Lost Creek, Kentucky, sits deep in the hills of Breathitt County, and Troublesome Creek runs through the heart of the area. Along its banks, Riverside Christian School began more than a century ago. Since 1905, the school’s story has been shaped by its resilience in the face of change – and rising waters.
History of Resilience
In the early 1900s, when George and Ada Drushal arrived in Lost Creek to do ministry work, educational resources in the mountains were scarce. George began teaching at a small local schoolhouse, which also housed Sunday services for the community. By 1906, the Home Mission Board of the Brethren Church was able to purchase three acres of land along Troublesome Creek to construct a school building and parsonage. The school, Riverside Institute, quickly became a cornerstone of the area.
What set Riverside apart early on was its connection to the broader needs of the community. George helped design and build a suspension bridge across Troublesome Creek, improving access for families and students. He also helped bring telephone service and railroad access closer to Lost Creek. Ada played an equally vital role, often assisting with childbirth and supporting families beyond the classroom. Together, they created a model of education that extended into every part of community life.
As the school grew, dorms were added and a work program was created for students who could not afford room and board. By the late 1920s, enrollment had climbed to 135 students, and Riverside’s high school was accredited, but the 1930s brought new challenges. As public education expanded, Riverside faced closure.
After local supporters and staff rallied, they were able to construct a log building, later remembered as the “Miracle Log Building”, on donated land, and the school continued. This moment set a pattern that would repeat itself throughout Riverside’s history: when times got hard, the community would find a way.
A Big Move
In recent years, Riverside has faced perhaps its greatest physical challenge. Two historic floods severely damaged the school’s longtime campus, with the 2022 flood submerging the property under nearly 15 feet of water. Rather than closing its doors, Riverside relocated to the Marie Roberts Caney School building, a former public elementary school that had recently consolidated into a single county school.
“The timing was definitely a God thing,” said Shane Neace, Riverside’s administrator of 11+ years.
Today, Riverside serves 32 students with a staff of 15 in the building which was originally designed for 350 students. The size has presented new challenges: particularly high utility costs. The school quickly realized that maintaining such a large facility would strain its limited resources, prompting a call to the Mountain Association’s Energy Team.
Saving on Energy Bills
“In the previous building, we used gas, and it was much cheaper,” Neace said. “When I got our first bill and saw a demand charge of over $3,000, that caught my attention. I started digging, making phone calls, and that’s how we found your team. They came in and really helped us understand how to control those charges and lower our bills.”
With guidance from the Energy Team, Riverside adjusted the timing of heating elements within the boiler system so they would not all activate at once, preventing sudden spikes in demand charges. The changes reduced operational costs by nearly $12,000. However, increased rates from Kentucky Power have pushed bills back up, and the school is now exploring alternative heating and cooling systems.
Long-term, Shane said their goal is to also add back-up power so that the building can also serve as an emergency shelter for the community during future natural disasters.
This goal provides that Riverside Christian School will only continue to adapt and find more ways of serving its community in and around Lost Creek, Kentucky.
To learn more or donate to their school, visit here: https://www.riversidechristian.org/
This assessment completed by Mountain Association was funded with support from the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy.
