The following are other fundraisers, donations and charitable events happening in the Midlands. Email your information about good deeds to connect@owh.com or call 402-444-1040.
Down on the farm: Be at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St., from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday for Hot July Hootenanny with the Prairie Gators, Faerie Tones and Amy Schmidt to raise money for a local farm. You will be supporting the campaign to finish building Dutch Girl Creamery/ShadowBrook Farm's cheese-making facility. Buy your dinner from the Localmotive Food Truck and sample and purchase cheese at the show. All ages are welcome. The music will start at 5:30 p.m. Admission: $5.
Scrub behind the ears: Dogtopia, 13239 Portal Drive in La Vista, will wash dogs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Proceeds will go to the Omaha Police Department's K-9 Unit.
Saying thanks, giving back: Lo Sole Mio Italian restaurant will celebrate 20 years in business with a 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday block party to benefit the Open Door Mission. Activities will be in front of Lo Sole Mio, 3001 S. 32nd Ave., with live music, dancing, food, bocce ball, dunk tank, face painting and more. Donations of nonperishable food items are requested. Activities will be free.
Music and food: A Saturday event will benefit the family of April Baker, who died of smoke inhalation after the Feb. 27 fire in her apartment at the Grandridge Apartments near 99th and Fort Streets. The 6 p.m. benefit will include food and live music with The Hornets and special guests at Barley's, 114 W. Broadway in Council Bluffs. Admission will be $10.
Scholarship funds: American Legion Riders Omaha Post 1 and Woodbridge Senior Village will sponsor a hot dog feed fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 22 at the village, 7205 N. 73rd Plaza Circle. Lunch will be $5. Enjoy motorcycle rides and more with all proceeds going to the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, which provides education money to children who have had a parent or parents killed while on active duty in the military since 9/11.
Volunteers needed: Benson will celebrate its 125th anniversary July 27-29 with free activities and entertainment for families. Many volunteers are needed. To help, call Kurt Goetzinger at 402-714-0290. For more information about the event, visit BensonNebraska.com/125.
Heartland Hears: The Olive Osmond Hearing Fund is bringing a special event to Omaha on Aug. 4. Heartland Hears is a 5K and Kid's Fun Run to provide the gift of hearing to local children living with hearing loss. The event will start and end at the River City Star Yacht Club, 151 Freedom Park Road. The hearing fund was founded by Justin Osmond, son of Merrill Osmond, who was the lead singer of The Osmonds. The 5K will start at 9 a.m. with the fun run starting at 10:15 a.m. The Omaha Running Club is coordinating the run. For more information or to register for Heartland Hears, visit run4hearing.com/nebraska.
Oh, the mud! Feel the burn, the scrapes, the bruises and the mud Aug. 4. That's the date of the Prairie Sludge Trudge, a 2.5- and 7.5-mile obstacle run that will test and challenge runners. This run on the grounds of Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Neb., will incorporate the museum's natural terrain and infrastructure to offer a variety of obstacles. Families are welcome to watch. All proceeds from the Prairie Sludge Trudge will go to the Grand Island Salvation Army and Stuhr Museum. The cost is $30 per runner. To register, visit stuhrmuseum.org. To receive a T-shirt and commemorative beer stein, registration must be received by Saturday. Day-of-race registrations will be accepted.
Publication: The Gage County Historical Society's newest fundraiser is "My Hometown, Beatrice, Nebraska." This 53-page publication includes images of Beatrice churches, schools, businesses, street scenes and parks between 1940 and 1970. The photos are just a stepping stone to a future bound book. The historical society wants everyone to check their collections for photos and stories to share for a future, more complete book. If you have a story or picture you would like included in a future book, email gagecountymuseum@beatricene.com. You can send scanned images at 300 dpi or more to the same email or you can have them scanned while you wait at the museum office (but please call ahead). Do not send original photographs unless you are donating them. "My Hometown, Beatrice, Nebraska" sells for $20 plus $4 shipping and handling. Mail your check made out to "Gage County Historical Society" to: Gage County Historical Society, P.O. Box 793, 101 N. Second St., Beatrice NE 68310. The publication also is available at the society office.
Compiled by Sue Story Truax
