LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — The annual United Way of Laurel County auction kicks off this week and donations are still needed.

“We are setting up at the London Community Center today and donations can be dropped by there,” said Judy Nicholson, executive director. “We also want to remind people about the Sweet Shoppe. Drop by and donate your favorite dessert with a story about why it is special to you.”

Sweet Shoppe items will be available for auction from Wednesday to Saturday morning. Citizens are encouraged to bring a dessert to help raise money for the United Way, which then distributes funds to local organizations.

Nicholson said that 203 items have already been donated for the annual auction but more are needed as the auction sells an average of 600 to 800 items each year.

“If you are a business and you don’t have anything to auction off, you can purchase an item for a donation,” she said.

The auction kicks off on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast over Time Warner Cable Channel 12 and New Wave Channel 18. The auction will also be broadcast on London radio station WFTG AM 1400 and online at www.unionky.edu/unitedway.. The auction will be broadcast from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, Thursday, Feb. 23, and Friday, Feb. 24 and from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Auctioneers for this year’s event include Laurel County Sheriff John Root, Laurel County Judge-Executive David Westerfield, Laurel County Attorney Jodi Albright, Laurel/Knox County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele, Laurel County Jailer Jamie Mosley, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Brandon Jones, and Kelly Harris, Mike Giles, Bud Stuber, Lonnie Marcum, Bridget Dunaway, Jamie Thompson, Devin Ford, Willie Sawyers, Michael Sliter, Mike Giles and Jon Ross Yaden assisted by Chase Bargo.

The United Way of Laurel County currently funds 15 local non-profit agencies and administers the Summer Feeding Program that provided 19,042 meals to school-age children between June 8 and July 31. More than 60 percent of Laurel County students receive free or reduced lunches and the summer feeding program provides a well-balanced lunch for those students throughout the summer months.

All donations to the United Way auction are tax deductible and a receipt is available if requested.

For more information, contact the United Way of Laurel County at 330-0702 or on their website at www.unitedwayauction.org.



njohnson@sentinel-echo.com