Business Briefcase: April 13, 2012

Finchville’s Collins receives

Submitted

Wanda Lott Collins

Submitted

Neil Murphy

breast cancer awareness grant

Finchville resident Wanda Lott Collins, an associate professor at the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work, received a breast cancer support group grant from the Louisville Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The grant covers April 2012 through March 2013 to fund a support group for African- American women who may be uninsured or underinsured who are diagnosed with all forms of breast cancer.

The group will meet once a month for two hours with breast cancer survivors.  The women will talk with other women going through the same experience to receive oral and printed information outlining breast cancer coping strategies to increase their overall well-being (e.g., emotional, mental, physical, social, and spiritual), to hear instructions about methods to support their recovery through positive self-talk, and discuss how to ask for help through formal (e.g., medical community, community associations, health/governmental organization) and informal (e.g., family, friends, faith based contacts) supports.

The group will also discuss spiritual strengths, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes about being diagnosed with breast cancer.  

Farm Bureau honors Neil Murphy

Neil Murphy, an agent at the Shelby County agency for Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, has been named 2011 Sophomore of the Year for the company. This award recognizes excellence in overall sales production, satisfactory loss-ratio, service to policyholders and an affirmative attitude.

Murphy, a native of Alabama, earned his bachelor’s degree from Centre College and then followed in the footsteps of his father, Pat, and became an agent for Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance in October 2009. Murphy previously worked for Shelby County Parks and Recreation.

Outside of the office, Murphy is a defensive line coach for the Shelby County High School football team. He and his wife, Sarah, have a daughter, Lily.

Bulletin board

• HHJW Career and Financial Literacy Institute Inc. and Metro United Way will provide free tax-preparation services to the elderly (age 60 and older) and any family with a household income of less than $50,000. All returns are prepared by IRS-certified volunteer preparers. This service includes free electronic filing (e-file) and direct deposit.  HJW is located at 330 Main St., Suite A & B, in Shelbyville, and services will be offered there from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Call 647-3072 to schedule an appointment. Bring all verification-of-income documents, including W2 forms, a valid photo ID, Social Security cards (including dependents’), a copy of last year’s tax return and bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit.
• The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce will have a Business After Hours event at 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wakefield-Scearce Galleries, 525 Washington St. in Shelbyville.
• The Shelbyville Board of Realtors along will have its April luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Cardinal Club in Simpsonville. Members should RSVP by Monday.
• Leadership Shelby ‘s annual alumni luncheon and silent auction will be at 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. May 3 at the Stratton Center in Shelbyville.

Bits & bytes

• The Education and Workforce Development Cabinet and the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board will host an informational meeting about the Industry Partnerships Request for Proposals at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the CHR Building in Frankfort. This meeting will provide information about the application process for the second round Industry Partnerships grant opportunity released April 2. The Request for Proposals announcement is available at http://kwib.ky.gov/industrypartnersinfo.htm. Questions and answers from this meeting will be posted to that Web site by April 23. Applicants are not required to attend this meeting to apply. Written questions about the RFP and the application process should be submitted to Patricia Dudgeon at PatriciaO.Dudgeon@ky.gov no later than May 4, with responses being posted by May 8.
• The $38 million transformation of downtown Lexington's First National Bank Building into a hotel will include three adjacent parcels of property. Louisville philanthropists and art collectors Steve Wilson and his wife, Laura Lee Brown, announced plans at a news conference Tuesday to convert all the parcels into a 21c Museum Hotel – a combination boutique hotel and contemporary art museum.
•  Average retail gasoline prices in Louisville have fallen 8.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.93 per gallon as of Sunday. This compares with the national average that has increased 1.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.91, according to LouisvilleGasPrices.com.

The Kentucky Press News Service contributed to this report. The Sentinel-Newswelcomes Briefcase items. Information and photos may be E-mailed to sharonw@SentinelNews.com. The deadline is noon Wednesday.