In 1931, then-Kentucky Governor Flem Sampson asked for Kentucky Colonels to form a “brotherhood” to do “good things for the Commonwealth,” and as such created the efficiently-named Kentucky Colonels Association.
His successor, Governor Ruby Laffoon, followed suit — creating his own “Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels.”
The two organizations would eventually merge, keeping the latter name, and moved into philanthropy in January 1937 — specifically to rebuke the destruction across the state from “The Great Flood.”
Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon’s Cadiz Rotary Club meeting — in a room full of such Colonels — HOKC Executive Director Colonel Sherry Crose dipped into the past, present and future of her organization, noting the governor-only bestowed honor has since created a massive network spanning all 50 U.S. states and more than 70 countries, including chapters in more than 60 of them, establishing a lifeline-like non-profit organization for the Bluegrass.
Nominated and later appointed for doing “good works in the Commonwealth,” Crose said the first Colonel awards on record were bestowed in 1809 — many of the first honorees re-dubbed as “aide-de-camps” after the War of 1812.
Somewhere along the way, the title turned back to “Colonel,” and not because of fried chicken.
Over the last nine decades, Crose said their non-profit has redirected much of its funding back to Kentucky’s non-profits, and recent data suggests more than 60% of the organization’s cash comes from out-of-state philanthropists — many current, and perhaps future, Colonels only wishing to see the state maintain and grow.
This past year, she noted their board approved more than $2.5 million in grants, and over the years, several western Kentucky organizations have benefited from the generosity — including the Trigg County Historical Society, the Dawson Springs Fire Department and more.
Just recently, her board approved spending $2.6 million during fiscal year 2026-27, providing assistance for 318 non-profits in Kentucky.
While most fundraising isn’t scholarship based, Crose did say they do provide some unique educational opportunities.
A non-partisan, non-political organization, Crose said the plan is to “remain such” — working in tandem for Colonel approvals through the Governor’s office. Matt Bevin, she added, averaged about 3,000 Colonels selected per year, while Beshear has averaged more than 6,000 annually during his terms, buoyed by the colossal outreach for both the 2021 tornadoes and 2022 mountain floods.
And the approval process has been revamped over the years.
An old database reveals more than 300,000 Kentucky Colonels exist, but through work from the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, more history has been made clear. Crose said all Colonel commissions are leatherbound by executive order, and those are being scanned in to create a searchable database.
Looking to maintain relevance over the next century, the HOKC recently created “The Council of Ambassadors” — an ad hoc committee composed of eleven Colonels from four states with diverse professional backgrounds, who are between the ages of 25 and 45.
This council, she said, has been working to bring advice and perspective to the board, in pursuit of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels future mission.
WEBSITE: https://www.kycolonels.org/
