There are a few things that I wanted to use my column space to touch on this week. First, congratulation to Alice Fae Weiland on her well-deserved honor of Volunteer of the Decade. The recognition was bestowed upon her recently by the Whitley County Extension Community Art Center for her many years of contributions as both an artist and a teacher.
I had the opportunity to interview Weiland as part of a story that was featured in one of our monthly Senior Living inserts almost two years ago. As a master basket maker, she has dedicated countless hours to perfecting her craft. She has also spent countless hours passing along that knowledge to others, which has led to her receiving this special Volunteer of the Decade honor.
We have a basket that was made by Alice Fae in our home. I actually received it the day that I conducted the aforementioned interview. It is a special item that I plan on never getting rid of.
Congratulations again, Alice Fae, and thanks for the many years of sharing your knowledge and artistry with our local community.
Another honor that was announced this past week is that former Corbin Redhounds basketball Head Coach Billy Hicks will be included in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s 2025 Hall of Fame class.
The announcement said, “With a record of 1,021-268 (.792) over 38 seasons at Evarts, Harlan, Corbin and Scott County, Billy Hicks is the all-time winningest boys’ basketball coach in KHSAA history. Hicks led Scott County to Boys’ Basketball Sweet 16 victories in 1998 and 2007, as well as 14 region championships.”
Hicks passed away in December of 2023. The News Journal’s Don Estep wrote in a column just after his death, “Coach Billy Hicks, who passed away this week at age 71, led the Corbin Redhounds to the mountain top. It had been 39 years since a Redhound team had made it to the state tournament, but Hicks broke the losing spell in 1991 when Corbin beat Bell County winning the 13th Regional championship.”
Hicks’ Hounds were among the best-ever in program history, no doubt, and his HOF induction is obviously very well deserved.
Finally, I would like to help spread the word about this year’s International Dinner, which is an annual event that is presented by the Corbin and London Rotary Clubs. This year’s event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 12, at 6 p.m. The location will be the same as last year, at the Corbin Arena.
I have attended the last two International Dinner events, and let me tell you, it is definitely worth the price of admission. The food selection is always incredible, and you are guaranteed to have a unique experience as you sample dishes from all corners of the globe. Do yourself a favor and plan on coming up to the Arena on April 12.
A table of eight can be reserved for $400, while individual tickets can be purchased for $40. Tickets are sold by Corbin and London Rotary Club members, so if you know a Rotary member, give them a shout. If you don’t, you can also purchase tickets at the Arena box office.
I hope to be there myself as our local Rotary Clubs celebrate 15 years of International Dinners!
