Ask EKY Remote mover Chelsea Clubb if she’s happy with her decision to move her family from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Corbin, Kentucky, and she’ll respond with an emphatic yes.
“We love it here, and we want to be involved in the community,” Chelsea says. “Everything we’ve ever wanted is here.”
You’d never know by her love for her new city and state that her family’s road to Kentucky was filled with obstacles. Others may have turned back and changed their mind, but luckily, they had SOAR on their side.
Finding the Way Home
Chelsea and her family are no strangers to packing up their lives and starting somewhere new, having moved from Arizona to Ohio and back before landing in South Dakota. So, when they heard about SOAR’s EKY Remote program in August 2024, they were eager to learn more.
It didn’t take long for EKY Remote Director LaTasha Friend to sell them on the beauty and charm of Eastern Kentucky, but life changes kept delaying their move.
“LaTasha was always checking in,” Chelsea says. “She would say, ‘Let me get back with you,’ and she always did. All hours of the day, all the time.”
Finally, almost two years later, the Clubb family found a house to rent in a city that met their needs.
“Chelsea’s journey to Eastern Kentucky had been nearly two years in the making, so when she and her family finally packed up a U-Haul and made the long drive from South Dakota, I was so excited to see them finally make it home,” LaTasha says.
But as luck would have it, the long drive is where the Clubb family’s troubles began.
Corbin or Bust
As the Clubb family set out on an evening in June, Chelsea remembers worrying about deer running out in front of the U-Haul. Instead, shortly into the drive, she ran over a badger.
“It was so flat! I felt so bad!” Chelsea laughs.
After a while, the Clubbs stopped in Iowa for the night, eating frozen pizzas and sleeping in the hotel. In the early morning hours, it became apparent Chelsea’s husband, who had been driving their family’s car while she drove the U-Haul, had food poisoning.
After scrambling to find a trailer to tow their car, Chelsea loaded up the cab of the moving van with her 12-year-old son, her sick husband, and their cat in a carrier.
A Community to Count On
Needless to say, when they finally arrived at their new home in Corbin having driven more than 16 hours, they were ready to set up their beds and relax. Instead, “the house was not fit for living,” Chelsea says.
The floors were rotted and warped, the back door was taped shut, windows were broken with rotting frames. It seemed everywhere they turned they saw another problem.
“When they arrived and discovered their rental was nothing like what had been advertised, my heart sank for them,” LaTasha says. “But what happened next is one of the things I love most about SOAR, Eastern Kentucky, and this work.”
Within hours, the SOAR team, local leaders, and community partners rallied around Chelsea and her family. First, they put Chelsea and her family in a hotel room for some much-deserved rest. Within a few days, Chelsea’s family had secured a full refund and found a beautiful new townhouse to call home.
“I can’t thank SOAR enough,” Chelsea says. “Yes, it was the worst week of our lives, but that property got us here. And we love it here and we’re happy, so everything happens for a reason.”
“Chelsea’s story is a reminder that this program is about so much more than recruiting people to Eastern Kentucky,” LaTasha says. “It’s about relationships, community, and making sure the families who choose our region know they have people here who will show up for them.”
Settling Down and Settling In
Thankfully, the three months since the Clubb family moved have been much less eventful than their first three days.
“It was a complete disaster to get here, but it has been the best place we’ve ever lived,” Chelsea says. “It was totally worth it. This is where we want to be and we’re here finally.”
The family enjoys attending local events, frequenting local restaurants, and exploring the region.
“It’s beautiful… the scenery, the weather, I just love it,” Chelsea says. “It’s an established place, but there’s still growth and opportunities.”
More than the mountains, the slower pace, and the local digs, it’s the people of Eastern Kentucky that Chelsea and her family are continuously amazed by.
“Everywhere we’ve been to, everyone is so nice,” she says.
Looking ahead, Chelsea says their plan is to buy a small plot with a house where they can live off food they grow themselves. She’s also exploring opportunities to sell her paintings and handmade jewelry at local events.
Most of all, though, Chelsea can’t wait to see her new small town during the holidays.
“I really want to see what Main Street looks like at Christmas,” she smiles. “The bronzed Colonel Sanders, I want to see him in snow.”
You Can Have It All with EKY Remote
Did you or someone you know leave Eastern Kentucky to build your career? With today’s technology, you no longer have to choose between the career you’ve built and the place you’ll always call home. Learn about our mover incentives and program details and contact us to find your way here.