It’s a crisp, beautiful morning and the Leadership Hardin County, Class of 2022 arrives at the Brown-Pusey House for history day. We are greeted by our hosts for the day, Kimberly Douglas and Kent Bailey. After weeks of research and preparation, five pre selected teams anxiously await the opportunity to present their first projects of the year. Instantly, the room is abuzz with conversation and activity as the groups review and finalize their presentations for class.Breakfast is sponsored by Hosparus and everyone enjoyed Chick-fil-A and donuts. Jamie Disselkamp and Heather Meredith presented some very unique facts to debunk myths and misunderstandings about Hosparus services.
They explained the palliative care services they provide which is a care approach aimed at optimizing the quality of life for those that are living with a serious or life threatening disease. They also described the better known hospice care that is provided to those with a serious illness who are nearing end of life. These services are so important for the patients and families dealing with critical illnesses. We also learned that we can help support our local Hosparus by shopping at the fabulous Hosparus Health Thrift Shoppe at 611
West Poplar Street. It is the holiday season, you know!
And the learning continues……….
Kimberly and Kent introduced our guest speakers Jim Weise and Steve Lindsey. Jim was dressed just like we had gone back in time to the 1800’s. Topcoat, top hat, we didn’t know if his wallet was fat, but Jim fit the bill for the Sharp Dressed Man that ZZ Top describes. Jim and Steve had historical knowledge of the region like you wouldn’t believe. They both led us through the rich history of how Hardin County and
Elizabethtown came to be and both bantered lightly along the way making the session very entertaining. You could certainly tell those two had history.
Shortly before lunch, the group walked to the Hardin County History Museum where the class broke into 3 groups and were provided detailed personal tours of th e museum.
There are displays of high schools to war heros. A general store with all the items they had during that time to a 10×10 cabin that was a home for a family in the frontier days of the region. Not to anyone’s surprise, the museum was full of war displays, heroes and rich in information about the battles that took place to allow Elizabethtown to come about and Kentucky to become a commonwealth. All were enthralled with the well curated exhibits and information provided by the museum.
Afterwards, the class journeyed back to the Brown-Pusey House for lunch and to prepare for the presentations. Everyone was excited and a little nervous since this was the first presentation.
Group 1 gave insight into the time-period of 1775-1821. They were actually ghosts who had not found their way back from the weekend’s ghost walk and stopped by to tell their stories. The founders of Elizabethtown, these folks talked about their trips down the Ohio River to Louisville, where they traveled further into Severns Valley to establish their homes, churches, businesses, and the town. They wrapped it up with a
web-based game called Kahoot where the class had to recall some of the historical facts presented.
Group 2 was from the time-period of 1822-1868 and presented a matching game.
Everyone was given a person, place or thing and various fun facts and descriptions to match them. After breaking their audience into teams, each team had 9 minutes to match the proper question and answer without the aid of technology. In the final minute, teams were allowed to use their phones to search and clarify answers. One team excelled and got 100% of the questions correct.
Group 3 covered 1869-1915 and presented many interesting facts about the foods in Hardin County during that time. They discussed how food was harvested, prepared, and preserved, discussing the conditions and technologies present in those times. And as if we had not eaten enough all day, we ate more. They had bread, jam, fruit and even a ham, all prepared using period specific recipes. This group knew how to win the
hearts of the crowd by feeding them.
Group 4 represented the time-period of 1916-1962. They
presented a Special Edition of The Hardin County Herald that provided key events from the time. They shared information about the birth of Camp Knox in 1918, Hardin Memorial Hospital in 1954 and many other interesting facts. It was interesting to learn about the early days of the Elizabethtown Independent School District and in 1942, the opening of the beautiful
State Theater. All were entertained!
Group 5 covered 1962 to the present. This group provided guest speakers who have lived many years in the area and entertained us with their own stories and tales from their lives here. Bob Swope, Kenny Tabb and Paul Urbahns told many tall tales and stories from the time-period of 1962 to present. We learned a lot about the gold at Fort Knox and even got to sample some spirits from Boundary Oak Distillery, the first legal producer of liquor in Hardin County since prohibition began. It was the perfect ending of a fun filled, educational day.
There is no doubt this Leadership Hardin County Class of 2022 is going to do great things in the community. Friendships are forming fast, and the individuals are eager to continue the legacy of the Leadership Hardin County Program by learning key issues facing the region and collaborating to make Hardin County a better place to live, work, and play.
Janell Hasken Steven White
Senior Business Sales Development Assistant Vice President – Operations
janell.hasken@windstream.com steve.white@bhsi.com
Kinetic Business by Windstream Baptist Health Hardin
111 South Main Street 913 North Dixie Highway