Southeast Kentucky Chamber Presents $76,000 Check to the Shriners

PIKEVILLE, KY (July 1, 2024)—The Southeast Kentucky Chamber proudly presented Hillbilly Clan 1 Outhouse 2 with a check for $76,000 on Thursday, June 27, 2024. The presentation took place at the Garfield House in Pikeville with Shriner representatives and Southeast Kentucky Chamber Board members present. The proceeds will be donated to the Shriners Children's Hospital in Lexington.

Funds were raised during Hillbilly Days by selling vendor spaces. Southeast Kentucky’s largest festival, Hillbilly Days, attracts thousands of visitors each year. This year's event was the largest yet, with around with record crowds in attendance and more than 300 vendor spaces sold. In the early years of the festival, vendors paid a percentage of their earnings as payment to participate. Now, a flat rate is paid in advance of the event.

For over 45 years, the Southeast Kentucky Chamber has enjoyed a wonderful partnership with the Shriners as the festival’s financial agent, managing the event and vendors. This enduring relationship highlights their shared commitment to community service and philanthropy.

“We are thrilled to present this year’s check to the Shiners, because it’s the largest in more than a decade,” said Jordan Gibson, President & CEO of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber. “The Shriners Children's Hospital in Lexington provides critical care to children in need, and we are honored to contribute to their mission through the proceeds from Hillbilly Days.”

Hillbilly Days was founded in 1977 by a group of Shriners led by the late “Shady” Grady Kinney and Howard “Dirty Ears” Stratton. Beginning as a small hillbilly parade in Pikeville in 1976, the parade grew into a full three-day festival. It has continued ever since, and now tens of thousands of people from around the country come each year to experience the cultural heritage of Appalachia. Hillbilly Days is the largest festival in Eastern Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, and Western West Virginia.

The Shriners Children's Hospital in Lexington provides specialized pediatric care to children, regardless of their families' ability to pay. The donation will help the hospital continue its mission of delivering life-changing medical treatment to young patients.

The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is located at 178 College Street in Pikeville and serves more than 500 businesses in eight Eastern Kentucky Counties: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike. The Chamber’s mission is to serve the businesses of Southeastern Kentucky through a commitment to networking, advocacy, education, and collaboration as we partner together to enhance the business climate in our region.
 

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