On March 22nd, 2025, more than 1,000 hearts beat in unison for one mission: empowering people with disabilities. Some trained for months to run 13.1 miles, others laced up their walking shoes for the 5K. Many called Owensboro home, but others traveled to the starting line from 150 cities across the country. No matter their goals or where they came from, their purpose was a simple one. On this brisk, windy morning at Smothers Park, they were here to cross the finish line at the Wendell Foster Half Marathon & 5K, presented by Owensboro Health.

The morning was filled with inspirational moments, from Wendell Foster residents cheering on participants at Mile One to volunteers at our 11 Water Stations fueling runners and keeping them motivated. We watched eight Steps Division participants take their final steps across the finish line, and our hearts were warmed when one participant, Phoebe, crossed with her entire family as they also completed the 5K. Six inspiring Duo Teams participated in the race, with dedicated athletes pushing individuals in specialized running chairs. Two teams came all the way from Wisconsin and Washington State! Our first-ever Push-Rim Athlete, Jay, blazed a new trail across the finish line. The WFHM & 5K truly was a race for everyone, with every step across the finish line holding a special meaning.

This year's race was truly monumental with a record-breaking amount of participants and community involvement. Whether it was on the course or at the finish line in downtown Owensboro, our volunteers showed up and showed out on race day! They were there to pump up our runners when they felt like they couldn't take another step. It's because of our amazing community that the WFHM & 5K is Owensboro's Best Running Race!

We have so many to thank for making our race possible this year: our incredible runners, the nearly 500 volunteers, the City of Owensboro and countless city officials, our race committee, and our amazing sponsors. Because of you, over 1,000 people came together to support Wendell Foster's mission! 💚💙💜

Thank you to these Difference Makers who made the WFHM possible:

Presenting Sponsor: Owensboro Health, Volunteer Sponsor: Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Finish Line Sponsor: Baird- The Settle Group, Steps Division Sponsor: Boardwalk Pipelines, and all other sponsors!

DJ and Emcee: Blueline Entertainment

Videography: Wonder Boy Media

Photography: Inzaption Photos, Natalie Barber, Dylan Hammens

After Party: Goodwood Brewing

1) From left to right, our Disability Awareness panelists: Eli Bennett, Megan Hickman, Roger Humphrey, MD, and Charity Pinkston, PT, DP, ATP. 2) Wendell Foster Aktion Club President Matthew Huston achieving his Yes! Moment by giving the Pledge of Allegiance.

Wendell Foster was proud to sponsor the March 6th Rooster Booster Breakfast, hosted by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Sponsoring the March Rooster Booster is always significant because March is National Developmental Disability Awareness Month. The breakfast is an opportunity to celebrate our clients and their Yes! Moments, and bring awareness to the challenges and triumphs faced by people with disabilities in our community.

We kicked off the morning with a Yes! Moment from one of our very own. Matthew Huston, President of Wendell Foster's Aktion Club, gave the Pledge of Allegiance. Matthew practiced the pledge for several weeks with his Wendell Foster Speech Therapist, Kristy, to prepare for the big moment. His hard work paid off; using what he learned in Speech Therapy and the leadership skills he's gained in Aktion Club, he knocked it out of the park! Matthew's mom, Cindy, said this was a Yes! Moment for their entire family. Reciting the Pledge in front of over 300 people was a huge accomplishment, and they are very proud of him. Way to go, Matthew, for achieving this Yes! Moment and representing Aktion Club!

We were excited to bring back Wendell Foster's own version of the Mingle Minute: the Celebration Minute! Attendees were encouraged to get out of their seats, find a person they didn't know, and share their own personal Yes! Moments with one another. A few of these Yes! Moments were then shared with the crowd by our "Secret Celebration Shakers" in the audience. We loved celebrating personal Yes! Moments and spreading positivity in our community. Wendell Foster CEO Doug Hoyt then introduced a special Yes! Moment with resident Charity and her Community Companion, Emma. You can watch their Yes! Moment below. Charity and Emma are a great reminder that the best Yes! Moments in life are ones we share with each other, and that together, we can continue creating Yes! Moments.

After celebrating Yes! Moments, we had the opportunity to learn from our four outstanding Disability Awareness panelists: Roger Humphrey, MD, a parent of a child with a disability, Eli Bennett, a sibling of a person with a disability, Charity Pinkston, PT, DP, ATP, Director of Physical and Occupational Therapy at Wendell Foster, and Megan Hickman, a former Wendell Foster client who shared her experience as a person with a disability in our community. Each panelist had a unique perspective on how we can support people with disabilities and their families. They discussed challenges; Humphrey mentioned the unknowns of having a child with a disability, and the isolation parents can face. Hickman explained that many people doubted her over the years, and working hard in therapy throughout her life helped her overcome the hurdles she faced with her autism diagnosis. Bennett, who became his brother's guardian at the age of 23 after the death of their parents, said being a caregiver had a learning curve. He had to learn to focus on his own self care, and ask for support from others. Pinkston described the lifelong therapy journey of a person with a disability; when one issue is corrected, another one will likely be addressed in therapy. The journey never stops.

But even in the midst of challenges, their triumphs shone brightly; Humphrey described moving his family from Washington State to Kentucky, and the joy of their son Conner finally receiving a spot to live at Wendell Foster. Hickman talked about earning her CNA license, and although it might have taken her five years, she graduated from high school. Bennett told the crowd of his brother's involvement with the community, and encouraged all of us to make an impact in the lives of those with disabilities. Pinkston detailed the trust that families place in her as their child's service provider, and the pride she feels watching clients achieve goals.

We are so thankful for each of our panelists for sharing their stories, and we hope that attendees took away new insights from their experiences. Thank you to the Chamber for making our sponsorship of Rooster Booster possible! This was such an inspirational morning full of Yes! Moments!

Wendell Foster was blessed to be a recipient of Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline's Random Acts of Kindness Week. Southern Star wanted to extend their gratitude to local community partners, and chose to spread the love to our Supports for Community Living (SCL) residents. They provided each resident with two new bath towels, four new washcloths, and a shower curtain and shower curtain liner for each bathroom. Three of our SCL residents, along with Wendell Foster CEO Doug Hoyt, were on hand to accept the donation and thank our friends at Southern Star! SCL residents are excited to relax in their newly decorated bathrooms! 🛁🧼

Thank you, Southern Star, for this act of kindness! 🤗 You are Wendell Foster Difference Makers!

Way Back When at Wendell Foster is a series featuring fun photos from the past that highlight our rich history of empowering people with disabilities for over 75 years! We hope you enjoy these snapshots and learn something new about Wendell Foster!

Did you know that Wendell Foster was home to one of the first Girl Scout troops for girls with disabilities? Troop 71 was established in the 1950's by Wendell Foster volunteer Ruth Elmer. Ruth and her husband, Bill, were steadfast supporters of our organization during its early years, and the Elmer Administration Building is named in honor of their legacy.

The troop held meetings on campus, and Louise Foster was even a member! Although we didn't formally adopt Person-Centered Thinking until 2011, this is one of the first examples of our person-centered approach. From the beginning, we believed that all people, regardless of ability, had the right to live a fulfilled life. Today, our clients participate in a variety of activities and are highly involved in the community. We're thankful for Troop 71, the Elmers, the Fosters, and many others for paving the way for people with disabilities!

We're excited to share the launch of something special here at Wendell Foster: an apparel store for employees! To celebrate, we kicked things off with a fun and festive launch party that gave everyone a chance to check out our brand-new apparel line.

At the event, employees explored our exclusive collection of Wendell Foster-branded gear, enjoyed delicious snacks, and got a sneak peek at some limited-edition samples that can't be found anywhere else. It was a perfect way to celebrate the launch and create excitement around this new addition to our employee perks.

As part of the festivities, we also hosted a fun giveaway! All employees were entered for a chance to win some awesome merchandise- making the event even more exciting and rewarding for everyone.

We can’t wait to see everyone sporting their new Wendell Foster apparel, and we look forward to all the new opportunities our store will bring for our Difference Maker staff.



Here's to more milestones and fun moments to come! 🤩

The Whitesville Lions Club Chili Supper & Pie Auction is just a few weeks away! Join us on April 25th at the Whitesville Senior Citizen Center, where the chili is hot, the pies are sweet, and the bidding is fierce! Chili, hot dogs, and drinks will be served at 5 pm, with the Pie Auction starting at 6 pm. If you are interested in donating a pie or other desserts, baked goods can be dropped off at the Senior Citizen Center before 4 pm on the day of the Pie Auction. We hope you'll come hungry and ready to raise some dough 🥧 for Wendell Foster and Puzzle Pieces!

Thank you to our friends at the Whitesville Lions Club for being Wendell Foster Difference Makers! ❤️

We're feeling lucky at Wendell Foster! 💚 See what we've been up to this month ⬇️

1. Willie's smile says it all- residents loved Owensboro Burger Week (March 7th-15th)!

2. Our St. Patrick's Day party was full of luck, laughter, and lots of shamrocks! Greta even got to try on Wes's leprechaun costume.

3. Residents sipped on tea and crafted their own Mad Hatter hats at the Mad Hatter tea party! As the Mad Hatter says, "We're all mad here."

4. The River City Strings band was back on campus for a concert. Josh pulled out his ukulele to play a few tunes.

5. The Owensboro Catholic Crusaders teamed up with residents to create motivational posters for the Wendell Foster Half Marathon & 5K.

6. Connie did some window shopping at Hobby Lobby- and met a new dinosaur friend!

About Wendell Foster

For over 75 years, our focus has been to provide children and adults with disabilities with the tools, education, therapies, and support to reach their dreams and potential.

As a leader in serving those with disabilities, we provide more than 65,000 services annually through multiple programs.

Copyright © 2025 Wendell Foster, All rights reserved.