The PRIDE initiative promotes Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment in 42 counties in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

The PRIDE initiative was launched in 1997 by Congressman Hal Rogers and the late General James Bickford (PDF) the former Secretary of the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet. Their vision was to restore the natural beauty of their native region by encouraging citizens to take responsibility for protecting their environment and by providing the education and resources they need to do so.

Using a pride grant the Leslie county Extension Office joined with Leslie County Solid Waste department, offered a pollinator program for the students and homemakers in Leslie County. Not only did this program emphasize the importance of pollinators it discussed ways to protect them and provide habitat needed for them. This program moved forward to the creation of a number of “pollinator gardens” across the county. Today these gardens are standing as reminder of reminder of the importance of us protecting our pollinators.