Most enjoy Capital Expo Festival for what it gives back to the community. However, one vendor uses Expo to give back on a larger scale.

As the annual festival kicked off Thursday at the Capital Plaza complex and around the fountains, Eugene King stood proudly at his booth, showcasing his Appalachian Mountain crafts that he calls “tributes” and “ornaments or medallions.” 

With more than 4,000 military designs and about 100 depicting dogs, his items attracted a lot of attention.

Originally from Pike County, King now lives in Stanton. He says his artwork actually started as a hobby, but now he’s using his talents to make a difference.

“I set this up to do things for our returning veterans,” King said. 

With the smell of popcorn and funnel cakes wafting through the warm, humid summer air, Expo goers – many of them state workers off for lunch – stopped at King’s and other craft booths, listened to music, visited and enjoyed mingling.

Expo continues until midnight tonight and Saturday, concluding with what’s being billed as a “gigantic” fireworks display Saturday. As it’s been from it’s inception, there’s no admission to Expo – all you have to spend is for what you purchase from crafts and food vendors or at the midway.

In addition to the arts and crafts – the mainstay of Expo and the focus of its beginning in the early 1970s – there are rides on the midway, food galore on the upper deck, and entertainment on two stages.

While others use their craft sales to make a living or at least to pay the expenses for their creative hobby, King puts all profits toward more materials, helping find jobs for veterans or to the National Guard. 

King sponsors a Kentucky National Guard youth camp, helps organize activities for National Guard troops in Iraq and even pitches in with a fishing tournament for wounded veterans at Kentucky Lake. 

King has personal ties to the military. He’s retired from Navy intelligence.

“I served in one war where we came back spit on and cursed,” he said. 

He said at the beginning of the current war, he set a goal that soldiers would have at least one non-family member who would appreciate them when they got back … and that would be him. 

King creates his work using computer programs he writes himself. He draws the designs, enters them into a computer and adds final touches. Once everything is finished, the tributes and medallions are laser cut.

On top of his items for sale, King was giving away free “support our troops” key chains. 

King said he was really enjoying his time at the Expo and that he was glad to be doing something for such a worthy cause.