Wow, it’s the last day of March which only means that we are getting one step closer to nicer weather and some summer fun heading our way.
While we are talking about summer, here is some good news for high school students in our region!
Application deadline extended 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 watching 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 do fun, bonding activities such as making tie-dye shirts or having a movie pizza party.
If you know a high school student thinking of going into healthcare or simply interested, please encourage them to apply!
The NEW deadline to apply is April 15th 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!
Voting has begun for the first-ever 2023 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky
The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers is pleased to announce that voting is now open for the first-ever 2023 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky Tournament presented by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance.
Why not vote for our fellow Eastern Kentucky Business who were nominated for this contest?
These are a few of them who are currently in the match: Ale-8-One in Clark County, Kingsford in Burnside, and Porcelain Grill Topper: Oscarware from Hart County!
The public can go online to vote now for their favorite products HERE.
The 2023 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky Tournament is an online voting tournament allowing Kentuckians to nominate and pick the 2023 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky from among the thousands of world-class products manufactured in our state.
$1 Billion to Help Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Businesses Invest in Renewable Energy Systems and Energy-Efficiency Improvements
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that they are accepting applications starting on April 1 for $1 billion in grants to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses invest in renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements.
USDA is making the $1 billion in grants available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combatting the climate crisis.
2023 Wildflower Week begin April 8th!
The schedule is set and registration is now open for Wildflower Weekend 2023, April 14th-15th, at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.
Join nature lovers, families, community scientists, amateur naturalists, and professional botanists from across the commonwealth, as the group explores the beauty and diversity of Kentucky’s natural history.
Wildflower Weekend is open to the public and family-friendly. Admission is $10 for adults, $3 for ages 13-17, and free for ages 12 & under. Saturday night includes a raffle featuring a woodcarving by Bob VanHoff.
Pre-registration is required and you can find more information on the event’s schedule HERE.
Almost half of the hikes are already full, so register soon to guarantee your spot on one of the amazing botanical and ecological walks lead by top experts in their fields!
Congressman Hal Rogers Announces 2023 Congressional Art Competition
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers invites high school artists in Southern and Eastern Kentucky to compete in the 2023 Congressional Art Competition to represent Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District on Capitol Hill.
The winning artwork from every Congressional District will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building representing their home regions.
Every winning artist will receive two free airline tickets from Southwest Airlines to travel to Washington, DC to see their artwork on display.
Congressman Rogers is accepting entries for local high school students to submit their artwork until Monday, May 1, 2023.
To participate in the competition, students must first submit a photo of their original artwork along with the required student release form, by emailing them to rogers.press@mail.house.gov.
Acceptable mediums include paintings, drawings, collages, prints, mixed media, computer-generated art and photographs. The artwork must be two-dimensional, cannot exceed 26″ x 26″ x 4″ and cannot weigh more than 15 pounds. The winning artwork must be framed by the artist within the required dimensions before being displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building.
Students must attend high school in Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes the following 33 counties: Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Wayne, Whitley and Wolfe counties.
For more information, contact the Somerset office at 606-679-8346 or email rogers.press@mail.house.gov.
You can download the student release form HERE, download the competition rules HERE, and learn more about the competition in general HERE.
Startup Appalachian Pitch Competition is Back!
Last week we only shared the location and date of when our competition is set to happen, but we have some more details to share!
Do you have Appalachia Kentucky’s next big idea?
We want to hear it… and we want to fund it.
That’s why we’ve opened the application for the 2023 Startup Appalachia Pitch Competition, presented by Community Trust Bancorp. The premier event of creators in Appalachia Kentucky will take place on June 15th at Morehead State University.
Thanks to the generosity of Community Trust Bancorp, we will award nearly $20,000 in cash prizes with first-place taking home $10,000.
The application deadline is April 28th. We know that applying for a pitch competition can be a little intimidating. It doesn’t have to be and we are here to help.
Join Launch Blue for Investment Lab 2023
Launch Blue is excited to be hosting their 3rd Annual Investment Lab on April 13th & 14th in Lexington.
This year they welcome Capital Factory Founder and best-selling author Gordon Daugherty as their featured speaker for both days.
This event is free for all attendees, and lunch is provided on both days.
Registration is limited and will fill up quickly.
You can learn more information and find the registration link HERE.
Each day is centered around a theme. The first is titled on “Founders,” which is designed specifically for driven entrepreneurs that are passionate about optimizing their future business potential.
The second is titled “Investors,” for those interested in angel investing or with only a couple of deals under their belt, Angel Investing 101 is the right next step. Gain valuable insights and practical advice through this crash course on angel investing.
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?
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.