Several of Carlsbad’s most outstanding nonprofits are holding their fundraisers around this time – organizations who waited for the worst part of the pandemic to subside who may have also wanted to avoid the heat of summer.
On Friday, Epsilon Sigma Alpha and Packs for Hunger will host their annual “Mayor’s Shindig”- which is a fundraiser for this outstanding program. The theme this year is “Take a Bite Out of Hunger,” and that’s exactly what the Packs for Hunger volunteers do every single week.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Packs for Hunger continued to step up as the need continued to grow. Each week, hundreds of backpacks of food are prepared for local children. In many cases, this will be the only food available to these children. Carol Worley is the heart and soul of the Packs for Hunger program and is one of the reasons that the effort really stands out. Members of Mariachi Unido will be providing entertainment at this year’s “Shindig,” which begins at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Walter Gerrells Civic Center, 4012 National Parks Highway. For more information, please contact Carol at (575) 361-2834.
On Thursday, the Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will hold its annual benefit dinner and auction. The event will also be at the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts Center, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The event will include a silent auction, door prizes and live trivia, as well as dinner and drinks. For more information, please contact Tell Montoya at (422) 208-3035 or Robert Kasuboski at (575) 689-6711. This Rehabilitation Center is one of the unsung heroes of our area – and we’re very fortunate to have Dr. Samantha Uhrig.
Last week, Carlsbad LifeHouse Inc. held its annual fundraiser and raised more than $110,000 through an auction and silent auction. Over the past year, LifeHouse has undergone a massive expansion and taken on several other treatment programs in town. However, the program is now looking to fund a detox center – which was the purpose of the fundraiser.
Shara Browning organized a wonderful event and Dave Rogers did his usual excellent job as emcee. Special thanks to Shane Andrews for delivering the event’s keynote speech.
This past Sunday was Mental Health Awareness Day. Carlsbad has come a long way thanks to the efforts of the LIfeHouse team and others. Thank you to all of the members of our community for their support of LifeHouse, the Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Packs for Hunger and many other worthy organizations.