Shelbyville, KY. –Governor Matt Bevin and Kentucky Living magazine have launched the 2018 “Beautify the Bluegrass” initiative. Under this program, Kentuckians are encouraged to come together and make their communities shine.

“Our goal is for Kentuckians to identify a project in their community that they can be involved in repairing, enhancing, or beautifying,” said Gov. Bevin. “Gather together a group of one, two, three, five, fifty, or a hundred people—however many you need to improve a specific area. From updating landscapes to painting murals, there is so much we can do to beautify our communities. Let’s work together to make the Commonwealth shine.”

The initiative is a partnership between Kentucky Living and the Governor’s office. Kentucky Livingis published by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, whose 26 members are committed to improving the quality of life in communities across the Commonwealth. With a monthly readership topping one million people, Kentucky Livingjoined the “Beautify the Bluegrass” campaign to help spread the word and get communities across the state involved in improving their public spaces.

“We are excited to partner with Gov. Bevin to make the Commonwealth shine through this initiative,” said Anita Richter, editor of Kentucky Livingmagazine. “Our team at Kentucky Livinglooks forward to seeing all the great projects that are to come.”

Shelby Energy Cooperative members worked to revamp the landscaping around the Shelby County Courthouse Annex earlier this year. The project was a group effort by co-op staff including linemen, and even enlisted the help of county inmates.

“We take pride in the communities we serve,” said Debbie Martin, Shelby Energy Cooperative’s president and CEO. “We’re thrilled to help Gov. Bevin launch Beautify the Bluegrass, and we bet other electric cooperatives across Kentucky will also roll up their sleeves.”

Gov. Bevin established the “Beautify the Bluegrass” initiative in 2017 to encourage Kentuckians to be involved in enhancing the existing beauty of the Commonwealth. The campaign follows a simple model: identify a public area in the community that needs attention, gather a team to take on the project, and put the ideas into action to beautify the space.

Last year, more than 25 projects from across Kentucky were submitted. The winning project was from Paintsville (Johnson County), where the Trail Town Committee painted numerous buildings to transform the downtown area.

This year, submissions will be accepted from April 30 to July 27 via KentuckyLiving.com. The winner will be announced by the Governor on August 23 at Kentucky Living’s Best in Kentucky awards, live at the Kentucky State Fair. The winner will receive a barbecue meal for up to 200 people with Gov. Bevin and Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton.

Interested participants can visit Kentucky Living for more information.