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Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin is encouraging residents of District 2 and the surrounding area to come out and enjoy a free event in Petersburg Park on Sunday, April 30th.
In partnership with Kentucky Shakespeare, the Councilwoman is sponsoring the “Shakespeare in the Parks” production of Julius Caesar. It’s the classic tale of political intrigue, deception, betrayal and the murder of a political leader
“We have enjoyed bringing these productions to our area for the last few years and this is a free weekend event for everyone,” says Shanklin. “Petersburg Park is a great place for this event, so bring a lawn chair and come join us.”
Shanklin and other Metro Council members are sponsoring this year’s free production tour of Kentucky Shakespeare in various parks throughout Metro Louisville. The tour is now in its fourth year.
Kentucky Shakespeare, a not-for-profit charitable organization, professional theatre company, and the oldest free Shakespeare Festival in the United States has been offering free Shakespeare in Central Park in Old Louisville during the summer.
This year, “Shakespeare in the Parks” is bringing an 85 minute, six actor version of Julius Caesar beginning at 6:00pm at Petersburg Park located at 5008 E Indian Trail. The event will be held rain or shine.
“We look forward to performing for the people of Newburg and we thank Councilwoman Shanklin and our other Metro Council partners for their support,” says Matt Wallace of Kentucky Shakespeare.
“Shakespeare in the Parks” is halfway through its touring schedule of 23 locations in the Metro Louisville area that will end on May 19th.
For more information about Sunday’s “Shakespeare in the Parks” at Petersburg Park, contact Councilwoman Shanklin’s office at 574-1102.
Some 1,200 volunteers cleaned up alleys and roadways in Shelby Park, Smoketown, Shawnee and California. Hundreds gathered at Meyzeek Middle School to build beds for JCPS school children who didn’t have one. More than 3,000 students walked for compassion through downtown Louisville as part of the international WE Day. And still others repaired bikes for refugees or landscaped area nonprofits.
Those and many other projects and deeds amounted to more than 180,000 volunteers and acts of compassion during Louisville’s sixth annual Give A Day week of service, which ended April 23.
The amount of helping and giving broke the city’s own world record of 175,000 volunteers and acts of compassion set last year in April. Mayor Greg Fischer said the creativity of compassion was impressive and inspiring.
“The beauty of this annual Week of Service is that it puts a spotlight on the compassion that we know happens in this community every single day, though we might not always see it,” Mayor Fischer said. “Every year, I learn about new things that people are doing throughout this community to help build each other up, and it’s amazing.”
The Mayor cited, for example, a small group of volunteers who gather every Sunday from spring into fall at Eastern Cemetery on Baxter Avenue, and armed with a few mowers, rakes and brooms, work to mow the grass and make once-forgotten, unseen monuments visible again.
“This little army is out there every week, and hardly anyone knows it’s happening,” said the Mayor, who stopped in to help and close out the 2017 Give A Day week on April 23. He and Dr. Barry Kerzin, one of the Dalai Lama’s two personal physicians – who was visiting for the Festival of Faiths – jumped in and mowed portions of the massive cemetery.
The numbers for Give A Day week included more than 51,000 JCPS students and teachers – often entire schools and classes – who, along with thousands more private and Catholic school students, were involved in projects ranging from writing letters to troops overseas to collecting and sorting food for the hungry to cleaning the neighborhoods around their schools.
And a record number of people – more than 17,000 – joined the Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community Wide Cleanup, removing litter and debris from neighborhoods, parks and schools.
Louisville Metro Government teams also donated hours during the Week of Service. Louisville Metro Police, for example, sponsored projects in every division, and Louisville Fire helped with landscaping, beautification, cleanup and children’s activities at places like the Louisville Masonic Home and Baxter Park.
Mayor Fischer said the numbers probably exceeded 180,000, given how many acts of compassion occur that no one reports or are difficult to count, including contributions from local media and hours donated by companies, including Humana, GE, Ford, UPS, Computershare, Hogan Lovells and more.
The Mayor said he’s already hearing from citizens, organizations and companies making plans for the 2018 Give A Day event, which again will be connected with the annual Kentucky Derby Festival.
“We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off the Kentucky Derby Festival each year, than giving back to our community and its residents,” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO. “With countless volunteers who help make our celebration possible, we know first-hand the importance of volunteerism, and it makes Give A Day week a perfect fit.”
Mayor Fischer stressed that the success of Give A Day would not be possible without the support and coordination of Metro United Way, which matches volunteers with needy projects and organizations through the website, www.mygiveaday.com. “At Metro United Way, uniting people with the passion and expertise to get things done around our community’s most pressing needs is at the heart of what we do,” said Theresa Reno-Weber, Metro United Way president and CEO. “All year we mobilize thousands of individuals to fight for the education, financial stability and health of every person in our community, so we’re especially proud to serve as the volunteer engine for Mayor’s Give a Day week of service.
“Behind all of our work,” she added, “there are countless individuals, nonprofit partners and private companies who get involved in big and small ways to ensure a better future for all of us and a stronger community, and we are grateful for all who help us ensure every individual, child, and family achieves their fullest potential.”
2017 Give A Day week of service — Notable Numbers:
- 52,248 – Meals packaged by volunteers at Love the Hungry
- 40,000 – Pounds of supplies donated for the Love from Louisville effort to send goods to refugees in Greece
- 30,000 – Meals donated through Kroger and Dare to Care food drive
- 20,000 – Personal hygiene kits created and distributed to JCPS and KRM, as part of WE Day
- 17,000 — Brightside volunteers who helped clean up Louisville
- 100 — Bicycles donated to and refurbished by the Pedal Power Project to provide basic transportation for new refugees to Louisville
Metro Councilmen Stuart Benson (District 20) and Robin Engel (District 22) along with the Louisville Metro Police Department’s 7th Division and the Parklands of Floyds Fork will hold the event, “Crashing the Parklands” on April 30 between Noon and 7pm. This FREE family friendly event will include a performance of Julius Caesar by the actors from Kentucky Shakespeare at 1pm followed by a live concert by the pop rock group The Louisville Crashers at 4pm.
In addition to the FREE play and concert, TARC Shuttles will be available to bring people to the park from Fern Creek High School between the hours of 1pm and 6pm at no charge. Representatives from the public safety community as well as other community groups will host information booths at the event. A number of food vendors have been confirmed for persons interested in purchasing food or drinks.
Those planning to attend are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Alcohol is prohibited at this free family event as well as the Parklands. For more information on this event please contact Angela Webster at 502-574-3465.
Photo: Kentucky Governor’s page
First Lady Glenna Bevin today attended the Women’s Auxiliary Spring Luncheon held at the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville. Mrs. Bevin spoke in front of an audience of 300 women, where she shared how her personal experiences have influenced her passion for children and those in the Kentucky foster care system. After being involved in the Southern Baptist Seminary for many years, the Bevins established the Bevin Center for Mission Mobilization in memory of their oldest daughter, Brittiney, who had an incredible passion for children and mission work.
“I have raised my children to be the hands and feet of Christ,” said Mrs. Bevin. “We have children here in Kentucky who are going to bed hungry, abused, and that don’t know Jesus loves them. That shatters everything inside me.”
Mrs. Bevin stated that there were many reasons her husband decided to run for governor, but one in particular was to correct Kentucky’s broken foster care system. Prior to adopting four children from Ethiopia, Gov. and Mrs. Bevin attempted to adopt an 11-year-old girl in Kentucky. However, their application was denied due to the many unnecessary regulations in the state’s foster care system.
“My reasons for being here are not to tell you my story. My reasons are very, very, selfish,” said Mrs. Bevin. “I am here to call on you to be my foot soldiers in this battle for Kentucky’s children. We have to take advantage of our programs and educate ourselves on the issues that Kentucky kids face today. Step out of your comfort zone, rethink your plans, your missions, and to pray for God’s guidance in making Kentucky your mission field.”
This call to action follows the Gov. and First Lady’s Open Hearts/Open Homes summit held in March. This was a collaboration between the Governor’s Office and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. There, state officials called on communities to take action and provided inspiring, but sobering education as to the current situation within Kentucky’s foster care and adoption systems.
The Worksite Wellness Council of Louisville, a Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement partner, will host its annual worksite wellness conference on Thursday, May 18, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Gheens Foundation Lodge at Beckley Creek Park in the beautiful Parklands of Floyds Fork. For conference registration, sponsorship or vendor information, or to apply for an award, visit http://bit.ly/2nn4fGU.
Businesses with worksite wellness programs are encouraged to apply for an award. Awards will be presented at the conference. The deadline to apply is this Friday, April 28. The Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement has been recognizing businesses committed to fostering employee health and wellness for 11 years. The awards are based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Worksite Health ScoreCard criteria, in recognition of policies, programs and strategies proven to work. Four levels of winners will be awarded based on ScoreCard results: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. In addition, several “Fleur de Lis” awards will be presented to honor businesses with exemplary or unique worksite wellness programs or initiatives. Businesses can apply at https://www.stateofwellness.org/louisville/.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Plug into Wellness to Light Up your Community.” Attendees will hear from guest speakers on topics such as how to connect with all sectors of the community to improve employee and community health and how workplace wellness programs serve as a foundation for changing and improving business.
“We welcome any and all businesses who want to learn more about creating healthier workplaces to attend the conference,” said Allison Ledford, chair, Worksite Wellness Council of Louisville. “It’s a great way to learn about best practices in improving employee health whether it’s through our speakers or through networking and sharing.”
The cost to attend the conference is $75 if registration is completed by April 30. The cost is $95 after May 1 or the day of the conference. Online registration and additional information regarding vendor booths and sponsorships is available at http://bit.ly/2nn4fGU. Sponsors include Norton Healthcare, Humana, Musselman Hotels, Anthem, and the Louisville chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.
The Worksite Wellness Council of Louisville assists area employers to establish worksite wellness by providing training seminars and conferences throughout the year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), worksite wellness programs enhance worker productivity, reduce absences, reduce health care costs and help to shift the health care paradigm from treatment to prevention.
Tomorrow kicks off the two-week Kentucky Derby Festival with one of the largest fireworks displays in the country. Thunder Over Louisville is a fun family event that features music, food, an air show, and a very large fireworks display at the end of the day. Unfortunately, the weather will not be so cooperative, and there is no rain date. As long as it is safe to be near the river, the show will go on. We are currently looking at a high near 50 degrees with nearly 100% chance of rain.
Visitors to the main viewing area on either side of the river will need a Pegasus pin for entrance. The official program for the day will be available tomorrow in the local newspaper. The day begins when many displays open at 11:00 AM. The US Military will have multiple interactive displays on the South Great Lawn, including a dog tag machine, a fitness challenge, an obstacle course, and a 4D virtual reality simulation of a Navy rescue mission. The South Lawn will have activities geared towards children, such as the ninja jump and Meijer will be sponsoring a Family Fun zone that will feature face painting, bounce houses and a beer garden for the parents.
The famous air show does not start until 2:30 PM (recent time change from 3:00 PM). The line up of acts will feature aircraft from the US and other foreign countries’ militaries, both past and present. The show usually features a couple of stunt pilots that will display their skills in the cockpit by performing stunning, and dangerous, maneuvers in the air at various heights. If you have not been to a Thunder Over Louisville event with cloud cover, the ability of the planes to fly close enough to be seen is dependent on the ceiling level and the pilot’s discretion. The entire line up of airshow can be seen online, but it is subject to change.
The air show ends when the fireworks start. As with the previous 27 events, the 28-minute fireworks show has a theme. This year it is “Local & Original”. Along with the fireworks, there is a musical score to go along with the show and as always, there will be a salute to the US that usually features the US flag being flown by aircraft in the viewing area and a few well-known, patriotic songs. The fireworks are currently scheduled to start at 9:30 PM.
If you plan on attending the event, some useful information can be found at the Kentucky Derby Festival webpage. You should plan on leaving any personal drones, tents, canopies, glass containers, alcoholic beverages, pets, bicycles, and grills at home. Lawn chairs are permitted and so are tarps (as long as they are under 10′ x 10′). Event organizers also recommend that you dress for the weather (possibly consider a change of clothes in a waterproof bag or in the car), make sure you gas tank is full (traffic after the event can be slow moving at best and many routes that may be familiar will be blocked), and plan to park as far away as you can comfortably walk. A map of the viewing area is also available on the website.
If you do not want to drive to the event, the local public transit provider, TARC, will have extra buses on certain routes and alternate loading spots following the event. More information, including route changes and detours, can be found on their website. If you are unable to attend the event or do not desire sitting in the rain all-day, you can listen to the show all day on WVEZ 106.9 and many local news stations will air the event as well.
It’s time to take your shot at $1 million! The Stock Yards Bank Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest opens this Thursday, April 20, and runs through Sunday, April 30. The contest will take place at the Seneca Golf Course Driving Range off Pee Wee Reese Road. There will be 10 days of preliminary qualifying rounds and a Semi-final Round on Sunday, April 30.
The preliminary competition is open 10 AM to 8:30 PM every day from April 20 – April 30, except for April 22, when it will be closed for Thunder Over Louisville. The last day for preliminary competition is Sunday, April 30, from 10 AM to 5 PM, and then the Semi-Final round begins at 6 PM. Competitors and spectators can relax in the refreshment tent located adjacent to the tee area.
During the preliminary rounds the 10 closest shots to the hole each day will advance to the Semi-final round, while hole-in-one shots, will advance directly to the Finals. It’s $1 per shot daily, with 2 shots for $1 specials on the following days:
- Senior Days (62+): Weekdays 10 AM – 2 PM
- Junior Day (under 18): April 23
- First Responders & Veterans Day: April 24
- Ladies Day: April 25
There are a total of 56 positions in the Finals, which include all daily hole-in-one qualifiers, four female qualifiers from Ladies’ Day, plus two qualifiers under the age of 18 from Junior Day advance as well. The Finals will be held on Tuesday, May 2, at 6 PM at Seneca Golf Course Hole #8. If no hole in one is awarded during the Grand Prize round, the participant coming closest to the hole during the Finals will receive a $5,000 first prize.
Stock Yards Bank is the title sponsor of the event. Contributing Sponsor is Metro Parks & Recreation, joining Media Sponsors WLKY TV, 840 WHAS and Insider Louisville
Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.