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M A K I N G A D I F F E R A N C E
THEN AND NOW
Sherry Feldpausch fondly remembers when she first discovered KET.
She was a young girl at Stanley Elementary in Owensboro. Her teacher, taking a break from the day’s regular activities, wheeled a television into the classroom, tuning it to KET.
Sherry and her classmates delighted in what they saw: fun, educational programs that explored science and math and opened their eyes to the wonders of Kentucky and the world around them.
“It was such a treat when we got to watch KET,” Sherry recalled. “It was the best part of the school day.” Today, she says she still gets the same joy when she tunes in to KET.
“If you want to know and hear about Kentucky—and to really know what’s going on in your state—there’s no better way to find out about it than from KET,” said Sherry, a trust administrator with The Glenview Trust Company in Louisville. “There’s so much great programming that we love to watch.”
The daughter of Western Kentucky farmers, Sherry said her family’s keen interest in public service rubbed off on her at a young age.
So it’s fitting that Sherry says she’s drawn to KET’s public affairs programming, particularly Renee Shaw’s legislative and election coverage through programs such as Kentucky Tonight and Legislative Update.
“Renee gives you the local perspective for Kentucky,” Sherry says. “And she does such a great job, giving you both parties’ perspectives in a straightforward way—it’s not vitriolic at all.”
When Sunday comes around, she again looks forward to KET, where she can catch up on her favorite Masterpiece programs, such as Victoria and Poldark. Her parents and sister Peggy are likewise fans of the programs—and they’ve made a tradition of grabbing their phones and exchanging texts while they watch the dramas unfold, commenting on the various plot twists.
“We love good stories—and the Masterpiece programs are all so well done,” Sherry says. “The costuming is terrific. The dialogue is great. And the characters just draw you in.” In the past, if she missed a Masterpiece program, she would simply wait until it aired again later in the week. But not anymore, thanks to KET Passport. With this member benefit that gives supporters expanded online access to thousands of PBS programs, she can watch programs she missed on her own schedule.
“It’s been so liberating to have KET Passport,” Sherry adds. “It’s changed the way we watch, and it’s allowed us to revisit the shows we love, such as Downton Abbey.”
Sherry said her passion for KET ultimately prompted her to take a larger role with the statewide public television station. Nearly a decade ago, she began serving on KET’s Greater Louisville Regional Fund Board, eventually becoming the board’s chair for three years and spearheading numerous fundraising events for the station, including the annual Spirits, Sparkles and Spurs event.
“I think it’s important to find things that are interesting to you and worthy of your time,” Sherry says. “I enjoy KET and knew that funding was crucial and necessary. So being a part of that and helping out in any way I could was important to me.”
