LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Retailers, artists and creators were showcased Sunday at the Louisville Independent Business Alliance’s annual Buy Local Fair.

There were more than 100 booths, a cooking competition and a kids zone at the free event at Lynn Family Stadium in the Butchertown neighborhood.

According to LIBA, a study of Louisville-area businesses shows that for every $100 spent at locally, $55 is reinvested locally, while only $14 is reinvested locally when that same money is spent at a national chain.

“Our local businesses really recirculate those dollars,” said Jennifer Rubenstein, director of LIBA. “When you spend at a local you’re not only supporting your local economy, but you’re also supporting what makes our town unique. What makes Louisville, Louisville, what makes our neighborhood feel like our neighborhood.”

The local business fair also featured a youth entrepreneur market, showing off businesses run by young Louisvillians. 

JaLiyah Davis was one of the youth vendors set up at the fair. She runs Paws ‘N Claws, which focuses on animal care.

“It’s been a real inspiration for people to come out and to shop with us,” Davis said. “Everything we sell is an experience for them and us. It’s an opportunity to get our business out there and for them to help their dog stay healthy and in shape.”

Davis was set up next to other young entrepreneurs. 

“It’s good because we can all learn something from everybody and it’s not just our business and their business,” Davis said. “It’s everybody’s business because we’re all on the same page, we’re all growing together, maneuvering in the same world, trying to make a way for ourselves.”

LIBA is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. 

The group was started as a grassroots effort to uplift and unite local business owners, and has grown to become one of the country’s largest alliances of independently owned businesses.

LIBA now represents over 850 independently owned businesses, produces numerous events and distributes 25,000 BuyLocal Guides annually.

To learn more about LIBA, click here.

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LAKE MILTON — Seventy-two young anglers cast their lines at the 31st Cindy Dean Memorial Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday — an annual free event hosted by Muskies Inc. Cleveland Chapter No. 23 to teach children the basics of fishing.

“It’s just become a part of the community,” said Chris DePaola, the chapter’s youth director. “I’ve had kids here 30 years ago that now are bringing their kids.”

The fishing derby is named after Cindy Dean, the daughter of one of the chapter’s members, who died from a childhood illness at age 8. She loved to go fishing with her family.

DePaola emphasized the importance of sparking kids’ interest in the outdoors, stating that some families mark the first Saturday of June for the event each year.

Saturday’s furthest travelers came from Linesville, Pennsylvania — more than an hour’s drive to Lake Milton State Park.

This year’s event was the first for 3-year-old Samuel Richards of North Canton, who caught the first fish of the day.

“The kids could not wait. They’ve been talking about it all week,” said his mother, Ashley Richards.

She also mentioned how well the team does the job by organizing the event and providing a free lunch. Samuel’s sister, Peyton, and father Chad were fishing with them as well.

“It’s fun but it’s also relaxing,” said 13-year-old Jacob Gleydura, as he looked out over the lake. He and his brother, Lucas, were fishing side by side. Lucas Gleydura, 11, said he doesn’t let himself get impatient when waiting for a fish to bite.

“It’s a great thing; the kids love it. We’ve got families traveling from all over,” said Bob Basic, chapter president.

The chapter members hope that the annual derby will get more families hooked on fishing year after year.

“We’ve got a lot of happy faces today,” said John Trevelline, state park manager. Trevelline commended the team for helping the kids with fish identification, catch-and-release and the concept of leaving no trace behind by avoiding litter.

DePaola and Trevelline brought up a story from last year when a child reeled in an old cash register drawer. This year, bluegills were the majority of what was on the other end of the line.

The roughly 75 “muskie” members of the chapter hope to teach future generations the importance of learning about and helping keep around the muskellunge, a freshwater fish native to North America.

The muskellunge are also known as the “fish of 10,000 casts” because of their rarity and aggressive nature.

The Atlanta Hawks Basketball Academy hosted the first clinic of their Jr. Hawks Shooting Clinic Program on Wednesday.

The program helps boys and girls from ages eight to 15 develop shooting fundamentals through both group and individual skill instruction.

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The first clinic was held at Norcross High School and welcomed 100 young athletes. Hawks legend Sedric Toney made a special appearance and offered the attendees words of encouragement.

The location and dates for the four remaining Jr. Hawks Shooting Clinics include:

• June 11 at Decatur High School (Decatur, Ga.)

• June 25 at Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.)

• July 9 at Riverside Epicenter (Austell, Ga.)

• July 16 at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (Atlanta)

To register and learn more about the Jr. Hawks Shooting Clinic Program and other youth basketball programs with the Hawks Basketball Academy, visit Hawks.com/BasketballAcademy.

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GLASGOW, Scotland — On June 26, 2024, K-Pop Group SEVENTEEN and UNESCO announced their joint initiative for youth well-being: “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being.”  The initiative aims to promote youth expression and empower them to combat world issues. To do this, young people from around the world submitted proposals the initiative may select to support. In February 2025, Going Together announced 100 winners from 70 countries.

SEVENTEEN and UNESCO

The sensational, cult-following Korean boy band SEVENTEEN is contributing $1 million to the youth initiative, according to UNESCO. The 13-member group made their first public appearance in 2015. Although immediately popular, the group’s fame has only grown. SEVENTEEN has received nominations for the iHeart Radio Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, American Music Awards and the Asia Artist Awards. Their album FML was the highest-selling record of 2023, and they have played iconic stages such as Glastonbury.

UNESCO is SEVENTEEN’s counterpart in the “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being” initiative. UNESCO aims to fight global issues while particularly protecting education and culture. With its resources and international reputation, UNESCO will provide the tools to support the projects chosen by the initiative.

The Going Together Initiative

As said in its name, “Going Together” promotes youth creativity and well-being. The initiative supports projects led by young people aged 18 to 30 years old using music, the arts and sport to empower youth, according to UNESCO.

The initiative provides selected projects with funding, training sessions and mentoring to help develop their projects in a way that will result in the greatest positive impact possible. Support from the initiative will empower both individuals impacted by and who lead selected projects. The financial grant particularly increases cash flow into these challenge-stricken areas. Empowerment and increased funding combat poverty, an additional benefit from SEVENTEEN and UNESCO’s “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being” Initiative.

Somalia: Kick Start for Equality

Led by Amoun Aden, Kick Start for Equality – Using Sports and Arts for Girls Rights, was selected by ‘Going Together’ in Somalia. Women lead the initiative and aim to use interaction with sport and the arts to foster stronger communal ties and to enhance women’s rights.

Kick Start for Equality is a part of the UBAH Inspire Initiative Organization. Established in 2017, UBAH strengthens confidence and social ties in women and girls through providing opportunities for involvement in sport, education, networking and skill development. The selection of its subsidiary by the ‘Going Together’ initiative will expand the organization’s impact, allowing it to empower more women and girls.

Other Initiatives

Due to the newness of the selected initiatives, information on project specifics is limited. However, most of the initiatives are in developing countries in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. For example, Project Palabasa is a project in the Philippines aiming to enhance youth literacy and interest in reading.

The intended impact of K-Pop Group SEVENTEEN and UNESCO’s youth well-being initiative is seen in their selection of projects globally that promote well-being through music, the arts and sport. These efforts impact poverty through empowering youth to combat global issues and increasing funds flowing into developing regions. With SEVENTEEN’s $1 million contribution and UNESCO’s expertise, this program could make a widespread positive impact.

– Madison Fetch

Madison is based in Glasgow, Scotland and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr