Hindman, one of five NSDAR-approved schools in the United States, was founded in 1902 by two Kentucky Daughters, May Stone and Katherine Pettit, who were striving to improve education for the underserved in the remote mountains of eastern Kentucky. The school’s official relationship with NSDAR began in 1921 when the membership voted to approve it as one of their DAR schools and, since that time, Hindman has been fortunate to receive support from individual members, local chapters, state societies, and numerous national committees.
Friends of DAR Schools Committee
During the Education Luncheon on Friday, June 30, National Chair Dawn Lemongello presented a check for $34,000 to support two important projects:
- $25,000 to support scholarships for students in our dyslexia intervention program. More than 90% of families receive financial assistance for their children to participate in our school-based and after-school tutoring programs. These funds will provide up to:
- 60 students the opportunity to participate in our After-School Tutoring Program;
- 25 students to receive a full year of tutoring in our Reading Labs; or
- 16 students to attend our 5-week residential Summer Tutoring Program.
$11,000 to support the renovation of lodging facilities in the Pettit Apartment Building. During the July 2022 flooding of campus, waters damaged several of the most utilized areas of lodging on campus. With hundreds of students and program participants needing to stay overnight each year to take part in our educational offerings, the school made the decision to renovate an apartment within the Katherine Pettit Apartment Building, transforming what was once a single occupancy staff unit into a multi-bedroom space housing up to 6 students or guests. Funding will be utilized to purchase bed frames and mattresses as well as upgrades to HVAC systems..
Junior Membership Committee
National Chair Sarah Grace Brooks presented a check for $21,000 to support three campus improvement projects and programmatic needs during the Junior Membership Committee Luncheon on Saturday, July 1. These projects include:
- $9,000 to support campus grounds maintenance. During the July 2022 flooding of campus, waters not only damaged many campus facilities, but had a significant impact on the overall grounds of the school. Seasonal workers will be hired to complete a variety of projects, including walkway and trail restoration, painting, staining, greenhouse restoration, tree cutting, and other tasks to beautify campus and make it increasingly accessible for students and guests.
- $9,000 to purchase new equipment for the campus kitchen. The Settlement’s hospitality team prepares thousands of meals each year to students, the community, and visitors to our campus from our commercial kitchen. A new commercial steamer that allows the team to steam food quickly and safely was needed to replace a unit that was no longer functioning.
- $3,000 to support foodways classroom hydroponics systems. A total of six hydroponics growing farms will be placed in local science classrooms. Students will be able to grow their own vegetables with the support of ongoing visits from our foodways program team!
Thank you to the Daughters who give so generously to these committees’ fundraising efforts and make these opportunities possible! Be sure to follow our blog, social media channels, and monthly e-newsletter for the latest updates on these projects.
