Fundraising event scheduled in Washtucna

On June 11, a dinner event celebrates the one-year anniversary for the Washtucna Historical Museum and Community Center.

A program titled “Bids and Giggles” will honor the first milestone year.

The evening will feature a prime rib dinner, silent auction, comedians, and music provided by a local musician’s group.

“We set some ambitious goals for our first year,” stated Lee Ann Blankenship, spokesperson for the organization, “and we have achieved or surpassed each one.”

From the start, the board focused on providing a community center space for educational and recreational activities, as well as launching a Historical Museum to house many local archives.

A historical video documentary project is also underway.

The primary goal for the group was to achieve a 501(c)3 nonprofit status.

As a result of the nonprofit designation, Brian Jones and Gerwyn Jones, Jr. of Walla Walla are donating the building that houses the Museum and Community Center to the organization.

Their generous donation to the community will be recognized at the fundraising event with the presentation of a plaque.

“The board is grateful for Brian and Gerwyn Jone’s bestowment of the building as it gives the Museum and Community a cornerstone for preservation,” Blankenship continued.

“Our goals moving forward include helping to revitalize our town. We hope to utilize our nonprofit standing to join forces with other local institutions that have the same goal. All communities, regardless of size or circumstance, offer some kind of asset that can be built upon.”

“Maintaining and preserving our historic downtown is a vital step towards preserving our community,” she concluded.

The goal of this fundraiser is to raise money towards the installation of a heating and cooling system for the building museum and community center.

The event will be at the Washtucna Rimrock Grange at 210 Northwest May Street in Washtucna.

Tickets can be purchased for $15 at the Java Bloom, or by calling 659-7123.

Tickets can also be purchased online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com by searching Washtucna Historical.