(12/11) Project Gettysburg-León (PGL) will hold its annual Nicaragua Night and Auction on Saturday, January 17, at Gettysburg College's Hauser Field House. Doors open at 5 p.m. A chili dinner will be served. PGL functions under the auspices of Gettysburg College’s Center for Public Service.

The auction is PGL's main fundraiser of the year. Auction items include getaway vacations, signature meals, artwork, themed baskets, and a wide variety of services. Last year's event grossed $57,000 and the goal for this year is $60,000, according to auction chair Joyce Ettinger.

PGL works in partnership with the Borough of Gettysburg, Gettysburg College, the Young Growers Alliance of Adams County, the Adams County Arts Council and communities in and around the city of León, Nicaragua. Sun Coffee Roaster, a Fair Trade company, is the business sponsor. The monies raised at the auction are used to support sustainable development projects and promote friendship, education and cultural exchange. Larry Peters and family are the auctioneers.

PGL began its relationship in 1985 with León, Nicaragua's second largest city, which in 1989 became a sister city of the Borough of Gettysburg. Since then, more than 750 people from Gettysburg and León have visited each other’s communities. PGL has worked with urban and rural communities on dozens of sustainable projects such as health centers, maternity centers, potable water systems, school building and house repair, rural electrification, and solar ovens and food dryers.

In the past year PGL has continued to work with the Young Growers Alliance to develop water projects and train extension agents in Talolinga, developed a working relationship and several projects with the Nicaraguan Embassy, made arrangements for five delegations to Nicaragua, arranged a spring 2015 delegation of five artists from Taller Xuchialt who will work with the Arts Council and public school teachers, and organized the seventh annual Salsa on the Square to celebrate Latino contributions to Adams County.

For more information on PGL, go to www.gettysburg-leon.org. On it, there is a link to the auction for ticket purchases and donation of tax-deductible auction items.

Items may be dropped off at the Gettysburg College Center for Public Service, located on the south side of Eddie Plank Gym, from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are $15 and children under 5 are free. Child care is provided. Tables of 10 may be purchased. Those wishing to advertise in the auction booklet -- read by 600 attendees -- can also do so at the same website.