When: 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21

Where: Center for Conferences and Institutes, Room 130, Laramie County Community College, 1400 E. College Drive, Cheyenne

More information: The fundraiser will feature a male auction, as well as a dinner. All members of the community are welcome to attend, event if they aren’t interested in bidding. Donations will be accepted to cover the cost of the dinner, and all proceeds from the event will benefit Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming.

Organizer Ashleigh O’Brien said she and classmates Renee Avila, Ashley Harrison and Kali Gentlman decided to plan the event because they wanted to help keep children safe and have fun at the same time.

“My best friend and I were sitting around watching TV and we saw a male auction on TV and so we decided that it would be fun to do that,” O’Brien said.

Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming has enhanced the quality of life for children and families in Wyoming since 1986 by working with the community, state and national groups and through community-based prevention activities, public awareness and educational initiatives.

For more information: Call 637-8622.

What: Cheyenne Fire and Rescue Local 279’s annual Christmas tree sale

When: Kickoff will take place Saturday, Nov. 28 after the Cheyenne Christmas Parade; sale continues until all 150+ trees are sold

Where: Kickoff will be held at the Cheyenne Depot Plaza downtown; regular sale is at Fire Station 5 on Dell Range Boulevard (next to Walmart), Cheyenne

Hours: Sale hours are 4-8 p.m. weekdays and noon-8 p.m. weekends.

Cost: Trees sell for $25 to $65, depending on size.

More information: All profits from the annual tree sale go to Youth Alternatives, Safehouse Services and The Salvation Army.

For more information: Call Jon Haberkorn at 630-1908.

When: Friday, Nov. 27

Where: Scotty’s Pizza Factory, 1802 Dell Range Blvd. #2, Cheyenne

More information: Contact Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming at info@pcawyoming.org to receive a Dine Out for Prevention certificate.

For each certificate received with a purchase that day at Scotty’s, $1 will be donated to Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming.

Funds raised during Dine Out for Prevention will be used to help with preventative measures to keep children in Wyoming safe.

For more information: Call 637-8622 or e-mail info@pcawyoming.org.

What: Second annual Celebration of Wreaths to benefit The Arc of Laramie County

When: Saturday through Dec. 1; final silent auction bids and sale, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 1

Where: Former Union Pacific depot, 121 W. 15th St., Cheyenne

More information: Members of the community are invited to donate decorated Christmas wreaths for a silent auction at the depot. Wreaths should be dropped off at the ARC office, 1320 Crook Office, or to arrange for a pick-up, call 632-1209.

The final silent auction bids and sale event will include free coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider and cookies.

For more information: Contact The Arc of Laramie County at 632-1209.

When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12

Where: Archer Station Multipurpose Building, Laramie County Fairgrounds, 3967 Field Station Road, Cheyenne

More information: Black Dog Animal Rescue Inc. is the largest no-kill rescue in Laramie County and has saved more than three times the number of animals this year than last. BDAR has rescued more than 120 dogs from euthanasia, most of them from Wyoming shelters. BDAR is run entirely by volunteers and funded primarily through adoption donations.

The Merry Mutt Fair event is a family friendly event, and dogs are welcome. The event’s purpose is to raise funds to support the increased number of rescued dogs, and to provide the opportunity to adopt a rescued dog or become a foster home.

Event activities include: Paws Wise Dog Training, Pet Pictures with Santa, Pet and People Bake Sale, raffle and door prizes.

For more information: For more about The Merry Mutt Fair or to learn more about Black Dog Animal Rescue, contact Britney Wallesch at 214-6600 or visit  Black Dog Animal Rescue Inc.’s Web site at www.bdar.org.

What: Cheyenne’s PetCo store is conducting a pet food drive for the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, but instead of going to feed the animals at the shelter, the food will be available to pet owners who are struggling to feed their pets.

When: Now through Nov. 25

Where: Donations should be dropped off at Cheyenne PetCo, 1782 Dell Range Blvd., Cheyenne

More information: Those in need of pet food should go to the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, 800 Southwest Drive, on or after Nov. 27.

For more information: Contact the Cheyenne Animal Shelter at 632-6655.

When: Now through Nov. 22

Where: Cheyenne Family YMCA, 1426 E. Lincolnway, Cheyenne

For more information: For more information, contact Chris at 634-9622 ext. 20.

What: Operation Christmas Child

When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 16-23

Where: Pointe Frontier retirement community, 1406 Prairie Ave., Cheyenne

What you can do:

Prepare: Enlist families, churches, Scout troops, community groups and businesses to take part in creating shoebox gifts for needy children worldwide.

Pack: Fill shoeboxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, hard candy and a letter of encouragement. Step-by-step shoebox packing instructions are available at www.samaritanspurse.org.

Process: Sign up to join Operation Christmas Child volunteers at the collection site in Cheyenne.

More information:

Through Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project, Cheyenne residents are packing shoebox gifts for children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty. From Cheyenne, the shoebox gifts will be sorted and sent using whatever means necessary to reach suffering children around the world.

In 2008, the Cheyenne area contributed 2,820 shoeboxes to the Operation Christmas Child effort. This year, organizers hope to collect 3,000 gift-filled shoeboxes from families, children, churches, schools and civic organizations in the area.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, a project of international Christian relief and evangelism organization Samaritan’s Purse, headed by Franklin Graham, has delivered more than 69 million gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children in some 130 countries.

For more information: For more on how to participate, call 303-745-9179 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org.

When: 12-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14

Where: Destiny Church gymnasium, 711 Warren Ave. (old Johnson Junior High building), Cheyenne

Cost: $25 for everyone 10 and up.  Children 9 and under are free with a paying adult.

More information: Michael Reis, founder of the Triune Fist System, and Chet Barkell will hold a street survival combat seminar.

For more information: Go online to www.fightingforlives.com or e-mail michaelrath77@yahoo.com.

When: Now through Nov. 25.

Where: Hampton Inn, 1781 Fleischli Parkway, Cheyenne

More information: People who donate nonperishable food items can enjoy free coffee and a hot breakfast between 7 and 10 a.m. Monday through Sunday. Drop-offs are welcome any day of the week between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

For more information: Call Hampton Inn at 632-2747.