For the Breathitt County Junior Red Cross Club the highlight of the year is their annual trip to see the Lexington Legends play baseball.  It is a much deserved reward for those students who have sacrificed to help improve their community.  “The students do a number of service projects each year and the reward for a student who completes six service projects is a trip to see the Legends,” said Rose Wolfe, club sponsor and chair of the Mid East Kentucky Red Cross Chapter.  However, this year the club’s commitment to service nearly cost them a chance to make their much anticipated trip to Lexington.

When massive flooding hit Eastern Kentucky in May, the members of the Breathitt County Junior Red Cross Club voted to use all their available funds, including the money allocated for the Legends trip, to assist those who had been affected by the disaster.  As a result they helped 169 families recover from the devastation that took place.  Unfortunately, that meant the 74 eligible students from the club would forgo their much anticipated trip to the ballpark.

When word about this generous act reached the Bluegrass Chapter of the American Red Cross CEO Terry Burkhart, he decided something needed to be done to support these amazing students.  Terry reached out to Glenn Leveridge, President of Central Bank’s Winchester market, who hails from Breathitt County as does Luther Deaton, President of Central Bank and Trust.  Central Bank agreed to make a contribution to sponsor these deserving young people.  The Lexington Legends, its concessionaire – ARAMARK, and its President Alan Stein and his wife, State Senator Kathy Stein, agreed to cover the remaining expenses.

Now the Breathitt County Junior Red Cross Club will be on the receiving end of some generosity when they attend the Lexington Legends game on August 8.  It will be a fitting end to a great story of community service, kindness and sacrifice.