Businesses honored for support of NIBROC Festival, education efforts

Representatives from local businesses accepted special plaques Monday from the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for their support of the 2011 NIBROC Festival.

The Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce paid tribute to 57 sponsors of the 2011 Nibroc Festival during its monthly membership luncheon Tuesday afternoon at the Corbin Technology Center.

"Today is the day that we want to honor and recognize and thank our corporate sponsors for our chamber this year," noted Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bruce Carpenter.

Carpenter noted that the sponsors are important because they help make the festival successful, and the festival in turn generates revenue, which helps pay for many of the programs that the chamber helps sponsor each year, including the Work Ethic program; Education to Career Connection Day; Southeast Kentucky Regional Training Consortium; and the Entrepreneurship Academy.

"The key funding mechanism for all these programs we are working on in workforce development and education is the result of the Nibroc Festival that we have every year," Carpenter said. "We have a lot of folks, who pull this off.

"Of course the entertainment is the big draw for our Nibroc Festival. It has grown over the years to be a great festival, and a great entertainment venue for Southern Kentucky."

He added that the festival brings in people not only from the region, but from a surprising number of states as well.

Carpenter said that the Nibroc proceeds have enabled the chamber to spend between $50,000 – $60,000 in recent years to work with the schools and better educate students, who are either going on to college or entering the work place.

Carpenter said some people have asked him if he thinks he will ever see the results of programs like the Work Ethic program. He admits that he isn’t sure.

"Had we started this program 20 or 25 years ago, we may have seen the results now," he added. "It is a shot in the dark, but we can’t give up on our workforce and we can’t give up on our students.

"I’m really happy that this board has taken the strong stance that they have in supporting all these programs, and realize this is what we need to be doing to really help our workforce and our businesses."

Corporate sponsors include:

VIP level sponsors

Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission; Cumberland Valley National Bank; Howard O. Mann, PSC, Attorney AT Law; City of Corbin; Forcht Group of Kentucky; and CTA Acoustics, Inc.

Diamond level sponsors
Steve Berry Insurance Agency, Inc; PNC Bank; The Depot on Main; News Journal; and KD Country/T-107.

Emerald level sponsors
Baptist Regional Medical Center; City Utilities Commission; The Beauty Shop/Day Spa;  Firestone Industrial Products;  Pepsi Cola Bottling Company; and CSC.

Sapphire level sponsors
4ever Graphics & Design; Teco Coal; H&R Block; Marr, Miller & Myers PSC, CPA; L&N Federal Credit Union.

Platinum level sponsors
Kentucky Fried Chicken; Lowe’s Sporting Goods; Times – Tribune; FK Perkins & Co. PLLC; Whayne Supply Co.; AT&T
Community Trust Bank; and Commonwealth Cancer Center of Corbin.

Gold level sponsors
David’s Steaks, Buffet & Catering;  Hometown Bank of Corbin; Hinkle Printing;  The Creative Touch Jewelers; Gail Frederick School of Dance & Gymnastics;  Owens Auto Parts;  Falls Road Plaza; Davis Salvage; and  Cloyd & Associates, PSC.

Silver level sponsors
Whitaker Bank; Commercial Bank; and Gibson & Ballou Dentistry.

Bronze level sponsors
Metal Products Inc.; Valley RV Sales; JBK, Inc. Roofing Division;  Central Automotive Supply; Dr. & Mrs. Don Barton; PT PROS, Inc.; Mackey Vision Center; State Farm Insurance-Mike Sparks; State Farm Insurance-Tom Blair; Insurance Agency Inc.; Creech & Gibbs Pharmacy; World Finance Corporation;  Hamlin & Kersey; Tipton & Tipton Attorneys At Law; Baylor Commercial Door & Hardware Inc.; and Insurance Service Center of Corbin.