OCT. 16

The Harlan County Children’s Choir will begin rehearsals at 4 p.m. on Oct. 16 at 4 the Harlan County High School choir room. This choir is open to all Harlan County students in fourth-through eighth-grade. Students will have the opportunity to sing with other students, learn about music and perform in concerts and community events. For more information, contact Cortney Reynolds at cortney.reynolds@harlan.kyschools.us or 606-574-2020 ext. 3550.

OCT. 16-17

The Harlan County Bookmobile schedule for the week of Oct. 14 includes:

Wednesday — Pine Mountain, Pine Mountain Settlement School and Big Laurel.

Thursday — Evarts Elementary School, Black Mountain Elementary School, Brittains Creek, Dizney and Yocum Creek.

Friday — No run.

OCT. 17

The Harlan County Domestic Violence Council will host a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Harlan County Courthouse (Central Street entrance) — to mourn victims who did not survive domestic violence, to celebrate survivors and connect with each other to make our homes and community safer. There will be special guest speakers, music, door prizes, refreshments and information available.

OCT. 18-20

Pine Mountain Settlement School will host Fall Color Weekend Oct. 18-20. The event offers activities for all including daytime hikes and vistas, presentations by experts in their field and evening activities. Come and enjoy these and other activities while experiencing some of Kentucky’s most beautiful natural areas and stunning autumn foliage. For more information, call 606-558-3571 or email office@pinemountainsettlementschool.com

Black Mountain Off-Road Adventure Area’s annual Fall Crawl will be held Oct. 18-20. For more information, contact the park at 606-837-3205.

OCT. 18-19

The annual Genealogy Jamboree and Pioneer Days will be held Oct. 18-19 in Cumberland Gap featuring genealogy, history, crafters, lectures and living history along with the 200th anniversary celebration of the Newlee Iron Furnace with Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. For more information, log onto https://genealogyjamboree.us/.

OCT. 19

The Lights Over Evarts Parade is slated for Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. Line up will begin at 7 p.m. behind Evarts High School with the parade traveling through town and ending at the Off Road Park. Prizes for the most lit up off-road vehicle include: Grand Prize ($250), First Place ($150) and Second Place ($100). Vehicles must have some form of lighting attach to them other than headlights, such as aftermarket light bars or string lights. The parade is sponsored by Evarts Tourism and Harlan County Outdoor Recreation Board Authority (HCORBA). For more information, call 606-837-2477.

Harlan Yoga Studio’s annual showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be held on Oct. 19 — come dressed up or come as you are.

OCT. 19, 26

Zombies, ghouls, demons and the darkest creatures of the night await you at the Kingdom Come State Park Haunted Trail from 7 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 19 and 26 (park lake). Leave the little ones at home, the haunted trail is not recommended for ages 8 and under. Admission is $8 per person. For more information, call the park at 606-589-4138 or 606-589-2478 or email sherry.cornett@ky.gov.

OCT. 20

Higher Ground 8: Perfect Buckets, a one-act play about food, work and community in the contemporary Appalachian coalfields, will be performed at 3 p.m.on Oct. 20 in the Godbey Appalachian Center on the SKCTC Cumberland campus.

Pansy Christian Church will host their homecoming services beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 20. Pastor Adam Roark and members of the church invite everyone to attend for a day of fellowship and a country dinner. For more information, contact Roark on Facebook.

OCT. 21

The Harlan Boys Choir’s Fall Preview Concert will begin at 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 at Harlan United Methodist Church. A reception will be held immediately following the concert.

OCT. 21-24

The Harlan County Bookmobile schedule for the week of Oct. 21 includes:

Monday — Three Point, Smith, Cawood Elementary School and Little Creek.

Tuesday — James A. Cawood Elementary School, Rio Vista/Loyall, Baxter/County Pike and Holy Trinity.

Wednesday — Pathfork and Sawbriar.

Thursday — Closplint, Holmes Mill, Hope Center and Eastbrook.

Friday — No run.

OCT. 24

The annual Harlan County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala will be held at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the Harlan Center. In addition to recognizing award winners, the gala will also feature a huge silent auction, guest speaker and a delicious dinner. Neil Middleton, vice president and general manager of WYMT, will be the featured speaker. Tickets are $35 for individuals, $65 for couples and $200 for a table of six. They can be purchased on the chamber’s website or from Home Federal Bank, Kentucky Farm Bureau or from Flora Asher, Anne Hensley or Sarah Hobbs at Harlan ARH. For more information, email info@harlancountychamber.com or call 606-573-4717.

OCT. 25

The Cumberland Valley Chapter of the Kentucky Public Retirees (KPR) will meet Oct. 25 at David’s Steak House in Corbin. Mealtime will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the meeting to follow. The guest speaker will be 87th District State Rep. Adam Bowling. Retirees (and spouses) receiving retirement benefits from KERS, CERS or SPRS are welcome to attend. Membership information will be available at the meeting or at kentuckypublicretirees.org. For more information, call 606-260-0490.

OCT. 26

The annual Evarts Zombie Walk will be held Oct. 26 in downtown Evarts. For more information or how to participate, call 606-837-2477.

A spooktacular Howl-O-Ween Doggie Costume Contest will be held at 3 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Frazier’s Happy Tails Dog Park in Cumberland, presented by Tri-City Paws and sponsored by Tri-City Heating and Air Conditioning. All dogs must be on a leash. The sign up fee is $5. Categories include: spookiest, Best Dressed, Most Original, Grand Prize Owner/Pet Look Alike. Dog treats bake sale and kids goodie bags.

Solid Rock Church, located in Coldiron across from the former Coal Bucket (BP), will host a Community Fall Fun Day from 4 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 26. There will be inflatables, games, hot dogs, puppets and trunk or treat. Pastor James E. Hensley welcomes everyone.

TODAY-OCT. 26

Are you braze enough to enter the Butcher Holler Haunted Maze? Open every Friday and Saturday through Oct. 26 from 8 p.m. until the last helpless soul of the night screams. Tickets are $5 per entry. Take Hwy. 421 toward Virginia at the foot of the mountain in Cranks (first cut off on the left) follow signs.

OCT. 28-31

The Harlan County Bookmobile schedule for the week of Oct. 28 includes:

Monday — Rita’s Daycare, Sunshine, Grays Knob KCEOC, Verda Head Start, Kidz Campus and Sunshine Preschool.

Tuesday — High Rise Apartments, Tway, Harlan Health &Rehabilitation Center, The Laurels and Teetersville.

Wednesday — Good Neighbor Road, Terrys Fork, Wallins Elementary School and Wallins.

Thursday — Rosspoint Elementary School, Harlan County Christian School, Cumberland Elementary School and Tri-Cities Nursing &Rehabilitation Center/Putney.

Friday — No run.

OCT. 29

The Harlan County Relay for Life teams invite you to get your pink or tropical attire on and help Flamingle for a Cure at 6 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Harlan National Guard Armory. Tickets are $10 per person and there will be delicious food, a silent auction, door prizes and more. Entertainment will be provided by Tucker Lewis and Paul Nolan and a survivor and a medical professional will speak briefly. RSVP to make sure there is plenty of food. For more information, or to use PayPal to pay for your ticket, email me =kimb57@bellsouth.net.

OCT. 31

Halloween will be observed in Harlan County on Oct. 31. Trick or treat hours are from 5 to 7 p.m.

Trick or Treat on Main in downtown Harlan will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 31. All participating businesses will be marked with a balloon on the day the event. If you are interested in participating as a downtown business or for more information, call the Harlan Center at 606-573-4156.

Trick or Treat on Main in downtown Cumberland will be held on Oct. 31. Join the annual event from 3 to 5 p.m. Participating businesses will be marked with a balloon. For more information, call 606-589-5812.

Fright Fest in downtown Harlan will be held from Oct. 31. Why should kids have all the fun on Halloween? After trick or treating, return to downtown for some frightful fun at the Harlan Center on the front plaza. For more information, call 606-573-4156.

TODAY-OCT. 31

Kingdom Come State Park’s Scarecrow Extravaganza will be held through Oct. 31 featuring scarecrows made by businesses and individuals from the Tri-City area that pop up all over the park.

NOV. 1

Totz Baptist Church will host a veterans dinner on Nov. 1. All veterans and their families are invited to attend. Services start at 11 a.m. followed by the dinner.

NOV. 2

The Harlan Center will host a fall Mountain Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 2. This event is for antiques, folks having a yard sale, crafters, and others to set up and sell all of the things you craft, the things you make, or even just the things you don’t want anymore. If you want to sell at this fun flea market/yard sale/crafting jamboree or for more information, call at 606-573-4495 and reserve your spot today. Set up fee is $10.

NOV. 7

Black Mountain Elementary Site Base meeting will be Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. Public is welcome to attend.

NOV. 16

The Kingdom Come Marathon (full and half) will be held on Nov. 16 at Kingdom Come State Park along the Little Shepherd Scenic Trail. Participants will receive a hand crafted Kingdom Come finisher medal, long sleeve event T-shirt (registered by Nov. 8) and a goodie bag. Awards/prizes for the top three male/female age group and top five overall male/female. Register at RunReg.com. For more information, call the park at a 606-589-4138.

NOV. 29-30

The 35th annual Festival of the Mountain Masters will return to the Village Center Mall on Nov. 29 and 30, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This handcrafted, homemade and home-baked festival is truly an authentic Appalachian experience in the mountains of Harlan County. If you are looking for that unique, one-of-a-kind gift for your loved ones, look no further than the Festival of the Mountain Masters. If you are interested in being a vendor or demonstrator at this festival or for more information, contact the Festival of the Mountain Masters on Facebook or call at 606-573-4495.

THURSDAYS

Enjoy a story as Ms. Elizabeth presents captivating stories and fun crafts each Thursday at 1 and 3:30 p.m. at the Harlan County Public Library. Children of all ages are welcome.

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Ann’s Pantry, a mission of the Harlan United Methodist Church, is in need of non-perishable food items and monetary donations. To donate, contact David Gross at 606-573-1464 or Wylene Miniard at 606-573-7731.

The Harlan County High School SBDM Council meets on the second Thursday of each month at 3:15 p.m. in the HCHS Media Center.

The American Red Cross is seeking volunteers with flexible schedules to respond to single- and multi-family home fires in the Lake Cumberland service area, which includes Harlan, Bell, Whitley and Knox counties. Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers respond to assist families with shelter, support and access to basic needs immediately following a home fire – often arriving on scene even as the fire is still burning. Volunteers may apply online by visiting http://www.redcross.org/volunteer or by contacting Chapter Executive Terry Burkhart at 859-253-1331 or terry.burkhart@redcross.org.

GED classes are being offered to anyone 19 years or older. Improve your reading, writing and mathematical skills and study to receive your GED. Follow your children by improving your education free of charge. For more information, contact the following locations: Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Middlesboro campus at 606-248-3175, Bell County Literacy Center at 606-248-2014, Pineville Learning Center at 606-337-3044 or Henderson Settlement at 606-337-7729, ext. 305.

Benchmark Family Services, serving Bell, Harlan, Clay, Knox, Laurel and Whitley counties, invites you to become a foster parent. Free orientation classes are held from 5-6 p.m. on any Tuesday. For more information, call 606-526-6992 or toll free at 866-526-6992.

Free saliva-based drug testing kits are provided and sponsored through UNITE and Stand in the Gap Coalition (SIGCO). Give Me a Reason is designed for parents/guardians to use to talk with their children and randomly test them, which gives them a reason to say no when tempted or offered drugs. Kits can be obtained at 44 different distribution points throughout the tri-state area and at the SIGCO office, located at 325 Straight Creek Road, New Tazewell, Tennessee. For more information, contact the SIGCO office at 423-300-1302. To pick up a kit, stop by on Thursdays from noon to 5:30 p.m. Join prayer at the SIGCO office from 5-6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.

Volunteers and friendly visitors are needed for the Kentucky Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to enrich the lives of seniors in their long-term care facilities. If you currently visit with someone or would like to become more involved and educated on residents’ rights, elder abuse and long-term care for seniors, contact Arlene Gibson, district ombudsman with Cumberland Valley ADD, at 606-864-7391, ext. 119.

A military support group for all active, separated or any former military men or women meets at 6:30 p.m. every first and third Monday of the month at the Middlesboro National Guard Armory, located on 30th Street. If you are facing financial, relationship, criminal, adjustment, substance abuse or other problems, this is for you.

Narconon is reminding families that the use of addicting drugs is on the rise. Take steps to protect your family from drug use. If you know anyone who is struggling, get them the help they need. For a free brochure on the signs of addiction for all drugs, call 800-431-1754 or visit DrugAbuseSolution.com. Narconon also offers free screenings and referrals.