MACHIAS – There will be a benefit dinner and auction to aid volunteers bound for the Gulf Coast to help rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

A chicken potpie dinner and time-and-talent auction will help a local group of volunteers planning a trip to Biloxi, Miss. The dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at Centre Street Congregational Church, UCC, and will be followed by the auction. Admission is by donation.

Auction items will range from baby-sitting services to garden work, original art and more.

A group of 22 volunteers sponsored and organized by Centre Street Church went to Biloxi in April, where they helped rebuild homes with Back Bay Mission, an outreach organization run by the United Church of Christ.

Another group will go to Biloxi in October. Volunteers are responsible for paying for their own transportation and for buying and preparing their own food while there. They stay in two trailers at Back Bay Mission.

For information, call Centre Street Church at 255-6665.