Gift will benefit students for decades

TOPIC: Charley Nell Llewellyn
OUR VIEW: Generosity will benefit thousands

Imagine if our world had more people like the late Charley Nell Llewellyn.

For certain, it would be a much better place. In Hardin County, we are quite thankful we can call her our own.

The former social worker for Hardin County Schools has left the Central Kentucky Community Foundation the largest philanthropic gift in the county’s history with $2.42 million from her estate that will go to students.

The endowment should generate about $100,000 each year to provide scholarships to students of Hardin County Schools based on need.

That’s a lot of scholarship money from one source. Suppose the foundation decides to make each scholarship worth $2,000. That’s 50 students each year for whom the financial burden of higher education will be eased, thanks to the foresight and generosity of one woman.

Another $1 million eventually is planned to be added to the endowment, adding  $40,000-$50,000 in additional money for scholarships every year.

Llewellyn died Nov. 14, 2011. She was 84.

Her impact on generations of children will go on long after her passing.

Originally from Alabama, Llewellyn was known as someone who fought hard for the rights of children and women.

She retired in 1987 and was selected as Social Worker of the Year by the Kentucky chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and Kentucky School Social Worker of the Year.

She spent time seeking women’s rights, including campaigning for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. She was on the steering committee for Kentucky Pro-ERA Alliance. In 1981, she was named Kentucky Member of the Year by the National Organization for Women.

Llewellyn spent a good portion of her 84 years working for others. That doesn’t change even after her death.

The scholarships will be based on need and can be applied to any school.

HCS Superintendent Nannette Johnston said, “She has impacted the students of the past. She’s impacting us now and she will forever impact them in Hardin County.”

The endowment is an investment in the youth of our community. That sums up Llewellyn’s commitment to youngsters.

This editorial represents a consensus of The News-Enterprise's editorial board.