Belle Of Louisville Receives $10,000 Donation

The Hampton Hotels chain has donated money and a labor force to make improvements to the Belle of Louisville.Hampton's Save-A-Landmark crew accepts online nominations for landmarks to restore, and the group chose the Belle for a ten thousand dollar grant. Volunteers from area hotels helped put the money to use this week, touching up the interior of the boat and replacing 20-year-old ceiling fans."These are projects that needed to be done years ago because of short funding. We now have the chance to beautify the interior of the boat. Money might not become available for several more years," says Portmaster Mark Douty. "It's the little things—the changing of the light fixtures, the ceiling fans, helping us paint when we're short on crew members this time of year. It's the little things that bring the beauty out in the boat that will help."The Save-A-Landmark crew had another project in Kentucky earlier this year, helping restore Abraham Lincoln's childhood home in LaRue County.