Outreach

LANCASTER - Brandy Marshall knows what it's like to lose everything to a fire, which spurred her to start a thrift store and outreach organization designed to give others “2nd Chances.” On Tuesday, the Harvest Market will hold its grand opening at 112 Lexington St. The store is designed to sell clothing, furniture, toys and household goods to lower-income families. Marshall, her husband Jason and volunteers also run a food and clothes pantry from the building through the 2nd Chances outreach organization.

A shelter to house displaced Lincoln, Boyle, Mercer and Garrard county families will be opening March 6 in Lancaster, but in order to meet the deadline the shelter desperately needs volunteers. Brandy and Jason Marshall are supervising the renovation four apartments in downtown Lancaster, two of which will provide a place for families displaced by fire, flood or other disaster to stay until they can find a permanent solution. The other two apartments will be rented out and that money will go to paying the shelter's utilities, mortgage, and insurance tax. The shelter will be managed by the outreach program Second Chances.

A new program called "Project Community Outreach For Seniors" is being implemented by the Danville-Boyle County Senior Citizens Center and local AARP Chapter. The program involves a door hanger that a senior can place on the door for emergencies. One side is red and reads "HELP. " The other side is green and reads "I'M OK. " The hangers will be given to seniors throughout the Danville-Boyle County area. A goal is for neighbors to know what the door hangers are for and call 911 if needed.

"Just a closer walk with Thee,Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,Daily walking close to Thee,Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. " The above stanza from the hymn "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" could be the theme for an evangelical and spiritual outreach planned for this summer in Danville. The effort will include prayer walks and also have an outreach component to it. It's about fun and games as well as faith. And it also is about the "Great Commission" in the Book of Matthew, according to Aprile Hunt, a regionally-acclaimed Christian singer and composer from Danville who has helped organize various community spiritual and patriotic events and is helping to organize this effort.

When the Nicholasville United Methodist Church expanded its facility to include a new community center and commercial kitchen in March 2008, the intent was to create a space that would facilitate more community outreach opportunities. And that fall, the church started a ministry that would soon take off to become a community-wide outreach opportunity — the Manna Meal Ministry. When Manna Meals first began, the group was serving about 50-65 people and had about 40 people volunteering to feed the diners, according to information on the ministry’s blog posted by the ministry’s coordinator, Adele McKinney.

Danville will spend $5,400 to educate residents about stormwater pollution as part of a mandate under the federal Clean Water Act. The city will pay Bluegrass PRIDE - Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment - to teach residents how to prevent household pollution. City Manager Earl Coffey said Bluegrass PRIDE has developed a program for similar-sized cities in Kentucky. Danville has had to apply for a stormwater permit, as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The following George Rogers Clark High School students were nominated by teachers, guidance counselors and principals for this year's Youth Salute. In order to qualify, the student has to be a member of the Class of 2009, have a 3.0 grade point average or better and have been elected to at least two positions of leadership in a school, religious or community-sponsored organization during the past two years. Emily Estes Emily is an officer in many organizations throughout her school.

COSI of Columbus, Ohio, is one of the most respected science centers in the nation - serving more than 19 million visitors since 1964. Over the past 43 years, COSI has continued to create programs and experiences that make science fun, while empowering and engaging visitors through hands-on discovery. The name "COSI" stands for Center of Science and Industry.COSI's groundbreaking, award-winning educational programs have touched more than 5.5 million teachers and students. These innovative outreach education programs are tailored to support national and statewide science curriculum and standards.

UK Injury Prevention Program to Sponsor 'Ghost Out' at East UK HealthCare's Trauma Service Injury Prevention Program will sponsor a "Ghost Out" at 2 p.m. Friday, May 12, at East Jessamine High School, Nicholasville. "Ghost Out" is supported by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Drive Smart Program which targets the high school student population. The program will address issues such as drug and alcohol use, making risky decisions, and the consequences associated with these behaviors.

An overview of what's going on at Kentucky School for the Deaf was given Wednesday night in the first of a series of meetings scheduled this year to keep the staff, students and community informed of happenings at the school. People associated with the school and state Department of Education talked about all phases of the school from outreach, facilities and programs technology to parental involvement. "We've decided to meet and share information to prevent rumors from flying and getting far from the truth," said Barb Kibler, state director of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Blind.

Thelma Sebastian grew up during the Great Depression, but even through her tough childhood made it difficult, she and her family still made time to read. "We didn't have many books - we barely had food on the table," she said. "But my daddy would get down the Bible and read it to us. " Sebastian, now 82 years old and a widow, lives alone along U.S. 27 south of Stanford. A recent broken arm means she no longer has the strength to lift heavy things and she's dealing with the early stages ofAlzheimer's, but she is an avid reader, polishing off around 20 or more books every month.

LANCASTER - Brandy Marshall knows what it's like to lose everything to a fire, which spurred her to start a thrift store and outreach organization designed to give others “2nd Chances.” On Tuesday, the Harvest Market will hold its grand opening at 112 Lexington St. The store is designed to sell clothing, furniture, toys and household goods to lower-income families. Marshall, her husband Jason and volunteers also run a food and clothes pantry from the building through the 2nd Chances outreach organization.

A shelter to house displaced Lincoln, Boyle, Mercer and Garrard county families will be opening March 6 in Lancaster, but in order to meet the deadline the shelter desperately needs volunteers. Brandy and Jason Marshall are supervising the renovation four apartments in downtown Lancaster, two of which will provide a place for families displaced by fire, flood or other disaster to stay until they can find a permanent solution. The other two apartments will be rented out and that money will go to paying the shelter's utilities, mortgage, and insurance tax. The shelter will be managed by the outreach program Second Chances.

When the Nicholasville United Methodist Church expanded its facility to include a new community center and commercial kitchen in March 2008, the intent was to create a space that would facilitate more community outreach opportunities. And that fall, the church started a ministry that would soon take off to become a community-wide outreach opportunity — the Manna Meal Ministry. When Manna Meals first began, the group was serving about 50-65 people and had about 40 people volunteering to feed the diners, according to information on the ministry’s blog posted by the ministry’s coordinator, Adele McKinney.

The 2010 Fall Fire event, held Oct. 23 by the Winchester First United Methodist Church, was a huge success. It is estimated that between 1,800 and 2,000 youth and adults filled the parking lot of Winchester Plaza, where the church has a second campus, for its contemporary First Fire outreach program.   The families and children experienced trunk or treat, inflatables, carnival games, a petting zoo and food. Fall Fire, a free annual event, gives families a safe place to go for a good time around Halloween.

Judy Crowe, director of Clark County Community Services, accepts a $400 check from Winchester Christian Outreach Ministries presented by Doreen Caines, right. The money will be used to help match the Clark County Community Foundation's $50,000 challenge grant to Community Services. The group has raised $41,000 of the needed $50,000 matching funds and needs to raise $9,000 by Aug. 1. The money will be used to help the homeless find shelter in Winchester and Clark County. Also present for the donation were, from left, front row, Catherine Miller, Anna Gay, Anne Berry; back row, Tammie Skinner, Brenda Smith, Connie Curry, Joyce Morton and Elaine Haggard.

STANFORD - Overcomers Outreach is a fellowship of men and women who have been affected either directly or indirectly by the use of any mood-altering chemical or compulsive behavior. The program meets 6:30 p.m. each Thursday at Grace Fellowship Church, 90 Fairgrounds Road, south of Stanford. It is open to anyone with an addictive or compulsive behavior and to family members of those addicted. The five-fold purpose of the program, based directly upon the Bible, is set forth as follows: To provide fellowship in recovery.

Nicholasville United Methodist Church's new Manna Ministry fits in the parameters of the church's mission of remaining in the heart of the community and reaching out to those in need. Moreover, the new program has Biblical roots in Matthew 25:35, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in (NIV). " "It's kind of been in the planning stages for about a year," organizer and director Adele McKinney said.

The following George Rogers Clark High School students were nominated by teachers, guidance counselors and principals for this year's Youth Salute. In order to qualify, the student has to be a member of the Class of 2009, have a 3.0 grade point average or better and have been elected to at least two positions of leadership in a school, religious or community-sponsored organization during the past two years. Emily Estes Emily is an officer in many organizations throughout her school.

Brandon Long stood in a basement room in Danville's Community Arts Center admiring his work. Two large pieces of canvas on the floor featured sketches by Long, the arts center executive director and its Arts Cart program director. The open spaces on the drawings held numbers. He awaited the arrival of 40 kids from the STARS summer program organized by Danville/Boyle County Community Education. The STARS, taking advantage of Arts Cart, would convert Long's canvas pieces into colorful banners promoting the Great American Brass Band Festival.