Harlan County basketball coach wins Houseboat Vacation on Lake Cumberland 

Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center for Rural Development, and 2016 Rogers Scholar Vivian Zheng of Clinton County draw the winning ticket

It was a normal day at work for Kentucky Mine Supply Company employee Tim Engle. Engle was returning from lunch when he got an unexpected telephone call.

Delaney Stephens, youth programs coordinator and community liaison for The Center for Rural Development, was on the other end of the telephone with some “good news” for the Engle family.

The Engles had just won a Houseboat Vacation on Lake Cumberland, valued up to $3,500 (based on seasonal rates) and $200 fuel allowance courtesy of Conley Bottom Resort.

The houseboat vacation was the grand prize in a regional fund-raising campaign to support The Center’s Rogers Scholars youth leadership program.

“I thought it was a prank,” Engle said still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his family has won a Houseboat Vacation on Lake Cumberland. “I was surprised. I just took vacation last week.”

Engle’s wife, Connie, purchased the winning ticket from Rogers Scholars supporter Jeff Phillips at the school where she works, James A. Cawood Elementary School (JACES), in Harlan County.

Tim Engle, whose name is on the winning ticket, coaches elementary and middle school basketball.

“We want to thank everyone who purchased tickets for our Rogers Scholars fund-raising event,” Stephens said. “All of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to support Rogers Scholars and our region’s young people.”

The winning ticket was drawn by Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center, and Rogers Scholar Vivian Zheng of Clinton County on Friday, July 15, during the second and final summer session of the 2016 Rogers Scholars program.

Visit www.centeryouthprograms.com to learn more about Rogers Scholars. Follow youth programs at The Center on Facebook.