Let’s make a deal! Tourism should match fundraising efforts by Sander’s Park organizers

Let’s make a Deal! The Friends of the Col. Sanders group which is attempting to raise money to fund the Secret Recipe Garden on Main Street in downtown Corbin has asked the Corbin Tourism Commission  to donate $90,000 over a three year period to help finance the project.

This is a very good project and it should add visitors to the area. And that is the primary purpose for the tourism commission.

So, with that said, here is what Tourism could request of the Friends. We’ll give you the $30,000 annually as a matching grant. You raise that amount and we’ll match it. It would make great incentive money to help raise additional funds. People and foundations are more apt to give when their money will have a doubling effect.

This is a common practice for foundations and other philanthropic organization making funds available for colleges and universities.

Tourism has to make many tough calls as to tourism value when contributing to appeals. The Col. Sanders project definitely does contribute to tourism.

A matching contribution would mean $60,000 per year rather than $30,000.  That is a good way to make this project a success.

•In the June edition of the Kentucky Living magazine there is a picture of the 40-foot-tall slide complex at the Hal Rogers Family entertainment Center/Kentucky splash in Williamsburg and a feature story. Also, there is a picture of the waterpark in Somerset.
With the hot weather we’ve been having this spring these facilities have been doing big business.
 

There is plenty to do at the center in Williamsburg. In addition to the many water attractions, also included are go-kart rides, batting cages, a driving range and miniature golf.

Although I like the potential and purpose it serves, The Arena in Corbin will probably not total more visitors than the entertainment center in Williamsburg.

Now in its 11th year, the Hal Rogers Center has put Williamsburg on the tourism map.

The towns of Williamsburg, Barbourville and Somerset all offer outstanding facilities for summer fun.

• Mark White has written a tribute to Judge Paul Braden. For me, and many, many others, he was a friend.

The are many words that come to mind to describe him; nice, pleasant, friendly, humble, smart, fair, the list of complimentary adjectives could go on and on.

Braden and I both graduated from high school the same year, 1957, and we both worked as radio disk jockeys early in our careers. We often discussed those times.

As a community member he was a familiar face. He loved golf. You would see him at most sporting events.

He was a person you could genuinely like and enjoy the moments you spent with him.

Paul Braden was a good man. We’ll miss him.