Fundraiser slated for Urban Mission

To take care of several maintenance problems at the Watertown Urban Mission's building, the agency is hoping it will have a successful live auction April 10.

The second annual event will be at 8:30 a.m. that day in the agency's community room, 247 Factory St. Director Mary M. Morgan said there just never seems to be enough money in the building fund for each maintenance project.

"A couple of roofers looked at the problems and were saying the kind of patch they thought was needed was $20,000, and that was just for one room," Miss Morgan said. "We have a solid roof, but water finds its way in."

She said drip plates along the roof on some of the exterior walls were put in between the exterior layer and interior wall years ago, before the agency moved into the location about seven years ago. The building was home to Halley Electric Co. from 1933 to 1997.

Also on the Urban Mission's wish list is to have a slightly peaked roof, instead of the flat surface that exists.

"For the most part, it's a sturdy building, and it just has issues that have to be dealt with sometime," Miss Morgan said.

The agency's board of directors talked about starting a capital campaign, but Miss Morgan said there are so many in the community that board members didn't want to have another hand out.

She said she hopes the live auction will raise upwards of $10,000 so the agency can do smaller repairs or save for a larger maintenance project. Last year, the auction raised $7,000.

In order for this year's auction to be successful, Miss Morgan said, the agency is looking for people to donate items to be auctioned off. Some of the items the agency has collected for the auction since last year are vintage Coca-Cola bottles, fur coats, chairs, silver, lamps, scooters, stamps for collectors, an 1800s world atlas, and framed and matted photographs.

A 1991 Crown Victoria, a 1994 Lincoln Town Car and a 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood also have been donated.

Anyone who would like to donate items for the auction are being asked to drop them off at the Urban Mission between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday until April 9. Miss Morgan said items should be marked for the auction, just to make sure they don't get sold in the Impossible Dream Thrift Store.

During the April 10 auction, light lunch items will be for sale.

For more information, call the Urban Mission at 782-8440.