Briefly in Berkeley

Fundraiser planned for homeless shelter

The city of North Charleston plans to hold a $100-per-person fundraiser June 4 at Aunt Bea's Restaurant for its proposed $3.6 million homeless shelter off North Rhett Avenue.

The meal is being prepared by Trident Technical College's Culinary Institute and includes beef tenderloin, salmon and chicken.

A silent auction will also be held.

Only 60 tickets will be sold to help support the Sustainable Opportunities for Life and Dreams shelter for homeless women and children. It's scheduled to open in 2010.

For tickets and more information, contact Shannon Praete at 740-2588 or spraete@northcharleston.org.

Goose Creek concert 'Under the Stars'

The city of Goose Creek's "Symphony Under the Stars" concert will be held 7-9 p.m. Saturday at the Marguerite H. Brown Municipal Center. The event was originally scheduled for April 26, but was rescheduled due to inclement weather.

The free concert will feature performances from the Summerville Community Orchestra with music director Alexander Agrest, the Berkeley All-County Jazz Band and the Goose Creek High School Symphonic Band. The concert will conclude with a fireworks display.

Food vendors will be available, and outside coolers are permitted. Pets are not allowed. Visitors are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair for seating.

For more information, visit cityofgoosecrek.com or call 797-6220, ext. 117.

New deposit box at city drive-through

The city of Goose Creek has placed a new two-sided deposit box in the drive-through lanes at City Hall, 519 North Goose Creek Blvd.

The box is available for after-hours collection for both city of Goose Creek and Berkeley County Water and Sanitation bill payments. The box can be accessed from either lane of the drive-through.

Housing Trust has $600,000 available

The Lowcountry Housing Trust will offer $600,000 to finance affordable housing in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.

Of that total, $500,000 is available through the Gap Financing Loan Program to finance the production of affordable housing in the city of Charleston, the city of North Charleston, the town of Mount Pleasant and Charleston County.

Applications will be accepted from developers and government agencies to construct new units or rehabilitate vacant housing units for sale or rent to low- and moderate-income households. Funds are awarded through a competitive process.

LHT will hold a mandatory pre-application workshop 10-11:30 a.m. May 30 in the auditorium at the Charleston County Library, 68 Calhoun St. Developers must attend the workshop to participate in the spring 2008 funding round.

To register for the workshop, attendees should e-mail michelle@lowcountryhousingtrust.orgwith the name of their organization and the number of people planning to attend, or call the LHT office at 973-3596. Applications are due July 11.

The remaining $100,000 is available through the Home Buyer Assistance Program to lower the purchase price of a home for qualified buyers in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. Applications will be accepted from developers, government agencies and current LHT lending partners. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-ready basis.

Applications will not be accepted from individual homebuyers.

For more information or to apply, visit lowcountryhousingtrust.org/financing.html or call program director Michelle Mapp at 973-3596.

Teachers get grant money

Teachers at nine schools in Mount Pleasant and Berkeley County will receive more than $100,000 in grants and scholarships from BP.

The grants will allow teachers to pursue energy-education projects in their classrooms, and scholarships will enable teachers to have an expense-paid trip to a three-day energy education conference co-sponsored by the National Energy Education and Development Project and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Winning schools and teachers include: Jennifer Long at Berkeley Middle; Deanne Martin at Cainhoy Elementary/Middle; Michael Cline at Pinckney Elementary; Linda Brenner at Cross Elementary; Don Thompson at Stratford High; AC Oliver at Timberland High; Michele Powell at Wando High; Angela Katsilianos at Westview Elementary School and Debra Rickett at Westview Primary School.