LAKE COUNTY – A fundraising event dedicated to the opening of a homeless youth shelter, or safe house, for Lake County will take place on Saturday, May 17 at Rob Roy Golf Course.

A four-person scramble golf tournament will be held, with check-in time from 11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Kathy Fowler has graciously donated a car for a hole-in-one on the second hole.

The need for the safe house is critical. The numbers of homeless youth in the US today are rising at alarming rates and Lake County is no different. Current statistics show that on any given day in Lake County, between 600 and 1000 children under the age of 18 are homeless.

Some of these children are runaways, some have been kicked out of their homes (throwaways), but the vast majority, simply have no place to sleep or be safe during the night.

The safe house will be a 24 hour facility that will provide temporary housing, access to health services, crisis services, family and individual counseling and life skills training to homeless youth.

The need for this facility has been discussed by service agencies, law enforcement and local schools for many years, but we have now hit the critical mass numbers that requires our community to take immediate action.

The Lake County Community Action Agency, under the direction of Executive Director Georgina Lehne, has taken the lead role in the development and creation of this highly needed facility. This nonprofit agency has experience in transitional shelter operations for families, food and clothing distributions, New Beginnings, self-sufficiency education and support, and is the new overseeing agency for youth services formally know as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Club.

Please help us address the large and growing population of homeless kids by attending this wonderful day of golf, gourmet dining, live music and fun.

Following the tournament, at 5 p.m., there will be a delicious western buffet. Many local businesses have donated special items for the silent and live auction which will take place throughout the evening. The cost of golf, cart and the dinner is $85, or $40 for dinner only (tax-deductible).

For information call Carol Germenis at 928-4280 or Sandy Hearn at 928-5713.

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