Success StoryBridges to Our Future



Bridges to Our Future

Author: Shad Baker

Planning Unit: Letcher County CES

Major Program: Economic Development

Plan of Work: Develop Individuals for Volunteer Roles and Community Leadership--2020

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The greatest testimony to the work of Extension, is when the community embraces our programs and designates them as critical to the future health of the county. This endorsement comes when our efforts are truly locally driven and with our neighbors' best interest at heart. The Letcher County Extension Office has taken a broad approach in our programming, often thinking outside the box of what is expected of Extension. Listening to the community and evaluating the assets of what we have, rather than what we need, the Office has worked with community volunteers and city, county and state officials to develop the Tanglewood Trail for walking, equestrian and bike riders. A UK CDC grant helped spur the project in a health and wellness direction. Our successes have included a recent 1 mile expansion, pavement, and now a covered bridge in a part of town that has great potential for tourism development due to a local distillery and arts center. Various grants funded the developments, and volunteers from an addiction recovery center have provided the labor. This type of community buy-in and partnerships are the heart of what Extension does best.






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