In December 2025, MAC volunteers visited Eastern Kentucky’s Beaver Creek Elementary School again to bring toys and supplies for children and families. Beaver Creek Elementary is located in Knott County, among the hardest hit regions of the 2022 flooding.
Beaver Creek Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Topmost, KY in the Knott County School District. The percentage of Beaver Creek Elementary School students on free and reduced lunch assistance (87.5%) is significantly higher than the state average of 62.2%. This may indicate that the area has a higher level of poverty than the state average.
MAC was represented by Chuck and Debbie Harper. Debbie is pictured with Candace Nickles, Librarian at Beaver Creek Elementary. Thank you to staff at the school who works tirelessly to assist families and comfort who were affected by floods. See more supplies that were delivered here.
Chuck Harper gave the following account of his visit: “Today we made out annual Christmas sojourn to Knott County to visit Beaver Creek Elementary and deliver some joy to many children who otherwise won’t have much of a Christmas. Along the way, we were constantly humbled at some of the abject poverty in this part of our state. We were saddened to hear of the retirement of teacher and librarian, Candace Nickles. After 33 years, Candace has reluctantly decided that this would be her last. I firmly believe that, for the most part, teaching is a vocation and not just a job. That’s certainly true of this wonderful woman who practices her vacation with grace and honor. You would think that most of her kids are millionaires, but they certainly are not. There’s a sign in her library at Beaver Creek that says “Teachers plant seeds that grow for a lifetime.” God bless Candace and the faculty of Beaver Creek for helping 2 very fortunate folks from Louisville to once again understand what Christmas is all about. They are the ones who gave the gifts, not us and the fine organization called Doctors for Healthy Communities. Me and my wife hope the kids we will never meet have a Merry Christmas!”
