The Weyburn United Way's annual Communithon fund-raiser is drawing near and plans are well underway for the 33-hour event, which will be broadcast live by Access 7. The Communithon will begin with an opening ceremony at 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 26.

Following the ceremony and continuing through until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, school groups and a variety of performers will be on stage. Local entertainment will include school and community choirs, musicians, singers, dance groups, bands, comedians and skits put on by local service groups.

A major need to stage a fund-raiser of this size is volunteers. The positions that still need to be filled include someone to take on the role of floor director and someone to work the sound for the broadcast. Anyone interested in either position should contact Access 7.

Anyone who is still interested in volunteering in any other area of the event is also encouraged to come out. "We can always use more volunteers," said United Way president Jerry Ponto.

Also taking place in the community are business projects, which Ponto encouraged all residents in the community to support in addition to the Communithon. Recently added to the growing list of businesses involved in raising money are Pharmasave, AM 1190, the Scotia Bank and Elgin Mall.

Pharmasave will be donating $1 from every two packages of licorice sold from Oct. 15-27. AM 1190 will be selling tickets to see Terri Clark and Jason McCoy, with all proceeds going to the Communithon.

The employees of the Scotia Bank have all chipped in by donating items for a gift basket, which the bank will be raffling off. Tickets for the gift basket are 50 cents or three for $1. The Elgin Mall will be holding a hot dog and drink sale at their grand opening on Oct. 25. All proceeds from the sale will go to the Communithon.

The Communithon is put on annually by the United Way to support local organizations and all funds raised stay in the community. The following agencies are members of the United Way: Early Childhood Intervention, Special Care Home Auxiliary, Sask. Abilities Council, Care-A-Van Society, Arthritis Society, Sask. Association for Community Living, Red Cross, Canadian Mental Association, Ladies Auxiliary, Cystic Fibrosis, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Canadian Diabetes Association, CNIB, Victorian Order of Nurses, Alzheimer's Society, Family Support Group and Violence Intervention Program.