Promise Zone Profiles

David Douglas Morgan - Clay County

Brooke Smallwood, EKU Manchester

David Douglas Morgan owns a local pharmacy in Clay County called Morgan’s Pharmacy. He is a genuine, sweet person to many people in the community. Morgan takes pride in his business and strives to help his customers in any way possible. He is known to deliver medicine to customers who are unable to pick up their prescriptions, whether it’s due to transportation, or they're too sick to drive. Morgan says there are several nights that he doesn’t make it home until late, because he is out delivering medicine to customers. Not many people who would do this after working all day. 

John Brown - Clay County

 By Madison Botkins, EKU Manchester

John Brown was born at Camp Lejeune, a military camp in Jacksonville, North Carolina. After growing up on several military bases growing up, his father bought a few acres of land in Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Later, John and his wife owned and ran several business ventures, including mall stores, mall kiosks, a food concession trailer, flea market stalls, and selling signs and sunglasses at the Factory Outlet Mall in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In 1996, they opened Reno’s Roadhouse in Corbin, Kentucky, and built their own “Ghost Town” within the Cumberland Falls State Park. The businesses were doing well but were shut down by the state to build a road. They invested so much time and money into their businesses and couldn’t withstand the financial loss that consequently followed. Thus, they moved to Clay county in search for employment.

John Brown received a B.A. in English and philosophy. During his schooling, he took several German classes to accompany his philosophy degree. Fourteen years after he graduated, he returned to school to get his Master of Arts in Teaching. He currently teaches at Clay County High School. Doug Adams, the superintendent, asked Brown if he would be interested in teaching German at Clay County High School, Brown agreed. He traveled to Munich, Germany for three months to take the Praxis test, which is needed to earn his certification. This makes his 10^th year teaching German! During Christmas, he spreads joy throughout the school. For the past seven years, he has gathered his German I and II students to sing Christmas carols in German throughout the school.

John Brown positively contributes to the community by teaching and exposing students to different cultures. Brown said, “I love teaching at Clay County High School. The longer I teach, the more I enjoy teaching it [German]. My teaching continually improves, and my enjoyment of the students continually increases. I think Clay County is a hotbed of talent, and there has always been at least a battery of gifted and devoted teachers.”

Jim Taylor - Clay County

By Matthew Swafford, EKU Manchester

Jim Taylor is a math teacher at Clay County High School. He teaches Algebra 2, a required course, and Calculus 1 and 2 for students who are looking to further their math skills. Taylor goes out of his way to make sure his students understand the subject. He even provides free tutoring. In addition, he is the coach for the academic and track team.

Taylor is motivated by the community. He said if anyone came back to Clay County to help the community, that he’d like to be a part of it.

Tom and Chris Denman - Clay County

By Isabelle Finley, EKU Manchester

Tom and Chris Denman of Manchester, Kentucky are an inseparable couple that works together every day to help the Promise Zone. They are both incredibly involved with their church, The Risen Son Worship & Outreach Center. Tom and Chris Denman have led such impactful lives and perform so many wonderful deeds in the community. One of their endeavors stand out, the Mission Sales that they are involved with each week. Every Tuesday their church holds a Mission Sale where they sell items that have been donated, such as clothing, furniture, and toys. All proceeds go to national and local charities, like the Cancer Coalition, Big Creek Elementary School Back Pack Club, Hurricane Harvey victims, and Hurricane Matthew victims, just to name a few. When the Mission Sale is over, The Risen Son Worship & Outreach Center donate the remaining items to local churches and the Heart and Soul Life Center, a pregnancy help center in Clay County. Tom and Chris are so dedicated to helping people in the Promise Zone.