Carter County woman Pam Wilburn will talk about herself, eventually, after she tells you all the wonderful things everyone else in the community and surrounding counties is doing to help one another. She is more focused on the needs of her neighbors – everyone’s neighbors – than she is about any kind of personal recognition. She considers everything a blessing, whether that is helping others or the wonderful organizations she receives donations from to do that work.

Wilburn is the director of Daily Bread Food Pantry in Carter County, a nonprofit organization that regularly provides supplemental food and other necessary things to seven hundred and fifty families each month, with an average of three members to each family. It was for that work, something she considers a ministry to the community, that Wilburn was recently nominated for and awarded the recognition of Hometown Hero from WSAZ. Reporter Victoria Ware presented the award to Wilburn, and she said coverage is set to be aired on Friday, April 3.

She was understandably excited when she found out about the award, and in typical fashion she attempted to sidestep the spotlight.

“It should have been a team award,” Wilburn said. “Not a one-person award. It should have been for the whole volunteer team.”

Wilburn said she feels flattered and humbled by the recognition, and hopes it will help shed light on the needs of local residents and residents in communities everywhere.

“We have 11 different churches that volunteer with our group,” Wilburn said.

Those churches, she said, are multidenominational but come together for the work of helping those in need.

“Everyone is so good about doing what needs to be done,” she said of the network of volunteers. “They all work together really well to make everything go well.”

Wilburn said the situation is unique because churches typically have their own missions that they dedicate time to independently. But for Daily Bread Food Pantry they have all come together.

The organization operates based on donations and grants, Wilburn said. Recently they were awarded a grant through St Claire in Morehead that will yield $20,000 per year over a several year period. The grant is a huge benefit, she said, but donations are always appreciated because the organization spends around $1,2000 each month to supplement the food and other items they receive to provide to the community.

A lot of the food they distribute to those in need comes from God’s Food Bank in Morehead, Wilburn said. Other items are donated by the Christian Appalachian Project from Paintsville, who bring in one or two semi-truck loads of useful items each month. All those donations and more are needed, she said, because people don’t usually realize the need that is so prevalent in the area unless they are in the position of need themselves.

“We just did an Easter basket giveaway of 150 baskets,” Wilburn said. “And I couldn’t count how many times we heard from people who got them that those were the only baskets their children would see this year.”

Wilburn said they were blessed by the Christian Appalachian Project who provided those baskets so they could in turn bless others.

“They also brought candy, toys, and all sorts of stuff like that,” she added.

Wilburn said she was completely surprised by the award, and that her friends kept it from her until the last possible minute.

“They kept it secret until they had to tell me to get me down here,” Wilburn said. “I was so shocked and speechless. But I am grateful and humbled. And I hope this helps shed light on the need our friends and neighbors have.”

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com

The popular Community Easter Egg Hunt returns to Grayson again this year on April 4 at 2 p.m., courtesy of Grayson Tourism. This year the event will be held on the lawn of the Kentucky Christian University with plenty of room for the Easter Bunny and his helpers to hide brightly colored eggs filled with holiday surprises. The hunt will be arranged into five separate age groups, for kids from 0 to 14 years of age, with a grand prize for each of those groups.

There will be over 1,000 eggs hidden for each division, and in each division, there will be one golden ticket hidden in one of those eggs, with the lucky hunter who finds it named the grand prize winner for that division. Before and after – and most likely during – the hunt everyone can enjoy cotton candy and a planned bake sale of goodies. And topping the fun off, the Easter Bunny himself will be there for everyone to meet and take pictures.

“There will be lots of cotton candy and we are putting together a bake sale, so there should be lots of little trinkets and goodies to buy,” tourism director Lana Axtell said of the returning event.

She said she was sure everyone who attends this year will have loads of holiday fun like they did last year, but Axtell said she has a favorite part herself.

“I really enjoy when the little ones, like the two and under, go running through the field and getting eggs. That’s my favorite part of all of it.”

Another favorite is seeing the kids meet the Easter Bunny.

“The Easter Bunny is something everyone seems to enjoy,” Axtell said. “We have him every year and people can take pictures with him free of charge.”

Grayson Tourism does not have a professional photographer at the event, but Axtell said that people are more than welcome to snap pictures with their cameras and cell phones. For those who wish to help with the event in other ways, she said, volunteers are always welcome.

“There is a way the community can help us out,” Axtell said of the upcoming event. “We are still looking for volunteers for the Easter egg hunt, and it would be wonderful if anyone wants to hop in and help.”

Axtell said it would be great, for instance, if any local school groups needed volunteer hours for their own various organizations and school groups and wanted to contact her office.

For instance, she noted, “There is a group of kids from the college who will be helping out to fill the eggs, and I am really grateful for that.”

Axtell said the young egg hunters can look forward to different surprises inside of the plastic eggs used for the hunt.

“Of course, there is candy,” she said. “But there could also be little prizes, and also there is one golden ticket hidden in each division. The grand prize for these divisions is a rather large stuffed rabbit that any kid would love to take home to play with on Easter and really all year long.”

Grayson Tourism is constantly looking for ways to enrich the lives of Grayson residents, Axtell said, and she believes events like the Easter egg hunt serve that purpose.

“People get to come out with their kids and enjoy some truly family friendly fun,” she said. “And that makes everything better for everyone.”

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

Kentucky State Police (KSP) have confirmed that a body found last Tuesday, underneath a bridge along KY State Route 7 in Grayson, is that of 50-year-old Tessa Reeves, who had been missing for more than five weeks at the time. According to a report from the KSP issued on Sunday, they received a call last Tuesday, March 24, just before 10 a.m. reporting a body located under the bridge along KY 7 between the Dollar General and Gibb’s Hardware. The KSP determined the body to be that of Reeves, though exactly how that determination was made was not listed in the report, which states only that the identification was made “through investigative efforts.”

According to a previous report released by KSP they had received a missing person’s report on February 23, nine days after Reeves had last been seen on February 14. Reeves last reported location was Bayso’s Sports Pub, on South Hord Street in Grayson. According to the police report issued at the time of the missing persons report, she had been wearing a pink t-shirt when she was last seen and did not have a cell phone or any personal belongings with her.

KSP Post 14, based in Ashland, requested any information related to Reeves whereabouts at that time, but it is not clear at this time if the discovery of Reeves was related to a tip received in association with that investigation, or if the body was located and reported by an unrelated individual or individuals.

KSP reported on Sunday that the cause of death for Reeves has not yet been determined, and that the investigation into her disappearance and death remains under investigation. Anyone with any information related to the case is still urged to contact KSP Post 14 at (606)928-6421.

Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com

Bare Bottom Tanning, located at 131 Jessica Lane near Save-A-Lot in Olive Hill, brings new tanning technology to the city and the county. The tanning salon offers a stand-up booth, bronzing beds, a red-light bed, and a high velocity bed among other features; all of which are new and on the cutting edge of the latest tanning technology. In addition, the salon is also looking into a spray tanning booth that might be available in the near future.

The salon is open from 11 am until 7 pm Monday through Friday, and is open on Saturdays from 11 am until 6 pm. The hours are planned to be extended, however, as the summer months approach. “We do church and family time on Sundays, so we are closed then,” co-owner Bubba Johnson said. “Everyone needs at least one day to recharge.”

Johnson said that all of the credit for conceiving of and running the shop goes to his wife Amanda and daughter Kenley, and he is quick to brag on both.

“They have all state-of-the-art stuff,” Johnson said. “She’s (wife Amanda) got a tanning bed that people in Olive Hill have never had access to, and they also have all different kinds of lotions and creams. Pretty much anything you would ever need; they even sell handbags and stuff like that.”

Johnson, who is well established in Olive Hill with his towing business and community engagement, said this more than just another business for them. They’re invested in Olive Hill and Carter County.

“She rented a spot at the Olive Hill location, but its long term because she expects to be there quite a while,” Johnson said. “She made a huge investment and completely remodeled the building from floor to ceiling. It’s a really nice facility, and a state-of-the-art facility for tanning.”

Johnson said the goal was to provide Olive Hill and the surrounding region with a tanning salon that was comfortable and served every need the customer might possibly have.

Bare Bottom Tanning not only provides for pre-tanning and after-tanning care but also offers some potential health benefits.

“The red-light bed she has is really good to help with arthritis and muscle pain,” Johnson said. “It also helps with other aches and pains and can be used for skin pigments. When you research red-light beds, you’ll find that the list of what it can do goes on and on.”

Johnson said the best thing for residents that are interested in using the facility, or are simply curious about what their equipment can be used for, is to just come visit and see for themselves. The staff will be more than willing to explain everything and work with individuals on what their goals and needs might be, and how Bare Bottom Tanning can help them meet those needs in the best way possible.

“They do run packages like monthly memberships,” Johnson said. “They welcome walk-ins, and every kind of customer. You can spend as little as ten dollars. Or it can go higher depending upon what you actually need. “

Johnson said his wife and daughter have worked tirelessly to bring what they believe is a one-of-a-kind tanning experience to Olive Hill.

“When they picked this building out for the tanning salon, they started remodeling. It took them over a year of hard work to put this all together.”

Johnson said an indirect benefit of their hard work and investment of independent capital was that initially there were four empty buildings near the one now housing Bare Bottom Tanning. Since the business opened and has been promoted, two of those empty buildings are now the home of two new businesses (a beauty salon and a spa) for Olive Hill. And, Johnson said, there is another entrepreneur interested in renting the two other available buildings.

Bare Bottom Tanning can be reached at 606.315.2133, by email at barebottomtanning@outlook.com, or by visiting their Facebook page.

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com

All the original stained-glass windows from the 1941 construction of the Bayless Memorial Presbyterian Church in Grayson, were recently restored as part of the church’s ongoing maintenance and improvement efforts. The church’s charter began in 1878, and after a relocation, has been in its current location since 1912. That church building was lost in a fire, but was rebuilt around 1941 with brick from the Hitchins Brick Yard.

The recent restoration process included refitting all of the joints between each piece of glass that was placed together to make the windowpanes, as well as each window being treated and having a clear, separate pane installed in each window casing. The restoration work was performed by Willet Studios, a company based out of North Carolina. During the process, the studio was able to replace some of the individual glass pieces that had been damaged, matching them perfectly to the existing windows.

“Those are real lead glass, stained glass windows,” Donny Malone said, explaining why the results from the project were so exceptional.

Malone said that after the repairs were made, Willet Studios also regrouted the windows and restabilized them.

“It was neat to watch them,” Malone said. “They are truly artisans. And the windows look beautiful.”

“The history of the windows is quite interesting,” Malone added. “I recently found some documents about who donated the windows and what the original cost was. Each one of those windows cost $34.60 and contain the names of those who donated.”

The total cost for all the windows purchased was $340.90, Malone said. Comparatively, the money spent would be the equivalent of at least $7,500 today – but the windows themselves could be much more depending upon the current market.

Malone said the church raised money for the project internally and was fortunate to have some generous donors as well.

“We wanted to do it for years and we knew it needed to be done, so we were saving up for it,” he said.

As for the cost of the window restoration project, Malone said it wasn’t cheap, but it also wasn’t extravagant.

“Let’s just say it was a lot more than they cost originally,” Malone said with good humor.

Malone is currently gathering all the information he can find on the original donors who made the beautiful stained-glass windows possible, so the church can have it as a compilation of part of its history in the community. The names on the windows include Cova and Margaret Baker, who founded and ran Baker’s Department Store in Grayson, as well as Charles and Emma Woolery, family of actor, musician, and game show host Chuck Woolery.

“The people who donated these windows are still very much alive in the church memory,” Malone said. “And I plan to put cards with each window to help preserve this for the younger generation.”

Malone said the window restoration project not only helped to preserve the historic beauty of the church, but it also yielded a positive result to the church’s overhead expenses.

“I remember the church being somewhat cold and drafty as a child,” Malone remembered. “But now it is much warmer and much more cost effective to heat and cool.”

This is in addition to the church upgrading all of the conventional windows to double-paned as well, compounding the comfort of both the parishioners and the other members of the community who use the building.

“We really want the community to be able to use the church because we see it as a blessing to the community, and we like to share it. We are more than happy to let people use our building who need it.”

Pastor Josh Akers echoed Malone’s sentiments of Bayless Memorial Presbyterian Church being part of the community and of the church welcoming the community to use its facilities.

“We have done a massive amount of renovations over the past 12 years,” Akers said. “We have renovated the kitchen and fellowship hall downstairs, one of the bathrooms, and the windows.”

The renovations have not been extravagant, Akers said, but rather geared toward the practical to make the building more usable to the community.

“It has made the building more energy efficient and usable,” Akers said. “And that’s one of the things we are proud of.”

“The church has in the past been made use of for yoga classes, CPR classes, and an exercise class for quite a while, among other things. And we have also hosted community dinners as well,” Akers said. “It has been important to us that the building see some use beyond just Sunday mornings. Because if it just sits here empty when we aren’t using it, then we feel like we as a congregation aren’t doing our job to be part of the community.”

“We don’t see the building as our asset but rather as a community asset,” Malone added.

Akers agreed with Malone’s assessment and added his own thoughts on the mission of the church in the community.

“We don’t do things for the community just so they will attend our church, though they are more than welcome to and we would be glad if they did,” Akers said. “We do it because we have a strong sense of our place in the community. The community needs us and we want to be good neighbors in the community. So, we organize everything we do around that.”

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com

Troy’s Law, a piece of legislation designed to address safety concerns and add an extra layer of protection for individuals operating towing vehicles, has made an adjustment to its initial proposal and is gaining support. The law, named for wrecker operator Troy Caldwell who tragically lost his life while operating his rollback, initially proposed that wreckers, rollbacks, and other towing vehicles be allowed to add blue flashing lights to their vehicles.

It was proposed that adding those lights would dramatically increase public attention during emergency calls, thereby improving the safety of not only towing operators but others on the state’s roadways. The proposed law garnered initial public support, though there was pushback from those who believed that blue flashing lights would confuse tow operators with law enforcement, and initially the proposed law failed to pass. A recent adjustment, however, has increased the chances of the proposed law being adopted.

Local tow operator Bubba Johnson, a long-time friend of Troy Caldwell, was and is one of the law’s staunchest supporters.

“Troy’s Law made it through the (Kentucky) House 92 to 0,” Johnson said. “Now we are moving on, and it has to be assigned to a Senate Committee, and then the Senate Committee will have to vote on it. Then it will move on to the Senate House floor, be voted on, and move to the governor’s desk.” Once those hurdles are cleared, the law will become official, Johnson said.

Johnson said he believes Troy’s Law has enough support to ultimately become Kentucky Law.

“I have been working with senators since we realized it went through the House of Representatives,” Johnson said. “I started calling and contacting senators and so far I have been getting really great feedback. But we are kind of in limbo waiting on it to be assigned to a committee.”

Johnson said that once Troy’s Law is assigned to a committee, he can start working toward picking up cosponsors to help get it passed through. So far, he said, Representative Richard White has been making connections as have Senator Robin Webb and Senator Steven West.

“The feedback we are getting seems to be really positive,” Johnson said. “Everyone seems to be in favor of it.”

Johnson also commented on the adjustment to the proposed law that has increased support for it. “We made a compromise,” he said. “We changed from blue lights to green lights. I had a meeting with the Fraternal Order of Police. And had discussions with the Kentucky State Police. They were really wanting us to try the green lights before we do the blue we wanted.”

“They are wanting to hold onto the blue lights for themselves,” Johnson said. “And you have to compromise sometimes to move forward.”

Johnson said that he realized Troy’s Law, the proposed law to honor his fallen friend and fellow tow operator, was not going to proceed without some sort of compromise. Johnson was determined to see Troy’s Law passed regardless of how long it required, but rather than keep hitting a brick wall year after year, he knew some reasonable accommodation needed to be made.

“I felt like we should compromise,” he said. “So, we will run these green lights a few years and collect some data. That way we can see how much of a difference it makes.”

Johnson said there are some tow operators that have already begun running the green lights because they feel it is a ‘done deal,’ but it won’t become official until after Troy’s Law crosses the governor’s desk.

“The great thing about Troy’s Law is not just the safety for people in the towing industry,” Johnson said.

The people responsible for Troy Caldwell’s death escaped prosecution, he said, and are currently evading law enforcement.

“There will never be any true justice for Troy,” Caldwell said sadly. “But Troy’s Law will help keep his death from being in vain. His name will be in Kentucky Law and will always be talked about. And more importantly, his story will always be told.”

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com