When it comes to fundraising, Cornerstone Youth Center is thinking outside the box this year. The organization will host A Dinner and a Movie on Friday, March 26. The event will feature a drive-through meal available from 5 to 7 p.m. at the center, 95 S. Wilson Ave., Elizabethtown, followed by an online presentation and a weeklong silent auction.

"We did the drive-through last year and that worked amazingly well, so we decided to do that again this year," said Laurie Shepler, executive director of Cornerstone. The meal will feature Harvey's Bar-B-Q stuffed chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes, applesauce, a roll and butter, a dessert from Pies Galore and a beverage.

"People can stay in their cars, and we'll put the meals in their trunk or back seat, and we'll give them a link to the video presentation and to the silent auction," Shepler noted. "For the video, Anne Beiler of Auntie Anne's will be at our center earlier in the day for a tour to get to know us a little bit better, and then we'll show her visit as well as updates about Cornerstone, interviews with some of the kids who come to Cornerstone and Anne speaking about her life story."

Following the presentation, the silent auction will open and will run through Saturday, April 3. "There will be lots of gift certificates to local events and experiences, food items, jewelry and lots more," Shepler stated.

The winning bid for each item will be matched by community donations. "So, if the top bid is $200, that means Cornerstone gets $400," Shepler explained, adding that this event is taking the place of the organization's typical fundraising banquet.

"This special event is our largest annual fundraiser," she remarked. "While we cannot come together at a banquet location, we know that our community knows how to come together in generous support of youths and the youth center." Proceeds from the event help Cornerstone continue to serve the Elizabethtown community.

"We provide programming six days a week for students in grades seven through 12 at no cost to them," Shepler said. "We are 100% supported by the community - businesses, individuals and churches."

In May, Cornerstone plans to add programming for fifth- and sixth-grade students.

"We provide a safe place for kids to come, where they're making good choices and they are feeling loved and cared for," Shepler noted. "We work with them on homework, and we provide opportunities for building skills like cooking. We offer things like basketball and rock climbing, and we focus on things like building healthy relationships."

Shepler emphasized that Cornerstone could not do what it does without community support for events like this benefit.

"The support of the community allows us to provide a safe, loving environment for teens who desperately need that in their lives," she stated. "It really is making a difference in the lives of kids in our community."

For more information on A Dinner and a Movie and to register, readers may visit http://www.cornerstoneetown.org/benefit2021.