Henderson Family - February / March 2023

FROM

Lyndi's Top Picks

Soup

During the cold winter months, there is nothing better than a hot cup of soup. Broccoli cheddar and potato are my favorites, but I am always willing to try a new recipe.

It’s officially 2023 and many of you have probably already made your New Year’s resolutions! What I’ve learned over the years is it’s better to make small, short term goals. Things don’t always go according to plan, but if we incorporate those goals into our daily and/or weekly routines, then we can offer ourselves grace when our resolutions aren’t met exactly as we had hoped.

With that being said, a new year means new adventures, new memories and new chapters! It can be exciting not knowing what the next year will bring until it unfolds. Henderson offers our community so much year-round—so it’s always exciting to see what new additions will be added throughout the year—whether it’s a new business or a new event. What’s not to love about our small town of Henderson, KY? Speaking of loving Henderson, this issue is our Local Love edition where we hear from community members on what they love most about our town.

Ice Skating

The first time I ever went ice skating was in the Smoky Mountains. I was probably 6-years-old. I remember being so proud of myself for not falling down, and my dad would wave at me each time I made my way around the rink. It is such a wonderful memory. Over Christmas break, both of my kids had the opportunity to go ice skating for the very first time and absolutely loved it!

Inside, you will also find features on a local resident who has been inspiring the community for over a decade through daily text messages, a young woman who has been nationally recognized in her role as a gymnastics coach, and the Lady Colonels wrestling team.

Don’t forget to check out our delicious, Strawberry Pretzel Salad—perfect for Valentine’s Day. We also have provided you with tips on hosting a cookie decorating party for all ages!

Thank you to our amazing advertisers—you are the reason we are a FREE magazine.

DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY

Puzzles

I always enjoyed working puzzles as a kid and now my kids love them, too. We have puzzles ranging from princesses and Paw Patrol to unicorns and dinosaurs. My kids and I recently spent time working on a larger puzzle together, and we had a blast. It may just be a new family favorite!

Happy New Year!

HENDERSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY OFFERS MAKERSPACE WITH NEW RENOVATION

The Henderson County Public Library has a new space being offered to community members—a makerspace. The space offers 3D printing, laser printing, a poster and vinyl printer and a sound booth for individuals to use their creative minds. And the best part—it’s free! Those interested in using the equipment may register for a class to learn how the equipment works. Individual instruction is also available for those unable to make one of the weekly class offerings. Community members have already been putting this space to use making wood ornaments for Christmas, using the sound booth for podcasts and more. The ideas are endless, and the HCPL is excited to offer this space to you!

HENDERSON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BUILD “SANTA’S SUGAR SHACK”

Students in the Career and Technical Education program at HCHS—including the Construction and Machine Tool students—worked together to build the new “Santa’s Sugar Shack” and made signs, which were donated to Central Park for the Christmas decorations in downtown Henderson. This was a wonderful addition this past holiday season.

VOLUNTEER AND INFORMATION CENTER HOSTS ANNUAL TASTE OF CHRISTMAS

On Monday, December 12 the Volunteer and Information Center’s signature event, Taste of Christmas, was held at the Lumberyard Event Center. This event has been taking place for over 20 years. When it began, attendees would bring a canned good to get into the event and that was donated to the Christian Community Outreach and The Salvation Army.

This year 20 Henderson restaurants brought their finest tasty food. Each one donated their time and their food for the event, as well as, their personnel to serve the guests. It was a casual atmosphere that helped ring in the joy and the excitement of Christmas and the New Year. The funds raised help to support the Volunteer and Information Centers programs such as Build-a-Bed, Adopt-a-Family, BankON Henderson, VITA and their new initiative in the works, GAIN. Everything the Volunteer and Information Center does is focused on connecting people in need with people who can help. It’s people to people, people to agencies, and agencies to agencies. VIC was created in 1990 and has been serving Henderson residents since that time. Their 9 board members are dedicated to their mission, extremely involved in what they do and help the center to stay focused on their mission every single day. It’s all about empowering Henderson families.

Tell us a little about yourself (Family, kids, pets, etc)

My wife, Abby, and I have been married for seven years. We’ve lived in Henderson the entire time we’ve been married. We have two wonderful children that make life fun, Eliza 4, and Graham 1. We also have three dogs. Our house can get a little crazy at times.

What do you do for a living and how long have you been in that position?

I am a Commercial Loan Officer and Senior Risk Officer at Field & Main Bank. I manage a commercial loan portfolio, and I am involved in the risk management functions of the bank. I’ve been with Field & Main for 10 years. I’ve been a Commercial Loan Officer for eight years, and I’ve had my current role for the last year.

Did you always know you wanted to work in the banking industry?

I majored in finance at Murray State, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after graduation. My dad worked in banking throughout my life, but he encouraged me to pursue other careers. It wasn’t until I started searching for jobs in my last semester that I started to consider a career in banking. It seemed like the industry that would utilize the skills I most enjoyed learning in college.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? What is the most challenging?

I most enjoy working with small business owners to find ways to meet their needs and the needs of their businesses. No two businesses or situations are alike, and I really enjoy the nuance involved in each

Evan Dixon

transaction and working with the customer to find the best solution. The most challenging aspect of the job is when I have to turn someone down for a loan. No one likes to hear bad news, so I always try to mention positive things that were uncovered in the application process and provide specific things that would need to happen for them to be eligible.

What hobbies do you and your family enjoy?

Hobbies? With two little kids?! Jokes aside, we really enjoy living downtown and taking the kids on wagon rides through downtown. It’s a great opportunity to get fresh air and exercise, and a nice way to have an excuse to stop at our favorite restaurant, Rockhouse. We also enjoy going to the lake in the summer, and backyard playdates with friends.

How do you find balance between family and work life?

I try my best to balance it by leaving work at the office, and not working at home until after the kids are in bed. When it comes to community involvement, I try to include the kids whenever possible.

I want to instill in them how important it is to play an active role in our community.

What advice would you give to someone interested in roles similar to what you hold at Field & Main?

My advice to someone interested in a role similar to mine would be to study business in college, network in your community, and look for an opportunity to get started working at a bank as early as you can.

Strawberries are the unofficial fruit associated with Valentine’s Day, so we think this treat is a perfect way to celebrate the day! Your kids will love this as a sweet Valentine’s Day dessert, or even as a side dish at dinner! It’s a delicious combination of sweet and salty, and is very simple to make. To avoid sogginess, be sure to allow each layer to cool before adding the next, and cover the pretzel layer completely with the whipped cream layer (to make sure no jello can seep down). Make sure to make this dish ahead of time! It will need to set in the fridge for around 4 hours! Make sure to share this treat at your children’s Valentine’s Day festivities!

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

›› 3 cups of pretzels ›› 1 cup butter, melted ›› 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Filling:

›› 16oz. tub of cool whip, thawed

›› 2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened ›› 1 cup confectioners sugar

Topping:

›› 1 6oz. package of strawberry jello ›› 2 cups boiling water ›› 1 16oz. Package fresh strawberries,

sliced.

›› Optional: Valentine’s Day sprinkles to make it festive!

INSTRUCTIONS:

›› Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

›› Combine Jello with boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

›› Crush pretzels in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin (or in a blender). Combine pretzels, melted butter, and 3 tablespoons of confectioners sugar in

a medium size bowl until pretzels are coated. Press into the prepared dish. Bake for 10minutes then set on the counter to cool.

›› In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and one cup of confectioners sugar until fluffy. Fold in the cream cheese and spread evenly over the completely cooled pretzel mixture (making sure to spread it to the edges). Chill for one hour.

››

Slice 16oz strawberries and stir into your room temperature jello. Pour the strawberry mixture over your cooled cream cheese layer and chill to set (2-4 hours). Serve cool and enjoy! HF

JAMIE ALEXANDER is a nationally published culinary and commercial photographer working as a full-time staff photographer for Tanner Publishing. She has a knack for making tasty food and pretty art. See more of her portfolio at jaastudios.com.

Host a Cookie Decorating Party

For Valentine’s Day (or really any holiday)

I suggest hosting a cookie decorating party! This sweet soiree is great for kids of all ages, or even for a fun girls’ afternoon with your own adult friends. And with a little bit of planning, you can keep the mess to a minimum and let your creativity shine.

Location, Location, Location

Every good party needs a good location, but with sprinkles and icing that can stain, your location is extra important for this gathering. Set up an area that’s easy to clean or even set up tables outside if the weather is nice.

Set the Scene

Add up the number of people attending and make sure everyone has a place to decorate. I recommend using card tables and folding chairs to keep icing off your “real” furniture.

Cover your table with a plastic tablecloth, or even wrap the top with fun wrapping paper if you want to make the decor pop! This will make cleaning up much easier.

At each seat, set up a sturdy paper plate, extra napkins and plastic knives for spreading icing.

Candy takes cookie decorating beyond regular sprinkles! Separate all the candy you want to use into cupcake liners and spread them out. Use more containers with less candy so little hands can get what they need without making a mess. Wondering what candy to use? Try M&Ms, nonpareils, gummies, licorice, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and kisses. Instead of buying sprinkles, ask each guest to bring a jar of their favorites to share.

Cookies

Cookies are the most important part of the party! Don’t feel like baking? Pick up packaged sugar cookies from the dollar store for a frugal fix, or order blank ones from your favorite bakery.

If you want to bake cookies, you can make a mix (such as Betty Crocker) taste more like homemade by adding a dash of almond extract.

Icing

Use royal icing for your cookies so the decoration will harden and you can stack them to transport home.

Instead of piping bags or bowls or frosting, plastic squeeze bottles make for less mess. Just fill each one with a different color for easy decorating.

INSTRUCTIONS:

the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a large bowl (you will need an electric hand mixer) combine sugar, meringue powder and water. Beat on low speed until combined, then add vanilla/almond extract.

›› Gradually increase mixer speed to high and beat until icing forms stiff peaks. This should take 5 minutes or more.

›› Divide and color icing using gel food coloring. ›› Icing at this consistency can be used as a stiff outlining icing. To thin the icing for flooding your cookies, add a teaspoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Party Food

Don’t forget that your party goers may be hungry while they decorate! Since everyone will be overloaded with sweets from the cookies and frosting, pick snacks like cheese and crackers, chips and dip, fruits or even frozen mini pizzas.

Most of all, remember to have fun! HF

JACQUELINE JORDAN RUSSELL is a marketing specialist, freelance writer and photographer. She has a passion for celebrating every day moments and basically leaves a trail of confetti wherever she goes.

Community

THE PEOPLE AND PLACES THAT MAKE HENDERSON GREAT

CHANNELING ENERGY

Charlotte Smoot knew she had found the perfect place for her granddaughter, Nevaeh Carpenter, to channel her “flipping all over the place” into a skill she could hone after only one class at BP Elite Gymnastics. The gym, located on St Joseph Avenue in Evansville, is owned and operated by Henderson native Breasha Pruitt. Breasha is an accomplished gymnast and is now teaching area youngsters her unique talent. Nevaeh began training at BP when she was only six years old. “It’s amazing

how much she has matured and learned since going to Breasha,” Charlotte smiles and beams as she speaks about her granddaughter’s progress, “You should see all her medals and trophies. She absolutely loves it.”

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

Teaching her young students how to do a cartwheel and walk on a beam is only part of the goals Breasha has for each student. “Building relationships with my athletes is one of my top priorities.

These children are still children. This is a learning journey for them. I want them to understand sportsmanship,” the decorated athlete expands, “I’m a coach who believes in you even if you fall off the beam or are having a bad day.” Breasha admits that when she was a child, her coaches were stressful and too hard on her at times. Not always having desirable influence from the coaches she had as a child led to her passion for giving her athletes a different and more positive experience. “I think they learn to respect other people, be more caring

and understanding. It really grows and matures them,” Charlotte adds.

It was no surprise that when applications for Positive Coaching Alliance’s National Coach of the Year were being accepted, Charlotte sat down to pen an entry on Breasha’s behalf. The organization’s website describes its mission as “changing the culture of youth sport, so every child has access to a positive youth sports experience regardless of their social or economic status.” There were 1000 applicants from all sports, men and women, from all 50 states. Charlotte’s nomination letter and personal experience, coupled with Breasha’s extensive resume, helped push her to the top of the nominees for consideration. Breasha graduated from Henderson County High School in 2002. In 2003, she was the 3rd place NCAA team champion. She has two proclamations from Henderson and has been inducted into the Henderson County Sports Hall of Fame and the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame. She is a Kentucky Colonel and was presented the honor by Governor Andy Beshear. During her career, before starting BP Elite Gymnastics, she was a two-time Elite National Team member, 4th on bars, 4th on vault, and 9th allaround nationally. The skills learned through her vast experience were passed down to her students, resulting in BP Elite Gymnastics having seven regional champions, one national qualifier, 18 state champion titles, and one athlete who is a back-to-back regional champion.

SURPRISE!

Charlotte submitted her nomination, unbeknownst to Breasha, then waited to hear back. The grateful grandmother

then went about her day, hoping, but not expecting, her entry to get noticed by the organization. Several days passed when Charlotte finally got the call she had anticipated. “The lady called me to tell me

had as a young athlete and gives it to her students. She strives to not only focus on racial diversity in her gym but also on socioeconomic diversity as well. “I will start a program that goes into lowincome areas to introduce the sport of gymnastics, so every student can experience the sport without any financial obstacles,” says Pruitt.

Breasha won Coach of the Year!

I couldn’t speak. I was in tears.” Wanting to keep the surprise secret from Breasha but unable to hold the good news all to herself, Charlotte decided to tell Breasha’s parents so she could have someone to celebrate with until the big reveal. She arranged to surprise Breasha with the good news at her gym, the place Charlotte holds dear to her heart. Upon learning of her win, Breasha and her parents flew to California to accept the award. “I’m thankful to God because it hasn’t always been easy.” Breasha is the first African American woman to win and the first gymnastics coach to be selected for the honor.

“Representation matters,” she says, explaining how the lack of diversity in her sport growing up impacted her. Echoing the thought regarding how important representation is, Charlotte adds, “You can see ten white girls doing it, but if you see one black one, you think, hey, she looks like me, and she’s doing something I can do too. Nevaeh idolizes Simone Biles. Now she has Breasha for inspiration.” Breasha again uses what she wished she

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT

With plans to expand BP Elite Gymnastics in unconventional ways within the sport of gymnastics, Breasha continues to instruct young athletes to be not only champion gymnasts but also champions in life. Charlotte sees her granddaughter following in her coach’s footsteps. “Nevaeh will make Henderson proud one day,” she says. However, it’s safe to say both Breasha and Nevaeh already have.

For information on location and programs offered, visit www. bpelitegymnastics.com. BP Elite Gymnastics’ vision statement states, “We are dedicated to providing a positive, motivating, safe environment for your son/daughter through coaching the amazing sport of gymnastics.” HF

AMANDA WAGGENER is a blogger for the Huffington Post, author of No Grit No Pearl blog site and is a native of Henderson. She and her husband are the parents of 2 children, both of whom are currently attending University of Kentucky.

A GROWING SPORT

“Girls wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the country right now, and it is really awesome that we are able to provide an opportunity for girls to show that they can compete and be successful in a traditionally male sport. Not everyone is good with a ball or wants to be a cheerleader, so wrestling is one of those sports that allow anyone to participate because it’s you and your opponent on the mat and all you need is heart, discipline and will to win to have success in wrestling,”

Henderson

This is the wrestling team’s 5th season as a sanctioned sport, and Coach Poynter has been the head coach since the start for both the boys and girls wrestling teams, along with the middle school team. “I wrestled in school and wanted to pass on my love of the sport to not only my kids but for others as well.” Alongside Coach Poynter are four assistant coaches. Wrestling is a co-ed sport, so there has always been at least one girl on the wrestling team. “Schools are required to have equal amounts of sports for boys and girls,” he said.

Currently, the girls team consists of 9 girls and the boys team consists of 27 boys. Both teams practice 5 days a week, unless they have a wrestling competition. Depending on how many tournaments and how well they do, and if other teams have a wrestler in their weight class, they typically have between 1540 matches a season. Wrestling season officially runs from

October-February, but the team starts preseason conditioning in August/September.

MAKING HISTORY

On Tuesday, December 20, Henderson County High School hosted its 1st Annual Lady Colonel Wrestling Invitational with 10 teams being present alongside HCHS including: McCreary Central, Union County, Fort Campbell, Clarksville HS (TN) , McCracken County, South Warren, Warren Central, Boonville, Bullitt Central and Bullitt East. McCreary Central finished 1st place with Fort Campbell in 2nd place. Henderson County finished 5th place in the tournament.

The tournament was Henderson County High School’s first ever all-girl tournament. “I look to continue to grow this tournament in the future as well as grow the number of girls participating on the Lady Colonels,” said Coach Poynter.

The following Lady Colonel Wrestlers placed in the tournament: Naomi Santiago (165lbs) 1st place with a 3-0 record on the day. All three wins were by way of pin; Sydney Chambers (107lbs) 3rd place with a 1-2 record on the day. One win came by way of pin; Kaizley Dunn (145lbs) 2nd place with a 1-2 record on the day. One win by way of pin; Evie Estes (185lbs) 3rd place with a 2-1 record on the day. Two wins by way of pin and Bradleigh Stokes (235lbs) 1st place.

Naomi Santiago was voted most outstanding wrestler of the tournament by the coaches. Naomi explained her interest to try wrestling “was the desire to try something new and thinking it was WWE.” Naomi encourages other girls to give wrestling a try. “It doesn’t matter what anybody has to say. The only thing that matters is what is in your head. I’ve gotten told that I’m doing a male sport and that I could never be as good as any of the boys, but I never let that get to me. You should never be scared to try something or of people’s opinion. Society will always want you to do what they want but it’s fun and cool to be different.” She really enjoys being able to show others what she is able to do on her own. “In other sports, you have a team but in wrestling you fight your own battles. We are still together as a team, but it’s more individual. It teaches you to stand on your own and not worry about other people having your back. You fight on your own. If you lose it’s on you, and if you win it’s on you.”

Although the Lady Colonels have competed in other all-girl tournaments at Evansville Reitz Girls Invitational, Taylor County Ladies Cardinal Clash and Fort Campbell Girls Invitational, it was important to Coach Poynter for them to host a tournament locally. “I already host other tournaments, so when I started the girls’ team, I wanted to give them a chance to showcase their talents and compete in a local tournament at their own school.”

MORE THAN JUST A SPORT

Coach Poynter explains how wrestling can teach many life skills his players will be able to carry into their futures. “Wrestling can teach them discipline, build self-confidence and esteem while teaching them the value of family and teamwork. But most importantly, it will teach them to never give up and to always keep fighting when things get tough.”

Coach Poynter hopes wrestling at Henderson County High School continues to grow for both boys and girls, and they become just as competitive as some of the powerhouse teams in our area, such as Union County. HF

LYNDI MAUK, editor of Henderson Family Magazine, was born and raised in the Bluegrass State. She is grateful to be going through life alongside her husband and best friend, Brandon, and being a mother to their two kids.

LIVE ON PURPOSE LIVE ON PURPOSE Encouraging others to

O O

ne day while reading, Joey Davenport thought to himself, “What am I doing with what I am reading?” He offered to start writing something to a friend each day and sending it in text form. It soon became a domino effect as that person started sharing his encouraging text messages with somebody else and then they told someone else and it continued from there. “I tell people all the time that I write these at myself first and not anybody else. So a lot of times, it’s that I need to hear it more than anybody else,” explained Joey. His intent wasn’t to grow a community but here he is over a decade later still encouraging others to Live ON Purpose.

A DIFFERENT PLAN

Joey Davenport grew up in Sebree, KY and married his high school sweetheart, Amy. They have two children, Cooper and Addison. He has been a financial advisor for 25+ years where he started at Hilliard Lyons—now known as Baird. He began his text ministry over a decade ago and is a volunteer assistant basketball coach for the Henderson County High School boys basketball team. Basketball and dance keep his family very busy with their children’s schedules. Joey enjoys spending time with his family and fishing. “We really enjoy traveling and taking the kids to expose them to new things. Basketball and dance allow us to travel a lot. I love to fish. That is my passion is bass fishing,” Joey stated.

Joey initially had different plans before deciding he wanted to follow the career path of being a financial advisor. He went to college at Samford University and played NCAA Division 1 basketball. He always saw himself being a college basketball coach. “I thought I would be the next coach of Kentucky. After doing that for one year I realized that isn’t what I wanted to do.”

He interned with a former Samford University basketball player in financial advising and really liked it. “I met some of the most successful advisors in the country by chance through different relationships and sat down with them learning how I can try to help people.” He moved to Henderson and took the job with Hilliard Lyons, got engaged shortly after and remained in Henderson to work and raise their family, never knowing a new opportunity to help others would soon fall into his lap.

THE LIVE ON PURPOSE+1 MOVEMENT

The Live ON Purpose ministry started out as “a way to share what was being fed into me.” Joey read a lot— whether it be biblical, devotionals or other inspirational books and wanted to find a way he could use what he was reading to remind himself and help others everyday. He would ask himself, “How does that help me, and how can I help others?” It was more of him sharing what he was reading in text, and it started escalating from there. He would have people come up telling him they had received his daily text. He knew they weren’t on his original list, so he quickly started realizing it was being passed on from those in his original text message.

When his texting ministry started to grow, he decided to come up with a name. “I was thinking about being intentional and having a purpose. That we all have a purpose. The +1 that’s attached to it is to be intentional everyday to bring one more person closer to God.” What he comes up with each morning is based on his own reading from the Bible, devotion or sometimes he can use old messages from years ago. Sometimes it may be something he experienced on a day-today basis. He has also had mornings where he wakes up and feels God telling him what he needs to share for that day.

AN INSPIRING FRIENDSHIP

Joey had been sending the text messages for quite a while when he had the pleasure of meeting a local Hendersonian who became a dear friend of his, Todd Satterfield. Joey had heard about Todd’s story with terminal illness and reached out to him. Meeting for lunch at Applebees to give Todd a book he thought he should read led to the Live ON Purpose ministry taking

off to new heights. Todd was on one of Joey’s text links at the time and Joey didn’t even know it. “Our kids were in preschool together at Methodist. As fate would have it, both of their boys are starters on the Henderson County High School boys basketball team now,” Joey said with a big smile.

Todd started sharing Joey’s text and felt led to share the +1 movement with others. Even after Todd’s heartbreaking passing from battling cancer, Joey still sends his message to the same group of people every single morning with Todd’s name on it. “It was his list of people he shared the texts with. His original 89 people that he was sending it out to.” Todd was in Vanderbilt, and he would wear the Live ON Purpose t-shirts. People would ask him what that was and Todd would tell them about it. Todd was always encouraging Joey to speak and do events. Joey said, “It kind of formed its own and took off from there. I just tried to stay committed to it.” The amount of people receiving Joey’s daily texts escalated around 2012-2014 from Dick Vitale retweeting his messages to local news and media covering his ministry. After Todd passed away, Joey had an event for Live ON Purpose and Todd’s cancer fight. He also held a fundraising event to raise money for a local family who was in need of a handicap van. They sold 900 tickets, and he spoke at the Fine Arts Center, now the Preston Arts Center. He was also traveling and speaking to college basketball teams during this time, too. He would get confronted to help others often—usually in need of some form of money for a particular cause. He tried to form a board to help with it, but then it became too much. The ministry truly became a job of its own, and Joey was not prepared for what it had grown to be.

“Looking back, I thought I could do

it but couldn’t do it fully to what it was growing. I didn’t have the capacity to do this job, family, church—so that’s where it kind of slowed down if you will. I now try to do things more privately than publicly as far as trying to help people. There are enough things to help people privately that nobody has to know about to impact people,” the financial advisor explained.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES OF LIVE ON PURPOSE

Live ON Purpose brings on another component. Individuals see the text message, but they don’t see the behindthe-scenes that goes on. Joey has been sending the text messages the same way since the beginning—through a group texting app. Oftentimes he might send his morning text and throughout the day hear back from those on his list saying they never received it. He will try to go back through and resend, but his schedule doesn’t always allow him to do that. He also found if an individual switched phones or carriers, it would mark his text message as spam. This is where the problem would sometimes come from in regards to those not receiving the message they so look forward to everyday. He has pushed more people to go on Facebook and copy and paste his daily message to send to those they want to share it with as a way to try and help with the technology challenges he has faced over the years.

When he first started Live ON Purpose, he made a website that is still active—liveonpurpose.us. It allows individuals to go online and read more into what it is. He had professionals put the website together and is proud of how well it turned out. But—it wasn’t long after he made the website, considered a podcast, made an attempt to send his messages through email and was doing a lot of travel speaking

to basketball teams that he realized he just couldn’t juggle it all. With a fulltime job and family, he realized he had to find balance.

LOOKING AHEAD

Joey wants to see Live ON Purpose continue to bless others. It is encouraging to hear when one of his daily messages has made an impact on someone. They are meant to be encouraging and motivational messages about habits and disciplines. Some are biblical and some are not.

When Joey thinks about the future of this ministry, it is very important for him “to find some way to make it more efficient and fluid where people are getting it that are signed up to get it.

I don’t know the answer to that yet. I am not worried about the size of it as much as the impact of it. I would like

to maintain it at its current level so that it would be something that would continue to live on.”

Other people have reached out to Joey telling him they have started something similar because of him. “It makes me feel good.” He will get messages and pictures sent to him of a loved one wearing one of the Live ON Purpose t-shirts days before they pass away from battling a sickness. This ministry has inspired hope and faith in so many.

Joey would like to someday put together the original messages he wrote and compose a book that intertwines the messages with the story. “I don’t know what that looks like but something I have written down that I’d like to do,” he explained. This ministry has helped Joey stay connected with people and many times

he is writing something that is going to touch someone without him even knowing. “I want to be a part of people seeing grace and not judgment.”

Live ON Purpose started out as a way for Joey to try and make a difference in the lives of others. But this ministry has done the same for him. He has been blessed by the journey it has taken him on over the years and given him even more of a reason to Live ON Purpose every single day.

For more information or to learn how you can sign-up to receive the Live ON Purpose daily messages, you may visit liveonpurpose.us or visit Live ON Purpose +1 on Facebook. HF

LYNDI MAUK, editor of Henderson Family Magazine, was born and raised in the Bluegrass State. She is grateful to be going through life alongside her husband and best friend, Brandon, and being a mother to their two kids.

What we

LOVE LOVE about Henderson

With Valentine’s Day coming up, we reached out to businesses and individuals within our community who are making a difference and asked, “Why do you love Henderson?” We wanted to know why Henderson is so special to those leading, serving and living in this wonderful, small town so many of us call home.

“I love Henderson because of its small knit community. I am not originally from here, but I am from a small town just south of Henderson. Having lived in Louisville for several years, there is just something about living in a small town where you are able to connect on a more personal level with local individuals and businesses. I love the opportunities to be involved in a variety of organizations, the growth of downtown Henderson and support of shopping local, and the never-ending offerings of fun, family-friendly events. I love how welcoming the community of Henderson is, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity I was given to help bring this community together through a publication like Henderson Family.”

The Book Nook

All of these books are available for check out at the Henderson County Public Library.

Valentine’s Day Disaster

Geronimo sends valentines to all his friends but seems destined to spend the day alone.

Kylie Jean: Valentine Queen

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and Kylie Jean is helping her family throw a surprise anniversary party for her grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary. Between party planning and her school’s new Be Sweet project, there’s a lot happening, but Kylie Jean is still determined to be the valentine queen!

From blueberries to beauty pageants, second grader Kylie Jean wants to be the queen of everything! But in her quest to be the best, this young southern belle learns a few lessons of her own. Mischievous, delightful, and fun, this series will be at the top of every young girl’s list!

Thomas & Friends: Valentine’s Day in Vicarstown

Vicarstown is a big town with a big station and all the local children who love Thomas have arranged a Valentine’s Day party for all the engines. Percy is very excited, but when a big blizzard hits Sodor, will they still have the party?

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose

Our favorite lady is back and hungry for Valentine’s Day treats! That lovely old lady has returned just in time for Valentine’s Day. Now she’s swallowing items to make a very special gift for her valentine! With rhyming text and hilarious illustrations, this wacky version of the classic song will appeal to young readers as they follow the Old Lady on a wild Valentine’s Day adventure.

Llama Llama I Love You

Little llama shows his friends and family how much he loves them with heartshaped cards and lots of hugs. What could be sweeter than Llama Llama on Valentine’s Day?

Out & About

6 LOCAL THINGS TO DO this season

GIRLS DAY OUT - EVANSVILLE

SATURDAY, MARCH 11 @ 10AM - 4PM

OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA {

Hang out with the girls for a fun day of shopping. There will be a variety of craft vendors, boutiques, direct sales and more. This event is free, and door prizes will take place throughout the day. Swag bags will be given to the first 100 ladies in line. For more information, you may call 270-792-1078 or email girlsdayout@yahoo.com.

RUNWAY RED

MONDAY, MARCH 13 @ 5:30 - 7:30PM

LUMBER YARD EVENTS CENTER

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Mark your calendars for March 13, 2023! Last year’s event was the largest Runway Red ever had in both attendance and proceeds raised benefiting Matthew 25. For 2023, a few changes will help continue to make the event even better. Stay tuned for all the announcements to be made at the beginning of 2023 including participating boutiques and models! For more information, please call 270-826-0200.

EMERGENCY SERVICES GALA

SATURDAY, MARCH 18 @ 6:30 - 11:59PM

LUMBER

YARD EVENTS CENTER

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The Henderson Professional Firefighters Honor Guard will host an Emergency Services Gala in March. The evening of food, music, dancing and fellowship. This semi-formal event is for emergency responders working and volunteering in Henderson as well as friends, family and community supporters.

“LITTLE REMBRANDTS ART” AGES 3-6

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10 @ 10:3011:30AM

JOHN JAMES AUDUBON MUSEUM

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Bring those Little Rembrandts for fun with Valentines Art. They will be working on shapes and color. All students must be accompanied by an adult and pre-registration is required. Dress for a mess. Cost is $7. To register, please call 502- 782-7918.

Cocktail hour begins at 6:30 p.m. with appetizers and music. There will be a cash bar and a silent auction. Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. with dancing and music following. The event ends at midnight. Multiple door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening.

The event was originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but was put on hold due to the pandemic. All tickets purchased for the original event can be redeemed at the event on March 18th, 2023. Tickets are $50 for individuals (which includes one drink ticket) or $360 for a table of eight. They can be purchased at Henderson Fire Station No. 1 (332 Washington Street), through Venmo (@HPFHonorguard) or PayPal (@HPFHonorguard). You can also contact the Henderson Professional Firefighters Honor Guard through Facebook Messenger or email HPFHonorGuard@outlook.com to request information or to set up a time and place to buy tickets. For information about the event, contact Casey Howard, casey. howard@outlook.com.

AMY GRANT IN CONCERT

SUNDAY, MARCH

@ 7:30 - 10:30PM PRESTON ARTS CENTER

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Amy Grant put Contemporary Christian Music on the map, becoming the first CCM artist to have a platinum record, the first to hit No. 1 on the Pop charts, and the first to perform at the GRAMMY Awards. Since then, Grant has been strumming her way through a thirty-plus year adventure as a singer-songwriter, author, television host, and speaker. Ticket costs are $40-45. For more information, please call 270-830-9800.

5 6

“EGGSTRAVAGANZA” AGES 3-6

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 @ 10:30 - 11:45AM

JOHN JAMES AUDUBON STATE PARK MUSEUM

Bring your little bunnies to the annual “Eggstravagana”. Join in the fun as they create and paint Easter Bunnies using lines, shapes and color. As always, dress for a mess.

They will finish off the morning with Easter Bunny story time. All students must be accompanied by an adult and pre-registration is required. Cost is $7. To register, please call 502-782-7918.

KIDS meal deals

*The Kids Eat Free list is subject to change. Please contact restaurants to ensure their participation. Restaurants, please contact lyndi@ tannerpublishing.com with additions or corrections.

SUNDAY

Tumbleweed

1 free kids meal for every adult entree

MONDAY

Rookies Sports Bar & Grill

Kids under 8 eat free with purchase of adult entree from 4-10pm (Dine-In Only)

TUESDAY

Fazoli’s

.99 kids meal with adult purchase 5-8pm

Wings Etc.

Kids eat free 5-8 with purchase of adult entree

SATURDAY

Tacoholics

1 free kids meal per adult entree (dine in ONLY)

Cancun Mexican Restaurant

Free kids meal with adult meal purchase.

ONGOING Shoney’s

Kids under 4 eat free with adult purchase.

Winter Break ADVENTURES!

Winter Break ADVENTURES!