In a letter he prepared to explain his project, Justin wrote, "People there have little or no money to serve their families. The average worker often receives $8 an hour. The children in this area do not wear shoes because they cannot afford them.

 

"Many people live in back areas in the mountains, often called the 'hollows.' Some of these homes, even today, do not have electricity or indoor plumbing. Getting to these areas is difficult due to the poor road system in the mountains."

 

"Education and literacy levels are very low in this region," he continued, with few families earning high school diplomas never mind a college degree. The result, Justin explained, is "this is a continuously poor area. The picture is bleak."

 

However, Justin insisted, "We can help them and make a small difference in their lives."

 

The rest of the story.

It is my understanding that in just the last year, one major Boyd County employer laid off over 200 men who live in Lawrence Co. (more men were laid off, but 200 of them were from LC). That is 200 families that now have no income or insurance. I think the unemployment rate there doubled when that lay off occurred.

 

I can't speak for no electric/plumbing/shoes, but I am sure this lay off hurt many.

I really don't think it's as bad as he is stating. There are poor areas all across the state. Jobs are scarce in the mountains and there are some bad roads. I've been through Louisa, and I've seen $100,000+ homes and I've seen those that are just not livable to most standards. People do live in hollows and I'm sure some don't have indoor plumbing. That's the way most were brought up. I am employed at a college here in the mountains. Our student base has grown in the past couple of years. And, if I am not mistaken, other colleges in the mountains have seen a growth in students as well. Eastern Kentucky University has two sites. One in Corbin and the other in Manchester where students can further their education. Hazard Community and Technical College has a program called the University Center of the Mountains, or UCM. UCM offers students in the mountains a chance to get a 4 year degree here through different colleges within the state, such as EKU, Morehead, Lindsay Wilson and a couple others that I don't remember. So, one can get an education beyond high school, if he/she chooses to do so. I commend Justin on trying to help, I just don't think it's as bad as he is stating.

This is exactly what I have been talking about in P & R that churches should be doing more of. These kinda things should be one of the main focuses of churches. It should be about the government meeting their short term needs but the church doing the role that this young man is doing.

 

Now, the goverment (local, state, small amount of national) should be about doing something for this year as a long-term approach.

I would rather have comments from Lawrence Co. residents, but I would think that a good number of their residents would work in either Ashland or Huntington. I would imagine they are as most eastern counties, pockets of what Justin described but the overall picture not near as bleak.

I live in downtown Louisa and have lived 10+ years out in Lawrence County. It isnt as bad as he is stating. There are some very poor parts of town and then again there are some more elegant parts of the town. Sure many people around here were laid off as Incognito has stated but many others are employed otherwise. Myself and the majority of my graduating class have either earned a college degree or are still in the process of getting it. Honestly, I have lived here for 20 some years and I still have yet to see a house with no indoor plumbing.

 

Now for the fact of getting an education and high school diploma. Its all about what YOU want and some people around here are satisfied with having nothing. They were raised that way and thats what they are use to. Others around here have great paying jobs, beauitful homes and own acres and acres of land. What I am trying to say is that Louisa is a good little town, but it just depends on where you look.

 

 

 

To be perfectly honest, the biggest problem in this town and area is drugs. That is my biggest argument around here. Also, if the city was concerned about creating new jobs they should consider going from a dry county to a wet one.

With all due respect to Justin and Father Beiting, whom I know personally but Lawrence County has many problems, which are facing counties in Kentucky.

 

Father Beiting, has done immense work with the Christian Appalachian Project and established many surrounding outreach areas, for the less fortunate in the Region....that is what they do, on a daily basis. When dealing mainly with one side, we tend to get our point of view skewed on the overall.

Its all about what YOU want and some people around here are satisfied with having nothing. They were raised that way and thats what they are use to. Others around here have great paying jobs, beauitful homes and own acres and acres of land. What I am trying to say is that Louisa is a good little town, but it just depends on where you look.

 

 

Change the subject to any mountain county and you will get that same response.

First off, Thank you Guru for posting this for me.

 

Now you just don't know how furious I was when I read this. Yes things are bad but not near as bad as the article put it. I lived in Louisa for almost 40 years and always electricity, running water, indoor plumbing, shoes to wear, blankets, sheets and any other nessicity to live. I believe is Father Beiting is doing good work all over the Appalachian region, but he is misleading people when he speaks about how poor everyone is.

The Appalachian Center that is ran by Father Beiting does NOT give out anything free. Anyone can go there and BUY these items that is mentioned in the article.

 

As for the post about 200 jobs from LC were lost, I really doubt that many from one job came from LC. What company was that laid off the men and maybe I could tell you more about it.

 

Strike3, I agree with you. Yes there is a small amount of people that need the help his organization does. But every State in America have these same problems and issues.

 

To me, this is just another stereotyping in America that people in the Appalachian Region live like it is still mid 1900's. People this is the 21st Century, technology alone you can find out about any Town, City, County, State you want on the internet.

 

I wrote a letter to the editor of this newspaper, begging them to educate themselves to learn about Louisa. They will find out that it is not much different than their small towns in Massachuetts.

As the great Earl Pitts would say "WAKE UP AMERICA".

I also want to add that I think what this young man is doing is awesome. I hope other young men and women show this kindness and love throughout their lives. If so, the World would be better for it.

 

P.S. I am sure I will post more on this. But I have to watch my temper on here

I know several people from LC and Louisa and while its bad in some parts, it no worse than say, Magoffin, Martin, Johnson, and Pike.

 

Every place has pockets of poverty but I would be shocked if more than 10 families in that county had an "outhouse".

It is my understanding that in just the last year, one major Boyd County employer laid off over 200 men who live in Lawrence Co. (more men were laid off, but 200 of them were from LC). That is 200 families that now have no income or insurance. I think the unemployment rate there doubled when that lay off occurred.

 

I can't speak for no electric/plumbing/shoes, but I am sure this lay off hurt many.

 

The more I read your post, the more I get angered. I would say that I find it hard to believe that only LC men were laid off. There is no way the unemployment doubled because of this either, that would mean the unemployment rate would be somewhere around 25%. So by your count if it did double that would mean out of Lawrence County's some 15,000 people that only 1600 have men working.

 

And I am sure that if 200 men did get laid off, they still would have electricity/plumbing/shoes for their families.

 

Have you been to Louisa or Lawrence County? I would say there is probably 1% that MAY fall into that category mentioned in the article.

This is why people outside of the state of Kentucky cannot get over the stereotyping if our own people here in Kentucky cannot get over it.

Here at BGP we are, shall we say, blessed with an abundance of readers from NKY and the Louisville Metro area. If I could figure out how to properly word it, I would like to post a poll exploring what their true perception is of the mountain counties and their living conditions.

Here at BGP we are, shall we say, blessed with an abundance of readers from NKY and the Louisville Metro area. If I could figure out how to properly word it, I would like to post a poll exploring what their true perception is of the mountain counties and their living conditions.

 

I would say very similar to the perceptions of what they living conditions in the inner city are.

I would say very similar to the perceptions of what they living conditions in the inner city are.

 

 

Who's perception of the inner city?