Each student in Jessamine County Schools will start the next school year off without any school lunch debt thanks to community members who rallied together to tackle the debt of student lunch accounts, which recently totaled over $4,000. 

An anonymous donation of $3,500 — the largest single donation made to assist with the charges — was accepted at a Jessamine County School Board meeting on May 15. Many other community members pulled resources together leaving a balance of $520.36. 

After being approached by a staff member with the Jessamine County Schools, the Jessamine County Democrats decided to take on the project and add it to a rally they were hosting to show support for public education.

“It seemed like that project fit very well with the purpose of our rally,” Carolyn Dupont with the Jessamine County Democrats said. 

On Saturday, June 3, the rally at Rock Fence Park in Nicholasville hit that balance out of the park by raising approximately $600 at the event, which featured former state auditor Adam Edelen and other local leaders. Music was provided by guitarist and fiddler Blakeley Burgher.