PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — Businesses in downtown Prestonsburg are remembering the fallen officers after a week of funerals. One shop owner is using her storefront to raise money for the families of the first responders who lost their loved ones. 

What You Need To Know

  • Prestonsburg laid to rest the fallen officers and K-9 who were killed in a shootout

  • Sew-N-Love in Prestonsburg is raffling off a quilt

  • 100% of the ticket sales and donations will go toward the fund for the fallen heroes

  • Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky has raised over $15,000 as of Friday

Four funerals in one week has Jan Joseph closing her Sew-N-Love shop early to honor the fallen officers. 

“My heart breaks over what’s happened,” Joseph said. 

Joseph has lived in Floyd County since 1983, and says Thursday evening she received a text from a first responder explaining the situation unfolding in her community.

“I can’t say anything else but there’s an active shooter in the county and then, of course, in large print, please pray,” Joseph said. 

Three officers and a K-9 died from the incident and Joseph says it’s a tragedy that has impacted the entire community. 

“They’ll need a lot of support both the ones that you know have passed away and their families are going to need help but also those that have injured and they’re going to have major medical bills and I’m just speechless in a lot of ways,” Joseph said. 

For the past two years, Joseph has created a Shop Pop event where she and five other sewing shops create a quilt to raffle off. This year’s raffle just became more important than ever.

“It was just placed in my heart that I need to raffle this quilt and donate 100% of the proceeds to the fund that’s been created to help these officers and their families,” Joseph said. 

As of Friday, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky has raised over $15,000.

“There’s a sense of hope too, we have people coming in from everywhere. We have donations coming in to support these people,” Joseph said. 

And during these difficult times, Joseph says if people can not give financially they can send prayers of healing for the small community of Prestonsburg.

The raffle for the quilt will be held on August 15th in Prestonsburg, each raffle ticket will be $5 or 6 for $25. To purchase the raffle tickets, they must be purchased in person or sent in via check to the shop. Donations are also being collected directly through the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky. 

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