Rotary Club sponsors Project TRIUMPH benefit

An intercultural evening and fundraiser to benefit Project TRIUMPH (Today's Revolution Is Understanding; Make Peace Happen) will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sat., March 24 at St. Matthews United Methodist Church, 1360 S. Wendy Drive, Newbury Park.

The evening is hosted by the Rotary Club of Newbury Park and will include the screening of a short documentary about the project.

Money raised during the fundraiser, which includes dinner, music and silent auction, will help bring 20 Middle Eastern Arab and Jewish teenagers to Ventura County this spring. The teenagers will be in Ventura County from April 15 through April 29. Sponsored by local Rotary Clubs, religious organizations and businesses, the teens will spend two weeks taking part in leadership and team-building programs, participating in outdoor activities, attending local high schools, meeting local dignitaries, visiting Southern California sites and spending time with Rotarian families.

Most of their training will take place at the BrandeisBardin Institute in Simi Valley. Their workshop sessions will include an evening with an imam, minister and rabbi (open to the public); cultural exchanges of customs and beliefs; and writing about their thoughts and experiences.

Performing at the March 24 fundraiser will be Yuval Ron, an internationally known storyteller and performer of Middle Eastern music. Silent auction items include a two-day stay in a Mammoth Lakes condo, tickets to "The Producers" at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center and a half-hour flight with a flight instructor from Camarillo airport.

The fundraiser reservation deadline is March 19. The cost to attend is $15 per person and $30 per family.

For reservations or more information, call (805) 2766899 or email acucare@msn.com.