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By: Kathryn Engle

On April 11th & 12th, Union College hosted the Annual Redbud Festival in Barbourville, Kentucky. Check out the website: http://www.redbudfestky.com/. The Lend-A-Hand Center had a booth at the festival. Irma, Peggy, Steve, Rita, and I took turns at the booth, talking and visiting with people in the community and other vendors.

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Rita, Peggy, Steve, & Irma

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The Lend-A-Hand Center booth

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Peggy, popcorn, jelly, & interested customers

We shared about the Grow Appalachia program, Irma sold her famous popcorn, Peggy sold different Lend-A-Hand jellies, and they both sold their books about their experiences starting the Lend-A-Hand Center, delivering babies, and teaching school.

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Irma also demonstrated different ways corn could be used and made corn shuck placemats. She grows her popcorn especially for the shucks. She has bred the corn for a certain color shuck. We also winnowed popcorn when the wind picked up.

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Several participants in the program came by our booth. The Smith family who live right down the road from Lend-A-Hand came for a visit.

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Conrad Smith also came by the booth.

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Grow Appalachia participants the Cornett family and Karen Johnson demonstrated how to make apple butter the old-time way.

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Irma and I also looked at an exhibit of pictures from the War on Poverty. Irma and Peggy, the founders of the Lend-A-Hand Center, were active in the War on Poverty in Knox County in the 1960s. Irma was the Community Center Coordinator and was in charge of 13 community centers throughout the county. Peggy worked as the Health Coordinator, delivering healthcare and services at the community centers. It was a real treat to see Irma looking at the pictures and reminiscing about such an interesting period of time.

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Lend-A-Hand is excited to continue to serve the Knox County community with Grow Appalachia, Union College, and other community partners.

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Mary Beth Jewell & Irma.