A group in Harlan is selling coal-theme candles to help unemployed miners in eastern Kentucky pay their bills. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports a group called Harlan 20/20 is managing the project. Rie Whitfield and Kathy Bianchi say they wanted to come up with a way to help the thousands of coal miners who have been laid off due to a slump in the coal industry.
The candles are black to represent coal, but come in different scents. They are made by the Goose Creek Candle Company in Casey County and sell for $20. Whitfield and Bianchi say they originally wanted to raise $5,000 with the project, but it became so popular that they've already raised $16,000. Whitfield says their new goal is $20,000.