The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) hosted the 13th annual President’s Gala and Benefactors’ Awards Dinner on Saturday, October 27 at 7 p.m. at the Louisville Marriott Downtown.
More than 600 state and local dignitaries from across the Commonwealth attended the event. This event provides an opportunity for KCTCS to honor an impressive list of 28 of the state’s leading individuals, business, and foundations for their generous philanthropic and voluntary support to KCTCS.
Somerset Community College honored Helen Cornele in Memoriam at the event. Helen Cornele passed away on October 6, 2004. She and her husband Richard “Dick” Cornele were the co-directors of Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Pulaski County for many years. Upon her passing, the Helen Cornele Memorial Scholarship was established at SCC. The fund is supported by annual gifts in memory of Cornele and has been awarded each year since 2005. The scholarship is designated for non-traditional single-parents who are students at SCC.
“Helen’s life-long work revolved around helping people,” said Linda Bourne, friend of the Cornele family and former employee of Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Pulaski County. “When Helen would work with kids at the organization, she would also work with the families, many of whom were single parents. She wanted to make sure they had the skills and the education necessary to take care of their own families. She believed in everyone and I think this scholarship would make her proud.”
“SCC is proud to honor Helen’s memory at the 2012 President’s Gala,” said SCC President and CEO Dr. Jo Marshall. “Keeping her legacy alive through this scholarship is very important to the college and to the scholarship recipients. We appreciate the support of Mr. Cornele and all the Helen Cornele Memorial Scholarship donors.”
Dick Cornele accepted the award on behalf of his late wife. Others honored at the event included:
Kentucky Community and Technical College System PNC Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Ashland Community and Technical College Richard W. and Frances Martin, Ashland The Mansbach Foundation, Ashland Big Sandy Community and Technical College Burnette Family Charitable Foundation, Inc., Maysville Dennis and Jean Dorton, Paintsville Bluegrass Community and Technical College City of Winchester Bowling Green Technical College Bowling Green Metalforming, LLC Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Elizabethtown Rotary Club Hardin-LaRue Medical Society, Elizabethtown Gateway Community and Technical College The Bank of Kentucky, Crestview Hills Duke Energy, Cincinnati, Ohio Hazard Community and Technical College Hazard ARH Medical Staff Henderson Community College Dr. John and Jackie Logan, Henderson Henderson County Fiscal Court Hopkinsville Community College Bettie Wallace, Princeton Pamela J. Thomas, Henderson Jefferson Community and Technical College Community Foundation of Louisville The Gheens Foundation, Inc., Louisville Madisonville Community College G. Herbert and Anne Pritchett, Madisonville Muhlenberg County Fiscal Court, Greenville Maysville Community and Technical College Nelson and Pauline Hester, Kent, Washington Owensboro Community and Technical College IMPACT 100, Owensboro Canteen Service Company of Owensboro, Inc. Somerset Community College Helen Cornele in Memoriam, Somerset Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Georgetta Riley Richardson, , Lyndhurst, Ohio Dr. Georgenna Riley, Lyndhurst, Ohio West Kentucky Community and Technical College Dr. William E. Murphy, Ph.D., P.E., Paducah Paducah & Louisville Railway