Pikeville program raising money for statue of Paul Patton

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Pikeville Main Street Program is trying to raise funds to place a bronze statue of former Gov. Paul Patton in a park in his eastern Kentucky hometown.

Main Street Director Minta Trimble wrote to potential donors for the $75,000 fundraising effort, saying the group hopes to have the design for the statue completed by October.

Trimble told The Courier-Journal (http://cjky.it/1LcDskh ) that about 600 letters went out statewide earlier this month, many to Louisville and Frankfort.

Patton, who is 77, was governor from 1995 to 2003. He had been Pike County judge-executive before becoming governor, and he was president of the University of Pikeville from 2009 to 2013.

Trimble said the statue will depict Patton wearing his academic robes from his time as university president.

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Information from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com

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