‘Inspiring examples of civic stewardship’
Beautify the Bluegrass honors homegrown improvements to public spaces
ON THE HOUR IN DOWNTOWN Loretto, the sound of bells rises from a clock tower that didn’t exist just a few years ago.
Where weeds and debris once filled a vacant lot, neighbors and visitors now stop, listen and linger. For the small volunteer team behind Beautify Loretto, Inc., the bells mark more than time.
“It’s truly humbling,” says Diane Mattingly, the group’s president. “The Clock Tower Plaza project was a labor of love.”
The Loretto Clock Tower Plaza is the recipient of the 2025 Beautify the Bluegrass Governor’s Award, given by the Governor’s office in partnership with Kentucky’s electric cooperatives and Kentucky Living. The annual initiative recognizes homegrown efforts to improve public spaces.
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Beautify the Bluegrass on KentuckyLiving.com. The deadline to enter is July 20.
“We know when people beautify their hometowns, they are motivated by a sense of community pride—they’re not seeking recognition,” says Kentucky Living Editor Shannon Brock. “But we want to share these stories as inspiring examples of turning that pride into action.”
In Loretto, an all-volunteer nonprofit transformed the site of a demolished train station into a welcoming anchor.
“It’s the first thing people see when they drive through town,” says Deana Cissell, a Beautify Loretto volunteer. “It shows that the people in the community really do love our town.”
The outsized impact of the clock tower project and four other 2025 finalists reflects the cooperative spirit that defines Beautify the Bluegrass and mirrors the mission of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives: improving the quality of life in local communities.
Preserving a legacy
Irvin Schoolhouse Renovation — Russell County
One hundred years after their great-grandfather built the Irvin Schoolhouse in Russell Springs, the Bernard sisters honored that legacy by rescuing and renovating the abandoned building.
At the Beautify the Bluegrass ceremony in October, the four women beamed as Kentucky Tourism Commissioner Mike Mangeot described their efforts.
“We’re very proud and humbled,” says Belinda Doty. “We’re glad we can do something for Russell County and get something exciting going there.”
“It’s becoming more and more usable for the community,” says Dennis Price, a cousin of the sisters and pastor at Pleasant Hill Community Church. “We’ve had weddings, showers, sunrise services—it’s a beautiful opportunity.”
Carrying the torch
The “Boo” Singleton Project — Pendleton County
Robert “Boo” Singleton didn’t wait for permission to clean up the Licking River and other sites in Pendleton County. He simply went to work—pulling tires from creeks and picking up trash along roadsides, day after day.
“He was very passionate,” says Tami Vater, Pendleton County’s economic and tourism development director. “If he believed in something, there was nothing that got in the way.”
After Singleton died at the age of 66 amid historic flooding last year, volunteers made sure his work didn’t stop, launching the “Boo” Singleton Project to organize cleanups and create a waterways foundation dedicated to environmental stewardship.
Project honors its
namesake by continuing
river cleanup efforts
in and around
Pendleton County.
“When we put Boo’s name on it, it really struck a chord,” says Lindie Huffman of the Pendleton County Extension Office. “People wanted to be a part of something they knew mattered to him.”
Trails that bring people together
Logsdon Valley Park Trail — Grayson County
In downtown Leitchfield, Logsdon Valley Park has been reshaped into a more accessible, family-friendly destination. New steps improved trail access, a washed-out bridge was rebuilt through donated labor and a stage now hosts concerts and community events.
“I remember looking down in that ravine years ago and thinking, ‘What could be done with that?’” says Nancy Armes, president of the Public Trails Association of Grayson County. “I never dreamed it could be transformed into what it is now.”
For Grayson County Tourism Director Tiffany Decker, the improvements reflect broader momentum. “We’re proud to be a Kentucky Trail Town,” she says. “The park is really the heart of town.”
Competition with a purpose
Operation Community Cleanup — Daviess County
More than five years after the death of an Owensboro fifth grader, his love of the outdoors is perpetuated by the Issac Sterett Adventure Foundation.
“We wanted to honor him in the best way we knew how,” says his mother, Katie Sterett. “We are trying to do projects and outreach that are important to our community, but also from a 10-year-old boy’s perspective, keeping children at front of mind.”
Operation Community Cleanup turns service into a friendly competition, drawing schools, families and businesses together each year.
“We have a trash trophy,” says Julia Tipmore, the foundation’s director. “We kind of figured that we needed to start the initiative ourselves and beautify our own community first and hopefully set an example for everyone.”
From clock towers and schoolhouses to trails and cleanups, Beautify the Bluegrass reflects a simple truth: communities are strongest when people step up together. That belief has long guided Kentucky’s electric cooperatives—and it continues to power hometown progress across the commonwealth.
