TUJUNGA : YMCA Party, Auction Fund-Raiser Planned

The Verdugo Hills Family YMCA is holding a Christmas party and silent auction to raise money for child care and YMCA programming for needy families.

The auction will be held Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Home Savings of America on Foothill Boulevard in Tujunga.

“Most of the money helps people in our child-care programs,” said Deb Anderson, executive director of the YMCA, who said the agency hopes to raise $10,000. “We find we have about 300 families a year we grant assistance to.”

Those grants total about $100,000 raised throughout the year.

Anderson said there will be about 100 items in the auction, from small gift items up to a weekend in Palm Springs. Tickets for Clippers and Mighty Ducks games, amusement parks, as well as clothing, Christmas decorations and toys, small appliances and animation cells from Disney movies or cartoons will also be auctioned off.

A starting bid will be set for each item.

Admission to the party is $25 a person and reservations must be made with the YMCA in advance, she said.

“We’re expecting 100 people at least,” Anderson said. “We’d like 150, although when we’re nearing the date we’ll take people up to the very last minute.”