2020 Lexington SCA Program

SIGNATURE CHEFS
Feeding Motherhood
LEXINGTON
SIGNATURE
CHEFS AUCTION
November 20, 2020

Our 2020 Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor

Our 2020 Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Beth Kloiber

Our 2020 Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
SIGNATURE CHEFS
The Russell Feeding Family
Motherhood

Our 2020 Sponsors
Media Sponsor
SIGNATURE CHEFS
Feeding Motherhood

2020 Ambassador Family
The Russell Family
Elizabeth, Anthony, and Blake
January 8, 2018, is a day that changed the trajectory of our lives forever. It was a chilly
Monday morning. I was 33 weeks and 2 days pregnant, and I was returning to work to
organize everything ahead of my maternity leave. My pregnancy had been happy and
healthy so far, aside from having my blood pressure monitored for a few weeks. First
thing that morning, I got a call from my doctor. The results of the latest test were back
and the blood pressure concerns had turned into pre-eclampsia. The nurse assured me
that there was no need for alarm; I should remain vigilant about checking my blood
pressure and visit the hospital if I had specific symptoms. I sat at my desk trying to
take in this new information, avoid googling “pre-eclampsia” and not worry. Was my
head hurting? Did my blood pressure seem high? Or was I just imagining these things?

2020 Ambassador Family
I could not shake the feeling something was wrong, so I went to check my blood pressure.
It was higher than usual and right on the line to report to the hospital. I figured I was
stressed out from the news and decided to go home for lunch, lay down for a minute and
check it again. I told my work colleagues I was running out for lunch and would be back
shortly. I didn’t return for 3 months. Anthony insisted we go to the hospital immediately. I
walked in with just a purse and assumed they would do a check of the baby and I would
get back to work. Within the hour my doctor was there, telling me it was time to have the
baby. We were going to start an induction and it may take 2-3 days, but the baby was
coming. Within another couple hours, that plan changed again. We had time for a short
meeting with the NICU staff. They explained to us that they would be at the delivery. For
a 33-weeker it was possible no intervention would be needed, but they were prepared.
Later that evening, Blake Stephen Russell made his early and unexpected arrival. He
needed intervention to help him breathe and was whisked away to the NICU before I even
laid eyes on him. After a few hours in recovery, my husband Anthony and a nurse wheeled
my hospital bed into the NICU room where I finally met my son. He was in a tiny incubator,
with a ventilator and so many wires. In that moment, I realized I didn’t need to lay eyes on
him to know that I loved him more than life itself.
The next few hours and days and months would bring even more surprises. Next was an
unexpected Down Syndrome diagnosis. A few hours later, it was the news that we would
need to be transferred to the UK NICU in order to receive a higher level of care. A few days
later, a diagnosis of transient abnormal myleopolisis, which is a rare blood disorder that
can occur in children with Down Syndrome. It almost always resolves itself, but in our case
required a round of chemotherapy when Blake was around 2 weeks old. There were
airway issues. There were lung development issues. There were surgeries. There were 11
doctors and over 100 nurses that treated us like family and cared for Blake like he was their
own. And there was also a baby that smiled and kicked his feet when his favorite nurses
came in the room and loved music and being swaddled. More importantly, there was a
baby that taught those that met him and many that didn’t more about love and faith than
any other person I know.
We only got to spend 209 days with Blake on this earth. Despite receiving all the love and
medical care imaginable from the doctors and nurses of two of our Lexington NICUs, his
body could not handle it anymore. We strongly believe it is our role as Blake’s parents to
form his legacy, and we want that to be one of life and community and giving back. We are
grateful to collaborate with the March of Dimes as the 2020 Ambassador Family with hope
that the Lexington community will join us to support this organization. We believe Blake’s
life had value before his birth, during his time on earth and even still today. Our hope is
that through the work of March of Dimes, families facing many of the challenges we faced
will have even more support. Whether through research that might one day prevent the
need for an early delivery or through support for the families with babies in our local
NICU’s, the March of Dimes is changing our community. We cannot think of a greater way
to honor our son’s legacy.

2020 Signature Chefs Emcee
Amber Philpott
WKYT Anchor
Amber Philpott is an award
winning news anchor with WKYT
TV in Lexington, Ky. She is living
her dream as a television news
journalist, she proudly brings the
news to Central and Eastern
Kentucky each night as co-anchor
of the 4, 4:30, 5, 5:30, 6 and
11pm newscasts.

Fund the Mission
Your contribution to Fund the Mission of March of Dimes is 100%
tax deductible and deeply appreciated. With your help, we can
move one step closer to ensuring all babies are born healthy.
Not only will your donation help fund research, programs, and
education to improve the health of all moms and babies… A gift in
your honor will be given to local Neonatal Intensive Care Units and
families.
MEETING MOMS, BABIES AND FAMILIES
WHERE THEY ARE
March of Dimes has taken a leading role in protecting the health of
moms and babies during the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding
virtual programs to support pregnant women, providing critical
medical supplies—including blood pressure cuffs and masks—to
families, and funding research and advocacy efforts to ensure the
unique needs of pregnant women are met during this health crisis.

Lexington Market
2020 Board of Directors
Mark Hill
Market Board Chair
Messer Construction Company
Vice President & Lexington Region Leader
Bill Allen
Bank of the Bluegrass
President
Monica Braun
Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC
Attorney
Sarah Heck
UK Healthcare
Assistant Operations Executive - KCH
Kim Kjelland
Baptist Health Lexington
Professional Development Specialist
Bret Krift
JMI Sports
Director, Business Development
Shelby Marshall
Lynn Imaging
VP, Business Development
Ben Polk
Associations International, LLC
Chief Financial Officer

Our 2020 Signature Chefs
Malone’s Prime Events
3373 Tates Creek Rd.
Lexington, KY 40502
Castle Farms @
The Kentucky Castle
230 Pisgah Pike
Versailles, KY 40383

Our 2020 Signature Chefs
Lockbox @ 21C
167 W Main St.
Lexington, KY 40207
Saul Good
3801 Mall Rd. #120
Lexington, KY 40503

Our 2020 Signature Chefs
J. Renders
3191 Beaumont Centre Cir
Lexington, KY 40513
La Bonne Vie
Personal Chef Services
962 Delaware Ave.
Lexington, KY 40505

Our 2020 Signature Chefs
Honeywood Restaurant
110 Summit At Fritz Farm
Lexington, KY 40517
Portofino
249 E Main St.
Lexington, KY 40507

SIGNATURE CHEFS
Feeding Motherhood
THANK YOU
With your support, we’re fighting the pervasive
maternal and infant health crisis affecting our
communities. You enable us be there for every
family—those who have first-hand hardships, those
celebrating their health and those just trying to start
their families.
Thank you for helping every mom and baby be
healthy and strong today and for generations to
come.
MARCHOFDIMES.ORG
© 2020 March of Dimes