Heart over Hunger

Bar owners, community provide free meals to others

Mary Beth Sallee

Reporter, Hart Co. News-Herald

 

If you travel down Broadway Street in Cave City, you’ll soon discover a wide variety of unique establishments. Landers, an Irish Pub, is one of those.

Opened in October of 2020 by Clyde and Ashlyn Hudson, Landers not only provides a great atmosphere with food and drinks, but also goes above and beyond to serve others with its Heart Over Hunger program.

“We’ve always been active when it comes to helping others, but it was our friend, Melissa Salazar, that first suggested the core of the idea to us,” Ashlyn said. “…Heart Over Hunger is a program we started a few months after opening that allows our generous patrons to gift a meal to individuals in need or to a certain type of individual that they feel deserve a free meal as a way to say thank you for what you do or just because. It’s for anyone really…It doesn’t have to be someone in need, although that’s the majority. We have many (meal certificates) on our wall for veterans, single moms, school teachers, firefighters, etc.”

Participating in the program is easy and simple. An individual can visit or call Landers to purchase a meal certificate and can choose whom he or she desires to receive their prepaid meal. The meal certificates are displayed on the Heart Over Hunger wall where they are centered around the Irish Claddagh ring, an Irish tradition that represents love, loyalty, and friendship.

For every two meal certificates purchased, Landers places a third on the wall.

“This is our gift to those in need, as well as self-assurance that it never becomes about turning a profit,” Ashlyn said. “We never want to be just a host. We contribute.”

Since establishing the Heart Over Hunger program, Ashlyn estimated that approximately 400 meal certificates have been purchased and gifted to others. It is expected for that number to triple this year.

“The program has really taken off this year with the addition of Alex Goldsmith to our staff,” Ashlyn said. “For those of you that don’t know Alex, she literally has a heart of gold, and people naturally migrate to her because she is so genuine. If there’s a person in need in the area, Alex is the first one to know and the first one to gather the troops to come to their aid. For us, we’re just blessed to be in a position to help and blessed to be around such good people.”

Originally established in 1856 by Irish immigrants William and Mary Landers during the construction of the L&N Railroad, Landers – also known as “The Pots Bottom” – is an authentic Irish Pub with Irish cuisine, Irish drinks, and a real Irish Pub atmosphere. Landers is located at 105 Broadway Street in Cave City. Additional information about Landers and its Heart Over Hunger program can be found on the Landers Pots Bottom Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ThePotsBottom.