Don Ball (philanthropist)

After graduating from Hebbardsville High School in 1954 he moved to Lexington to attend the University of Kentucky, where he met and married Mira Snider.

[4] In 2012, Ford Motor Company and Lincoln donated $10,000 to help the Hope Center's emergency homeless shelter and recovery programs.

[8] In 2018, Ball helped fund an expansion of its women's recovery center, which added 30 extra beds to the facility, moving their total up to 105.

[4] In 2014, the couple was given “Gift of Blue” for helping Future Farmers of America members that were unable to afford jackets ranging from $50 to $75 buy them.

[13] Ball was a supporter of charities including the Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, the Junior League Horse Show, KET, Relay for Life, The Salvation Army, the United Way, and the University of Kentucky.

[4] Ball was responsible for philanthropic efforts, such as supporting Hoops for Haiti and UK's Dance Blue marathon that raises money for cancer victims, as well as UK HealthCare's Overture to Healing Lexington Philharmonic concert benefit.

[4] His death was commented on by Lexington mayor Jim Gray—who referred to Ball as a "modern day Horatio Alger"—and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who described Ball as a "founding father of the modern Republican Party of Kentucky."