Joe and Lola Caldwell, who have been instrumental in the development and continued success of the Corbin Rotary Club’s Empty Stocking Fund and the Rotary International Dinner, were recognized as Corbin Colonels during the Corbin City Commission’s monthly meeting Monday.
“They have been side by side for 62 years. Without Joe and Lola the Empty Stocking Fund would not be in its 37th year. They have worked it every year and are the backbone of the Empty Stocking Fund. They are there for the International Dinner cooking every year. They cook for Ireland and they do a fabulous job,” noted Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus, who presented the couple with a different Corbin Colonel a few weeks ago at the Corbin Rotary Club meeting.
“I wanted to do it again in a full commission meeting because I wanted everyone to exactly how integral that they are to the City of Corbin.”
Joe Caldwell thanked the commission for the honor.
“I do thank you for adding my name to the list of volunteers, who have selected as Corbin Colonels for their work and supporting the grown and betterment of the City of Corbin,” Joe Caldwell told the commission.
Caldwell said that he first became a contributor to Corbin’s success in 1974 when he was a negotiator for his employer, People’s Gas Co. of Kentucky, and helped solicit Certain Teed Manufacturing to locate its plant in north Corbin.
At the time, Certain Teed needed a commitment of up to two million cubic feet per day of uninterrupted natural gas delivery.
In 1977, Caldwell joined the Greater Corbin Chamber of Commerce, and was chosen to serve as its president in 1983. He had four goals, two of which were most important. One was to repave Main Street and pour new sidewalks. The other goal was to build the downtown overpass.
Caldwell and about a dozen others met with state officials and were able to get the road projects included in the state’s six-year road plan.
In 1987, Caldwell was selected to serve a second term as president of the Greater Corbin Chamber of Commerce. During that time, a non-profit 501-C-3 was created which purchased, rebuilt and resold several rundown properties in downtown Corbin.
In 1987, Allen Trimble asked to help get Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) to offer more off-campus classes. A visit to the EKU President’s Office bore fruit, and Caldwell chaired a committee to find property for an off-campus facility.
After Pennington Farm was secured, Caldwell chaired another committee that would raise $750,000 for the purchase of classroom and computer room equipment. An anonymous $250,000 contribution from someone in Richmond or Lexington helped the group reach that goal. Razmus noted that unlike the previous Corbin Colonel she presented to the couple, this one listed Lola’s name first ahead of Joe’s name.
