Letter to the Editor: 30th year was magical for Empty Stocking Fund

To the Editor:

On behalf of the members of The Rotary Club of Corbin, and our President Seth Reeves, I want to thank all the contributors and those community volunteers who participated in putting on the Southeast Kentucky Empty Stocking Fund Christmas party for the children in 2017. From the time Corbin’s two local newspapers, and partners, The Times Tribune, The News Journal, started the announcements for sign-up’s in early November, until the clean-up and return of extra gifts and borrowed equipment, there were many people involved in making the 30th consecutive SEKESF party a special one for the 474 children who were from all three of the Tri-County areas and at least a dozen different zip codes.

The movie and popcorn and drinks were provided by Tri-County Cineplex for all the children and their parents. Dozens of pizzas were provided by Pizza and Company who cooked, then served them hot to all the children, ALL FOR FREE. Waste Connections employees and management participated again in the bike program. All 122 of our children ages 6 thru 9 received bikes this year.

Almost $40,000.00 was spent for the gifts, the bicycles, shoes & socks, and in-kind items were expended to the children. A special big thanks to Baptist Health Corbin for their work in the program and their employees major donation helped in surpassing our goal this year. Also I want to add to our list of major donors, Grace Health Kentucky for the second year. They also participated in signup days, wrapping gifts, and distributing them at the party which was held Dec 21st, 2017. I want to give a special thank you to Pratt’s Landscaping for sponsoring a fundraising effort for the bike program with more than $4,100.00 being contributed including nearly $1,100.00 of the monies coming from their own business.

The support of our public officials from the City of Corbin and the Corbin Independent School System continues year after year. Mayor McBurney, City Manager Sams, the Police Dept., Fire Dept., Susie Hart and SFC Stephen Lundy with the members of The Corbin High School JROTC Color Guard all were hands on in the party handing out gifts and assisting the children with loading their bikes.

The Corbin Middle School basketball team helped reduce the unloading, gift wrapping, and displaying of the gifts and bikes time period by a double or triple digit margin. They really scored more than points with many of our Rotarians and other volunteers. Thanks to Donna McClure from Senator Mitch McConnell’s office for being with us.
ONCE AGAIN, let me say thanks to all our financial contributors and volunteers who continue to make the CHRISTMAS FOR GOD’S CHILDREN such a great event. Corbin is a very caring community that supports many service projects each and every year.
Thank you for the children

Joe Caldwell, President
Southeast Ky Empty Stocking Fund