Blakley receives worldwide honor

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Alton Blakley Jr., stands next to the portrait of his father, the founder of Alton Blakley Ford Lincoln. Blakley Jr. has been honored with Ford Motor’s “Salute to Dealers Award.”

February 1, 2012

By JEFF NEAL, CJ News Editor Commonwealth Journal The Commonwealth Journal Wed Feb 01, 2012, 07:00 AM EST

Somerset —

Just last week, Alton Blakley Jr., received the Somerset-Pulaski Chamber of Commerce distinguished community service award.

This week, Blakley has been honored by his worldwide peers in the automotive industry.

Blakley, the owner of Alton Blakley Ford Lincoln in Somerset, earned Ford’s prestigious “Salute to Dealers Award.”

According to a news release issued by Ford Motors, Blakley is one of six winners “chosen for his dedication to local community and service.” Blakley was selected from 8,500 Ford and Lincoln dealerships from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, Asia, Central America, Africa and the Middle East.

The Somerset dealer is one of only three North American honorees.

Blakley will receive the award on Feb. 3, at the 12th annual tribute ceremony at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention in Las Vegas.

"In an economically challenged rural community in Kentucky, Alton E. Blakley, Jr. gives to better the opportunities for the people who live in Somerset, Ky., and the surrounding counties," remarked Greg Wood, Cincinnati parts, service and sales regional manager. "Al Blakley's support is overwhelming with sincere generosity and unselfish time volunteered."

The list of Blakley’s community involvement is extensive in scope, but his major focus has been on improving the lives of Somerset-area residents.

Blakley said while growing up in Somerset, he realized some of his friends did not have the same opportunities or financial stability that his family enjoyed. He decided at that point he would do his best to make a difference.

For the past two decades-plus, he has done just that.

Blakley's efforts are demonstrated through his time and monetary investments, including financial support to the Pulaski County and Somerset Independent school districts. Blakley has also served as General Campaign Co-Chair for the Partners in Progress Campaign for Somerset Community College. In addition, Blakley has served as a mentor through the Kid's Hope Mentoring program and volunteered for the Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children organization.

"It is an honor to receive the Salute to Dealers award from Ford Motor Company," said Blakley. "But the true reward is seeing how these efforts are helping the people of my hometown."

Blakley has been recognized for his work by local, state and national entities:

• The Kentucky United Way has awarded Blakley with its Outstanding Volunteer award.

• Blakley has been the recipient of the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year award and the Distinguished Community Service Award.

• Blakley received the Rotary Club of Somerset's Rotarian of the Year award.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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