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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Auction To Help Raise Money For Jamaica Mission

Ward Sanderson Correspondent

Opportunity Presbyterian Church is raising money for a Jamaican mission trip by holding a dinner and auction April 7. In the meantime, mission organizers are looking for any items or services Valley businesses would like to donate for auction.

“We’ll visit about 100 Valley businesses this weekend,” says Mary Beth Beuke, the church’s director of youth ministries.

In June, 22 high school students and nine youth leaders will head to Jamaica to teach Bible studies in sign language to children at a school for the deaf. They will also do repairs at the school and build a new church next to it.

An eight-day mission costs money, though, so organizers are getting the word out now and hoping their fundraising event proves successful. So far, things are looking up.

“We have good items up for auction,” Beuke says.

“Good stuff like a day on a lake of your choice on a 24-foot boat, a week in a home on Lake Coeur d’Alene or various gift certificates. There are also child care and yardwork packages and things like that.”

It’s never over, though, until the auctioneer sings. Organizers will hit the streets and visit businesses this weekend. Anyone interested in donated items to the auction can call the church at 924-9750.

Both the dinner and auction will be held at the church at 202 N. Pines. The Jamaican-themed dinner starts at 6 p.m., and the auction follows at 7. The auction will be conducted in both a silent and loud format.

The dinner costs $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger. Reservations are not required.

St. Joseph’s dedication planned

The Rev. Dick Hemenway and the congregation of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church will say hello to their new building during a dedication ceremony at 7 p.m. on March 20.

The new $1.5 million building at 4521 N. Arden Road replaces the tiny brick church which has stood since 1929 at 17825 E. Trent. The parish was initially founded at that site in 1892. The original wooden building burned down in 1928.

The new church seats about 700 people, more than four times the 150-person capacity of the old church.

The historic church will remain intact, though, as the property of the Holy Cross Cemetery Association, which will maintain it as its Valley cemetery chapel.