Today's Woman February 2021

Love.

Laugh.

Louisville.

MENTAL HEALTH CHECKS HEART HEALTH

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FEBRUARY 2021

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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contents FEBRUARY 2021

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features 14 Connecting Around Food Cook a meal, and make new memories.

26 Creating a Life You Want To Live Julie Geer says it starts with staying true to yourself.

32 Heart Health Supplement Stay on top of your game by taking care of your heart.

l Drink Specials

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Wake up to a glass of healthy goodness.

spotlights ENCOURAGE

4 Manifesto 20 Feeling bad, help someone 33 “I am bigger than this” INFORM

6 Today’s Woman In The Now 24 A guide to find therapy 32 Should I hire home health care + Care and Service Directory

34 29 Things: Happenings, news, and tidbits

that caught Today’s Woman’s eye this month

ON THE COVER: Lori Cheek has an unbreakable spirit that has sustained her through some tough times. Find out how she continues to stand strong — and keep smiling.

Photo by Melissa Donald Makeup by Amber Himes, IG @amberhimesbeauty

INSPIRE

18 It’s been my lifeline: I’m extremely stubborn

3 0 Say “yes” first: It’s how I learn new things LIFESTYLE

38 Treat yourself for Galentine’s 40 A winter escape for your kids

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Today’s Woman / February 2021

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FEB. 2021 | VOL. 31 | NO. 3

Today’s Woman February Manifesto

PUBLISHER Cathy S. Zion publisher@todaysmedianow.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anita Oldham editor@todaysmedianow.com

LOOKING FOR… A CHANGE. A REFRESH. A CHALLENGE. A MOVE. A RESTART. “When you work, and you plan, and you organize, and it turns out how you imagine, it helps your confidence.” (p. 14) “I always push myself to step outside my comfort zone and in return find ways to learn from the outcome.” (p. 26) “The key has been learning more about how my particular brain works and working with her instead of against her.” (p. 30) Read our Mental Health Checks throughout the magazine.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Tiffany White tiffany@todaysmedianow.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR April Allman april@todaysmedianow.com DESIGN DIRECTOR Jill Cobb jill@todaysmedianow.com PHOTO DIRECTOR/PHOTOGRAPHER Melissa Donald melissa@todaysmedianow.com CAMPAIGN MANAGER Jessica Alyea jessica@todaysmedianow.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lindsay McDonald lindsay@todaysmedianow.com OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Scheri Stewart Mullins scheri@todaysmedianow.com SENIOR MEDIA CONSULTANTS Susan Allen susan@todaysmedianow.com Teri Hickerson teri@todaysmedianow.com Joyce Inman joyce@todaysmedianow.com CIRCULATION MANAGER W. Earl Zion Today’s Woman is published monthly by: Zion Publications, LLC 9780 Ormsby Station Road, Suite 1400 Louisville, KY 40223 Phone: 502.327.8855 TodaysWomanNow.com TodaysMediaNow.com The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the publisher. Today’s Woman magazine does not endorse or guarantee any advertiser’s product or service. Copyright 2020

by Zion Publications LLC, all rights reserved.

Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited without permission from Zion Publications LLC.

ADVERTISE: Call 502.327.8855 or email advertising@todaysmedianow.com.

REPRINTS: Call 502.327.8855 or email reprints@todaysmedianow.com.

SUBSCRIBE: Send $18 to the above address for 12 monthly issues.

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Today’s Woman / February 2021

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I N T H E N OW inform

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inspire

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encourage

“Little did I know when I presented Tawana with her Most Admired Woman framed print in June that she would become my successor,” Cathy Zion.

TURNING A PAGE The year 2021 has stormed in with its changes, challenges, and cheers. And Today’s Woman has experienced them all. After two months of vetting prospects and interviewing finalists, we have reached an agreement with Tawana Bain to purchase Today’s Woman!

“As an entrepreneur who has given birth to several businesses, I understand the significance of entrusting a new set of hands to take on something that you have invested so significantly in. Suffice that to say, the dedication and ground work you have laid will not go in vain,” she said in her letter of intent to me. “I am prepared and more than equipped to ensure your vision and legacy live on.

Moreover, I am confident my skill set, passion and future endeavors in the digital world makes my organization the perfect home for it to blossom further.”

Tawana was our 2020 Most Admired Woman Winner in the Fashion category. She has always dreamed of owning a magazine that empowers women so this was a perfect fit for her. As CEO of TBAIN & CO. Tawana manages business development, market research initiatives, and strategic direction of the firm.

Tawana’s leadership skills have led her enterprise to receive National Recognition and Minority Supplier of the Year for Supplier Excellence by NMSDC, Regional Supplier of the Year by TSMSDC, and the Diversity Excellence Award by One Southern Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

In short, she’s a mom, an aunt, a friend, a woman business owner, and a passionate advocate for women. I am excited about the future opportunities that Tawana will present for our followers and advertisers, and I can’t wait for you to get to know her.

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Today’s Woman / February 2021

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DRINK SPECIALS

By Lindsay McDonald Photos by Melissa Donald

Raise a glass to good health this year: from superfoodinspired cocktails to immune-boosting smoothies, we’ve found some top local choices for great healthy drinks.

See where to find the Modica Cocktail Mixer on page 10.

Berry Rosemary Margarita • 2 blackberries • 1 sprig rosemary • 1.5 oz Modica Cucumber Aloe Margarita Mix • 1.5 oz 100% agave tequila • 1 tbsp salt mixed with 1 tbsp Tajin (optional) Instructions: Rub the rim of a rocks glass with a lime wedge and dip in the Tajin salt.

Muddle blackberries and rosemary sprig in a cocktail shaker.

Add Modica, tequila, ice, and shake.

Strain into the rocks glass and add ice. Garnish with blackberry and rosemary sprig.

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Today’s Woman / February 2021

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CHEERS! Berry Rosemary Margarita

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Meal Smoothie

Modica’s Cocktail Mixers combine superfood ingredients, vitamins, and antioxidants with less sugar for an easy-to-make cocktail or mocktail.

With 200 calories, 24g protein, and 21 vitamins and minerals, this meal replacement smoothie packs a healthy punch and is a great breakfast or lunch substitute.

(from page 8)

$14, Cucumber Aloe Margarita Superfood Cocktail Mix makes 10 cocktails Modica, drinkmodica.com

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$7, Broadway Nutrition 502.509.1794

Turmeric Tea This hot brewed tea offers a zesty blend of turmeric, ginger, citrus, and licorice root that will warm your insides while providing a boost to your immune system. $9/50g Louisville Tea Company louisvilleteacompany.com

Matcha Green Superfood Smoothie

Berry Good Boosted Tea

This immune-boosting smoothie is rich in polyphenols, which have been linked to heart health, blood sugar regulation, and anti-aging.

Tasty and naturally caffeinated, enjoy pre or post workout!

Boost your energy, metabolism, and mental focus with this healthy, high energy drink that contains green tea, B-vitamin energy boost, and aloe vera.

5-pack for $60, shipped LifeBar, thelifebar.com

$6, Bullitt Blends 502.414.4012

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Turmeric Tea

(left, where to find on page 11)

Ginseng Green Iced Tea (middle)

This light and fruity Chinese sencha is wellblended with dried ginseng root, peach, and citrus. Green tea has many health benefits and is known to improve cognitive function, decrease inflammation, lower cholesterol, and boost your immune system. $8/50g, Louisville Tea Company louisvilleteacompany.com

Radiant Iced Tea (right)

Give yourself a healthy glow with skin nourishing herbs including coriander, mint, nettle, ginger, lemongrass, and rooibos. This herbal tea offers a sweet blend of spice and mint and is caffeine-free. $8/50g, Louisville Tea Company louisvilleteacompany.com

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TASTY TEAS

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connecting around food

By Tonilyn Hornung Photos by Melissa Donald

“Cooking food is all about building community and sharing,” says Vanessa Goode, Southern Indiana-based Instructor/Chef.

Her love of cooking, creating her own delectable recipes, and passing on this knowledge not only feeds her friends and family, but also caters to her creative zest. “It’s not only what I do for a living, but also my hobby and my passion.”

Vanessa grew up in Lima, Peru, and spent her teenage years traveling between Lima and Canada. Before submerging herself in her college studies, she decided to travel. She saw how deep connections were created when people shared their stories around a dining table. So she changed her original major in the medical field and followed her passion instead. “I immersed myself in an intensive course, and I enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu Institute. It was wonderful,” Vanessa says.

At the Lima-based Le Cordon Bleu, an international chain of hospitality and culinary schools specializing in teaching French cuisine, Vanessa entered an intensive three-year program where some of her training included wine pairing, nutrition, and courses in pastry making, all under the tutelage of international instructors. After studying at this top culinary school, Vanessa gained experience in numerous first-rate restaurants before settling in Indiana.

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Vanessa slices pieces of her La Galette de Rois, the French version of a King Cake. The dessert is made using custard and sautéed apples.

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Believing in the sentiment “everything leads to food and the building of community,” Vanessa shares her cooking expertise with several different local organizations. She works with MESA, A Collaborative Kitchen, which features demonstrations by Southern Indiana and Louisville chefs. For Vanessa, this is an environment that allows her to display her talent and “keep up my skills and open up to new concepts.”

Vanessa also teaches nutrition, basic cookery, and introduction to the culinary industry at Prosser Career Education Center in New Albany, Indiana, to students from 21 area high schools. Vanessa passes on her over 20 years of culinary experience and looks forward to “time in the lab” introducing the students to traditional skills like preparing croissants by hand or learning how to debone a fish.

Vanessa tries to impart to her students that it’s this one-on-one time in the kitchen that creates the best memories. One of her early and best memories is making bread with her grandmother.

“It’s all those memories that you share and then later on you try to recreate those things. I cook to bring those memories back,” Vanessa says.

“It’s all those memories that you share and then later on you try to recreate those things.

I cook to bring those memories back.”

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If you’re interested in bringing out some old family recipes or creating some new family memories but the mere thought of holding a measuring cup scares you, fear not. “If you can read, you can cook,” Vanessa says. Following recipes is one way to feel grounded in your abilities. When you want to get creative on your own, Vanessa suggests starting simple. Begin with foods you like and ask yourself, “How do you make it ‘you’? How do you make it your own creation?”

If you’re an established at-home-chef seeking inspiration, Vanessa finds ideas from pictures of food, experiences, or simply wanting to try a new technique. “I’m always cooking whether I’m working or not. I’m always learning,” Vanessa says. “Being creative — it’s peaceful and then it’s rewarding,” because she can share her inventions with family or even (on occasion) her next-door neighbors.

Chef Vanessa’s love of “bringing people together” motivates her and the creative process keeps her coming back for seconds.

Vanessa says, “It’s very intimate — a good meal. When you forget about time and you just enjoy that moment creating new memories.”

MENTALHEALTHCHECK

• “ I always felt like being productive is a lot better than being self-destructive.”

• “ Whether I’m in the kitchen making

something new and it turns out great, or there’s a lot of trial and error, I stick with it.

When it finally turns out like I want — that’s a confidence boost. It’s a confidence boost when you get something accomplished.”

• “ Especially now, people didn't know they

had all this time and they didn't know how to spend their time with the people in their own homes. Take time to spend time with the people around you.”

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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IT’S BEEN MY LIFELINE:

I’M EXTREMELY STUBBORN

By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Photo submitted

T

aylorsville, Kentucky, native Lori Cheek was featured in Today’s Woman’s February 2011 issue, sharing about her newly created dating website Cheekd, which also provided subscribers with eye-catching calling cards to hand to captivating strangers they encountered in everyday (or night) life.

Each card had a different ‘cheeky’ phrase, i.e., ‘I’m totally cooler than your date,’ ‘I’m hitting on you,’ and Cheek’s personal favorite: ‘I just put all my drinks on your tab.’

Almost 10 years later, Cheek, after 25 years in New York, has relocated to the Nulu neighborhood of Louisville — her move mostly prompted by the social distancing requirements of COVID-19 stopping Cheekd in its tracks.

Every time I’ve seen a photo of her anywhere in the 10 years since we last spoke, it seems that no matter what professional knocks life has thrown at her since 2010 (i.e., repeated patented lawsuits by the same person), to me this is a woman whose gaze exudes ‘I NEVER give up...no matter what.’ Cheek’s unsuccessful 2014 appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank is a perfect example of something that would have psychologically crushed many potential business entrepreneurs, but not her.

“I’ve got a laser-focused vision to succeed, and will do almost anything to keep my business flourishing,” Cheek says. “As long as I can remember, I’ve been extremely stubborn — an unfortunate characteristic, which has ultimately been my lifeline while bringing my vision to life. When most people would have quit, I only hustled harder. I could be the walking poster child for the age-old statement ‘what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.’”

As to her business goals from her new home base, she says, “My plan is to consult/mentor startups in Louisville and to help develop the local startup ecosystem, as I see so much potential and feel as if I have so much to contribute. In the meantime, I’ll be working on a pivot to my existing dating app and have a stellar new app idea based on my own experience being new in town here and trying to network/meet new people in a somewhat unsocial time of purposefully distancing.”

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“Physical fitness has been a savior for my mental health while enduring these continuous debilitating legal attacks over the past several years. The only thing I had left to fight for was my mind and health.”

— Lori Cheek of Cheekd

Cheek has also been lecturing for over nine years. “Sharing my journey and inspiring other aspiring entrepreneurs has become a newfound mission of mine,” she says. “As I’ve personally been trying to revolutionize the world of online dating by introducing real world social interaction back into the mix, I know it takes guts to put yourself out there, whether trying to work up the courage to approach a perfect stranger, or start something from scratch and put it all on the table in broad daylight for everyone to see your struggles, mistakes, and failures. It’s that fear of rejection...the fear of humiliation, that holds most of us back,” she adds, before concluding, “One of the Great Masters of our time, George Addair, said it best — Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”

MENTALHEALTHCHECK

• “ My secret to happiness is starting

each day with a thankful heart and as soon as I wake up, I start the coffee maker then I roll out my yoga mat and do 30 pushups, 100 sit-ups and 3 rounds of one minute planks followed by a quick stretch. It takes less than 20 minutes and not only does it get my heart pumping and immediately wake me up, it gives me a calm start to the day! Then I grab my coffee, crack open my laptop and begin the entrepreneurial grind already 200 calories lighter! So first thing in the morning, I’m already feeling healthier, stronger, and motivated to conquer the day with a fresh mind and body.”

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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HELPING FAMILIES NAVIGATE DISABILITIES

Feeling Bad, Help Someone

By Carrie Vittitoe

O

ne of the best ways to help get your mind off your own troubles is to help someone else. Whether you wish to volunteer regularly or occasionally, these nonprofits can always benefit from committed helpers.

Since 1952, The Council on Developmental Disabilities has helped families navigate the complex world of disability from birth to end of life. The nonprofit’s mission is to educate developmentally disabled individuals and their families.

Parents learn about special education assessments and the creation of children’s individualized education plans (IEPs), while disabled teens and adults receive valuable life and employment skills training. The Council informs families about wills, trusts, and guardianships/ conservatorships. Additionally, the organization works on public advocacy to ensure developmentally disabled individuals’ rights are protected. As the mom of an autistic child, Family Outreach Coordinator Sara Beth McCrady experienced firsthand how the Council could help and empower her. When a Council staff member told her, “I got you.

Breathe; it’s OK now,” it changed her life. “That phrase has stuck with me forever so now I tell people that: ‘It’s OK; you can breathe now.’ We understand, and we’re going to help get you what you need,” she says.

Shannon Masterson is a private practice occupational therapist and educational consultant who has been volunteering as a grant writer with the Council. “We have really similar missions. It’s easy to work with people who are headed in the same direction as you,” she says. One of the grants she is working on is to provide sensory boxes to families. “I feel really good about being able to offer sensory rich experiences that are affordable and easy.”

WISHLIST COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES councilondd.org

• Feedback from families on what they need during COVID-19 • Funding and grants

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Today’s Woman / February 2021

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ORIENTING REFUGEES

Photos bvy Melissa Donald

For 30 years, Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) has provided initial and long-term services for refugees and immigrants. Offering English as a second Language (ESL) classes, employment services, cultural orientation, medical and mental health services, and citizenship preparation, KRM strives to provide for the entire family. When immigration rates fell at the start of 2016, KRM was devastated, but Family and Youth Services Manager Adrienne Eisenmenger says, “that’s what allowed us to do more long-term services for people and to focus more on the people who have already arrived. We also get a lot of secondary migrants to Louisville. [The city is one of the top cities for Congolese refugees].”

Tricia Hackworth walked past KRM frequently and decided it would be a great way for her to meet people after moving to Louisville just over a year ago with her husband, Louisville FC head coach John Hackworth. She has volunteered with KRM’s new baby program, its welcome home program, its food bank, and as a tutor for children. “I’ve gotten way more than I’ve given, and it’s been a highlight for me this past year. It's so rewarding for me to set up a home for a family that is just getting here and is probably terrified of what the next day is going to hold. Knowing they get to climb into a bed that’s made and rest their heads. I love that,” she says.

WISHLIST KENTUCKY REFUGEE MINISTRIES WARMING UP THE CITY In 2003 when their children were in elementary school, Kathy and Steve Fehder wanted to find a service project that was simple for the kids. It didn’t take long to land on the idea of collecting new and gently used blankets for the homeless. The goal that first year was to collect 200 blankets, but they doubled that. With this success, they reached out to other schools, and in the second year, collected 1,000 blankets; the third year’s total was 2,500.

“We went from [the kids’] school as this small, grassroots service project to a community project with all the schools, different organizations, WISHLIST BLANKET LOUISVILLE and churches,” Kathy says. blanketlouisville.org There have been some winter seasons where they’ve been • Volunteers to pick up able to gather 10,000 blankets blankets from individuals, to distribute to people in need. schools, and hospitals Jenna Wheelock became a • Additional storage space Blanket Louisville volunteer • Website design and when her children’s Cub social media help Scout troop collected blankets several years ago.

Her volunteering with the nonprofit increased when she became a den mother, and it continued last year when Dunn Elementary School, where Jenna’s children attend, did a compassion project in conjunction with Blanket Louisville. “We [collected] over 600 blankets just last year,” she says. “I’ve had such an easy time engaging kids over it because they get blankets and understand people being cold.”

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kyrm.org

• Gift cards • Volunteers (to set up apartments, tutor children) • Donations (household items, clothing, school supplies)

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A GUIDE TO

FIND THERAPY Compiled by Lindsay McDonald

When we encounter difficult times in our lives, there are places that offer support and resources for whatever we might be facing. Below are a few places that offer free and/or low cost therapy options.

“...IT IS IMPORTANT TO OFFER QUALITY THERAPY AT NO CHARGE TO PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING ANXIETY, ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES OF HIGH STRESS.” — SAYS BETH SEEGER TROY, CLINICAL DIRECTOR, LOUISVILLE SEMINARY COUNSELING CENTER CAREGIVER ACTION NETWORK is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for the more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age. The Caregiver Help Desk is a free resource staffed by caregiving experts who can help caregivers find the information they need to navigate any caregiving challenges. The Caregiver Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 8am-7pm. caregiveraction.org Caregiver Help Desk: 855.227.3640 LOUISVILLE SEMINARY COUNSELING CENTER is a training center staffed by masters level marriage and family therapy students. Those students provide therapy for individuals, couples, families, adults, children, and adolescents. All sessions are being offered for free via tele-health during the pandemic. The Counseling Center is open and affirming to all persons and is spiritually sensitive to all faiths and beliefs. lpts.edu/community-services/lscc/ To request an appointment, call 502.894.2293.

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NAMI LOUISVILLE is dedicated to educating consumers, family members, professionals, and the general public to dispel myths and misperceptions about mental illness. Its programs and services are aimed toward eradicating the stigma of mental illness, enhancing the hope of recovery, and improving the quality of life for those in the Louisville area whose lives are affected by serious mental illness.

It offers free classes, support groups, presentations, video creation, and youth and workplace support and programming.

All programming is currently available virtually. namilouisville.org 24-Hour Crisis & Information Center Line: 502.589.4313 THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE is a national network of local crisis centers that provides 24/7 free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress . The centers are committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness. suicidepreventionlifeline.org Prevention Hotline: 800.273.8255

SEVEN COUNTIES SERVICES provides mental health services to people in the Louisville Metro area. It helps those who struggle with addiction, anxiety, depression, or who simply need a support system. sevencounties.org 24/7 Adult Crisis Line: 502.589.4313 THE CENTER FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES provides trauma-informed advocacy and support for individuals, families, and communities affected by intimate partner violence and sexual assault. The Center operates a 24-hour, 365-day crisis phone line for immediate safety planning and assistance. thecenteronline.org Crisis Phone Line: 844.237.2331 SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN CHURCH offers a wide range of support groups open to the community and available at several local campuses. It hosts in-person groups, as well as Encounter groups that meet virtually on Monday nights. southeastchristian.org/ministries/care Contact the Care Ministry at Southeast at 502.253.8400 for more details.

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creating a life you want to live

By Megan M. Seckman Photo by Destiny Smith Photography

Fortune cookies and hearts reveal their truths by being cracked open.

So did Julie Geer, 27, owner and operator of Assist by Julie, an a la carte wedding and event planning company that is allowing Julie to finally reach her potential and fulfill her passion.

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Assist by Julie was birthed by its owner experiencing a series of cracks that changed the course of her life. Her journey began when she decided to take the bold leap and leave her close-knit New York family to go to college in the wild midwestern land of Indiana. “I needed to get out of my bubble,” Julie says. “My parents wanted me to stay close, but we compromised because we all knew I would be right back in New York as soon as my four years were over.”

Julie was excited about the prospects of a different environment, but instead, was greeted with a hefty dose of culture shock. “I grew up in a Jewish community, but at IU, there were so many people that had never even seen a Jew. It was eye-opening; my bubble burst wide open. It was the first time I had ever felt uncomfortable in a social setting.”

Still, Julie was able to complete her hospitality course work and was eager to graduate and return home. But like our best laid plans, sometimes they just don’t pan out. During her senior year she fell in love with a boy from Kentucky that would soon become her husband. He was going to intern in Chicago after graduation, so Julie followed him there. “I applied to jobs in Chicago, but that was a struggle,” Julie says. She soon landed a management position in a large retail chain, but Julie recalls, “I came home crying every day for three months. I was miserable. It was so embarrassing being in a new city and trying to make everyone proud and feeling like a failure. My siblings were successful in corporate America, my friends were all flourishing, and I found myself in a new city, jobless.”

Shortly after, Julie found a new job in a large hotel chain where she managed events and marketing. She loved it and life seemed to be opening up … until the hotel chain was sold to a company and her position was eliminated. This experience led to another position in hospitality that proved itself to be toxic.

Photo by Lang Thomas Photography “I felt so ashamed. I didn’t know how to handle the emotion,” Julie recalls.

In order to reboot and reinvent herself, Julie decided to join AmeriCorps. She worked one year in an elementary school on the west side of Chicago and fell in love. But then she and her new husband relocated to Louisville, where he was to run his family’s business. Julie didn’t see Louisville as being part of her journey, but she was down three jobs and wanted to give back and feel good about herself again, So, she applied to Spalding’s MAT program and pursued a career in special education.

“I wanted a career where I could go home every day and feel proud of myself,” Julie says. But soon, feelings of disappointment set in again. Julie was once again lonely in the profession, feeling like a cultural outsider and isolated.

Last March, COVID-19 hit and Julie found herself with the unique opportunity to rebrand herself yet again. “I had so much time at home I started filling the void. I would teach online during the day and then stay up until 3am creating my business

“My journey has not been linear, but I’ve learned everyone has their own timeline.”

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plan for Assist by Julie. Quarantine gave me the time and reflection needed to do the inner-work of finding my ‘thing.’”

When Julie married the previous year, she had realized a niche market in the industry. During the pandemic, couples were still marrying and spending money on event planning, businesses were not. While filling her void through business planning, Julie realized a void within the industry: Full-time wedding planners are exorbitantly expensive, and the alternative, day-of planners, don’t provide enough services. Julie’s business offers a hybrid of these two models for couples that want a little DIY in their planning, but need consultation and assistance for certain services like venue booking, catering, design, etc.

Julie soon found herself able to work remotely with clients in Louisville, Lexington, and New York.

Julie’s price-point matches the budget of those in Kentucky while her urban and modern New York style draws her customers away from the customary southern, farmhouse styles represented here. All of her wrong-turns — moving to the foreign midwest, suffering through unfulfilling jobs, and teaching — ended up inspiring her business and ultimate contentment. Her series of disappointments gave her the courage to make the life she wanted to live.

“My journey has not been linear, but I’ve learned everyone has their own timeline,” Julie says. She has learned to stop comparing herself to others, to stay true to herself, and to allow herself some grace when life cracks her open.

MENTALHEALTHCHECK

• “Right before I go to bed, I look over

my work schedule for the following day and fill in any gaps of time to create more structure. I fill in the gaps with activities that feel rejuvenating to me such as morning coffee runs, workouts, neighborhood walks, and personal phone calls.”

• “I’ve been going to therapy most

of my life. I wish therapy was encouraged and accepted by more people as it should be viewed as a sign of strength rather than weakness.

I’m so grateful for therapy as it’s helped me reflect and navigate both difficult and not so difficult times.”

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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SAY YES FIRST

IT’S HOW I LEARN NEW THINGS

By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Photo by Melissa Donald

‘R

ight place…right time…right attitude!’ is exactly what the Arts Insider scribbled and circled across the top of her notepad halfway through interviewing Laura Ellis, who was recently named director of Podcasting & Special Projects at Louisville Public Media (LPM), and whose creative talents I was already familiar with from her work as a local audio producer, singer, actor, and sound designer.

To the best of her knowledge, Laura’s new job at LPM is the first position of its kind, “with the exception of PRX Podcast Garage in Boston, Massachusetts,” she says. “[It’s the first] definitely in Louisville, and probably in Kentucky,” Laura says.

“I absolutely love trying new things, learning new skills, and taking on new challenges,” enthuses the Peabody Award-winning producer, who started at LPM in 2004 as a talk show assistant. “When I'm doing a sound design and the director asks, ‘Would it be possible to ___?’ I always want to come out of the gate with a ‘yes,’ and reverse engineer how to make it happen. Not only does it make you a great collaborator, but that's how I learn new things.”

Laura says many of her professional choices have started with good timing. “Up until the last couple years I've definitely been a ‘right place, right time’ person. But once I land in that place at that time, I try to be a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as I can.

“People ask how I got into radio,” Laura continues,“and it’s a classic ‘right place, right time’ story: I was in a band with someone who was leaving for the Peace Corps, and his day job was as a talk show assistant at WFPL. I stepped into his role when he left.

“But all the luck in the world won’t help if you don’t work hard and be a good teammate once you get there. I think showing up with the right attitude does make people want to work with you again. In a city like Louisville, a bad impression goes far. I try to remember that and be somebody people want to have on their team.”

With Laura’s new position at LPM, “I (already) produce a lot of WFPL/Louisville Public Media station’s podcasts,” she says, “and there are just so many great stories to

MENTALHEALTHCHECK

“I really hope to give a platform to marginalized voices... marginalized platforms in our community. These (podcasts) are not going to be the people who we necessarily run into at official events and talk to.”

— Laura Ellis, director of social podcasting & special projects at Louisville Public Media (LPM).

tell in Louisville. A part of that is my 2021 launch and running of a podcast incubator, which was borne out of the realization that we can’t tell all the stories ‘in house’ — we don’t have the personnel. Also, not every story is ours to tell, and some should be told by the people who have lived them. The podcast incubator gives those folks the expertise to craft those stories in podcast form, and we'll provide a platform for getting them out into the world.”

Recurring podcast story pitches have focused on “bringing voices that we don’t often hear to the forefront,” she says, “amplifying stories of people who might not necessarily be sought out for traditional profiles or interviews, which is exactly what I hoped for.

“These people just need the final training wheels to come off and get their podcast projects out into the world,” Laura says.

• “ I can be kind of reactive by nature, so I try to stick by the 24-hour rule. If

something makes me mad, I try to sit with whatever my initial reaction is and wait 24 hours before responding. Hardly anything feels as severe 24 hours later (and if it does, it’s probably really worth going to bat about). A full 24 hours isn’t possible in every situation, of course, but do what you can. Even twenty-four minutes is better than firing off a rash response after 24 seconds!”

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Today’s Woman / February 2021

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“I Am Bigger Than This” How to change your thoughts

By Bob Mueller

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hought and expression are so closely bound together in us. Whenever we are thinking something, we are unconsciously verbalizing our thoughts. If we change the verbalization, we will change the thought, too.

Likewise, if I verbalize my new attitude, my thinking will move with it. Here are some of the mantras I use during different situations.

WHEN THINGS MAKE ME UPSET I have always believed that the size of a person is measured by the size of the things that disturb that person.

Every day there are people, places, and things that could really upset me or make me feel worthless.

When that happens, I repeat to myself: “Bob, you are bigger than this.” I don’t want to be the size of those trivial things that habitually irritate me. The more I think this way, the more I grow, and the freer I become.

WHEN SOMEONE IS ANGRY OR PETTY

Another mantra I use is “I am an actor, not a reactor.” This means I will let no one else decide how I am going to act.

If another chooses to be petty, I am not going to be drawn into petty limits of behavior.

If another chooses to be angry or malicious, I am not going to let that seduce me from my personal resolve to be a loving person. I am going to decide how I will act.

WHEN I ENCOUNTER SELF-CENTEREDNESS I had always been disappointed whenever I encountered

self-centeredness or people who acted entitled. My wife helped me understand this when she asked me if I’d ever had a toothache. When I replied yes, she asked, “And whom were you thinking of when the tooth was hurting?”

“Me, of course,” I blurted.

“That,” she said, “is your answer. People who are selfcentered are hurting people. Their pain magnetizes all their attention.”

And now I use that mantra, “Did you ever have a toothache?” whenever I have encountered seeming self-centeredness or entitlement. It has helped me become more compassionate and certainly much happier.

WHEN I FEEL LIKE A NOBODY In order to eliminate a distorted pattern of thinking or a crippling attitude, we have to work out a simple and direct statement of the truth, which will replace the error in our crippling attitude. For example, if I am tempted to think and feel like a non-person, a nobody, every time this thought or feeling rises in me, I stop or inhibit it with the mantra: “I am somebody. I’m the one and only me!”

The more I say, “I am somebody,” the more I will think it.

And the more I think it, the deeper-rooted the new habit will become. Eventually, it will become a part of me.

When you use mantras, the old, crippling, life-restricting thought patterns are by a conscious decision inhibited and replaced by new life-giving attitudes.

Bob Mueller is Bishop of the United Catholic Church, bobmueller.org.

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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Should I Hire Home Health Care

By Carrie Vittitoe

Care and Service Directory The Forum at Brookside 200 Brookside Dr, Louisville, KY 40243 (502) 245-3048 theforumatbrookside.com Levels of care: retirement, personal care, nursing facility Capacity: retirement-240, personal care-24, nursing facility-60 Special services: A beautiful gated community, 24-hr security, chef prepared meals, flexible dining plan, indoor heated pool, new exercise room, recreational activities, pet friendly, a great staff and management team, gorgeous patio homes and apartments, continuum of care.

Owner: Five Star Senior Living, Inc.

Helping Hands Companion Care Services 2301 Hurstbourne Village Dr #100 Louisville, KY 40299 (502) 426-9783 home-companions.com Type: non-medical Services: personal care, home making, transportation, errands, respite, med. reminders Cost per hour: $21 and up Employees’ status: bonded, liability ins., background check, direct hires, withhold taxes, drug testing Min. time required: Flexible Special services: *Personalized loving care available in home, assisted living, nursing home or hospital *Scheduling up to 24 hours 7 days a week *Trained and experience caregivers *Free assessments *Serving Kentucky and Southern Indiana since 1996.

Owner: Terry Graham, RN; Dawn Smithwick, BSW Payment Accepted: private, LTCi, VA

VNA Health at Home 5111 Commerce Crossings Dr, Ste 110 Louisville, KY 40229 (502) 584-2456 chisaintjosephhealth.org/ vnahealthathome

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he decision to hire a caregiver for a loved one might come after long, slow deliberation, or it may need to happen quickly if a loved one experiences an unexpected hospitalization. Either way, families must consider a number of issues to make the best, most informed decisions for their loved ones. One of these is deciding what caregiving looks like in your situation.

Caregiving is a huge umbrella term that means different things to different people. For some people, caregiving is mostly companionship, while for others, caregiving means helping manage a health issue such as diabetes. It is important for families to have an idea of what needs they think their loved one has prior to contacting a company or home health care agency.

For more information on caregiving go to TodaysTransitionsNow.com.

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February 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

Type: medical Services: nursing, therapy, social worker, home health aide Employees’ status: bonded, liability ins.

Special services: Providing care to the adult and geriatric populations in Louisville/ Jefferson County, Southern Indiana, and surrounding areas. Owner: Catholic Health Initiatives Payment Accepted: Medicare, Medicaid, private ins.

Let Our Readers Know What Makes Your Facility Stand Out! Call 502.327.8855 to discover more about this opportunity.

2021 HEART HEALTH SUPPLEMENT

Today’s Woman / Heart Health 2021

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DON’T PLAY Stories by Carrie Vittitoe Photos by Melissa Donald Makeup by Amber Himes

Prior to COVID-19, the leading cause of death in the United States was heart disease. Since COVID-19 has an impact on the cardiovascular system, it is even more critical now to not play games with our hearts and pay close attention to symptoms that we might normally ignore.

On the Cover: Clariese Armstrong, 73

Cover makeup by Amber May, Strandz Salon & Threadz Boutique

For years, Clariese Armstrong had a cough that would come and go, which she and her family always thought was bronchitis. While it was annoying, it never kept her from working or caring for her children or home. Eventually, though, she began to feel increasingly fatigued. “This is not right; something is wrong,” she said to herself. She went to her primary care doctor, who did an electrocardiogram (EKG) and advised her to see a cardiologist.

Clariese visited Dr. Abraham Joseph at UofL Physicians. “They did all sorts of tests and told me I had had two heart attacks [of] which I was unaware,” she says. Dr. Joseph referred Clariese to cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Brian Ganzel who recommended surgery. Clariese underwent open heart surgery to make repairs.

Looking back, in addition to her cough, Clariese can now recognize signs that her heart wasn’t working properly for many years. “Sometimes I’d have profuse sweating, but it was put off on getting older and going through ‘the change,’” she says. “I didn’t realize this was my heart trying to compensate.”

Following surgery, Clariese spent a short amount of time in a nursing home until she was strong enough to be back in her home and then went on to do cardiac rehab at UofL’s Healthy Lifestyle Center at Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, which she has continued doing three times a week.

She admits she didn’t bounce back immediately to her old self and had to take time to regain strength. “I thought, ‘I’m gonna jump up and do this and do that.’ My body said, “Uh-uh. Girlfriend, go take that nap,” she says.

Clariese credits UofL’s cardiac rehab staff with providing her exceptional, friendly care. “That group of fantastic, beautiful young people allowed me to go in and vent,” she says. “They were so encouraging. They know my name; they listen to me.”

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Her heart experience taught Clariese that as a woman she is worthy of good health and good health care by professionals. She hopes her heart story serves as a reminder of this to all Kentuckiana women.

Heart Health 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

GAMES WITH YOUR

HEART See Joan's story on next page.

Joan Nelson Kash

Today’s Woman / Heart Health 2021

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Joan Nelson Kash, 69 In March 2014, Joan Nelson Kash was caring for her terminally ill husband, Ron, and working full-time.

When she developed a stiff neck, she attributed it to the extreme amount of stress she was under. She says her neck felt like she had slept wrong. But when the stiffness worsened and she began to feel clammy, she called her daughter, Lindsay Reynolds, who is a nurse.

Lindsay wanted to take her mom to the hospital, but Joan was hesitant. What changed her mind was when she felt a tingle down her left arm. “As soon as I got that, I knew it was more than a stiff neck,” Joan says.

Lindsay took her mom to Norton Brownsboro Hospital, where doctors planned to give Joan a stress test the next day. However, further tests indicated she needed a cardiac catheterization and a stent.

“It was 95 percent blockage,” she says.

As a result, Joan doesn’t play games when it comes to her cardiac health. She returns for a check up each year with her cardiologist and is vigilant about getting enough exercise, although the pandemic has kept her away from fitness centers. She walks her dog two to three miles every day and carries Nitrostat with her at all times. (Nitrostat is a medication that widens the blood vessels, meaning the heart doesn’t have to work as hard.) “I can’t go without it because of the ‘heart event.’ If something would happen and I’m by myself, I can at least take the Nitrostat,” she says.

She retired from full-time work, which has helped eliminate a great deal of stress in her life. Sadly, Joan’s husband, Ron, passed away in June 2014 while she was doing cardiac rehabilitation. However, the heart can heal as Joan’s did, both physically and emotionally: she remarried in May 2019.

“I WAS VERY LUCKY I WAS IN A FACILITY THAT HAD [AN AED].”

— CARLY FONDA

Carly Fonda, 14 Carly Fonda didn’t intend to play games with her heart, but she unknowingly did. On January 6, 2018, she was participating in a basketball tournament at Floyd Central High School in Southern Indiana. She was only 11 years old and had gone through the usual sports physicals. “She was extremely healthy from all that we knew; she had been playing sports ever since she was in the third grade,” says her mom Beth Fonda.

Carly had played a morning game and took a break with friends to have lunch. When her next game started, she went on the floor to play. During the third quarter, she took a quick break because she couldn’t catch her breath but quickly went back in. “It was so weird because I’d never felt that way before,” Carly says. “I thought I was out of shape because it was after Christmas break.” When she came out of the game a second time and sat down, everything began to spin and then went black.

Coming out for a break wasn’t necessarily out of the ordinary, so Beth kept watching the game. “I happened to catch her best friend’s dad jumping off the bleachers [and running toward the floor],” she says. Carly had slumped over the side of the chair and fell onto a pile of backpacks. Nurses who had been in the stands quickly came to help Carly. They originally thought she might be having a seizure but soon determined that Carly was having a cardiac event and had no pulse. “She was gray,” Beth says.

A fireman who was at the game asked if there was an automated external defibrillator (AED) on site,

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Heart Health 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

and fortunately there was. “They pulled me away from her and shocked her,” Beth says. “I just lost it and started screaming.” The shock got Carly’s heart beating normally again, and she was aware of where she was. By this time, an ambulance had arrived and she was taken to Norton Children’s Hospital in downtown Louisville.

Despite running tons of tests, doctors could find nothing to explain Carly’s cardiac event, but to prevent a future emergency, they felt a pacemaker was the best option for her. Unfortunately, a pacemaker meant she would no longer be able to play sports. Doctors decided to do two final tests: a transesophageal echo (TEE) test and a cardiac catheterization. Through the cath, the doctors discovered that Carly had a rare congenital heart defect called anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) that affected her left coronary artery.

In order to fix this condition, Carly would require open heart surgery, which occurred six days after her collapse on the basketball floor. She was released from the hospital 11 days after she first arrived. It took about six months for Carly to be cleared to begin playing sports again; she played her first basketball game on the one-year anniversary of her cardiac arrest.

This experience has changed Carly and her family in many ways. She has decided she wants to be a cardiologist as a career, and her family has become advocates for AEDs in schools and other public venues. “I was very lucky I was in a facility that had one,” Carly says. She hopes that other schools don’t play games without having AEDs at the ready.

See Carly's story on previous page.

Carly Fonda

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Heart Health 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

Katie Brooks, 36 In the game of surviving cardiovascular injury, mindset is absolutely critical to being able to handle the stress that comes with life-threatening cardiac events. For Katie Brooks, a mindset focused on incremental positive improvement is essential to her overall well being, because at age 35, she suffered a dissected artery as a result of a chiropractic adjustment. That dissection led to a stroke that kept Katie in the hospital for a month during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I thought I had a pinched nerve, so I went and sought help from a chiropractor,” she says. X rays showed she had back and neck alignment issues. When she had her second alignment, she immediately knew something was wrong. “My brain felt like it was on fire. It was the most intense pain I’d ever been in in my life,” she says. “My right side slumped, and I started drooling on myself.”

She was taken by ambulance to UofL Hospital, where she was given a clot buster drug. “The right side of my body wouldn’t move. Within an hour, I remember being able to slightly move my fingers,” she says. Still, the stroke had impacted her to the point that she had difficulty walking, talking, and swallowing; she still requires speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy multiple times a week. As a result of the stroke, Katie says she has developed a series of medical conditions that have required several return trips to the hospital.

Prior to her stroke, she was in good physical condition and had been a caregiver for veterans, but that has become impossible at this point. “The roles have switched,” Katie says. Still, she says, despite the negative life-altering effects of her stroke, she has also become empowered. “I had to dig deep in myself,” she says.

As a single mom to three children, she has had to rely more on her 18-year-old son, Kevon, for the care of his siblings, 10-year-old Kiss and 4-year-old Kasey. “[He] has been my backbone,” she says. “He’s been the person

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Heart Health 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

Katie Brooks

"NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE STRENGTH THAT YOU HAVE IN YOURSELF." who takes care of everything that I can’t right now. I hate putting all the responsibility on him. At first, I could afford to have caregivers here, and I did, but after all these months, your savings run out,” she says.

Most people recognize that life can change on a dime, but Katie gets this in a way most others don’t. “You have to maintain your faith no matter what happens; never

underestimate the strength that you have in yourself,” she says. Before this happened, she had a lot on her plate as a business owner and single mother, but despite her physical limitations now, her spirit remains the same. “You feel like a lot of things have been taken from you. But who I am wasn’t,” she says. She knows she has come a long way from when she was first rushed to the hospital less than a year ago.

Melissa Pipes, 55 When Melissa Pipes was in her early 40s, her heart began skipping beats. Her primary care doctor did an EKG, which came back abnormal, and that led to a visit to a cardiologist and a heart catheterization. Melissa was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, the same disease that led to her mother’s death at age 55 in 1987. The cardiologist recommended that Melissa have a defibrillator implanted.

Despite the defibrillator, Melissa weakened over the years. “I had no energy whatsoever,” she says, which impacted her ability to work as a teacher’s aide to special needs students in Brandenburg, Kentucky. It was hard to gather the energy to go to work; when she was able to work, she would come home exhausted and go to bed. Her ejection fraction, which measures the percentage of blood leaving the heart when it contracts, was down to 10 percent. (A normal heart’s ejection fraction ranges between 50-70 percent.)

It became apparent to Melissa’s cardiologists that she needed a heart transplant. After undergoing a series of tests, her name was put on the list on March 10, 2017.

Several weeks later, on Easter Sunday, Melissa’s cell phone rang. An unknown number popped up so she didn’t answer, but when it rang again from the same number she picked up. “It was Jewish Hospital calling me; they said, ‘We have a potential heart for you,’” she says. By the next morning, Melissa was undergoing transplant surgery. “They said it fit just like a puzzle piece,” Melissa says. After nine days, she was discharged and sent home.

Melissa began doing cardiac rehab, but her heart took an emotional hit in July 2017 when her husband of almost three decades was killed in an ATV accident. “I had a bump in the road there, and I fought depression. That was a hard time,” she says. These days, Melissa takes two types of anti-rejection medications, has lab work done once a month, and has a heart cath once a year.

As a result of her transplant experience, Melissa has become vocal about encouraging others to put themselves on the Kentucky organ donor list. “I know it brought me closer to God. It’s given me a different outlook on life. I don’t take things for granted,” she says.

Not only did Melissa personally benefit from a donation, her husband was a tissue donor. Being both the receiver and giver of a life-sustaining gift brings both joy and a feeling of responsibility. “So often I think of my donor and my donor’s family,” she says.

She tries to spread the word about organ donation; “If you can find it in your heart to be an organ donor, you can help so many people with a second chance at life,” she says.

"...OFTEN I THINK OF MY [HEART] DONOR AND MY DONOR'S FAMILY." 10

Heart Health 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

Go Red for Women Photos by Melissa Donald

The Circle of Red, founded locally in 2008, is a group of passionate women leaders recognized for increasing awareness and improving women’s heart health. For more information or to become a member, please contact Karrie Harper at 502.371.6014.

Circle of Red Members: Above, left to right: Judie Parks, Kim Tharp-Barrie, Judith Petty, Ann Marie Holas-Dryps, Kimberlee Huffman, Terrian Barnes Below, left to right: Ruth Devore, Renee Cecil, Edith Mae Wright, Leah Eggers, Jill Bell Not pictured: Pamela Alvey, Carol Lambert, Gretchen Leiterman, Nancy Olzack

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Heart Health 2020 / TodaysWomanNow.com

2021 HEART HEALTH SUPPLEMENT

29 THINGS (Why 29? Because we are 29 years old!)

Happenings, news, and tidbits that caught Today’s Woman’s eye this month

By Anita Oldham

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PLAN AN ART NIGHT

Sundance Film Festival, speedmuseum.org

Art can pull us out of our own minds and out of the drudgery that often shows itself in the midst of February. Bring art and light into your life with these local options.

Buy a ticket to Romeo & Juliet: Louisville 2020 An unprecedented global pandemic and social unrest embroil the nation in conflict as Romeo and Juliet, the children of sworn enemies, dare to imagine a world where hearts are not ruled by hatred but by love. This passion-filled interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic narrative.

February 1-May 31 Part of the Brown-Forman Series actorstheatre.org

WANDER AMONGST THE ART

Check out the Speed Art Museum’s various programs — mostly virtual, but you can attend the museum by reserving tickets at speedmuseum.org. Also, starting February 1, they are hosting selections from Sundance Film Festival and continuing with virtual children’s and adult programs.

Love Orchestra Series Join in on the Louisville Orchestra Virtual Edition: Classical Pairing: John Adams + WA Mozart.

February 13 at 7:30pm Purchase tickets at Louisvilleorchestra.org Buy all of the LOVE spring series for $75.

@kmacmuseum

actorstheatre.org

LOVE & THEATRE IN YOUR HOME

MAKE YOUR OWN Our Contributing Editor Lucy Pritchett spends a little of each day with artwork. For 2021, she is creating a daily tiny collage.

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February 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

LEARN AN ART

Cross Stitch Embroidery​on Feb 11 or Feb 13 — Inspired by the artwork of Jordan Nassar in KMAC's current exhibition, The Field is Infinite, this workshop explores the traditional craft of cross stitch embroidery.

Sign up at KMACmuseum.org

If You are Grieving

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29 THINGS

In a time when there is so much loss, seek help.

Here are a couple of locations, but there is help at all price levels and many are free.

Griefshare.org offers many local groups that are currently meeting online.

Hosparushealth.org offers grief counseling services/support groups specific to the type of loss.

“Deep grief sometimes is almost like a specific location, a coordinate on a map of time. When you are standing in that forest of sorrow, you cannot imagine that you could ever find your way to a better place. But if someone can assure you that they themselves have stood in

At the end of her interview, while still sitting at her sewing machine, Minniequa said, “I AM today’s woman!”

that same place, and now have moved on, sometimes this will bring hope.”

— Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

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3 Questions About Her New Children’s Clothing Design Business Story and Photo by Gioia Patton

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7k We lost a member of the region’s art community actor/ teacher/dancer Barb Cullen. Read more about her at TodaysWomanNow.com.

inniequa Johnson is owner/designer of Designs by the Johnson's, a children’s clothing store business at Mellwood Art Center.

Photo by Melissa Doanld

HOW DID YOU GET FUNDING TO START YOUR BUSINESS? Minniequa created her business without the benefit of a grant, business, or family loan. “Any extra money I made from my previous career as a certified nursing associate (CNA), in addition to any monies made from the years spent making children’s clothing from my home was put back into the Designs by the Johnson’s business itself,” explained the Clarksville High School and Indiana University Southeast graduate.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE STARTING THIS NEW BUSINESS?

DO YOU KNOW YOUR HEART? 8. Go Red day is February 5 — a day to bring attention to heart disease and the risks for women.

9. Check out our visit with the American Heart Association Red Sofa after page 32. (supplement) Find the dress at shopaif.com.

Prior to 2020 the 33-year-old single parent of four children (ages 3-13), was a CNA in various Southern Indiana nursing homes for 13 years. Minniequa has designed for local and national children’s fashion shows from South Carolina to Florida. She even designed her Ms. America gown in 2019 when she competed as Ms. Indiana in 2019 (She won Ms. Congeniality).

HOW DID THE PANDEMIC CHANGE YOUR COURSE? In March of 2020, the Louisville native felt moved “to do my part to help. So I began designing and making masks and surgical caps at my sewing machine from sunup to sundown,” Minniequa explained. “I know for a fact that to date I’ve made over 2,500 of them!” Creating those masks and caps “resparked my passion for designing clothes. And by the summer of 2020 I’d taken my previous eight year side hustle of creating and selling children’s clothing from home into a full-time business.”

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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29 THINGS

ABOUT FINDING FRIENDS

13-21. INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS THAT CAUGHT OUR EYE

Cover Model Lori Cheek (page 18) moved from New York City to Louisville recently, and she explains how she is connecting to others. @macklin.made

@lulubellesboutique

@ednamode_sd

“I found myself starting from scratch in a new city during an extremely difficult time to make new friends. As I’ve found many times in life, just like looking for a job or love, you can’t just wait for it to appear at your front steps. I am making every effort to create a new social network.

26. I’ve reconnected with old friends by using Facebook.

@thelifebar

@wellsmadeco

@themocktailproject

@hoosiergirlpie

@thenurseryproject

@lucylubakes

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MENTALHEALTHCHECK We asked the women we interviewed this month for a little more on how are they handling their mental health. Here’s some answers from the women featured on page 20. lessons learned in the past but keep my focus forward on what life has for me.”— Jenna Wheelock, volunteer, Blanket Louisville, and audiologist, Louisville VA Medical Center

• “ My faith is at the center of everything I do. It’s very clear to me I’m not in control.” — Kathy Fehder, director, Blanket Louisville, and principal, Corpus Christi Classical Academy

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February 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

28. I am seeking local networking events on Facebook by neighborhood on a daily basis.

29. I talk to strangers often. By smiling and saying hi, you’ve got nothing to lose except an opportunity.”

• “ If I give myself too many things to accomplish in one day, I’m going to feel like a failure.”

— Tricia Hackworth, volunteer at Kentucky Refugee Ministries

• “ I’m very visual. I have to see what

my options are, what that can look like, and then start connecting the dots.” — Sara Beth McCrady, family outreach coordinator, The Council on Developmental Disabilities

Photo submitted

• “ I’m striving to embrace the

27. I recently bought a bike (a safe sport for social distancing) and convinced a new resident of my building to get one, too — we’ve been biking around town for several months, and we always sit down for a beer at the end of our ride. Out of my own passions for biking and craft beers, I recently created a Facebook group called Bluegrass Bikes & Brews.

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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1 Barefoot Dreams Slippers, $68, Bedded Bliss, beddedblisslinens.com. 2 Bourbon and Boweties Bangles, $32 each, Cartwheels Paper & Gifts, IG: @cartwheelspapersandgifts. 3 Asher’s Chocolate smothered pretzels, $1, Paul’s Fruit Market, paulsfruit. com. 4 Customized Stationery, Qty: 25 starting at $40, Cartwheels Paper & Gifts. 5 Graphique Pen, $12, Cartwheels Paper & Gifts. 6 Pré de Provence Bar Soaps, $9 each, Bedded Bliss. 7 The Bread Lady Almond Toffee with Chocolate, $4, Paul’s Fruit Market.

8 The Bread Lady Rum Creams, $5, Paul’s Fruit Market.

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February 2021 / TodaysWomanNow.com

9 Lucifer and Lemon Chess Brownies, $3 each, The Cheddar Box, thecheddarbox. com. 10 Two’s Company Soap On a Rope, $10, Cartwheels Paper & Gifts. 11 Mary Square Hide & Seek Purse/Wallet, $25, Cartwheels Paper & Gifts.

12 Pré de Provence Hand Creams, $9 each, Bedded Bliss. 13 Assorted Nuts, $7, Paul’s Fruit Market. 14 LAFCO New York Fragranced Candle, $65, Bedded Bliss. 15 Barefoot Dreams Socks, $16, Bedded Bliss.

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Treat Yourself

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FOR GALENTINE’S

By Jill Cobb Photo by Melissa Donald

Pamper yourself with a few local goodies.

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Today’s Woman / February 2021

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A WINTER ESCAPE FOR YOUR KIDS

By Tonilyn Hornung Photo submitted

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he air is crisp, but my 7-year-old doesn’t mind.

Watching my son run ahead, it occurs to me I might have bundled him up a little too well. He looks a lot like Ralphie’s younger brother from the holiday movie A Christmas Story, but at least my kid can put his arms down. Exploring the Louisville Zoo in the wintertime is chilly, but the animals don’t notice and neither does my son. He’s thrilled to be out of the house, and I’m finally relieved to have a safe way to grab some much needed time outdoors.

As soon as my child was born, my protective instincts went into overdrive. I worried about everything from diaper changes to which hat would keep him warmest. While my nervousness has lessened over the years, my need to protect has remained.

I’ve done my best to roll with the changes, but I must admit trying to keep my son active and safe in the middle of a health crisis in the middle of winter is a conundrum.

In the times before, he had in-person school to fill this gap, but now we’re home remote learning. This means our day is all about sitting indoors and staring at a screen. When the weather was warmer, we’d take playtime breaks outside. This helped my son burn off energy, and I noticed his focus increase when we came back to schoolwork.

Now that the weather has turned cold, freeze-tag doesn’t hold the same appeal when one of the players is actually frozen, and many of our usual indoor activities aren’t safe right now. Children need to be active for at least an hour a day, and I’m guessing this doesn’t mean actively working the remote control. So I tried taking our outdoor activities indoors.

We’ve played indoor tag and even run relay races with the dog, but these ideas crashed and burned.

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Studies show that being out in nature can reduce stress, and another good reason for my son to run free in the great outdoors is because it boosts creativity. Harvard Medical School reports that being outside increases our executive function, including creativity and using our imagination to problem-solve and entertain ourselves. I’d love to see my kid lose himself in a little imaginative outdoor time.

“The zoo is a place to escape life and spend the day in nature learning about our animal ambassadors,” says Kyle Shepherd, the Louisville Zoo’s media and public relations manager. I was surprised to discover the zoo is only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Buying tickets is easy because you can buy tickets in advance on the website. “It’s a paperless transaction this way,” Kyle says.

The protective parent in me checked their COVID-19 safety protocols. The zoo requires masks for entry, and “we have masks here in case someone forgets,” Kyle says. The zoo is also practicing social distancing and has a “one-way pathway, which helps us clean and keeps the route moving,” she says, Knowing these were in place, I felt confident getting us out and going.

Taking trips to the Louisville Zoo in chilly weather hasn’t hindered my son’s excitement. After our visits, his attitude is more carefree. He loves saying hello to his favorite animal friends — the tiger and the baby elephant, Fitz. I love that the colder weather brings less crowds, but mostly I love spending time in nature in a way that’s safe and uproariously fun. Like Kyle says, “We’re a place for building memories.”

Today’s Woman / February 2021

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