Contact: Terry W. Brown
(270) 707-3732
tbrown0058@kctcs.edu / www.hopkinsville.kctcs.edu
Fax: (270) 707-3734

Organization Challenges Community to Match its Grant

HOPKINSVILLE, KY (October 19, 2006) -   Pioneers' Inc., a local civic club dedicated to promoting, advancing, and stimulating social, cultural and civic interest in Hopkinsville, has pledged up to $20,000 to create a scholarship pool to provide Hopkinsville Community College scholarships expressly for underserved students, according to a joint announcement by James E. Selbe, HCC president and Art Pendleton, local president of Pioneers' Inc.
Under the terms of the "challenge" pledge, the Pioneers would contribute up to $5,000 per year for a four-year period contingent on other organizations and private benefactors collectively donating a like amount to meet the challenge. As an example, if 10 area residents each contributed $250 and five area businesses individually contributed $500, the challenge would be met and the Pioneers would write a check to the HCC Foundation for the full designation of $5,000 each year.

"The Pioneer's feel strongly that a number of individuals share a common interest in providing opportunities to potential minority students in our area who might not otherwise have the chance to attend college.  Our purpose in issuing the 'Pioneers' Challenge' is to stimulate others to match our commitment to this worthy effort and thereby enable even more students to participate," Pendleton said.

"Hopkinsville Community College places a high value on diversity and is therefore most appreciative of the Pioneer's effort to increase the level of college attendance by a segment of the society that traditionally has been under-represented," stated Selbe.

In a press conference held today to announce the Challenge, the HCC Foundation encouraged organizations and individuals to support the college and area students by assisting minority education attainment by contributing to the Pioneers' Challenge.  Selbe said that matching pledges could be made to HCC Foundation, Inc. and encouraged those considering the advantages of making tax deductible gifts to the future of education in Pennyrile region to call him at 270-707-3733.

The Pioneers have been a mainstay in local community and civic affairs since their founding in 1952.  The all-volunteer organization, consisting of some 26 active members, creates funding for worthy community efforts through the proceeds of their well-known and highly regarded catering and barbeque operations.