Shelbyville teacher receives Certificate of Merit

Certificate of Merit recipient, Amy Wells, poses with the owner of Jacobs Ladder, Shelbyville Mayor Tom Hardesty and representatives from the offices of Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Brett Guthrie.

Maria Jacobs, owner of Jacobs Ladder Preschool in Shelbyville, KY, requires that all teachers be CPR/First Aid certified. That requirement paid off last August when teacher Amy Wells helped save a child's life using her American Red Cross training. Amy had just received her re-certification in CPR/First Aid when 3-year-old Kaden Fritter began choking on a snack. She used back blows and abdominal thrusts, skills she learned at the Red Cross, to dis-lodge the snack and help save Kaden's life.

Tuesday morning, members of the Shelby County Service Center had the honor of awarding Amy with a Certificate of Merit. The certificate is the highest honor the American Red Cross awards to community members who use their Red Cross health and safety training to help save or sustain a life. The certificate was signed by President Barack Obama and Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, chairman of the American Red Cross. Shelbyville Mayor Tom Hardesty and representatives for Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Brett Guthrie attended to help celebrate the award.

After the incident, Amy used her skills once again to assist a child experiencing a seizure. In spite of the challenges her job poses, she loves working with kids and plans to continue teaching at Jacobs Ladder. "It's like a home to me here at Jacobs Ladder," Amy said. "It's a warm place to work at and the kids are awesome. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

See more pictures of the award ceremony on our Flickr page.

Der Frühling kommt

Feb. 2nd may seem like any other ordinary day, but after the never-ending snow and below freezing weather that has overtaken Kentuckiana this winter, I was anxious to see the results of one famous groundhog's first post-hibernation expedition.

Punxsutawney Phil's prediction may seem like a silly tradition, but for people who take the event seriously, the results can play a significant part in decision making during upcoming weeks. For instance, knowing when winter will end can help determine when to go on vacation, when to pack up your sweaters/snow boots and, most importantly, when you can go outdoors for anything other than work or food.

Before everyone gets too excited about ‘ol Phil’s prediction of an early spring, let’s take a moment to appreciate winter’s highlights including:

• The holidays
• Hot chocolate
• Shopping for sweaters and boots (which you pack up for 8-9 months)
• Snowball fights
• The Superbowl
• Snow days (for some of us)

And let’s not forget my personal favorite, not having to mow the lawn. So as we anticipate the early arrival of spring, remember to enjoy winter’s benefits. While there may not be many, you only get to enjoy them a few months out of the year.