Phillip Seyfrit Your title : Curator of the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center & Museum Years in current job : 13 Years in your industry : 13
What ’ s the biggest challenge in your industry ? Probably the biggest challenge is keeping the Battle of Richmond relevant in 2020s . Madison County is so blessed to have not one , not two , but three battlefields ; one Revolutionary and two Civil War . Maybe even three if you count the Civil War fight at Paint Lick on the Madison / Garrard County border . With so much “ clutter ” in people ’ s lives , we have to fight every day for the public ’ s attention now than ever .
What ’ s the best part of working in Madison County ? With Madison County being in the middle of EVERYTHING , you never know who is going to walk through the door . Our easy access to I-75 brings in just families needing a break to the hard core Civil War battlefield tramper . We are complimented by so many visitors for being hospitable no matter what their Civil War understanding is . Our partnerships with Richmond and Berea tourisms helps everybody . If you treat everyone the best you can , you have no worries . And with our interpretative sign program spanning the nearly entire length of Madison County , visitors stay here longer , and thus spend funds ( food , gas , lodging ) here rather than “ down the road ”. I like to think that our efforts have really helped put Madison County on the map not just locally or regionally , but nationally .
Jennifer Lainhart
Your title : Executive Director at Hope ’ s Wings Domestic Violence Program . Years in current industry : I have been with Hope ’ s Wings since 2009 but the Director since 2012 .
Biggest challenge in your industry ? There are many challenges we face when working with victims of domestic violence . One of the most common is the ever changing and ever evolving dynamic of a victim . More often than not , many victims we work with are not only experiencing intimate partner violence , they also suffer from mental illness and / or substance abuse as well . This means that we constantly shift our programs to meet client needs , and build partnerships with agencies in our community that can provide the additional resources or care needed . Another challenge we face is educating the community that domestic violence isn ’ t just a “ personal ” problem between two people . It is a social injustice that affects an entire community .
What is the best part of working in Madison County ? Working on Madison County is important to me . It ’ s where I grew up . It ’ s where my husband and I raised our family . It ’ s home . But to me , the best part about working in Madison County as a social worker and victim advocate , are the amount of resources we have for the vulnerable folks in our community . I also love the amount of people willing to volunteer and donate to some of those causes . Individuals and groups like God ’ s Outreach , Liberty Place Recovery Center for Women , New Liberty Homeless Shelter , CASA , Room In the Inn , and so many more make this a better community to be a part of . I am proud and honored to be able to partner with many of them .
Anything else you would like to add ? We at Hope ’ s Wings want to make sure that our community members know that we are here for them , whether they are experiencing violence in their homes or know of someone who is . One in four women and one in 9 men experience intimate partner violence . We are a resource for those people . It ’ s also important to let our community know that we also extend our services to men who are experiencing abuse . There is a latrge misconception that our services are only for women . It ’ s wrong . We work for all victims , men and women alike . Anyone who needs us or want more information about what we do can call 859-623-4095 .
May- June 2021 Madison Magazine 29