BGFC Has New Office/Programs, Receives Donations

The Blue Grass Farms Chaplaincy announced it has a new office located in the Crenshaw Building at 1450 North Broadway, #303, Lexington, KY 40505.

BGFC, a division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, is a nonprofit evangelical Christian outreach ministry dedicated to serving the spiritual, physical, social, and education needs of all people in the Central Kentucky horse farm community.

To further support its programs, BGFC received a $7,000 donation from WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., through the sale of a season to WinStar stallion Victory Gallop at the Thoroughbred Charities of America's 15th Annual Stallion Season Auction in December.

Also BGFC and Operation Read received a $5,000 grant from Keeneland to help with a project to offer special ESL classes that are specific to the horse industry.

BGFC has arranged for 55 farm employees to travel to Erlanger, Ky. April 3, to meet with the Mexican Consulate to obtain their Consular Matricula. This will enable workers to open a savings or checking account as well as apply for an ETIN number (which is like a social security number).

Chaplain Vincent Rivera is currently visiting area horse farms in his "Chaplain Mobile," the BGFC's mobile ministry and information resource. Rivera will visit participating farms on a continual basis to meet with employees individually to asses needs, listen, offer advice, and pray.

In other activities, BGFC elected new executive officers: David Foley (president); B. J. Stull (vice president), Lonny Powell (secretary), and Christina Jelm (treasurer). In addition, four new council members have been added to the board: Valerie Hiatt, assistant vice president of business development for Hispanic initiative at BB&T Bank; Christina Jelm of Walmac Farm; Carlos Knox, pastor of Iglesia Nueva Vida in Lexington; and Erika Olsen, outreach specialist for the Bluegrass Farmworker Health Center.

For more information about the BGFC, call executive director Nancy Brooking at (859) 231-0054, ext. 312 and visit the organization's Web site at www.bluegrassfarmschaplaincy.org.