Gwinnett Daily Post

Are you aware of an event or project that benefits our community? Contact Shelley Mann at 770-963-9205 ext. 1305 or shelley.mann@gwinnettdailypost.com.

Hundreds of high school students have been preparing for a Mini Dance Marathon, modeled after the Dance Marathon held at the University of Georgia in January. The mini marathon will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. today at Brookwood High School. All proceeds from afternoon competition will benefit the Rehabilitation Services unit at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. For more information or to make a donation, call 706-542-7962 or visit www.ugadm.org.

Mall will host shopping event

Mall of Georgia will host its Simon Evening of Giving from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. today. The exclusive after-hours event lets shoppers knock out holiday shopping with special discounts throughout the mall. The event's proceeds will benefit more than 30 local charities. A $10 admission ticket will include live entertainment and food samples from Cosi, Max Lager, Old Farmer's Almanac and more. You can buy a ticket at the door.

Volunteers

needed for dinner

Nite of Hope Atlanta is back this year, and will ensure more then 2,000 homeless Atlantans Tuesday at the World Congress Center. The dinner will be served by local business professionals. The event is aimed at those people who are temporarily homeless - about 85 percent of the 20,000 homeless people in Atlanta, said event founder Ron Tripodo. If you'd like to volunteer to set up the dinner, serve food or greet people, contact Sherri Reese at sherri@niteofhope.org. For more information, visit www.niteofhope.org.

Club announces donations

The International Affairs Department of the Buford Lanier Woman's Club recently collected gift-filled shoe boxes from the students of Buford High School for Operation Christmas Child 2005. The students donated 23 shoe boxes filled with gifts, and the club donated an additional 29 boxes, for children around the world who are suffering because of war, natural disaster, poverty, illness or neglect.

Also, the woman's club recently presented a check for $500 to the North Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry for its food pantry. For information about the Buford Lanier Woman's Club, call Jean Collion at 770-614-4021 or visit www.bufordlanierwomansclub.com.

Scrapbook event will raise money for ill mother

Two local women are holding a Scrap-A-Thon Saturday to raise money for Lawrenceville woman who has a rare auto-immune disease. The event will benefit Sarah Sullivan, a 24-year-old wife and mother who was diagnosed with Autonomic Neuropathy and Autoimmune Dysautonomia. The Scrap-A-Thon will run from 2 to 8 p.m. at JoAnn Fabrics, 1630 Scenic Highway in Snellville. There is no registration fee for the event, although participants need to get sponsors or make a donation.

Groups looking

for volunteers

Volunteers are needed for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, running Dec. 24-30. Volunteers are needed for 20 different bowl week events, including the Peach Bowl Parade and FanFest. Thanks to volunteer help, the Peach Bowls was able to contribute a record $410,286 last year to charity. Volunteers must be over 18 years old. Visit www.chick-fil-apeachbowl.com or call 404-586-8537 to register.

The nonprofit group Alan Osmand's One Heart Foundation is also looking for area volunteers and donations of yarn, material, hats, blankets, granny squares and other warm items for its Warming Families project. The project is designed to help people in homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters and orphanages around the world. To help, contact project manager Kaye Rogers at 352-473-4800 or mine1616@yahoo.com.