Where do you want to go?
Passages' 15th annual fundraiser now in progress
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
The 15th annual Passages Travel Raffle is currently underway.
The only fundraiser of the year for the local organization, all proceeds raised from the event support the client assistance fund. This year, the fundraiser is being coordinated by Passages receptionist Diane Igney. 
According to Tammy Nickolson, housing manager and public relations coordinator for Passages, the client assistance fund enables Passages’ clients who may be in need of rent, clothing, food, medical needs or to help fund various needs that are unmet.
“A lot of times the money helps fund field trips or learning trips for our clients,” said Nickolson. “They might have fallen short since many live on limited incomes or they need clothes for a job interview,” she added. Regardless of the special need, the fund comes in handy quite often.
Winners of the travel raffle will receive a $999 travel voucher from Odyssey Travel that can be used anywhere toward a cruise, airline tickets, hotel accommodations and other travel expenses.
Considering past winners, Nickolson has seen an interesting trend – most winners utilize the voucher to spend time with family. One winner, she said, used the voucher for a mother-daughter trip to New York.
Tickets for the Passages Travel Raffle are available at the Passages office, located in the Marshall Building off Walnut Street, Odyssey Travel in downtown Columbia City or by calling Tammy Nickolson at 244-7688, ext. 114, or Diane Igney at 244-7688, ext. 110.