Community Service and Scholarships

The Kentucky Chapter of IAAO is recognized as a caring and energetic group, having assisted various children's hospitals and orphanages through financial donations and toy drives. A brief history of most of the chapter's charitable activities follows.

2003

The Chapter expressed its support for our troops overseas by participating in "Operation Phone Home", collecting and sending phone cards totaling over 29,000 minutes to American soldiers serving in Iraq. The Chapter created a cookbook, "The Official Kentucky Officials' Cookbook", with recipes submitted from county officials across the state. The proceeds from the sale of cookbooks are going to the Ronald McDonald House and the Scholarship Fund. A check for $6,500 was presented to representatives at the Ronald McDonald House at the chapter meeting in Louisville, on October 15, 2003. A similar amount will be dedicated to the Scholarship Fund.

2002

The Kentucky Chapter benefited needy families by contributing toys, food, clothing, and over $1,000 in cash to the WBKR Christmas Wish in Owensboro, Kentucky. The Chapter also raised $800 for the United Way, as well as a matching amount for the Scholarship Fund, through its successful "Courthouse Steps" quilt raffle.

2001

The 2001 project involved taking a large cargo van full of toys donated by members to the Diocesan Children's Home orphanage in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

2000

One of the most satisfying efforts of the Chapter involved 36 of its members painting pumpkins (grown by chapter members) with children at the Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, for Halloween.

1999

A quilt was designed and made with a patch from each of Kentucky's 120 counties. The quilt was raffled off for over $10,000, with the proceeds split between the Kosair Children's Hospital and the chapter's Scholarship Fund.

1998

The Kentukcy Chapter conducted a toy drive and delivered the toys to Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Various supplies for the Ronald McDonald house in Louisville were also collected and delivered.

Scholarships

Over the past six years, the Kentucky Chapter has awarded a total of 78 scholarships totaling $42,760 to members, to be used for IAAO and state property tax courses. Under this program, all expenses are paid and recipients are required to attend 100 percent of the class time and take the examination. Various selection criteria are utilized, mostly need-based. This program has allowed many of the smaller counties to continue participating in the education program despite some very difficult fiscal times.

In a business where effective public relations is paramount to success, the Chapter has generated much goodwill for the assessment profession. Through its community involvement and support of education, the Kentucky Chapter of IAAO has already built a solid reputation as a professional organization that cares.