On Friday, July 29th, the Estill Development Alliance will host a one-day conference-style event in downtown Irvine, Kentucky. Five track sessions will focus primarily on projects across Kentucky with successful community impacts.
The event aims to involve Estill County residents in their community, Estill Development Alliance director Joe Crawford says that anyone is welcome to attend. The sessions will certainly speak to anyone involved in Just Transition work in Eastern Kentucky.
#EstillRising will present the following tracks:
1) E’er’body on the trails! Lynn Tatum and Mayor Jason Medley from Livingston in Rockcastle County will be presenting about how Livingston became a certified Kentucky Trail Town. They will also address what has happened since the certification and how certification has affected the community.
2) Return of the Mack! Debra Hoskins from the Grand Theatre in Lancaster, Garrard County will be telling some of the story about how the Grand has gained a new life as a community arts venue. She will also be presenting about how their venue operates and is sustained, including how they choose and attract programming and who their patrons are.
3) Guess who’s coming to dinner? Amanda Kelly from Southeast Kentucky Economic Development will be presenting about how to do business with non-locals. If visitors come to town, how is serving them different than serving people who live here? How can you reach out-of-towners to let them know about you? What are the most effective online avenues to reach new customers?
4) Arts for all! Julie Wagner and Gemma Ziegler from the Arts Council of Mercer County in Harrodsburg will be presenting about how their organization engages the community in the arts. They have a downtown gallery, regular classes, and an annual juried art show, and they will be sharing some of the best practices they have learned and how they keep their outstanding organization moving forward.
5) Y’all remember that one time? William Bennett from the Hardin County History Museum in Elizabethtown will be presenting about their amazing museum and how it operates. They have an outstanding volunteer program (with no paid employees), a beautifully curated museum that’s open 5 days a week, and community programs including a youth history summer camp.
The keynote speaker will be Becky McCray, a rural Oklahoma business owner, rancher and author who founded the website Small Biz Survival and speak addressing rural citizens want to enact positive community change.
#EstillRising will run from 9-5 on Friday, July 29th, 2016 in locations across downtown Irvine and will include lunch. You can learn more and register at #EstillRising.
