By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / Staff Writer

Raleigh’s Place held its annual Fall Celebration Fundraiser on Oct. 19 at Jefferson Community College in Clanton, reaching its goal to raise enough money to fund commercial kitchen appliances and two bathhouses for the foster care ministry.

“It was one of the biggest fundraisers we’ve had,” Raleigh’s Place Co-founder Sharon King said.

The fundraiser featured festive fall décor, auction items ranging from jewelry to a football signed by Nick Saban, heavy hors’ d’oeuvres and drawings for CoolSculpting and a Kimber 30-06 Model 84L hunting rifle.

The fundraiser raised approximately $17,000 and will continue to raise funds online through remaining auction items awaiting bids.

Bids or purchases can be made through the Raleigh’s Place Facebook page or by visiting RaleighsPlace.org.

The ultimate goal is to reach $20,000, which King believes to be reachable.

King said the funds from the fall celebration helped pay off the remaining cost on commercial kitchen appliances.

“That finishes off the dining facility,” King said.

King said Raleigh’s Place hopes to add a walk-in refrigerator and walk-in freezer in the future.

The remaining money from the fundraiser will go toward constructing two bathhouses for Camp 1:27, King said.

“We’ve already got most of those things underway,” King said of the projects. “We need more bathhouses for camp — we need a bathhouse for camp, and then we need a bathhouse next to the pool,” she said.

Raleigh’s Place will rely on volunteers to build the bathhouses.

“Then we should be good-to-go on those!” King said.

For more information about Raleigh’s Place, visit RaleighsPlace.org.