Fall Full Of Fund-Raising Festivities

Food, fun and fund-raising seem to go hand-in-hand in this week’s array of activities from the non-profit world. So mark your calendars for a variety of fund-raising events, luncheons and dinners throughout October and into November - and eat to your stomach’s content knowing you are helping raise money for some very worthwhile community causes.

The annual fall bazaar, luncheon and card party sponsored by the Daughters of the Nile is scheduled for Friday at the Masonic Temple, 1108 W. Riverside.

Event proceeds help fund its operating costs so other fund-raising activities can benefit Spokane’s Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children.

Daughters of the Nile is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the Shriners Hospital through volunteer work and donations.

The bazaar, opening at 9:30 a.m., will feature hand-made items, jewelry and collectibles, holiday decorations and crafts, baked goods, scarves, books and house plants.

The $5.50 luncheon tickets can be bought at the door. Required reservations for the free card party may be made by calling 534-1301.

The Inland Northwest Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will host an evening of sampling Northwest microbreweries and bidding for silent auction items at 6 p.m., Friday, at Playfair Race Course.

And, for an extra cost, cigars will be available, along with a discussion of types.

The $18 event ticket includes sampling more than 18 beers and the chance to bid on auction items, including river-rafting trips, Chief’s hockey/ Spokane Arena suites, private parties at the Carrousel in Riverfront Park and Wonderland (miniature golf park), a Silver Mountain ski getaway, Sonics tickets and a tanzanite ring.

For tickets, call 482-2022.

Waterford on the South Hill will host a high tea and estate jewelry fashion show to benefit the Cheney Cowles Museum from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday, at the retirement home, 2929 S. Waterford Drive.

Jeweler John McNa will show estate jewelry created by famous design houses valued between a few thousand dollars and $300,000.

While no one expects much jewelry to be sold, there will be a silent auction of 20 elegant tea pots.

Advance purchase of the $40 admission tickets is recommended; call Mary Fair at 536-2929.

The Fall Fiesta Bazaar and Luncheon will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 19 at Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church. It’s the main fund-raising event for the missions program sponsored by the women’s association.

There will be tables of arts and crafts, holiday items, new infant’s and children’s items, fall and spring decorating crafts, a white elephant and baked goods. A luncheon will be served from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. for $4.75.

Local missions supported by the women’s group include Day Break, Ogden Hall and the Union Gospel Mission.

Good eats and toe-tapping tunes are guaranteed when Spokane Community College’s culinary arts program and the University of Idaho’s swing band unite for SCC’s “Swing into Autumn” dinner-dance from 7 to 10 p.m., Nov. 1.

A three-course buffet will be served, featuring appetizers, entrees, salads and desserts, prepared by SCC culinary arts students, followed by dance music under the direction of UI’s Dan Bukvich.

Proceeds from the $35 event benefit SCC’s culinary arts program and scholarship fund. Advance reservations may be made by calling 533-7283. And, it’s best to act now, as tickets are usually sold out before Oct. 15.

Fund-raising and the arts

Catholic Charities reserved a block of prime orchestra seats for the grand finale of the Broadway smash hit “Damn Yankees,” starring Jerry Lewis, on Oct. 20 at the Spokane Opera House.

“Our goal is to sell 300 patron tickets and raise funds for Catholic Charities Senior Services,” said Jane Herion, Broadway benefit chairwoman.

The $75 patron tickets - of which $36 is a tax-deductible donation - include a pre-performance reception with Bishop William Skylstad of the Spokane Catholic Diocese.

Tickets are available by calling 456-7150, or at the Catholic Charities office, 1023 W. Riverside.

Of the many programs supported by Catholic Charities, its Senior Services has a variety of programs: Housing Options offers housing information and a referral service of retirement housing in Spokane County; Senior Nutrition provides a hot lunch in Spokane and Deer Park; Telephone Reassurance and Friendly Visiting provides social contact to the lonely, confined to home; Volunteer Chore provides free help to low-income adults who are frail or disabled.

The Thursday reception of Women Helping Women’s Pioneer Circle will be at the home of Sally Kleaveland. The mother-daughter team of Vivian and Karen Winston will host the reception from 5 to 7 p.m. A reading by award-winning poet Nance Van Winckel of Eastern Washington University will accompany wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Pioneer Circle underwrites the daily operations of Women Helping Women and the cost of the spring benefit luncheon. Each member makes a gift or pledge of at least $200 at the reception, and a gift of $100 at the luncheon to support its programs.

The group believes empowering women and children helps create healthy families and vibrant communities. During the last four years, nearly $568,000 for programs in the Spokane community has been raised through its luncheon and other donations.

To join Pioneer Circle, or for more information, call 747-0802.

In other Women Helping Women news, the 1997 grant applications and guidelines are available at its office, 405 S. Stevens; applications are due by 5 p.m., Oct. 31. Recipients will be announced in February.

Any Spokane county nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status may apply for grants. For more information, call Kim Mayer, 747-0802.

Training opportunities

“Your Roadmap to Financial Security,” a free seminar by the American Association of Retired Persons, will be 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Friday, at the West Central Community Center, 1603 N. Belt.

Experts in Social Security, consumer fraud protection and money management will speak.

Space is still available for Adams and Associates’ workshops, “Creating a Successful Grants Program” on Friday, and “Communications and Marketing for Your Organization,” Oct. 25.

For more information, or to register, call 747-3878.

Club notes

Michael McKeehan will give highlights from his doctoral dissertation on Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Ore., at the Oct. 10 meeting of the Esther Reed Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 314 S. Spruce.

Chemawa is the oldest continuously operated boarding school for Native Americans in the United States. DAR chapters support the school with donations of books, clothing, Campbell Soup labels and money.

The program at 1 p.m. is open to all. For more information, call 838-1502.

A member of the Economical Development Council will be featured at the Spokane Women’s Republican Club’s monthly meeting and luncheon on Thursday at the Masonic Temple on Riverside.

Registration begins at 11:30; cost for the noon luncheon is $6.