Metro Council members Stuart Benson (District 20), Anthony Piagentini (District 19) and Robin Engel (District 22) invite you to participate in the South Floyds Fork Vision Plan Open House on Monday, March 25, 2019 between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The open house will take place at the Gheen’s Lodge at the Parklands of Floyds Fork (1421 Beckley Creek Parkway).

During the open house, visitors will be able to receive updates and ask questions about topics such as new development, transportation connections, community services, public utilities as well as make comments or suggestions about the plan. The Floyds Fork Vision plan will provide guidance for authentic, healthy, equitable, sustainable and well connected growth in the South Floyds Fork Area in Southeastern Jefferson County

For more information on the Floyds Fork Vision Plan visit www.floydsforkvision.com/ or call the Office of Metro Councilman Stuart Benson at 574-1120.

The call is going out for volunteers as Council Members begin planting 166 trees in four Metro Council Districts as part of this year’s Planting O’ the Green.

“I want to encourage anyone who would like to help us expand our city’s tree canopy to come out between now and Saturday to roll up your sleeves and pitch in,” says Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8). 

Council Members Keisha Dorsey (D-3), Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4) and Donna Purvis (D-5) are also putting out the call for their districts.

Starting today and March 21st, Algonquin Park will be the first location where 46 trees will be planted between 9:00am and 2:30pm. On March 22nd, volunteers will help plant 46 trees at Clay and Breckinridge Streets between 10:00am and 12:00pm.

On the same day, Elliot Park will see new trees planted between 9:00am and 2:30pm. The effort wraps up on March 23rd, when Ellison, Crown and Rufer Avenues will receive the final 46 trees to be planted by volunteers.

“I will be joining my volunteers on Friday and I hope everyone who can will come out and help us officially welcome spring and make Clay and Breckinridge Streets beautiful with new trees,” says Councilwoman Sexton Smith (D-4).

The Council Members are partners with representatives of TreesLouisville, MSD, Brightside, Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the Ancient Order of Hibernians as part of the Planting O’ the Green effort.

Kentuckiana students from grades K-12 were honored tonight at J Graham Brown School for their artistic achievement in the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation Student Art Contest Presented by The Fillies, Inc. A panel of local artists selected the winners. Of the hundreds of entries, some of the most popular themes among the winning artwork this year were the Great Steamboat Race, BB&T Great BalloonFest, the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade, and Thunder Over Louisville.

Five students from Farmer Elementary, under the direction of Brandy Durm, and five students from Norton Commons Elementary, under the direction of Sarah Maxwell Miller, had winning and/or honorable mention entries. In addition, there were four winning and/or honorable mention entries among the Catholic school system.

The first-place winners in all divisions receive a 2019 framed Festival Poster by 2019 Official Poster Artist, Chimel Ford. First-place winners also win a chance to appear in the 2019 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. All winners receive a medallion, certificate, T-shirt, and a Student Art Contest winner’s pin. Teachers of the winning students were also invited to the ceremony and received special recognition.

The Festival has offered this opportunity for area students to showcase their creative skills since 1977. The Foundation’s Student Art Contest is sponsored by Fillies, Inc. The Fillies, Inc. was founded in 1959 kicking off a tradition of volunteer service to the local community. They join Kosair Charities, Official Charity Partner of the event, and Media Sponsor ARTxFM.

Division A: Kindergarten & 1st Grade

• 1st Place: Ari Padilla – Norton Commons Elementary Teacher: Sarah Maxwell Miller
• 2nd Place: Katherine Meirose – St. Agnes Teacher: Laura Dant
• 3rd Place: Lincoln Manning – Farmer Elementary Teacher: Brandy Durm
• Honorable Mention: Ayden Hibbs – Southside Elementary Teacher: M. Michelle Thomas

Divison B: 2nd & 3rd Grades

• 1st Place: Triston Henderson – Norton Commons Elementary Teacher: Sarah Maxwell Miller
• 2nd Place: Rebecca Hobby – Norton Commons Elementary Teacher: Sarah Maxwell Miller
• 3rd Place: Nicole Schwinghamer – Farmer Elementary Teacher: Brandy Durm
• Honorable Mention: Charlotte Uwamahoro – Farmer Elementary Teacher: Brandy Durm

Division C: 4th & 5th Grades

• 1st Place: Kennedy Cohan – Norton Commons Elementary Teacher: Sarah Maxwell Miller
• 2nd Place: Hailey Bolger – Farmer Elementary Teacher: Brandy Durm
• 3rd Place: McKenzie Raatz – Farmer Elementary Teacher: Brandy Durm
• Honorable Mention: Makajsha Durrett – Southside Elementary Teacher: M. Michelle Thomas
• Honorable Mention: Serin Yeo – Norton Commons Elementary Teacher: Sarah Maxwell Miller

Division D: 6th – 8th Grades

• 1st Place: Janee Amig – Meyzeek Middle School Teacher: Patricia Watson
• 2nd Place: Amelia Walz – Holy Trinity Parish School Teacher: Carey Given
• 3rd Place: Hailey Turiczek – St. James Catholic Elizabethtown Teacher: Mrs. Zoeller
• Honorable Mention: Om Patel – Breckinridge County Middle School Teacher: Meredith Yount
• Honorable Mention: Max Sherman – St. Michael School Teacher: Tiffany Whelan

Division E: 9th – 12th Grades

• 1st Place: Jasmine Lewis – PRP High School Teacher: Denise Webb
• 2nd Place: Mallery Marshall – PRP High School Teacher: Denise Webb
• 3rd Place: Molly Phelps – Bullitt East High School Teacher: Jason Kelty & Cathy Russell
• Honorable Mention: Thuy Hguyen – Iroquois High School Teacher: Julie Clinkingbeard

Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program announced today its support and participation in the 17th annual March for Meals – the month-long, nationwide celebration of Meals on Wheels and the homebound and vulnerable seniors who rely on this vital safety net. 

“The services that we provide the seniors of Louisville are critical and the need continues to increase,” said Melanie Rivard, program manager for the city’s Senior Nutrition Program, part of Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services.  “Together, we can keep seniors living independently, healthier at home and feeling more connected to their community as they age.”

The Senior Nutrition Program works year-round to help seniors stay healthy by providing hot, nutritious meals. Through the Meals on Wheels program, hundreds of volunteers helped deliver over 100,000 hot noontime meals last year to qualified individuals. Nearly 90,000 meals were served to active seniors at more than 20 congregate meal sites, which offer seniors an opportunity for a nutritious lunch, socialization and activities.

“The month of March is a fitting time to not only celebrate the successful history of Meals on Wheels, but also bring us together to support a solution that will strengthen communities into the future,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “With 12,000 Americans turning 60 each day, now is the time to invest in these vital programs so that we can provide every senior in need with the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that will enable them to live healthier and independent in their own homes.”

To spotlight important services provided by the Senior Nutrition Program and to help recruit volunteers, Mayor Greg Fischer, six Louisville Metro Council members and other local leaders will help deliver meals to homebound seniors during March.  This week, March 18 – 22, the following individuals will deliver meals:  Council Members Jessica Green (District 1), Barbara Sexton Smith (District 4), David James (District 6), Brandon Coan (District 8), Bill Hollander (District 9), and Pat Mulvihill (District 10), along with Becky Peak, the Mayor of the City of Plantation. 

Mayor Fischer will deliver meals on Friday, March 22 in the Old Louisville area.

The Senior Nutrition Program seeks volunteers all year long to help in a variety of capacities, including packaging and serving meals at one of the congregate sites, and delivering meals to homebound clients.  For more information about volunteering, call (502) 574-6420.  Volunteer drivers are especially needed for routes in the west and south ends of Louisville.  To make a financial donation to Meals on Wheels, click here for Louisville Metro’s secure on-line donation form.

Meals on Wheels is available to qualified seniors in Jefferson County, 60 years or older, who are homebound with no one available to help prepare meals.  Seniors who would like to receive Meals on Wheels can call (502) 574-6325 to begin the qualification process.  The senior congregate sites for more active seniors, 60 and older, can be found by calling the same number above or by visiting https://louisvilleky.gov/government/resilience-and-community-services/senior-nutrition-program. Sites require a one-day advanced reservation.

Calling all Derby Festival foodies! Festival Fans can help pick the 2019 ‘Derby Burger’ Champion. Dozens of original recipes were submitted for the competition sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council. Those recipes featuring 100% beef have been narrowed to the top 8 recipes. Voting is open online to help choose the final 4 burgers that will move on to the 2019 Derby Burger Challenge Cook-off. Now through March 21, fans can visit KDF.org/Beef to vote for the burger they want to see make it to the cook-off.

The top 8 Derby Burger Challenge finalists are:

• Chimichurri Churchill – Lori Poe of Mt. Sterlin
• Asian BBQ Burger – Thomas Dew of Louisville
• CJ’s Peachy-Jalapeno Burger – Chris Daniels of Louisville
• Bourbon Bella Burger – Tommy Thompson of Mt. Sterling
• Beer Cheese Bacon Burger – Tereas Latiolais of Lexington
• Foto Finish Filly – Donna Gribbins of Shelbyville
• Go Big Bleu – Scott Wisdom of Louisville
• Derby Burger (Fan Burger) – created by Festival Fans via social media

All burgers must be 100 percent beef. The burger recipes are judged based on Taste, Appearance, Creativity and Ease of Preparation. The winning burger will be featured at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville during Derby Festival and sampled at BeerFest presented by Liberty Financial. Official rules of the competition can be found online at www.kdf.org/beef. This is the ninth year for the Derby Burger competition.

The winning chef also receives VIP tickets to Thunder Over Louisville, VIP Experience at Waterfront Jam, tickets to BeerFest, as well as a $100 gift certificate to Kroger and a grilling package from Kentucky Beef Council.

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.

Kentuckiana students ranging in age from 5 to 18 and their winning artwork from the 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation Student Art Contest Presented by The Fillies, Inc. will be honored on Tuesday, March 19. The awards ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. at the J. Graham Brown School. For the past 42 years, the Festival has offered this contest as a way for local students to showcase their artistry and creative skill. Students from public, private and parochial schools in all Kentucky counties, as well as Clark and Floyd counties in Indiana are invited to participate in the annual contest.

Students from around the area ranging from grades K–12 produced original artwork showcasing their interpretation of Derby Festival events. The result is an inspiring mix of drawings, paintings, collages, mixed media, compositions and prints. Students used watercolor, acrylics, inks, crayons, oil pastels, felt markers or any combination of these to create their one-of-a-kind artwork.

Entries in the Student Art Contest were judged by art professionals from the community. The winners in each division will receive a medallion, certificate and a Student Art Contest Winner’s Pin. First-place winners will receive a 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival framed poster created by the 2019 Official Poster artist Chimel Ford and get to ride in the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. Teachers of the winning students are also invited to the ceremony and will receive special recognition.

The Foundation’s Student Art Contest is sponsored by Fillies, Inc. The Fillies, Inc. was founded in 1959 kicking off a tradition of volunteer service to the local community. They join Kosair Charities, Official Charity Partner of the event, and Media Sponsor ARTxFM.

The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, a 501 C 3 not-for-profit charity, receives and manages charitable contributions on behalf of the Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc., its supporters and the general public. The Foundation perpetuates the Festival’s impact on the community by developing projects that highlight the Festival’s influence on the area’s cultural heritage. It works to further the Festival’s educational and charitable mission through exhibitions and performances.

Kosair Charities will partner with the Kentucky Derby Festival through special opportunities aimed at helping kids in our community take flight. Collaborations include educational components as well as exclusive experiences for Kosair Kids at the Humana miniMarathon/Marathon, the BB&T Great Balloon Fest, and Celebrity Day at the Downs.

“This is a unique collaboration between two organizations – Kosair Charities and Kentucky Derby Festival – that care so much about our entire community and allows Kosair Kids access to festival activities that otherwise would not be possible,” said Keith Inman, President of Kosair Charities.
“Creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences is what the Kentucky Derby Festival is all about,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. ”As a proud Kosair Shriner, I am honored that we can share our events with Kosair Charities and these Kosair Kids. They are an inspiration to all of us.”
See the full list of experiences and opportunities that are a part of this year’s Kosair Kids ® Take Flight partnership:

Official Charity Partner of KDF Foundation Student Art Contest – Open to students from public, private, and parochial schools in all Kentucky counties, as well as Clark and Floyd counties in Indiana, artwork could be submitted in five divisions. Kosair Charities, the charity partner, recognizes the need to provide enriching arts engagement for all youth, including special needs youth where art is such an integral part of their learning process. A special art awards ceremony will be held on March 19 at the J. Graham Brown School.

BB&T Great Balloon Race – Recognized by Louisville Magazine as Louisville’s “Best Event,” the 47th annual Kentucky Derby Festival Great Balloon Race will come together with the 27th annual Kentucky Derby Festival Great Balloon Glow and other events to create the BB&T Kentucky Derby Festival Great BalloonFest. Kosair Charities has invited special Kosair Kid ®, Skylar Harrell (11), in remission for Burkett’s lymphoma, and his mom to take flight in one of the balloons during the Great Balloon Rush Hour Race at Bowman Field on Friday, April 26.

Celebrity Day at the Downs – While Hollywood celebrities will continue to highlight the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Celebrity Day at the Downs, this year, Kosair Kid ®, Lola Rosenbaum (8), who has Down syndrome, and her mom will be special guests at Thurby. This red-carpet experience will allow Lola to take flight in an once-in-a-lifetime environment.

Humana miniMarathon/Marathon KDF Charity Program – Kosair Charities President, Keith Inman will walk the Humana miniMarathon this year, and cross the finish line with VIP and Kosair Kid ®, Henry Hinson (6), born with the spinal defects spina bifida and Chiari II malformation. In addition to their participation, Kosair Charities is a Charity Partner, activating miniMarathon participants to use the race as a vehicle to raise awareness and funds to help children in our community.