The Champaign County Drug Free Youth Coalition’s youth advisory council will host a spaghetti dinner and silent auction fundraiser Thursday, March 17.

The dinner will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the River of Life Church, 775 Washington Ave., Urbana.

Champaign County Drug Free Youth Coalition Director Stacey Logwood stated several local celebrities will be hosting tables. General admission is $10, and $20 to sit with one of the local celebs.

The fundraiser is to help members of the youth advisory council attend the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s mid-year annual conference in Las Vegas. The conference will take place between July 17 and 21.

The conference provides an opportunity for youths to learn to perform community assessments, implement community level changes and evaluate their efforts.

Logwood stated attending the conference is a group goal that was set last August. She said that with youth-led prevention it is important to allow the youths to set their own goals and support them as they try to achieve them.

Logwood stated local youths have been instrumental in assisting in community assessments through park scans and building the capacity of their group.

“It is refreshing to have young people care about this community and want to create change,” Logwood stated. “We hope that this fundraiser is successful and helps them achieve their goal.”