Supporter
Jacquelyn French, a native of Lexington, Ky., is the daughter of Virginia and the late William French. She is a graduate of Lafayette High School and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Eastern Kentucky University in Recreation and Parks Administration. Jackie has a twin sister, Gwendolyn and two younger brothers, William and Karl French. She has been employed by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Parks and recreation for over forty years.
Jackie is a member of the Kentucky Recreation and Park Society, National Recreation and Parks Association, National Youth Coaches Association and many other professional organizations. She received the Coretta Scott King “Spirit of Ivy” award in 2008.
Jackie started with Parks and Recreation as the Center Director at Dunbar Community Center on May 22, 1978. Since then, she has become a Recreation Manager over several areas. The areas originally included Extreme Sports, Cultural Arts, and Community Centers. Jackie also served as the Kentucky State Chair for the Hershey’s Track and Field Program for several years. When the Parks Department held the Bluegrass Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, she helped recruit and train volunteers who worked the scorer’s table for the tournament.
Jackie takes an active role with the Parks Department, making sure programs have volunteers and activities for children in the community. She has also been involved with the Summer Basketball Leagues that play at Douglass Park, where she has to hire officials and scorekeepers and complete the schedules for three leagues.
Jackie attends Uttingertown Baptist Church.
