WQXE NEWS

Goodwill Industries of Kentucky is offering support for residents impacted by flooding across the commonwealth through vouchers available at their stores and opportunity centers.

“If you are near an opportunity center and have the need for vouchers, which you can use for clothing and wares at Goodwill Industries of Kentucky stores (there are 66 stores statewide), we urge you to find your nearest store or opportunity center and obtain those vouchers,” said Goodwill Industries of Kentucky Communications Coordinator Kyle Williams. 

The vouchers are also available at Community Action Kentucky offices.

“They’re valued based on need for items in our stores,” Williams said. “They can be used at any store. We do ask that the full amount be used at one store, and an ID is required to obtain a voucher.”

The vouchers are part of Goodwill’s efforts to support communities in crisis.

“While we are not a disaster relief agency, we obviously see the tremendous need for some things that we can offer, so we step in in ways that we find necessary,” Williams said.

Visit the Elizabethtown Goodwill Opportunity Center at 243 West Dixie Avenue. To find your nearest Community Action Kentucky office, visit www.capky.org.

Nolin River Wildlife hosted their third annual Born to be Wild Gala this past weekend, and Nolin River Wildlife board member Jerry Mraz said the event did even better than expected.

“We came in at raising just a little bit above $60,000, and that is all free and clear,” Mraz said. “All of that money goes directly to the operations of Nolin River Wildlife.”

Mraz said there is no better acknowledgement of the community’s generosity than the success of the gala.

“It’s a great opportunity to not just raise money, but it raises awareness for our local wildlife, for our local mammals, and it gives us an opportunity to recruit volunteers and tell people just in general the kinds of things that we do at Nolin River Wildlife,” Mraz said.

All proceeds from the event will go directly towards Nolin River Wildlife’s mission of helping injured wildlife heal and grow.

“We have veterinary bills,” Mraz said. “Some of our animals come to us injured, and so there are vet bills that may come up and run up to unknown amounts of money. We can’t really guess that part, but between food and vet bills, that’s the lion’s share of what normally costs between $6,000 to $8,000 a month to operate.”

You can learn more about Nolin River Wildlife and find ways to contribute to the organization by visiting their website or Facebook page.

The hard work of emergency dispatchers to respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render lifesaving assistance is being recognized now through April 19 during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, often just called Dispatch Week.

“It’s a time for recognition, a time to raise awareness, and a time to give support,” said Hardin County E-911 Deputy Director Michelle Bowen. “It’s also a chance to say thank you to the people who work behind the scenes, often without much public attention. They help save lives and keep communities safe.”

The week is a chance to recognize the hard work of the group of about 30 telecommunicators working around the clock to keep Hardin County safe, something made especially relevant during the recent weather events in the county.

“We try to pre-plan if we know something’s coming in, and we always have people that are more than willing to come in,” Bowen said. “Some of them spend the night here just so they can make sure that they’ll be able to get here and be able to work. They’re always team players and, honestly, they just want to take care of the community.”

Businesses or organizations looking to give a special thank you with a special treat are welcome to visit the dispatch center at the Hardin County Government Building, but Bowen says a simple thank you goes a long way.

“We are not really out there in the public eye,” Bowen said. “Nobody sees us so we don’t get the recognition that a lot of first responders have, so if you know a telecommunicator, or you can thank us on Facebook. We’ve got a Facebook page: Hardin County 911, Kentucky.”

The Kentucky State Police is recognizing Dispatch Week with a door decorating contest at the radio rooms of participating posts. Vote for your favorites on the KSP’s Facebook page.