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The Daily Independent
November 9, 2003
Local benefactors honored by KCTCS
Three Boyd countians, an Ashland native now living in Lexington, and Our Lady
of Bellefonte Hospital were honored Saturday at the fourth annual Kentucky Community
and Technical College System's President's Gala and Benefactors Awards Dinner.
At the system level, KCTCS honored Martha C. Johnson of Lexington, founding
chair of the KCTCS Board of Regents and currently a member of the KCTCS Foundation
Inc., according to spokesman Bryan Armstrong.
Ashland Community and Technical College honored Edward L. Buchanan, Fred and
Sharon Bruner and OLBH.
Besides leadership, Johnson and her husband Jim have contributed to the KCTCS
Foundation, which established a scholarship in her name. Also, her work at Ashland
Inc. has included oversight of the corporation's foundation.
The KCTCS Foundation received its first donation of $200,000 from Ashland Inc.
in 1999.
The Bruners, who live in rural Boyd County, in 1998 established a scholarship
fund in the name of their late daughter, Amy Denise Bruner, a graduate of Boyd
County High School, Ashland Community College and Morehead State University
who suffered a disability because of surgery for brain tumors, said Louise Shytle,
dean of advancement.
She was a graduate student at Marshall University when she died in 1997. The
scholarship goes to sophomores with permanent physical disabilities who are
pursuing degrees in the medical field, Shytle said.
Buchanan endowed a scholarship fund originally targeting music majors but now
also awarded to nursing students.
OLBH has been a major benefactor and has supported scholarships, conferences,
building projects, the theater program and children's activities, Shytle said.
The Gleaner
November 7, 2003
HCC benefactors in line for honors
Three local individuals and two companies will be singled out for honors Saturday
during the Kentucky Community and Technical College System's fourth annual President's
Gala and Benefactors Awards Dinner.
That Lexington event is a major "thank you" from the KCTCS system
and its individual schools -- including Henderson Community College -- to outstanding
supporters of the institutions.
System-wide, 39 donors and volunteers will be recognized during the dinner
in the Bluegrass Grand Ballroom of the Lexington Center Heritage Hall.
Those from Henderson County being saluted by KCTCS President Michael McCall
are: Agnes Whittington, Bill and Cindy Clements, Gamco Products Co. and Tyson
Foods.
HCC reports that Ms. Whittington "is a long-standing supporter of Henderson
Community College, and is one of its most outspoken advocates." Her late
husband, George Whittington, was a founding father of the College Foundation
here and both he and his wife helped develop the support organization that is
the fund-raising arm of the school.
Ms. Whittington continues to be an active member of the College Foundation
Board of Directors, and is particularly interested in the school's scholarship
programs.
The Clements both "have been actively involved with the college for many
years," said Lisa Piccolo, HCC director of resource development and community
relations. She pointed out that Clements is a current member of the College
Foundation Board of Directors and assists and advances the school's goals. He
also had a key leadership role in the college's previous "Partners in Progress"
fund-raising campaign.
Gamco Products committed significant resources to the Partners in Progress
campaign, and continues to find ways to assist the 43-year-old school through
in-kind donations of equipment used for student training. In addition, Gamco
is an active member of the Tri-County Training Consortium.
Tyson Foods, Inc. has been a long-time friend of HCC, and the company's commitment
to the HCC Agriculture Technology program is credited with much of the success
enjoyed by that program. Tyson also is involved with the Tri-County Training
Consortium, and continues its partnership work with the college.
At the system level, KCTCS is paying tribute to Lexington resident Martha C.
Johnson, who served for six years on the KCTCS Board of Regents and was its
founding chair.
Also lauded will be the Honorable Order of the Kentucky Colonels, the 72-year-old
organization that is donating $320,000 to KCTCS over a five-year period to establish
the "Kentucky Colonels Better Life Scholarship Program." The scholarships
are for single parents who demonstrate financial need. One student in each KCTCS
district will be selected to receive a $2,500 scholarship to cover the costs
of full-time attendance.
Kentucky New Era
November 6, 2003
Local coalition puts on the pressure for school funding
As part of a statewide effort to increase state funding for public schools,
the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence is forming community coalitions
to help "put pressure on the new governor and legislature."
"The lack of funding is really threatening to curtail the progress we
have made," said Robert Sexton, executive director of the Prichard Committee.
Sexton spoke to about 50 local education supporters during a forum Tuesday
night at the Memorial Building on South Virginia Street. The event was sponsored
by the Hopkinsville-Christian County Chamber of Commerce.
Sexton encouraged the formation of a community-wide group to "carry the
message" to Ernie Fletcher, who will become Kentucky's governor in December,
that current public education funding levels are insufficient to continue progress
schools have made since the 1990 passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act.
According to Sexton, Kentucky is losing almost half of its teaching force
each year because districts cannot afford to offer a competitive income structure.
"We don't have a teacher shortage. We have a leaving problem," he
said. "We need to get that across to our new governor."
Christian County superintendent Dr. Bob Lovingood said public schools have
suffered millions of dollars in cuts in the last couple of years. Recently,
state economists have predicted another round of budget shortfalls in 2004,
meaning education could be hit again with more cuts.
"What's going to get cut this time?" Lovingood told the crowd. "I
don't know what else I can do without."
Dr. Bonnie Rogers, president of Hopkinsville Community College, said the college
more than likely will have to increase tuition again if the state allocation
falls short as it did earlier this year.
"Our state allocation this year will not cover our payroll," she
said. "There are simply things we will not have next year, like fill vacant
positions."
Former Prichard Committee chairman and Pembroke resident Fannie Louise Maddux,
who has been a member of the Prichard Committee since its 1983 inception as
an independent citizens' organization based in Lexington, is helping to coordinate
the local coalition.
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