Lexington, KY - A risk-taker and visionary, Marnie Holoubek describes herself as CEO of two young girls, Allie, 7, and Kate, 9, and her husband Phil as COO. In fact, she is a community volunteer who is trying to creatively connect people to open farmland. She grew up on a beef cattle farm in Paris, Ky., where her grandmother and grandfather raised peacocks and fowl, bred various dogs, and imported the very first herd of charolais cattle from France. She knew that her two most marketable skills were horseback riding and art.
After graduating from Wittenburg University in Ohio with a bachelor's degree in East Asian studies and art, she began her first job: giving horseback tours through Buck's County Pennsylvania. Riding along the Delaware River through unspoiled farmland kept Holoubek and her clients happy until a job-related injury persuaded her to follow her love of art. "It was time for a desk job," she explained. "I returned to Kentucky to do an internship at The Cornett Group."
Holoubek pursued her love of graphic design in Lexington and Santander, Spain, and even studied Italian design in Florence, Italy.
"With time, however, the design industry became primarily computer generation, which didn't interest me," she said. "I preferred the tactile part of making art."
She did a complete career turn-around and began helping the United Way of the Bluegrass with fund-raising, which she said spoke to her desire to improve the community. She continues to focus on land-oriented projects that need fund-raising assistance.
Holoubek and a few friends and supporters pulled it all together when they began The Legacy Trail on Lexington's north side.
"I love that a farm is being shared with bicyclists, walkers, artists and nature-lovers in a safe and enjoyable way," she said.
The nine-mile Legacy Trail opened in time for the World Equestrian Games, but, according to Holoubek, that's just the first phase of the project.
"I'm working with UK fine arts students who have selected a consultant to help with phase II, which we call the blazes," she said, explaining that blazes are the flags, designed and painted by local artists, that will be placed along the trails to identify significant features of the trail. "It's a great project, and it fits with my own core values of enhancing family experience and creating a better community for future generations."
Currently, she is involved in two new projects: a community garden at the Lexington School, which her daughters attend, and helping plan for Shaker Village's 50th anniversary party.
"Anything the school does reflects their investment in quality, so this project will take some time," she said. "Our goal is to incorporate aspects of the garden project into the science curriculum and summer camp program. We want students to understand about plant life and become involved in building and maintaining the garden in the future."
Her second project is one she undertook only after the board of Shaker Village agreed its 50th anniversary celebration had to be fun, active and family-friendly.
"There are 40 miles of trails at Shaker Village, and we're planning for walking and riding trips and barbecue," Holoubeck said. "It will even be possible to rent a bike to explore the trails during the September celebration."
How does Holoubek manage to do it all?
"I've learned to say no and to work only on projects that relate to my values, my family's values," she said. She wants to engage more young professionals and young people in the planning and development of projects that will meet their needs and desires in the future.
"Young people today live in a different world, a different life space from the older generation," she said. "We need to listen to them, work with them and leave the nay-sayers behind."