Lexington Community News – April 2021
GOOD CAUSES
Pie Day
Richmond Place Senior Living invited Lexington residents to make donations of non-perishable food items to help stock God’s Pantry with nutritious food. Richmond Place thanked the drop-off donors with cherry pies in a belated celebration of President’s Day (delayed by weather).
Polar Bear Plunge
The annual Lexington Polar Plunge fundraiser for Special Olympics Kentucky was held at Texas Roadhouse on Richmond Road in March. The annual fundraiser challenges brave jumpers to plunge into frigid mid-winter water in support of Special Olympics Kentucky.
UK hosts ‘Thank You’ Lunch for vaccine and testing volunteers
UK Dining provided a complimentary thank you lunch to honor the volunteers who have made it possible for UK and UK HealthCare to provide public COVID-19 testing and vaccinations over the last several months.
NEWS
Central Library reopens
The Lexington Public Library announced the reopening of the first floor of Central Library, located in downtown Lexington. Central Library now offers limited in-person services, including access to computers, fax/scan services, popular titles, and holds pickup, all on the first floor. Appointments are available for customers wishing to access the Kentucky Room and its local history collections. Beaumont, Eastside, Northside, and Tates Creek branches also offer limited in-person services. Curbside services remain available to all customers.
Text-to-911
Text-to-911 is now available in Lexington. This service is helpful to those who are non-verbal, hard of hearing, deaf or speech impaired. It’s also useful if the caller is facing a threatening situation and a voice call could increase the threat; or if the caller is unable to speak due to illness or injury.
WiFi “Pit Stops”
United Way of the Bluegrass hopes to partner with local businesses and community organizations to offer students access to WiFi “pit stops” where they can sit in their parents’ cars and use the internet to receive their lessons and complete their assignments. Participating businesses will simply need to open their parking lots for free WiFi access on a daily basis for students who need internet access to complete schoolwork. Businesses can provide a set timeframe for access as well as a password for access. United Way of the Bluegrass will liaise with Fayette County Public Schools to provide the information to those students in need. If your business or organization would like to participate, please contact Gary Cremeans at United Way of the Bluegrass at gary.cremeans@uwbg.org.
Memorial Planned
Celebrating Councilmember Gibbs
Lexington celebrated the life of Councilmember Jake Gibbs with a plaque dedicated in his honor a year after the death of the Councilmember. The new plaque was placed on the sidewalk in front of Alfalfa’s, the restaurant he once co-owned, now located on Main Street. The plaque depicts a tree with deep roots and honors Gibbs as a “dedicated servant to his community.”
Sandy Davis Memorial
Ace Front Porch Friday
Sandy Davis spent decades in Lexington working in the media and advertising community, as a volunteer for many non-profits, and as an artist and photographer. She was also a longtime dedicated staffer at the Woodford Humane Society. As an entrepreneur, she founded the Art Movement Gallery, transforming Lexington businesses into art studios as she rotated the work of local artists into their spaces.
Her sudden death last summer left Lexington shocked and grieving, even moreso, as there was no opportunity to gather in person to console and mourn collectively.
Sandy touched so many lives with her light, her smile, her love, and her art, that the community wants to celebrate her life and legacy, and share memories of her in person.
Although she had since relocated to her beloved hometown of Boston (and a family memorial was held there), she always held Kentucky in her heart, and Lexington claimed her as a native daughter.
A Spring memorial is planned on Friday April 30 at 5 pm to share memories and stories and images of Sandy, and the process of gathering volunteers to create an Annual Memorial Fundraiser in Sandy’s honor (supporting local affordable spay-neuter programs) has begun.
The Memorial is subject to community guidelines and restrictions regarding gatherings, and all scheduling updates and modifications will be announced at the Facebook Memorial Page, “I Knew Sandy Davis.” Please RSVP at the facebook page.
All friends are welcome to join the facebook group and to share photos and memories.
___
This article also appears on page 8 and 9 of the April 2021 print edition of ace magazine.
Subscribe to the Ace e-dition for Lexington news, arts, culture, food, and entertainment news delivered to your inbox.
Call today to advertise in Ace, 859.225.4889
