The Voices of Winchester: A Night of Storytelling

THE VOICES OF WINCHESTER

A Note

Everyone has a story.

At our core, humans are storytellers. We have told stories since the beginning of time; it’s how we’ve connected, how we’ve learned, how we’ve celebrated , how we’ve grieved, how we’ve laughed...

Stories hold so much power. A good story can inspire us or challenge us. A great story can move us to act, to make change.

We want to harness the power of storytelling to do all that AND more.

It all started nearly a year ago, Pete Koutoulas and Chuck Witt started WinCity Media as an outlet, a way to scratch their creative itch. It drew more folks looking to do the same, and we’ve grown into this wonderful collective of creatives sharing their stories with the world.

But as we began to approach our one-year anniversary, we’ve taken a hard look at who we are as an organization, what we do, and where we’re headed.

And we’re so excited to soon share with you an exciting announcement, a result of that deep reflection.

We hope that you will join us and support us as we begin to write this new chapter.

But for now, sit back, relax and enjoy the power of a good story. Thank you so much for coming.

WinCity Media Event Committee

Order of Events

“Rocket Boys” told by Pete Koutoulas

“Covid, YouTube, and WCN&V” by Jeff Brandt

“Where’s My GPS?” by Joyce Morton

“A West Coast Adventure” by Ron Kibbey

“Glimmers of Hope” by Erin Smith

“Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace” by Harry Enoch

“No Spandex Required” by Mike Caldwell

“Uncle Jim” by Chuck Witt

Koutoulas & Chuck Witt

Artists

SueZ Early

SueZ is an artist from FUNchester, Kentucky. She works with fibers making handmade & cast paper pieces. She sometimes teaches class making rolled paper beads and Dada Poetry. She also knits and crochets scarves & dish clothes. She has Happy Hands.

Adra Fischer

Adra makes art for fun, and over the years she has experimented with mosaics, stained glass, ceramics, photography, and painting. Lately she has been on a watercolors-pensand-acrylics kick. Adra never knows what will happen when she goes into her room, turn on the music, and sit down with my materials. Adra makes art to relax, to challenge and amuse herself, to channel creative energy, to see what she’s capable of. The process of making something is more important to her than the outcome, but a pleasing outcome is always nice.

Artists

Nancy Gift

Nancy, a member of Better Together, Winchester, originally from Lexington, is a professor of Sustainability and Environmental Studies at Berea College, and spouse of Father Jim Trimble. She and Jim have three college-age children and a menagerie of pets.

Nancy has the following art on display: Can Dew Kentucky (2019), Robe Mountain Farm (2019), Kayaking at Owsley Fork Reservoir (2019), Great Blue Heron (2019), Desert flowers (2021) and Garden flowers (2021). The map of Kentucky was one of the few surviving artworks from the ground floor of her home by the Kentucky River.

Mischelle Page Hodgkin

Marion Cecil introduced Mischelle to hooking rugs and Betty Hatler introduced her to rug hooking camps, which enabled her to learn from teachers across the United States and Canada.

Her featured piece is a likeness of Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, which won an award in Celebration, a publication honoring the best of hooked projects. It is hooked by hand with hand dyed 100 percent wool.

Artists

Lisa Johns

Lisa is a librarian and school teacher. She first began rug hooking with her friend, Anna Bruce Kostelnik through Fayette County’s Extension office program classes. They were taught by Genevieve Patterson.

Since 1995, Lisa has been to various hook-ins and attended many camps. Through the experience of rug hooking, she has met many friends and has found solace in the pulling of wool strips and making art in the wool.

Wes Moody

Wes is a landscape and nature photographer. Often, he couples photography with hiking, another favorite activity. With few exceptions, the photos are unplanned and are inspired by the moment as he experiences it. Wes strives to create images that invite the viewer into the moment, but leave room for their own thoughts and feelings about it.

Chuck Witt

Chuck is a poet, artist, photographer. His featured works are a variety of acrylic paintings. While some are realistic, Chuck much prefers more impressionistic work as it allows for more freedom of expression. His more realistic works try to deal with shadow and shade and color combinations.

Storytellers

order of appearance)

Pete Koutoulas

Pete is an IT professional working in Lexington. Formerly of Campton, he and his wife have lived in Winchester since 2015. Pete is a former weekly newspaper publisher and former columnist for the Winchester Sun.

These days, when not working he can often be found on his back porch reading or writing, in the backyard tending to his tomato plants, or puttering around in his garage or workshop.

Jeff Brandt

Jeff has been a music fan since the age of 7 when the album Meet the Beatles hit the streets.

He grew up in Hoptown and went to college at UK a couple of times. He retired in 2016 and is currently amassing his music collection. Jeff says he loves being retired but is tired of quarantining.

Joyce Morton

Joyce is a wife, mother of three, grandmother of eight, and a community activist.

Storytellers

Ron Kibbey

Ron grew up in Southeast Baltimore, spent three and a half years living in the High Desert in California, and came to Winchester when his VW Beetle broke down here on a cross-country drive to Vermont. He has lived here and worked as a social worker since 1973. Though he retired in 2013, he remains active as a community volunteer on various boards, coalitions, and committees.

His passions include the woods and nature, music, books, and classic movies (especially Laurel & Hardy).

Erin Smith

Erin wants everyone to slow down, eat real food, move their bodies, go outside, and hit the pillow

a little earlier for a more purposeful existence. She is a published writer, yoga teacher, and mindfulness coach.

When she’s not standing on her head or typing on her trusty laptop, you’ll find her reading, playing guitar, enjoying a glass of bourbon, or snuggling on the couch with her people and pets.

Storytellers

Harry Enoch

Harry is a Mt. Sterling native who has lived in Clark County since1999. He has a passion for the past and has researched and written extensively about the history of this area.

Mike Caldwell

Growing up in eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio, Mike is an award-winning journalist with nearly two decades experience creating content for community news organizations. He and his wife, Rae, live in Winchester with their two teenage daughters.

Chuck Witt

Chuck was a columnist for The Winchester Sun for 13 years. During that time, he produced 459 columns. He is the creator of Michael Tate, assassin with soul, and creator of Jake and me. He is also working on a series called “Walt and Ram.” Chuck is a poet, artist, photographer…and all around pretty nice guy.