It Takes a Pier

If you are not a boater you look at a marina and see a harbor full of pretty boats, but if you are a boater you look at a marina and see a neighborhood. The marinas of Grand Rivers are strong communities of families and friends. Here is a story my best friend Pat shared with me. It is the story of friendship and giving between boater friends at Green Turtle Bay. I’ll let Pat tell the story. She tells it best:

“JT had wanted a golf cart for several months now and we have been looking and looking. Well one morning this week our dear friend from pier 6, Dr. David appeared at our door with a couple of golf balls and told JT to come outside and see what goes with these...it was a golf cart! Needless to say JT was so surprised and so very happy. We both were. We thank Dr. David and the family for this kind and so very special gift. We have shed many tears of joys...another wonderful blessing!! JT has already been everywhere and is totally enjoying his new ride...it is perfect for him!!!!”
JT & Pat

Michael Mayo Inge Returns for the Big Band Show

I just found out that Nashville musician Michael Inge will return to the Badgett Playhouse for the Big Band Show in April and I am lovin this news! I first heard Michael sing in the Christmas Variety show and let me tell you I was blown away by his talent.

Michael grew up in Bedford, Virginia, and moved to Nashville in 1997 to attend Belmont University. He works full-time as a musician. He has an unbelievable voice and his talent as a songwriter was recently recognized in a national jingle contest. He entered his first jingle in the Duke Mayonnaise jingle contest and tied for first place. I think this is very cool because I can now say I know someone that won a jingle contest.

Other career highlights include writing the song, “Catch U if I Can” that was recorded by the artist Haddaway (Famous for the club hit, “What is Love”) on his CD “Pop Splits. Michael’s song “Irresistible” is scheduled to appear in the film "American Violet," which should be in theaters in April.

The Big Band Show opens at the Badgett Playhouse on Friday, April 3, and I will be there!

Next Please

Now that the Ultra Run is over I am busy with promotions for the next Grand Rivers event; Stanley Walker Day. Our sponsors are really helping out and make planning this event easy for me.

A big thank you goes to Vida with Green Turtle Bay Resort who designed the artwork for our posters and print ads. I love the design. Stanley just came by my office and I showed him the posters. He is thrilled.

A big thank you also goes to the Badgett Playhouse. They are letting us use the playhouse for free and 100% of the donations collected at the door will go to Kosair Charities.

A big thank you also goes to WCCK Radio. WCCK is an event sponsor and is helping with the promotions and will also be donating event t-shirts for us to sell. T-shirt proceeds will also go to Kosair Charities.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for Saturday, April 4 at 1:00pm and join us for the Stanley Walker Day Jam for Kosair Charities. Stanley and friends are going to provide us with a great afternoon of entertainment, and I have a couple of suprises for him. Looks like everything is coming together and I am really getting excited about this event.

Ultra Fabulous

The Land Between the Lakes Spring Ultra Trail Runs were this past weekend and it was an ultra fabulous event. We had a record 360 runners!

What makes it an ultra is the fact that you can choose to run 50 miles. And keep in mind it is a trail run. The course starts at Lighthouse Landing Resort, with the first 1.7 miles run on paved roads to the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, where the trail begins. The LBL section is a 11 mile loop on single-track trail between Kentucky and Barkley Lakes; offering views of the lakes, and several challenging hills. Saturday morning’s rain turned the trail to mud and added to the challenge of the run (as if running 50 miles was not enough of a challenge).

What makes it fabulous is the West Kentucky Runners Club and all of the great Grand Rivers volunteers. I would like to recognize the individuals who make this successful event happen. They are Steve Durbin who is the director for the race, John Durbin who takes care of the finish line and awards; Mark Vance who organizes supplies; Kelly LeNeave who handles the brochure and the website; Scott Germain who is in charge of volunteers; and Mike Howard who does a little of everything.

On behalf of Grand Rivers, our part would not have been possible without the Pats who did the shopping, and food service set up at the Community Center; Martha Riddle, Sugar n Spice, Commonwealth Yacht Club, and Pat Terry who cooked soups and chili; The Grand Lakes Clinic who did all of the food for the aid stations; The Grand Lakes Fire Department who do the start of the race and help with traffic control, Mayor Moodie, Dianne and Bob Bingham, and Emory Pence who all came downtown at 6:00am on a rainy Saturday morning to direct parking, and all of the great traffic control volunteers and food service volunteers.

Thank you also to Channel 6 and Garrin Thomas and to the Paducah Sun’s John Wright for such great coverage of the event.

And congratulations to my husband for completing the challenge for the third year!

A Cold rainy 7:00AM Start for 360 Runners

Chamber Volunteers

My Husband Finishes the Race

Cool North Face Jacket the Runners Club had made for me. I love it.

Sweet Retaliation

It has come to my attention that my own mother does not read my blog. This upsetting news just happened to slip out in a conversation we had yesterday. Oh, she read it once alright. Of course it was the story about HER.

In retaliation, I woke up this morning and fixed my hair, and put on makeup – complete with lipstick. My mom is forever wishing I would be a bit more girly. “Just a little makeup and lipstick would only take a minute and you are such a pretty girl”, she says. Growing up I was always her rowdy girl; not the sweet girl, never the girly girl. It would MAKE HER DAY to know I was wearing lipstick. And she would know this too, if only she read my blog. But she doesn't. So she will never know.

I guess lipstick can make a girl feel better.

Weekend Review: They are Back!

The weekend started out right with this great article on Lighthouse Landing Sailing School in Friday’s Paducah Sun. It included a great color picture of Outstanding Sailing Instructor Chip Riddle.

Then, Friday night I stopped by the Senior Dance at the Community Center. Stanley Walker was playing and I wanted to get pictures for the promotion of Stanley Walker Day in Grand Rivers. I guess everyone is ready to get out of the house and enjoy the early spring because they had a great crowd for the dance.

After taking pictures, I met my husband at the Commonwealth Yacht Club. Friends Pat and JT were there. Jay and Owe were back from Florida and in town. St. Louis area friends Kate and Paul were there. It was nice to see friends return to the Lake.

Saturday the weather was nice and town was full of people. Saturday was also Pat and JT’s 45 Wedding Anniversary. Hard to believe my friend Pat is old enough to have been married for 45 years. Congrats to you both.

So, the theme of the weekend was sunshine and crowds. It was so nice to see the sun and to see our visitors back in Grand Rivers. Now I’m getting ready for this weekend when the West KY Runners Club will bring over 350 runners and their families to Grand Rivers. And I’m looking forward to all the busy spring weekends ahead!

Getting Back into the Spring of Things

We did get our water back at the house yesterday and speaking of water; Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina turned the water on at the piers this week. The weatherman predicts 70 degrees for this weekend and our friends Jay and Owe will be here to summerize their boat. I am looking forward to warm weather and friends returning to the lake. I knew spring would get here.

So, to all my fair weather friends. You can come on back now! Oh, and Vida I borrowed your picture of Harry turning on the water. Hope that is ok.

My Water Department is Better than Your Water Department

On Monday I received a call from Martha over at City Hall. She was entering water meter readings and getting the water bills ready to mail. She noticed we used three times our normal amount of water at our house and she suspected I had a leak. Well, sure enough the line in our back yard that connects to the city meter was broken. The ground in the back yard was mushy, but we don’t use the back yard this time of year so I had not noticed. I called Martha and she came by and helped me shut off the water. Then I called a mechanical contractor to replace our pipe. He is at my house now and by the end of today, I will have water!

We received our water bill in yesterday’s mail. Left on my own, it would have been today before I figured out we had a leak in the yard and it would have been sometime next week before a plumber could have fixed it. The weekend would have been two extra days without water.

Many cities are just too big for an employee to take notice of everyone’s water use habits. And you might think it is just To Much Information for your City Hall to know this much about you. Me, I am thankful Martha knows how much water we use and that she came by the house to help me turn off the water. Who knows how much water we would have lost or how much more damage could have been caused if Martha didn’t notice our increase.

Oh, and if you are wondering what we did for water since Monday; well our neighbors Dianne and Bob turned on their outside faucet and ran a hose to our house. Thank you Martha, thank you Dianne and Bob. I am lovin’ my water department, my neighbors, and my small town life.

Stanely Walker Jam for Kosair Charities

In life he always brings his A game, and in play he tunes his guitar to straight E for a sound that is uniquely Stanley. Meet Rockabilly Hall of Famer and Grand Rivers native Stanley Walker.

Stanley was born in Grand Rivers and started playing guitar when he was only five years old. Growing up, he listened to the Grand Ole Opry and dreamed of being there. In 1969, his dream came true when he played behind Jean Shepard. Stanley played lead guitar for Ray Smith and the Rock and Roll Boys from 1956 to 1969. With rockabilly enthusiasts, Ray is revered for his five singles released on Sun Records. Stanley played on all of Smith's songs cut at Sun. Stanley’s career highlights also included appearances on Hee Haw, solo recordings, and backing artists including Roy Clark, Lefty Frizzell, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Stanley was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2008. Stanley has traveled the world sharing his musical talents. No matter how far he roamed, his heart always belonged to Grand Rivers.

I wanted Grand Rivers to recognize Stanley for his talent and so I sat down with Stanley in January to share the idea of a Grand Rivers Stanley Walker Day. Stanley was on board, but if it was his day he wanted to share it. Then he told me a story of a 10 year old boy whose life was saved by Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville. That little boy was Stanley. What if Kosair Charities had not been there?

And the idea was born for the Stanley Walker and friends Jam for Kosair Charities. Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 4 at 1:00p.m. at the Badgett Playhouse. The event is free but we will collect donations for Kosair Charities. Join us to celebrate Stanley, support a great cause, and enjoy an afternoon of musical entertainment.