The annual Optimist Club Friend of Youth (FOY) Auction and Barbecue will be held Thursday, November 13, at the VFW Post 5899 on Andrew Drive in Washington.

Pork barbecue, stew, and all the trimmings prepared by Frank Bentley will be available for eat-in or take-out beginning at 5 p.m. Tickets for the barbecue are available for $7 from any Optimist Club member or at The Company Store or the main office of Farmers and Merchants Bank.

The auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include a number of autographed MLB hats, baseballs, and uniforms. In addition, there will be a football autographed by UGA Bulldogs Head Coach Mark Richt. Items to be auctioned are provided by Optimist Club members and/ or donated by local businesses. All proceeds will go to fund the club's many youth-oriented service projects.

Optimist Club member and wellknown auctioneer, Mark Walker will again be in charge of this year's event. A number of door prizes will be given away throughout the auction. To be eligible for door prizes, persons must buy a ticket to the barbecue and must be present to win.

Everyone is invited to attend. Club members invite the public to support the youth of the community by attending this event. "Enjoy dinner and stay for the auction, attend the auction only, pick up your plates for take-out: it doesn't matter," says an Optimist Club member, "Just come!"