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Our community garden here at Debra Hensley’s State Farm is growing like crazy!  We have peppers:  red, yellow, chocolate and banana varieties,…tomatoes, basil, dill, and chives my oh my,…topping that we also have yellow squash, green beans, kale and various mystery plants,…because it wouldn’t be as much fun without a little “gee i wonder what THAT is?!?” in our garden.

Stay posted as these veggies and herbs become ripe for your picking!  We are located at 1513 Nicholasville Road just across from Commonwealth Stadium with plenty of parking in the back.  Thanks to Becca Self and Ryan Koch for helping us get this project going!

WOW we had such a blast watching Presto lead off Bike Lexington’s Family Fun ride on Memorial Day! It was great to see so many grooving cyclists on Lexington’s roadways,…best of all we  loved having so many different folks come up and play Presto: the People-Powered-Pianobike.  Stay tuned for Presto’s next big event.  In case you missed it, here are a few pictures of Presto in action,…

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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We promised and we are delivering the first phase of Debra’s Social $timulus’ whimsical project. Since our last event in February, we have been VERY busy. We assembled a creative team of WHOS to design and start the production of PRESTO: The People-Powered PianoBike.
Teaming up with The Downtown Lexington Corporation and the Mayfest events, we are inviting YOUWHO to help us add the final artistic elements to PRESTO.

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Bring the kids and your painting clothes along with cool recyclable items we can attach to Presto. Let your mind go wild with ideas! Presto loves old broken musical instrument parts that are headed for the graveyard, cowbells, horns, propellers, pinwheels, drums, cymbals…………

So you are asking, what is a PianoBike? In keeping with our PEOPLE….PLANET…..PURPOSE themes, we wanted to bring together cyclists, environmentalists, and artists together to create something that would truly engage the community.

Presto is made of recyclable materials, has an electronic keyboard that is powered by a cyclist. Presto refuses to be pulled by a vehicle…. only by two well-trained cyclists!!

Presto will be available at events, the Farmer’s Market, and parades featuring local pianists and those of you who just want to play your favorite tune. PRESTO IS THE PEOPLES PIANOBIKE.

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Meet the WHOS:

TECHNICAL AND ENGINEER WHOS: SHANE TEDDER, Jarah Jones, Alex Meade, Brad Flowers, Patrick Garnett, and Aaron Daniels

ARTISTIC WHOS: Pat Gerhard, Melissa Watt, Bob Morgan, Sayre School, Jarah Jones, Georgia Henkel and the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA)

CARTOON WHO: Joel Pett

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHOS: Lori Houlihan and Debra Hensley

NAMING WHO: Hap Houlihan

GRAVEYARD INSTRUMENT WHOS: Don Wilson Music

OTHER COOL WHOS: Rob Morris, Billy Yates, and YOUWHO!

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Come learn more about how to turn discarded items into art with
Robert Morgan who was recently awarded an EcoGrant by LFUCG to conduct a series of educational workshops aimed at exposing the public to the possibilities of recycling as a method of art-making. His show opens on April, 15, 2010, 6-9PM at INSTITUTE 193. Check out: www.institute193.org

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Watch and learn from Pat Gerhard as she helps us paint Presto’s cover and more.

We will have a few snacks and taste the fabulous Fair Trade coffee brought to you by Lucia’s.

Learn, create, and have fun with PRESTO!

We are getting geared up for an unbelievably $timulating event this April 7-9 as Lexington hosts the 2010 Creative Cities Summit.  This conference will bring in many innovative thinkers from around the country as we set our sights on developing creative ways to make Lexington an even better place to call home.  Like so many of the Creative Cities organizers, we are passionate about Lexington becoming a more creative, entrepreneurial, inclusive city and are very proud the summit is being hosted in Lexington.

Then on April 17th, ProgressLex and the Carnegie Center will host “Now What, Lexington?”, an unconference that will give our community the opportunity to brainstorm and develop many of the $timulating ideas gathered at Creative Cities a week earlier.  Please check out the links for these exciting events that are just a few short weeks away.
Stay tuned for updates on the DS$ PianoBike project and mark May 8th at 11:30am on your calendar for the next Debra’s Social $timulus event!

Even before the devastating earthquake on January 12th, Fritznel Elveus  spent his entire life helping the people of his native country, Haiti.  And now he is doing it from Lexington as an artist selling his beautiful artwork with the proceeds sent back to his homeland. You may have met him at our last Debra’s Social $timulus event at the Barrel House.

We asked Fritznel to make something small, yet special, for those who contributed to our Haiti Challenge.  Touched by your generosity, he insisted on donating custom made bookmarks. Be on the lookout for yours in the mail.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FRITZNEL ELVEUS……….

My name is Fritznel Elveus and  I am 29. I grew up in an orphanage in Haiti. I moved to the united states one year ago. I am an artist. I specialized in island art, like beaches etc … I also do a lot of portraits like: charcoal and acrylic portraits and some silk screening. I am very happy to live here and feel privledged to be able to do lot of different things like talk about Haiti at different places, tell about the culture there etc… I’ve also been doing a lot  with my art to  see in which way i can help some poeple back there. I  am always available for anyone  who wants to know about Haiti or for any event based on Haiti.
Love you !

Elveus Fritznel

From the moment the first guests walked in the door for A Barrel of Fun on Friday the 5th, we knew we were all in for a very special night.  The chili provided by C & P Market and Hanna’s on Lime was such a hit that we spotted several people going back for 2nds (and 3rds…you know who you are!).  Logan and Pam Leet from Lovers Leap Winery were a big hit in pouring their wine and sharing their knowledge of winemaking with us.  The crowd was captivated much of the night with performances by Mecca that were mystically $timulating.

Thank you to everyone who came out to share this most successful Debra’s Social $timulus event.  We are truly blown away by the incredible turnout and are very grateful for everyone’s interest in the changes that are taking place in the Distillery District, Davis Bottom, Irishtown and the surrounding area. Please take a moment to check out the slide show of this $timulating evening,…

Stay tuned for details of our Piano Bike project,...

I reported that we (Lowell’s Automotive, Susie Bell & DS$) have raised over $13,000 for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. And then, on Saturday I got a call from two friends, a couple who said they wanted to “pitch in” and help with our fundraising efforts. They wanted to know if they could add to the matching dollars. I am so proud to report that their contribution of $5000 will  keep Help Alive for Haiti. I know you will join me with resounding applause for their generous support. We have now exceeded $18,000. Now that is $TIMULATING!

We are pleased to present ‘A Barrel of Fun’ featuring $timulating performance art by Mecca and $timulating conversations about Nathaniel Mission, Irishtown, Davis Bottom, the Lexington Distillery District, and more,…

For this event, we welcome Ace Weekly’s ‘Front Porch Series’ to help illustrate the dynamics of this area in our community that will undergo robust revitalization in the future.  We invite you to take a deeper look into this neighborhood, witnessing its history, culture, mission work and creative energy.

So stop by the Barrel House on Manchester Street between 5pm and 8pm on February 5th for a sampling of food and drink provided by Hanna’s on Lime, the C&P Market, Lovers Leap Winery, and Highbridge Spring Water.

Click below to follow along as Debra makes her way to the Barrel House, we look forward to seeing you there!

We are so pleased to announce that Susie Bell, artist from Midway, KY, will match the next $1000 in donations that we collect for Haiti relief!  This exciting development means that we’re ever closer to the $12,000 mark and beyond!  Thanks to everyone who has given so far, tell your friends and neighbors about this exciting opportunity to make a difference!