In brief: Free, new clothing for kids available

SPOKANE – Parents will be able to shop for gifts of new clothing for children ages newborn to 13 at The Mission Community Outreach Center, 1906 E. Mission Ave., Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Please don’t bring children to this event. Parents must bring identification for each child receiving a gift. Call: (509) 536-1084.

Interplayers offers theater day camp

DOWNTOWN – Interplayers Theatre is putting on a winter break theater camp for children in second through sixth grade from Wednesday through Dec. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, with a matinee performance on Dec. 22.

Jamie Sciarrio is the instructor, and students will learn projection and diction, line memorization techniques, stage movement and tips for auditioning.

Cost: $95. Call: (509) 455-7529.

Writing contest accepting entries

SPOKANE COUNTY – The seventh annual Eva Lassman Memorial Writing Contest is now accepting entries from middle and high school students.

Students are asked to compose an essay about what they’ve learned about Holocaust resistance and relate it to a current act of genocide or hatred in the United States or abroad.

Essays should be between 500 and 1,000 words, double-spaced and saved in Microsoft Word format. They must be emailed as attachments to neveragain-spokane@comcast.net before midnight on March 2.

Please include name, phone number, email address, school and grade level, as well as a note about how you heard of the contest on a cover sheet.

Winners will receive scholarships ranging from $75 to $500, and be invited to read at Temple Beth Shalom’s community observance of the Holocaust on April 7.

For more information, follow Never Again Spokane on Facebook or send an email to neveragain-spokane@comcast.net.

Chase gives grant to Krochet Kids

SPOKANE COUNTY – Krochet Kids International, which was started in Spokane and is now based in Costa Mesa, Calif., won second place and a $500,000 grant in the Second American Giving Awards hosted by Chase Bank.

Executive Director Kohl Crecelius was a junior at Mt. Spokane High School when he started making hats with friends Travis Hartanov and Stewart Ramsey. On a trip to Uganda in 2007, Krochet Kids taught 10 women how to crochet hats for export in return for a livable wage. Today, Krochet Kids works with 180 women in Uganda and has just begun the development of a second location in Peru.

“We are so humbled and honored to be part of this celebration,” Crecelius said upon receiving the grant. “We are a small organization that has big plans for the future and the $500,000 from Chase will radically change what we are able to do.”

Kid’s author, cat coming to Auntie’s

DOWNTOWN – Katie Youngren, author of the children’s book series “The Itty Bitty School Bus Kitty” will be at Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave., Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Youngren will bring Eve, the cat she and her fellow bus drivers at the Freeman School District found one cold winter morning in the bus barn. She will read from her books and sign autographs.

Information: (509) 838-0206.

Second Harvest distributing beef

MILLWOOD – Second Harvest Food Bank will be at Millwood Community Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road, Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The mobile food truck visits the church once a month to deliver food to families in the neighborhood. This time they will distribute 3-pound beef roasts from the Washington beef farmers as part of Washington Beef Industry United Against Hunger.

The food is for anyone in need; no appointment or documentation is necessary, but you should bring a box to carry your food.

Information: (509) 924-2350.