Ark Encounter goes green to show ‘compassion’ for Kentucky coronavirus victims
The Ark Encounter in Williamstown has joined other families, cities and businesses across Kentucky that are lighting buildings and homes green to honor coronavirus victims.
Gov. Andy Beshear started the practice by lighting the governor’s mansion green for COVID-19 victims who died. He called on others to do the same, saying that green was the color of compassion.
“In support of this, we changed the lighting system at the Ark Encounter last night to show a stunning green life-size Noah’s Ark,” Ark Encounter said in a Facebook post.
The ark is currently closed to the public because of Beshear’s executive order to close nonessential businesses during the pandemic.
Mike Zovath, one of the co-founders of the Ark Encounter, said the idea to light the ark green came from discussions with Williamstown Mayor Rick Skinner.
“To show solidarity and compassion for Kentuckians, really,” Zovath said in a video posted to the Ark Encounter’s Facebook page. “Other states might have other symbols of solidarity, but it’s really to show we care about people in Kentucky and we’re with everyone in the state. We’re going to beat this together.”
Zovath said people can see the ark lit up green from about a mile-and-a-half away. He said it’d be good for the ark to light up green every Easter to show compassion.
Ken Ham, another co-founder of the Ark Encounter, said that staff members had been temporarily laid off while the ark was closed, but that employees had told him they were excited to return when it reopens.