'Pick your car' raffle offered by health care planner

Catastrophic Health Planners Inc. of Finksburg is holding a "Pick Your Car and Color" raffle to raise money to assist families facing large medical bills.

Tickets are $5 and will be sold until the $25,000 fund-raising goal is reached. The winner will receive a pre-owned vehicle valued at $10,000, or $10,000 cash that must be applied toward a new or used vehicle at Heritage of Westminster.

Tickets are available at Catastrophic Health Planners, the Finksburg BB&T; branch, New York J&P; Pizza, Finksburg Liquors, Palette & Page, and Vaughn's Hometown Video.

Catastrophic Health Planners is a nonprofit organization that provides free help to individuals and families who are confronted with a catastrophic illness and its attendant problems.

Services include financial planning, medical services, accounting and legal assistance, and counseling and educational development.

Information: 410-861-8969.

CHANGE Inc. buys house for respite care

CHANGE Inc., a nonprofit organization that assists the developmentally disabled, has purchased a house at which it will offer temporary care for children and adults with disabilities in Carroll and neighboring counties.

A grant from the Maryland Home and Community Care Foundation paid for a study of the idea of purchasing a respite care home. Other respite care homes were visited and a survey was taken of families with disabled members.

Families now must arrange for someone to come to their homes to provide respite care when the need arises. The respite care home will give these families another option.

The respite care home is in the Westminster area and will accommodate three guests for periods ranging from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks. Settlement on the home is expected in the spring.

Information: 410-876-2179.

Collectors club raises $6,500 for cancer center

Carroll Collectors Club recently raised more than $6,500 for the Breast Center at Carroll County General Hospital by holding a bingo dinner. The event was held in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Since the club began the bingo dinners in 2000, more than $17,000 has been raised in support of breast cancer services at the hospital.

Carroll Collectors Club, established in 1996, is sponsored by Carrolltowne Cards and Gifts. Each of the club's 17 members collects something different, such as ornaments, dolls, teddy bears, model race cars and Santa Claus figurines.

The Breast Center provides comprehensive services to women before and after the diagnosis of breast cancer. A clinical coordinator is available to offer guidance and referrals to community resources, and sur- gical consultations are available within 24 hours of a physician referral.

A breast cancer support group, complementary health therapies and educational materials about the disease through the Resource Center in the Women's Place are also available.