News
Opportunity for Community to Help Tornado Victims in Kentucky
Many lives were changed by the tornados that came through Kentucky last week. Many families were displaced and lost all of their belongings. Our community now has the opportunity to come together to help our neighbors around the state, by donating items that the adults and children need to make it through the coming weeks. Marsha Duncan, Youth Service Coordinator at LaRue County High School is working with Family Resource Centers around Kentucky to take donations of immediate items that are needed by the affected families. Some of the items needed are toiletry items such as baby wipes, toilet paper, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and any other toiletry item. Socks and underwear of all sizes, ranging from children to adults, are two other important items that are needed immediately. Marsha stated that larger items such as tarps and building supplies will probably needed at a later date, but for now, the immediate items listed above are the most important. Marsha will be taking these items until next Wednesday, March 14th. If you or your business or organization would like to donate items, please email Marsha at [email protected]. Email is the best way to reach Marsha. However, if you prefer to call, you can call her office between 8:00am-12:00pm, Monday-Friday. Her office number is 270-358-9745.
LaRue County Chamber, Its Members Prepare for 2012 Tourist Season
Check out our article that was in the LaRue County Herald this week:
As the economy continues to show signs of recovery, the LaRue County Chamber and its members are looking ahead to the 2012 tourist season with great enthusiasm.
“We think it’s going to be the best year since the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial,” said Jessica Davis, Chamber executive director.
“The importance of tourism to our local economy cannot be understated. It creates jobs, generates revenue and exposes our community to people from around the country and around the globe,” Davis added.
According to Kentucky Tourism Industry, direct expenditures related to Tourism in LaRue County in 2010 exceed $5.1 million and there were 263 jobs in the county related to tourism.
The public’s fascination with Lincoln’s legacy drives tourism here. The National Park Service reports that in 2010 the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park saw more than 177,000 visitors.
And The Lincoln Museum sees nearly 30,000 paid museum tours annually. In 2011, the museum had visitors from 49 states and 37 countries. Museum Director, Iris LaRue attributes other nearby tourist attractions such as the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the National Corvette Museum and Mammoth Cave with bringing even more visitors to LaRue County as one of several stops on their tour.
“These same visitors shopped in our stores, ate in our restaurants, filled gas tanks and saw everything that LaRue County has to offer,” said Stefanie Rock, President of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.
Pat Durham, chamber board member and owner of The Sweet Shoppe, credits 75% of his business to tourism and estimates seeing 15-20 visiting families each day.
The chamber is proud to be Hodgenville and LaRue County’s welcome center and is taking that job seriously with capital investments in an updated website (www.laruecountychamber.org ) and an active social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.
“We encourage all businesses to join us by putting out the welcome mat as we get ready for another successful tourism season in Hodgenville and LaRue County,” said Davis.
Welcome New Chamber Members!
The LaRue County Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome five new members! Make sure to check them out! Also, stay tuned for details about ribbon cutting ceremonies for each new member, one of which will be this Friday!
Please help us welcome:
Aflac Insurance – Independent Agent James Beery
Contact: James Beery
622 Hubbards Lane
Bardstown, Kentucky 40004
(502)275-9311
Allegro at Helmwood, LLC
Contact: Katrina Valliant/Steve Sanford
108 Diecks Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701
www.allegroliving.com
(270)765-4414
Blazin Xpressions
Contact: Joshua Singer
1353 Dangerfield Road
Hodgenville, Kentucky 42748
(270) 361-8426
Melanie Wells Photography – Open House Friday, February 24, 2012, 10-2pm (Ribbon Cutting 10:30am)
Contact: Melanie Wells
212 North Lincoln Blvd.
Hodgenville, Kentucky 42748
http://www.melaniewellsphotography.com
(270)234-4810
Todd’s Lunch Box
Contact: Todd Akin
105 South Walters Avenue
Hodgenville, Kentucky 42748
(270)872-3161
Chamber Offers Bundle of Sponsorship Opportunities
Don
‘t miss your chance to “Bundle Up This Winter” with the LaRue County Chamber! Our bundle plan allows you to bundle your membership and other sponsorship opportunities so that you can save some money and the Chamber will have your commitment for the year 2012.
Contact Jessica at the Chamber office (270) 358-3411 for more information or you can email her at jessica@laruecountychamber.org.