Crafting Creativity:  Ashland Celebrates its First Artistic Salon 

Crafting Creativity:  Ashland Celebrates its First Artistic Salon 

Deidra Bowling-Meade

The Ashland Beacon

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Picture a grand room in old Paris adorned with rich, colorful tapestries hanging on the walls. Large, ornate chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the scene. The air is filled with the soft murmur of voices engaged in lively conversation. Elegant furniture, often with intricate carvings and plush upholstery, is arranged in small groups, creating cozy spaces for guests to gather. This was the scene back in the 17th and 18th centuries when special gatherings known as salons brought artists, writers, and thinkers together to talk about exciting ideas. These gatherings in Paris changed the way people thought about art and culture.

 

 

Inspired by the renowned Parisian salons, Karen Van Kirk, a retired librarian from Ashland Independent Schools, aimed to cultivate a salon ambiance in early Dec. to celebrate her husband John Van Kirk's birthday. John, a professor at Marshall University and a writer, was the focal point of this celebration, with the added intention of providing a platform for local artists to showcase their work. Broadway Books and The Mill were the perfect locations to set the stage.  

Van Kirk shared, “We wanted to celebrate the arts, artists, authors, and philosophers, as well as introduce local authors to the terrific people at Broadway Books. When I read I Have Always Loved You by Robin Oliveria, I was mesmerized by the Salons in Paris. They seemed elegant, enchanting, and important exhibitions and conversations about the arts.”

The five-hour event featured an evening where attendees first gathered at Broadway Books to share their work followed by dinner, music, and dancing at The Mill. The invitation read: “Flaunt your ART: bring a poem, paragraph, painting, display, dance, idea, creation, or 500-word excerpt from any work you would like to share.” Just like the salons of Paris, the setting in Ashland became a canvas, a space where art, culture, and ideas seamlessly intertwined.

Twelve people shared works of art, poems, short stories, and music. Several authors donated copies of their books to Broadway Books to sell including:  Liz Prather, John Van Kirk, Rajia Hassib, Marie Manilla, Mary B. Moore, Rachael Peckham, and Anthony Viola. It’s a wonderful time to shop and support a local business and authors.

Bex Hall, who is a local artist and writer, attended the Ashland Salon and described the impact of the event: “This had a purpose. It was a chance to bring together in one room people who are actively working on their craft and to share what they are working on in order to stir the pot of creativity. Two great ideas tapped me on the shoulder that night.  Had I not been there, I don’t think the thought would have entered my mind. Creativity feeds creativity. There was an energy that just flowed. As the saying goes, ‘Put yourself in the way of beauty.’ Associate with people who radiate and live their gifts.” 

Hall felt blessed to be invited to the salon event and stated that it touched people in a way they wouldn’t expect.  Hall continued, “To have the platform or the space to have conversations and connections is priceless. It’s all about art and creativity.  There aren’t a lot of arenas to celebrate that. I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I wish we could have it every month!” 

Van Kirk commented, “With the murals, statues, galleries, bookstores, and shops in Ashland, it seems that this community also sees the benefits of creating beauty, whether it is with words or color or poems or quilts; Paris isn’t the only city that celebrates ART.”

Plans are already in the works for Ashland’s second salon event to be held Feb. 29 at Broadway Books and The Mill. Expect to uphold some of the Leap Year traditions with Ladies Privilege and share an apple with the one you love. Whether you're an art enthusiast, a lover of stimulating conversations, or someone seeking to immerse yourself in a dynamic cultural atmosphere, the salon promises an evening of inspiration and connection. Be part of a gathering where diverse minds converge, ideas blossom, and local talent takes center stage. Come share in the magic and create lasting memories together.

Just One Word

Just

Lora Parsons

The Ashland Beacon

I love words!  Writing them, sharing them, trying to write them pretty on packages and notebook covers.  I love thinking about them, using them, and experiencing them with students through shared book experiences and writing exercises.  I also like to really think about the underneath meanings of them that we sometimes just gloss over in using words everyday.  Because I love the way words can build pictures and emotions and worlds in one’s mind, I ALWAYS put too many of them in anything I write.  Articles for The Beacon are always too long.  I have to pare them down, shave off unnecessary words even if I love the way they sound.  Cards to people are always scrawled on from every angle.  Even when I think I’m not going to have enough to say and start on the “right” card face, I end up filling up all the empty spaces and have to add in arrows and numbers so the recipient knows what order to read things in.  My favorite professor at Georgetown, Dr. Gwen, whose Creative Writing class I loved the most, frequently advised in my margins:  “Boil it down.”  It was her sweet way of encouraging me to “get to the point, already!”  I intended this introduction to be maybe two sentences that I could use at the beginning of every “Just One Word” column, but turns out--surprise--it’s too long for that!  My other thought for this running column is that it would be a good opportunity to share Jesus with you by looking at the words we use in a church setting that might feel strange or foreign outside of the church building.  Carefully selecting meaningful words might give me lots of different opportunities to tell you that God loves you.  So, my purpose is really two-fold:  to focus on one word and to connect that word to Jesus in a way that helps bridge the gap between us and Him as we try to navigate life on this side of Heaven.  Let’s see if I can do that with “Just One Word.”

 

 

Since I’ve already started down the rabbit hole of my own word usage, maybe focusing on the word “word” is a good place to begin.  I looked up “word” in an online dictionary and found that it means “a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing.”  The definition went on to say that it’s often followed on each side by a space.  The first part of that definition didn’t stand out to me as particularly insightful.  Of course, a word is an element of meaning used when communicating.  The word “single” stood out to me, though, in that it evoked a sense of loneliness, of striving to do something alone, of tackling a feat by oneself.  A single dollar bill won’t buy you much in this world.  A single drink of water doesn’t do much to quench one’s thirst.  One just isn’t much by our standards.  Even with our language, we pack a lot of different meanings into one single word.  “Word” can be used to refer to the things I’m typing on this page, the things you’re reading now--nouns.  But, it can also mean the way we put a phrase or string of words together--to word something a certain way, making it a verb.  It also can be used to express agreement when used alone in response to something someone has said.  Dad says, “That sweet potato casserole was great,” and his adult son replies, “Word.”  Few words in our English language have one single meaning.  They’re full of potential ways to express ideas.  While a word may be a single unit of communication, it’s in reality anything but single in what it can possibly express.

Another part of the definition stood out to me besides the single-ness of “word.”  To figure out the meaning intended in any word, it’s necessary to look beyond it…to examine the word beyond the spaces on each side of it.  The emptiness that surrounds the physical space a word takes up on a page leads you to its meaning.  We can’t dig into the meaning of the word itself without first navigating the empty spaces on each side.  The Bible tells us that when Jesus came into the world, He was the very Word of God.  John 1:14 says:  “The word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  When Jesus was born of Mary, we had God’s actual living, breathing Word for the first time, walking the Earth with mankind.  We could speak to God, hear Him audibly speak to us.  His words, through Jesus’ mouth, came to earth.  Those single elements of speech could be shared with human lips, rest on human ears, be interpreted by human minds, and be stored in human hearts.  The space that existed between God and man was navigated by Jesus being born into a physical body.  We had access to the heart of God in a new way because His word became flesh; He lived, breathed, and used words in the same ways we do here on earth.  The empty spaces in our lives are what He came to fill.  Jesus is the living, breathing Word of God, and His coming to earth navigates for us the space between God and man.  He is the single source of meaning for all of mankind.  Sometimes our words fail us; they fall short of offering what we intend for them to offer.  They can provide a semblance of peace or comfort or the magnitude of our love for others, but they can’t give actual peace or comfort or love.  But, Jesus can.  This Christmas season, celebrate the word became flesh:  Jesus.  He came to close the space between each of us and our loving Heavenly Father, to give us meaning and purpose, to love us when we are the least lovable.  Jesus is the Word we all need.  And, He is Just One Word.

Keyleygh’s Cause: Turning Grief into Something Beautiful

 Keyleygh’s Cause: Turning Grief into Something Beautiful

Sasha Bush

The Ashland Beacon

Mike Maynard and Danielle Stewart copy

“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.”

- Kenji Miyazawa

            Grief can be a terrible and debilitating monster if we allow it to consume us. But, what if we could take that all the grief we feel and turn it into something beautiful? Something with a purpose? That is exactly what one local woman has done. Danielle Stewart, a local to Ashland has experienced the type of grief no mother should ever have to face… the loss of a child.

 

 

           Danielle faced every parent’s worst nightmare, and her world was turned upside down. “Dec. the 17th, 2009 is a day I will never forget… a day that changed my life forever. I never imagined I would be burying one of my children before myself, but God had other plans. On this bittersweet day, He called my daughter (Keyleygh) home to be with Him,” Stewart shared.

            “As I was overcome by grief and pain from losing my daughter, I realized I wanted to take my grief and turn it into something beautiful--something to honor her memory, something as beautiful as my sweet Keyleygh Dawn. Sitting on my bed, holding her pink teddy bear, wanting nothing more than to hold her just one last time… that was when it hit me! Stuffed animals for children in the hospital.” Danielle has made it her mission to honor her daughter and turn her grief into something that she could share with the world in a positive way. “Since Dec.  2010, I have taken donations of stuffed animals and toys to the pediatric unit at the local hospital. The first few years, I couldn’t make it passed the nurses’ desks. I just couldn’t seem to bring myself to go room to room and take in all the noises and sounds along with sights.” Stewart explained that it was just so overwhelming at first, and it just took her back to a place that she wasn’t mentally nor emotionally prepared for just yet.

            But as time passed and the years went by, Stewart found that she was finally able to make her way passed the nurses’ desks. “I first started taking stuffed animals to Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital in Somerset, Ky where I am originally from. This is the hospital where my daughter took her last breath. After we relocated to Ashland, I began taking them to Cabell Huntington Hospital. I used to go by myself, but for the past two years my husband and children have gone with me. My children love doing this. Their faces light up just as much as the kiddos receiving the gifts.”

Stewart recalled one of her fondest memories of Keyleygh’s Cause, “Last year was my favorite year. We got to go room to room, and the children picked what they wanted while interacting with myself and my children. Seeing the smiles on their faces and their eyes light up made my daughter’s last breath even more treasurable. Something that still stays in my heart is a mother that reached out to me after we had visited Cabell last year. She told me her daughter was in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant. She received a bear from us. She kept it through her surgery and still has it. She said it meant so much to her and her daughter in such a hard time. This is why I created Keyleygh’s Cause: to make a difference in children’s lives when they are sick.”

            Without the many generous donations, Keyleygh’s Cause would not have been possible. “I am very thankful for the Hillcrest Bruce Mission and Mike Maynard for his donations of stuffed animals every year! I also post on the Ashland People Helping People site. I have gotten several donations this way as well. I also buy donations out of pocket.” Stewart shared.

            This year, on Dec. 17 2023, the Stewart family plan to have a very special guest visitor with them. “Rylan Ashton, a very special 13-year-old girl, is dressing up as the Grinch! She is going to bring some extra joy to the kiddos at Cabell out of the kindness of her heart! My kiddos are dressing as elves and presents. This year, it is going to be amazing to see the look on their littles faces and their eyes light up!” noted Stewart.

            If you would like to help support Keyleygh’s Cause, you can do so by texting Danielle Stewart at 606.232.2513 or sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Stewart stated, “I am so thankful to everyone that has donated over the years. If anyone would like to donate, I start taking donations Sept. 1 – Dec. 10. I accept stuffed animals, toys, coloring books and crayons. I would like to encourage any parent that has experienced the loss of a child to take their grief, and turn it into something beautiful in their child’s memory. There are so many of us that have suffered the unspeakable heartbreak of losing a child. Please know you are not alone.”

Christmas Traditions at Boyd County Middle School

Christmas Traditions at Boyd County Middle School

Lora Parsons

The Ashland Beacon

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One might think that the phrase “family traditions” only relates to an actual family--related by blood, sharing the same DNA. But, step into any school to find that family traditions extend beyond the walls of home. Having spent 21 years teaching at Boyd County Middle School, I can easily say this time of year is magical because we share so many of those traditions. The preparation for Christmas begins early--following Fall Break--because tracking down the wheeled garbage cans that house our tree takes time. Getting the tree up is a group effort and a several-day event, shared by multiple adults and students who are eager to help. Melissa Prater, BCMS Library Media Specialist said this is one of her favorite parts of our Christmas tradition: “I love sharing the experience of putting up the Christmas decorations with the children…and listening to Christmas music while we work.” With borrowed decor from family and friends, this year’s Movie Night theme provided the perfect foundation for the rest of our decorating efforts. The theme changes from year to year, but the goal never does:  every person in the building makes an ornament to hang!  This year’s ornament allowed creators to draw a self-portrait or scene from a movie, hanging them on or near the tree in the school’s front lobby. Kenzy, a seventh grader, commented this group-decorating is one her favorite parts of Christmas at BCMS--that and the fundraisers we do to help our community. Those things, according to her, “Impact people mentally and physically” [They] make people happy and excited and the building just POPs and lights up!” Finishing the decor by Thanksgiving Break ensures that when we return, the building is ready for other events that follow.

 

 

Many of the events that help spark holiday spirit happen within the classrooms of individual teachers, who are masters at finding ways to incorporate Christmas-themed activities into their content. Math teacher, Leah Dixon, usually has students “make a geome-tree [Geometry] where they fold 3-D nets into ornaments.” Eighth grade Language Arts students read “The Gift of the Magi” and learn literary elements and vocabulary, while also examining closely the spirit of giving that is at the heart of that classic. In Art class, students work on creating ornaments for the annual Festival of Trees and Trains entry. Band and Choir performances usually happen the week before Christmas Break begins, complete with winter-themed songs. Theater students put on a Christmas play— this year’s being A Christmas Carol. And, because Christmas, itself, is a piece of our culture, its very presence is a part of the learning, also. The holiday season presents many opportunities for teachers to bring current cultural Christmas experiences into their classrooms.

While learning is certainly not sacrificed in exchange for fun, there is a little of that scattered into our traditions, as well. A recently-added fan favorite is the annual Holiday Whobilation. Students rotate through carnival-style holiday games during their Related Arts classes and enjoy some relationship-building time with their core teachers. Wrapping up learning topics before a long break presents teachers the golden opportunity of cultivating the relationships that must flourish in order for students to learn best. The heart of all learning comes directly from a place of mutual respect and feeling safe enough to take learning risks. Strong relationships are imperative, and building those takes time that events like the Holiday Whobilation affords teachers and students.

Many celebrations and in-class experiences provide students with moments of holiday magic, but staff traditions are also part of what makes BCMS feel like family. Our building-wide Secret Santa opportunity requires volunteer “Santas” to purchase a small gift for their unknowing recipient for four days and then reveal their identity with a larger fifth gift the Friday before Christmas Break begins. Students inevitably get in on the fun of this community-building tradition by delivering gifts for teachers throughout the week. And, teams within the building often have their own traditions unique to their particular area. One group of teachers draws names and celebrates with breakfast potluck, while another group gathers for an ornament-exchange and dinner. Our cafeteria even has a very special “elf” on a shelf. And, the whole building comes together for a staff luncheon, an extra special time where we all are afforded a moment to be together. Administrators serve the main course, and staff members bring in the fixin’s to round out the meal while our Central Office staff, their own work laid aside for a bit, help supervise students. It’s truly a special moment. Bethany Crouch, Art teacher, shared of this time together, “It’s the precious time that we get once a year to recharge and celebrate…to look around and remember how much support we have that at no point in our careers at BCMS do we have to go through anything alone.” This moment allows us to BE a family.

Looking out for the needs of our BCMS families and greater community tops the list of what I love most about our traditions. Every year, our Family Resource Center helps provide Christmas for Boyd County families and Beta students get to help. Students won’t know who receives the items they purchase, but they get to exercise the art of giving nonetheless. They also have similar opportunities to help with other community outreach programs such as Woodland Oaks’ current Adopt-A-Resident initiative. Additionally, they recently raised nearly $1000 to donate to our Family Resource Center through a collaborative fundraiser that involved students from Art, Choir, Life Skills and Communication Arts. In many ways, during this time of year, whether it’s directly content-related or not, students are growing. Their minds may not be the focal point of that growth the week before Christmas Break, but their hearts and our community certainly are. Education comes in many forms and may look a little different at this time of the year, but maybe, in a building that makes space for looking outward, beyond our own wants and needs--maybe, just maybe the learning is greater at this time of year than any other. It may not register fully on state-mandated tests, but the lesson remains:  We all become family at Christmas time.

Phlebotomy Plus: Saving Lives One Vein at a Time

Phlebotomy Plus: Saving Lives One Vein at a Time

Sasha Bush

The Ashland Beacon

 Medical Assisting Classes

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Next to creating a life, the finest thing a man can do is save one.”

Located just within the heart of our community at 1212 Bath Ave., Ashland, in the Sky Tower Suite 15, a new phlebotomy business has emerged, bringing with it a mission to make a life-saving impact through the art of drawing blood. This innovative venture not only serves as a vital healthcare service but also stands out for its commitment to excellence and compassion.

 

 

The business, aptly named Phlebotomy Plus, was started in 1989 by a lady by the name of Kathy Harris. Back in 2022, Harris decided it was time to sell her beloved business. As luck would have it, a former student of Harris’ was interested in purchasing the business. Amy Frasher, who is the new owner of Phlebotomy Plus and a graduate of Phlebotomy Plus’ class of 2005, has been in the business of saving lives one vein at a time for 18 years. Frasher shared, “My passion has always been in phlebotomy. Being a phlebotomist is just one of those things that you just either love it, or you don’t. There is no in-between, and I have always kept in close contact with Kathy. So, that is what led me to want to buy the school and pursue the school.”

Upon purchasing the school, Frasher shared she had a five-year goal to add a new program to the school every year. “We added an EKG program at the beginning of 2023, and then we also got approval through the state of Kentucky, (The Education Commission) for our medical assistant class. We just had our first medical assistant class finish, up and we graduated 15 graduates.”

The startup of classes is always in rotation, so finding the perfect time to start should not be a problem. Frasher noted, “With the phlebotomy classes, we usually offer it about every 10 weeks. We just finished up our first medical assisting class, and we are getting ready to start up our next round of that class in Jan. with two evenings a week. Then, we will be starting up a daytime class that will start at the beginning of Feb.” The EKG classes also have multiple options for start dates throughout the year.

If you or someone you know might be interested in taking part in any of these classes, you can contact Amy at 606.325.2091. “Once you contact us, we work with you to go over all the things you need to do in order to get started in one of our programs. You do have to take an entrance exam, and we will go over all the details of your program. The great thing about our programs is that they are all very much hands-on and in-person. No part of it is online.”

Frasher was very excited to share most recently that six of her program graduates have been hired by various organizations upon graduating. “I have had St. Mary’s, Cabell, and HIMG reach out to us looking for employees and to have our students do clinicals there.” Phelbotomy Plus does offer financial aid.

As Phlebotomy Plus sets a new standard in phlebotomy services, it becomes a beacon of hope for those seeking to enter into the field of phlebotomy which has an ever-growing need for caring and compassionate people.