WELCOME TO LA GRANGE
Kindness Capital of Kentucky
La Grange, KY was founded in 1827 and its defining feature is the mainline train track running directly through Main Street.
The La Grange historic district contains numerous small businesses such as shops, eateries, and art galleries.
La Grange Main Street Program is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting business, history, and community in the city.
La Grange hosts a Farmers and Artisan Market, a Kentucky Proud Market, where locally made items are sold. The market is open from mid-May through late October.
BE KIND OLDHAM COUNTY
Two sisters are spreading kindness throughout Oldham County with just two simple words: Be kind.
Rylyn Richins, left, and Raegan Richins, right, hold the hand-painted signs they have created through their campaign called Be Kind Oldham County. Proceeds from each sign are donated to a local charity of the donor’s choice.
Raegan Richins, 10, and Rylyn Richins, 8, have started a new campaign called Be Kind Oldham County.
Raegan and Rylyn said they came up with the idea after they saw signs in Larue County that said, “Just be kind.”
“We believe that we can do more than just be kind, we can be courageous,” Raegan explained. “We can be an example. So our signs they say ‘be kind,’ instead of ‘just be kind.’”
Each one-of-a-kind sign is hand painted by Raegan and Rylyn, with the occasional help of mom Rhonda Richins, dad, La Grange Police Officer Ryan Richins and their three siblings who have Down Syndrome.
Less than a week after creating Be Kind Oldham County, the girls had sold nearly 100 signs and gained over 500 followers on Facebook.
Raegan and Rylyn told the Era they hoped to bring the idea into the school year at Locust Grove Elementary.
Thanks to an anonymous donor, a Be Kind sign will be placed at every school in the Oldham County Schools district.
“It’s always a good thing to promote kindness in our schools and we are excited to see the girls’ artwork displayed,” Oldham County Schools Director of Communications Lori McDowell said. “We hope these posters spark acts of kindness throughout our district.”
The girls hopes to remind their peers and the community that a small gesture can go a long way.
“You can be kind in many different ways. You can sit next to somebody that’s alone, you can just smile at somebody, those little things that Oldham County needs,” Raegan said.
“It’s better to make a change once in our life every once in a while,” Rylyn said.
The kind signs are available for $10, and proceeds are donated to the donor’s choice of Pillar, Humane Society of Oldham County, Guns N’ Hoses, the Hope Health Clinic or Blessings in a Backpack.
Article written by Amanda Manning at The Oldham Era.
To order a sign or see where the girls will be set up locally, visit Be Kind Oldham County on Facebook.