Salvation Army adds variety to auction

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Salvation Army’s annual dinner and auction fundraiser will be even more entertaining this year. That’s because there will be actual live entertainment provided by a number of local residents, including “Ohio Has Talent!” winners Drew and Michaella Johnson, as well as a Salvation Army brass band.

Lt. Josh Morales, who heads the local Salvation Army, said organizers of the event decided this year to do something different to add to the fundraiser, which will be held Thursday, May 10, at Trinity Friends Church.

“We decided to not auction as many items this year, and add a new aspect to the show, which is the variety show,” Morales said.

The Johnson siblings will be the main act for the show, and will be singing three songs: a solo number for each, as well as a duet.

The Salvation Army Brass from Cincinnati will also entertain, as well as past OHT performers Yan and May Coppler, Kylie Hohman, Bayley Tow, the Clogettes, Kaden Hohman and Sayler Wise, Bowling Green resident Evie Van Vorhis, and the Glamour Girls.

To help promote the event, the Salvation Army will be placing videos of several of the performers on its Facebook page.

Lt. Morales said that, while event proceeds the past few years have gone to the Salvation Army’s Building Fund, with the building project now paid off, proceeds will now help pay the cost of sending kids to a summer camp near Cincinnati.

“We pay approximately $7,000 a year to send a number of low-income local kids to summer camp,” he said, noting that the local Salvation Army pays $450 per child for the camp, which features a lot of cool activities for kids, including horseback riding, swimming, hiking, camping, and many other summer fun events.

The only expense the child’s family has is a $25 registration fee, which is mostly to ensure the kids will actually go to the camp, because the cost must be paid ahead of time.

The Variety Show Dinner & Auction will also be a kick-off for the Salvation Army’s LemonAid summer program, Lt. Morales noted.

Tickets for the Variety Show Dinner & Auction are $15 apiece and also feature a meal catered by Black Angus on Main. The doors will open at 5:30 that evening, with dinner served at 6 p.m. and the show starting at 7. Silent and live auctions will also be featured.

The event also includes a number of sponsors, including Greve Chrysler Jeep, Vancrest Health Care Center, Williamson Insurance Agency, Van Wert Manor, Steve and Cathy Drake, Connie Johnson, and Gary Taylor.