By KELLY MCGILLIS, Peterborough Examiner

PETERBOROUGH, CANADA – Two local lawyers, Kathy Church of Sustainable Solutions and Sarah Armstrong of GE are holding a Coffee House fundraiser for Ethiopia that includes a silent auction and concert at the Gordon Best Theatre, 216 Hunter St. W., on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p. m.

All of the ticket and silent auction proceeds will go to Ethiopia through the

Canadian charity Partners in the Horn of Africa to establish a group home for poor, rural young

women with academic promise to access post-secondary education opportunities.

Many of the young women have come

through the charity’s other programs for HIV orphans and school-support projects for elementary and high school students. The group home project needs $10,000 for the first year. For further information about the charity, visit www.partnersinthehorn.org

“Coffee originated in Ethiopia and in that spirit we’ll be hosting a coffee house, with fair-trade Ethiopian coffee donated and served by Black Honey Cafe, along with cafe sweets from several local coffee houses,” Church says.

The large silent auction will include unique items such as a bird-watching outing with Drew Monkman, a columnist with The Examiner; a sailing afternoon on the Bay of Quinte; an evening of billiards with a competitive pool player; and a professional fireworks display. Other items donated by local merchants include: dinner for two at Parkhill on Hunter, a Sony MP3 player from the Future Shop, and gift certificates from Moondance and Body Bliss.

For entertainment, Sarah Loucks, a local singer/songwriter who plays acoustic guitar, will be performing along with a team of African drummers, and the Ethiopian coffee ceremony will be demonstrated. Also, John Baigent, who founded Partners in the Horn of Africa after retiring from a successful legal career, will be on hand to talk about the charity.

Tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For tickets, call Church at 743-7650 ext. 4, or the Black Honey Cafe at 211 Hunter St. W.