The following are fundraisers, donations and other charitable events or opportunities happening in the Midlands. E-mail your information about good deeds to connect@owh.com or call 402-444-1040.
CF help: A spaghetti dinner fundraiser and silent auction will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Omaha Police Union Hall, 13445 Cryer Ave., to raise funds for Rachel’s “Raise” of Hope and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Five-year-old Rachel Leaders, daughter of Paul and Tiffany Leaders of Omaha, has cystic fibrosis. Although many promising clinical trials are developed and tested through the foundation, fundraising will help ensure the trials continue. Donations of $5 per person or $20 per family are welcome. For more on the spaghetti feed and auction or to donate, visit www.cff.org/Great_Strides/PaulAndTiffanyLeaders.
Can it: University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and Alpha Xi Delta Sorority will participate in the eighth annual “Just Can It!” event Monday through Friday. Students will sleep outside in cardboard boxes in the Crossroads Mall parking lot to raise awareness about homelessness. Donations can be dropped off anytime all week. The more donations the Salvation Army receives through the “Just Can It!” event, the closer it will be to receiving $1 million from the Feinstein Foundation. No Frills Supermarkets customers also can make donations in-store through April 12.
Eat and give: Dining Tuesday at two Omaha restaurants can help raise money for the St. Vincent DePaul Society. Visit Bailey’s, 120th and Pacific Streets, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. or Shucks, at either the 119th and Pacific Streets or 168th Street and West Center Road locations, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. When you do, 10 percent of all proceeds from food and drink will be donated.
Solar power: Help the University of Nebraska student chapter of Engineers Without Borders build sustainable solar power for schools in Madagascar. The group will host a fundraiser from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the Henry Doorly Zoo. The event will include a screening of “Milking the Rhino,” a documentary film about environmental diversity, and a talk by Dr. Ed Louis about conservation efforts in Madagascar. Tickets, $20 and including light refreshments, are available by calling Lamp Rynearson & Associates, 402-496-2498, or at the door.
Help for hospital: The Saunders Medical Center Auxiliary of Wahoo, Neb., will have its annual Spring Buffet Auction beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Starlite Ballroom in Wahoo. There also will be raffle items and a bake sale. All proceeds will go for patient needs at the hospital and Long Term Care Center. Tickets are $7 for adults, $4 for children 6 to 10, and free for children younger than 6. The buffet will be served from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The live auction will begin at 6 p.m.
For fun and cancer: You have until Friday to pay $10 to pre-register and get a T-shirt for the Fullerton Fun Walk at Fullerton Elementary School in the Omaha district. Events will begin at 5:30 p.m. April 29 with activities for children. The 2K noncompetitive walk will start at 7 p.m. Band of Parents, a group of families raising money for research and treatment of children with neuroblastoma cancer, also will accept donations at the walk. Joey Thompson, a Fullerton third-grader and the son of Fullerton physical education teacher Pat Thompson, has this cancer. To preregister or to donate to Band of Parents, visit www.fullertonfunwalk.org.
Dinner, auction: The Sandbar Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will have its annual fundraising dinner and auction Friday at the 4-H building on the Sarpy County Fairgrounds in Springfield. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with the dinner and auction beginning at 7 p.m. For tickets, call 402-234-6205 or 402-253-2343.
Puttin’ on the Pink: The Nebraska affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure will host its annual Puttin’ on the Pink: A Party With Promise cocktail event Friday. The 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. fundraiser will feature hors d’ouevres, drinks and a silent auction at the Baxter Ford showroom, 18505 California St. Tickets, $25, can be purchased at www.komennebraska.org.
Going to the dogs: Nebraska Dachshund Rescue will have its annual Spring Fling Fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at 17059 Drexel St. Vendors will showcase products, and there will be handmade crafts for humans and their pets. The open house will have appetizers and beverages. Proceeds will go to the rescue and rehabilitation of dachshunds that are saved throughout the Midwest. For more information, visit www.nebraskadachshundrescue.org.
Pass the Parmesan: A spaghetti luncheon will benefit the Frank and Theresa Mascarello family, victims of a house fire. The lunch, which will accept free-will donations, will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 10 at the Louisville (Neb.) Public Schools.
Looking for love: Little White Dog Rescue will begin its series of adoption events from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. April 10 outside the Three Dog Bakery at Village Pointe. Several rescue dogs will be available to meet and play with. The dogs are small, about 25 pounds or less, and are looking for forever families. All adoption fees are tax deductible. For more information, visit littlewhitedogrescue.org.
Help for a family: An April 10 benefit with food, raffles and silent auction will benefit Kirk Wiles Sr. and his family. The Omaha husband and father of two children is unable to work due to cancer treatment. The 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. benefit at the VFW Hall, 8904 Military Road, will help with living expenses.
Food and fashion: The Omaha Law League Foundation fundraiser is a fashion production scheduled April 14 at the Nomad Lounge, 1013 Jones St. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with food from Blue Sushi and Roja Grill and a cash bar. Fashion will start at 7 p.m. Send a check, $40 payable to the Omaha Law League, to Mary Pat Paul, 5501 Harney St., Omaha, NE 68132. The foundation provides scholarships to University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Creighton law schools as well as support to the Creighton Legal Clinic. For additional information, contact Mary Stultz at mary.stultz@cox.net or 402-551-6975.
Kicking cancer: The sixth annual “Kicks for a Cure” soccer weekend to raise awareness and generate funds for research, education and prevention of women’s cancer will be April 15-16. A highlight will be the 7 p.m. April 16 match between the men’s soccer teams from Creighton University and St. Louis University. That game will conclude a Saturday schedule of games that features a varsity high school match and two women’s collegiate matches — the University of Nebraska at Omaha vs. Hastings (Neb.) College and CU vs. the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. All matches will be played at the Michael G. Morrison Soccer Stadium at 18th and California Streets on the Creighton University campus. Tickets can be purchased beginning Tuesday at Creighton’s Ryan Athletic Center ticket office. All seats cost $8 for adults and $5 for youths older than 5. Coupons for $1 off are available at all Omaha-area First National Bank locations. For more information, visit www.kicksforacure.org or e-mail info@KicksforaCure.org. An April 15 fundraising dinner will focus on cancer research conducted at CU’s School of Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. There will be a social time and silent auction beginning at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7:15 p.m., all at the Mutual of Omaha Dome. Dinner costs $100 for adults and $75 for students.
On your mark: The College of St. Mary student group DUO (Do Unto Others) will sponsor a 5K walk/run to raise money for Mercy Beyond Borders, a ministry of the Sisters of Mercy that provides aid in Southern Sudan. The race will kick off at 2 p.m. April 17 from the college. Registration is $10 for students, $20 for others. Register at csm.edu/events or by contacting Becky Chabot at bchabot@csm.edu or 402-399-2391.
Second time: Nebraska’s second Lymphomathon 5K walk will be April 30 at Mahoney State Park near Ashland, Neb. The walk, hosted by the Lymphoma Research Foundation, will begin at 10 a.m. after 9 a.m. registration at the park pavilion. Proceeds will benefit Nebraskans through free patient services and research grants. To start a team, join a team, sign up as an individual or make a donation, visit www.lymphomathon.org/Nebraska2011.
Volunteers needed: Volunteers Assisting Seniors, a local nonprofit, seeks volunteers to assist the court in monitoring the financial assets of children, seniors and others in guardianship and conservatorship matters. This opportunity is ideal for someone with an accounting background or an aptitude for working with numbers and a desire to assist the court in determining if the finances of vulnerable individuals are being managed in their best interest. For more information, contact Nicole at 402-444-6617 or nmeyer@vie.omhcoxmail.com.
Rolling along: Lifelong Omahan Kyle McGinn will join 27 other young adults this summer in bicycling across the United States to support affordable housing groups, including Omaha Habitat for Humanity. At 10 towns along the route, the group will volunteer with local housing organizations. McGinn’s goal is to raise $4,000 to support the housing projects nationwide. To donate, visit www.bikeandbuild.org/rider/4981.
Trail cleaning: On Saturday the Kiwanis Club of Florence cleaned the Omaha Riverfront Trail from N.P. Dodge Park to the OPPD power plant. The project celebrated Kiwanis’ national “One Day” community service focus.
Feeding the hungry: Students at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, spent Thursday boxing food for hungry families in Honduras. During “Then Feed Just One,” students spent time between classes packaging nonperishable items, including rice, vitamins, chicken flavoring and dried vegetables.
Help in Kearney: University of Nebraska at Kearney students took part Saturday in the sixth annual Big Event. UNK students, faculty and staff volunteered on community service projects throughout Kearney.
More for Japan: The Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross recently teamed with KETV Channel 7 for a telethon to benefit those affected by recent disasters in the Pacific, raising about $40,115 for Japanese earthquake and Pacific tsunami relief.
Feeding the hungry: A $2,145 contribution to Campus Kitchen from the Tri-City Storm hockey team means that 95 needy Kearney, Neb.-area residents will receive two free meals a week, instead of one. The Tri-City Storm raised money for the donation to the UNK Campus Kitchen through the team’s Jerseys for a Cause program.
Compiled by Kiley Cruse and Sue Story Truax
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