In brief: NWC fifth-grader wins state pageant crown

SPOKANE – Victoria Cadwallader has been crowned Petite Miss Washington Pre-Teen 2013.

Cadwallader is 11 years old and in fifth grade at Northwest Christian Schools. She volunteers for SpokAnimal CARE and Northeast Youth Center and she hopes the title will give her more opportunities to help underprivileged and special-needs children, as well as shelter animals.

The Petite Miss Washington Pageant is part of the Mrs. America Pageant.

Ceremony will honor peace pole donation

SPOKANE – Gonzaga University’s global scholar in residence, the Venerable Geshe Thupten Phelgye, will donate a peace pole to the university in a special blessing and installation ceremony on the lawn behind Gonzaga’s College Hall at 3 p.m. Monday.

The 8-foot-tall peace pole is made of red cedar and has the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” inscribed in English, Tibetan, Hebrew and Arabic.

Phelgye is giving the pole to Gonzaga as a sign of his appreciation for Gonzaga choosing him as the university’s first global scholar in residence. Born in Tibet, Phelgye holds a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy and is the founder of the Universal Compassion Movement, which promotes vegetarianism worldwide.

Call: (509) 313-6550.

SOUTH HILL – Longtime preschool teacher at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Evelyn Nyholm, is retiring.

The church is inviting former and current students and their families to a retirement celebration at 7 p.m. Monday in the fellowship hall at St. Mark’s, 316 E. 24th Ave.

Call: (509) 747-6677.

Open house to dedicate new fellowship room

NORTH SPOKANE – Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 7307 N. Nevada St., has added 10,000 square feet to its church, including a new fellowship room with a commercial kitchen and classrooms.

The new building will be home to the Cross My Art Fine Art Center, which offers classes in clay and painting, as well as some music instruction.

The church is having an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, followed by a dedication service at 3:30 p.m. and a concert by local band The Incandescent at 4:30 p.m.

Call: (509) 483-4218.

Benefit seeks volunteers to rappel from building

DOWNTOWN – The Special Olympics of Washington is looking for volunteers willing to rappel from downtown’s tallest building (the Bank of America Financial building, 20 stories, 264 feet) on June 22 as part of the organization’s fundraising event.

Participants must be at least 18 years old and raise $650 for Special Olympics to be considered.

Call: (509) 299-7117.