The Hat "Wynners" for Matt Wynn
There are winners and then there are "Wynners".
You could become a big "Wynner" with Your Hometown Radio Station, Bargains and Buyouts, Harrison Building and Loan, ConexTalk and the Grand Ole Opry!
Listeners can now nominate anyone to win The Hat. It can be a teacher, veteran, mom, dad, coach, volunteer, emergency personnel, etc. Nominate anyone who is exceptional at what they do and stays when the going gets tough.
The person who nominates another individual will be entered to win a trip to Nashville. Plus, the person they nominate will be available to win a trip to Nashville once the voting session begins.
The contest will run September 12 - October 29. We will announce a qualifier each Thursday. Qualifiers will receive a pair of tickets to the Grand Ole Opry and some Matt Wynn swag.
The grand prize winners will receive a trip to Nashville ($500 in hotel and travel) a pair of tickets to the Grand Ole Opry, Matt Wynn swag, and some other items.
Enter the contest by nominating a person below.
Your Comments
Posted on September 18th, 2026 10:43am
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Nomination from Aiden Sirk
Carmen Lusk
Carmen is a special education teacher at GMS and has been the Student Council Adviser at Lawrenceburg High School for over 8 years. She is also the Executive Director of the Indiana Association of Student Councils, where she oversees an organization of student councils for across Indiana. She dedicates lots of her time to this position, without payment. She is a fabulous person and has been such a mentor and positive role model. Before coming to GMS, Carmen was the JAG Specialist at the high school. Her classroom was a place where all students felt welcome. Chances are if you are driving by the school late at night, her car is still parked in the parking lot. She organizes most school events. She organizes the Homecoming Parade each year and does all the work behind the scenes. There is no student she doesn’t believe in. She would do anything to help a student out and she does so quietly without expecting recognition. She always empowered her student leaders, she taught me so many lessons that I’ll never forget. She always taught us to treat others with respect and she’s never met a stranger. When she accompanied us on our trips with Student Councils and the IASC, we would sometimes get annoyed, were waiting to check into our hotel and we’d find that she’s still chatting it up with the front desk. But that’s who she is, she makes it a point to love everyone and make everyone feel important. She makes sure to recognize those around her though she often doesn’t receive any recognition herself. She also taught us to never forget where we came from and that nobody is better than anyone. Carmen is so deserving of this recognition and I’m so proud to nominate her for this.
Nomination from Shana Lane
I would like to nominate my husband, Jeffery Ellen Lane, for going above and beyond to serve his community.
For nearly four decades, Jeffery has dedicated his life to protecting, helping, and serving others. He has been a police officer for 38 years, spending 25+ years with the City of Greendale Police Department, including 20+ years as Assistant Police Chief. After retiring from Greendale, he continued serving with the Ohio County Sheriff's Department for another two years.
For the past 27 years, Jeffery has served as the Fire Chief for the City of Aurora. During those years, he has responded to countless calls and emergencies, from what may seem like the smallest of rescues—saving kittens and puppies—to some of the most dangerous situations imaginable.
He has worked through floods and ice storms, helping people when their communities were dealing with dangerous and difficult conditions. He has put himself in harm's way to help others, including an incident where a building collapsed on he and two other firefighters. He has literally risked his own life and safety while doing what he believed was his duty to protect others.
But Jeffery's service doesn't only happen during emergencies. He has spent countless hours participating in community events and making himself available to the people he serves. He has also made fire prevention and educating children an important part of his career, teaching students throughout the South Dearborn School District about fire safety and what they can do to protect themselves and their families.
And his commitment to the community extends beyond police and fire service. Jeffery has served on the South Dearborn School Board for 12 years, continuing to dedicate his time and experience to local students, families, teachers, and the future of the community.
What makes Jeffery so deserving of this recognition is that he has never seemed to view community service as simply a job. Whether he is responding to a dangerous emergency, helping a family through a difficult situation, rescuing an animal, teaching a child about fire safety, attending a community event, or sitting in a school board meeting, he has always found a way to help. For 38 years, he has answered the call as a police officer. For 27 years, he has answered the call as Aurora's Fire Chief. For 12 years, he has served on the school board. And throughout all of those years, he has continued to give his time, knowledge, energy, and sometimes even his own safety to the people around him.
He doesn't do these things for recognition. He does them because serving others is simply who he is. I have had the privilege of watching him dedicate much of his life to this community, and I couldn't be prouder of him. From saving kittens and puppies to standing in the middle of floods and ice storms, from risking his life at emergency scenes to teaching children how to stay safe, Jeffery has spent nearly four decades showing what it truly means to serve. He has spent his life answering when his community calls. I believe it's time for his community to answer back and recognize him for everything he has given.
Nomination from Emma Seaver
I am nominating my Dad for being such a hard working, kind, caring, always showing up, and never backing down from anything. From coaching high school football when I was little to coaching my softball team for nearly 10 years, to now coaching my little brother in Special Olympics. As we start to coach along side each other, I can’t help but hope I can be half the coach he was, and make half the impact he did!
Our all lives our dad has sacrificed so much to simply show up for the both of us. Whether that’s working an overnight shift and meeting us at a tournament to coach all day, spending countless hours and money on traveling across the United States for me to play travel softball, missing out on important events in others lives to show up for my brother and I, or just simply being there for us when things weren’t going our way. He made sure my mom, brother, and I never went without, and would do anything in his power to make sure we were happy.
We can’t think of a better person to nominate for this, and we love him so much!!
Nomination from Andrea Ray
I am nominating Ken Madden. Ken volunteers his time with food, clothing, housing of homeless and other needs. The community blessing boxes he has put up are true help to many. He has earned “The Hat”
Nomination from Lily Hoppes
Shelby Caldwell.
She is a mother of two. Shelby is a teacher to both littles at a preschool in Bright as well as a teacher to the community. Being diagnosed with cancer, she has taught the community how to navigate hardship. She turns to the Lord, staying strong when “the going gets tough.” She is also a worship singer at The Bridge of Hope Worship Center. There has to be an extensive impact she is doing on the community… that is, helping to bring people to God. God is working through her to reach many others — online and in person.
OFFICIAL RULES:
The contest begins September 12, 2026 and concludes on October 29th, 2026
Contestants will nominate an individual deserving of “The Hat”. This is a person that goes above and beyond for the hat(s) they wear. Submit a photo and short story of that individual.
Each week one person who nominated a person for “The Hat” will be selected until we have six total qualifiers. Once we have sixth qualifier on October 22nd we will open voting for anyone to vote for who they want to send to Nashville. On October 29th we will announce one of our six qualifiers and one of the nominated individuals to each win the grand prize.
In order to qualify for prize payment, an eligible contestant must successfully complete the form on eaglecountryonline.com Or have been nominated on the form.
IMPORTANT: TAMPERING WITH THE INTERNET-BASED VOTING SITE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Evidence of any act or submission that changes the functionality of the internet-based VOTING SITE will cause a claim to be denied.
1. ELIGIBILITY: Participation is open to legal residents of Eagle Country in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Contestants must be 18 years of age or older. Employees of Wagon Wheel Broadcasting, LLC WSCH and WIKI and employees of participating sponsors, or any subcontractors of the above, and immediate family members or household members of anyone so employed are not eligible to enter or win. Void where prohibited or restricted by law and subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER.
2. LIMITATIONS: All participants agree to be bound by these rules. Void where prohibited by law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. If unable to contact a prize winner, after a reasonable effort has been made during two (2) business days from the first notification attempt, such person may be disqualified with an alternative winner selected. Winner must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the drawing.
3. PRIZES: Weekly qualifiers will receive tickets to the Grand Ole Opry plus one item off the Matt Wynn Prize Table. The grand prize winners will receive full Matt Wynn prize package and $500.00 and is responsible for all state and federal taxes. Winner will be required to fill out a W-9 and will be issued a 1099 for $500.00 and must show valid state issued ID to claim prize. Prize is non-transferable.
4. CLAIMING OF PRIZES: Prize Winner will be notified via phone and email
5. RESERVATIONS: Each entrant by entering this sweepstakes agrees: (1) to be bound by these rules and the judge’s decisions; (2) that none of the Entities, nor any of their officers, directors, employees, agents or representatives are responsible for claims, injuries, losses or damages of any kind resulting from sweepstakes participation or the acceptance, use, misuse, possession, loss or misdirection of any prize.
6. RELEASES: Participation constitutes permission for Wagon Wheel Broadcasting, LLC, without any further obligation to the contest winner, to use winner's name, address and likeness for purposes of advertising and trade, except where prohibited by law. Winner must release Wagon Wheel Broadcasting, LLC, and their parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies, prize suppliers, advertising and promotion agencies, and any subcontractors, employees, officers, directors, agents and representatives (the "Releases") of any of the above organizations, from and against any and all claims for losses or damages sustained by said winners, arising out of participation in the contest or acceptance or use of the prize.
7. SPONSORS: Wagon Wheel Broadcasting, LLC WSCH, Bargains and Buyouts Home, ConexTalk, and Harrison Building & Loan. More sponsors could be added.
See additional rules here:
Events
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Junkin' TrailJunkin' Trail event hours run from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM from September 17th - 19th.
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61st Annual Canaan Fall Festival & Pony Express RunFestival, Vendors, Food Trucks Games and more
at Canaan Community Academy -
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Music Lab
Stop by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Music Lab to experience what it's like to hold or play a string or percussion instrument
at Lawrenceburg Library
No human cases of West Nile Virus have been detected in Ohio County.
Scholarships are available for students at five area high schools.
This is the second fire of this type within two months at the same location.
The show of support to the Sigler family and Jennings County community was strong on Thursday night.
Report missing stats and scores to news@eaglecountryonline.com
See other top performers in the MIFC for Week 4
