In a Tuesday celebration of the 28th Annual Governor’s Service Awards at The Foundry in Frankfort, Governor Andy Beshear took time to recognize exceptional volunteerism and service contributions from around the Commonwealth.
One non-profit organization and one individual honored stem from the News Edge listening area.
Nominated by Lesa Dennis, Joy Closet brings home one of this year’s “Nonprofit Service Award.”
Located in Hopkinsville, they continue to serve foster and kinship children, as well as their caregivers, with a mission to help children feel special, valued and loved through tangible, often-needed, items, and fully supports various activities and essentials needed to connect children with birth parents when appropriate.
Operating at full speed for the last two years, Joy Closet has served more than 600 children in the last 12 months, alongside more than 200 foster and kinship families. This includes provisions prepared for Christmas, a Family Farm Day with the Christian County 4-H Extension Office, and toys, new tennis shoes and gift cards for a successful Back to School Bash.
Nearly 18 months ago, Joy Closet launched their “Eagle Fly” Program, designed to assist foster and kinship teens who aged out of the foster care system, but still needed guidance between high school and early adulthood.
Through a warm, inviting and engaging atmosphere, Executive Director Heather Gray and her staff refer to children as their “friends,” and speak of love, support and compassion at all times. When “friends” visit the center on Belmont Hill, they go shopping among neatly organized items such as stuffed animals, toys and books, and are also given hygiene items, baby supplies and clothing for children of all ages.
Nominated by Linda Lou Brewer, Hopkins County’s Spencer Ray Brewer was honored with a “Senior Volunteer Service Award.”
Since 2010, he has produced a monthly senior program and dinner at White Plains Senior
Citizens Center — one in which 60-to-90 seniors regularly attend. In addition, he has been teaching history at Madisonville Regional Senior Citizens Center since 2014 — a class he saved from disbanding when the previous teacher retired.
Brewer taught history at the Dawson Springs Senior Citizens Center for five years, until a tornado destroyed the building in the December 2021 storms.
Brewer also presents a history program at civic and school groups, fraternities and sororities, and is currently the superintendent of the poultry and rabbit division at the Hopkins County Fair.
He earned first place in the state for most poultry in show in 2015, and he displays poultry at the Kentucky State Fair every year, winning State Grand Champion Duck and Reserve Grand Champion Goose in 2018.
Supremely focused on patriotism and the honoring of fallen veterans through different efforts, he served Wreaths Across America from 2013-19 in Daviess and McLean counties. And in 2017, the Madisonville Messenger named him “Citizen of the Year.”
Beshear noted that Tuesday was a time to “recognize selfless individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact in [Kentucky’s] communities.”
Between groups and individuals, 30 were honored for 2023 works.
