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The Quicksie Cruiser will be out and about with the Coleman Allied truck Tuesday to collect for the 2023 Quicksie Toy Factory.

Now in its 32nd year, the Quicksie Toy Factory benefits the Helping Hand of Hope Affordable Christmas Program.

“All of the factories that are involved are getting their toys ready to help with the next weekend of the Affordable Christmas Program, and it’s just so important because it’s not like you’re just buying for one child because when we have it set up it’s like a store, and so parents really have an opportunity to look through things and to really pick out stuff for their kiddos,” said Helping Hand of Hope Executive Director Hope Burke. 

The program allows families to shop for Christmas gifts for their children at a discounted rate. Burke says the program helps ease the burden for families in need during the holiday season.

“It’s just very important because some of these families are really struggling because like we’ve seen rent has gone up, different things are up, and it’s just wild because a lot of these families just want to provide Christmas and this is that one missing link that they just can’t afford this year,” said Burke.

Learn more about how you can support the program by visiting www.helpinghandofhope.org, and follow along on Quicksie’s Facebook page Tuesday as Toy Factory pickups are made.

Unemployment saw a slight decrease across the Lincoln Trail region during the month of October. 

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the unemployment rate for the Lincoln Trail region in October came in at 3.7 percent. That’s down a bit from both September when the rate was reported at 4 percent, and October 2022 when the rate was reported at 3.8 percent.

Unemployment for Hardin County in October came in at 3.8 percent. That’s a drop from the 4.1 percent rate seen in September as well as the 4 percent rate reported in October 2022. The 3.8 percent rate is equal to the state average for October.

Breckinridge County had the highest unemployment rate in the region for the month with a rate of 4.5 percent. Marion County had the lowest at 3 percent, which ties Marion for the second lowest unemployment rate among counties in October.

The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet says: “unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working.” Visit their website to learn more.

The month of December gets kicked off with holiday events happening all around the area Friday.

The City of Elizabethtown will host their annual Light Up E-Town Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting event.

“It’s kind of an electric light parade: lots of lights, lots of excitement,” said Elizabethtown Events Manager Beth Pyles. “That will kick off at 7 o’clock Friday night. It is kind of what we call the reverse parade from the Heartland Parade, so it starts out around St. John Road and comes and ends down at that tree.”

Elizabethtown Events Marketing Coordinator Priscilla Scarborough said visitors to the parade will not be disappointed.

“This is the largest parade that E-Town has ever seen for Christmas,” Scarborough said. “I mean, we have literally doubled the entries.” 

After the parade, Mayor Jeff Gregory will read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and light the city Christmas tree. Scarborough said other events will be happening as part of the parade festivities.

“In the State Theater parking lot, there’s going to be a food vendor area with snacks, so you can go and get your coffees, hot cocoas, sweets, popcorn, things like that,” Scarborough said. “There’s also going to be a dance performance before the parade in front of the State Theater.”

Go to the events tab on the Elizabethtown city website for more details.

The City of Vine Grove will host their annual Auction for the Kids and Light Up Vine Grove event starting at 5 p.m. Friday.

“We kind of do an event and then we have a big auction, and all of the money we raise in that auction helps us pay for those 70 kids that we help at Christmas,” said Vine Grove Mayor Pam Ogden. “We give them $300 per child, and then we give them food vouchers, so it costs us quite a bit of money. We need to raise $26,000.”

More details are available on the Vine Grove City Hall Facebook page.

The City of Radcliff will host Light Up Radcliff tonight beginning at 6 p.m. at the Colvin Community Center. Enjoy trees from around the world and wonderful Christmas lights, free photos with Santa, and free cookies and hot chocolate, among other activities.