U.S. Congressman Harold "Hal" Rogers, second from left, (KY-05) draws the winning ticket in the "Houseboat Holiday" vacation on Lake Cumberland. With him are Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center, and Lauren Hayes, youth programs coordintor.
A Corbin, Ky., woman is the lucky winner of an on-the-water vacation on Lake Cumberland that was the grand prize in a regional fundraising campaign benefiting The Center for Rural Development’s three summer youth programs.
As the winner of the “Houseboat Holiday” drawing, Mary Davis will receive a houseboat vacation package valued at up to $3,500—including a $200 fuel allowance—courtesy of Conley Bottom Resort Marina and The Center.
Davis’ winning ticket was drawn June 28 at The Center in Somerset during the first 2011 session of The Center’s Rogers Scholars youth leadership program.
U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) joined Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center, and Lauren Hayes, youth programs coordinator, to draw the winning ticket in the front lobby of The Center.
Prior to the grand-prize drawing, Rogers challenged Rogers Scholars to follow their dreams and encouraged them to consider returning to Southern and Eastern Kentucky to build their careers.
“If we can keep one generation of high school graduates here,” he said, “we could change the face of Southern and Eastern Kentucky.”
Rogers Scholars—The Center’s flagship youth program—provides leadership and scholarship opportunities for rising high school juniors across Southern and Eastern Kentucky and instills in graduates a commitment to serve their home communities and the entire region.
Since 1998, approximately 734 high school students have graduated from Rogers Scholars, and potential scholarships valued at more than $7.2 million have been awarded to graduates from 15 participating partner colleges and universities. The University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University are the latest to provide scholarship offers to Scholars graduates.
All proceeds from ticket sales will support Rogers Scholars and The Center’s two other summer youth programs: Rogers Explorers and Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI).
This is the third consecutive year The Center has partnered with Conley Bottom Resort Marina to sponsor the “Holiday Houseboat” vacation package on Lake Cumberland to benefit the youth of Southern and Eastern Kentucky.
“We appreciate the support shown by Conley Bottom to give back to the youth in our region, and thank everyone who bought a ticket,” Lawson said. “We couldn’t provide the level of summer youth programs that we do year after year without the generosity of our partners and supporters.”
Dates and availability of the vacation package are subject to approval of Conley Bottom Resort Marina.
The value of the vacation prize will be subject to seasonal rates, and is considered taxable income to the winner, which will be reported to the U.S. Government and the winner on Form 1099. Exemption Number EXE0001356 has been assigned to The Center for Rural Development for this and other fundraising efforts.
