[senior citizen]

Considering that today is the Kentucky Derby, I've been wondering again waht exactly is a "Kentucky Colonel".....????

I had a customer once whose husband was born in Maine, was superintendent of schools in Connecticut.....retired to Florida....yet she would always tell me, throughout the years....before she passed away, that they would attend the Kentucky Derby every single year as her husband was a "Kentucky Colonel".........I figure it's some type of honorary title???? She lived a good long life until her late 90's....and had some memories to tell. We became penpals. As someone else mentioned, I too...have always enjoyed elderly people, for their wisdom.

Hope they have great weather in Kentucky today.

We are having a streak of PERFECT sunshine, blue skies 70's to 80's all this past week with more to come........grass has turned emerald green and been mowed twice.........all the trees are in bloom, pear blossoms, apple blossoms, etc........all the bulb flowers are up as well as the phlox.........spring has sprung early in Vermont.......will enjoy grilling out this weekend and sitting on the deck and screened in porch, for sure........

We appreciate good weather so much more after a long long winter.

[OnTrack]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Considering that today is the Kentucky Derby, I've been wondering again waht exactly is a "Kentucky Colonel".....????

I had a customer once whose husband was born in Maine, was superintendent of schools in Connecticut.....retired to Florida....yet she would always tell me, throughout the years....before she passed away, that they would attend the Kentucky Derby every single year as her husband was a "Kentucky Colonel".........I figure it's some type of honorary title???? She lived a good long life until her late 90's....and had some memories to tell. We became penpals. As someone else mentioned, I too...have always enjoyed elderly people, for their wisdom.

Hope they have great weather in Kentucky today.

Kentucky Colonels (poke here)

Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation. The sitting governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky bestows the honor of a colonel's Commission, by issuance of letters patent.

After a person receives a commission, he or she is invited to join "The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels", which is an independent, non-profit charitable organization formally founded in 1932.[1] The Governor of Kentucky serves as the "Commander-in-chief" of the Honorable Order, and its board of trustees serves on a volunteer basis.[1] The stated mission of this organization is to aid and promote the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its citizens.[9] The organization raises money to support Kentucky charities and educational organizations, and to conduct other works that will help the citizens of Kentucky.

My wife and I had the good fortune of attending the 2008 Derby in royal fashion. It was an unforgettable trip.

We took a special train from Lexington (with a gourmet breakfast), that dropped us off right outside Churchill Downs and then returned to Lexington.

Here we are leaving.




Box seats on turn 1/2, gave a great view of the start.




The only bad thing is that as we were leaving, we were within 100 yards of the gunshot that put down the filly Eight Belles (who came in second).

Eight Belles(poke here)

The “worst part of horse racing was displayed” during Saturday’s 134th Kentucky Derby, as filly Eight Belles was “put down on the track shortly after finishing second,” according to Larry Stewart of the L.A. TIMES. Eight Belles suffered two compound fractured ankles, and on-call veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage said that “nothing could be done to save the horse.” Shortly after the equine ambulance arrived, “protective screens were brought out to block the view of what was about to take place and Eight Belles was euthanized.” The scene was “reminiscent of what happened” at the Breeders’ Cup at Monmouth Park in October when horse George Washington "had to be euthanized on the track" (L.A. TIMES, 5/4). Churchill Downs officials said that Eight Belles’ death was the “first fatality in the Derby in modern times.” Bramlage: “It was something I wouldn’t have even considered would have happened. I would have had no clue that anything was going wrong.” Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones: “There was no way to save her. She couldn’t even stand. There was no way to even think about trying to save her” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/4). More Jones: “We’re used to trying to save them now. But when I did see her, there was no doubt it had to be done” (Baltimore SUN, 5/4).

.

[tainsley]

A Kentucky Colonel is an honor bestowed upon an individual by the governor of Kentucky for a noteworthy accomplishment and outstanding service to a community, state or nation. (Wikipedia). And you are right, I always enjoyed listening to a person telling their history...you learn so much! Enjoy the weather and grillin' out!

[jblum315]

I remember being invited to the Derby way back in 1961 by a young man from Lexington whose family had box seats. Unfortunately it clearly involved sharing a bed with the young man, so I politely declined.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by OnTrack

Kentucky Colonels (poke here)








My wife and I had the good fortune of attending the 2008 Derby in royal fashion. It was an unforgettable trip.

We took a special train from Lexington (with a gourmet breakfast), that dropped us off right outside Churchill Downs and then returned to Lexington.

Here we are leaving.




Box seats on turn 1/2, gave a great view of the start.




The only bad thing is that as we were leaving, we were within 100 yards of the gunshot that put down the filly Eight Belles (who came in second).

Eight Belles(poke here)



.

Very very nice recollection........thanks for sharing.
Photos are GREAT.......beautiful place to be.....

Also....many thanks for explaining the Kentucky Colonel title......

[Cantwaittoarrive]

I don't know but he makes good fried chicken

[OnTrack]

Originally Posted by Cantwaittoarrive

I don't know but he makes good fried chicken

And here is where it all started (actually, across the street).

[graciegirl]

I wanna say this.

No matter how ugly and dirty and awful most of the KFC fried chicken places are....I still think they make the best chicken.

AND...I love the folks from Kentucky. They are gentle and polite and nice, except when UK plays U of L.


omgosh. I really took this off topic. Here comes the topicop.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I wanna say this.

No matter how ugly and dirty and awful most of the KFC fried chicken places are....I still think they make the best chicken.

AND...I love the folks from Kentucky. They are gentle and polite and nice, except when UK plays U of L.


omgosh. I really took this off topic. Here comes the topicop.

My husband was stationed at Fort Knox Kentucky back in 1963 and then would go back every summer for many many years for the reserves in the month of May. He was a drill sargeant.... Tanks. He said once you got off the base, Kentucky was a very pretty, very green state..........lots of horses, etc. I also had a cousin who was an officer at Fort Knox after World War II.....

We saw some of Kentucky when we went to visit our son in Cincinnati.....taking the road in that was to the right of the Ohio River. The Ohio river separates Ohio from Kentucky.

Years earlier, our son had a condo on the Kentucky side , right over the border from where Proctor and Gamble Corporation was. in Cincinnati, Ohio.

P&G had recruited him from his M.B.A. program and given him a summer internship, set him up in the condo in Kentucky............he liked it as well.
They then hired him full time, after the internship.........and he moved to Cincinnati, buying a home in a nice neighborhood...........we went to visit right around the time of the riots in the city. P&G is a gorgeous place to work......with beautiful flowers and grounds.........

[KeepingItReal]

...

[Schaumburger]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

My husband was stationed at Fort Knox Kentucky back in 1963 and then would go back every summer for many many years for the reserves in the month of May. He was a drill sargeant.... Tanks. He said once you got off the base, Kentucky was a very pretty, very green state..........lots of horses, etc. I also had a cousin who was an officer at Fort Knox after World War II.....

We saw some of Kentucky when we went to visit our son in Cincinnati.....taking the road in that was to the right of the Ohio River. The Ohio river separates Ohio from Kentucky.

Years earlier, our son had a condo on the Kentucky side , right over the border from where Proctor and Gamble Corporation was. in Cincinnati, Ohio.

P&G had recruited him from his M.B.A. program and given him a summer internship, set him up in the condo in Kentucky............he liked it as well.
They then hired him full time, after the internship.........and he moved to Cincinnati, buying a home in a nice neighborhood...........we went to visit right around the time of the riots in the city. P&G is a gorgeous place to work......with beautiful flowers and grounds.........

My youngest sister has lived in the Cincinnati area since 1991. Before she got married in 1998, she lived in the Hyde Park neighborhood in Cincinnati. Since 1998 she and her family have lived on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River in a suburb called Burlington, which is right next to Florence where she now works. Since my sister's move to Cincinnati, I usually go to visit her once a year. I have seen several beautiful areas of Kentucky, including the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington and the Berea, KY area which is also quite lovely. And my sister's mother-in-law's maiden name is Hatfield (think Hatfield - same family vs. McCoy) so I am always very nice to her mother-in-law.

[KeepingItReal]

...

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by Schaumburger

My youngest sister has lived in the Cincinnati area since 1991. Before she got married in 1998, she lived in the Hyde Park neighborhood in Cincinnati. Since 1998 she and her family have lived on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River in a suburb called Burlington, which is right next to Florence where she now works. Since my sister's move to Cincinnati, I usually go to visit her once a year. I have seen several beautiful areas of Kentucky, including the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington and the Berea, KY area which is also quite lovely. And my sister's mother-in-law's maiden name is Hatfield (think Hatfield - same family vs. McCoy) so I am always very nice to her mother-in-law.

Small world indeed. You are right, don't mess with the Hatfield's or the McCoy's.

[senior citizen]

[quote=KeepingItReal;671934]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

My husband was stationed at Fort Knox Kentucky back in 1963 and then would go back every summer for many many years for the reserves in the month of May. He was a drill sargeant.... Tanks. He said once you got off the base, Kentucky was a very pretty, very green state..........lots of horses, etc. I also had a cousin who was an officer at Fort Knox after World War II.....

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************

If you ever get back be sure to see Mammoth Cave National Park just north of Bowling Green and tour the Corvette Assembly plant and Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.
www.nps.gov/akr/photosmultimedia/photogallery.htm?id=8C3F542C-1DD8-B71C-0728C0BC176BA864
Bowling Green Assembly Plant - Home of the Corvette

Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake areas are very pretty in the western part of the state. Be sure to eat at Patti's in Grand Rivers.

Patti's 1880s Restaurant Grand Rivers Kentucky

Horses are all over and the racing thoroughbreds are around Louisville at Churchill Downs, Lexington at Keenland, and Ellis Park in Henderson. Best horse museums are at Churchill Downs and in Lexington at The Kentucky Horse Park.

Louisville Slugger bat factory and museum is in Louisville at 800 West Main... www.sluggermuseum.com

Thanks for the good leads; I'd love to re visit that part of our country again. All of your links are great.

I still remember the river boat......plus men fishing along the Ohio River........that bordered Kentucky.

I was just trying to find a map that showed the way we went from Lake Erie, Pennsylvania.......following the Ohio River adjacent to Pennsylvania all the way to West Virginia (when we realized we'd gone too far and turned back to continue along the river as it bordered Kentucky), ending up in Cincinnati, Ohio.......
map of ohio river - Bing Images

[senior citizen]

[quote=KeepingItReal;671795]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Considering that today is the Kentucky Derby, I've been wondering again waht exactly is a "Kentucky Colonel".....????



As a 61 year native of KY I can say the colonels could be called more of a social group now like members of on elite country club for the adults and has a lot to do with bragging rights even going so far as colonel vanity license plates and other type things. No doubt many years ago it was likely more of an honor but now not so much. It is now for the adults more of an obligation to join and participate in the fund raising that the Honorable Order does which means money is important.

During the year they will donate to a cause or causes and make numerous commercials for radio to publicize it. They do some very good things but make certain everyone knows it as they call it "chest thumping" which doesn't say it is a bad thing but just the way it is.

Kids in high school have received the colonel honor not because of anything they did but because of family connections or someone that knows someone etc. so it tends to make it not so much at all an accomplishment as it may have been in the past.

Anyone that is a colonel can basically get anyone they want the colonel designation so you can see how the numbers grow and who would be most likely to be a member, the website says you must be 18 which may be true currently but I know for a fact this has not always been the case even as far back as the late 60's.

This explains it a little. You can imagine how many of these are being passed out from the cost information below.

Under Governor Steve Beshear in 2008, enough commissions were being issued that state budget cuts led to a major change in the design of the commission certificate. The certificate was downsized from the 10 inch by 15 inch size to 8.5 inch by 14 inch. The wording remained the same on the certificate; however, the traditional gold seal and ribbon were be replaced with a state seal that is slightly embossed. The reduced materials needed to create the new certificates were expected to save $5,000; however, the substantial savings was in the labor needed to apply the gold seal and ribbon by hand. The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels objected to the changes in the certificates, and the order and offered to pay $5,000 a year to keep the traditional certificates. Due to the substantial savings in labor to produce the new certificates, the Secretary of State's office moved forward with the changes.[8]

Really good information...........for which I thank you. She talked about it so much, especially every year at Derby time........I just always wondered how a poor boy, born in Castine Maine who worked his way through school to become a teacher and ultimately superintendent of the Connecticut school system.........would become a Kentucky Colonel. She was much younger and met him while she was teaching school............they later retired to Florida but went every year to the Kentucky Derby...........both deceased now. He was a humble man; I think she was more impressed with this honorary title than he was.