Leitchfield and
Grayson County, Kentucky, 2022
Nestled between Rough River and Nolin lakes, Grayson County is one of Kentucky’s overlooked gems. More than 24,000 people call it home. Many have generations-old ties to Leitchfield and the farmland around communities such as Caneyville, Clarkson, Big Clifty and Short Creek. But newcomers are welcome, too. Many have pulled off the Western Kentucky Parkway and never looked back.
A COMMUNITY DEVOTED
The 2022 Mountain Workshops
Leitchfield and surrounding Grayson County are places where family, faith and neighborliness are central to a way of life. Mountain Workshops participants tell stories of people in this community in the videos and picture stories below.
October 18 - October 22, 2022
An annual visual documentary project directed by
Western Kentucky University's Photojournalism program.
PHOTOS BY Emma Bayens
Passing the reins
Horse massager Shanda Meredith devotes her life to nurturing horses, where she gets as much as she gives. For her son, Logan, being around horses is just part of life.
video by Margo Reed
Finding the right cadence
Music students knew Stacy and Adam French as "mom and dad" long before they were actually parents. After six trying years, Grayson County's "orchestra couple" finds a rhythm with kids in school and at home.
PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS GALINDO
Hometown boy to hometown mayor
Following his father's footsteps through City Hall, Rick Embry sought progress for Leitchfield by running for mayor. He's now seeking a second term.
video by Allie Schallert
Growing the legacy
Land in Grayson County has been farmed by the Cain family for a century. The family's passion for tending the land continues through its current owner, Sammy Cain.
PHOTOS BY Stephanie Wolf
Emmy's Shimmies shines
With her once-hectic lifestyle restricted due to COVID-19, Emily Lush and her mother started a small business, Emmy's Shimmies. Emily, who has Down syndrome, sells her product line at Watson & Co. and at art fairs.
video by Jun Ma
The recipe for success
Ron McCormick may be the pit master behind BlueGrass Bar-B-Que, but his wife, Patina, is the secret sauce that makes everything work.
PHOTOS BY Doug Brown
Ag teacher deeply rooted
As the lead agriculture teacher at Grayson County High School, Emily Taylor is following in the footsteps of her grandfather. Emily is passionate about helping her students explore all aspects of the agriculture circle.
video by Anna Leachman
All in for Grayson County
As Grayson County High School's first female principal, Lacy Cox works to build a welcoming community like she knew when she was a student there. But she finds herself pulled in two directions.
PHOTOS BY Anna Rose Layden
Selflessness comes easy
Grayson County High School senior Jackson Kane balances football, soccer and band while earning high marks in the classroom. The overachiever is also selfless in his daily life and relationships with his peers.
video by Yehyun Kim
'My coworker loves me the most'
Love is only a door away at Clements Marine. Six of the seven employees are couples. The owners, Jay and Kelly Taul, say working together was critical in the aftermath of a tornado.
PHOTOS BY CLARE GRANT
Caneyville's go-to guy
After being diagnosed with cancer, Jerry Walker's community raised more than $20,000 for his treatment. Now in remission, Jerry pays back by doing small jobs for his neighbors.
video by Monica Villavicencio
'I'm gonna live till I die'
An inventor and entrepreneur considers his legacy and revisits a dream from his youth.
PHOTOS BY NOAH RIFFE
Policing made personal
Whether he's teaching 5th-graders about drugs, paying a constituent's electric bill or answering a domestic disturbance call, Sheriff Norman Chaffins takes it personally. He took the job, then took his father's advice to 'do your job.'
video by emma h. tobin
The Farmer's family
Jill Blankenship carries on her father's legacy at Farmer's Feed Mill Restaurant, a community staple.
PHOTOS BY Liam Kennedy
A life well lived
Marilyn and Glenn Templeman had a storybook marriage, as they persevered through life's ups and downs. Following the loss of her husband, Marilyn has continued to be an active member of her Leitchfield community.
video by cristina Betz
The makers behind The Loft
Tom and Carol Rowe are retirees who decided to open a gift shop. They had doubts at first, but things are working out well.
PHOTOS BY Brindha Anantharaman
Leitchfield's veterinary dream team
As the owner of the only veterinary clinic in Leitchfield, Dr. Todd Ray and his staff provide a valuable service to owners of animals, big and small. The clinic has a loyal customer base that appreciate the care and compassion of the staff.
video by Samantha Heim
Breaking the cycle
Janay Simmons owns a salon in Caneyville where she welcomes everybody. Over the past two years, she’s opened her heart and home to something she never expected.
PHOTOS BY Lisa Lopez-Lupo
Working women
"It takes all of us to make it work," Cathy Riggs, mother of five, says. While the daily grind is a family affair, Cathy is the linchpin, keeping home and harvest season balanced for the Riggs family.
video by Georgia Mallet
Lifting Leitchfield
After he quit professional fighting, David Dennis and his wife started a weightlifting equipment company. The business has been successful, and the couple has found a way to give back.
PHOTOS BY Sean McInnis
The heart behind the horses
Avery Meredith has a passion for horses and hopes to become a veterinarian. For now, she's honing her rodeo skills.
video by Marcus Wehage
Defying the odds
John Carter and his wife, Pam, always wanted to start a family. An early miscarriage and a devastating message from their doctor put a stop to their dreams.
PHOTOS BY Huining Fan
Keep the legacy going
Ashley and Aaron Bell, co-directors of Grayson County Schools' bands, are dedicated to passing their passion for music on to the band kids.
video by Stephanie Liu
Her mother’s daughter
Two years on, a junkyard owner sifts through salvage as she grapples with the loss of her mother.
PHOTOS BY Veronica Teeter
Decker family Est. 2003
Shane and Christina Decker and their children typify the all-American family, with a full plate of activities evolving around sports. A breast cancer survivor, Christina also teaches at Caneyville Elementary School.
video BY Martin do Nascimento
Changing his tune
In his last year of high school, Alex Hazelwood is an all-state singer in the Grayson County High School choir. Faced with finding his future career, he now has to think about something besides music.
PHOTOS BY Bria Woods
Maturing faith and family
Beneath a quiet and reserved exterior, Dan Phillips cherishes an unbridled passion for faith and family.
video by Arthur H. Trickett-Wile
In search of harmony
Dawson Gorby began playing music in early childhood. Beyond cello, choir (and a long-standing love for The Beatles), Dawson’s rich and complex relationship with music is deepening with time. 
PHOTOS BY Barry Berman
A Grayson County love story
Bryan and Alana Jones, both 38, are popular athletic coaches in Leitchfield. Together they help shape the character of area youth while raising their young family in this tight-knit Kentucky town.
video by Olga Loginova
Dog Whisperer
Teresa Moore Tessmer has always known she has a special gift. For more than two decades, pet owners and apprentices have come to her for care and advice.
PHOTOS BY Anna Hoch-Kenney
The legacy of Embry’s dairy
Embry's Longview Farms is one of the last two dairy farms in Grayson County. Third-generation farmer Larry Embry is continually fulfilled by his job and wants everyone else to feel the same.
video by addison cox
Light in darkness
After a blind-siding event turns her world upside down, Theresa Jarboe uses her grief and passion for music to help change the lives of her students at Grayson County High School.
PHOTOS BY Sandy Rochelle
Learning as a family
Morgan and Isaac Miller lead busy lives, but they make time to home school their 7-year-old twins. They think it has brought the family closer.
PHOTOS BY Michael Bednar
A resurrection story
When Father Steve Hohman came to Grayson County, a 116-year-old Catholic school was in danger of closing. He wasn't about to let that happen.
PHOTOS BY Chase Seabolt
The go-to fishing guide
When fishermen in central Kentucky want a successful day on a lake, they seek out Tom Perkins. He has been fishing here all his life.
PHOTOS BY erik kruthoff
Faith in action
James Larry Clemons operates many local businesses, but faith and family are at the center of his life.
PHOTOS BY HUGH CAREY
Making music for a lifetime
Bryan England makes guitars, banjos and mandolins, inlaying them with intricate designs. When not working in his shop, he also plays Bluegrass music with his band, McDonald Road.
PHOTOS BY Robin Michals
The new girl in town
Janine Washle bought K's Cafe on an impulse, but running the popular Clarkson restaurant has turned out to be more challenging than she expected.
PHOTOS BY Luke Johnson
Family tree
When Koty Parks was killed in a car crash, Danny Parks lost both a son and a business partner. But he has a lot of support from his family and community.
PHOTOS BY Xandr Brown
Two ways home
Andrea Ramirez is an elementary school teacher still learning the art and complexity of balancing two families on two different continents. Upon hearing it the first time, her origin story is unforgettable, but even more striking is the way she chooses to live it.
photos by Rhiannon Johnston
Made for more
Karla Stivers is the owner of Made4More Fitness business. She strives to implement the values she holds dear into the gym environment, inviting her community to pursue a healthier path.
PHOTOS BY Obed Obwoge
In the 'Doghouse'
Jeff Arnoldy offers more than a skin fade or wet shave at "The Doghouse Barbershop." The corner of Main and English has become a de facto community center where he helps clients look and feel their best, and also facilitates important conversations.
PHOTOS BY JEFF DEAN
Home is the sweetest song
Emily Drake spent years on the road as a singer in Loretta Lynn tribute bands, but chasing her dream has never forced her to lose her tight connection to home.
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CHRISTEN
Sharing the table
Restaurateur Mario Mercado creates opportunities for Mexican immigrants and brings the community together through food.
PHOTOS BY ADAM VOGLER
Feeding Grayson County
The people of Grayson County work together to overcome food insecurity. The Grayson County Alliance uses grants, donations and the work of staff and volunteers to feed their friends and neighbors.
PHOTOS BY KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL
Welcome to Papaw's Garage
Wilbur Miller's garage was lovingly named by his 11 grandkids. He's the president of the Grayson County Veteran Resource Group and usually deploys to natural disasters across the state to provide emergency assistance.
PHOTOS BY CAROLYN BROWN
Blooming with passion
Brad Mudd has a passion for floristry and interior design. His Caneyville studio bursts with color as he creates arrangements that decorate weddings, funerals, community events and more.