Gov. Beshear Presents Over $700,000 in Awards
To Benefit Hopkins County
Funds support tourism, local nonprofits, law enforcement, community park
MADISONVILLE, Ky. (May 15, 2023) ? Today, Gov. Andy Beshear presented $704,975 to support tourism marketing, nonprofit organizations, law enforcement and a park in Hopkins County.
?The funding announced today will improve the health and wellbeing of Kentuckians,? said Gov. Beshear. ?We?re making investments now that will pay for years and generations to come. As a father, I want to ensure the Kentucky we leave our children is better because of the work we?re doing today.?
?These funds will be a tremendous aid to our citizens and will impact our entire community,? said Hopkins County Judge/Executive Jack Whitfield. ?The Hopkins County Family YMCA, CASA of Midwest Kentucky, Impact Mentoring, Lions Club and Learning Center consistently focus on the needs of local children while Habitat for Humanity, local churches, Salvation Army and United Way of the Coalfield take on the daily task of ensuring the welfare of our families. Our fair board and tourism commission are constantly hard at work advocating for the discovery, exploration and entertainment of our area, and LEPP dollars will provide the Hopkins County Sheriff?s Office with much-needed duty equipment. There is not a single person in Hopkins County that will not, in some way, benefit from these funds.?
Tourism Marketing Funding
Gov. Beshear awarded $149,270 to the Hopkins County Tourist & Convention Commission to support travel marketing and promotion. The award is part of the $75 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding announced by the Governor in July to boost the state?s tourism industry and economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the pandemic.
?We want to thank Gov. Beshear and the General Assembly for their recognition of the importance of tourism in communities across Kentucky through the allocation of this ARPA funding,? said Tricia Noel, executive director of the Hopkins County Tourist & Convention Commission. ?This funding will allow us the opportunity to market Hopkins County in new and creative ways that might not otherwise be possible or feasible.?
The funds are distributed by the Kentucky Department of Tourism to eligible tourism organizations throughout the commonwealth.
Nonprofit Assistance Fund
The Governor awarded $521,170 to 13 nonprofits in Hopkins County. The awards come from the Nonprofit Assistance Fund, which is helping organizations across Kentucky recover from the effects of the pandemic. The funding comes from ARPA, and Gov. Beshear supported the allocation of funds by the 2022 General Assembly. This fund will provide one-time direct relief payments to support the mission and long-term sustainability of each eligible nonprofit.
Gov. Beshear presented the following awards:
- $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity Pennyrile Region;
- $100,000 to the Hopkins County YMCA;
- $100,000 to Christ the King Parish of Madisonville;
- $47,251 to the Resurrection Parish of Dawson Springs;
- $40,402.53 to The Salvation Army of Madisonville;
- $38,911 to the Hopkins County Fair;
- $36,771 to the United Way of the Coalfield;
- $22,917 to CASA of Midwest Kentucky;
- $15,683.32 to Christ the King Conference of the St. Vincent DePaul Society;
- $7,617 to Impact Mentoring;
- $7,261.24 to the Immaculate Conception Parish of Earlington;
- $2,387 to the Madisonville Lions Club Foundation; and
- $1,969 to The Learning Center of Madisonville
Supporting Law Enforcement
Gov. Beshear announced $4,535.09 in funding to the Hopkins County Sheriff?s Office from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security through the Law Enforcement Protection Program. The funds will be used to better protect police officers.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
Gov. Beshear recapped his announcement that he selected Mortons Gap as one of 37 Kentucky communities to receive funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. If approved by the National Park Service, Mortons Gap will use $30,000 to install accessible playground equipment for the city park.
?On behalf of the City of Mortons Gap, we appreciate Gov. Beshear?s efforts to make our community better as well as those across our commonwealth,? said Mayor Chris Phelps. ?From potable water to park improvements, we have greatly benefitted from his leadership.?
The funding is administered at the state level by the Department for Local Government. To receive the funds, selected applicants must first undergo review and receive approval from the National Park Service.
Legislator Quotes
?I am extremely excited and honored to see the work of the legislature directly benefit the people of Hopkins County,? said Rep. Wade Williams of Earlington. ?Our country at large is built upon the betterment of our local communities. With these awards, Hopkins County will improve marketing for tourism, improve our law enforcement and help those in need by funding nonprofits. Having just finished my first session in Frankfort, I hope to make the people of Hopkins County proud, and that starts with funding our community.?
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