Owsley County Kentucky

Owsley County Action Team
Dedicated to providing the leadership to enable the citizens of Owsley County to achieve self-empowerment,
sustainable community development and an enriched quality of life.

Action Place - Provides public meeting space to a variety of civic organizations.

Pathways to Prosperity (IDA Program) - A program working with low-income people learning how to build assets by participating in a matched savings and financial literacy training program.

CenterNet - A cooperative effort between the Action Team, and the Center for Rural Development with financial assistance provided by Owsley County Board of Education, Middlefork Insurance Agency, Farm Bureau Insurance Agency, Farmers State Bank, the City of Booneville, and the Owsley County Fiscal Court, Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative and others to provide the citizens of Owsley County access to distance learning opportunities. Through CenterNet individuals have access to both college courses and to video conferencing.

Power Up Lab - A lab with 10 new gateway computers donated by PowerUP. PowerUP is comprised of dozens of non-profit organizations, major corporations and state and federal government agencies. PowerUP will bridge the Digital Divide by ensuring that America's underserved young people acquire the skills, experiences, and resources they need to succeed in the digital age. The lab houses 10 new Gateway computers with internet access through a T1 line. Technology assistance is provided by a VISTA technology volunteer.

Owsley County Fund for Excellence - A partnership of parents, teachers and community leaders who have joined together to find ways to help encourage our children stay in school.

Eastern Kentucky Goat Producers Association - A group interested in increasing profits by improving meat goat bloodlines and accessing new markets.

Booneville/Owsley County Industrial Authority - An organization working to improve the economy and create jobs.

Who We Are
In 1992, a group of citizens interested in the quality of life and in the economic future of Owsley County began meeting with guidance provided by the Red Bird Ranger District, USDA Forest Service. This group became the Owsley County Action Team. After meeting for several months, the group obtained funding to conduct an economic diversification study. This study, entitled "Yes We Can", was completed in 1994. As the Action Team began to implement the study, it began a journey toward sustainable community development that continues today.

What We Do
The Owsley County Action Team builds local capacity through leadership development and exploring new ways to solve old problems. Members are encouraged to develop expertise in problem solving, visioning, fund-raising and organizing. Membership in the Owsley County Action Team is open to anyone willing to attend regular meetings and work toward a better future for Owsley County. The goal is to have a broadly representative group of people who are willing to work for the common good.

Through a joint project with the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development and the Waitt Family Foundation,the Action Team placed 100 new Gateway computers in the homes of low income women and high school seniors working to get a GED and planning to further their education, working and going to school college part time or graduating from high school and going for further education.

How We Are Funded
The Action Team is actively seeking to become sustainable and raises funding locally whenever possible. Local fund-raising includes membership dues, individual donations, rent from commercial property and support from Middlefork Insurance, Farmers State Bank, Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative, Farm Bureau Insurance, Image Entry, Owsley County Fiscal Court, the City of Booneville, Owsley County School System, Workers of Rural Kentucky, HOPE, and others. We also get a tremendous number of in-kind contributions.

The Action Team has received support from a wide variety of non-local funding sources: Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Environmental Support Center, Christian Appalachian Project, Appalachian Regional Commission, Corporation for Enterprise Development, USDA Forest Service, United Health Insurance Company, MACED’s Sustainable Communities Initiative, the Waitt Family Foundation, the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, the Appalachian Community Fund, the Bluegrass Community, USDA Rural Development and others.

When We Meet
All meetings begin at 6:30 pm at the Action Place on the following dates:

September 18, 2003	January 15, 2004	May 20, 2004
October 16, 2003	February 19, 2004	June 17, 2004
November 20, 2003	March 18, 2004	July 15, 2004
December 18, 2003	April 15, 2004	August 19, 2004

For more information contact:
Molly Turner · Director of Community Development
Owsley County Action Team
P.O. Box 997 · Booneville, KY 41314
Phone: 606-593-7296 · Fax: 606-593-7781
Email: mturner@owsleycountykentucky.org