Basement Sale
Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church will have a basement sale Saturday, December 7, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be something for everyone: clothes, shoes, winter wear, nice Christmas things and decorations, toys, etc. St. Elizabeth Church is at the top of Fifth Street in Ravenna.
Chemical Stockpile Meeting
A Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board Meeting will be Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 1:30 p.m. at Eastern Kentucky University’s Carl D. Perkins Building, Rooms A & B – Lobby Level, Kit Carson Drive, Richmond, KY. Local leaders will discuss topics related to the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. There will be public comment periods throughout the meeting. For more information call the Outreach Office at (859) 626-8944 E-mail: bgoutreach@iem.com.
Coat and Toy Drive for Children
Cash Express is sponsoring their 15th Annual Coat and Toy Drive for children. They will be accepting toys, coats, washable shoes, clothing, and non-perishable food items in many drop-off locations in the area. All donations must be received by December 15 in order to have them delivered by Christmas. Call 606-723-0161 for more information.
Do You Hear Bells?
It is the Christmas season. Our Noteworthy Handbell Choir will be performing around town. You can come out to the Estill County Community Chorus at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 8th at the Irvine United Methodist Church to hear us and the Community Chorus and the Estill County Dulcimer Group. We will be at Irvine Nursing and Rehabilitation on Wednesday, December 11th at 6: 45 p.m. We will be performing at the Irvine United Methodist Church during Morning Worship that begins at 9: 45 a.m. on Sunday, December 15th. Ring in the Season with us!
Estill County Community
Christmas Concert
The Community Chorus is ready for our favorite time of year. We have a new choral director, Christine Fondaw, and we will perform our annual Christmas concert for the community on December 8th at 3 p.m. The concert will be held at the Irvine United Methodist Church at 253 Main St. Our selection of music is sure to please the young and the old. Joining the Community Chorus at this year’s concert are The Noteworthy Handbell Choir and the Estill County Dulcimer. For more information about joing any of these musical groups, contact Robin Reed at appcraft@gmail.com. No audition is needed. Admission is free but donations are happily accepted. Everyone is welcome to join us on December 8th. We have a wonderful concert put together this year!
Financial Assistance for Veterans
Have you served in the military? Are you homeless? Are you facing eviction? Kentucky River Foothills can help. The Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program (SSVF) at Kentucky River Foothills assists eligible veterans with housing. This is NOT A LOAN. All services are at no cost. Call 859-408-7017 or 859-624-2046 for more information.
Holiday Card and Gift Tag Workshop
Join us at the Estill County Extension Office on Tuesday, December 17 at 6 p.m. for a Holiday Card and Gift Tag Workshop. Each participant will make four cards and six gift tags. This class is for age 10 an up and will cost $8 (for supplies). Please stop by the Extension Office, 76 Golden Court, Irvine, to sign up and prepay no later than Friday, December 13. If you have any questions, please call the Estill County Extension Office at 606-723-4557.
Holiday Centerpiece Workshop
The Estill County Extension Service is sponsoring a Holiday Centerpiece Workshop on Tuesday, December 10, at 6 p.m. at the Extension Office, 76 Golden Court, Irvine. Anyone attending will need to bring their own standard size dinner plate. Mike Reed will show everyone how to take a dinner plate and make a centerpiece from natural materials found in the backyard. Cost of the class is $15. You will need to pre-register and pre-pay by Monday, December 9th. If you have any questions, please contact the Estill County Extension Office at 606-723-4557.
How to Take GED for Free
Save $120.00, earn your GED, and enroll in college. Anyone who completes their financial aid and a college admissions application with our college counselor may be eligible for free GED test vouchers worth $120. Contact Estill County Adult Education Skills U for more information and an appointment at 606-723-7323. Participants that receive a score of 150 or higher on their GED pretests are eligible for a free voucher per section. Those who score 145-149 will receive $15 toward each section. This offer is good until December 20, 2019.
GED Testing Dates
Official GED testing date for Estill County will be December 14, 2019.
KidShop
Kids love to give gifts! KidShop, at South Irvine Baptist Church, on December 14, is where you can take kids to pick out a gift for their caregivers. We will help them wrap their choice to take home and put under their tree. There will also be an ornament station. There will be chips and sandwiches for everyone. Everyone is invited to come and participate. You can come anytime between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Everything is free! If you have questions call (606) 723-8298.
Kiwanis Club of Irvine-Ravenna
The Kiwanis Club of Irvine-Ravenna will meet Thursday, December 5, at 5:30 a.m. at Steam Engine Pizza. Members will be discussing the weekend Christmas activities. Kiwanis clubs focus on changing the world by serving children, one child and one community at a time. Service is at the heart of every Kiwanis club, no matter where in the world it’s located. New members are welcome.
Options in Health Care
Kentucky River Foothills offers assistance for local residents in understanding their options for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or health care law. Open Enrollment is November 1- December 15. Health Benefit Assisters can answer questions about health insurance options and will help guide residents through the enrollment process. For a listing of events that a Health Benefit Assister will be at please go to Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, Inc. Facebook page. For questions contact Shelly Howard at 859-986-8350 for showard@foothillscap.org.
RCP Auction of Trees
RCP members will be busy the first Saturday in December. Our “Save the Mack” Silent Auction of Christmas Trees and Wreaths will be held at Estill Arts Council’s Yuletide Arts and Crafts Show on December 7th, 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. And, we will be manning the concession stand to sell hot dog/chili dog, chips, cold pop, warm spiced apple cider, and coffee. All proceeds go to the Save the Mack fund.
Reception for McGillis
The public is invited to attend one of the public retirement receptions to honor Hospice Care Plus CEO Gail McGillis’s 26 years of service to the community on Wed., Dec. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Compassionate Care Center in Richmond, or Tues., Dec. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Hospice Care Plus office in Berea. At Mrs. McGillis’s request, guests are encouraged to donate to Hospice Care Plus in her honor in lieu of gifts. For information, call Chasity at 859-986-1500.
Remembrance Tree Ceremony
There will be a Remembrance Tree Ceremony on Sun., Dec. 8, from 2 to 3 p.m., at Chenault Vineyards in Richmond. For more than a quarter century, the Remembrance Tree Ceremony has given the community a way to remember loved ones during the holiday season. Request your personalized, memorial ornament in advance by calling 859-986-1500. You may also request ornaments at the event (while supplies last). For more information, visit hospicecareplus.org or the Hospice Care Plus Facebook page. Sponsored by the Hospice Care Plus Bereavement Outreach Program.
Retired Teachers Christmas Potluck
There will be a Christmas potluck lunch and social on Monday, Dec. 9, around noon, at the Estill County Public Library meeting room. All retired teachers are invited to attend.
Roaring 20s Tickets
Tickets are available now through Dec. 19 for the Roaring 20s New Year’s Eve Party at Churchill’s in Berea on Dec. 31, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Tickets are $75 per person and include a live DJ, music, dancing, cash bar, refreshments, and heavy hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds to go to Hospice Care Plus. Reserve tickets at hospicecareplus.org or call 859-986-1500.
Southeast KY Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Club
The Southeast KY Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Club will meet Monday, December 9 at 6 p.m. at the Steam Engine Pizza session room, 206 Main Street, Irvine. Members are to bring a gift to exchange. Anyone interested in joining is welcome to attend. Yearly dues are $20 per family and $15 per individual.
Toys for Estill Children
Signups for Toys for Estill County Kids will begin on November 18, 2019, and run through December 20, 2019, at Webb’s Rental, 721 River Drive. Hours for signups are: Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, 11a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 606-614-5592 with any questions. Those signing up must have legal guardianship of the children, proof of residency, and a utility bill in their name and current address
Volunteers Needed to Ring Bells
Again this year the Salvation Army Red Kettles will be placed in Price Less, Save A Lot and Meade’s Do-it Center on the first three Saturdays in December. Members of the Irvine-Ravenna Kiwanis Club along with the Estill County Lions Club and other community volunteers will attend the kettles and accept donations each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Volunteers are needed to ring bells. If you would like to volunteer for two hours of bell ringing on a Saturday in December, please call Steve Garrett at 723-3049