Award Winners

Guidelines used for selection
Their work is inspirational and represents some of the "best of our region." Their contribution has broad appeal or impact on the region. They live or have strong ties to the area. They have not received wide recognition for their efforts. The people are living and the organization is functional.

The following is a description of each awards category:

Arts/Culture - given in recognition of outstanding contribution to the advancement of arts/culture in the region.

Media - given in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of news publication and/or broadcasting.

Organization - given to recognize groups that have organized to provide a needed service to the region.

Public Individual - given to recognize individuals whose public service was dedicated to the betterment of the region.

Private Individual - given to recognize individuals whose private service was dedicated to the betterment of the region.

Tony Turner Award - given to an individual, group or organization that has demonstrated major contributions to the betterment of the region.

2009 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Halfway To Hazard / Chad Warrix & David Tolliver
  • Media
    Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues / Al Cross
  • Organization
    United Way of Southeastern KY / Gaylan Good
  • Private Individual
    Ron Eller
  • Public Individual
    Paul Dole
  • Tony Turner Award
    Willie Blevins

2008 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Paul Brett Johnson
  • Media
    Don Rigsby & the Traditional Music Program at MSU
  • Organization
    Pathways Addiction Program, Ashland
  • Private Individual
    Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo
  • Public Individual
    Shirley Hamilton
  • Tony Turner Award
    Linda Gayheart

2007 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Linda Scott DeRosier
  • Media
    David Hawpe
  • Private Individual
    Burlin Coleman
  • Public Individual
    Annette Napier
  • Special Award
    Howard "Dirty Ear" Stratton
    "Shady" Grady Kinney
  • Tony Turner Award
    Doug Abner & Ken Bolin

2006 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    George Ella Lyon
  • Media
    Al Smith, "Comment on Kentucky"
  • Organization
    Eastern Kentucky Social Club, Lynch Chapter
  • Private Individual
    Cornelia Dozier Cooper
  • Public Individual
    Dr. Bryce Ayers
  • Special Award
    Bernie Bickerstaff
  • Tony Turner Award
    Muggins Bennet & Mike Howard

2005 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Doug Adams, Letcher County
  • Media
    East Kentucky Broadcasting
  • Organization
    Tom Jones, CEO, East Kentucky Corporation
  • Private Individual
    Herman Webb, Van Lear
  • Public Individual
    Hilda Legg
  • Tony Turner
    Bob Hutchinson, "McDonald's of East KY"

2004 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Dr. James Gifford, Jesse Stuart Foundation
  • Organization
    Grayson Area of Commerce
    Carter County Fair Board
  • Private Individual
    J. Maynard Thomas
  • Public Individual
    Sylvia Lovely
  • Tony Turner Award
    Sid Stewart

2003 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Garry Barker, KY Folk Art Center
  • Media
    Dee Davis, Center for Rural Strategies
  • Organization
    Gerri Roll, Hazard/Perry County Community Ministries
  • Public Individual
    David Lollis

2002 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Gurney Norman
  • Media
    Allen Scott Perry III, Big Sandy News
  • Organization
    Brushy Fork Institute
  • Private Individual
    James H. Booth, Entrepreneur
  • Public Individual
    Rocky Adkins, East KY Legislator
  • Special Award
    Dr. Edward Hughes

2001 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Tom Whitaker, Professor of Arts, Prestonsburg Community College
  • Media
    Paul Gearheart, Gearheart Communications
  • Organization
    Alice Whitaker, Director, Lotts Creek Community Center
  • Private Individual
    Mike Duncan
  • Public Individual
    Roger Recktenwald

2000 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Harlan Boys Choir
  • Media
    WHLN Radio, Harlan County
  • Organization
    Pine Mountain Settlement School
  • Private Individual
    Dr. C. Vernon Cooper, Jr.
  • Public Individual
    Secretary Ann Latta, Tourism Cabinet
  • Special Award
    Adron Doran

1999 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Loyal Jones
  • Media
    WMMT Radio, Whitesburg
  • Organization
    Danny Green, David School
  • Private Individual
    Chad Perry
  • Public Individual
    William Weinberg
  • Special Award
    Ron Eller

1998 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, Ky.
  • Media
    WMKY Public Radio, Morehead
    WEKU/WEKH Public Radio, Eastern
  • Organization
    Don Hostetler, Riverside Christian School
  • Private Individual
    Joe and Gaynell Begley, Letcher County
  • Public Individual
    Mayor William D. Gorman, City of Hazard
  • Special Award
    Ernie West

1997 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Lee Sexton, Musician
  • Media
    Kentucky Explorer Magazine, Charles Hays
  • Organization
    Frontier Housing Corporation
  • Private Individual
    Dr. Mary Fox
  • Public Individual
    Greg Stumbo

1996 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Greater Hazard Community Concert Series
  • Media
    Louis B. Hatmaker, Newspaper Editor & Publisher
  • Organization
    Presbyterian Child Welfare Agency, Charles L. Baker
  • Private Individual
    Clifton & Ruby H. Caudill, Letcher County
  • Public Individual
    Dr. Grady Stumbo
  • Special Award
    Governor Paul Patton

1995 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Kentucky Mine Museum, Benham, Ky., James B. Goode
  • Media
    Daily Independent, Ashland, "Religious Magazine"
  • Organization
    United Methodist Mountain Mission, Lee Hubbard
  • Private Individual
    Raymond Bradbury, Business & Civic Leader
  • Public Individual
    Harold "Hal" Rogers, U.S. Congressman
  • Special Award
    Cawood Ledford, KY Sports Announcer

1994 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Albert Stewart, Editor & Author
  • Media
    Troublesome Creek Times, Ron Daley, Editor
  • Organization
    United Methodist Mountain Mission, Lee Hubbard
  • Private Individual
    Deborah Stevens, Director, Doves, Inc.
  • Public Individual
    Clayton Little, State Representative

1993 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    Kentucky Folk Center, Morehead State University
  • Media
    Floyd County Times
  • Organization
    Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation
  • Private Individual
    C. Louise Caudill, M.D.
  • Public Individual
    John Whisman, Founder of Kentucky ADD's & Director ARC

1992 recipients

  • Arts
    Al Cornett, Artist
  • Media
    KET, Virginia Fox
  • New Comer
    Kentucky Opry, Billie J. Osborne
  • Organization
    Appalachian Research & Defense Fund, John Rosenberg
  • Private Individual
    Lois Weinberg, Educator, Hindman
  • Public Individual
    Lt. Governor Paul Patton
  • Special Tribute
    Governor Bert T. Combs

1991 recipients

  • Arts
    Jenny Wiley Theatre
  • Culture
    Appalachian Celebration, Morehead State University
  • Media
    Clarence "Soc" Clay, Outdoor Writer, Lexington Herald Leader
  • Organization
    Hindman Settlement School, Mike Mullins
  • Private Individual
    Frank P. Justice, Ashland Oil
    Jerry Howell, Jackson
  • Public Individual
    Senator Benny R. Bailey
  • Special Award
    Harry Caudill, Writer

1990 recipients

  • Culture/Arts
    J.P. & Annadeene Fraley, Folk Musicians
  • Media
    Mountain Eagle, Tom & Pat Gish
  • Organization
    Lend-A-Hand Mission, Erma Gall & Peggy Kenner
  • Private Citizen
    Father Ralph Beiting & Eula Hall
  • Public Citizen
    William Hambley, Pikeville Mayor

1989 recipients

  • Arts
    James Still, Poet
  • Culture
    Appalshop, Whitesburg
  • Media
    Tony Turner, WYMT-TV, Hazard
  • Organization
    Forward in the 5th
    Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
  • Private Citizen
    G.B. Johnson, Business & Civic Leader
  • Public Citizen
    Governor Bert T. Combs