In brief: Moran United Methodist Church holding penny auction fundraiser

The Moran United Methodist Church has planned its 20th annual penny auction and silent auction for 11 a.m. Nov. 10 at Southside Community and Activities Center, 3151 E. 27th Ave.

More than 250 items will be available for bidding, including gift baskets and handicrafts. Auction tickets will be sold at the door in bags of 200 for $2, 500 for $5, 1,000 for $10 and 2,000 for $20.

Lunch will be available for purchase at $6. Participants must be present to win when drawing begins at 1 p.m. Proceeds will go toward the church’s outreach missions.

For more information, call Jeanie Cook at the church at (509) 448-8522.

Fashion sale, clothing drive set

The NW Fashion Reps and OutSide the Box are teaming up for a boutique fashion sample sale and a clothing drive at the Moran Prairie Grange, 6030 S. Palouse Highway.

The event will take place 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 16, 9 to 6 Nov. 17 and 10 to 4 Nov. 18.

The sale will offer current styles at wholesale prices, a news release said. Kathi Johnson, of NW Fashion Reps, will be available with styling tips.

The event also will collect gently used and “quality” clothing, and beauty and personal hygiene products for women in need. The donation drive will benefit the YWCA’s Our Sister’s Closet, Project Beauty Share and Breast Intentions of Washington, all of which support women with low incomes.

For more information, visit southhillsupersamplesale.com or call Johnson at (509) 954-3724.

Annual dinner to honor area veterans

The Southside Community and Activities Center has planned its annual Veterans Day Dinner to honor all veterans ahead of the Veterans Day holiday.

The prime rib dinner, prepared by chef Greg Miley, maker of Miley Brands, will be 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the center, 3151 E. 27th Ave.

The event will feature a Fairchild Air Force Base honor guard, special recognition of veterans, veterans’ stories, music by the Willows band and KHQ news anchorman Dan Kleckner will emcee.

The dinner is $15 for members, $17 for nonmembers and free for veterans. There will be a no-host bar.

For more information, contact the center at (509) 535-0803 or http://www.southsidescc.org/.

Literacy campaign to adorn bus stops

A local literacy campaign created by two Eastern Washington University faculty members will be featured in Spokane Transit Authority bus shelters in an effort to promote conversations about childhood language development.

Targeting children ages 5 and younger, Project ELLO (Everyday Language and Literacy Opportunities) encourages language skill development through visuals in everyday places, like the grocery store or bus plaza, according to an EWU news release.

In celebration of this partnership, EWU and the STA will be hosting a launch party from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the STA Plaza in downtown Spokane, and the public is invited.

Created by EWU faculty Shanna Davis, assistant professor of psychology, and Allison Wilson, assistant professor of early childhood education, ELLO originally launched in 2017 at the Grocery Outlet in Airway Heights. Sonja Durr, a lecturer in EWU’s design program, has come on to help.

Colorful signs will soon decorate a number of Spokane bus shelters, prompting conversation through questions, like “Where does the bus go at night?”

“Parents might not think of a bus shelter as an engaging environment,” Davis said. “Our goal is to take areas that aren’t necessarily considered ‘kid spaces’ and make them a little more stimulating.”

Starting today, parents are encouraged to keep a lookout for signs at surrounding Spokane and Cheney bus shelters.

St. Michael’s to present ‘Mary Poppins Jr.’

St. Michael’s Academy will present its production of “Mary Poppins Jr.” on Nov. 16-18.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. on Nov. 16 and 17 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 18 at in the Parish Hall, 8500 N. St. Michaels Road.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Call (509) 467-0986 ext. 0 for tickets and information.