Paducah Holds PurpleLight Vigil Sunday

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network of Western Kentucky will host a PurpleLight Vigil for Hope on Sunday, November 20 at 4:30 p.m. at Lourdes Hospital Marshall Nemer Pavilion in the Borders Community Room.

“Paducah is one of 55 national PurpleLight Vigil for Hope events across the country,” said Carol Foreman, local Pancreatic Cancer Action Network community representative. “The candlelight vigil will honor the memory of those who fought pancreatic cancer and celebrate the survivors, while raising community awareness about the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Over 110 people have already registered to attend.”

Dr. James Gould, caregiver Donna Groves and volunteer Wesley Fox will offer remarks and local musician Eddie Windhorst will perform. Pre-register at http://www.pancan.org/purplelight/ by Friday or register at the vigil Sunday afternoon. The vigil is free and open to the public.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the national organization creating hope in a comprehensive way through research, patient support, community outreach and advocacy for a cure. The organization is leading the way to increase the survival rate for people diagnosed with this devastating disease through a bold initiative—The Vision of Progress: Double the Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rate by 2020. Together, we can know, fight and end pancreatic cancer by intensifying our efforts to heighten awareness, raise funds for comprehensive private research, and advocate for dedicated federal research to advance early diagnostics, better treatments and increase chances of survival.

Wear purple and join us!

Get the Facts!

Thanks to Alan Reed and the Paducah Sun for this important coverage on pancreatic cancer!

Get the facts

by By ALAN REED areed@paducahsun.com The Paducah Sun
Nov 09, 2011

Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all types of cancer, including cancers of the lung, colon, breasts and prostate.

Dr. James Gould, a Paducah oncologist, said an average of 37,500 new cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed each year. Of those new cases, 35,000 will die within a year.

“There are two reasons why pancreatic cancer is the deadliest type of cancer,” Gould said. “First is we often only diagnose pancreatic cancer when it has spread beyond the ability for surgery to remove the tumor. That’s the only cure. And second, treatments don’t work to stop the cancer’s growth.”

Carol Foreman is a community representative for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. She said she lost her father to pancreatic cancer last year and volunteers as an advocate in his memory.

“Many people like my father may have cancer for 20 or 30 years, but never know about it because there are no screenings or tests for early detection, and the symptoms are very vague,” Foreman said.

Gould said symptoms from the cancer are often misidentified as indigestion, gall bladder disease, food poisoning or other conditions. The lack of blood tests, X-rays or other screenings to reveal the cancer make early detection impossible. Gould say risk factors include Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, smoking and a family history of pancreatic cancer.

“Efforts have been made to address the disease, but we’ve found a block at every turn in the road. Research has tried blood tests, imaging, chemotherapy and radiation therapy,” Gould said. “We just don’t know of anything that would effectively add to the fight at this point.”

Gould said as most pancreatic cancer is advanced when detected, many patients have few options. Surgery may not remove the tumor from the body and the cancer may metastasize to other parts of the body. Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation may provide some patients with a few additional months, at the expense of a declining quality of life because of side effects.

Foreman said her organization provides advocacy for additional research. It also lobbies Congress for research funding. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network provides its Patients and Liaison Service that provides a regular point of contact for people diagnosed with cancer to provide information about the disease, treatment options and to answer patients’ questions.

The PALS program also offers information to families and caregivers with its survivors and caregivers network, and allows them to speak with others facing similar circumstances. She called on more people in western Kentucky to volunteer to educate others about pancreatic cancer or to advocate for more research.

To volunteer, learn more about pancreatic cancer, or to contact PALS, call 877-272-6226 or visit www.pancan.org.

No Greater Love.... How Lovely!

Local musician Eddie Windhorst will lend his vocals to the PurpleLight Vigil for Hope Nov. 20 at 4:30pm at Lourdes. Beginning Friday through Nov. 20, Eddie will donate 100% of his "No Greater Love Than This" CD sales to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. CDs are $10.00 and may be purchased on the below sites. Thank you, Eddie, for blessing us with your talent and for your generous spirit!

*digstation.com/eddiewindhorst; cdbaby.com/eddiewindhorst; amazon.com/eddiewindhorst; and "Eddie Windhorst" on Itunes*

Be serenaded by Eddie this Friday at the Pasta House from 6-8pm!

This is SO SWEET!

Y'all please go to Sweet CeCe's at 2929 James Sanders Blvd. today between 5pm and 9pm. 20% of sales will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network! Thanks to one of the sweetest places in Paducah for raising awareness for this important cause!

Paducah Hugs Back

During the month of November, join Tempur-Pedic in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Although pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the US, only 2% of the National Cancer Institutes's annual budget is spent on researching the disease. But you can help!

Stop by any participating retailer, try a Tempur-Pedic mattress and $10 will be donated to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network!

Paducah friends: Go to America's Mattress at 451 Jordan Dr., right near the Pasta House! To find other participating retailers near you, visit tempurpedichugsback.com!

Keep up with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network of Western Kentucky on FB.

Film Festival Fully Loaded!

Loved IList's ILove Historic Paducah feature about this weekend's River’s Edge International Film Festival at Maiden Alley Cinema.

Films include romance, comedy and drama, plus you can meet the film makers! Be sure to check out Fully Loaded Friday and Saturday at 1pm. Tix to the film festival are $5 at the door.

I'm working projection this weekend and if you want to volunteer too, contact Johanna Rhodes at Etcetera Coffeehouse in LowerTown (320 North 6th Street). The festival is a fun way to get involved in the community and to learn more about the art of filmmaking.

Know it, Fight it, End it!

Lourdes Hospital will glow purple each evening this month for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

McCracken County Judge Executive Van Newberry Tuesday read a proclamation declaring November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month for McCracken County and also read a proclamation from Governor Steve Beshear. The City of Paducah issued a proclamation last week in recognition of awareness for this deadly disease.

Keep up with our local Pancreatic Cancer Action Network of Western Kentucky on FB and join us at any of these upcoming events:

Sweet CeCe's Nov. 7 from 5-9pm. 20% of sales will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

PurpleLight Vigil For Hope Nov. 20 at 4:30pm at Lourdes Hospital. Honor survivors and remember loved ones. Register at purplelight.org.

Paducah Christmas Parade Dec. 3 at 5:30pm. Walk with us as we celebrate the holiday season!

Volunteers meeting Dec. 8 at 6:30pm at Purple Toad Winery.

Meet Your Maker's

The Carson Center's six annual Distiller's Dinner was the best one yet! Over 140 attendees enjoyed a Southern gourmet dinner by Artisan Kitchen, complete with a Meet Your Maker's chocolate cheesecake. Maker’s Mark Chairman Emeritus Bill Samuels Jr. spent the evening sharing family stories, bourbon and laughs. The dinner was sponsored by Roof Brothers Wine and Spirits. Find pictures from the night here!

Masquerade Ball Fabuously Successful!

On Oct. 22, 2011, the Paducah Convention Center was transformed into a whimsical Masquerade Ball. The event raised over $25,000 for the Theatre's Children's Programming!

Thank you to our event sponsors: Bohle Family Dentistry and Dr. Chip Bohle, Credit Bureau Systems, PADUCAH LIFE Magazine, Renaissance Plastic Surgery, USEC Paducah Plant and Wacker Polymers.

Thank you to Laura Duff, NashVegas All Stars, Creatures of Habit, MHT staff and board, MHT Ball committee members and all our attendees for making the evening so memorable! Also, thank you to MC Chris Black, auctioneer Bruce and our cute cute cute auction spotters!

Congratulations to our silent, live and costume winners! Thank you all for making this first ever event so successful!

Save the date for Masquerade 2012: Saturday, October 20, 2012!

Jobs' Death Draws Awareness to Pancreatic Cancer

October 6, 2011

Dear Editor,

Our hearts go out to the family of Steve Jobs, his friends and colleagues. He was an American icon and one of the greatest visionaries of our time. His passing is such a great loss for our country.

While we did not know him personally, our families have also been touched by the devastating reality of pancreatic cancer.

Although Mr. Jobs battled a rare form of pancreatic cancer (pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor) his passing, if due to the disease, serves as a harsh reminder of the relentlessness of this deadly cancer and the lack of pre-screening methods and effective treatment options available. We are encouraging our western Kentucky friends to take action now to ensure scientific progress is made to give pancreatic cancer patients a fighting chance.

We need our Members of Congress to co-sponsor and pass the Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act (S. 362/H.R. 733) so we will have the necessary funding to make true progress against this disease. To learn more about this important and life-changing legislation and how you can make a difference, visit www.knowitfightitendit.org.

We hope all those inspired by Mr. Jobs will honor his memory by joining the fight against pancreatic cancer. To become involved locally, visit our Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Community Rep – Paducah, KY page on Facebook. Together we can know, fight and end this deadly disease.

Sincerely,

Carol Foreman
Community Representative
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network - Western Kentucky, KY

and volunteers: Donna Groves, Sarah Bynum and Family of Joel Scarbrough

Service Above Self -- and BBQ

The Paducah Rotaract Club will host the 'People's Choice Award's at the BBQ on the River Thursday through Saturday downtown. Vote for your favorite BBQ stand. Tix will be sold for each vote, and presales are available for $1 each at the Barbeque on the River headquarters at 321 Broadway in Paducah. During the festival, stop by the leader board to see who’s winning and cheer for your choice. Proceeds will benefit Paducah Rotaract and the Barbeque on the River organization.

People's Choice Awards sponsors include Independence Bank, Residence Inn Marriott, Jenny's Day Spa, Innovations Branding, Emerging Media Productions, Enterprise Car Rental, Paducah Printing, Unlimited Graphics and the Rotary Club of Paducah.



You'll even catch some Paducah Rotarians volunteering at the Rotaract booth! Service Above Self. Loves it!

Tilghman Freshmen Selected to Attend Rotary Leadership Camp

The Rotary Club of Paducah is pleased to announce that two Paducah Tilghman freshmen were selected to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp.

C-Bonesha Merriweather and Michael Robinett, both of Paducah, will attend the weekend leadership camp hosted by Rotary District 6710 on September 15-18. The camp is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Paducah. St. Mary sophomore and RYLA attendee last year, James Mayfield, will return as a counselor/mentor.

The RYLA camp for high school students features educational activities that focus on team building, problem solving and critical thinking.

Rotary International is the largest service organization in the world and programs devoted to young people reinforce their motto, “Service Above Self.”

From Broadway to Hollywood!

Market House Theatre will host a Masquerade Ball on Saturday, October 22, at 6:30 p.m. in the River Ballroom at the Julian M. Carroll Convention Center.

This special fundraiser to benefit the Theatre’s award-winning Children’s Programming will feature an auction for prize roles in our summer production of Hairspray, as well as dinner, dancing and live entertainment. The event incorporates favorite components of the Theatre’s pastCurtain Call auctions, yet will raise the bar on guest participation and involvement.

Guests are encouraged to dress in costume representative of the theme, from Broadway to Hollywood. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes and most creative table decorations. Rent a costume from Creatures of Habit and portion of the sale will benefit the Theatre’s Children’s Programming. Festive masks will also be available for purchase at the event.

Sponsors of the Masquerade Ball include Bohle Family Dentistry and Dr. Chip Bohle, Credit Bureau Systems, PADUCAH LIFE Magazine, Renaissance Plastic Surgery, USEC Paducah Plant and Wacker Polymers. Live music by NashVegas All Stars.

Tickets are on sale now. Cost is $35 for ages 21-29; $75 for general admission or $1,000 for a reserved table of eight. Call the Box Office at 270-444-6828 to purchase tickets. Follow the Ball on Facebook: MHTMasqueradeBall.

Can I have the definition please?

Market House Theatre's 48th season kicked off last night with a hilarious performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! This 2005 Tony-Award winning Broadway hit by composer-lyricist William Finn and playwright Rachel Sheinkin has been selling out nationwide. In its review of the musical, the Washington Post described the musical as "the funniest thing in seven syllables." The Bee is just edgy enough (if musicals got ratings, it would be PG-13) that this tenderhearted romp through a kids' world is a hoot for grown-ups. Tickets are $20, students ages 21 and under $16. Call the Box Office at 270-444-6828.

Visit IListPaducah - Your Invitation to Everything - to fill your fall events calendar!

IDate Duncan Celebrity Bartends

Join former IDate of the Week Matt Duncan with Republic National Distributors this Thursday at 5pm at the Pasta House for this week’s wine tasting to benefit iList Paducah sponsor St. Nicholas Family Clinic. You should know Matt from his days managing the bar at Doe’s Eat Place downtown. No doubt about it, he’ll bring back his Matt-tastic bartendin’ skills to support Bob Hoppmann’s weekly fundraiser! $5 buys you five tickets, one for each glass of wine you choose to sample. Plus, half-priced appetizers!

Loves it!

Wagging Tails, Happy Pets

Bring your tail-wagging family members to Stuart Nelson Park Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm for the Rockin’ Rescuers Fundraiser to benefit animal rescues and shelters! Dress your pet for photos with Patrick and the pet costume contest, which starts at 12:30 pm. Iams will give out large and small breed puppy food to attendees and Cegliniski Veterinary Clinic will host a Rabies Clinic.

Looking to adopt? Project Hope No Kill Humane Society, Benton Marshall County Humane Society, Mollie’s Small Breed Rescue, Bluegrass Boxer Rescue, Mayfield-Graves Animal Shelter and Creatures Great & Small Rescue may just have the perfect pet for you to take home and love.

All furry friends are invited. Loves it!

Where a Quilted Garden Grows

Celebrate the wonders and colors of spring at the Paducah Rotary Club’s 23rd Annual Quilt Show, to be held April 26 through April 30 at the Cherry Civic Center. As an official sanctioned event of the AQS Quilt Show, the Rotary Quilt Show offers up not only antique quilts on display, but a merchant mall of vendors specializing in various quilting necessities. For a complete listing of vendors, visit the Rotary Club’s website. Proceeds from the Rotary Quilt Show benefit the Rotary Education Assistance Program (REAP), which provides educational scholarships to Paducah/McCracken County students who otherwise would be unable to attend college. $5 admits one to the Rotary Show all week. For tix, call the Rotary Office, 270.442.3418, or purchase at the door. Keep up with all buzz around the quilted garden by liking the Rotary Club’s Quilt Show Facebook page. Loves it!

Experience TVM

Celebrating its 9th year in Paducah, a cast of local women will perform The Vagina Monologues on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Cherry Civic Center. This touching and often hilarious series of monologues written by Eve Ensler is aimed to raise awareness and funds for the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center. The cast is under wraps until Saturday! Doors open for refreshments, photo art exhibit/sale and silent auction at 6 p.m., with the performance at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. Loves it!

Men Who Cook

On Saturday, over 50 celebrity chefs from local businesses, community groups and political arenas will don their own decorated apron and put their culinary skills to the test in support of the Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center annual Men Who Cook fundraiser.

Evening, which starts at 6pm at the Convention & Expo Center, includes great food, festive drinks, live broadcasts of NCAA basketball tournaments and PASAC’s famous children’s art auction — all to support PASAC’s work to end sexual violence and child abuse in our community. Tix are $35 each or $60 for two. And be sure to purchase a $10 all-night drink ticket. To purchase, call PASAC, 270.534.4422.

It's a Hard Knock Life...

Mary Hammond will be at the Downtown Coffee Bar, 426 Broadway, on Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. to raise money for her attempt to be or not to be an Orphan. She'll serve you coffee and cupcakes for donations to her cause. Loves it!

What are you waiting for?

This in from my favorite Lovie, Ilistpaducah.com: Join the iList/Energy Fitness love fest! Between now and the end of this month, tell the nice folks at Energy Fitness that you saw their gorgeous banner on iList Paducah and they will waive your enrollment fee! What are you waiting for?

Leapin' lizards! We got Annie!

The Market House Theatre plans to hold its third-ever Curtain Call Fundraiser, a live auction, on Friday, March 4. Part of the fundraiser includes local individuals competing for cameo roles in the hit musical Annie for a one-night special presentation to be held June 18, 2011.

Patrick James from Willie 102 and Mitch Meyers from Electric 96.9 will compete for the part of the masked announcer. Each will have a collection jar at the radio station and will also solicit votes from Facebook. Friends and listeners can drop off cash donations at the station.

Additionally, Elaine Spalding, president of the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce, and Mary Hammond, executive director at Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau, will raise money to decide who between them will get the role of the Hard Knock Life Orphan in the opening scene.

Tix are $20. Call the box office at (270) 444-6828!



Loves it!

EntrePaducah-Paducah Bank Business Plan Competition

OK, all you entrepreneurs out there! Here’s your chance to win a cool $2,500 to get your business started!

EntrePaducah and Paducah Bank are teaming up for their first Business Plan Competition.

According to EntrePaducah’s website: “A key component of any entrepreneurial venture is a well-prepared business plan. Many businesses and business start-ups, however, try to navigate their way through the business world with no plan and, ultimately, no clear direction. EntrePaducah wants to not only educate entrepreneurs on business plan writing, but reward this area’s best business plan!”

Here’s the answer to the big question most of you are probably going to ask: “Applying companies who have been established as a company before the date of March 31, 2010 are not eligible to compete.” Sorry Mary and Nikki!

Deadline for your great ideas: Thursday, March 31 at 5 p.m.

All the details are here. For more info, call 270.332.1746.

Loves it!

Pasta House ROCKS!

Literally! Godfather Bob Hoppmann’s choices in local musicians shine every Friday evening at the Pasta House. This Friday, Feb. 18, come by after work for a little pick-me-up and enjoy the contemporary sounds of Eddie Windhorst! The mic kicks on at 6 p.m.

And while you’re at the Pasta House, give a little to St. Nicholas Family Clinic, the Godfather’s charity of choice!

Loves it!

Hum Dinger, Bell Ringer

Every Christmas season, teams of dedicated volunteers stand outside Kentucky Oaks Mall, Sam's Club, Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby, adored with mittens, scarfs and other warming gear, to "ring the bell" for the Salvation Army. This year, the bell ringing raised $103,000! That’s some hum dingin’ bell ringin’! The top bell ringers were recently recognized for their efforts. Congratulations to these winners!

Business Division 1st place - LATA Environmental Services of Kentucky, LLC
2nd place – Edward Jones

Civic Club Division 1st place - Rotary Club of Paducah
2nd place – Paducah Ambassadors

School Division 1st place Tilghman High School
2nd place – Farley Elementary

Church Division 1st place Broadway United Methodist Church
2nd place – Lone Oak First Baptist Church

Scouts Division 1st place – Boy Scouts Troop 1

Individual Division 1st place – Danny Tansil

Employee Division 1st place – Cliff Irons

The Salvation Army was founded as an evangelical organization and cooperates with churches of all denominations to meet the needs of the community through food programs, disaster relief, elder care and more.

Oh Ho Ho It’s Magic, You Know

No sweet tooth? Maybe the razzle, dazzle is more your style. If so, levitate over to Market House Theatre Saturday evening for From Stage to Street: Adventure Through Magic’s Golden Age. Local magician Todd Duff will transport us through several eras of magic. From card tricks to masterful illusion, this is no doubt THE most entertaining and unusual show in town!

Tix are $20 and be purchased online!

Desserts First

What could be better than dessert? Having it first, of course! That’s exactly what the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana intended with their signature event, Desserts First, to take place this Saturday at 6pm at the Carson Center. $30 gets you all the Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Tagalongs and Trefoils (my personal favorite) you can possibly stand, under the strict creativity of local chefs, plus music, silent auction, dessert juggling and much more.

All funds raised will benefit Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, which serves more than 23,000 girls and 6,700 adult members in 60 counties in central and western Kentucky and southern Indiana. Call Aretta Terry, 933.3010, for tickets. For a listing of chefs on board so far, visit this week’s IList’s I Love It feature!

Soups On!

Y’all! This is one of my favorite fundraisers! The Bellewood Winter Warm Up Soup Luncheon will be Thursday from 11-1pm at First Presbyterian Church. It’s just $5 for a bowl of soup from your favorite Paducah restaurant, plus bread, dessert and a drink. Take-outs and deliveries available too!

Bellewood is a nonprofit agency serving abused and homeless youth and families across Kentucky. Through a wide variety of programs, Bellewood provides a continuum of care to ensure those in its service become stable, self-sufficient adults.

Loves it!

Martin Luther King Jr. Festivities

Y’all, this time of year is so special here in Paducah. Lots of good folks devote their hours and energy into creating really great events in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.‘s birthday. There’s something for everyone, including a pizza party for the kids!

We’ve got the full list of activities in our iList Paducah calendar, as well as all in one place in our iLove it column! So have a look and make plans to attend as many great events as you can!

Loves it!