Mark Your Calendar
| 14th Annual Kentucky Bluegrass Wine Auction & Derby Gala
6:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 29, 2021
Donamire Farm
Refer to our website for updated event information
www.lexingtonfoundation.org |
| Updated LCF Website | In an effort to provide better information to our donors, sponsors, volunteers and participating vintners, we recently unveiled our new website.
The updated platform is easy to navigate, providing streamlined processes for our participating vintners and for patrons to make donations. Click here to view the site.
The website also showcases our new Foundation video. Please watch below:
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| Kentucky Becomes 46th State for Winery Direct to Consumer | Kentucky's new law to allow for the direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping of wine, beer and spirits by producers became law on April 7, 2020. The effective date of the law is yet to be determined, as it will be 90 days from the date the legislature officially adjourns. While we wait for the Act to take effect, we will work with the KY ABC and revenue agencies as they begin to put together the regulations, applications and coordinate the procedures for tax payments and reporting.
When the law becomes effective and producers have secured the required $100 annual permits, they will be able to ship in the following manner:
* Producers of wine and beer may ship up to 10 cases per consumer, per month.
* Distillers may ship up to 10 liters per consumer, per month.
* The products shipped must be produced by the manufacturer; produced for or by the manufacturer under a written contract with another manufacturer; or produced and bottled for the manufacturer.
* Products must be shipped from the producers "licensed premise" - we will be working with the ABC in an effort to include in the definition of a premise their shipments from a licensed fulfilment house in California.
* Age verification at both the time of order and delivery are required, and the consumer faces penalties if they place orders for delivery into a dry area of Kentucky.
* Out-of-state producers must pay Kentucky excise, sales and any local taxes. Since Kentucky currently has an 11% "wholesale tax" on wines sold through the three-tier system, DTC shippers will collect and pay an equivalent wholesale tax (which is to be calculated based on 70% of the retail price).
* All applicable taxes are to be itemized on a consumers invoice.
We will provide further information as the rules are promulgated and information and applications become available. |
| Donate to LCF | | LCF greatly appreciates your generous contributions to our organization and cause. Because of you, LCF is able to make a greater impact in the fight against cancer. There is nothing more meaningful than a memorial donation made in memory of a loved one. Gifts in honor of a loved one can be a great way to show your support. LCF will send a letter to the person you indicate, suitable for the occasion, informing the individual or family that you have made a gift in his/her memory/honor. How do I make a donation? Make a gift in memory of a loved oneMake a gift in honor of a loved oneMake a gift to the LCF Endowment Make a gift to the Wende Bell Healing GardenWe have made it easy for you to make a secure credit card donation online, via PayPal, or with a personal check by mail. Please visit the LCF website for more information. CLICK HERE TO DONATE! |
| | CANCER DOES NOT STOP - and NEITHER DOES OUR WORK AT LCF. | On behalf of the board of directors, we hope that this message reaches each of you safe during these unprecedented times due to the COVD-19 global crisis. As you know, our 2020 Kentucky Bluegrass Wine Auction & Derby Gala events April 29th through May 2nd, were cancelled. This decision was made for the well being and safety of our attendees, board members, sponsors, vendors, vintners, and volunteers. We will be proceeding with the 2021 Kentucky Bluegrass Wine Auction & Derby Gala on April 29th of next year.
We are incredibly grateful for the dedicated support of our board members, staff, donors, organizations, sponsors, and volunteers. Since our organization does not
receive any state or federal funding, your continued support of our events and direct gifts are of paramount importance. These contributions have helped countless patients and their families during their fight against cancer, throughout the state of Kentucky - touching all 120 counties. Our largest regret is the significant financial impact this this year's event cancellation will have on the many cancer patients and their families that benefit from our annual grants. Cancer does not stop. Kentucky continues to lead the nation in cancer incidences and deaths. We also have one of the highest poverty rates in the country. This combination results in truly devastating effects on families who are unable to cover the expenses associated with even the most fundamental needs. Now more than ever, your support is so important in helping us continue to fund programs that provide critical services and supplies that many in our society take for granted. These include lodging, transportation, gas and food cards, screenings, wigs and so much more.
We cannot thank our donors and sponsors enough for your continued support, which will help continue our mission in the fight against cancer. Please do not hesitate to call the Foundation office at 859.388.2620 with any questions you have. Stay safe,Brenda Rice, PresidentKristi Martin, Executive Director
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| ARH Cancer Center Uses Technology to Keep Treatment on Track During COVID-19 | Although the COVID-19 pandemic has brought much to a standstill, when it comes to those battling cancer at the ARH Cancer Center in Hazard, treatment has gone on with several new options for care. In early March as the threat of COVID-19 grew, ARH knew it had to move fast to keep its most vulnerable patients safe and their treatment plans on course even during times of such uncertainty.
Soon, strict screening measures and visitation limitations were in place to keep COVID-19 out of the ARH Cancer Center while patients safely continued to receive needed chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the center. For patients requiring simple follow up visits with their oncologist, ARH fast-tracked its efforts to put technology to work to keep patients connected.
Whether it be extra, socially distant safety precautions for in-person visits, telehealth appointments or educational videos with the familiar faces from the ARH Cancer Center staff, patients are experiencing what will become the new normal for cancer care for the unforeseeable future.
Especially beneficial during this time has been the ARH Virtual Visits, which for some patients has eliminated the need for in-person clinic visits along with any risk of exposure to bacteria, viruses, and allergens.
However, some patients are plagued with the lack of proper devices or poor internet connectivity making virtual care a challenge. To help eliminate this hurdle, the ARH Cancer Center offers patients a Curbside Care option where the patient simply calls to check-in when they arrive at the clinic and clinic staff brings an ARH device to the patient so they can interact in real time with their physician.
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| Kentucky CancerLink and COVID-19 | Although the COVID-19 pandemic has brought much to a standstill, when it comes to those battling cancer at the ARH Cancer Center in Hazard, treatment has gone on with several new options for care. In early March as the threat of COVID-19 grew, ARH knew it had to move fast to keep its most vulnerable patients safe and their treatment plans on course even during times of such uncertainty.
Soon, strict screening measures and visitation limitations were in place to keep COVID-19 out of the ARH Cancer Center while patients safely continued to receive needed chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the center. For patients requiring simple follow up visits with their oncologist, ARH fast-tracked its efforts to put technology to work to keep patients connected.
Whether it be extra, socially distant safety precautions for in-person visits, telehealth appointments or educational videos with the familiar faces from the ARH Cancer Center staff, patients are experiencing what will become the new normal for cancer care for the unforeseeable future.
Especially beneficial during this time, has been the ARH Virtual Visits, which for some patients has eliminated the need for in-person clinic visits along with any risk of exposure to bacteria, viruses, and allergens.
However, some patients are plagued with the lack of proper devices or poor internet connectivity making virtual care a challenge. To help eliminate this hurdle, the ARH Cancer Center offers patients a Curbside Care option where the patient simply calls to check-in when they arrive at the clinic and clinic staff brings an ARH device to the patient so they can interact in real time with their physician.
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| Baptist Health Fighting COVID-19 |
Since early March, Baptist Health Lexington Cancer Center has been on the front lines fighting COVID-19. Baptist Health has coordinated and adapted operations to ensure its cancer patients continue receiving their treatment in a safe environment.
Of utmost importance, staff and patients are being educated on the appropriate infection control measures to reduce their exposure to the virus. Providing masks to all cancer center patients and staff was one of the most important steps the Cancer Center took to reduce this risk.
The use of masks, frequent hand washing, implementing new visitor guidelines and social distancing tremendously reduces the risk of exposure to this fragile patient population. Additionally, we know keeping patients at home during this pandemic is the best way to prevent exposure. Therefore, the oncologists are utilizing telehealth visits to allow for patients to remain at home. To date, Cancer Center providers have completed over 250 telehealth visits.
As we move forward from this crisis to the new "normal," our top priority will continues to be the safety and well-being of our patients. Baptist Health recognizes that battling a cancer diagnosis presents its own challenges. In this COVID-19 environment, we will strive to continue serving patients with the compassion and commitment that can always be expected at Baptist Health in Lexington.
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UK HealthCare: From Difficulty Grows Compassion
| We are living in an unprecedented time of anxiety right now. This level of uncertainty that makes the simplest thing difficult, but we know that from difficulty grows compassion. Maybe a reasonable place to start is by bringing care for self and care for others together.
A manageable first step is to return to the basics. The best defense is to strengthen our immune systems. One of the most available medicines we have is laughter. Share a joke or a funny story with someone. Laughter is the virus that infects us with humanity. Remember to smile. Smiling makes our brains feel happy, even when it is hard. Smiling changes you and the world around you.
Maintain activity. Exertion helps to slow down that feeling of "fast idle." Walk, run, bike. Get outside. Notice spring. On bad weather days, walk around the dining room table; sing America the Beautiful as you are walking for added lung benefit.
An anti-inflammatory diet strengthens the immune system. Focus on the Mediterranean diet. This diet helps your plate to look like a rainbow. Minimize sugar, alcohol. Bone broth is an excellent anti-inflammatory. Add mushrooms to routine cooking. Consider supplements such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D and zinc to strengthen immunity.
Those getting 6-8 hours of sleep a night have the most efficient immune systems. Melatonin levels are optimal when sleeping the same hours each night in a cool, dark room with no screen time for 2-3 hours before sleep.
Meditation is an excellent tool to manage stress and maintain balance. It can be done in stillness or with movement, such as walking, Tai Chi or yoga. With meditation we produce lower levels of stress hormones and inflammatory markers. This is often demonstrated in lower blood pressure, slower heart rates and respirations. Studies with MRI's show us that meditators develop positive changes in the brain in both function and structure. This population shows thicker tissue in the pre frontal cortex which corresponds with improved memory, better attention and increased well being. Along with this, the amygdala in meditating people decreases in size and response. This lessens the constant "flight- fight-freeze" default mode that many anxious people experience. I encourage you to find a group to meditate with or try an app that will help guide you. Just 10-20 minutes a day will begin to build a healthy pathway in your brain.
Being physically distanced is necessary but difficult. We know that lonely people have poorer health, less nutritious diets and more difficult sleep. Reach out - send a note, an email, a gift card-maybe a virtual hug. Selfless acts are good for the giver as well as the recipient. With thoughtful acts like this we can all be isolated together.
UKHC is here for you. You are not alone.
With grit, grace and good sense we will get through this- Dr. Connie Jennings, UK HealthCare
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| Grant Spotlight: Jarrett's Joy Cart | | LCF was honored to provide funding for a ZONO Sanitizing Cleaning Cabinet for use in the UK Children's Pediatric Oncology Outpatient Clinic, a program of Jarrett's Joy Cart. This state-of-the-art cleaning cabinet helps to prevent infection in children receiving chemotherapy and supportive infusions while freeing up time spent on cleaning to allow more time on direct patient care. The ZONO Sanitizing Cleaning Cabinet has the ability to thoroughly sanitize the countless items that the steady flow of patients use as distractors during long appointments. Items such as toys of all sizes, books, markers, crayons, floor activity pads, game boards, cards, iPads, fabric items and plastic toys, all aid in the tolerance of treatments by keeping patients engaged and distracted. In 30 minutes, the ZONO Sanitizing Cleaning Cabinet can sanitize these items killing potentially harmful germs, viruses, and bacteria (99% kill rate) such as Staph, E.Coli which pose a major threat to patients with compromised immune systems. Human error is eliminated in the cleaning process and literally hours each day will be freed up for direct patient care. With the purchase of the ZONO Cabinet, Peds Oncology Clinic Child Life Specialists have more time for assessing, planning and implementing each patient intervention. |
| LCF and the CARES Act: Now is the Time to Donate | Due to the COVID-19 virus and the cancellation of our annual fundraising event, it is important to us to share valuable information about tax benefits of planned gifts with our donors. If you have ever wanted to provide a gift to the Foundation, now is the time to donate.
The unprecedented passing of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which is meant to financially incentivize donors to make a cash gift to help in these times of need, means you are allowed to deduct all qualified charitable cash contributions up to 100% of your annual adjusted gross income (AGI) in 2020. Examples of how the CARES Act works: * If a donor provides a charitable cash gift of $10,000, that entire $10,000 is tax deductible as long as their adjusted gross income (AGI) is at least $10,000. * If a donor supported the Foundation with a cash gift of $75,000 and his or her AGI is $60,000, his or her tax deduction would be $60,000 (compared to the 60% or $36,000 it would have been prior to the passing of the CARES Act). And the excess $15,000 would apply towards a five-year carry-forward deduction. One benefit of the CARES Act is that if you don't itemize your deductions you can make a cash contribution of up to $300 ($600 for married couples) that will reduce your AGI, and consequently your taxable income.If you are experiencing personal hardship due to COVID-19, the CARES Act waives the 10% early withdrawal penalty for retirement distributions up to $100,000 for coronavirus-related purposes, for persons 59½ or younger, retroactive to January 1, 2020. Withdrawals are still taxed, but taxes are spread over three years, or the taxpayer has the three-year period to repay it. Another way to take advantage of the CARES Act is through supporting the Foundation with a Charitable Annuity (CGA). If you fund a CGA with a cash gift, the charitable deduction portion of your gift is 100% deductible up to your AGI. Additionally, with a CGA you'll get the usual great benefits it offers, including fixed payments for life, most of which are tax-free, as well as some certainty for your investment portfolio.
If you would like to learn more about giving a gift with a CGA or making an outright gift of cash to maximize your charitable deduction, contact Kristi Martin at kristi@lexinkgtonfoundation.org
Thank you as always for your generous support of the Foundation. |
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