Wine, dine and listen to music

EAST HOPE – Kick back, relax and enjoy the music.

At today’s community concert, you can do just that. The free concert will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Hope Memorial Community Center.

In addition to the many classes and groups, the community center offers a free summer music series, in hopes of bringing the community together. As a part of the series, local musical duo Beth Pederson and Bruce Bishop will spend the evening filling the summer air with folk music and blues tunes. Folks in attendance are welcome to bring their own food, drinks, and chairs to kick back and enjoy the show.

Organized and hosted in partnership with community volunteers, such events serve a bigger purpose for the center, event host Vivian Sadler said. Forming a duo of their own, Sadler said she worked with Byron Miller to organize this event to support the community center. While it is a free event to attend, there will be drinks, food, and raffle tickets for sale to benefit MCC and its programs.

A preschool, a gardeners club, a yoga class, and Alcoholics Anonymous are just a few of the many classes and groups hosted, organized, and offered by the community center. Sadler said the proceeds from the sales at today's event will go toward funding these groups as well as a scholarship opportunity. Awarded to a limited number of Clark Fork High School seniors, this scholarship opportunity is only available to senior CFHS students who volunteer at the center within the school year in which they are applying.

Raffle prize ranges from a shopping experience in downtown Sandpoint to a golf trip, tickets can be purchased for $10 each or at varying package prices. With two more events after today, only three raffle prizes are being awarded today with the rest being drawn at a wine tasting later this month and Oktoberfest, which will be held in mid-September.