WITNESSING HISTORY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC

ON THE HEELS OF A FAVORABLE 2022, THE YEAR 2023 WAS VERY GOOD. IN APRIL, NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WERE ADDED: STEVE EVANS, CPA, BARBOURVILLE, KENTUCKY, NEIL RUSH, DMD, CYNTHIANA, KY, CHIP SUTHERLAND, R.W. BAIRD, LOUISVILLE, KY, AND DOTTIE DOBBS SPEARS, PARIS, KENTUCKY. A MEETING OF THE NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS CONVENED ON MAY 9, 2023 AT TRACKSIDE RESTAURANT IN PARIS, KENTUCKY. THE BOARD VIEWED A ROUGH CUT OF THE FILM UNDER PRODUCTION, "THE SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD:" THE COMING OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, REVIEWED WHEF FINANCIALS, AND DISCUSSED FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES. THE FALL 2023 TOUR, "DANIEL BOONE AND THE WILDERNESS ROAD," WAS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL, INCLUDING BUS AND LODGING EXPENSES AND LOGISTICS, AND THE FULL BUS OF REGISTRANTS, 55 IN ALL.THE BOARD RECONVENED ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2023, THIS TIME AT THE BROWN'S HOME IN RICHMOND, KENTUCKY. IN ATTENDANCE WERE EVANS, SUTHERLAND, RUSH, KENT AND GENEVIEVE BROWN. INVITED TO PRESENT ON FUNDRAISING WAS BEN MOHLER OF GIVING THREE. HE PRESENTED A PROPOSED CONTRACT; AFTER HIS DEPARTURE, THE BOARD VOTED NEGATIVE ON HIRING A PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISER AT THE TIME; THE CONTRACT WAS DETERMINED TO BE TOO EXPENSIVE.EVANS PROPOSED A NUMBER OF IDEAS FOR PREMIER VIEWINGS OF THE FILM, AND ARRANGED A MEETING WITH THE KENTUCKY EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATIVE (KEDC), WITH A VIEW TOWARDS PARTNERING WITH THAT TEACHERS ORGANIZATION TO WRITE THE TEACHER GUIDES AND LESSON PLANS FOR POSTING ON PBS LEARNING MEDIA.

BEGINNING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 51 ATTENDEES (WE HAD FOUR LAST-MINUTE CANCELLATIONS) SHOWED UP AT THE SLEEP INN IN MIDDLESBORO, KENTUCKY FOR THE "DANIEL BOONE AND THE WILDERNESS ROAD TOUR." THAT EVENING, PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED AN OVERVIEW LECTURE AND RECEIVED THEIR TOUR PACKETS. EARLY NEXT MORNING, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, WE BOARDED THE BUS, BEGINNING AT "THE NARROWS" OF THE CUMBERLAND RIVER. THE NEXT STOP WAS AT FLAT LICK; THE TOUR CONTINUED NORTH ALONG BOONE'S ORIGINAL PATH TO LEVI JACKSON STATE PARK WHERE WE WALKED ALONG A REMNANT OF BOONE'S ORIGINAL TRACK AND OBSERVED THE SITE OF MCNITT'S DEFEAT. THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HAD MARKED THE PATH IN 1915, AND OUR STOPS WERE AT THE MONUMENTS THE DAR HAD ERECTED ALONG THE WAY. WE CONTINUED ALONG THE WILDERNESS ROAD TO FORT BOONESBORO, STOPPING FOR A HOT LUNCH AT BOONE'S TAVERN. AFTER VISITING FORT BOONESBORO, WE RETURNED TO MIDDLESBORO.ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, THE BUS DROVE DOWN TO SYCAMORE SHOALS, THE SITE WHERE DANIEL BOONE MET TO NEGOTIATE WITH INDIANS USING THE PATH INTO KENTUCKY. WE STOPPED ONLY ONCE ON THE WAY, WHERE DANIEL BOONE'S SON WAS KILLED BY INDIANS.BEGINNING AGAIN AT SYCAMORE SHOALS, WE TRACED THE PATH INTO KENTUCKY ALONG THE WILDERNESS ROAD, MAKING STOPS ALONG THE WAY. AT ANDERSON'S FORT, WE ATE BOX LUNCHES PREPARED BY GAP CREEK COFFEE SHOP IN CUMBERLAND GAP, TENNESSEE. WE VISITED MARTIN'S STATION, AND WE FINALLY WALKED THROUGH THE CUMBERLAND GAP WITH THE GROUP. IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY TOUR, WITH A NUMBER OF BOONE DESCENDANTS AND DESCENDANTS OF MEN WHO MARKED THE ROAD WITH HIM.