To place an event in the Community Calendar, email: beth.key@harlandaily.com; fax: 606-573-0042 attention Bethany Key; or drop a written copy of the announcement by our office at 1275 North 25th Street, Middlesboro. Announcements will not be accepted by phone and should be submitted no later than four business days before the event. If received in time, it will be published one or two days before the event. Announcements are also available to view at www.middlesboronews.com. For more details, call 606-909-4145.

DEC. 2, 9

Pine Mountain State Resort Park will host COOKIES & COCOA with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon on Dec. 2 and 9. There will be hot cocoa and cookies for everyone. Have your picture taken with Santa and printed onsite.

DEC. 2

The LOVE PROJECT 2017 will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Shiloh Church gym, located at 1507 Exeter Avenue in Middlesboro. There will be clothes, coats, shoes, toys and food given away to those in need. You are asked to bring a form of ID that has a valid address to receive your supplies.

The annual Friends of the Bell County Animal Shelter fundraiser, SANTA PAWS, will take place from 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 2 at Middlesboro Mall. Have your furry friend’s photo taken with Santa for $10 to benefit Friends of the Shelter. All pets must be on a leash, and you must enter through mall entrances — not store entrances. All owners must also be prepared to clean up after their pets if they have an accident.

Discover Downtown Middlesboro will host A Magic City CHRISTMAS PARADE AND TREE LIGHTING on Dec. 2 in downtown Middlesboro. The parade will kick off the day at 1 p.m. and will feature a variety of locally-made floats and 2017 Miss Kentucky, Molly Matney. There will be local vendors, craft stations, food trucks and a few other surprises set up throughout downtown that will help you make your way down Cumberland Avenue. The tree lighting begins at 5 p.m.

THE POLAR EXPRESSwill be shown from 6:30-8:15 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Levitt Lot, located at 2500 Cumberland Avenue in downtown Middlesboro, hosted by Discover Downtown Middlesboro and sponsored by Realty Group II-Dawn Risner and Creech Funeral Home. Bring your chairs and blankets to enjoy the movie after the parade. Hot chocolate, popcorn and Coke products will be sold at the movie.

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS in Cumberland Gap will be held from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 2. All merchants in the Gap will host open houses with door prizes. There will be a tree lighting, caroling, and cookies and cider with Father and Mother Christmas at 4 p.m. in Festival Park. Everyone is welcome to come join in the fun for an old fashioned Christmas in the Gap.

DEC. 2, 3, 9, 10

The Historic Speedwell Academy, located on Academy Road off Old Hwy. 63, will host a Memorial Christmas OPEN HOUSE from 1-5 p.m. on Dec. 2, 3, 9 and 10. Tour the academy and experience local heritage. Refreshments will be served.

DEC. 4, JAN. 8,

FEB. 5, MARCH 5, APRIL 2,

MAY 7, JUNE 4

MONDAYS R MURDER Book Club will meet at 10 a.m. on Mondays at the Middlesboro-Bell County Public Library. The schedule includes: Dec. 4, The Bark Before Christmas by Laurien Berenson; Jan. 8, 1222 by Anne Holt; Feb. 5, Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz; March 5, Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear; April 2, Raylan by Elmore Leonard; May 7, Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten; and June 4, The Butterfly Sister by Amy Gail Hansen. To register, call the library at 606-248-4812.

DEC. 4

The UK Cooperative Extension Service along with Bell Whitley will host a PARENTING WORKSHOPat 10 a.m. on Dec. 4 at the Extension Office. The topic is surviving the holidays and making crafts for you to share with your families.

DEC. 4, JAN. 8

NUTRITION IS OUR MISSION will be held at 1 p.m. on Mondays at the Middlesboro Library. The schedule includes: Dec. 4 and Jan. 8. Learn simple solutions to help you eat better and share recipes brought to you in conjunction with the Bell County Extension Office SNAP-Ed Department. To reserve a seat, contact Christy Blevins at the Bell County Extension Office at 606-337-2376 or sign up at the library at 606-248-4812.

DEC. 5

The Bell-Whitley CAA, Inc., Board of Directors will meet at 11 a.m. on Dec. 5 at Pine Mountain State Park. For more information, contact Suzanne Browning or Sandy Hoskins at 606-337-3044 or 606-549-3933.

DEC. 7

The Bell County Extension Office will host a free PAINTING WITH PIZZAZZ class at 1 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Extension Office. Participants will be painting Santa’s belly. All supplies are provided, call the office at 606-337-2376 to register.

DEC. 7-9

The annual JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 7-9 at Shawanee Baptist Church, is located at 780 Shawanee Road in Harrogate. There is no entrance fee for this indoor event, but donations will be accepted. Facilities are handicap accessible. Groups are encouraged and welcome.

DEC. 7, 14, 21

MOONLIGHT & MISTLETOE at Pine Mountain State Resort Park will be held Dec. 7, 14 and 21 (Thursdays). The Mountain View Restaurant will be decked out for diners to enjoy a special menu featuring holiday favorites. On Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, all those who have served, veterans and active duty, will receive a special discount. For more information, call 606-337-3066 or email Keith.Bowling@ky.gov.

THURSDAYS-SATURDAYS

Harlan County Christian School will present their annual CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAY, Harlan County Celebrates Christmas, at the Shriners Fairgrounds in Putney for the 2017Christmas season. The display will be open to the public from 6-10 p.m. and can be viewed every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The display will also be open Dec. 18 and 23 (Monday through Saturday). Sip on hot chocolate and munch on a candy cane while driving around the light display as many times as you like. Christmas music may be streamed on through an FM channel on your car radio. The display is free to the public; however, donations to the Harlan County Christian School are greatly appreciated. To sponsor a light display, contact the school at 606-574-1900. The Shriner train will run on Nov. 25, and Dec. 22 and 23.

THURSDAYS

The Bell County Job Club will meet for eight weeks at the Middlesboro-Bell County Public LIbrary. The club meets each Thursday. New members should arrive at 1 p.m. The job club can help you with the following: create a job search game plan; connect with quality employers; learn self-marketing and interviewing skills; get support from fellow job seekers and workforce professionals; and benefit from insider job leads. For more information, contact Brian Good at Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency at 606-337-3044 or check out the Facebook page, ekcep.us/jobclubsinfo.

DEC. 10

Indian Creek Baptist Church’s regular SINGING will begin at 6 p.m. on Dec. 10 featuring The Botts Family, of Lafollette, and others. Everyone is welcome.

DEC. 12

The Cumberland Valley Chapter of the Kentucky Public Retirees (KPR) will meet Dec. 12 at Golden Corral (next to Walmart) in London. Mealtime will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the meeting to follow. The guest speaker will be Jerry Powell the CERS representative on the Kentucky Retirement Systems Board of Trustees. Any retiree (and their spouse) receiving retirement benefits from KERS, CERS or SPRS is welcome to attend. Membership information will be available at the meeting or on the website (kentuckypublicretirees.org). For more information, call 606-877-0079 or 606-260-0490.

DEC. 12, JAN. 23,

FEB. 13, MARCH 20,

APRIL 24, MAY 15

TIME FOR TEA AND THEE, a book club for adults, meets at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Middlesboro-Bell County Public Library. Relax with a cup of tea at these sessions. The schedule includes: Dec. 12, The Book that Matters Most by Ann Hood; Jan. 23, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr; Feb. 13, The Charm Bracelet by Violet Shipman; March 20, The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant; April 24, The Zookeeper’s Wife; May 15, In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume; June, Where She Went, Gayle Forman. Program leaders are Michele Lawson and Pamela Blank. To register, stop by or call the library at 606-248-4812.

DEC. 13, JAN. 10

CROCHET BABY CAPS will be held at 10:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Middlesboro Library. The schedule includes: Nov. 8, Dec. 13 and Jan. 10. Registration is required. Build a better community by learning to crochet baby caps for Middlesboro ARH. Agnes Marcum will show participants how in this new monthly class. Limited to 10 – bring a G hook. To register, call the library at 606-248-4812.

DEC. 16

SANTA will be at the Harrogate Book Station from noon to 2 p.m. on Dec. 16. Ages 3-12 will enjoy games, snacks and crafts.

DEC. 31

Pine Mountain State Resort Park will host a New Year’s Eve MOUNTAIN BASH on Dec. 31. Music by the park’s DJ begins at 9 p.m. There will be party favors, snacks and balloon drop included (must be 21 or older, no outside alcohol allowed. The Mountain View Restaurant will be open for dinner from 5-9 p.m. For more information, call 606-337-3066 or email Keith.Bowling@ky.gov.

JAN. 3

Starting Jan. 3, the Bell County Extension Office will provide a WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM to help get your New Year off to a great start. Weigh 2 Go Wednesdays classes will meet twice a month and weigh in weekly. For more information or to register, call the office at 606-337-2376.

• • • • • • •

VOLUNTEERS are needed for the Kentucky Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (Cumberland Valley District) to read a while, play a game of checkers, discuss the day’s events, reminisce or just sit and watch TV with a local senior. If you currently visit someone in a long term care facility or would like to become involved, contact Arlene Gibson at 606-864-7391 ext. 119.

The Bell County COUNCIL ON LITERACY (Middlesboro Learning Center) is now located on the campus of Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College at 100 College Road in the classroom building, room 324, SKCTC Bell County Adult Education on the Middlesboro campus in room 326 and Pineville Learning Center at Bell-Whitley CAA in Pineville. All services are free of charge. For more information, call 606-248-2014, 606-248-3175 or 606-337-3044.

VOLUNTEERS are sought at the Middlesboro Senior Citizens Center for activity assistants, answering the phone, welcoming seniors and visitors, filing, crafting, historians, entertainment, instructors in tai chi, other forms of senior exercise and a variety of educational topics for seniors. For more information, call 606-248-2990 or stop by the center.

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 & 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.

Free saliva-based drug testing kits are provided and sponsored through UNITE and Stand in the Gap Coalition (SIGCO). Give Me a Reason (GMAR) 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 (DP) throughout the Tri-State area and at the SIGCO office, located at 502 Pennlyn Avenue in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. For more information, contact the SIGCO office at 423-300-1302. To pick up a kit, stop by on Mondays from 1 to 5:30 p.m.

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 Casey, Adair, Cumberland, Clinton, Russell, Pulaski, Wayne, McCreary, Whitley, Laurel, Clay, Knox, Bell and Harlan counties. Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) 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.

The Lighthouse HOMELESS SHELTER, located at 117 South Pine Street in Pineville, is open seven days a week. For more information, call 606-337-9736.

Kentucky JOB CORPS, located in Prestonsburg, is open to motivated, young people ages 16-24 meeting the federal income guidelines. The program offers career training, high school and college courses, job search assistance, housing and medical benefits. For more information, contact Cynthia Bohon at 606-433-5336 (office), 606-224-1722 (cell) or Bohon.Cynthia@jobcorps.org.

Lighthouse Lifeline of Bell County non-residential SUPPORT GROUPS are held at the Lighthouse Mission Center, located at 3609 Hwy. 119 in Pineville. For more information, contact Sharon Teaney at 606-269-2187 or Ules Baker at 606-670-1949. Men’s and women’s support groups meet from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, and at 1 p.m. on Thursdays. Youth support groups (ages 10-18) meet from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Lighthouse RAY OF HOPE Children’s Advocacy Center, located at 3619 Hwy. 119 in Pineville, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For information, call 606-337-9955.

The “Something Different” NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS group meets at 7 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays at the First Christian Church of Middlesboro, located at 2130 Cumberland Avenue. Meetings are open.

Lighthouse Mission Center, located at 3609 Hwy. 119 in Pineville, will have FOOD GIVEAWAYS at 11:30 a.m. on the third and fourth Tuesday of each month. Emergency food boxes are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, call 606-337-1834.

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

GED CLASSES will be held on Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Lighthouse Career Training Center, located at 980 Old Bell High Road off of U.S. 119 in Pineville. For more information, call 606-337-9955.

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.

Applications are available for the Lighthouse MEDICAL CLINIC, located at 3619 Hwy. 119 in Pineville, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Visits are by appointment only. For more information, call 606-337-9955.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS will meet at the Living Clean Group Wallsend Community Room in Pineville. Meetings begin at 6 p.m. on Mondays; at noon on Wednesdays, closed for addicts only; and at 3 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call 606-499-0238 or 606-302-6972.

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.