A new Covid-testing site opens today. The old Sears at the Towne Mall will now offer drive-thru Covid-testing with no out-of-pocket cost. The site is open Monday through Friday from 9 to 4. Pre-registration is encouraged. To pre-register, call (833) 318-1757.
There is a great need for blood donations, and there is an opportunity for everyone to donate. A local blood drive will take place this Wednesday at the Pritchard Community Center from 12 to 5 p.m. While many who previously lived in Europe for a span of time have been deferred, Red Cross Has now implemented FDA updates.
“So if there was somebody over there that was in the army that have always been told they can”t donate, they can now,’ stated Account Manager Remy Kennedy. For questions concerning eligibility, visit RedCrossChat.org.
Covid-19 vaccines have blunted the impact of viral spread, but vaccine refusal leaves many still vulnerable to this virus. According to Lincoln Trail Health officials, the unvaccinated now make up 88% of all new infections. Many of these patients are younger than those in the previous waves of cases, and 85-90% are unvaccinated. To schedule a Covid-19 vaccine, visit www.vaccines.gov.
Half of the commonwealth is made up of farmland, and September is one of the busiest times for farmers. This is harvest time for many crops, which means many drivers will likely encounter slow-moving farm equipment on the road. Continue to share the roadway and use caution around farm machinery.
In honor of September being Suicide Awareness month, an Out of the Darkness Walk will take place at Central Hardin High School in honor of all the lives lost to suicide.
“The out of Darkness walks are a gathering place for people who have had suicide touch their life in some way. What I hope people see when they come to these walks is a bunch of people who are there for the same reason: to show everyone that they are not alone,” states organizer Jake Richardson.The walk will be held on September 25th on the track by the football field, with free registration starting at 9 a.m. For more information, visit afsp.org/Elizabethtown.
This week is Adult Education and Family Literacy week.
Over 40 million adults in the U.S. cannot read above a 3rd grade level, but the Heartland Adult Education Consortium is working to change that.
“We are a vital contributor to the community. We offer more than just GED services, because many people need this for the workplace to improve their reading and math skills. We are located at the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, in the OTB 300 building in room 310. We want to be available, because we want to find out how we can help you, and we structure your plan around what you need,” stated Heartland Adult Education Director, Diane Kelley. They offer both remote classes and one-on-one tutoring. They even offer the official GED test that can be taken in the comfort of your home. For more information, visit the Hardin/Larue U Facebook page.
This past week, Bardstown held their annual Bourbon Festival, but not everyone was celebrating.
Many Heaven Hill Distillery employees like Judy Osborne have been on strike against one of the largest suppliers of distilled spirits in the country since September 11th.
“Heaven Hill is very big and family-oriented. This is family-owned, but it’s their family now, it’s not our families anymore. People think we’re just out here for the wages, and that’s not true. We’re out here mainly for our families. We’ll go back to work tomorrow, if they treat us fairly.”
Currently, over 400 employees are on strike.
Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland is in need of volunteers.
“We only have 30 employees, so we rely heavily on volunteers. For every hour that they volunteer, Anthem Foundation has stepped up, and they’re donating $10 for every hour that a volunteer works from now until December 31st,” says Executive Director of the program, Jamie Sizemore. For every dollar in donations, we can acquire up to 8 pounds of food. Volunteers can also help pack bags or boxes of food at their 300 Peterson Drive location in Elizabethtown on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Schedule a time to volunteer at FeedingAmericaKY.org.
As fall approaches, Crawford Farms is preparing to open on Saturday. Co-owner Mason Crawford is looking forward to opening day.
“It’s a good opportunity for families to come out. We love having folks visit and see how things are grown. We’re open for 6 weeks a year, but it’s basically a 12 month commitment to make those 6 weeks go off as seamlessly as possible. Every minute we’re not at our regular jobs, we’re here at the farm.”
The Farm has over 1,000 kids registered to visit the site. The farm is a safe and family friendly environment that features fun activities for any age.
Today is Hunger Awareness Day. Nearly 250,000 individuals in the state rely on food provided by Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland annually. The organization has distributed more than 24 million pounds of food which has provided more than 20 million meals since the pandemic began. Still, Feeding America is still in need of volunteers. Schedule a time to volunteer at FeedingAmericaKY.org.