Autumn Rhapsody fundraiser to benefit Girls Incorporated

LYNN – Girls Incorporated of Lynn will hold its second annual Autumn Rhapsody auction and fundraising dinner to benefit the School Aged Child Care Program on Oct. 25 at Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead.The School Aged Child Care Program offers girls aged 6-12 a safe environment with enrichment activities for low-income families in the Lynn community.The program offers its members homework assistance, computer-skills learning, crafts and cooking activities, mathematics games, swimming opportunities and other enriching options at a low cost to families.Proceeds from the Autumn Rhapsody will raise the needed funds to keep its child care program going strong. The auction will offer dozens of items from local vendors, including vacations, spa treatments, Red Sox tickets, a South African photo safari for two, a gourmet dinner for eight people, restaurant gift certificates, art, jewelry, and more.”This event provides people who may not be familiar with Girls Inc. with the opportunity to participate in an enjoyable evening and to see the direct impact of their dollars,” said Development Committee Chair Cheryl Conte.The program is designed to benefit the girls with a hands-on learning environment, while also providing a rich educational atmosphere and a safe place to spend time after school.”The variety of options in this program makes it an attractive place for parents to send their daughters during those critical after school hours that is held in a safe and enriching environment,” said Executive Director Patricia Driscoll.The Autumn Rhapsody will feature a cash bar, music, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by a silent and live auction anchored by Red Sox tickets and an African Safari for two.Lynn resident Patricia Terrance, who is an alumnus of the Girls Inc. School Aged Child Care Program, says that funding the program is essential to so many young girls in the city who may not have an opportunity to succeed otherwise.”Growing up the daughter of a single mother with limited resources but with the foresight to send me to Girls Inc., the program provided me with something invaluable. I was able to go to the center every day after school from third grade on, and see women role models all around me who challenged me, focused on my strengths, and helped instill in me the self-confidence I now feel,” she said. Terrance left the program and went on to Harvard, and is now a teacher at a charter school in Hyde Park.”Without the encouragement and work of Girls Inc., I don’t know if my path to Harvard would ever have been paved. It’s just an amazing organization that cares about its girls and their futures.”The Autumn Rhapsody will take place Thursday, Oct. 25 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead. Tickets are $75 per person and all proceeds will go to benefit the School Aged Child Care Program.For more information visit www.girlsinclynn.org or call Joan at 781-592-9744 ext. 262 to purchase tickets.