By B.C. Manion
A children’s outreach group is staging will raise money so it can help more kids who often fall through the cracks.
The Children’s Outreach Program Effort, which is affiliated with the Wesley Chapel Seventh-Day Adventist Church, has amassed an eclectic collection of items to sell at its auction on Nov. 6.
There’s a boat, a Jacuzzi, quilts and antique picture frames and furniture.
There’s wedgewood, carnival glass and crystal. There’s a rug shampooer, a Singer sewing machine, golf clubs, lamps, collectibles, appliances, jewelry, coins, watches and tools.
One gentleman cleared out his tool business and donated a lot of items to the auction, said Janet Chubinsky, director of the volunteer children’s outreach group.
The church, at the edge of Zephyrhills, helps children in need throughout East Pasco County.
“We’ve got 1,000 sockets,” she said, she’s hoping those and other tools will attract people with a mechanical bent.
There are gift certificates, as well — to local restaurants, golf courses and salons. Those can be a good bargain, Chubinsky noted.
The church, at the edge of Zephyrhills, helps children in need throughout East Pasco County. This is the first year its COPE outreach program is having an auction, but if things go well, it will become an annual event, Chubinsky said.
The group provides new shoes, new clothing, medicine, food, toys and support services to children in need. Group members also make pajama bottoms, which are donated to hospitals, to help provide comfort and dignity to children.
The program often helps the children “who fall through the cracks,” said Chubinsky, who organized similar auctions when she lived in Tennessee.
One child the group is helping is an infant that requires special formula because her mother used drugs during her pregnancy.
Two others are children of a single mom who can’t afford to buy new clothing for her son or diapers for her baby, Chubinsky said.
The group, which began serving East Pasco children in May 2010, is helping about 25 kids now. Its goal is to double that number, Chubinsky said.
The organization aims to supply each child it helps with at least three changes of clothing and one new pair of shoes. In addition to the clothing, the organization provides toiletries and hygiene items as needed, offer a Bible and will provide a blanket and stuffed toy when necessary. The group also provides school supplies, when resources permit.
In addition to raising money that will be spent directly on children, the group is also hoping to use some of the proceeds to help purchase a building. The program has outgrown the trailer it has been using and needs to find a building to provide office space and storage, Chubinsky said.
The auction is being conducted by Evan Minck, a professional auctioneer who has donated his services. There will likely be some very good bargains, Chubinsky said.
“Our auctioneer said that everything will go. Some of the box lots, we might only get a dollar or three dollars, but they will go. We don’t want anything left out there,” Chubinsky said.
And, besides bidding on items, patrons can grab a bite to eat.
Hot dogs, nachos and cheese, soft drinks and baked goods also will be available for purchase, Chubinsky said.
Chubinsky said the organization hopes to raise at least $6,000 from the event.
The group is still accepting donated items to sell, and Chubinsky is grateful for the community’s generosity to date.
“God has blessed us,” she said. “We’re 100 percent volunteers, so all of the money goes to the children.”
Charity Auction to benefit the Children’s Outreach Program Effort
When: Sunday, Nov. 6; Preview begins at 11 a.m.; auction starts at 1 p.m. and continues everything is sold.
Where: Wesley Chapel Seventh Day Adventist Church, 33520 SR 54 in Zephyrhills
Hot dogs, nachos and cheese, soda and baked goods also will be available for purchase.
COPE seeks to help children in need
Here are some ways you can help
–Donate food, new shoes, clothing, material and elastic for pajama bottoms, thread, ribbon, new toys, games, cash.
–Become a volunteer
–Provide dental and medical services
–Provide a space which the program can use for an office and for storage.
For more information, call Janet Chubinsky at (352) 668-4397 or Naomi Philipp at (13) 395-6084
