With only a few months left until Habitat for Humanity plans to break ground on its next building project, the nonprofit organization’s board is hosting the second annual "Barton County’s Got Talent" dinner theater with hopes for raising at least $15,000. These funds will be acquired through a combination of ticket sales, table sponsorships from local business, and freewill donations at the event.

"This dinner theater fundraiser was extremely successful last year, probably because of its unique nature, and sold out in a matter of days," said Habitat co-chairman Rachel Mawhirter. "We’ve changed venues and can now accommodate almost 500 people in the audience."

The one-of-a-kind dinner theater and talent competition will be held at Grace Community Church on Saturday, Jan. 15. Two types of tickets are on sale. Individuals and couples can come at 6 p.m. for $25 per person and enjoy a meal prior to the show. For those who just want to get in on the competition at 7 p.m., tickets for the show only are $15 per person.

"This fundraiser is a fun spin-off of the America’s Got Talent television show," Mawhirter said. "Our acts will compete for the chance to win prizes, but everyone who participates and attends is guaranteed the satisfaction of providing a home for a family in Barton County."

Habitat for Humanity of Barton County has raised approximately $41,000 of the $60,000 needed to construct its next home. With the family selection process well under way, it is imperative that community members step up and help Habitat reach its fundraising goals, Mawhirter said.

"A lot of people think that Habitat builds these houses so that we can give them away, but that is definitely not the case." she said. "Once the home is built, our partner family purchases the home from us like they would from any other lender. The difference is that when those payments start coming in, our board can use those funds to help yet another family. It’s like the donations just keep on giving."

Anyone interested in purchasing tickets or making a tax-deductible donation to the nonprofit organization should contact event organizer Mawhirter, 620-786-4896, or habitatbartoncounty@hotmail.com. The organization can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Tickets are also available at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce.