CYNTHIANA, Ky. (LEX 18) — The third Cynthiana Vendor’s Fair brought the community together while remembering local heroes.
The Clayton Arnold Foundation's motto is “A hero lives on.” That phrase has a double meaning at this year’s Cynthiana Vendor Fair, as it remembers both Clayton Arnold and Scott County Deputy Caleb Conley.
Clayton passed away in September 2021 from complications due to a brain tumor.
“He was a fixture in our community,” said Assistant Police Chief Robert Peak of the Cynthiana Police Department. “I don’t know of anybody that didn’t know Clayton Arnold.”
Before he passed away, Clayton’s mom Jackie Arnold, a co-director of the foundation, shared Caleb Conley had a special friendship with her son.
“When Clayton was in the hospital,” Jackie said, “Caleb came up and visited with him and just wanted to spend time with us, because it was hard times. Once Clayton passed away, we formed the foundation, and Caleb wanted to be one of the first members of our foundation.”
Along with Caleb, Clayton Arnold also had a special connection with local police departments in Cynthiana, Harrison County, and Scott County.
“I mean, it’s hard to put into words,” Officer Peak said of Conley’s friendship with Clayton, “but it was incredible, and it’s great that his legacy also still continues to live on.”
While the vendor fair brought fun for the community, it also marked a somber anniversary.
“For this event to go on today,” said Jackie Arnold, “it’s a little hard because this was the last event that Caleb was able to work with us on, and he passed away a few days later.”
As National Police Week comes to an end, events like the vendor fair show how much people like Caleb Conley are appreciated.
“It’s great when you have a city that definitely supports you and the job, because that’s not the case in every community,” Peak said.
“Doing these events,” Jackie added, “it does bring joy to the community, but it also brings joy to us as well, to just know that people are behind us.”
