Keith Blair Memorial Scholarship

My husband died in a tragic car accident in 2008.  He was very involved in our schools and community helping with Little League softball and baseball, Boy Scouts and a local Raptor Rehabilitation Program.  We established a scholarship in his honor.  This scholarship is based on the students involvement in their community, schools and churches.  As of this date, we have already given $6000 in scholarships to students and will be giving away another $3000 over the next 2 months.  My sons band No Tale Lights (which is playing in the festival this year) also donates their talent and time to raise money for different causes in and around Pulaski County.

Making history

I give back to the community by volunteering my time at the Lexington History Museum. It is very important to me that people learn about the history of their hometowns and I work very hard to make learning creative and fun. I tweet history as well as create blog posts that people will relate to. I also do a lot of work that the museum manager and president cannot do due to their busy schedules. And while I do not get paid for anything that I do, it makes it worthwhile that people are able to come into the museum and experience hitory or free, whereas so many museums charge high admission fees.

Natasha Collier
Flatwoods, KY

Big Brother

I have been participating with the Big Brother and Big Sister program of Los Angeles for almost a year now. I have a little brother that I go and meet at his school every Wednesday. We sit and chat, play games and do activities. It helps me to put in perspective the fact that I can have an impact on a person that can then go on and continue that impact in a positive way. I hope to be a part of his life for many years to come.

TO the Children

THe way I give back to my community is by giving to the children. The children are the future of this world and we definitely want to see them healthy and well. I have several ways I give back to my community first of all I work in the field of pediatric research. I do this mainly because I was born with a minor defect that I have had to live with all my life and have seen so many other kids when I was young have much worse illness than myself and felt I had to do something. I work at a camp every year for children. Many of these children just want someone to talk to and understand how they feel. Many people that don’t have the problem really don’t understand their feelings and what to say to them. Being a counselor there has been the biggest inspiration to me in every way possible. I also do races for several charities to raise money. For example, The Race For The Cure, Epilepsy run, Plunge for cancer, but the one I am most passionate about is the Sea Colony Triathlon which I have done for the past 13 years. This race is a benefit to the Make A Wish Foundation which gives children with life threatening illnesses a wish to do whatever they want. The race has raised nearly half a million dollars everytime since the first time I did it. It brings tears to my eyes everytime I do the race and at the end they have one of the kids thank us for the wish they received. And just when I say I am not going to do it again next year (since I am exhausted and in pain) I change my mind. It is a very emotional experience and I think I will be doing it till the day they stop having it or the day I die. Whichever comes first.

John

Hebron

53