The Promising Futures classes are proving to be a success for at least one Lewis County couple.
Laurie Yanoshek and Phil Traxler are the owners and operators of the Creekside Cottage about two miles from the Grayson Spur in Vanceburg.
Yanoshek said while the bed and breakfast was planned before the Promising Futures class, she can not dispute the class helped with making the plans a reality.
The Promising Futures classes are courses hosted by the Center for Appalachian and Philanthropy, giving citizens an opportunity to gain the skills necessary to open small businesses or begin a new trade.
The classes are held each year in Lewis County and at the end of the class, participants are eligible to apply for a grant in order to open a small business, according to Joni Pugh, who works with Appaphil and the Lewis County Cares.
"We were in the process of building a home for us for when we're older," Yanoshek said. "But, when Thomas Massie was judge-executive, we attended a tourism meeting and he said the biggest thing needed in the county was a place for tourists to stay. We thought it would be a great way to pay for the building of the cottage and help the local tourism."
Yanoshek said when she found out a bed and breakfast class would be taught in the county, she knew she had to take it.
"I was most interested in the business plan," she said. "The class taught us how to create the business plan, gain licensing, and it helped make everything a lot smoother. The cottage would not have opened the way it did without the class."
Yanoshek said the cottage has become a success since opening in October.
"We had a pretty decent amount of people staying and in January and February it dropped off a little bit, but we've already had calls to book rooms for April," she said.
According to Yanoshek, the cottage is not like a standard bed and breakfast. Located on 250 acres of private property, the cabin can hold one family of two adults and two children.
While visiting, guests can ride horses, hike or bike through nature trails. There is also a fenced-in patio off the master bedroom and a picnic table and grill outside.
The price to stay is $99 a night with a continental breakfast included. However, for about $10 more, guests can request to have other items stocked in the refrigerator to cook their own breakfast.
"We have had people ask about having things available to cook like bacon and eggs," she said. "For an extra charge, I will go grocery shopping and make sure simple items like that are stocked so the patrons can cook for themselves."
Yanoshek said she and Traxler plan to eventually put a couple more small cottages on the land.
"They'll be small cottages, one room each," she said.
Yanoshek took the Promising Futures class two years ago and is now taking a carpentry class to improve her skills.
Information on other classes offered to the public is available by contacting Pugh at the Lewis County Cares Office at 606-796-9957 or visiting online at: http://appaphil.com/promisingfutures
The Ledger Independent is online at: http://www.maysville-online.com