“You can feel it in your fingers, you can feel it in your toes, Spring is all around us and so the feeling grows.” If you know the real song, kudos to you!
Yes, the warm temperatures are back and the Sun is finally making an appearance here in our Eastern Kentucky mountains (and for us poor folks with allergies, make sure to bring out those allergy medications back out from our medicine cabinets).
While we’re talking about making a comeback …
Our Startup Appalachian Pitch Competition is Back!
We are excited to share that our Startup Appalachian Pitch Competition, presented by Community Trust Bank, will be hosted at Morehead State University on June 15th.
We will share more details later, but for now, save the date on your calendars and make sure to be ready for when our application link drops!
Motorcycle Raffle to help fundraise money for Eastern Kentucky families affected by the 2022 July Flooding
Many Kentuckians are still recovering from July’s historic flood.
AppalRED is currently fundraising money for those affected by hosting a motorcycle raffle.
You could win the chance to win a 2018 Harley Davidson Sportster Special in the We Rise We Ride Motorcycle Raffle.
For $50, you can buy a chance to own your Harley Davidson Sportster Special and know that 100% of your raffle ticket will support flood survivors.
Buy a raffle ticket today and show flood survivors you care and you remember!
The drawing will happen on April 27.
Adventure Enthusiasts Unite for the FIRST Kentucky Adventure Summit!
Are you somebody who would be described as the following: an adventure seeker? An outdoor business? A potential new outdoor business? Or somebody who is ready to take their first step into outdoor recreation?
If any of the above sounded like you, you are in for a treat because the FIRST Kentucky Adventure Summit will be hosted this summer in Morehead, Ky!
What will you expect at this summit?
The summit will provide safety lessons, volunteer recruiting methods, health and wellness discussions, skills training, excursions, guided tours, how-tos, and the fifty-mile jubilee.
Registration is $50 and you can buy your ticket HERE.
The outdoors is calling to you, so what are you waiting for?
Department of Energy’s Dr. Douglas Wicks to discuss energy transition and the renaissance of American mining at the University of Kentucky
Dr. Douglas Wicks, a leading expert in energy and mining and a Program Director at the Department of Energy‘s (DoE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), will be giving a seminar at the University of Kentucky on March 29, 2023.
Dr. Wicks’ talk will be titled “Catalyzing the Renaissance of American Mining to Enable the Energy Transition” and will be held in the Mining and Minerals Research Building (MMRB) Room 102 from 3 to 4 PM. The seminar is open to the UK community and the public.
You can join the seminar remotely and/or register for a discussion with Dr. Wicks using the following links.
Register for discussion with Dr. Wicks
You can download a PDF Flyer HERE to share with others.
One more week to apply for our Appalachian Nursing Academy!
Do you know a high school student who would like $1,500 towards their education at any university or college of their choice? What if we told you that all they would have to do is attend a summer program for two weeks at the University of Pikeville in July?
We are partnering with the Kentucky Department for Public Health to host our second Appalachian Nursing Academy.
Think of it as summer camp, but with healthcare being the theme.
An average day consists of a lesson in the morning – whether getting their CPR certification or getting to watch a live surgery. The afternoons consist of a live panel with healthcare workers who work in our Eastern Kentucky region to discuss what their jobs are like in our mountains. In the evening, students get to do fun, bonding activities such as making tie-dye shirts or having a movie pizza party.
If you know a high school student who is either thinking of going into healthcare or is simply just interested, please encourage them to apply!
The deadline to apply is March 31st and you can learn more information HERE.
Again, the $1,500 scholarship will be given to the student once they complete the program and it can go towards any college or university of their choice!
USDA is seeking applications for Grants to Build Community-Oriented High-Speed Internet Networks for People in Rural Areas
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced that it is accepting applications for grants to build community-oriented, high-speed internet networks for people in rural areas.
The Department is making up to $79 million in grants available under the Community Connect program.
Recipients may use the funds to establish high-speed internet networks that will foster economic growth and deliver enhanced educational, health care, and public safety benefits.
Grant recipients must agree to provide high-speed internet service at community-serving institutions free of charge for up to two years.
These institutions include schools, libraries, fire stations, and other public safety sites.
All applications must be submitted electronically by June 20, 2023, HERE.
Want to Submit something for our Weekly Round?
Know of a program that needs applicants from our region?
Do you know of a grant opportunity that one of our Eastern Kentucky non-profits could benefit from?
or just have good news from your town?
Email us at: roundup@soar-ky.org
Future events to add to your calendar:
April
- Invest 606 Final Pitch Competition, April 15
This year’s 7 Invest 606 Finalists will be pitching their businesses to win a $15,000 Grand Prize, $ 8,000 second place, and $4,000 third place.
The Final Pitch will be held in person at 2nd & Main in Corbin and on Facebook Live.
Show your support for these amazing businesses and Eastern Kentucky.
You can learn more about the event HERE.
- SOAR EKY Gala, April 29
Curious to know the winners of the 14 awards we will be distributing?
Come find out at our first-ever EKY Gala on April 29, 2023, at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg!
You can register for our gala HERE.
*** Use promo code ROUNDUP to get $10 off your registration! ***
- Morehead Kentucky Proud Expo, April 28 – 29
Mark your calendars for the 2023 Morehead KY Proud Expo!
Kentucky Proud certified vendors from across the state will be on hand featuring woodworking, jams, wines, jellies, and so much more. Open to the public and admission is FREE!
Show times are Friday, April 28, 5 pm-8 pm and Saturday, April 29, 10 pm-5 pm. We
*All vendors must be Kentucky Proud certified. If you’d like to be a vendor, please call 606-780-4342, option 1 for more information.
You can learn more about the event HERE.
May
- 24th Annual Big Sandy Women Symposium, May 2
An action-packed day celebrating women and their accomplishments in the business world, hosted by the Kentucky SBDC.
Register HERE.
June
- Kiss the Goat Trail Race, June 24
If you enjoy trail running or want to train for something challenging, Kiss the Goat is unlike most races. You will be tested to your limits on a roughly 3.77-mile-long uphill course. Besides, what better way to treat yourself at the top of the hill than to blow a kiss to the goat? Yes, a real-life goat.
Don’t think this race is for you? Consider volunteering and spectating; you can even walk this course!
You can sign up for the event HERE.
- Bluegrass Mountain Cup, Perry County Park, June 25
A new and fast-growing trail system just down the road from downtown Hazard, KY, Perry County Park packs a lot of punch in a small area.
A bit of a climb to the top, but well worth the reward that you get coming down.
Creator of the Perry County hiking trails, Ben, and crew dedicated year around countless hours to making these trails some of the best in the state.
If you’ve not been there yet, you have to check this place out.
More details coming soon!
Registration is live HERE.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 🐈 Apollo’s Corner
Hello, this is Apollo, the cat who sits in the corner and who just watched my owner panic write this roundup for you all. I hope that, you too, may experience a small moment of panic this coming week as well.
All the meows,
Apollo