PRESS RELEASE

Hart County Chamber Hires Kaylie Butler as New Executive Director

Hart County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has named Kaylie Butler as its new Executive Director. Butler will officially begin her new role on December 15. “We are excited and looking forward to working with the new executive director as we move our chamber forward to a more progressive approach,” shares Chamber President Fran Bowsher.

Butler is a native of Hart County and holds BA degrees in Communication and History from Lindsey Wilson College. Following graduation from college, she began working toward a MA in Communication at the University of Kentucky. During her MA program, Butler has been active in research and teaching undergraduate students. She says, “I am excited to return to Hart County and put my education and communication expertise to use for the betterment of our community.”

She went on to add, “Hart County is home. It is the place, the people, and the community that I love. I am so honored to have the opportunity to help the community that raised me. Through bridging gaps in business practices, support, and resources, I hope to continue paving a path of success for the future generations of Hart County.”

Butler explains that the Board is grateful to Office Assistant Frankie Montgomery and past Director Hope Hawkins for all the extra help they’ve given during this transition period. She adds that she looks forward to formally introducing herself at future events and encourages the public to stop by the Chamber and say hello.

 

PRESS RELEASE

Hart County Chamber Hires Hope Hawkins as New Executive Director

 

Hart County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has named Hope Hawkins as its new Executive Director. “We are excited about hiring Hope as our new director. She has a vision for the Chamber and County that should take right off from the foundation that retiring Director Virginia Davis worked so hard to build over the past 20 years,” explains Chamber President Jay McCoy. Hawkins will officially begin her new role on August 23.

Hawkins is a native of Hart County and holds BA and MA degrees from Western Kentucky University. Following graduation from college, she accepted a position with the City of Bardstown which allowed her to interact with many small businesses and organizations in that community. She went on to work as an Archaeologist Coordinator for the state, a Preservation Planner for a company based in Alabama, and until recently Hawkins worked as a Cultural Resource Specialist for a firm in Paris, Kentucky. In 2019, she returned to Hart County and opened her own small business.

“I am so honored to accept this position. When I was in the process of moving my business to a storefront location this past April, the Chamber provided valuable guidance and support. That assistance, plus all the community support I received, helped me realize what a wonderful business community is in Hart County and how integral the Chamber is in business growth and development within our communities,” states Hawkins.

She went on to add, “As Executive Director of the Chamber, I look forward to being a resource for all stages of business development: those opening businesses for the first time, established businesses that are expanding, as well as businesses in surrounding areas interested in moving here. The opportunities are endless for our county and its residents. I also plan to bring promotional and administrative support, and business resources through technology and social media. We have all the opportunities a bigger municipality has to offer with the benefit of being a close-knit, supportive community. I will strive to promote growth, development, and community as Executive Director.”

McCoy says the Board is grateful to Office Assistant Lisa Rayburn and retired Director Virginia Davis for the extra help they’ve given during this transition period. He adds, “The Board looks forward to formally introducing Hawkins at a future event. In the meantime, I encourage the public to stop by and say hello.”

A large crowd attended the Chamber’s 2021 Annual Meeting held on June 24 at the Hart County Fairgrounds. After a year of virtual meetings, Directors, staff, and Ambassadors eagerly welcomed the opportunity to celebrate with members in person again. “We were really pleased with the turn-out,” noted Board President Jay McCoy. “June is a busy month for some people, so we were unsure how it might affect attendance, but after being unable to hold the meeting in December, we didn’t want to wait too long.” The highlight of the evening was the presentation of several awards. They included the following:

 

 

Normally presented the last day of school in a gym full of students and educators, this year’s presentation took place at the Hart County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting held on June 24 at the Hart County Fairgrounds in Munfordville. This change is just one of many brought about by COVID-19. The past year and a half have certainly been like no other for educators everywhere. With almost no notice, they were suddenly forced to teach and stay connected to their students in brand new ways. This year’s recipients are two out of many local educators who successfully responded to this challenge.

Megan Thompson who teaches 6th grade at Cub Run Elementary was chosen as the Teacher of the Year for Hart County Schools. Parents and colleagues described her as “always going above and beyond for her class.” As one parent stated, “Megan’s love for her students is like I’ve never seen before. She didn’t let all the COVID craziness get in her way. She continued to make learning fun for all of her students and kept parents involved. She did everything she could to ensure her students continued to get the best education possible during this difficult time.” Megan’s colleagues agree she is an amazing teacher. “Megan is unreal!” one said about the way she is able to connect to her students. They noted how Megan works well with all stakeholders and volunteers for all student activities. They explained that she is a goal-setter, always energetic and fair to all. Her colleagues also commented about the many hands-on learning activities she provides to make learning fun. And of course, they noted that Megan is also a winning academic coach, and that she provides opportunities for students to compete in all academic areas. Megan has taught for seven years.

If you should look up the traits of an effective teacher, the list most likely would include that he or she is a strong communicator, listens well, is adaptable, engaging, shows empathy, has patience, and values real world learning. Students of Jessica Nunn, English & Language Arts teacher at Caverna High School, say she has all of these traits and more. They explained how she is a blessing in their lives and makes their classroom a safe place where they feel loved and welcomed. Her colleagues say, “Jessica is an exceptional teacher with a deep passion for students and education.” She strives to engage her students with enthusiasm and excitement. They noted that Jessica is a teacher leader at the high school and is always willing to share ideas and teaching strategies with them. Her colleagues explained that “Jessica works hard to ensure she is providing high quality teaching and learning and sets a high bar for student achievement while putting supports in place to ensure student success. ”Jessica just finished her second year of teaching in the Caverna Independent School District. Thanks to the Chamber’s President Club partners both teachers also received $150 to use for school or personal use.

 

“It has been an honor to serve in this position since 2001 and now it is time to pass the torch to someone else,” explains Virginia Davis, Executive Director of the Chamber.

“When I accepted the position, I never expected to remain this long, but working alongside so many wonderful people and business owners and witnessing firsthand the love they have for what they do and for Hart County made me want to stay and help too. The years have passed by so quickly!”

Davis will retire at the end of April.

 

 

The Chamber is Accepting Applications for the Position of Executive Director

Chamber Employment Application

Executive Director Position Opening

The Hart County Chamber of Commerce recently recognized two local educators as “Teachers of the Year.” The recipients are Cressy Sturgeon, Preschool Teacher at Bonnieville School and Amanda Nutt, Math Teacher at Caverna Middle School. In the nomination letters received by the Chamber, both educators were praised for their commitment and dedication to their profession and to the students they teach.

“Ms. Cressy, as her little ones call her, not only gives her students an excellent beginning to their educational journey, she doesn’t forget about them when they move on from preschool. She sends letters and pictures to her former students when they graduate from 8 th grade and high school that include fond memories of their time together in preschool.” Bonnieville School officials reported that Ms. Sturgeon “continually earns the top scores on the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. This assessment tool measures the quality of preschool programs by collecting data through classroom observations and staff interview.” Because of her high ratings, other preschool teachers often visit the school to observe her teaching style, and over the years, Ms. Sturgeon has mentored several new preschool teachers.

When COVID-19 hit and teachers had to move to an online teaching format, Ms. Sturgeon was anxious about this change at first, but as excellent teachers always do, she found a way to stay connected to her students by creating a private Pre-Bees Facebook group. Daily, she shared videos of herself reading some of their favorite books; she took them on virtual tours of her farm, conducted experiments with them and posted all kinds of fun and educational links to keep them engaged. In addition to communicating electronically, she also mailed letters to them regularly to reassure the students that she was still thinking about them. Because, as stated in the letter, “as much as she wants her students to become lifelong learners, Cressy also wants them to know they are loved.” Cressy Sturgeon has taught preschool for 19 years; most of this time has been at Bonnieville School.

 

Ms. Nutt, as stated in the nomination letter, “works diligently to motivate and engage students in learning. She provides hands-on, rigorous instruction, and she has an excellent rapport with students. She has a deep desire to promote learning in every student in her classroom. Amanda has a way of inspiring students to reach their full potential. She likes to say that she ‘keeps it real with her kids.’”

And, it is not just students that she’s impacting. Ms. Nutt is said to be a good role model for her colleagues. “She goes above and beyond in planning, working in professional learning communities, and sharing her ideas with others.” Ms. Nutt has taught in the Caverna School district for just 4 years; already she has emerged as a true leader in education – “an inspiration for students, as well as, other educators.”

 

Besides this award, Ms. Nutt also received this year an Excellence in Teaching Award from Campbellsville University and the B. H. Weaver Outstanding Educator of the Year Award from Caverna Board of Education.

In addition to plaques, both educators also received $150 in gift certificates to local businesses. The Chamber created its Teachers of the Year Awards program in 2002. Sponsors of this annual program and other teacher appreciation activities include Caveland Environmental Authority, Kentucky Chrome Works, Farmers RECC, Fowler Durham CPAs & Advisors, German American Bank, Family Medical Center of Hart County, T. Marzetti, Sister Schubert’s, Limestone Bank, Luttrell Staffing Group, The Cecilian Bank, The Medical Center at Caverna, Dart Container Corporation and South Central RTC.

A diorama of Glen Lily, the ancestral home of Kentucky Governor Simon Buckner, is now on display at the Hart County Chamber of Commerce office in Munfordville. Its creator, Don Elmore, who often portrays Gov. Buckner at events, used the downtime caused by the pandemic to create this special exhibit, a project that he has wanted to do for years. His wife, Susan, assisted him.

The diorama measures approximately 6 1/2 feet long and 2 1/2 feet wide and depicts Glen Lily as it looked around 1900. Only a smokehouse and remnants of a swimming pool remain of this once illustrious homestead. Elmore said he has spent years gathering information about Glen Lily but realizes there is still a lot that he doesn’t know and looks forward to hearing the public’s response to the diorama and what new facts he might learn.

The diorama is on loan for the next few months and can be seen at the Hart County Chamber of Commerce office, anytime between 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday. To learn more, call the Chamber at 270.524.2892.

“It was a labor of love,” explains Sheryl Bailey about the bicentennial quilt that she and six other Hart County Homemakers helped to create. “I spent at least 80 hours just planning the design and researching information for the quilt because I wanted it to represent as many areas of the county as possible.” Bailey spearheaded the project after learning the Bicentennial Committee wanted one made as part of the county’s 200 th anniversary celebration. “I thought this would be a great project for our local quilting club,” adds Bailey.

Deciding what to put on each square was the most difficult part of designing the quilt. “I’m not originally from Hart County, though my family and I have now lived here for 18 years; there’s still a lot that I don’t know about the county’s history,” notes Bailey. Therefore her first step was to visit the Hart County Historical Society where Curator Carolyn Short provided her with a variety of possibilities. She also interviewed several other individuals knowledgeable in local history. She posed the same question to each, “If you were creating a quilt that represented Hart County, what would you include?” Soon she had a long list of ideas to present to the quilting club. “Once we agreed on the topic for each quilt square, then we had to decide how it was to be created – did a photo exist that could be transferred onto fabric, or should the design be appliquéd or embroidered onto the quilt?” explains Bailey.

While all these details were being decided, Bailey went ahead and began working on the quilt’s lettering. “We wanted it to say, Hart County Bicentennial, with the years noted and I found some beautiful blue calico fabric that I used for this purpose, which looks great on the yellow background. We discovered that many of the older quilts contained that color.”

Helping Bailey with the project were Paula Day, Vyetta Reynolds, Kathy DeMarco, Joyce Gonterman, Mary Coakley and Linda Logsdon. Reynolds designed the buffalo featured on the quilt which represents the grassy plains that once existed in parts of the county, along with giving Munfordville its original name. Gonterman designed the star that represents the many craft and cottage industries that exist in the county – past and present. Coakley created two blocks on the quilt – the tobacco leaf and image of Hart County. DeMarco designed the John Hunt Morgan square who, along with his Raiders, impacted many areas of the county during the Civil War. Logsdon donated some of the fabric used in the quilt and Day created the basket block to pay homage to the county’s long history of basket makers. “I loved weaving the fabric to make the basket,” notes Day. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to try.” Day also quilted all the squares once they were pieced together. “It took me about a day to quilt it. I enjoyed being a part of this bicentennial project.”’

Other squares on the quilt represent places such as Glen Lily, Memorial School, the new high school, Munfordville Presbyterian Church, downtown Horse Cave, Three Hundred Springs, the Woodson House, Gaddie Cabin, Cub Run Cave, the original railroad bridge, as well as people – Thelma Stovall and Simon B. Buckner and events – Hart County Fair and the Civil War. Additional squares showcase local wildlife and nature scenes. Altogether the quilt features 25 squares and measures 68 x 68 inches.

“It’s a beautiful quilt and we are so grateful to Sheryl and all the others who helped to create it,” adds Virginia Davis, Chamber Director and a member of the Bicentennial Committee. The quilt is currently on display at the Hart County Chamber of Commerce’s new office located at 116 East Union Street in Munfordville (formerly the Hart County Sheriff’s Dept.). In time, the quilt will be moved to a permanent location inside the Hart County Courthouse. “I encourage the public to stop by the Chamber office to see the quilt,” adds Davis. “The Chamber is open Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.”