Now to Kentucky Dam Village in western Kentucky's Marshall County.

It's one of the largest state parks in Kentucky on one of the biggest manmade lakes east of the Mississippi.

It takes a lot of employees to keep operations running smoothly.

Our Laura Rogers introduces us to one staffer who's grateful for a second chance.

Part of it I just measure with my heart.

I love it.

I really do.

Sarah Young is a cook and baker at the harbor Lights Restaurant at Kentucky Dam Village.

I enjoy all of it, really, from customer service to back to house to front of house.

Sarah came in with some background food service experience.

That's a selling point.

I'm just really good at it.

It's like my niche in life.

But one thing was potentially holding Sarah back from getting hired.

I find that a lot of people with criminal pasts, myself included, we have a lot to offer to a lot of businesses, but we get overlooked because of our criminal record.

A lot of people will see the criminal record before they see the person.

The Kentucky Department of Corrections offers job opportunities at Kentucky State Parks through its Second Chance program.

Well, you've got folks that have paid their debt to society and they're now trying to get back into society.

We can offer them a vocation to do that.

Steady income is vital for those reentering society after incarceration.

Since I've been employed here, I've bought my own house.

I bought my own car.

I've been able to build a sense of stability for my life.

Likewise, her employment benefits.

Kentucky Damn Village Post-Pandemic.

The hospitality industry got hit really hard with staff shortages, so we've had positions that have been vacant for a year or two years.

Of about 100 staffers, three or second chance employees.

They are selective about who they higher.

Number one concern is always safety and security of our guests.

There's no doubt about that.

No doubt about that.

We interview second chance possibilities very thoroughly.

A Paducah native, Sarah Young, says she grew up visiting Kentucky damn Village.

We go swimming in the beach as a family all the time.

Swimming, boating, camping, Just a few of the numerous recreation channel activities at Kentucky Dam Village.

I've always said it's one of those things that you just don't know about until you get here and you've got as much shoreline here on Kentucky Lake as you got in the entire state of Florida.

I'm just glad that one's it.

Sarah says it's an honor to be on staff promoting and supporting one of Kentucky's greatest assets.

Of all the other jobs I've had, this one just cooking in general has been where I find my group.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you, Laura.

Kentucky Dan Village says they're in the process of hiring another employee through the Second Chance program, find resources for job and educational opportunities online at Second Chance dot K-Y dot gov.