Edmonson Voice Staff Report, submitted photo:
Two local Junior Girl Scouts from Troop #1591, Evelyn Ulm and Kennedy Webb, have completed their "Bronze Award Project" by constructing what is known as a "Little Free Library." The honor is the highest award achievable for a Junior Girl Scout. 

Little Free Libraries are small, front‐yard book exchanges that are located around the world in 80 countries — from Iceland to Tasmania to Pakistan. There is now one more, which has been constructed at the entrance of Genesis Edmonson Center in Brownsville, thanks to the two scouts.

The girls hosted a grand‐opening party for their Little Free Library on Tuesday, September 24th with their friends, families, and fellow Girl Scouts. 

“We would like to thank some very special people who have helped us with our project,” said Evelyn Ulm. “Mark & Phyllis Miller allowed us to use their woodworking shop and use their tools to create our free library. They shared their time and talents to help us."

Kennedy Webb sent thanked the center's director, Chris Swihart, for allowing the girls to place their Little Free Library at the location.

“This is a special place for me because my Mammaw recently passed away and she lived there," said Kennedy. "We have added a special plaque on the library in her memory.”

According to information provided by Dee Dee Webb, the library offers a way to share favorite books from one's childhood, books recommended to friends, and books that teach, intrigue and engage.

"All of us can help by keeping this collection stocked with good reading material," said the statement provided by Mrs. Webb.

​More info on the Little Free Library provided by Mrs. Webb:

Whose Library is this? It belongs to everybody—neighbors, friends, and people we don’t even know yet. Anyone can use it. That’s why we want to take care of it. 
Take a book. If you see something you’d like to read, take it. You don’t have to give a book at the same time as you take one. 
Share a book. After you’ve read it, share it in any Little Free Library book-sharing box, bring it back here, or pass it on to a friend. Be a friend of all libraries, big and small. Share books whenever you can. 

Each year, nearly 10 million books are shared in Little Free Libraries. To learn more, please visit littlefreelibrary.org. ​

Evelyn is the daughter of Alex and Vanessa Ulm of Chalybeate and Kennedy is the daughter of Joey and Dee Dee Webb of  Brownsville.

Moriah Peterson, story and photos:
Edmonson County was officially awarded "Trail Town" status from the Department of KY Tourism at the annual Trail Town and community cookout in downtown Brownsville on Saturday, September 28th.

​Outdoor activities included a morning canoe paddle, followed by inflatables for kids, music, games, and pony rides that were provided by the Edmonson County 4H Pony Express Club. The Girl Scouts assisted  with outdoor activities and the Job Corp students helped throughout the day to include clean up at the end of the event. 

At noon, a presentation from several speakers commenced in the Brownsville Community Center.

Shaska Hines, Tourism chairperson, spoke about the importance of Tourism in Edmonson County and introduced two Kentucky representatives that presented certificates to the County.

Seth Wheat of the Department of Kentucky Tourism, presented the official Kentucky Trail Town Certification and congratulated the county for its hard work and dedication to enhance tourism. According to Tourism Director Rhonda Clemmons, the process of earning the certificate took 2 ½ years to complete because of the detailed workbook that was submitted to the state. The 14 inch-thick workbook was filled with all that Edmonson County has to offer for tourism, which included rivers, horseback riding, hiking, and biking.

“We are very proud to receive this certificate from the state, and to have submitted the largest and most thorough application the state has ever received,” said Clemmons.

​The County also received the Economic Engine Award from the Kentucky Travel Industry Association as a result of Edmonson County tourism creating more than 130 tourism jobs and generating $15.48 million in annual economic impact. The award was presented by Hank Phillips, CEO and President of Kentucky Travel Industry Association. 

​Jeff Houchins of the Edmonson Historical Society thanked Mammoth Cave and Superintendent Barclay Trimble for donating a historical sign recognizing the Edmonson County resident, John D. Houchin who discovered Mammoth Cave. The sign is now displayed on the court house lawn.  
 
Another guest speaker during the presentation was Judge JB Hines, spokesperson of Preserving Edmonson Pride. Preserving Edmonson Pride (PEP), an organization formed about a year ago, is dedicated to beautifying the County.

“PEP believes Edmonson County has history and heritage worth preserving. We want people to stay here and be proud to call it home,” stated Judge Hines. 

Edmonson County was also recognized for winning the best booth at the State Fair.

 “I would like to give a special thank you to all the volunteers that helped make the 2019 Trail Town Day a success, stated Rhonda. 

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Saturday, September 14th was Nolin River Lakes 11th Annual Clean-up Campaign scheduled in conjunction with National Public Lands that was officially scheduled on September 22nd. 152 volunteers showed up to lend a hand to public lands. 

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), It’s noticeable in every year’s statistic that volunteers are making a difference. Fewer appliances and tires are being collected and the trash more than likely is from the current year rather than an accumulation of many. 79 bags of trash were collected along with 7 tires. 

Boy Scout Pack 130 was the largest group contributor of the of event for the third year in a row, with 35 participants in the 2019 clean up. This year the largest group received an outdoor movie screen with two cases of Ale 8, donated by the Friends of Nolin Lake (FoNL). Special Recognition went out to Mike Robertson as the longest standing volunteer with an 11 year commitment. Courtesy of the FoNL Mr. Roberston received two free admission tickets to the Corvette Museum. The newest service group attending was Grayson County DECA of Leitchfield. 

The Friends of Nolin Lake assisted with recruitment online and hosted an appreciate picnic after the clean up providing over $250 worth of prizes purchased under the theme of lake life. Prizes included fishing and camping gear, yard games, a smores kit, coolers, life jackets, and a four person ten with mess kit and sleeping pad as the grand prize. Food and drinks were donated and provided by Bee Springs Restaurant for up to 200 volunteers.

"A big thank you to all volunteers and groups that set aside the day to contribute good stewardship and instill the message of protecting lands by respecting lands to the community and youth participants," stated USACE in statement. "A long standing appreciation and thank you to Hart County Solid Waste in their 11th year of providing a dumpster free of charge at Dog Creek, and Scott Waste provided a dumpster free of delivery charge to Moutardier. We can always count on Moutardier and Wax marina donating rental pontoons for Corps staff to use during clean-up both have been committed to the clean-up for 11 years."

​Once placed on the ginseng root, the phosphorescent dye remains visible for the entire lifespan of the plant. The park has even had success with placing the dye directly onto plants that have never been harvested through poaching activities.
 
“Being able to proactively mark our ginseng plants is a great step in making sure our plant populations are protected and able to thrive,” continued Pinion. “Our Science and Resource Management staff work closely with our Law Enforcement Officers to identify and implement all options in preventing the poaching of the park’s valuable resources. We are all very happy that the latest two poachers were caught and we were able to return the stolen roots back to the forest.”
 
Park officials ask that anyone witnessing suspicious activity in the park that could be related to ginseng harvesting or the removal of any park resources please contact park law enforcement at 270-758-2115

By: Katie Pratt, submitted article
Alpha-gal syndrome, an allergic reaction also known as the “red-meat allergy” that some people develop after a tick bite, is a life-changing diagnosis. Mackie Jo Pennington of Adair County knows that to be too true.

“Since I was diagnosed in 2014, I have researched recipes and support options every day,” Pennington said. “I eat pretty much a vegan diet now.”

It is one reason why Pennington attended an alpha-gal educational meeting held at the Adair County office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.

“Once diagnosed, many individuals have contacted our office looking for additional information about alpha-gal and tick bite prevention,” said Nick Roy, Adair County agriculture and natural resources extension agent and meeting organizer. “Through our resources in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and relationships with local leaders, I felt we possessed the resources and expertise to address these topics through educational programming.”

In 2009, medical researchers identified the reaction to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, a sugar found in mammalian meats. These include beef, pork, lamb and venison. Reactions occur after ingesting meat and can include skin irritations, hives, digestive tract issues and breathing problems. Researchers traced the cause of the reaction to bites from the lone star tick.

“Alpha-gal is different than other food allergies in that it is caused by an allergic reaction to a sugar molecule, whereas most other food allergies are the result of an allergic reaction to a protein,” said Dr. Wes Sublett, an allergist who presented at the meeting. “Another difference is, with most food allergies, the reaction is immediate for the patient. With alpha-gal, the reaction is delayed, typically three to six hours after ingestion.”

The lone star tick is found throughout Kentucky and most of the eastern United States. It is prevalent in south-central Kentucky and in the Green River area. It gets its name from the iconic white spot found on the female’s back. The tick needs three blood meals for survival during its lifetime. Individuals who spend a lot of time outdoors in tick-prone areas, such as tall grass and forests are at an increased risk for tick bites.

“Really the best way to keep from getting alpha-gal is to reduce your exposure to ticks,” said Lee Townsend, extension entomologist in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment who also spoke at the meeting. “You will not know if you are susceptible until you have a reaction after being bitten.”

The meeting was a chance for Pennington to connect with and listen to others who have alpha-gal.

​“While I would not wish this on anyone, it has helped me to know there are others with this syndrome, and I’m not alone,” she said. “It is interesting to hear about other people’s experiences, because we all have different reactions and triggers.”

Tick bite prevention information is available in UK’s publication ENTFACT-618: Ticks and Disease in Kentucky. It is available online at https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef618 or through local offices of the UK Cooperative Extension Service.​

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Josh Boyd, column and photo: 
Memories made while in the field are perhaps the most valuable resource that hunting can provide. Long after the sun has set and the meat acquired during a successful hunt has been consumed, the memories that you have made will remain vivid. It is this collection of memories that allow a hunter to look back and appreciate the vast gifts that nature offers.
 
Hunters have found many ways to assist in preserving these memories. Photos of a significant outing or records of days in the field written in a hunting journal are both excellent means of recording our hunting milestones. For many hunters, few methods succeed in preserving their hunting memories quite as well as having their trophy mounted.
 
A mount allows a hunter to recollect all the details of the hunt that are associated with the game animal in question. Whether you have taken the biggest buck in the woods, or want to preserve the memory of a special hunt spent in the company of friends and family, many hunters every deer season make a trip to their local taxidermist.
 
A number of hunters have gained ample experience throughout the years in the process of preparing their trophy for the taxidermist. For others, however, the chore of caping and preparing their buck for the taxidermist can be somewhat intimidating. Some hunters, especially those who have never taken a deer to the taxidermist, are somewhat unprepared for the task at hand when they harvest a buck that they intend to have mounted. ​

 
One helpful tip to keep in mind when preparing a deer for the taxidermist is to be mindful of the length of any cut made while field dressing. It is important to keep any field dressing cuts to a length that does not extend into the usable cape. An overextended cut becomes an additional point that a taxidermist must sew and conceal in order to properly mount your deer. Depending on how far the cut extends, the potential exists to cause unconcealable damage to the cape.
 
It is also important to avoid dragging a buck that is destined for the taxidermist for any longer distance than absolutely necessary. The longer that a deer is dragged along the ground, the greater the potential is for hair being pulled and rubbed from the hide, presenting an unsightly bald spot. These bald spots that result from a deer being dragged along the ground can be exceptionally difficult for a taxidermist to hide.
 
When caping a deer for the taxidermist, it is vital to remember that if the cape is cut in a manner that is too short, there is little that a taxidermist can do to remedy the situation without locating a replacement cape. For this reason, the initial cut that is made to the hide should be placed at a significant distance behind the shoulders of a deer. A taxidermist can always trim away any excess cape. However, they cannot replace or make up for what cape has been disposed of.
 
Finally, it is noteworthy to mention that a cape should be kept as free of foreign debris as possible. Small rocks, leaf litter, and sticks can easily become stuck to the inner surface of the hide. Not only does this present a mess for a taxidermist, but this debris also increases the risk of ensuing damage to the cape.
 
When careful consideration is given to the details involved in preparing your deer for the taxidermy process, you allow your taxidermist a quality canvas on which to create a masterpiece. The extra attention to detail given during this process will not go unrewarded. The results of your labor, once molded to perfection by your taxidermist, will be enjoyed year after year as you relive the wonderful moments of your hunt. 

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Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
​Mammoth Cave National Park will celebrate Astronomy Day with a Mammoth Cave Star Party from 6:30 pm to 9 pm CT on Saturday, October 5. Event participants will meet outside of the park’s visitor center where they will be able to view planets and other night sky delights through telescopes provided by the park.

Astronomy Day celebrates the wonder of the night sky without the effects of light pollution. Mammoth Cave National Park strives to preserve the park’s dark sky view shed for the enjoyment of park visitors and for the well being of wildlife and habitat. Ranger-led stargazing programs offer the opportunity for visitors to experience unfettered views of the starry night and evoke a new appreciation for the park’s dark sky environment.
 
Star Party participants are welcome to bring their own telescopes to set up during the event. The Star Party program is subject to cancellation in the event of cloudy skies, severe weather or heavy rain.
 
For more information on the Mammoth Cave Star Party, please call 270-758-2180, or visit www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.
 
For more information on the National Park Service Night Skies program, please visit nps.gov/subjects/nightskies.

According to an event coordinator, students and family joined together to play board games and spend quality family time. ​

Contact the numbers on the flyers below to purchase raffle tickets. The Edmonson Voice is a proud sponsor of Santa's Helping Hands.

Note: the thoughts and opinions expressed by Edmonson Voice guest columnists and authors of submitted articles are their own, not necessarily those of EdmonsonVoice.com ​

Make plans to attend the 2019 Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce Golf Scramble on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at Shady Hollow Golf Club. Click the flyer to visit the Chamber's website where you can sign up and purchase your entries and sponsorships online!

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Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Mammoth Cave National Park will offer the Discovery cave tour from 10 am to 3 pm for free on Saturday, September 28, in recognition of National Public Lands Day. Public Lands Day is the nationwide opportunity to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire resource stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.  
 
The free Discovery tour is a self-guided tour and will allow participants to visit one of the cave’s largest rooms, the Rotunda, and explore the history and geologic origins of the Mammoth Cave system. No reservations are required, but participants must pick up tickets in the visitor center before starting the tour at the Historic Entrance of Mammoth Cave. The tour will travel approximately ¾-mile into the cave with participants being required to walk down and up a steep hill as well as navigate 160 steps on the tour.
 
For more information about Mammoth Cave National Park events, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
 
National Public Lands Day falls on Cave Country’s Trail Town Weekend when several outdoor recreational opportunities are being held across Kentucky’s cave country from September 27-29. Planned events hosted by Cave Country Trails include an organized bicycle ride, group horseback riding, canoeing and kayaking on the Green and Nolin Rivers, and a running event in the local community. In addition, Friends of Mammoth Cave will host the 5th Annual Mammoth-on, America’s only cave walk, trail hike, and bicycle triathlon on Sunday, September 29 at 8 am.
 
For more details on all of the events taking place during Trail Town Weekend, please visit the Friends of Mammoth Cave on Facebook at Facebook.com/MammothFriends and Cave Country Trails on Facebook Facebook.com/CaveCountryTrails. 

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The ECHS and ECMS Girls Basketball Team would like to show gratitude for everyone who has helped with the annual pancake breakfast, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2019.

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Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
South Edmonson Elementary School held it's very first career fair on Thursday, September 12th for 4th grade students. Coordinated by school counselor Shannon Lowe, local businesses were invited to set up for the kids, give their own "show-and-tell" about their respective careers, and answer questions from the students.

Mrs. Shannon said that SEES is being proactive in the encouragement of students to learn, set goals, and have dreams for their futures, and the career fair was for the purpose of the kids to learn about career opportunities in their own community.

​"To prepare for career fair, students completed career interest inventories to determine what careers might interest them," said Mrs. Shannon. "Based on feedback from students, they loved all the guest speakers. We are just so grateful that different individuals from our area were willing to give up an afternoon to educate our kids about their chosen profession."

Mrs. Shannon also said there were were fourteen different career clusters represented at the fair, that ranged from banking, insurance, healthcare, and electric utilities, and that the school plans to continue the event annually.