Five community projects are in the running for the 2024 Beautify the Bluegrass Governor’s Award, an annual initiative of Kentucky Living, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives and the Kentucky Governor’s Office.
Started in 2017, Beautify the Bluegrass recognizes community members across the commonwealth for their efforts to improve public spaces. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear joined Kentucky Living’s Best in Kentucky Awards show on August 14 to congratulate the 2024 winners and announce the finalists for Beautify the Bluegrass.
“Thanks to Kentucky Living and Kentucky’s electric cooperatives for supporting homegrown beautification efforts across the commonwealth. We were so pleased to honor the Beautify the Bluegrass finalists at the capitol last fall and look forward to doing it again,” said Governor Beshear. “Congratulations to these finalists and thank you to all the volunteers who work to improve their communities. Looking forward to seeing all the beautification projects that happen around our great Commonwealth this year!”
This year’s Beautify the Bluegrass finalists, which hail from Lee, Daviess, Campbell, Boyle and Wolfe counties, were selected from among dozens of noteworthy projects across the state.
Big Rivers Electric and Kenergy
Landscaping for Habitat for Humanity Training Center, Daviess County
Over 20 volunteers from Big Rivers Electric, Kenergy, and contractors planted a landscaping barrier at the Habitat for Humanity Owensboro-Daviess County Training Center, which offers hands-on homeowner training.
Danville Downtown Streetscape Project, Boyle County
The $6 million, two-year project transformed downtown Danville’s Main Street with wider sidewalks, buried utilities, new trees, upgraded the Weisiger Park fountain, and added outdoor dining, creating a safer and more inviting pedestrian-friendly area.
Devan Horton
Works of Art That Bloom, Campbell County
With a grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women’s Art as Activism, Devan Horton created plantable art materials from natural items, organized a community event to create art with them, and planted the artworks in a blighted lot, transforming it into a blooming native pollinator meadow called “Perennial.”
Jackson Energy and various Beattyville entities
Beattyville Highway 11 Welcome Sign, Lee County
Beattyville’s newly renovated welcome sign, funded by Jackson Energy, was revitalized by 24 volunteers who cleaned, repainted, installed solar lights, added flower planters, and mounted new flags, all with locally sourced materials.
Friends of Red River Trash Cleanups, Wolfe County
The Friends of Red River (FORR) hosts monthly cleanups of Kentucky’s only Wild and Scenic River, removing tons of trash and thousands of tires, and in 2024 released a documentary, *River Cowboys: Keeping it Wild*, highlighting these efforts, which premiered at the annual Wild & Scenic Red RiverFest.
Now through August 28, readers can visit KentuckyLiving.com to learn more about each project and vote for their favorite of the five finalists. Click here to learn more and vote.