High Plains Helping Hands Food Pantry hosted an ice cream social and silent auction for the community Aug. 23 at Mountain Springs Church. Funds raised at the social will go toward a walk-in freezer and walk-in refrigerator.Rose Mizer, executive director of the food pantry, said they received $7,000 for the freezer and refrigerator from a Walmart grant in February, and additional funding came from Rock Solid Chiropracticís Falcon Business Expo held in July.Wayne Mizer, Roseís husband, said the walk-in building materials arrived Aug. 22. They are on pallets, waiting for the completion of an expansion to the building. ìWeíre blessed,î Wayne Mizer said. ìIíd guess we have at least 80 percent of the funding already.îThey are extending the current building that houses the Helping Hands Food Pantry and adding on the two cooling rooms, Rose Mizer said. The plans include an additional 10 foot by 20 foot room, and each 10 foot by 10 foot walk-in will be placed beyond that room, Mizer said.Businesses donated almost everything for the ice cream social. Meadow Gold and Schwanís donated the ice cream and the frozen yogurt, Mizer said. Springs Sounds Entertainment donated their time, providing music for the event. ìAll the items in the silent auction have been donated by businesses or individuals,î she said. ìA lot came in as individual things, and we grouped them together as baskets.î Donated goods for the auction included high-priced activities, such as balloon rides and flying lessons. Several bids went for an ultralight flying lesson, offered by Fly Colorado Ultralights, which is based out of Meadow Lake Airport.ìWhatever the highest bid was on an item went to the pantry,î Mizer said. After expenses like bowls, whipped cream for the ice cream and banners; the silent auction raised $4,374.59. After all the auction items are retrieved by the winning bidders, Mizer said she expected the auction to clear over $4,400. Plans for the building expansion are complete, and construction is supposed to start soon. Mizer said construction should be finished by October.Recently, Helping Hands Food Pantry has expanded their mission statement, Mizer said. ìHelping our neighbors in need by offering resources in the form of food provisions, life coaching spiritual counseling, encouragement, unconditional acceptance and peace that glorifies God,î she said. ìOur ministry impacts lives in the community by building relationships, providing food and life coaching skills to encourage independence and spiritual growth.î
