WHPA holding annual Christmas dinner fundraiser

Community members can enjoy a Christmas meal and support a local landmark this weekend. Funds raised at the Wheatley Historical Preservation Association’s annual formal Christmas Fundraiser Dinner will maintain the school and museum.

The event begins with a social hour at 5 p.m. Saturday and dinner at 5:30 p.m. followed by entertainment featuring Christmas songs. The theme is “This Christmas.”

The historic school is located at 921 Garfield St. A ticket costs $25 and may be purchased in advance or at the door the night of the event.

The WHPA has been sponsoring the event for 16 years. Rhonda Kennedy, a past president of the association, is currently the group’s treasurer. She stated funds will be used to help with upkeep on the school and museum which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Kennedy explained, “We’re trying to do some renovations. The funds also will help us to pay our bills.”

The number of people attending the event normally range anywhere from 40 to 70 people, Kennedy said.

“We’ve had people to show up that day and still purchase tickets,” Kennedy said. “So there’s really no deadline. We do accept donations. So if they would like to donate, we can we can take that too.”

The special menu will include ham and turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes, a side salad, dessert and a drink.

WHPA is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization established to preserve the historical significance of Wheatley School and its contributions to the community. The building continues to meet the educational needs of students, as well as displaying local history. In addition, the WHPA has developed an annual calendar of events and makes the facility available for various needs of the community.

For more information, call WHPA President Robert Smith at 573-872-0550 or Kennedy at 573-712-7396.