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{nl}Bethel Cox Ritchie, of Hindman, KY and Charlie L. Whitaker, of Blackey, KY, were honored as the 2009 Alice Lloyd College Alumna and Alumnus of the Year at a banquet on Friday, September 18th, on the campus of Alice Lloyd College. The two were recognized for their outstanding service and dedication to Alice Lloyd College and the community. {nl}Bethel Cox Ritchie is a native of Knott County, and resides in Hindman, Kentucky.  She was married to Roy B. Ritchie, her husband of sixty-five years.  Bethel came to Pippa Passes as a high school student and then attended Caney Junior College where she earned an Associate Degree in 1941.  Mrs. Lloyd sent Bethel and Roy to the University of Kentucky in Lexington to continue their education and serve as house parents at the Caney Cottage.  While there, Bethel earned a Bachelor’s in Education in 1948; a Master’s in Education in 1949; and a Rank I in 1952.{nl}As one of Knott County’s most beloved and respected educators, Bethel has touched many lives through her dedication and commitment to learning.  Her career was first in the classroom and then she went on to serve thirty-four years as Supervisor of Instruction for the Knott County Board of Education.  She also supervised student teachers and taught literature and reading classes for Caney Junior College.{nl}Bethel is a dedicated civic and community leader.  She has served on the Knott County Democratic Committee and assisted in fundraising campaigns for the March of Dimes. She is a member of UK’s Kappa Delta Phi, the Hindman Methodist Church, and the Knott County Homemaker’s organization.  A few years ago, Bethel and Roy co-authored a children’s book titled, How Santa Claus Came to Be.{nl}Entertaining and surrounding herself with family and friends has always been a joy for Bethel who is well-known for the wonderful tea parties she has graciously hosted in her home through the years.  Bethel fondly recalls June Buchanan as one of her favorite guests.{nl}Very grateful for the opportunities which Alice Lloyd College provided, Bethel says that her experiences on Caney Creek made her the person she is today.  Bethel is one of the school’s most faithful ambassadors and supporters, and currently serves as a member of the ALC Alumni Association Board of Directors.{nl}Charlie L. Whitaker is a native of Letcher County.  He and his wife, Joyce, reside in Blackey, Kentucky.  After graduating from Stuart Robinson High School, Charlie earned an Associate Degree from Caney Junior College in 1951, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Eastern Kentucky University in 1954.  Following a two-year term of service in the U.S. Army, Charlie then continued his education, earning a Master’s Degree from Peabody College in 1960 and a second Master’s from the University of Louisville in 1971.{nl}During his thirty-eight career in education, Charlie served as a teacher and principal in the public school system and as Dean of Students and Physical Education instructor at Alice Lloyd College, earning him recognition as one of the region’s most respected educators.{nl}A long-time advocate of preserving Appalachian heritage through dance and crafts, Charlie has taught and called folk and square dances in the region for more than fifty years.  He has frequently participated in the Kentucky Folklife Festival in Frankfort, and in 2003 was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.  Charles is a skilled woodworker and is especially known for his dulcimers.{nl}Over the years, Charlie has been involved with many programs including the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEC) Summer Program for Kids, the Ford Foundation Rural School Improvement Program, and Appalshop.  He is a member of the Kentucky Education Association (KEA), Kentucky Retired Teachers Association (KRTA), Upper Kentucky Retired Teachers Association (UKRRTA), Letcher County Retired Teachers Association, and both the Carcassonne and Cowan Community Centers.{nl}Charlie has a distinguished history with Alice Lloyd College.  He was the school’s first basketball coach and the first person to be inducted in the ALC Athletic Hall of Fame.  Charlie helped organized the College’s first Appalachia Day and continues to be involved with the event today.  He served as a member of the Fulfilling Dreams Campaign and is a member of the 1923 Club, which helped to restore Cushing Hall.{nl}Spending time with his family is one of Charlie’s greatest pleasures.  He and Joyce have two daughters, Patricia Whitaker Boggs and Suzanne Whitaker Madden, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.