Fall Chamber Breakfast: Carhartt Business of the Quarter

By PJ Martin
Editor, The Herald-News

The fall Edmonton-Metcalfe Chamber of Commerce breakfast was held at the new fairgrounds building last Tuesday morning. After the Chamber President Gina Gibson welcomed everyone, Tina Wilson of Wilsons Bookkeeping gave the invocation.

Gibson then announced the Business of the Quarter as Carhartt and presented the award to Ginger Stephens, who thanked everyone and told the crowd about Carhartt.

Carhartt has been a family-owned business since 1889 and was founded by Hamilton Carhartt. The headquarters is in Dearborn, Michigan, and worldwide, they employ more than 3,000 people. “We actually began production here on September 5th, 1989, the same year Carhartt was celebrating its 100th anniversary.”

Carhartt has been part of the community for 37 years. They currently employ around 125 people from Metcalfe and surrounding counties.

In Edmonton, early production focused on work jackets and coats, and in the 90s added hunting and outdoor wear, all geared toward the working person. They value hard work, honesty, and “Made in the USA”.

In 2025, they began producing T-shirts and sweatshirts for the Carhartt Crafted Series that features a seasonal collection and a few year-round items. They are currently in the third phase of the Crafted Series on Carhartt.com.

“While products and technology change, the importance of skilled people and local manufacturing endures. Thanks to the Chamber and the community for 37 years of support.”

The Metcalfe County Fair Board was the breakfast sponsor, and board member Chris Huffman spoke about the board and the need for community involvement. He stated that the building where the breakfast was being held is available for rent for a modest cost, and they are seeking events to be held throughout the year there.

Last year, the floral hall and pageant were held in the new building. Over 105 youth competitors and 489 youth entries were displayed in this building during the fair.

The Pumpkin Festival pageant is being held there, and the school district plans to use the fairgrounds for events; the hope is to be more self-sustaining. Adding that a gun and knife show was held in July with 42 vendors and over 200 people attended. A Christmas flea market is scheduled for December 4 and 5, and a Knife and Arms show on December 11 and 12.

Huffman stated, “We don’t ask for a lot of your time. We meet once a month to talk about things that we’re planning and things that we’re doing. And with this building, we’re doing a whole lot more out here than just one week out of the year trying to make the fair self-sustaining. So, we’re asking for people to come help. We’re asking for people to be on the board.”

They are also holding benefit events at the fairground, such as last year’s benefit truck pull; that resulted in a $70,000 donation to Kosair Children’s Hospital, and another this weekend.

He stated that the fair costs approximately $60,000 and the carnival accounts for around half of the budget. The rodeo costs about $8,500. They try to keep the gate cost down to $10 and $15 with the carnival. Food prices are also kept low (e.g., $3 hamburgers) to keep it affordable for families.

Next to speak was Kandace Gallagher, who has been employed at the Metcalfe Nursing and Rehab facility for 26 years. (27 years in October). The facility opened in 1977 and has undergone several additions since then. The facility offers skilled nursing and short-term rehabilitation services (e.g., hip fracture, cardiac event, wound, pneumonia). They offer long-term care for residents, have an in-house Nurse Practitioner five days a week, and a Wound Care provider once a week. They can provide oxygen, physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech therapy, and intravenous (IV) therapies. They also accept most insurances Medicare (preferred), Medicare replacement plans, and Medicaid.

The facility employs over 80 staff members, and that includes some local high school students.

“We are very proud of our community involvement… last Friday, the school brought over children, and it was very fun. We were continuing with Grandparents Week, and they made little cards and they came in and they read the little cards to our residents, and it was very precious. So, it was a great interaction with the kids. They loved being there. Definitely, our residents loved them being there. And it was just a great involvement for all. The children were very comfortable with the residents.”

Next, local Shriners Director Robert Firkins spoke about the Shriners Organization and how their charitable events and donations help children’s hospitals provide care. He explained that on Monday, he and Woody Bennett were with members of Kosair for Kids who presented a $2.5 million grant to Med Center Health in Bowling Green to fund the children’s NICU with equipment and staff training simulators. This will be the only Level 3 NICU in South Central Kentucky. In 2025, Kosair for Kids programs touched the lives of more than 168,400 children.

Raelyn Mosby, owner of recently opened R&R Marketplace, spoke next. She related that she started R&R Boutique at age 15, and at 21 had earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University.

“Since we no longer have a grocery store right here in Edmonton, I saw an opportunity to bring people the option to buy things they need locally, especially fresh meat. Today, R&R Marketplace offers fresh, locally sourced beef, pork, chicken, and lamb.”

She has sources from over 15 local vendors who offer boutique clothing, locally made products, gifts, meats, milk, and more in her store.

“When you spend money with a local business …You are helping people pay their bills, support their farm, and simply having the confidence to keep on going.”

Her market focus is on supporting local agriculture and small businesses, creating a place for vendors to grow while noting her appreciation for community support and word-of-mouth. With business plans to learn and adapt to community needs, Mosby invited everyone to visit R&R Marketplace.

The last speaker was Kerrigan Bolling from Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), a non-profit organization that is dedicated to economic development, innovation, and job growth, serving 54 counties including Metcalfe.

One of six Innovation Hubs in Eastern Kentucky through the Cabinet for Economic Development; provides free business coaching for starting, growing, or scaling a business. They assist with things such as taxes and business connections; a mentorship program pairing entrepreneurs with experienced mentors. You can find more information at soar-ky.org.

The SOAR Summit will be in Corbin, Kentucky, on October 5–9 (Tuesday–Friday). General tickets are around $200 for the full week, but daily pricing is also available. It features Innovation Alley, which is a business and student showcase section, plenary sessions, workshops, and networking across Eastern Kentucky and beyond.

Gibson thanked Diane’s Cakes & Catering for the wonderful breakfast, thanked the fair board for the use of the building, and wished everyone a great day.