NEWS RELEASE - April 28, 2016

Christian Appalachian Project Receives 2015 Enrichment Award 

CARROLLTON, Ky. — Christian Appalachian Project, nominated by the Mountain Laurel District of the Garden Club of Kentucky (GCKY), was presented the Enrichment Award at the organization’s 85th annual convention. The common objectives of the GCKY and Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), a Kentucky-based non-profit organization, are surprisingly aligned. Sandra Robinson, president of National Garden Clubs, saw the parallel and championed the nomination of CAP for the Enrichment Award, which was presented April 20th at General Butler State Park.

“The Mountain Laurel District of GCKY nominated CAP for the Enrichment Award in recognition of their long-term commitment and dedication to the citizens and communities of our state and the Appalachian Region,” Robinson said.

“CAP and the GCKY both work to empower people and local communities through education and developmental opportunities. People’s lives improve on a daily basis, and a brighter, healthier, more engaged future is made possible through the programs and projects provided by both organizations.”

In a region with high food-insecurity rates, CAP and many garden clubs provide food support to people in need, which includes assistance in growing local gardens. Both provide essential tools, such as garden equipment, seedlings, and educational resources, to help develop good gardening practices – practices that assist in the reduction of hunger within the region. Participants in these programs are producing healthy, nutritious food for their families while learning valuable life skills.

“National Garden Clubs is working to make stronger leaders within our membership,” said Teresa Walker, the district director of the Mountain Laurel District and current president of The Lady’s Slipper Garden Club. “We believe volunteers who are engaged in their communities make better citizens and members.”

For more than 50 years, CAP has invested in the lives of children and their families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities in Eastern Kentucky through a variety of direct service programs, including home repair, food distribution, couseling, disaster relief, and child development.

“CAP’s programs and services truly transform the lives of people in need and provide hope to people who need it the most. They promote dignity and independence among Appalachian residents living in poverty,” Robinson added. “The dream of a brighter future fuels success, which ultimately empowers people.”

The clubs that comprise the Mountain Laurel District of the GCKY are the Corbin Garden Club, the Cumberland Falls

Garden Club, the Lady’s Slipper Garden Club of London, the Green Thumbs Garden Club of Manchester, and the Cumberland Park and Middlesboro Garden Clubs of Middlesboro.