Wigglewow Provides Jobs for the Special Needs Community
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Louis R. Straub, II President, Louisville
Bill Silvio, Owner Silvio’s
PUBLISHER COREY BOSTON corey@townepost.com (502) 407-0185
JESSICA ABLE
MELISSA GIBSON BAILEY GOLDSTEIN
ROBERT JONES
GRACE SCHAEFER JULIE YATES
TOWNE POST NETWORK,
FOUNDER,
TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com (317) 496-3599
PRESIDENT JEANNE BRITT jeanne@townepost.com (317) 810-0011
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR ERIN TURK
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
AUSTIN TONI EADS
MANAGING EDITOR DEVON DEAN
8800 North Street, Suite 117 Fishers, IN 46038 Phone/Text: (317) 810-0011
CONTACT
A PAW-SITIVE TRANSFORMATION
WIGGLEWOW PROVIDES JOBS FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY
Wigglewow not only sells cute and healthy confections for pups, but it’s also in the business of transforming lives. According to founder Mark Pfeifer, the world tells adults with special needs what they can’t do, but Wigglewow shows the world what they can do.
Now in its fifth year, the endeavor has been so successful that it has a waiting list of individuals who would like to be employed there. The company would like to expand job opportunities, but its goal is future
Writer / Julie Yates
growth that is steady and sustainable.
“The concept of Wigglewow began back in 2014 when I was having a conversation with my brother, Sheldon, who was living in the Philippines at the time,” says Pfeifer. “He has a son with autism and was worried about the future. He challenged me to start a company that would give adults with special needs employment. So, I quit corporate America and Wigglewow opened in August 2019.”
The Wigglewow production facility and retail space, The Doghouse, is located
“When we first started up, the jobs available were on a first-come, first-served basis,” says Pfeifer. “As soon as the word got out, we filled up to capacity. We have a waiting list of 50 people. Those on the waiting list tour the facility and see the different workstations. They get an idea of where they would like to work, and when a gap comes up, we fill the job from the list.”
“Each Epic Chef is trained on the job,” Pfeifer adds. “They are diligent and focused. There are stories left and right of how working at Wigglewow truly transforms lives. Parents say the chefs no longer sit
eyes when her son learned how to bag treats and seal them. Another example is when someone was able to put a glove on by himself for the first time.”
At Wigglewow there is a range of abilities, and a particularly high-functioning worker, Hunter, can work around the commercial mixer and hot oven without assistance. He was offered a job at UPS, but he turned it down even though it was an opportunity to make a lot of money. His reason was that he would miss the camaraderie and friendships he has made.
“This business is not about making money,” says Pfeifer. “We turned down an opportunity to be on Shark Tank. We want to grow organically. The most important factor for our Epic Chefs is routine. If you change that, it messes with their minds. If we were on Shark Tank, for a short while I would have to hire more people. Only about 15% of buyers would reorder, and then I’d have to let individuals go.”
Wigglewow’s website has a complete list of
products that can be shipped. The treats are offered in various sizes and designs. Each can be customized for corporate gift giving or special occasions such as weddings. Bulk bags for small, medium and large dogs are also offered. In addition, Wigglewow has a fundraising program for schools and organizations.
Some treats give a nod to the fact that dogs aren’t well-behaved all the time and that’s why we love them. During the holiday season, bones that said “Naughty” and “Nice” were offered. Other popular treats have phrases such as “Can’t hold my licker.”
“It has been a fun journey,” says Pfeifer.
“We want to expand, and our goal is to be the largest employer of special-needs adults by 2029. At some point we’d like to open a dog facility as a separate division to be able to employ more individuals. Currently we are in the middle of applying for nonprofit status. Once we get it, people can make taxdeductible donations. In the meantime, the best way people can support us is treat sales. Dogs are allowed in our retail area and our staff loves to see them.”
Visit wigglewow.com for a list of retail locations and to order online. To become a retailer or for more information, call Pfeifer at 502-558-5100.
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Chenoweth Appliances is locally owned and operated by Danny & Wayne Lyons Our sales team: Steve Combs, Mark Cain, Rodney Kistner, Mary Kay Head and Kristen Lyons
TELLING KENTUCKY’S STORY
FEDERAL FUNDING CUT COULD IMPACT STATEWIDE PROGRAM
Writer / Jessica Able
Ever wondered about the origins of Bluegrass music, the legacy of Kentucky authors, or the lore of the Appalachian Mountains?
That’s exactly what Kentucky Humanities aims to explore through its mission to educate Kentuckians on the rich history, culture, literature, philosophy and anthropology of the commonwealth.
“Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone can learn from the story of others,” reads a
passage from the organization’s website.
It’s a belief Executive Director Bill Goodman hopes to impress upon all Kentuckians.
“The humanities are what make you human — anything you deal with in life, whether that is speaking, reading, philosophy, music, art, pedagogy, education or literacy,” Goodman said.
But Kentucky Humanities’ ability to tell the
state’s story is at risk. On April 2, 2025, the organization learned that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had eliminated all of its federal funding. Kentucky Humanities typically receives an $850,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, awarded through congressional approval.
Goodman said the current administration has proposed zero funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities — and the 56 state councils it supports, including
Kentucky Humanities — in the 2026 federal budget.
“Every program and support for our administrative staff will be affected. The funding cut will be devastating to our operation,” he said.
Kentucky Humanities is an independent nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington, D.C. In addition to federal support, it is funded by private contributions. Each year, the organization supports more than 550 public humanities programs across Kentucky. Since its founding in 1972, it has invested more than $18 million in humanities programming for Kentuckians.
The organization began after the creation of the National Endowment for the Humanities at the federal level. Initially, it focused on awarding grants to various local organizations. Over time, it expanded
its own programming to foster greater appreciation and understanding of the humanities statewide.
One of its first programs was a speaker series, featuring scholars who presented to civic clubs, churches and classrooms. That effort eventually led to the launch of the Kentucky Chautauqua program in 1992, during Kentucky’s bicentennial celebration. The program brings history to life through historical interpreters who portray key figures from the state’s past.
In his eight years with Kentucky Humanities, Goodman, a former journalist, has seen firsthand the impact of the organization’s work.
“We tell the story of Kentucky. We try to use that theme in all the programs we do. Whether that is a literacy program or a living history representation — we are telling the story of the people of Kentucky,” he said.
In the most recent “Report to the People,” Goodman wrote: “We brought the humanities to you — in your house, in your car, on your morning run, and in your mailbox with new episodes of ‘Think History,’ new episodes of ‘Think Humanities’ released each Wednesday, and new editions of Kentucky Humanities magazine delivered in the spring and fall.”
According to Goodman, Kentucky Humanities helps residents connect more deeply with their state. It’s not just about history — it’s about sharing the stories of inventors, musicians, poets, judges, architects and farmers from all 120 counties.
“The Kentucky Humanities has brought to life the history of Kentucky. A lot of people automatically dismiss history as not being interesting,” Goodman said. “But programs like our Speakers Bureau and Kentucky Chautauqua make history come to life.”
In 2023, the Chautauqua program presented 215 performances to schools, libraries and community organizations across 60 counties, reaching more than 17,000 people. The program added two new historical characters in 2023: a young Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Forrest Loeffler, and Madame Mentelle, an educator of young women, portrayed by Dr. Simonetta Cochis.
OTHER INITIATIVES INCLUDE:
• Think History, a 90-second radio segment.
• Think Humanities, a podcast.
• Kentucky Humanities magazine.
• Speakers Bureau.
• Prime Time Family Reading, which promotes family literacy.
• KBF School Days.
• Museum on Main Street, which brings Smithsonian exhibits across the state.
• Youth Innovation in Rural America, which engages young people in leadership and creativity.
• Kentucky Reads.
• The Kentucky Book Festival.
Kentucky Reads selects a novel each year for scholar-led discussions in libraries, book clubs and community organizations. The 2024 selection is Scissors, Paper, Rock by Fenton Johnson, a family saga set in rural Nelson County.
Nonprofits can host a discussion for a $50 booking fee and receive 15 copies of the book, along with a list of available scholars.
The Kentucky Book Festival celebrates reading, writing and publishing, featuring authors from Kentucky and beyond. The 2025 festival will be held Nov. 1 at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington.
A new event — the Kentucky Book Festival: Louisville Edition — will take place June 14 in the Paristown Arts District from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In 2022, following historic flooding in eastern Kentucky, Kentucky Humanities secured emergency funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities to help cultural institutions recover. The organization awarded $20,000 disaster relief grants to five cultural sites.
“In addition, we were encouraged by the NEH to come up with programming to help all cultural institutions prepare for and
mitigate damage during future disasters,” Goodman wrote. “Our four-part webinar series is a fantastic resource for everyone.”
Based in Lexington, the nonprofit is housed rent-free by the University of Kentucky and serves communities statewide.
“We’ve been around a long time and are very proud of what we do. We want more people to know what we do — and what we can do for them,” Goodman said. “Kentucky Humanities exists to tell Kentucky’s story.”
To learn more, visit kyhumanities.org.
A KENTUCKY CANVAS
LOUISVILLE SCULPTOR UNVEILS TWO NEW WORKS
Writer / Bailey Goldstein
Birth of Hope
Although some Louisville residents may not know him by name, everyone in Kentucky has likely seen the work of artist Dave Caudill. His sculptures are on display at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in Crestwood, Fayette County Detention Center in Lexington, and Eastern Kentucky University’s School of Music in Richmond.
For the savant who completed two public artworks in the state last year, Kentucky is his canvas and the world is a gallery.
“As a matter of philosophy, I believe that art enhances creativity in the culture, whether someone is making it or looking at it,” says Caudill. “A lot of people don’t go to galleries and museums. But if you put a piece in the public, it affects them. It changes them.”
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His sculpture “Fanfare” was unveiled at EKU’s School of Music in fall 2024.
Caudill designed “Fanfare” as a destination piece to lure visitors toward the beautiful music of students and faculty. Shaped like an exclamation mark, the sculpture boasts stainless steel sides laser cut with the names of music pioneers, university programs and images of instruments.
“Many times with public work, it needs to have a cultural and physical context that makes it more significant to that particular place,” Caudill says.
In 2024, Caudill became the first artist commissioned by Lexington’s Percent for Art Program, supporting new works of art that are accessible to the public for free. The result was “The Birth of Hope”, a 30-foot-tall sculpture installed at the entrance to the Lexington Detention Center.
“It’s a place that’s so serious that only something that was equally serious was
Fanfare
Dave Caudill
Photo by Matt Johnson
going to work,” Caudill says. “Hope was the single most important factor I could relate to that would be important to everyone involved with the community at the detention center, whether they’re inmates or families or staff.”
“The Birth of Hope” is a gesture of upraised arms and hands, from which emerges a nest that erupts into an abstract form. At the base of the sculpture are planted sunflowers, which blossom into a riot of yellows and browns during summer.
“When we look up and see sculpture against a blue sky, it literally is blue sky thinking. It opens you up to a subtle push toward the same kind of mind frame that kids have,” Caudill says. “Everything is a marvel and stimulates curiosity. That was important to ‘The Birth of Hope’.”
The dedication ceremony took place May 7, 2025, emceed by Mayor Linda Gorton. Chief of Corrections Col. Scott Colvin told Caudill when the pair first met that the
two characteristics required to work at the detention center are courage and empathy.
“He said the day of the dedication that it was so important that the staff of that facility be able to encourage the people who are incarcerated,” Caudill says. “To give them as much encouragement as possible toward a future when they got out.”
Currently, 18 of Caudill’s stainless steel garden sculptures are on exhibit at Yew Dell Gardens. Compound curves in his sculptures create dynamic movement as the viewer walks around his work. Caudill describes his Yew Dell Gardens collection as rhythmic, like a kind of visual music.
“The surface of stainless is highly reflective. The way it responds to different kinds of light is really great,” Caudill says. “Under moonlight or streetlight, it can be very subtle and sublime. Under a full blazing sun, it’s just amazing.”
Repeat visitors are encouraged to view
Mountain Birdsong in the garden
his garden sculptures on different days, at different times and in various weather for a complete experience.
“When you put that reflective work in a garden, it picks up all the colors in the surroundings, whether it’s the sky or the grain of grass or flowers,” Caudill says. “Art in a landscape serves to me as a metaphor of humanity and harmony with nature.”
Entwining art with nature is nothing new to Caudill. The artist first gained international recognition for “Angel of Harmony”. The piece was created as an artificial reef, located on a seabed near Nassau, Bahamas.
“When divers and snorkelers and swimmers saw it, it instantly said that it belongs there,”
Caudill says. “Because coral is growing all over it and the fish are surrounding it.”
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the undersea sculpture. The 74-year-old reminisced on his decades-spanning career.
“I always ascribe it to luck because I don’t know that I’m any more talented than anybody else,” Caudill says. “The Angel of Harmony” was the first piece that I did that I thought had real significance to anybody in the world.”
The breakthrough piece allowed him to pursue his passion as a full-time career.
“I became much more serious about the kinds of things that I wanted to do, and it
gave me more ambition,” Caudill says.
He gained further global attention for “The Bolivian Odyssey”, a stone labyrinth based on the design of a human fingerprint. The work, created as a walking meditation in Bolivia, was featured in CODAworx’s 2024 book “The Economic Power of Public Art”.
Caudill first pitched the idea for his labyrinth to Louisville funders but was unable to attract interest. On a bus ride to a sculptors’ conference in Pittsburgh, Caudill struck up a conversation with Bolivian American artist María Teresa CamachoHull. She asked if Caudill would fly out to Bolivia and build the project there.
“I jumped at the opportunity,” Caudill
Dave and Bolivian Odyssey
says. “It was a chance to realize the implementation of a concept that I’d been working on for a long time.”
Caudill and three staffers at the Ars.Natura. Uta Arts and Culture Center built the colossal piece, measuring half the size of a football field. Camacho-Hull chose a giant native eucalyptus root to serve as the labyrinth’s centerpiece.
“This root seems to be coming up out of the earth and reaching for the heavens, and it sits in a small reflecting pool,” Caudill says. “To her, it served as a reminder of humanity being connected to the earth, so it was a great addition to the concept.”
Caudill is still waiting on a funder
to commission his idea for an urban companion piece to “The Bolivian Odyssey” with colorful terrazzo elements. The design for the proposed installation is available on Caudill’s website.
“So far, I haven’t been able to sell it, but there’s always hope,” Caudill says.
Several of his bronze sculptures are on exhibit and for sale at the Moremen Gallery. Whether on a coffee table or mantle, his smaller sculptures intended for private collections inspire art collectors.
“It gives the person who owns the sculpture a chance to play,” Caudill says. “Art is just a serious form of play, if you can imagine the irony in that.”
More of his public work can be seen at Louisiana’s Rip Van Winkle Gardens, East Tennessee’s Horizon Center Park, the University of Kentucky’s Singletary Center for the Arts and the University of Louisville School of Music.
“Even if you’re not attracted to abstract work,” says Caudill, “if you see it often enough, you’ll enjoy it more.”
Dave Caudill Art is available for commissions. You can contact him by email at dave@caudillart.com or by phone at 502-457-4769. For more information, visit him online at davecaudillart.squarespace.com.
SWITCH-RITE SIMPLIFIES LIGHTING
INDIANA FATHER-SON DUO REDESIGNS LIGHT SWITCH PLATES FOR FUNCTION AND STYLE
Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Robert Jones
If you’ve ever stayed in an Airbnb or VRBO rental, you’ve likely spent several minutes figuring out the lights — which switch goes to which room or lighting source.
In homes with open floor plans, it’s not uncommon to see four or five switches to control three connecting rooms. In the past, we’d break out the masking tape and mark which switch worked for what, right?
Tom Cox and his son, Chris, have an alternative for this.
“I’ve been a home builder since 1999 and
a carpenter before that, and I’ve always had an interest in mechanical things. It’s a rewarding process to put together a project with all of the trades involved,” Tom Cox said. “One of the silly little problems we’d encounter was when a customer has meticulously labeled all the switches, and one time, I was asked if there was any better method. To be quite honest, the answer was ‘no.’ Even the best labeling attempt looks a little goofy compared to this nice, new home you’ve built.”
Cox was convinced there must be a way to create a switch plate that included an
identifier, and seven years ago, he started the tedious process of drawing, sketching and brainstorming.
“My son was exiting the service and getting married. He moved back to Indiana and wanted to work with me, so I thought, maybe now is the time,” Cox said. “We started with the patent attorney, then the engineering process and met with mold manufacturers. We were able to utilize resources right here in Indiana from design, engineering, mold production, testing and adjustments.”
Switch-Rite provides light switches with a label or plastic insert flush with the plate, identifying what room or device the switch operates.
Customers have the option of choosing inserts like “Living Room” and “Office,” but also “Fireplace,” “Ceiling Fan” and “Stairs.”
They even improved the classic light switch plate to solve more problems than just the labeling itself.
“When I would turn over a new home to the customer, I’d walk through it with a very detailed list of things, and you want to provide something that’s new and aesthetically pleasing,” Cox said. “We made these switch plates slightly deeper than what you normally find because a conventional plate is about 30/100 of an inch from meeting the wall. It used to drive me nuts. The solution to that was to caulk, but when we developed this, we also made sure we had plenty of room for our label and everything to fit properly.”
3D
3D WALK ANALYSIS
As of August 2024, the Switch-Rite product has been made available to homeowners, but they’re concentrating on new builders, hotels and rental companies too.
“Our main goal is to create awareness. I think a lot of people simply don’t realize this is available yet. It’s something that’s always intrigued me. If we turned this or moved this over a little, it would look so much nicer, so we’re just tweaking things to make it a little better,” Cox said.
Visit lightswitchlabels.com to order or for more information.
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—Jared Fox Matthews, Fox Den Billiards, Bites & Brews Owner.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TOGETHER
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES BRINGS
Writer / Grace Schaefer
It began in 1981, when Jef Conner and Hunt Rounsavall found themselves in the hallways of a hospital as their infant daughter, Christine, received treatment for neuroblastoma. But what they didn’t expect was that hospital hallway was also a hotel—parents spent their days and nights in those halls because, often enough, home was simply too far away.
“[They] didn’t feel comforted by that,” says April Sage, director of communications for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana, “that families had to go through so much stress when there was already stress from their child being in the hospital.” Partnering with Dr. Sal Bertolone, the family opened the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana in 1984, 10 years after the first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia.
“Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana is a home away from home for families who have children who need medical care or healthcare away from their hometown and seek that in Louisville,” Sage says. “So a lot of the people we serve are from across the state, sometimes other states and even across the world. It’s for families who need to travel for that medical care—they can’t find that care in their hometown.” Ronald McDonald House provides a free room and nightly meals. And with their 2020 renovation, during which
they added 20 rooms, they have shifted to an even more accessible approach. “When we did that expansion, we realized a lot of the families we were serving were families that were participating in the Frazier Rehab trials ... and when we did our renovation, we were very intentional on making spaces that were accessible for those families, so that they could get around with ease and not feel like there were barriers for them.”
Not only do they provide a place for families to call home during their time in Louisville, but the charity has also worked to make healthcare settings feel more like home. “Over time, we realized that there were needs for more services that went beyond our house. So, in 1992, we opened our first Ronald McDonald Family Room in Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital.” Today, the charity has three Family Room locations, having added rooms at Norton Children’s Hospital and Frazier Rehab Institute. The Family Room is a space within the hospital where families can
go for some much-needed rest. There are showers, snacks, places to sleep and more, depending on location—it’s like a miniature Ronald McDonald House for families to use without setting foot outside the healthcare setting.
With such a variety of options, the charity is truly in place to impact as many families as possible. “A lot of our families come to us sometimes in crisis. We have a lot of families who have children premature, and they can’t get the specialized care in their community, so they must travel, in a crisis mode, to Louisville to seek that care. And a lot of times, they don’t really know what their next thing is going to be—they don’t know where they’re going to sleep, where they’re going to eat. They’re really focused on the care of their child. And thankfully, we’re able to be there for them, so we can take ... one of those worries, two of those worries away, so they really can focus on the health and well-being of their children,” Sage reflects. “Last year we served a little
over 1,200 families at our house program, and that saved families $3.3 million in food and lodging cost. So, they were able to fully put that focus on their child versus having to figure out the logistics of where to stay.”
Throughout the year, the charity keeps families engaged, whether they are actively on location or not. “We put a lot of effort into activities for the families who are staying here during the summer,” Sage says. “We have a lot of repeat families who come back and do three-month trials at Frazier Rehab. We really try to keep them engaged through activities. We connect with different partners across the city to find some places that they can go and get outside of the house, like the Louisville Zoo [and] the Kentucky Science Center. And that helps break up the mundane of going to the
hospitals; so, we try to find opportunities for them.”
But in their service of families who have made Louisville their temporary home, the charity is significantly impacted by Louisville’s locals. It is volunteers who make evening meals for the families, and it is community members whose donations fund those families’ no-cost stays. As the summer continues, the charity will start a raffle in August, selling 1,984 tickets in honor of the year they opened. The next month, community members are welcome to attend “Intro to RMHCK” on Sept. 4—a lunch-and-learn for those interested in learning about the charity or getting involved. “We [also] participate in Give for Good Louisville, and it’s a really big fundraising event for us,” Sage says. “So we’d love the community to get involved with us there. We’re planning to be at the Louisville
Bats game that night as well, if people want to come out and say hi.”
“Families never expect to need us—but thanks to our community, we’re always ready when they do,” Sage says. “Just having that community there and people who really care makes a huge impact for our families.”
Ronald McDonald House is truly one big family—one made of the volunteers and donors who keep the spaces running, and the families—and the very special children—who make Louisville their temporary home. It is a family built on service and support; on finding rest and hope amid the struggle. And ultimately, it is a home away from home.
For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana, including how to get involved, please visit rmhck.org.
THE YMCA FAMILY MUD RUN RETURNS JULY 26
Get ready for some mud-covered fun. Eagerly anticipated by Louisville-area families and young-at-heart adults, the annual YMCA Family Mud Run returns to the Oldham County YMCA on Saturday, July 26. Each year, participants age 4 and older enjoy getting dirty from head to toe as they navigate a muddy, obstacle-filled course.
“The Mud Run started in 2017, but then
IN THE MUD
Writer / Julie Yates
it was on a much smaller course and run by an outside company. We are located at 20 Quality Place in Buckner on 26 acres of land and thought, why don’t we just do it ourselves? Each year we make it bigger and trade out or add more obstacles. We are always trying to make it more fun; it’s never the same. We keep it interesting,” said Brittany Caple, associate executive director.
“We rent a backhoe. After digging and digging, we add water and the obstacles. Clay mud tends to stay on clothes, and as participants go through the course, they get muddier and muddier,” Caple said.
The untimed event is purely for fun and is not a fundraiser. It’s an activity offered to the Louisville community by the Oldham County YMCA. Most people complete the
Varied obstacles, such as plunge pits and rope climbs, add enjoyment to the event. Although forward progress might be temporarily hindered, the fun is not blocked. Family teamwork is evident, and there are plenty of staff and volunteers who lend helping hands along the way.
Each of the approximately 35 obstacles along the roughly 2-mile course involves mud. One of the most popular is Tubes of Doom, where huge slides deposit people into waist-high mud puddles. Participants climb out and immediately find themselves going back into the muck. Another crowdpleaser is the Infernal Pass, which consists of a balance beam over a pit full of water. Then, everyone climbs under a cargo net.
“You can walk it, jog it or run it. It’s very family-friendly, and if the group doesn’t feel like doing a certain obstacle, they can skip around it. Last year the temperature was almost 100 degrees. There are two water stations. The mud cools everyone off, and at the end, a fire truck sprays the mud off everyone with a low-pressure hose. All registered get a T-shirt, medal and snacks after completing the course,” Caple said.
Online registration is available on the Oldham County Family YMCA website, and the cost is $30 per person. The registration table opens at 8 a.m. Beginning at 8:30 a.m., waves of about 25 participants
are sent off to the muck and mire every 10 to 15 minutes. Specific start times can be requested when signing up.
“The Mud Run goes on until 3 p.m., and as long as people come before then, they can participate. There is plenty of parking in the facility lot. Wristbands are given at the registration table, and the entry fee can be paid there for those who haven’t already signed up online. We encourage people to wear old clothes and shoes they don’t care about. We see a lot of shoes floating in the water. Some people who have done it before come wearing goggles and duct tape shoes to their feet,” Caple said.
Caple shared that although a few people throw away the shoes they wore after the event, she has had good luck washing hers. While wearing headwear such as goggles might seem extreme, securing hair out of the face is wise. Getting dirty is what the fun is all about — just bring extra clothes to wear on the car ride home.
The Oldham County Family YMCA welcomes sponsors for the event. This year, Ameriprise Financial is a Gold Sponsor at the $1,000 level. Kroger is a Silver Sponsor, contributing $500 of in-kind donations by supplying snacks such as granola bars, fruit, water and drinks at the end of the course. Gatorade is donating Prime Hydration Sports Drinks.
As part of the YMCA of Greater Louisville, the Oldham County location offers programming to strengthen the community, with an emphasis on developing youth potential. Amenities include a fitness center with cardio and strength equipment and free weights. The facility has a gymnasium, group exercise classes and a cycling room. There is also an indoor swimming pool, sauna and locker rooms. Outside are hiking and biking trails, sports fields and an 18hole disc golf course.
Through its affiliation with the YMCA of Greater Louisville, the Oldham County
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branch offers members an array of classes and events for adults and youth. Examples include hip-hop dance camps, late-night basketball, color runs and sensory family swims at Calypso Cove. Among the classes are babysitting and CPR. Birthday party packages are available as well.
To join the YMCA, visit ymcalouisville. org and click on the Membership tab. After choosing a location, fee options — which vary with family size — are shown. Financial assistance is available through a sliding scale.
“Registration for the Mud Run is open right now on our website for participants and volunteers. We had 600 people take part in the run last year. We hope to surpass that number this year,” Caple said.
“I love to hear the comments from people during the event. At the start, there are Ninja Steps. People hop from one place to the next saying, ‘Oh my gosh! Mud!’ At the
end is a very small fire pit they cross over. By then, everyone is covered in mud. There are so many smiles. People are so happy. I can hear them saying, ‘That was the best thing ever!’” Caple said.
The YMCA Family Mud Run will be held Saturday, July 26, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Oldham County Family YMCA.
The Oldham County Family YMCA is at 20 Quality Place, Buckner, Kentucky, 40010.
Registration at ymcalouisville.org is open for participants age 4 and older.
The registration fee is $30 per person.
For more information, call 502-222-3916 or email Brittany Caple at bcaple@ymcalouisville.org.
AROUND THE COMMUNITY, 2025
JULY
View All Local Events or Submit Your Own
LOUISVILLE AREA EVENTS
2
CHICAGO
8 p.m.
Louisville Palace 625 S. Fourth St.
Doors open at 7 p.m. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Everyone, regardless of age, including babes in arms, must purchase a ticket.
GIRL’S NIGHT OUT CRUISE
7–9 p.m.
Belle of Louisville
REVEREND HORTON HEAT –PRESENTED BY 91.9 WFPK
8 p.m.
Mercury Ballroom 611 S. Fourth St.
4 ST. MATTHEWS INDEPENDENCE DAY 5K
8–10 a.m.
St. Matthews Baptist Church
Grandview Room
Join us at 8 a.m. Friday, July 4, for the St. Matthews Independence Day 5K. The race dates to the 1970s, and the course remains unchanged.
4
WATERFRONT PARK FOURTH OF JULY
6–10 p.m.
Big Four Lawn and Swing Garden
5
ROARCHESTRA 2025
7–10 p.m.
Louisville Zoo
The Louisville Orchestra and the Louisville Zoo partner for a musical evening.
8 THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS –PRESENTED BY 91.9 WFPK
8 p.m.
Mercury Ballroom 611 S. Fourth St.
An all-ages, standing-room venue. Doors open one hour before the event.
11
SOUTHERN ACCENTS – THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
8 p.m.
Mercury Ballroom 611 S. Fourth St.
12
2025 JTOWN SUMMER BEER FEST
4–8 p.m.
Gaslight Pavilion 10434 Watterson Trail
IPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS
10 a.m.–noon
1411 Beckley Creek Parkway
Join local artist Ellen Sears to explore iPhone photography.
15
PRIMUS – ONWARD & UPWARD SUMMER TOUR 2025
7:30 p.m.
Iroquois Amphitheater 1080 Amphitheater Road
22 RYAN ADAMS: HEARTBREAKER ‘25 WORLD TOUR – PRESENTED BY 91.9 WFPK
8 p.m.
Louisville Palace
625 S. Fourth St.
Doors open at 7 p.m. All sales are final.
We test it out, make you an offer and CUT YOU A CHECK ON THE SPOT.
26
AN EVENING WITH VINCE GILL
7:30 p.m.
Kentucky Center for the Arts 501 W. Main St.
MILITARY FIGURES OF CAVE HILL –MILITARY HISTORY TWILIGHT WAGON TOUR
6–8 p.m.
Cave Hill Cemetery & Arboretum 701 Baxter Ave.
Tour the graves of veterans from major U.S. wars.
29
BARENAKED LADIES: LAST SUMMER ON EARTH 2025
7 p.m.
Iroquois Amphitheater 1080 Amphitheater Road
30
GROWN-UP STORYTIME
7–8:30 p.m. West Sixth NuLu 817 E. Market St., Suite 101
Submit a written story to be read at this monthly event.
WFPK WATERFRONT WEDNESDAY
5–10 p.m.
Big Four Lawn 129 W. River Road
A Cursive Comeback
CURSIVE HANDWRITING RETURNS TO KENTUCKY CLASSROOMS THIS FALL
Writer / Julie Yates
Cursive handwriting instruction will return to classrooms across Kentucky at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The legislation, originally sponsored by State Senator Lindsay Tichenor (R – Jefferson, Oldham, Trimble), was largely championed by Iris Hatfield, a Middletown handwriting experience with more than half a century of experience.
Once a source of pride, it was dropped from academic standards after the federal education initiative Common Core was
adopted by Kentucky in 2010. However, many educators still consider cursive writing important to students’ cognitive development.
Interestingly, no two people’s cursive handwriting is alike. Cursive is a writing style where each character is joined together, and a pen or pencil is only lifted from the paper between words which makes it a faster method of taking notes. Children learn visually, kinetically, and through auditory experience. When all three are employed, memory is increased. Educators believe the kinetic motor skills used to write in cursive help learners imprint knowledge by engaging neurological pathways.
The argument against teaching cursive is that it is obsolete; most people communicate by typing on keyboards. Despite that, being able to read and comprehend cursive writing is still a necessary skill. Nearly all historical documents are written in cursive. Chances are grandparents send postcards and letters to their grandchildren that they are unable to read unless the children know cursive. Many people, such as postal workers and bank tellers, are required to read cursive.
Hatfield had a career in analyzing
handwriting. Working with corporations, she advised them on whether an applicant for a job would be a good fit. Over the years, she estimates viewing more 53,000 handwriting samples.
“I had a fabulous career and was able to see the value of being able to fluidly communicate with the written word,” she says. “Now, many of our high school students are unable to read cursive or even sign their name on a driver’s application.”
Hatfield brought her concerns before the Kentucky Commissioners of Education to try to explain the importance of cursive instruction. “Then I saw Senator Tichenor was introducing a bill for cursive writing to be a course of study in elementary schools to ensure proficiency by the end of grade five,” Hatfield says. “I sent her an email to encourage and thank her. She got right back to me and after we spoke, she asked if I would testify before the education committee.”
Hatfield addressed the state legislature in February and the information she shared was well received. Senate Bill 167 passed with only one “No” vote before being sent to the House where it passed there as well.
Iris Hatfield
Now, cursive writing instruction is a requirement for Kentucky elementary schools.
“One of the contributing factors to the decline in penmanship was that teachers are not given student cursive workbooks or the resources to competently instruct students,” Hatfield says. “I saw the need for a penmanship program that was easy to teach and fun to learn. After conferring with Penmanship Council and numerous educators, I wrote the New American Cursive [NAC] Penmanship Program.”
The workbooks in the program are for firstgraders through adults. Hatfield simplified the letter forms of the NAC alphabet by removing the curly cues and flourishes that make people think cursive is old-fashioned. For instance, “T”, “F” and “Z” now look like print. Twenty-three extra strokes were removed so the letters are now clear, classic, and speedy to write.
The program is designed to take only 15 minutes a day to learn the simplified forms. The very youngest students master one letter a week. Hatfield says the program has exploded in popularity, with so many parents and schoolteachers requesting guidance on improving their own handwriting skills that she wrote Teach Yourself Cursive, a workbook for adults and students fifth grade and up.
The NAC Penmanship Program’s website, NewAmericanCursive.com, contains resources and information. Visitors to the site can find links to two podcasts and a Facebook live presentation. Each workbook offered is explained. The workbooks range
Belmont Village’s Circle of Friends Program was developed to slow the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of Dementia. This one of a kind, seven day a week program includes mental and physical activities focused on building cognitive reserve to maintain brain function.
If you think this program might benefit your loved one, don’t hesitate, contact Belmont Village St. Matthews today.
from beginning, intermediate, and more advanced and include options of standard textbooks with famous American quotes to ones that contain scripture passages. Workbooks for left-handed writers are also available.
“The brain remembers more what you write down than what you type. When you write something down it’s like engraving it in the brain. Learning improves reading, writing, and spelling skills. Cursive is an educational bargain,” says Hatfield.
“In all my years of being a handwriting specialist, I have never met a person who regretted learning to write a nice cursive script,” she says. “I am thankful it is coming back to schools. Children deserve this.”
Visit NewAmericanCursive.com for more information about the New American Cursive Penmanship Program.
For advertising information, contact:
COREY BOSTON
corey@townepost.com
(502) 407-0185
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Jamie W. Prostate Cancer, 2020