What: Cheyenne Community Rotaract Club fundraising event for victims of the Haiti and Chile earthquakes

When: Until 3 p.m. Sunday, March 14

Where: Cheyenne Depot Plaza, 121 W. 15th St., Cheyenne

More information: Club members have been camping in a ShelterBox tent at the depot since Friday afternoon, March 12. This 34-hour campout is designed to build awareness of the ShelterBox program being funded, in part, by the Cheyenne Community Rotaract Club, LCCC Rotaract Club and two Cheyenne Rotary clubs.

ShelterBox is a kit that contains everything a family would need to live for the time they are displaced due to natural disaster. This includes a tent for 10 people, utensils and cooking tools, a stove that can be used for cooking or staying warm, tools to help chop firewood and other supplies. Each box is tailored to meet the needs of each disaster. Each box also is given a unique number so it can be tracked to its destination.

The group’s goal is $3,000, which would be enough to send three ShelterBoxes, but they hope to raise more.

From noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 13, a program will be offered to build awareness of the potential for earthquakes here and the possible need for ShelterBoxes during a local event.

For more information: Go online to www.shelterbox.org or call Christina Jennings at 307-214-4719.

When: 10 a.m., Saturday, March 6

Where: Lake Absaracca, near the Cheyenne Country Club off Interstate 25, Cheyenne

More information: Dressed up in swimsuits and crazy costumes, participants run, jump and dive into freezing Wyoming waters. Although sponsorships are collected by participants in advance of the event, spectators are welcome free of charge but can make a donation to Special Olympics at the event.

For more information: Visit www.specialolympicswy.org or call 307-235-3062 or 800-735-8345.

When: 5-7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 25

Where: Cheyenne-Kiwanis Community House, Lions Park, Cheyenne

Cost: Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children (12 years and under). Tickets must be purchased in advance by e-mailing jcostel@usana.com. A silent auction also will be held. Ticket sales end March 20.

More information: Nathan was born prematurely at 27 weeks and suffered a cerebral hemorrhage shortly after birth, which left him with cerebral palsy. He continues to receive his food, antibiotics, etc. through a groshong catheter implanted in his chest, because he has had several stomach surgeries and is unable to use his digestive tract. He also will need to undergo chemotherapy as soon as he is strong enough.

This fundraiser will help defer some of the medical expenses this family faces daily. Nathan’s specialty formula costs $45 per can, and he uses 21 cans monthly. This doesn’t include the cost of his antimicrobial therapy, speech and physical therapists, weekly visits to his physician, lab draws or the hyperalimentation, where he receives the majority of his nutrition.

Nathan’s caregivers are his family, as their insurance doesn’t cover home health expenses. His mother works at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. His father is unemployed and currently his primary caregiver. They moved from Gillette to be closer to Children’s Hospital in Denver, where Nathan is frequently hospitalized.  All their savings are gone and they are struggling daily to support their young family. Nathan has a healthy big brother, Ben, who just celebrated his fourth birthday.

Another way to help: A special fund has been set up at First Interstate Bank with Cindy Hamel. For more information on donating to the account, call 307-633-8451 or e-mail cindy.hamel@fib.com.

For more information: Call 307-752-7124 or e-mail jcostel@usana.com.

When: 7-10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26

Where: Cheyenne-Kiwanis Community House, Lions Park, Cheyenne

Cost: Tickets, which are available at the door, are $15 each or $25 per couple. Everyone is welcome to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and join in the bidding for silent and live auction items.

More information: This fundraiser will help support the 145 local athletes currently training and competing in 16 different sports offered throughout the year.

For more information: Call 771-2427.

When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25

Where: Triumph High, 1250 W. College Drive, Cheyenne

Sponsor: Z-Club at Triumph High, a service organization raising funds and awareness for human rights advocacy.

Cost/who benefits: Handmade and painted mugs as well as broach pins will be for sale for $25 each or both for $50. The mugs were made by the students.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Cheyenne Interfaith Hospitality Network, the city’s multi-church program to provide temporary housing for homeless families while they save money for a down payment on an apartment or house. The rest will stay with the sponsoring group.

More information: A variety of Cheyenne organizations and businesses will be present to educate the community about their efforts on behalf of human rights. U.S. Attorney’s Office victim-witness coordinator Shirley Martinez will speak about human trafficking at 6 p.m.

For more information: Call Amber Martens at 771-2500, ext. 23477.

When: Daffodils can be purchased by calling 638-4101 by Feb. 24. Orders will be available for delivery during the week of March 15.

Cost: Daffodils are sold in bouquets of 10 fresh-cut blooms. One bouquet costs $10, five bouquets (50 daffodils) is $35, and 10 bouquets (100 daffodils) is $60. The Bear and a Bunch package, which consists of one bouquet and a Boyd’s bear, is $25.

How you can help: Volunteers are still needed to help with flower orders and delivery, as well. To volunteer, call 638-4101.

How it’s used: Daffodil purchases help fund American Cancer Society cancer research, education, advocacy efforts, and programs and services.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives from cancer, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service.

For 24-hour cancer information, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

What: The Salvation Army is in need of sack lunch supplies to help with noon meals during their kitchen remodeling project.

How you can help: Donate lunch meat, sliced cheese, fruit cups, individually wrapped snacks, sandwich bags, or mustard and mayonnaise packets.

When: Weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Take donations to the alley entrance of The Salvation Army, 601 E. 20th St., Cheyenne. Specify that donations are for lunch.

For more information: Call Linda, food service director, at 640-1626

When: 5-8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15

Where: Culver’s Restaurant, 1239 Dell Range Blvd., Cheyenne

How you can help: A percentage of the sales made during that time period will go to McCormick, plus 100 percent of tips collected.

How it will be used: The fundraiser will help pay for the group’s trip to Seattle on March 10 to participate in the American Choral Directors Association Northwest Convention Junior High Honor Choir. The six students participating sent in audition CDs in September 2009 and were chosen to join this 130-member choir.

For more information: Call Wendy Dryden, choir director, at 771-2650.

What: Hands in Harmony fundraiser

When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24

Where: Texas Roadhouse, 1931 Bluegrass Circle, Cheyenne

Cost: $15 per person

Who benefits: Hands in Harmony, a local sign language performance group. This fundraiser is to cover operational expenses so the young people can continue their sign language outreach, and meet their performance requests and obligations within our community and neighboring states.

More information: The menu includes a pulled pork sandwich, Caesar salad, baked beans and a beverage

For more information, including to buy tickets: Call Pam Allsop at 637-4591.

What: Members of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society of women in education, are collecting books throughout February for their 27th annual Used Book Sale.

When: Books will be collected all month. The sale is the first full weekend in March in the former Western Auction building, 3411 E. Pershing Blvd. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 6 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 7.

How to give: To make a donation, take your books to the collection box at any of Cheyenne’s grocery stores.

If you are unable to deliver your books, call 632-5406, 632-0209 or 632-9769 and leave a message. Delta Kappa Gamma will pick up within a 10-mile radius of the city limits.

More information: Unsold books will be donated community organizations, schools, institutions, etc. Organizations wishing to collect some of the remaining books should call 632-0209 to make arrangements.

Who benefits: Proceeds provide scholarships for college students planning a career in education and professional development grants to current educators. Part of the proceeds from the 2010 sale will be used to support educational programs at the Paul Smith Children’s Village at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.

For more information: Call Kathie Selden at 634-8606 or Dorothy Middleton at 632-9769.