Local events to benefit victims of hurricane

Flathead Valley organizations, businesses and individuals have a number of different fund-raisers under way to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

-Pro Clean Carwash, 515 East Idaho St. in Kalispell, will donate $2 of each car wash on Thursday to the Red Cross fund for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. Free soft drinks will be provided by Coca-Cola Bottling of Kalispell. Car-wash hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Buckets will be available at both the car wash and quick-lube buildings for donations from the general public.

-Flanagan's Central Station in Whitefish is holding a benefit concert Saturday for a hurricane relief fund in New Orleans. There will be a silent auction, raffle and live blues performed by Maurice John Vaughn. There is a request for $15 donations at the door, but any donation is accepted and welcome. The benefit starts at 7 p.m., with free pizza and calzones from 7 to 8 p.m.

-Movie Gallery at 25 Heritage Way in Kalispell will hold a fund-raiser from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Donations of nonperishable food, clothing and diapers may be dropped off at the business. Cash donations will be given to the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina victims. There will be food and fun for the whole family. The Montana All-Star cheerleaders and Flathead High School cheerleaders are sponsoring the event along with Movie Gallery.

-Montana Coffee Traders will donate 100 percent of its brewed coffee sales today and Sept. 14 to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The fund-raiser includes the coffee shops in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and the U.S. 93 roasting facility south of Whitefish.

-A Hurricane Katrina relief benefit dinner will be offered during Andre Floyd and Mood Iguana's "Last Saturday at the Knead Cafe" event on Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. A five-course Cajun dinner will be served. All profits go to the Louisiana and Mississippi Red Cross. Admission is $50 per person; there are 100 seats available. Call 755-7510 for reservations.

-Stumptown Quilt Guild has challenged its members and other local quilters to make twin bed-sized quilts for evacuees being housed in shelters such as the Astrodome in Houston. The Back Door General Store at 131 Central Ave. in Whitefish will be the drop-off for quilts. Store owners Trini and Gwen Carreon are donating quilt batting to the first 10 quilters who sign up to make a quilt, and will offer discounts on fabric and batting through September. Used quilts may also be donated if they're clean and in good condition. Call the store at 862-6173 for further information.

-The Montana Cares Quilt Project is asking area sewers to donate new quilts of any size for hurricane victims. Quilt donations must be received by November to arrange for distribution during the Christmas holiday season. Call Karen Tinney at (406) 675-0792 or e-mail katinney@ronan.net. Participants will receive Montana Cares labels to sew on their quilts, along with drop-off information.

-An areawide garage sale will be held Oct. 1-2 at the Flathead County Fairgrounds, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Proceeds will go to the Red Cross and Salvation Army for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief.

Items needed include antiques, artwork, clothing, shoes, sporting goods, exercise equipment, kitchen goods, furniture, yard tools, videos, DVDs, CDs, jewelry, toys, linen, books and electronics. Donations must be clean and marked with a reasonable price. Major appliances cannot be accepted. Drop off items from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28-30 at the fairgrounds.

Representatives of the Red Cross and Salvation Army will be at the garage sale to take cash donations. Call 212-2024 or 862-4039 for further information.