrant because of my faith, not in opposition to it.’ I think he’s making a great point about how so much of politics has lost its way and that religion has been weaponized against the very people that Christ so often speaks of helping. When I was growing up, we had such a presence of the religious left. And over the last decade or so, we’ve allowed the right to sort of totally take that, and the left has separated itself from religion and faith to a fault. And so I’m glad to see people like Governor Beshear and James Talarico entangling faith and politics again.” For more information, visit FestivalofFaiths.org. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

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By Jackie Zykan SAGE ADVICE The holiday season is upon us and with it brings so many facets. There are traditions we abide by, there are traditions we question and perhaps permit ourselves to rewrite. Our family structure may have changed, our career or finances may be different, maybe it’s our diet that has shifted and we find ourselves struggling to partake in the comfort of the familiar while maintaining what we need today. This season can be incredibly confronting, both in its forced look at last year versus this one, and in its normalized imposition of our sacred home spaces. Much like anything else this time of year is a quintessential poster child of duality, offering sweet and sour exchanges, expectation versus personal truth, and old versus new. For a number of reasons we may default to the usual dog and pony act, even if just simply to minimize the risk of scrutiny. Traditions are rituals in their own right, and sometimes we let loyalty to the family and civility drive the bus at our own expense. After all, it can require a certain level of audacity to honor what would best serve our minds and bodies in the present moment, particularly if it’s a change from the usual. There is no shame either way. Maybe you’re so burnt out you would rather not have to think about the “how” of doing anything differently. That’s real and valid. Maybe you feel guilty for breaking your less-sugar rule by eating Aunt Edna’s Jell-O salad but feel inclined to do it anyway because somewhere within you want to be seen as polite. It all belongs. Have some grace with yourself and do your best to choose what you need in order to stay in balance, and forgive yourself if you don’t. The world is a bit chaotic to say the least and it’s worth doing whatever you can to keep your wits clean and clear, even when that means just filing in line. It doesn’t require grand gestures to show yourself a little love in the process, every little bit counts. If you are interested in a little assistance, the plant world has support on offer should you choose it. CLEAR THE AIR When we are in high stress mode and have guests entering our homes, boundaries are extremely important. Being able to actually enjoy yourself is important, and not just to save face. Removing the energetic residue of relatives invading your home is important. I said what I said. If I mention the act of “saging your house” you might imagine smoke filled rooms and a robust aroma of burnt leaves. Burning a stick of dried, wrapped sage is a traditional modality, of course, and one that has been relied on for ages to purify the spaces we move through. Turning solids to ethers is in and of itself transformative, but there is more than one way to work with what sage brings to the table. So please don’t turn the page if you’re put off by the idea of smoky hallways. A plant can offer benefits in a variety of ways: teas, aromatherapy, combustion (burning), cooking, sachets, and even simply keeping it around the house and in your awareness. 46 NOV 2026 VOICE-TRIBUNE

GO SMOKELESS It’s important to note that although they are related, that smudge stick is not the same as the culinary sage you’re adding to your holiday recipes. Please don’t unwrap the sage stick you bought at the Grand Canyon gift shop when you run short on herbs for Thanksgiving dinner. Not because the plant won’t get the job done, but because the smudge stick’s intended function was to be burned, not consumed, and there may be compounds present that shouldn’t be ingested. Instead, think of culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) and White Sage (Salvia apiana) as cousins, in a family of hundreds of cousins, whose grandparents are mint plants. “Salvia” means to heal, to be safe, to have good health, and the members of this particular genus all shine in subtly different contexts. Despite the diversity in skills and scents, they all share the same goals (to heal, to be safe, and to have good health). The way in which they do this is by encouraging seeing through a wider, higher, more objective lens free of resentment and padded in mature wisdom. So the effect isn’t so much that your usually obnoxious in-law magically shows up with tact. More so, they show up as they always have but your response to their presence stems from a higher perspective - one which offers them grace in all their intrusive glory and leaves you less drained. All of this to say that you can create a positive space without burning a smudge stick in the kitchen, and even if you can’t stand the smell of burning herbs you can still hang out with this very special plant. Alternatives to work with the energetics of sages could include cooking with sage, making a room spray or diffusing with sage essential oil, dressing platters and centerpieces with abundant leaves, keeping sage hand soap in guest accessed bathrooms, adding sage essential oil to dishwashing soap after meals, even intentionally bringing in sage colored napkins or linens. I could go on for days. However you prefer, sage brings the gift of clearing out dense riff raff to make room for harmony. You need only acknowledge her support and invite her to the party. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of acknowledging plants to work with them. They are their own beings, and they aren’t “used”, they’re invited. And they deserve a thank you note. Handwritten on your finest stationary. With a quill. In gold ink. Sage can be a very powerful medicine and reliable ally when approached with gratitude, much like anything else. So invite her in, beautify your space with her silvery green leaves and crisp herbaceous aroma. Every little bit counts. FRIENDS OF THE COUSINS If you feel inclined to extend the invitation to friends of sage, consider setting a place at the table for these complimentary plants. Remember, you can bring them into the fold through seasonings, aesthetics, essential oils, etc. Rosemary - to boost clearing negativity • Lavender - to bring calm • Citrus - to backfill the cleared space with good spirits VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

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By RUSS BROWN • Photos By Kathryn Harrington • Sponsored One could suggest that Leigh Pittenger is a woman for all seasons or a renaissance woman at Treyton Oak Towers. Her official title is “Fitness, Wellness, and Spiritual Care Coordinator”, but that description hardly does justice to her and the programs she oversees at the nearly 42-year-old senior living facility in Old Louisville. Treyton Oak Towers is something of an anomaly among such establishments. Having a full-time, dedicated wellness director isn’t necessarily the norm in senior living, let alone the wide variety of programs Pittenger now directs since joining the team in March. “Wellness programming is a pillar of life at Treyton Oak Towers, and we weave it into the programs and experiences we offer every day,” said Robert Young, Director of Business Development. “Leigh brings expertise across several areas of wellness, helping us create programs that support residents’ physical, mental and social well-being while encouraging them to stay active and build meaningful connections both inside and outside the community.” Pittenger has the responsibility of running various classes that cover everything from strength training and aquatics to mind exercises that involve movement. She holds classes for independent, personal care/memory care, and skilled (or long-term care) residents, alike. Relying on her studies in divinity, she also offers counseling sessions for residents and employees, along with some chaplaincy-type work such as visiting residents when they are ill. Pittenger offers options for different interests and fitness levels so that residents can choose the activities that feel right for them. A partial list would include: Strength and conditioning to help maintain muscle, mobility and independence; balance and stability training to support confidence in everyday movement; chair fitness and low-impact exercise; Yoga, relaxation and mindfulness-based sessions that create healthy habits and social connection; stretching and flexibility classes to improve range of motion and reduce stiffness. Pittenger, a native of Murfreesboro, Tenn., who has lived in Louisville with her husband for five years, brought a wealth of education, knowledge, and experience to her new, extensive role. Her resume reads like a woman who has led not just one life, but several over a wide range of professions. A sampling: She taught English at a college in Lithuania; worked in the book publishing business as a freelance editor; taught religious studies at Rhodes College and Christian Brothers University, both in Memphis; taught yoga and other fitness classes. Along the way she earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Vanderbilt, a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Middle Tennessee State University. Whew! No wonder Treyton Oak Towers created a broader title for her position. So after all that, what appealed to her about Treyton Oak Towers, a nonprofit Life Plan Community? “I saw an ad for the Treyton Oak Towers position and I was eager for an opportunity to lead yoga and fitness classes again with an older adult population,” Pittenger said. When I came in for the interview, things just seemed to click.

Since they no longer had a chaplain on staff, they thought I might be able to help meet some needs for spiritual care in the community. I was thrilled to land a position that valued my background and skills in different areas and that would allow me to engage with older adults in a variety of ways. I love working with this population at Treyton Oak Towers.” That love and dedication have been reciprocal. Pittenger has found that the residents are dedicated to their exercise classes, even to the point of choosing fitness classes three times a day in several cases. “For those of us who need some encouragement, Leigh brings a sense of camaraderie to her group exercise classes,” said resident Jo Ellen Leonard. “From standard classes to innovative ones on improving balance, backs, and brains, she strives to help us reach our best, healthy selves.” Another resident, Jill Harmer, says Pittenger leads exercise classes with enthusiasm and creativity, adding that “she is a people person. Her two spiritual lectures and discussions on a movie and a book were highly attended and I look forward to her next one. I like this place a lot better with her here.” Pittenger said the residents have been receptive to the new classes she is offering, including “Brain Boost,” “Back Care from the Chair,” “Posture, Breath, and Balance,” along with a book/film discussion group on contemporary spiritual issues. Pittenger said her goals are to help residents (and staff) feel supported in pursuing their own health goals, encouraging them to listen to their own bodies and their own wisdom, and to share their needs with her so she can serve as a better resource. “I want them to know that I care about them as whole persons -body, mind, and spirit,” she said. “I don’t measure ‘fitness’ in terms of meeting some predetermined metric. Rather, I just want to help people enhance their sense of well-being on a daily basis, through movement, breath, self-awareness, and social support.” Despite having been on the Treyton Oak Towers staff for only seven months, Pittenger has already earned the respect and fondness of the residents and has made a strong positive impact on the facility overall. “What we have found in Leigh so far is her passion for teaching,” Young said. “She is just a phenomenal leader to our residents. She is very open to trying new classes and techniques, and is an integral part of our community.”

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CREATING A HOME THAT FITS YOUR NEXT CHAPTER By VOICE-TRIBUNE • Photo By Kampus Production & SHVETS production (Pexels.com)

Moving at any time is a challenge. But the transition to what might be your final home is a special challenge that bears careful consideration. We hope the following tips on how to make the actual move are helpful. Start Early and Take Your Time One of the best ways to make downsizing easier is to begin well before your move is approaching. Starting several weeks or months ahead gives you time to make thoughtful decisions without feeling rushed. Begin with an area that feels manageable, such as a linen closet, kitchen cabinet, or dresser. Sort items into a few simple categories: keep, give to family or friends, donate, sell, and discard. Completing one small space at a time can make the overall process feel much less daunting.

Let Go at Your Own Pace Downsizing can bring up a mix of emotions. It’s perfectly normal to feel excited about a new beginning while also feeling attached to your longtime home and belongings. Give yourself permission to pause when a decision feels difficult. You don’t have to sort through everything in a single day. Ask a family member or trusted friend to help when you need another perspective. Your goal is to create a living space that is comfortable, functional, and filled with things that matter to you. With a little thoughtful planning and plenty of time, downsizing can become a positive step toward a simpler, more manageable home and an enjoyable new chapter in your life.

Focus on What You Use and Love Because you are downsizing you will have to make some hard choices about what to keep. Think about the furniture you use most often and how it might fit into your new space. Take extra time to figure out how to retain those items that bring you the most joy. You can use a ‘to size’ grid to map out how those pieces might fit into your new home. This can be a fun process that you can share with your loved ones. Give Family Members Time to Choose Downsizing can also be a good opportunity to share special belongings with family members. If you have furniture, dishes, photographs, artwork, or other items you would like to pass along, invite loved ones to take a look before the move. You can also have the joy now of giving things away to people who will treasure them into the future. Think About Your New Daily Routine When deciding what to bring, consider what will make everyday life comfortable. You may need fewer kitchen gadgets, seasonal decorations, extra linens, or pieces of furniture than you did in a larger home. Some of your old things may not fit and, though it will be difficult to let them go, you can. Having to choose new things that fit the space better can be a fun and rewarding experience that will make your new home feel even more yours. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

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By: Alison Cardoza • Photos By Matt Johnson • Sponsored Tracy Green didn’t start running because she dreamed of qualifying for Boston or representing Team USA. She started because, at 21 years old, she couldn’t make it to her third-floor college classes without getting winded - and she found that more than a little embarrassing. A Couch to 5K program seemed like a reasonable solution. When the training plan eventually called for her to run two miles without stopping, she didn’t think it was possible - until she did it. That moment changed the course of her life. Nearly 20 years later, Tracy has completed 16 marathons and qualified for the Boston Marathon each time. She set a personal best of 2:57:03 at the 2016 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, finishing ninth overall among more than 1,700 women. She later discovered the run-bike-run duathlon and has since qualified for Team USA multiple times. Most recently, she earned an age-group podium finish at the 2026 USA Triathlon National Championships and will represent Team USA at the 2027 Standard Distance Duathlon World Championships in Edmonton. But ask Tracy what running has given her, and race results aren’t the first thing she’ll mention. Running carried her through divorce, career changes, injuries, marriage, and the uncertainty that comes with every new chapter. It introduced her to lifelong friends, led her to her husband, Chris - a 3:03 marathoner and three-time Ironman finisher - and ultimately inspired her to pursue a career helping others discover confidence through movement. For the past 10 years, Tracy has taught Pilates at Baptist Health Milestone Wellness Center, where she also teaches barre and indoor cycling. Inspired by longtime instructor Sue Schoenberger, Tracy became an instructor because she wanted to create the same welcoming, encouraging atmosphere that had first inspired her. Today, she strives to make every participant - from first-timers to seasoned athletes - feel that they belong. She also coaches with Personal Best Training, helping runners pursue goals ranging from completing their first 5K to competing at the highest levels of endurance sports. Tracy works professionally in public relations, but she believes movement has been the thread connecting every chapter of her life. Whether she is navigating one of life’s biggest transitions, recovering from an injury, or pursuing a new athletic goal, running reminds her that she is capable of more than she imagined. Today, that same belief shapes how she teaches, coaches, and competes. She believes movement has the power to transform lives - not because everyone will become a marathoner or qualify for a world championship, but because everyone deserves the opportunity to discover that they are stronger, more resilient, and more capable than they think. At Baptist Health Milestone Wellness Center, we believe every form of exercise has the power to improve health, relieve stress, and bring people together. Running is one of the simplest ways to improve overall health because it trains several systems at once, including the heart, lungs, muscles, bones, and nervous system. Alison Cardoza - ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and FiTOUR Group Exercise Instructor at Baptist Health Milestone Wellness Center. Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, with a minor in Health Promotion, from the University of Louisville. Former University of Louisville Ladybird and NFL Indianapolis Colts cheerleader. VOICE-TRIBUNE NOV 2026

Ekezie Obinna: Cards’ rising star

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EKEZIE, TEAMMATES SHOW EARLY SIGNS OF FINAL FOUR CALIBER By RUSS BROWN • Photo by Taris Smith, University of Louisville Athletics.

During the offseason, Pat Kelsey gave Card Nation plenty of reason for optimism about the outlook for his third Louisville men’s basketball team by landing one of the top five transfer portal classes in the nation. And now, with the 2026-27 season just getting underway, U of L’s fan base is fired up even more after watching the Cardinals, ranked No. 11 in the AP preseason poll, take down No. 17 Kansas 89-83 in Allen Fieldhouse last month. That snapped the Jayhawks’ 58-game winning streak in exhibitions on their homecourt and delivered a message to the college basketball world about the Cardinals potential to reach the Final Four for the first time since the 2013 national championship. “I love the progress we’re making, love the way the team’s coming together,” Kelsey said. “It’s a fun group to coach. We’re so connected. We talk to each other, we help each other out. It’s almost like everybody’s a coach on the floor. Our mindset is to have an elite team this year.” No less an authority than Hall of Fame coach and former Louisville coach Rick Pitino has the Cards on his short list as a serious title contender. “Louisville is one of the teams that I put, out of like 12 teams, that could win a national championship this year,” said Pitino, who is now the coach at St. John’s. “They’re one of those.” Kelsey has 11 new players consisting of eight transfers and three true freshmen, with guard Adrian Wooley the only returnee from last year. Big, strong teams dominated U of L’s undersized interior players last season, so Kelsey took steps to rectify that shortcoming with a roster built for size, athleticism, speed and physicality.” “There’s no question that we were intentional this year as to how we built our roster,” Kelsey said. “There was an emphasis on defense and rebounding and improving our rim protection and our length and our overall physicality without losing our offensive firepower as well.” The cornerstone of the group is 6-foot-9 Kansas transfer Flory Bidunga, the 2026 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, but 7-2 freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr. stole the spotlight at Kansas. The Nigerian native who played high school basketball in Kokomo, Ind. collected 16 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks in only 19 minutes. Kansas coach Bill Self observed that Ekezie “blocked every shot with his elbow or his armpit.” Perhaps most impressive, though, is that Ekezie stepped out to the top of the circle to hit 4-of-6 3-pointers, a skill few players his size, if any, have in their arsenal and one that will seriously challenge opposing big men trying to defend him. “Obi was unbelievable,” Kelsey said. “His rim protection, five blocks, made big, timely threes. A freshman in that environment to have that type of calm, that type of poise, is pretty impressive.”

“I feel he has more room to grow,” Bidunga said of Ekezie. “He has more to show y’all.” Bidunga got into early foul trouble and finished with just five points and three rebounds, but Kelsey praised his “masterful” defense. In addition to Ekezie, guard Jackson Shelstad, showed he is going to be a key addition for the Cards with a versatile performance that included 23 points, four rebounds, three steals, and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Self called Ekezie and Shelstad the two best players on the court in a game that featured plenty of talent on both sides. “I think this team can be the best team in the country,” Shelstad said. “If we just bring it every day and really reach our full potential, buy into what coaches are telling us, stick together, I think we can do some special things.” The Cardinals won’t face another major test until traveling to Memphis on Nov. 15 to take on the Tigers. After that, there are plenty of challenges ahead, including the loaded Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas Thanksgiving week, a home game against Texas, games against Kentucky on the road, and reigning national champion Michigan in Detroit. “We’re going the risky route a little bit,” Kelsey said of the nonconference schedule. “We’re not shying away. It ain’t always going to be pretty. But I think at the end of the day we have a resilient group.” The Cardinals were picked to finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the preseason poll, behind Duke and Virginia. They’ll open their league slate at Virginia Tech on Dec. 30. “If you can win this conference, you can win a national championship,” Kelsey said. “We’re excited about competing for that.” National championships aren’t won in exhibition games in October, and we’ll find out more about U of L in the months ahead. But any Cardinal fan will tell you that the future certainly looks bright.

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ANGELS WATCH OVER & PLEASE DON’T MUCK IT UP By Connie Vice

ANGELS WATCH OVER (Left) A collage of paper generated from National Geographic pages, on a 12”x12” birch box, with triple thick gloss glaze.

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A LEGACY OF SERVICE SINCE 1890 Since the pandemic, The Woman's Club of Louisville has given close to half a million dollars to groups and those in need, with a focus on women and children in our community.

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